the red house mystery-第4章
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strangers； although he gave it the sound of a mere statement of fact。 But
the subject dropped； to be succeeded by the more fascinating one of the
coming foursome。 Mrs。 Calladine was driving over with the players in
order to lunch with an old friend who lived near the links； and Mark and
Cayley were remaining at home … on affairs。 Apparently 〃affairs〃 were
now to include a prodigal brother。 But that need not make the foursome
less enjoyable。
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The Red House Mystery
At about the time when the Major （for whatever reasons） was fluffing
his tee…shot at the sixteenth； and Mark and his cousin were at their
business at The Red House； an attractive gentleman of the name of Antony
Gillingham was handing up his ticket at Woodham station and asking the
way to the village。 Having received directions； he left his bag with the
station…master and walked off leisurely。 He is an important person to this
story； so that it is as well we should know something about him before
letting him loose in it。 Let us stop him at the top of the hill on some
excuse； and have a good look at him。
The first thing we realize is that he is doing more of the looking than
we are。 Above a clean…cut； clean…shaven face； of the type usually
associated with the Navy； he carries a pair of grey eyes which seem to be
absorbing every detail of our person。 To strangers this look is almost
alarming at first； until they discover that his mind is very often elsewhere；
that he has； so to speak； left his eyes on guard； while he himself follows a
train of thought in another direction。 Many people do this； of course；
when； for instance； they are talking to one person and trying to listen to
another； but their eyes betray them。 Antony's never did。
He had seen a good deal of the world with those eyes； though never as
a sailor。 When at the age of twenty…one he came into his mother's money；
400 pounds a year； old Gillingham looked up from the 〃Stockbreeders'
Gazette〃 to ask what he was going to do。
〃See the world；〃 said Antony。
〃Well； send me a line from America； or wherever you get to。〃
〃Right；〃 said Antony。
Old Gillingham returned to his paper。 Antony was a younger son；
and； on the whole； not so interesting to his father as the cadets of certain
other families； Champion Birket's； for instance。 But； then； Champion
Birket was the best Hereford bull he had ever bred。
Antony； however； had no intention of going further away than London。
His idea of seeing the world was to see； not countries； but people； and to
see them from as many angles as possible。 There are all sorts in London
if you know how to look at them。 So Antony looked at them … from
various strange corners； from the view…point of the valet； the newspaper
15
The Red House Mystery
reporter； the waiter； the shop…assistant。 With the independence of 400
pounds a year behind him； he enjoyed it immensely。 He never stayed
long in one job； and generally closed his connexion with it by telling his
employer （contrary to all etiquette as understood between master and
servant） exactly what he thought of him。 He had no difficulty in finding
a new profession。 Instead of experience and testimonials he offered his
personality and a sporting bet。 He would take no wages 'the first month；
and … if he satisfied his employer … double wages the second。 He always
got his double wages。
He was now thirty。 He had come to Waldheim for a holiday； because
he liked the look of the station。 His ticket entitled him to travel further；
but he had always intended to please himself in the matter。 Waldheim
attracted him； and he had a suit…case in the carriage with him and money
in his pocket。 Why not get out？
The landlady of 〃The George〃 was only too glad to put him up； and
promised that her husband would drive over that afternoon for his luggage。
〃And you would like some lunch； I expect； sir。〃
〃Yes； but don't give yourself any trouble about it。 Cold anything…
you've…got。〃
〃What about beef； sir？〃 she asked； as if she had a hundred varieties of
meat to select from； and was offering him her best。
〃That will do splendidly。 And a pint of beer。〃
While he was finishing his lunch； the landlord came in to ask about the
luggage。 Antony ordered another pint； and soon had him talking。
〃It must be rather fun to keep a country inn；〃 he said； thinking that it
was about time he started another profession。
〃I don't know about fun； sir。 It gives us a living； and a bit over。〃
〃You ought to take a holiday；〃 said Antony； looking at him
thoughtfully。
〃Funny thing your saying that；〃 said the landlord； with a smile。
〃Another gentleman； over from The Red House； was saying that only
yesterday。 Offered to take my place 'n all。〃 He laughed rumblingly。
〃The Red House？ Not the Red House； Stanton？〃
〃That's right； sir。 Stanton's the next station to Waldheim。 The Red
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The Red House Mystery
House is about a mile from here … Mr。 Ablett's。〃
Antony took a letter from his pocket。 It was addressed from 〃The
Red House； Stanton；〃 and signed 〃Bill。〃
〃Good old Bill；〃 he murmured to himself。 〃He's getting on。〃
Antony had met Bill Beverley two years before in a tobacconist's shop。
Gillingham was on one side of the counter and Mr。 Beverley on the other。
Something about Bill； his youth and freshness； perhaps； attracted Antony；
and when cigarettes had been ordered； and an address given to which they
were to be sent； he remembered that he had come across an aunt of
Beverley's once at a country…house。 Beverley and he met again a little
later at a restaurant。 Both of them were in evening…dress； but they did
different things with their napkins； and Antony was the more polite of the
two。 However； he still liked Bill。 So on one of his holidays； when he
was unemployed； he arranged an introduction through a mutual friend。
Beverley was a little inclined to be shocked when he was reminded of
their previous meetings； but his uncomfortable feeling soon wore off； and
he and Antony quickly became intimate。 But Bill generally addressed
him as 〃Dear Madman〃 when he happened to write。
Antony decided to stroll over to The Red House after lunch and call
upon his friend。 Having inspected his bedroom which was not quite the
lavender…smelling country…inn bedroom of fiction； but sufficiently clean
and comfortable； he set out over the fields。
As he came down the drive and approached the old red…brick front of
the house； there was a lazy murmur of bees in the flower…borders； a gentle
cooing of pigeons in the tops of the elms； and from distant lawns the whir
of a mowing…machine； that most restful of all country sounds。。。。
And in the hall a man was banging at a locked door； and shouting；
〃Open the door； I say； open the door！〃
〃Hallo！〃 said Antony in amazement。
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The Red House Mystery
CHAPTER III
Two Men and a Body
Cayley looked round suddenly at the voice。
〃Can I help？〃 said Antony politely。
〃Something's happened；〃 said Cayley。 He was breathing quickly。 〃I
heard a shot…it sounded like a shot … I was in the library。 A loud bang … I
didn't know what it was。 And the door's locked。〃 He rattled the handle
again； and shook it。 〃Open the door！〃 he cried。 〃I say； Mark； what is it？
Open the door！〃
〃But he must have locked the door on purpose；〃 said Antony。 〃So
why should he open it just because you ask him to？〃
Cayley looked at him in a bewildered way。 Then he turned to the
door again。 〃We must break it in；〃 he said； putting his shoulder to it。
〃Help me。〃
〃Isn't there a window？〃
Cayley turned to him stupidly。
〃Window？ Window？〃
〃So much easier to break in a window；〃 said Antony with a smile。 He
looked very cool and collected； as he stood just inside the hall； leaning on
his stick； and thinking； no doubt； that a great deal of fuss was being made
about nothing。 But then； he had not heard the shot。
〃Window … of course！ What an idiot I am。〃
He pushed past Antony； and began running out into the drive。
Antony followed him。 They ran along the front of the house； down a
path to
