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〃Are the Hillingdons well off？〃
〃Well； I think they're well off； I don't mean fabulously rich； I just mean well off。 They have two boys at Public School and a very nice place in England； I believe； and they travel most of the winter。〃
The Canon appearing at this moment to suggest a brisk walk。 Miss Prescott rose to join her brother。 Miss Marple remained sitting there。
A few minutes later Gregory Dyson passed her striding along towards the hotel。 He waved a cheerful hand as he passed。
〃Penny for your thoughts；〃 he called out。
Miss Marple smiled gently； wondering how he would have reacted if she had replied： 〃I was wondering if you were a murderer。〃
It really seemed most probable that he was。 It all fitted in so nicely； this story about the death of the first Mrs。 Dyson。 Major Palgrave had certainly been talking about a wife killerwith special reference to the 〃Brides in the Bath Case〃。 Yes。 It fitted。 The only objection was that it fitted almost too well。 But Miss Marple reproved herself for this thought。 Who was she to demand Murders Made to Measure？
A voice made her jumpa somewhat raucous one。
〃Seen Greg any place。 Misser〃
Lucky； Miss Marple thought； was not in a good temper。 〃He passed by just nowgoing towards the hotel。〃
〃I'll bet！〃 Lucky uttered an irritated ejaculation and hurried on。
〃Forty； if she's a day； and looks it this morning；〃 thought Miss Marple。 Pity invaded her。 Pity for the Luckys of the world； who were so vulnerable to Time。 At the sound of a noise behind her； she turned her chair round。
Mr。 Rafiel； supported by Jackson； was making his morning appearance and ing out of his bungalow。
Jackson settled his employer in his wheelchair and fussed round him。 Mr。 Rafiel waved his attendant away impatiently and Jackson went off in the direction of the hotel。
Miss Marple lost no time。 Mr。 Rafiel was never left alone for long。 Probably Esther Walters would e and join him。 Miss Marple wanted a word alone with Mr。 Rafiel and now； she thought； was her chance。 She would have to be quick about what she wanted to say。 There could be no leading up to things。 Mr。 Rafiel was not a man who cared for the idle twittering conversation of old ladies。 He would probably retreat again into his bungalow； definitely regarding himself the victim of persecution。 Miss Marple decided to plump for downrightness。
She made her way to where he was sitting； drew up a chair； sat down； and said： 〃I want to ask you something； Mr。 Rafiel。〃
〃All right； all right；〃 said Mr。 Rafiel； 〃let's have it。 What do you wanta subscription； I suppose？ Missions in Africa or repairing a church； something of that kind？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Miss Marple。 〃I am interested in several objects of that nature； and I shall be delighted if you will give me a subscription for them。 But that wasn't actually what I was going to ask you。 What I was going to ask you was if Major Palgrave ever told you a story about a murder。〃
〃Oho；〃 said Mr。 Rafiel。 〃So he told it to you too； did he？ And I suppose you fell for it； hook line and sinker。〃
〃I didn't really know what to think；〃 said Miss Marple。 〃What exactly did he tell you？〃
〃He prattled on；〃 said Mr。 Rafiel； 〃about a lovely creature； Lucrezia Bia reincarnated。 Beautiful； young； goldenhaired； everything。〃
〃Oh；〃 said Miss Marple slightly taken aback； 〃and who did she murder？〃
〃Her husband； of course；〃 said Mr。 Rafiel； 〃who do you think？〃
〃Poison？〃
〃No； I think she gave him a sleeping draught and then stuck him in a gas oven。 Resourceful female。 Then she said it was suicide。 She got off quite lightly。 Diminished responsibility or something。 That's what it's called nowadays if you're a goodlooking woman； or some miserable young hooligan whose mother's been too fond of him。 Bah！〃
〃Did the Major show you a snapshot？〃
〃Whata snapshot of the woman？ No。 Why should he？〃
〃Oh〃 said Miss Marple。 She sat there； rather taken aback。 Apparently Major Palgrave spent his life telling people not only about tigers he had shot and elephants he had hunted but also about murderers he had met。 Perhaps he had a whole repertoire of murder stories。 One had to face it。 She was startled by Mr。 Rafiel suddenly giving a roar of 〃Jackson！〃 There was no response。
〃Shall I find him for you？〃 said Miss Marple rising。
〃You won't find him。 Tomcatting somewhere； that's what he does。 No good； that fellow。 Bad character。 But he suits me all right。〃
〃I'll go and look for him；〃 said Miss Marple。
Miss Marple found Jackson sitting on the far side of the hotel terrace having a drink with Tim Kendal。
〃Mr。 Rafiel is asking for you；〃 she said。
Jackson made an expressive grimace； drained his glass； and rose to his feet。
〃Here we go again；〃 he said。 〃No peace for the wicked。 Two telephone calls and a special diet order。 I thought that might give me a quarter of an hour's alibi。 Apparently not！ Thank you Miss Marple。 Thanks for the drink； Mr。 Kendal。〃
He strode away。
〃I feel sorry for that chap；〃 said Tim。 〃I have to stand him a drink now and then； just to cheer him up。 Can I offer you something； Miss Marple？ How about fresh lime？ I know you're fond of that。〃
''Not just now； thank you。 I suppose looking after someone like Mr。 Rafiel must always be rather exacting。 Invalids are frequently difficult〃
〃I didn't mean only that。 It's very well paid and you expect to put up with a good deal of crotchetinessold Rafiel's not really a bad sort。 I meant more that〃 he hesitated。
Miss Marple looked inquiring。
〃Wellhow shall I put itit's difficult for him socially。 People are so damned snobbishthere's no one here of his class。 He's better than a servantand below the average visitoror they think he is。 Rather like the Victorian governess。 Even the secretary woman； Mrs。 Walters； feels she's a cut above him。 Makes things difficult。〃 Tim paused； then said with feeling： 〃It's really awful the amount of social problems there are in a place like this。〃
Dr。 Graham passed them。 He had a book in his hand。 He went and sat at a table overlooking the sea。
〃Dr。 Graham looks rather worried；〃 remarked Miss Marple。
〃Oh！ We're all worried。〃
〃You too？ Because of Major Palgrave's death？〃
〃I've left off worrying about that。 People seem to have fotten ittaken it in their stride。 Noit's my wifeMolly。 Do you know anything about dreams？〃
〃Dreams？〃 Miss Marple was surprised。
〃Yesbad dreamsnightmares； I suppose。 Oh； we all get that sort of thing sometimes。 But Mollyshe seems to have them nearly all the time。 They frighten her。 Is there anything one can do about them？ Take for them？ She's got some sleeping pills； but she says they make it worseshe struggles to wake up and can't。〃
〃What are the dreams about？〃
〃Oh； something or someone chasing her。 Or watching her and spying on her。 She can't shake off the feeling even when she's awake。〃
〃Surely a doctor〃
〃She's got a thing against doctors。 Won't hear of it。 Oh well； I daresay it will all pass off。 But we were so happy。 It was all such fun And now； just lately Perhaps old Palgrave's death upset her。 She seems like a different person since。。。〃
He got up。
〃Must get on with the daily choresare you sure you won't have that fresh lime