the red house mystery-第6节

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〃Well；　I　thought　so　at　first；　but　…〃　He　pointed　to　the　wall　jutting　out　
on　the　right。　〃You　see；　you're　protected　from　the　rest　of　the　house　if　you　
get　out　here；　and　you're　quite　close　to　the　shrubbery。　If　you　go　out　at　the　
French　windows；　I　imagine　you're　much　more　visible。　All　that　part　of　the　
house　…〃　he　waved　his　right　hand　…　〃the　west；　well；　north…west　almost；　
where　the　kitchen　parts　are　…　you　see；　you're　hidden　from　them　here。　
Oh；　yes！　he　knew　the　house；　whoever　it　was；　and　he　was　quite　right　to　
come　out　of　this　window。　He'd　be　into　the　shrubbery　at　once。〃　

Cayley　looked　at　him　thoughtfully。　

〃It　seems　to　me；　Mr。　Gillingham；　that　you　know　the　house　pretty　well；　
considering　that　this　is　the　first　time　you've　been　to　it。〃　

Antony　laughed。　

〃Oh；　well；　I　notice　things；　you　know。　I　was　born　noticing。　But　I'm　
right；　aren't　I；　about　why　he　went　out　this　way？〃　

〃Yes；　I　think　you　are。〃　Cayley　looked　away　…towards　the　shrubbery。　
〃Do　you　want　to　go　noticing　in　there　now？〃　He　nodded　at　it。　

〃I　think　we　might　leave　that　to　the　police；〃　said　Antony　gently。　〃It's　
well；　there's　no　hurry。〃　

Cayley　gave　a　little　sigh；　as　if　he　had　been　holding　his　breath　for　the　
answer；　and　could　now　breathe　again。　

〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Gillingham；〃　he　said。　

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The　Red　House　Mystery　

CHAPTER　IV　

The　Brother　from　Australia　

Guests　at　the　Red　House　were　allowed　to　do　what　they　liked　within　
reason　…　the　reasonableness　or　otherwise　of　it　being　decided　by　Mark。　But　
when　once　they　（or　Mark）　had　made　up　their　minds　as　to　what　they　wanted　
to　do；　the　plan　had　to　be　kept。　Mrs。　Calladine；　who　knew　this　little　
weakness　of　their　host's；　resisted；　therefore；　the　suggestion　of　Bill　that　they　
should　have　a　second　round　in　the　afternoon；　and　drive　home　comfortably　
after　tea。　The　other　golfers　were　willing　enough；　but　Mrs。　Calladine；　
without　actually　saying　that　Mr。　Ablett　wouldn't　like　it；　was　firm　on　the　
point　that；　having　arranged　to　be　back　by　four；　they　should　be　back　by　
four。　

〃I　really　don't　think　Mark　wants　us；　you　know；〃　said　the　Major。　Having　
played　badly　in　the　morning；　he　wanted　to　prove　to　himself　in　the　
afternoon　that　he　was　really　better　than　that。　〃With　this　brother　of　his　
coming；　he'll　be　only　too　glad　to　have　us　out　of　the　way。〃　

〃Of　course　he　will；　Major。〃　This　from　Bill。　〃You'd　like　to　play；　
wouldn't　you；　Miss　Norris？〃　

Miss　Norris　looked　doubtfully　at　the　hostess。　

〃Of　course；　if　you　want　to　get　back；　dear；　we　mustn't　keep　you　here。　
Besides；　it's　so　dull　for　you；　not　playing。〃　

〃Just　nine　holes；　mother；〃　pleaded　Betty。　

〃The　car　could　take　you　back；　and　you　could　tell　them　that　we　were　
having　another　round；　and　then　it　could　come　back　for　us；〃　said　Bill　
brilliantly。　

〃It's　certainly　much　cooler　here　than　I　expected；〃　put　in　the　Major。　

Mrs。　Calladine　fell。　It　was　very　pleasantly　cool　outside　the　golf…
house；　and　of　course　Mark　would　be　rather　glad　to　have　them　out　of　the　
way。　So　she　consented　to　nine　holes；　and　the　match　having　ended　all…
square；　and　everybody　having　played　much　better　than　in　the　morning；　
they　drove　back　to　The　Red　House；　very　well　pleased　with　themselves。　

