{"id":64516,"date":"2026-07-19T17:38:05","date_gmt":"2026-07-19T15:38:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.invarena.cz\/?p=64516"},"modified":"2026-07-19T17:38:06","modified_gmt":"2026-07-19T15:38:06","slug":"edgar-wallace-the-black","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.invarena.cz\/?p=64516","title":{"rendered":"Edgar Wallace &#8211; The Black"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-vivid-red-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-5069fb2e073aca5ddab32ff9f0476b3a wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Kapitola II. &#8211; Lady z Creithu<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stephens, komorn\u00edk v Creith House, se o loupe\u017ei do\u010detl v rann\u00edch novin\u00e1ch a jeliko\u017e byl povahy sd\u00edln\u00e9, p\u0159inesl tuto zpr\u00e1vu sv\u00e9mu p\u00e1novi spolu s rann\u00ed k\u00e1vou. Mohl by vyvolat v\u011bt\u0161\u00ed rozruch, kdyby to \u0159ekl hostu domu, ale pana Ralpha Hamona nem\u011bl z mnoha d\u016fvod\u016f v l\u00e1sce, a k jeho nelibosti se p\u0159id\u00e1val jist\u00fd du\u0161evn\u00ed neklid. Sluha m\u016f\u017ee nach\u00e1zet pot\u011b\u0161en\u00ed ve sv\u00fdch p\u0159edsudc\u00edch, jen pokud jsou nam\u00ed\u0159eny proti t\u011bm, kte\u0159\u00ed nemaj\u00ed vliv.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>Tak se pan Ralph Hamon jevil p\u0159i sv\u00fdch prvn\u00edch n\u011bkolika n\u00e1v\u0161t\u011bv\u00e1ch u hrab\u011bte z Creithu. Jeho uctiv\u00fd postoj v\u016f\u010di hlav\u011b domu, jeho pokora v p\u0159\u00edtomnosti mlad\u00e9 d\u00e1my, jeho snaha zal\u00edbit se zd\u016fraz\u0148ovaly jeho pod\u0159\u00edzenost. Jeho touha z\u00edskat si p\u0159\u00edze\u0148 obyvatel Creith House se v\u0161ak nevztahovala na slu\u017eebnictvo. Spropitn\u00e9, kter\u00e9 d\u00e1val, bylo miziv\u00e9 nebo bylo z\u00e1m\u011brn\u011b odep\u0159eno, ale na to byli Stephens a jeho person\u00e1l p\u0159ipraveni, nebo\u0165 \u0161of\u00e9r pana Hamona jeho lakomost p\u0159edem prozradil.<br \/>Byla to zm\u011bna v postoji finan\u010dn\u00edka v\u016f\u010di rodin\u011b, kter\u00e1 Stephense znepokojovala a zp\u016fsobovala, \u017ee se jeho baculat\u00e1, hladk\u00e1 tv\u00e1\u0159 svra\u0161tila v nep\u0159\u00edjemn\u00e9m zamy\u0161len\u00ed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>Zpo\u010d\u00e1tku oslovoval hrab\u011bte \u201em\u016fj pane\u201c \u2013 a pouze slu\u017eebnictvo, n\u00e1jemn\u00edky a \u0159emesln\u00edky \u201em\u016fj pane \u0161lechtici\u201c. A lady Joan byla \u201eVa\u0161e Milost\u201c.<br \/>Nyn\u00ed to bylo \u201em\u016fj drah\u00fd Creithe\u201c a \u201em\u00e1 drah\u00e1 mlad\u00e1 d\u00e1mo\u201c, \u010dast\u011bji ne\u017e t\u00f3nem dobromysln\u00e9ho pohrd\u00e1n\u00ed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>Stephens st\u00e1l u dlouh\u00e9ho okna banketov\u00e9ho s\u00e1lu a hled\u011bl p\u0159es \u0161irokou plochu posekan\u00e9ho tr\u00e1vn\u00edku k \u0159ece, kter\u00e1 tvo\u0159ila severn\u00ed hranici Creithov\u00fdch pozemk\u016f. Bylo n\u00e1dhern\u00e9 podzimn\u00ed r\u00e1no. Stromy si zachovaly svou syt\u011b zelenou barvu, ale tu a tam se na zalesn\u011bn\u00fdch svaz\u00edch