pgw.uneasymoney-第32部分

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n　the　present　occasion　there　was　a　difference。　His　mind　was　not　adjusted　for　the　occurrence。　There　are　times　when　it　is　unseasonable　to　touch　a　man　on　the　leg。　This　was　a　moment　when　it　was　unseasonable　in　the　case　of　Mr　Pickering。　He　bounded　silently　into　the　air；　his　whole　being　rent　asunder　as　by　a　cataclysm。
　He　had　been　holding　his　revolver　in　his　hand　as　a　protection　against　nameless　terrors；　and　as　he　leaped　he　pulled　the　trigger。　Then　with　the　automatic　instinct　for　self…preservation；　he　sprang　back　into　the　bushes；　and　began　to　push　his　way　through　them　until　he　had　reached　a　safe　distance　from　the　danger　zone。
　James；　the　cat；　meanwhile；　hurt　at　the　manner　in　which　his　friendly　move　had　been　received；　had　taken　refuge　on　the　outhouse　roof。　He　mewed　plainingly；　a　puzzled　note　in　his　voice。　Mr　Pickering's　behaviour　had　been　one　of　those　things　that　no　fellow　can　understand。　The　whole　thing　seemed　inexplicable　to　James。
　
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　Lord　Dawlish　stood　in　the　doorway　of　the　outhouse；　holding　the　body　of　Eustace　gingerly　by　the　tail。　It　was　a　solemn　moment。　There　was　no　room　for　doubt　as　to　the　pleteness　of　the　extinction　of　Lady　Wetherby's　pet。
　Dudley　Pickering's　bullet　had　done　its　lethal　work。　Eustace's　adventurous　career　was　over。　He　was　through。
　Elizabeth's　mouth　was　trembling；　and　she　looked　very　white　in　the　moonlight。　Being　naturally　soft…hearted；　she　deplored　the　tragedy　for　its　own　sake；　and　she　was　also；　though　not　lacking　in　courage；　decidedly　upset　by　the　discovery　that　some　person　unknown　had　been　roaming　her　premises　with　a　firearm。
　'Oh；　Bill！'　she　said。　Then：　'Poor　little　chap！'　And　then：　'Who　could　have　done　it？'
　Lord　Dawlish　did　not　answer。　His　whole　mind　was　occupied　at　the　moment　with　the　contemplation　of　the　fact　that　she　had　called　him　Bill。　Then　he　realized　that　she　had　spoken　three　times　and　expected　a　reply。
　'Who　could　have　done　it？'
　Bill　pondered。　Never　a　quick　thinker；　the　question　found　him　unprepared。
　'Some　fellow；　I　expect；'　he　said　at　last　brightly。　'Got　in；　don't　you　know；　and　then　his　pistol　went　off　by　accident。'
　'But　what　was　he　doing　with　a　pistol？'
　Bill　looked　a　little　puzzled　at　this。
　'Why；　he　would　have　a　pistol；　wouldn't　he？　I　thought　everybody　had　over　here。'
　Except　for　what　he　had　been　able　to　observe　during　the　brief　period　of　his　present　visit；　Lord　Dawlish's　knowledge　of　the　United　States　had　been　derived　from　the　American　plays　which　he　had　seen　in　London；　and　in　these　chappies　were　producing　revolvers　all　the　time。　He　had　got　the　impression　that　a　revolver　was　as　much　a　part　of　the　ordinary　well…dressed　man's　equipment　in　the　United　States　as　a　collar。
　'I　think　it　was　a　burglar；'　said　Elizabeth。　'There　have　been　a　lot　of　burglaries　down　here　this　summer。'
　'Would　a　burglar　burgle　the　outhouse？　Rummy　idea；　rather；　what？　Not　much　sense　in　it。　I　think　it　must　have　been　a　tramp。　I　expect　tramps　are　always　popping　about　and　nosing　into　all　sorts　of　extraordinary　places；　you　know。'
　'He　must　have　been　standing　quite　close　to　us　while　we　were　talking；'　said　Elizabeth；　with　a　shiver。
　Bill　looked　about　him。　Everywhere　was　peace。　No　sinister　sounds　peted　with　the　croaking　of　the　tree　frogs。　No　alien　figures　infested　the　landscape。　The　only　alien　figure；　that　of　Mr　Pickering；　was　wedged　into　a　bush；　invisible　to　the　naked　eye。
　'He's　gone　now；　at　any　rate；'　he　said。　'What　are　we　going　to　do？'
　Elizabeth　gave　another　shiver　as　she　glanced　hurriedly　at　the　deceased。　After　life's　fitful　fever　Eustace　slept　well；　but　he　was　not　looking　his　best。
　'Withit？'　she　said。
　'I　say；'　advised　Bill；　'I　shouldn't　call　him　〃it；〃　don't　you　know。　It　sort　of　rubs　it　in。　Why　not　〃him〃？　I　suppose　we　had　better　bury　him。　Have　you　a　spade　anywhere　handy？'
　'There　isn't　a　spade　on　the　place。'
　Bill　looked　thoughtful。
