The Ministry of Fear by Graham Greene Read Free Book Online Page B

brother said and then dropped his inverted commas round the antiquated slang, ‘ “my eye”.’ He turned to Rowe with an expression of glee. ‘Count this Society, Mr Rowe, as far as the secretary’s concerned at your service. This is really interesting.’ He held out his hand. ‘My name – our name is Hilfe. Where do we begin?’
    The girl sat silent. Rowe said, ‘Your sister doesn’t agree.’
    â€˜Oh,’ the young man said, ‘she’ll come round. She always does in the end. She thinks I’m a romantic. She’s had to get me out of too many scrapes.’ He became momentarily serious. ‘She got me out of Austria.’ But nothing could damp his enthusiasm for long. ‘That’s another story. Do we begin with Mrs Bellairs? Have you any idea what it’s all about? I’ll get our grim volunteer in the next room on the hunt,’ and opening the door he called through. ‘Dear Mrs Dermody, do you think you could find the address of one of our voluntary helpers called Mrs Bellairs?’ He explained to Rowe, ‘The difficulty is she’s probably just the friend of a friend – not a regular helper. Try Canon Topling,’ he suggested to Mrs Dermody.
    The greater the young man’s enthusiasm, the more fantastic the whole incident became. Rowe began to see it through Mr Rennit’s eyes – Mrs Dermody, Canon Topling . . .
    He said, ‘Perhaps after all your sister’s right.’
    But young Hilfe swept on. ‘She may be, of course she may be. But how dull if she is. I’d much rather think, until we know , that there’s some enormous conspiracy . . .’
    Mrs Dermody put her head in at the door and said, ‘Canon Topling gave me the address. It’s 5 Park Crescent.’
    â€˜If she’s a friend of Canon Topling,’ Rowe began and caught Miss Hilfe’s eye. She gave him a secret nod as much as to say – now you’re on the right track.
    â€˜Oh, but let’s “hang on” to the stranger,’ Hilfe said.
    â€˜There may be a thousand reasons,’ Miss Hilfe said.
    â€˜Surely not a thousand, Anna,’ her brother mocked. He asked Rowe, ‘Isn’t there anything else you can remember which will convince her?’ His keenness was more damping than her scepticism. The whole affair became a game one couldn’t take seriously.
    â€˜Nothing,’ Rowe said.
    Hilfe was at the window looking out. He said, ‘Come here a moment, Mr Rowe. Do you see that little man down there – in the shabby brown hat? He arrived just after you, and he seems to be staying . . . There he goes now, up and down. Pretends to light a cigarette. He does that too often. And that’s the second evening paper he’s bought. He never comes quite opposite, you see. It almost looks as if you are being trailed.’
    â€˜I know him,’ Rowe said. ‘He’s a private detective. He’s being paid to keep an eye on me.’
    â€˜By Jove,’ young Hilfe said – even his exclamations were a little Victorian – ‘you do take this seriously. We’re allies now you know – you aren’t “holding out” on us, are you?’
    â€˜There is something I haven’t mentioned.’ Rowe hesitated.
    â€˜Yes?’ Hilfe came quickly back and with his hand again on his sister’s shoulder waited with an appearance of anxiety. ‘Something which will wipe out Canon Topling?’
    â€˜I think there was something in the cake.’
    â€˜What?’
    â€˜I don’t know. But he crumbled every slice he took.’
    â€˜It may have been habit,’ Miss Hilfe said.
    â€˜Habit!’ her brother teased her.
    She said with sudden anger, ‘One of these old English characteristics you study so carefully.’
    Rowe tried to explain to Miss Hilfe, ‘It’s nothing to do with me. I