the red house mystery-第15节

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

〃Oh！〃　

〃It's　dashed　funny；〃　said　Bill；　after　an　interval　for　thought。　〃But　it　
doesn't　matter；　does　it？　It　has　nothing　to　do　with　Robert。〃　

〃Hasn't　it？〃　

〃I　say；　has　it？〃　said　Bill；　getting　excited　again。　

〃I　don't　know。　We　don't　know　what　has；　or　what　hasn't。　But　it　has　
got　something　to　do　with　Miss　Norris。　And　Miss　Norris　…〃　He　broke　off　
suddenly。　

〃What　about　her？〃　

〃Well；　you're　all　in　it　in　a　kind　of　way。　And　if　something　

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unaccountable　happens　to　one　of　you　a　day　or　two　before　something　
unaccountable　happens　to　the　whole　house；　one　is　well；　interested。〃　It　was　
a　good　enough　reason；　but　it　wasn't　the　reason　he　had　been　on　the　point　of　
giving。　

〃I　see。　Well？〃　

Antony　knocked　out　his　pipe　and　got　up　slowly。　

〃Well　then；　let's　find　the　way　from　the　house　by　which　Miss　Norris　
came。　

Bill　jumped　up　eagerly。　

〃By　Jove！　Do　you　mean　there's　a　secret　passage？〃　

〃A　secluded　passage；　anyway。　There　must　be。〃　

〃I　say；　what　fun！　I　love　secret　passages。　Good　Lord；　and　this　
afternoon　I　was　playing　golf　just　like　an　ordinary　merchant！　What　a　life！　
Secret　passages！〃　

They　made　their　way　down　into　the　ditch。　If　an　opening　was　to　be　
found　which　led　to　the　house；　it　would　probably　be　on　the　house　side　of　
the　green；　and　on　the　outside　of　the　ditch。　The　most　obvious　place　at　
which　to　begin　the　search　was　the　shed　where　the　bowls　were　kept。　It　
was　a　tidy　place　as　anything　in　Mark's　establishment　would　be。　There　
were　two　boxes　of　croquet　things；　one　of　them　with　the　lid　open；　as　if　the　
balls　and　mallets　and；　hoops　（neatly　enough　put　away；　though）　had　been　
recently　used；　a　box　of　bowls；　a　small　lawn…mower；　a　roller　and　so　forth。　
A　seat　ran　along　the　back　of　it；　whereon　the　bowls…players　could　sit　when　
it　rained。　

Antony　tapped　the　wall　at　the　back。　

〃This　is　where　the　passage　ought　to　begin。　It　doesn't　sound　very　
hollow；　does　it？〃　

〃It　needn't　begin　here　at　all；　need　it？〃　said　Bill；　walking　round　with　
bent　head；　and　tapping　the　other　walls。　He　was　just　too　tall　to　stand　
upright　in　the　shed。　

〃There's　only　one　reason　why　it　should；　and　that　is　that　it　would　save　
us　the　trouble　of　looking　anywhere　else　for　it。　Surely　Mark　didn't　let　you　
play　croquet　on　his　bowling…green？〃　He　pointed　to　the　croquet　things。　

〃He　didn't　encourage　it　at　one　time；　but　this　year　he　got　rather　keen　

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about　it。　There's　really　nowhere　else　to　play。　Personally　I　hate　the　game。　
He　wasn't　very　keen　on　bowls；　you　know；　but　he　liked　calling　it　the　
bowling…green；　and　surprising　his　visitors　with　it。〃　

Antony　laughed。　

〃I　love　you　on　Mark；〃　he　said。　〃You're　priceless。〃　

He　began　to　feel　in　his　pockets　for　his　pipe　and　tobacco；　and　then　
suddenly　stopped　and　stiffened　to　attention。　For　a　moment　he　stood　
listening；　with　his　head　on　one　side；　holding　up　a　finger　to　bid　Bill　listen　
too。　