No Man&#8217;s Hill objevovaly rezav\u00e9 a zlat\u00e9 odst\u00edny podzimn\u00edho list\u00ed. Slune\u010dn\u00ed paprsky se t\u0159pytily na pomalu tekouc\u00ed \u0159ece Avon, posledn\u00ed zbytky mlhy se vinuly mezi borovicemi, kter\u00e9 korunovaly kopec, a ohromn\u00e9 ticho venkova naru\u0161ovalo pouze m\u00e1v\u00e1n\u00ed k\u0159\u00eddel, kdy\u017e slepice ba\u017eanta neohraban\u011b p\u0159el\u00e9taly z \u00fakrytu do \u00fakrytu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eDobr\u00e9 r\u00e1no, Stephensi.\u201c<br \/>Stephens se provinile oto\u010dil, kdy\u017e usly\u0161el hlas mu\u017ee, o kter\u00e9m v tu chv\u00edli p\u0159em\u00fd\u0161lel tak neuctiv\u011b.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>Ralph Hamon ve\u0161el bezhlu\u010dn\u011b do oblo\u017een\u00e9 haly. Byl to sv\u011btlovlas\u00fd mu\u017e st\u0159edn\u00ed v\u00fd\u0161ky, robustn\u00ed postavy, s tendenc\u00ed k tlou\u0161\u0165ce. Stephens odhadoval jeho v\u011bk<br \/>na \u010dty\u0159icet p\u011bt let, p\u0159i\u010dem\u017e z osobn\u00edch d\u016fvod\u016f m\u011bl sklon p\u0159ehl\u00ed\u017eet n\u00e1v\u0161t\u011bvn\u00edkovo m\u00edrn\u00e9 ple\u0161at\u011bn\u00ed. Pan Hamon m\u011bl velkou, bledou tv\u00e1\u0159, kter\u00e1 byla obvykle bez v\u00fdrazu.  Jeho vysok\u00e9, ple\u0161at\u00e9 \u010delo, tmav\u00e9, hluboko posazen\u00e9 o\u010di a nekompromisn\u00ed linie tvrd\u00fdch rt\u016f nazna\u010dovaly vzd\u011blanost. Stephensovi to p\u0159ipomn\u011blo nen\u00e1vid\u011bn\u00e9ho u\u010ditele, kter\u00e9ho znal v ml\u00e1d\u00ed. Ple\u0161atost zd\u016fraz\u0148oval pram\u00ednek vlas\u016f podobn\u00fd zubn\u00ed niti, kter\u00fd \u0159\u00eddce rostl na temeni, a byl zvl\u00e1\u0161t\u011b patrn\u00fd, kdy\u017e se sklonil, aby z le\u0161t\u011bn\u00e9 podlahy zvedl \u0161pendl\u00edk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eTo je \u0161t\u011bst\u00ed,\u201c \u0159ekl, kdy\u017e si p\u0159ip\u00edn\u00e1\u010dek zap\u00ednal do klopy sv\u00e9ho dob\u0159e padnouc\u00edho fraku. \u201eNen\u00ed lep\u0161\u00edho zp\u016fsobu, jak za\u010d\u00edt den, ne\u017e z\u00edskat n\u011bco zadarmo, Stephensi.\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eNe, pane,\u201c \u0159ekl Stephens. M\u011bl chu\u0165 pouk\u00e1zat na to, \u017ee ten p\u0159ip\u00edn\u00e1\u010dek je n\u011b\u010d\u00ed majetek, ale zdr\u017eel se. \u201eDo\u0161lo k dal\u0161\u00ed loupe\u017ei v Blacku, pane,\u201c \u0159ekl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>Hamon mu s mra\u010den\u00edm vytrhl noviny z ruky.<br \/>\u201eLoupe\u017e Blacka \u2013 kde?\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>P\u0159e\u010detl si to a jeho mra\u010den\u00ed se prohloubilo.<br \/>\u201eTentokr\u00e1t v Burlingtonu,\u201c \u0159ekl, jako by mluvil s\u00e1m k sob\u011b. \u201eZaj\u00edmalo by m\u011b\u2026?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c Z\u00edral na Stephense a ten statn\u00fd mu\u017e se scvrkl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eLord Creith nen\u00ed dole?\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eNe, pane.\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eA lady Joan?\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eJej\u00ed milost je v parku. P\u0159ed hodinou odjela na koni.\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eHm!\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>Pan Hamon se zamra\u010dil a odhodil noviny. V\u010dera ve\u010der po\u017e\u00e1dal Joan Carstonovou, aby s n\u00edm jela na koni, a ona se vymluvila, \u017ee jej\u00ed obl\u00edben\u00fd k\u016f\u0148 kulh\u00e1. Stephens neum\u011bl \u010d\u00edst my\u0161lenky, ale rychle si vzpomn\u011bl na ur\u010dit\u00e9 pokyny, kter\u00e9 dostal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eJej\u00ed milost si myslela, \u017ee nebude moct jezdit, ale jej\u00ed k\u016f\u0148 se dnes r\u00e1no z toho kulh\u00e1n\u00ed dostal.\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eHm!\u201c \u0159ekl pan Hamon znovu.<br \/>Vyt\u00e1hl si z kapsy brk jako p\u00e1r\u00e1tko a okusoval ho.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eLady Joan mi \u0159ekla, \u017ee n\u011bkoho ubytovala v jedn\u00e9 z chalup na panstv\u00ed \u2013 tedy, ne\u0159ekla to mn\u011b, ale sly\u0161el jsem, jak o tom mluv\u00ed s lordem Creithem. Kdo to je?\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eNev\u00edm, pane,\u201c odpov\u011bd\u011bl Stephens up\u0159\u00edmn\u011b. \u201eMysl\u00edm, \u017ee je to n\u011bjak\u00e1 d\u00e1ma a jej\u00ed dcera\u2026 Jej\u00ed Milost ji potkala v Lond\u00fdn\u011b a dala j\u00ed tu chalupu na dovolenou.\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>Hamon pozvedl koutek \u00fast.<br \/>\u201eHraje si na filantropa, co?\u201c u\u0161kl\u00edbl se.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>Stephens mohl jen \u017easnout nad chladnou sebejistotou mu\u017ee, kter\u00fd se p\u0159ed rokem t\u00e9m\u011b\u0159 plazil p\u0159ed d\u00edvkou, o n\u00ed\u017e nyn\u00ed mohl mluvit s takovou drzou famili\u00e1rnost\u00ed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>Hamon pomalu pro\u0161el vstupn\u00ed halou s kamennou dla\u017ebou ven. Po Joan nebylo ani stopy a domyslel si, \u017ee kdyby se Stephense zeptal, kudy Joan ode\u0161la, ten mu\u017e by bu\u010f p\u0159edst\u00edral, \u017ee nev\u00ed, nebo by lhal. Hamon si ned\u011blal \u017e\u00e1dn\u00e9 iluze o sv\u00e9 obl\u00edbenosti.<br \/>Zat\u00edmco on tu d\u00edvku nevid\u011bl, ona ho z No Man\u2019s Hill vid\u011bla dost z\u0159eteln\u011b, \u010dernou siluetu proti zeleni tr\u00e1vn\u00edku. Sed\u011bla rozkro\u010dmo na star\u00e9m loveck\u00e9m koni,<br \/>na kter\u00e9m jela, a zamy\u0161len\u011b hled\u011bla k velk\u00e9mu, rozlehl\u00e9mu domu, s ustaran\u00fdm mlad\u00fdm obli\u010dejem a jasn\u011b \u0161ed\u00fdma o\u010dima zakalen\u00fdma pochybnostmi. \u0160t\u00edhl\u00e1, p\u016fvabn\u00e1 postava, v obrysech t\u00e9m\u011b\u0159 chlapeck\u00e1, sledovala \u010dernou te\u010dku, jak se vrac\u00ed k domu, a na vte\u0159inu se j\u00ed v koutc\u00edch \u010derven\u00fdch rt\u016f zachv\u011bl slab\u00fd \u00fasm\u011bv.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eVzh\u016fru, Toby!\u201c Trhla ot\u011b\u017eemi, \u010d\u00edm\u017e vyru\u0161ila pasouc\u00edho se kon\u011b, a nasm\u011brovala ho na vrchol kopce. Kopec No Man\u2019s Hill byl po stalet\u00ed p\u0159edm\u011btem spor\u016f<br \/>a pr\u00e1vo na jeho za\u010dlen\u011bn\u00ed do hranic sousedn\u00edch panstv\u00ed p\u0159ivedlo k chudob\u011b nejm\u00e9n\u011b t\u0159i generace dvou rodin. Rodina Creith\u016f sv\u00e9 n\u00e1roky h\u00e1jila u soud\u016f ji\u017e od roku 1735. Talmersovi se odd\u00e1vali soudn\u00edm spor\u016fm pades\u00e1t let a nakonec zem\u0159eli zaho\u0159kl\u00ed a zruinovan\u00ed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>Majitel\u00e9 Wold House dopadli stejn\u011b. Bude nov\u00fd majitel Wold pokra\u010dovat v t\u00e9to neblah\u00e9 tradici, p\u0159em\u00fd\u0161lela Joan? N\u011bjak se j\u00ed zd\u00e1lo, \u017ee je na to p\u0159\u00edli\u0161 rozumn\u00fd.<br \/>Byl v dr\u017een\u00ed pozemku dva roky a nevydal \u017e\u00e1dnou soudn\u00ed \u017ealobu, a\u010dkoli jeho listiny vlastnictv\u00ed mu toto katastrof\u00e1ln\u00ed pr\u00e1vo nepochybn\u011b d\u00e1valy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>Zastavila se, sesedla z kon\u011b a nechala ho voln\u011b se p\u00e1st, vylezla po posledn\u00edm strm\u00e9m svahu a dostala se na vrchol. Mechanicky se pod\u00edvala na hodinky na z\u00e1p\u011bst\u00ed. Bylo p\u0159esn\u011b osm hodin. A pak jej\u00ed o\u010di hledaly jezdeckou stezku, kter\u00e1 obch\u00e1zela \u00fapat\u00ed kopce.<br \/>Nemusela se d\u00edvat na hodinky. Mu\u017e, na kter\u00e9ho se d\u00edvala, vyjel z rem\u00edzku p\u0159esn\u011b v tuto chv\u00edli, den za dnem, m\u011bs\u00edc za m\u011bs\u00edcem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>Vysok\u00fd mu\u017e, kter\u00fd sed\u011bl na koni s lehkost\u00ed a p\u0159i j\u00edzd\u011b kou\u0159il d\u00fdmku.<br \/>Vyt\u00e1hla dalekohled z pouzdra, a zaost\u0159ila. To zkoum\u00e1n\u00ed bylo neomluviteln\u00e9; Joan si svou chybu bez v\u00e1h\u00e1n\u00ed p\u0159iznala. Byl to on; huben\u00e1, estetick\u00e1 tv\u00e1\u0159, \u0161ediv\u00e9 skvrny u sp\u00e1nk\u016f, rozepnut\u00e1 hrub\u00e1 ko\u0161ile. Mohla by ho nakreslit, a tak\u00e9 to ud\u011blala.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eJoan Carstonov\u00e1, jsi ned\u00edv\u010d\u00ed a nestydat\u00e1 \u017eena,\u201c \u0159ekla p\u0159\u00edsn\u011b. \u201eZnamen\u00e1 pro tebe ten mu\u017e n\u011bco? Ne! Obklopuje\u0161 ho zlat\u00fdm oblakem romantiky? Ano! Nen\u00ed to vulg\u00e1rn\u00ed zv\u011bdavost a touha ml\u00e1d\u00ed po tajemstv\u00ed, co t\u011b sem ka\u017ed\u00e9 r\u00e1no p\u0159iv\u00e1d\u00ed, abys \u0161pehovala tohoto st\u0159edn\u00edho v\u011bku a ne\u0161kodn\u00e9ho p\u00e1na? Ano! A nestyd\u00ed\u0161 se? Ne!\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>Neuv\u011bdomuj\u00edc\u00ed si objekt jej\u00edch v\u00fdslech\u016f \u0161el nyn\u00ed vedle n\u00ed. V jedn\u00e9 ruce dr\u017eel tenk\u00fd, ohebn\u00fd jezdeck\u00fd bi\u010d\u00edk, kter\u00fdm bezmy\u0161lenkovit\u011b uhlazoval ko\u0148skou h\u0159\u00edvu. Ned\u00edval se ani nalevo, ani napravo, a \u0161el d\u00e1l, a ona ho sledovala s udiven\u00fdm zamra\u010den\u00edm, dokud nezmizel z dohledu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>Pan James Lexington Morlake byl pro lidi v okol\u00ed stejn\u011b velkou z\u00e1hadou jako pro sebe sam\u00e9ho. U\u017e dva roky byl p\u00e1nem Wold House, a nic se o n\u011bm nev\u011bd\u011blo, krom\u011b toho, \u017ee byl zjevn\u011b bohat\u00fd mu\u017e. Rozhodn\u011b nem\u011bl \u017e\u00e1dn\u00e9 p\u0159\u00e1tele. Far\u00e1\u0159 ho nav\u0161t\u00edvil brzy po jeho p\u0159\u00edjezdu.<br \/>Byl osloven jm\u00e9nem m\u00edstn\u00edch charitativn\u00edch organizac\u00ed a velkoryse p\u0159isp\u011bl, ale odm\u00edtl ka\u017ed\u00e9 spole\u010densk\u00e9 pozv\u00e1n\u00ed, kter\u00e9 by ho p\u0159ivedlo do bli\u017e\u0161\u00edho kontaktu s jeho sousedy. Ani nenav\u0161t\u011bvoval, ani nep\u0159ij\u00edmal n\u00e1v\u0161t\u011bvy. Bylo zah\u00e1jeno diskr\u00e9tn\u00ed p\u00e1tr\u00e1n\u00ed; kucha\u0159ka mluvila s kucha\u0159kou a pokojsk\u00e1 s pokojskou, a nakonec se z n\u011bj zklam\u00e1n\u00edm vyklubal mu\u017e, jeho\u017e \u017eivot byl p\u0159\u00edkladn\u00fd, i kdy\u017e trochu nevyzpytateln\u00fd, proto\u017ee nikdo si nemohl b\u00fdt jist\u00fd, zda je doma ve Wold House nebo v Lond\u00fdn\u011b. Ani sv\u00fdm slu\u017eebn\u00edk\u016fm neprozrazoval sv\u00e9 pl\u00e1ny na den \u010di t\u00fdden. Tato v\u00fdst\u0159ednost byla v\u0161eobecn\u011b zn\u00e1m\u00e1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>Joan Carstonov\u00e1 nasedla na kon\u011b a sjela z kopce sm\u011brem k cest\u011b, po kter\u00e9 ten mu\u017e jel. Kdy\u017e dojela k cest\u011b, pod\u00edvala se v\u010das nalevo a uvid\u011bla, jak zm\u00edn\u011bn\u00e9 o\u0161unt\u011bl\u00e9 sombrero miz\u00ed v \u00fadol\u00ed, kter\u00e9 vede k \u0159ece.<br \/>\u201eJsem un\u00e1hlen\u00e1 a neomalen\u00e1 \u017eena, Toby,\u201c \u0159ekla a obr\u00e1tila se k chv\u011bj\u00edc\u00edm se u\u0161\u00edm sv\u00e9ho kon\u011b. \u201eNem\u00e1m \u017e\u00e1dn\u00e9 z\u00e1brany ani pat\u0159i\u010dnou hrdost, ale ach, Toby,<br \/>dala bych dv\u011b pap\u00edrov\u00e9 libry \u0161terlink\u016f \u2013 co\u017e je v\u0161e, co na sv\u011bt\u011b m\u00e1m \u2013 za to, abych si s n\u00edm mohla promluvit a b\u00fdt zklaman\u00e1!\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>Poslala sv\u00e9ho poslucha\u010de cvalem po silnici a odbo\u010dila skrz zch\u00e1tralou br\u00e1nu, kter\u00e1 ji vedla zp\u011bt na otcovo panstv\u00ed. Tam, kde hlavn\u00ed silnice obch\u00e1zela Creith Park, st\u00e1la v\u00e1pnem om\u00edtnut\u00e1 chalupa p\u0159ipom\u00ednaj\u00edc\u00ed stodolu, a k t\u00e9 zam\u00ed\u0159ila. \u017dena stoj\u00edc\u00ed v zahrad\u011b zam\u00e1vala rukou, kdy\u017e se k n\u00ed d\u00edvka bl\u00ed\u017eila. Byla to \u017eena st\u0159edn\u00edho v\u011bku, \u0161t\u00edhl\u00e1 a hezk\u00e1, a chovala se s takovou d\u016fstojnost\u00ed, \u017ee to t\u00e9m\u011b\u0159 zakr\u00fdvalo skromnost jej\u00edho od\u011bvu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eDobr\u00e9 r\u00e1no, lady Joan. Dorazili jsme sem v\u010dera ve\u010der a v\u0161echno tu pro n\u00e1s bylo p\u0159ipraven\u00e9. Bylo od v\u00e1s mil\u00e9, \u017ee jste si s t\u00edm dala tolik pr\u00e1ce.\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eCo je to pr\u00e1ce?\u201c \u0159ekla Joan a sesko\u010dila na zem. \u201eZvl\u00e1\u0161\u0165 kdy\u017e ji d\u011bl\u00e1 n\u011bkdo jin\u00fd? Jak se da\u0159\u00ed tomu zaj\u00edmav\u00e9mu invalidovi, pan\u00ed Cornfordov\u00e1?\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>Pan\u00ed Cornfordov\u00e1 se usm\u00e1la.<br \/>\u201eTo nev\u00edm. Doraz\u00ed a\u017e dnes ve\u010der. Nevad\u00ed v\u00e1m, \u017ee tu m\u00e1m podn\u00e1jemn\u00edka?\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eNe,\u201c zavrt\u011bla Joan hlavou. \u201eDiv\u00edm se, \u017ee tu nebydl\u00edte natrvalo. Otec \u0159\u00edkal, \u017ee byste mohla. Kdo je ten podn\u00e1jemn\u00edk?\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>Pan\u00ed Cornfordov\u00e1 zav\u00e1hala.<br \/>\u201eJe to mlad\u00fd mu\u017e, o kter\u00e9ho se zaj\u00edm\u00e1m. M\u011bla bych v\u00e1m \u0159\u00edct, \u017ee je, nebo byl, alkoholik.\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eProboha!\u201c \u0159ekla p\u0159ekvapen\u00e1 d\u00edvka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eSna\u017eila jsem se mu pomoct a mysl\u00edm, \u017ee se mi to poda\u0159ilo. Je to gentleman \u2013 je to dost tragick\u00e9, vid\u011bt takov\u00e9 p\u0159\u00edpady, ale v misii, kde pom\u00e1h\u00e1m, kdy\u017e m\u00e1m \u010das,<br \/>vid\u00edme mnoho takov\u00fdch. Jste si jist\u00e1, \u017ee v\u00e1m to nebude vadit?\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eAni trochu,\u201c zasm\u00e1la se Joan a \u017eena se na ni obdivn\u011b pod\u00edvala.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eV jezdeck\u00e9m oble\u010den\u00ed vypad\u00e1te hezky,\u201c p\u0159ik\u00fdvla pan\u00ed Cornfordov\u00e1 s uzn\u00e1n\u00edm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eVypad\u00e1m hezky v \u010demkoli,\u201c \u0159ekla Joan klidn\u011b. \u201eNem\u00e1 smysl zav\u00edrat o\u010di p\u0159ed fakty: jsem hezk\u00e1! Nem\u016f\u017eu s t\u00edm nic d\u011blat, stejn\u011b jako vy. P\u016fjdu s v\u00e1mi na sn\u00eddani!\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eAno, \u010dekaj\u00ed m\u011b v Creithu,\u201c \u0159ekla Joan a nat\u00edrala si na chl\u00e9b silnou vrstvu marmel\u00e1dy. \u201eAlespo\u0148 m\u011b \u010dek\u00e1 n\u00e1\u0161 host. Otec ne\u010dek\u00e1 nic jin\u00e9ho ne\u017e z\u00e1zrak, kter\u00fd mu p\u0159inese milion bez jak\u00e9hokoli \u00fasil\u00ed z jeho strany. Ten z\u00e1zrak se \u010d\u00e1ste\u010dn\u011b uskute\u010dnil.\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>O\u010di pan\u00ed Cornfordov\u00e9 prozrazovaly jej\u00ed p\u0159ekvapen\u00ed.<br \/>\u201eNe, nejsme bohat\u00ed,\u201c \u0159ekla Joan a odpov\u011bd\u011bla tak na nevy\u0159\u010denou ot\u00e1zku; \u201epat\u0159\u00edme k chud\u00e9 \u0161lecht\u011b. Kdybych byla mu\u017e, odjela bych do Ameriky, provdala se za n\u011bkoho velmi bohat\u00e9ho a \u017eila bych jako ko\u010dka a pes, dokud bych se po\u0159\u00e1dn\u011b nerozvedla. Jeliko\u017e jsem d\u00edvka, mus\u00edm si vz\u00edt milion\u00e1\u0159e z domova. Co\u017e<br \/>neud\u011bl\u00e1m.\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eAle jist\u011b\u2026\u201c za\u010dala pan\u00ed Cornfordov\u00e1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201ePanstv\u00ed, n\u00e1\u0161 lond\u00fdnsk\u00fd d\u016fm, jsou, nebo byly a\u017e do minul\u00e9ho t\u00fddne, zastaveny. Jsme nejchud\u0161\u00ed lid\u00e9 v kraji.