加勒比海之谜(英文版)-第15部分

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with　cats。　And　other　people　who　faint　if　a　caterpillar　drops　on　them。〃

〃I　hate　suggesting　itbut　don't　you　think　perhaps　she　ought　to　see　awell；　a　psychiatrist？〃

〃No！〃　said　Tim　explosively。　〃I　won't　have　people　like　that　monkeying　about　with　her。　I　don't　believe　in　them。　They　make　people　worse。　If　her　mother　had　left　psychiatrists　alone。。。〃

〃So　there　was　trouble　of　that　kind　in　her　family；　was　there？　I　mean　a　history　of〃　she　chose　the　word　carefully　〃instability。〃

〃I　don't　want　to　talk　about　it。　I　took　her　away　from　it　all　and　she　was　all　right；　quite　all　right。　She　has　just　got　into　a　nervous　state。。。　But　these　things　aren't　hereditary。　Everybody　knows　that　nowadays。　It's　an　exploded　idea。　Molly's　perfectly　sane。　It's　just　thatoh！　I　believe　it　was　that　wretched　old　Palgrave　dying　that　started　it　all　off。〃

〃I　see；〃　said　Evelyn　thoughtfully。　〃But　there　was　nothing　really　to　worry　anyone　in　Major　Palgrave's　death；　was　there？〃

〃No　of　course　there　wasn't。　But　it's　a　kind　of　shock　when　somebody　dies　suddenly。〃

He　looked　so　desperate　and　defeated　that　Evelyn's　heart　smote　her。　She　put　her　hand　on　his　arm。

〃Well；　I　hope　you　know　what　you're　doing；　Tim；　but　if　I　could　help　in　any　wayI　mean　if　I　could　go　with　Molly　to　New　YorkI　could　fly　with　her　there　or　Miami　or　somewhere　where　she　could　get　really　firstclass　medical　advice。〃

〃It's　very　good　of　you；　Evelyn；　but　Molly's　all　right。　She's　getting　over　it；　anyway。〃

Evelyn　shook　her　head　in　doubt。　She　turned　away　slowly　and　looked　along　the　line　of　the　terrace。　Most　people　had　gone　by　now　to　their　bungalows。　Evelyn　was　walking　towards　her　table　to　see　if　she'd　left　anything　behind　there；　when　she　heard　Tim　give　an　exclamation。　She　looked　up　sharply。　He　was　staring　towards　the　steps　at　the　end　of　the　terrace　and　she　followed　his　gaze。　Then　she　too　caught　her　breath。

Molly　was　ing　up　the　steps　from　the　beach。　She　was　breathing　with　deep；　sobbing　breaths；　her　body　swayed　to　and　fro　as　she　came；　in　a　curious　directionless　run。　Tim　cried；　〃Molly！　What's　the　matter？〃

He　ran　towards　her　and　Evelyn　followed　him。　Molly　was　at　the　top　of　the　steps　now　and　she　stood　there；　both　hands　behind　her　back。　She　said　in　sobbing　breaths：　〃I　found　her。。。　She's　there　in　the　bushes。。。　There　in　the　bushes。。。　And　look　at　my　handslook　at　my　hands〃　She　held　them　out　and　Evelyn　caught　her　breath　as　she　saw　the　queer　dark　stains。

They　looked　dark　in　the　subdued　lighting　but　she　knew　well　enough　that　their　real　colour　was　red。

''What's　happened；　Molly？〃　cried　Tim。

〃Down　there；〃　said　Molly。　She　swayed　on　her　feet。　〃In　the　bushes。。。〃

Tim　hesitated；　looked　at　Evelyn；　then　shoved　Molly　a　little　towards　Evelyn　and　ran　down　the　steps。　Evelyn　put　her　arm　round　the　girl。

〃e。　Sit　down；　Molly。　Here。　You'd　better　have　something　to　drink。〃

Molly　collapsed　in　a　chair　and　leaned　forward　on　the　table；　her　forehead　on　her　crossed　arms。　Evelyn　did　not　question　her　any　more。　She　thought　it　better　to　leave　her　time　to　recover。

