the red house mystery-第24章
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which he has here。 It was a hobby with him； collecting clothes。 If he'd
had half a dozen houses； they would all have been full of a complete
gentleman's town and country outfit。〃
〃I see。〃
〃Of course； it might be useful sometimes； when he was busy in the
next room； not to have to go upstairs for a handkerchief or a more
comfortable coat。〃
〃I see。 Yes。〃 He was walking round the room as he answered； and
he lifted the top of the linen basket which stood near the wash basin and
glanced in。 〃He seems to have come in here for a collar lately。〃
Bill peered in。 There was one collar at the bottom of the basket。
〃Yes。 I daresay he would；〃 he agreed。 〃If he suddenly found that
the one he was wearing was uncomfortable or a little bit dirty； or
something。 He was very finicking。〃
Antony leant over and picked it out。
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The Red House Mystery
〃It must have been uncomfortable this time；〃 he said； after examining
it carefully。 〃It couldn't very well be cleaner。〃 He dropped it back again。
〃Anyway； he did come in here sometimes？〃
〃Oh； yes； rather。〃
〃Yes； but what did Cayley come in for so secretly？〃
〃What did he want to shut the door for？〃 said Bill。 〃That's what I
don't understand。 You couldn't have seen him； anyhow。〃
〃No。 So it follows that I might have heard him。 He was going to do
something which he didn't want me to hear。〃
〃By Jove； that's it！〃 said Bill eagerly。
〃Yes； but what？〃
Bill frowned hopefully to himself； but no inspiration came。
〃Well； let's have some air； anyway；〃 he said at last； exhausted by the
effort； and he went to the window； opened it； and looked out。 Then； struck
by an idea； he turned back to Antony and said； 〃Do you think I had better
go up to the pond to make sure that they're still at it？ Because 〃
He broke off suddenly at the sight of Antony's face。
〃Oh； idiot； idiot！〃 Antony cried。 〃Oh； most super…excellent of
Watsons！ Oh； you lamb； you blessing！ Oh； Gillingham； you
incomparable ass！〃
〃What on earth …〃
〃The window； the window！〃 cried Antony； pointing to it。
Bill turned back to the window； expecting it to say something。 As it
said nothing； he looked at Antony again。
〃He was opening the window！ 〃 cried Antony。
〃Who？〃
〃Cayley； of course。〃 Very gravely and slowly he expounded。 〃He
came in here in order to open the window。 He shut the door so that I
shouldn't hear him open the window。 He opened the window。 I came in
here and found the window open。 I said； 'This window is open。 My
amazing powers of analysis tell me that the murderer must have escaped
by this window。' 'Oh；' said Cayley； raising his eyebrows。 'Well；' said he； 'I
suppose you must be right。' Said I proudly； 'I am。 For the window is
open；' I said。 Oh； you incomparable ass！〃
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The Red House Mystery
He understood now。 It explained so much that had been puzzling
him。
He tried to put himself in Cayley's place … Cayley； when Antony had
first discovered him； hammering at the door and crying； 〃Let me in！〃
Whatever had happened inside the office； whoever had killed Robert；
Cayley knew all about it； and knew that Mark was not inside； and had not
escaped by the window。 But it was necessary to Cayley's plans … to
Mark's plans if they were acting in concert … that he should be thought so
to have escaped。 At some time； then； while he was hammering （the key
in his pocket） at the locked door； he must suddenly have remembered with
what a shock！ that a mistake had been made。 A window had not been left
open！
Probably it would just have been a horrible doubt at first。 Was the
office window open？ Surely it was open！ Was it？。。。。 Would he have
time now to unlock the door； slip in； open the French windows and slip out
again？ No。 At any moment the servants might come。 It was too risky。
Fatal； if he were discovered。 But servants were stupid。 He could get
the windows safely open while they were crowding round the body。
They wouldn't notice。 He could do it somehow。
And then Antony's sudden appearance！ Here was a complication。
And Antony suggesting that they should try the window！ Why； the
window was just what he wanted to avoid。 No wonder he had seemed
dazed at first。
Ah； and here at last was the explanation why they had gone the longest
way round and yet run。 It was Cayley's only chance of getting a start on
Antony； of getting to the windows first； of working them open somehow
before Antony caught him up。 Even if that were impossible； he must get
there first； just to make sure。 Perhaps they were open。 He must get
away from Antony and see。 And if they were shut； hopelessly shut； then
he must have a moment to himself； a moment in which to think of some
other plan； and avoid the ruin which seemed so suddenly to be threatening。
So he had run。 But Antony had kept up with him。 They had broken
in the window together； and gone into the office。 But Cayley was not
done yet。 There was the dressing…room window！ But quietly； quietly。
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The Red House Mystery
Antony mustn't hear。
And Antony didn't hear。 Indeed； he had played up to Cayley
splendidly。 Not only had he called attention to the open window； but he
had carefully explained to Cayley why Mark had chosen this particular
window in preference to the office window。 And Cayley had agreed that
probably that was the reason。 How he must have chuckled to himself！
But he was still a little afraid。 Afraid that Antony would examine the
shrubbery。 Why？ Obviously because there was no trace of anyone
having broken through the shrubbery。 No doubt Cayley had provided the
necessary traces since； and had helped the inspector to find them。 Had he
even gone as far as footmarks in Mark's shoes？ But the ground was very
hard。 Perhaps footmarks were not necessary。 Antony smiled as he
thought of the big Cayley trying to squeeze into the dapper little Mark's
shoes。 Cayley must have been glad that footmarks were not necessary。
No； the open window was enough； the open window and a broken twig
or two。 But quietly； quietly。 Antony mustn't hear。 And Antony had
not heard。。。。 But he had seen a shadow on the wall。
They were outside on the lawn again now； Bill and Antony； and Bill
was listening open…mouthed to his friend's theory of yesterday's
happenings。 It fitted in； it explained things； but it did not get them any
further。 It only gave them another mystery to solve。
〃What's that？〃 said Antony。
〃Mark。 Where's Mark？ If he never went into the office at all； then
where is he now？〃
〃I don't say that he never went into the office。 In fact； he must have
gone。 Elsie heard him。〃 He stopped and repeated slowly； 〃She heard
him at least she says she did。 But if he was there； he came out again by
the door。〃
〃Well； but where does that lead you？〃
〃Where it led Mark。 The passage。〃
〃Do you mean that he's been hiding there all the time？〃 Antony was
silent until Bill had repeated his question； and then with an effort he came
out of his thoughts and answered him。
〃I don't know。 But look here。 Here is a possible explanation。 I
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The Red House Mystery
don't know if it is the right one I don't know； Bill； I'm rather frightened。
Frightened of what may have happened； of what may be going to happen。
However； here is an explanation。 See if you can find any fault with it。〃
With his legs stretched out and his hands deep in his pockets； he lay
back on the garden…seat； looking up to the blue summer sky above him；
and just as if he saw up there the events of yesterday being enacted over
again； he described them slowly to Bill as they happened。
〃We'll begin at the moment when Mark shoots Robert。 Call it an
accident； probably it was。 Mark would say it was； anyhow。 He is in a
panic； naturally。 But he doesn't lock the door and run away。 For one
thing； the key is on the outside of the door； for another； he is not； quite
such a fool as that。 But he is in a horrible position。 He is known to be
on bad terms with his brother； he has just uttered some foolish threat to
him； which may possibly have been overheard。 What is he to do？ He
