加勒比海之谜(英文版)-第3部分

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ervice　was　mainly　done　by　women；　tall　black　girls　of　proud　carriage；　dressed　in　crisp　white；　but　there　was　an　experienced　Italian　head　waiter　in　charge；　and　a　French　wine　waiter；　and　there　was　the　attentive　eye　of　Tim　Kendal　watching　over　everything；　pausing　here　and　there　to　have　a　social　word　with　people　at　their　tables。　His　wife　seconded　him　ably。　She　was　a　goodlooking　girl。　Her　hair　was　a　natural　golden　blonde　and　she　had　a　wide　generous　mouth　that　laughed　easily。　It　was　very　seldom　that　Molly　Kendal　was　out　of　temper。　Her　staff　worked　for　her　enthusiastically；　and　she　adapted　her　manner　carefully　to　suit　her　different　guests。　With　the　elderly　men　she　laughed　and　flirted；　she　congratulated　the　younger　women　on　their　clothes。　〃Oh　what　a　smashing　dress　you've　got　on　tonight；　Mrs。　Dyson。　I'm　so　jealous　I　could　tear　it　off　your　back。〃　But　she　looked　very　well　in　her　own　dress；　or　so　Miss　Marple　thought；　a　white　sheath；　with　a　pale　green　embroidered　silk　shawl　thrown　over　her　shoulders。　Lucky　was　fingering　the　shawl。　〃Lovely　colour！　I'd　like　one　like　it。〃　〃You　can　get　them　at　the　shop　here；〃　Molly　told　her　and　passed　on。　She　did　not　pause　by　Miss　Marple's　table。　Elderly　ladies　she　usually　left　to　her　husband。　〃The　old　dears　like　a　man　much　better；〃　she　used　to　say。

Tim　Kendal　came　and　bent　over　Miss　Marple。　〃Nothing　special　you　want；　is　there？〃　he　asked。　〃Because　you've　only　got　to　tell　meand　I　could　get　it　specially　cooked　for　you。　Hotel　food；　and　semitropical　at　that；　isn't　quite　what　you're　used　to　at　home；　I　expect？〃

Miss　Marple　smiled　and　said　that　that　was　one　of　the　pleasures　of　ing　abroad。　〃That's　all　right；　then。　But　if　there　is　anything〃

〃Such　as？〃

〃Well〃　Tim　Kendal　looked　a　little　doubtful。　〃Bread　and　butter　pudding？〃　he　hazarded。

Miss　Marple　smiled　and　said　that　she　thought　she　could　do　without　bread　and　butter　pudding　very　nicely　for　the　present。　She　picked　up　her　spoon　and　began　to　eat　her　passion　fruit　sundae　with　cheerful　appreciation。

Then　the　steel　band　began　to　play。　The　steel　bands　were　one　of　the　main　attractions　of　the　islands。　Truth　to　tell　Miss　Marple　could　have　done　very　well　without　them。　She　considered　that　they　made　a　hideous　noise；　unnecessarily　loud。　The　pleasure　that　everyone　else　took　in　them　was　undeniable；　however；　and　Miss　Marple；　in　the　true　spirit　of　her　youth；　decided　that　as　they　had　to　be；　she　must　manage　somehow　to　learn　to　like　them。　She　could　hardly　request　Tim　Kendal　to　conjure　up　from　somewhere　the　muted　strains　of　the　〃Blue　Danube〃。　（So　gracefulwaltzing。）　Most　peculiar；　the　way　people　danced　nowadays。　Flinging　themselves　about；　seeming　quite　contorted。　Oh　well；　young　people　must　enjoy　Her　thoughts　were　arrested。　Because；　now　she　came　to　think　of　it；　very　few　of　these　people　were　young。　Dancing；　lights；　the　music　of　a　band　（even　a　steel　band）　all　that　surely　was　for　youth。　But　where　was　youth？　Studying；　she　supposed；　at　universities；　or　doing　a　jobwith　a　fortnight's　holiday　a　year。　A　place　like　this　was　too　far　away　and　too　expensive。　This　gay　and　carefree　life　was　all　for　the　thirties　and　the　fortiesand　the　old　men　who　were　trying　to　live　up　（or　down）　to　their　young　wives。