〃It'll　be　all　right；　you　know；〃　said　Evelyn　gently。　〃It'll　be　all　right。〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Molly。　〃I　don't　know　what　happened。　I　don't　know　anything。　I　can't　remember。　I〃　She　raised　her　head　suddenly。　〃What's　the　matter　with　me？　What's　the　matter　with　me？〃

〃It's　all　right；　child。　It's　all　right。〃

Tim　was　ing　slowly　up　the　steps。　His　face　was　ghastly。　Evelyn　looked　up　at　him；　raising　her　eyebrows　in　a　query。

〃It's　one　of　our　girls；〃　he　said。　〃What'shernameVictoria。　Somebody's　put　a　knife　in　her。〃



Chapter　14

INQUIRY



Molly　lay　on　her　bed。　Dr。　Graham　and　Dr。　Robertson；　the　West　Indian　police　doctor　stood　on　one　side；　Tim　on　the　other。　Robertson　had　his　hand　on　Molly's　pulse。　He　nodded　to　the　man　at　the　foot　of　the　bed；　a　slender　dark　man　in　police　uniform。　Inspector　Weston　of　the　St。　Honorй　Police　Force。

〃A　bare　statementno　more。〃　the　doctor　said。

The　other　nodded。

''Now；　Mrs。　Kendaljust　tell　us　how　you　came　to　find　this　girl。〃

For　a　moment　or　two　it　was　as　though　the　figure　on　the　bed　had　not　heard。　Then　she　spoke　in　a　faint；　faraway　voice。

〃In　the　busheswhite。。。〃

〃You　saw　something　whiteand　you　looked　to　see　what　it　was？　Is　that　it？〃

〃Yeswhitelying　thereI　triedtried　to　liftsheitbloodblood　all　over　my　hands。〃

She　began　to　tremble。

Dr。　Graham　shook　his　head　at　them。

Robertson　whispered：　〃She　can't　stand　much　more。〃

〃What　were　you　doing　on　the　beach　path；　Mrs。　Kendal？〃

〃Warmniceby　the　sea〃

〃You　knew　who　the　girl　was？〃

〃Victorianicenice　girllaughsshe　used　to　laughoh！　and　now　she　won't　She　won't　ever　laugh　again。　I'll　never　fet　it　I'll　never　fet　it〃　Her　voice　rose　hysterically。

〃Mollydon't。〃　It　was　Tim。

〃Quiet　Quiet〃　Dr。　Robertson　spoke　with　a　soothing　authority。　〃Just　relax；　relax。　Now　just　a　small　prick〃　He　withdrew　the　hypodermic。　〃She'll　be　in　no　fit　condition　to　be　questioned　for　at　least　twentyfour　hours；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　let　you　know　when。〃



II



The　big　handsome　Negro　looked　from　one　to　the　other　of　the　men　sitting　at　the　table。

〃Ah　declare　to　God；〃　he　said。　〃That's　all　I　know。　I　don't　know　nothing　but　what　Ah've　told　you。〃

The　perspiration　stood　out　on　his　forehead。

Daventry　sighed。　The　man　presiding　at　the　table；　Inspector　Weston　of　the　St。　Honorй　C。I。D。；　made　a　gesture　of　dismissal。　Big　Jim　Ellis　shuffled　out　of　the　room。

〃It's　not　all　he　knows；　of　course；〃　Weston　said。　He　had　the　soft　Island　voice。　〃But　it's　all　we　shall　learn　from　him。〃

〃You　think　he's　in　the　clear　himself？〃　asked　Daventry。

〃Yes。　They　seem　to　have　been　on　good　terms　together。〃

〃They　weren't　married？〃

A　faint　smile　appeared　on　Lieutenant　Weston's　lips。　〃No；〃　he　said；　〃they　weren't　married。　We　don't　have　so　many　marriages　on　the　Island。　They　christen　the　children；　though。　He's　had　two　children　by　Victoria。〃

〃Do　you　think　he　was　in　it；　whatever　it　was；　with　her？〃

〃Probably　not。　I　think　he'd　have　been　nervous　of　anything　of　that　kind。　And　I'd　say；　too；　that　what　she　did　know　wasn't　very　much。〃

