the red house mystery-第14节

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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　know　that　he　had　it。　I　know　that　when　I　came　on　
him　this　afternoon；　he　had　just　locked　the　door　and　put　the　key　in　his　
pocket。〃　

〃You　mean　you　saw　him　at　the　time；　but　that　you've　only　just　
remembered　it　…　reconstructed　it　in　the　way　you　were　explaining　just　
now？〃　

〃No。　I　didn't　see　him。　But　I　did　see　something。　I　saw　the　key　of　
the　billiard…room。〃　

〃Where？　

〃Outside　the　billiard…room　door。〃　

〃Outside？　But　it　was　inside　when　we　looked　just　now。〃　

〃Exactly。〃　

〃Who　put　it　there？〃　

〃Obviously　Cayley。〃　

〃But　…〃　

〃Let's　go　back　to　this　afternoon。　I　don't　remember　noticing　the　
billiard…room　key　at　the　time；　I　must　have　done　so　without　knowing。　
Probably　when　I　saw　Cayley　banging　at　the　door　I　may　have　wondered　
subconsciously　whether　the　key　of　the　room　next　to　it　would　fit。　
Something　like　that；　I　daresay。　Well；　when　I　was　sitting　out　by　myself　on　
that　seat　just　before　you　came　along；　I　went　over　the　whole　scene　in　my　
mind；　and　I　suddenly　saw　the　billiard…room　key　there　outside。　And　I　
began　to　wonder　if　the　office…key　had　been　outside　too。　When　Cayley　
came　up；　I　told　you　my　idea　and　you　were　both　interested。　But　Cayley　
was　just　a　shade　too　interested。　I　daresay　you　didn't　notice　it；　but　he　was。　

〃By　Jove！〃　

〃Well；　of　course　that　proved　nothing；　and　the　key　business　didn't　really　
prove　anything；　because　whatever　side　of　the　door　the　other　keys　were；　
Mark　might　have　locked　his　own　private　room　from　the　inside　sometimes。　
But　I　piled　it　on；　and　pretended　that　it　was　enormously　important；　and　
quite　altered　the　case　altogether；　and　having　got　Cayley　thoroughly　
anxious　about　it；　I　told　him　that　we　should　be　well　out　of　the　way　for　the　
next　hour　or　so；　and　that　he　would　be　alone　in　the　house　to　do　what　he　

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liked　about　it。　And；　as　I　expected；　he　couldn't　resist　it。　He　altered　the　

keys　and　gave　himself　away　entirely。〃　

〃But　the　library　key　was　still　outside。　Why　didn't　he　alter　that？〃　

〃Because　he's　a　clever　devil。　For　one　thing；　the　inspector　had　been　in　
the　library；　and　might　possibly　have　noticed　it　already。　And　for　another　…〃　
Antony　hesitated。　

〃What？〃　said　Bill；　after　waiting　for　him　to　go　on。　

〃It's　only　guesswork。　But　I　fancy　that　Cayley　was　thoroughly　upset　
about　the　key　business。　He　suddenly　realized　that　he　had　been　careless；　
and　he　hadn't　got　time　to　think　it　all　over。　So　he　didn't　want　to　commit　
himself　definitely　to　the　statement　that　the　key　was　either　outside　or　inside。　
He　wanted　to　leave　it　vague。　It　was　safest　that　way。〃　

〃I　see；〃　said　Bill　slowly。　

But　his　mind　was　elsewhere。　He　was　wondering　suddenly　about　
Cayley。　Cayley　was　just　an　ordinary　man　…　like　himself。　Bill　had　had　
little　jokes　with　him　sometimes；　not　that　Cayley　was　much　of　a　hand　at　
joking。　Bill　had　helped　him　to　sausages；　played　tennis　with　him；　
borrowed　his　tobacco；　lent　him　a　putter。。。。　and　here　was　Antony　saying　that　
he　was　what？　Well；　not　an　ordinary　man；　anyway。　A　man　with　a　secret。　
Perhaps　a　murderer。　No；　not　a　murderer；　not　Cayley。　That　was　rot；　
anyway。　Why；　they　had　played　tennis　together。　