\u201c<br \/>Joanino chladn\u00e9 p\u0159izn\u00e1n\u00ed j\u00ed vyrazilo dech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eTo je mi l\u00edto,\u201c \u0159ekla jemn\u011b. \u201eJe to pro v\u00e1s dost stra\u0161n\u00e9.\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eTo v\u016fbec ne,\u201c \u0159ekla Joan. \u201eKrom\u011b toho je tady ka\u017ed\u00fd na pokraji chudoby. Ka\u017ed\u00fd krom\u011b tajemn\u00e9ho pana Morlakea, o kter\u00e9m se obecn\u011b \u0159\u00edk\u00e1, \u017ee je milion\u00e1\u0159. Ale to jen proto, \u017ee nemluv\u00ed o sv\u00fdch hypot\u00e9k\u00e1ch. V\u0161ichni ostatn\u00ed o nich mluv\u00ed. Sed\u00edme u sv\u00fdch stol\u016f a pov\u00edd\u00e1me si o exekuc\u00edch a \u00faroc\u00edch a cen\u00e1ch obil\u00ed a chorob\u00e1ch dobytka, ale hlavn\u011b mluv\u00edme o ztr\u00e1t\u011b, kterou zem\u011b utrp\u00ed, a\u017e bude nehospod\u00e1rn\u00e1 \u0161lechta nahrazena \u0161etrnou demokraci\u00ed.\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>Pan\u00ed Cornfordov\u00e1 ml\u010dela, jej\u00ed v\u00e1\u017en\u00e9 o\u010di zkoumaly d\u00edv\u010din obli\u010dej. Joan ji znala u\u017e rok. Byla to inzerce, kterou pan\u00ed Cornfordov\u00e1 vlo\u017eila do lond\u00fdnsk\u00fdch novin s \u017e\u00e1dost\u00ed o vy\u0161\u00edva\u010dku, co p\u0159ivedlo Joan do t\u00e9 \u0161pinav\u00e9 mal\u00e9 p\u0159edm\u011bstsk\u00e9 uli\u010dky, kde si ta \u017eena vyd\u011bl\u00e1vala dost na to, aby u\u017eivila sebe a svou dceru d\u00edky sv\u00fdm rychl\u00fdm a \u0161ikovn\u00fdm prst\u016fm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eNen\u00ed snadn\u00e9 b\u00fdt chud\u00fd,\u201c \u0159ekla ti\u0161e a Joan vzhl\u00e9dla.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eByla jste bohat\u00e1,\u201c \u0159ekla a moud\u0159e p\u0159ik\u00fdvla hlavou.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> \u201eTo jsem v\u011bd\u011bla. Jednoho dne v\u00e1s po\u017e\u00e1d\u00e1m, abyste mi vypr\u00e1v\u011bla ten stra\u0161n\u00fd p\u0159\u00edb\u011bh \u2013 ne, nepo\u017e\u00e1d\u00e1m! Ano, je hrozn\u00e9 b\u00fdt chud\u00e1, ale je\u0161t\u011b hrozn\u011bj\u0161\u00ed je b\u00fdt bohat\u00e1 \u2013 za ur\u010dit\u00fdch podm\u00ednek. Zn\u00e1te pana Morlakea?\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>Star\u0161\u00ed \u017eena se usm\u00e1la.<br \/>\u201eJe to m\u00edstn\u00ed celebrita, \u017ee? Sotva ho zn\u00e1m, ale zd\u00e1 se, \u017ee pobu\u0159uje p\u0159edstavivost lid\u00ed tady v okol\u00ed. Ta d\u00edvka z vesnice, kterou jste sem tak laskav\u011b poslala, aby uklidila chalupu, mi o n\u011bm vypr\u00e1v\u011bla. \u201eJe to v\u00e1\u0161 p\u0159\u00edtel?\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eNen\u00ed ni\u010d\u00ed p\u0159\u00edtel,\u201c \u0159ekla Joan. \u201eVlastn\u011b je tak nep\u0159\u00edjemn\u00fd, \u017ee mus\u00ed b\u00fdt bohat\u00fd. Kdysi jsem si myslela, \u017ee to bude m\u016fj princ na b\u00edl\u00e9m koni,\u201c<br \/>vzdychla smutn\u011b.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eZaj\u00edmalo by m\u011b, jestli jste opravdu smutn\u00e1?\u201c usm\u00e1la se \u017eena.