IS ir Henry Clithering, as he passed through the lounge of the Majestic1, hardly glanced at its occupants. His mind waspreoccupied. Nevertheless, as is the way of life, something registered in his subconscious3. It waited its time patiently.
Sir Henry was wondering as he went upstairs just what had induced the sudden urgency of his friend’s message.
Conway Jefferson was not the type of man who sent urgent summonses to anyone. Something quite out of the usualmust have occurred, decided4 Sir Henry.
Jefferson wasted no time in beating about the bush. He said:
“Glad you’ve come. Edwards, get Sir Henry a drink. Sit down, man. You’ve not heard anything, I suppose?
Nothing in the papers yet?”
Sir Henry shook his head, his curiosity aroused.
“What’s the matter?”
“Murder’s the matter. I’m concerned in it and so are your friends the Bantrys.”
“Arthur and Dolly Bantry?” Clithering sounded incredulous.
“Yes, you see, the body was found in their house.”
Clearly and succinctly5, Conway Jefferson ran through the facts. Sir Henry listened without interrupting. Both menwere accustomed to grasping the gist2 of a matter. Sir Henry, during his term as Commissioner6 of the MetropolitanPolice, had been renowned7 for his quick grip on essentials.
“It’s an extraordinary business,” he commented when the other had finished. “How do the Bantrys come into it, doyou think?”
“That’s what worries me. You see, Henry, it looks to me as though possibly the fact that I know them might have abearing on the case. That’s the only connection I can find. Neither of them, I gather, ever saw the girl before. That’swhat they say, and there’s no reason to disbelieve them. It’s most unlikely they should know her. Then isn’t it possiblethat she was decoyed away and her body deliberately8 left in the house of friends of mine?”
Clithering said:
“I think that’s far-fetched.”
“It’s possible, though,” persisted the other.
“Yes, but unlikely. What do you want me to do?”
Conway Jefferson said bitterly:
“I’m an invalid9. I disguise the fact—refuse to face it—but now it comes home to me. I can’t go about as I’d like to,asking questions, looking into things. I’ve got to stay here meekly10 grateful for such scraps11 of information as the policeare kind enough to dole12 out to me. Do you happen to know Melchett, by the way, the Chief Constable13 ofRadfordshire?”
“Yes, I’ve met him.”
Something stirred in Sir Henry’s brain. A face and figure noted14 unseeingly as he passed through the lounge. Astraight-backed old lady whose face was familiar. It linked up with the last time he had seen Melchett.
He said:
“Do you mean you want me to be a kind of amateur sleuth? That’s not my line.”
Jefferson said:
“You’re not an amateur, that’s just it.”
“I’m not a professional anymore. I’m on the retired15 list now.”
Jefferson said: “That simplifies matters.”
“You mean that if I were still at Scotland Yard I couldn’t butt16 in? That’s perfectly17 true.”
“As it is,” said Jefferson, “your experience qualifies you to take an interest in the case, and any cooperation youoffer will be welcomed.”
Clithering said slowly:
“Etiquette permits, I agree. But what do you really want, Conway? To find out who killed this girl?”
“Just that.”
“You’ve no idea yourself?”
“None whatever.”
Sir Henry said slowly:
“You probably won’t believe me, but you’ve got an expert at solving mysteries sitting downstairs in the lounge atthis minute. Someone who’s better than I am at it, and who in all probability may have some local dope.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Downstairs in the lounge, by the third pillar from the left, there sits an old lady with a sweet, placid18 spinsterishface, and a mind that has plumbed19 the depths of human iniquity20 and taken it as all in the day’s work. Her name’s MissMarple. She comes from the village of St. Mary Mead21, which is a mile and a half from Gossington, she’s a friend ofthe Bantrys—and where crime is concerned she’s the goods, Conway.”
Jefferson stared at him with thick, puckered22 brows. He said heavily:
“You’re joking.”
“No, I’m not. You spoke23 of Melchett just now. The last time I saw Melchett there was a village tragedy. Girlsupposed to have drowned herself. Police quite rightly suspected that it wasn’t suicide, but murder. They thought theyknew who did it. Along to me comes old Miss Marple, fluttering and dithering. She’s afraid, she says, they’ll hang thewrong person. She’s got no evidence, but she knows who did do it. Hands me a piece of paper with a name written onit. And, by God, Jefferson, she was right!”
Conway Jefferson’s brows came down lower than ever. He grunted24 disbelievingly:
“Woman’s intuition, I suppose,” he said sceptically.
“No, she doesn’t call it that. Specialized25 knowledge is her claim.”
“And what does that mean?”
“Well, you know, Jefferson, we use it in police work. We get a burglary and we usually know pretty well who did it—of the regular crowd, that is. We know the sort of burglar who acts in a particular sort of way. Miss Marple has aninteresting, though occasionally trivial, series of parallels from village life.”
Jefferson said sceptically:
“What is she likely to know about a girl who’s been brought up in a theatrical26 milieu27 and probably never been in avillage in her life?”
“I think,” said Sir Henry Clithering firmly, “that she might have ideas.”
II
Miss Marple flushed with pleasure as Sir Henry bore down upon her.
“Oh, Sir Henry, this is indeed a great piece of luck meeting you here.”
Sir Henry was gallant28. He said:
“To me it is a great pleasure.”
Miss Marple murmured, flushing: “So kind of you.”
“Are you staying here?”
“Well, as a matter of fact, we are.”
“We?”
“Mrs. Bantry’s here too.” She looked at him sharply. “Have you heard yet? Yes, I can see you have. It is terrible, isit not?”
“What’s Dolly Bantry doing here? Is her husband here too?”
“No. Naturally, they both reacted quite differently. Colonel Bantry, poor man, just shuts himself up in his study, orgoes down to one of the farms, when anything like this happens. Like tortoises, you know, they draw their heads inand hope nobody will notice them. Dolly, of course, is quite different.”
“Dolly, in fact,” said Sir Henry, who knew his old friend fairly well, “is almost enjoying herself, eh?”
“Well—er—yes. Poor dear.”
“And she’s brought you along to produce the rabbits out of the hat for her?”
Miss Marple said composedly:
“Dolly thought that a change of scene would be a good thing and she didn’t want to come alone.” She met his eyeand her own gently twinkled. “But, of course, your way of describing it is quite true. It’s rather embarrassing for me,because, of course, I am no use at all.”
“No ideas? No village parallels?”
“I don’t know very much about it all yet.”
“I can remedy that, I think. I’m going to call you into consultation29, Miss Marple.”
He gave a brief recital30 of the course of events. Miss Marple listened with keen interest.
“Poor Mr. Jefferson,” she said. “What a very sad story. These terrible accidents. To leave him alive, crippled,seems more cruel than if he had been killed too.”
“Yes, indeed. That’s why all his friends admire him so much for the resolute31 way he’s gone on, conquering painand grief and physical disabilities.”
“Yes, it is splendid.”
“The only thing I can’t understand is this sudden outpouring of affection for this girl. She may, of course, have hadsome remarkable32 qualities.”
“Probably not,” said Miss Marple placidly33.
“You don’t think so?”
“I don’t think her qualities entered into it.”
Sir Henry said:
“He isn’t just a nasty old man, you know.”
“Oh, no, no!” Miss Marple got quite pink. “I wasn’t implying that for a minute. What I was trying to say was—very badly, I know—that he was just looking for a nice bright girl to take his dead daughter’s place—and then this girlsaw her opportunity and played it for all she was worth! That sounds rather uncharitable, I know, but I have seen somany cases of the kind. The young maid-servant at Mr. Harbottle’s, for instance. A very ordinary girl, but quiet withnice manners. His sister was called away to nurse a dying relative and when she got back she found the girl completelyabove herself, sitting down in the drawing room laughing and talking and not wearing her cap or apron34. MissHarbottle spoke to her very sharply and the girl was impertinent, and then old Mr. Harbottle left her quitedumbfounded by saying that he thought she had kept house for him long enough and that he was making otherarrangements.
“Such a scandal as it created in the village, but poor Miss Harbottle had to go and live most uncomfortably inrooms in Eastbourne. People said things, of course, but I believe there was no familiarity of any kind—it was simplythat the old man found it much pleasanter to have a young, cheerful girl telling him how clever and amusing he wasthan to have his sister continually pointing out his faults to him, even if she was a good economical manager.”
There was a moment’s pause, and then Miss Marple resumed.
“And there was Mr. Badger35 who had the chemist’s shop. Made a lot of fuss over the young lady who worked in histoilet section. Told his wife they must look on her as a daughter and have her to live in the house. Mrs. Badger didn’tsee it that way at all.”
Sir Henry said: “If she’d only been a girl in his own rank of life—a friend’s child—”
Miss Marple interrupted him.
“Oh! but that wouldn’t have been nearly as satisfactory from his point of view. It’s like King Cophetua and thebeggar maid. If you’re really rather a lonely, tired old man, and if, perhaps, your own family have been neglectingyou”—she paused for a second—“well, to befriend someone who will be overwhelmed with your magnificence—(toput it rather melodramatically, but I hope you see what I mean)—well, that’s much more interesting. It makes you feela much greater person—a beneficent monarch36! The recipient37 is more likely to be dazzled, and that, of course, is apleasant feeling for you.” She paused and said: “Mr. Badger, you know, bought the girl in his shop some reallyfantastic presents, a diamond bracelet38 and a most expensive radio-gramophone. Took out a lot of his savings39 to do so.
However, Mrs. Badger, who was a much more astute40 woman than poor Miss Harbottle (marriage, of course, helps),took the trouble to find out a few things. And when Mr. Badger discovered that the girl was carrying on with a veryundesirable young man connected with the racecourses, and had actually pawned41 the bracelet to give him the money—well, he was completely disgusted and the affair passed over quite safely. And he gave Mrs. Badger a diamond ringthe following Christmas.”
Her pleasant, shrewd eyes met Sir Henry’s. He wondered if what she had been saying was intended as a hint. Hesaid:
“Are you suggesting that if there had been a young man in Ruby42 Keene’s life, my friend’s attitude towards hermight have altered?”
“It probably would, you know. I dare say, in a year or two, he might have liked to arrange for her marriage himself—though more likely he wouldn’t—gentlemen are usually rather selfish. But I certainly think that if Ruby Keene hadhad a young man she’d have been careful to keep very quiet about it.”
“And the young man might have resented that?”
“I suppose that is the most plausible43 solution. It struck me, you know, that her cousin, the young woman who wasat Gossington this morning, looked definitely angry with the dead girl. What you’ve told me explains why. No doubtshe was looking forward to doing very well out of the business.”
“Rather a cold-blooded character, in fact?”
“That’s too harsh a judgment44, perhaps. The poor thing has had to earn her living, and you can’t expect her tosentimentalize because a well-to-do man and woman—as you have described Mr. Gaskell and Mrs. Jefferson—aregoing to be done out of a further large sum of money to which they have really no particular moral right. I should sayMiss Turner was a hard-headed, ambitious young woman, with a good temper and considerable joie de vivre. A little,”
added Miss Marple, “like Jessie Golden, the baker’s daughter.”
“What happened to her?” asked Sir Henry.
“She trained as a nursery governess and married the son of the house, who was home on leave from India. Madehim a very good wife, I believe.”
Sir Henry pulled himself clear of these fascinating side issues. He said:
“Is there any reason, do you think, why my friend Conway Jefferson should suddenly have developed this‘Cophetua complex,’ if you like to call it that?”
“There might have been.”
“In what way?”
Miss Marple said, hesitating a little:
“I should think—it’s only a suggestion, of course—that perhaps his son-in-law and daughter-in-law might havewanted to get married again.”
“Surely he couldn’t have objected to that?”
“Oh, no, not objected. But, you see, you must look at it from his point of view. He had a terrible shock and loss—so had they. The three bereaved45 people live together and the link between them is the loss they have all sustained. ButTime, as my dear mother used to say, is a great healer. Mr. Gaskell and Mrs. Jefferson are young. Without knowing itthemselves, they may have begun to feel restless, to resent the bonds that tied them to their past sorrow. And so,feeling like that, old Mr. Jefferson would have become conscious of a sudden lack of sympathy without knowing itscause. It’s usually that. Gentlemen so easily feel neglected. With Mr. Harbottle it was Miss Harbottle going away. Andwith the Badgers46 it was Mrs. Badger taking such an interest in Spiritualism and always going out to séances.”
“I must say,” said Sir Henry ruefully, “that I dislike the way you reduce us all to a General CommonDenominator.”
Miss Marple shook her head sadly.
“Human nature is very much the same anywhere, Sir Henry.”
Sir Henry said distastefully:
“Mr. Harbottle! Mr. Badger! And poor Conway! I hate to intrude47 the personal note, but have you any parallel formy humble48 self in your village?”
“Well, of course, there is Briggs.”
“Who’s Briggs?”
“He was the head gardener up at Old Hall. Quite the best man they ever had. Knew exactly when the under-gardeners were slacking off—quite uncanny it was! He managed with only three men and a boy and the place was keptbetter than it had been with six. And took several firsts with his sweet peas. He’s retired now.”
“Like me,” said Sir Henry.
“But he still does a little jobbing—if he likes the people.”
“Ah,” said Sir Henry. “Again like me. That’s what I’m doing now—jobbing—to help an old friend.”
“Two old friends.”
“Two?” Sir Henry looked a little puzzled.
Miss Marple said:
“I suppose you meant Mr. Jefferson. But I wasn’t thinking of him. I was thinking of Colonel and Mrs. Bantry.”
“Yes—yes—I see—” He asked sharply: “Was that why you alluded49 to Dolly Bantry as ‘poor dear’ at the beginningof our conversation?”
