the red house mystery-第4节

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employer　（contrary　to　all　etiquette　as　understood　between　master　and　
servant）　exactly　what　he　thought　of　him。　He　had　no　difficulty　in　finding　
a　new　profession。　Instead　of　experience　and　testimonials　he　offered　his　
personality　and　a　sporting　bet。　He　would　take　no　wages　'the　first　month；　
and　…　if　he　satisfied　his　employer　…　double　wages　the　second。　He　always　
got　his　double　wages。　

He　was　now　thirty。　He　had　come　to　Waldheim　for　a　holiday；　because　
he　liked　the　look　of　the　station。　His　ticket　entitled　him　to　travel　further；　
but　he　had　always　intended　to　please　himself　in　the　matter。　Waldheim　
attracted　him；　and　he　had　a　suit…case　in　the　carriage　with　him　and　money　
in　his　pocket。　Why　not　get　out？　

The　landlady　of　〃The　George〃　was　only　too　glad　to　put　him　up；　and　
promised　that　her　husband　would　drive　over　that　afternoon　for　his　luggage。　

〃And　you　would　like　some　lunch；　I　expect；　sir。〃　

〃Yes；　but　don't　give　yourself　any　trouble　about　it。　Cold　anything…
you've…got。〃　

〃What　about　beef；　sir？〃　she　asked；　as　if　she　had　a　hundred　varieties　of　
meat　to　select　from；　and　was　offering　him　her　best。　

〃That　will　do　splendidly。　And　a　pint　of　beer。〃　

While　he　was　finishing　his　lunch；　the　landlord　came　in　to　ask　about　the　
luggage。　Antony　ordered　another　pint；　and　soon　had　him　talking。　

〃It　must　be　rather　fun　to　keep　a　country　inn；〃　he　said；　thinking　that　it　
was　about　time　he　started　another　profession。　

〃I　don't　know　about　fun；　sir。　It　gives　us　a　living；　and　a　bit　over。〃　

〃You　ought　to　take　a　holiday；〃　said　Antony；　looking　at　him　
thoughtfully。　

〃Funny　thing　your　saying　that；〃　said　the　landlord；　with　a　smile。　
〃Another　gentleman；　over　from　The　Red　House；　was　saying　that　only　
yesterday。　Offered　to　take　my　place　'n　all。〃　He　laughed　rumblingly。　

〃The　Red　House？　Not　the　Red　House；　Stanton？〃　

〃That's　right；　sir。　Stanton's　the　next　station　to　Waldheim。　The　Red　

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The　Red　House　Mystery　

House　is　about　a　mile　from　here　…　Mr。　Ablett's。〃　

Antony　took　a　letter　from　his　pocket。　It　was　addressed　from　〃The　
Red　House；　Stanton；〃　and　signed　〃Bill。〃　

〃Good　old　Bill；〃　he　murmured　to　himself。　〃He's　getting　on。〃　

Antony　had　met　Bill　Beverley　two　years　before　in　a　tobacconist's　shop。　
Gillingham　was　on　one　side　of　the　counter　and　Mr。　Beverley　on　the　other。　
Something　about　Bill；　his　youth　and　freshness；　perhaps；　attracted　Antony；　
and　when　cigarettes　had　been　ordered；　and　an　address　given　to　which　they　
were　to　be　sent；　he　remembered　that　he　had　come　across　an　aunt　of　
Beverley's　once　at　a　country…house。　Beverley　and　he　met　again　a　little　
later　at　a　restaurant。　Both　of　them　were　in　evening…dress；　but　they　did　
different　things　with　their　napkins；　and　Antony　was　the　more　polite　of　the　
two。　However；　he　still　liked　Bill。　So　on　one　of　his　holidays；　when　he　
was　unemployed；　he　arranged　an　introduction　through　a　mutual　friend。　
Beverley　was　a　little　inclined　to　be　shocked　when　he　was　reminded　of　
their　previous　meetings；　but　his　uncomfortable　feeling　soon　wore　off；　and　
he　and　Antony　quickly　became　intimate。　But　Bill　generally　addressed　
him　as　〃Dear　Madman〃　when　he　happened　to　write。　

