Three Blind Mice and Other Stories Part 22

Thefriends.h.i.+pbetweenthesetwomenwasanoddone.Thecolonelwasasimplecountrygentlemanwhosepa.s.sioninlifewa.s.sport.ThefewweeksthathespentperforceinLondon,hespentunwillingly.

MrSatterthwaite,ontheotherhand,wasatownbird.HewasanauthorityonFrenchcooking,onladies'dress,andonallthelatestscandals.Hispa.s.sionwasobservinghumannature,andhewasanexpertinhisownspecialline-thatofanonlookeratlife.

Itwouldseem,therefore,thatheandColonelMelrosewouldhavelittleincommon,fortheColonelhadnointerestinhisneighbours'affairsandahorrorofanykindofemotion.

Thetwomenwerefriendsmainlybecausetheirfathersbeforethemhadbeenfriends.Alsotheyknewthesamepeopleandhadreactionaryviewsaboutnouveauxriches.

Itwasabouthalfpastseven.Thetwomenweresittinginthecolonel'scomfortablestudy,andMelrosewasdescribingarunofthepreviouswinterwithakeenhuntingman'senthusiasm.

MrSatterthwaite,whoseknowledgeofhorsesconsistedchieflyofthetime-honouredSunday-morningvisittothestableswhichstillobtainsinold-fas.h.i.+onedcountryhouses,listenedwithhisinvariablepoliteness.

ThesharpringingofthetelephoneinterruptedMelrose.Hecrossedtothetableandtookupthereceiver.

"h.e.l.lo,yes-ColonelMelrosespeaking.What'sthat?"Hiswholedemeanouraltered-becamestiffandofficial.Itwasthemagistratespeakingnow,notthesportsman.

Helistenedforsomemoments,thensaidlaconically,"Right,Curtis.I'llbeoveratonce."

Hereplacedthereceiverandturnedtohisguest."SirJamesDwightonhasbeenfoundinhislibrary-murdered."

"What?"MrSatterthwaitewa.s.startled-thrilled.

"ImustgoovertoAlderwayatonce.Caretocomewithme?"

MrSatterthwaiterememberedthattheColonelwaschiefconstableofthecounty.

"IfIshan'tbeintheway-"Hehesitated.

"Notatall.ThatwasInspectorCurtistelephoning.Good,honestfellow,butn.o.brains.I'dbegladifyouwouldcomewithme,Satterthwaite.I'vegotanideathisisgoingtoturnoutanastybusiness."

"Havetheygotthefellowwhodidit?"

"No,"repliedMelroseshortly.

MrSatterthwaite'strainedeardetectedanuanceofreservebehindthecurtnegative.HebegantogooverinhismindallthatheknewoftheDwightons.

Apompousoldfellow,thelateSirJames,brusqueinhismanner.Amanthatmighteasilymakeenemies.Veeringonsixty,withgrizzledhairandafloridface.Reputedtobetight-fistedintheextreme.

HismindwentontoLadyDwighton.Herimagefloatedbeforehim,young,auburn-haired,slender.Herememberedvariousrumours,hints,oddbitsofgossip.Sothatwasit-thatwaswhyMelroselookedsoglum.Thenhepulledhimselfup-hisimaginationwasrunningawaywithhim.

FiveminuteslaterMrSatterthwaitetookhisplacebesidehishostinthelatter'slittletwo-seater,andtheydroveofftogetherintothenight.

TheColonelwasataciturnman.Theyhadgonequiteamileandahalfbeforehespoke.Thenhejerkedoutabruptly."Youknow'em,Isuppose?"

"TheDwightons?Iknowallaboutthem,ofcourse."WhowasthereMrSatterthwaitedidn'tknowallabout?"I'vemethimonce,Ithink,andherratheroftener."

"Prettywoman,"saidMelrose.

"Beautiful!"declaredMrSatterthwaite.

"Thinkso?"

"ApureRenaissancetype,"declaredMrSatterthwaite,warminguptohistheme."Sheactedinthosetheatricals-thecharitymatinee,youknow,lastspring.Iwasverymuchstruck.Nothingmodernabouther-apuresurvival.Onecanimagineherinthedoge'spalace,orasLucreziaBorgia."

