加勒比海之谜(英文版)- 第8部分

〃I　like　to　tell　you　something；　please；　Mrs。　Kendal。〃

〃Yes；　what　is　it。　Is　anything　wrong？〃

〃I　don't　know　that。　Not　for　sure。　It's　the　old　gentleman　who　died。　The　Major　gentleman。　He　die　in　his　sleep。〃

〃Yes；　yes。　What　about　it？〃

〃There　was　a　bottle　of　pills　in　his　room。　Doctor；　he　asked　me　about　them。〃

〃Yes？〃

〃The　doctor　said：　'Let　me　see　what　he　has　here　on　the　bathroom　shelf；'　and　he　looked；　you　see。　He　see　there　was　tooth　powder　and　indigestion　pills　and　aspirin　and　cascara　pills；　and　then　these　pills　in　a　bottle　called　Serenite。〃

〃Yes；〃　repeated　Molly　yet　again。

〃And　the　doctor　looked　at　them。　He　seemed　quite　satisfied；　and　nodded　his　head。　But　I　get　to　thinking　afterwards。　Those　pills　weren't　there　before。　I've　not　seen　them　in　his　bathroom　before。　The　others；　yes。　The　tooth　powder　and　the　aspirin　and　the　aftershave　lotion　and　all　the　rest。　But　those　pills；　those　Serenite　pills；　I　never　noticed　them　before。〃

〃So　you　think〃　Molly　looked　puzzled。

〃I　don't　know　what　to　think；〃　said　Victoria。　〃I　just　think　it's　not　right；　so　I　think　I　better　tell　you　about　it。　Perhaps　you　tell　doctor？　Perhaps　it　means　something。　Perhaps　someone　put　those　pills　there　so　he　take　them　and　he　died。〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　think　that's　likely　at　all；〃　said　Molly。

Victoria　shook　her　dark　head。　〃You　never　know。　People　do　bad　things。〃

Molly　glanced　out　of　the　window。　The　place　looked　like　an　earthly　paradise。　With　its　sunshine；　its　sea；　its　coral　reef；　its　music；　its　dancing；　it　seemed　a　Garden　of　Eden。　But　even　in　the　Garden　of　Eden；　there　had　been　a　shadowthe　shadow　of　the　Serpent。　Bad　thingshow　hateful　to　hear　those　words。　〃I'll　make　inquiries；　Victoria；〃　she　said　sharply。　〃Don't　worry。　And　above　all　don't　go　starting　a　lot　of　silly　rumours。〃

Tim　Kendal　came　in；　just　as　Victoria　was；　somewhat　unwillingly；　leaving。　〃Anything　wrong；　Molly？〃

She　hesitatedbut　Victoria　might　go　to　him。　She　told　him　what　the　girl　had　said。

〃I　don't　see　what　all　this　rigmarolewhat　were　these　pills　anyway？〃

〃Well；　I　don't　really　know；　Tim。　Dr。　Robertson　when　he　came　said　they　were　something　to　do　with　blood　pressure；　I　think。〃

〃Well；　that　would　be　all　right；　wouldn't　it？　I　mean；　he　had　high　blood　pressure；　and　he　would　be　taking　things　for　it；　wouldn't　he？　People　do。　I've　seen　them；　lots　of　times。〃

〃Yes；〃　Molly　hesitated；　〃but　Victoria　seemed　to　think　that　he　might　have　taken　one　of　these　pills　and　it　would　have　killed　him。〃

〃Oh　darling；　that　is　a　bit　too　melodramatic！　You　mean　that　somebody　might　have　changed　his　blood　pressure　pills　for　something　else；　and　that　they　poisoned　him？〃

〃It　does　sound　absurd；〃　said　Molly　apologetically；　〃when　you　say　it　like　that。　But　that　seemed　to　be　what　Victoria　thought！〃

〃Silly　girl！　We　could　go　and　ask　Dr。　Graham　about　it；　I　suppose　he'd　know。　But　really　it's　such　nonsense　that　it's　not　worth　bothering　him。〃

〃That's　what　I　think。〃

〃What　on　earth　made　the　girl　think　anybody　would　have　changed　the　pills。　You　mean；　put　different　pills　into　the　same　bottle？〃

〃I　didn't　quite　gather；〃　said　Molly；　looking　rather　helpless。　〃Victoria　seemed　to　think　that　was　the　first　time　that　Serenite　bottle　had　been　there。〃

