加勒比海之谜(英文版)-第6部分

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　tiresome　oror　unpardonable　in　any　way。〃

To　this　opening　Dr。　Graham　replied　kindly。　〃Something　is　worrying　you？　Do　let　me　help。〃

〃It's　connected　with　Major　Palgrave。　So　sad　about　his　dying。　It　was　quite　a　shock　when　I　heard　it　this　morning。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Dr。　Graham；　〃it　was　very　sudden；　I'm　afraid。　He　seemed　in　such　good　spirits　yesterday。〃　He　spoke　kindly；　but　conventionally。　To　him；　clearly；　Major　Palgrave's　death　was　nothing　out　of　the　way。　Miss　Marple　wondered　whether　she　was　really　making　something　out　of　nothing。　Was　this　suspicious　habit　of　mind　growing　on　her？　Perhaps　she　could　no　longer　trust　her　own　judgement。　Not　that　it　was　judgement　really；　only　suspicion。　Anyway　she　was　in　for　it　now！　She　must　go　ahead。

〃We　were　sitting　talking　together　yesterday　afternoon；〃　she　said。　〃He　was　telling　me　about　his　very　varied　and　interesting　life。　So　many　strange　parts　of　the　globe。〃

〃Yes　indeed；〃　said　Dr。　Graham；　who　had　been　bored　many　times　by　the　Major's　reminiscences。

〃And　then　he　spoke　of　his　family；　boyhood　rather；　and　I　told　him　a　little　about　my　own　nephews　and　nieces　and　he　listened　very　sympathetically。　And　I　showed　him　a　snapshot　I　had　with　me　of　one　of　my　nephews。　Such　a　dear　boyat　least　not　exactly　a　boy　now；　but　always　a　boy　to　me　if　you　understand。〃

〃Quite　so；〃　said　Dr。　Graham；　wondering　how　long　it　would　be　before　the　old　lady　was　going　to　e　to　the　point。　〃I　had　handed　it　to　him　and　he　was　examining　it　when　quite　suddenly　those　peoplethose　very　nice　peoplewho　collect　wild　flowers　and　butterflies；　Colonel　and　Mrs。　Hillingdon　I　think　the　name　is〃

〃Oh　yes？　The　Hillingdons　and　the　Dysons。〃

〃Yes；　that's　right。　They　came　suddenly　along　laughing　and　talking。　They　sat　down　and　ordered　drinks　and　we　all　talked　together。　Very　pleasant　it　was。　But　without　thinking　Major　Palgrave　must　have　put　back　my　snapshot　into　his　wallet　and　returned　it　to　his　pocket。　I　wasn't　paying　very　much　attention　at　the　time　but　I　remembered　afterward　and　I　said　to　myself：　'I　mustn't　fet　to　ask　the　Major　to　give　me　back　my　picture　of　Denzil。'　I　did　think　of　it　last　night　while　the　dancing　and　the　band　was　going　on；　but　I　didn't　like　to　interrupt　him　just　then；　because　they　were　having　such　a　merry　party　together　and　I　thought：　'I　will　remember　to　ask　him　for　it　in　the　morning'。　Only　this　morning〃　Miss　Marple　paused　out　of　breath。

〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　Dr。　Graham；　〃I　quite　understand。　And　youwell；　naturally　you　want　the　snapshot　back。　Is　that　it？〃

Miss　Marple　nodded　her　head　in　eager　agreement。　〃Yes。　That's　it。　You　see；　it　is　the　only　one　I　have　got　and　I　haven't　got　the　negative。　And　I　would　hate　to　lose　that　snapshot；　because　poor　Denzil　died　some　five　or　six　years　ago　and　he　was　my　favourite　nephew。　This　is　the　only　picture　I　have　to　remind　me　of　him。　I　wonderedI　hopedit　is　rather　tiresome　of　me　to　askwhether　you　could　possibly　manage　to　get　hold　of　it　for　me？　I　don't　really　know　who　else　to　ask；　you　see。　I　don't　know　who'll　attend　to　all　his　belongings　and　things　like　that。　It　is　all　so　difficult。　They　would　think　it　such　a　nuisance　of　me。　You　see；　they　don't　understand。　Nobody　could　quite　understand　what　this　snapshot　means　to　me。〃

〃Of　course；　of　course；〃　said　Dr。　Graham。　〃I　quite　understand。　A　most　natural　feeling　on　your　part。　Actually；　I　am　meeting　the　local　authorities　shortlythe　funeral　is　tomorrow；　and　someone　will　be　ing　from　the　Administrator's　office　to　look　over　his　papers　and　effects　before　municating　with　the　next　of　kinall　that　sort　of　thing。　If　you　could　describe　this　snapshot。〃

〃It　was　just　the　front　of　a　house；〃　said　Miss　Marple。　〃And　someoneDenzil；　I　meanwas　just　ing　out　of　the　front　door。　As　I　say　it　was　taken　by　one　of　my　other　nephews　who　is　very　keen　on　flower　showsand　he　was　photographing　a　hibiscus；　I　think；　or　one　of　those　beautifulsomething　like　antipastolilies。　Denzil　just　happened　to　e　out　of　the　front　door　at　that　time。　It　wasn't　a　very　good　photograph　of　himjust　a　trifle　blurredbut　I　liked　it　and　have　always　kept　it。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Dr。　Graham；　〃that　seems　clear　enough。　I　think　we'll　have　no　difficulty　in　getting　back　your　picture　for　you；　Miss　Marple。〃