Antony　decided　to　stroll　over　to　The　Red　House　after　lunch　and　call　
upon　his　friend。　Having　inspected　his　bedroom　which　was　not　quite　the　
lavender…smelling　country…inn　bedroom　of　fiction；　but　sufficiently　clean　
and　comfortable；　he　set　out　over　the　fields。　

As　he　came　down　the　drive　and　approached　the　old　red…brick　front　of　
the　house；　there　was　a　lazy　murmur　of　bees　in　the　flower…borders；　a　gentle　
cooing　of　pigeons　in　the　tops　of　the　elms；　and　from　distant　lawns　the　whir　
of　a　mowing…machine；　that　most　restful　of　all　country　sounds。。。。　

And　in　the　hall　a　man　was　banging　at　a　locked　door；　and　shouting；　
〃Open　the　door；　I　say；　open　the　door！〃　

〃Hallo！〃　said　Antony　in　amazement。　

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The　Red　House　Mystery　

CHAPTER　III　

Two　Men　and　a　Body　

Cayley　looked　round　suddenly　at　the　voice。　

〃Can　I　help？〃　said　Antony　politely。　

〃Something's　happened；〃　said　Cayley。　He　was　breathing　quickly。　〃I　
heard　a　shot…it　sounded　like　a　shot　…　I　was　in　the　library。　A　loud　bang　…　I　
didn't　know　what　it　was。　And　the　door's　locked。〃　He　rattled　the　handle　
again；　and　shook　it。　〃Open　the　door！〃　he　cried。　〃I　say；　Mark；　what　is　it？　
Open　the　door！〃　

〃But　he　must　have　locked　the　door　on　purpose；〃　said　Antony。　〃So　
why　should　he　open　it　just　because　you　ask　him　to？〃　

Cayley　looked　at　him　in　a　bewildered　way。　Then　he　turned　to　the　
door　again。　〃We　must　break　it　in；〃　he　said；　putting　his　shoulder　to　it。　
〃Help　me。〃　

〃Isn't　there　a　window？〃　

Cayley　turned　to　him　stupidly。　

〃Window？　Window？〃　

〃So　much　easier　to　break　in　a　window；〃　said　Antony　with　a　smile。　He　
looked　very　cool　and　collected；　as　he　stood　just　inside　the　hall；　leaning　on　
his　stick；　and　thinking；　no　doubt；　that　a　great　deal　of　fuss　was　being　made　
about　nothing。　But　then；　he　had　not　heard　the　shot。　

〃Window　…　of　course！　What　an　idiot　I　am。〃　

He　pushed　past　Antony；　and　began　running　out　into　the　drive。　
Antony　followed　him。　They　ran　along　the　front　of　the　house；　down　a　
path　to　the　left；　and　then　to　the　left　again　over　the　grass；　Cayley　in　front；　
the　other　close　behind　him。　Suddenly　Cayley　looked　over　his　shoulder　
and　pulled　up　short。　

〃Here；〃　he　said。　

They　had　come　to　the　windows　of　the　locked　room；　French　windows　
which　opened　on　to　the　lawns　at　the　back　of　the　house。　But　now　they　
were　closed。　Antony　couldn't　help　feeling　a　thrill　of　excitement　as　he　
followed　Cayley's　example；　and　put　his　face　close　up　to　the　glass。　For　the　
first　time　he　wondered　if　there　really　had　been　a　revolver　shot　in　this　

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The　Red　House　Mystery　

mysterious　room。　It　had　all　seemed　so　absurd　and　melodramatic　from　the　
other　side　of　the　door。　But　if　there　had　been　one　shot；　why　should　there　
not　be　two　more？　…　at　the　careless　fools　who　were　pressing　their　noses　
against　the　panes；　and　asking　for　it。　

〃My　God；　can　you　see　it？〃　said　Cayley　in　a　shaking　voice。　〃Down　
there。　Look！〃　

The　next　moment　Antony　saw　it。　A　man　was　lying　on　the　floor　at　the　
far　end　of　the　room；　his　back　towards　them。　A　man？　Or　the　body　of　a　
man？　

