the red house mystery-第11章

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They　came　out　of　the　front　door　and　followed　the　drive　to　the　left。　
Coming　from　Waldheim；　Antony　had　approached　the　house　that　afternoon　
from　the　other　side。　The　way　they　were　going　now　would　take　them　out　
at　the　opposite　end　of　the　park；　on　the　high　road　to　Stanton；　a　country　town　
some　three　miles　away。　They　passed　by　a　gate　and　a　gardener's　lodge；　
which　marked　the　limit　of　what　auctioneers　like　to　call　〃the　ornamental　
grounds　of　the　estate；〃　and　then　the　open　park　was　before　them。　

〃Sure　we　haven't　missed　it？〃　said　Antony。　The　park　lay　quietly　in　the　
moonlight　on　either　side　of　the　drive；　wearing　a　little　way　ahead　of　them　a　
deceptive　air　of　smoothness　which　retreated　always　as　they　advanced。　

〃Rum；　isn't　it？〃　said　Bill。　〃An　absurd　place　for　a　bowling　green；　bu　
I　suppose　it　was　always　here。〃　

〃Yes；　but　always　where？　It's　short　enough　for　golf；　perhaps；　but　…
Hallo！〃　

They　had　come　to　the　place。　The　road　bent　round　to　the　right；　but　

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they　kept　straight　on　over　a　broad　grass　path　for　twenty　yards；　and　there　in　
front　of　them　was　the　green。　A　dry　ditch；　ten　feet　wide　and　six　feet　deep；　
surrounded　it；　except　in　the　one　place　where　the　path　went　forward。　Two　
or　three　grass　steps　led　down　to　the　green；　on　which　there　was　a　long　
wooden　beach　for　the　benefit　of　spectators。　

〃Yes；　it　hides　itself　very　nicely；〃　said　Antony。　〃Where　do　you　keep　
the　bowls？〃　

〃In　a　sort　of　summer　house　place。　Round　here。〃　

They　walked　along　the　edge　of　the　green　until　they　came　to　it　a　low　
wooden　bunk　which　had　been　built　into　one　wall　of　the　ditch。　

〃H'm。　Jolly　view。〃　

Bill　laughed。　

〃Nobody　sits　there。　It's　just　for　keeping　things　out　of　the　rain。〃　

They　finished　their　circuit　of　the　green　〃Just　in　case　anybody's　in　the　
ditch；〃　said　Antony　and　then　sat　down　on　the　bench。　

〃Now　then；〃　said　Bill；　〃We　are　alone。　Fire　ahead。〃　

Antony　smoked　thoughtfully　for　a　little。　Then　he　took　his　pipe　out　of　
his　mouth　and　turned　to　his　friend。　

〃Are　you　prepared　to　be　the　complete　Watson？〃　he　asked。　

〃Watson？〃　

〃Do…you…follow…me…Watson；　that　one。　Are　you　prepared　to　have　
quite　obvious　things　explained　to　you；　to　ask　futile　questions；　to　give　me　
chances　of　scoring　off　you；　to　make　brilliant　discoveries　of　your　own　two　
or　three　days　after　I　have　made　them　myself　all　that　kind　of　thing？　
Because　it　all　helps。〃　

〃My　dear　Tony；〃　said　Bill　delightedly；　〃need　you　ask？〃　Antony　said　
nothing；　and　Bill　went　on　happily　to　himself；　〃I　perceive　from　the　
strawberry…mark　on　your　shirt…front　that　you　had　strawberries　for　dessert。　
Holmes；　you　astonish　me。　Tut；　tut；　you　know　my　methods。　Where　is　the　
tobacco？　The　tobacco　is　in　the　Persian　slipper。　Can　I　leave　my　practice　
for　a　week？　I　can。〃　

Antony　smiled　and　went　on　smoking。　After　waiting　hopefully　for　a　
minute　or　two；　Bill　said　in　a　firm　voice：　

〃Well　then；　Holmes；　I　feel　bound　to　ask　you　if　you　have　deduced　

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anything。　Also　whom　do　you　suspect？〃　

Antony　began　to　talk。　

〃Do　you　remember；〃　he　said；　〃one　of　Holmes's　little　scores　over　
Watson　about　the　number　of　steps　up　to　the　Baker　Street　lodging？　Poor　old　
Watson　had　been　up　and　down　them　a　thousand　times；　but　he　had　never　
thought　of　counting　them；　whereas　Holmes　had　counted　them　as　a　matter　
of　course；　and　knew　that　there　were　seventeen。　And　that　was　supposed　to　
be　the　difference　between　observation　and　non…observation。　Watson　was　
crushed　again；　and　Holmes　appeared　to　him　more　amazing　than　ever。　
Now；　it　always　seemed　to　me　that　in　that　matter　Holmes　was　the　ass；　and　
Watson　the　sensible　person。　What　on　earth　is　the　point　of　keeping　in　your　
head　an　unnecessary　fact　like　that？　If　you　really　want　to　know　at　any　
time　the　number　of　steps　to　your　lodging；　you　can　ring　up　your　landlady　
and　ask　her。　I've　been　up　and　down　the　steps　of　the　club　a　thousand　times；　
but　if　you　asked　me　to　tell　you　at　this　moment　how　many　steps　there　are　I　
couldn't　do　it。　Could　you？〃　