It　seemed；　somehow；　a　pity。

Miss　Marple　sighed　for　youth。　There　was　Mrs。　Kendal；　of　course。　She　wasn't　more　than　twentytwo　or　three；　probably；　and　she　seemed　to　be　enjoying　herselfbut　even　so；　it　was　a　job　she　was　doing。　At　a　table　nearby　Canon　Prescott　and　his　sister　were　sitting。　They　motioned　to　Miss　Marple　to　join　them　for　coffee　and　she　did　so。　Miss　Prescott　was　a　thin　severelooking　woman；　the　Canon　was　a　round；　rubicund　man；　breathing　geniality。　Coffee　was　brought；　and　chairs　were　pushed　a　little　way　away　from　the　tables。　Miss　Prescott　opened　a　workbag　and　took　out　some　frankly　hideous　tablemats　that　she　was　hemming。　She　told　Miss　Marple　all　about　the　day's　events。　They　had　visited　a　new　Girls'　School　in　the　morning。　After　an　afternoon's　rest；　they　had　walked　through　a　cane　plantation　to　have　tea　at　a　pension　where　some　friends　of　theirs　were　staying。　Since　the　Prescotts　had　been　at　the　Golden　Palm　longer　than　Miss　Marple；　they　were　able　to　enlighten　her　as　to　some　of　her　fellow　guests。

That　very　old　man；　Mr。　Rafiel。　He　came　every　year。　Fantastically　rich！　Owned　an　enormous　chain　of　supermarkets　in　the　North　of　England。　The　young　woman　with　him　was　his　secretary；　Esther　Waltersa　widow。　（Quite　all　right；　of　course。　Nothing　improper。　After　all；　he　was　nearly　eighty！）　Miss　Marple　accepted　the　propriety　of　the　relationship　with　an　understanding　nod　and　the　Canon　remarked：　〃A　very　nice　young　woman；　her　mother；　I　understand；　is　a　widow　and　lives　in　Chichester。〃

〃Mr。　Rafiel　has　a　valet　with　him；　too。　Or　rather　a　kind　of　Nurse　Attendanthe's　a　qualified　masseur；　I　believe。　Jackson；　his　name　is。　Poor　Mr。　Rafiel　is　practically　paralysed。　So　sadwith　all　that　money；　too。〃　〃A　generous　and　cheerful　giver；〃　said　Canon　Prescott　approvingly。　People　were　regrouping　themselves　round　about；　some　going　farther　from　the　steel　band；　others　crowding　up　to　it。　Major　Palgrave　had　joined　the　HillingdonDyson　quartet。

〃Now　those　people〃　said　Miss　Prescott；　lowering　her　voice　quite　unnecessarily　since　the　steel　band　easily　drowned　it。　〃Yes；　I　was　going　to　ask　you　about　them。〃　

〃They　were　here　last　year。　They　spend　three　months　every　year　in　the　West　Indies；　going　round　the　different　islands。　The　tall　thin　man　is　Colonel　Hillingdon　and　the　dark　woman　is　his　wifethey　are　botanists。　The　other　two；　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Gregory　Dysonthey're　American。　He　writes　on　butterflies；　I　believe。　And　all　of　them　are　interested　in　birds。〃

〃So　nice　for　people　to　have　openair　hobbies；〃　said　Canon　Prescott　genially。　〃I　don't　think　they'd　like　to　hear　you　call　it　hobbies；　Jeremy；〃　said　his　sister。　〃They　have　articles　printed　in　the　National　Geographic　and　the　Royal　Horticultural　Journal。　They　take　themselves　very　seriously。〃

A　loud　outburst　of　laughter　came　from　the　table　they　had　been　observing。　It　was　loud　enough　to　overe　the　steel　band。　Gregory　Dyson　was　leaning　back　in　his　chair　and　thumping　the　table；　his　wife　was　protesting；　and　Major　Palgrave　emptied　his　glass　and　seemed　to　be　applauding。　They　hardly　qualified　for　the　moment　as　people　who　took　themselves　seriously。

