the red house mystery-第25节

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〃You　will　tell　him；　won't　you；　how　dreadfully　sorry　I　am　about　what　
has　happened？　It　seems　so　hopeless　to　say　anything；　so　hopeless　even　to　
believe　it。　If　it　is　true　what　we've　heard。〃　

Bill　repeated　the　outline　of　events　of　yesterday。　

〃Yes。。。。　And　Mr。　Ablett　hasn't　been　found　yet？〃　

She　shook　her　head　in　distress。　〃It　still　seems　to　have　happened　to　

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somebody　else；　somebody　we　didn't　know　at　all。〃　Then；　with　a　sudden　
grave　smile　which　included　both　of　them；　〃But　you　must　come　and　have　
some　tea。〃　

〃It's　awfully　decent　of　you；〃　said　Bill　awkwardly；　〃but　we　…　er　…〃　

〃You　will；　won't　you？〃　she　said　to　Antony。　

〃Thank　you　very　much。〃　

Mrs。　Norbury　was　delighted　to　see　them；　as　she　always　was　to　see　any　
man　in　her　house　who　came　up　to　the　necessary　standard　of　eligibility。　
When　her　life…work　was　completed；　and　summed　up　in　those　beautiful　
words：　〃A　marriage　has　been　arranged；　and　will　shortly　take　place；　
between　Angela；　daughter　of　the　late　John　Norbury。。。。　then　she　would　utter　
a　grateful　Nunc　dimittis　and　depart　in　peace　to　a　better　world；　if　Heaven　
insisted；　but　preferably　to　her　new　son…in…law's　more　dignified　
establishment。　For　there　was　no　doubt　that　eligibility　meant　not　only　
eligibility　as　a　husband。　

But　it　was　not　as　〃eligibles〃　that　the　visitors　from　the　Red　House　were　
received　with　such　eagerness　to…day；　and　even　if　her　special　smile　for　
〃possibles〃　was　there；　it　was　instinctive　rather　than　reasoned。　All　that　she　
wanted　at　this　moment　was　news　…　news　of　Mark。　For　she　was　bringing　
it　off　at　last；　and；　if　the　engagement　columns　of　the　〃Morning　Post〃　were　
preceded；　as　in　the　case　of　its　obituary　columns；　by　a　premonitory　bulletin；　
the　announcement　of　yesterday　would　have　cried　triumphantly　to　the　
world；　or　to　such　part　of　the　world　as　mattered：　〃A　marriage　has　very　
nearly　been　arranged　（by　Mrs。　Norbury）；　and　will　certainly　take　place；　
between　Angela；　only　daughter　of　the　late　John　Norbury；　and　…　Mark　
Ablett　of　the　Red　House。〃　And；　coming　across　it　on　his　way　to　the　
sporting　page；　Bill　would　have　been　surprised。　For　he　had　thought　that；　
if　anybody；　it　was　Cayley。　

To　the　girl　it　was　neither。　She　was　often　amused　by　her　mother's　
ways；　sometimes　ashamed　of　them；　sometimes　distressed　by　them。　The　
Mark　Ablett　affair　had　seemed　to　her　particularly　distressing；　for　Mark　
was　so　obviously　in　league　with　her　mother　against　her。　Other　suitors；　
upon　whom　her　mother　had　smiled；　had　been　embarrassed　by　that　
championship；　Mark　appeared　to　depend　on　it　as　much　as　on　his　own　

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attractions；　great　though　he　thought　these　to　be。　They　went　a…wooing　
together。　It　was　a　pleasure　to　turn　to　Cayley；　that　hopeless　ineligible。　

But　alas！　Cayley　had　misunderstood　her。　She　could　not　imagine　
Cayley　in　love　until　she　saw　it；　and　tried；　too　late；　to　stop　it。　That　was　four　
days　ago。　She　had　not　seen　him　since；　and　now　here　was　this　letter。　
She　dreaded　opening　it。　It　was　a　relief　to　feel　that　at　least　she　had　an　
excuse　for　not　doing　so　while　her　guests　were　in　the　house。　