〃Halo；〃　said　Bill　to　himself；　as　they　approached　the　house；　〃isn't　that　
old　Tony？〃　

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The　Red　House　Mystery　

Antony　was　standing　in　front　of　the　house；　waiting　for　them。　Bill　
waved；　and　he　waved　back。　Then　as　the　car　drew　up；　Bill；　who　was　in　
front　with　the　chauffeur；　jumped　down　and　greeted　him　eagerly。　

〃Hallo；　you　madman；　have　you　come　to　stay；　or　what？〃　He　had　a　
sudden　idea。　〃Don't　say　you're　Mark　Ablett's　long…lost　brother　from　
Australia；　though　I　could　quite　believe　it　of　you。〃　He　laughed　boyishly。　

〃Hallo；　Bill；〃　said　Antony　quietly。　〃Will　you　introduce　me？　I'm　
afraid　I've　got　some　bad　news。〃　

Bill；　rather　sobered　by　this；　introduced　him。　The　Major　and　Mrs。　
Calladine　were　on　the　near　side　of　the　car；　and　Antony　spoke　to　them　in　a　
low　voice。　

〃I'm　afraid　I'm　going　to　give　you　rather　a　shock；〃　he　said。　〃Robert　
Ablett；　Mr。　Mark　Ablett's　brother；　has　been　killed。〃　He　jerked　a　thumb　
over　his　shoulder；　〃In　the　house。〃　

〃Good　God！〃　said　the　Major。　

〃Do　you　mean　that　he　has　killed　himself？〃　asked　Mrs。　Calladine。　
〃Just　now？〃　

〃It　was　about　two　hours　ago。　I　happened　to　come　here；〃　…　he　half…
turned　to　Beverley　and　explained　…　〃I　was　coming　to　see　you；　Bill；　and　I　
arrived　just　after　the　…　the　death。　Mr。　Cayley　and　I　found　the　body。　Mr。　
Cayley　being　busy　just　now　…　there　are　police　and　doctors　and　so　on　in　the　
house　…　he　asked　me　to　tell　you。　He　says　that　no　doubt　you　would　prefer；　
the　house…party　having　been　broken　up　in　this　tragic　way；　to　leave　as　soon　
as　possible。〃　He　gave　a　pleasant　apologetic　little　smile　and　went　on；　〃I　
am　putting　it　badly；　but　what　he　means；　of　course；　is　that　you　must　consult　
your　own　feelings　in　the　matter　entirely；　and　please　make　your　own　
arrangements　about　ordering　the　car　for　whatever　train　you　wish　to　catch。　
There　is　one　this　evening；　I　understand；　which　you　could　go　by　if　you　
wished　it。〃　

Bill　gazed　with　open　mouth　at　Antony。　He　had　no　words　in　his　
vocabulary　to　express　what　he　wanted　to　say；　other　than　those　the　Major　
had　already　used。　Betty　was　leaning　across　to　Miss　Norris　and　saying；　
〃Who's　killed？〃　in　an　awe…struck　voice；　and　Miss　Norris；　who　was　
instinctively　looking　as　tragic　as　she　looked　on　the　stage　when　a　

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The　Red　House　Mystery　

messenger　announced　the　death　of　one　of　the　cast；　stopped　for　a　moment　
in　order　to　explain。　Mrs。　Calladine　was　quietly　mistress　of　herself。　

〃We　shall　be　in　the　way；　yes；　I　quite　understand；〃　she　said；　〃but　we　
can't　just　shake　the　dust　of　the　place　off　our　shoes　because　something　
terrible　has　happened　there。　I　must　see　Mark；　and　we　can　arrange　later　
what　to　do。　He　must　know　how　very　deeply　we　feel　for　him。　Perhaps　
we　…〃　she　hesitated。　

〃The　Major　and　I　might　be　useful　anyway；〃　said　Bill。　〃Isn't　that　what　
you　mean；　Mrs。　Calladine？〃　

〃Where　is　Mark？〃　said　the　Major　suddenly；　looking　hard　at　Antony。　

Antony　looked　back　unwaveringly　…　and　said　nothing。　

〃I　think；〃　said　the　Major　gently；　leaning　over　to　Mrs。　Calladine；　〃that　it　
would　be　better　if　you　took　Betty　back　to　London　to…night。〃　