〃Now　then；　Watson；〃　said　Antony　suddenly。　〃It's　time　you　said　
something。〃　

〃I　say；　Tony；　do　you　really　mean　it？〃　

〃Mean　what？〃　

〃About　Cayley。〃　

〃I　mean　what　I　said；　Bill。　No　more。　

〃Well；　what　does　it　amount　to？〃　

〃Simply　that　Robert　Ablett　died　in　the　office　this　afternoon；　and　that　
Cayley　knows　exactly　how　he　died。　That's　all。　It　doesn't　follow　that　
Cayley　killed　him。〃　

〃No。　No；　of　course　it　doesn't。〃　Bill　gave　a　sigh　of　relief。　〃He's　just　
shielding　Mark；　what？〃　

〃I　wonder。〃　

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〃Well；　isn't　that　the　simplest　explanation？〃　

〃It's　the　simplest　if　you're　a　friend　of　Cayley　and　want　to　let　him　down　
lightly。　But　then　I'm　not；　you　see。　

〃Why　isn't　it　simple；　anyhow？〃　

〃Well；　let's　have　the　explanation　then；　and　I'll　undertake　to　give　you　a　
simpler　one　afterwards。　Go　on。　Only　remember　the　key　is　on　the　
outside　of　the　door　to　start　with。〃　

〃Yes；　well；　I　don't　mind　that。　Mark　goes　in　to　see　his　brother；　and　
they　quarrel　and　all　the　rest　of　it；　just　as　Cayley　was　saying。　Cayley　hears　
the　shot；　and　in　order　to　give　Mark　time　to　get　away；　locks　the　door；　puts　
the　key　in　his　pocket　and　pretends　that　Mark　has　locked　the　door；　and　that　
he　can't　get　in。　How's　that？〃　

〃Hopeless；　Watson；　hopeless。〃　

〃Why？〃　

〃How　does　Cayley　know　that　it　is　Mark　who　has　shot　Robert；　and　not　
the　other　way　round？〃　

〃Oh！〃　said　Bill；　rather　upset。　〃Yes。〃　He　thought　for　a　moment；　〃All　
right。　Say　that　Cayley　has　gone　into　the　room　first；　and　seen　Robert　on　
the　ground。〃　

〃Well？〃　

〃Well；　there　you　are。〃　

〃And　what　does　he　say　to　Mark？　That　it's　a　fine　afternoon；　and　could　
he　lend　him　a　pocket…handkerchief？　Or　does　he　ask　him　what's　
happened？〃　

〃Well；　of　course；　I　suppose　he　asks　what　happened；〃　said　Bill　
reluctantly。　

〃And　what　does　Mark　say？〃　

〃Explains　that　the　revolver　went　off　accidentally　during　a　struggle。〃　

〃Whereupon　Cayley　shields　him　by　doing　what；　Bill？　Encouraging　
him　to　do　the　damn　silliest　thing　that　any　man　could　possibly　do　confess　
his　guilt　by　running　away！〃　

〃No；　that's　rather　hopeless；　isn't　it？〃　Bill　thought　again。　〃Well；〃　he　
said　reluctantly；　〃suppose　Mark　confessed　that　he'd　murdered　his　brother？〃　

〃That's　better；　Bill。　Don't　be　afraid　of　getting　away　from　the　accident　

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idea。　Well　then；　your　new　theory　is　this。　Mark　confesses　to　Cayley　that　
he　shot　Robert　on　purpose；　and　Cayley　decides；　even　at　the　risk　of　
committing　perjury；　and　getting　into　trouble　himself；　to　help　Mark　to　
escape。　Is　that　right？〃　

Bill　nodded。　

〃Well　then；　I　want　to　ask　you　two　questions。　First；　is　it　possible；　as　I　
said　before　dinner；　that　any　man　would　commit　such　an　idiotic　murder　a　
murder　that　puts　the　rope　so　very　tightly　round　his　neck？　Secondly；　if　
Cayley　is　prepared　to　perjure　himself　for　Mark　（as　he　has　to；　anyway；　
now）；　wouldn't　it　be　simpler　for　him　to　say　that　he　was　in　the　office　all　the　
time；　and　that　Robert's　death　was　accidental？〃　

