the red house mystery-第35章
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they wandered out together into the park。
〃Well？〃 said Bill； as they sat down underneath a convenient tree。 〃Talk
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away。〃
〃I had many bright thoughts in my bath this morning；〃 began Antony。
〃The brightest one of all was that we were being damn fools； and working
at this thing from the wrong end altogether。〃
〃Well； that's helpful。〃
〃Of course it's very hampering being a detective； when you don't know
anything about detecting； and when nobody knows that you're doing
detection； and you can't have people up to cross…examine them； and you
have neither the energy nor the means to make proper inquiries； and； in
short； when you're doing the whole thing in a thoroughly amateur；
haphazard way。
〃For amateurs I don't think we're doing at all badly；〃 protested Bill。
〃No； not for amateurs。 But if we had been professionals； I believe we
should have gone at it from the other end。 The Robert end。 We've been
wondering about Mark and Cayley all the time。 Now let's wonder about
Robert for a bit。〃
〃We know so little about him。〃
〃Well； let's see what we do know。 First of all； then； we know vaguely
that he was a bad lot … the sort of brother who is hushed up in front of
other people。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃We know that he announced his approaching arrival to Mark in a
rather unpleasant letter； which I have in my pocket。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃And then we know rather a curious thing。 We know that Mark told
you all that this black sheep was coming。 Now； why did he tell you？〃
Bill was thoughtful for a moment。
〃I suppose；〃 he said slowly； 〃that he knew we were bound to see him；
and thought that the best way was to be quite frank about him。〃
〃But were you bound to see him？ You were all away playing golf。〃
〃We were bound to see him if he stayed in the house that night。〃
〃Very well； then。 That's one thing we've discovered。 Mark knew
that Robert was staying in the house that night。 Or shall we put it this
way … he knew that there was no chance of getting Robert out of the house
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at once。〃
Bill looked at his friend eagerly。
〃Go on；〃 he said。 〃This is getting interesting。〃
〃He also knew something else；〃 went on Antony。 〃He knew that
Robert was bound to betray his real character to you as soon as you met
him。 He couldn't pass him off on you as just a travelled brother from the
Dominions； with perhaps a bit of an accent； he had to tell you at once；
because you were bound to find out； that Robert was a wastrel。〃
〃Yes。 That's sound enough。〃
〃Well； now； doesn't it strike you that Mark made up his mind about all
that rather quickly？〃
〃How do you mean？〃
〃He got this letter at breakfast。 He read it； and directly he had read it
he began to confide in you all。 That is to say； in about one second he
thought out the whole business and came to a decision … to two decisions。
He considered the possibility of getting Robert out of the way before you
came back； and decided that it was impossible。 He considered the
possibility of Robert's behaving like an ordinary decent person in public；
and decided that it was very unlikely。 He came to those two decisions
instantaneously； as he was reading the letter。 Isn't that rather quick
work？〃
〃Well； what's the explanation？〃
Antony waited until he had refilled and lighted his pipe before
answering。
〃What's the explanation？ Well； let's leave it for a moment and take
another look at the two brothers。 In conjunction； this time； with Mrs。
Norbury。〃
〃Mrs。 Norbury？〃 said Bill； surprised。
〃Yes。 Mark hoped to marry Miss Norbury。 Now； if Robert really
was a blot upon the family honour； Mark would want to do one of two
things。 Either keep it from the Norburys altogether； or else； if it had to
come out； tell them himself before the news came to them indirectly。
Well； he told them。 But the funny thing is that he told them the day
before Robert's letter came。 Robert came； and was killed； the day before
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The Red House Mystery
yesterday …Tuesday。 Mark told Mrs。 Norbury about him on Monday。
What do you make of that？〃
〃Coincidence；〃 said Bill； after careful thought。 〃He'd always meant
to tell her； his suit was prospering； and just before it was finally settled； he
told her。 That happened to be Monday。 On Tuesday he got Robert's
letter； and felt jolly glad that he'd told her in time。〃
〃Well； it might be that； but it's rather a curious coincidence。 And here
is something which makes it very curious indeed。 It only occurred to me
in the bath this morning。 Inspiring place； a bathroom。 Well； it's this … he
told her on Monday morning； on his way to Middleston in the car。〃
〃Well？〃
〃Well。〃
〃Sorry； Tony； I'm dense this morning。〃
〃In the car； Bill。 And how near can the car get to Jallands？〃
〃About six hundred yards。〃
〃Yes。 And on his way to Middleston； on some business or other；
Mark stops the car； walks six hundred yards down the hill to Jallands； says；
'Oh； by the way； Mrs。 Norbury； I don't think I ever told you that I have a
shady brother called Robert；' walks six hundred yards up the hill again；
gets into the car； and goes off to Middleston。 Is that likely？〃
Bill frowned heavily。
〃Yes； but I don't see what you're getting at。 Likely or not likely； we
know he did do it。〃
〃Of course he did。 All I mean is that he must have had some strong
reason for telling Mrs。 Norbury at once。 And the reason I suggest is that
he knew on that morning … Monday morning； not Tuesday … that Robert
was coming to see him； and had to be in first with the news。
〃But … but …〃
〃And that would explain the other point … his instantaneous decision at
breakfast to tell you all about his brother。 It wasn't instantaneous。 He
knew on Monday that Robert was coming； and decided then that you
would all have to know。〃
〃Then how do you explain the letter？〃
〃Well； let's have a look at it。〃
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The Red House Mystery
Antony took the letter from his pocket and spread it out on the grass
between them。
〃Mark； your loving brother is coming to see you to…morrow； all the
way from Australia。 1 give you warning； so that you will be able to
conceal your surprise but not I hope your pleasure。 Expect him at three
or thereabouts。〃
〃No date mentioned； you see；〃 said Antony。 〃Just to…morrow。
〃But he got this on Tuesday。〃
〃Did he？〃
〃Well； he read it out to us on Tuesday。〃
〃Oh； yes！ he read it out to you。
Bill read the letter again； and then turned it over and looked at the back
of it。 The back of it had nothing to say to him。
〃What about the postmark？〃 he asked。
〃We haven't got the envelope； unfortunately。〃
〃And you think that he got this letter on Monday。〃
〃I'm inclined to think so； Bill。 Anyhow； I think … I feel almost certain
… that he knew on Monday that his brother was coming。〃
〃Is that going to help us much？〃
〃No。 It makes it more difficult。 There's something rather uncanny
about it all。 I don't understand it。〃 He was silent for a little； and then
added； 〃I wonder if the inquest is going to help us。
〃What about last night？ I'm longing to hear what you make of that。
Have you been thinking it out at all？〃
〃Last night；〃 said Antony thoughtfully to himself。 〃Yes； last night
wants some explaining。〃
Bill waited hopefully for him to explain。 What； for instance； had
Antony been looking for in the cupboard？
〃I think；〃 began Antony slowly； 〃that after last night we must give up
the idea that Mark has been killed； killed； I mean； by Cayley。 I don't
believe anybody would go to so much trouble to hide a suit of clothes
when he had a body on his hands。 The body would seem so much more
important。 I think we may take it now that the clothes are all that Cayley
had to hide。〃
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〃But why not have kept them in the passage？〃
〃He was frightened of the passage。 Miss Norris knew about it。〃
〃Well； then； in his own bedroom； or even； in Mark's。 For all you or I
or anybody knew； Mark might have had two brown suits。 He probably
had；
