Inspector1 Narracott was not destined2 to see Major Burnaby until he hadhad a protracted3 interview with Mrs. Belling—licensed proprietor4 of theThree Crowns. Mrs. Belling was fat and excitable, and so voluble thatthere was nothing to be done but to listen patiently until such time as thestream of conversation should dry up.
“And such a night as never was,” she ended up. “And little did any of usthink what was happening to the poor dear gentleman. Those nastytramps—if I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a dozen times, I can’t abear thosenasty tramps. Do anybody in they would. The Captain had not so much asa dog to protect him. Can’t abear a dog, tramps can’t. Ah, well, you neverknow what is happening within a stone’s throw.
“Yes, Mr. Narracott,” she proceeded in answer to his question, “the Ma-jor is having his breakfast now. You will find him in the coffee room. Andwhat kind of a night he has passed with no pyjamas5 or anything, and me awidow woman with nothing to lend him, I can’t say, I am sure. Said itmade no matter he did—all upset and queer he was—and no wonder withhis best friend murdered. Very nice gentlemen the two of them, thoughthe Captain had the reputation of being close with his money. Ah, well,well, I have always thought it dangerous to live up to Sittaford, miles awayfrom anywhere, and here’s the Captain struck down in Exhampton itself.
It’s always what you don’t expect in this life that happens, isn’t it, Mr. Nar-racott?”
The Inspector said that undoubtedly6 it was. Then he added:
“Who did you have staying here yesterday, Mrs. Belling? Anystrangers?”
“Now let me see. There was Mr. Moresby and Mr. Jones—commercialgentlemen they are, and there was a young gentleman from London.
Nobody else. It stands to reason there wouldn’t be this time of year. Veryquiet here in the winter. Oh, and there was another young gentleman—ar-rived by the last train. Nosey young fellow I call him. He isn’t up yet.”
“The last train?” said the Inspector. “That gets in at ten o’clock, eh? Idon’t think we need trouble ourselves about him. What about the other—the one from London? Did you know him?”
“Never seen him before in my life. Not a commercial gentleman, oh, no—a cut above that. I can’t remember his name for the moment—but you’llfind it in the register. Left on the first train to Exeter this morning, he did.
Six ten. Rather curious. What did he want down here anyway, that’s whatI’d like to know.”
“He didn’t mention his business?”
“Not a word.”
“Did he go out at all?”
“Arrived at lunchtime, went out about half past four and came in abouttwenty past six.”
“Where did he go when he went out?”
“I haven’t the remotest idea, sir. May have been just for a stroll like.
That was before the snow came, but it wasn’t what you might call a pleas-ant day for walking.”
“Went out at half past four and returned about twenty past six,” said theInspector thoughtfully. “That’s rather odd. He didn’t mention CaptainTrevelyan?”
Mrs. Belling shook her head decisively.
“No, Mr. Narracott, he didn’t mention anybody at all. Kept himself tohimself he did. A nice looking young fellow—but worried, I should say.”
The Inspector nodded and stepped across to inspect the register.
“James Pearson, London,” said the Inspector. “Well—that doesn’t tell usmuch. We’ll have to make a few inquiries7 about Mr. James Pearson.”
Then he strode off to the coffee room in search of Major Burnaby.
The Major was the only occupant of the room. He was drinking somerather muddy-looking coffee and The Times was propped8 up in front ofhim.
“Major Burnaby?”
“That’s my name.”
“I am Inspector Narracott from Exeter.”
“Good morning, Inspector. Any forrarder?”
“Yes, sir. I think we are a little forrarder. I think I can safely say that.”
“Glad to hear it,” said the Major drily. His attitude was one of resigneddisbelief.
“Now there are just one or two points I would like some information on,Major Burnaby,” said the Inspector, “and I think you can probably tell mewhat I want to know.”
“Do what I can,” said Burnaby.
“Had Captain Trevelyan any enemies to your knowledge?”
“Not an enemy in the world.” Burnaby was decisive.
“This man, Evans—do you yourself consider him trustworthy?”
“Should think so. Trevelyan trusted him, I know.”
“There was no ill feeling about this marriage of his?”
“Not ill feeling, no. Trevelyan was annoyed—didn’t like his habits upset.
Old bachelor, you know.”
“Talking of bachelors, that’s another point. Captain Trevelyan was un-married—do you know if he made a will? And in the event of there beingno will, have you any idea who would inherit his estate?”
“Trevelyan made a will,” said Burnaby promptly9.
“Ah—you know that.”
“Yes. Made me executor. Told me so.”
“Do you know how he left his money?”
“That I can’t say.”
“I understand he was very comfortably off?”
“Trevelyan was a rich man,” replied Burnaby. “I should say he wasmuch better off than anyone around here suspected.”
“What relations had he—do you know?”
“He’d a sister and some nephews and nieces, I believe. Never saw muchof any of them, but there was no quarrel.”
“About this will, do you know where he kept it?”
“It’s at Walters & Kirkwood—the solicitors10 here in Exhampton. Theydrew it up for him.”
“Then perhaps, Major Burnaby, as you are executor, I wonder if youwould come round to Walters & Kirkwood with me now. I should like tohave an idea of the contents of that will as soon as possible.”
Burnaby looked up alertly.
“What’s in the wind?” he said. “What’s the will got to do with it?”
Inspector Narracott was not disposed to show his hand too soon.
“The case isn’t such plain sailing as we thought,” he said. “By the way,there’s another question I want to ask you. I understand, Major Burnaby,that you asked Dr. Warren whether death had occurred at five and twentyminutes past five?”
“Well,” said the Major gruffly.
“What made you select that exact time, Major?”
“Why shouldn’t I?” said Burnaby.