〃Who　is　it？〃　said　Antony。　

〃I　don't　know；〃　the　other　whispered。　

〃Well；　we'd　better　go　and　see。〃　He　considered　the　windows　for　a　
moment。　〃I　should　think；　if　you　put　your　weight　into　it；　just　where　they　
join；　they'll　give　all　right。　Otherwise；　we　can　kick　the　glass　in。〃　

Without　saying　anything；　Cayley　put　his　weight　into　it。　The　window　
gave；　and　they　went　into　the　room。　Cayley　walked　quickly　to　the　body；　
and　dropped　on　his　knees　by　it。　For　the　moment　he　seemed　to　hesitate；　
then　with　an　effort　he　put　a　hand　on　to　its　shoulder　and　pulled　it　over。　

〃Thank　God！〃　he　murmured；　and　let　the　body　go　again。　

〃Who　is　it？〃　said　Antony。　

〃Robert　Ablett。〃　

〃Oh！〃　said　Antony。　〃I　thought　his　name　was　Mark；〃　he　added；　more　
to　himself　than　to　the　other。　

〃Yes；　Mark　Ablett　lives　here。　Robert　is　his　brother。〃　He　shuddered；　
and　said；　〃I　was　afraid　it　was　Mark。〃　

〃Was　Mark　in　the　room　too？〃　

〃Yes；〃　said　Cayley　absently。　Then；　as　if　resenting　suddenly　these　
questions　from　a　stranger；　〃Who　are　you？〃　

But　Antony　had　gone　to　the　locked　door；　and　was　turning　the　handle。　
〃I　suppose　he　put　the　key　in　his　pocket；〃　he　said；　as　he　came　back　to　the　
body　again。　

〃Who？〃　

Antony　shrugged　his　shoulders。　

〃Whoever　did　this；〃　he　said；　pointing　to　the　man　on　the　floor。　〃Is　he　

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The　Red　House　Mystery　

dead？〃　

〃Help　me；〃　said　Cayley　simply。　

They　turned　the　body　on　to　its　back；　nerving　themselves　to　look　at　it。　
Robert　Ablett　had　been　shot　between　the　eyes。　It　was　not　a　pleasant　sight；　
and　with　his　horror　Antony　felt　a　sudden　pity　for　the　man　beside　him；　and　
a　sudden　remorse　for　the　careless；　easy　way　in　which　he　had　treated　the　
affair。　But　then　one　always　went　about　imagining　that　these　things　didn't　
happen　…　except　to　other　people。　It　was　difficult　to　believe　in　them　just　at　
first；　when　they　happened　to　yourself。　

〃Did　you　know　him　well？〃　said　Antony　quietly。　He　meant；　〃Were　
you　fond　of　him？〃　

〃Hardly　at　all。　Mark　is　my　cousin。　I　mean；　Mark　is　the　brother　I　
know　best。〃　

〃Your　cousin？〃　

〃Yes。〃　He　hesitated；　and　then　said；　〃Is　he　dead？　I　suppose　he　is。　
Will　you　…　do　you　know　anything　about　…　about　that　sort　of　thing？　Perhaps　
I'd　better　get　some　water。〃　

There　was　another　door　opposite　to　the　locked　one；　which　led；　as　
Antony　was　to　discover　for　himself　directly；　into　a　passage　from　which　
opened　two　more　rooms。　Cayley　stepped　into　the　passage；　and　opened　
the　door　on　the　right。　The　door　from　the　office；　through　which　he　had　
gone；　remained　open。　The　door；　at　the　end　of　the　short　passage　was　shut。　
Antony；　kneeling　by　the　body；　followed　Cayley　with　his　eyes；　and；　after　he　
had　disappeared；　kept　his　eyes　on　the　blank　wall　of　the　passage；　but　he　was　
not　conscious　of　that　at　which　he　was　looking；　for　his　mind　was　with　the　
other　man；　sympathizing　with　him。　

〃Not　that　water　is　any　use　to　a　dead　body；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃but　the　
feeling　that　you're　doing　something；　when　th