加勒比海之谜(英文版)-第7部分

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　a　miracle　that　he　should　be　there。

〃Poor　Major　Palgrave　had　high　blood　pressure；〃　said　Mrs。　Walters。

〃Nonsense；〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel。

〃Oh；　but　he　did；〃　said　Evelyn　Hillingdon。　She　spoke　with　sudden；　unexpected　authority。

〃Who　says　so？〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel。　〃Did　he　tell　you　so？〃

〃Somebody　said　so。〃

〃He　looked　very　red　in　the　face；〃　Miss　Marple　contributed。

〃Can't　go　by　that；〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel。　〃And　anyway　he　didn't　have　high　blood　pressure　because　he　told　me　so。〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　he　told　you　so？〃　said　Mrs。　Walters。　〃I　mean；　you　can't　exactly　tell　people　you　haven't　got　a　thing。〃

〃Yes　you　can。　I　said　to　him　once　when　he　was　downing　all　those　Planters　Punches；　and　eating　too　much。　I　said。　'You　ought　to　watch　your　diet　and　your　drink。　You've　got　to　think　of　your　blood　pressure　at　your　age。'　And　he　said　he'd　nothing　to　look　out　for　in　that　line；　that　his　blood　pressure　was　very　good　for　his　age。〃

〃But　he　took　some　stuff　for　it；　I　believe；〃　said　Miss　Marple；　entering　the　conversation　once　more。　〃Some　stuff　calledoh；　something　likewas　it　Serenite？〃

〃If　you　ask　me；〃　said　Evelyn　Hillingdon；　〃I　don't　think　he　ever　liked　to　admit　that　there　could　be　anything　the　matter　with　him　or　that　he　could　be　ill。　I　think　he　was　one　of　those　people　who　are　afraid　of　illness　and　therefore　deny　there's　ever　anything　wrong　with　them。〃

It　was　a　long　speech　for　her。　Miss　Marple　looked　thoughtfully　down　at　the　top　of　her　dark　head。

〃The　trouble　is；〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel　dictatorially　〃everybody's　too　fond　of　knowing　other　people's　ailments。　They　think　everybody　over　fifty　is　going　to　die　of　hypertension　or　coronary　thrombosis　or　one　of　those　thingspoppycock！　If　a　man　says　there's　nothing　much　wrong　with　him　I　don't　suppose　there　is。　A　man　ought　to　know　about　his　own　health。　What's　the　time？　Quarter　to　twelve？　I　ought　to　have　had　my　dip　long　ago。　Why　can't　you　remind　me　about　these　things；　Esther？〃

Mrs。　Walters　made　no　protest。　She　rose　to　her　feet　and　with　some　deftness　assisted　Mr。　Rafiel　to　his。　Together　they　went　down　the　beach；　she　supporting　him　carefully。　Together　they　stepped　into　the　sea。　Seсora　de　Caspearo　opened　her　eyes　and　murmured：　〃How　ugly　are　old　men！　Oh　how　they　are　ugly！　They　should　all　be　put　to　death　at　forty；　or　perhaps　thirtyfive　would　be　better。　Yes？〃

Edward　Hillingdon　and　Gregory　Dyson　came　crunching　down　the　beach。　〃What's　the　water　like；　Evelyn？〃

〃Just　the　same　as　always。〃

〃Never　much　variation；　is　there？　Where's　Lucky？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Evelyn。

Again　Miss　Marple　looked　down　thoughtfully　at　the　dark　head。

〃Well；　now　I　give　my　imitation　of　a　whale；〃　said　Gregory。　He　threw　off　his　gaily　patterned　Bermuda　shirt　and　tore　down　the　beach；　flinging　himself；　puffing　and　panting；　into　the　sea；　doing　a　fast　crawl。　Edward　Hillingdon　sat　down　on　the　beach　by　his　wife。　Presently　he　asked；　〃ing　in　again？〃

She　smiledput　on　her　capand　they　went　down　the　beach　together　in　a　much　less　spectacular　manner。　Seсora　de　Caspearo　opened　her　eyes　again。　〃I　think　at　first　those　two　they　are　on　their　honeymoon；　he　is　so　charming　to　her；　but　I　hear　they　have　been　married　eightnine　years。　It　is　incredible；　is　it　not？〃

〃I　wonder　where　Mrs。　Dyson　is？〃　said　Miss　Marple。

〃That　Lucky？　She　is　with　some　man。〃

〃Youyou　think　so？〃

〃It　is　certain；〃　said　Seсora　de　Caspearo。　〃She　is　that　type。　But　she　is　not　so　young　any　longerHer　husbandalready　his　eyes　go　elsewhere。　He　makes　passeshere；　there；　all　the　time。　I　know。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Miss　Marple；　〃I　expect　you　would　know。〃

Seсora　de　Caspearo　shot　a　surprised　glance　at　her。　It　was　clearly　not　what　she　had　expected　from　that　quarter。　Miss　Marple；　however；　was　looking　at　the　waves　with　an　air　of　gentle　innocence。



II



〃May　I　speak　to　you；　ma'am；　Mrs。　Kendal？〃

〃Yes；　of　course；〃　said　Molly。　She　was　sitting　at　her　desk　in　the　office。　Victoria　Johnson；　tall　and　buoyant　in　her　crisp　white　uniform　came　in　farther　and　shut　the　door　behind　her　with　a　somewhat　mysterious　air。

〃I　like　to　tell　you　something；　please；　Mrs。　Kendal。〃

〃Yes；　what　is　it。　Is　anything　wrong？〃

〃I　don't　know　that。　Not　for　sure。　It's　the　old　gentleman　who　died。　The　Major　gentleman。　He　die　in　his　sleep。〃

〃Yes；　yes。　What　about　it？〃

〃There　was　a　bottle　of　pills　in　his　room。　Doctor；　he　asked　me　about　them。〃

〃Yes？〃

〃The　doctor　said：　'Let　me　see　what　he　has　here　on　the　bathroom　shelf；'　and　he　looked；　you　see。　He　see　there　was　tooth　powder　and　indigestion　pills　and　aspirin　and　cascara　pills；　and　then　these　pills　in　a　bottle　called　Serenite。〃

〃Yes；〃　repeated　Molly　yet　again。

〃And　the　doctor　looked　at　them。　He　seemed　quite　satisfied；　and　nodded　his　head。　But　I　get　to　thinking　afterwards。　Those　pills　weren't　there　before。　I've　not　seen　them　in　his　bathroom　before。　The　others；　yes。　The　tooth　powder　and　the　aspirin　and　the　aftershave　lotion　and　all　the　rest。　But　those　pills；　those　Serenite　pills；　I　never　noticed　them　before。〃

〃So　you　think〃　Molly　looked　puzzled。

〃I　don't　know　what　to　think；〃　said　Victoria。　〃I　just　think　it's　not　right；　so　I　think　I　better　tell　you　about　it。　Perhaps　you　tell　doctor？　Perhaps　it　means　something。　Perhaps　someone　put　those　pills　there　so　he　take　them　and　he　died。〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　think　that's　likely　at　all；〃　said　Molly。

Victoria　shook　her　dark　head。　〃You　never　know。　People　do　bad　things。〃

Molly　glanced　out　of　the　window。　The　place　looked　like　an　earthly　paradise。　With　its　sunshine；　its　sea；　its　coral　reef；　its　music；　its　dancing；　it　seemed　a　Garden　of　Eden。　But　even　in　the　Garden　of　Eden；　there　had　been　a　shadowthe　shadow　of　the　Serpent。　Bad　thingshow　hateful　to　hear　those　words。　〃I'll　make　inquiries；　Victoria；〃　she　said　sharply。　〃Don't　worry。　And　above　all　don't　go　starting　a　lot　of　silly　rumours。〃

Tim　Kendal　came　in；　just　as　Victoria　was；　somewhat　unwillingly；　leaving。　〃Anything　wrong；　Molly？〃

She　hesitatedbut　Victoria　might　go　to　him。　She　told　him　what　the　girl　had　said。

〃I　don't　see　what　all　this　rigmarolewhat　were　these　pills　anyway？〃

〃Well；　I　don't　really　know；　Tim。　Dr。　Robertson　when　he　came　said　they　were　something　to　do　with　blood　pressure；　I　think。〃

〃Well；　that　would　be　all　right；　wouldn't　it？　I　mean；　he　had　high　blood　pressure；　and　he　would　be　taking　things　for　it；　wouldn't　he？　People　do。　I've　seen　them；　lots　of　times。〃

〃Yes；〃　Molly　hesitated；　〃but　Victoria　seemed　to　think　that　he　might　have　taken　one　of　these　pills　and　it　would　have　killed　him。〃

〃Oh　darling；　that　is　a　bit　too　melodramatic！　You　mean　that　somebody　might　have　changed　his　blood　pressure　pills　for　something　else；　and　that　they　poisoned　him？〃

〃It　does　sound　absurd；〃　said　Molly　apologetically；　〃when　you　say　it　like　that。　But　that　seemed　to　be　what　Victoria　thought！〃

〃Silly　girl！　We　could　go　and　ask　Dr。　Graham　about　it；　I　suppose　he'd　know。　But　really　it's　such　nonsense　that　it's　not　worth　bothering　him。〃

〃That's　what　I　think。〃

〃What　on　earth　made　the　girl　think　anybody　would　have　changed　the　pills。　You　mean；　put　different　pills　into　the　same　bottle？〃

〃I　didn't　quite　gather；〃　said　Molly；　looking　rather　helpless。　〃Victoria　seemed　to　think　that　was　the　first　time　that　Serenite　bottle　had　been　there。〃

〃Oh　but　that's　nonsense；〃　said　Tim　Kendal。　〃He　had　to　take　those　pills　all　the　time　to　keep　his　blood　pressure　down。〃　And　he　went　off　cheerfully　to　consult　with　Fernando　the　maitre　d'hotel。　But　Molly　could　not　dismiss　the　matter　so　lightly。　After　the　stress　of　lunch　was　over　she　said　to　her　husband：　〃TimI've　been　thinking。　If　Victoria　is　going　around　talking　about　this　perhaps　we　ought　just　to　ask　someone　about　it？〃

