加勒比海之谜(英文版)-第2部分

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Long　practice　had　made　Miss　Marple　quite　an　adept　at　dealing　with　that　one。　〃I　don't　really　feel　that　I've　got　sufficient　experience　to　judge。　I'm　afraid　I've　led　rather　a　sheltered　life。〃

〃And　so　you　should；　dear　lady；　so　you　should；〃　cried　Major　Palgrave　gallantly。　〃You've　had　such　a　very　varied　life；〃　went　on　Miss　Marple；　determined　to　make　amends　for　her　former　pleasurable　inattention。

〃Not　bad；〃　said　Major　Palgrave；　placently。　〃Not　bad　at　all。〃　He　looked　round　him　appreciatively。　〃Lovely　place；　this。〃

〃Yes；　indeed；〃　said　Miss　Marple　and　was　then　unable　to　stop　herself　going　on：　〃Does　anything　ever　happen　here；　I　wonder　？〃

Major　Palgrave　stared。　〃Oh　rather。　Plenty　of　scandalseh　what？　Why；　I　could　tell　you〃　But　it　wasn't　really　scandals　Miss　Marple　wanted。　Nothing　to　get　your　teeth　into　in　scandals　nowadays。　Just　men　and　women　changing　partners；　and　calling　attention　to　it；　instead　of　trying　decently　to　hush　it　up　and　be　properly　ashamed　of　themselves。

〃There　was　even　a　murder　here　a　couple　of　years　ago。　Man　called　Harry　Western。　Made　a　big　splash　in　the　papers。　Daresay　you　remember　it。〃

Miss　Marple　nodded　without　enthusiasm。　It　had　not　been　her　kind　of　murder。　It　had　made　a　big　splash　because　everyone　concerned　had　been　very　rich。　It　had　seemed　likely　enough　that　Harry　Western　had　shot　the　Count　de　Ferrari；　his　wife's　lover；　and　equally　likely　that　his　wellarranged　alibi　had　been　bought　and　paid　for。　Everyone　seemed　to　have　been　drunk；　and　there　was　a　fine　scattering　of　dope　addicts。　Not　really　interesting　people；　thought　Miss　Marplealthough　no　doubt　very　spectacular　and　attractive　to　look　at。　But　definitely　not　her　cup　of　tea。　〃And　if　you　ask　me；　that　wasn't　the　only　murder　about　that　time。〃　He　nodded　and　winked。　〃I　had　my　suspicionswell〃　Miss　Marple　dropped　her　ball　of　wool；　and　the　Major　stooped　and　picked　it　up　for　her。

〃Talking　of　murder；〃　he　went　on。　〃I　once　came　across　a　very　curious　casenot　exactly　personally。〃

Miss　Marple　smiled　encouragingly。

〃Lots　of　chaps　talking　at　the　club　one　day；　you　know；　and　a　chap　began　telling　a　story。　Medical　man　he　was。　One　of　his　cases。　Young　fellow　came　and　knocked　him　up　in　the　middle　of　the　night。　His　wife　had　hanged　herself。　They　hadn't　got　a　telephone；　so　after　the　chap　had　cut　her　down　and　done　what　he　could；　he'd　got　out　his　car　and　harked　off　looking　for　a　doctor。　Well；　she　wasn't　dead　but　pretty　far　gone。　Anyway；　she　pulled　through。　Young　fellow　seemed　devoted　to　her。　Cried　like　a　child。　He'd　noticed　that　she'd　been　odd　for　some　time；　fits　of　depression　and　all　that。　Well；　that　was　that。　Everything　seemed　all　right。　But　actually；　about　a　month　later；　the　wife　took　an　overdose　of　sleeping　stuff　and　passed　out。　Sad　case。〃　Major　Palgrave　paused；　and　nodded　his　head　several　times。　Since　there　was　obviously　more　to　e　Miss　Marple　waited。　〃And　that's　that；　you　might　say。　Nothing　there。　Neurotic　woman；　nothing　out　of　the　usual。　But　about　a　year　later；　this　medical　chap　was　swapping　yarns　with　a　fellow　medico；　and　the　other　chap　told　him　about　a　woman　who'd　tried　to　drown　herself；　husband　got　her　out；　got　a　doctor；　they　pulled　her　roundand　then　a　few　weeks　later　she　gassed　herself。　Well；　a　bit　of　a　coincidenceeh？　Same　sort　of　story。　My　chap　said：　'I　had　a　case　rather　like　that。　Name　of　Jones（or　whatever　the　name　was）What　was　your　man's　name？'　'Can't　remember。　Robinson　I　think。　Certainly　not　Jones。'　Well；　the　chaps　looked　at　each　other　and　said　it　was　pretty　odd。　And　then　my　chap　pulled　out　a　snapshot。　He　showed　it　to　the　second　chap。　'That's　the　fellow；'　he　said。　'I'd　gone　along　the　next　day　to　check　up　on　the　particulars；　and　I　noticed　a　magnificent　species　of　hibiscus　just　by　the　front　door；　a　variety　I'd　never　seen　before　in　this　country。　My　camera　was　in　the　car　and　I　took　a　photo。　Just　as　I　snapped　the　shutter　the　husband　came　out　of　the　front　door　so　I　got　him　as　well。　Don't　think　he　realised　it。　I　asked　him　about　the　hibiscus　but　he　couldn't　tell　me　its　name。'　Second　medico　looked　at　the　snap。　He　said：　'It's　a　bit　out　of　focusbut　I　could　swearat　any　rate　I'm　almost　sure　it's　the　same　man！'　Don't　know　if　they　followed　it　up。　But　if　so　they　didn't　get　anywhere。　Expect　Mr。　Jones　or　Robinson　covered　his　tracks　too　well。　But　queer　story；　isn't　it？　Wouldn't　think　things　like　that　could　happen。〃