〃But　enough　for　blackmail？〃

〃I　don't　know　that　I'd　even　call　it　that。　I　doubt　if　the　girl　would　even　understand　that　word。　Payment　for　being　discreet　isn't　thought　of　as　blackmail。　You　see；　some　of　the　people　who　stay　here　are　the　rich　playboy　lot　and　their　morals　won't　bear　much　investigation。〃　His　voice　was　slightly　scathing。

〃We　get　all　kinds；　I　agree；〃　said　Daventry。　〃A　woman；　maybe；　doesn't　want　it　known　that　she's　sleeping　around；　so　she　gives　a　present　to　the　girl　who　waits　on　her。　It's　tacitly　understood　that　the　payment's　for　discretion。〃

〃Exactly。〃

〃But　this；〃　objected　Daventry；　〃wasn't　anything　of　that　kind。　It　was　murder。〃

〃I　should　doubt；　though；　if　the　girl　knew　it　was　serious。　She　saw　something；　some　puzzling　incident；　something　to　do　presumably　with　this　bottle　of　pills。　It　belonged　to　Mr。　Dyson；　I　understand。　We'd　better　see　him　next。〃

Gregory　came　in　with　his　usual　hearty　air。

〃Here　I　am；〃　he　said；　〃what　can　I　do　to　help？　Too　bad　about　this　girl。　She　was　a　nice　girl。　We　both　liked　her。　I　suppose　it　was　some　sort　of　quarrel　or　other　with　a　man；　but　she　seemed　quite　happy　and　no　signs　of　being　in　trouble　about　anything。　I　was　kidding　her　only　last　night。〃

〃I　believe　you　take　a　preparation；　Mr。　Dyson；　called　Serenite？〃

〃Quite　right。　Little　pink　tablets。〃

〃You　have　them　on　prescription　from　a　physician？〃

〃Yes。　I　can　show　it　to　you　if　you　like。　Suffer　a　bit　from　high　blood　pressure；　like　so　many　people　do　nowadays。〃

〃Very　few　people　seem　to　be　aware　of　that　fact。〃

〃Well；　I　don't　go　talking　about　it。　Iwell；　I've　always　been　well　and　hearty　and　I　never　like　people　who　talk　about　their　ailments　all　the　time。〃

〃How　many　of　the　pills　do　you　take？〃

〃Two；　three　times　a　day。〃

〃Do　you　have　a　fairly　large　stock　with　you？〃

〃Yes。　I've　got　about　half　a　dozen　bottles。　But　they're　locked　up；　you　know；　in　a　suitcase。　I　only　keep　out　one；　the　one　that's　in　current　use。〃

〃And　you　missed　this　bottle　a　short　time　ago；　so　I　hear？〃

〃Quite　right。〃

〃And　you　asked　this　girl；　Victoria　Johnson；　whether　she'd　seen　it？〃

〃Yes；　I　did。〃

〃And　what　did　she　say？〃

〃She　said　the　last　time　she'd　seen　it　was　on　the　shelf　in　our　bathroom。　She　said　she'd　look　around。〃

〃And　after　that？〃

〃She　came　and　returned　the　bottle　to　me　some　time　later。　She　said　was　this　the　bottle　that　was　missing？〃

〃And　you　said？〃

〃I　said　'that's　it；　all　right；　where　did　you　find　it？'　And　she　said　it　was　in　old　Major　Palgrave's　room。　I　said　'how　on　earth　did　it　get　there？'〃

〃And　what　did　she　answer　to　that？〃

〃She　said　she　didn't　know；　but〃　he　hesitated。

〃Yes；　Mr。　Dyson？〃

〃Well；　she　gave　me　the　feeling　that　she　did　know　a　little　more　than　she　was　saying；　but　I　didn't　pay　much　attention。　After　all；　it　wasn't　very　important。　As　I　say；　I've　got　other　bottles　of　pills　with　me。　I　thought　perhaps　I'd　left　it　around　in　the　restaurant　or　somewhere　and　old　Palgrave　picked　it　up　for　some　reason。　Perhaps　he　put　it　in　his　pocket　meaning　to　return　it　to　me；　then　fot。〃

〃And　that's　all　you　know　about　it；　Mr。　Dyson？〃

〃That's　all　I　know。　Sorry　to　be　so　unhelpful。　Is　it　important？　Why！〃

Weston　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃As　things　are；　anything　may　be　important。〃