加勒比海之谜(英文版)-第32部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ve　not　left　him　anything；　but　you　had　left　Esther　Walters　money；　though　you　weren't　going　to　let　her　have　any　inkling　of　the　fact。　Isn't　that　right？〃

〃Yes；　it's　quite　right；　but　I　don't　know　how　you　knew。〃

〃Well；　it's　the　way　you　insisted　on　the　point；〃　said　Miss　Marple。　〃I　have　a　certain　experience　of　the　way　people　tell　lies。〃

〃I　give　in；〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel。　〃All　right。　I　left　Esther　50；000　pounds。　It　would　e　as　a　nice　surprise　to　her　when　I　died。　I　suppose　that；　knowing　this；　Tim　Kendal　decided　to　exterminate　his　present　wife　with　a　nice　dose　of　something　or　other　and　marry　50；000　pounds　and　Esther　Walters。　Possibly　to　dispose　of　her　also　in　good　time。　But　how　did　he　know　she　was　going　to　have　50；000　pounds？〃

〃Jackson　told　him；　of　course；〃　said　Miss　Marple。　〃They　were　very　friendly；　those　two。　Tim　Kendal　was　nice　to　Jackson　and；　quite；　I　should　imagine；　without　ulterior　motive。　But　amongst　the　bits　of　gossip　that　Jackson　let　slip　I　think　Jackson　told　him　that　unbeknown　to　herself；　Esther　Walters　was　going　to　inherit　a　fat　lot　of　money；　and　he　may　have　said　that　he　himself　hoped　to　induce　Esther　Walters　to　marry　him　though　he　hadn't　had　much　success　so　far　in　taking　her　fancy。　Yes；　I　think　that's　how　it　happened。〃

〃The　things　you　imagine　always　seem　perfectly　plausible；〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel。

〃But　I　was　stupid；〃　said　Miss　Marple；　〃very　stupid。　Everything　fitted　in　really；　you　see。　Tim　Kendal　was　a　very　clever　man　as　well　as　being　a　very　wicked　one。　He　was　particularly　good　at　putting　about　rumours。　Half　the　things　I've　been　told　here　came　from　him　originally；　I　imagine。　There　were　stories　going　around　about　Molly　wanting　to　marry　an　undesirable　young　man　but　I　rather　fancy　that　the　undesirable　young　man　was　actually　Tim　Kendal　himself；　though　that　wasn't　the　name　he　was　using　then。　Her　people　had　heard　something；　perhaps　that　his　background　was　rather　fishy。　So　he　put　on　a　high　indignation　act；　refused　to　be　taken　by　Molly　to　be　'shown　off'　to　her　people　and　then　he　brewed　up　a　little　scheme　with　her　which　they　both　thought　great　fun。　She　pretended　to　sulk　and　pine　for　him。　Then　a　Mr。　Tim　Kendal　turned　up；　primed　with　the　names　of　various　old　friends　of　Molly's　people；　and　they　weled　him　with　open　arms　as　being　the　sort　of　young　man　who　would　put　the　former　delinquent　one　out　of　Molly's　head。　I　am　afraid　Molly　and　he　must　have　laughed　over　it　a　good　deal。　Anyway；　he　married　her；　and　with　her　money　he　bought　out　the　people　who　ran　this　place　and　they　came　out　here。　I　should　imagine　that　he　ran　through　her　money　at　a　pretty　fair　rate。　Then　he　came　across　Esther　Walters　and　he　saw　a　nice　prospect　of　more　money。〃

〃Why　didn't　he　bump　me　off？〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel。

Miss　Marple　coughed。　〃I　expect　he　wanted　to　be　fairly　sure　of　Mrs。　Walters　first。　Besides；　I　mean。。。〃　She　stopped；　a　little　confused。

〃Besides；　he　realised　he　wouldn't　have　to　wait　long；〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel；　〃and　it　would　clearly　be　better　for　me　to　die　a　natural　death。　Being　so　rich。　Deaths　of　millionaires　are　scrutinised　rather　carefully；　aren't　they；　unlike　mere　wives？〃

