the red house mystery-第23节

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would　make　everything　clear。　

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The　Red　House　Mystery　

CHAPTER　XIV　

Mr。　Beverley　Qualifies　for　the　Stage　

Bill　had　come　back；　and　had　reported；　rather　breathless；　that　Cayley　
was　still　at　the　pond。　
〃But　I　don't　think　they're　getting　up　much　except　mud；〃　he　said。　〃I　

ran　most　of　the　way　back　so　as　to　give　us　as　much　time　as　possible。〃　

Antony　nodded。　

〃Well；　come　along；　then；〃　he　said。　〃The　sooner；　the　quicker。〃　

They　stood　in　front　of　the　row　of　sermons。　Antony　took　down　the　

Reverend　Theodore　Ussher's　famous　volume；　and　felt　for　the　spring。　Bill　

pulled。　The　shelves　swung　open　towards　them。　

〃By　Jove！〃　said　Bill；　〃it　is　a　narrow　way。　

There　was　an　opening　about　a　yard　square　in　front　of　them；　which　had　

something　the　look　of　a　brick　fireplace；　a　fireplace　raised　about　two　feet　
from　the　ground。　But；　save　for　one　row　of　bricks　in　front；　the　floor　of　it　
was　emptiness。　Antony　took　a　torch　from　his　pocket　and　flashed　it　down　
into　the　blackness。　

〃Look；〃　he　whispered　to　the　eager　Bill。　〃The　steps　begin　down　there。　
Six　feet　down。〃　

He　flashed　his　torch　up　again。　There　was　a　handhold　of　iron；　a　sort　of　
large　iron　staple；　in　the　bricks　in　front　of　them。　

〃You　swing　off　from　there；〃　said　Bill。　〃At　least；　I　suppose　you　do。　I　

wonder　how　Ruth　Norris　liked　doing　it。〃　

〃Cayley　helped　her；　I　should　think。。。。　It's　funny。〃　

〃Shall　I　go　first？〃　asked　Bill；　obviously　longing　to　do　so。　Antony　

shook　his　head　with　a　smile。　

〃I　think　I　will；　if　you　don't　mind　very　much；　Bill。　Just　in　case。　

〃In　case　of　what？〃　

〃Well　in　case。〃　

Bill；　had　to　be　content　with　that；　but　he　was　too　much　excited　to　

wonder　what　Antony　meant。　

〃Righto；〃　he　said。　〃Go　on。〃　

〃Well；　we'll　just　make　sure　we　can　get　back　again；　first。　It　really　

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wouldn't　be　fair　on　the　Inspector　if　we　got　stuck　down　here　for　the　rest　of　
our　lives。　He's　got　enough　to　do　trying　to　find　Mark；　but　if　he　has　to　find　
you　and　me　as　well　…〃　

〃We　can　always　get　out　at　the　other　end。〃　

〃Well；　we're　not　certain　yet。　I　think　I'd　better　just　go　down　and　back。　
I　promise　faithfully　not　to　explore。〃　

〃Right　you　are。〃　

Antony　sat　down　on　the　ledge　of　bricks；　swung　his　feet　over；　and　sat　
there　for　a　moment；　his　legs　dangling。　He　flashed　his　torch　into　the　
darkness　again；　so　as　to　make　sure　where　the　steps　began；　then　returned　it　
to　his　pocket；　seized　the　staple　in　front　of　him　and　swung　himself　down。　
His　feet　touched　the　steps　beneath　him；　and　he　let　go。　

〃Is　it　all　right？〃　said　Bill　anxiously。　

〃All　right。　I'll　just　go　down　to　the　bottom　of　the　steps　and　back。　Stay　
there。〃　

The　light　shone　down　by　his　feet。　His　head　began　to　disappear。　For　
a　little　while　Bill；　craning　down　the　opening；　could　still　see　faint　splashes　
of　light；　and　could　hear　slow　uncertain　footsteps；　for　a　little　longer　he　
could　fancy　that　he　saw　and　heard　them；　then　he　was　alone。。。。　

