the red house mystery-第27章

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〃You　don't　know　what　was　in　it；　then？〃　

Bill　had　a　sudden　shock。　He　had　read　the　letter　only　that　morning。　
He　knew　quite　well　what　was　in　it。　But　it　wouldn't　do　to　admit　this。　And　
then；　just　as　he　was　about　to　perjure　himself；　he　remembered：　Antony　had　
heard　Cayley　telling　the　Inspector。　

〃I　knew　afterwards。　I　was　told。　But　Mark　didn't　read　it　out　at　
breakfast。〃　

〃You　gathered；　however；　that　it　was　an　unwelcome　letter？〃　

〃Oh；　yes！〃　

〃Would　you　say　that　Mark　was　frightened　by　it？〃　

〃Not　frightened。　Sort　of　bitter　…　and　resigned。　Sort　of　'Oh；　Lord；　
here　we　are　again！'〃　

There　was　a　titter　here　and　there。　The　Coroner　smiled；　and　tried　to　
pretend　that　he　hadn't。　

〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Beverley。〃　

The　next　witness　was　summoned　by　the　name　of　Andrew　Amos；　and　
Antony　looked　up　with　interest；　wondering　who　he　was。　

〃He　lives　at　the　inner　lodge；〃　whispered　Bill　to　him。　

All　that　Amos　had　to　say　was　that　a　stranger　had　passed　by　his　lodge　at　
a　little　before　three　that　afternoon；　and　had　spoken　to　him。　He　had　seen　
the　body　and　recognized　it　as　the　man。　

〃What　did　he　say？〃　

〃'Is　this　right　for　the　Red　House？'　or　something　like　that；　sir。　

〃What　did　you　say？〃　

〃I　said；　'This　is　the　Red　House。　Who　do　you　want　to　see？'　He　was　a　
bit　rough…looking；　you　know；　sir；　and　I　didn't　know　what　he　was　doing　
there。〃　

〃Well？〃　

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〃Well；　sir；　he　said；　'Is　Mister　Mark　Ablett　at　home？'　It　doesn't　sound　
much　put　like　that；　sir；　but　I　didn't　care　about　the　way　he　said　it。　So　I　got　
in　front　of　him　like；　and　said；　'What　do　you　want；　eh？'　and　he　gave　a　sort　
of　chuckle　and　said；　'I　want　to　see　my　dear　brother　Mark。'　Well；　then　I　
took　a　closer　look　at　him；　and　I　see　that　p'raps　he　might　be　his　brother；　so　I。　
said；　'If　you'll　follow　the　drive；　sir；　you'll　come　to　the　house。　Of　course　I　
can't　say　if　Mr。　Ablett's　at　home。'　And　he　gave　a　sort　of　nasty　laugh　again；　
and　said；　'Fine　place　Mister　Mark　Ablett's　got　here。　Plenty　of　money　to　
spend；　eh？'　Well；　then　I　had　another　look　at　him；　sir；　because　gentlemen　
don't　talk　like　that；　and　if　he　was　Mr。　Ablett's　brother　…　but　before　I　could　
make　up　my　mind；　he　laughed　and　went　on。　That's　all　I　can　tell　you；　sir。〃　

Andrew　Amos　stepped　down　and　moved　away　to　the　back　of　the　room；　
nor　did　Antony　take　his　eyes　off　him　until　he　was　assured　that　Amos　
intended　to　remain　there　until　the　inquest　was　over。　

〃Who's　Amos　talking　to　now？〃　he　whispered　to　Bill。　

〃Parsons。　One　of　the　gardeners。　He's　at　the　outside　lodge　on　the　
Stanton　road。　They're　all　here　to…day。　Sort　of　holiday　for　em。　

〃I　wonder　if　he's　giving　evidence　too；〃　thought　Antony。　He　was。　He　
followed　Amos。　He　had　been　at　work　on　the　lawn　in　front　of　the　house；　
and　had　seen　Robert　Ablett　arrive。　He　didn't　hear　the　shot　…not　to　
notice。　He　was　a　little　hard　of　hearing。　He　had　seen　a　gentleman　arrive　
about　five　minutes　after　Mr。　Robert。　

〃Can　you　see　him　in　court　now？〃　asked　the　Coroner。　Parsons　looked　
round　slowly。　Antony　caught　his　eye　and　smiled。　

〃That's　him；〃　said　Parsons；　pointing。　

Everybody　looked　at　Antony。　

〃That　was　about　five　minutes　afterwards？〃　

〃About　that；　sir。〃　

〃Did　anybody　come　out　of　the　house　before　this　gentleman's　arrival？〃　

〃No；　sir。　That　is　to　say　I　didn't　see　'em。〃　

Stevens　followed。　She　gave　her　evidence　much　as　she　had　given　it　to　
the　Inspector。　Nothing　new　was　brought　out　by　her　examination。　Then　
came　Elsie。　As　the　reporters　scribbled　down　what　she　had　overheard；　
they　added　in　brackets　〃Sensation〃　for　the　first　time　that　afternoon。　

