the red house mystery-第41章
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〃I laughed gently again。
〃'I was just thinking；' I said； 'that it would be rather amusing if you
well； had your revenge。
〃'My revenge？ How do you mean？'
〃'Well； paid her back in her own coin。'
〃'Do you mean try and frighten her？'
〃'No； no； but dressed up and pulled her leg a bit。 Made her look a
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fool in front of the others。' I laughed to myself again。 'Serve her jolly
well right。'
〃He jumped up excitedly。
〃'By Jove； Cay！' he cried。 'If I could！ How？ You must think of a
way。
〃I don't know if Beverley has told you about Mark's acting。 He was
an amateur of all the arts； and vain of his little talents； but as an actor he
seemed to himself most wonderful。 Certainly he had some ability for the
stage； so long as he had the stage to himself and was playing to an
admiring audience。 As a professional actor in a small part he would have
been hopeless； as an amateur playing the leading part； he deserved all that
the local papers had ever said about him。 And so the idea of giving us a
private performance； directed against a professional actress who had made
fun of him； appealed equally to his vanity and his desire for retaliation。
If he； Mark Albett； by his wonderful acting could make Ruth Norris look a
fool in front of the others； could take her in； and then join in the laugh at
her afterwards； he would indeed have had a worthy revenge！
〃It strikes you as childish； Mr。 Gillingham？ Ah； you never knew
Mark Ablett。
〃'How； Cay； how？' he said eagerly。
〃'Well； I haven't really thought it out；' I protested。 'It was just an
idea。'
〃He began to think it out for himself。
〃'I might pretend to be a manager； come down to see her … but I
suppose she knows them all。 What about an interviewer？'
〃'It's going to be difficult；' I said thoughtfully。 'You've got rather a
characteristic face； you know。 And your beard …'
〃'I'd shave it off；' he snapped。
〃'My dear Mark！'
〃He looked away； and mumbled； 'I've been thinking of taking it off；
anyhow。 And besides； if I'm going to do the thing； I'm going to do it
properly。'
〃'Yes； you always were an artist；' I said； looking at him admiringly。
〃He purred。 To be called an artist was what he longed for most。 Now
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I knew that I had him。
〃'All the same；' I went on； 'even without your beard and moustache
you might be recognizable。 Unless； of course …' I broke off。
〃'Unless what？'
〃'You pretend to be Robert。' I began to laugh to myself again。 'By
Jove！' I said； 'that's not a bad idea。 Pretend to be Robert； the wastrel
brother； and make yourself objectionable to Miss Norris。 Borrow money
from her； and that sort of thing。'
〃He looked at me； with his bright little eyes； nodding eagerly。
〃'Robert；' he said。 'Yes。 How shall we work it？'
〃There was really a Robert； Mr。 Gillingham； as I have no doubt you
and the Inspector both discovered。 And he was a wastrel and he went to
Australia。 But he never came to the Red House on Tuesday afternoon。
He couldn't have； because he died （unlamented） three years ago。 But
there was nobody who knew this； save Mark and myself； for Mark was the
only one of the family left； his sister having died last year。 Though I
doubt； anyhow； if she knew whether Robert was alive or dead。 He was
not talked about。
〃For the next two days Mark and I worked out our plans。 You
understand by now that our aims were not identical。 Mark's endeavour
was that his deception should last for； say； a couple of hours； mine that it
should go to the grave with him。 He had only to deceive Miss Norris and
the other guests； I had to deceive the world。 When he was dressed up as
Robert； I was going to kill him。 Robert would then be dead； Mark （of
course） missing。 What could anybody think but that Mark had killed
Robert？ But you see how important it was for Mark to enter fully into
his latest （and last） impersonation。 Half…measures would be fatal。
〃You will say that it was impossible so do the thing thoroughly enough。
I answer again that you never knew Mark。 He was being what he wished
most to be … an artist。 No Othello ever blacked himself all over with such
enthusiasm as did Mark。 His beard was going anyhow … possible a
chance remark of Miss Norbury's helped here。 She did not like beards。
But it was important for me that the dead man's hands should not be the
hands of a manicured gentleman。 Five minutes playing upon the vanity
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of the artist settled his hands。 He let the nails grow and then cut them
raggedly。 'Miss Norris would notice your hands at once；' I had said。
'Besides； as an artist …'
〃So with his underclothes。 It was hardly necessary to warn him that
his pants might show above the edge of his socks； as an artist he had
already decided upon Robertian pants。 I bought them； and other things；
in London for him。 Even if I had not cut out all trace of the maker's
name； he would instinctively have done it。 As an Australian and an artist；
he could not have an East London address on his underclothes。 Yes； we
were doing the thing thoroughly； both of us； he as an artist； I as a … well；
you may say murderer； if you like。 I shall not mind now。
〃Our plans were settled。 I went to London on the Monday and wrote
him a letter from Robert。 （The artistic touch again。） I also bought a
revolver。 On the Tuesday morning he announced the arrival of Robert at
the breakfast…table。 Robert was now alive … we had six witnesses to
prove it； six witnesses who knew that he was coming that afternoon。 Our
private plan was that Robert should present himself at three o'clock； in
readiness for the return of the golfing…party shortly afterwards。 The maid
would go to look for Mark； and having failed to find him； come back to
the office to find me entertaining Robert in Mark's absence。 I would
explain that Mark must have gone out somewhere； and would myself
introduce the wastrel brother to the tea…table。 Mark's absence would not
excite any comment； for it would be generally felt … indeed Robert would
suggest it … that he had been afraid of meeting his brother。 Then Robert
would make himself amusingly offensive to the guests； particularly； of
course； Miss Norris； until he thought that the joke had gone far enough。
〃That was our private plan。 Perhaps I should say that it was Mark's
private plan。 My own was different。
〃The announcement at breakfast went well。 After the golfing…party
had gone off； we had the morning in which to complete our arrangements。
What I was chiefly concerned about was to establish as completely as
possible the identity of Robert。 For this reason I suggested to Mark that；
when dressed； he should go out by the secret passage to the bowling…green；
and come back by the drive； taking care to enter into conversation with the
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lodge…keeper。 In this way I would have two more witnesses of Robert's
arrival … first the lodge…keeper； and secondly one of the gardeners whom I
would have working on the front lawn。 Mark； of course； was willing
enough。 He could practise his Australian accent on the lodge…keeper。 It
was really amusing to see how readily he fell into every suggestion which
I made。 Never was a killing more carefully planned by its victim。
〃He changed into Robert's clothes in the office bedroom。 This was
the safest way … for both of us。 When he was ready； he called me in； and
I inspected him。 It was extraordinary how well he looked the part。 I
suppose that the signs of his dissipation had already marked themselves on；
his face； but had been concealed hitherto by his moustache and beard； for
now that he was clean…shaven they lay open to the world from which we
had so carefully hidden them； and he was indeed the wastrel which he was
pretending to be。
〃'By Jove； you're wonderful；' I said。
〃He smirked； and called my attention to the various artistic touches
which I might have missed。
〃'Wonderful；' I said to myself again。 'Nobody could possibly guess。'
〃I peered into the hall。 It was empty。 We
