加勒比海之谜(英文版)-第26部分

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　at　first　and　so　she　took　more　of　them。　Is　that　it；　Molly？〃

Her　head　moved　very　faintly　in　a　negative　motion。

〃You　mean　you　took　them　on　purpose？〃　said　Tim。

Molly　spoke　then。　〃Yes；〃　she　said。

〃But　why；　Molly；　why？〃

The　eyelids　faltered。　〃Afraid。〃　The　word　was　just　heard。

〃Afraid？　Of　what？〃

But　her　eyelids　closed　down。

〃Better　let　her　be；〃　said　Dr。　Graham。

Tim　spoke　impetuously。　〃Afraid　of　what？　The　police？　Because　they've　been　hounding　you；　asking　you　questions？　I　don't　wonder。　Anyone　might　feel　frightened。　But　it's　just　their　way；　that's　all。　Nobody　thinks　for　one　moment〃　he　broke　off。

Dr。　Graham　made　him　a　decisive　gesture。

〃I　want　to　go　to　sleep；〃　said　Molly。

〃The　best　thing　for　you；〃　said　Dr。　Graham。

He　moved　to　the　door　and　the　others　followed　him。

〃She'll　sleep　all　right；〃　said　Graham。

〃Is　there　anything　I　ought　to　do？〃　asked　Tim。　He　had　the　usual；　slightly　apprehensive　attitude　of　a　man　in　illness。

〃I'll　stay　if　you　like；〃　said　Evelyn　kindly。

〃Oh　no。　No；　that's　quite　all　right；〃　said　Tim。

Evelyn　went　back　towards　the　bed。　〃Shall　I　stay　with　you；　Molly？〃

Molly's　eyes　opened　again。　She　said；　〃No；〃　and　then　after　a　pause；　〃just　Tim。〃

Tim　came　back　and　sat　down　by　the　bed。

〃I'm　here；　Molly；〃　he　said　and　took　her　hand。

〃Just　go　to　sleep。　I　won't　leave　you。〃

She　sighed　faintly　and　her　eyes　closed。

The　doctor　paused　outside　the　bungalow　and　the　Hillingdons　stood　with　him。

〃You're　sure　there's　nothing　more　I　can　do？〃　asked　Evelyn。

〃I　don't　think　so；　thank　you；　Mrs。　Hillingdon。　She'll　be　better　with　her　husband　now。　But　possibly　tomorrowafter　all；　he's　got　this　hotel　to　runI　think　someone　should　be　with　her。〃

〃D'you　think　she　mighttry　again？〃　asked　Hillingdon。

Graham　rubbed　his　forehead　irritably。　〃One　never　knows　in　these　cases。　Actually；　it's　most　unlikely。　As　you've　seen　for　yourselves；　the　restorative　treatment　is　extremely　unpleasant。　But　of　course　one　can　never　be　absolutely　certain。　She　may　have　more　of　this　stuff　hidden　away　somewhere。〃

〃I　should　never　have　thought　of　suicide　in　connection　with　a　girl　like　Molly；〃　said　Hillingdon。

Graham　said　dryly；　〃It's　not　the　people　who　are　always　talking　of　killing　themselves；　threatening　to　do　so；　who　do　it。　They　dramatise　themselves　that　way　and　let　off　steam。〃

〃Molly　always　seemed　such　a　happy　girl。　I　think　perhaps〃Evelyn　hesitated〃I　ought　to　tell　you　Dr。　Graham。〃　She　told　him　then　about　her　interview　with　Molly　on　the　beach　the　night　that　Victoria　had　been　killed。

Graham's　face　was　very　grave　when　she　had　finished。

〃I'm　glad　you've　told　me；　Mrs。　Hillingdon。　There　are　very　definite　indications　there　of　some　kind　of　deeprooted　trouble。　Yes。　I'll　have　a　word　with　her　husband　in　the　morning。〃



III



〃I　want　to　talk　to　you　seriously；　Kendal；　about　your　wife。〃

They　were　sitting　in　Tim's　office。　Evelyn　Hillingdon　had　taken　his　place　by　Molly's　bedside　and　Lucky　had　promised　to　e　and；　as　she　expressed　it；　〃spell　her〃　later。