“Well—something must have put it into your head.”
There was quite a pause before Major Burnaby replied. Inspector Narra-cott’s interest was aroused. The Major had something he quite patentlywished to conceal11. To watch him doing so was almost ludicrous.
“Why shouldn’t I say twenty-five past five?” he demanded truculently,“or twenty-five to six—or twenty past four, for that matter?”
“Quite so, sir,” said Inspector Narracott soothingly12.
He did not wish to antagonize the Major just at this moment. He prom-ised himself that he would get to the bottom of the matter before the daywas out.
“There’s one thing that strikes me as curious, sir,” he went on.
“Yes?”
“This business of the letting of Sittaford House. I don’t know what youthink about it, but it seems to me a curious thing to have happened.”
“If you ask me,” said Burnaby, “it’s damned odd.”
“That’s your opinion?”
“It’s everyone’s opinion.”
“In Sittaford?”
“In Sittaford and Exhampton too. The woman must be mad.”
“Well, I suppose there’s no accounting13 for tastes,” said the Inspector.
“Damned odd taste for a woman of that kind.”
“You know the lady?”
“I know her. Why, I was at her house when—”
“When what?” asked Narracott as the Major came to an abrupt14 halt.
“Nothing,” said Burnaby.
Inspector Narracott looked at him keenly. There was something here hewould have liked to get at. The Major’s obvious confusion and embarrass-ment did not escape him. He had been on the point of saying—what?
“All in good time,” said Narracott to himself. “Now isn’t the moment torub him up the wrong way.”
Aloud he said innocently:
“You were at Sittaford House, you say, sir. The lady has been there now—about how long?”
“A couple of months.”
The Major was eager to escape the result of his imprudent words. Itmade him more loquacious15 than usual.
“A widow lady with her daughter?”
“That’s it.”
“Does she give any reason for her choice of residence?”
“Well—” the Major rubbed his nose dubiously16. “She talks a lot, she’s thatkind of woman—beauties of nature—out of the world—that sort of thing.
But—”
He paused rather helplessly. Inspector Narracott came to his rescue.
“It didn’t strike you as natural on her part?”
“Well, it’s like this. She’s a fashionable sort of woman. Dressed up to thenines—daughter’s a smart, pretty girl. Natural thing would be for them tobe staying at the Ritz or Claridge’s, or some other big hotel somewhere.
You know the sort.”
Narracott nodded.
“They don’t keep themselves to themselves, do they?” he asked. “Youdon’t think they are—well—hiding?”
Major Burnaby shook his head positively17.
“Oh! no, nothing of that kind. They’re very sociable18—a bit too sociable. Imean, in a little place like Sittaford, you can’t have previous engagements,and when invitations are showered on you it’s a bit awkward. They’re ex-ceedingly kind, hospitable19 people, but a bit too hospitable for Englishideas.”
“The Colonial touch,” said the Inspector.
“Yes, I suppose so.”
“You’ve no reason to think they were previously20 acquainted with Cap-tain Trevelyan?”
“Sure they weren’t.”
“You seem very positive?”
“Joe would have told me.”
“And you don’t think their motive21 could have been—well—to scrape ac-quaintance with the Captain?”
This was clearly a new idea to the Major. He pondered over it for someminutes.
“Well, I never thought of that. They were very gushing22 to him, certainly.
Not that they got any change out of Joe. But no, I think it was just theirusual manner. Over friendly, you know, like Colonials are,” added the su-per-insular soldier.
“I see. Now, as to the house itself. Captain Trevelyan built that, I under-stand?”
“Yes.”
“And nobody else has ever lived in it? I mean, it’s not been let before?”
“Never.”
“Then it doesn’t seem as though it could be anything in the house itselfthat was the attraction. It’s a puzzle. Ten to one it’s got nothing to do withthe case, but it just struck me as an odd coincidence. This house that Cap-tain Trevelyan took, Hazelmoor, whose property was that?”
“Miss Larpent’s. Middle-aged23 woman, she’s gone to a boarding house atCheltenham for the winter. Does every year. Usually shuts the house up,but lets it if she can, which isn’t often.”
There seemed nothing promising24 there. The Inspector shook his head ina discouraged fashion.
“Williamsons were the agents, I understand?” he said.
“Yes.”
“Their office is in Exhampton?”
“Next door to Walters & Kirkwood.”
“Ah! then, perhaps, if you don’t mind, Major, we might just drop in onour way.”
“Not at all. You won’t find Kirkwood at his office before ten anyway. Youknow what lawyers are.”
“Then, shall we go?”
The Major, who had finished his breakfast some time ago, nodded assentand rose.
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收听单词发音
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inspector
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| n.检查员，监察员，视察员 | |
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destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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protracted
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| adj.拖延的；延长的v.拖延“protract”的过去式和过去分词 | |
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proprietor
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| n.所有人；业主；经营者 | |
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pyjamas
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| n.（宽大的）睡衣裤 | |
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undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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propped
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| 支撑，支持，维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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solicitors
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| 初级律师( solicitor的名词复数 ) | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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soothingly
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| adv.抚慰地，安慰地；镇痛地 | |
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accounting
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| n.会计，会计学，借贷对照表 | |
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abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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loquacious
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| adj.多嘴的，饶舌的 | |
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dubiously
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| adv.可疑地，怀疑地 | |
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positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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sociable
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| adj.好交际的，友好的，合群的 | |
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hospitable
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| adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的 | |
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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gushing
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| adj.迸出的；涌出的；喷出的；过分热情的v.喷，涌( gush的现在分词 )；滔滔不绝地说话 | |
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middle-aged
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| adj.中年的 | |
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promising
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| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
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