〃Major　Palgrave　should　not　drink　so　much；〃　said　Miss　Prescott　acidly。　〃He　has　blood　pressure。〃

A　fresh　supply　of　Planters　Punches　were　brought　to　the　table。　〃It's　so　nice　to　get　people　sorted　out；〃　said　Miss　Marple。　〃When　I　met　them　this　afternoon　I　wasn't　sure　which　was　married　to　which。〃

There　was　a　slight　pause。　Miss　Prescott　coughed　a　small　dry　cough；　and　said：　〃Well；　as　to　that〃

〃Joan；〃　said　the　Canon　in　an　admonitory　voice。　〃Perhaps　it　would　be　wise　to　say　no　more。〃

〃Really；　Jeremy；　I　wasn't　going　to　say　anything。　Only　that　last　year；　for　some　reason　or　otherI　really　don't　know　whywe　got　the　idea　that　Mrs。　Dyson　was　Mrs。　Hillingdon　until　someone　told　us　she　wasn't。〃

〃It's　odd　how　one　gets　impressions；　isn't　it？〃　said　Miss　Marple　innocently。　Her　eyes　met　Miss　Prescott's　for　a　moment。　A　flash　of　womanly　understanding　passed　between　them。　A　more　sensitive　man　than　Canon　Prescott　might　have　felt　that　he　was　'de　trop'。　Another　signal　passed　between　the　women。　It　said　as　clearly　as　if　the　words　had　been　spoken：　〃Some　other　time。。。〃

〃Mr。　Dyson　calls　his　wife　'Lucky'。　Is　that　her　real　name　or　a　nickname？〃　asked　Miss　Marple。

〃It　can　hardly　be　her　real　name；　I　should　think。〃

〃I　happened　to　ask　him；〃　said　the　Canon。　〃He　said　he　called　her　Lucky　because　she　was　his　good　luck　piece。　If　he　lost　her；　he　said；　he'd　lose　his　luck。　Very　nicely　put；　I　thought。〃

〃He's　very　fond　of　joking；〃　said　Miss　Prescott。　The　Canon　looked　at　his　sister　doubtfully。

The　steel　band　outdid　itself　with　a　wild　burst　of　cacophony　and　a　troupe　of　dancers　came　racing　on　to　the　floor。　Miss　Marple　and　the　others　turned　their　chairs　to　watch。　Miss　Marple　enjoyed　the　dancing　better　than　the　music；　she　liked　the　shuffling　feet　and　the　rhythmic　sway　of　the　bodies。　It　seemed；　she　thought；　very　real。　It　had　a　kind　of　power　of　understatement。

Tonight；　for　the　first　time；　she　began　to　feel　slightly　at　home　in　her　new　environment。。。　Up　to　now；　she　had　missed　what　she　usually　found　so　easily；　points　of　resemblance　in　the　people　she　met；　to　various　people　known　to　her　personally。　She　had；　possibly；　been　dazzled　by　the　gay　clothes　and　the　exotic　colouring；　but　soon；　she　felt；　she　would　be　able　to　make　some　interesting　parisons。

Molly　Kendal；　for　instance；　was　like　that　nice　girl　whose　name　she　couldn't　remember；　but　who　was　a　conductress　on　the　Market　Basing　bus。　Helped　you　in；　and　never　rang　the　bus　on　until　she　was　sure　you'd　sat　down　safely。　Tim　Kendal　was　just　a　little　like　the　head　waiter　at　the　Royal　Gee　in　Medchester。　Selfconfident；　and　yet；　at　the　same　time；　worried。　（He　had　had　an　ulcer；　she　remembered。）　As　for　Major　Palgrave；　he　was　indistinguishable　from　General　Leroy；　Captain　Flemming；　Admiral　Wicklow　and　mander　Richardson。　She　went　on　to　someone　more　interesting。　Greg；　for　instance。　Greg　was　difficult　because　he　was　American。　A　dash　of　Sir　Gee　Trollope；　perhaps；　always　so　full　of　jokes　at　the　Civil　Defence　meetingsor　perhaps　Mr。　Murdoch　the　butcher。　Mr。　Murdoch　had　h