<br \/>Joanina tv\u00e1\u0159 byla ne\u010diteln\u00e1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eNe\u010dekala byste, \u017ee m\u00e1m taky stra\u0161livou minulost, \u017ee ne?\u201c zeptala se. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201ePamatujte, \u017ee jsem u\u017e docela star\u00e1 \u2013 skoro dvacet t\u0159i.\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eTo bych ne\u010dekala,\u201c \u0159ekla pan\u00ed Cornfordov\u00e1 s pobaven\u00edm v jej\u00edch kr\u00e1sn\u00fdch o\u010d\u00edch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eNebo stra\u0161liv\u00e9 tajemstv\u00ed?\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eNe, to bych taky ne\u010dekala.\u201c Pan\u00ed Cornfordov\u00e1 zavrt\u011bla hlavou.<br \/>Joan znovu povzdechla.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eVr\u00e1t\u00edm se ke sv\u00e9mu b\u0159emenu,\u201c \u0159ekla.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>T\u00edm \u201eb\u0159emenem\u201c byla proch\u00e1zka dlouhou ka\u0161tanovou alej\u00ed, kdy\u017e ho dohnala.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>\u201eJsem r\u00e1d, \u017ee jste p\u0159i\u0161la, lady Joan,\u201c \u0159ekl s p\u0159edst\u00edranou srde\u010dnost\u00ed. \u201eUm\u00edr\u00e1m hlady!\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br \/>Joan Carstonov\u00e1 si p\u0159\u00e1la, aby po\u010dkala je\u0161t\u011b hodinu nebo dv\u011b.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">p\u0159eklad a \u00faprava: Nikola Valerov\u00e1<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>Kapitola II. &#8211; Lady z Creithu Stephens, komorn\u00edk v Creith House, se o loupe\u017ei do\u010detl v rann\u00edch novin\u00e1ch a jeliko\u017e byl povahy sd\u00edln\u00e9, p\u0159inesl tuto <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.invarena.cz\/?p=64516\" title=\"Edgar Wallace &#8211; The Black\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":64500,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-64516","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kultura"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.invarena.cz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64516","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.invarena.cz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.invarena.cz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.invarena.cz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.invarena.cz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=64516"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.invarena.cz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64516\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.invarena.cz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/64500"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.invarena.cz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=64516"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.invarena.cz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=64516"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.invarena.cz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=64516"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}