加勒比海之谜(英文版)-第32部分

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Something　someone　had　told　her　that　had　a　bearing　on　the　case。　Joan　Prescott？　Joan　Prescott　had　said　a　lot　of　things　about　a　lot　of　people。　Scandal？　Gossip？　What　exactly　had　Joan　Prescott　said？

Gregory　Dyson；　LuckyMiss　Marple's　mind　hovered　over　Lucky。　Lucky；　she　was　convinced　with　a　certainty　born　of　her　natural　suspicions；　had　been　actively　concerned　in　the　death　of　Gregory　Dyson's　first　wife。　Everything　pointed　to　it。　Could　it　be　that　the　predestined　victim　over　whom　she　was　worrying　was　Gregory　Dyson？　That　Lucky　intended　to　try　her　luck　again　with　another　husband；　and　for　that　reason　wanted　not　only　freedom　but　the　handsome　inheritance　that　she　would　get　as　Gregory　Dyson's　widow？

〃But　really；〃　said　Miss　Marple　to　herself；　〃this　is　all　pure　conjecture。　I'm　being　stupid。　I　know　I'm　being　stupid。　The　truth　must　be　quite　plain；　if　one　could　just　clear　away　the　litter。　Too　much　litter；　that's　what's　the　matter。〃

〃Talking　to　yourself？〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel。

Miss　Marple　jumped。　She　had　not　noticed　his　approach。　Esther　Walters　was　supporting　him　and　he　was　ing　slowly　down　from　his　bungalow　to　the　terrace。

〃I　really　didn't　notice　you；　Mr。　Rafiel。〃

〃Your　lips　were　moving。　What's　bee　of　all　this　urgency　of　yours？〃

〃It's　still　urgent；〃　said　Miss　Marple；　〃only　I　can't　just　see　what　must　be　perfectly　plain〃

〃I'm　glad　it's　as　simple　as　that。　Well；　if　you　want　any　help；　count　on　me。〃

He　turned　his　head　as　Jackson　approached　them　along　the　path。

〃So　there　you　are；　Jackson。　Where　the　devil　have　you　been？　Never　about　when　I　want　you。〃

〃Sorry；　Mr。　Rafiel。〃

Dexterously　he　slipped　his　shoulder　under　Mr。　Rafiel's。　〃Down　to　the　terrace；　sir？〃

〃You　can　take　me　to　the　bar；〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel。　〃All　right；　Esther；　you　can　go　now　and　change　into　your　evening　togs。　Meet　me　on　the　terrace　in　half　an　hour。〃

He　and　Jackson　went　off　together。　Mrs。　Walters　dropped　into　the　chair　by　Miss　Marple。　She　rubbed　her　arm　gently。　〃He　seems　a　very　lightweight；〃　she　observed；　〃but　at　the　moment　my　arm　feels　quite　numb。　I　haven't　seen　you　this　afternoon　at　all；　Miss　Marple。〃

〃No；　I've　been　sitting　with　Molly　Kendal；〃　Miss　Marple　explained。　〃She　seems　really　very　much　better。〃

〃If　you　ask　me　there　was　never　very　much　wrong　with　her；〃　said　Esther　Walters。

Miss　Marple　raised　her　eyebrows。

Esther　Walters's　tone　had　been　decidedly　dry。

〃You　meanyou　think　her　suicide　attempt。。。〃

〃I　don't　think　there　was　any　suicide　attempt；〃　said　Esther　Walters。　〃I　don't　believe　for　a　moment　she　took　a　real　overdose　and　I　think　Dr。　Graham　knows　that　perfectly　well。〃

〃Now　you　interest　me　very　much；〃　said　Miss　Marple。　〃I　wonder　why　you　say　that？〃

〃Because　I'm　almost　certain　that　it's　the　case。　Oh；　it's　a　thing　that　happens　very　often。　It's　a　way；　I　suppose；　of　calling　attention　to　oneself；〃　went　on　Esther　Walters。

〃'You'll　be　sorry　arple。

〃That　sort　of　thing；〃　agreed　Esther　Walters；　〃though　I　don't　think　that　was　the　motive　in　this　particular　instance。　That's　the　sort　of　thing　you　feel　like　when　your　husband's　playing　you　up　and　yet　you're　still　terribly　fond　of　him。〃

〃You　don't　think　Molly　Kendal　is　fond　of　her　husband？〃

〃Well；〃　said　Esther　Walters；　〃do　you？〃

Miss　Marple　considered。　〃I　have；〃　she　said；　〃more　or　less　assumed　it。〃　She　paused　a　moment　before　adding；　〃perhaps　wrongly。〃

Esther　was　smiling　her　rather　wry　smile。

〃I've　heard　a　little　about　her；　you　know。　About　the　whole　business。〃

〃From　Miss　Prescott？〃

〃Oh；〃　said　Esther；　〃from　one　or　two　people。　There's　a　man　in　the　case。　Someone　she　was　keen　on。　Her　people　were　dead　against　him。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Miss　Marple；　〃I　did　hear　that。〃

〃And　then　she　married　Tim。　Perhaps　she　was　fond　of　him　in　a　way。　But　the　other　man　didn't　give　up。　I've　wondered　once　or　twice　if　he　didn't　actually　follow　her　out　here。〃

〃Indeed。　Butwho？〃

〃I've　no　idea　who；〃　said　Esther；　〃and　I　should　imagine　that　they've　been　very　careful。〃

〃You　think　she　cares　for　this　other　man？〃

Esther　shrugged　her　shoulders。　〃I　dare　say　he's　a　bad　lot；〃　she　said；　〃but　that's　very　often　the　kind　who　knows　how　to　get　under　a　woman's　skin　and　stay　there。〃

