加勒比海之谜(英文版)- 第24部分

〃Why　should　I？　What　good　would　it　do？　I　couldn't　prove　anything。　What　would　happen　anyway？　People　get　let　off　nowadays　so　easily。　They　call　it　diminished　responsibility　and　things　like　that。　A　few　years　in　prison　and　you're　out　again；　as　right　as　rain。〃

〃Supposing；　because　you　don't　tell　what　you　know；　somebody　else　gets　killedanother　victim？〃

Esther　shook　her　head　with　confidence。

〃That　won't　happen；〃　she　said。

〃You　can't　be　sure　of　it。〃

〃I　am　sure。　And　in　any　case　I　don't　see　who〃　She　frowned。　〃Anyway；〃　she　added；　almost　inconsequently；　〃perhaps　it　isdiminished　responsibility。　Perhaps　you　can't　help　itnot　if　you　are　really　mentally　unbalanced。　Oh；　I　don't　know。　By　far　the　best　thing　would　be　if　she　went　off　with　whoever　it　is；　then　we　could　all　fet　about　things。〃

She　glanced　at　her　watch；　gave　an　exclamation　of　dismay　and　got　up。　〃I　must　go　and　change。〃

Miss　Marple　sat　looking　after　her。　Pronouns；　she　thought；　were　always　puzzling　and　women　like　Esther　Walters　were　particularly　prone　to　strew　them　about　haphazard。

Was　Esther　Walters　for　some　reason　convinced　that　a　woman　had　been　responsible　for　the　deaths　of　Major　Palgrave　and　Victoria？　It　sounded　like　it。

Miss　Marple　considered。

〃Ah；　Miss　Marple；　sitting　here　all　aloneand　not　even　knitting？〃

It　was　Dr。　Graham　for　whom　she　had　sought　so　long　and　so　unsuccessfully。

And　here　he　was　prepared　of　his　own　accord　to　sit　down　for　a　few　minutes'　chat。　He　wouldn't　stay　long。　Miss　Marple　thought；　because　he　too　was　bent　on　changing　for　dinner；　and　he　usually　dined　fairly　early。　She　explained　that　she　had　been　sitting　by　Molly　Kendal's　bedside　that　afternoon。

〃One　can　hardly　believe　she　has　made　such　a　good　recovery　so　quickly；〃　she　said。

〃Oh　well；〃　said　Dr。　Graham；　〃it's　not　very　surprising。　She　didn't　take　a　very　heavy　overdose；　you　know。〃

〃Oh；　I　understood　she'd　taken　quite　a　halfbottle　full　of　tablets。〃

Dr。　Graham　was　smiling　indulgently。

〃No；〃　he　said；　〃I　don't　think　she　took　that　amount。　I　dare　say　she　meant　to　take　them；　then　probably　at　the　last　moment　she　threw　half　of　them　away。　People；　even　when　they　think　they　want　to　mit　suicide；　often　don't　really　want　to　do　it。　They　manage　not　to　take　a　full　overdose。　It's　not　always　deliberate　deceit；　it's　just　the　subconscious　looking　after　itself。〃

〃Or；　I　suppose　it　might　be　deliberate。　I　mean；　wanting　it　to　appear　that。。。〃　Miss　Marple　paused。

〃It's　possible；〃　said　Dr。　Graham。

〃If　she　and　Tim　had　had　a　row；　for　instance？〃

〃They　don't　have　rows；　you　know。　They　seem　very　fond　of　each　other。　Still；　I　suppose　it　can　always　happen　once。　No；　I　don't　think　there's　very　much　wrong　with　her　now。　She　could　really　get　up　and　go　about　as　usual。　Still；　it's　safer　to　keep　her　where　she　is　for　a　day　or　two〃　He　got　up；　nodded　cheerfully　and　went　off　towards　the　hotel。　Miss　Marple　sat　where　she　was　a　little　while　longer。

Various　thoughts　passed　through　her　mind。　The　book　under　Molly's　mattress。　The　way　Molly　had　feigned　sleep。　Things　Joan　Prescott　and；　later　Esther　Walters；　had　said。。。　And　then　she　went　back　to　the　beginning　of　it　allto　Major　Palgrave。

Something　struggled　in　her　mind。　Something　about　Major　Palgrave。。。

Something　that　if　she　could　only　remember。。。



Chapter　23

THE　LAST　DAY



〃And　the　evening　and　the　morning　were　the　last　day；〃　said　Miss　Marple　to　herself。　Then；　slightly　confused；　she　sat　upright　again　in　her　chair。　She　had　dozed　off；　an　incredible　thing　to　do　because　the　steel　band　was　playing　and　anyone　who　could　doze　off　during　the　steel　band。。。　Well；　it　showed；　thought　Miss　Marple；　that　she　was　getting　used　to　this　place！　What　was　it　she　had　been　saying？　Some　quotation　that　she'd　got　wrong。　Last　day？　First　day。　That's　what　it　ought　to　be。　This　wasn't　the　first　day。　Presumably　it　wasn't　the　last　day　either。

