加勒比海之谜(英文版)- 第34部分

〃No；〃　said　Tim　slowly；　〃No。　I　didn't。　She　never　told　me。　I　did　notice；　you　know；　now　you　mention　it；　that　she　seemed　rather　vague　sometimes　and。。。〃　He　paused；　thinking。　〃Yes；　that　explains　it。　I　couldn't　understand　how　she　seemed　to　have　fotten　the　simplest　things；　or　sometimes　not　to　seem　to　know　what　time　of　day　it　was。　I　just　thought　she　was　absentminded；　I　suppose。〃

〃What　it　amounts　to；　Tim；　is　just　this。　I　advise　you　most　strongly　to　take　your　wife　to　see　a　good　specialist。〃

Tim　flushed　angrily。　〃You　mean　a　mental　specialist；　I　suppose？〃

〃Now；　now；　don't　be　upset　by　labels。　A　neurologist；　a　psychologist；　someone　who　specialises　in　what　the　layman　call　nervous　breakdowns。　There's　a　good　man　in　Kingston。　Or　there's　New　York　of　course。　There　is　something　that　is　causing　these　nervous　terrors　of　your　wife's。　Something；　perhaps；　for　which　she　hardly　knows　the　reason　herself。　Get　advice　about　her；　Tim。　Get　advice　as　soon　as　possible。〃

He　put　his　hand　on　the　young　man's　shoulder　and　got　up。

〃There's　no　immediate　worry。　Your　wife　has　good　friends　and　we'll　all　be　keeping　an　eye　on　her。〃

〃She　won't　You　don't　think　she'll　try　it　again？〃

〃I　think　it　most　unlikely；〃　said　Dr。　Graham。

〃You　can't　be　sure；〃　said　Tim。

〃One　can　never　be　sure；〃　said　Dr。　Graham；　〃that's　one　of　the　first　things　you　learn　in　my　profession。〃　Again　he　laid　a　hand　on　Tim's　shoulder。　〃Don't　worry　too　much。〃

〃That's　easy　to　say；〃　said　Tim　as　the　doctor　went　out　of　the　door。　〃Don't　worry；　indeed！　What　does　he　think　I'm　made　of？〃



Chapter　21

JACKSON　ON　COSMETICS



〃You're　sure　you　don't　mind；　Miss　Marple？〃　said　Evelyn　Hillingdon。　

〃No；　indeed；　my　dear；〃　said　Miss　Marple。　〃I'm　only　too　delighted　to　be　of　use　in　any　way。　At　my　age；　you　know；　one　feels　very　useless　in　the　world。　Especially　when　I　am　in　a　place　like　this；　just　enjoying　myself。　No　duties　of　any　kind。　No；　I'll　be　delighted　to　sit　with　Molly。　You　go　along　on　your　expedition。　Pelican　Point；　wasn't　it？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Evelyn。　〃Both　Edward　and　I　love　it。　I　never　get　tired　of　seeing　the　birds　diving　down；　catching　up　the　fish。　Tim's　with　Molly　now。　But　he's　got　things　to　do　and　he　doesn't　seem　to　like　her　being　left　alone。〃

〃He's　quite　right；〃　said　Miss　Marple。　〃I　wouldn't　in　his　place。　One　never　knows；　does　one？　When　anyone　has　attempted　anything　of　that　kind。　Well；　go　along；　my　dear。〃

Evelyn　went　off　to　join　a　little　group　that　was　waiting　for　her。　Her　husband；　the　Dysons　and　three　or　four　other　people。

Miss　Marple　checked　her　knitting　requirements；　saw　that　she　had　all　she　wanted　with　her；　and　walked　over　towards　the　Kendals'　bungalow。

As　she　came　up　on　to　the　loggia　she　heard　Tim's　voice　through　the　halfopen　French　window。

〃If　you'd　only　tell　me　why　you　did　it；　Molly。　What　made　you？　Was　it　anything　I　did？　There　must　be　some　reason。　If　you'd　only　tell　me。〃

Miss　Marple　paused。　There　was　a　little　pause　inside　before　Molly　spoke。　Her　voice　was　flat　and　tired。

〃I　don't　know；　Tim；　I　really　don't　know。　I　supposesomething　came　over　me。〃

Miss　Marple　tapped　on　the　window　and　walked　in。

〃Oh　there　you　are。　Miss　Marple。　It　is　very　good　of　you。〃

〃Not　at　all；〃　said　Miss　Marple。　〃I'm　delighted　to　be　of　any　help。　Shall　I　sit　here　in　this　chair？　You're　looking　much　better；　Molly。　I'm　so　glad。〃

〃I'm　all　right；〃　said　Molly。　〃Quite　all　right。　Just；　oh；　just　sleepy。〃

〃I　shan't　talk；〃　said　Miss　Marple。　'〃You　just　lie　quiet　and　rest。　I'll　get　on　with　my　knitting。〃