Well；　not　quite　alone。　There　was　a　sudden　voice　in　the　hall　outside。　

〃Good　Lord！〃　said　Bill；　turning　round　with　a　start；　〃Cayley！〃　

If　he　was　not　so　quick　in　thought　as　Antony；　he　was　quick　enough　in　
action。　Thought　was　not　demanded　now。　To　close　the　secret　door　
safely　but　noiselessly；　to　make　sure　that　the　books　were　in　the　right　places；　
to　move　away　to　another　row　of　shelves　so　as　to　be　discovered　deep　in　
〃Badminton〃　or　〃Baedeker〃　or　whomever　the　kind　gods　should　send　to　his　
aid　the　difficulty　was　not　to　decide　what　to　do；　but　to　do　all　this　in　five　
seconds　rather　than　in　six。　

〃Ah；　there　you　are；〃　said　Cayley　from　the　doorway。　

〃Hallo！〃　said　Bill；　in　surprise；　looking　up　from　the　fourth　volume　of　
〃The　Life　and　Works　of　Samuel　Taylor　Coleridge。　〃Have　they　finished？〃　

〃Finished　what？〃　

〃The　pond；〃　said　Bill；　wondering　why　he　was　reading　Coleridge　on　
such　a　fine　afternoon。　Desperately　he　tried　to　think　of　a　good　reason。。。。　

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verifying　a　quotation　…　an　argument　with　Antony　…　that　would　do。　But　
what　quotation？　
〃Oh；　no。　They're　still　at　it。　Where's　Gillingham？〃　
〃The　Ancient　Mariner〃　…　water；　water；　everywhere　…　or　was　that　

something　else？　And　where　was　Gillingham？　Water；　water　everywhere　
…
〃Tony？　Oh；　he's　about　somewhere。　We're　just　going　down　to　the　
village。　They　aren't　finding　anything　at　the　pond；　are　they？〃　
〃No。　But　they　like　doing　it。　Something　off　their　minds　when　they　
can　say　they've　done　it。〃　
Bill；　deep　in　his　'book；　looked　up　and　said　〃Yes；〃　and　went　back　to　it　
again。　He　was　just　getting　to　the　place。　

〃What's　the　book？〃　said　Cayley；　coming　up　to　him。　Out　of　the　corner　
of　his　eye　he　glanced　at　the　shelf　of　sermons　as　he　came。　Bill　saw　that　
glance　and　wondered。　Was　there　anything　there　to　give　away　the　secret？　

〃I　was　just　looking　up　a　quotation；〃　he　drawled。　〃Tony　and　I　had　a　
bet　about　it。　You　know　that　thing　about　…　er　water；　water　everywhere；　and　

…er　…　not　a　drop　to　drink。〃　（But　what　on　earth；　he　wondered　to　himself；　
were　they　betting　about？）　

〃'Nor　any　drop　to　drink；'　to　be　accurate。〃　

Bill　looked　at　him　in　surprise。　Then　a　happy　smile　came　on　his　face。　

〃Quite　sure？〃　he　said。　

〃Of　course。〃　

〃Then　you've　saved　me　a　lot　of　trouble。　That's；　what　the　bet　was　
about。〃　He　closed　the　book　with　a　slam；　put　it　back　in　its　shelf；　and　
began　to　feel　for　his　pipe　and　tobacco。　〃I　was　a　fool　to　bet　with　Tony；〃　he　
added。　〃He　always　knows　that　sort　of　thing。〃　

So　far；　so　good。　But　here　was　Cayley　still　in　the　library；　and　there　
was　Antony；　all　unsuspecting；　in　the　passage。　When　Antony　came　back　
he　would　not　be　surprised　to　find　the　door　closed；　because　the　whole　
object　of　his　going　had　been　to　see　if　he　could　open　it　easily　from　the　
inside。　At　any　moment；　then；　the　bookshelf　might　swing　back　and　show　
Antony's　head　in　the　gap。　A　nice　surprise　for　Cayley！　

〃Come　with　us？〃　he　said　casually；　as　he　struck　a　match。　He　pulled　

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The　Red　House　Mystery　

vigorously　at　the　flame　as　he　waited　for　the　answer；　hoping　to　hide　his　

anxiety；　for　if　Cayley　assented；　he　was　done。　

〃I've　got　to　go　into　Stanton。〃　

Bill　blew　out　a　great　cloud　of　smoke　with　an　expiration　which　covered　
also　a　heartfelt　sigh　of　relief。　

