the red house mystery-第24节

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

〃Tapping　on　the　shelves；　and　humming。　Sorry。　It　got　on　my　
nerves。〃　

〃My　dear　old　chap；　I'm　awfully　sorry。　I'll　go　out　in　the　hall。〃　

〃It's　all　right；〃　said　Cayley；　and　went　on　with　his　letter。　Bill　sat　down　
in　his　chair　again。　Had　Antony　understood？　Well；　anyhow；　there　was　
nothing　to　do　now　but　wait　for　Cayley　to　go。　〃And　if　you　ask　me；〃　said　
Bill　to　himself；　much　pleased；　〃I　ought　to　be　on　the　stage。　That's　where　I　
ought　to　be。　The　complete　actor。〃　

A　minute；　two　minutes；　three　minutes。。。。　five　minutes。　It　was　safe　now。　
Antony　had　guessed。　

〃Is　the　car　there？〃　asked　Cayley；　as　he　sealed　up　his　letter。　

Bill　strolled　into　the　hall；　called　back　〃Yes；〃　and　went　out　to　talk　to　the　
chauffeur。　Cayley　joined　him；　and　they　stood　there　for　a　moment。　

〃Hallo；〃　said　a　pleasant　voice　behind　them。　They　turned　round　and　

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saw　Antony。　

〃Sorry　to　keep　you　waiting；　Bill。〃　

With　a　tremendous　effort　Bill　restrained　his　feelings；　and　said　casually　
enough　that　it　was　all　right。　

〃Well；　I　must　be　off；〃　said　Cayley。　〃You're　going　down　to　the　
village？〃　

〃That's　the　idea。〃　

〃I　wonder　if　you'd　take　this　letter　to　Jallands　for　me？〃　

〃Of　course。〃　

〃Thanks　very　much。　Well；　I　shall　see　you　later。〃　

He　nodded　and　got　into　the　car。　

As　soon　as　they　were　alone　Bill　turned　eagerly　to　his　friend。　

〃Well？〃　he　said　excitedly。　

〃Come　into　the　library。〃　

They　went　in；　and　Tony　sank　down　into　a　chair。　

〃You　must　give　me　a　moment；〃　he　panted。　〃I've　been　running。〃　

〃Running？〃　

〃Well；　of　course。　How　do　you　think　I　got　back　here？〃　

〃You　don't　mean　you　went　out　at　the　other　end？〃　

Antony　nodded。　

〃I　say；　did　you　hear　me　tapping？〃　

〃I　did；　indeed。　Bill；　you're　a　genius。〃　

Bill　blushed。　

I　knew　you'd　understand；〃　he　said。　〃You　guessed　that　I　meant　
Cayley？〃　

〃I　did。　It　was　the　least　I　could　do　after　you　had　been　so　brilliant。　You　
must　have　had　rather　an　exciting　time。〃　

〃Exciting？　Good　lord；　I　should　think　it　was。〃　

〃Tell　me　about　it。〃　

As　modestly　as　possible；　Mr。　Beverley　explained　his　qualifications　for　
a　life　on　the　stage。　

〃Good　man；〃　said　Antony　at　the　end　of　it。　〃You　are　the　most　perfect　
Watson　that　ever　lived。　Bill；　my　lad；〃　he　went　on　dramatically；　rising　and　
taking　Bill's　hand　in　both　of　his；　〃There　is　nothing　that　you　and　I　could　not　

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accomplish　together；　if　we　gave　our　minds　to　it。〃　

〃Silly　old　ass。〃　

〃That's　what　you　always　say　when　I'm　being　serious。　Well；　anyway；　
thanks　awfully。　You　really　saved　us　this　time。〃　

〃Were　you　coming　back？〃　

〃Yes。　At　least　I　think　I　was。　I　was　just　wondering　when　I　heard　you　
tapping。　The　fact　of　the　door　being　shut　was　rather　surprising。　Of　course　
the　whole　idea　was　to　see　if　it　could　be　opened　easily　from　the　other　side；　
but　I　felt　somehow　that　you　wouldn't　shut　it　until　the　last　possible　moment　

