the red house mystery-第11章
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〃You're staying here； in the house？〃 said Bill eagerly。 〃Good man。
That's splendid。〃
〃It reconciles you to the departure of some of the others？〃
Bill blushed。
〃Oh； well； I shall see her again next week； anyway；〃 he murmured。
〃I congratulate you。 I liked her looks。 And that grey dress。 A nice
comfortable sort of woman。〃
〃You fool； that's her mother。〃
〃Oh； I beg your pardon。 But anyhow； Bill； I want you more than she
does just now。 So try and put up with me。〃
〃I say； do you really？〃 said Bill； rather flattered。 He had a great
admiration for Antony； and was very proud to be liked by him。
〃Yes。 You see； things are going to happen here soon。〃
〃Inquests and that sort of thing？〃
〃Well； perhaps something before that。 Hallo； here comes Cayley。〃
Cayley was walking across the lawn towards them； a big； heavy…
shouldered man； with one of those strong； clean…shaven； ugly faces which
can never quite be called plain。 〃Bad luck on 'Cayley；〃 said Bill。 〃I say；
ought I to tell him how sorry I am and all that sort of thing？ It seems so
dashed inadequate。〃
〃I shouldn't bother；〃 said Antony。
Cayley nodded as he came to them； and stood there for a moment。
〃We can make room for you；〃 said Bill； getting up。
〃Oh； don't bother； thanks。 I just came to say；〃 he went on to Antony；
〃that naturally they've rather lost their heads in the kitchen； and dinner
won't be till half…past eight。 Do just as you like about dressing； of course。
And what about your luggage？〃
〃I thought Bill and I would walk over to the inn directly； and see about
it。〃
〃The car can go and fetch it as soon as it comes back from the station。〃
〃It's very good of you； but I shall have to go over myself； anyhow； to
pack up and pay my bill。 Besides； it's a good evening for a walk。 If you
wouldn't mind it； Bill？〃
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The Red House Mystery
〃I should love it。〃
〃Well； then； if you leave the bag there； I'll send the car round for it
later。〃
〃Thanks very much。〃
Having said what he wanted to say； Cayley remained there a little
awkwardly； as if not sure whether to go or to stay。 Antony wondered
whether he wanted to talk about the afternoon's happenings； or whether it
was the one subject he wished to avoid。 To break the silence he asked
carelessly if the inspector had gone。
Cayley nodded。 Then he said abruptly； 〃He's getting a warrant for
Mark's arrest。〃
Bill made a suitably sympathetic noise； and Antony said with a shrug
of the shoulders； 〃Well； he was bound to do that； wasn't he？ It doesn't
follow that well； it doesn't mean anything。 They naturally want to get
hold of your cousin； innocent or guilty。〃
〃Which do you think he is； Mr。 Gillingham？〃 said Cayley； looking at
him steadily。
〃Mark？ It's absurd；〃 said Bill impetuously。
〃Bill's loyal； you see； Mr。 Cayley。〃
〃And you owe no loyalty to anyone concerned？〃
〃Exactly。 So perhaps I might be too frank。〃
Bill had dropped down on the grass； and Cayley took his place on the
seat； and sat there heavily； his elbows on his knees； his chin on his hands；
gazing at the ground。
〃I want you to be quite frank；〃 he said at last。 〃Naturally I am
prejudiced where Mark is concerned。 So I want to know how my
suggestion strikes you who have no prejudices either way。
〃Your suggestion？〃
〃My theory that； if Mark killed his brother； it was purely accidental as
I told the inspector。〃
Bill looked up with interest。
〃You mean that。 Robert did the hold…up business；〃 he said； 〃and there
was a bit of a struggle； and the revolver went off； and then Mark lost his
head and bolted？ That sort of idea？〃
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The Red House Mystery
〃Exactly。〃
〃Well； that seems all right。〃 He turned to Antony。 〃There's nothing
wrong with that； is there？ It's the most natural explanation to anyone
who knows Mark。〃
Antony pulled at his pipe。
〃I suppose it is；〃 he said slowly。 〃But there's one thing that worries
me rather。〃
〃What's that？〃 Bill and Cayley asked the question simultaneously。
