the red house mystery- 第28部分

But　Antony；　on　his　knees　with　the　torch　in　his　hand；　continued　to　
search　for　something。　

〃What　are　you　looking　for？〃　asked　Bill　at　last。　

〃Something　that　isn't　there；〃　said　Antony；　getting　up　and　dusting　his　
trousers。　And　he　locked　the　door　again。　

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CHAPTER　XVIII　

Guess…work　

The　inquest　was　at　three　o'clock；　thereafter　Antony　could　have　no　
claim　on　the　hospitality　of　the　Red　House。　By　ten　o'clock　his　bag　was　
packed；　and　waiting　to　be　taken　to　the　〃George。〃　To　Bill；　coming　
upstairs　after　a　more　prolonged　breakfast；　this　early　morning　bustle　was　a　
little　surprising。　

〃What's　the　hurry？〃　he　asked。　

〃None。　But　we　don't　want　to　come　back　here　after　the　inquest。　Get　
your　packing　over　now　and　then　we　can　have　the　morning　to　ourselves。〃　

〃Righto。〃　He　turned　to　go　to　his　room；　and　then　came　back　again。　〃I　
say；　are　we　going　to　tell　Cayley　that　we're　staying　at　the　'George'？〃　

〃You're　not　staying　at　the　'George；'　Bill。　Not　officially。　You're　

going　back　to　London。〃　

〃Oh！〃　

〃Yes。　Ask　Cayley　to　have　your　luggage　sent　in　to　Stanton；　ready　for　

you　when　you　catch　a　train　there　after　the　inquest。　You　can　tell　him　that　
you've　got　to　see　the　Bishop　of　London　at　once。　The　fact　that　you　are　
hurrying　back　to　London　to　be　confirmed　will　make　it　seem　more　natural　
that　I　should　resume　my　interrupted　solitude　at　the　'George'　as　soon　as　you　
have　gone。〃　

〃Then　where　do　I　sleep　to…night？〃　

Officially；　I　suppose；　in　Fulham　Place；　unofficially；　I　suspect；　in　my　
bed；　unless　they've　got　another　spare　room　at　the　'George。'　I've　put　your　
confirmation　robe　…　I　mean　your　pyjamas　and　brushes　and　things　…　in　my　
bag；　ready　for；　you。　Is　there　anything　else　you　want　to　know？　No？　
Then　go　and　pack。　And　meet　me　at　ten…thirty　beneath　the　blasted　oak　or　
in　the　hall　or　somewhere。　I　want　to　talk　and　talk　and　talk；　and　I　must　have　
my　Watson。〃　

〃Good；〃　said　Bill；　and　went　oil　to　his　room。　

An　hour　later；　having　communicated　their　official　plans　to　Cayley；　
they　wandered　out　together　into　the　park。　

〃Well？〃　said　Bill；　as　they　sat　down　underneath　a　convenient　tree。　〃Talk　

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away。〃　

〃I　had　many　bright　thoughts　in　my　bath　this　morning；〃　began　Antony。　
〃The　brightest　one　of　all　was　that　we　were　being　damn　fools；　and　working　
at　this　thing　from　the　wrong　end　altogether。〃　

〃Well；　that's　helpful。〃　

〃Of　course　it's　very　hampering　being　a　detective；　when　you　don't　know　
anything　about　detecting；　and　when　nobody　knows　that　you're　doing　
detection；　and　you　can't　have　people　up　to　cross…examine　them；　and　you　
have　neither　the　energy　nor　the　means　to　make　proper　inquiries；　and；　in　
short；　when　you're　doing　the　whole　thing　in　a　thoroughly　amateur；　
haphazard　way。　

〃For　amateurs　I　don't　think　we're　doing　at　all　badly；〃　protested　Bill。　

〃No；　not　for　amateurs。　But　if　we　had　been　professionals；　I　believe　we　
should　have　gone　at　it　from　the　other　end。　The　Robert　end。　We've　been　
wondering　about　Mark　and　Cayley　all　the　time。　Now　let's　wonder　about　
Robert　for　a　bit。〃　

〃We　know　so　little　about　him。〃　

〃Well；　let's　see　what　we　do　know。　First　of　all；　then；　we　know　vaguely　
that　he　was　a　bad　lot　…　the　sort　of　brother　who　is　hushed　up　in　front　of　
other　people。〃　

〃Yes。〃　

〃We　know　that　he　announced　his　approaching　arrival　to　Mark　in　a　
rather　unpleasant　letter；　which　I　have　in　my　pocket。〃　

〃Yes。〃　

〃And　then　we　know　rather　a　curious　thing。　We　know　that　Mark　told　
you　all　that　this　black　sheep　was　coming。　Now；　why　did　he　tell　you？〃　

Bill　was　thoughtful　for　a　moment。　

〃I　suppose；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃that　he　knew　we　were　bound　to　see　him；　
and　thought　that　the　best　way　was　to　be　quite　frank　about　him。〃　

〃But　were　you　bound　to　see　him？　You　were　all　away　playing　golf。〃　

〃We　were　bound　to　see　him　if　he　stayed　in　the　house　that　night。〃　

〃Very　well；　then。　That's　one　thing　we've　discovered。　Mark　knew　
that　Robert　was　staying　in　the　house　that　night。　Or　shall　we　put　it　this　
way　…　he　knew　that　there　was　no　chance　of　getting　Robert　out　of　the　house　

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at　once。〃　

Bill　looked　at　his　friend　eagerly。　

〃Go　on；〃　he　said。　〃This　is　getting　interesting。〃　

〃He　also　knew　something　else；〃　went　on　Antony。　〃He　knew　that　
Robert　was　bound　to　betray　his　real　character　to　you　as　soon　as　you　met　
him。　He　couldn't　pass　him　off　on　you　as　just　a　travelled　brother　from　the　
Dominions；　with　perhaps　a　bit　of　an　accent；　he　had　to　tell　you　at　once；　
because　you　were　bound　to　find　out；　that　Robert　was　a　wastrel。〃　

〃Yes。　That's　sound　enough。〃　

〃Well；　now；　doesn't　it　strike　you　that　Mark　made　up　his　mind　about　all　
that　rather　quickly？〃　

〃How　do　you　mean？〃　

〃He　got　this　letter　at　breakfast。　He　read　it；　and　directly　he　had　read　it　
he　began　to　confide　in　you　all。　That　is　to　say；　in　about　one　second　he　
thought　out　the　whole　business　and　came　to　a　decision　…　to　two　decisions。　
He　considered　the　possibility　of　getting　Robert　out　of　the　way　before　you　
came　back；　and　decided　that　it　was　impossible。　He　considered　the　
possibility　of　Robert's　behaving　like　an　ordinary　decent　person　in　public；　
and　decided　that　it　was　very　unlikely。　He　came　to　those　two　decisions　
instantaneously；　as　he　was　reading　the　letter。　Isn't　that　rather　quick　
work？〃　

〃Well；　what's　the　explanation？〃　

Antony　waited　until　he　had　refilled　and　lighted　his　pipe　before　
answering。　

〃What's　the　explanation？　Well；　let's　leave　it　for　a　moment　and　take　
another　look　at　the　two　brothers。　In　conjunction；　this　time；　with　Mrs。　
Norbury。〃　

〃Mrs。　Norbury？〃　said　Bill；　surprised。　

〃Yes。　Mark　hoped　to　marry　Miss　Norbury。　Now；　if　Robert　really　
was　a　blot　upon　the　family　honour；　Mark　would　want　to　do　one　of　two　
things。　Either　keep　it　from　the　Norburys　altogether；　or　else；　if　it　had　to　
come　out；　tell　them　himself　before　the　news　came　to　them　indirectly。　
Well；　he　told　them。　But　the　funny　thing　is　that　he　told　them　the　day　
before　Robert's　letter　came。　Robert　came；　and　was　killed；　the　day　before　

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yesterday　…Tuesday。　Mark　told　Mrs。　Norbury　about　him　on　Monday。　
What　do　you　make　of　that？〃　

〃Coincidence；〃　said　Bill；　after　careful　thought。　〃He'd　always　meant　
to　tell　her；　his　suit　was　prospering；　and　just　before　it　was　finally　settled；　he　
told　her。　That　happened　to　be　Monday。　On　Tuesday　he　got　Robert's　
letter；　and　felt　jolly　glad　that　he'd　told　her　in　time。〃　

〃Well；　it　might　be　that；　but　it's　rather　a　curious　coincidence。　And　here　
is　something　which　makes　it　very　curious　indeed。　It　only　occurred　to　me　
in　the　bath　this　morning。　Inspiring　place；　a　bathroom。　Well；　it's　this　…　he　
told　her　on　Monday　morning；　on　his　way　to　Middleston　in　the　car。〃　

〃Well？〃　

〃Well。〃　

〃Sorry；　Tony；　I'm　dense　this　morning。〃　

〃In　the　car；　Bill。　And　how　near　can　the　car　get　to　Jallands？〃　

〃About　six　hundred　yards。〃　

〃Yes。　And　on　his　way　to　Middleston；　on　some　business　or　other；　
Mark　stops　the　car；　walks　six　hundred　yards　down　the　hill　to　Jallands；　says；　
'Oh；　by　the　way；　Mrs。　Norbury；　I　don't　think　I　ever　told　you　that　I　have　a　
shady　brother　called　Robert；'　walks　six　hundred　yards　up　the　hill　again；　
gets　into　the　car；　and　goes　off　to　Middleston。　Is　that　likely？〃　

Bill　frowned　heavily。　

〃Yes；　but　I　don't　see　what　you're　getting　at。　Likely　or　not　likely；　we　
know　he　did　do　it。〃　

〃Of　course　he　did。　All　I　mean　is　that　he　must　have　had　some　strong　
reason　for　telling　Mrs。　Norbury　at　once。　And　the　reason　I　suggest　is　that　
he　knew　on　that　morning　…　Monday　morning；　not　Tuesday　…　that　Robert　
was　coming　to　see　him；　and　had　to　be　in　first　with　the　news。　

〃But　…　but　…〃　

〃And　that　would　explain　the　other　point　…　his　instantaneous　decision　at　
breakfast　to　tell　you　all　about　his　brother。　It　wasn't　instantaneous。　He　
knew　on　Monday　that　Robert　was　coming；　and　decided　then　that　you　
would　all　have　to　know。〃　

〃Then　how　do　you　explain　the　letter？〃　

〃Well；　let's　have　a　look　at　it。〃　

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Antony　took　the　letter　from　his　pocket　and　spread　it　out　on　the　grass　
between　them。　

〃Mark；　your　loving　brother　is　coming　to　see　you　to…morrow；　all　the　
way　from　Australia。　1　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。〃　

〃No　date　mentioned；　you　see；〃　said　Antony。　〃Just　to…morrow。　

〃But　he　got　this　on　Tuesday。〃　

〃Did　he？〃　

〃Well；　he　read　it　out　to　us　on　Tuesday。〃　

〃Oh；　yes！　he　read　it　out　to　you。　

Bill　read　the　letter　again；　and　then　turned　it　over　and　looked　at　the　back　
of　it。　The　back　of　it　had　nothing　to　say　to　him。　

〃What　about　the　postmark？〃　he　asked。　

〃We　haven't　got　the　envelope；　unfortunately。〃　

〃And　you　think　that　he　got　this　letter　on　Monday。〃　

〃I'm　inclined　to　think　so；　Bill。　Anyhow；　I　think　…　I　feel　almost　certain　

…　that　he　knew　on　Monday　that　his　brother　was　coming。〃　
〃Is　that　going　to　help　us　much？〃　
〃No。　It　makes　it　more　difficult。　There's　something　rather　uncanny　
about　it　all。　I　don't　understand　it。〃　He　was　silent　for　a　little；　and　then　
added；　〃I　wonder　if　the　inquest　is　going　to　help　us。　

〃What　about　last　night？　I'm　longing　to　hear　what　you　make　of　that。　
Have　you　been　thinking　it　out　at　all？〃　

〃Last　night；〃　said　Antony　thoughtfully　to　himself。　〃Yes；　last　night　
wants　some　explaining。〃　

Bill　waited　hopefully　for　him　to　explain。　What；　for　instance；　had　
Antony　been　looking　for　in　the　cupboard？　

〃I　think；〃　began　Antony　slowly；　〃that　after　last　night　we　must　give　up　
the　idea　that　Mark　has　been　killed；　killed；　I　mean；　by　Cayley。　I　don't　
believe　anybody　would　go　to　so　much　trouble　to　hide　a　suit　of　clothes　
when　he　had　a　body　on　his　hands。　The　body　would　seem　so　much　more　
important。　I　think　we　may　take　it　now　that　the　clothes　are　all　that　Cayley　
had　to　hide。〃　

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〃But　why　not　have　kept　them　in　the　passage？〃　

〃He　was　frightened　of　the　passage。　Miss　Norris　knew　about　it。〃　

〃Well；　then；　in　his　own　bedroom；　or　even；　in　Mark's。　For　all　you　or　I　
or　anybody　knew；　Mark　might　have　had　two　brown　suit