the red house mystery-第29章
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off； and Antony finished her sentence for her。
〃The Red House is certainly charming；〃 he said。
〃Charming。 Quite charming。 And it is not as if Mr。 Ablett's
appearance were in any way undistinguished。 Quite the contrary。 I'm
sure you agree with me？〃
Antony said that he had never had the pleasure of seeing Mr。 Ablett。
〃Yes。 And quite the centre of the literary and artistic world。 So
desirable in every way。〃
She gave a deep sigh； and communed with herself for a little。 Antony
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was； about to snatch the opportunity of leaving； when Mrs。 Norbury began
again。
〃And then there's this scapegrace brother of his。 He was perfectly
frank with me； Mr。 Gillingham。 He would be。 He told me of this
brother； and I told him that I was quite certain it would make no difference
to my daughter's feelings for him。。。。 After all； the brother was in
Australia。〃
〃When was this？ Yesterday？〃 Antony felt that； if Mark had only
mentioned it after his brother's announcement of a personal call at the Red
House； this perfect frankness had a good deal of wisdom behind it。
〃It couldn't have been yesterday； Mr。 Gillingham。 Yesterday …〃 she
shuddered； and shook her head。
〃I thought perhaps he had been down here in the morning。〃
〃Oh； no！ There is such a thing； Mr。 Gillingham； as being too devoted
a lover。 Not in the morning； no。 We both agreed that dear Angela
Oh； no。 No； the day before yesterday； when he happened to drop in
about tea…time。〃
It occurred to Antony that Mrs。 Norbury had come a long way from
her opening statement that Mark and Miss Norbury were practically
engaged。 She was now admitting that dear Angela was not to be rushed；
that dear Angela had； indeed； no heart for the match at all。
〃The day before yesterday。 As it happened； dear Angela was out。 Not
that it mattered。 He was driving to Middleston。 He hardly had time for
a cup of tea； so that even if she had been in …〃
Antony nodded absently。 This was something new。 Why did Mark
go to Middleston the day before yesterday？ But； after all； why shouldn't
he？ A hundred reasons unconnected with the death of Robert might have
taken him there。
He got up to go。 He wanted to be alone … alone； at least； with Bill。
Mrs。 Norbury had given him many things to think over； but the great
outstanding fact which had emerged was this： that Cayley had reason to
hate Mark； … Mrs。 Norbury had given him that reason。 To hate？ Well； to
be jealous； anyhow。 But that was enough。
〃You see；〃 he said to Bill； as they walked back； 〃we know that Cayley
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is perjuring himself and risking himself over this business； and that must
be for one of two reasons。 Either to save Mark or to endanger him。
That is to say； he is either whole…heartedly for him or whole…heartedly
against him。 Well； now we know that he is against him； definitely
against him。〃
〃But； I say； you know；〃 protested Bill； 〃one doesn't necessarily try to
ruin one's rival in love。〃
〃Doesn't one？〃 said Antony； turning to him with a smile。
Bill blushed。
〃Well； of course； one never knows； but I mean …〃
〃You mightn't try to ruin him； Bill； but you wouldn't perjure yourself
in order to get him out of a trouble of his own making。〃
〃Lord！ no。〃
〃So that of the two alternatives the other is the more likely。〃
They had come to the gate into the last field which divided them from
the road； and having gone through it； they turned round and leant against it；
resting for a moment； and looking down at the house which they had left。
〃Jolly little place； isn't it？〃 said Bill。
〃Very。 But rather mysterious。〃
〃In what way？〃
〃Well； where's the front door？〃
〃The front door？ Why； you've just come out of it。〃
〃But isn't there a drive； or a road or anything？〃
Bill laughed。
〃No； that's the beauty of it to some people。 And that's why it's so
cheap； and why the Norburys can afford it； I expect。 They're not too well
off。〃
〃But what about luggage and tradesmen and that kind of thing？〃
〃Oh； there's a cart…track； but motor…cars can't come any nearer than the
road〃 he turned round and pointed 〃up there。 So the week…end
millionaire people don't take it。 At least； they'd have to build a road and a
garage and all the rest of it； if they did。〃
〃I see；〃 said Antony carelessly； and they turned round and continued
their walk up to the road。 But later on he remembered this casual
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conversation at the gate； and saw the importance of it。
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CHAPTER XVI
Getting Ready for the Night
What was it which Cayley was going to hide in that pond that night？
Antony thought that he knew now。 It was Mark's body。
》From the beginning he had seen this answer coming and had drawn
back from it。 For； if Mark had been killed； it seemed such a cold…blooded
killing。 Was Cayley equal to it？ Bill would have said 〃No；〃 but that
was because he had had breakfast with Cayley； and lunch with him； and
dinner with him； had ragged him and played games with him。 Bill would
have said 〃No；〃 because Bill wouldn't have killed anybody in cold blood
himself； and because he took it for granted that other people behaved
pretty much as he did。 But Antony had no such illusions。 Murders were
done； murder had actually been done here； for there was Robert's dead
body。 Why not another murder？
Had Mark been in the office at all that afternoon？ The only evidence
（other than Cayley's； which obviously did not count） was Elsie's。 Elsie
was quite certain that she had heard his voice。 But then Bill had said that
it was a very characteristic voice … an easy voice； therefore； to imitate。 If
Bill could imitate it so successfully； why not Cayley？
But perhaps it had not been such a cold…blooded killing； after all。
Suppose Cayley had had a quarrel with his cousin that afternoon over the
girl whom they were both wooing。 Suppose Cayley had killed Mark；
either purposely； in sudden passion； or accidentally； meaning only to
knock him down。 Suppose that this had happened in the passage； say
about two o'clock； either because Cayley had deliberately led him there； or
because Mark had casually suggested a visit to it。 （One could imagine
Mark continually gloating over that secret passage。） Suppose Cayley there；
with the body at his feet； feeling already the rope round his neck； his mind
darting this way and that in frantic search for a way of escape； and
suppose that suddenly and irrelevantly he remembers that Robert is
coming to the house at three o'clock that afternoon … automatically he
looks at his watch …in half an hour's time。。。。 In half an hour's time。 He
must think of something quickly； quickly。 Shall he bury the body in the
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passage and let it be thought that Mark ran away； frightened at the mere
thought of his brother's arrival？ But there was the evidence of the
breakfast table。 Mark had seemed annoyed at this resurrection of the
black sheep； but certainly not frightened。 No； that was much too thin a
story。 But suppose Mark had actually seen his brother and had a quarrel
with him； suppose it could be made to look as if Robert had killed Mark …
Antony pictured to himself Cayley in the passage； standing over the
dead body of his cousin； and working it out。 How could Robert be made
to seem the murderer； if Robert were alive to deny it？ But suppose
Robert were dead； too？
He looks at his watch again。 （Only twenty…five minutes now。）
Suppose Robert were dead； too？ Robert dead in the office； and Mark
dead in the passage how does that help？ Madness！ But if the bodies
were brought together somehow and Robert's death looked like suicide？。。。。
Was it possible？
Madness again。 Too difficult。 （Only twenty minutes now。） Too
difficult to arrange in twenty minutes。 Can't arrange a suicide。 Too
difficult。。。。 Only nineteen minutes。。。。
And then the sudden inspiration！ Robert dead in the office； Mark's
body hidden in the passage … impossible to make Robert seem the
murderer； but how e
