the red house mystery-第14章

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could　hardly　expect　Cayley's　approval　of　his　labours。　It　would　be　〃The　
George；〃　then；　for　Antony　after　the　inquest。　

What　was　the　truth？　Not　necessarily　discreditable　to　Cayley；　even　
though　he　were　hiding　something。　All　that　could　be　said　against　him　at　
the　moment　was　that　he　had　gone　the　longest　way　round　to　get　into　the　
locked　office　and　that　this　did　not　fit　in　with　what　he　had　told　the　
inspector。　But　it　did　fit　in　with　the　theory　that　he　had　been　an　accessory　
after　the　event；　and　that　he　wanted　（while　appearing　to　be　in　a　hurry）　to　
give　his　cousin　as　much　time　as　possible　in　which　to　escape。　That　might　
not　be　the　true　solution；　but　it　was　at　least　a　workable　one。　The　theory　
which　he　had　suggested　to　the　inspector　was　not。　

However；　there　would　be　a　day　or　two　before　the　inquest；　in　which　
Antony　could　consider　all　these　matters　from　within　The　Red　House。　The　
car　was　at　the　door。　He　got　in　with　Bill；　the　landlord　put　his　bag　on　the　
front　seat　next　to　the　chauffeur；　and　they　drove　back。　

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CHAPTER　VIII　

〃Do　You　Follow　Me；　Watson？〃　

Anthony's　bedroom　looked　over　the　park　at　the　back　of　the　house。　
The　blinds　were　not　yet　drawn　while　he　was　changing　his　clothes　for　
dinner；　and　at　various　stages　of　undress　he　would　pause　and　gaze　out　of　
the　window；　sometimes　smiling　to　himself；　sometimes　frowning；　as　he　
tamed　over　in　his　mind　all　the　strange　things　that　he　had　seen　that　day。　
He　was　sitting　on　his　bed；　in　shirt　and　trousers；　absently　smoothing　down　
his　thick　black　hair　with　his　brushes；　when　Bill　shouted　an　〃Hallo！〃　
through　the　door；　and　came　in。　

〃I　say；　buck　up；　old　boy；　I'm　hungry；〃　he　said。　

Antony　stopped　smoothing　himself　and　looked　up　at　him　thoughtfully。　

〃Where's　Mark？〃　he　said。　

〃Mark？　You　mean　Cayley。〃　

Antony　corrected　himself　with　a　little　laugh。　〃Yes；　I　mean　Cayley。　Is　
he　down？　I　say；　I　shan't　be　a　moment；　Bill。〃　He　got　up　from　the　bed　
and　went　on　briskly　with　his　dressing。　〃Oh；　by　the　way；〃　said　Bill；　taking　
his　place　on　the　bed；　〃your　idea　about　the　keys　is　a　wash…out。〃　

〃Why；　how　do　you　mean？〃　

〃I　went　down　just　now　and　had　a　look　at　them。　We　were　asses　not　to　
have　thought　of　it　when　we　came　in。　The　library　key　is　outside；　but　all　
the　others　are　inside。〃　

〃Yes；　I　know。〃　

〃You　devil；　I　suppose　you　did　think　of　it；　then？〃　

〃I　did；　Bill；〃　said　Antony　apologetically。　

〃Bother！　I　hoped　you'd　forgotten。　Well；　that　knocks　your　theory　on　
the　head；　doesn't　it？〃　

〃I　never　had　a　theory。　I　only　said　that　if　they　were　outside；　it　would　
probably　mean　that　the　office　key　was　outside；　and　that　in　that　case　
Cayley's　theory　was　knocked　on　the　head。〃　

〃Well；　now；　it　isn't；　and　we　don't　know　anything。　Some　were　outside　
and　some　inside；　and　there　you　are。　It　makes　it　much　less　exciting。　When　
you　were　talking　about　it　on　the　lawn；　I　really　got　quite　keen　on　the　idea　of　

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the　key　being　outside　and　Mark　taking　it　in　with　him。〃　

〃It's　going　to　be　exciting　enough；〃　said　Antony　mildly；　as　he　
transferred　his　pipe　and　tobacco　into　the　pocket　of　his　black　coat。　〃Well；　
let's　come　down；　I'm　ready　now。〃　

Cayley　was　waiting　for　them　in　the　hall。　He　made　some　polite　
inquiry　as　to　the　guest's　comfort；　and　the　three　of　them　fell　into　a　casual　
conversation　about　houses　in　general　and　The　Red　House　in　particular。　

〃You　were　quite　right　about　the　keys；〃　said　Bill；　during　a　pause。　He　
was　less　able　than　the　other　two；　perhaps　because　he　was　younger　than　
they；　to　keep　away　from　the　subject　which　was　uppermost　in　the　minds　of　
them　all。　

〃Keys？〃　said　Cayley　blankly。　

〃We　were　wondering　whether　they　were　outside　or　inside。〃　

〃Oh！　oh；　yes！〃　He　looked　slowly　round　the　hall；　at　the　different　
doors；　and　then　smiled　in　a　friendly　way　at　Antony。　〃We　both　seem　to　
have　been　right；　Mr。　Gillingham。　So　we　don't　get　much　farther。〃　

〃No。〃　He　gave　a　shrug。　〃I　just　wondered；　you　know。　I　thought　it　
was　worth　mentioning。〃　

〃Oh；　quite。　Not　that　you　would　have　convinced　me；　you　know。　Just　
as　Elsie's　evidence　doesn't　convince　me。〃　

