Тридцять дев’ять ступенів

           ThehousewascalledTrafalgarLodge,andbelongedtoanoldgentlemancalledAppleton—aretiredstockbroker,thehouse-agentsaid.MrAppletonwasthereagooddealinthesummertime,andwasinresidencenow—hadbeenforthebetterpartofaweek.Scaifecouldpickupverylittleinformationabouthim,exceptthathewasadecentoldfellow,whopaidhisbillsregularly,andwasalwaysgoodforafiverforalocalcharity.ThenScaifeseemedtohavepenetratedtothebackdoorofthehouse,pretendinghewasanagentforsewing-machines.Onlythreeservantswerekept,acook,aparlour-maid,andahousemaid,andtheywerejustthesortthatyouwouldfindinarespectablemiddle-classhousehold.Thecookwasnotthegossipingkind,andhadprettysoonshutthedoorinhisface,butScaifesaidhewaspositivesheknewnothing.Nextdoortherewasanewhousebuildingwhichwouldgivegoodcoverforobservation,andthevillaontheothersidewastolet,anditsgardenwasroughandshrubby.

           IborrowedScaife’stelescope,andbeforelunchwentforawalkalongtheRuff.Ikeptwellbehindtherowsofvillas,andfoundagoodobservationpointontheedgeofthegolf-course.ThereIhadaviewofthelineofturfalongtheclifftop,withseatsplacedatintervals,andthelittlesquareplots,railedinandplantedwithbushes,whencethestaircasesdescendedtothebeach.IsawTrafalgarLodgeveryplainly,ared-brickvillawithaveranda,atennislawnbehind,andinfronttheordinaryseasideflower-gardenfullofmargueritesandscraggygeraniums.