〃Oh；　a　pity。　You're　driving；　I　suppose？〃　

〃Yes。　The　car　will　be　here　directly。　There's　a　letter　I　must　write　
first。〃　He　sat　down　at　a　writing　table；　and　took　out　a　sheet　of　notepaper。　

He　was　facing　the　secret　door；　if　it　opened　he　would　see　it。　At　any　
moment　now　it　might　open。　

Bill　dropped　into　a　chair　and　thought。　Antony　must　be　warned。　
Obviously。　But　how？　How　did　one　signal　to　anybody？　By　code。　
Morse　code。　Did　Antony　know　it？　Did　Bill　know　it　himself；　if　it　came　
to　that？　He　had　picked　up　a　bit　in　the　Army　not　enough　to　send　a　
message；　of　course。　But　a　message　was　impossible；　anyhow；　Cayley　
would　hear　him　tapping　it　out。　It　wouldn't　do　to　send　more　than　a　single　
letter。　What　letters　did　he　know？　And　what　letter　would　convey　
anything　to　Antony？。。。。　He　pulled　at　his　pipe；　his　eyes　wandering　from　
Cayley　at　his　desk　to　the　Reverend　Theodore　Ussher　in　his　shelf。　What　
letter？　

C　for　Cayley。　Would　Antony　understand？　Probably　not；　but　it　was　
just　worth　trying。　What　was　C？　Long；　short；　long；　short。　Umpty…iddyumpty…iddy。　Was　that　right？　C　yes；　that　was　C。　He　was　sure　of　that。　

C。　Umpty…iddy…umpty…iddy。　
Hands　in　pockets；　he　got　up　and　wandered　across　the　room；　humming　
vaguely　to　himself；　the　picture　of　a　man　waiting　for　another　man　（as　it　
might　be　his　friend　Gillingham）　to　come　in　and　take　him　away　for　a　walk　
or　something。　He　wandered　across　to　the　books　at　the　back　of　Cayley；　
and　began　to　tap　absent…mindedly　on　the　shelves；　as　he　looked　at　the　titles。　
Umpty…iddy…umpty…iddy。　Not　that　it　was　much　like　that　at　first；　he　
couldn't　get　the　rhythm　of　it。。。。　Umpt…y…iddy…umpt…y…iddy。　That　was　
better。　He　was　back　at　Samuel　Taylor　Coleridge　now。　Antony　would　
begin　to　hear　him　soon。　Umpt…y…iddy…umpt…y…iddy；　just　the　aimless　
tapping　of　a　man　who　is　wondering　what　book　he　will　take　out　with　him　to　

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read　on　the　lawn。　Would　Antony　hear？　One　always　heard　the　man　in　
the　next　flat　knocking　out　his　pipe。　Would　Antony　understand？　Umpty…iddy…umpt…y…iddy。　C。　for　Cayley；　Antony。　Cayley's　here。　For　God's　
sake；　wait。　

〃Good　Lord！　Sermons！〃　said　Bill；　with　a　loud　laugh。　（Umpt…y…iddyumpt…y…iddy）　〃Ever　read　'em；　Cayley？〃　

〃What？〃　Cayley　looked　up　suddenly。　Bill's　back　moved　slowly　along；　
his　fingers　beating　a　tattoo　on　the　shelves　as　he　walked。　

〃Er　no；〃　said　Cayley；　with　a　little　laugh。　An　awkward；　uncomfortable　
little　laugh；　it　seemed　to　Bill。　

〃Nor　do　I。〃　He　was　past　the　sermons　now　past　the　secret　door　but　
still　tapping　in　the　same　aimless　way。　

〃Oh；　for　God's　sake　sit　down；〃　burst　out　Cayley。　〃Or　go　outside　if　
you　want　to　walk　about。〃　

Bill　turned　round　in　astonishment。　

〃Hallo；　what's　the　matter？〃　

Cayley　was　slightly　ashamed　of　his　outburst。　

〃Sorry；　Bill；〃　he　apologized。　〃My　nerves　are　on　edge。　Your　
constant　tapping　and　fidgeting　about　…〃　

〃Tapping？〃　said　Bill　with　an　air　of　complete　surprise。　

〃Tapping　on　th