H awes’s appearance distressed1 me very much. His hands were shaking and his face kept twitching2 nervously3. In myopinion he should have been in bed, and I told him so. He insisted that he was perfectly4 well.
“I assure you, sir, I never felt better. Never in my life.”
This was so obviously wide of the truth that I hardly knew how to answer. I have a certain admiration5 for a manwho will not give in to illness, but Hawes was carrying the thing rather too far.
“I called to tell you how sorry I was—that such a thing should happen in the Vicarage.”
“Yes,” I said, “it’s not very pleasant.”
“It’s terrible—quite terrible. It seems they haven’t arrested Mr. Redding after all?”
“No. That was a mistake. He made—er—rather a foolish statement.”
“And the police are now quite convinced that he is innocent?”
“Perfectly.”
“Why is that, may I ask? Is it—I mean, do they suspect anyone else?”
I should never have suspected that Hawes would take such a keen interest in the details of a murder case. Perhaps itis because it happened in the Vicarage. He appeared as eager as a reporter.
“I don’t know that I am completely in Inspector6 Slack’s confidence. As far as I know, he does not suspect anyonein particular. He is at present engaged in making inquiries7.”
“Yes. Yes—of course. But who can one imagine doing such a dreadful thing?”
I shook my head.
“Colonel Protheroe was not a popular man, I know that. But murder! For murder—one would need a very strongmotive.”
“So I should imagine,” I said.
“Who could have such a motive8? Have the police any idea?”
“I couldn’t say.”
“He might have made enemies, you know. The more I think about it, the more I am convinced that he was the kindof man to have enemies. He had a reputation on the Bench for being very severe.”
“I suppose he had.”
“Why, don’t you remember, sir? He was telling you yesterday morning about having been threatened by that manArcher.”
“Now I come to think of it, so he did,” I said. “Of course, I remember. You were quite near us at the time.”
“Yes, I overheard what he was saying. Almost impossible to help it with Colonel Protheroe. He had such a veryloud voice, hadn’t he? I remember being impressed by your own words. That when his time came, he might havejustice meted10 out to him instead of mercy.”
“Did I say that?” I asked, frowning. My remembrance of my own words was slightly different.
“You said it very impressively, sir. I was struck by your words. Justice is a terrible thing. And to think the poorman was struck down shortly afterwards. It’s almost as though you had a premonition.”
“I had nothing of the sort,” I said shortly. I rather dislike Hawes’s tendency to mysticism. There is a touch of thevisionary about him.
“Have you told the police about this man Archer9, sir?”
“I know nothing about him.”
“I mean, have you repeated to them what Colonel Protheroe said—about Archer having threatened him?”
“No,” I said slowly. “I have not.”
“But you are going to do so?”
I was silent. I dislike hounding a man down who has already got the forces of law and order against him. I held nobrief for Archer. He is an inveterate11 poacher—one of those cheerful ne’er-do-weels that are to be found in any parish.
Whatever he may have said in the heat of anger when he was sentenced I had no definite knowledge that he felt thesame when he came out of prison.
“You heard the conversation,” I said at last. “If you feel it your duty to go to the police with it, you must do so.”
“It would come better from you, sir.”
“Perhaps—but to tell the truth—well, I’ve no fancy for doing it. I might be helping12 to put the rope round the neckof an innocent man.”
“But if he shot Colonel Protheroe—”
“Oh, if! There’s no evidence of any kind that he did.”
“His threats.”
“Strictly speaking, the threats were not his, but Colonel Protheroe’s. Colonel Protheroe was threatening to showArcher what vengeance13 was worth next time he caught him.”
“I don’t understand your attitude, sir.”
“Don’t you,” I said wearily. “You’re a young man. You’re zealous14 in the cause of right. When you get to my age,you’ll find that you like to give people the benefit of the doubt.”
“It’s not—I mean—”
He paused, and I looked at him in surprise.
“You haven’t any—any idea of your own—as to the identity of the murderer, I mean?”
“Good heavens, no.”
Hawes persisted. “Or as to the—motive?”
“No. Have you?”
“I? No, indeed. I just wondered. If Colonel Protheroe had — had confided15 in you in any way — mentionedanything….”
“His confidences, such as they were, were heard by the whole village street yesterday morning,” I said dryly.
“Yes. Yes, of course. And you don’t think—about Archer?”
“The police will know all about Archer soon enough,” I said. “If I’d heard him threaten Colonel Protheroe myself,that would be a different matter. But you may be sure that if he actually has threatened him, half the people in thevillage will have heard him, and the news will get to the police all right. You, of course, must do as you like about thematter.”
