the red house mystery-第7节

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the　world。〃　

〃I　daresay；　Mr。　Cayley；〃　smiled　the　inspector。　〃Anyhow；　it　was　more　
convenient　to　have　him　in　Australia？〃　

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The　Red　House　Mystery　

〃Yes。〃　

〃Mark　Ablett　never　talked　about　him？〃　

〃Hardly　ever。　He　was　very　much　ashamed　of　him；　and　…　well；　very　
glad　he　was　in　Australia。〃　

〃Did　he　write　Mark　sometimes？〃　

〃Occasionally。　Perhaps　three　or　four　times　in　the　last　five　years。〃　

〃Asking　for　money？〃　

〃Something　of　the　sort。　I　don't　think　Mark　always　answered　them。　As　
far　as　I　know；　he　never　sent　any　money。〃　

〃Now　your　own　private　opinion；　Mr。　Cayley。　Do　you　think　that　Mark　
was　unfair　to　his　brother？　Unduly　hard　on　him？〃　

〃They'd　never　liked　each　other　as　boys。　There　was　never　any　
affection　between　them。　I　don't　know　whose　fault　it　was　in　the　first　place　

…　if　anybody's。〃　
〃Still；　Mark　might　have　given　him　a　hand？〃　
〃I　understand；〃　said　Cayley；　〃that　Robert　spent　his　whole　life　asking　
for　hands。〃　

The　inspector　nodded。　

〃I　know　that　sort。　Well；　now；　we'll　go　on　to　this　morning。　This　
letter　that　Mark　got　…　did　you　see　it？〃　

〃Not　at　the　time。　He　showed　it　to　me　afterwards。〃　

〃Any　address？〃　

〃No。　A　half…sheet　of　rather　dirty　paper。〃　

〃Where　is　it　now？〃　

〃I　don't　know。　In　Mark's　pocket；　I　expect。〃　

〃Ah！〃　He　pulled　at　his　beard。　〃Well；　we'll　come　to　that。　Can　you　
remember　what　it　said？〃　

〃As　far　as　I　remember；　something　like　this：　'Mark；　your　loving　brother　
is　coming　to　see　you　to…morrow；　all　the　way　from　Australia。　I　give　you　
warning　so　that　you　will　be　able　to　conceal　your　surprise；　but　not　I　hope；　
your　pleasure。　Expect　him　at　three；　or　thereabouts。'〃　

〃Ah！〃　The　inspector　copied　it　down　carefully。　〃Did　you　notice　the　
postmark？〃　
〃London。〃　

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The　Red　House　Mystery　

〃And　what　was　Mark's　attitude？〃　

〃Annoyance；　disgust　…〃　Cayley　hesitated。　

〃Apprehension？〃　

〃N…no；　not　exactly。　Or；　rather；　apprehension　of　an　unpleasant　
interview；　not　of　any　unpleasant　outcome　for　himself。〃　

〃You　mean　that　he　wasn't　afraid　of　violence；　or　blackmail；　or　anything　
of　that　sort？〃　

〃He　didn't　appear　to　be。〃　

〃Right。。。。　Now　then；　he　arrived；　you　say；　about　three　o'clock？〃　

〃Yes；　about　that。〃　

〃Who　was　in　the　house　then？〃　

〃Mark　and　myself；　and　some　of　the　servants。　I　don't　know　which。　Of　
course；　you　will　ask　them　directly；　no　doubt。〃　

〃With　your　permission。　No　guests？〃　

〃They　were　out　all　day　playing　golf；〃　explained　Cayley。　〃Oh；　by　the　
way；〃　he　put　in；　〃if　I　may　interrupt　a　moment；　will　you　want　to　see　them　at　
all？　It　isn't　very　pleasant　for　them　now；　naturally；　and　I　suggested　…〃　he　
turned　to　Antony；　who　nodded　back　to　him。　〃I　understand　that　they　want　
to　go　back　to　London　this　evening。　There's　no　objection　to　that；　I　
suppose？〃　

〃You　will　let　me　have　their　names　and　addresses　in　case　I　want　to　
communicate　with　them？〃　

〃Of　course。　One　of　them　is　staying　on；　if　you　would　like　to　see　him　
later；　but　they　only　came　back　from　their　golf　as　we　crossed　the　hall。〃　