〃I　certainly　couldn't；〃　said　Bill。　

〃But　if　you　really　wanted　to　know；〃　said　Antony　casually；　with　a　
sudden　change　of　voice；　〃I　could　find　out　for　you　without　even　bothering　
to　ring　up　the　hall…porter。〃　

Bill　was　puzzled　as　to　why　they　were　talking　about　the　club　steps；　but　
he　felt　it　his　duty　to　say　that　he　did　want　to　know　how　many　they　were。　

〃Right；〃　said　Antony。　〃I'll　find　out。〃　

He　closed　his　eyes。　

〃I'm　walking　up　St　James'　Street；〃　he　said　slowly。　〃Now　I've　come　to　
the　club　and　I'm　going　past　the　smoking…room　windows…one…two　three　
four。　Now　I'm　at　the　steps。　I　turn　in　and　begin　going　up　them。　One　
two　three…four…five　six；　then　a　broad　step；　six　seven　eight　nine；　another　
broad　step；　nine　ten　eleven。　Eleven　I'm　inside。　Good　morning；　Rogers。　
Fine　day　again。〃　With　a　little　start　he　opened　his　eyes　and　came　back　
again　to　his　present　surroundings。　He　turned　to　Bill　with　a　smile。　
〃Eleven；〃　he　said。　Count　them　the　next　time　you're　there。　Eleven　and　
now　I　hope　I　shall　forget　it　again。〃　

Bill　was　distinctly　interested。　

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〃That's　rather　hot；〃　he　said。　〃Expound。〃　

〃Well；　I　can't　explain　it；　whether　it's　something　in　the　actual　eye；　or　
something　in　the　brain；　or　what；　but　I　have　got　rather　an　uncanny　habit　of　
recording　things　unconsciously。　You　know　that　game　where　you　look　at　
a　tray　full　of　small　objects　for　three　minutes；　and　then　turn　away　and　try　to　
make　a　list　of　them。　It　means　a　devil　of　a　lot　of　concentration　for　the　
ordinary　person；　if　he　wants　to　get　his　list　complete；　but　in　some　odd　way　I　
manage　to　do　it　without　concentration　at　all。　I　mean　that　my　eyes　seem　
to　do　it　without　the　brain　consciously　taking　any　part。　I　could　look　at　the　
tray；　for　instance；　and　talk　to　you　about　golf　at　the　same　time；　and　still　get　
my　list　right。〃　

〃I　should　think　that's　rather　a　useful　gift　for　an　amateur　detective。　You　
ought　to　have　gone　into　the　profession　before。〃　

〃Well；　it　is　rather　useful。　It's　rather　surprising；　you　know；　to　a　
stranger。　Let's　surprise　Cayley　with　it；　shall　we？〃　

〃How？〃　

〃Well；　let's　ask　him　…〃　Antony　stopped　and　looked　at　Bill　comically　
〃let's　ask　him　what　he's　going　to　do　with　the　key　of　the　office。〃　

For　a　moment　Bill　did　not　understand。　

〃Key　of　the　office？〃　he　said　vaguely。　〃You　don't　mean　…　Tony！　
What　do　you　mean？　Good　God！　do　you　mean　that　Cayley　…　But　what　
about　Mark？〃　

〃I　don't　know　where　Mark　is　…　that's　another　thing　I　want　to　know　
but　I'm　quite　certain　that　he　hasn't　got　the　key　of　the　office　with　him。　
Because　Cayley's　got　it。〃　

〃Are　you　sure？〃　

〃Quite。〃　

Bill　looked　at　him　wonderingly。　

〃I　say；〃　he　said；　almost　pleadingly；　〃don't　tell　me　that　you　can　see　into　
people's　pockets　and　all　that　sort　of　thing　as　well。〃　

Antony　laughed　and　denied　it　cheerfully。　

〃Then　how　do　you　know？〃　

〃You're　the　perfect　Watson；　Bill。　You　take　to　it　quite　naturally。　
Properly　speaking；　I　oughtn't　to　explain　till　the　last　chapter；　but　I　always　

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think　that　that's　so　unfair。　So　here　goes。　Of　course；　I　don't　really　know　
that　he's　got　it；　but　I　do　know　that　he　had　it。　I　know　that　when　I　came　on　
him　this　afternoon；　he　had　just　locked　the　door　and　put　the　key　in　his　
pocket。〃　

〃You　mean　you　saw　him　at　the　time；　but　that　you've　only　just　
remembered　it　…　reconstructed　it　in　the　way　you　were　explaining　just　
now？〃　

