the red house mystery-第11节

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〃But　he　had　just　told　you　to　stand　by　in　case　he　wanted　you；　so　why　
should　he　lock　you　out？　Besides；　I　should　think　that　if　a　man　were　going　
to　have　an　unpleasant　interview　with　a　threatening　relation；　the　last　thing　
he　would　do　would　be　to　barricade　himself　in　with　him。　He　would　want　to　
open　all　the　doors　and　say；　'Get　out　of　it'〃　

Cayley　was　silent；　but　his　mouth　looked　obstinate。　Antony　gave　a　
little　apologetic　laugh　and　stood　up。　

〃Well；　come　on；　Bill；〃　he　said；　〃we　ought　to　be　stepping。〃　He　held　
out　a　hand　and　pulled　his　friend　up。　Then；　turning　to　Cayley；　he　went　on；　
〃You　must　forgive　me　if　I　have　let　my　thoughts　run　on　rather。　Of　course；　
I　was　considering　the　matter　purely　as　an　outsider；　just　as　a　problem；　I　
mean；　which　didn't　concern　the　happiness　of　any　of　my　friends。〃　

〃That's　all　right；　Mr。　Gillingham；〃　said　Cayley；　standing　up　too。　〃It　is　
for　you　to　make　allowances　for　me。　I'm　sure　you　will。　You　say　that　
you're　going　up　to　the　inn　now　about　your　bag？〃　

〃Yes。〃　He　looked　up　at　the　sun　and　then　round　the　parkland　
stretching　about　the　house。　〃Let　me　see；　it's　over　in　that　direction；　isn't　
it？〃　He　pointed　southwards。　〃Can　we　get　to　the　village　that　way；　or　
must　we　go　by　the　road？〃　

〃I'll　show　you；　my　boy；〃　said　Bill。　

〃Bill　will　show　you。　The　park　reaches　almost　as　far　as　the　village。　
Then　I'll　send　the　car　round　in　about　half　an　hour。〃　

〃Thanks　very　much。〃　

Cayley　nodded　and　turned　to　go　into　the　house。　Antony　took　hold　of　
Bill's　arm　and　walked　off　with　him　in　the　opposite　direction。　

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The　Red　House　Mystery　

CHAPTER　VII　

Portrait　of　a　Gentleman　

They　walked　in　silence　for　a　little；　until　they　had　left　the　house　and　
gardens　well　behind　them。　In　front　of　them　and　to　the　right　the　park　
dipped　and　then　rose　slowly；　shutting　out　the　rest　of　the　world。　A　thick　
belt　of　trees　on　the　left　divided　them　from　the　main　road。　

〃Ever　been　here　before？〃　said　Antony　suddenly。　

〃Oh；　rather。　Dozens　of　times。〃　

〃I　meant　just　here　where　we　are　now。　Or　do　you　stay　indoors　and　
play　billiards　all　the　time？〃　

〃Oh　lord；　no！〃　

〃Well；　tennis　and　things。　So　many　people　with　beautiful　parks　never　
by　any　chance　use　them；　and　all　the　poor　devils　passing　by　on　the　dusty　
road　think　how　lucky　the　owners　are　to　have　them；　and　imagine　them　
doing　all　sorts　of　jolly　things　inside。〃　He　pointed　to　the　right。　〃Ever　
been　over　there？〃　

Bill　laughed；　as　if　a　little　ashamed。　

〃Well；　not　very　much。　I've　often　been　along　here；　of　course；　because　
it's　the　short　way　to　the　village。〃　

〃Yes。。。。　All　right；　now　tell　me　something　about　Mark。〃　

〃What　sort　of　things？〃　

〃Well；　never　mind　about　his　being　your　host；　or　about　your　being　a　
perfect　gentleman；　or　anything　like　that。　Cut　out　the　Manners　for　Men；　
and　tell　me　what　you　think　of　Mark；　and　how　you　like　staying　with　him；　
and　how　many　rows　your　little　house…party　has　had　this　week；　and　how　
you　get　on　with　Cayley；　and　all　the　rest　of　it。〃　

