the mysterious affair at styles(斯代尔斯的怪事)-第4章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
like to me； but remember what I've told you。 He's a bad lot！' 〃
〃What did she say？〃
Miss Howard made an extremely expressive grimace。
〃 'Darling Alfred''dearest Alfred''wicked calumnies' 'wicked lies'
'wicked woman'to accuse her 'dear husband'！ The sooner I left her house
the better。 So I'm off。〃
〃But not now？〃
11
… Page 12…
THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
〃This minute！〃
For a moment we sat and stared at her。 Finally John Cavendish；
finding his persuasions of no avail； went off to look up the trains。 His
wife followed him； murmuring something about persuading Mrs。
Inglethorp to think better of it。
As she left the room； Miss Howard's face changed。 She leant towards
me eagerly。
〃Mr。 Hastings； you're honest。 I can trust you？〃
I was a little startled。 She laid her hand on my arm； and sank her
voice to a whisper。
〃Look after her； Mr。 Hastings。 My poor Emily。 They're a lot of
sharksall of them。 Oh； I know what I'm talking about。 There isn't one
of them that's not hard up and trying to get money out of her。 I've
protected her as much as I could。 Now I'm out of the way； they'll impose
upon her。〃
〃Of course； Miss Howard；〃 I said； 〃I'll do everything I can； but I'm
sure you're excited and overwrought。〃
She interrupted me by slowly shaking her forefinger。
〃Young man； trust me。 I've lived in the world rather longer than you
have。 All I ask you is to keep your eyes open。 You'll see what I mean。〃
The throb of the motor came through the open window； and Miss
Howard rose and moved to the door。 John's voice sounded outside。
With her hand on the handle； she turned her head over her shoulder； and
beckoned to me。
〃Above all； Mr。 Hastings； watch that devilher husband！〃
There was no time for more。 Miss Howard was swallowed up in an
eager chorus of protests and good…byes。 The Inglethorps did not appear。
As the motor drove away； Mrs。 Cavendish suddenly detached herself
from the group； and moved across the drive to the lawn to meet a tall
bearded man who had been evidently making for the house。 The colour
rose in her cheeks as she held out her hand to him。
〃Who is that？〃 I asked sharply； for instinctively I distrusted the man。
〃That's Dr。 Bauerstein；〃 said John shortly。
12
… Page 13…
THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
〃And who is Dr。 Bauerstein？〃
〃He's staying in the village doing a rest cure； after a bad nervous
breakdown。 He's a London specialist； a very clever manone of the
greatest living experts on poisons； I believe。〃
〃And he's a great friend of Mary's；〃 put in Cynthia； the irrepressible。
John Cavendish frowned and changed the subject。
〃Come for a stroll； Hastings。 This has been a most rotten business。
She always had a rough tongue； but there is no stauncher friend in England
than Evelyn Howard。〃
He took the path through the plantation； and we walked down to the
village through the woods which bordered one side of the estate。
As we passed through one of the gates on our way home again； a
pretty young woman of gipsy type coming in the opposite direction bowed
and smiled。
〃That's a pretty girl；〃 I remarked appreciatively。
John's face hardened。
〃That is Mrs。 Raikes。〃
〃The one that Miss Howard〃
〃Exactly；〃 said John； with rather unnecessary abruptness。
I thought of the white…haired old lady in the big house； and that vivid
wicked little face that had just smiled into ours； and a vague chill of
foreboding crept over me。 I brushed it aside。
〃Styles is really a glorious old place；〃 I said to John。
He nodded rather gloomily。
〃Yes； it's a fine property。 It'll be mine some dayshould be mine now
by rights； if my father had only made a decent will。 And then I shouldn't
be so damned hard up as I am now。〃
〃Hard up； are you？〃
〃My dear Hastings； I don't mind telling you that I'm at my wit's end for
money。〃
〃Couldn't your brother help you？〃
〃Lawrence？ He's gone through every penny he ever had； publishing
rotten verses in fancy bindings。 No； we're an impecunious lot。 My
13
… Page 14…
THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
mother's always been awfully good to us； I must say。 That is； up to now。
Since her marriage； of course〃 he broke off； frowning。
For the first time I felt that； with Evelyn Howard； something
indefinable had gone from the atmosphere。 Her presence had spelt
security。 Now that security was removedand the air seemed rife with
suspicion。 The sinister face of Dr。 Bauerstein recurred to me
unpleasantly。 A vague suspicion of every one and everything filled my
mind。 Just for a moment I had a premonition of approaching evil。
14
… Page 15…
THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
CHAPTER II。 THE 16TH AND
17TH OF JULY
I had arrived at Styles on the 5th of July。 I come now to the events
of the 16th and 17th of that month。 For the convenience of the reader I
will recapitulate the incidents of those days in as exact a manner as
possible。 They were elicited subsequently at the trial by a process of
long and tedious cross…examinations。
I received a letter from Evelyn Howard a couple of days after her
departure； telling me she was working as a nurse at the big hospital in
Middlingham； a manufacturing town some fifteen miles away； and
begging me to let her know if Mrs。 Inglethorp should show any wish to be
reconciled。
The only fly in the ointment of my peaceful days was Mrs。
Cavendish's extraordinary； and； for my part； unaccountable preference for
the society of Dr。 Bauerstein。 What she saw in the man I cannot imagine；
but she was always asking him up to the house； and often went off for long
expeditions with him。 I must confess that I was quite unable to see his
attraction。
The 16th of July fell on a Monday。 It was a day of turmoil。 The
famous bazaar had taken place on Saturday； and an entertainment； in
connection with the same charity； at which Mrs。 Inglethorp was to recite a
War poem； was to be held that night。 We were all busy during the
morning arranging and decorating the Hall in the village where it was to
take place。 We had a late luncheon and spent the afternoon resting in the
garden。 I noticed that John's manner was somewhat unusual。 He
seemed very excited and restless。
After tea； Mrs。 Inglethorp went to lie down to rest before her efforts in
the evening and I challenged Mary Cavendish to a single at tennis。
About a quarter to seven； Mrs。 Inglethorp called us that we should be
