the red house mystery-第7章
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square； and everybody having played much better than in the morning；
they drove back to The Red House； very well pleased with themselves。
〃Halo；〃 said Bill to himself； as they approached the house； 〃isn't that
old Tony？〃
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The Red House Mystery
Antony was standing in front of the house； waiting for them。 Bill
waved； and he waved back。 Then as the car drew up； Bill； who was in
front with the chauffeur； jumped down and greeted him eagerly。
〃Hallo； you madman； have you come to stay； or what？〃 He had a
sudden idea。 〃Don't say you're Mark Ablett's long…lost brother from
Australia； though I could quite believe it of you。〃 He laughed boyishly。
〃Hallo； Bill；〃 said Antony quietly。 〃Will you introduce me？ I'm
afraid I've got some bad news。〃
Bill； rather sobered by this； introduced him。 The Major and Mrs。
Calladine were on the near side of the car； and Antony spoke to them in a
low voice。
〃I'm afraid I'm going to give you rather a shock；〃 he said。 〃Robert
Ablett； Mr。 Mark Ablett's brother； has been killed。〃 He jerked a thumb
over his shoulder； 〃In the house。〃
〃Good God！〃 said the Major。
〃Do you mean that he has killed himself？〃 asked Mrs。 Calladine。
〃Just now？〃
〃It was about two hours ago。 I happened to come here；〃 … he half…
turned to Beverley and explained … 〃I was coming to see you； Bill； and I
arrived just after the … the death。 Mr。 Cayley and I found the body。 Mr。
Cayley being busy just now … there are police and doctors and so on in the
house … he asked me to tell you。 He says that no doubt you would prefer；
the house…party having been broken up in this tragic way； to leave as soon
as possible。〃 He gave a pleasant apologetic little smile and went on； 〃I
am putting it badly； but what he means； of course； is that you must consult
your own feelings in the matter entirely； and please make your own
arrangements about ordering the car for whatever train you wish to catch。
There is one this evening； I understand； which you could go by if you
wished it。〃
Bill gazed with open mouth at Antony。 He had no words in his
vocabulary to express what he wanted to say； other than those the Major
had already used。 Betty was leaning across to Miss Norris and saying；
〃Who's killed？〃 in an awe…struck voice； and Miss Norris； who was
instinctively looking as tragic as she looked on the stage when a
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The Red House Mystery
messenger announced the death of one of the cast； stopped for a moment
in order to explain。 Mrs。 Calladine was quietly mistress of herself。
〃We shall be in the way； yes； I quite understand；〃 she said； 〃but we
can't just shake the dust of the place off our shoes because something
terrible has happened there。 I must see Mark； and we can arrange later
what to do。 He must know how very deeply we feel for him。 Perhaps
we …〃 she hesitated。
〃The Major and I might be useful anyway；〃 said Bill。 〃Isn't that what
you mean； Mrs。 Calladine？〃
〃Where is Mark？〃 said the Major suddenly； looking hard at Antony。
Antony looked back unwaveringly … and said nothing。
〃I think；〃 said the Major gently； leaning over to Mrs。 Calladine； 〃that it
would be better if you took Betty back to London to…night。〃
〃Very well；〃 she agreed quietly。 〃You will come with us； Ruth？〃
〃I'll see you safely there；〃 said Bill in a meek voice。 He didn't quite
know what was happening； and； having expected to stay at the Red House
for another week； he had nowhere to go to in London； but London seemed
to be the place that everyone was going to； and when he could get Tony
alone for a moment； Tony no doubt would explain。
〃Cayley wants you to stay； Bill。 You have to go anyhow； to…morrow；
Major Rumbold？〃
〃Yes。 I'll come with you； Mrs。 Calladine。〃
〃Mr。 Cayley would wish me to say again that you will please not
hesitate to give your own orders； both as regard the car and as regard any
telephoning or telegraphing that you want done。〃 He smiled again and
