加勒比海之谜(英文版)- 第28部分

Molly　came　up　the　path　from　the　sea。

Her　eyes　stared　fixedly　ahead　of　her。

Occasionally；　under　her　breath；　she　gave　a　little　whimper。。。

She　went　up　the　steps　of　the　loggia；　paused　a　moment；　then　pushed　open　the　window　and　walked　into　the　bedroom。

The　lights　were　on；　but　the　room　itself　was　empty。　Molly　went　across　to　the　bed　and　sat　down。　She　sat　for　some　minutes；　now　and　again　passing　her　hand　over　her　forehead　and　frowning。　Then；　after　a　quick　surreptitious　glance　round；　she　slipped　her　hand　under　the　mattress　and　brought　out　the　book　that　was　hidden　there。　She　bent　over　it；　turning　the　pages　to　find　what　she　wanted。

Then　she　raised　her　head　as　a　sound　of　running　footsteps　came　from　outside。

ent　she　pushed　the　book　behind　her　back。

Tim　Kendal；　panting　and　out　of　breath；　came　in；　and　uttered　a　great　sigh　of　relief　at　the　sight　of　her。

〃Thank　God。　Where　have　you　been；　Molly？　I've　been　searching　everywhere　for　you。〃

〃I　went　to　the　creek。〃

〃You　went〃　he　stopped。

〃Yes。　I　went　to　the　creek。　But　I　couldn't　wait　there。　I　couldn't。　There　was　someone　in　the　waterand　she　was　dead。〃

〃You　mean　Do　you　know　I　thought　it　was　you。　I've　only　just　found　out　it　was　Lucky。〃

〃I　didn't　kill　her。　Really；　Tim；　I　didn't　kill　her。　I'm　sure　I　didn't。　I　mean　I'd　remember　if　I　did；　wouldn't　I？〃

Tim　sank　slowly　down　on　the　end　of　the　bed。

〃You　didn't　　are　you　sure　of　that？　No。　No；　of　course　you　didn't！〃　He　fairly　shouted　the　words。　〃Don't　start　thinking　like　that；　Molly。　Lucky　drowned　herself。　Of　course　she　drowned　herself。　Hillingdon　was　through　with　her。　She　went　and　lay　down　with　her　face　in　the　water〃

〃Lucky　wouldn't　do　that。　She'd　never　do　that。　But　I　didn't　kill　her。　I　swear　I　didn't。〃

〃Darling；　of　course　you　didn't！〃　He　put　his　arms　round　her　but　she　pulled　herself　away。

〃I　hate　this　place。　It　ought　to　be　all　sunlight。　It　seemed　to　be　all　sunlight。　But　it　isn't。　Instead　there's　a　shadowa　big　black　shadow。。。　And　I'm　in　itand　I　can't　get　out〃　Her　voice　had　risen　to　a　shout。

〃Hush；　Molly。　For　God's　sake；　hush！〃

He　went　into　the　bathroom；　came　back　with　a　glass。

〃Look。　Drink　this。　It'll　steady　you。〃

〃II　can't　drink　anything。　My　teeth　are　chattering　so。〃

〃Yes　you　can；　darling。　Sit　down。　Here；　on　the　bed。〃　He　put　his　arm　round　her。　He　approached　the　glass　to　her　lips。　〃There　you　are　now。　Drink　it。〃

A　voice　spoke　from　the　window。

〃Jackson；〃　said　Miss　Marple　clearly。　〃Go　over。　Take　that　glass　from　him　and　hold　it　tightly。　Be　careful。　He's　strong　and　he　may　be　pretty　desperate。〃

There　were　certain　points　about　Jackson。　He　was　a　man　of　training；　trained　to　obey　orders。　He　was　a　man　with　a　great　love　for　money；　and　money　had　been　promised　him　by　his　employer；　that　employer　being　a　man　of　stature　and　authority。　He　was　also　a　man　of　extreme　muscular　development　heightened　by　his　training。　His　not　to　reason　why；　his　but　to　do。　Swift　as　a　flash　he　had　crossed　the　room。　His　hand　went　over　the　glass　that　Tim　was　holding　to　Molly's　lips；　his　other　arm　had　fastened　round　Tim。　A　quick　flick　of　the　wrist　and　he　had　the　glass。　Tim　turned　on　him　wildly；　but　Jackson　held　him　firmly。

〃What　the　devillet　go　of　me。　Let　go　of　me。　Have　you　gone　mad？　What　are　you　doing？〃　Tim　struggled　violently。

