23. The Last Day

Twenty-three
T HE L AST D AY
I“A nd the evening and the morning were the last day,” said Miss Marple to herself.
Then, slightly confused, she sat upright again in her chair. She had dozed¹ off, an incredible thing to do because thesteel band was playing and anyone who could doze² off during the steel band—Well, it showed, thought Miss Marple,that she was getting used to this place! What was it she had been saying? Some quotation³ that she’d got wrong. Lastday? First day. That’s what it ought to be. This wasn’t the first day. Presumably it wasn’t the last day either.
She sat upright again. The fact was that she was extremely tired. All this anxiety, this feeling of having beenshamefully inadequate⁴ in some way … She remembered unpleasantly once more that queer sly look that Molly hadgiven her from under her half-closed eyelids⁵. What had been going on in that girl’s head? How different, thought MissMarple, everything had seemed at first. Tim Kendal and Molly, such a natural happy young couple. The Hillingdonsso pleasant, so well-bred, such what is called “nice” people. The gay hearty⁶ extrovert⁷, Greg Dyson, and the gaystrident Lucky, talking nineteen to the dozen, pleased with herself and the world … A quartet of people getting on sowell together. Canon Prescott, that genial⁸ kindly⁹ man. Joan Prescott, an acid streak¹⁰ in her, but a very nice woman, andnice women had to have their gossipy distractions¹¹. They have to know what is going on, to know when two and twomake four, and when it is possible to stretch them to five! There was no harm in such women. Their tongues waggedbut they were kind if you were in misfortune. Mr. Rafiel, a personality, a man of character, a man that you wouldnever by any chance forget. But Miss Marple thought she knew something else about Mr. Rafiel.
The doctors had often given him up, so he had said, but this time, she thought, they had been more certain in theirpronouncements. Mr. Rafiel knew that his days were numbered.
Knowing this with certainty, was there any action he might have been likely to take?
Miss Marple considered the question.
It might, she thought, be important.
What was it exactly he had said, his voice a little too loud, a little too sure? Miss Marple was very skilful¹² in tonesof voice. She had done so much listening in her life.
Mr. Rafiel had been telling her something that wasn’t true.
Miss Marple looked round her. The night air, the soft fragrance¹³ of flowers, the tables with their little lights, thewomen with their pretty dresses, Evelyn in a dark indigo¹⁴ and white print, Lucky in a white sheath, her golden hairshining. Everybody seemed gay and full of life tonight. Even Tim Kendal was smiling. He passed her table and said:
“Can’t thank you enough for all you’ve done. Molly’s practically herself again. The doc says she can get uptomorrow.”
Miss Marple smiled at him and said that that was good hearing. She found it, however, quite an effort to smile.
Decidedly, she was tired….
She got up and walked slowly back to her bungalow¹⁵. She would have liked to go on thinking, puzzling, trying toremember, trying to assemble various facts and words and glances. But she wasn’t able to do it. The tired mindrebelled. It said “Sleep! You’ve got to go to sleep!”
Miss Marple undressed, got into bed, read a few verses of the Thomas à Kempis which she kept by her bed, thenshe turned out the light. In the darkness she sent up a prayer. One couldn’t do everything oneself. One had to havehelp. “Nothing will happen tonight,” she murmured hopefully.
II
Miss Marple woke suddenly and sat up in bed. Her heart was beating. She switched on the light and looked at the littleclock by her bedside. Two am. Two am and outside activity of some kind was going on. She got up, put on herdressing gown and slippers¹⁶, and a woollen scarf round her head and went out to reconnoitre. There were peoplemoving about with torches. Among them she saw Canon Prescott and went to him.
“What’s happening?”
“Oh, Miss Marple? It’s Mrs. Kendal. Her husband woke up, found she’d slipped out of bed and gone out. We’relooking for her.”
He hurried on. Miss Marple walked more slowly after him. Where had Molly gone? Why? Had she planned thisdeliberately, planned to slip away as soon as the guard on her was relaxed, and while her husband was deep in sleep?
Miss Marple thought it was probable. But why? What was the reason? Was there, as Esther Walters had so stronglyhinted, some other man? If so, who could that man be? Or was there some more sinister¹⁷ reason?
Miss Marple walked on, looking around her, peering under bushes. Then suddenly she heard a faint call:
“Here … This way….”
The cry had come from some little distance beyond the hotel grounds. It must be, thought Miss Marple, near thecreek of water that ran down to the sea. She went in that direction as briskly as she could.
There were not really so many searchers as it had seemed to her at first. Most people must still be asleep in theirbungalows. She saw a place on the creek¹⁸ bank where there were people standing¹⁹. Someone pushed past her, almostknocking her down, running in that direction. It was Tim Kendal. A minute or two later she heard his voice cry out:
“Molly! My God, Molly!”
It was a minute or two before Miss Marple was able to join the little group. It consisted of one of the Cubanwaiters, Evelyn Hillingdon, and two of the native girls. They had parted to let Tim through. Miss Marple arrived as hewas bending over to look.
“Molly …” He slowly dropped on to his knees. Miss Marple saw the girl’s body clearly, lying there in the creek,her face below the level of the water, her golden hair spread over the pale green embroidered²⁰ shawl that covered hershoulders. With the leaves and rushes of the creek, it seemed almost like a scene from Hamlet with Molly as the deadOphelia….
As Tim stretched out a hand to touch her, the quiet, commonsense²¹ Miss Marple took charge and spoke²² sharply andauthoritatively.
“Don’t move her, Mr. Kendal,” she said. “She mustn’t be moved.”
Tim turned a dazed face up to her.
“But—I must—it’s Molly. I must….”
Evelyn Hillingdon touched his shoulder.
“She’s dead, Tim. I didn’t move her, but I did feel her pulse.”
“Dead?” said Tim unbelievingly. “Dead? You mean she’s—drowned herself?”
“I’m afraid so. It looks like it.”
“But why?” A great cry burst from the young man. “Why? She was so happy this morning. Talking about whatwe’d do tomorrow. Why should this terrible death wish come over her again? Why should she steal away as she did—rush out into the night, come down here and drown herself? What despair did she have—what misery—why couldn’tshe tell me anything?”
“I don’t know, my dear,” said Evelyn gently. “I don’t know.”
Miss Marple said:
“Somebody had better get Dr. Graham. And someone will have to telephone the police.”
“The police?” Tim uttered a bitter laugh. “What good will they be?”
“The police have to be notified in a case of suicide,” said Miss Marple.
Tim rose slowly to his feet.
“I’ll get Graham,” he said heavily. “Perhaps—even now—he could—do something.”
He stumbled away in the direction of the hotel.
Evelyn Hillingdon and Miss Marple stood side by side looking down at the dead girl.
Evelyn shook her head. “It’s too late. She’s quite cold. She must have been dead at least an hour—perhaps more.
What a tragedy it all is. Those two always seemed so happy. I suppose she was always unbalanced.”
“No,” said Miss Marple. “I don’t think she was unbalanced.”
Evelyn looked at her curiously²³. “What do you mean?”
The moon had been behind a cloud, but now it came out into the open. It shone with a luminous²⁴ silvery brightnesson Molly’s outspread hair….
Miss Marple gave a sudden ejaculation. She bent²⁵ down, peering, then stretched out her hand and touched thegolden head. She spoke to Evelyn Hillingdon, and her voice sounded quite different.
“I think,” she said, “that we had better make sure.”
Evelyn Hillingdon stared at her in astonishment²⁶.
“But you yourself told Tim we mustn’t touch anything?”
“I know. But the moon wasn’t out. I hadn’t seen—”
Her finger pointed²⁷. Then, very gently, she touched the blonde hair and parted it so that the roots were exposed….
Evelyn gave a sharp ejaculation.
“Lucky!”
And then after a moment she repeated:
“Not Molly … Lucky.”
Miss Marple nodded. “Their hair was of much the same colour—but hers, of course, was dark at the roots becauseit was dyed.”
“But she’s wearing Molly’s shawl?”
“She admired it. I heard her say she was going to get one like it. Evidently she did.”
“So that’s why we were—deceived….”
Evelyn broke off as she met Miss Marple’s eyes watching her.
“Someone,” said Miss Marple, “will have to tell her husband.”
There was a moment’s pause, then Evelyn said:
“All right. I’ll do it.”
She turned and walked away through the palm trees.
Miss Marple remained for a moment motionless, then she turned her head very slightly, and said:
“Yes, Colonel Hillingdon?”
Edward Hillingdon came from the trees behind her to stand by her side.
“You knew I was there?”
“You cast a shadow,” said Miss Marple.
They stood a moment in silence.
He said, more as though he were speaking to himself:
“So, in the end, she played her luck too far….”
“You are, I think, glad that she is dead?”
“And that shocks you? Well, I will not deny it. I am glad she is dead.”
“Death is often a solution to problems.”
Edward Hillingdon turned his head slowly. Miss Marple met his eyes calmly and steadfastly²⁸.
“If you think—” he took a sharp step towards her.
There was a sudden menace in his tone.
Miss Marple said quietly:
“Your wife will be back with Mr. Dyson in a moment. Or Mr. Kendal will be here with Dr. Graham.”
Edward Hillingdon relaxed. He turned back to look down at the dead woman.
Miss Marple slipped away quietly. Presently her pace quickened.
Just before reaching her own bungalow, she paused. It was here that she had sat that day talking to Major Palgrave.
It was here that he had fumbled²⁹ in his wallet looking for the snapshot of a murderer….
She remembered how he had looked up, and how his face had gone purple and red…. “So ugly,” as Se?ora deCaspearo had said. “He has the Evil Eye.”
The Evil Eye … Eye …Eye….

1 dozed   

v.打盹儿，打瞌睡( doze的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He boozed till daylight and dozed into the afternoon. 他喝了个通霄，昏沉沉地一直睡到下午。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• I dozed off during the soporific music. 我听到这催人入睡的音乐，便不知不觉打起盹儿来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 doze   

v.打瞌睡；n.打盹，假寐

参考例句：

• He likes to have a doze after lunch.他喜欢午饭后打个盹。
• While the adults doze,the young play.大人们在打瞌睡，而孩子们在玩耍。

3 quotation   

n.引文，引语，语录；报价，牌价，行情

参考例句：

• He finished his speech with a quotation from Shakespeare.他讲话结束时引用了莎士比亚的语录。
• The quotation is omitted here.此处引文从略。

4 inadequate   

adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的

参考例句：

• The supply is inadequate to meet the demand.供不应求。
• She was inadequate to the demands that were made on her.她还无力满足对她提出的各项要求。

5 eyelids   

n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 )；眼睛也不眨一下；不露声色；面不改色

参考例句：

• She was so tired, her eyelids were beginning to droop. 她太疲倦了，眼睑开始往下垂。
• Her eyelids drooped as if she were on the verge of sleep. 她眼睑低垂好像快要睡着的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 hearty   

adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的

参考例句：

• After work they made a hearty meal in the worker's canteen.工作完了，他们在工人食堂饱餐了一顿。
• We accorded him a hearty welcome.我们给他热忱的欢迎。

7 extrovert   

n.性格外向的人

参考例句：

• A good salesman is usually an extrovert,who likes to mingle with people.一个好的推销员通常很外向，喜欢和人们交往。
• Do you think you're an extrovert or introvert?你认为你是个性外向的人还是个性内向的人？

8 genial   

adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的

参考例句：

• Orlando is a genial man.奥兰多是一位和蔼可亲的人。
• He was a warm-hearted friend and genial host.他是个热心的朋友，也是友善待客的主人。

9 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

10 streak   

n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动

参考例句：

• The Indians used to streak their faces with paint.印第安人过去常用颜料在脸上涂条纹。
• Why did you streak the tree?你为什么在树上刻条纹？

11 distractions   

n.使人分心的事[人]( distraction的名词复数 )；娱乐，消遣；心烦意乱；精神错乱

参考例句：

• I find it hard to work at home because there are too many distractions. 我发觉在家里工作很难，因为使人分心的事太多。
• There are too many distractions here to work properly. 这里叫人分心的事太多，使人无法好好工作。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 skilful   

(=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的

参考例句：

• The more you practise,the more skilful you'll become.练习的次数越多，熟练的程度越高。
• He's not very skilful with his chopsticks.他用筷子不大熟练。

13 fragrance   

n.芬芳，香味，香气

参考例句：

• The apple blossoms filled the air with their fragrance.苹果花使空气充满香味。
• The fragrance of lavender filled the room.房间里充满了薰衣草的香味。

14 indigo   

n.靛青，靛蓝

参考例句：

• The sky was indigo blue,and a great many stars were shining.天空一片深蓝，闪烁着点点繁星。
• He slipped into an indigo tank.他滑落到蓝靛桶中。

15 bungalow   

n.平房，周围有阳台的木造小平房

参考例句：

• A bungalow does not have an upstairs.平房没有上层。
• The old couple sold that large house and moved into a small bungalow.老两口卖掉了那幢大房子，搬进了小平房。

16 slippers   

n. 拖鞋

参考例句：

• a pair of slippers 一双拖鞋
• He kicked his slippers off and dropped on to the bed. 他踢掉了拖鞋，倒在床上。

17 sinister   

adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的

参考例句：

• There is something sinister at the back of that series of crimes.在这一系列罪行背后有险恶的阴谋。
• Their proposals are all worthless and designed out of sinister motives.他们的建议不仅一钱不值，而且包藏祸心。

18 creek   

n.小溪，小河，小湾

参考例句：

• He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。
• People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。

19 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

20 embroidered   

adj．绣花的

参考例句：

• She embroidered flowers on the cushion covers. 她在这些靠垫套上绣了花。
• She embroidered flowers on the front of the dress. 她在连衣裙的正面绣花。

21 commonsense   

adj.有常识的；明白事理的；注重实际的

参考例句：

• It is commonsense to carry an umbrella in this weather.这种天气带把伞是很自然的。
• These results are no more than a vindication of commonsense analysis.这些结果只不过是按常理分析得出的事实。

22 spoke   

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

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

23 curiously   

adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地

参考例句：

• He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
• He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。

24 luminous   

adj.发光的，发亮的；光明的；明白易懂的；有启发的

参考例句：

• There are luminous knobs on all the doors in my house.我家所有门上都安有夜光把手。
• Most clocks and watches in this shop are in luminous paint.这家商店出售的大多数钟表都涂了发光漆。

25 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

26 astonishment   

n.惊奇，惊异

参考例句：

• They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
• I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。

27 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

28 steadfastly   

adv.踏实地，不变地；岿然；坚定不渝

参考例句：

• So he sat, with a steadfastly vacant gaze, pausing in his work. 他就像这样坐着，停止了工作，直勾勾地瞪着眼。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
• Defarge and his wife looked steadfastly at one another. 德伐日和他的妻子彼此凝视了一会儿。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

29 fumbled   

（笨拙地）摸索或处理（某事物）( fumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 乱摸，笨拙地弄； 使落下

参考例句：

• She fumbled in her pocket for a handkerchief. 她在她口袋里胡乱摸找手帕。
• He fumbled about in his pockets for the ticket. 他（瞎）摸着衣兜找票。