〃The key。〃
〃The key？〃 said Bill。
Cayley lifted his head and looked at Antony。 〃What about the key？〃
he asked。
〃Well； there may be nothing in it； I just wondered。 Suppose Robert
was killed as you say； and suppose Mark lost his head and thought of
nothing but getting away before anyone could see him。 Well； very likely
he'd lock the door and put the key in his pocket。 He'd do it without
thinking； just to gain a moment's time。
〃Yes； that's what I suggest。
〃It seems sound enough；〃 said Bill。 〃Sort of thing you'd do without
thinking。 Besides； if you are going to run away； it gives you more of a
chance。〃
〃Yes； that's all right if the key is there。 But suppose it isn't there？〃
The suggestion； made as if it were already an established fact； startled
them both。 They looked at him wonderingly。
〃What do you mean？〃 said Cayley。
〃Well； it's just a question of where people happen to keep their keys。
You go up to your bedroom； and perhaps you like to lock your door in
case anybody comes wandering in when you've only got one sock and a
pair of braces on。 Well； that's natural enough。 And if you look round
the bedrooms of almost any house； you'll find the keys all ready； so that
you can lock yourself in at a moment's notice。 But downstairs people
don't lock themselves in。 It's really never done at all。 Bill； for instance；
has never locked himself into the dining…room in order to be alone with
the sherry。 On the other hand； all women； and particularly servants； have a
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The Red House Mystery
horror of burglars。 And if a burglar gets in by the window； they like to
limit his activities to that particular room。 So they keep the； keys on the
outside of the doors； and lock the doors when they go to bed。〃 He
knocked the ashes out of his pipe； and added； 〃At least； my mother always
used to。〃
〃You mean；〃 said Bill excitedly； 〃that the key was on the outside of the
door when Mark went into the room？〃
〃Well； I was just wondering。〃
〃Have you noticed the other rooms the billiard…room； and library； and
so on？〃 said Cayley。
〃I've only just thought about it while I've been sitting out here。 You
live here haven't you ever noticed them？〃
Cayley sat considering； with his head on one side。
〃It seems rather absurd； you know； but I can't say that I have。〃 He
turned to Bill。 〃Have you？〃
〃Good Lord； no。 I should never worry about a thing like that。〃
〃I'm sure you wouldn't；〃 laughed Antony。 〃Well； we can have a look
when we go in。 If the other keys are outside； then this one was probably
outside too； and in that case well； it makes it more interesting。〃
Cayley said nothing。 Bill chewed a piece of grass； and then said；
〃Does it make much difference？〃
〃It makes it more hard to understand what happened in there。 Take
your accidental theory and see where you get to。 No instinctive turning
of the key now； is there？ He's got to open the door to get it； and opening
the door means showing his head to anybody in the hall … his cousin； for
instance； whom he left there two minutes ago。 Is a man in Mark's state of
mind； frightened to death lest he should be found with the body； going to
do anything so foolhardy as that？〃
〃He needn't have been afraid of me；〃 said Cayley。
〃Then why didn't he call for you？ He knew you were about。 You
could have advised him； Heaven knows he wanted advice。 But the whole
theory of Mark's escape is that he was afraid of you and of everybody else；
and that he had no other idea but to get out of the room himself； and
prevent you or the servants from coming into it。 If the key had been on
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The Red House Mystery
the inside； he would probably have locked the door。 If it were on the
outside； he almost certainly wouldn't。〃
〃Yes； I expect you're right；〃 said Bill thoughtfully。 〃Unless he took
the key in with him； and locked the door at once。
〃Exactly。 But in that case you have to build up a new theory
entirely。〃
〃You mean that it makes it seem more deliberate？〃
〃Yes； that； certainly。 But it also seems to make Ma
