the red house mystery-第18章
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〃I'm simply bursting to know。 Who was it？〃
〃Cayley。〃
〃Good Lord！ Where？〃
〃Inside one of the croquet…boxes。〃
〃Don't be an ass。〃
〃It's quite true； Bill。〃 He told the other what he had seen。
〃But aren't we going to have a look at it？〃 asked Bill； in great
disappointment。 〃I'm longing to explore。 Aren't you？〃
〃To…morrow and to…morrow and to…morrow。 We shall see Cayley
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The Red House Mystery
coming along this way directly。 Besides； I want to get in from the other
end； if I can。 I doubt very much if we can do it this end without giving
ourselves away。 Look； there's Cayley。〃
They could see him coming along the drive towards them。 When
they were a little closer； they waved to him and he waved back。
〃I wondered where you were； he said； as he got up to them。 〃I rather
thought you might be along this way。 What about bed？〃
〃Bed it is；〃 said Antony。
〃We've been playing bowls；〃 added Bill； 〃and talking； and … and
playing bowls。 Ripping night； isn't it？〃
But he left the rest of the conversation； as they wandered back to the
house； to Antony。 He wanted to think。 There seemed to be no doubt
now that Cayley was a villain。 Bill had never been familiar with a villain
before。 It didn't seem quite fair of Cayley； somehow； he was taking
rather a mean advantage of his friends。 Lot of funny people there were in
the world funny people with secrets。 Look at Tony； that first time he had
met him in a tobacconist's shop。 Anybody would have thought he was a
tobacconist's assistant。 And Cayley。 Anybody would have thought that
Cayley was an ordinary decent sort of person。 And Mark。 Dash it！
one could never be sure of anybody。 Now； Robert was different。
Everybody had always said that Robert was a shady fellow。
But what on earth had Miss Norris got to do with it？ What had Miss
Norris got to do with it？ This was a question which Antony had already
asked himself that afternoon； and it seemed to him now that he had found
the answer。 As he lay in bed that night he reassembled his ideas； and
looked at them in the new light which the events of the evening threw
upon the dark corners in his brain。
Of course it was natural that Cayley should want to get rid of his
guests as soon as the tragedy was discovered。 He would want this for
their own sake as well as for his。 But he had been a little too quick about
suggesting it； and about seeing the suggestion carried out。 They had been
bustled off as soon as they could be packed。 The suggestion that they were
in his hands； to go or stay as he wished； could have been left safely to
them。 As it was； they had been given no alternative； and Miss Norris；
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The Red House Mystery
who had proposed to catch an after…dinner train at the junction； in the
obvious hope that she might have in this way a dramatic cross…
examination at the hands of some keen…eyed detective； was encouraged
tactfully； but quite firmly； to travel by the earlier train with the others。
Antony had felt that Cayley； in the tragedy which had suddenly befallen
the house； ought to have been equally indifferent to her presence or
absence。 But he was not； and Antony assumed from this that Cayley was
very much alive to the necessity for her absence。
Why？
Well； that question was not to be answered off…hand。 But the fact that
it was so had made Antony interested in her； and it was for this reason that
he had followed up so alertly Bill's casual mention of her in connexion
with the dressing…up business。 He felt that he wanted to know a little
more about Miss Norris and the part she had played in The Red House
circle。 By sheer luck； as it seemed to him； he had stumbled on the
answer to his question。
Miss Norris was hurried away because she knew about the secret
passage。
The passage； then； had something to do with the mystery of Robert's
death。 Miss Norris had used it in order to bring off her dramatic
appearance as the ghost。 Possibly she had discovered it for herself；
possibly Mark had revealed it to her secretly one day； never guessing that
she would make so unkind a use of it later on； possibly Cayley； having
been let into the joke of the dressing…up； had shown her how she could
make her appearance on the bowling…green even more mysterious and
supernatural。 One way or another； she knew about the secret passage。
So she must be hurried away。
Why？ Because if she stayed and talked； she might make some
innocent mention of it。 And Cayley did not want any mention of it。
Why； again？ Obviously because the passage； or even the mere
knowledge of its existence； might provide a clue。
〃I wonder if Mark's hiding there；〃 thought Antony； and he went to
sleep。
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The Red House Mystery
CHAPTER X
Mr。 Gillingham。 Talks Nonsense
Antony came down in a very good humour to breakfast next morning；
and found that his host was before him。 Cayley looked up from his
letters and nodded。
〃Any word of Mr。 Ablett … of Mark？〃 said Antony； as he poured out his
coffee。
〃No。 The inspector wants to drag the lake this afternoon。
〃Oh！ Is there a lake？〃
There was just the flicker of a smile on Cayley's face； but it
disappeared as quickly as it came。
〃Well； it's really a pond；〃 he said； 〃but it was called 'the lake。'〃
〃By Mark；〃 thought Antony。 Aloud he said； 〃What do they expect to
find？〃
〃They think that Mark …〃 He broke off and shrugged his shoulders。
〃May have drowned himself； knowing that he couldn't get away？
And knowing that he had compromised himself by trying to get away at
all？〃 〃Yes； I suppose so；〃 said Cayley slowly。
〃I should have thought he would have given himself more of a run for
his money。 After all； he had a revolver。 If he was determined not to be
taken alive； he could always have prevented that。 Couldn't he have
caught a train to London before the police knew anything about it？〃
〃He might just have managed it。 There was a train。 They would
have noticed him at Waldheim； of course； but he might have managed it at
Stanton。 He's not so well…known there； naturally。 The inspector has
been inquiring。 Nobody seems to have seen him。〃
〃There are sure to be people who will say they did； later on。 There
was never a missing man yet but a dozen people come forward who swear
to have seen him at a dozen different places at the same time。〃
Cayley smiled。
〃Yes。 That's true。 Anyhow； he wants to drag the pond first。〃 He
added dryly； 〃From what I've read of detective stories； inspectors always
do want to drag the pond first。〃
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The Red House Mystery
〃Is it deep？〃
〃Quite deep enough；〃 said Cayley as he got up。 On his way to the
door he stopped； and looked at Antony。 〃I'm so sorry that we're keeping
you here like this； but it will only be until to…morrow。 The inquest is tomorrow afternoon。 Do amuse yourself how you like till then。 Beverley
will look after you。〃
〃Thanks very much。 I shall really be quite all right。〃
Antony went on with his breakfast。 Perhaps it was true that
inspectors liked dragging ponds； but the question was； Did Cayleys like
having them dragged？ Was Cayley anxious about it； or quite indifferent？
He certainly did not seem to be anxious； but he could hide his feelings
very easily beneath that heavy； solid face； and it was not often that the real
Cayley peeped out。 Just a little too eager once or twice； perhaps； but
there was nothing to be learnt from it this morning。 Perhaps he knew that
the pond had no secrets to give up。 After all； inspectors were always
dragging ponds。
Bill came in noisily。
Bill's face was an open book。 Excitement was written all over it。
〃Well；〃 he said eagerly； as he sat down to the business of the meal；
〃what are we going to do this morning？〃
〃Not talk so loudly； for one thing；〃 said Antony。 Bill looked about
him apprehensively。 Was Cayley under the table； for example？ After
last night one never knew。
〃Is er …〃 He raised his eyebrows。
〃No。 But one doesn't want to shout。 One should modulate the voice；
my dear William； while breathing gently from the hips。 Thus one avoids
thos
