the red house mystery-第13节

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〃Oh；　quite。　Not　that　you　would　have　convinced　me；　you　know。　Just　
as　Elsie's　evidence　doesn't　convince　me。〃　

〃Elsie？〃　said　Bill　excitedly。　Antony　looked　inquiringly　at　him；　
wondering　who　Elsie　was。　

〃One　of　the　housemaids；〃　explained　Cayley。　〃You　didn't　hear　what　
she　told　the　inspector？　Of　course；　as　I　told　Birch；　girls　of　that　class　make　
things　up；　but　he　seemed　to　think　she　was　genuine。〃　

〃What　was　it？〃　said　Bill。　

Cayley　told　them　of　what　Elsie　had　heard　through　the　office　door　that　
afternoon。　

〃You　were　in　the　library　then；　of　course；〃　said　Antony；　rather　to　
himself　than　to　the　other。　〃She　might　have　gone　through　the　hall　without　
your　hearing。〃　

〃Oh；　I've　no　doubt　she　was　there；　and　heard　voices。　Perhaps　heard　
those　very　words。　But　…〃　He　broke　off；　and　then　added　impatiently；　〃It　
was　accidental。　I　know　it　was　accidental。　What's　the　good　of　talking　as　

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if　Mark　was　a　murderer？〃　Dinner　was　announced　at　that　moment；　and　as　
they　went　in；　he　added；　〃What's　the　good　of　talking　about　it　at　all；　if　it　
comes　to　that？〃　

〃What；　indeed？〃　said　Antony；　and　to　Bill's　great　disappointment　they　
talked　of　books　and　politics　during　the　meal。　

Cayley　made　an　excuse　for　leaving　them　as　soon　as　their　cigars　were　
alight。　He　had　business　to　attend　to；　as　was　natural。　Bill　would　look　
after　his　friend。　Bill　was　only　too　willing。　He　offered　to　beat　Antony　at　
billiards；　to　play　him　at　piquet；　to　show　him　the　garden　by　moonlight；　or　
indeed　to　do　anything　else　with　him　that　he　required。　

〃Thank　the　Lord　you're　here；〃　he　said　piously。　〃I　couldn't　have　stood　
it　alone。〃　

〃Let's　go　outside；〃　suggested　Antony。　〃It's　quite　warm。　Somewhere　
where　we　can　sit　down；　right　away　from　the　house。　I　want　to　talk　to　
you。〃　

〃Good　man。　What　about　the　bowling…green？〃　

〃Oh；　you　were　going　to　show　me　that；　anyhow；　weren't　you？　Is　it　
somewhere　where　we　can　talk　without　being　overheard？〃　

〃Rather。　The　ideal　place。　You'll　see。〃　

They　came　out　of　the　front　door　and　followed　the　drive　to　the　left。　
Coming　from　Waldheim；　Antony　had　approached　the　house　that　afternoon　
from　the　other　side。　The　way　they　were　going　now　would　take　them　out　
at　the　opposite　end　of　the　park；　on　the　high　road　to　Stanton；　a　country　town　
some　three　miles　away。　They　passed　by　a　gate　and　a　gardener's　lodge；　
which　marked　the　limit　of　what　auctioneers　like　to　call　〃the　ornamental　
grounds　of　the　estate；〃　and　then　the　open　park　was　before　them。　

〃Sure　we　haven't　missed　it？〃　said　Antony。　The　park　lay　quietly　in　the　
moonlight　on　either　side　of　the　drive；　wearing　a　little　way　ahead　of　them　a　
deceptive　air　of　smoothness　which　retreated　always　as　they　advanced。　

〃Rum；　isn't　it？〃　said　Bill。　〃An　absurd　place　for　a　bowling　green；　bu　
I　suppose　it　was　always　here。〃　