〃Oh　yes；　I　would；〃　said　Miss　Marple　placidly。　〃Practically　every　day。〃

〃Oh；　e；　e。　That's　a　bit　fantastic。〃

〃If　a　man　gets　a　formula　that　workshe　won't　stop。　He'll　go　on。〃

〃Brides　in　the　batheh？〃

〃That　kind　of　thing；　yes。〃

〃Major　let　me　have　that　snap　just　as　a　curiosity〃　Major　Palgrave　began　fumbling　through　an　overstuffed　wallet　murmuring　to　himself：　〃Lots　of　things　in　heredon't　know　why　I　keep　all　these　things。。。〃

Miss　Marple　thought　she　did　know。　They　were　part　of　the　Major's　stock　in　trade。　They　illustrated　his　repertoire　of　stories。　The　story　he　had　just　told；　or　so　she　suspected；　had　not　been　originally　like　thatit　had　been　worked　up　a　good　deal　in　repeated　telling。

The　Major　was　still　shuffling　and　muttering。　〃Fotten　all　about　that　business。　Goodlooking　woman　she　was；　you'd　never　suspect　Now　where　Ahthat　takes　my　mind　backwhat　tusks！　I　must　show　you　He　stopped；　sorted　out　a　small　photographic　print　and　peered　down　at　it。　〃Like　to　see　the　picture　of　a　murderer？〃　He　was　about　to　pass　it　to　her　when　his　movement　was　suddenly　arrested。　Looking　more　like　a　stuffed　frog　than　ever。　Major　Palgrave　appeared　to　be　staring　fixedly　over　her　right　shoulderfrom　whence　came　the　sound　of　approaching　footsteps　and　voices。　〃Well；　I'm　damned　I　mean〃　He　stuffed　everything　back　into　his　wallet　and　crammed　it　into　his　pocket。　His　face　went　an　even　deeper　shade　of　purplish　red　He　exclaimed　in　a　loud；　artificial　voice。　〃As　I　was　saying；　I'd　like　to　have　shown　you　those　elephant　tusks。　Biggest　elephant　I've　ever　shot。　An'；　hallo！〃　His　voice　took　on　a　somewhat　spurious　hearty　note。

〃Look　who's　here！　The　great　quartetFlora　and　Faunawhat　luck　have　you　had　todayeh？〃　The　approaching　footsteps　resolved　themselves　into　four　of　the　hotel　guests　whom　Miss　Marple　already　knew　by　sight。　They　consisted　of　two　married　couples　and　though　Miss　Marple　was　not　as　yet　acquainted　with　their　surnames；　she　knew　that　the　big　man　with　the　upstanding　bush　of　thick　grey　hair　was　addressed　as　〃Greg〃；　that　the　golden　blonde　woman；　his　wife；　was　known　as　Luckyand　that　the　other　married　couple；　the　dark　lean　man　and　the　handsome　but　rather　weatherbeaten　woman；　were　Edward　and　Evelyn。　They　were　botanists；　she　understood；　and　also　interested　in　birds。

〃No　luck　at　all；〃　said　Greg。　〃At　least　no　luck　in　getting　what　we　were　after。〃

〃Don't　know　if　you　know　Miss　Marple？　Colonel　and　Mrs。　Hillingdon　and　Greg　and　Lucky　Dyson。〃

They　greeted　her　pleasantly　and　Lucky　said　loudly　that　she'd　die　if　she　didn't　have　a　drink　at　once　or　sooner。　Greg　hailed　Tim　Kendal　who　was　sitting　a　little　way　away　with　his　wife　poring　over　account　books。

〃Hi；　Tim。　Get　us　some　drinks。〃　He　addressed　the　others。　〃Planters　Punch？〃

They　agreed。

〃Same　for　you。　Miss　Marple？〃　Miss　Marple　said　thank　you；　but　she　would　prefer　fresh　lime。　〃Fresh　lime　it　is；〃　said　Tim　Kendal　〃and　five　Planters　Punches。〃

〃Join　us；　Tim？〃

〃Wish　I　could。　But　I've　got　to　fix　up　these　accounts。　Can't　leave　Molly　to　cope　with　everything。　Steel　band　tonight；　by　the　way。〃

〃Good；〃　cried　Lucky。　〃Damn　it；〃　she　winced；　〃I'm　all　over　thorns。　Ouch！　Edward　deliberately　rammed　me　into　a　thorn　bush！〃

〃Lovely　pink　flowers；〃　said　Hillingdon。

〃And　lovely　long　thorns。　You're　a　sadistic　brute　Edward。〃

〃Not　like　me；〃　said　Greg；　grinning。　〃Full　of　the　milk　of　human　kindness。〃

Evelyn　Hillingdon　sat　down　by　Miss　Marple　and　started　talking　to　her　in　an　easy　pleasant　way。　Miss　Marple　put　her　knitting　down　on　her　lap。　Slowly　and　with　some　difficulty；　owing　to　rheumatism　in　the　neck；　she　turned　her　head　over　her　right　shoulder　to　look　behind　her。　At　some　little　distance　there　was　the　large　bungalow　occupied　by　the　rich　Mr。　Rafiel。　But　it　showed　no　sign　of　life。

She　replied　suitably　to　Evelyn's　remarks　（really；　how　kind　people　were　to　her！）　but　her　eyes　scanned　thoughtfully　the　faces　of　the　two　men。

Edward　Hillingdon　looked　a　nice　man。　Qui