the red house mystery-第3章

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patron。　He　patronized　the　Arts。　It　was　not　only　usurers　who　discovered　
that　Mark　Ablett　no　longer　wrote　for　money；　editors　were　now　offered　free　
contributions　as　well　as　free　lunches；　publishers　were　given　agreements　
for　an　occasional　slender　volume；　in　which　the　author　paid　all　expenses　
and　waived　all　royalties；　promising　young　painters　and　poets　dined　with　
him；　and　he　even　took　a　theatrical　company　on　tour；　playing　host　and　
〃lead〃　with　equal　lavishness。　

He　was　not　what　most　people　call　a　snob。　A　snob　has　been　defined　

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The　Red　House　Mystery　

carelessly　as　a　man　who　loves　a　lord；　and；　more　carefully；　as　a　mean　lover　
of　mean　things　…　which　would　be　a　little　unkind　to　the　peerage　if　the　first　
definition　were　true。　Mark　had　his　vanities　undoubtedly；　but　he　would　
sooner　have　met　an　actor…manager　than　an　earl；　he　would　have　spoken　of　
his　friendship　with　Dante　…　had　that　been　possible　…　more　glibly　than　of　his　
friendship　with　the　Duke。　Call　him　a　snob　if　you　like；　but　not　the　worst　
kind　of　snob；　a　hanger…on；　but　to　the　skirts　of　Art；　not　Society；　a　climber；　
but　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Parnassus；　not　Hay　Hill。　

His　patronage　did　not　stop　at　the　Arts。　It　also　included　Matthew　
Cayley；　a　small　cousin　of　thirteen；　whose　circumstances　were　as　limited　as　
had　been　Mark's　own　before　his　patron　had　rescued　him。　He　sent　the　
Cayley　cousin　to　school　and　Cambridge。　His　motives；　no　doubt；　were　
unworldly　enough　at　first；　a　mere　repaying　to　his　account　in　the　Recording　
Angel's　book　of　the　generosity　which　had　been　lavished　on　himself；　a　
laying…up　of　treasure　in　heaven。　But　it　is　probable　that；　as　the　boy　grew　
up；　Mark's　designs　for　his　future　were　based　on　his　own　interests　as　much　
as　those　of　his　cousin；　and　that　a　suitably　educated　Matthew　Cayley　of　
twenty…three　was　felt　by　him　to　be　a　useful　property　for　a　man　in　his　
position；　a　man；　that　is　to　say；　whose　vanities　left　him　so　little　time　for　his　
affairs。　

Cayley；　then；　at　twenty…three；　looked　after　his　cousin's　affairs。　By　this　
time　Mark　had　bought　The　Red　House　and　the　considerable　amount　of　
land　which　went　with　it。　Cayley　superintended　the　necessary　staff。　His　
duties；　indeed；　were　many。　He　was　not　quite　secretary；　not　quite　land…
agent；　not　quite　business…adviser；　not　quite　companion；　but　something　of　
all　four。　Mark　leant　upon　him　and　called　him　〃Cay；〃　objecting　quite　
rightly　in　the　circumstances　to　the　name　of　Matthew。　Cay；　he　felt　was；　
above　all；　dependable；　a　big；　heavy…jawed；　solid　fellow；　who　didn't　bother　
you　with　unnecessary　talk　…　a　boon　to　a　man　who　liked　to　do　most　of　the　
talking　himself。　

Cayley　was　now　twenty…eight；　but　had　all　the　appearance　of　forty；　
which　was　his　patron's　age。　Spasmodically　they　entertained　a　good　deal　
at　The　Red　House；　and　Mark's　preference　…　call　it　kindliness　or　vanity；　as　
you　please　…　was　for　guests　who　were　not　in　a　position　to　repay　his　

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The　Red　House　Mystery　

hospitality。　Let　us　have　a　look　at　them　as　they　came　down　to　that　
breakfast；　of　which　Stevens；　the　parlourmaid；　has　already　given　us　a　
glimpse。　

The　first　to　appear　was　Major　Rumbold；　a　tall；　grey…haired；　grey…
moustached；　silent　man；　wearing　a　Norfolk　coat　and　grey　flannel　trousers；　
who　lived　on　his　retired　pay　and　wrote　natural　history　articles　for　the　
papers。　He　inspected　the　dishes　on　the　side…table；　decided　carefully　on　
kedgeree；　and　got　to　work　on　it。　He　had　passed　on　to　a　sausage　by　the　
time　of　the　next　arrival。　This　was　Bill　Beverly；　a　cheerful　young　man　in　
white　flannel　trousers　and　a　blazer。　

〃Hallo；　Major；〃　he　said　as　he　came　in；　〃how's　the　gout？〃　

〃It　isn't　gout；〃　said　the　Major　gruffly。　

〃Well；　whatever　it　is。〃　

The　Major　grunted。　

〃I　make　a　point　of　being　polite　at　breakfast；〃　said　Bill；　helping　himself　
largely　to　porridge。　〃Most　people　are　so　rude。　That's　why　I　asked　you。　
But　don't　tell　me　if　it's　a　secret。　Coffee？〃　he　added；　as　he　poured　himself　
out　a　cup。　

〃No；　thanks。　I　never　drink　till　I've　finished　eating。〃　

〃Quite　right；　Major；　it's　only　manners。〃　He　sat　down　opposite　to　the　
other。　〃Well；　we've　got　a　good　day　for　our　game。　It's　going　to　be　
dashed　hot；　but　that's　where　Betty　and　I　score。　On　the　fifth　green；　your　
old　wound；　the　one　you　got　in　that　frontier　skirmish　in　'43；　will　begin　to　
trouble　you；　on　the　eighth；　your　liver；　undermined　by　years　of　curry；　will　
drop　to　pieces；　on　the　twelfth…〃　

〃Oh；　shut　up；　you　ass！〃　

〃Well；　I'm　only　warning　you。　Hallo；　good　morning；　Miss　Norris。　I　
was　just　telling　the　Major　what　was　going　to　happen　to　you　and　him　this　
morning。　Do　you　want　any　assistance；　or　do　you　prefer　choosing　your　
own　breakfast？〃　

〃Please　don't　get　up；〃　said　Miss　Norris。　〃I'll　help　myself。　Good　
morning；　Major。〃　She　smiled　pleasantly　at　him。　The　Major　nodded。　

〃Good　morning。　Going　to　be　hot。〃　

〃As　I　was　telling　him；〃　began　Bill；　〃that's　where…　Hallo；　here's　Betty。　

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The　Red　House　Mystery　

Morning；　Cayley。〃　

Betty　Calladine　and　Cayley　had　come　in　together。　Betty　was　the　
eighteen…year…old　daughter　of　Mrs。　John　Calladine；　widow　of　the　painter；　
who　was　acting　hostess　on　this　occasion　for　Mark。　Ruth　Norris　took　
herself　seriously　as　an　actress　and；　on　her　holidays；　seriously　as　a　golfer。　
She　was　quite　competent　as　either。　Neither　the　Stage　Society　nor　
Sandwich　had　any　terrors　for　her。　

〃By　the　way；　the　car　will　be　round　at　10。30；〃　said　Cayley；　looking　up　
from　his　letters。　〃You're　lunching　there；　and　driving　back　directly　
afterwards。　Isn't　that　right？〃　

〃I　don't　see　why　we　shouldn't　have　…　two　rounds；〃　said　Bill　hopefully。　

〃Much　too　hot　in　the　afternoon；〃　said　the　Major。　〃Get　back　
comfortably　for　tea。〃　

Mark　came　in。　He　was　generally　the　last。　He　greeted　them　and　sat　
down　to　toast　and　tea。　Breakfast　was　not　his　meal。　The　others　chattered　
gently　while　he　read　his　letters。　

〃Good　God！〃　said　Mark　suddenly。　

There　was　an　instinctive　turning　of　heads　towards　him。　〃I　beg　your　
pardon；　Miss　Norris。　Sorry；　Betty。〃　

Miss　Norris　smiled　her　forgiveness。　She　often　wanted　to　say　it　
herself；　particularly　at　rehearsals。　

〃I　say；　Cay！〃　He　was　frowning　to　himself　…　annoyed；　puzzled。　He　
held　up　a　letter　and　shook　it。　〃Who　do　you　think　this　is　from？〃　

Cayley；　at　the　other　end　of　the　table；　shrugged　his　shoulders。　How　
could　he　possibly　guess？　

〃Robert；〃　said　Mark。　

〃Robert？〃　It　was　difficult　to　surprise　Cayley。　〃Well？〃　

〃It's　all　very　well　to　say　'we1l？'　like　that；〃　said　Mark　peevishly。　〃He's　
coming　here　this　afternoon。〃　

〃I　thought　he　was　in　Australia；　or　somewhere。〃　

〃Of　course。　So　did　I。〃　He　looked　across　at　Rumbold。　〃Got　any　
brothers；　Major？〃　

〃No。〃　

〃Well；　take　my　advice；　and　don't　have　any。〃　

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The　Red　House　Mystery　

〃Not　likely　to　now；〃　said　the　Major。　

Bill　laughed。　Miss　Norris　said　politely：　〃But　you　haven't　any　
brothers；　Mr。　Ablett？〃　

〃One；〃　said　Mark　grimly。　〃If　you're　back　in　time　you'll　see　him　this　
afternoon。　He'll　probably　ask　you　to　lend　him　five　pounds。　Don't。〃　

Everybody　felt　a　little　uncomfortable。　

〃I've　got　a　brother；〃　said　Bill　helpfully；　〃but　I　always　borrow　from　
him。〃　

〃Like　Robert；〃　said　Mark。　

〃When　was　he　in　England　last？〃　asked　Cayley。　

〃About　fifteen　years　ago；　wasn't　it？　You'd　have　been　a　boy；　of　
course。〃　

〃Yes；　I　remember　seeing　him　once　about　then；　but　I　didn't　know　if　he　
had　been　back　since。〃　

〃No。　Not　to　my　knowledge。〃　Mark；　still　obviously　upset；　returned　
to　his　letter。　

〃Personally；〃　said　Bill；　〃I　think　relations　are　a　great　mistake。〃　

〃All　the　same；〃　said　Betty　a　little　daringly；　〃it　must　be　rather　fun　
having　a　skeleton　in　the　cupboard。〃　

Mark　looked　up；　frowning。　

〃If　you　think　it's　fun；　I'll　hand　him　over　to　you；　Betty。　If　he's　
anything　like　he　used　to　be；　and　like　his　few　letters　have　been　…　well；　Cay　
knows。〃　

Cayley　grunted。　

〃All　I　knew　was　that　one　didn't　ask　questions　about　him。〃　

It　may　have　been　meant　as　a　hint　to　any　too　curious　guest　not　to　ask　
more　questions；　or　a　reminder　to　his　host　not　to　talk　too　freely　in　front　of　
strangers；　although　he　gave　it　the　sound　of　a　mere　statement　of　fact。　But