〃That's　all　right；　Mr。　Cayley。　Well；　now　then；　let's　go　back　to　three　
o'clock。　Where　were　you　when　Robert　arrived？〃　

Cayley　explained　how　he　had　been　sitting　in　the　hall；　how　Audrey　had　
asked　him　where　the　master　was；　and　how　he　had　said　that　he　had　last　seen　
him　going　up　to　the　Temple。　

〃She　went　away；　and　I　went　on　with　my　book。　There　was　a　step　on　
the　stairs；　and　I　looked　up　to　see　Mark　coming　down。　He　went　into　the　
office；　and　I　went　on　with　my　book　again。　I　went　into　the　library　for　a　
moment；　to　refer　to　another　book；　and　when　I　was　in　there　I　heard　a　shot。　
At　least；　it　was　a　loud　bang；　I　wasn't　sure　if　it　was　a　shot。　I　stood　and　

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The　Red　House　Mystery　

listened。　Then　I　came　slowly　to　the　door　and　looked　out。　Then　I　went　
back　again；　hesitated　a　bit；　you　know；　and　finally　decided　to　go　across　to　
the　office；　and　make　sure　that　it　was　all　right。　I　turned　the　handle　of　the　
door　and　found　it　was　locked。　Then　I　got　frightened；　and　I　banged　at　the　
door；　and　shouted；　and　…　well；　that　was　when　Mr。　Gillingham　arrived。〃　
He　went　on　to　explain　how　they　had　found　the　body。　

The　inspector　looked　at　him　with　a　smile。　

〃Yes；　well；　we　shall　have　to　go　over　some　of　that　again；　Mr。　Cayley。　
Mr。　Mark；　now。　You　thought　he　was　in　the　Temple。　Could　he　have　
come　in；　and　gone　up　to　his　room；　without　your　seeing　him？〃　〃There　are　
back　stairs。　He　wouldn't　have　used　them　in　the　ordinary　way；　of　course。　
But　I　wasn't　in　the　hall　all　the　afternoon。　He　might　easily　have　gone　
upstairs　without　my　knowing　anything　about　it。〃　

〃So　that　you　weren't　surprised　when　you　saw　him　coming　down？〃　

〃Oh；　not　a　bit。〃　

〃Well；　did　he　say　anything？〃　

〃He　said；　'Robert's　here？'　or　something　of　the　sort。　I　suppose　he'd　
heard　the　bell；　or　the　voices　in　the　hall。〃　

〃Which　way　does　his　bedroom　face？　Could　he　have　seen　him　
coming　down　the　drive？〃　

〃He　might　have；　yes。〃　

〃We11？〃　

〃Well；　then；　I　said　'Yes；'　and　he　gave　a　sort　of　shrug；　and　said；　'Don't　go　
too　far　away；　I　might　want　you'；　and　then　went　in。〃　

〃What　did　you　think　he　meant　by　that？〃　

〃Well；　he　consults　me　a　good　deal；　you　know。　I'm　his　sort　of　
unofficial　solicitor　in　a　kind　of　way。〃　

〃This　was　a　business　meeting　rather　than　a　brotherly　one？〃　

〃Oh；　yes。　That's　how　he　regarded　it；　I'm　sure。〃　

〃Yes。　How　long　was　it　before　you　heard　the　shot？〃　

〃Very　soon。　Two　minutes；　perhaps。〃　

The　inspector　finished　his　writing；　and　then　regarded　Cayley　
thoughtfully。　Suddenly　he　said：　

〃What　is　your　theory　of　Robert's　death？〃　

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The　Red　House　Mystery　

Cayley　shrugged　his　shoulders。　

〃You've　probably　seen　more　than　I've　seen；〃　he　answered。　〃It's　your　
job。　I　can　only　speak　as　a　layman　…　and　Mark's　friend。〃　

〃Well？〃　

〃Then　I　should　say　that　Robert　came　here　meaning　trouble；　and　
bringing　a　revolver　with　him。　He　produced　it　almost　at　once；　Mark　tried　
to　get　it　from　him；　there　was　a　little　struggle　perhaps；　and　it　went　off。　
Mark　lost　his　head；　finding　himself　there　with　a　revolver　in　his　hand　and　a　
dead　man　at　his　feet。　His　one　idea　was　to　escape。　He　locked　the　door　
almost　instinctively；　and　then；　when　he　heard　me　hammering　at　it；　went　
out　of　the　window。〃　