〃Yes；　you're　quite　right。　Such　a　lot　of　lies　as　he　told；〃　said　Miss　Marple。　〃Look　at　the　lies　he　got　Molly　herself　to　believe；　putting　that　book　on　mental　disorders　in　her　way。　Giving　her　drugs　which　would　give　her　dreams　and　hallucinations。　You　know；　your　Jackson　was　rather　clever　over　that。　I　think　he　recognised　certain　of　Molly's　symptoms　as　being　the　result　of　drugs。　And　he　came　into　the　bungalow　that　day　to　potter　about　a　bit　in　the　bathroom。　That　face　cream　he　examined。　He　might　have　got　some　idea　from　the　old　tales　of　witches　rubbing　themselves　with　ointments　that　had　belladonna　in　them。　Belladonna　in　face　cream　could　have　produced　just　that　result。　Molly　would　have　blackouts。　Times　she　couldn't　account　for；　dreams　of　flying　through　the　air。　No　wonder　she　got　frightened　about　herself。　She　had　all　the　signs　of　mental　illness；　Jackson　was　on　the　right　track。　Maybe　he　got　the　idea　from　Major　Palgrave's　stories　about　the　use　of　datura　by　Indian　women　on　their　husbands。〃

〃Major　Palgrave！〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel。　〃Really；　that　man！〃

〃He　brought　about　his　own　murder；〃　said　Miss　Marple；　〃and　that　poor　girl　Victoria's　murder；　and　he　nearly　brought　about　Molly's　murder。　But　he　recognised　a　murderer　all　right。〃

〃What　made　you　suddenly　remember　about　his　glass　eye？〃　asked　Mr。　Rafiel　curiously。

〃Something　that　Seсora　de　Caspearo　said。　She　talked　some　nonsense　about　his　being　ugly；　and　having　the　Evil　Eye；　and　I　said　it　was　only　a　glass　eye；　and　he　couldn't　help　that；　poor　man；　and　she　said　his　eyes　looked　different　ways；　they　were　crosseyeswhich；　of　course；　they　were。　And　she　said　it　brought　bad　luck。　I　knewI　knew　that　I　had　heard　something　that　day　that　was　important。　Last　night；　just　after　Lucky's　death；　it　came　to　me　what　it　was！　And　then　I　realised　there　was　no　time　to　waste。。。〃

〃How　did　Tim　Kendal　e　to　kill　the　wrong　woman？〃

〃Sheer　chance。　I　think　his　plan　was　this：　Having　convinced　everybodyand　that　included　Molly　herselfthat　she　was　mentally　unbalanced；　and　after　giving　her　a　sizeable　dose　of　the　drug　he　was　using；　he　told　her　that　between　them　they　were　going　to　clear　up　all　these　murder　puzzles。　But　she　had　got　to　help　him。　After　everyone　was　asleep；　they　would　go　separately　and　meet　at　an　agreed　spot　by　the　creek。　He　said　he　had　a　very　good　idea　who　the　murderer　was；　and　they　would　trap　him。　Molly　went　off　obediently　but　she　was　confused　and　stupefied　with　the　drug　she　had　been　given；　and　it　slowed　her　up。　Tim　arrived　there　first　and　saw　what　he　thought　was　Molly。　Golden　hair　and　pale　green　shawl。　He　came　up　behind　her；　put　his　hand　over　her　mouth；　and　forced　her　down　into　the　water　and　held　her　there。〃

〃Nice　fellow！　But　wouldn't　it　have　been　easier　just　to　give　her　an　overdose　of　narcotic？〃

〃Much　easier；　of　course。　But　that　might　have　given　rise　to　suspicion。　All　narcotics　and　sedatives　had　been　carefully　removed　from　Molly's　reach；　remember。　And　if　she　had　got　hold　of　a　fresh　supply；　who　more　likely　to　have　supplied　it　than　her　husband？　But　if；　in　a　fit　of　despair；　she　went　out　and　drowned　herself　whilst　her　innocent　husband　slept；　the　whole　thing　would　be　a　romantic　tragedy；　and　no　one　would　be　likely　to　suggest　that　she　had　been　drowned　deliberately。　Besides；〃　added　Miss　Marple；　〃murderers　always　find　it　difficult　to　keep　things　simple。　They　can't　keep　themselves　from　elaborating。〃