But Hawes seemed curiously16 unwilling17 to do anything himself.
The man’s whole attitude was nervous and queer. I recalled what Haydock had said about his illness. There, Isupposed, lay the explanation.
He took his leave unwillingly18, as though he had more to say, and didn’t know how to say it.
Before he left, I arranged with him to take the service for the Mothers’ union, followed by the meeting of DistrictVisitors. I had several projects of my own for the afternoon.
Dismissing Hawes and his troubles from my mind I started off for Mrs. Lestrange.
On the table in the hall lay the Guardian19 and the Church Times unopened.
As I walked, I remembered that Mrs. Lestrange had had an interview with Colonel Protheroe the night before hisdeath. It was possible that something had transpired20 in that interview which would throw light upon the problem of hismurder.
I was shown straight into the little drawing room, and Mrs. Lestrange rose to meet me. I was struck anew by themarvellous atmosphere that this woman could create. She wore a dress of some dead black material that showed offthe extraordinary fairness of her skin. There was something curiously dead about her face. Only the eyes wereburningly alive. There was a watchful21 look in them today. Otherwise she showed no signs of animation22.
“It was very good of you to come, Mr. Clement23,” she said, as she shook hands. “I wanted to speak to you the otherday. Then I decided24 not to do so. I was wrong.”
“As I told you then, I shall be glad to do anything that can help you.”
“Yes, you said that. And you said it as though you meant it. Very few people, Mr. Clement, in this world have eversincerely wished to help me.”
“I can hardly believe that, Mrs. Lestrange.”
“It is true. Most people—most men, at any rate, are out for their own hand.” There was a bitterness in her voice.
I did not answer, and she went on:
“Sit down, won’t you?”
I obeyed, and she took a chair facing me. She hesitated a moment and then began to speak very slowly andthoughtfully, seeming to weigh each word as she uttered it.
“I am in a very peculiar25 position, Mr. Clement, and I want to ask your advice. That is, I want to ask your advice asto what I should do next. What is past is past and cannot be undone26. You understand?”
Before I could reply, the maid who had admitted me opened the door and said with a scared face:
“Oh! Please, ma’am, there is a police inspector here, and he says he must speak to you, please.”
There was a pause. Mrs. Lestrange’s face did not change. Only her eyes very slowly closed and opened again. Sheseemed to swallow once or twice, then she said in exactly the same clear, calm voice: “Show him in, Hilda.”
I was about to rise, but she motioned me back again with an imperious hand.
“If you do not mind—I should be much obliged if you would stay.”
I resumed my seat.
“Certainly, if you wish it,” I murmured, as Slack entered with a brisk regulation tread.
“Good afternoon, madam,” he began.
“Good afternoon, Inspector.”
At this moment, he caught sight of me and scowled27. There is no doubt about it, Slack does not like me.
“You have no objection to the Vicar’s presence, I hope?”
I suppose that Slack could not very well say he had.
“No-o,” he said grudgingly28. “Though, perhaps, it might be better—”
Mrs. Lestrange paid no attention to the hint.
“What can I do for you, Inspector?” she asked.
“It’s this way, madam. Murder of Colonel Protheroe. I’m in charge of the case and making inquiries.”
Mrs. Lestrange nodded.
“Just as a matter of form, I’m asking every one just where they were yesterday evening between the hours of 6 and7 p.m. Just as a matter of form, you understand.”
“You want to know where I was yesterday evening between six and seven?”
“If you please, madam.”
“Let me see.” She reflected a moment. “I was here. In this house.”
“Oh!” I saw the Inspector’s eyes flash. “And your maid—you have only one maid, I think—can confirm thatstatement?”
“No, it was Hilda’s afternoon out.”
“I see.”
“So, unfortunately, you will have to take my word for it,” said Mrs. Lestrange pleasantly.
“You seriously declare that you were at home all the afternoon?”
“You said between six and seven, Inspector. I was out for a walk early in the afternoon. I returned some timebefore five o’clock.”
“Then if a lady—Miss Hartnell, for instance—were to declare that she came here about six o’clock, rang the bell,but could make no one hear and was compelled to go away again—you’d say she was mistaken, eh?”
“Oh, no,” Mrs. Lestrange shook her head.
“But—”
“If your maid is in, she can say not at home. If one is alone and does not happen to want to see callers—well, theonly thing to do is to let them ring.”