〃You　never　heard　what　kind　of　a　manwhat　he　didanything　like　that？〃

Esther　shook　her　head。　〃No。　People　hazard　guesses；　but　you　can't　go　by　that　type　of　thing。　He　may　have　been　a　married　man。　That　may　have　been　why　her　people　disliked　it；　or　he　may　have　been　a　real　bad　lot。　Perhaps　he　drank。　Perhaps　he　tangled　with　the　law。　I　don't　know。　But　she　cares　for　him　still。　That　I　know　positively。〃

〃You've　seen　something；　heard　something？〃　Miss　Marple　hazarded。

〃I　know　what　I'm　talking　about；〃　said　Esther。　Her　voice　was　harsh　and　unfriendly。

〃These　murders〃　began　Miss　Marple。

〃Can't　you　fet　murders？〃　said　Esther。　〃You've　got　Mr。　Rafiel　now　all　tangled　up　in　them。　Can't　you　justlet　them　be？　You'll　never　find　out　any　more；　I'm　sure　of　that。〃

Miss　Marple　looked　at　her。

〃You　think　you　know；　don't　you？〃　she　said。

〃I　think　I　do；　yes。　I'm　fairly　sure。〃

〃Then　oughtn't　you　to　tell　what　you　knowdo　something　about　it？〃

〃Why　should　I？　What　good　would　it　do？　I　couldn't　prove　anything。　What　would　happen　anyway？　People　get　let　off　nowadays　so　easily。　They　call　it　diminished　responsibility　and　things　like　that。　A　few　years　in　prison　and　you're　out　again；　as　right　as　rain。〃

〃Supposing；　because　you　don't　tell　what　you　know；　somebody　else　gets　killedanother　victim？〃

Esther　shook　her　head　with　confidence。

〃That　won't　happen；〃　she　said。

〃You　can't　be　sure　of　it。〃

〃I　am　sure。　And　in　any　case　I　don't　see　who〃　She　frowned。　〃Anyway；〃　she　added；　almost　inconsequently；　〃perhaps　it　isdiminished　responsibility。　Perhaps　you　can't　help　itnot　if　you　are　really　mentally　unbalanced。　Oh；　I　don't　know。　By　far　the　best　thing　would　be　if　she　went　off　with　whoever　it　is；　then　we　could　all　fet　about　things。〃

She　glanced　at　her　watch；　gave　an　exclamation　of　dismay　and　got　up。　〃I　must　go　and　change。〃

Miss　Marple　sat　looking　after　her。　Pronouns；　she　thought；　were　always　puzzling　and　women　like　Esther　Walters　were　particularly　prone　to　strew　them　about　haphazard。

Was　Esther　Walters　for　some　reason　convinced　that　a　woman　had　been　responsible　for　the　deaths　of　Major　Palgrave　and　Victoria？　It　sounded　like　it。

Miss　Marple　considered。

〃Ah；　Miss　Marple；　sitting　here　all　aloneand　not　even　knitting？〃

It　was　Dr。　Graham　for　whom　she　had　sought　so　long　and　so　unsuccessfully。

And　here　he　was　prepared　of　his　own　accord　to　sit　down　for　a　few　minutes'　chat。　He　wouldn't　stay　long。　Miss　Marple　thought；　because　he　too　was　bent　on　changing　for　dinner；　and　he　usually　dined　fairly　early。　She　explained　that　she　had　been　sitting　by　Molly　Kendal's　bedside　that　afternoon。

〃One　can　hardly　believe　she　has　made　such　a　good　recovery　so　quickly；〃　she　said。

〃Oh　well；〃　said　Dr。　Graham；　〃it's　not　very　surprising。　She　didn't　take　a　very　heavy　overdose；　you　know。〃

〃Oh；　I　understood　she'd　taken　quite　a　halfbottle　full　of　tablets。〃

Dr。　Graham　was　smiling　indulgently。

〃No；〃　he　said；　〃I　don't　think　she　took　that　amount。　I　dare　say　she　meant　to　take　them；　then　probably　at　the　last　moment　she　threw　half　of　them　away。　People；　even　when　they　think　they　want　to　mit　suicide；　often　don't　really　want　to　do　it。　They　manage　not　to　take　a　full　overdose。　It's　not　always　deliberate　deceit；　it's　just　the　subconscious　looking　after　itself。〃

〃Or；　I　suppose　it　might　be　deliberate。　I　mean；　wanting　it　to　appear　that。。。〃　Miss　Marple　paused。

〃It's　possible；〃　said　Dr。　Graham。

〃If　she　and　Tim　had　had　a　row；　for　instance？〃

〃They　don't　have　rows；　you　know。　They　seem　very　fond　of　each　other。　Still；　I　suppose　it　can　always　happen　once。　No；　I　don't　think　there's　very　much　wrong　with　her　now。　She　could　really　get　up　and　go　about　as　usual。　Still；　it's　safer　to　keep　her　where　she　is　for　a　day　or　two〃　He　got　up；　nodded　cheerfully　and　went　off　towards　the　hotel。　Miss　Marple　sat　where　she　was　a　little　while　longer。

Various　thoughts　passed　through　her　mind。　The　book　under　Molly's　mattress。　The　way　Molly　had　feigned　sleep。　Things　Joan　Prescott　and；　later　Esther　Walters；　had　said。。。　And　then　she　went　back　to　the　beginning　of　it　allto　Major　Palgrave。

Something　struggled　in　he