the red house mystery-第26章
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〃We can always get out at the other end。〃
〃Well； we're not certain yet。 I think I'd better just go down and back。
I promise faithfully not to explore。〃
〃Right you are。〃
Antony sat down on the ledge of bricks； swung his feet over； and sat
there for a moment； his legs dangling。 He flashed his torch into the
darkness again； so as to make sure where the steps began； then returned it
to his pocket； seized the staple in front of him and swung himself down。
His feet touched the steps beneath him； and he let go。
〃Is it all right？〃 said Bill anxiously。
〃All right。 I'll just go down to the bottom of the steps and back。 Stay
there。〃
The light shone down by his feet。 His head began to disappear。 For
a little while Bill； craning down the opening； could still see faint splashes
of light； and could hear slow uncertain footsteps； for a little longer he
could fancy that he saw and heard them； then he was alone。。。。
Well； not quite alone。 There was a sudden voice in the hall outside。
〃Good Lord！〃 said Bill； turning round with a start； 〃Cayley！〃
If he was not so quick in thought as Antony； he was quick enough in
action。 Thought was not demanded now。 To close the secret door
safely but noiselessly； to make sure that the books were in the right places；
to move away to another row of shelves so as to be discovered deep in
〃Badminton〃 or 〃Baedeker〃 or whomever the kind gods should send to his
aid the difficulty was not to decide what to do； but to do all this in five
seconds rather than in six。
〃Ah； there you are；〃 said Cayley from the doorway。
〃Hallo！〃 said Bill； in surprise； looking up from the fourth volume of
〃The Life and Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge。 〃Have they finished？〃
〃Finished what？〃
〃The pond；〃 said Bill； wondering why he was reading Coleridge on
such a fine afternoon。 Desperately he tried to think of a good reason。。。。
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verifying a quotation … an argument with Antony … that would do。 But
what quotation？
〃Oh； no。 They're still at it。 Where's Gillingham？〃
〃The Ancient Mariner〃 … water； water； everywhere … or was that
something else？ And where was Gillingham？ Water； water everywhere
…
〃Tony？ Oh； he's about somewhere。 We're just going down to the
village。 They aren't finding anything at the pond； are they？〃
〃No。 But they like doing it。 Something off their minds when they
can say they've done it。〃
Bill； deep in his 'book； looked up and said 〃Yes；〃 and went back to it
again。 He was just getting to the place。
〃What's the book？〃 said Cayley； coming up to him。 Out of the corner
of his eye he glanced at the shelf of sermons as he came。 Bill saw that
glance and wondered。 Was there anything there to give away the secret？
〃I was just looking up a quotation；〃 he drawled。 〃Tony and I had a
bet about it。 You know that thing about … er water； water everywhere； and
…er … not a drop to drink。〃 （But what on earth； he wondered to himself；
were they betting about？）
〃'Nor any drop to drink；' to be accurate。〃
Bill looked at him in surprise。 Then a happy smile came on his face。
〃Quite sure？〃 he said。
〃Of course。〃
〃Then you've saved me a lot of trouble。 That's； what the bet was
about。〃 He closed the book with a slam； put it back in its shelf； and
began to feel for his pipe and tobacco。 〃I was a fool to bet with Tony；〃 he
added。 〃He always knows that sort of thing。〃
So far； so good。 But here was Cayley still in the library； and there
was Antony； all unsuspecting； in the passage。 When Antony came back
he would not be surprised to find the door closed； because the whole
object of his going had been to see if he could open it easily from the
inside。 At any moment； then； the bookshelf might swing back and show
Antony's head in the gap。 A nice surprise for Cayley！
〃Come with us？〃 he said casually； as he struck a match。 He pulled
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The Red House Mystery
vigorously at the flame as he waited for the answer； hoping to hide his
anxiety； for if Cayley assented； he was done。
〃I've got to go into Stanton。〃
Bill blew out a great cloud of smoke with an expiration which covered
also a heartfelt sigh of relief。
〃Oh； a pity。 You're driving； I suppose？〃
〃Yes。 The car will be here directly。 There's a letter I must write
first。〃 He sat down at a writing table； and took out a sheet of notepaper。
He was facing the secret door； if it opened he would see it。 At any
moment now it might open。
Bill dropped into a chair and thought。 Antony must be warned。
Obviously。 But how？ How did one signal to anybody？ By code。
Morse code。 Did Antony know it？ Did Bill know it himself； if it came
to that？ He had picked up a bit in the Army not enough to send a
message； of course。 But a message was impossible； anyhow； Cayley
would hear him tapping it out。 It wouldn't do to send more than a single
letter。 What letters did he know？ And what letter would convey
anything to Antony？。。。。 He pulled at his pipe； his eyes wandering from
Cayley at his desk to the Reverend Theodore Ussher in his shelf。 What
letter？
C for Cayley。 Would Antony understand？ Probably not； but it was
just worth trying。 What was C？ Long； short； long； short。 Umpty…iddyumpty…iddy。 Was that right？ C yes； that was C。 He was sure of that。
C。 Umpty…iddy…umpty…iddy。
Hands in pockets； he got up and wandered across the room； humming
vaguely to himself； the picture of a man waiting for another man （as it
might be his friend Gillingham） to come in and take him away for a walk
or something。 He wandered across to the books at the back of Cayley；
and began to tap absent…mindedly on the shelves； as he looked at the titles。
Umpty…iddy…umpty…iddy。 Not that it was much like that at first； he
couldn't get the rhythm of it。。。。 Umpt…y…iddy…umpt…y…iddy。 That was
better。 He was back at Samuel Taylor Coleridge now。 Antony would
begin to hear him soon。 Umpt…y…iddy…umpt…y…iddy； just the aimless
tapping of a man who is wondering what book he will take out with him to
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The Red House Mystery
read on the lawn。 Would Antony hear？ One always heard the man in
the next flat knocking out his pipe。 Would Antony understand？ Umpty…iddy…umpt…y…iddy。 C。 for Cayley； Antony。 Cayley's here。 For God's
sake； wait。
〃Good Lord！ Sermons！〃 said Bill； with a loud laugh。 （Umpt…y…iddyumpt…y…iddy） 〃Ever read 'em； Cayley？〃
〃What？〃 Cayley looked up suddenly。 Bill's back moved slowly along；
his fingers beating a tattoo on the shelves as he walked。
〃Er no；〃 said Cayley； with a little laugh。 An awkward； uncomfortable
little laugh； it seemed to Bill。
〃Nor do I。〃 He was past the sermons now past the secret door but
still tapping in the same aimless way。
〃Oh； for God's sake sit down；〃 burst out Cayley。 〃Or go outside if
you want to walk about。〃
Bill turned round in astonishment。
〃Hallo； what's the matter？〃
Cayley was slightly ashamed of his outburst。
〃Sorry； Bill；〃 he apologized。 〃My nerves are on edge。 Your
constant tapping and fidgeting about …〃
〃Tapping？〃 said Bill with an air of complete surprise。
〃Tapping on the shelves； and humming。 Sorry。 It got on my
nerves。〃
〃My dear old chap； I'm awfully sorry。 I'll go out in the hall。〃
〃It's all right；〃 said Cayley； and went on with his letter。 Bill sat down
in his chair again。 Had Antony understood？ Well； anyhow； there was
nothing to do now but wait for Cayley to go。 〃And if you ask me；〃 said
Bill to himself； much pleased； 〃I ought to be on the stage。 That's where I
ought to be。 The complete actor。〃
A minute； two minutes； three minutes。。。。 five minutes。 It was safe now。
Antony had guessed。
〃Is the car there？〃 asked Cayley； as he sealed up his letter。
Bill strolled into the hall； called back 〃Yes；〃 and went out to talk to the
chauffeur。 Cayley joined him； and they stood there for a moment。
〃Hallo；〃 said a pleasant voice behind them。 They turned round and
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saw Antony。
〃Sorry to keep you waiting； Bill。〃
With a tremendous effort Bill restrained his feelings； and said casually
enough that it wa