Bill　looked　at　him　eagerly。　

〃I　say；　are　you　being　the　complete　detective？〃　

〃Well；　I　wanted　a　new　profession；〃　smiled　the　other。　

〃What　fun！　I　mean；〃　he　corrected　himself　apologetically；　〃one　
oughtn't　to　say　that；　when　there's　a　man　dead　in　the　house；　and　one's　host　〃　
He　broke　off　a　little　uncertainly；　and　then　rounded　off　his　period　by　saying　
again；　〃By　Jove；　what　a　rum　show　it　is。　Good　Lord！〃　

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〃Well？〃　said　Antony。　〃Carry　on；　Mark〃　

〃What　do　I　think　of　him？〃　

〃Yes。〃　

Bill　was　silent；　wondering　how　to　put　into　words　thoughts　which　had　
never　formed　themselves　very　definitely　in　his　own　mind。　What　did　he　
think　of　Mark？　Seeing　his　hesitation；　Antony　said：　

〃I　ought　to　have　warned　you　that　nothing　that　you　say　will　be　taken　
down　by　the　reporters；　so　you　needn't　bother　about　a　split　infinitive　or　two。　
Talk　about　anything　you　like；　how　you　like。　Well；　I'll　give　you　a　start。　
Which　do　you　enjoy　more　a　week…end　here　or　at　the　Barrington's；　say？〃　

〃Well；　of　course；　that　would　depend　…〃　

〃Take　it　that　she　was　there　in　both　cases。〃　

〃Ass；〃　said　Bill；　putting　an　elbow　into　Antony's　ribs。　〃It's　a　little　
difficult　to　say；〃　he　went　on。　〃Of　course　they　do　you　awfully　well　here。〃　

〃Yes。　I　don't　think　I　know　any　house　where　things　are　so　comfortable。　
One's　room　…the　food　…　drinks　…　cigars　…the　way　everything's　arranged：　
All　that　sort　of　thing。　They　look　after　you　awfully　well。〃　

〃Yes？〃　

〃Yes。〃　He　repeated　it　slowly　to　himself；　as　if　it　had　given　him　a　new　
idea：　〃They　look　after　you　awfully　well。　Well；　that's　just　what　it　is　about　
Mark。　That's　one　of　his　little　ways。　Weaknesses。　Looking　after　you。〃　

〃Arranging　things　for　you？〃　

〃Yes。　Of　course；　it's　a　delightful　house；　and　there's　plenty　to　do；　and　
opportunities　for　every　game　or　sport　that's　ever　been　invented；　and；　as　I　
say；　one　gets　awfully　well　done；　but　with　it　all；　Tony；　there's　a　faint　sort　of　
feeling　that　well；　that　one　is　on　parade；　as　it　were。　You've　got　to　do　as　
you're　told。〃　

〃How　do　you　mean？〃　

〃Well；　Mark　fancies　himself　rather　at　arranging　things。　He　arranges　
things；　and　it's　understood　that　the　guests　fall　in　with　the　arrangement。　
For　instance；　Betty　…　Miss　Calladine　…　and　I　were　going　to　play　a　single　
just　before　tea；　the　other　day。　Tennis。　She's　frightfully　hot　stuff　at　tennis；　
and　backed　herself　to　take　me　on　level。　I'm　rather　erratic；　you　know。　
Mark　saw　us　going　out　with　our　rackets　and　asked　us　what　we　were　going　

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to　do。　Well；　he'd　got　up　a　little　tournament　for　us　after　tea　…　handicaps　all　
arranged　by　him；　and　everything　ruled　out　neatly　in　red　and　black　ink　
prizes　and　all　…　quite　decent　ones；　you　know。　He'd　had　the　lawn　specially　
cut　and　marked　for　it。　Well；　of　course　Betty　and　I　wouldn't　have　spoilt　
the　court；　and　we'd　have　been　quite　ready　to　play　again　after　tea　…　I　had　to　
give　her　half…fifteen　according　to　his　handicap　…but　somehow〃　Bill　
stopped　and　shrugged　his　shoulders。　

〃It　didn't　quite　fit　in？〃　

〃No。　It　spoilt　the　effect　of　his　tournament。　Took　the　edge　off　it　just　
a　little；　I　suppose　he　felt。　So　we　didn't　play。〃　He　laughed；　and　added；　
〃It　would　have　been　as　much　as　our　place　was　worth　to　have　played。〃　

