the red house mystery-第9章
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the door； and was hurried out again by the others； wishing that she had not
given her presence away。 But it was hard to listen in silence when she
knew so well from her novelettes just what happened on these occasions。
〃I shall have to give that girl a piece of my mind；〃 said Mrs。 Stevens。
〃Well； Elsie？〃
〃He said； I heard him say it with my own ears； 'It's my turn now；' he
said； triumphant…like。〃
〃Well； if you think that's a threat； dear； you're very particular； I must
say。〃
But Audrey remembered Elsie's words when she was in front of
Inspector Birch。 She gave her own evidence with the readiness of one
who had already repeated it several times； and was examined and cross…
examined by the inspector with considerable skill。 The temptation to say；
〃Never mind about what you said to him；〃 was strong； but he resisted it；
knowing that in this way he would discover best what he said to her。 By
this time both his words and the looks he gave her were getting their full
value from Audrey； but the general meaning of them seemed to be well…
established。
〃Then you didn't see Mr。 Mark at all〃
〃No； sir； he must have come in before and gone up to his room。 Or
come in by the front door； likely enough； while I was going out by the
back。〃
〃Yes。 Well； I think that's all that I want to know； thank you very
much。 Now what about the other servants？〃
〃Elsie heard the master and Mr。 Robert talking together；〃 said Audrey
eagerly。 〃He was saying … Mr。 Mark； I mean …〃
〃Ah！ Well； I think Elsie had better tell me that herself。 Who is
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The Red House Mystery
Elsie； by the way？〃
〃One of the housemaids。 Shall I send her to you； sir？〃
〃Please。〃
Elsie was not sorry to get the message。 It interrupted a few remarks
from Mrs。 Stevens about Elsie's conduct that afternoon which were （Elsie
thought） much better interrupted。 In Mrs。 Stevens' opinion any crime
committed that afternoon in the office was as nothing to the double crime
committed by the unhappy Elsie。
For Elsie realized too late that she would have done better to have said
nothing about her presence in the hall that afternoon。 She was bad at
concealing the truth and Mrs。 Stevens was good at discovering it。 Elsie
knew perfectly well that she had no business to come down the front stairs；
and it was no excuse to say that she happened to come out of Miss Norris'
room just at the head of the stairs； and didn't think it would matter； as there
was nobody in the hall； and what was she doing anyhow in Miss Norris'
room at that time？ Returning a magazine？ Lent by Miss Norris； might
she ask？ Well； not exactly lent。 Really； Elsie！ … and this in a respectable
house！ In vain for poor Elsie to plead that a story by her favourite author
was advertised on the cover； with a picture of the villain falling over the
cliff。 〃That's where you'll go to； my girl； if you aren't careful；〃 said Mrs。
Stevens firmly。
But； of course； there was no need to confess all these crimes to
Inspector Birch。 All that interested him was that she was passing through
the hall； and heard voices in the office。
〃And stopped to listen？〃
〃Certainly not；〃 said Elsie with dignity； feeling that nobody really
understood her。 〃I was just passing through the hall； just as you might
have been yourself； and not supposing they was talking secrets； didn't
think to stop my ears； as no doubt I ought to have done。〃 And she sniffed
slightly。
〃Come； come；〃 said the inspector soothingly； 〃I didn't mean to suggest
…〃
〃Everyone is very unkind to me；〃 said Elsie between sniffs； 〃and
there's that poor man lying dead there； and sorry they'd have been； if it had
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The Red House Mystery
been me； to have spoken to me as they have done this day。〃
〃Nonsense； we're going to be very proud of you。 I shouldn't be
surprised if your evidence were of very great importance。 Now then；
what was it you heard？ Try to remember the exact words。〃
Something about working in a passage； thought Elsie。
〃Yes； but who said it？〃
〃Mr。 Robert。〃
〃How do you know it was Mr。 Robert？ Had you heard his voice
before？〃
〃I don't take it upon myself to say that I had had any acquaintance with
Mr。 Robert； but seeing that it wasn't Mr。 Mark； nor yet Mr。 Cayley； nor any
other of the gentlemen； and Miss Stevens had shown Mr。 Robert into the
office not five minutes before …〃
〃Quite so；〃 said the inspector hurriedly。 〃Mr。 Robert； undoubtedly。
Working in a passage？〃
〃That was what it sounded like； sir。〃
〃H'm。 Working a passage over … could that have been it？〃
〃That's right； sir；〃 said Elsie eagerly。 〃He'd worked his passage over。〃
〃Well？〃
〃And then Mr。 Mark said loudly … sort of triumphant…like … 'It's my turn
now。 You wait。'〃
〃Triumphantly？〃
〃As much as to say his chance had come。〃
〃And that's all you heard？〃
〃That's all； sir … not standing there listening； but just passing through
the hall； as it might be any time。〃
〃Yes。 Well； that's really very important； Elsie。 Thank you。〃
Elsie gave him a smile； and returned eagerly to the kitchen。 She was
ready for Mrs。 Stevens or anybody now。
Meanwhile Antony had been exploring a little on his own。 There was
a point which was puzzling him。 He went through the hall to the front of
the house and stood at the open door； looking out on to the drive。 He and
Cayley had run round the house to the left。 Surely it would have been
quicker to have run round to the right？ The front door was not in the
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The Red House Mystery
middle of the house； it was to the end。 Undoubtedly they went the
longest way round。 But perhaps there was something in the way； if one
went to the right … a wall； say。 He strolled off in that direction； followed a
path round the house and came in sight of the office windows。 Quite
simple； and about half the distance of the other way。 He went on a little
farther； and came to a door； just beyond the broken…in windows。 It opened
easily； and he found himself in a passage。 At the end of the passage was
another door。 He opened it and found himself in the hall again。
〃And； of course； that's the quickest way of the three；〃 he said to
himself。 〃Through the hall； and out at the back； turn to the left and there
you are。 Instead of which； we ran the longest way round the house。
Why？ Was it to give Mark more time in which to escape？ Only； in that
case … why run？ Also； how did。 Cayley know then that it was Mark
who was trying to escape？ If he had guessed … well； not guessed； but
been afraid …that one had shot the other； it was much more likely that
Robert had shot Mark。 Indeed； he had admitted that this was what he
thought。 The first thing he had said when he turned the body over was；
'Thank God！ I was afraid it was Mark。' But why should he want to give
Robert time in which to get away？ And again … why run； if he did want
to give him time？〃
Antony went out of the house again to the lawns at the back； and sat
down on a bench in view of the office windows。
〃Now then；〃 he said； 〃let's go through Cayley's mind carefully； and see
what we get。〃
Cayley had been in the hall when Robert was shown into the office。
The servant goes off to look for Mark； and Cayley goes on with his book。
Mark comes down the stairs； warns Cayley to stand by in case he is
wanted； and goes to meet his brother。 What does Cayley expect？
Possibly that he won't be wanted at all； possibly that his advice may be
wanted in the matter； say； of paying Robert's debts； or getting him a
passage back to Australia； possibly that his physical assistance may be
wanted to get an obstreperous Robert out of the house。 Well； he sits there
for a moment； and then goes into the library。 Why not？ He is still
within reach； if wanted。 Suddenly he hears a pistol…shot。 A pistol…shot is
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The Red House Mystery
the last noise you expect to hear in a country…house； very natural； then；
that for the moment he would hardly realize what it was。 He listens … and
hears nothing more。 Perhaps it wasn't a pistol…shot after all。 After a
moment or two he goes to th
