加勒比海之谜(英文版)- 第13部分

〃Oh　yes；〃　said　Evelyn；　carelessly；　〃but　he　makes　passes　at　everybody。　That's　just　Greg。　It　doesn't　ever　really　mean　much。　I　imagine。　It's　just　part　of　the　Greg　heman　act。〃

〃Do　you　care　for　him；　Evelyn？　I'd　rather　know　the　truth。〃

〃Greg？　I'm　quite　fond　of　himhe　amuses　me。　He's　a　good　friend。〃

〃And　that's　all？　I　wish　I　could　believe　you。〃

〃I　can't　really　see　how　it　can　possibly　matter　to　you；〃　said　Evelyn　dryly。

〃I　suppose　I　deserve　that。〃

Evelyn　walked　to　the　window；　looked　out　across　the　veranda　and　came　back　again。　〃I　wish　you　would　tell　me　what's　really　upsetting　you；　Edward。〃

〃I've　told　you。〃

〃I　wonder。〃

〃You　can't　understand；　I　suppose；　how　extraordinary　a　temporary　madness　of　this　kind　can　seem　to　you　after　you've　got　over　it。〃

〃I　can　try；　I　suppose。　But　what's　worrying　me　now　is　that　Lucky　seems　to　have　got　some　kind　of　stranglehold　upon　you。　She's　not　just　a　discarded　mistress。　She's　a　tigress　with　claws。　You　must　tell　me　the　truth；　Edward。　It's　the　only　way　if　you　want　me　to　stand　by　you。〃

Edward　said　in　a　low　voice：　〃If　I　don't　get　away　from　her　soonI　shall　kill　her。〃

〃Kill　Lucky？　Why？〃

〃Because　of　what　she　made　me　do。。。〃

〃What　did　she　make　you　do？〃

〃I　helped　her　to　mit　a　murder〃

The　words　were　out。　There　was　silence。　Evelyn　stared　at　him。　〃Do　you　know　what　you　are　saying？〃

〃Yes。　I　didn't　know　I　was　doing　it。　There　were　things　she　asked　me　to　get　for　herat　the　chemist's。　I　didn't　knowI　hadn't　the　least　idea　what　she　wanted　them　for。　She　got　me　to　copy　out　a　prescription　she　had。。。〃

〃When　was　this？〃

〃Four　years　ago。　When　we　were　in　Martinique。　Whenwhen　Greg's　wife〃

〃You　mean　Greg's　first　wifeGail？　You　mean　Lucky　poisoned　her？〃

〃Yesand　I　helped　her。　When　I　realised〃

Evelyn　interrupted　him。　〃When　you　realised　what　had　happened；　Lucky　pointed　out　to　you　that　you　had　written　out　the　prescription；　that　you　had　got　the　drugs；　that　you　and　she　were　in　it　together？　Is　that　right？〃

〃Yes。　She　said　she　had　done　it　out　of　pitythat　Gail　was　sufferingthat　she　had　begged　Lucky　to　get　something　that　would　end　it　all。〃

〃A　mercy　killing！　I　see。　And　you　believed　that？〃

Edward　Hillingdon　was　silent　a　moment；　then　he　said：　〃NoI　didn't　reallynot　deep　down。　I　accepted　it　because　I　wanted　to　believe　itbecause　I　was　infatuated　with　Lucky。〃

〃And　afterwardswhen　she　married　Gregdid　you　still　believe　it？〃

〃I'd　made　myself　believe　it　by　then。〃

〃And　Greghow　much　did　he　know　about　it　all？〃

〃Nothing　at　all。〃

〃That　I　find　hard　to　believe！〃

Edward　Hillingdon　broke　out：　〃Evelyn；　I've　got　to　get　free　of　it　all！　That　woman　taunts　me　still　with　what　I　did。　She　knows　I　don't　care　for　her　any　longer。　Care　for　her？　I've　e　to　hate　her！　But　she　makes　me　feel　I'm　tied　to　her　by　the　thing　we　did　together。〃　Evelyn　walked　up　and　down　the　room　then　she　stopped　and　faced　him。

〃The　entire　trouble　with　you；　Edward；　is　that　you　are　ridiculously　sensitiveand　also　incredibly　suggestible。　That　devil　of　a　woman　has　got　you　just　where　she　wants　you　by　playing　on　your　sense　of　guilt。　And　I'll　tell　you　this　in　plain　Bible　terms；　the　guilt　that　weighs　on　you　is　the　guilt　of　adulterynot　murder。　You　were　guiltstricken　about　your　affair　with　Luckyand　then　she　made　a　cat'spaw　of　you　for　her　murder　scheme；　and　managed　to　make　you　feel　you　shared　her　guilt。　You　don't。〃