Mrs。　Norbury　recognized　at　once　that　Antony　was　likely　to　be　the　
more　sympathetic　listener；　and　when　tea　was　over；　and　Bill　and　Angela　
had　been　dispatched　to　the　garden　with　the　promptness　and　efficiency　of　
the　expert；　dear　Mr。　Gillingham　found　himself　on　the　sofa　beside　her；　
listening　to　many　things　which　were　of　even　greater　interest　to　him　than　
she　could　possibly　have　hoped。　

〃It　is　terrible；　terrible；〃　she　said。　〃And　to　suggest　that　dear　Mr。　Ablett　
…〃　

Antony　made　suitable　noises。　

〃You've　seen　Mr。　Ablett　for　yourself。　A　kinder；　more　warmhearted　
man　…〃　

Antony　explained　that　he　had　not　seen　Mr。　Ablett。　

〃Of　course；　yes；　I　was　forgetting。　But；　believe　me；　Mr。　Gillingham；　
you　can　trust　a　woman's　intuition　in　these　matters。〃　

Antony　said　that　he　was　sure　of　this。　

〃Think　of　my　feelings　as　a　mother。〃　

Antony　was　thinking　of　Miss　Norbury's　feelings　as　a　daughter；　and　
wondering　if　she　guessed　that　her　affairs　were　now　being　discussed　with　a　
stranger。　Yet　what　could　he　do？　What；　indeed；　did　he　want　to　do　except　
listen；　in　the　hope　of　learning？　Mark　engaged；　or　about　to　be　engaged！　
Had　that　any　bearing　on　the　events　of　yesterday？　What；　for　instance；　
would　Mrs。　Norbury　have　thought　of　brother　Robert；　that　family　skeleton？　
Was　this　another　reason　for　wanting　brother　Robert　out　of　the　way？　

〃I　never　liked　him；　never！〃　

〃Never　liked？〃　said　Antony；　bewildered。　

〃That　cousin　of　his　Mr。　Cayley。〃　

〃Oh！〃　

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〃I　ask　you；　Mr。　Gillingham；　am　I　the　sort　of　woman　to　trust　my　little　
girl　to　a　man　who　would　go　about　shooting　his　only　brother？〃　

〃I'm　sure　you　wouldn't；　Mrs。　Norbury。〃　

〃If　there　has　been　any　shooting　done；　it　has　been　done　by　somebody　
else。〃　

Antony　looked　at　her　inquiringly。　

〃I　never　liked　him；〃　said　Mrs。　Norbury　firmly。　〃Never。〃　However；　
thought　Antony　to　himself；　that　didn't　quite　prove　that　Cayley　was　a　
murderer。　

〃How　did　Miss　Norbury　get　on　with　him？〃　he　asked　cautiously。　

〃There　was　nothing　in　that　at　all；〃　said　Miss　Norbury's　mother　
emphatically。　〃Nothing。　I　would　say　so　to　anybody。〃　

〃Oh；　I　beg　your　pardon。　I　never　meant　…〃　

〃Nothing。　I　can　say　that　for　dear　Angela　with　perfect　confidence。　
Whether　he　made　advances　…〃　She　broke　off　with　a　shrug　of　her　plump　
shoulders。　

Antony　waited　eagerly。　

〃Naturally　they　met。　Possibly　he　might　have　…　I　don't　know。　But　my　
duty　as　a　mother　was　clear；　Mr。　Gillingham。〃　

Mr。　Gillingham　made　an　encouraging　noise。　

〃I　told　him　quite　frankly　that　…　how　shall　I　put　it？　…　that　he　was　
trespassing。　Tactfully；　of　course。　But　frankly。〃　

〃You　mean；〃　said　Antony；　trying　to　speak　calmly；　〃that　you　told　him　
that　…　er　…　Mr。　Ablett　and　your　daughter　…？〃　

Mrs。　Norbury　nodded　several　times。　

〃Exactly；　Mr。　Gillingham。　I　had　my　duty　as　a　mother。〃　

〃I　am　sure；　Mrs。　Norbury；　that　nothing　would　keep　you　from　doing　
your　duty。　But　it　must　have　been　disagreeable。　Particularly　if　you　
weren't　quite　sure　〃　

