IThe meal was over.
Mr Justice Wargrave cleared his throat. He said in a small authoritativevoice:
‘It would be advisable, I think, if we met to discuss the situation. Shallwe say in half an hour’s time in the drawing-room?’
Every one made a sound suggestive of agreement.
Vera began to pile plates together.
She said:
‘I’ll clear away and wash up.’
Philip Lombard said:
‘We’ll bring the stuff out to the pantry for you.’
‘Thanks.’
Emily Brent, rising to her feet sat down again. She said:
‘Oh dear.’
The judge said:
‘Anything the matter, Miss Brent?’
Emily said apologetically:
‘I’m sorry. I’d like to help Miss Claythorne, but I don’t know how it is. Ifeel just a little giddy.’
‘Giddy, eh?’ Dr Armstrong came towards her. ‘Quite natural. Delayedshock. I can give you something to—’
‘No!’
The word burst from her lips like an exploding shell.
It took every one aback. Dr Armstrong flushed a deep red.
There was no mistaking the fear and suspicion in her face. He saidstiffly:
‘Just as you please, Miss Brent.’
She said:
‘I don’t wish to take anything—anything at all. I will just sit here quietlytill the giddiness passes off.’
They finished clearing away the breakfast things.
Blore said:
‘I’m a domestic sort of man. I’ll give you a hand, Miss Claythorne.’
Vera said: ‘Thank you.’
Emily Brent was left alone sitting in the dining-room.
For a while she heard a faint murmur1 of voices from the pantry.
The giddiness was passing. She felt drowsy2 now, as though she couldeasily go to sleep.
There was a buzzing in her ears—or was it a real buzzing in the room?
She thought:
‘It’s like a bee—a bumble bee.’
Presently she saw the bee. It was crawling up the window-pane.
Vera Claythorne had talked about bees this morning.
Bees and honey…
She liked honey. Honey in the comb, and strain it yourself through amuslin bag. Drip, drip, drip…
There was somebody in the room…somebody all wet and dripping…Be-atrice Taylor come from the river…
She had only to turn her head and she would see her.
But she couldn’t turn her head…
If she were to call out…
But she couldn’t call out…
There was no one else in the house. She was all alone…She heard footsteps—soft dragging footsteps coming up behind her. Thestumbling footsteps of the drowned girl…
There was a wet dank smell in her nostrils3…
On the window-pane the bee was buzzing—buzzing…And then she felt the prick4.
The bee sting on the side of her neck…
II
In the drawing-room they were waiting for Emily Brent.
Vera Claythorne said:
‘Shall I go and fetch her?’
Blore said quickly:
‘Just a minute.’
Vera sat down again. Every one looked inquiringly at Blore. He said:
‘Look here, everybody, my opinion’s this: we needn’t look farther for theauthor of these deaths than the dining-room at this minute. I’d take myoath that woman’s the one we’re after!’
Armstrong said:
‘And the motive5?’
‘Religious mania6. What do you say, doctor?’
Armstrong said:
‘It’s perfectly7 possible. I’ve nothing to say against it. But of course we’veno proof.’
Vera said:
‘She was very odd in the kitchen when we were getting breakfast. Hereyes—’ She shivered.
Lombard said:
‘You can’t judge her by that. We’re all a bit off our heads by now!’
Blore said:
‘There’s another thing. She’s the only one who wouldn’t give an explana-tion after that gramophone record. Why? Because she hadn’t any to give.’
Vera stirred in her chair. She said:
‘That’s not quite true. She told me—afterwards.’
Wargrave said:
‘What did she tell you, Miss Claythorne?’
Vera repeated the story of Beatrice Taylor.
Mr Justice Wargrave observed:
‘A perfectly straightforward8 story. I personally should have no difficultyin accepting it. Tell me, Miss Claythorne, did she appear to be troubled bya sense of guilt9 or a feeling of remorse10 for her attitude in the matter?’
‘None whatever,’ said Vera. ‘She was completely unmoved.’
Blore said:
‘Hearts as hard as flints, these righteous spinsters! Envy, mostly!’
Mr Justice Wargrave said:
‘It is now five minutes to eleven. I think we should summon Miss Brentto join our conclave11.’
Blore said:
‘Aren’t you going to take any action?’
The judge said:
‘I fail to see what action we can take. Our suspicions are, at the moment,only suspicions. I will, however, ask Dr Armstrong to observe Miss Brent’sdemeanour very carefully. Let us now go into the dining-room.’
They found Emily Brent sitting in the chair in which they had left her.
From behind they saw nothing amiss, except that she did not seem to heartheir entrance into the room.
And then they saw her face—suffused with blood, with blue lips andstarting eyes.
Blore said:
‘My God, she’s dead!’
III
The small quiet voice of Mr Justice Wargrave said:
‘One more of us acquitted—too late!’
Armstrong was bent12 over the dead woman. He sniffed13 the lips, shook hishead, peered into the eyelids14.
Lombard said impatiently:
‘How did she die, doctor? She was all right when we left her here!’
Armstrong’s attention was riveted15 on a mark on the right side of theneck.
He said:
‘That’s the mark of a hypodermic syringe.’
There was a buzzing sound from the window. Vera cried:
‘Look—a bee—a bumble bee. Remember what I said this morning!’
Armstrong said grimly:
‘It wasn’t that bee that stung her! A human hand held the syringe.’
The judge asked:
‘What poison was injected?’
Armstrong answered:
‘At a guess, one of the cyanides. Probably potassium cyanide, same asAnthony Marston. She must have died almost immediately by asphyxi-ation.’
Vera cried:
‘But that bee? It can’t be coincidence?’
Lombard said grimly:
‘Oh no, it isn’t coincidence! It’s our murderer’s touch of local colour!
He’s a playful beast. Likes to stick to his damnable nursery jingle16 as closelyas possible!’
For the first time his voice was uneven17, almost shrill18. It was as thougheven his nerves, seasoned by a long career of hazards and dangerous un-dertakings, had given out at last.
He said violently:
‘It’s mad!—absolutely mad—we’re all mad!’
The judge said calmly:
‘We have still, I hope, our reasoning powers. Did any one bring a hypo-dermic syringe to this house?’
Dr Armstrong, straightening himself, said in a voice that was not toowell assured:
‘Yes, I did.’
Four pairs of eyes fastened on him. He braced19 himself against the deephostile suspicion of those eyes. He said:
‘Always travel with one. Most doctors do.’
Mr Justice Wargrave said calmly:
‘Quite so. Will you tell us, doctor, where that syringe is now?’
‘In the suitcase in my room.’
Wargrave said:
‘We might, perhaps, verify that fact.’
The five of them went upstairs, a silent procession.
The contents of the suitcase were turned out on the floor.
The hypodermic syringe was not there.
IV
Armstrong said violently:
‘Somebody must have taken it!’
There was silence in the room.
Armstrong stood with his back to the window. Four pairs of eyes wereon him, black with suspicion and accusation20. He looked from Wargrave toVera and repeated helplessly—weakly:
‘I tell you someone must have taken it.’
Blore was looking at Lombard who returned his gaze.
The judge said:
‘There are five of us here in this room. One of us is a murderer. The posi-tion is fraught21 with grave danger. Everything must be done in order tosafeguard the four of us who are innocent. I will now ask you, Dr Arm-strong, what drugs you have in your possession.’
Armstrong replied:
‘I have a small medicine case here. You can examine it. You will findsome sleeping stuff—trional and sulphonal tablets—a packet of bromide,bicarbonate of soda22, aspirin23. Nothing else. I have no cyanide in my posses-sion.’
The judge said:
‘I have, myself, some sleeping tablets—sulphonal, I think they are. I pre-sume they would be lethal24 if a sufficiently25 large dose were given. You, MrLombard, have in your possession a revolver.’
Philip Lombard said sharply:
‘What if I have?’
‘Only this. I propose that the doctor’s supply of drugs, my own sulphonaltablets, your revolver and anything else of the nature of drugs or firearmsshould be collected together and placed in a safe place. That after this isdone, we should each of us submit to a search—both of our persons and ofour effects.’
Lombard said:
‘I’m damned if I’ll give up my revolver!’
Wargrave said sharply:
‘Mr Lombard, you are a very strongly built and powerful young man,but ex-Inspector Blore is also a man of powerful physique. I do not knowwhat the outcome of a struggle between you would be but I can tell youthis. On Blore’s side, assisting him to the best of our ability will be myself,Dr Armstrong and Miss Claythorne. You will appreciate therefore, that theodds against you if you choose to resist will be somewhat heavy.’
Lombard threw his head back. His teeth showed in what was almost asnarl.
‘Oh, very well, then. Since you’ve got it all taped out.’
Mr Justice Wargrave nodded his head.
‘You are a sensible young man. Where is this revolver of yours?’
‘In the drawer of the table by my bed.’
‘Good.’
‘I’ll fetch it.’
‘I think it would be desirable if we went with you.’
Philip said with a smile that was still nearer a snarl26:
‘Suspicious devil, aren’t you?’
They went along the corridor to Lombard’s room.
Philip strode across to the bed-table and jerked open the drawer.
Then he recoiled27 with an oath.
The drawer of the bed-table was empty.
V‘Satisfied?’ asked Lombard.
He had stripped to the skin and he and his room had been meticulouslysearched by the other three men. Vera Claythorne was outside in the cor-ridor.
The search proceeded methodically. In turn, Armstrong, the judge, andBlore submitted to the same test.
The four men emerged from Blore’s room and approached Vera. It wasthe judge who spoke28.
‘I hope you will understand, Miss Claythorne, that we can make no ex-ceptions. That revolver must be found. You have, I presume, a bathingdress with you?’
Vera nodded.
‘Then I will ask you to go into your room and put it on and then comeout to us here.’
Vera went into her room and shut the door. She reappeared in under aminute dressed in a tight-fitting silk rucked bathing dress.
Wargrave nodded approval.
‘Thank you, Miss Claythorne. Now if you will remain here, we willsearch your room.’
Vera waited patiently in the corridor until they emerged. Then she wentin, dressed, and came out to where they were waiting.
The judge said:
‘We are now assured of one thing. There are no lethal weapons or drugsin the possession of any of us five. That is one point to the good. We willnow place the drugs in a safe place. There is, I think, a silver chest, is therenot, in the pantry?’
Blore said:
‘That’s all very well, but who’s to have the key? You, I suppose.’
Mr Justice Wargrave made no reply.
He went down to the pantry and the others followed him. There was asmall case there designed for the purpose of holding silver and plate. Bythe judge’s directions, the various drugs were placed in this and it waslocked. Then, still on Wargrave’s instructions, the chest was lifted into theplate cupboard and this in turn was locked. The judge then gave the key ofthe chest to Philip Lombard and the key of the cupboard to Blore.
He said:
‘You two are the strongest physically29. It would be difficult for either ofyou to get the key from the other. It would be impossible for any of usthree to do so. To break open the cupboard—or the plate chest—would bea noisy and cumbersome30 proceeding31 and one which could hardly be car-ried out without attention being attracted to what was going on.’
He paused, then went on:
‘We are still faced by one very grave problem. What has become of MrLombard’s revolver?’
Blore said:
‘Seems to me its owner is the most likely person to know that.’
A white dint32 showed in Philip Lombard’s nostrils. He said:
‘You damned pig-headed fool! I tell you it’s been stolen from me!’
Wargrave asked:
‘When did you see it last?’
‘Last night. It was in the drawer when I went to bed—ready in case any-thing happened.’
The judge nodded.
He said:
‘It must have been taken this morning during the confusion of searchingfor Rogers or after his dead body was discovered.’
Vera said:
‘It must be hidden somewhere about the house. We must look for it.’
Mr Justice Wargrave’s finger was stroking his chin. He said:
‘I doubt if our search will result in anything. Our murderer has hadplenty of time to devise a hiding-place. I do not fancy we shall find that re-volver easily.’
Blore said forcefully:
‘I don’t know where the revolver is, but I’ll bet I know where somethingelse is—that hypodermic syringe. Follow me.’
He opened the front door and led the way round the house.
A little distance away from the dining-room window he found the syr-inge. Beside it was a smashed china figure—a sixth broken soldier boy.
Blore said in a satisfied voice:
‘Only place it could be. After he’d killed her, he opened the window andthrew out the syringe and picked up the china figure from the table andfollowed on with that.’
There were no prints on the syringe. It had been carefully wiped.
Vera said in a determined33 voice:
‘Now let us look for the revolver.’
Mr Justice Wargrave said:
‘By all means. But in doing so let us be careful to keep together. Remem-ber, if we separate, the murderer gets his chance.’
They searched the house carefully from attic34 to cellars, but without res-ult. The revolver was still missing.
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收听单词发音
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1
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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2
drowsy
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| adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的 | |
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3
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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4
prick
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| v.刺伤，刺痛，刺孔；n.刺伤，刺痛 | |
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5
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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mania
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| n.疯狂；躁狂症，狂热，癖好 | |
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7
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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8
straightforward
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| adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的 | |
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9
guilt
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| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
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10
remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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11
conclave
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| n.秘密会议，红衣主教团 | |
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12
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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13
sniffed
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| v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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14
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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15
riveted
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| 铆接( rivet的过去式和过去分词 )； 把…固定住； 吸引； 引起某人的注意 | |
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16
jingle
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| n.叮当声，韵律简单的诗句；v.使叮当作响，叮当响，押韵 | |
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17
uneven
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| adj.不平坦的，不规则的，不均匀的 | |
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18
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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19
braced
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| adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
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20
accusation
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| n.控告，指责，谴责 | |
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21
fraught
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| adj.充满…的，伴有(危险等)的；忧虑的 | |
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22
soda
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| n.苏打水；汽水 | |
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23
aspirin
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| n.阿司匹林 | |
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24
lethal
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| adj.致死的；毁灭性的 | |
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25
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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26
snarl
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| v.吼叫，怒骂，纠缠，混乱；n.混乱，缠结，咆哮 | |
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27
recoiled
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| v.畏缩( recoil的过去式和过去分词 )；退缩；报应；返回 | |
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28
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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29
physically
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| adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律 | |
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30
cumbersome
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| adj.笨重的，不便携带的 | |
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31
proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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32
dint
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| n.由于，靠；凹坑 | |
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33
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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34
attic
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| n.顶楼，屋顶室 | |
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