uite sure。。。 Her eyes strayed to Mr。 Rafiel's table。 The principal thing known about Mr。 Rafiel was that he was incredibly rich； he came every year to the West Indies； he was semiparalysed and looked like a wrinkled old bird of prey。 His clothes hung loosely on his shrunken form。 He might have been seventy or eighty； or even niy。 His eyes were shrewd and he was frequently rude； but people seldom took offence； partly because he was so rich； and partly because of his overwhelming personality which hypnotised you into feeling that somehow； Mr。 Rafiel had the right to be rude if he wanted to。
With him sat his secretary； Mrs。 Walters。 She had corncoloured hair； and a pleasant face。 Mr。 Rafiel was frequently very rude to her； but she never seemed to notice it。 She was not so much subservient； as oblivious。 She behaved like a welltrained hospital nurse。 Possibly； thought Miss Marple； she had been a hospital nurse。 A young man； tall and goodlooking； in a white jacket； came to stand by Mr。 Rafiel's chair。 The old man looked up at him； nodded； then motioned him to a chair。 The young man sat down as bidden。 〃Mr。 Jackson； I presume；〃 said Miss Marple to herself。 〃His valetattendant。〃
She studied Mr。 Jackson with some attention。
In the bar； Molly Kendal stretched her back； and slipped off her highheeled shoes。 Tim came in from the terrace to join her。 They had the bar to themselves for the moment。 〃Tired； darling？〃 he asked。
〃Just a bit。 I seem to be feeling my feet tonight。〃
〃Not too much for you； is it？ All this？ I know it's hard work。〃 He looked at her anxiously。
She laughed。 〃Oh Tim； don't be ridiculous。 I love it here。 It's geous。 The kind of dream I've always had； e true。〃
〃Yes； it would be all rightif one was just a guest。 But running the showthat's work。〃
〃Well； you can't have anything for nothing； can you？〃 said Molly Kendal reasonably。 Tim Kendal frowned。
〃You think it's going all right？ A success？ We're making a go of it？〃
〃Of course we are。〃
〃You don't think people are saying； 'It's not the same as when the Sandersons were here'。〃
〃Of course someone will be saying thatthey always do！ But only some old stickinthemud。 I'm sure that we're far better at the job than they were。 We're more glamorous。 You charm the old pussies and manage to look as though you'd like to make love to the desperate forties and fifties； and I ogle the old gentlemen and make them feel sexy dogsor play the sweet little daughter the sentimental ones would love to have had。 Oh； we've got it all taped splendidly。〃
Tim's frown vanished。
〃As long as you think so。 I get scared。 We've risked everything on making a job of this。 I chucked my job〃
〃And quite right to do so；〃 Molly put in quickly。 〃It was souldestroying。〃
He laughed and kissed the tip of her nose。
〃I tell you we've got it taped；〃 she repeated。 〃Why do you always worry？〃
〃Made that way； I suppose。 I'm always thinkingsuppose something should go wrong。〃
〃What sort of thing〃
〃Oh I don't know。 Somebody might get drowned。〃
〃Not they。 It's one of the safest of all the beaches。 And we've got that hulking Swede always on guard。〃
〃I'm a fool；〃 said Tim Kendal。 He hesitatedand then said； 〃Youhaven't had any more of those dreams； have you？〃
〃That was shellfish；〃 said Molly； and laughed。
Chapter 3
A DEATH IN THE HOTEL
Miss Marple had her breakfast brought to her in bed as usual。
Tea； a boiled egg； and a slice of pawpaw。
The fruit on the island； thought Miss Marple； was rather disappointing。 It seemed always to be pawpaw。 If she could have a nice apple nowbut apples seemed to be unknown。 Now that she had been here a week； Miss Marple had cured herself of the impulse to ask what the weather was like。 The weather was always the samefine。 No interesting variations。
〃The manysplendoured weather of an English day〃 she murmured to herself and wondered if it was a quotation； or whether she had made it up。 There were； of course； hurricanes； or so she understood。 But hurricanes were not weather in Miss Marple's sense of the word。 They were more in the nature of an Act of God。 There was rain； short violent rainfall that lasted five minutes and stopped abruptly。 Everything and everyone was wringing wet； but in another five minutes they were dry again。
The black West Indian girl smiled and said GoodMorning as she placed the tray on Miss Marple's knees。 Such lovely white teeth and so happy and smiling。 Nice natures； all these girls； and a pity they were so averse to getting married。 It worried Canon Prescott a good deal。 Plenty of christenings； he said； trying to console himself； but no weddings。 Miss Marple ate her breakfast and decided how she would spend her day。
It didn't really take much deciding。 She would get up at her leisure； moving slowly because it was rather hot and her fingers weren't as nimble as they used to be。 Then she would rest for ten minutes or so； and she would take her knitting and walk slowly along towards the hotel and decide where she would settle herself。 On the terrace overlooking the sea？ Or should she go on to the bathing beach to watch the bathers and the children？ Usually it was the latter。 In the afternoon； after her rest； she might take a drive。 It really didn't matter very much。
Today would be a day like any other day； she said to herself。 Only； of course； it wasn't。
Miss Marple carried out her programme as planned and was slowly making her way along the path towards the hotel when she met Molly Kendal。 For once that sunny young woman was not smiling。 Her air of distress was so unlike her that Miss Marple said immediately： 〃My dear； is anything wrong？〃
Molly nodded。 She hesitated and then said： ''Well； you'll have to knoweveryone will have to know。 It's Major Palgrave。 He's dead。〃
〃Dead？〃
〃Yes。 He died in the night。〃
〃Oh dear； I am sorry。〃
〃Yes； it's horrid having a death here。 It makes everyone depressed。 Of coursehe was quite old。〃
〃He seemed quite well and cheerful yesterday；〃 said Miss Marple； slightly resenting this calm assumption that everyone of advanced years was liable to die at any minute。
〃He had high blood pressure；〃 said Molly。
〃But surely there are things one takes nowadayssome kind of pill。 Science is so wonderful。〃
〃Oh yes； but perhaps he fot to take his pills； or took too many of them。 Like insulin； you know。〃
Miss Marple did not think that diabetes and high blood pressure were at all the same kind of thing。 She asked。 〃What does the doctor say？〃
〃Oh； Dr。 Graham； who's practically retired now； and lives in the hotel； took a look at him； and the local people came officially； of course； to give a death certificate； but it all seems quite straightforward。 This kind of thing is quite liable to happen when you have high blood pressure； especially if you overdo the alcohol； and Major Palgrave was really very naughty that way。 Last night； for instance。〃
〃Yes； I noticed；〃 said Miss Marple。
〃He probably fot to take his pills。 It is bad luck for the old boybut people can't live forever； can they？ But it's terribly worryingfor me and Tim； I mean。 People might suggest it was something in the food。〃
〃But surely the symptoms of food poisoning and