Inspector Slack looked slightly baffled.
“Elderly women bore me dreadfully,” said Mrs. Lestrange. “And Miss Hartnell is particularly boring. She musthave rung at least half a dozen times before she went away.”
She smiled sweetly at Inspector Slack.
The Inspector shifted his ground.
“Then if anyone were to say they’d seen you out and about then—”
“Oh! but they didn’t, did they?” She was quick to sense his weak point. “No one saw me out, because I was in, yousee.”
“Quite so, madam.”
The Inspector hitched29 his chair a little nearer.
“Now I understand, Mrs. Lestrange, that you paid a visit to Colonel Protheroe at Old Hall the night before hisdeath.”
Mrs. Lestrange said calmly: “That is so.”
“Can you indicate to me the nature of that interview?”
“It concerned a private matter, Inspector.”
“I’m afraid I must ask you tell me the nature of that private matter.”
“I shall not tell you anything of the kind. I will only assure you that nothing which was said at that interview couldpossibly have any bearing upon the crime.”
“I don’t think you are the best judge of that.”
“At any rate, you will have to take my word for it, Inspector.”
“In fact, I have to take your word about everything.”
“It does seem rather like it,” she agreed, still with the same smiling calm.
Inspector Slack grew very red.
“This is a serious matter, Mrs. Lestrange. I want the truth—” He banged his fist down on a table. “And I mean toget it.”
Mrs. Lestrange said nothing at all.
“Don’t you see, madam, that you’re putting yourself in a very fishy30 position?”
Still Mrs. Lestrange said nothing.
“You’ll be required to give evidence at the inquest.”
“Yes.”
Just the monosyllable. Unemphatic, uninterested. The Inspector altered his tactics.
“You were acquainted with Colonel Protheroe?”
“Yes, I was acquainted with him.”
“Well acquainted?”
There was a pause before she said:
“I had not seen him for several years.”
“You were acquainted with Mrs. Protheroe?”
“No.”
“You’ll excuse me, but it was a very unusual time to make a call.”
“Not from my point of view.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I wanted to see Colonel Protheroe alone. I did not want to see Mrs. Protheroe or Miss Protheroe. I considered thisthe best way of accomplishing my object.”
“Why didn’t you want to see Mrs. or Miss Protheroe?”
“That, Inspector, is my business.”
“Then you refuse to say more?”
“Absolutely.”
Inspector Slack rose.
“You’ll be putting yourself in a nasty position, madam, if you’re not careful. All this looks bad—it looks verybad.”
She laughed. I could have told Inspector Slack that this was not the kind of woman who is easily frightened.
“Well,” he said, extricating31 himself with dignity, “don’t say I haven’t warned you, that’s all. Good afternoon,madam, and mind you we’re going to get at the truth.”
He departed. Mrs. Lestrange rose and held out her hand.
“I am going to send you away—yes, it is better so. You see, it is too late for advice now. I have chosen my part.”
She repeated in a rather forlorn voice:
“I have chosen my part.”
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
distressed
|
|
| 痛苦的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
twitching
|
|
| n.颤搐 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
nervously
|
|
| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
perfectly
|
|
| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
admiration
|
|
| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
inspector
|
|
| n.检查员，监察员，视察员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
inquiries
|
|
| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
motive
|
|
| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
archer
|
|
| n.射手，弓箭手 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
meted
|
|
| v.（对某人）施以，给予（处罚等）( mete的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
inveterate
|
|
| adj.积习已深的，根深蒂固的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
helping
|
|
| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
vengeance
|
|
| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
zealous
|
|
| adj.狂热的，热心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
confided
|
|
| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
curiously
|
|
| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
unwilling
|
|
| adj.不情愿的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
unwillingly
|
|
| adv.不情愿地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
guardian
|
|
| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
transpired
|
|
| （事实，秘密等）被人知道( transpire的过去式和过去分词 )； 泄露； 显露； 发生 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
watchful
|
|
| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
animation
|
|
| n.活泼，兴奋，卡通片／动画片的制作 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
clement
|
|
| adj.仁慈的；温和的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
decided
|
|
| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
peculiar
|
|
| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
undone
|
|
| a.未做完的，未完成的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
scowled
|
|
| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
grudgingly
|
|
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
hitched
|
|
| （免费）搭乘他人之车( hitch的过去式和过去分词 )； 搭便车； 攀上； 跃上 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
fishy
|
|
| adj. 值得怀疑的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
extricating
|
|
| v.使摆脱困难，脱身( extricate的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |