BLACK AND RED CHECK
IM rs. Sandbourne returned just as the party was sitting down to lunch. Her news was not good. Miss Temple was stillunconscious. She certainly could not be moved for several days.
Having given the bulletin, Mrs. Sandbourne turned the conversation to practical matters. She produced suitabletimetables of trains for those who wished to return to London and proposed suitable plans for the resumption of thetour on the morrow or the next day. She had a list of suitable short expeditions in the near neighbourhood for thisafternoon—small groups in hired cars.
Professor Wanstead drew Miss Marple aside as they went out of the dining room—“You may want to rest this afternoon. If not, I will call for you here in an hour’s time. There is an interestingchurch you might care to see—?”
“That would be very nice,” said Miss Marple.
II
Miss Marple sat quite still in the car that had come to fetch her. Professor Wanstead had called for her at the time hehad said.
“I thought you might enjoy seeing this particular church. And a very pretty village, too,” he explained. “There’s noreason really why one should not enjoy the local sights when one can.”
“It’s very kind of you, I’m sure,” Miss Marple had said.
She had looked at him with that slightly fluttery gaze of hers.
“Very kind,” she said. “It just seems—well, I don’t want to say it seems heartless, but well, you know what Imean.”
“My dear lady, Miss Temple is not an old friend of yours or anything like that. Sad as this accident has been.”
“Well,” said Miss Marple again, “this is very kind of you.”
Professor Wanstead had opened the door of the car and Miss Marple got into it. It was, she presumed, a hired car.
A kindly1 thought to take an elderly lady to see one of the sights of the neighbourhood. He might have taken somebodyyounger, more interesting and certainly better looking. Miss Marple looked at him thoughtfully once or twice as theydrove through the village. He was not looking at her. He was gazing out of his own window.
When they had left the village behind and were on a second class country road twisting round the hillside, heturned his head and said to her,
“We are not going to a church, I am afraid.”
“No,” said Miss Marple, “I thought perhaps we weren’t.”
“Yes, the idea would have come to you.”
“Where are we going, may I ask?”
“We are going to a hospital, in Carristown.”
“Ah yes, that was where Miss Temple was taken?”
It was a question, though it hardly needed to be one.
“Yes,” he said. “Mrs. Sandbourne saw her and brought me back a letter from the Hospital Authorities. I have justfinished talking to them on the telephone.”
“Is she going on well?”
“No. Not going on very well.”
“I see. At least—I hope I don’t see,” said Miss Marple.
“Her recovery is very problematical but there is nothing that can be done. She may not recover consciousnessagain. On the other hand she may have a few lucid3 intervals4.”
“And you are taking me there? Why? I am not a friend of hers, you know. I only just met her for the first time onthis trip.”
“Yes, I realize that. I’m taking you there because in one of the lucid intervals she has had, she asked for you.”
“I see,” said Miss Marple. “I wonder why she should ask for me, why she should have thought that I—that I couldbe useful in any way to her, or do anything. She is a woman of perception. In her way, you know, a great woman. AsHeadmistress of Fallowfield she occupied a prominent position in the educational world.”
“The best girls’ school there is, I suppose?”
“Yes. She was a great personality. She was herself a woman of considerable scholarship. Mathematics were herspeciality, but she was an ‘all round’—what I should call an educator. Was interested in education, what girls werefitted for, how to encourage them. Oh, many other things. It is sad and very cruel if she dies,” said Miss Marple. “Itwill seem such a waste of a life. Although she had retired5 from her Headmistresship she still exercised a lot of power.
This accident—” She stopped. “Perhaps you do not want us to discuss the accident?”
“I think it is better that we should do so. A big boulder6 crashed down the hillside. It has been known to happenbefore though only at very long divided intervals of time. However, somebody came and spoke7 to me about it,” saidProfessor Wanstead.
“Came and spoke to you about the accident? Who was it?”
“The two young people. Joanna Crawford and Emlyn Price.”
“What did they say?”
“Joanna told me that she had the impression there was someone on the hillside. Rather high up. She and Emlynwere climbing up from the lower main path, following a rough track that wound round the curve of the hill. As theyturned a corner she definitely saw, outlined against the skyline, a man or a woman who was trying to roll a big boulderforward along the ground. The boulder was rocking—and finally it started to roll, at first slowly and then gatheringspeed down the hillside. Miss Temple was walking along the main path below, and had come to a point justunderneath it when the boulder hit her. If it was done deliberately10 it might not, of course, have succeeded; it mighthave missed her—but it did succeed. If what was being attempted was a deliberate attack on the woman walkingbelow it succeeded only too well.”
“Was it a man or a woman they saw?” asked Miss Marple.
“Unfortunately, Joanna Crawford could not say. Whoever it was, was wearing jeans or trousers, and had on a luridpolo-neck pullover in red and black checks. The figure turned and moved out of sight almost immediately. She isinclined to think it was a man but cannot be certain.”
“And she thinks, or you think, that it was a deliberate attempt on Miss Temple’s life?”
“The more she mulls it over, the more she thinks that that was exactly what it was. The boy agrees.”
“You have no idea who it might have been?”
“No idea whatever. No more have they. It might be one of our fellow travellers, someone who went for a stroll thatafternoon. It might be someone completely unknown who knew that the coach was making a halt here and chose thisplace to make an attack on one of the passengers. Some youthful lover of violence for violence’s sake. Or it mighthave been an enemy.”
“It seems very melodramatic if one says ‘a secret enemy,’” said Miss Marple.
“Yes, it does. Who would want to kill a retired and respected Headmistress? That is a question we want answered.
It is possible, faintly possible that Miss Temple herself might be able to tell us. She might have recognized the figureabove her or she might more likely have known of someone who bore her ill will for some special reason.”
“It still seems unlikely.”
“I agree with you,” said Professor Wanstead. “She seems a totally unlikely person to be a fit victim of attack, butyet when one reflects, a Headmistress knows a great many people. A great many people, shall we put it this way, havepassed through her hands.”
“A lot of girls you mean have passed through her hands.”
“Yes. Yes, that is what I meant. Girls and their families. A Headmistress must have knowledge of many things.
Romances, for instance, that girls might indulge in, unknown to their parents. It happens, you know. It happens veryoften. Especially in the last ten or twenty years. Girls are said to mature earlier. That is physically11 true, through in adeeper sense of the word, they mature late. They remain childish longer. Childish in the clothes they like to wear,childish with their floating hair. Even their mini skirts represent a worship of childishness. Their Baby Dollnightdresses, their gymslips and shorts—all children’s fashions. They wish not to become adult—not to have to acceptour kind of responsibility. And yet like all children, they want to be thought grown up, and free to do what they thinkare grown up things. And that leads sometimes to tragedy and sometimes to the aftermath of tragedy.”
“Are you thinking of some particular case?”
“No. No, not really. I’m only thinking—well, shall we say letting possibilities pass through my mind. I cannotbelieve that Elizabeth Temple had a personal enemy. An enemy ruthless enough to wish to take an opportunity ofkilling her. What I do think—” he looked at Miss Marple, “—would you like to make a suggestion?”
“Of a possibility? Well, I think I know or guess what you are suggesting. You are suggesting that Miss Templeknew something, knew some fact or had some knowledge that would be inconvenient12 or even dangerous to somebodyif it was known.”
“Yes, I do feel exactly that.”
“In that case,” said Miss Marple, “it seems indicated that there is someone on our coach tour who recognized MissTemple or knew who she was, but who perhaps after the passage of some years was not remembered or might evennot have been recognized by Miss Temple. It seems to throw it back on our passengers, does it not?” She paused.
“That pullover you mentioned—red and black checks, you said?”
“Oh yes? The pullover—” He looked at her curiously13. “What was it that struck you about that?”
“It was very noticeable,” said Miss Marple. “That is what your words led me to infer. It was very mentionable. Somuch so that the girl Joanna mentioned it specifically.”
“Yes. And what does that suggest to you?”
“The trailing of flags,” said Miss Marple thoughtfully. “Something that will be seen, remembered, observed,recognized.”
“Yes.” Professor Wanstead looked at her with encouragement.
“When you describe a person you have seen, seen not close at hand but from a distance, the first thing you willdescribe will be their clothes. Not their faces, not their walk, not their hands, not their feet. A scarlet14 tam-o’-shanter, apurple cloak, a bizarre leather jacket, a pullover of brilliant reds and blacks. Something very recognizable, verynoticeable. The object of it being that when that person removes that garment, gets rid of it, sends it by post in a parcelto some address, say, about a hundred miles away, or thrusts it in a rubbish bin8 in a city or burns it or tears it up ordestroys it, she or he will be the one person modestly and rather drably attired15 who will not be suspected or looked ator thought of. It must have been meant, that scarlet and black check jersey16. Meant so that it will be recognized againthough actually it will never again be seen on that particular person.”
“A very sound idea,” said Professor Wanstead. “As I have told you,” continued the Professor, “Fallowfield issituated not very far from here. Sixteen miles, I think. So this is Elizabeth Temple’s part of the world, a part she knowswell with people in it that she also might know well.”
“Yes. It widens the possibilities,” said Miss Marple. “I agree with you,” she said presently, “that the attacker ismore likely to have been a man than a woman. That boulder, if it was done with intent, was sent on its course veryaccurately. Accuracy is more a male quality than a female one. On the other hand there might easily have beensomeone on our coach, or possibly in the neighbourhood, who saw Miss Temple in the street, a former pupil of hers inpast years. Someone whom she herself might not recognize after a period of time. But the girl or woman would haverecognized her, because a Headmaster or Headmistress of over sixty is not unlike the same Headmaster orHeadmistress at the age of fifty. She is recognizable. Some woman who recognized her former mistress and also knewthat her mistress knew something damaging about her. Someone who might in some way prove a danger to her.” Shesighed. “I myself do not know this part of the world at all. Have you any particular knowledge of it?”
“No,” said Professor Wanstead. “I could not claim a personal knowledge of this part of the country. I knowsomething, however, of various things that have happened in this part of the world entirely17 because of what you havetold me. If it had not been for my acquaintanceship with you and the things you have told me I could have been moreat sea than I am.
“What are you yourself actually doing here? You do not know. Yet you were sent here. It was deliberately arrangedby Rafiel that you should come here, that you should take this coach tour, that you and I should meet. There have beenother places where we have stopped or through which we have passed, but special arrangements were made so thatyou should actually stay for a couple of nights here. You were put up with former friends of his who would not haverefused any request he made. Was there a reason for that?”
“So that I could learn certain facts that I had to know,” said Miss Marple.
“A series of murders that took place a good many years ago?” Professor Wanstead looked doubtful. “There isnothing unusual in that. You can say the same of many places in England and Wales. These things seem always to goin a series. First a girl found assaulted and murdered. Then another girl not very far away. Then something of the samekind perhaps twenty miles away. The same pattern of death.
“Two girls were reported missing from Jocelyn St. Mary itself, the one that we have been discussing whose bodywas found six months later, many miles away and who was last seen in the company of Michael Rafiel—”
“And the other?”
“A girl called Nora Broad. Not-a ‘quiet girl with no boyfriends.’ Possibly with one boyfriend too many. Her bodywas never found. It will be—one day. There have been cases when twenty years have passed,” said Wanstead. Heslowed down: “We have arrived. This is Carristown, and here is the Hospital.”
Shepherded by Professor Wanstead, Miss Marple entered. The Professor was obviously expected. He was usheredinto a small room where a woman rose from a desk.
“Oh yes,” she said, “Professor Wanstead. And—er—this is—er—” She hesitated slightly.
“Miss Jane Marple,” said Professor Wanstead. “I talked to Sister Barker on the telephone.”
“Oh yes. Sister Barker said that she would be accompanying you.”
“How is Miss Temple?”
“Much the same, I think. I am afraid there is not much improvement to report.” She rose. “I will take you to SisterBarker.”
Sister Barker was a tall, thin woman. She had a low, decisive voice and dark grey eyes that had a habit of lookingat you and looking away almost immediately, leaving you with the feeling that you had been inspected in a very shortspace of time, and judgment18 pronounced upon you.
“I don’t know what arrangements you have in mind,” said Professor Wanstead.
“Well, I had better tell Miss Marple just what we have arranged. First I must make it clear to you that the patient,Miss Temple, is still in a coma19 with very rare intervals. She appears to come to occasionally, to recognize hersurroundings and to be able to say a few words. But there is nothing one can do to stimulate20 her. It has to be left to theutmost patience. I expect Professor Wanstead has already told you that in one of her intervals of consciousness sheuttered quite distinctly the words ‘Miss Jane Marple.’ And then: ‘I want to speak to her. Miss Jane Marple.’ After thatshe relapsed into unconsciousness. Doctor thought it advisable to get in touch with the other occupants of the coach.
