加勒比海之谜(英文版)- 第30部分

〃Mon　pкre！〃　said　a　small　shrill　voice。　It　was　one　of　the　French　children　who　had　been　playing　at　the　water's　edge。　She　had　e　up　unnoticed；　and　was　standing　by　Canon　Prescott's　chair。

〃Mon　pкre！〃　she　fluted。

〃Eh？　Yes；　my　dear？　Oui；　qu'estce　qu'il　ya；　ma　petite！〃

The　child　explained。　There　had　been　a　dispute　about　who　should　have　the　water　wings　next　and　also　other　matters　of　seaside　etiquette。　Canon　Prescott　was　extremely　fond　of　children；　especially　small　girls。　He　was　always　delighted　to　be　summoned　to　act　as　arbiter　in　their　disputes。　He　rose　willingly　now　and　acpanied　the　child　to　the　water's　edge。　Miss　Marple　and　Miss　Prescott　breathed　deep　sighs　and　turned　avidly　towards　each　other。

〃Jeremy；　of　course　rightly；　is　very　against　illnatured　gossip；〃　said　Miss　Prescott；　〃but　one　cannot　really　ignore　what　people　are　saying。　And　there　was；　as　I　say；　a　great　deal　of　talk　at　the　time。〃

〃Yes？〃　Miss　Marple's　tone　urged　her　forward。

〃This　young　woman；　you　see。　Miss　Greatorex　I　think　her　name　was　thenI　can't　remember　nowwas　a　kind　of　cousin　and　she　looked　after　Mrs。　Dyson。　Gave　her　all　her　medicines　and　things　like　that。〃　There　was　a　short；　meaningful　pause。　〃And　of　course　there　had；　I　understand〃Miss　Prescott's　voice　was　lowered〃been　goingson　between　Mr。　Dyson　and　Miss　Greatorex。　A　lot　of　people　had　noticed　them。　I　mean　things　like　that　are　quickly　observed　in　a　place　like　this。　Then　there　was　some　curious　story　about　some　stuff　that　Edward　Hillingdon　got　for　her　at　a　chemist。〃

〃Oh；　Edward　Hillingdon　came　into　it？〃

〃Oh　yes；　he　was　very　much　attracted。　People　noticed　it。　And　LuckyMiss　Greatorexplayed　them　off　against　each　other。　Gregory　Dyson　and　Edward　Hillingdon。　One　has　to　face　it；　she　has　always　been　an　attractive　woman。〃

〃Though　not　as　young　as　she　was；〃　Miss　Marple　replied。

〃Exactly。　But　she　was　always　very　well　turned　out　and　made　up。　Of　course　not　so　flamboyant　when　she　was　just　the　poor　relation。　She　always　seemed　very　devoted　to　the　invalid。　But；　well；　you　see　how　it　was。〃

〃What　was　this　story　about　the　chemist？　How　did　that　get　known？〃

〃Well；　it　wasn't　in　Jamestown；　I　think　it　was　when　they　were　in　Martinique。　The　French；　I　believe；　are　more　lax　than　we　are　in　the　matter　of　drugs。　This　chemist　talked　to　someone；　and　the　story　got　around。　You　know　how　these　things　happen。〃

Miss　Marple　did。　None　better。

〃He　said　something　about　Colonel　Hillingdon　asking　for　something　and　not　seeming　to　know　what　it　was　he　was　asking　for。　Consulting　a　piece　of　paper；　you　know；　on　which　it　was　written　down。　Anyway；　as　I　say；　there　was　talk。〃

〃But　I　don't　see　quite　why　Colonel　Hillingdon〃　Miss　Marple　frowned　in　perplexity。

〃I　suppose　he　was　just　being　used　as　a　cat'spaw。　Anyway；　Gregory　Dyson　married　again　in　an　almost　indecently　short　time。　Barely　a　month　later；　I　understand。〃

They　looked　at　each　other。

〃But　there　was　no　real　suspicion？〃　Miss　Marple　asked。

〃Oh　no；　it　was　justwell；　talk。　Of　course　there　may　have　been　absolutely　nothing　in　it。〃

〃Major　Palgrave　thought　there　was。〃

〃Did　he　say　so　to　you？〃

〃I　wasn't　really　listening　very　closely；〃　confessed　Miss　Marple。　〃I　just　wondered　iferwell；　if　he'd　said　the　same　things　to　you？〃

〃He　did　point　her　out　to　me　one　day；〃　said　Miss　Prescott。

〃Really？　He　actually　pointed　her　out？〃

〃Yes。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　thought　at　first　it　was　Mrs。　Hillingdon　he　was　pointing　out。　He　wheezed　and　chuckled　a　bit　and　said　'Look　at　that　woman　over　there。　In　my　opinion　that's　a　woman　who's　done　murder　and　got　away　with　it。'　I　was　very　shocked；　of　course。　I　said；　'Surely　you're　joking；　Major　Palgrave；'　and　he　said；　'Yes；　yes；　dear　lady；　let's　call　it　joking。'　The　Dysons　and　the　Hillingdons　were　sitting　at　a　table　quite　near　to　us；　and　I　was　afraid　they'd　overhear。　He　chuckled　and　said　'Wouldn't　care　to　go　to　a　drink　party　and　have　a　certain　person　mix　me　a　cocktail。　Too　much　like　supper　with　the　Bias。'〃