added； 〃Please forgive me if I seem to have taken a good deal upon myself；
but I just happened to be handy as a mouthpiece for Cayley。〃 He bowed
to them and went into the house。
〃Well！〃 said Miss Norris dramatically。
As Antony re…entered the hall； the Inspector from Middleston was just
crossing into the library with Cayley。 The latter stopped and nodded to
Antony。
〃Wait a moment； Inspector。 Here's Mr。 Gillingham。 He'd better
come with us。〃 And then to Antony； 〃This is Inspector Birch。〃
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The Red House Mystery
Birch looked inquiringly from one to the other。
〃Mr。 Gillingham and I found the body together；〃 explained Cayley。
〃Oh！ Well； come along； and let's get the facts sorted out a bit。 I like
to know where I am； Mr。 Gillingham。〃
〃We all do。〃
〃Oh！〃 He looked at Antony with interest。 〃D'you know where you
are in this case？〃
〃I know where I'm going to be。〃
〃Where's that？〃
〃Put through it by Inspector Birch；〃 said Antony with a smile。
The inspector laughed genially。
〃Well； I'll spare you as much as I can。 Come along。〃
They went into the library。 The inspector seated himself at a writing…
table； and Cayley sat in a chair by the side of it。 Antony made himself
comfortable in an armchair and prepared to be interested。
〃We'll start with the dead man；〃 said the inspector。 〃Robert Ablett；
didn't you say？〃 He took out his notebook。
〃Yes。 Brother of Mark Ablett； who lives here。〃
〃Ah！〃 He began to sharpen a pencil。 〃Staying in the house？〃
〃Oh； no！〃
Antony listened attentively while Cayley explained all that he knew
about Robert。 This was news to him。 〃I see。 Sent out of the country
in disgrace。 What had he done？〃
〃I hardly know。 I was only about twelve at the time。 The sort of
age when you're told not to ask questions。〃
〃Inconvenient questions？〃
〃Exactly。〃
〃So you don't really know whether he had been merely wild or … or
wicked？〃
〃No。 Old Mr。 Ablett was a clergyman；〃 added Cayley。 〃Perhaps
what might seem wicked to a clergyman might seem only wild to a man of
the world。〃
〃I daresay； Mr。 Cayley；〃 smiled the inspector。 〃Anyhow； it was more
convenient to have him in Australia？〃
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The Red House Mystery
〃Yes。〃
〃Mark Ablett never talked about him？〃
〃Hardly ever。 He was very much ashamed of him； and … well； very
glad he was in Australia。〃
〃Did he write Mark sometimes？〃
〃Occasionally。 Perhaps three or four times in the last five years。〃
〃Asking for money？〃
〃Something of the sort。 I don't think Mark always answered them。 As
far as I know； he never sent any money。〃
〃Now your own private opinion； Mr。 Cayley。 Do you think that Mark
was unfair to his brother？ Unduly hard on him？〃
〃They'd never liked each other as boys。 There was never any
affection between them。 I don't know whose fault it was in the first place
… if anybody's。〃
〃Still； Mark might have given him a hand？〃
〃I understand；〃 said Cayley； 〃that Robert spent his whole life asking
for hands。〃
The inspector nodded。
〃I know that sort。 Well； now； we'll go on to this morning。 This
letter that Mark got … did you see it？〃
〃Not at the time。 He showed it to me afterwards。〃
〃Any address？〃
〃No。 A half…sheet of rather dirty paper。〃
〃Where is it now？〃
〃I don't know。 In Mark's pocket； I expect。〃
〃Ah！〃 He pulled at his beard。 〃Well； we'll come to that。 Can you
remember what it said？〃
〃As far as I remember； something like this： 'Mark； your loving brother
is coming to see you to…morrow； all the way from Australia。 I 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。'〃
〃Ah！〃 The inspector copied it down carefully。 〃Did you notice the
postmark？〃
〃London。〃
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The Red House Mystery
〃And what was Mark's attitude？〃
〃Annoyance； disgust …〃 Cayley hesitated。
〃Apprehension？〃
〃N…no； not exactly。 Or； rather； apprehension of an unpleasant
interview； not of any unpleasant outcome for himself。〃
〃You mean that he wasn't afraid of violence； or blackmail； or anything
of that sort？〃
〃