He　rose　from　his　chair。　Miss　Marple　smiled　up　at　him。

〃You　are　very　kind。　Dr。　Graham；　very　kind　indeed。　You　do　understand；　don't　you？〃

〃Of　course　I　do；　of　course　I　do；〃　said　Dr。　Graham；　shaking　her　warmly　by　the　hand。　〃Now　don't　you　worry。　Exercise　that　knee　every　day　gently　but　not　too　much；　and　I'll　send　you　round　these　tablets。　Take　one　three　times　a　day。〃



Chapter　5

MISS　MARPLE　MAKES　A　DECISION



The　funeral　service　was　said　over　the　body　of　the　late　Major　Palgrave　on　the　following　day。　Miss　Marple　attended　in　pany　with　Miss　Prescott。　The　Canon　read　the　serviceafter　that　life　went　on　as　usual。　Major　Palgrave's　death　was　already　only　an　incident；　a　slightly　unpleasant　incident；　but　one　that　was　soon　fotten。　Life　here　was　sunshine；　sea；　and　social　pleasures。　A　grim　visitor　had　interrupted　these　activities；　casting　a　momentary　shadow；　but　the　shadow　was　now　gone。　After　all；　nobody　had　known　the　deceased　very　well。　He　had　been　rather　a　garrulous　elderly　man　of　the　clubbore　type；　always　telling　you　personal　reminiscences　that　you　had　no　particular　desire　to　hear。　He　had　had　little　to　anchor　himself　to　any　particular　part　of　the　world。　His　wife　had　died　many　years　ago。　He　had　had　a　lonely　life　and　a　lonely　death。　But　it　had　been　the　kind　of　loneliness　that　spends　itself　in　living　amongst　people；　and　in　passing　the　time　that　way　not　unpleasantly。　Major　Palgrave　might　have　been　a　lonely　man；　he　had　also　been　quite　a　cheerful　one。　He　had　enjoyed　himself　in　his　own　particular　way。　And　now　he　was　dead；　buried；　and　nobody　cared　very　much；　and　in　another　week's　time　nobody　would　even　remember　him　or　spare　him　a　passing　thought。

The　only　person　who　could　possibly　be　said　to　miss　him　was　Miss　Marple。　Not　indeed　out　of　any　personal　affection；　but　he　represented　a　kind　of　life　that　she　knew。　As　one　grew　older；　so　she　reflected　to　herself；　one　got　more　and　more　into　the　habit　of　listening；　listening　possibly　without　any　great　interest；　but　there　had　been　between　her　and　the　Major　the　gentle　give　and　take　of　two　old　people。　It　had　had　a　cheerful；　human　quality。　She　did　not　actually　mourn　Major　Palgrave　but　she　missed　him。

On　the　afternoon　of　the　funeral；　as　she　was　sitting　knitting　in　her　favourite　spot　Dr。　Graham　came　and　joined　her。　She　put　her　needles　down　and　greeted　him。　He　said　at　once；　rather　apologetically：　〃I　am　afraid　I　have　rather　disappointing　news。　Miss　Marple。〃

〃Indeed？　About　my〃

〃Yes。　We　haven't　found　that　precious　snapshot　of　yours。　I'm　afraid　that　will　be　a　disappointment　to　you。〃

〃Yes。　Yes　it　is。　But　of　course　it　does　not　really　matter。　It　was　a　sentimentality。　I　do　realise　that　now。　It　wasn't　in　Major　Palgrave's　wallet？〃

〃No。　Nor　anywhere　else　among　his　things。　There　were　a　few　letters　and　newspaper　clippings　and　odds　and　ends；　and　a　few　old　photographs；　but　no　sign　of　a　snapshot　such　as　you　mentioned。〃

〃Oh　dear；〃　said　Miss　Marple。　〃Well；　it　can't　be　helped。。。　Thank　you　very　much；　Dr。　Graham；　for　the　trouble　you've　taken。〃

〃Oh　it　was　no　trouble；　indeed。　But　I　knoy　own　experience　how　much　family　trifles　mean　to　one；　especially　as　one　is　getting　older。〃

The　old　lady　was　really　taking　it　very　well；　he　thought。　Major　Palgrave；　he　presumed；　had　probably　e　across　the　snapshot　when　taking　something　out　of　his　wallet；　and　not　even　realising　how　it　had　e　there；　had　torn　it　up　as　something　of　no　importance。　But　of　course　it　was　of　great　importance　to　this　old　lady。　Still；　she　seemed　quite　cheerful　and　philosophical　about　it。

Internally；　however；　Miss　Marple　was　far　from　being　either　cheerful　or　philosophical。　She　wanted　a　little　time　in　which　to　think　things　out；　but　she　was　also　determined　to　use　her　present　opportunities　to　the　fullest　effect。　She　engaged　Dr。　Graham　in　conversation　with　an　eagerness　which　she　did　not　attempt　to　conceal。　That　kindly　man；　putting　down　her　flow　of　talk　to　the　natural　loneliness　of　an　old　lady；　exerted　himself　to　divert　her　mind　from　the　loss　of　the　snapshot；　by　conversing　easily　and　pleasantly　about　life　in　St。　Honorй；　and　the　various　interesting　places　perhaps