〃He　was　attracted；　Mr。　Gillingham。　Obviously　attracted。〃　

〃Who　would　not　be？〃　said　Antony；　with　a　charming　smile。　〃It　must　
have　been　something　of　a　shock　to　him　to　…〃　

〃It　was　just　that　which　made　me　so　glad　that　I　had　spoken。　I　saw　at　
once　that　I　had　not　spoken　a　moment　too　soon。〃　

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〃There　must　have　been　a　certain　awkwardness　about　the　next　
meeting；〃　suggested　Antony。　

〃Naturally；　he　has　not　been　here　since。　No　doubt　they　would　have　
been　bound　to　meet　up　at　the　Red　House　sooner　or　later。〃　

〃Oh；　…　this　was　only　quite　lately？〃　

〃Last　week；　Mr。　Gillingham。　I　spoke　just　in　time。　

〃Ab！〃　said　Antony；　under　his　breath。　He　had　been　waiting　for　it。　

He　would　have　liked　now　to　have　gone　away；　so　that　he　might　have　
thought　over　the　new　situation　by　himself；　or；　perhaps　preferably；　to　have　
changed　partners　for　a　little　while　with　Bill。　Miss　Norbury　would　hardly　
be　ready　to　confide　in　a　stranger　with　the　readiness　of　a　mother；　but　he　
might　have　learnt　something　by　listening　to　her。　For　which　of　them　had　
she　the　greater　feeling　Cayley　or　Mark？　Was　she　really　prepared　to　
marry　Mark？　Did　she　love　him　or　the　other　…　or　neither？　Mrs。　Norbury　
was　only　a　trustworthy　witness　in　regard　to　her　own　actions　and　thoughts；　
he　had　learnt　all　that　was　necessary　of　those；　and　only　the　daughter　now　
had　anything　left　to　tell　him。　But　Mrs。　Norbury　was　still　talking。　

〃Girls　are　so　foolish；　Mr。　Gillingham；〃　she　was　saying。　〃It　is　
fortunate　that　they　have　mothers　to　guide　them。　It　was　so　obvious　to　me　
from　the　beginning　that　dear　Mr。　Ablett　was　just　the　husband　for　my　little　
girl。　You　never　knew　him？〃　

Antony　said　again　that　he　had　not　seen　Mr。　Ablett。　

〃Such　a　gentleman。　So　nice…looking；　in　his　artistic　way。　A　regular　
Velasquez　…　I　should　say　Van　Dyck。　Angela　would　have　it　that　she　could　
never　marry　a　man　with　a　beard。　As　if　that　mattered；　when　…〃　She　broke　
off；　and　Antony　finished　her　sentence　for　her。　

〃The　Red　House　is　certainly　charming；〃　he　said。　

〃Charming。　Quite　charming。　And　it　is　not　as　if　Mr。　Ablett's　
appearance　were　in　any　way　undistinguished。　Quite　the　contrary。　I'm　
sure　you　agree　with　me？〃　

Antony　said　that　he　had　never　had　the　pleasure　of　seeing　Mr。　Ablett。　

〃Yes。　And　quite　the　centre　of　the　literary　and　artistic　world。　So　
desirable　in　every　way。〃　

She　gave　a　deep　sigh；　and　communed　with　herself　for　a　little。　Antony　

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was；　about　to　snatch　the　opportunity　of　leaving；　when　Mrs。　Norbury　began　
again。　

〃And　then　there's　this　scapegrace　brother　of　his。　He　was　perfectly　
frank　with　me；　Mr。　Gillingham。　He　would　be。　He　told　me　of　this　
brother；　and　I　told　him　that　I　was　quite　certain　it　would　make　no　difference　
to　my　daughter's　feelings　for　him。。。。　After　all；　the　brother　was　in　
Australia。〃　

〃When　was　this？　Yesterday？〃　Antony　felt　that；　if　Mark　had　only　
mentioned　it　after　his　brother's　announcement　of　a　personal　call　at　the　Red　
House；　this　perfect　frankness　had　a　good　deal　of　wisd