Professor Wanstead came to see us and explained various matters and said he would bring you over. I am afraid thatall we can ask you to do is to sit in the private ward9 where Miss Temple is, and perhaps be ready to make a note of anywords she should say, if she does regain21 consciousness. I am afraid the prognosis is not very helpful. To be quitefrank, which is better I think, since you are not a near relative and are unlikely to be disturbed by this information,Doctor thinks that she is sinking fast, that she may die without recovering consciousness. There is nothing one can doto relieve the concussion22. It is important that someone should hear what she says and Doctor thinks it advisable thatshe should not see too many people round her if she regains23 consciousness. If Miss Marple is not worried at thethought of sitting there alone, there will be a nurse in the room, though not obviously so. That is, she will not benoticed from the bed, and will not move unless she’s asked for. She will sit in a corner of the room shielded by ascreen.” She added, “We have a police official there also, ready to take down anything. The Doctor thinks it advisablethat he also should not be noticed by Miss Temple. One person alone, and that possibly a person she expects to see,will not alarm her or make her lose knowledge of what she wants to say to you. I hope this will not be too difficult athing to ask you?”
“Oh no,” said Miss Marple, “I’m quite prepared to do that. I have a small notebook with me and a Biro pen thatwill not be in evidence. I can remember things by heart for a very short time, so I need not appear to be obviouslytaking notes of what she says. You can trust my memory and I am not deaf—not deaf in the real sense of the word. Idon’t think my hearing is quite as good as it used to be, but if I am sitting near a bedside, I ought to be able to hearanything she says quite easily even if it is whispered. I am used to sick people. I have had a good deal to do with themin my time.”
Again the lightning glance of Sister Barker went over Miss Marple. This time a faint inclination24 of the headshowed satisfaction.
“It is kind of you,” she said, “and I am sure that if there is any help you can give, we can rely on you to give it. IfProfessor Wanstead likes to sit in the waiting room downstairs, we can call him at any moment if it should benecessary. Now, Miss Marple, perhaps you will accompany me.”
Miss Marple followed Sister along a passage and into a small well appointed single room. In the bed there, in adimly-lighted room since the blinds were half drawn25, lay Elizabeth Temple. She lay there like a statue, yet she did notgive the impression of being asleep. Her breath came uncertainly in slight gasps26. Sister Barker bent27 to examine herpatient, motioned Miss Marple into a chair beside the bed. She then crossed the room to the door again. A young manwith a notebook in his hand came from behind the screen there.
“Doctor’s orders, Mr. Reckitt,” said Sister Barker.
A nurse also appeared. She had been sitting in the opposite corner of the room.
“Call me if necessary, Nurse Edmonds,” said Sister Barker, “and get Miss Marple anything she may need.”
Miss Marple loosened her coat. The room was warm. The nurse approached and took it from her. Then she retiredto her former position, Miss Marple sat down in the chair. She looked at Elizabeth Temple thinking, as she hadthought before when looking at her in the coach, what a fine shaped head she had. Her grey hair drawn back from it,fitted her face in a perfect cap-like effect. A handsome woman, and a woman of personality. Yes, a thousand pities,Miss Marple thought, a thousand pities if the world was going to lose Elizabeth Temple.
Miss Marple eased the cushion at her back, moved the chair a fraction of an inch and sat quietly to wait. Whetherto wait in vain or to some point, she had no idea. Time passed. Ten minutes, twenty minutes, half an hour, thirty-fiveminutes. Then suddenly, quite unexpectedly as it were, a voice came. Low, but distinct, slightly husky. None of theresonance it had once held. “Miss Marple.”
Elizabeth Temple’s eyes were open now. They were looking at Miss Marple. They looked competent, perfectlysensible. She was studying the face of the woman who was sitting by her bed, studying her without any sign ofemotion, of surprise. Only, one would say, of scrutiny28. Fully2 conscious scrutiny. And the voice spoke again.
“Miss Marple. You are Jane Marple?”
“That is right. Yes,” said Miss Marple. “Jane Marple.”
“Henry often spoke of you. He said things about you.”
The voice stopped. Miss Marple said with a slight query29 in her voice,“Henry?”
“Henry Clithering, an old friend of mine—very old friend.”
“An old friend of mine too,” said Miss Marple. “Henry Clithering.”