〃You　seem　convinced　you　know　all　there　is　to　be　known　about　murderers！　So　you　believe　Tim　didn't　know　he　had　killed　the　wrong　woman？〃

Miss　Marple　shook　her　head。　〃He　didn't　even　look　at　her　face；　just　hurried　off　as　quickly　as　he　could；　let　an　hour　elapse；　then　started　to　anise　a　search　for　her；　playing　the　part　of　a　distracted　husband。〃

〃But　what　the　devil　was　Lucky　doing　hanging　about　the　creek　in　the　middle　of　the　night？〃

Miss　Marple　gave　an　embarrassed　little　cough。

〃It　is　possible；　I　think；　that　she　waserwaiting　to　meet　someone。〃

〃Edward　Hillingdon？〃

〃Oh　no；〃　said　Miss　Marple。　〃That's　all　over。　I　wondered　whetherjust　possiblyshe　might　have　been　waiting　for　Jackson。〃

〃Waiting　for　Jackson？〃

〃I've　noticed　her　look　at　him　once　or　twice；〃　murmured　Miss　Marple；　averting　her　eyes。

Mr。　Rafiel　whistled。　〃My　tomcat　Jackson！　I　wouldn't　put　it　past　him！　Tim　must　have　had　a　shock　later　when　he　found　he'd　killed　the　wrong　woman。〃

〃Yes；　indeed。　He　must　have　felt　quite　desperate。　Here　was　Molly　alive　and　wandering　about。　And　the　story　he'd　circulated　so　carefully　about　her　mental　condition　wouldn't　stand　up　for　a　moment　once　she　got　into　the　hands　of　petent　mental　specialists。　And　once　she　told　her　damning　story　of　his　having　asked　her　to　meet　him　at　the　creek；　where　would　Tim　Kendal　be？　He'd　only　one　hopeto　finish　off　Molly　as　quickly　as　possible。　Then　there　was　a　very　good　chance　that　everyone　would　believe　that　Molly；　in　a　fit　of　mania；　had　drowned　Lucky；　and　had　then；　horrified　by　what　she　had　done；　taken　her　own　life。〃

〃And　it　was　then；〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel；　〃that　you　decided　to　play　Nemesis；　eh？〃　He　leaned　back　suddenly　and　roared　with　laughter。　〃It's　a　damned　good　joke；〃　he　said。　〃If　you　knew　what　you　looked　like　that　night　with　that　fluffy　pink　wool　all　round　your　head；　standing　there　and　saying　you　were　Nemesis！　I'll　never　fet　it！〃



Epilogue



The　time　had　e　and　Miss　Marple　was　waiting　at　the　airport　for　her　plane。　Quite　a　lot　of　people　had　e　to　see　her　off。　The　Hillingdons　had　left　already。　Gregory　Dyson　had　flown　to　one　of　the　other　islands　and　the　rumour　had　e　that　he　was　devoting　himself　to　an　Argentinian　widow。　Seсora　de　Caspearo　had　returned　to　South　America。　Molly　had　e　to　see　Miss　Marple　off。　She　was　pale　and　thin　but　she　had　weathered　the　shock　of　her　discovery　bravely　and　with　the　help　of　one　of　Mr。　Rafiel's　nominees　whom　he　had　wired　for　to　England　she　was　carrying　on　with　the　running　of　the　hotel。

〃Do　you　good　to　be　busy；〃　Mr。　Rafiel　observed。　〃Keep　you　from　thinking。　Got　a　good　thing　here。〃

〃You　don't　think　the　murders〃

〃People　love　murders　when　they're　all　cleared　up；〃　Mr。　Rafiel　assured　her。　〃You　carry　on；　girl；　and　keep　your　heart　up。　Don't　distrust　all　men　because　you've　met　one　bad　lot。〃

〃You　sound　like　Miss　Marple；〃　Molly　h