firmly。
〃What the devillet go of me。 Let go of me。 Have you gone mad？ What are you doing？〃 Tim struggled violently。
〃Hold him； Jackson；〃 said Miss Marple。
〃What's going on？ What's the matter here？〃
Supported by Esther Walters； Mr。 Rafiel came through the window。
〃You ask what's the matter？〃 shouted Tim。 〃Your man's gone mad； stark； staring mad； that's what's the matter。 Tell him to let go of me。〃
〃No；〃 said Miss Marple。
Mr。 Rafiel turned to her。 〃Speak up； Nemesis；〃 he said。 〃We've got to have chapter and verse of some kind。〃
〃I've been stupid and a fool；〃 said Miss Marple； 〃but I'm not being a fool now。 When the contents of that glass that he was trying to make his wife drink； have been analysed； I'll wageryes； I'll wager my immortal soul that you'll find it's got a lethal does of narcotic in it。 It's the same pattern； you see； the same pattern as in Major Palgrave's story。 A wife in a depressed state； and she tries to do away with herself； husband saves her in time。 Then the second time she succeeds。 Yes； it's the right pattern。 Major Palgrave told me the story and he took out a snapshot and then he looked up and saw〃
〃Over your right shoulder〃 continued Mr。 Rafiel。
〃No；〃 said Miss Marple； shaking her head。 〃He didn't see anything over my right shoulder。〃
〃What are you talking about？ You told me。。。〃
〃I told you wrong。 I was pletely wrong。 I was stupid beyond belief。 Major Palgrave appeared to me to be looking over my right shoulder； glaring； in fact； at something。 But he couldn't have seen anything； because he was looking through his left eye and his left eye was his glass eye。〃
〃I rememberhe had a glass eye；〃 said Mr。 Rafiel。 〃I'd fottenor I took it for granted。 You mean he couldn't see anything？〃
〃Of course he could see；〃 said Miss Marple。 〃He could see all right； but he could only see with one eye。 The eye he could see with was his right eye。 And so； you see； he must have been looking at something or someone not to the right of me but to the left of me。〃
〃Was there anyone on the left of you？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Miss Marple。 〃Tim Kendal and his wife were sitting not far off。 Sitting at a table just by a big hibiscus bush。 They were doing accounts there。 So you see the Major looked up。 His glass left eye was glaring over my shoulder； but what he saw with his other eye was a man sitting by a hibiscus bush and the face was the same； only rather older； as the face in the snapshot。 Also by a hibiscus bush。 Tim Kendal had heard the story the Major had been telling and he saw that the Major had recognised him。 So； of course； he had to kill him。 Later； he had to kill the girl； Victoria； because she'd seen him putting a bottle of tablets in the Major's room。 She didn't think anything of it at first because of course it was quite natural on various occasions for Tim Kendal to go into the guests' bungalows。 He might have just been returning something to it that had been left on a restaurant table。 But she thought about it and then she asked him questions and so he had to get rid of her。 But this is the real murder； the murder he's been planning all along。 He's a wife killer； you see。〃
〃What damned nonsense； what〃 Tim Kendal shouted。
There was a sudden cry； a wild angry cry。 Esther Walters detached herself from Mr。 Rafiel； almost flinging him down and rushed across the room。 She pulled vainly at Jackson。
〃Let go of himlet go of him。 It's not true。 Not a word of it's true。 Tim Tim darling； it's not true。 You could never kill anyone； I know you couldn't。 I know you wouldn't。 It's that horrible girl you married。 She's been telling lies about you。 They're not true。 None of them are true。 I believe in you。 I love you and trust in you。 I'll never believe a word anyone says。 I'll〃
Then Tim Kendal lost control of himself。
〃For God's sake； you damned bitch；〃 he said； 〃shut up； can't you？ D'you want to get me hanged？ Shut up； I tell you。 Shut that big； ugly mouth of yours。〃
〃Poor silly creature；〃 said Mr。 Rafiel softly。 〃So that's what's been going on； is it？〃
Chapter 25
MISS MARPLE USES HER IMAGINATION
〃So that's what had been going on？〃 said Mr。 Rafiel。 He and Miss Marple were sitting together in a confidential manner。 〃She'd been having an affair with Tim Kendal had she？〃
〃Hardly an affair； I imagine；〃 said Miss Marple； primly。 〃It was； I think； a romantic attachment with the prospect of marriage in the future。〃
〃Whatafter his wife was dead？〃
〃I don't think poor Esther Walters knew that Molly was going to die；〃 said Miss Marple。 〃I just think she believed the story Tim Kendal told her about Molly having been in love with another man； and the man having followed her here； and I think she counted on Tim's getting a divorce。 I think it was all quite proper and respectable。 But she was very much in love with him。〃
〃Well； that's easily understood。 He was an attractive chap。 But what made him go for her； d'you know that too？〃
〃You know； don't you？〃 said Miss Marple。
〃I dare say I've got a pretty fair idea； but I don't know how you should know about it。 As far as that goes； I don't see how Tim Kendal could know about it。〃
〃Well； I really think I could explain all that with a little imagination； though it would be simpler if you told me。〃
〃I'm not going to tell you；〃 said Mr。 Rafiel。 〃You tell me； since you're being so clever。〃
〃Well； it seems to me possible；〃 said Miss Marple； 〃that as I have already hinted to you； your man Jackson was in the habit of taking a good snoop through your various business papers from time to time。〃
〃Perfectly possible；〃 said Mr。 Rafiel； 〃but I shouldn't have said there was anything there that could do him much good。 I took care of that。〃
〃I imagine；〃 said Miss Marple； 〃he read your will。〃
〃Oh I see。 Yes； yes； I did have a copy of my will along。〃
〃You told me；〃 said Miss Marple； 〃you told me（as Humpty Dumpty saidvery loud and clear） that you had not left anything to Esther Walters in your will。 You had impressed that fact upon her； and also upon Jackson。 It was true in Jackson's case； I should imagine。 You have not left him anything； but you had left Esther Walters money； though you weren't going to let her have any inkling of the fact。 Isn't that right？〃
〃Yes； it's quite right； but I don't know how you knew。〃
〃Well； it's the way you insisted on the point；〃 said Miss Marple。 〃I have a certain experience of the way people tell lies。〃
〃I give in；〃 said Mr。 Rafiel。 〃All right。 I left Esther 50；000 pounds。 It would e as a nice surprise to her when I died。 I suppose that； knowing this； Tim Kendal decided to exterminate his present wife with a nice dose of something or other and marry 50；000 pounds and Esther Walters。 Possibly to dispose of her also in good time。 But how did he know she was going to have 50；000 pounds？〃
〃Jackson told him； of course；〃 said Miss Marple。 〃They were very friendly； those two。 Tim Kendal was nice to Jackson and； quite； I should imagine； without ulterior motive。 But amongst the bits of gossip that Jackson let slip I think Jackson told him that unbeknown to herself； Esther Walters was going to inherit a fat lot of money； and he may have said that he himself hoped to induce Esther