加勒比海之谜(英文版)-第3部分

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　the　faces　of　the　two　men。

Edward　Hillingdon　looked　a　nice　man。　Quiet　but　with　a　lot　of　charm。。。　And　Gregbig；　boisterous；　happylooking。　He　and　Lucky　were　Canadian　or　American；　she　thought。　She　looked　at　Major　Palgrave；　still　acting　a　bonhomie　a　little　larger　than　life。　Interesting。。。



Chapter　2

MISS　MARPLE　MAKES　PARISONS



It　was　very　gay　that　evening　at　the　Golden　Palm　Hotel。　Seated　at　her　little　corner　table　Miss　Marple　looked　round　her　in　an　interested　fashion。　The　dining　room　was　a　large　room　open　on　three　sides　to　the　soft　warm　scented　air　of　the　West　Indies。　There　were　small　table　lamps；　all　softly　coloured。　Most　of　the　women　were　in　evening　dress；　light　cotton　prints　out　of　which　bronzed　shoulders　and　arms　emerged。　Miss　Marple　herself　had　been　urged　by　her　nephew's　wife；　Joan；　in　the　sweetest　way　possible；　to　accept　〃a　small　cheque〃。

〃Because；　Aunt　Jane；　it　will　be　rather　hot　out　there；　and　I　don't　expect　you　have　any　very　thin　clothes。〃

Jane　Marple　had　thanked　her　and　had　accepted　the　cheque。　She　came　of　the　age　when　it　was　natural　for　the　old　to　support　and　finance　the　young；　but　also　for　the　middleaged　to　look　after　the　old。　She　could　not；　however；　force　herself　to　buy　anything　very　thin。　At　her　age　she　seldom　felt　more　than　pleasantly　warm　even　in　the　hottest　weather；　and　the　temperature　of　St。　Honorй　was　not　really　what　is　referred　to　as　〃tropical　heat〃。　This　evening　she　was　attired　in　the　best　traditions　of　the　provincial　gentlewoman　of　Englandgrey　lace。

Not　that　she　was　the　only　elderly　person　present。　There　were　representatives　of　all　ages　in　the　room。　There　were　elderly　tycoons　with　young　third　or　fourth　wives。　There　were　middleaged　couples　from　the　North　of　England。　There　was　a　gay　family　from　Caracas　plete　with　children。　The　various　countries　of　South　America　were　well　represented；　all　chattering　loudly　in　Spanish　or　Portuguese。　There　was　a　solid　English　background　of　two　clergymen；　one　doctor　and　one　retired　judge。　There　was　even　a　family　of　Chinese。　The　dining　room　service　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