〃Oh　but　that's　nonsense；〃　said　Tim　Kendal。　〃He　had　to　take　those　pills　all　the　time　to　keep　his　blood　pressure　down。〃　And　he　went　off　cheerfully　to　consult　with　Fernando　the　maitre　d'hotel。　But　Molly　could　not　dismiss　the　matter　so　lightly。　After　the　stress　of　lunch　was　over　she　said　to　her　husband：　〃TimI've　been　thinking。　If　Victoria　is　going　around　talking　about　this　perhaps　we　ought　just　to　ask　someone　about　it？〃

〃My　dear　girl！　Robertson　and　all　the　rest　of　them　came　and　looked　at　everything　and　asked　all　the　questions　they　wanted　at　the　time。〃

〃Yes；　but　you　know　how　they　work　themselves　up；　these　girls〃

〃Oh；　all　right！　I'll　tell　you　whatwe'll　go　and　ask　Grahamhe'll　know。〃

Dr。　Graham　was　sitting　on　his　loggia　with　a　book。　The　young　couple　came　in　and　Molly　plunged　into　her　recital。　It　was　a　little　incoherent　and　Tim　took　over。　〃Sounds　rather　idiotic；〃　he　said　apologetically；　〃but　as　far　as　I　can　make　out；　this　girl　has　got　it　into　her　head　that　someone　put　some　poison　tablets　in　thewhat's　the　name　of　the　stuffSerasomething　bottle。〃

〃But　why　should　she　get　this　idea　into　her　head？〃　asked　Dr。　Graham。　〃Did　she　see　anything　or　hear　anything　or　I　mean；　why　should　she　think　so？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Tim　rather　helplessly。

'〃Was　it　a　different　bottle？　Was　that　it；　Molly？〃

〃No；〃　said　Molly。　〃I　think　what　she　said　was　that　there　was　a　bottle　there　labelledSevenSeren〃

〃Serenite；〃　said　the　doctor。　〃That's　quite　right。　A　wellknown　preparation。　He'd　been　taking　it　regularly。〃

〃Victoria　said　she'd　never　seen　it　in　his　room　before。〃

〃Never　seen　it　in　his　room　before？〃　said　Graham　sharply。　〃What　does　she　mean　by　that？〃

〃Well；　that's　what　she　said。　She　said　there　were　all　sorts　of　things　on　the　bathroom　shelf。　You　know；　tooth　powder；　aspirin　and　aftershave　andohshe　rattled　them　off　gaily。　I　suppose　she's　always　cleaning　them　and　so　she　knows　them　all　off　by　heart。　But　this　ohe　Sereniteshe　hadn't　seen　it　here　until　the　day　after　he　died。〃

〃That's　very　odd；〃　said　Dr。　Graham；　rather　sharply。　〃Is　she　sure？〃

The　unusual　sharpness　of　his　tone　made　both　of　the　Kendals　look　at　him。　They　had　not　expected　Dr。　Graham　to　take　up　quite　this　attitude。

〃She　sounded　sure；〃　said　Molly　slowly。　〃Perhaps　she　just　wanted　to　be　sensational；〃　suggested　Tim。

〃I　think　perhaps；〃　said　Dr。　Graham；　〃I'd　better　have　a　few　words　with　the　girl　myself。〃

Victoria　displayed　a　distinct　pleasure　at　being　allowed　to　tell　her　story。

〃I　don't　want　to　get　in　no　trouble；〃　she　said。　〃I　didn't　put　that　bottle　there　and　I　don't　know　who　did。〃

〃But　you　think　it　was　put　there？〃　asked　Graham。

〃Well；　you　see。　Doctor；　it　must　have　been　put　there　if　it　wasn't　there　before。〃

〃Major　Palgrave　could　have　kept　it　in　a　draweror　a　dispatchcase；　something　like　that。〃

Victoria　shook　her　head　shrewdly。　〃Wouldn't　do　that　if　he　was　taking　it　all　the　time；　would　he？〃

〃No；〃　said　Graham　reluctantly。　〃No；　it　was　stuff　he　would　have　to　take　several　times　a　day。　You　never　saw　him　taking　it　or　anything　of　that　kind？〃

〃He　didn't　have　it　there　before。　I　just　thoughtword　got　round　as　that　stuff　had　something　to　do　with　his　death；　poisoned　his　blood　or　something；　and　I　thought　maybe　he　had　an　enemy　who　put　it　there　so　as　to　kill　him。〃

〃Nonsense；　my　girl；〃　said　the　doctor　robustly。　〃Sheer　nonsense。〃

Victoria　looked　shaken。

〃You　say　as　this　stuff　was　medicine；　good　medicine？〃　she　asked　doubtfully。

〃Good　medicine；　and　what　is　more；　necessary　medicine；〃　said　Dr。　Graham。　〃So　you　needn't　worry；　Victoria。　I　can　assure　you　there　was　nothing　wrong　with　that　medicine。　It　was　the　proper　thing　for　a　man　to　take　who　had　his　plaint。〃