〃What　is　it？〃　whispered　Bill。　

Antony　waved　him　to　silence；　and　remained　listening。　Very　quietly　
he　went　down　on　his　knees；　and　listened　again。　Then　he　put　his　ear　to　the　
floor。　He　got　up　and　dusted　himself　quickly；　walked　across　to　Bill　and　
whispered　in　his　ear：　

〃Footsteps。　Somebody　coming。　When　I　begin　to　talk；　back　me　up。〃　

Bill　nodded。　Antony　gave　him　an　encouraging　pat　on　the　back；　and　
stepped　firmly　across　to　the　box　of　bowls；　whistling　loudly　to　himself。　
He　took　the　bowls　out；　dropped　one　with　a　loud　bang　on　the　floor；　said；　
〃Oh；　Lord！〃　and　went　on：　

〃I　say；　Bill；　I　don't　think　I　want　to　play　bowls；　after　all。〃　

〃Well；　why　did　you　say　you　did？〃　grumbled　Bill。　

Antony　flashed　a　smile　of　appreciation　at　him。　

〃Well；　I　wanted　to　when　I　said　I　did；　and　now　I　don't　want　to。〃　

〃Then　what　do　you　want　to　do？〃　

〃Talk。〃　

〃Oh；　right…o！〃　said　Bill　eagerly。　

〃There's　a　seat　on　the　lawn　I　saw　it。　Let's　bring　these　things　along　in　
case　we　want　to　play；　after　all。〃　

〃Right…o！〃　said　Bill　again。　He　felt　safe　with　that；　not　wishing　to　
commit　himself　until　he　knew　what　he　was　wanted　to　say。　

As　they　went　across　the　lawn；　Antony　dropped　the　bowls　and　took　out　
his　pipe。　

〃Got　a　match？〃　he　said　loudly。　

As　he　bent　his　head　over　the　match；　he　whispered；　〃There'll　be　

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somebody　listening　to　us。　You　take　the　Cayley　view；〃　and　then　went　on　
in　his　ordinary　voice；　〃I　don't　think　much　of　your　matches；　Bill；〃　and　
struck　another。　They　walked　over　to　the　seat　and　sat　down。　

〃What　a　heavenly　night！〃　said　Antony。　

〃Ripping。〃　

〃I　wonder　where　that　poor　devil　Mark　is　now。〃　

〃It's　a　rum　business。〃　

〃You　agree　with　Cayley　that　it　was　an　accident？〃　

〃Yes。　You　see；　I　know　Mark。〃　

〃H'm。〃　Antony　produced　a　pencil　and　a　piece　of　paper　and　began　to　
write　on　his　knee；　but　while　he　wrote；　he　talked。　He　said　that　he　thought　
Mark　had　shot　his　brother　in　a　fit　of　anger；　and　that　Cayley　knew；　or　
anyhow　guessed；　this　and　had　tried　to　give　his　cousin　a　chance　of　getting　
away。　

〃Mind　you；　I　think　he's　right。　I　think　it's　what　any　of　us　would　do。　I　
shan't　give　it　away；　of　course；　but　somehow　there　are　one　or　two　little　
things　which　make　me　think　that　Mark　really　did　shoot　his　brother　I　mean　
other　than　accidentally。〃　

〃Murdered　him？〃　

〃Well；　manslaughtered　him；　anyway。　I　may　be　wrong。　Anyway；　it's　
not　my　business。〃　

〃But　why　do　you　think　so？　Because　of　the　keys？〃　

〃Oh；　the　keys　are　a　wash…out。　Still；　it　was　a　brilliant　idea　of　mine；　
Wasn't　it？　And　it　would　have　been　rather　a　score　for　me　if　they　had　all　
been　outside。〃　

He　had　finished　his　writing；　and　now　passed　the　paper　over　to　Bill。　In　
the　clear　moonlight　the　carefully　printed　letters　could　easily　be　read：　

〃GO　ON　TALKING　AS　IF　I　WERE　HERE。　AFTER　A　MINUTE　OR　
TWO；　TURN　ROUND　AS　IF　I　WERE　SITTING　ON　THE　GRASS　
BEHIND　YOU；　BUT　GO　ON　TALKING。〃　

