beasts and super-beasts(野兽与超级野兽)-第17章
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waxed industrious and ingenious in supplying the demand for marvels。
Duckby's satirical story of a tame otter that had a tank in the garden to
swim in； and whined restlessly whenever the water…rate was overdue；
was scarcely an unfair parody of some of Blenkinthrope's wilder
efforts。 And then one day came Nemesis。
Returning to his villa one evening Blenkinthrope found his wife
sitting in front of a pack of cards； which she was scrutinising with
unusual concentration。
〃The same old patience…game？〃 he asked carelessly。
〃No； dear； this is the Death's Head patience； the most difficult of
them all。 I've never got it to work out； and somehow I should be rather
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frightened if I did。 Mother only got it out once in her life； she was
afraid of it； too。 Her great…aunt had done it once and fallen dead from
excitement the next moment； and mother always had a feeling that she
would die if she ever got it out。 She died the same night that she did it。
She was in bad health at the time； certainly； but it was a strange
coincidence。〃
〃Don't do it if it frightens you；〃 was Blenkinthrope's practical
comment as he left the room。 A few minutes later his wife called to
him。
〃John； it gave me such a turn； I nearly got it out。 Only the five of
diamonds held me up at the end。 I really thought I'd done it。〃
〃Why； you can do it；〃 said Blenkinthrope； who had come back to the
room； 〃if you shift the eight of clubs on to that open nine the five can be
moved on to the six。〃
His wife made the suggested move with hasty； trembling fingers； and
piled the outstanding cards on to their respective packs。 Then she
followed the example of her mother and great…grand…aunt。
Blenkinthrope had been genuinely fond of his wife； but in the midst
of his bereavement one dominant thought obtruded itself。 Something
sensational and real had at last come into his life； no longer was it a grey；
colourless record。 The headlines which might appropriately describe
his domestic tragedy kept shaping themselves in his brain。 〃Inherited
presentiment comes true。〃 〃The Death's Head patience： Card…game
that justified its sinister name in three generations。〃 He wrote out a
full story of the fatal occurrence for the ESSEX VEDETTE； the editor of
which was a friend of his； and to another friend he gave a condensed
account； to be taken up to the office of one of the halfpenny dailies。
But in both cases his reputation as a romancer stood fatally in the way of
the fulfilment of his ambitions。 〃Not the right thing to be
Munchausening in a time of sorrow〃 agreed his friends among
themselves； and a brief note of regret at the 〃sudden death of the wife of
our respected neighbour； Mr。 John Blenkinthrope； from heart failure；〃
appearing in the news column of the local paper was the forlorn outcome
of his visions of widespread publicity。
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Blenkinthrope shrank from the society of his erstwhile travelling
companions and took to travelling townwards by an earlier train。 He
sometimes tries to enlist the sympathy and attention of a chance
acquaintance in details of the whistling prowess of his best canary or the
dimensions of his largest beetroot； he scarcely recognises himself as the
man who was once spoken about and pointed out as the owner of the
Seventh Pullet。
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THE BLIND SPOT
〃YOU'VE just come back from Adelaide's funeral； haven't you？〃
said Sir Lulworth to his nephew； 〃I suppose it was very like most other
funerals？〃
〃I'll tell you all about it at lunch；〃 said Egbert。
〃You'll do nothing of the sort。 It wouldn't be respectful either to
your great…aunt's memory or to the lunch。 We begin with Spanish
olives； then a borshch； then more olives and a bird of some kind； and a
rather enticing Rhenish wine； not at all expensive as wines go in this
country； but still quite laudable in its way。 Now there's absolutely
nothing in that menu that harmonises in the least with the subject of your
great… aunt Adelaide or her funeral。 She was a charming woman； and
quite as intelligent as she had any need to be； but somehow she always
reminded me of an English cook's idea of a Madras curry。〃
〃She used to say you were frivolous；〃 said Egbert。 Something in his
tone suggested that he rather endorsed the verdict。
〃I believe I once considerably scandalised her by declaring that clear
soup was a more important factor in life than a clear conscience。 She
had very little sense of proportion。 By the way； she made you her
principal heir； didn't she？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Egbert； 〃and executor as well。 It's in that connection
that I particularly want to speak to you。〃
〃Business is not my strong point at any time；〃 said Sir Lulworth；
〃and certainly not when we're on the immediate threshold of lunch。〃
〃It isn't exactly business；〃 explained Egbert； as he followed his uncle
into the dining…room。
〃It's something rather serious。 Very serious。〃
〃Then we can't possibly speak about it now；〃 said Sir Lulworth； 〃no
one could talk seriously during a borshch。 A beautifully constructed
borshch； such as you are going to experience presently； ought not only to
banish conversation but almost to annihilate thought。 Later on； when
we arrive at the second stage of olives； I shall be quite ready to discuss
that new book on Borrow； or； if you prefer it； the present situation in the
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Grand Duchy of Luxemburg。 But I absolutely decline to talk
anything approaching business till we have finished with the bird。〃
For the greater part of the meal Egbert sat in an abstracted silence；
the silence of a man whose mind is focussed on one topic。 When the
coffee stage had been reached he launched himself suddenly athwart his
uncle's reminiscences of the Court of Luxemburg。
〃I think I told you that great…aunt Adelaide had made me her
executor。 There wasn't very much to be done in the way of legal
matters； but I had to go through her papers。〃
〃That would be a fairly heavy task in itself。 I should imagine there
were reams of family letters。〃
〃Stacks of them； and most of them highly uninteresting。 There was
one packet； however； which I thought might repay a careful perusal。 It
was a bundle of correspondence from her brother Peter。〃
〃The Canon of tragic memory；〃 said Lulworth。
〃Exactly； of tragic memory； as you say； a tragedy that has never been
fathomed。〃
〃Probably the simplest explanation was the correct one；〃 said Sir
Lulworth； 〃he slipped on the stone staircase and fractured his skull in
falling。〃
Egbert shook his head。 〃The medical evidence all went to prove
that the blow on the head was struck by some one coming up behind him。
A wound caused by violent contact with the steps could not possibly
have been inflicted at that angle of the skull。 They experimented with
a dummy figure falling in every conceivable position。〃
〃But the motive？〃 exclaimed Sir Lulworth； 〃no one had any interest
in doing away with him； and the number of people who destroy Canons
of the Established Church for the mere fun of killing must be extremely
limited。 Of course there are individuals of weak mental balance who
do that sort of thing； but they seldom conceal their handiwork； they are
more generally inclined to parade it。〃
〃His cook was under suspicion；〃 said Egbert shortly。
〃I know he was；〃 said Sir Lulworth； 〃simply because he was about
the only person on the premises at the time of the tragedy。 But could
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anything be sillier than trying to fasten a charge of murder on to
Sebastien？ He had nothing to gain； in fact； a good deal to lose； from
the death of his employer。 The Canon was paying him quite as good
wages as I was able to offer him when I took him over into my service。
I have since raised them to something a little more in accordance with
his real worth； but at the time he was glad to find a new place without
troubling about an increase of wages。 People were fighting rather shy
of him； and he had no friends in this country。 No； if anyone in the
world was interested in the prolonged life and unimpaired digestion of
the Canon it would certainly be Sebastien。〃
〃People don't always weigh the consequences of their rash acts；〃 said
Egbert； 〃otherwise there would be very few
