the red house mystery-第34章
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that's the fact。〃
〃Anything else there？〃
Antony felt in the bag。
〃Stones and … yes； there's something else。〃 He took it out and held it
up。 〃There we are； Bill。〃
It was the office key。
〃By Jove； you were right。〃
Antony felt in the bag again； and then turned it gently upside down on
the grass。 A dozen large stones fell out … and something else。 He flashed
down his torch。
〃Another key；〃 he said。
He put the two keys in his pocket； and sat there for a long time in
silence； thinking。 Bill was silent； too； not liking to interrupt his thoughts；
but at last he said：
〃Shall I put these things back？〃
Antony looked up with a start。
What？ Oh； yes。 No； I'll put them back。 You give me a light； will
you？〃
Very slowly and carefully he put the clothes back in the bag； pausing
as he took up each garment； in the certainty； as it seemed to Bill； that it
had something to tell him if only he could read it。 When the last of them
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was inside； he still waited there on his knees； thinking。
〃That's the lot；〃 said Bill。
Antony nodded at him。
〃Yes； that's the lot；〃 he said； 〃and that's the funny thing about it。
You're sure it is the lot？〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Give me the torch a moment。〃 He took it and flashed it over the
ground between them。 〃Yes； that's the lot。 It's funny。〃 He stood up；
the bag in his hands。 〃Now let's find a hiding…place for these； and then …〃
He said no more； but stepped off through the trees； Bill following him
meekly。
As soon as they had got the bag off their hands and were clear of the
copse； Antony became more communicative。 He took the two keys out
of his pocket。
〃One of them is the office key； I suppose； and the other is the key of
the passage cupboard。 So I thought that perhaps we might have a look at
the cupboard。〃
〃I say； do you really think it is？〃
〃Well； I don't see what else it can be。〃
〃But why should he want to throw it away？〃
〃Because it has now done its work； whatever it was； and he wants to
wash his hands of the passage。 He'd throw the passage away if he could。
I don't think it matters much one way or another； and I don't suppose
there's anything to find in the cupboard； but I feel that we must look。〃
〃Do you still think Mark's body might be there？〃
〃No。 And yet where else can it be？ Unless I'm hopelessly wrong；
and Cayley never killed him at all。〃
Bill hesitated； wondering if he dare advance his theory。
〃I know you'll think me an ass …〃
〃My dear Bill； I'm such an obvious ass myself that I should be
delighted to think you are too。〃
〃Well； then； suppose Mark did kill Robert； and Cayley helped him to
escape； just as we thought at first。 I know you proved afterwards that it
was impossible； but suppose it happened in a way we don't know about
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and for reasons we don't know about。 I mean； there are such a lot of
funny things about the whole show that … well； almost anything might
have happened。〃
〃You're quite right。 Well？〃
〃Well； then； this clothes business。 Doesn't that seem rather to bear
out the escaping theory？ Mark's brown suit was known to the police。
Couldn't Cayley have brought him another one in the passage； to escape in；
and then have had the brown one on his hands？ And thought it safest to
hide it in the pond？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Anthony thoughtfully。 Then： 〃Go on。〃
Bill went on eagerly：
〃It all seems to fit in； you know。 I mean even with your first theory
that Mark killed him accidentally and then came to Cayley for help。 Of
course； if Cayley had played fair； he'd have told Mark that he had nothing
to be afraid of。 But he isn't playing fair； he wants to get Mark out of the
way because of the girl。 Well； this is his chance。 He makes Mark as
frightened as possible； and tells him that his only hope is to run away。
Well； naturally； he does all he can to get him well away； because if Mark is
caught； the whole story of Cayley's treachery comes out。〃
〃Yes。 But isn't it overdoing it rather to make him change his
underclothes and everything？ It wastes a good deal of time； you know。〃
Bill was pulled up short； and said； 〃Oh！〃 in great disappointment。
〃No； it's not as bad as that； Bill；〃 said Antony with a smile。 〃I
daresay the underclothes could be explained。 But here's the difficulty。
Why did Mark need to change from brown to blue； or whatever it was；
when Cayley was the only person who saw him in brown？〃
〃The police description of him says that he is in a brown suit。〃
〃Yes； because Cayley told the police。 You see； even if Mark had had
lunch in his brown suit； and the servants had noticed it； Cayley could
always have pretended that he had changed into blue after lunch； because
only Cayley saw him afterwards。 So if Cayley had told the Inspector that
he was wearing blue； Mark could have escaped quite comfortably in his
brown； without needing to change at all。〃
〃But that's just what he did do；〃 cried Bill triumphantly。 〃What fools
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we are！〃
Antony looked at him in surprise； and then shook his head。
〃Yes； yes！〃 insisted Bill。 〃Of course！ Don't you see？ Mark did
change after lunch； and； to give him more of a chance of getting away；
Cayley lied and said that he was wearing the brown suit in which the
servants had seen him。 Well； then he was afraid that the police might
examine Mark's clothes and find the brown suit still there； so he hid it； and
then dropped it in the pond afterwards。〃
He turned eagerly to his friend； but Antony said nothing。 Bill began
to speak again； and was promptly waved into silence。
〃Don't say anything more； old boy； you've given me quite enough to
think about。 Don't let's bother about it to…night。 We'll just have a look
at this cupboard and then get to bed。〃
But the cupboard had not much to tell them that night。 It was empty
save for a few old bottles。
〃Well； that's that；〃 said Bill。
But Antony； on his knees with the torch in his hand； continued to
search for something。
〃What are you looking for？〃 asked Bill at last。
〃Something that isn't there；〃 said Antony； getting up and dusting his
trousers。 And he locked the door again。
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CHAPTER XVIII
Guess…work
The inquest was at three o'clock； thereafter Antony could have no
claim on the hospitality of the Red House。 By ten o'clock his bag was
packed； and waiting to be taken to the 〃George。〃 To Bill； coming
upstairs after a more prolonged breakfast； this early morning bustle was a
little surprising。
〃What's the hurry？〃 he asked。
〃None。 But we don't want to come back here after the inquest。 Get
your packing over now and then we can have the morning to ourselves。〃
〃Righto。〃 He turned to go to his room； and then came back again。 〃I
say； are we going to tell Cayley that we're staying at the 'George'？〃
〃You're not staying at the 'George；' Bill。 Not officially。 You're
going back to London。〃
〃Oh！〃
〃Yes。 Ask Cayley to have your luggage sent in to Stanton； ready for
you when you catch a train there after the inquest。 You can tell him that
you've got to see the Bishop of London at once。 The fact that you are
hurrying back to London to be confirmed will make it seem more natural
that I should resume my interrupted solitude at the 'George' as soon as you
have gone。〃
〃Then where do I sleep to…night？〃
Officially； I suppose； in Fulham Place； unofficially； I suspect； in my
bed； unless they've got another spare room at the 'George。' I've put your
confirmation robe … I mean your pyjamas and brushes and things … in my
bag； ready for； you。 Is there anything else you want to know？ No？
Then go and pack。 And meet me at ten…thirty beneath the blasted oak or
in the hall or somewhere。 I want to talk and talk and talk； and I must have
my Watson。〃
〃Good；〃 said Bill； and went oil to his room。
An hour later； having communicated their official plans to Cayley；
they wandered out together into the park。
〃Well？〃 said Bill； as they sat down underneath a
