the red house mystery-第17章
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〃It needn't begin here at all； need it？〃 said Bill； walking round with
bent head； and tapping the other walls。 He was just too tall to stand
upright in the shed。
〃There's only one reason why it should； and that is that it would save
us the trouble of looking anywhere else for it。 Surely Mark didn't let you
play croquet on his bowling…green？〃 He pointed to the croquet things。
〃He didn't encourage it at one time； but this year he got rather keen
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The Red House Mystery
about it。 There's really nowhere else to play。 Personally I hate the game。
He wasn't very keen on bowls； you know； but he liked calling it the
bowling…green； and surprising his visitors with it。〃
Antony laughed。
〃I love you on Mark；〃 he said。 〃You're priceless。〃
He began to feel in his pockets for his pipe and tobacco； and then
suddenly stopped and stiffened to attention。 For a moment he stood
listening； with his head on one side； holding up a finger to bid Bill listen
too。
〃What is it？〃 whispered Bill。
Antony waved him to silence； and remained listening。 Very quietly
he went down on his knees； and listened again。 Then he put his ear to the
floor。 He got up and dusted himself quickly； walked across to Bill and
whispered in his ear：
〃Footsteps。 Somebody coming。 When I begin to talk； back me up。〃
Bill nodded。 Antony gave him an encouraging pat on the back； and
stepped firmly across to the box of bowls； whistling loudly to himself。
He took the bowls out； dropped one with a loud bang on the floor； said；
〃Oh； Lord！〃 and went on：
〃I say； Bill； I don't think I want to play bowls； after all。〃
〃Well； why did you say you did？〃 grumbled Bill。
Antony flashed a smile of appreciation at him。
〃Well； I wanted to when I said I did； and now I don't want to。〃
〃Then what do you want to do？〃
〃Talk。〃
〃Oh； right…o！〃 said Bill eagerly。
〃There's a seat on the lawn I saw it。 Let's bring these things along in
case we want to play； after all。〃
〃Right…o！〃 said Bill again。 He felt safe with that； not wishing to
commit himself until he knew what he was wanted to say。
As they went across the lawn； Antony dropped the bowls and took out
his pipe。
〃Got a match？〃 he said loudly。
As he bent his head over the match； he whispered； 〃There'll be
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The Red House Mystery
somebody listening to us。 You take the Cayley view；〃 and then went on
in his ordinary voice； 〃I don't think much of your matches； Bill；〃 and
struck another。 They walked over to the seat and sat down。
〃What a heavenly night！〃 said Antony。
〃Ripping。〃
〃I wonder where that poor devil Mark is now。〃
〃It's a rum business。〃
〃You agree with Cayley that it was an accident？〃
〃Yes。 You see； I know Mark。〃
〃H'm。〃 Antony produced a pencil and a piece of paper and began to
write on his knee； but while he wrote； he talked。 He said that he thought
Mark had shot his brother in a fit of anger； and that Cayley knew； or
anyhow guessed； this and had tried to give his cousin a chance of getting
away。
〃Mind you； I think he's right。 I think it's what any of us would do。 I
shan't give it away； of course； but somehow there are one or two little
things which make me think that Mark really did shoot his brother I mean
other than accidentally。〃
〃Murdered him？〃
〃Well； manslaughtered him； anyway。 I may be wrong。 Anyway； it's
not my business。〃
〃But why do you think so？ Because of the keys？〃
〃Oh； the keys are a wash…out。 Still； it was a brilliant idea of mine；
Wasn't it？ And it would have been rather a score for me if they had all
been outside。〃
He had finished his writing； and now passed the paper over to Bill。 In
the clear moonlight the carefully printed letters could easily be read：
〃GO ON TALKING AS IF I WERE HERE。 AFTER A MINUTE OR
TWO； TURN ROUND AS IF I WERE SITTING ON THE GRASS
BEHIND YOU； BUT GO ON TALKING。〃
〃I know you don't agree with me；〃 Antony went on as Bill read； 〃but
you'll see that I'm right。〃
Bill looked up and nodded eagerly。 He had forgotten golf and Betty
and all the other things which had made up his world lately。 This was the
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The Red House Mystery
real thing。 This was life。 〃Well；〃 he began deliberately； 〃the whole
point is that I know Mark。 Now； Mark …〃
But Antony was off the seat and letting himself gently down into the
ditch。 His intention was to crawl round it until the shed came in sight。
The footsteps which he had heard seemed to be underneath the shed；
probably there was a trap…door of some kind in the floor。 Whoever it was
would have heard their voices； and would probably think it worth while to
listen to what they were saying。 He might do this merely by opening the
door a little without showing himself； in which case Antony would have
found the entrance to the passage without any trouble to himself。 But
when Bill turned his head and talked over the back of the seat； it was
probable that the listener would find it necessary to put his head outside in
order to hear； and then Antony would be able to discover who it was。
Moreover； if he should venture out of his hiding…place altogether and peep
at them over the top of the bank； the fact that Bill was talking over the
back of the seat would mislead the watcher into thinking that Antony was
still there； sitting on the grass； no doubt； behind the seat； swinging his legs
over the side of the ditch。
He walked quickly but very silently along the half…length of the
bowling…green to the first corner； passed cautiously round； and then went
even more carefully along the width of it to the second corner。 He could
hear Bill hard at it； arguing from his knowledge of Mark's character that
this； that and the other must have happened； and he smiled appreciatively
to himself。 Bill was a great conspirator worth a hundred Watsons。 As
he approached the second corner he slowed down； and did the last few
yards on hands and knees。 Then； lying at full length； inch by inch his head
went round the corner。
The shed was two or three yards to his left； on the opposite side of the
ditch。 From where he lay he could see almost entirely inside it。
Everything seemed to be as they left it。 The bowls…box； the lawn…mower；
the roller； the open croquet…box； the
〃By Jove！〃 said Antony to himself； 〃that's neat。〃
The lid of the other croquet…box was open； too。 Bill was turning
round now； his voice became more difficult to hear。 〃You see what I
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The Red House Mystery
mean；〃 he was saying。 〃If Cayley …〃
And out of the second croquet…box came Cayley's black head。
Antony wanted to shout his applause。 It was neat； devilish neat。 For
a moment he gazed； fascinated； at that wonderful new kind of croquet…ball
which had appeared so dramatically out of the box； and then reluctantly
wriggled himself back。 There was nothing to be gained by staying there；
and a good deal to be lost； for Bill showed signs of running down。 As
quickly as he could Antony hurried round the ditch and took up his place
at the back of the seat。 Then he stood up with a yawn； stretched himself
and said carelessly； 〃Well； don't worry yourself about it； Bill； old man。 I
daresay you're right。 You know Mark； and I don't； and that's the
difference。 Shall we have a game or shall we go to bed？〃
Bill looked at him for inspiration； and； receiving it； said； 〃Oh； just let's
have one game； shall we？〃
〃Right you are；〃 said Antony。
But Bill was much too excited to take the game which followed very
seriously。 Antony； on the other hand； seemed to be thinking of nothing
but bowls。 He played with great deliberation for ten minutes； and then
announced that he was going to bed。 Bill looked at him anxiously。
〃It's all right；〃 laughed Antony。 〃You can talk if you want to。 Just
let's put 'em away first； though。〃
They made their way down to the shed； and while Bill was putting the
bowls away； Antony tried the lid of the closed croquet…box。 As he
expected； it was locked。
〃Now then；〃 said Bill； as they were walking back to the house again；
〃I'm simply bursting to know。 Who was it？〃