…　until　you　saw　me　coming　back。　Well；　hen　I　heard　the　taps；　and　I　knew　
it　must　mean　something；　so　I　sat　tight。　Then　when　C　began　to　come　
along　I　said；　'Cayley；　b'Jove'　…　bright；　aren't　I？　…　and　I　simply　hared　to　
the　other　end　of　the　passage　for　all　I　was　worth。　And　hared　back　again。　
Because　I　thought　you　might　be　getting　rather　involved　in　explanations　
about　where　I　was；　and　so　on。〃　
〃You　didn't　see　Mark；　then？〃　

〃No。　Nor　his　No；　I　didn't　see　anything。〃　

〃Nor　what？〃　

Antony　was　silent　for　a　moment。　

〃I　didn't　see　anything；　Bill。　Or　rather；　I　did　see　something；　I　saw　a　
door　in　the　wall；　a　cupboard。　And　it's　locked。　So　if　there's　anything　we　
want　to　find；　that's　where　it　is。〃　

〃Could　Mark　be　hiding　there？〃　

〃I　called　through　the　keyhole　in　a　whisper　'Mark；　are　you　there？'　he　
would　have　thought　it　was　Cayley。　There　was　no　answer。　

〃Well；　let's　go　down　and　try　again。　We　might　be　able　to　get　the　door　
open。〃　

Antony　shook　his　head。　

〃Aren't　I　going　at　all？〃　said　Bill　in　great　disappointment。　

When　Antony　spoke；　it　was　to　ask　another　question：　

〃Can　Cayley　drive　a　car？〃　

〃Yes；　of　course。　Why？〃　

〃Then　he　might　easily　drop　the　chauffeur　at　his　lodge　and　go　off　to　

Stanton；　or　wherever　he　wanted　to；　on　his　own？〃　

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〃I　suppose　so　if　he　wanted　to。〃　

〃Yes。〃　Antony　got　up。　〃Well；　look　here；　as　we　said　we　were　going　
into　the　village；　and　as　we　promised　to　leave　that　letter；　I　almost　think　we'd　
better　do　it。〃　

〃Oh！。。。。　Oh；　very　well。〃　

〃Jallands。　What　were　you　telling　me　about　that？　Oh；　yes；　the　
Widow　Norbury。〃　

〃That's　right。　Cayley　used　to　be　rather　keen　on　the　daughter。　The　
letter's　for　her。〃　

〃Yes；　well；　let's　take　it。　Just　to　be　on　the　safe　side。〃　〃Am　I　going　to　
be　done　out　of　that　secret　passage　altogether？〃　asked　Bill　fretfully。　

〃There's　nothing　to　see；　really；　I　promise　you。〃　

〃You're　very　mysterious。　What's　upset　you？　You　did　see　something　
down　there；　I'm　certain　of　it。〃　

〃I　did　and　I've　told　you　about　it。〃　

〃No；　you　haven't。　You　only　told　me　about　the　door　in　the　wall。〃　

〃That's　it；　Bill。　And　it's　locked。　And　I'm　frightened　of　what's　behind　
it。〃　

〃But　then　we　shall　never　know　what's　there　if　we　aren't　going　to　look。〃　

〃We　shall　know　to…night；〃　said　Antony；　taking　Bill's　arm　and　leading　
him　to　the　hall；　〃when　we　watch　our　dear　friend　Cayley　dropping　it　into　
the　pond。〃　

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CHAPTER　XV　

Mrs。　Norbury　Confides　in　Dear　Mr。　Gillingham　

They　left　the　road；　and　took　the　path　across　the　fields　which　sloped　
gently　downwards　towards　Jallands。　Antony　was　silent；　and　since　it　is　
difficult　to　keep　up　a　conversation　with　a　silent　man　for　any　length　of　time；　
Bill　had　dropped　into　silence　too。　Or　rather；　he　hummed　to　himself；　hit　at　
thistles　in　the　grass　with　his　stick　and　made　uncomfortable　noises　with　his　
pipe。　But　he　noticed　that　his　companion　kept　looking　back　over　his　
shoulder；　almost　as　if　he　wanted　to　remember　for　a　future　occasion　the　
way　by　which　they　were　coming。　Yet　there　was　no　difficulty　about　it；　for　
they　remained　all　the　time　in　view　of　the　road；　and　the　belt　of　trees　above　
the　long　park　wall　which　bordered　its　further　side　stood　out　clearly　against　
the　sky。　

