Ten
A CASE HISTORY
IS altmarsh House was set pleasantly about six miles inland from the coast. It had a good train service to London fromthe five-miles-distant town of South Benham.
Giles and Gwenda were shown into a large airy sitting room with cretonne covers patterned with flowers. A verycharming-looking old lady with white hair came into the room holding a glass of milk. She nodded to them and satdown near the fireplace. Her eyes rested thoughtfully on Gwenda and presently she leaned forward towards her andspoke in what was almost a whisper.
“Is it your poor child, my dear?”
Gwenda looked slightly taken aback. She said doubtfully: “No—no. It isn’t.”
“Ah, I wondered.” The old lady nodded her head and sipped¹ her milk. Then she said conversationally², “Half pastten—that’s the time. It’s always at half past ten. Most remarkable³.” She lowered her voice and leaned forward again.
“Behind the fireplace,” she breathed. “But don’t say I told you.”
At this moment, a white uniformed maid came into the room and requested Giles and Gwenda to follow her.
They were shown into Dr. Penrose’s study, and Dr. Penrose rose to greet them.
Dr. Penrose, Gwenda could not help thinking, looked a little mad himself. He looked, for instance, much madderthan the nice old lady in the drawing room—but perhaps psychiatrists⁴ always looked a little mad.
“I had your letter, and Dr. Kennedy’s,” said Dr. Penrose. “And I’ve been looking up your father’s case history,Mrs. Reed. I remembered his case quite well, of course, but I wanted to refresh my memory so that I should be in aposition to tell you everything you wanted to know. I understand that you have only recently become aware of thefacts?”
Gwenda explained that she had been brought up in New Zealand by her mother’s relations and that all she hadknown about her father was that he had died in a nursing home in England.
Dr. Penrose nodded. “Quite so. Your father’s case, Mrs. Reed, presented certain rather peculiar⁵ features.”
“Such as?” Giles asked.

分享到：