〃Evelyn。。。〃　He　stepped　towards　her。

She　stepped　back　a　minute　and　looked　at　him　searchingly。

〃Is　this　all　true；　Edward？　Is　it？　Or　are　you　making　it　up？〃

〃Evelyn！　Why　on　earth　should　I　do　such　a　thing？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Evelyn　Hillingdon　slowly。　〃It's　just　perhapsbecause　I　find　it　hard　to　trust　anybody。　And　because　Oh！　I　don't　know。　I've　got；　I　suppose；　so　that　I　don't　know　the　truth　when　I　hear　it。〃

〃Let's　chuck　all　this。　Go　back　home　to　England。〃

〃Yes。　We　will。　But　not　now。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃We　must　carry　on　as　usualjust　for　the　present。　It's　important。　Do　you　understand；　Edward？　Don't　let　Lucky　have　an　inkling　of　what　we're　up　to〃



Chapter　13

EXIT　VICTORIA　JOHNSON



The　evening　was　drawing　to　a　close。

The　steel　band　was　at　last　relaxing　its　efforts。　Tim　stood　by　the　dining　room　looking　over　the　terrace。　He　extinguished　a　few　lights　on　tables　that　had　been　vacated。

A　voice　spoke　behind　him。　〃Tim；　can　I　speak　to　you　a　moment？〃

Tim　Kendal　started。

〃Hallo；　Evelyn；　is　there　anything　I　can　do　for　you？〃

Evelyn　looked　round。

〃e　to　this　table　here；　and　let's　sit　down　a　minute。〃

She　led　the　way　to　a　table　at　the　extreme　end　of　the　terrace。　There　were　no　other　people　near　them。

〃Tim；　you　must　five　me　talking　to　you；　but　I'm　worried　about　Molly。〃

His　face　changed　at　once。

〃What　about　Molly？〃　he　said　stiffly。

〃I　don't　think　she's　awfully　well。　She　seems　upset。〃

〃Things　do　seem　to　upset　her　rather　easily　just　lately。〃

〃She　ought　to　see　a　doctor；　I　think。〃

〃Yes；　I　know；　but　she　doesn't　want　to。　She'd　hate　it。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Eh？　What　d'you　mean？〃

〃I　said　why？　Why　should　she　hate　seeing　a　doctor？〃

〃Well；〃　said　Tim　rather　vaguely；　〃People　do　sometimes；　you　know。　It'swell；　it　sort　of　makes　them　feel　frightened　about　themselves。〃

〃You're　worried　about　her　yourself；　aren't　you；　Tim？〃

〃Yes。　Yes；　I　am　rather。〃

〃Isn't　there　anyone　of　her　family　who　could　e　out　here　to　be　with　her？〃

〃No。　That'd　make　things　far　worse。〃

〃What　is　the　troublewith　her　family；　I　mean？〃

〃Oh；　just　one　of　those　things。　I　suppose　she's　just　highly　strung　andshe　didn't　get　on　with　themparticularly　her　mother。　She　never　has。　They'rethey're　rather　an　odd　family　in　some　ways　and　she　cut　loose　from　them。　Good　thing　she　did；　I　think。〃

Evelyn　said　hesitantly：　〃She　seems　to　have　had　blackouts；　from　what　she　told　me；　and　to　be　frightened　of　people。　Almost　like　persecution　mania。〃

〃Don't　say　that；〃　said　Tim　angrily。　〃Persecution　mania！　People　always　say　that　about　people。　Just　because　shewellmaybe　she's　a　bit　nervy。　ing　out　here　to　the　West　Indies。　All　the　dark　faces。　You　knoes；　about　the　West　Indies　and　coloured　people。〃

〃Surely　not　girls　like　Molly？〃

〃Oh；　how　does　one　know　the　things　people　are　frightened　of？　There　are　people　who　can't　be　in　the　room　with　cats。　And　other　people　who　faint　if　a　caterpillar　drops　on　them。〃

〃I　hate　suggesting　itbut　don't　you　think　perhaps　she　ought　to　see　awell；　a　psychiatrist？〃

〃No！〃　said　Tim　explosively。　〃I　won't　have　people　like　that　monkeying　about　with　her。　I　don't　believe　in　them。　They　make　people　worse。　If　her　mother　had　left　psychiatrists　alone。。。〃

〃So　there　was　trouble　of　that　kind　in　her　family；　was　there？　I　mean　a　history　of〃　she　chose　the　word　carefully　〃instability。〃