Antony；　who　had　just　looked　round　again；　turned　back　with　a　smile。　

〃What's　the　joke？〃　said　Bill；　glad　of　the　more　social　atmosphere。　

〃Cayley。　Didn't　you　see？〃　

〃See　what？〃　

〃The　car。　Going　past　on　the　road　there：〃　

〃So　that's　what　you　were　looking　for。　You've　got　jolly　good　eyes；　my　
boy；　if　you　recognize　the　car　at　this　distance　after　only　seeing　it　twice。　

〃Well；　I　have　got　jolly　good　eyes。　

〃I　thought　he　was　going　to　Stanton。〃　

〃He　hoped　you'd　think　so　obviously。〃　

〃Then　where　is　he　going？〃　

〃The　library；　probably。　To　consult　our　friend　Ussher。　After　making　
quite　sure　that　his　friends　Beverley　and　Gillingham　really　were　going　to　
Jallands；　as　they　said。〃　

Bill　stopped　suddenly　in　the　middle　of　the　path。　

〃I　say；　do　you　think　so？〃　

Antony　shrugged　his　shoulders。　

〃I　shouldn't　be　surprised。　We　must　be　devilishly　inconvenient　for　
him；　hanging　about　the　house。　Any　moment　he　can　get；　when　we're　
definitely　somewhere　else；　must　be　very　useful　to　him。〃　

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〃Useful　for　what？〃　

〃Well；　useful　for　his　nerves；　if　for　nothing　else。　We　know　he's　mixed　
up　in　this　business；　we　know　he's　hiding　a　secret　or　two。　Even　if　he　doesn't　
suspect　that　we're　on　his　tracks；　he　must　feel　that　at　any　moment　we　might　
stumble　on　something。〃　

Bill　gave　a　grunt　of　assent；　and　they　went　slowly　on　again。　

〃What　about　to…night？〃　he　said；　after　a　lengthy　blow　at　his　pipe。　

〃Try　a　piece　of　grass；〃　said　Antony；　offering　it　to　him。　Bill　pushed　it　
through　the　mouthpiece；　blew　again；　said；　〃That's　better；〃　and　returned　the　
pipe　to　his　pocket。　

〃How　are　we　going　to　get　out　without　Cayley　knowing？〃　

〃Well；　that　wants　thinking　over。　It's　going　to　be　difficult。　I　wish　we　
were　sleeping　at　the　inn。。。。　Is　this　Miss　Norbury；　by　any　chance？〃　

Bill　looked　up　quickly。　They　were　close　to　Jallands　now；　an　old　
thatched　farmhouse　which；　after　centuries　of　sleep；　had　woken　up　to　a　new　
world；　and　had　forthwith　sprouted　wings；　wings；　however；　of　so　discreet　a　
growth　that　they　had　not　brought　with　them　any　obvious　change　of　
character；　and　Jallands　even　with　a　bathroom　was　still　Jallands。　To　the　
outward　view；　at　any　rate。　Inside；　it　was　more　clearly　Mrs。　Norbury's。　

〃Yes　Angela　Norbury；〃　murmured　Bill。　〃Not　bad…looking；　is　she？〃　

The　girl　who　stood　by　the　little　white　gate　of　Jallands　was　something　
more　than　〃not　bad…looking；〃　but　in　this　matter　Bill　was　keeping　his　
superlatives　for　another。　In　Bill's　eyes　she　must　be　judged；　and　
condemned；　by　all　that　distinguished　her　from　Betty　Calladine。　To　
Antony；　unhampered　by　these　standards　of　comparison；　she　seemed；　quite　
simply；　beautiful。　

〃Cayley　asked　us　to　bring　a　letter　along；〃　explained　Bill；　when　the　
necessary　handshakings　and　introductions　were　over。　〃Here　you　are。〃　

〃You　will　tell　him；　won't　you；　how　dreadfully　sorry　I　am　about　what　
has　happened？　It　seems