Miss　Marple　had　also　offered　her　services。

Poor　Tim　was　torn　between　his　hotel　mitments　and　his　wife's　condition。

〃I　can't　understand　it；〃　said　Tim；　〃I　can't　understand　Molly　any　longer。　She's　changed。　Changed　out　of　all　seeming。〃

〃I　understand　she's　been　having　bad　dreams？〃

〃Yes。　Yes；　she　plained　about　them　a　good　deal。〃

〃For　how　long？〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　know。　Aboutoh　I　suppose　a　monthperhaps　longer。　Shewethought　they　were　just　well；　nightmares；　you　know。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　I　quite　understand。　But　what's　a　much　more　serious　sign　is　the　fact　that　she　seems　to　have　felt　afraid　of　someone。　Did　she　plain　about　that　to　you？〃

〃Well；　yes。　She　said　once　or　twice　thatoh；　people　were　following　her。〃

〃Ah！　Spying　on　her？〃

〃Yes；　she　did　use　that　term　once。　She　said　they　were　her　enemies　and　they'd　followed　her　here。〃

〃Did　she　have　enemies；　Mr。　Kendal？〃

〃No。　Of　course　she　didn't。〃

〃No　incident　in　England；　anything　you　know　about　before　you　were　married？〃

〃Oh　no；　nothing　of　that　kind。　She　didn't　get　on　with　her　family　very　well；　that　was　all。　Her　mother　was　rather　an　eccentric　woman；　difficult　to　live　with　perhaps；　but。。。〃

〃Any　signs　of　mental　instability　in　her　family？〃

Tim　opened　his　mouth　impulsively；　then　shut　it　again。　He　pushed　a　fountain　pen　about　on　the　desk　in　front　of　him。

The　doctor　said：　〃I　must　stress　the　fact　that　it　would　be　better　to　tell　me；　Tim；　if　that　is　the　case。〃

〃Well；　yes；　I　believe　so。　Nothing　serious；　but　I　believe　there　was　an　aunt　or　something　who　was　a　bit　batty。　But　that's　nothing。　I　meanwell　you　get　that　in　almost　any　family。〃

〃Oh　yes；　yes；　that's　quite　true。　I'm　not　trying　to　alarm　you　about　that；　but　it　just　might　show　a　tendency　towell　to　break　down　or　imagine　things　if　any　stress　arose。〃

〃I　don't　really　know　very　much；〃　said　Tim。　〃After　all；　people　don't　pour　out　all　their　family　histories　to　you；　do　they？〃

〃No；　no。　Quite　so。　She　had　no　former　friend；　she　was　not　engaged　to　anyone；　anyone　who　might　have　threatened　her　or　made　jealous　threats？　That　sort　of　thing？〃

〃I　don't　know。　I　don't　think　so。　Molly　was　engaged　to　some　other　man　before　I　came　along。　Her　parents　were　very　against　it；　I　understand；　and　I　think　she　really　stuck　to　the　chap　more　out　of　opposition　and　defiance　than　anything　else。〃　He　gave　a　sudden　halfgrin。　〃You　know　what　it　is　when　you're　young。　If　people　cut　up　a　fuss　it　makes　you　much　keener　on　whoever　it　is。〃

Dr。　Graham　smiled　too。　〃Ah　yes；　one　often　sees　that。　One　should　never　take　exception　to　one's　children's　objectionable　friends。　Usually　they　grow　out　of　them　naturally。　This　man；　whoever　he　was；　didn't　make　threats　of　any　kind　against　Molly？〃

〃No；　I'm　sure　he　didn't。　She　would　have　told　me。　She　said　herself　she　just　had　a　silly　adolescent　craze　on　him；　mainly　because　he　had　such　a　bad　reputation。〃

〃Yes；　yes。　Well；　that　doesn't　sound　serious。　Now　there's　another　thing。　Apparently　your　wife　has　had　what　she　describes　as　blackouts。　Brief　passages　of　time　during　which　she　can't　account　for　her　actions。　Did　you　know　about　that；　Tim？〃