〃Yes；　but　always　where？　It's　short　enough　for　golf；　perhaps；　but　…
Hallo！〃　

They　had　come　to　the　place。　The　road　bent　round　to　the　right；　but　

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they　kept　straight　on　over　a　broad　grass　path　for　twenty　yards；　and　there　in　
front　of　them　was　the　green。　A　dry　ditch；　ten　feet　wide　and　six　feet　deep；　
surrounded　it；　except　in　the　one　place　where　the　path　went　forward。　Two　
or　three　grass　steps　led　down　to　the　green；　on　which　there　was　a　long　
wooden　beach　for　the　benefit　of　spectators。　

〃Yes；　it　hides　itself　very　nicely；〃　said　Antony。　〃Where　do　you　keep　
the　bowls？〃　

〃In　a　sort　of　summer　house　place。　Round　here。〃　

They　walked　along　the　edge　of　the　green　until　they　came　to　it　a　low　
wooden　bunk　which　had　been　built　into　one　wall　of　the　ditch。　

〃H'm。　Jolly　view。〃　

Bill　laughed。　

〃Nobody　sits　there。　It's　just　for　keeping　things　out　of　the　rain。〃　

They　finished　their　circuit　of　the　green　〃Just　in　case　anybody's　in　the　
ditch；〃　said　Antony　and　then　sat　down　on　the　bench。　

〃Now　then；〃　said　Bill；　〃We　are　alone。　Fire　ahead。〃　

Antony　smoked　thoughtfully　for　a　little。　Then　he　took　his　pipe　out　of　
his　mouth　and　turned　to　his　friend。　

〃Are　you　prepared　to　be　the　complete　Watson？〃　he　asked。　

〃Watson？〃　

〃Do…you…follow…me…Watson；　that　one。　Are　you　prepared　to　have　
quite　obvious　things　explained　to　you；　to　ask　futile　questions；　to　give　me　
chances　of　scoring　off　you；　to　make　brilliant　discoveries　of　your　own　two　
or　three　days　after　I　have　made　them　myself　all　that　kind　of　thing？　
Because　it　all　helps。〃　

〃My　dear　Tony；〃　said　Bill　delightedly；　〃need　you　ask？〃　Antony　said　
nothing；　and　Bill　went　on　happily　to　himself；　〃I　perceive　from　the　
strawberry…mark　on　your　shirt…front　that　you　had　strawberries　for　dessert。　
Holmes；　you　astonish　me。　Tut；　tut；　you　know　my　methods。　Where　is　the　
tobacco？　The　tobacco　is　in　the　Persian　slipper。　Can　I　leave　my　practice　
for　a　week？　I　can。〃　

Antony　smiled　and　went　on　smoking。　After　waiting　hopefully　for　a　
minute　or　two；　Bill　said　in　a　firm　voice：　

〃Well　then；　Holmes；　I　feel　bound　to　ask　you　if　you　have　deduced　

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anything。　Also　whom　do　you　suspect？〃　

Antony　began　to　talk。　

〃Do　you　remember；〃　he　said；　〃one　of　Holmes's　little　scores　over　
Watson　about　the　number　of　steps　up　to　the　Baker　Street　lodging？　Poor　old　
Watson　had　been　up　and　down　them　a　thousand　times；　but　he　had　never　
thought　of　counting　them；　whereas　Holmes　had　counted　them　as　a　matter　
of　course；　and　knew　that　there　were　seventeen。　And　that　was　supposed　to　
be　the　difference　between　observation　and　non…observation。　Watson　was　
crushed　again；　and　Holmes　appeared　to　him　more　amazing　than　ever。　
Now；　it　always　seemed　to　me　that　in　that　matter　Holmes　was　the　ass；　and　
Watson　the　sensible　person。　What　on　earth　is　the　point　of　keeping　in　your　
head　an　unnecessary　fact　like　that？　If　you　really　want　to　know　at　any　
time　the　number　of　steps　to　your　lodging；　you　can　ring　up　your　landlady　
and　ask　her。　I've　been　up　and　down　the　steps　of　the　club　a　thousand　times；　
but　if　you　asked　me　to　tell　you　at　this　moment　how　many　steps　there　are　I　
couldn't　do　it。　Could　you？〃　