〃No。　I　didn't　see　him。　But　I　did　see　something。　I　saw　the　key　of　
the　billiard…room。〃　

〃Where？　

〃Outside　the　billiard…room　door。〃　

〃Outside？　But　it　was　inside　when　we　looked　just　now。〃　

〃Exactly。〃　

〃Who　put　it　there？〃　

〃Obviously　Cayley。〃　

〃But　…〃　

〃Let's　go　back　to　this　afternoon。　I　don't　remember　noticing　the　
billiard…room　key　at　the　time；　I　must　have　done　so　without　knowing。　
Probably　when　I　saw　Cayley　banging　at　the　door　I　may　have　wondered　
subconsciously　whether　the　key　of　the　room　next　to　it　would　fit。　
Something　like　that；　I　daresay。　Well；　when　I　was　sitting　out　by　myself　on　
that　seat　just　before　you　came　along；　I　went　over　the　whole　scene　in　my　
mind；　and　I　suddenly　saw　the　billiard…room　key　there　outside。　And　I　
began　to　wonder　if　the　office…key　had　been　outside　too。　When　Cayley　
came　up；　I　told　you　my　idea　and　you　were　both　interested。　But　Cayley　
was　just　a　shade　too　interested。　I　daresay　you　didn't　notice　it；　but　he　was。　

〃By　Jove！〃　

〃Well；　of　course　that　proved　nothing；　and　the　key　business　didn't　really　
prove　anything；　because　whatever　side　of　the　door　the　other　keys　were；　
Mark　might　have　locked　his　own　private　room　from　the　inside　sometimes。　
But　I　piled　it　on；　and　pretended　that　it　was　enormously　important；　and　
quite　altered　the　case　altogether；　and　having　got　Cayley　thoroughly　
anxious　about　it；　I　told　him　that　we　should　be　well　out　of　the　way　for　the　
next　hour　or　so；　and　that　he　would　be　alone　in　the　house　to　do　what　he　

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liked　about　it。　And；　as　I　expected；　he　couldn't　resist　it。　He　altered　the　

keys　and　gave　himself　away　entirely。〃　

〃But　the　library　key　was　still　outside。　Why　didn't　he　alter　that？〃　

〃Because　he's　a　clever　devil。　For　one　thing；　the　inspector　had　been　in　
the　library；　and　might　possibly　have　noticed　it　already。　And　for　another　…〃　
Antony　hesitated。　

〃What？〃　said　Bill；　after　waiting　for　him　to　go　on。　

〃It's　only　guesswork。　But　I　fancy　that　Cayley　was　thoroughly　upset　
about　the　key　business。　He　suddenly　realized　that　he　had　been　careless；　
and　he　hadn't　got　time　to　think　it　all　over。　So　he　didn't　want　to　commit　
himself　definitely　to　the　statement　that　the　key　was　either　outside　or　inside。　
He　wanted　to　leave　it　vague。　It　was　safest　that　way。〃　

〃I　see；〃　said　Bill　slowly。　

But　his　mind　was　elsewhere。　He　was　wondering　suddenly　about　
Cayley。　Cayley　was　just　an　ordinary　man　…　like　himself。　Bill　had　had　
little　jokes　with　him　sometimes；　not　that　Cayley　was　much　of　a　hand　at　
joking。　Bill　had　helped　him　to　sausages；　played　tennis　with　him；　
borrowed　his　tobacco；　lent　him　a　putter。。。。　and　here　was　Antony　saying　that　
he　was　what？　Well；　not　an　ordinary　man；　anyway。　A　man　with　a　secret。　
Perhaps　a　murderer。　No；　not　a　murderer；　not　Cayley。　That　was　rot；　
anyway。　Why；　they　had　played　tennis　together。　

〃Now　then；　Watson；〃　said　Antony　suddenly。　〃It's　time　you　said　
something。〃　

〃I　say；　Tony；　do　you　really　mean　it？〃　

〃Mean　what？〃　

〃About　Cayley。〃　

〃I　mean　what　I　said；　Bill。　No　more。　

〃Well；　what　does　it　amount　to？〃　

〃Simply　that　Robert　Ablett　died　in　the　office　this　afternoon；　and　that　
Cayley　knows　exactly　how　he　died。　That's　all。　It　doesn't　follow　that　
Cayley　killed　him。〃　

〃No。　No；　of　course　it　doesn't。〃　Bill　gave　a　sigh　of　relief。　〃He's　just　
shielding　Mark；　what？〃　

〃I　wonder。〃　

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〃Well；　isn't　that　the　simplest　explanation？〃　

〃It's　the　simplest　if　you're　a　friend　of　Cayley　and　want　to　let　him　down　
lightly。　But　then　I'm　not；　you　see。　

〃Why　isn't　it　simple；　anyhow？〃　

〃Well；　let's　have　the　explanation　then；　and　I'll　undertake　to　give　you　a　
simpler　one　afterwards。　Go　on。　Only　remember　the　key　is　on　the　
outsi