TheColonelletthecarswerveslightly,andMrSatterthwaitecametoanabruptstop.HewonderedwhatfatalityhadbroughtthenameofLucreziaBorgiatohistongue.Underthecirc.u.mstances- "Dwightonwasnotpoisoned,washe?"heaskedabruptly.

Melroselookedathimsideways,somewhatcuriously."Whydoyouaskthat,Iwonder?"hesaid.

"Oh,I-Idon'tknow."MrSatterthwaitewasfl.u.s.tered."I-Itjustoccurredtome."

"Well,hewasn't,"saidMelrosegloomily."Ifyouwanttoknow,hewascrashedonthehead."

"Withabluntinstrument,"murmuredMrSatterthwaite,noddinghisheadsagely.

"Don'ttalklikead.a.m.neddetectivestory,Satterthwaite.Hewas.h.i.+tontheheadwithabronzefigure."

"Oh,"saidSatterthwaite,andrelapsedintosilence.

"KnowanythingofachapcalledPaulDelangua?"askedMelroseafteraminuteortwo.

"Yes.Good-lookingyoungfellow."

"Idaresaywomenwouldcallhimso,"growledtheColonel.

"Youdon'tlikehim?"

"No,Idon't."

"Ishouldhavethoughtyouwouldhave.Heridesverywell."

"Likeaforeigneratthehorseshow.Fullofmonkeytricks."

MrSatterthwaitesuppressedasmile.PooroldMelrosewa.s.soveryBritis.h.i.+nhisoutlook.Agreeablyconscious.h.i.+mselfofacosmopolitanpointofview,MrSatterthwaitewasabletodeploretheinsularatt.i.tudetowardlife.

"Hashebeendowninthispartoftheworld?"heasked.

"He'sbeenstayingatAlderwaywiththeDwightons.TherumourgoesthatSirJameskickedhimoutaweekago."

"Why?"

"Foundhimmakinglovetohiswife,Isuppose.Whattheh.e.l.l-"

Therewasaviolentswerve,andajarringimpact.

"MostdangerouscrossroadsinEngland,"saidMelrose."Allthesame,theotherfellowshouldhavesoundedhishorn.We'reonthemainroad.Ifancywe'vedamagedhimrathermorethanhehasdamagedus."

Hesprangout.Afigurealightedfromtheothercarandjoinedhim.FragmentsofspeechreachedSatterthwaite.

"Entirelymyfault,I'mafraid,"thestrangerwa.s.saying."ButIdonotknowthispartofthecountryverywell,andthere'sabsolutelynosignofanykindtoshowyou'recomingontothemainroad."

TheColonel,mollified,rejoinedsuitably.Thetwomenbenttogetheroverthestranger'scar,whichachauffeurwasalreadyexamining.Theconversationbecamehighlytechnical.

"Amatterofhalfanhour,I'mafraid,"saidthestranger."Butdon'tletmedetainyou.I'mgladyourcarescapedinjuryaswellasitdid."

"Asamatteroffact-"theColonelwasbeginning,buthewasinterrupted.

MrSatterthwaite,seethingwithexcitement,hoppedoutofthecarwithabirdlikeaction,andseizedthestrangerwarmlybythehand.

"Itis!IthoughtIrecognizedthevoice,"hedeclaredexcitedly."Whatanextraordinarything.Whataveryextraordinarything."

"Eh?"saidColonelMelrose.

"MrHarleyQuin.Melrose,I'msureyou'veheardmespeakmanytimesofMrQuin?"

ColonelMelrosedidnotseemtorememberthefact,buthea.s.sistedpolitelyatthescenewhileMrSatterthwaitewaschirrupinggailyon."Ihaven'tseenyou-letmesee-"

"SincethenightattheBellsandMotley,"saidtheotherquietly.

"TheBellsandMotley,eh?"saidtheColonel.

"Aninn,"explainedMrSatterthwaite.

"Whatanoddnameforaninn."

"Onlyanoldone,"saidMrQuin."Therewasatime,remember,whenbellsandmotleyweremorecommoninEnglandthantheyarenowadays."