〃My　dear　girl！　Robertson　and　all　the　rest　of　them　came　and　looked　at　everything　and　asked　all　the　questions　they　wanted　at　the　time。〃

〃Yes；　but　you　know　how　they　work　themselves　up；　these　girls〃

〃Oh；　all　right！　I'll　tell　you　whatwe'll　go　and　ask　Grahamhe'll　know。〃

Dr。　Graham　was　sitting　on　his　loggia　with　a　book。　The　young　couple　came　in　and　Molly　plunged　into　her　recital。　It　was　a　little　incoherent　and　Tim　took　over。　〃Sounds　rather　idiotic；〃　he　said　apologetically；　〃but　as　far　as　I　can　make　out；　this　girl　has　got　it　into　her　head　that　someone　put　some　poison　tablets　in　thewhat's　the　name　of　the　stuffSerasomething　bottle。〃

〃But　why　should　she　get　this　idea　into　her　head？〃　asked　Dr。　Graham。　〃Did　she　see　anything　or　hear　anything　or　I　mean；　why　should　she　think　so？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Tim　rather　helplessly。

'〃Was　it　a　different　bottle？　Was　that　it；　Molly？〃

〃No；〃　said　Molly。　〃I　think　what　she　said　was　that　there　was　a　bottle　there　labelledSevenSeren〃

〃Serenite；〃　said　the　doctor。　〃That's　quite　right。　A　wellknown　preparation。　He'd　been　taking　it　regularly。〃

〃Victoria　said　she'd　never　seen　it　in　his　room　before。〃

〃Never　seen　it　in　his　room　before？〃　said　Graham　sharply。　〃What　does　she　mean　by　that？〃

〃Well；　that's　what　she　said。　She　said　there　were　all　sorts　of　things　on　the　bathroom　shelf。　You　know；　tooth　powder；　aspirin　and　aftershave　andohshe　rattled　them　off　gaily。　I　suppose　she's　always　cleaning　them　and　so　she　knows　them　all　off　by　heart。　But　this　ohe　Sereniteshe　hadn't　seen　it　here　until　the　day　after　he　died。〃

〃That's　very　odd；〃　said　Dr。　Graham；　rather　sharply。　〃Is　she　sure？〃

The　unusual　sharpness　of　his　tone　made　both　of　the　Kendals　look　at　him。　They　had　not　expected　Dr。　Graham　to　take　up　quite　this　attitude。

〃She　sounded　sure；〃　said　Molly　slowly。　〃Perhaps　she　just　wanted　to　be　sensational；〃　suggested　Tim。

〃I　think　perhaps；〃　said　Dr。　Graham；　〃I'd　better　have　a　few　words　with　the　girl　myself。〃

Victoria　displayed　a　distinct　pleasure　at　being　allowed　to　tell　her　story。

〃I　don't　want　to　get　in　no　trouble；〃　she　said。　〃I　didn't　put　that　bottle　there　and　I　don't　know　who　did。〃

〃But　you　think　it　was　put　there？〃　asked　Graham。

〃Well；　you　see。　Doctor；　it　must　have　been　put　there　if　it　wasn't　there　before。〃

〃Major　Palgrave　could　have　kept　it　in　a　draweror　a　dispatchcase；　something　like　that。〃

Victoria　shook　her　head　shrewdly。　〃Wouldn't　do　that　if　he　was　taking　it　all　the　time；　would　he？〃

〃No；〃　said　Graham　reluctantly。　〃No；　it　was　stuff　he　would　have　to　take　several　times　a　day。　You　never　saw　him　taking　it　or　anything　of　that　kind？〃

〃He　didn't　have　it　there　before。　I　just　thoughtword　got　round　as　that　stuff　had　something　to　do　with　his　death；　poisoned　his　blood　or　something；　and　I　thought　maybe　he　had　an　enemy　who　put　it　there　so　as　to　kill　him。〃

〃Nonsense；　my　girl；〃　said　the　doctor　robustly。　〃Sheer　nonsense。〃

Victoria　looked　shaken。

〃You　say　as　this　stuff　was　medicine；　good　medicine？〃　she　asked　doubtfully。

〃Good　medicine；　and　what　is　more；　necessary　medicine；〃　said　Dr。　Graham。　〃So　you　needn't　worry；　Victoria。　I　can　assure　you　there　was　nothing　wrong　with　that　medicine。　It　was　the　proper　thing　for　a　man　to　take　who　had　his　plaint。〃

〃Surely　you've　taken　a　load　off　my　mind；〃　said　Victoria。　She　showed　white　teeth　at　him　in　a　cheerful　smile。　But　the　load　was　not　taken　off　Dr。　Graham's　mind。　That　uneasiness　of　his　that　had　been　so　nebulous　was　now　being　tangible。



Chapter　8

A　TALK　WITH　ESTHER　WALTERS



〃This　place　isn't　what　it　used　to　be；〃　said　Mr。　Rafiel；　irritably；　as　he　observed　Miss　Marple　approaching　the　spot　where　he　and　his　secretary