〃I　don't　want　to　talk　about　it。　I　took　her　away　from　it　all　and　she　was　all　right；　quite　all　right。　She　has　just　got　into　a　nervous　state。。。　But　these　things　aren't　hereditary。　Everybody　knows　that　nowadays。　It's　an　exploded　idea。　Molly's　perfectly　sane。　It's　just　thatoh！　I　believe　it　was　that　wretched　old　Palgrave　dying　that　started　it　all　off。〃

〃I　see；〃　said　Evelyn　thoughtfully。　〃But　there　was　nothing　really　to　worry　anyone　in　Major　Palgrave's　death；　was　there？〃

〃No　of　course　there　wasn't。　But　it's　a　kind　of　shock　when　somebody　dies　suddenly。〃

He　looked　so　desperate　and　defeated　that　Evelyn's　heart　smote　her。　She　put　her　hand　on　his　arm。

〃Well；　I　hope　you　know　what　you're　doing；　Tim；　but　if　I　could　help　in　any　wayI　mean　if　I　could　go　with　Molly　to　New　YorkI　could　fly　with　her　there　or　Miami　or　somewhere　where　she　could　get　really　firstclass　medical　advice。〃

〃It's　very　good　of　you；　Evelyn；　but　Molly's　all　right。　She's　getting　over　it；　anyway。〃

Evelyn　shook　her　head　in　doubt。　She　turned　away　slowly　and　looked　along　the　line　of　the　terrace。　Most　people　had　gone　by　now　to　their　bungalows。　Evelyn　was　walking　towards　her　table　to　see　if　she'd　left　anything　behind　there；　when　she　heard　Tim　give　an　exclamation。　She　looked　up　sharply。　He　was　staring　towards　the　steps　at　the　end　of　the　terrace　and　she　followed　his　gaze。　Then　she　too　caught　her　breath。

Molly　was　ing　up　the　steps　from　the　beach。　She　was　breathing　with　deep；　sobbing　breaths；　her　body　swayed　to　and　fro　as　she　came；　in　a　curious　directionless　run。　Tim　cried；　〃Molly！　What's　the　matter？〃

He　ran　towards　her　and　Evelyn　followed　him。　Molly　was　at　the　top　of　the　steps　now　and　she　stood　there；　both　hands　behind　her　back。　She　said　in　sobbing　breaths：　〃I　found　her。。。　She's　there　in　the　bushes。。。　There　in　the　bushes。。。　And　look　at　my　handslook　at　my　hands〃　She　held　them　out　and　Evelyn　caught　her　breath　as　she　saw　the　queer　dark　stains。

They　looked　dark　in　the　subdued　lighting　but　she　knew　well　enough　that　their　real　colour　was　red。

''What's　happened；　Molly？〃　cried　Tim。

〃Down　there；〃　said　Molly。　She　swayed　on　her　feet。　〃In　the　bushes。。。〃

Tim　hesitated；　looked　at　Evelyn；　then　shoved　Molly　a　little　towards　Evelyn　and　ran　down　the　steps。　Evelyn　put　her　arm　round　the　girl。

〃e。　Sit　down；　Molly。　Here。　You'd　better　have　something　to　drink。〃

Molly　collapsed　in　a　chair　and　leaned　forward　on　the　table；　her　forehead　on　her　crossed　arms。　Evelyn　did　not　question　her　any　more。　She　thought　it　better　to　leave　her　time　to　recover。

〃It'll　be　all　right；　you　know；〃　said　Evelyn　gently。　〃It'll　be　all　right。〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Molly。　〃I　don't　know　what　happened。　I　don't　know　anything。　I　can't　remember。　I〃　She　raised　her　head　suddenly。　〃What's　the　matter　with　me？　What's　the　matter　with　me？〃

〃It's　all　right；　child。　It's　all　right。〃

Tim　was　ing　slowly　up　the　steps。　His　face　was　ghastly。　Evelyn　looked　up　at　him；　raising　her　eyebrows　in　a　query。

〃It's　one　of　our　girls；〃　he　said。　〃What'shernameVictoria。　Somebody's　put　a　knife　in　her。〃



Chapter　14

INQUIRY



Molly　lay　on　her　bed。　Dr。　Graham　and　Dr。　Robertson；　the　West　Indian　police　doctor　stood　on　one　side；　Tim　on　the　other。　Robertson　had　his　hand　on　Molly's　pulse。　He　nodded　to　the　man　at　the　foot　of　the　bed；　a　slender　dark　man　in　police　uniform。　Inspector　Weston　of　the　St。　Honorй　Police　Force。

〃A　bare　statementno　more。〃　the　doctor　said。

The　other　nodded。

''Now；　Mrs。　Kendaljust　tell　us　how　you　came　to　find　this　girl。〃

For　a　moment　or　two　it　was　as　though　the　figure　on　the　bed　had　not　heard。　Then　she　spoke　in　a　faint