“Yes. She hasn’t begun to realize things yet. I know because I’ve had more experience. You see, Sir Henry, itseems to me that there’s a great possibility of this crime being the kind of crime that never does get solved. Like theBrighton trunk murders. But if that happens it will be absolutely disastrous50 for the Bantrys. Colonel Bantry, like nearlyall retired military men, is really abnormally sensitive. He reacts very quickly to public opinion. He won’t notice it forsome time, and then it will begin to go home to him. A slight here, and a snub there, and invitations that are refused,and excuses that are made—and then, little by little, it will dawn upon him and he’ll retire into his shell and getterribly morbid51 and miserable52.”
“Let me be sure I understand you rightly, Miss Marple. You mean that, because the body was found in his house,people will think that he had something to do with it?”
“Of course they will! I’ve no doubt they’re saying so already. They’ll say so more and more. And people will coldshoulder the Bantrys and avoid them. That’s why the truth has got to be found out and why I was willing to come herewith Mrs. Bantry. An open accusation53 is one thing—and quite easy for a soldier to meet. He’s indignant and he has achance of fighting. But this other whispering business will break him—will break them both. So you see, Sir Henry,we’ve got to find out the truth.”
Sir Henry said:
“Any ideas as to why the body should have been found in his house? There must be an explanation of that. Someconnection.”
“Oh, of course.”
“The girl was last seen here about twenty minutes to eleven. By midnight, according to the medical evidence, shewas dead. Gossington’s about eighteen miles from here. Good road for sixteen of those miles until one turns off themain road. A powerful car could do it in well under half an hour. Practically any car could average thirty-five. Butwhy anyone should either kill her here and take her body out to Gossington or should take her out to Gossington andstrangle her there, I don’t know.”
“Of course you don’t, because it didn’t happen.”
“Do you mean that she was strangled by some fellow who took her out in a car and he then decided to push her intothe first likely house in the neighbourhood?”
“I don’t think anything of the kind. I think there was a very careful plan made. What happened was that the planwent wrong.”
Sir Henry stared at her.
“Why did the plan go wrong?”
Miss Marple said rather apologetically:
“Such curious things happen, don’t they? If I were to say that this particular plan went wrong because humanbeings are so much more vulnerable and sensitive than anyone thinks, it wouldn’t sound sensible, would it? But that’swhat I believe—and—”
She broke off. “Here’s Mrs. Bantry now.”
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majestic
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| adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的 | |
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gist
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| n.要旨；梗概 | |
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subconscious
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| n./adj.潜意识(的)，下意识(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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succinctly
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| adv.简洁地；简洁地，简便地 | |
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commissioner
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| n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员 | |
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renowned
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| adj.著名的，有名望的，声誉鹊起的 | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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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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meekly
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| adv.温顺地，逆来顺受地 | |
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scraps
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| 油渣 | |
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dole
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| n.救济，（失业）救济金；vt.（out）发放，发给 | |
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constable
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| n.(英国)警察，警官 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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butt
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| n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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placid
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| adj.安静的，平和的 | |
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plumbed
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| v.经历( plumb的过去式和过去分词 )；探究；用铅垂线校正；用铅锤测量 | |
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iniquity
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| n.邪恶；不公正 | |
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mead
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| n.蜂蜜酒 | |
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puckered
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| v.（使某物）起褶子或皱纹( pucker的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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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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grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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specialized
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| adj.专门的，专业化的 | |
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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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milieu
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| n.环境；出身背景；(个人所处的)社会环境 | |
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gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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consultation
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| n.咨询；商量；商议；会议 | |
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recital
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| n.朗诵，独奏会，独唱会 | |
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resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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placidly
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| adv.平稳地，平静地 | |
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apron
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| n.围裙；工作裙 | |
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badger
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| v.一再烦扰，一再要求，纠缠 | |
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monarch
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| n.帝王，君主，最高统治者 | |
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recipient
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| a.接受的,感受性强的 n.接受者,感受者,容器 | |
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bracelet
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| n.手镯，臂镯 | |
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savings
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| n.存款，储蓄 | |
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astute
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| adj.机敏的，精明的 | |
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pawned
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| v.典当，抵押( pawn的过去式和过去分词 )；以（某事物）担保 | |
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ruby
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| n.红宝石，红宝石色 | |
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plausible
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| adj.似真实的，似乎有理的，似乎可信的 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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bereaved
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| adj.刚刚丧失亲人的v.使失去（希望、生命等）( bereave的过去式和过去分词)；（尤指死亡）使丧失（亲人、朋友等）；使孤寂；抢走（财物） | |
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badgers
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| n.獾( badger的名词复数 )；獾皮；（大写）獾州人（美国威斯康星州人的别称）；毛鼻袋熊 | |
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intrude
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| vi.闯入；侵入；打扰，侵扰 | |
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humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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alluded
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| 提及，暗指( allude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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disastrous
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| adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的 | |
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morbid
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| adj.病的；致病的；病态的；可怕的 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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accusation
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| n.控告，指责，谴责 | |
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