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〃How　soon　after　you　had　heard　this　did　the　shot　come？〃　asked　the　
Coroner。　

〃Almost　at　once；　sir。〃　

〃A　minute？〃　

〃I　couldn't　really　say；　sir。　It　was　so　quick。〃　

〃Were　you　still　in　the　hall？〃　

〃Oh；　no；　sir。　I　was　just　outside　Mrs。　Stevens'　room。　The　
housekeeper；　sir。〃　

〃You　didn't　think　of　going　back　to　the　hall　to　see　what　had　happened？〃　

〃Oh；　no；　sir。　I　just　went　in　to　Mrs。　Stevens；　and　she　said；　'Oh；　what　
was　that？'　frightened…like。　And　I　said；　'That　was　in　the　house；　Mrs。　
Stevens；　that　was。'　Just　like　something　going　off；　it　was。〃　

〃Thank　you；〃　said　the　Coroner。　

There　was　another　emotional　disturbance　in　the　room　as　Cayley　went　
into　the　witness…box；　not　〃Sensation〃　this　time；　but　an　eager　and；　as　it　
seemed　to　Antony；　sympathetic　interest。　Now　they　were　getting　to　grips　
with　the　drama。　

He　gave　his　evidence　carefully；　unemotionally　…　the　lies　with　the　same　
slow　deliberation　as　the　truth。　Antony　watched　him　intently；　wondering　
what　it　was　about　him　which　had　this　odd　sort　of　attractiveness。　For　
Antony；　who　knew　that　he　was　lying；　and　lying　（as　he　believed）　not　for　
Mark's　sake　but　his　own；　yet　could　not　help　sharing　some　of　that　general　
sympathy　with　him。　

〃Was　Mark　ever　in　possession　of　a　revolver？〃　asked　the　Coroner。　

〃Not　to　my　knowledge。　I　think　I　should　have　known　if　he　had　been。〃　

〃You　were　alone　with　him　all　that　morning。　Did　he　talk　about　this　
visit　of　Robert's　at　all？〃　

〃I　didn't　see　very　much　of　him　in　the　morning。　I　was　at　work　in　my　
room；　and　outside；　and　so　on。　We　lunched　together　and　he　talked　of　it　
then　a　little。〃　

〃In　what　terms？〃　

〃Well…〃　he　hesitated；　and　then　went　on。　〃I　can't　think　of　a　better　word　
than　'peevishly。'　Occasionally　he　said；　'What　do　you　think　he　wants？'　or　
'Why　couldn't　he　have　stayed　where　he　was？'　or　'I　don't　like　the　tone　of　his　

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letter。　Do　you　think　he　means　trouble？'　He　talked　rather　in　that　kind　of　

way。　

〃Did　he　express　his　surprise　that　his　brother　should　be　in　England？〃　

〃I　think　he　was　always　afraid　that　he　would　turn　up　one　day。〃　

〃Yes。。。。　You　didn't　hear　any　conversation　between　the　brothers　when　
they　were　in　the　office　together？〃　

〃No。　I　happened　to　go　into　the　library　just　after　Mark　had　gone　in；　
and　I　was　there　all　the　time。〃　

〃Was　the　library　door　open？〃　

〃Oh；　yes。〃　

〃Did　you　see　or　hear　the　last　witness　at　all？〃　

〃No。〃　

〃If　anybody　had　come　out　of　the　office　while　you　were　in　the　library；　
would　you　have　heard　it？〃　

〃I　think　so。　Unless　they　had　come　out　very　quietly　on　purpose。〃　

〃Would　you　call　Mark　a　hasty…tempered　man？〃　

Cayley　considered　this　carefully　before　answering。　

〃Hasty…tempered；　yes；〃　he　said。　〃But　not　violent…tempered。〃　

〃Was　he　fairly　athletic？　Active　and　quick？〃　

〃Active　and　quick；　yes。　Not　particularly　strong。〃　

〃Yes。。。。　One　question　more。　Was　Mark　in　the　habit　of　carrying　any　
considerable　sum　of　money　about　with　him？〃　

〃Yes。　He　always　had　one　100　pound　note　on　him；　and　perhaps　ten　or　
twenty　pounds　as　well。〃　

〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Cayley。〃　

Cayley　went　back　heavily　to　his　seat。　〃Damn　it；〃　said　Antony　to　
himself；　〃why　do　I　like　the　fellow？〃　

〃Antony　Gillingham！〃　

Again　the　eager　interest　of　the　room　could　be　felt。　Who　was　this　
stranger　who　had　got　mixed　up　in　the　business　so　mysteriously？　

Antony　smiled　at　Bill　and　stepped　up　to　give　his　evidence。　

He　explained　how　he　came　to　be　staying　at　the　〃George〃　at　Waldheim；　
how　he　had　heard　that　the　Red　House　was　in　the　neighbourhood；　how　he　
had　walked　over　to　see　his　friend　Beverley；　and　had　arrived　just　after　the　