Bill　considered　this　carefully；　and　then　nodded　slowly　again。　

〃Yes；　my　simple　explanation　is　a　wash…out；〃　he　said。　〃Now　let's　have　
yours。〃　

Antony　did　not　answer　him。　He　had　begun　to　think　about　something　
quite　different。　

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CHAPTER　IX　

Possibilities　of　a　Croquet　Set　

〃What's　the　matter？〃　said　Bill　sharply。'　

Antony　looked　round　at　him　with　raised　eyebrows。　

〃You've　thought　of　something　suddenly；〃　said　Bill。　〃What　is　it？〃　

Antony　laughed。　

〃My　dear　Watson；〃　he　said；　〃you　aren't　supposed　to　be　as　clever　as　
this。〃　

〃Oh；　you　can't　take　me　in！〃　

〃No。。。。　Well；　I　was　wondering　about　this　ghost　of　yours；　Bill。　It　
seems　to　me　…〃　

〃Oh；　that！〃　Bill　was　profoundly　disappointed。　〃What　on　earth　has　the　
ghost　got　to　do　with　it？〃　

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Antony　apologetically。　〃I　don't　know　what　
anything　has　got　to　do　with　it。　I　was　just　wondering。　You　shouldn't　
have　brought　me　here　if　you　hadn't　wanted　me　to　think　about　the　ghost。　
This　is　where　she　appeared；　isn't　it？〃　

〃Yes。〃　Bill　was　distinctly　short　about　it。　

〃How？〃　

〃What？〃　

〃I　said；　'How？'〃　

〃How？　How　do　ghosts　appear？　I　don't　know。　They　just　appear。〃　

〃Over　four　or　five　hundred　yards　of　open　park？〃　

〃Well；　but　she　had　to　appear　here；　because　this　is　where　the　original　
one　…　Lady　Anne；　you　know　…　was　supposed　to　walk。〃　

〃Oh；　never　mind　Lady　Anne！　A　real　ghost　can　do　anything。　But　
how　did　Miss　Norris　appear　suddenly　over　five　hundred　yards　of　bare　
park？〃　

Bill　looked　at　Antony　with　open　mouth。　

〃I　…　I　don't　know；〃　he　stammered。　〃We　never　thought　of　that。〃　

〃You　would　have　seen　her　long　before；　wouldn't　you；　if　she　had　come　
the　way　we　came？〃　

〃Of　course　we　should。〃　

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The　Red　House　Mystery　

〃And　that　would　have　spoilt　it　rather。　You　would　have　had　time　to　
recognize　her　walk。〃　

Bill　was　interested　now。　

〃That's　rather　funny；　you　know；　Tony。　We　none　of　us　thought　of　
that。〃　

〃You're　sure　she　didn't　come　across　the　park　when　none　of　you　were　
looking？〃　

〃Quite。　Because；　you　see；　Betty　and　I　were　expecting　her；　and　we　
kept　looking　round　in　case　we　saw　her；　so　that　we　should　all　be　playing　
with　our　backs　to　her。〃　

〃You　and　Miss　Calladine　were　playing　together？〃　

〃I　say；　however　do　you　know　that？〃　

〃Brilliant　deductive　reasoning。　Well；　then　you　suddenly　saw　her？〃　

〃Yes；　she　walked　across　that　side　of　the　lawn。〃　He　indicated　the　
opposite　side；　nearer　to　the　house。　

〃She　couldn't　have　been　hiding　in　the　ditch？　Do　you　call　it　the　moat；　
by　the　way？〃　

〃Mark　does。　We　don't　among　ourselves。　No；　she　couldn't。　Betty　
and　I　were　here　before　the　others；　and　walked　round　a　bit。　We　should　
have　seen　her。〃　

〃Then　she　must　have　been　hiding　in　the　shed。　Or　do　you　call　it　the　
summer…house？〃　

〃We　had　to　go　there　for　the　bowls；　of　course。　She　couldn't　have　been　
there。〃　

〃Oh！〃　

〃It's　dashed