〃Surely　you've　taken　a　load　off　my　mind；〃　said　Victoria。　She　showed　white　teeth　at　him　in　a　cheerful　smile。　But　the　load　was　not　taken　off　Dr。　Graham's　mind。　That　uneasiness　of　his　that　had　been　so　nebulous　was　now　being　tangible。



Chapter　8

A　TALK　WITH　ESTHER　WALTERS



〃This　place　isn't　what　it　used　to　be；〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel；　irritably；　as　he　observed　Miss　Marple　approaching　the　spot　where　he　and　his　secretary　were　sitting。　〃Can't　move　a　step　without　some　old　hen　getting　under　your　feet。　What　do　old　ladies　want　to　e　to　the　West　Indies　for？〃

〃Where　do　you　suggest　they　should　go？〃　asked　Esther　Walters。

〃To　Cheltenham；〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel　promptly。　〃Or　Bournemouth；〃　he　offered；　〃or　Torquay　or　Llandrindod　Wells。　Plenty　of　choice。　They　like　it　therethey're　quite　happy。〃

〃They　can't　often　afford　to　e　to　the　West　Indies；　I　suppose；〃　said　Esther。　〃It　isn't　everyone　who　is　as　lucky　as　you　are。〃

〃That's　right；〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel。　〃Rub　it　in。　Here　am　I；　a　mass　of　aches　and　pains　and　disjoints。　You　grudge　me　any　alleviation！　And　you　don't　do　any　work。　Why　haven't　you　typed　out　those　letters　yet？〃

〃I　haven't　had　time。〃

〃Well；　get　on　with　it；　can't　you？　I　bring　you　out　here　to　do　a　bit　of　work；　not　to　sit　about　sunning　yourself　and　showing　off　your　figure。〃

Some　people　would　have　considered　Mr。　Rafiel's　remarks　quite　insupportable　but　Esther　Walters　had　worked　for　him　for　some　years　and　she　knew　well　enough　that　Mr。　Rafiel's　bark　was　a　great　deal　worse　than　his　bite。　He　was　a　man　who　suffered　almost　continual　pain；　and　making　disagreeable　remarks　was　one　of　his　ways　of　letting　off　steam。　No　matter　what　he　said　she　remained　quite　imperturbable。

〃Such　a　lovely　evening；　isn't　it？〃　said　Miss　Marple；　pausing　beside　them。

〃Why　not？〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel。　〃That's　what　we're　here　for；　isn't　it？〃

Miss　Marple　gave　a　tinkly　little　laugh。　〃You're　so　severeof　course　the　weather　is　a　very　English　subject　of　conversationone　fets　Oh　dear；　this　is　the　wrong　coloured　wool。〃　She　deposited　her　knitting　bag　on　the　garden　table　and　trotted　towards　her　own　bungalow。

〃Jackson！〃　yelled　Mr。　Rafiel。　Jackson　appeared。

〃Take　me　back　inside；〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel。　〃I'll　have　my　massage　now　before　that　chattering　hen　es　back。　Not　that　massage　does　me　a　bit　of　good；〃　he　added。　Having　said　which；　he　allowed　himself　to　be　deftly　helped　to　his　feet　and　went　off　with　the　masseur　beside　him　into　his　bungalow。

Esther　Walters　looked　after　them　and　then　turned　her　head　as　Miss　Marple　came　back　with　a　ball　of　wool　to　sit　down　near　her。

〃I　hope　I'm　not　disturbing　you？〃　said　Miss　Marple。

〃Of　course　not；〃　said　Esther　Walters；　〃I've　got　to　go　off　and　do　some　typing　in　a　minute；　but　I'm　going　to　enjoy　another　ten　minutes　of　the　sunset　first。〃

Miss　Marple　sat　down　and　in　a　gentle　voice　began　to　talk。　As　she　talked；　she　summed　up　Esther　Walters。　Not　at　all　glamorous；　but　could　be　attractivelooking　if　she　tried。　Miss　Marple　wondered　why　she　didn't　try。　It　could　be；　of　course；　because　Mr。　Rafiel　would　not　have　liked　it；　but　Miss　Marple　didn't　think　Mr。　Rafiel　would　really　mind　in　the　least。　He　was　so　pletely　taken　up　with　himself　that　so　long　as　he　was　not　personally　neglected；　his　secretary　might　have　got　herself　up　like　a　houri　in　Paradise　without　his　objecting。　Besides；　he　usually　went　to　bed　early　and　in　the　evening　hours　of　steel　bands　and　dancing；　Esther　Walters　might　easily　have　Miss