She　sat　upright　again。　The　fact　was　that　she　was　extremely　tired。　All　this　anxiety；　this　feeling　of　having　been　shamefully　inadequate　in　some　way。。。　She　remembered　unpleasantly　once　more　that　queer　sly　look　that　Molly　had　given　her　from　under　her　halfclosed　eyelids。　What　had　been　going　on　in　that　girl's　head？　How　different；　thought　Miss　Marple；　everything　had　seemed　at　first。　Tim　Kendal　and　Molly；　such　a　natural　happy　young　couple。　The　Hillingdons　so　pleasant；　so　well　bred；　such　what　is　called　〃nice〃　people。　The　gay　hearty　extrovert；　Greg　Dyson；　and　the　gay　strident　Lucky；　talking　nieen　to　the　dozen；　pleased　with　herself　and　the　world。。。　A　quartet　of　people　getting　on　so　well　together。　Canon　Prescott；　that　genial　kindly　man。　Joan　Prescott；　an　acid　streak　in　her；　but　a　very　nice　woman；　and　nice　women　have　to　have　their　gossipy　distractions。　They　have　to　know　what　is　going　on；　to　know　when　two　and　two　make　four；　and　when　it　is　possible　to　stretch　them　to　five！　There　was　no　harm　in　such　women。　Their　tongues　wagged　but　they　were　kind　if　you　were　in　misfortune。　Mr。　Rafiel；　a　personality；　a　man　of　character；　a　man　that　you　would　never　by　any　chance　fet。　But　Miss　Marple　thought　she　knew　something　else　about　Mr。　Rafiel。　The　doctors　had　often　given　him　up；　so　he　had　said；　but　this　time；　she　thought；　they　had　been　more　certain　in　their　pronouncements。　Mr。　Rafiel　knew　that　his　days　were　numbered。

Knowing　this　with　certainty；　was　there　any　action　he　might　have　been　likely　to　take？

Miss　Marple　considered　the　question。

It　might；　she　thought；　be　important。

What　was　it　exactly　he　had　said；　his　voice　a　little　too　loud；　a　little　too　sure？

Miss　Marple　was　very　skillful　in　tones　of　voice。　She　had　done　so　much　listening　in　her　life。　Mr。　Rafiel　had　been　telling　her　something　that　wasn't　true。

Miss　Marple　looked　round　her。　The　night　air；　the　soft　fragrance　of　flowers；　the　tables　with　their　little　lights；　the　women　with　their　pretty　dresses；　Evelyn　in　a　dark　indigo　and　white　print。　Lucky　in　a　white　sheath；　her　golden　hair　shining。

Everybody　seemed　gay　and　full　of　life　tonight。　Even　Tim　Kendal　was　smiling。

He　passed　her　table　and　said：　〃Can't　thank　you　enough　for　all　you've　done。　Molly's　practically　herself　again。　The　doc　says　she　can　get　up　tomorrow。〃

Miss　Marple　smiled　at　him　and　said　that　that　was　good　hearing。　She　found　it；　hoile。　Decidedly；　she　was　tired。。。

She　got　up　and　walked　slowly　back　to　her　bungalow。　She　would　have　liked　to　go　on　thinking；　puzzling；　trying　to　remember；　trying　to　assemble　various　facts　and　words　and　glances。　But　she　wasn't　able　to　do　it。　The　tired　mind　rebelled。　It　said　〃Sleep！　You've　got　to　go　to　sleep！〃

Miss　Marple　undressed；　got　into　bed；　read　a　few　verses　of　the　Thomas　Kempis　which　she　kept　by　her　bed；　then　she　turned　out　the　light。　In　the　darkness　she　sent　up　a　prayer。

One　couldn't　do　everything　oneself。

One　had　to　have　help。　〃Nothing　will　happen　tonight；〃　she　murmured　hopefully。



II



Miss　Marple　woke　suddenly　and　sat　up　in　bed。　Her　heart　was　beating。　She　switched　on　the　light　and　looked　at　the　little　clock　by　her　bedside。　Two　A。M。。　Two　A。M。　and　outside　activity　of　some　kind　was　going　on。　She　got　up；　put　on　her　dressing　gown　and　slippers；　and　a　woollen　scarf　round　her　head　and　went　out　to　reconnoitre。　There　were　people　moving　about　with　torches。

Among　them　she　saw　Canon　Prescott　and　went　to　him。

〃What's　happening？〃

〃Oh；　Miss　Marple？　It's　Mrs。　Kendal。　Her　husband　woke　up；　found　she'd　slipped　out　of　bed　and　gone　out。　We're　looking　for　her。〃

He　hurried　on。　Miss　Marple　walked　more　slowly　after　him。　Where　had　Molly　gone？　Why？　Had　she　planned　this　deliberately；　planned　to　slip　away　as　soon　as　the　guard　on　her　was　relaxed；　and　while　her　husband　was　deep　in　sleep？　Miss　Marple　thought　it　was　probable。　But　why？　What　was　the　reason？　Was　there；　as　Esther　Walters　had　so　strongly　hinted；　some　other　man？　If　so；　who　could　that　man　be？　Or　was　there　some　more　sinister　reason？

