加勒比海之谜(英文版)-第4章
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〃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 of blood pressure are quite different？〃
〃Yes。 But people do say things so easily。 And if people decided the food was badand leftor told their friends〃
〃I really don't think you need worry； said Miss Marple kindly。 〃As you say； an elderly man like Major Palgravehe must have been over seventyis quite liable to die。 To most people it will seem quite an ordinary occurrencesad； but not out of the way at all。〃
〃If only；〃 said Molly unhappily； 〃it hadn't been so sudden。〃
Yes； it had been very sudden Miss Marple thought as she walked slowly on。 There he had been last night； laughing and talking in the best of spirits with the Hillingdons and the Dysons。
The Hillingdons and the Dysons。。。
Miss Marple walked more slowly still。。。
Finally she stopped abruptly。 Instead of going to the bathing beach she settled herself in a shady corner of the terrace。 She took out her knitting and the needles clicked rapidly as though they were trying to match the speed of her thoughts。 She didn't like itno she didn't like it。 It came so pat。
She went over the occurrences of yesterday in her mind。
Major Palgrave and his stories。。。
That was all as usual and one didn't need to listen very closely。。。 Perhaps； though； it would have been better if she had。
Kenyahe had talked about Kenya and then Indiathe North West Frontierand thenfor some reason they had got on to murder And even then she hadn't really been listening。。。 Some famous case that had taken place out herethat had been in the newspapers It was after thatwhen he picked up her ball of woolthat he had begun telling her about a snapshot A snapshot of a murdererthat is what he had said。
Miss Marple closed her eyes and tried to remember just exactly how that story had gone。
It had been rather a confused storytold to the Major in his Clubor in somebody else's clubtold him by a doctorwho had heard it from another doctorand one doctor had taken a snapshot of someone ing through a front doorsomeone who was a murderer
Yes； that was itthe various details were ing back to her now。 And he had offered to show her that snapshot。 He had got out his wallet and begun hunting through its contentstalking all the time。 And then still talking； he had looked uphad lookednot at herbut at something behind herbehind her right shoulder to be accurate。 And he had stopped talking； his face had gone purpleand he had started stuffing back everything into his wallet with slightly shaky hands and had begun talking in a loud unnatural voice about elephant tusks！
A moment or two later the Hillingdons and the Dysons had joined them。。。
It was then that she had turned her head over her right shoulder to look。。。 But there had been nothing and nobody to see。
To her left； some distance away； in the direction of the hotel； there had been Tim Kendal and his wife； and beyond them a family group of Venezuelans。 But Major Palgrave had not been looking in that direction。。。 Miss Marple meditated until lunch time。 After lunch she did not go for a drive。 Instead she sent a message to say that she was not feeling very well； and to ask if Dr。 Graham would be kind enough to e and see her。
Chapter 4
MISS MARPLE SEEKS MEDICAL ATTENTION
Dr。 Graham was a kindly elderly man of about sixtyfive。 He had practised in the West Indies for many years； but was now semiretired； and left most of his work to his West Indian partners。 He greeted Miss Marple pleasantly and asked her what the trouble was。 Fortunately at Miss Marple's age； there was always some ailment that could be discussed with slight exaggerations on the patient's part。 Miss Marple hesitated between 〃her shoulder〃 and 〃her knee〃； but finally decided upon the knee。 Miss Marple's knee； as she would have put it to herself； was always with her。
Dr。 Graham was exceedingly kindly but he refrained from putting into words the fact that at her time of life such troubles were only to be expected。 He prescribed for her one of the brands of useful little pills that form the basis of a doctor's prescriptions。 Since he knew by experience that many elderly people could be lonely when they first came to St。 Honorй； he remained for a while gently chatting。 〃A very nice man；〃 thought Miss Marple to herself； 〃and I really feel rather ashamed of having to tell him lies。 But I don't quite see what else I can do。〃
Miss Marple had been brought up to have a proper regard for truth and was indeed by nature a very truthful person。 But on certain occasions； when she considered it her duty so to do； she could tell lies with a really astonishing verisimilitude。
She cleared her throat； uttered an apologetic little cough； and said； in an oldladyish and slightly twittering manner： 〃There is something。 Dr。 Graham； I would like to ask you。 I don't really like mentioning itbut I don't quite see what else I am to doalthough of course it's quite unimportant really。 But you see； it's important to me。 And I hope you will understand and not think what I am asking is tiresome oror unpardonable in any