〃Hold　him；　Jackson；〃　said　Miss　Marple。

〃What's　going　on？　What's　the　matter　here？〃

Supported　by　Esther　Walters；　Mr。　Rafiel　came　through　the　window。

〃You　ask　what's　the　matter？〃　shouted　Tim。　〃Your　man's　gone　mad；　stark；　staring　mad；　that's　what's　the　matter。　Tell　him　to　let　go　of　me。〃

〃No；〃　said　Miss　Marple。

Mr。　Rafiel　turned　to　her。　〃Speak　up；　Nemesis；〃　he　said。　〃We've　got　to　have　chapter　and　verse　of　some　kind。〃

〃I've　been　stupid　and　a　fool；〃　said　Miss　Marple；　〃but　I'm　not　being　a　fool　now。　When　the　contents　of　that　glass　that　he　was　trying　to　make　his　wife　drink；　have　been　analysed；　I'll　wageryes；　I'll　wager　my　immortal　soul　that　you'll　find　it's　got　a　lethal　does　of　narcotic　in　it。　It's　the　same　pattern；　you　see；　the　same　pattern　as　in　Major　Palgrave's　story。　A　wife　in　a　depressed　state；　and　she　tries　to　do　away　with　herself；　husband　saves　her　in　time。　Then　the　second　time　she　succeeds。　Yes；　it's　the　right　pattern。　Major　Palgrave　told　me　the　story　and　he　took　out　a　snapshot　and　then　he　looked　up　and　saw〃

〃Over　your　right　shoulder〃　continued　Mr。　Rafiel。

〃No；〃　said　Miss　Marple；　shaking　her　head。　〃He　didn't　see　anything　over　my　right　shoulder。〃

〃What　are　you　talking　about？　You　told　me。。。〃

〃I　told　you　wrong。　I　was　pletely　wrong。　I　was　stupid　beyond　belief。　Major　Palgrave　appeared　to　me　to　be　looking　over　my　right　shoulder；　glaring；　in　fact；　at　something。　But　he　couldn't　have　seen　anything；　because　he　was　looking　through　his　left　eye　and　his　left　eye　was　his　glass　eye。〃

〃I　rememberhe　had　a　glass　eye；〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel。　〃I'd　fottenor　I　took　it　for　granted。　You　mean　he　couldn't　see　anything？〃

〃Of　course　he　could　see；〃　said　Miss　Marple。　〃He　could　see　all　right；　but　he　could　only　see　with　one　eye。　The　eye　he　could　see　with　was　his　right　eye。　And　so；　you　see；　he　must　have　been　looking　at　something　or　someone　not　to　the　right　of　me　but　to　the　left　of　me。〃

〃Was　there　anyone　on　the　left　of　you？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Miss　Marple。　〃Tim　Kendal　and　his　wife　were　sitting　not　far　off。　Sitting　at　a　table　just　by　a　big　hibiscus　bush。　They　were　doing　accounts　there。　So　you　see　the　Major　looked　up。　His　glass　left　eye　was　glaring　over　my　shoulder；　but　what　he　saw　with　his　other　eye　was　a　man　sitting　by　a　hibiscus　bush　and　the　face　was　the　same；　only　rather　older；　as　the　face　in　the　snapshot。　Also　by　a　hibiscus　bush。　Tim　Kendal　had　heard　the　story　the　Major　had　been　telling　and　he　saw　that　the　Major　had　recognised　him。　So；　of　course；　he　had　to　kill　him。　Later；　he　had　to　kill　the　girl；　Victoria；　because　she'd　seen　him　putting　a　bottle　of　tablets　in　the　Major's　room。　She　didn't　think　anything　of　it　at　first　because　of　course　it　was　quite　natural　on　various　occasions　for　Tim　Kendal　to　go　into　the　guests'　bungalows。　He　might　have　just　been　returning　something　to　it　that　had　been　left　on　a　restaurant　table。　But　she　thought　about　it　and　then　she　asked　him　questions　and　so　he　had　to　get　rid　of　her。　But　this　is　the　real　murder；　the　murder　he's　been　planning　all　along。　He's　a　wife　killer；　you　see。〃

〃What　damned　nonsense；　what〃　Tim　Kendal　shouted。

There　was　a　sudden　cry；　a　wild　angry　cry。　Esther　Walters　detached　herself　from　Mr。　Rafiel；　almost　flinging　him　down　and　rushed　across　the　room。　She　pulled　vainly　at　Jackson。

〃Let　go　of　himlet　go　of　him。　It's　not　true。　Not　a　word　of　it's　true。　Tim　Tim　darling；　it's　not　true。　You　could　never　kill　anyone；　I　know　you　couldn't。　I　know　you　wouldn't。　It's　that　horrible　girl　you　married。　She's　been　telling　lies　about　you。　They're　not　true。　None　of　them　are　true。　I　believe　in　you。　I　love　you　and　trust　in　you。　I'll　never　believe　a　word　anyone　says。　I'll〃

