破镜谋杀案24

Fourteen I Mrs. Bantry was on her knees. A good day for hoeing. Nice dry soil. But hoeing wouldn’t do everything. Thistles now, and dandelions. She dealt vigorously with these pests. She rose to her feet, breathless but triumphant¹, and looked out over the hedge on to the road. She was faintly surprised to see the dark-haired sec- retary whose name she couldn’t remember coming out of the public call box that was situated² near the bus stop on the other side of the road. What was her name now. It began with a B—or was it an R? No, Zielin- sky, that was it. Mrs. Bantry remembered just in time, as Ella crossed the road into the drive past the Lodge³. 癎ood morning, Miss Zielinsky,” she called in a friendly tone. Ella Zielinsky jumped. It was not so much a jump, as a shy—the shy of a frightened horse. It surprised Mrs. Bantry. 癎ood morning,” said Ella, and added quickly: “I came down to tele- phone. There’s something wrong with our line today.” Mrs. Bantry felt more surprise. She wondered why Ella Zielinsky bothered to explain her action. She responded civilly. “How annoying for you. Do come in and telephone anytime you want to.” 癘h—thank you very much…” Ella was interrupted by a fit of sneezing. 癥ou’ve got hay fever,” said Mrs. Bantry with immediate⁴ diagnosis⁵. “Try weak bicarbonate of soda⁶ and water.” 癘h, that’s all right. I have some very good patent stuff in an atomizer. Thank you all the same.” She sneezed again as she moved away, walking briskly up the drive. Mrs. Bantry looked after her. Then her eyes returned to her garden. She looked at it in a dissatisfied fashion. Not a weed to be seen anywhere. 癘thello’s occupation’s gone,” Mrs. Bantry murmured to herself con- fusedly. “I dare say I’m a nosy⁷ old woman but I would like to know if—” A moment of irresolution⁸ and then Mrs. Bantry yielded to temptation. She was going to be a nosy old woman and the hell with it! She strode in- doors to the telephone, lifted the receiver and dialled it. A brisk transat- lantic voice spoke⁹. 癎ossington Hall.” 癟his is Mrs. Bantry, at the East Lodge.” 癘h, good morning, Mrs. Bantry. This is Hailey Preston. I met you on the day of the fête. What can I do for you?” 癐 thought perhaps I could do something for you. If your telephone’s out of order—” His astonished voice interrupted her. 癘ur telephone out of order? There’s been nothing wrong with it. Why did you think so?” 癐 must have made a mistake,” said Mrs. Bantry. “I don’t always hear very well,” she explained unblushingly. She put the receiver back, waited a minute, then dialled once more. 癑ane? Dolly here.” 癥es, Dolly. What is it?” 癢ell, it seems rather odd. The secretary woman was dialling from the public call box in the road. She took the trouble to explain to me quite un- necessarily that she was doing so because the line at Gossington Hall was out of order. But I’ve rung up there, and it isn’t….” She paused, and waited for intelligence to pronounce. 癐ndeed,” said Miss Marple thoughtfully. “Interesting.” 癋or what reason, do you think?” 癢ell, clearly, she didn’t want to be overheard—” 癊xactly.” 癆nd there might be quite a number of reasons for that.” 癥es.” 癐nteresting,” said Miss Marple again.