04-01-04-三十九级台阶 [18]
， but it was difficult.
I walked the twenty kilometres to the station in a day. The train to London did not leave until night，so I rested in the heather until it arrived. I was very happy to be in the train，and on the way south.
* * *
I slept on the train until early morning. Then I changed trains two or three times. At about eight o'clock in the evening I arrived at the small station at Artinswell，to the west of London. The road led through a wood into a green valley. Soon I came to a bridge and looked down into the river，whistling the song'Annie Laurie'.
A fisherman walked up from the river，and as he got near to me，he started to whistle the same song. He was a big man in old clothes and a wide hat. He smiled at me， and I looked at his kind，intelligent face.
'The water's clear，isn't it？'he said. 'Look at that big fish lying on the bottom. I've been trying to catch him all evening. '
'I can't see him，'I said.
'Look，over there，near those plants. '
'Oh yes，I can see him now. He looks like a black stone. '
He whistled again，then paused. 'Your name's Twisdon，isn't it？'
'No，'I said. 'I mean yes. 'I had forgotten the name I had given Sir Harry.
'It's a good idea to know your own name，'he said，smiling.
I looked at him again and began to think that this kind，in－telligent man would be a real ally at last.
Then he pointed to a house by the river and said quietly，'Wait five minutes， then come to the back door. 'He walked
I did as he asked，and found the back door open and a ser－vant waiting.
Come this way，sir，'he said， and took me to a bedroom. There were clothes waiting for me，and shaving things. 'There's a bathroom next door. Dinner is in half an hour. '
The servant left，and I sat down. I was very surprised，but also delighted，Sir Walter clearly believed that I was not a murderer，although when I looked at myself in the mirror，I thought I looked very much like one.
I had a bath and shaved and put on the clothes. When I had finished，I looked in the mirror again. This time I saw a com－pletely different young man.
Sir Walter was waiting for me in the dining room. I decided I must tell him the truth about myself immediately.
'I must thank you very much，but I must make something clear，'I said. 'I'm not a murderer， but the police want me. If you'd like me to leave， I'll leave now. '
He smiled. 'That's all right. We won't let it stop us eating. Let's talk after dinner. '
The food and wine were excellent. After dinner we went to the sitting－room for coffee and he looked at me.
I've done what Harry asked me to do，'he said. ' He told me you'd tell me a story to wake me up it I did. So what is your story，Mr Hannay？'
I notoced that he was using my real name.
I told him the whole story， from the night I came home and found Scudder at my door. I told him what Scudder had told me about Karolides，and saw him smile once or twice. Then I told him about the murder，and the milkman，and Scotland，and Scudder's notebook.
'You've got it here？'he asked，and looked pleased when I took it from my pocket.
I said nothing about what I had read in Scudder's notes. Then I told him about my meeting with Sir Harry，and he laughed. My day as a roadman interested him. He made me describe the two men in the car，and seemed to be thinking hard. Then he laughed again at my adventure with Mar－maduke Jopley. When I described the old man in the farm－house，he stopped smiling.
'Old，bald，and hoods his eyes like a hawk. I don't like the sound of him. And you blew up his house. You're a brave man.
I reached the end of my story. He stood up，by the fire，and looked down at me.
'You don't need to worry about the police，'he said. 'They don't want you any more. '
'Have they arrested the murderer？'
'No. But they know it's not you. '
'How？'
'Because I heard from Scudder. I knew him a bit. He was astrange man，but he was honest. I had a letter from him on the 31st of May. '
'But he'd been dead for a week by then. '
'The letter was written and posted on the 23rd. His letters usually went to Spaim and then Newcastle
I walked the twenty kilometres to the station in a day. The train to London did not leave until night，so I rested in the heather until it arrived. I was very happy to be in the train，and on the way south.
* * *
I slept on the train until early morning. Then I changed trains two or three times. At about eight o'clock in the evening I arrived at the small station at Artinswell，to the west of London. The road led through a wood into a green valley. Soon I came to a bridge and looked down into the river，whistling the song'Annie Laurie'.
A fisherman walked up from the river，and as he got near to me，he started to whistle the same song. He was a big man in old clothes and a wide hat. He smiled at me， and I looked at his kind，intelligent face.
'The water's clear，isn't it？'he said. 'Look at that big fish lying on the bottom. I've been trying to catch him all evening. '
'I can't see him，'I said.
'Look，over there，near those plants. '
'Oh yes，I can see him now. He looks like a black stone. '
He whistled again，then paused. 'Your name's Twisdon，isn't it？'
'No，'I said. 'I mean yes. 'I had forgotten the name I had given Sir Harry.
'It's a good idea to know your own name，'he said，smiling.
I looked at him again and began to think that this kind，in－telligent man would be a real ally at last.
Then he pointed to a house by the river and said quietly，'Wait five minutes， then come to the back door. 'He walked
I did as he asked，and found the back door open and a ser－vant waiting.
Come this way，sir，'he said， and took me to a bedroom. There were clothes waiting for me，and shaving things. 'There's a bathroom next door. Dinner is in half an hour. '
The servant left，and I sat down. I was very surprised，but also delighted，Sir Walter clearly believed that I was not a murderer，although when I looked at myself in the mirror，I thought I looked very much like one.
I had a bath and shaved and put on the clothes. When I had finished，I looked in the mirror again. This time I saw a com－pletely different young man.
Sir Walter was waiting for me in the dining room. I decided I must tell him the truth about myself immediately.
'I must thank you very much，but I must make something clear，'I said. 'I'm not a murderer， but the police want me. If you'd like me to leave， I'll leave now. '
He smiled. 'That's all right. We won't let it stop us eating. Let's talk after dinner. '
The food and wine were excellent. After dinner we went to the sitting－room for coffee and he looked at me.
I've done what Harry asked me to do，'he said. ' He told me you'd tell me a story to wake me up it I did. So what is your story，Mr Hannay？'
I notoced that he was using my real name.
I told him the whole story， from the night I came home and found Scudder at my door. I told him what Scudder had told me about Karolides，and saw him smile once or twice. Then I told him about the murder，and the milkman，and Scotland，and Scudder's notebook.
'You've got it here？'he asked，and looked pleased when I took it from my pocket.
I said nothing about what I had read in Scudder's notes. Then I told him about my meeting with Sir Harry，and he laughed. My day as a roadman interested him. He made me describe the two men in the car，and seemed to be thinking hard. Then he laughed again at my adventure with Mar－maduke Jopley. When I described the old man in the farm－house，he stopped smiling.
'Old，bald，and hoods his eyes like a hawk. I don't like the sound of him. And you blew up his house. You're a brave man.
I reached the end of my story. He stood up，by the fire，and looked down at me.
'You don't need to worry about the police，'he said. 'They don't want you any more. '
'Have they arrested the murderer？'
'No. But they know it's not you. '
'How？'
'Because I heard from Scudder. I knew him a bit. He was astrange man，but he was honest. I had a letter from him on the 31st of May. '
'But he'd been dead for a week by then. '
'The letter was written and posted on the 23rd. His letters usually went to Spaim and then Newcastle