IN either the night porter nor the barman proved helpful. The night porter remembered ringing up to Miss Keene’sroom just after midnight and getting no reply. He had not noticed Mr. Bartlett leaving or entering the hotel. A lot ofgentlemen and ladies were strolling in and out, the night being fine. And there were side doors off the corridor as wellas the one in the main hall. He was fairly certain Miss Keene had not gone out by the main door, but if she had comedown from her room, which was on the first floor, there was a staircase next to it and a door out at the end of thecorridor, leading on to the side terrace. She could have gone out of that unseen easily enough. It was not locked untilthe dancing was over at two o’clock.
The barman remembered Mr. Bartlett being in the bar the preceding evening but could not say when. Somewhereabout the middle of the evening, he thought. Mr. Bartlett had sat against the wall and was looking rather melancholy1.
He did not know how long he was there. There were a lot of outside guests coming and going in the bar. He hadnoticed Mr. Bartlett but he couldn’t fix the time in any way.
II
As they left the bar, they were accosted2 by a small boy of about nine years old. He burst immediately into excitedspeech.
“I say, are you the detectives? I’m Peter Carmody. It was my grandfather, Mr. Jefferson, who rang up the policeabout Ruby3. Are you from Scotland Yard? You don’t mind my speaking to you, do you?”
Colonel Melchett looked as though he were about to return a short answer, but Superintendent4 Harper intervened.
He spoke5 benignly6 and heartily7.
“That’s all right, my son. Naturally interests you, I expect?”
“You bet it does. Do you like detective stories? I do. I read them all, and I’ve got autographs from Dorothy Sayersand Agatha Christie and Dickson Carr and H. C. Bailey. Will the murder be in the papers?”
“It’ll be in the papers all right,” said Superintendent Harper grimly.
“You see, I’m going back to school next week and I shall tell them all that I knew her—really knew her well.”
“What did you think of her, eh?”
Peter considered.
“Well, I didn’t like her much. I think she was rather a stupid sort of girl. Mum and Uncle Mark didn’t like hermuch either. Only Grandfather. Grandfather wants to see you, by the way. Edwards is looking for you.”
Superintendent Harper murmured encouragingly:
“So your mother and your Uncle Mark didn’t like Ruby Keene much? Why was that?”
“Oh, I don’t know. She was always butting8 in. And they didn’t like Grandfather making such a fuss of her. Iexpect,” said Peter cheerfully, “that they’re glad she’s dead.”
Superintendent Harper looked at him thoughtfully. He said: “Did you hear them—er—say so?”
“Well, not exactly. Uncle Mark said: ‘Well, it’s one way out, anyway,’ and Mums said: ‘Yes, but such a horribleone,’ and Uncle Mark said it was no good being hypocritical.”
The men exchanged glances. At that moment a respectable, clean-shaven man, neatly10 dressed in blue serge, cameup to them.
“Excuse me, gentlemen. I am Mr. Jefferson’s valet. He is awake now and sent me to find you, as he is very anxiousto see you.”
Once more they went up to Conway Jefferson’s suite11. In the sitting room Adelaide Jefferson was talking to a tall,restless man who was prowling nervously12 about the room. He swung round sharply to view the newcomers.
“Oh, yes. Glad you’ve come. My father-in-law’s been asking for you. He’s awake now. Keep him as calm as youcan, won’t you? His health’s not too good. It’s a wonder, really, that this shock didn’t do for him.”
Harper said:
“I’d no idea his health was as bad as that.”
“He doesn’t know it himself,” said Mark Gaskell. “It’s his heart, you see. The doctor warned Addie that he mustn’tbe overexcited or startled. He more or less hinted that the end might come any time, didn’t he, Addie?”
Mrs. Jefferson nodded. She said:
“It’s incredible that he’s rallied the way he has.”
Melchett said dryly:
“Murder isn’t exactly a soothing13 incident. We’ll be as careful as we can.”
He was sizing up Mark Gaskell as he spoke. He didn’t much care for the fellow. A bold, unscrupulous, hawk-likeface. One of those men who usually get their own way and whom women frequently admire.
“But not the sort of fellow I’d trust,” the Colonel thought to himself.
Unscrupulous—that was the word for him.
The sort of fellow who wouldn’t stick at anything….
III
In the big bedroom overlooking the sea, Conway Jefferson was sitting in his wheeled chair by the window.
No sooner were you in the room with him than you felt the power and magnetism14 of the man. It was as though theinjuries which had left him a cripple had resulted in concentrating the vitality15 of his shattered body into a narrower andmore intense focus.
He had a fine head, the red of the hair slightly grizzled. The face was rugged16 and powerful, deeply suntanned, andthe eyes were a startling blue. There was no sign of illness or feebleness about him. The deep lines on his face werethe lines of suffering, not the lines of weakness. Here was a man who would never rail against fate but accept it andpass on to victory.
He said: “I’m glad you’ve come.” His quick eyes took them in. He said to Melchett: “You’re the Chief Constableof Radfordshire? Right. And you’re Superintendent Harper? Sit down. Cigarettes on the table beside you.”
They thanked him and sat down. Melchett said:
“I understand, Mr. Jefferson, that you were interested in the dead girl?”
A quick, twisted smile flashed across the lined face.
“Yes—they’ll all have told you that! Well, it’s no secret. How much has my family said to you?”
He looked quickly from one to the other as he asked the question. It was Melchett who answered.
“Mrs. Jefferson told us very little beyond the fact that the girl’s chatter18 amused you and that she was by way ofbeing a protégée. We have only exchanged half a dozen words with Mr. Gaskell.”
Conway Jefferson smiled.
“Addie’s a discreet19 creature, bless her. Mark would probably have been more outspoken20. I think, Melchett, that I’dbetter tell you some facts rather fully9. It’s important, in order that you should understand my attitude. And, to beginwith, it’s necessary that I go back to the big tragedy of my life. Eight years ago I lost my wife, my son, and mydaughter in an aeroplane accident. Since then I’ve been like a man who’s lost half himself—and I’m not speaking ofmy physical plight21! I was a family man. My daughter-in-law and my son-in-law have been very good to me. They’vedone all they can to take the place of my flesh and blood. But I’ve realized—especially of late, that they have, after all,their own lives to live.
“So you must understand that, essentially22, I’m a lonely man. I like young people. I enjoy them. Once or twice I’veplayed with the idea of adopting some girl or boy. During this last month I got very friendly with the child who’s beenkilled. She was absolutely natural—completely na?ve. She chattered23 on about her life and her experiences—inpantomime, with touring companies, with Mum and Dad as a child in cheap lodgings24. Such a different life from anyI’ve known! Never complaining, never seeing it as sordid25. Just a natural, uncomplaining, hardworking child, unspoiltand charming. Not a lady, perhaps, but, thank God, neither vulgar nor—abominable word—‘lady-like.’
“I got more and more fond of Ruby. I decided26, gentlemen, to adopt her legally. She would become—by law—mydaughter. That, I hope, explains my concern for her and the steps I took when I heard of her unaccountabledisappearance.”
There was a pause. Then Superintendent Harper, his unemotional voice robbing the question of any offence, asked:
“May I ask what your son-in-law and daughter-in-law said to that?”
Jefferson’s answer came back quickly:
“What could they say? They didn’t, perhaps, like it very much. It’s the sort of thing that arouses prejudice. But theybehaved very well—yes, very well. It’s not as though, you see, they were dependent on me. When my son Frankmarried I turned over half my worldly goods to him then and there. I believe in that. Don’t let your children wait untilyou’re dead. They want the money when they’re young, not when they’re middle-aged27. In the same way when mydaughter Rosamund insisted on marrying a poor man, I settled a big sum of money on her. That sum passed to him ather death. So, you see, that simplified the matter from the financial angle.”
“I see, Mr. Jefferson,” said Superintendent Harper.
But there was a certain reserve in his tone. Conway Jefferson pounced28 upon it.
“But you don’t agree, eh?”
“It’s not for me to say, sir, but families, in my experience, don’t always act reasonably.”
“I dare say you’re right, Superintendent, but you must remember that Mr. Gaskell and Mrs. Jefferson aren’t, strictlyspeaking, my family. They’re not blood relations.”
“That, of course, makes a difference,” admitted the Superintendent.
For a moment Conway Jefferson’s eyes twinkled. He said: “That’s not to say that they didn’t think me an old fool!
That would be the average person’s reaction. But I wasn’t being a fool. I know character. With education andpolishing, Ruby Keene could have taken her place anywhere.”
Melchett said:
“I’m afraid we’re being rather impertinent and inquisitive29, but it’s important that we should get at all the facts. Youproposed to make full provision for the girl—that is, settle money upon her, but you hadn’t already done so?”
Jefferson said:
“I understand what you’re driving at—the possibility of someone’s benefiting by the girl’s death? But nobodycould. The necessary formalities for legal adoption30 were under way, but they hadn’t yet been completed.”
Melchett said slowly:
“Then, if anything happened to you—?”
He left the sentence unfinished, as a query31. Conway Jefferson was quick to respond.
“Nothing’s likely to happen to me! I’m a cripple, but I’m not an invalid32. Although doctors do like to pull long facesand give advice about not overdoing33 things. Not overdoing things! I’m as strong as a horse! Still, I’m quite aware ofthe fatalities34 of life—my God, I’ve good reason to be! Sudden death comes to the strongest man—especially in thesedays of road casualties. But I’d provided for that. I made a new will about ten days ago.”
“Yes?” Superintendent Harper leaned forward.
“I left the sum of fifty thousand pounds to be held in trust for Ruby Keene until she was twenty-five, when shewould come into the principal.”
Superintendent Harper’s eyes opened. So did Colonel Melchett’s. Harper said in an almost awed35 voice:
“That’s a very large sum of money, Mr. Jefferson.”
“In these days, yes, it is.”
“And you were leaving it to a girl you had only known a few weeks?”
Anger flashed into the vivid blue eyes.
“Must I go on repeating the same thing over and over again? I’ve no flesh and blood of my own—no nieces ornephews or distant cousins, even! I might have left it to charity. I prefer to leave it to an individual.” He laughed.
“Cinderella turned into a princess overnight! A fairy-godfather instead of a fairy-godmother. Why not? It’s my money.
I made it.”
Colonel Melchett asked: “Any other bequests36?”
“A small legacy37 to Edwards, my valet—and the remainder to Mark and Addie in equal shares.”
“Would—excuse me—the residue38 amount to a large sum?”
“Probably not. It’s difficult to say exactly, investments fluctuate all the time. The sum involved, after death dutiesand expenses had been paid, would probably have come to something between five and ten thousand pounds net.”
“I see.”
“And you needn’t think I was treating them shabbily. As I said, I divided up my estate at the time my childrenmarried. I left myself, actually, a very small sum. But after—after the tragedy—I wanted something to occupy mymind. I flung myself into business. At my house in London I had a private line put in connecting my bedroom with myoffice. I worked hard—it helped me not to think, and it made me feel that my—my mutilation had not vanquished39 me.
I threw myself into work”—his voice took on a deeper note, he spoke more to himself than to his audience—“and, bysome subtle irony40, everything I did prospered41! My wildest speculations42 succeeded. If I gambled, I won. Everything Itouched turned to gold. Fate’s ironic43 way of righting the balance, I suppose.”
The lines of suffering stood out on his face again.
Recollecting44 himself, he smiled wryly45 at them.
“So you see, the sum of money I left Ruby was indisputably mine to do with as my fancy dictated46.”
Melchett said quickly:
“Undoubtedly, my dear fellow, we are not questioning that for a moment.”
Conway Jefferson said: “Good. Now I want to ask some questions in my turn, if I may. I want to hear—more aboutthis terrible business. All I know is that she—that little Ruby was found strangled in a house some twenty miles fromhere.”
“That is correct. At Gossington Hall.”
Jefferson frowned.
“Gossington? But that’s—”
“Colonel Bantry’s house.”
“Bantry! Arthur Bantry? But I know him. Know him and his wife! Met them abroad some years ago. I didn’trealize they lived in this part of the world. Why, it’s—”
He broke off. Superintendent Harper slipped in smoothly47:
“Colonel Bantry was dining in the hotel here Tuesday of last week. You didn’t see him?”
“Tuesday? Tuesday? No, we were back late. Went over to Harden Head and had dinner on the way back.”
Melchett said:
“Ruby Keene never mentioned the Bantrys to you?”
Jefferson shook his head.
“Never. Don’t believe she knew them. Sure she didn’t. She didn’t know anybody but theatrical48 folk and that sort ofthing.” He paused and then asked abruptly49:
“What’s Bantry got to say about it?”
“He can’t account for it in the least. He was out at a Conservative meeting last night. The body was discovered thismorning. He says he’s never seen the girl in his life.”
Jefferson nodded. He said:
“It certainly seems fantastic.”
Superintendent Harper cleared his throat. He said:
“Have you any idea at all, sir, who can have done this?”
“Good God, I wish I had!” The veins50 stood out on his forehead. “It’s incredible, unimaginable! I’d say it couldn’thave happened, if it hadn’t happened!”
“There’s no friend of hers—from her past life—no man hanging about—or threatening her?”
“I’m sure there isn’t. She’d have told me if so. She’s never had a regular ‘boyfriend.’ She told me so herself.”
Superintendent Harper thought:
“Yes, I dare say that’s what she told you! But that’s as may be!”
Conway Jefferson went on:
“Josie would know better than anyone if there had been some man hanging about Ruby or pestering51 her. Can’t shehelp?”
“She says not.”
Jefferson said, frowning:
“I can’t help feeling it must be the work of some maniac—the brutality52 of the method—breaking into a countryhouse—the whole thing so unconnected and senseless. There are men of that type, men outwardly sane53, but whodecoy girls—sometimes children—away and kill them. Sexual crimes really, I suppose.”
Harper said:
“Oh, yes, there are such cases, but we’ve no knowledge of anyone of that kind operating in this neighbourhood.”
Jefferson went on:
“I’ve thought over all the various men I’ve seen with Ruby. Guests here and outsiders—men she’d danced with.
They all seem harmless enough—the usual type. She had no special friend of any kind.”
Superintendent Harper’s face remained quite impassive, but unseen by Conway Jefferson there was still aspeculative glint in his eye.
It was quite possible, he thought, that Ruby Keene might have had a special friend even though Conway Jeffersondid not know about it.
He said nothing, however. The Chief Constable17 gave him a glance of inquiry54 and then rose to his feet. He said:
“Thank you, Mr. Jefferson. That’s all we need for the present.”
Jefferson said:
“You’ll keep me informed of your progress?”
“Yes, yes, we’ll keep in touch with you.”
The two men went out.
Conway Jefferson leaned back in his chair.
His eyelids55 came down and veiled the fierce blue of his eyes. He looked suddenly a very tired man.
Then, after a minute or two, the lids flickered56. He called: “Edwards!”
From the next room the valet appeared promptly57. Edwards knew his master as no one else did. Others, even hisnearest, knew only his strength. Edwards knew his weakness. He had seen Conway Jefferson tired, discouraged, wearyof life, momentarily defeated by infirmity and loneliness.
“Yes, sir?”
Jefferson said:
“Get on to Sir Henry Clithering. He’s at Melborne Abbas. Ask him, from me, to get here today if he can, instead oftomorrow. Tell him it’s urgent.”
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收听单词发音
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1
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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accosted
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| v.走过去跟…讲话( accost的过去式和过去分词 )；跟…搭讪；（乞丐等）上前向…乞讨；（妓女等）勾搭 | |
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ruby
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| n.红宝石，红宝石色 | |
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superintendent
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| n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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benignly
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| adv.仁慈地，亲切地 | |
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heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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butting
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| 用头撞人（犯规动作） | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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suite
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| n.一套(家具)；套房；随从人员 | |
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nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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soothing
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| adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的 | |
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magnetism
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| n.磁性，吸引力，磁学 | |
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vitality
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| n.活力，生命力，效力 | |
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rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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constable
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| n.(英国)警察，警官 | |
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chatter
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| vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战 | |
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discreet
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| adj.(言行)谨慎的；慎重的；有判断力的 | |
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outspoken
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| adj.直言无讳的，坦率的，坦白无隐的 | |
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plight
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| n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定 | |
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essentially
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| adv.本质上，实质上，基本上 | |
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chattered
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| （人）喋喋不休( chatter的过去式 )； 唠叨； （牙齿）打战； （机器）震颤 | |
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lodgings
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| n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍 | |
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sordid
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| adj.肮脏的，不干净的，卑鄙的，暗淡的 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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middle-aged
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| adj.中年的 | |
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pounced
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| v.突然袭击( pounce的过去式和过去分词 )；猛扑；一眼看出；抓住机会（进行抨击） | |
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inquisitive
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| adj.求知欲强的，好奇的，好寻根究底的 | |
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adoption
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| n.采用，采纳，通过；收养 | |
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query
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| n.疑问，问号，质问；vt.询问，表示怀疑 | |
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invalid
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| n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的 | |
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overdoing
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| v.做得过分( overdo的现在分词 )；太夸张；把…煮得太久；（工作等）过度 | |
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fatalities
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| n.恶性事故( fatality的名词复数 )；死亡；致命性；命运 | |
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awed
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| adj.充满敬畏的，表示敬畏的v.使敬畏，使惊惧( awe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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bequests
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| n.遗赠( bequest的名词复数 )；遗产，遗赠物 | |
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legacy
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| n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西 | |
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residue
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| n.残余，剩余，残渣 | |
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vanquished
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| v.征服( vanquish的过去式和过去分词 )；战胜；克服；抑制 | |
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irony
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| n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄 | |
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prospered
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| 成功，兴旺( prosper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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speculations
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| n.投机买卖( speculation的名词复数 )；思考；投机活动；推断 | |
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ironic
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| adj.讽刺的，有讽刺意味的，出乎意料的 | |
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recollecting
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| v.记起，想起( recollect的现在分词 ) | |
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wryly
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| adv. 挖苦地，嘲弄地 | |
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46
dictated
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| v.大声讲或读( dictate的过去式和过去分词 )；口授；支配；摆布 | |
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smoothly
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| adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地 | |
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theatrical
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| adj.剧场的，演戏的；做戏似的，做作的 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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51
pestering
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| 使烦恼，纠缠( pester的现在分词 ) | |
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brutality
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| n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮 | |
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sane
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| adj.心智健全的，神志清醒的，明智的，稳健的 | |
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54
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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55
eyelids
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| n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 )；眼睛也不眨一下；不露声色；面不改色 | |
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56
flickered
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| （通常指灯光）闪烁，摇曳( flicker的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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57
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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