Of course our little detective had many misgivings5 on the subject of the intimacy6 between her dear Mary Louise and the Markles, which seemed to be growing closer and warmer as the days went on.
“I am as sure as sure can be of their perfidy7. I certainly did not go to sleep under the bed and dream that they came in and did and said what they did, but I must bide8 my time or they will get off without my proving anything of importance on them,” she would say to herself when she saw Hortense with her arm around Mary Louise, making a great show of affection.
Hortense Markle knew very well how to make herself both agreeable and useful. She would spend hours playing chess with Colonel Hathaway or she would go to the greatest trouble to match some bit of lace for Mary Louise. She spent much of her time engaged in matchless needlework for the prospective9 bride. She was so pleasant, so agreeable and so very pretty that one could not help liking10 her. Most of Mary125 Louise’s friends found her quite as charming as Mary Louise did. Irene MacFarlane was the only one who did not succumb11 to her fascination12.
Poor Irene! She had many a struggle with herself on the subject of Hortense Markle. She felt that her dislike was unreasonable13 and endeavored in every way to hide it, but she was of such a truthful14 nature that it was impossible for her to dissemble. In the meantime preparations for the wedding were under way and all of the group of girls chosen to be bridesmaids were busy over their frocks. Irene was willing to assist in any way, but Mrs. Markle was the one whose help was oftener asked.
“It is not that I am jealous,” Irene would say to herself. “It can’t be that. I have never been jealous in my life. I have an instinct of distrust that I can’t overcome. Her husband affects me the same way. What am I that I should set myself up as a person whose instinct is of any value? They must be all that they seem or so many persons would not be attracted by them.”
She rather hoped Josie O’Gorman would126 feel like discussing the matter with her after their little talk concerning Hortense Markle on the day the Higgledy-Piggledy Shop had its house warming, but the astute15 Josie did not mention it again and Irene felt that she must not be the one to approach the subject.
The Higgledy-Piggledy Shop was getting on its feet in great shape. It was a novelty in Dorfield and found its customers because of its unusualness at first and then those customers returned because of the efficiency of the young shopkeepers.
Elizabeth Wright was kept quite busy hunting up facts for students on many and various subjects. She had typing to do and even obituary16 notices to write and sometimes love letters to compose for bashful young men and maidens17. It was her lot to write club papers on every subject from Shakespeare to the musical glasses.
Josie had felt it necessary to take Elizabeth into her confidence concerning her being connected with the secret service, but never once had she divulged18 her suspicions of the attractive Markles. The one little talk she had had with Irene was the only time she had127 let herself go in the least concerning those persons whom she hoped to catch up with in some of their supposed villainies. Elizabeth was as enthusiastic about the beautiful Hortense as were all of the young people of her set, in spite of the fact that her sisters and mother declared the young married woman had an inclination19 to monopolize20 the eligible21 young men of their acquaintance. Billy McGraw certainly was very attentive22 to her, although his liking for Elizabeth was growing day by day.
“She’s such a good fellow,” he would say to himself, never thinking of her as anything but a pal23, however, while he spent many a wakeful night tormented24 by the thought of Hortense Markle, for whom he had a chivalrous25 pity because of being married to such an unsympathetic middle-aged26 man. Many were the calls he made at the Markles’ charming apartment, when Mr. Markle would make himself obligingly scarce and leave the young man to delightful27 tête-a-têtes with his charming young wife.
“You promised to let me see the orchid28 pin when I came to see you,” he remarked on his128 first call, which was on the very next evening after the luncheon29 at the Higgledy-Piggledy.
“Why, of course,” she responded readily. “But I am so sorry it is not here. The catch was a little weak and Felix took it yesterday afternoon to the jewelers to have it strengthened. I would not lose it for worlds with all of its tender associations. I know you think I am sentimental30.”
“Not at all! That is just the way Vi Thomas felt about hers, the one that was a counterpart of yours. By the way, I heard from Jerald Thomas only yesterday afternoon. It was something of a coincidence that we should have been talking about him at luncheon. I have not heard from him for ages. He tells me that he and Vi went off to Atlantic City several months ago for a breathing spell, leaving their apartment in charge of a trusted butler. They had wonderful furnishings, rugs, etchings and so forth31. When they came back their place was cleared of everything in the least valuable. The butler had gone out to dinner with some friend he had picked up and had been drugged and not able to get back to his place, and while he was sleeping off his drunk, thieves had129 simply lifted the whole blooming business. Vi’s jewels had been taken from the safe too. I don’t know whether they got her orchid pin or not.”