〃I　know　you　don't　agree　with　me；〃　Antony　went　on　as　Bill　read；　〃but　
you'll　see　that　I'm　right。〃　

Bill　looked　up　and　nodded　eagerly。　He　had　forgotten　golf　and　Betty　
and　all　the　other　things　which　had　made　up　his　world　lately。　This　was　the　

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real　thing。　This　was　life。　〃Well；〃　he　began　deliberately；　〃the　whole　
point　is　that　I　know　Mark。　Now；　Mark　…〃　

But　Antony　was　off　the　seat　and　letting　himself　gently　down　into　the　
ditch。　His　intention　was　to　crawl　round　it　until　the　shed　came　in　sight。　
The　footsteps　which　he　had　heard　seemed　to　be　underneath　the　shed；　
probably　there　was　a　trap…door　of　some　kind　in　the　floor。　Whoever　it　was　
would　have　heard　their　voices；　and　would　probably　think　it　worth　while　to　
listen　to　what　they　were　saying。　He　might　do　this　merely　by　opening　the　
door　a　little　without　showing　himself；　in　which　case　Antony　would　have　
found　the　entrance　to　the　passage　without　any　trouble　to　himself。　But　
when　Bill　turned　his　head　and　talked　over　the　back　of　the　seat；　it　was　
probable　that　the　listener　would　find　it　necessary　to　put　his　head　outside　in　
order　to　hear；　and　then　Antony　would　be　able　to　discover　who　it　was。　
Moreover；　if　he　should　venture　out　of　his　hiding…place　altogether　and　peep　
at　them　over　the　top　of　the　bank；　the　fact　that　Bill　was　talking　over　the　
back　of　the　seat　would　mislead　the　watcher　into　thinking　that　Antony　was　
still　there；　sitting　on　the　grass；　no　doubt；　behind　the　seat；　swinging　his　legs　
over　the　side　of　the　ditch。　

He　walked　quickly　but　very　silently　along　the　half…length　of　the　
bowling…green　to　the　first　corner；　passed　cautiously　round；　and　then　went　
even　more　carefully　along　the　width　of　it　to　the　second　corner。　He　could　
hear　Bill　hard　at　it；　arguing　from　his　knowledge　of　Mark's　character　that　
this；　that　and　the　other　must　have　happened；　and　he　smiled　appreciatively　
to　himself。　Bill　was　a　great　conspirator　worth　a　hundred　Watsons。　As　
he　approached　the　second　corner　he　slowed　down；　and　did　the　last　few　
yards　on　hands　and　knees。　Then；　lying　at　full　length；　inch　by　inch　his　head　
went　round　the　corner。　

The　shed　was　two　or　three　yards　to　his　left；　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　
ditch。　From　where　he　lay　he　could　see　almost　entirely　inside　it。　
Everything　seemed　to　be　as　they　left　it。　The　bowls…box；　the　lawn…mower；　
the　roller；　the　open　croquet…box；　the　

〃By　Jove！〃　said　Antony　to　himself；　〃that's　neat。〃　

The　lid　of　the　other　croquet…box　was　open；　too。　Bill　was　turning　
round　now；　his　voice　became　more　difficult　to　hear。　〃You　see　what　I　

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mean；〃　he　was　saying。　〃If　Cayley　…〃　

And　out　of　the　second　croquet…box　came　Cayley's　black　head。　

Antony　wanted　to　shout　his　applause。　It　was　neat；　devilish　neat。　For　
a　moment　he　gazed；　fascinated；　at　that　wonderful　new　kind　of　croquet…ball　
which　had　appeared　so　dramatically　out　of　the　box；　and　then　reluctantly　
wriggled　himself　back。　There　was　nothing　to　be　gained　by　staying　there；　
and　a　good　deal　to　be　lost；　for　Bill　showed　signs　of　running　down。　As　
quickly　as　he　could　Antony　hurried　round　the　ditch　and　took　up　his　place　
at　the　back　of　the　seat。　Then　he　stood　up　with　a　yawn；　stretched　himself