〃Do　you　mean　you　wouldn't　have　been　asked　here　again？〃　

〃Probably。　Well；　I　don't　know。　Not　for　some　time；　anyway。〃　

〃Really；　Bill？〃　

〃Oh；　rather！　He's　a　devil　for　taking　offence。　That　Miss　Norris　did　
you　see　her？　she's　done　for　herself。　I　don't　mind　betting　what　you　like　
that　she　never　comes　here　again。〃　

〃Why？〃　

Bill　laughed　to　himself。　

〃We　were　all　in　it；　really　…　at　least；　Betty　and　I　were。　There's　
supposed　to　be　a　ghost　attached　to　the　house。　Lady　Anne　Patten。　Ever　
heard　of　her？〃　

〃Never。〃　

〃Mark　told　us　about　her　at　dinner　one　night。　He　rather　liked　the　idea　
of　there　being　a　ghost　in　his　house；　you　know；　except　that　he　doesn't　
believe　in　ghosts。　I　think　he　wanted　all　of　us　to　believe　in　her；　and　yet　he　
was　annoyed　with　Betty　and　Mrs。　Calladine　for　believing　in　ghosts　at　all。　
Rum　chap。　Well；　anyhow；　Miss　Norris　…　she's　an　actress；　some　actress　
too　…　dressed　up　as　the　ghost　and　played　the　fool　a　bit。　And　poor　Mark　
was　frightened　out　of　his　life。　Just　for　a　moment；　you　know。〃　

〃What　about　the　others？〃　

〃Well；　Betty　and　I　knew；　in　fact；　I'd　told　her　…　Miss　Norris　I　mean　…　not　
to　be　a　silly　ass。　Knowing　Mark。　Mrs。　Calladine　wasn't　there　…　Betty　
wouldn't　let　her　be。　As　for　the　Major；　I　don't　believe　anything　would　

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The　Red　House　Mystery　

frighten　him。〃　

〃Where　did　the　ghost　appear？〃　

〃Down　by　the　bowling…green。　That's　supposed　to　be　its　haunt；　you　
know。　We　were　all　down　there　in　the　moonlight；　pretending　to　wait　for　it。　
Do　you　know　the　bowling…green？〃　

〃No。〃　

〃I'll　show　it　to　you　after　dinner。〃　

〃I　wish　you　would。。。。　Was　Mark　very　angry　afterwards？〃　

〃Oh；　Lord；　yes。　Sulked　for　a　whole　day。　Well；　he's　just　like　that。〃　

〃Was　he　angry　with　all　of　you？〃　

〃Oh；　yes　sulky；　you　know。〃　

〃This　morning。？〃　

〃Oh；　no。　He　got　over　it　he　generally　does。　He's　just　like　a　child。　
That's　really　it；　Tony；　he's　like　a　child　in　some　ways。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　
he　was　unusually　bucked　with　himself　this　morning。　And　yesterday。〃　

〃Yesterday？〃　

〃Rather。　We　all　said　we'd　never　seen　him　in　such　form。〃　

〃Is　he　generally　in　form？〃　

〃He's　quite　good　company；　you　know；　if　you　take　him　the　right　way。　
He's　rather　vain　and　childish　well；　like　I've　been　telling　you　and　self…
important；　but　quite　amusing　in　his　way；　and　…〃　Bill　broke　off　suddenly。　
〃I　say；　you　know；　it　really　is　the　limit；　talking　about　your　host　like　this。〃　

〃Don't　think　of　him　as　your　host。　Think　of　him　as　a　suspected　
murderer　with　a　warrant　out　against　him。〃　

〃Oh！　but　that's　all　rot；　you　know。〃　

〃It's　the　fact；　Bill。〃　

〃Yes；　but　I　mean；　he　didn't　do　it。　He　wouldn't　murder　anybody。　It's　a　
funny　thing　to　say；　but　well；　he's　not　big　enough　for　it。　He's　got　his　faults；　
like　all　of　us；　but　they　aren't　on　that　scale。〃　

〃One　can　kill　anybody　in　a　childish　fit　of　temper。〃　

Bill　grunted　assent；　but　without　prejudice　to　Mark。　〃All　the　sa