“How terrible!” cried Hortense. “I can’t think of a greater calamity32 than losing my precious household goods, things that Felix and I have so carefully selected and for which we’ve denied ourselves so much.”
“You have some fine etchings too, have you not? I don’t know much about etchings, but I like them a lot.”
“Yes, but don’t look at them now. Felix adores showing them to people and he knows all about them. The next time you come he will take great pleasure in showing them to you. Just talk to me now.”
“Sure!” said Billy quite flattered that such a beautiful lady cared to talk to him. “Jerry and Vi Thomas were quite keen on etchings too. They had some rare signed proof ones, and Jerry was very particular about the frames too. He had some wonderful ebony frames made that were almost as valuable as the etchings.”
“How lovely they must have been,” said130 Hortense. “Let’s go out on the balcony. It seems warm in here to me.”
“Why not come for a spin in my car? It’s parked around the corner.”
“All right! You go and get it and I’ll be down directly.”
She ushered33 her caller out and ran back to a small den1 in the rear of the apartment where her husband was busily engaged trying to find the key to Detective O’Gorman’s cryptic34 code.
“I’m going out for a ride with Mr. McGraw. While I am gone, for goodness’ sake take down from the walls those signed Rembrandts and Whistlers, the ones in the ebony frames, and put something else in their places. This callow youth, Billy McGraw, is a great friend of the Thomases and has a liking for etchings.”
“Good girl! You didn’t let him see them!”
“Not I! I had to make him look at me instead.”
He pinched her cheek affectionately and looked at her with admiration35 shining in his eyes.
“Please get the mark off the orchid pin soon, dear, as I need it sorely for my new dress.”
“I’ll do it this afternoon,” he promised. “I guess this code can keep. It is deucedly131 hard. I may have to get you to help me. You are a clever pet and can jump at a conclusion it takes a clumsy man days to reach.”
Hortense smiled happily. “There is one thing I don’t like about this business, Felix.”
“And what is that?”
“I don’t like this thing of having to pretend to these foolish youths that you are a stern middle-aged person who is not in the least en rapport36 with me. You are so much more wonderful than any man I ever see anywhere.”
“Well, pet, we trust each other—eh?” and he looked searchingly in her eyes.
“Oh, Felix, what a question!” and she kissed him lightly on his smooth, iron-grey hair and ran off for her ride with Billy McGraw.
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1
den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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bungle
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| v.搞糟；n.拙劣的工作 | |
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bereft
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| adj.被剥夺的 | |
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misgivings
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| n.疑虑，担忧，害怕；疑虑，担心，恐惧( misgiving的名词复数 )；疑惧 | |
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intimacy
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| n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行 | |
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7
perfidy
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| n.背信弃义，不忠贞 | |
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8
bide
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| v.忍耐；等候；住 | |
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prospective
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| adj.预期的，未来的，前瞻性的 | |
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10
liking
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| n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢 | |
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11
succumb
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| v.屈服，屈从；死 | |
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fascination
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| n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋 | |
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13
unreasonable
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| adj.不讲道理的，不合情理的，过度的 | |
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14
truthful
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| adj.真实的，说实话的，诚实的 | |
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15
astute
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| adj.机敏的，精明的 | |
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16
obituary
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| n.讣告，死亡公告；adj.死亡的 | |
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17
maidens
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| 处女( maiden的名词复数 )； 少女； 未婚女子； （板球运动）未得分的一轮投球 | |
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18
divulged
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| v.吐露，泄露( divulge的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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19
inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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monopolize
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| v.垄断，独占，专营 | |
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21
eligible
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| adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的 | |
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attentive
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| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
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pal
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| n.朋友，伙伴，同志；vi.结为友 | |
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24
tormented
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| 饱受折磨的 | |
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chivalrous
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| adj.武士精神的；对女人彬彬有礼的 | |
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middle-aged
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| adj.中年的 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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28
orchid
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| n.兰花，淡紫色 | |
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29
luncheon
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| n.午宴，午餐，便宴 | |
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sentimental
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| adj.多愁善感的，感伤的 | |
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31
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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32
calamity
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| n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件 | |
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33
ushered
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| v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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34
cryptic
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| adj.秘密的，神秘的，含义模糊的 | |
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35
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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rapport
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| n.和睦，意见一致 | |
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