　'It　takes　weeks　to　make　a　hole　with　anything　else；　you　know；'　he　said。　'When　I　was　a　kid　a　friend　of　mine　bet　me　I　wouldn't　dig　my　way　through　to　China　with　a　pocket　knife。　It　was　an　awful　frost。　I　tried　for　a　couple　of　days；　and　broke　the　knife　and　didn't　get　anywhere　near　China。'　He　laid　the　remains　on　the　grass　and　surveyed　them　meditatively。　'This　is　what　fellows　always　run　up　against　in　the　detective　novelsWhat　to　Do　With　the　Body。　They　manage　the　murder　part　of　it　all　right；　and　then　stub　their　toes　on　the　body　problem。'
　'I　wish　you　wouldn't　talk　as　if　we　had　done　a　murder。'
　'I　feel　as　if　we　had；　don't　you？'
　'Exactly。'
　'I　read　a　story　once　where　a　fellow　slugged　somebody　and　melted　the　corpse　down　in　a　bath　tub　with　sulphuric'
　'Stop！　You're　making　me　sick！'
　'Only　a　suggestion；　don't　you　know；'　said　Bill　apologetically。
　'Well；　suggest　something　else；　then。'
　'How　about　leaving　him　on　Lady　Wetherby's　doorstep？　See　what　I　meanlet　them　take　him　in　with　the　morning　milk？　Or；　if　you　would　rather　ring　the　bell　and　go　away；　andyou　don't　think　much　of　it？'
　'I　simply　haven't　the　nerve　to　do　anything　so　risky。'
　'Oh；　I　would　do　it。　There　would　be　no　need　for　you　to　e。'
　'I　wouldn't　dream　of　deserting　you。'
　'That's　awfully　good　of　you。'
　'Besides；　I'm　not　going　to　be　left　alone　to…night　until　I　can　jump　into　my　little　white　bed　and　pull　the　clothes　over　my　head。　I'm　scared；　I'm　just　boneless　with　fright。　And　I　wouldn't　go　anywhere　near　Lady　Wetherby's　doorstep　with　it。'
　'Him。'
　'It's　no　use；　I　can't　think　of　it　as　〃him。〃　It's　no　good　asking　me　to。'
　Bill　frowned　thoughtfully。
　'I　read　a　story　once　where　two　chappies　wanted　to　get　rid　of　a　body。　They　put　it　inside　a　fellow's　piano。'
　'You　do　seem　to　have　read　the　most　horrible　sort　of　books。'
　'I　rather　like　a　bit　of　blood　with　my　fiction；'　said　Bill。　'What　about　this　piano　scheme　I　read　about？'
　'People　only　have　talking　machines　in　these　parts。'
　'I　read　a　story'
　'Let's　try　to　forget　the　stories　you've　read。　Suggest　something　of　your　own。'
　'Well；　could　we　dissect　the　little　chap？'
　'Dissect　him？'
　'And　bury　him　in　the　cellar；　you　know。　Fellows　do　it　to　their　wives。'
　Elizabeth　shuddered。
　'Try　again；'　she　said。
　'Well；　the　only　other　thing　I　can　think　of　is　to　take　him　into　the　woods　and　leave　him　there。　It's　a　pity　we　can't　let　Lady　Wetherby　know　where　he　is；　she　seems　rather　keen　on　him。　But　I　suppose　the　main　point　is　to　get　rid　of　him。'
　'I　know　how　we　can　do　both。　That's　a　good　idea　of　yours　about　the　woods。　They　are　part　of　Lady　Wetherby's　property。　I　used　to　wander　about　there　in　the　spring　when　the　house　was　empty。　There's　a　sort　of　shack　in　the　middle　of　them。　I　shouldn't　think　anybody　ever　went　thereit's　a　deserted　sort　of　place。　We　could　leave　him　there；　and　thenwell；　we　might　write　Lady　Wetherby　a　letter　or　something。　We　could　think　out　that　part　afterward。'
　'It's　the　best　thing　we've　thought　of。　You　really　want　to　e？'
　'If　you　attempt　to　leave　here　without　me　I　shall　scream。　Let's　be　starting。'
　Bill　picked　Eustace　up　by　his　convenient　tail。
　'I　read　a　story　once；'　he　said；　'where　a　fellow　was　lugging　a　corpse　through　a　wood；　when　suddenly'
　'Stop　right　there；'　said　Elizabeth　firmly。
　During　the　conversation　just　recorded　Dudley　Pickering　had　been　keeping　a　watchful　eye　on　Bill　and　Elizabeth　from　the　interior　of　a　bush。　His　was　not　the　ideal　position　for　espionage；　for　he　was　too　far　off　to　hear　what　they　said；　and　the　light　was　too　dim　to　enable　him　to　see　what　it　was　that　Bill　was　holding。　It　looked　to　Mr　Pickering　like　a　sack　or　bag　of　some　sort。　As　time　went　by　he　became　convinced　that　it　was　a　sack；　limp　and　empty　at　present；　but　destined　later　to　receive　and　bulge　with　what　he　believed　was　technically　known　as　the　swag。　When　the　two　objects　of　vigilance　concluded　their　lengthy　consultation；　and　moved　off　in　the　direction　of　Lady　Wetherby's　woods；　any　doubts　he　may　have　had　as　to　whether　they　were　the　criminals　he　had　suspected　them　of　being　were　dispersed。　The　whole　thing　worked　out　logically。
　The　Man；　having　spied　out　the　land　in　his　two　visits　to　Lady　Wetherby's　house；　was　now　about　to　break　in。　His　acplice　would　stand　by　with　the　sack。　With　a　beating　heart　Mr　Pickering　gripped　his　revolver　and　moved　round　in　the　shadow　of　the　shrubbery　till　he　came　to　the　gate；　when　he　was　just　in　time　to　see