Then　Tim　Kendal　lost　control　of　himself。

〃For　God's　sake；　you　damned　bitch；〃　he　said；　〃shut　up；　can't　you？　D'you　want　to　get　me　hanged？　Shut　up；　I　tell　you。　Shut　that　big；　ugly　mouth　of　yours。〃

〃Poor　silly　creature；〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel　softly。　〃So　that's　what's　been　going　on；　is　it？〃



Chapter　25

MISS　MARPLE　USES　HER　IMAGINATION



〃So　that's　what　had　been　going　on？〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel。　He　and　Miss　Marple　were　sitting　together　in　a　confidential　manner。　〃She'd　been　having　an　affair　with　Tim　Kendal　had　she？〃

〃Hardly　an　affair；　I　imagine；〃　said　Miss　Marple；　primly。　〃It　was；　I　think；　a　romantic　attachment　with　the　prospect　of　marriage　in　the　future。〃

〃Whatafter　his　wife　was　dead？〃

〃I　don't　think　poor　Esther　Walters　knew　that　Molly　was　going　to　die；〃　said　Miss　Marple。　〃I　just　think　she　believed　the　story　Tim　Kendal　told　her　about　Molly　having　been　in　love　with　another　man；　and　the　man　having　followed　her　here；　and　I　think　she　counted　on　Tim's　getting　a　divorce。　I　think　it　was　all　quite　proper　and　respectable。　But　she　was　very　much　in　love　with　him。〃

〃Well；　that's　easily　understood。　He　was　an　attractive　chap。　But　what　made　him　go　for　her；　d'you　know　that　too？〃

〃You　know；　don't　you？〃　said　Miss　Marple。

〃I　dare　say　I've　got　a　pretty　fair　idea；　but　I　don't　know　how　you　should　know　about　it。　As　far　as　that　goes；　I　don't　see　how　Tim　Kendal　could　know　about　it。〃

〃Well；　I　really　think　I　could　explain　all　that　with　a　little　imagination；　though　it　would　be　simpler　if　you　told　me。〃

〃I'm　not　going　to　tell　you；〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel。　〃You　tell　me；　since　you're　being　so　clever。〃

〃Well；　it　seems　to　me　possible；〃　said　Miss　Marple；　〃that　as　I　have　already　hinted　to　you；　your　man　Jackson　was　in　the　habit　of　taking　a　good　snoop　through　your　various　business　papers　from　time　to　time。〃

〃Perfectly　possible；〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel；　〃but　I　shouldn't　have　said　there　was　anything　there　that　could　do　him　much　good。　I　took　care　of　that。〃

〃I　imagine；〃　said　Miss　Marple；　〃he　read　your　will。〃

〃Oh　I　see。　Yes；　yes；　I　did　have　a　copy　of　my　will　along。〃

〃You　told　me；〃　said　Miss　Marple；　〃you　told　me（as　Humpty　Dumpty　saidvery　loud　and　clear）　that　you　had　not　left　anything　to　Esther　Walters　in　your　will。　You　had　impressed　that　fact　upon　her；　and　also　upon　Jackson。　It　was　true　in　Jackson's　case；　I　should　imagine。　You　have　not　left　him　anything；　but　you　had　left　Esther　Walters　money；　though　you　weren't　going　to　let　her　have　any　inkling　of　the　fact。　Isn't　that　right？〃

〃Yes；　it's　quite　right；　but　I　don't　know　how　you　knew。〃

〃Well；　it's　the　way　you　insisted　on　the　point；〃　said　Miss　Marple。　〃I　have　a　certain　experience　of　the　way　people　tell　lies。〃

〃I　give　in；〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel。　〃All　right。　I　left　Esther　50；000　pounds。　It　would　e　as　a　nice　surprise　to　her　when　I　died。　I　suppose　that；　knowing　this；　Tim　Kendal　decided　to　exterminate　his　present　wife　with　a　nice　dose　of　something　or　other　and　marry　50；000　pounds　and　Esther　Walters。　Possibly　to　dispose　of　her　also　in　good　time。　But　how　did　he　know　she　was　going　to　have　50；000　pounds？〃

〃Jackson　told　him；　of　course；〃　said　Miss　Marple。　〃They　were　very　friendly；　those　two。　Tim　Kendal　was　nice　to　Jackson　and；　quite；　I　should　imagine；　without　ulterior　motive。　But　amongst　the　bits　of　gossip　that　Jackson　let　slip　I　think　Jackson　told　him　that　unbeknown　to　herself；　Esther　Walters　was