Her mind went back to the many years she had known him, Sir Henry Clithering, the things he had said to her, theassistance he had asked from her sometimes, and the assistance that she had asked from him. A very old friend.
“I remembered your name. On the passenger list. I thought it must be you. You could help. That’s what he—Henry, yes—would say if he were here. You might be able to help. To find out. It’s important. Very importantalthough—it’s a long time ago now—a—long—time—ago.”
Her voice faltered30 a little, her eyes half closed. Nurse got up, came across the room, picked up a small glass andheld it to Elizabeth Temple’s lips. Miss Temple took a sip31, nodded her head dismissively. Nurse put down the glassand went back to her chair.
“If I can help, I will,” said Miss Marple. She asked no further questions.
Miss Temple said, “Good,” and after a minute or two, again, “Good.”
For two or three minutes she lay with her eyes closed. She might have been asleep or unconscious. Then her eyesopened again suddenly.
“Which,” she said, “which of them? That’s what one has got to know. Do you know what I am talking about?”
“I think so. A girl who died—Nora Broad?” A frown came quickly to Elizabeth Temple’s forehead.
“No, no, no. The other girl. Verity32 Hunt.”
There was a pause and then, “Jane Marple. You’re old—older than when he talked about you. You’re older, butyou can still find out things, can’t you?”
Her voice became slightly higher, more insistent33.
“You can, can’t you? Say you can. I’ve not much time. I know that. I know it quite well. One of them, but which?
Find out. Henry would have said you can. It may be dangerous for you—but you’ll find out, won’t you?”
“With God’s help, I will,” said Miss Marple. It was a vow34.
“Ah.”
The eyes closed, then opened again. Something like a smile seemed to try and twitch35 the lips.
“The big stone from above. The Stone of Death.”
“Who rolled that stone down?”
“Don’t know. No matter—only—Verity. Find out about Verity. Truth. Another name for truth, Verity.”
Miss Marple saw the faint relaxation36 of the body on the bed. There was a faintly whispered: “Good-bye. Do yourbest….”
Her body relaxed, the eyes closed. The nurse came again to the bedside. This time she took up the pulse, felt it, andbeckoned to Miss Marple. Miss Marple rose obediently and followed her out of the room.
“That’s been a big effort for her,” said the nurse. “She won’t regain consciousness again for some time. Perhaps notat all. I hope you learnt something?”
“I don’t think I did,” said Miss Marple, “but one never knows, does one.”
“Did you get anything?” asked Professor Wanstead, as they went out to the car.
“A name,” said Miss Marple. “Verity. Was that the girl’s name?”
“Yes. Verity Hunt.”
Elizabeth Temple died an hour and a half later. She died without regaining37 consciousness.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
kindly
|
|
| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
fully
|
|
| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
lucid
|
|
| adj.明白易懂的，清晰的，头脑清楚的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
intervals
|
|
| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
retired
|
|
| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
boulder
|
|
| n.巨砾；卵石，圆石 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
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： |
|
|
|
|
8
bin
|
|
| n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
ward
|
|
| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
deliberately
|
|
| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
physically
|
|
| adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
inconvenient
|
|
| adj.不方便的，令人感到麻烦的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
curiously
|
|
| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
scarlet
|
|
| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
attired
|
|
| adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服，使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
jersey
|
|
| n.运动衫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
entirely
|
|
| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
judgment
|
|
| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
coma
|
|
| n.昏迷，昏迷状态 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
stimulate
|
|
| vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
regain
|
|
| vt.重新获得，收复，恢复 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
concussion
|
|
| n.脑震荡；震动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
regains
|
|
| 复得( regain的第三人称单数 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
inclination
|
|
| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
drawn
|
|
| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
gasps
|
|
| v.喘气( gasp的第三人称单数 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
bent
|
|
| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
scrutiny
|
|
| n.详细检查，仔细观察 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
query
|
|
| n.疑问，问号，质问；vt.询问，表示怀疑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
faltered
|
|
| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
sip
|
|
| v.小口地喝，抿，呷；n.一小口的量 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
verity
|
|
| n.真实性 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
insistent
|
|
| adj.迫切的，坚持的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
vow
|
|
| n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
twitch
|
|
| v.急拉，抽动，痉挛，抽搐；n.扯，阵痛，痉挛 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
relaxation
|
|
| n.松弛，放松；休息；消遣；娱乐 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
regaining
|
|
| 复得( regain的现在分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |