加勒比海之谜(英文版)-第14部分

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ous；　it's　getting　frightfully　late。　I　ought　to　be　on　duty　now　in　the　dining　room。　II　must　go　back。〃

She　looked　sharply　and　almost　offensively　at　Evelyn　Hillingdon；　and　then　hurried　off。

Evelyn　stared　after　her。



Chapter　12

OLD　SINS　CAST　LONG　SHADOWS



〃I　think　as　I　am　on　to　something；　man。〃

〃What's　that　you　say；　Victoria？〃

〃I　think　I'm　on　to　something。　It　may　mean　money。　Big　money。〃

〃Now　look；　girl；　you　be　careful；　you'll　not　tangle　yourself　up　in　something。　Maybe　I'd　better　tackle　what　it　is。〃

Victoria　laughed；　a　deep　rich　chuckle。　〃You　wait　and　see；〃　she　said。　〃I　know　how　to　play　this　hand。　It's　money；　man；　it's　big　money。　Something　I　see；　and　something　I　guess。　I　think　I　guess　right。〃

And　again　the　soft　rich　chuckle　rolled　out　on　the　night。



II



〃Evelyn。。。〃

〃Yes？〃

Evelyn　Hillingdon　spoke　mechanically；　without　interest。　She　did　not　look　at　her　husband。

〃Evelyn；　would　you　mind　if　we　chucked　all　this　and　went　home　to　England？〃

She　had　been　bing　her　short　dark　hair。　Now　her　hands　came　down　from　her　head　sharply。　She　turned　towards　him。

〃You　mean　But　we've　only　just　e。　We've　not　been　out　here　in　the　islands　for　more　than　three　weeks。〃

〃I　know。　Butwould　you　mind？〃

Her　eyes　searched　him　incredulously。　〃You　really　want　to　go　back　to　England。　Back　home？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃LeavingLucky。〃

He　winced。

〃You've　known　all　the　time；　I　suppose；　thatthat　it　was　still　going　on？〃

〃Pretty　well。　Yes。〃

〃You've　never　said　anything。〃

〃Why　should　I？　We　had　the　whole　thing　out　years　ago。　Neither　of　us　wanted　to　make　a　break。　So　we　agreed　to　go　our　separate　waysbut　keep　up　the　show　in　public。〃

Then　she　added　before　he　could　speak；　〃But　why　are　you　so　set　on　going　back　to　England　now？〃

〃Because　I'm　at　breaking　point。　I　can't　stick　it　any　longer；　Evelyn。　I　can't。〃　The　quiet　Edward　Hillingdon　was　transformed。　His　hands　shook；　he　swallowed；　his　calm　unemotional　face　seemed　distorted　by　pain。

〃For　God's　sake；　Edward；　what's　the　matter？〃

〃Nothing's　the　matter　except　that　I　want　to　get　out　of　here〃

〃You　fell　wildly　in　love　with　Lucky。　And　now　you've　got　over　it。　Is　that　what　you're　telling　me？〃

〃Yes。　I　don't　suppose　you'll　ever　feel　the　same。〃

〃Oh　let's　not　go　into　that　now！　I　want　to　understand　what's　upsetting　you　so　much；　Edward。〃

〃I'm　not　particularly　upset。〃

〃But　you　are。　Why？〃

〃Isn't　it　obvious？〃

〃No；　it　isn't；〃　said　Evelyn。　〃Let's　put　it　in　plain　concrete　terms。　You've　had　an　affair　with　a　woman。　That　happens　often　enough。　And　now　it's　over。　Or　isn't　it　over？　Perhaps　it　isn't　over　on　her　side。　Is　that　it？　Does　Greg　know　about　it？　I've　often　wondered。〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Edward。　〃He's　never　said　anything。　He　always　seems　friendly　enough。〃

〃Men　can　be　extraordinarily　obtuse；〃　said　Evelyn　thoughtfully。　〃Or　else　Perhaps　Greg　has　got　an　outside　interest　of　his　own！〃

〃He's　made　passes　at　you；　hasn't　he？〃　said　Edward。　〃Answer　meI　know　he　has〃

〃Oh　yes；〃　said　Evelyn；　carelessly；　〃but　he　makes　passes　at　everybody。　That's　just　Greg。　It　doesn't　ever　really　mean　much。　I　imagine。　It's　just　part　of　the　Greg　heman　act。〃

〃Do　you　care　for　him；　Evelyn？　I'd　rather　know　the　truth。〃

〃Greg？　I'm　quite　fond　of　himhe　amuses　me。　He's　a　good　friend。〃

〃And　that's　all？　I　wish　I　could　believe　you。〃

〃I　can't　really　see　how　it　can　possibly　matter　to　you；〃　said　Evelyn　dryly。

〃I　suppose　I　deserve　that。〃

Evelyn　walked　to　the　window；　looked　out　across　the　veranda　and　came　back　again。　〃I　wish　you　would　tell　me　what's　really　upsetting　you；　Edward。〃

〃I've　told　you。〃

〃I　wonder。〃

〃You　can't　understand；　I　suppose；　how　extraordinary　a　temporary　madness　of　this　kind　can　seem　to　you　after　you've　got　over　it。〃

〃I　can　try；　I　suppose。　But　what's　worrying　me　now　is　that　Lucky　seems　to　have　got　some　kind　of　stranglehold　upon　you。　She's　not　just　a　discarded　mistress。　She's　a　tigress　with　claws。　You　must　tell　me　the　truth；　Edward。　It's　the　only　way　if　you　want　me　to　stand　by　you。〃

Edward　said　in　a　low　voice：　〃If　I　don't　get　away　from　her　soonI　shall　kill　her。〃

〃Kill　Lucky？　Why？〃

〃Because　of　what　she　made　me　do。。。〃

〃What　did　she　make　you　do？〃

〃I　helped　her　to　mit　a　murder〃

The　words　were　out。　There　was　silence。　Evelyn　stared　at　him。　〃Do　you　know　what　you　are　saying？〃

〃Yes。　I　didn't　know　I　was　doing　it。　There　were　things　she　asked　me　to　get　for　herat　the　chemist's。　I　didn't　knowI　hadn't　the　least　idea　what　she　wanted　them　for。　She　got　me　to　copy　out　a　prescription　she　had。。。〃

〃When　was　this？〃

〃Four　years　ago。　When　we　were　in　Martinique。　Whenwhen　Greg's　wife〃

〃You　mean　Greg's　first　wifeGail？　You　mean　Lucky　poisoned　her？〃

〃Yesand　I　helped　her。　When　I　realised〃

Evelyn　interrupted　him。　〃When　you　realised　what　had　happened；　Lucky　pointed　out　to　you　that　you　had　written　out　the　prescription；　that　you　had　got　the　drugs；　that　you　and　she　were　in　it　together？　Is　that　right？〃

〃Yes。　She　said　she　had　done　it　out　of　pitythat　Gail　was　sufferingthat　she　had　begged　Lucky　to　get　something　that　would　end　it　all。〃

〃A　mercy　killing！　I　see。　And　you　believed　that？〃

Edward　Hillingdon　was　silent　a　moment；　then　he　said：　〃NoI　didn't　reallynot　deep　down。　I　accepted　it　because　I　wanted　to　believe　itbecause　I　was　infatuated　with　Lucky。〃

〃And　afterwardswhen　she　married　Gregdid　you　still　believe　it？〃

〃I'd　made　myself　believe　it　by　then。〃

〃And　Greghow　much　did　he　know　about　it　all？〃

〃Nothing　at　all。〃

〃That　I　find　hard　to　believe！〃

Edward　Hillingdon　broke　out：　〃Evelyn；　I've　got　to　get　free　of　it　all！　That　woman　taunts　me　still　with　what　I　did。　She　knows　I　don't　care　for　her　any　longer。　Care　for　her？　I've　e　to　hate　her！　But　she　makes　me　feel　I'm　tied　to　her　by　the　thing　we　did　together。〃　Evelyn　walked　up　and　down　the　room　then　she　stopped　and　faced　him。

〃The　entire　trouble　with　you；　Edward；　is　that　you　are　ridiculously　sensitiveand　also　incredibly　suggestible。　That　devil　of　a　woman　has　got　you　just　where　she　wants　you　by　playing　on　your　sense　of　guilt。　And　I'll　tell　you　this　in　plain　Bible　terms；　the　guilt　that　weighs　on　you　is　the　guilt　of　adulterynot　murder。　You　were　guiltstricken　about　your　affair　with　Luckyand　then　she　made　a　cat'spaw　of　you　for　her　murder　scheme；　and　managed　to　make　you　feel　you　shared　her　guilt。　You　don't。〃

〃Evelyn。。。〃　He　stepped　towards　her。

She　stepped　back　a　minute　and　looked　at　him　searchingly。

〃Is　this　all　true；　Edward？　Is　it？　Or　are　you　making　it　up？〃

〃Evelyn！　Why　on　earth　should　I　do　such　a　thing？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Evelyn　Hillingdon　slowly。　〃It's　just　perhapsbecause　I　find　it　hard　to　trust　anybody。　And　because　Oh！　I　don't　know。　I've　got；　I　suppose；　so　that　I　don't　know　the　truth　when　I　hear　it。〃

〃Let's　chuck　all　this。　Go　back　home　to　England。〃

〃Yes。　We　will。　But　not　now。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃We　must　carry　on　as　usualjust　for　the　present。　It's　important。　Do　you　understand；　Edward？　Don't　let　Lucky　have　an　inkling　of　what　we're　up　to〃



Chapter　13

EXIT　VICTORIA　JOHNSON



The　evening　was　drawing　to　a　close。

The　steel　band　was　at　last　relaxing　its　efforts。　Tim　stood　by　the　dining　room　looking　over　the　terrace。　He　extinguished　a　few　lights　on　tables　that　had　been　vacated。

A　voice　spoke　behind　him。　〃Tim；　can　I　speak　to　you　a　moment？〃

Tim　Kendal　started。

〃Hallo；　Evelyn；　is　there　anything　I　can　do　for　you？〃

Evelyn　looked　round。

〃e　to　this　table　here；　and　let's　sit　down　a　minute。〃

She　led　the　way　to　a　table　at　the　extreme　end　of　the　terrace。　There　were　no　other　people　near　them。

〃Tim；　you　must　five　me　talking　to　you；　but　I'm　worried　about　Molly。〃

His　face　changed　at　once。

〃What　about　Molly？〃　he　said　stiffly。

〃I　don't　think　she's　awfully　well。　She　seems　upset。〃

〃Things　do　seem　to　upset　her　rather　easily　just　lately。〃

〃She　ought　to　see　a　doctor；　I　think。〃

〃Yes；　I　know；　but　she　doesn't　want　to。　She'd　hate　it。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Eh？　What　d'you　mean？〃

〃I　said　why？　Why　should　she　hate　seeing　a　doctor？〃

〃Well；〃　said　Tim　rather　vaguely；　〃People　do　sometimes；　you　know。　It'swell；　it　sort　of　makes　them　feel　frightened　about　themselves。〃

〃You're　worried　about　her　yourself；　aren't　you；　Tim？〃

〃Yes。　Yes；　I　am　rather。〃

〃Isn't　there　anyone　of　her　family　who　could　e　out　here　to　be　with　her？〃

〃No。　That'd　make　things　far　worse。〃

〃What　is　the　troublewith　her　family；　I　mean？〃

〃Oh；　just　one　of　those　things。　I　suppose　she's　just　highly　strung　andshe　didn't　get　on　with　themparticularly　her　mother。　She　never　has。　They'rethey're　rather　an　odd　family　in　some　ways　and　she　cut　loose　from　them。　Good　thing　she　did；　I　think。〃

Evelyn　said　hesitantly：　〃She　seems　to　have　had　blackouts；　from　what　she　told　me；　and　to　be　frightened　of　people。　Almost　like　persecution　mania。〃

〃Don't　say　that；〃　said　Tim　angrily。　〃Persecution　mania！　People　always　say　that　about　people。　Just　because　shewellmaybe　she's　a　bit　nervy。　ing　out　here　to　the　West　Indies。　All　the　dark　faces。　You　knoes；　about　the　West　Indies　and　coloured　people。〃

〃Surely　not　girls　like　Molly？〃

〃Oh；　how　does　one　know　the　things　people　are　frightened　of？　There　are　people　who　can't　be　in　the　room　with　cats。　And　other　people　who　faint　if　a　caterpillar　drops　on　them。〃

〃I　hate　suggesting　itbut　d