〃No；〃　said　Tim　slowly；　〃No。　I　didn't。　She　never　told　me。　I　did　notice；　you　know；　now　you　mention　it；　that　she　seemed　rather　vague　sometimes　and。。。〃　He　paused；　thinking。　〃Yes；　that　explains　it。　I　couldn't　understand　how　she　seemed　to　have　fotten　the　simplest　things；　or　sometimes　not　to　seem　to　know　what　time　of　day　it　was。　I　just　thought　she　was　absentminded；　I　suppose。〃

〃What　it　amounts　to；　Tim；　is　just　this。　I　advise　you　most　strongly　to　take　your　wife　to　see　a　good　specialist。〃

Tim　flushed　angrily。　〃You　mean　a　mental　specialist；　I　suppose？〃

〃Now；　now；　don't　be　upset　by　labels。　A　neurologist；　a　psychologist；　someone　who　specialises　in　what　the　layman　call　nervous　breakdowns。　There's　a　good　man　in　Kingston。　Or　there's　New　York　of　course。　There　is　something　that　is　causing　these　nervous　terrors　of　your　wife's。　Something；　perhaps；　for　which　she　hardly　knows　the　reason　herself。　Get　advice　about　her；　Tim。　Get　advice　as　soon　as　possible。〃

He　put　his　hand　on　the　young　man's　shoulder　and　got　up。

〃There's　no　immediate　worry。　Your　wife　has　good　friends　and　we'll　all　be　keeping　an　eye　on　her。〃

〃She　won't　You　don't　think　she'll　try　it　again？〃

〃I　think　it　most　unlikely；〃　said　Dr。　Graham。

〃You　can't　be　sure；〃　said　Tim。

〃One　can　never　be　sure；〃　said　Dr。　Graham；　〃that's　one　of　the　first　things　you　learn　in　my　profession。〃　Again　he　laid　a　hand　on　Tim's　shoulder。　〃Don't　worry　too　much。〃

〃That's　easy　to　say；〃　said　Tim　as　the　doctor　went　out　of　the　door。　〃Don't　worry；　indeed！　What　does　he　think　I'm　made　of？〃



Chapter　21

JACKSON　ON　COSMETICS



〃You're　sure　you　don't　mind；　Miss　Marple？〃　said　Evelyn　Hillingdon。　

〃No；　indeed；　my　dear；〃　said　Miss　Marple。　〃I'm　only　too　delighted　to　be　of　use　in　any　way。　At　my　age；　you　know；　one　feels　very　useless　in　the　world。　Especially　when　I　am　in　a　place　like　this；　just　enjoying　myself。　No　duties　of　any　kind。　No；　I'll　be　delighted　to　sit　with　Molly。　You　go　along　on　your　expedition。　Pelican　Point；　wasn't　it？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Evelyn。　〃Both　Edward　and　I　love　it。　I　never　get　tired　of　seeing　the　birds　diving　down；　catching　up　the　fish。　Tim's　with　Molly　now。　But　he's　got　things　to　do　and　he　doesn't　seem　to　like　her　being　left　alone。〃

〃He's　quite　right；〃　said　Miss　Marple。　〃I　wouldn't　in　his　place。　One　never　knows；　does　one？　When　anyone　has　attempted　anything　of　that　kind。　Well；　go　along；　my　dear。〃

Evelyn　went　off　to　join　a　little　group　that　was　waiting　for　her。　Her　husband；　the　Dysons　and　three　or　four　other　people。

Miss　Marple　checked　her　knitting　requirements；　saw　that　she　had　all　she　wanted　with　her；　and　walked　over　towards　the　Kendals'　bungalow。

As　she　came　up　on　to　the　loggia　she　heard　Tim's　voice　through　the　halfopen　French　window。

〃If　you'd　only　tell　me　why　you　did　it；　Molly。　What　made　you？　Was　it　anything　I　did？　There　must　be　some　reason。　If　you'd　only　tell　me。〃

Miss　Marple　paused。　There　was　a　little　pause　inside　before　Molly　spoke。　Her　voice　was　flat　and　tired。

〃I　don't　know；　Tim；　I　really　don't　know。　I　supposesomething　came　over　me。〃

Miss　Marple　tapped　on　the　window　and　walked　in。

〃Oh　there　you　are。　Miss　Marple。　It　is　very　good　of　you。〃

〃Not