〃How　very　interesting；〃　said　Miss　Marple。

〃Did　he　mention　aa　photograph？〃

〃I　don't　remember。。。　Was　it　some　newspaper　cutting？〃

Miss　Marple；　about　to　speak；　shut　her　lips。　The　sun　was　momentarily　obscured　by　a　shadow。　Evelyn　Hillingdon　paused　beside　them。

〃Good　morning；〃　she　said。

〃I　was　wondering　where　you　were；〃　said　Miss　Prescott；　looking　up　brightly。

〃I've　been　to　Jamestown；　shopping。〃

〃Oh；　I　see。〃

Miss　Prescott　looked　round　vaguely　and　Evelyn　Hillingdon　said：　〃Oh；　I　didn't　take　Edward　with　me。　Men　hate　shopping。〃

〃Did　you　find　anything　of　interest？〃

〃It　wasn't　that　sort　of　shopping。　I　just　had　to　go　to　the　chemist。〃　With　a　smile　and　a　slight　nod　she　went　on　down　the　beach。

〃Such　nice　people；　the　Hillingdons；〃　said　Miss　Prescott；　〃though　she's　not　really　very　easy　to　know；　is　she？　I　mean；　she's　always　very　pleasant　and　all　that；　but　one　never　seems　to　get　to　know　her　any　better。〃

Miss　Marple　agreed　thoughtfully。

〃One　never　knows　what　she　is　thinking；〃　said　Miss　Prescott。

〃Perhaps　that　is　just　as　well；〃　said　Miss　Marple。

〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃

〃Oh　nothing　really；　only　that　I've　always　had　the　feeling　that　perhaps　her　thoughts　might　be　rather　disconcerting。〃

〃Oh；〃　said　Miss　Prescott；　looking　puzzled。　〃I　see　what　you　mean。〃　She　went　on　with　a　slight　change　of　subject。　〃I　believe　they　have　a　very　charming　place　in　Hampshire；　and　a　boyor　is　it　two　boyswho　have　just　goneor　one　of　themto　Winchester。〃

〃Do　you　know　Hampshire　well？〃

〃No。　Hardly　at　all。　I　believe　their　house　is　somewhere　near　Alton。〃

〃I　see。〃　Miss　Marple　paused　and　then　said；　〃And　where　do　the　Dysons　live？〃

〃California；〃　said　Miss　Prescott。　〃When　they　are　at　home；　that　is。　They　are　great　travellers。〃

〃One　really　knows　so　little　about　the　people　one　meets　when　one　is　travelling；〃　said　Miss　Marple。　〃I　meanhow　shall　I　put　itone　only　knows；　doesn't　one；　what　they　choose　to　tell　you　about　themselves。　For　instance；　you　don't　really　know　that　the　Dysons　live　in　California。〃

Miss　Prescott　looked　startled。　〃I'm　sure　Mr。　Dyson　mentioned　it。〃

〃Yes。　Yes；　exactly。　That's　what　I　mean。　And　the　same　thing　perhaps　with　the　Hillingdons。　I　mean　when　you　say　that　they　live　in　Hampshire；　you're　really　repeating　what　they　told　you　aren't　you？〃

Miss　Prescott　looked　slightly　alarmed。　〃Do　you　mean　that　they　don't　live　in　Hampshire？〃　she　asked。

〃No；　no；　not　for　one　moment；〃　said　Miss　Marple；　quickly　apologetic。　〃I　was　only　using　them　as　an　instance　as　to　what　one　knows　or　doesn't　know　about　people。〃　She　added；　〃I　have　told　you　that　I　live　at　St。　Mary　Mead；　which　is　a　place；　no　doubt；　of　which　you　have　never　heard。　But　you　don't；　if　I　may　say　so；　know　it　of　your　own　knowledge；　do　you？〃

Miss　Prescott　forbore　from　saying　that　she　really　couldn't　care　less　where　Miss　Marple　lived。　It　was　somewhere　in　the　country　and　in　the　south　of　England　and　that　is　all　she　knew。　〃Oh；　I　do　see　what　you　mean；〃　she　agreed　hastily；　〃and　I　know　that　one　can't　possibly　be　too　careful　when　one　is　abroad。〃

〃I　didn't　exactly　mean　that。〃　said　Miss　Marple。

There　were　some　odd　thoughts　going　through　Miss　Marple's　mind。　Did　she　really　know；　she　was　asking　herself；　that　Canon　Prescott　and　Miss　Prescott　were　really　Canon　Prescott　and　Miss　Prescott？

They　sa