the red house mystery-第29章

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spare　a　little　time　between　the　mouthfuls；　Bill　gave　an　account　of　his　
adventures。　The　landlord　of　the　〃Plough　and　Horses〃　had　been　sticky；　
decidedly　sticky　…　Bill　had　been　unable　at　first　to　get　anything　out　of　him。　
But　Bill　had　been　tactful；　lorblessyou；　how　tactful　he　had　been。　

〃He　kept　on　about　the　inquest；　and　what　a　queer　affair　it　had　been；　and　
so　on；　and　how　there'd　been　an　inquest　in　his　wife's　family　once；　which　he　
seemed　rather　proud　about；　and　I　kept　saying；　'Pretty　busy；　I　suppose；　just　
now；　what？'　and　then　he'd　say；　'Middlin'；'　and　go　on　again　about　Susan　

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that　was　the　one　that　had　the　inquest　…　he　talked　about　it　as　if　it　were　a　
disease　…　and　then　I'd　try　again；　and　say；　'Slack　times；　I　expect；　just　now；　
eh？'　and　he'd　say　'Middlin'　again；　and　then　it　was　time　to　offer　him　another　
drink；　and　I　didn't　seem　to　be　getting　much　nearer。　But　I　got　him　at　last。　
I　asked　him　if　he　knew　John　Borden　…　he　was　the　man　who　said　he'd　seen　
Mark　at　the　station。　Well；　he　knew　all　about　Borden；　and　after　he'd　told　
me　all　about　Borden's　wife's　family；　and　how　one　of　them　had　been　burnt　
to　death　…　after　you　with　the　beer；　thanks　…　well；　then　I　said　carelessly　that　
it　must　be　very　hard　to　remember　anybody　whom　you　had　just　seen　once；　
so　as　to　identify　him　afterwards；　and　he　agreed　that　it　would　be　'middlin'　
hard；'　and　then　…〃　

〃Give　me　three　guesses；〃　interrupted　Antony。　〃You　asked　him　if　he　
remembered　everybody　who　came　to　his　inn？〃　

〃That's　it。　Bright；　wasn't　it？〃　

〃Brilliant。　And　what　was　the　result？〃　

〃The　result　was　a　woman。〃　

〃A　woman？〃　said　Antony　eagerly。　

〃A　woman；〃　said　Bill　impressively。　〃Of　course　I　thought　it　was　going　
to　be　Robert　…　so　did　you；　didn't　you？　…　but　it　wasn't。　It　was　a　woman。　
Came　quite　late　on　Monday　night　in　a　car　…　driving　herself　…　went　off　early　
next　morning。〃　

〃Did　he　describe　her？〃　

〃Yes。　She　was　middlin'。　Middlin'　tall；　middlin'　age；　middlin'　colour；　
and　so　on。　Doesn't　help　much；　does　it？　But　still　…　a　woman。　Does　that　
upset　your　theory？〃　

Antony　shook　his　head。　

〃No；　Bill；　not　at　all；〃　he　said。　

〃You　knew　all　the　time？　At　least；　you　guessed？〃　

〃Wait　till　to…morrow。　I'll　tell　you　everything　to…morrow。〃　

〃To…morrow！〃　said　Bill　in　great　disappointment。　

〃Well；　I'll　tell　you　one　thing　to…night；　if　you'll　promise　not　to　ask　any　
more　questions。　But　you　probably　know　it　already。〃　

〃What　is　it？〃　

〃Only　that　Mark　Albett　did　not　kill　his　brother。〃　

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〃And　Cayley　did？〃　

〃That's　another　question；　Bill。　However；　the　answer　is　that　Cayley　
didn't；　either。〃　

〃Then　who　on　earth　…〃　

〃Have　some　more　beer；〃　said　Antony　with　a　smile。　And　Bill　had　to　
be　content　with　that。　

They　were　early　to　bed　that　evening；　for　both　of　them　were　tired。　Bill　
slept　loudly　and　defiantly；　but　Antony　lay　awake；　wondering。　What　was　
happening　at　the　Red　House　now？　Perhaps　he　would　hear　in　the　morning；　
perhaps　he　would　get　a　letter。　He　went　over　the　whole　story　again　from　
the　beginning　…　was　there　any　possibility　of　a　mistake？　What　would　the　
police　do？　Would　they　ever　find　out？　Ought　he　to　have　told　them？　Well；　
let　them　find　out；　it　was　their　job。　Surely　he　couldn't　have　made　a　
mistake　this　time。　No　good　wondering　now；　he　would　know　definitely　in　
the　morning。　