Tim　Kendal　threw　her　a　grateful　glance　and　went　out。　Miss　Marple　established　herself　in　her　chair。

Molly　was　lying　on　her　left　side。　She　had　a　halfstupefied；　exhausted　look。　She　said　in　a　voice　that　was　almost　a　whisper：　〃It's　very　kind　of　you。　Miss　Marple。　II　think　I'll　go　to　sleep。〃

She　half　turned　away　on　her　pillows　and　closed　her　eyes。　Her　breathing　grew　more　regular　though　it　was　still　far　from　normal。　Long　experience　of　nursing　made　Miss　Marple　almost　automatically　straighten　the　sheet　and　tuck　it　under　the　mattress　on　her　side　of　the　bed。　As　she　did　so　her　hand　encountered　something　hard　and　rectangular　under　the　mattress。　Rather　surprised　she　took　hold　of　this　and　pulled　it　out。　It　was　a　book。　Miss　Marple　threw　a　quick　glance　at　the　girl　in　the　bed；　but　she　lay　there　utterly　quiescent。　She　was　evidently　asleep。　Miss　Marple　opened　the　book。　It　was；　she　saw；　a　current　work　on　nervous　diseases。　It　came　open　naturally　at　a　certain　place　which　gave　a　description　of　the　onset　of　persecution　mania　and　various　other　manifestations　of　schizophrenia　and　allied　plaints。

It　was　not　a　highly　technical　book；　but　one　that　could　be　easily　understood　by　a　layman。　Miss　Marple's　face　grew　very　grave　as　she　read。　After　a　minute　or　two　she　closed　the　book　and　stayed　thinking。

Then　she　bent　forward　and　with　some　care　replaced　the　book　where　she　had　found　it；　under　the　mattress。

She　shook　her　head　in　some　perplexity。　Noiselessly　she　rose　from　her　chair。　She　walked　the　few　steps　towards　the　window；　then　turned　her　head　sharply　over　her　shoulder。　Molly's　eyes　were　open　but　even　as　Miss　Marple　turned　the　eyes　shut　again。　For　a　minute　or　two　Miss　Marple　was　not　quite　certain　whether　she　might　not　have　imagined　that　quick；　sharp　glance。　Was　Molly　then　only　pretending　to　be　asleep？　That　might　be　natural　enough。　She　might　feel　that　Miss　Marple　would　start　talking　to　her　if　she　showed　herself　awake。　Yes；　that　could　be　all　it　was。

Was　she　reading　into　that　glance　of　Molly's　a　kind　of　slyness　that　was　somehow　innately　disagreeable？　One　doesn't　know；　Miss　Marple　thought　to　herself；　one　really　doesn't　know。

She　decided　that　she　would　try　to　manage　a　little　talk　with　Dr。　Graham　as　soon　as　it　could　be　managed。　She　came　back　to　her　chair　by　the　bed。　She　decided　after　about　five　minutes　or　so　that　Molly　was　really　asleep。　No　one　could　have　lain　so　still；　could　have　breathed　so　evenly。　Miss　Marple　got　up　again。　She　was　wearing　her　plimsolls　today。　Not　perhaps　very　elegant；　but　admirably　suited　to　this　climate　and　fortable　and　roomy　for　the　feet。

She　moved　gently　round　the　bedroom；　pausing　at　both　of　the　windows；　which　gave　out　in　two　different　directions。

The　hotel　grounds　seemed　quiet　and　deserted。　Miss　Marple　came　back　and　was　standing　a　little　uncertainly　before　regaining　her　seat；　when　she　thought　she　heard　a　faint　sound　outside。　Like　the　scrape　of　a　shoe　on　the　loggia？　She　hesitated　a　moment　then　she　went　to　the　window；　pushed　it　a　little　farther　open；　stepped　out　and　turned　her　head　back　into　the　room　as　she　spoke。

〃I　shall　be　gone　only　a　very　short　time；　dear；〃　she　said；　〃just　back　to　my　bungalow；　to　see　where　I　could　possibly　have　put　that　pattern。　I　was　so　sure　I　had　brought　it　with　me。　You'll　be　quite　all　right　till　I　e　back；　won't　you？〃

Then　turning　her　head　back；　she　nodded　to　herself。　〃Asleep；　poor　child。　A　good　thing。〃

She　went　quietly　along　the　loggia；　down　the　steps　and　turned　sharp　right　to　the　path　there。　Passing　along　between　the　screen　of　some　hibiscus　bushes　an　observer　might　have　been　curious　to　see　that　Miss　Marple　veered　sharply　on　to　the　flowerbed；　passed　round　to　the　back　of　the　bungalow　and　entered　it　again　through　the　second　door　there。　This　led　directly　i