按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Mon pкre！〃 said a small shrill voice。 It was one of the French children who had been playing at the water's edge。 She had e up unnoticed； and was standing by Canon Prescott's chair。
〃Mon pкre！〃 she fluted。
〃Eh？ Yes； my dear？ Oui； qu'estce qu'il ya； ma petite！〃
The child explained。 There had been a dispute about who should have the water wings next and also other matters of seaside etiquette。 Canon Prescott was extremely fond of children； especially small girls。 He was always delighted to be summoned to act as arbiter in their disputes。 He rose willingly now and acpanied the child to the water's edge。 Miss Marple and Miss Prescott breathed deep sighs and turned avidly towards each other。
〃Jeremy； of course rightly； is very against illnatured gossip；〃 said Miss Prescott； 〃but one cannot really ignore what people are saying。 And there was； as I say； a great deal of talk at the time。〃
〃Yes？〃 Miss Marple's tone urged her forward。
〃This young woman； you see。 Miss Greatorex I think her name was thenI can't remember nowwas a kind of cousin and she looked after Mrs。 Dyson。 Gave her all her medicines and things like that。〃 There was a short； meaningful pause。 〃And of course there had； I understand〃Miss Prescott's voice was lowered〃been goingson between Mr。 Dyson and Miss Greatorex。 A lot of people had noticed them。 I mean things like that are quickly observed in a place like this。 Then there was some curious story about some stuff that Edward Hillingdon got for her at a chemist。〃
〃Oh； Edward Hillingdon came into it？〃
〃Oh yes； he was very much attracted。 People noticed it。 And LuckyMiss Greatorexplayed them off against each other。 Gregory Dyson and Edward Hillingdon。 One has to face it； she has always been an attractive woman。〃
〃Though not as young as she was；〃 Miss Marple replied。
〃Exactly。 But she was always very well turned out and made up。 Of course not so flamboyant when she was just the poor relation。 She always seemed very devoted to the invalid。 But； well； you see how it was。〃
〃What was this story about the chemist？ How did that get known？〃
〃Well； it wasn't in Jamestown； I think it was when they were in Martinique。 The French； I believe； are more lax than we are in the matter of drugs。 This chemist talked to someone； and the story got around。 You know how these things happen。〃
Miss Marple did。 None better。
〃He said something about Colonel Hillingdon asking for something and not seeming to know what it was he was asking for。 Consulting a piece of paper； you know； on which it was written down。 Anyway； as I say； there was talk。〃
〃But I don't see quite why Colonel Hillingdon〃 Miss Marple frowned in perplexity。
〃I suppose he was just being used as a cat'spaw。 Anyway； Gregory Dyson married again in an almost indecently short time。 Barely a month later； I understand。〃
They looked at each other。
〃But there was no real suspicion？〃 Miss Marple asked。
〃Oh no； it was justwell； talk。 Of course there may have been absolutely nothing in it。〃
〃Major Palgrave thought there was。〃
〃Did he say so to you？〃
〃I wasn't really listening very closely；〃 confessed Miss Marple。 〃I just wondered iferwell； if he'd said the same things to you？〃
〃He did point her out to me one day；〃 said Miss Prescott。
〃Really？ He actually pointed her out？〃
〃Yes。 As a matter of fact； I thought at first it was Mrs。 Hillingdon he was pointing out。 He wheezed and chuckled a bit and said 'Look at that woman over there。 In my opinion that's a woman who's done murder and got away with it。' I was very shocked； of course。 I said； 'Surely you're joking； Major Palgrave；' and he said； 'Yes； yes； dear lady； let's call it joking。' The Dysons and the Hillingdons were sitting at a table quite near to us； and I was afraid they'd overhear。 He chuckled and said 'Wouldn't care to go to a drink party and have a certain person mix me a cocktail。 Too much like supper with the Bias。'〃
〃How very interesting；〃 said Miss Marple。
〃Did he mention aa photograph？〃
〃I don't remember。。。 Was it some newspaper cutting？〃
Miss Marple； about to speak； shut her lips。 The sun was momentarily obscured by a shadow。 Evelyn Hillingdon paused beside them。
〃Good morning；〃 she said。
〃I was wondering where you were；〃 said Miss Prescott； looking up brightly。
〃I've been to Jamestown； shopping。〃
〃Oh； I see。〃
Miss Prescott looked round vaguely and Evelyn Hillingdon said： 〃Oh； I didn't take Edward with me。 Men hate shopping。〃
〃Did you find anything of interest？〃
〃It wasn't that sort of shopping。 I just had to go to the chemist。〃 With a smile and a slight nod she went on down the beach。
〃Such nice people； the Hillingdons；〃 said Miss Prescott； 〃though she's not really very easy to know； is she？ I mean； she's always very pleasant and all that； but one never seems to get to know her any better。〃
Miss Marple agreed thoughtfully。
〃One never knows what she is thinking；〃 said Miss Prescott。
〃Perhaps that is just as well；〃 said Miss Marple。
〃I beg your pardon？〃
〃Oh nothing really； only that I've always had the feeling that perhaps her thoughts might be rather disconcerting。〃
〃Oh；〃 said Miss Prescott； looking puzzled。 〃I see what you mean。〃 She went on with a slight change of subject。 〃I believe they have a very charming place in Hampshire； and a boyor is it two boyswho have just goneor one of themto Winchester。〃
〃Do you know Hampshire well？〃
〃No。 Hardly at all。 I believe their house is somewhere near Alton。〃
〃I see。〃 Miss Marple paused and then said； 〃And where do the Dysons live？〃
〃California；〃 said Miss Prescott。 〃When they are at home； that is。 They are great travellers。〃
〃One really knows so little about the people one meets when one is travelling；〃 said Miss Marple。 〃I meanhow shall I put itone only knows； doesn't one； what they choose to tell you about themselves。 For instance； you don't really know that the Dysons live in California。〃
Miss Prescott looked startled。 〃I'm sure Mr。 Dyson mentioned it。〃
〃Yes。 Yes； exactly。 That's what I mean。 And the same thing perhaps with the Hillingdons。 I mean when you say that they live in Hampshire； you're really repeating what they told you aren't you？〃
Miss Prescott looked slightly alarmed。 〃Do you mean that they don't live in Hampshire？〃 she asked。
〃No； no； not for one moment；〃 said Miss Marple； quickly apologetic。 〃I was only using them as an instance as to what one knows or doesn't know about people。〃 She added； 〃I have told you that I live at St。 Mary Mead； which is a place； no doubt； of which you have never heard。 But you don't； if I may say so； know it of your own knowledge； do you？〃
Miss Prescott forbore from saying that she really couldn't care less where Miss Marple lived。 It was somewhere in the country and in the south of England and that is all she knew。 〃Oh； I do see what you mean；〃 she agreed hastily； 〃and I know that one can't possibly be too careful when one is abroad。〃
〃I didn't exactly mean that。〃 said Miss Marple。
There were some odd thoughts going through Miss Marple's mind。 Did she really know； she was asking herself； that Canon Prescott and Miss Prescott were really Canon Prescott and Miss Prescott？
They sa