Miss　Marple　walked　on；　looking　around　her；　peering　under　bushes。　Then　suddenly　she　heard　a　faint　call：　〃Here。。。　This　way。。。〃

The　cry　had　e　from　some　little　distance　beyond　the　hotel　grounds。　It　must　be；　thought　Miss　Marple　near　the　creek　of　water　that　ran　down　to　the　sea。　She　went　in　that　direction　as　briskly　as　she　could。

There　were　not　really　so　many　searchers　as　it　had　seemed　to　her　at　first。　Most　people　must　still　be　asleep　in　their　bungalows。

She　saw　a　place　on　the　creek　bank　where　there　were　people　standing。　Someone　pushed　past　her；　almost　knocking　her　down；　running　in　that　direction。　It　was　Tim　Kendal。　A　minute　or　two　later　she　heard　his　voice　cry　out：　〃Molly！　My　God；　Molly！〃

It　was　a　minute　or　two　before　Miss　Marple　was　able　to　join　the　little　group。

It　consisted　of　one　of　the　Cuban　waiters；　Evelyn　Hillingdon；　and　two　of　the　native　girls。　They　had　parted　to　let　Tim　through。

Miss　Marple　arrived　as　he　was　bending　over　to　look。

〃Molly。。。〃　He　slowly　dropped　on　to　his　knees。　Miss　Marple　saw　the　girl's　body　clearly；　lying　there　in　the　creek；　her　face　below　the　level　of　the　water；　her　golden　hair　spread　over　the　pale　green　embroidered　shawl　that　covered　her　shoulders。　With　the　leaves　and　rushes　of　the　creek；　it　seemed　almost　like　a　scene　from　Hamlet　with　Molly　as　the　dead　Ophelia。。。

As　Tim　stretched　out　a　hand　to　touch　her；　the　quiet；　monsense　Miss　Marple　took　charge　and　spoke　sharply　and　authoritatively。

'Don't　move　her；　Mr。　Kendal；〃　she　said。　〃She　mustn't　be　moved。〃

Tim　turned　a　dazed　face　up　to　her。

〃But　I　mustit's　Molly。　I　must。。。〃

Evelyn　Hillingdon　touched　his　shoulder。

〃She's　dead；　Tim。　I　didn't　move　her；　but　I　did　feel　her　pulse。〃

〃Dead？〃　said　Tim　unbelievingly。

〃Dead？　You　mean　she'sdrowned　herself？〃

〃I'm　afraid　so。　It　looks　like　it。〃

〃But　why？〃　A　great　cry　burst　from　the　young　man。　〃Why？　She　was　so　happy　this　evening。　Talking　about　what　we'd　do　tomorrow。　Why　should　this　terrible　death　wish　e　over　her　again？　Why　should　she　steal　away　as　she　didrush　out　into　the　night；　e　down　here　and　drown　herself？　What　despair　did　she　havewhat　miserywhy　couldn't　she　tell　me　anything？〃

〃I　don't　know；　my　dear；〃　said　Evelyn　gently。　〃I　don't　know。〃

Miss　Marple　said；　〃Somebody　had　better　get　Dr。　Graham。　And　someone　will　have　to　telephone　the　police。〃

〃The　police？〃　Tim　uttered　a　bitter　laugh。　〃What　good　will　they　be？〃

〃The　police　have　to　be　notified　in　a　case　of　suicide；〃　said　Miss　Marple。

Tim　rose　slowly　to　his　feet。

〃I'll　get　Graham；〃　he　said　heavily。　〃Perhapseven　nowhe　coulddo　something。〃

He　stumbled　away　in　the　direction　of　the　hotel。

Evelyn　Hillingdon　and　Miss　Marple　stood　side　by　side　looking　down　at　the　dead　girl。

Evelyn　shook　her　head。　〃It's　too　late。　She's　quite　cold。　She　must　have　been　dead　at　least　an　hour；　perhaps　more。　What　a　tragedy　it　all　is。　Those　two　always　seemed　so　happy。　I　suppose　she　was　always　unbalanced。〃

〃No；〃　said　Miss　Marple。　〃I　don't　think　she　was　unbalanced。〃

Evelyn　looked　at　her　curiously。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃

The　moon　had　been　behind　a　cloud；　but　now　it　came　out　into　the　open。　It　shone　with　a　luminous　silvery　brightness　on　Molly's　outspread　hair。。。

Miss　Marple　gave　a　sudden　ejaculation。

She　bent　down；　peering；　then　stretched　out　her　hand　and　touched　the　golden　head。　She　spoke　to　Evelyn　Hillingdon；　and　her　voice　sounded　quite　different。

〃I　think；〃　she　said；　〃that　we　had　better　make　sure。〃

Evelyn　Hillingdon　stared　at　her　in　as