〃Elsie？〃　said　Bill　excitedly。　Antony　looked　inquiringly　at　him；　
wondering　who　Elsie　was。　

〃One　of　the　housemaids；〃　explained　Cayley。　〃You　didn't　hear　what　
she　told　the　inspector？　Of　course；　as　I　told　Birch；　girls　of　that　class　make　
things　up；　but　he　seemed　to　think　she　was　genuine。〃　

〃What　was　it？〃　said　Bill。　

Cayley　told　them　of　what　Elsie　had　heard　through　the　office　door　that　
afternoon。　

〃You　were　in　the　library　then；　of　course；〃　said　Antony；　rather　to　
himself　than　to　the　other。　〃She　might　have　gone　through　the　hall　without　
your　hearing。〃　

〃Oh；　I've　no　doubt　she　was　there；　and　heard　voices。　Perhaps　heard　
those　very　words。　But　…〃　He　broke　off；　and　then　added　impatiently；　〃It　
was　accidental。　I　know　it　was　accidental。　What's　the　good　of　talking　as　

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if　Mark　was　a　murderer？〃　Dinner　was　announced　at　that　moment；　and　as　
they　went　in；　he　added；　〃What's　the　good　of　talking　about　it　at　all；　if　it　
comes　to　that？〃　

〃What；　indeed？〃　said　Antony；　and　to　Bill's　great　disappointment　they　
talked　of　books　and　politics　during　the　meal。　

Cayley　made　an　excuse　for　leaving　them　as　soon　as　their　cigars　were　
alight。　He　had　business　to　attend　to；　as　was　natural。　Bill　would　look　
after　his　friend。　Bill　was　only　too　willing。　He　offered　to　beat　Antony　at　
billiards；　to　play　him　at　piquet；　to　show　him　the　garden　by　moonlight；　or　
indeed　to　do　anything　else　with　him　that　he　required。　

〃Thank　the　Lord　you're　here；〃　he　said　piously。　〃I　couldn't　have　stood　
it　alone。〃　

〃Let's　go　outside；〃　suggested　Antony。　〃It's　quite　warm。　Somewhere　
where　we　can　sit　down；　right　away　from　the　house。　I　want　to　talk　to　
you。〃　

〃Good　man。　What　about　the　bowling…green？〃　

〃Oh；　you　were　going　to　show　me　that；　anyhow；　weren't　you？　Is　it　
somewhere　where　we　can　talk　without　being　overheard？〃　

〃Rather。　The　ideal　place。　You'll　see。〃　

They　came　out　of　the　front　door　and　followed　the　drive　to　the　left。　
Coming　from　Waldheim；　Antony　had　approached　the　house　that　afternoon　
from　the　other　side。　The　way　they　were　going　now　would　take　them　out　
at　the　opposite　end　of　the　park；　on　the　high　road　to　Stanton；　a　country　town　
some　three　miles　away。　They　passed　by　a　gate　and　a　gardener's　lodge；　
which　marked　the　limit　of　what　auctioneers　like　to　call　〃the　ornamental　
grounds　of　the　estate；〃　and　then　the　open　park　was　before　them。　

〃Sure　we　haven't　missed　it？〃　said　Antony。　The　park　lay　quietly　in　the　
moonlight　on　either　side　of　the　drive；　wearing　a　little　way　ahead　of　them　a　
deceptive　air　of　smoothness　which　retreated　always　as　they　advanced。　

〃Rum；　isn't　it？〃　said　Bill。　〃An　absurd　place　for　a　bowling　green；　bu　
I　suppose　it　was　always　here。〃　

〃Yes；　but　always　where？　It's　short　enough　for　golf；　perhaps；　but　…
Hallo！〃　

They　had　come　to　the　place。　The　road　bent　round　to　the　right；　but　

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they　kept　straight　on　over　a　broad　grass　path　for　twenty　yards；　and　there　in　
front　of　them　was　the　green。　A　dry　ditch；　ten　feet　wide　and　six　feet　deep；　
surrounded　it；　except　in　the　one　place　where　the　path　went　forward。　Two　
or　three　grass　steps　led　down　to　the　green；　on　which　there　was　a　long　
wooden　beach　for　the　benefit　of　spectators。　

〃Yes；　it　hides　itself　very　nicely；〃　said　Antony。　〃Where　do　you　keep　
the　bowls？〃　

〃In　a　sort　of　summer　house　place。　Round　here。〃　

They　walked　along　the　edge　of　the　green　until　they　came　to　it　a　low　
wooden　bunk　which　had　been　built　into　one　wall　of　the　ditch。　

〃H'm。　Jolly　view。〃　

Bill　laughed。　

〃Nobody　sits　there。　It's　just　for　keeping　things　out　of　the　rain。〃　

They　finished　their　circuit　of　the　green　〃Just　in　case　anybody's　in　the　
ditch；〃　said　Antony　and　then　sat　down　on　the　bench。　

〃Now　then；〃　said　Bill；　〃We　are　alone。　Fire　ahead。〃　

Antony　smoked　thoughtfully　for　a　little。　Then　he　took　his　pipe　out　of　
his　mouth　and　turned　to　his　friend。　

〃Are　you　prepared　to　be　the　complete　Watson？〃　he　asked。　

〃Watson？〃　

〃Do…you…follow…me…Watson；　that　one。　Are　you　prepared　to　have