〃Very　well；〃　she　agreed　quietly。　〃You　will　come　with　us；　Ruth？〃　

〃I'll　see　you　safely　there；〃　said　Bill　in　a　meek　voice。　He　didn't　quite　
know　what　was　happening；　and；　having　expected　to　stay　at　the　Red　House　
for　another　week；　he　had　nowhere　to　go　to　in　London；　but　London　seemed　
to　be　the　place　that　everyone　was　going　to；　and　when　he　could　get　Tony　
alone　for　a　moment；　Tony　no　doubt　would　explain。　

〃Cayley　wants　you　to　stay；　Bill。　You　have　to　go　anyhow；　to…morrow；　
Major　Rumbold？〃　

〃Yes。　I'll　come　with　you；　Mrs。　Calladine。〃　

〃Mr。　Cayley　would　wish　me　to　say　again　that　you　will　please　not　
hesitate　to　give　your　own　orders；　both　as　regard　the　car　and　as　regard　any　
telephoning　or　telegraphing　that　you　want　done。〃　He　smiled　again　and　
added；　〃Please　forgive　me　if　I　seem　to　have　taken　a　good　deal　upon　myself；　
but　I　just　happened　to　be　handy　as　a　mouthpiece　for　Cayley。〃　He　bowed　
to　them　and　went　into　the　house。　

〃Well！〃　said　Miss　Norris　dramatically。　

As　Antony　re…entered　the　hall；　the　Inspector　from　Middleston　was　just　
crossing　into　the　library　with　Cayley。　The　latter　stopped　and　nodded　to　
Antony。　

〃Wait　a　moment；　Inspector。　Here's　Mr。　Gillingham。　He'd　better　
come　with　us。〃　And　then　to　Antony；　〃This　is　Inspector　Birch。〃　

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The　Red　House　Mystery　

Birch　looked　inquiringly　from　one　to　the　other。　

〃Mr。　Gillingham　and　I　found　the　body　together；〃　explained　Cayley。　

〃Oh！　Well；　come　along；　and　let's　get　the　facts　sorted　out　a　bit。　I　like　
to　know　where　I　am；　Mr。　Gillingham。〃　

〃We　all　do。〃　

〃Oh！〃　He　looked　at　Antony　with　interest。　〃D'you　know　where　you　
are　in　this　case？〃　

〃I　know　where　I'm　going　to　be。〃　

〃Where's　that？〃　

〃Put　through　it　by　Inspector　Birch；〃　said　Antony　with　a　smile。　

The　inspector　laughed　genially。　

〃Well；　I'll　spare　you　as　much　as　I　can。　Come　along。〃　

They　went　into　the　library。　The　inspector　seated　himself　at　a　writing…
table；　and　Cayley　sat　in　a　chair　by　the　side　of　it。　Antony　made　himself　
comfortable　in　an　armchair　and　prepared　to　be　interested。　

〃We'll　start　with　the　dead　man；〃　said　the　inspector。　〃Robert　Ablett；　
didn't　you　say？〃　He　took　out　his　notebook。　

〃Yes。　Brother　of　Mark　Ablett；　who　lives　here。〃　

〃Ah！〃　He　began　to　sharpen　a　pencil。　〃Staying　in　the　house？〃　

〃Oh；　no！〃　

Antony　listened　attentively　while　Cayley　explained　all　that　he　knew　
about　Robert。　This　was　news　to　him。　〃I　see。　Sent　out　of　the　country　
in　disgrace。　What　had　he　done？〃　

〃I　hardly　know。　I　was　only　about　twelve　at　the　time。　The　sort　of　
age　when　you're　told　not　to　ask　questions。〃　

〃Inconvenient　questions？〃　

〃Exactly。〃　

〃So　you　don't　really　know　whether　he　had　been　merely　wild　or　…　or　
wicked？〃　

〃No。　Old　Mr。　Ablett　was　a　clergyman；〃　added　Cayley。　〃Perhaps　
what　might　seem　wicked　to　a　clergyman　might　seem　only　wild　to　a　man　of　
the　world。〃　

〃I　daresay；　Mr。　Cayley；〃　smiled　the　inspe