第21部分(第5/7 頁)

ght；　my　child；　you　have　said　exactly　what　you　ought　to　say；　and　now　listen　to　what　we　have　to　say　in　reply。　We　shall　not　let　you　go　away；　if　necessary；　we　shall　keep　you　by　force。　Do　you　think　we　could　be　so　base　as　to　accept　of　your　generous　proposal？　These　threats　of　Silfax　are　formidable……no　doubt　about　it！　But；　after　all；　a　man　is　but　a　man；　and　we　can　take　precautions。　You　will　tell　us；　will　you　not；　even　for　his　own　sake；　all　you　can　about　his　habits　and　his　lurking…places？　All　we　want　to　do　is　to　put　it　out　of　his　power　to　do　harm；　and　perhaps　bring　him　to　reason。〃

〃You　possible；〃　said　Nell。 〃My　grandfather　is　everywhere　and　nowhere。 I　have　never　seen　his　retreats。　I　have　never　seen　him　sleep。 If　he　meant　to　conceal　himself；　he　used　to　leave　me　alone；　and　vanish。 When　I　took　my　resolution；　Mr。　Starr；　I　was　aware　of　everything　you　could　say　against　it。　Believe　me；　there　is　but　one　way　to　render　Silfax　powerless；　and　that　will　be　by　my　return　to　him。 Invisible　himself；　he　sees　everything　that　goes　on。 Just　think　whether　it　is　likely　he　could　discover　your　very　thoughts　and　intentions；　from　that　time　when　the　letter　was　written　to　Mr。　Starr；　up　to　now　that　my　marriage　with　Harry　has　been　arranged；　if　he　did　not　possess　the　extraordinary　faculty　of　knowing　everything。　As　far　as　I

am　able　to　judge；　my　grandfather；　in　his　very　insanity；　is　a　man　of　most　powerful　mind。 He　formerly　used　to　talk　to　me　on　very　lofty　subjects。 He　taught　me　the　existence　of　God；　and　never　deceived　me　but　on　one　point；　which　was……that　he　made　me　believe　that　all　men　were　base　and　perfidious；　because　he　wished　to　inspire　me　with　his　own　hatred　of　all　the　human　race。　When　Harry　brought　me　to　the　cottage；　you　thought　I　was　simply　ignorant　of　mankind；　but；　far　beyond　that；　I