〃I　certainly　couldn't；〃　said　Bill。　

〃But　if　you　really　wanted　to　know；〃　said　Antony　casually；　with　a　
sudden　change　of　voice；　〃I　could　find　out　for　you　without　even　bothering　
to　ring　up　the　hall…porter。〃　

Bill　was　puzzled　as　to　why　they　were　talking　about　the　club　steps；　but　
he　felt　it　his　duty　to　say　that　he　did　want　to　know　how　many　they　were。　

〃Right；〃　said　Antony。　〃I'll　find　out。〃　

He　closed　his　eyes。　

〃I'm　walking　up　St　James'　Street；〃　he　said　slowly。　〃Now　I've　come　to　
the　club　and　I'm　going　past　the　smoking…room　windows…one…two　three　
four。　Now　I'm　at　the　steps。　I　turn　in　and　begin　going　up　them。　One　
two　three…four…five　six；　then　a　broad　step；　six　seven　eight　nine；　another　
broad　step；　nine　ten　eleven。　Eleven　I'm　inside。　Good　morning；　Rogers。　
Fine　day　again。〃　With　a　little　start　he　opened　his　eyes　and　came　back　
again　to　his　present　surroundings。　He　turned　to　Bill　with　a　smile。　
〃Eleven；〃　he　said。　Count　them　the　next　time　you're　there。　Eleven　and　
now　I　hope　I　shall　forget　it　again。〃　

Bill　was　distinctly　interested。　

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〃That's　rather　hot；〃　he　said。　〃Expound。〃　

〃Well；　I　can't　explain　it；　whether　it's　something　in　the　actual　eye；　or　
something　in　the　brain；　or　what；　but　I　have　got　rather　an　uncanny　habit　of　
recording　things　unconsciously。　You　know　that　game　where　you　look　at　
a　tray　full　of　small　objects　for　three　minutes；　and　then　turn　away　and　try　to　
make　a　list　of　them。　It　means　a　devil　of　a　lot　of　concentration　for　the　
ordinary　person；　if　he　wants　to　get　his　list　complete；　but　in　some　odd　way　I　
manage　to　do　it　without　concentration　at　all。　I　mean　that　my　eyes　seem　
to　do　it　without　the　brain　consciously　taking　any　part。　I　could　look　at　the　
tray；　for　instance；　and　talk　to　you　about　golf　at　the　same　time；　and　still　get　
my　list　right。〃　

〃I　should　think　that's　rather　a　useful　gift　for　an　amateur　detective。　You　
ought　to　have　gone　into　the　profession　before。〃　

〃Well；　it　is　rather　useful。　It's　rather　surprising；　you　know；　to　a　
stranger。　Let's　surprise　Cayley　with　it；　shall　we？〃　

〃How？〃　

〃Well；　let's　ask　him　…〃　Antony　stopped　and　looked　at　Bill　comically　
〃let's　ask　him　what　he's　going　to　do　with　the　key　of　the　office。〃　

For　a　moment　Bill　did　not　understand。　

〃Key　of　the　office？〃　he　said　vaguely。　〃You　don't　mean　…　Tony！　
What　do　you　mean？　Good　God！　do　you　mean　that　Cayley　…　But　what　
about　Mark？〃　

〃I　don't　know　where　Mark　is　…　that's　another　thing　I　want　to　know　
but　I'm　quite　certain　that　he　hasn't　got　the　key　of　the　office　with　him。　
Because　Cayley's　got　it。〃　

〃Are　you　sure？〃　

〃Quite。〃　

Bill　looked　at　him　wonderingly。　

〃I　say；〃　he　said；　almost　pleadingly；　〃don't　tell　me　that　you　can　see　into　
people's　pockets　and　all　that　sort　of　thing　as　well。〃　

Antony　laughed　and　denied　it　cheerfully。　

〃Then　how　do　you　know？〃　

〃You're　the　perfect　Watson；　Bill。　You　take　to　it　quite　naturally。　
Properly　speaking；　I　oughtn't　to　explain　till　the　last　chapter；　but　I　always　

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think　that　that's　so　unfair。　So　here　goes。　Of　course；　I　don't　really　know　
that　he's　got　it；　but　I　do　k