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tragedy。　Thinking　it　over　afterwards　be　was　fairly　certain　that　he　had　
heard　the　shot；　but　it　had　not　made　any　impression　on　him　at　the　time。　
He　had　come　to　the　house　from　the　Waldheim　end　and　consequently　had　
seen　nothing　of　Robert　Ablett；　who　had　been　a　few　minutes　in　front　of　him。　
From　this　point　his　evidence　coincided　with　Cayley's。　

〃You　and　the　last　witness　reached　the　French　windows　together　and　
found　them　shut？〃　

〃Yes。〃　

〃You　pushed　them　in　and　came　to　the　body。　Of　course　you　had　no　
idea　whose　body　it　was？〃　

〃No。〃　

〃Did　Mr。　Cayley　say　anything？〃　

〃He　turned　the　body　over；　just　so　as　to　see　the　face；　and　when　he　saw　it；　
he　said；　'Thank　God。'　

Again　the　reporters　wrote　〃Sensation。〃　〃Did　you　understand　what　he　
meant　by　that？〃　

〃I　asked　him　who　it　was；　and　he　said　that　it　was　Robert　Ablett。　Then　he　
explained　that　he　was　afraid　at　first　it　was　the　cousin　with　whom　he　lived　
Mark。〃　

〃Yes。　Did　he　seem　upset？〃　

〃Very　much　so　at　first。　Less　when　he　found　that　it　wasn't　Mark。〃　

There　was　a　sudden　snigger　from　a　nervous　gentleman　in　the　crowd　at　
the　back　of　the　room；　and　the　Coroner　put　on　his　glasses　and　stared　sternly　
in　the　direction　from　which　it　came。　The　nervous　gentleman　hastily　
decided　that　the　time　had　come　to　do　up　his　bootlace。　The　Coroner　put　
down　his　glasses　and　continued。　

〃Did　anybody　come　out　of　the　house　while　you　were　coming　up　the　
drive？〃　

〃No。〃　

〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Gillingham。〃　

He　was　followed　by　Inspector　Birch。　The　Inspector；　realizing　that　
this　was　his　afternoon；　and　that　the　eyes　of　the　world　were　upon　him；　
produced　a　plan　of　the　house　and　explained　the　situation　of　the　different　
rooms。　The　plan　was　then　handed　to　the　jury。　

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Inspector　Birch；　so　he　told　the　world；　had　arrived　at　the　Red　House　at　

4。42　p。m。　on　the　afternoon　in　question。　He　had　been　received　by　Mr。　
Matthew　Cayley；　who　had　made　a　short　statement　to　him；　and　he　had　then　
proceeded　to　examine　the　scene　of　the　crime。　The　French　windows　had　
been　forced　from　outside。　The　door　leading　into　the　hall　was　locked；　he　
had　searched　the　room　thoroughly　and　had　found　no　trace　of　a　key。　In　
the　bedroom　leading　out　of　the　office　he　had　found　an　open　window。　
There　were　no　marks　on　the　window；　but　it　was　a　low　one；　and；　as　he　
found　from　experiment；　quite　easy　to　step　out　of　without　touching　it　with　
the　boots。　A　few　yards　outside　the　window　a　shrubbery　began。　There　
were　no　recent　footmarks　outside　the　window；　but　the　ground　was　in　a　
very　hard　condition　owing　to　the　absence　of　rain。　In　the　shrubbery；　
however；　he　found　several　twigs　on　the　ground；　recently　broken　off；　
together　with　other　evidence　that　some　body　had　been　forcing　its　way　
through。　He　had　questioned　everybody　connected　with　the　estate；　and　
none　of　them　had　been　into　the　shrubbery　recently。　By　forcing　a　way　
through　the　shrubbery　it　was　possible　for　a　person　to　make　a　detour　of　the　
house　and　get　to　the　Stanton　end　of　the　park　without　ever　being　in　sight　of　
the　house　itself。　
He　had　made　inquiries　about　the　deceased。　Deceased　had　left　for　
Australia　some　fifteen　years　ago；　owing　to　some　financial　trouble　at　home。　
Deceased　was　not　well　spoken　of　in　the　village　from　which　he　and　his　
brother　had　come。　Deceased　and　his　brother　had　never　been　on　good　
terms；　and　the　fact　that　Mark　Ablett　had　come　into　money　had　been　a　
cause　of　great　bitterness　between　them。　It　was　shortly　after　this　that　
Robert　had　left　for　Australia。　

He　had　made　inquiries　at　Stanton　station。　It　had　been　market…day　at　
Stanton　and　the　station　had　been　more　full　of　arrivals　than　usual。　
Nobody　had　particularly　noticed　the　arrival　of　Robert　Ablett；　there　had　
been　a　good　many　passengers　by　the　2。10　train　that　afternoon；　the　train　by　
which　Robert　had　undoubtedly　come　from　London。　A　witness；　however；　
would　state