第4部分(第3/8 頁)

isitor　passed　each　other　in　the　doorway；　and　Derek　Kettering　stood　aside　to　let　the　other　go　out。　Then　he　came　in；　shutting　the　door　behind　him。

〃Good　morning；　sir。　You　are　very　anxious　to　see　me；　I　hear。〃

The　lazy　voice　with　its　slightly　ironic　inflection　roused　memories　in　Van　Aldin。

There　was　charm　in　it　…　there　had　always　been　charm　in　it。　He　looked　piercingly　at　his　son…in…law。　Derek　Kettering　was　thirty…four；　lean　of　build；　with　a　dark；　narrow　face；　which　had　even　now　something　indescribabiy　boyish　in　it。

〃e　in；〃　said　Van　Aldin　curtly。　〃Sit　down。〃

Kettering　flung　himself　lightly　into　an　armchair。　He　looked　at　his　father…in…law　with　a　kind　of　tolerant　amusement。

〃Not　seen　you　for　a　long　time；　sir；〃　he　remarked　pleasantly。　〃About　two　years；　I　should　say。　Seen　Ruth　yet？〃

〃I　saw　her　last　night；〃　said　Van　Aldin。

〃Looking　very　fit；　isn't　she？〃　said　the　other　lightly。

〃I　didn't　know　you　had　had　much　opportunity　of　judging；〃　said　Van　Aldin　drily。

Derek　Kettering　raised　his　eyebrows。

〃Oh；　we　sometimes　meet　at　the　same　night　club；　you　know；〃　he　said　airily。

〃I　am　not　going　to　beat　about　the　bush；〃　Van　Aldin　said　curtly。　〃I　have　advised　Ruth　to　file　a　petition　for　divorce。〃

Derek　Kettering　seemed　unmoved。

〃How　drastic！〃　he　murmured。　〃Do　you　mind　if　I　smoke；　sir？〃

He　lit　a　cigarette；　and　puffed　out　a　cloud　of　smoke　as　he　added　nonchalantly：

〃And　what　did　Ruth　say？〃