〃Y…yes。　Well；　that　sounds　reasonable　enough。　What　do　you　say；　Mr。　
Gillingham？〃　

〃I　should　hardly　call　it　'reasonable'　to　lose　your　head；〃　said　Antony；　
getting　up　from　his　chair　and　coming　towards　them。　

〃Well；　you　know　what　I　mean。　It　explains　things。〃　

〃Oh；　yes。　Any　other　explanation　would　make　them　much　more　
complicated。〃　

〃Have　you　any　other　explanation？〃　

〃Not　I。〃　

〃Are　there　any　points　on　which　you　would　like　to　correct　Mr。　Cayley？　

…　anything　that　he　left　out　after　you　arrived　here？〃　
〃No；　thanks。　He　described　it　all　very　accurately。〃　
〃Ab！　Well　now；　about　yourself。　You're　not　staying　in　the　house；　I　
gather？〃　

Antony　explained　his　previous　movements。　

〃Yes。　Did　you　hear　the　shot？〃　

Antony　put　his　head　on　one　side；　as　if　listening。　〃Yes。　Just　as　I　
came　in　sight　of　the　house。　It　didn't　make　any　impression　at　the　time；　but　

I　remember　it　now。　
〃Where　were　you　then？〃　
〃Coming　up　the　drive。　I　was　just　in　sight　of　the　house。〃　
〃Nobody　left　the　house　by　the　front　door　after　the　shot？〃　
Antony　closed　his　eyes　and　considered。　

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The　Red　House　Mystery　

〃Nobody；〃　he　said。　〃No。〃
〃You're　certain　of　that？〃
〃Absolutely；〃　said　Antony；　as　though　rather　surprised　that　he　could　be


suspected　of　a　mistake。　
〃Thank　you。　You're　at　'The　George；'　if　I　want　you？〃　
〃Mr。　Gillingham　is　staying　here　until　after　the　inquest；〃　explained　

Cayley。　
〃Good。　Well　now；　about　these　servants？〃　

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The　Red　House　Mystery　

CHAPTER　V　

Mr。　Gillingham　Chooses　a　New　Profession　

As　Cayley　went　over　to　the　bell；　Antony　got　up　and　moved　to　the　

door。　

〃Well；　you　won't　want　me；　I　suppose；　inspector；〃　he　said。　

〃No；　thank　you；　Mr。　Gillingham。　You'll　be　about；　of　course？〃　

〃Oh；　yes。〃　

The　inspector　hesitated。　

〃I　think；　Mr。　Cayley；　it　would　be　better　if　I　saw　the　servants　alone。　You　

know　what　they　are；　the　more　people　about；　the　more　they　get　alarmed。　I　
expect　I　can　get　at　the　truth　better　by　myself。〃　

〃Oh；　quite　so。　In　fact；　I　was　going　to　ask　you　to　excuse　me。　I　feel　
rather　responsible　towards　these　guests　of　ours。　Although　Mr。　
Gillingham　very　kindly　…〃　He　smiled　at　Antony；　who　was　waiting　at　the　
door；　and　left　his　sentence　unfinished。　

〃Ah；　that　reminds　me；〃　said　the　inspector。　〃Didn't　you　say　that　one　of　
your　guests　…　Mr。　Beverley　was　it？　…　a　friend　of　Mr。　Gillingham's；　was　
staying　on？〃　

〃Yes；　would　you　like　to　see　him？〃　

〃Afterwards；　if　I　may。〃　

〃I'll　warn　him。　I　shall　be　up　in　my　room；　if　you　want　me。　I　have　a　
room　upstairs　where　I　work　…　any　of　the　servants　will　show　you。　Ah；　
Stevens；　Inspector　Birch　would　like　to　ask　you　a　few　questions。〃　

〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　Audrey　primly；　but　inwardly　fluttering。　The　
housekeeper's　room　had　heard　something　of　the　news　by　this　time；　and　
Audrey　had　had　a　busy　time　explaining　to　other　members　of　the　staff　
exactly　what　he　had　said；　and　what　she　had　said。　The　details　were　not　
quite　established　yet；