复仇女神32
时间：2026-01-29 07:29:10
（单词翻译:单击）
Seventeen
MISS MARPLE MAKES A VISIT
I
As they walked back from the inquest to the Golden Boar hardly anyone
spoke. Professor Wanstead walked beside Miss Marple, and since she was
not a very fast walker, they fell slightly behind the others.
“What will happen next?” Miss Marple asked at last.
“Do you mean legally or to us?”
“I suppose both,” said Miss Marple, “because one will surely affect the
other.”
“It will be presumably a case of the police making further enquiries,
arising out of the evidence given by those two young people.”
“Yes.”
“Further enquiry will be necessary. The inquest was bound to be ad-
journed. One can hardly expect the Coroner to give a verdict of accidental
death.”
“No, I understand that.” She said, “What did you think of their evid-
ence?”
Professor Wanstead directed a sharp glance from under his beetling
eyebrows.
“Have you any ideas on the subject, Miss Marple?” His voice was sug-
gestive. “Of course,” said Professor Wanstead, “we knew beforehand what
they were going to say.”
“Yes.”
“What you mean is that you are asking what I thought about them them-
selves, their feelings about it.”
“It was interesting,” said Miss Marple. “Very interesting. The red and
black check pullover. Rather important, I think, don’t you? Rather strik-
ing?”
“Yes, exactly that.”
He shot again that look at her under his eyebrows. “What does it suggest
to you exactly?”
“I think,” said Miss Marple, “I think the description of that might give us
a valuable clue.”
They came to the Golden Boar. It was only about half past twelve and
Mrs. Sandbourne suggested a little refreshment before going in to lunch-
eon. As sherry and tomato juice and other liquors were being consumed,
Mrs. Sandbourne proceeded to make certain announcements.
“I have taken advice,” she said, “both from the Coroner and Inspector
Douglas. Since the medical evidence has been taken fully, there will be at
the church a funeral memorial service tomorrow at eleven o’clock. I’m go-
ing to make arrangements with Mr. Courtney, the local vicar, about it. On
the following day it will be best, I think, to resume our tour. The pro-
gramme will be slightly altered, since we have lost three days, but I think
it can be reorganized on rather simpler lines. I have heard from one or
two members of our party that they would prefer to return to London,
presumably by rail. I can quite understand the feelings lying behind this,
and would not like to try and influence you in any way. This death has
been a very sad occurrence. I still cannot help but believe that Miss
Temple’s death was the result of an accident. Such a thing has happened
before on that particular pathway, though there do not appear in this case
to have been any geological or atmospherical conditions causing it. I think
a good deal more investigation will have to be made. Of course, some
hiker on a walking tour—that kind of thing—may have been pushing
about boulders quite innocently, not realizing that there was a danger for
someone walking below in what he or she was doing. If so, if that person
comes forward, the whole thing may be cleared up quite quickly, but I
agree one cannot take that for granted at present. It seems unlikely that
the late Miss Temple could have had an enemy, or anyone who wished her
harm of any kind. What I should suggest is, that we do not discuss the acci-
dent any further. Investigations will be made by the local authorities
whose business it is. I think we will probably all like to attend the me-
morial service in the church tomorrow. And after that, on continuing the
tour, I hope that it may distract our minds from the shock we have had.
There are still some very interesting and famous houses to see and some
very beautiful scenery also.”
Luncheon being announced shortly after that, the subject was not dis-
cussed any further. That is to say, not openly. After lunch, as they took cof-
fee in the lounge, people were prone to get together in little groups, dis-
cussing their further arrangements.
“Are you continuing on the tour?” asked Professor Wanstead of Miss
Marple.
“No,” said Miss Marple. She spoke thoughtfully. “No. I think—I think
that what has happened inclines me to remain here a little longer.”
“At the Golden Boar or at The Old Manor House?”
“That rather depends as to whether I receive any further invitation to go
back to The Old Manor House. I would not like to suggest it myself because
my original invitation was for the two nights that the tour was to have
stayed here originally. I think possibly it would be better for me to remain
at the Golden Boar.”
“You don’t feel like returning to St. Mary Mead?”
“Not yet,” said Miss Marple. “There are one or two things I could do
here, I think. One thing I have done already.” She met his enquiring gaze.
“If you are going on,” she said, “with the rest of the party, I will tell you
what I have put in hand, and suggest a small sideline of enquiry that
might be helpful. The other reason that I wish to stay here I will tell you
later. There are certain enquiries—local enquiries—that I want to make.
They may not lead anywhere so I think it as well not to mention them
now. And you?”
“I should like to return to London. I have work there waiting to be done.
Unless, that is, I can be helpful to you here?”
“No,” said Miss Marple, “I do not think so at present. I expect you have
various enquiries of your own that you wish to put in hand.”
“I came on the tour to meet you, Miss Marple.”
“And now you have met me and know what I know, or practically all
that I know, you have other enquiries to put in hand. I understand that.
But before you leave here, I think there are one or two things—well, that
might be helpful, might give a result.”
“I see. You have ideas.”
“I am remembering what you said.”
“You have perhaps pinned down the smell of evil?”
“It is difficult,” said Miss Marple, “to know exactly what something
wrong in the atmosphere really means.”
“But you do feel that there is something wrong in the atmosphere?”
“Oh yes. Very clearly.”
“And especially since Miss Temple’s death which, of course, was not an
accident, no matter what Mrs. Sandbourne hopes.”
“No,” said Miss Marple, “it was not an accident. What I don’t think I
have told you is that Miss Temple said to me once that she was on a pil-
grimage.”
“Interesting,” said the Professor. “Yes, interesting. She didn’t tell you
what the pilgrimage was, to where or to whom?”
“No,” said Miss Marple, “if she’d lived just a little longer and not been so
weak, she might have told me. But unfortunately, death came a little too
soon.”
“So that you have not any further ideas on that subject.”
“No. Only a feeling of assurance that her pilgrimage was put an end to
by malign design. Someone wanted to stop her going wherever she was
going, or stop her going to whomever she was going to. One can only hope
that chance or Providence may throw light on that.”
“That’s why you’re staying here?”
“Not only that,” said Miss Marple. “I want to find out something more
about a girl called Nora Broad.”
“Nora Broad.” He looked faintly puzzled.
“The other girl who disappeared about the same time as Verity Hunt
did. You remember you mentioned her to me. A girl who had boyfriends
and was, I understand, very ready to have boyfriends. A foolish girl, but at-
tractive apparently to the male sex. I think,” said Miss Marple, “that to
learn a little more about her might help me in my enquiries.”
“Have it your own way, Detective- Inspector Marple,” said Professor
Wanstead.
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