In　the　morning　there　was　a　letter　for　him。　

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CHAPTER　XXI　

Cayley's　Apology　

〃My　Dear　Mr。　Gillingham；　

〃I　gather　from　your　letter　that　you　have　made　certain　discoveries　
which　you　may　feel　it　your　duty　to　communicate　to　the　police；　and　that　in　
this　case　my　arrest　on　a　charge　of　murder　would　inevitably　follow。　Why；　
in　these　circumstances；　you　should　give　me　such　ample　warning　of　your　
intentions　I　do　not　understand；　unless　it　is　that　you　are　not　wholly　out　of　
sympathy　with　me。　But　whether　or　not　you　sympathize；　at　any　rate　you　
will　want　to　know　…　and　I　want　you　to　know　…　the　exact　manner　in　which　
Ablett　met　his　death　and　the　reasons　which　made　that　death　necessary。　If　
the　police　have　to　be　told　anything；　I　would　rather　that　they　too　knew　the　
whole　story。　They；　and　even　you；　may　call　it　murder；　but　by　that　time　I　
shall　be　out　of　the　way。　Let　them　call　it　what　they　like。　

〃I　must　begin　by　taking　you　back　to　a　summer　day　fifteen　years　ago；　
when　I　was　a　boy　of　thirteen　and　Mark　a　young　man　of　twenty…five。　His　
whole　life　was　make…believe；　and　just　now　he　was　pretending　to　be　a　
philanthropist。　He　sat　in　our　little　drawing…room；　flicking　his　gloves　
against　the　back　of　his　left　hand；　and　my　mother；　good　soul；　thought　what　
a　noble　young　gentleman　he　was；　and　Philip　and　I；　hastily　washed　and　
crammed　into　collars；　stood　in　front　of　him；　nudging　each　other　and　
kicking　the　backs　of　our　heels　and　cursing　him　in　our　hearts　for　having　
interrupted　our　game。　He　had　decided　to　adopt　one　of　us；　kind　Cousin　
Mark。　Heaven　knows　why　he　chose　me。　Philip　was　eleven；　two　years　
longer　to　wait。　Perhaps　that　was　why。　

〃Well；　Mark　educated　me。　I　went　to　a　public　school　and　to　
Cambridge；　and　I　became　his　secretary。　Well；　much　more　than　his　
secretary　as　your　friend　Beverley　perhaps　has　told　you：　his　land　agent；　his　
financial　adviser；　his　courier；　his　…but　this　most　of　all　…　his　audience。　
Mark　could　never　live　alone。　There　must　always　be　somebody　to　listen　
to　him。　I　think　in　his　heart　he　hoped　I　should　be　his　Boswell。　He　told　
me　one　day　that　he　had　made　me　his　literary　executor　…　poor　devil。　And　
he　used　to　write　me　the　absurdest　long　letters　when　I　was　away　from　him；　

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letters　which　I　read　once　and　then　tore　up。　The　futility　of　the　man！　

〃It　was　three　years　ago　that　Philip　got　into　trouble。　He　had　been　
hurried　through　a　cheap　grammar　school　and　into　a　London　office；　and　
discovered　there　that　there　was　not　much　fun　to　be　got　in　this　world　on　
two　pounds　a　week。　I　had　a　frantic　letter　from　him　one　day；　saying　that　
he　must　have　a　hundred　at　once；　or　he　would　be　ruined；　and　I　went　to　
Mark　for　the　money。　Only　to　borrow　it；　you　understand；　he　gave　me　a　
good　salary　and　I　could　have　paid　it　back　in　three　months。　But　no。　He　
saw　nothing　for　himself　in　it；　I　suppose；　no　applause；　no　admiration。　
Philip's　gratitude　would　be　to　me；　not　to　him。　I　begged；　I　threatened；　we　
argued；　and　while　we　were　arguing；　Philip　was　arrested。　It　killed　my　
mother　…　he　was　always　her　favourite　…　but　Mark；　as　usual；　got　his　
satisfaction　out　of　it。　He　preened　himself　on　his　judgment　of　character　in　
having　chosen　me　and　not　Philip　twelve　years　before！　

〃Later　on　I　apologized　to　Mark　for　the　reckless　things　I　had　said　to　him；　
and　he　played　the　part　of　a　magnanimous　gentleman　with　his　accustomed　
skill；　but；　though　outwardly　we　were　as　before　to　each　other；　from　that　day　
forward；　though　his　vanity　would　never　let　him　see　it；　I　was　his　bitterest　
enemy。　If　that　had　been　all；　I　wonder　if　I　should　have　killed　him？　To　
live　on　terms　of　intimate　friendship　with　a　man　whom　you　hate　is　
dangerous　work　for　your　friend。　Because　of　his　belief　in　me　as　his　
admiring　and　grateful　protege　and　his　belief　in　himself　as　my　benefactor；　
he　was　now　utterly　in　my　power。　I　could　take　my　time　and　choose　my　
opportunity。　Perhaps　I　should　not　have　killed　him；　but　I　had　sworn　to　
have　my　revenge　…　and　there　he　was；　poor　vain　fool；　at　my　mercy。　I　was　
in　no　hurry。　

〃Two　years　later　I　had　to　reconsider　my　position；　for　my　revenge　was　
being　taken　out　of　my　hands。　Mark　began　to　drink。　Could　I　have　
stopped　him？　I　don't　think　so；　but　to　my　immense　surprise　I　found　
myself　trying　to。　Instinct；　perhaps；　getting　the　better　of　reason；　or　did　I　
reason　it　out　and　tell　myself　that；　if　he　drank　himself　to　death；　I　should　
lose　my　revenge？　Upon　my　word；　I　cannot　tell　you；　but；　for　whatever　
motive；　I　did　genuinely　want　to　stop　it。　Drinking　is　such　a　beastly　thing；　
anyhow。　

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〃I　could　not　stop　him；　but　I　kept　him　within　certain　bounds；　so　that　
nobody　but　myself　knew　his　secret。　Yes；　I　kept　him　outwardly　decent；　
and　perhaps　now　I　was　becoming　like　the　cannibal　who　keeps　his　victim　in　
good　condition　for　his　own　ends。　I　used　to　gloat　over　Mark；　thinking　
how　utterly　he　was　mine　to　ruin　as　I　pleased；　financially；　morally；　
whatever　way　would　give　me　most　satisfaction。　I　had　but　to　take　my　
hand　away　from　him　and　he　sank。　But　again　I　was　in　no　hurry。　

〃Then　he　killed　himself。　That　futile　little　drunkard；　eaten　up　with　his　
own　selfishness　and　vanity；　offered　his　beastliness　to　the　truest　and　purest　
woman　on　this　earth。　You　have　seen　her；　Mr。　Gillingham；　but　you　never　
knew　Mark　Ablett。　Even　if　he　had　not　been　a　drunkard；　there　was　no　
chance　for　her　of　happiness　with　him。　I　had　known　him　for　many　years；　
but　never　once　had　I　seen　him　moved　by　any　generous　emotion。　To　have　
lived　with　that　shrivelled　little　soul　would　have　been　hell　for　her；　and　a　
thousand　times　worse　hell　when　he　began　to　drink。　

〃So　he　had　to　be　killed。　I　was　the　only　one　left　to　protect　her；　for　her　
mother　was　in　league　with　Mark　to　bring　about　her　ruin。　I　would　have　
shot　him　openly　for　her　sake；　and　with　what　gladness；　but　I　had　no　mind　to　
sacrifice　myself　needlessly。　He　was　in　my　power；　I　could　persuade　him　
to　almost　anything　by　flattery；　surely　it　would　not　be　difficult　to　give　his　
death　the　appearance　of　an　accident。　

〃I　need　not　take　up　your　time　by　telling　you　of　the　many　plans　I　made　
and　rejected。　For　some　days　I　inclined　towards　an　unfortunate　boating　
accident　in　the　pond　…　Mark；　a　very　indifferent　swimmer；　myself　almost　
exhausted　in　a　gallant　attempt　to　hold　him　up。　And　then　he　himself　gave　
me　the　idea；　he　and　Miss　Norris　between　them；　and　so　put　himself　in　my　
hands；　without　risk　of　discovery；　I　should　have　said；　had　you　not　
discovered　me。　

〃We　were　talking　about　ghosts。　Mark　had　been　even　more　vain；　
pompous　and　absurd　than　usual；　and　I　could　see　that　Miss　Norris　was　
irritated　by　it。　After　dinner　she　suggested　dressing　up　as　a　ghost　and　
frightening　him。　I　thought　it　my　duty　to　warn　her　that　Mark　took　any　
joke　against　himself　badly；　but　she　was　determined　to　do　it。　I　gave　way　
reluctantly。　Reluctantly；　also；　I　told　her　the　secret　of　the　passage。　

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（There　is　an　underground　passage　from　the　library　to　the　bowling…green。　
You　should　exercise　your　ingenuity；　Mr。　Gillingham；　in　trying　to　discover　
it。　Mark　came　upon　it　by　accident　a　year　ago。　It　was　a　godsend　to　him；　
he　could　drink　there　in　greater　secrecy。　But　he　had　to　tell　me　about　it。　
He　wanted　an　audience；　even　for　his　vices。）　

〃I　told　Miss　Norris；　then；　because　it　was　necessary　for　my　plan　that　
Mark　should　be　thoroughly　frightened。　Without　the　passage　she　could　
never　have　got　close　enough　to　the　bowling…green　to　alarm　him　properly；　
but　as　I　arranged　it　with　her　she　made　the　most　effective　appearance；　and　
Mark　was　in　just　the　state　of　rage　and　vindictiveness　which　I　required。　
Miss　Norris；　you　understand；　is　a　professional　actress。　I　need　not　say　that　
to　her　I　appeared　to　be　animated　by　no　other　feeling　than　a　boyish　desire　to　
brin