"Isupposeso;yes,nodoubtyouareright,"saidMelrosevaguely.Heblinked.Byacuriouseffectoflight-theheadlightsofonecarandtheredtaillightoftheother-MrQuinseemedforamomenttobedressedinmotleyhimself.But.i.twasonlythelight.

"Wecan'tleaveyouherestrandedontheroad,"continuedMrSatterthwaite."Youmustcomealongwithus.There'splentyofroomforthree,isn'tthere,Melrose?"

"Ohrather."b.u.t.theColonel'svoicewasalittledoubtful."Theonlythingis,"heremarked,"thejobwe'reon.Eh,Satterthwaite?"

MrSatterthwaitestoodstock-still.Ideasleapedandflashedoverhim.Hepositivelyshookwithexcitement.

"No,"hecried."No,Ishouldhaveknownbetter!Thereisnochancewhereyouareconcerned,MrQuin.Itwasnotanaccidentthatweallmettonightatthecrossroads."

ColonelMelrosestaredathisfriendinastonishment.MrSatterthwaitetookhimbythearm.

"Yourememberwhat.i.toldyou-aboutourfriendDerekCapel?Themotiveforhissuicide,whichnoonecouldguess?ItwasMrQuinwhosolvedthatproblem-andtherehavebeenotherssince.Heshowsyouthingsthatarethereallthetime,butwhichyouhaven'tseen.He'smarvellous."

"MydearSatterthwaite,youaremakingmeblush,"saidMrQuin,smiling."AsfarasIcanremember,thesediscoverieswereallmadebyyou,notbyme."

"Theyweremadebecauseyouwerethere,"saidMrSatterthwaitewithintenseconviction.

"Well,"saidColonelMelrose,clearinghisthroatuncomfortably."Wemustn'twasteanymoretime.Let'sgeton."

Heclimbedintothedriver'sseat.HewasnottoowellpleasedathavingthestrangerfoisteduponhimthroughMrSatterthwaite'senthusiasm,buthehadnovalidobjectiontooffer,andhewasanxioustogetontoAlderwayasfastaspossible.

MrSatterthwaiteurgedMrQuininnext,andhimselftooktheoutsideseat.Thecarwasaroomyoneandtookthreewithoutunduesqueezing.

"Soyouareinterestedincrime,MrQuin?"saidthecolonel,doinghisbesttobegenial.

"No,notexactlyincrime."

"What,then?"

MrQuinsmiled."LetusaskMrSatterthwaite.Heisaveryshrewdobserver."

"Ithink,"saidSatterthwaiteslowly,"Imaybewrong,but.i.think-thatMrQuinisinterestedin-lovers."

Heblushedashesaidthelastword,whichisonenoEnglishmancanp.r.o.nouncewithoutself-consciousness.MrSatterthwaitebrought.i.toutapologetically,andwithaneffectofinvertedcommas.

"Bygad!"saidtheColonel,startledandsilenced.

HereflectedinwardlythatthisseemedtobeaveryrumfriendofSatterthwaite's.Heglancedathimsideways.Thefellowlookedallright-quiteanormalyoungchap.Ratherdark,butnotatallforeign-looking.

"Andnow,"saidSatterthwaiteimportantly,"Imusttellyouallaboutthecase."

Hetalkedforsometenminutes.Sittingthereinthedarkness,rus.h.i.+ngthroughthenight,hehadanintoxicatingfeelingofpower.Whatdiditmatterifhewereonlyalooker-onatlife?Hehadwordsathiscommand,hewasmasterofthem,hecouldstringthemtoapattern-astrangeRenaissancepatterncomposedofthebeautyofLauraDwighton,withherwhitearmsandredhair-andtheshadowydarkfigureofPaulDelangua,whomwomenfoundhandsome.

SetthatagainstthebackgroundofAlderway-AlderwaythathadstoodsincethedaysofHenryVIIand,somesaid,beforethat.AlderwaythatwasEnglishtothecore,withitsclippedyewanditsoldbeakbarnandthefishpond,wheremonkshadkepttheircarpforFridays.

InafewdeftstrokeshehadetchedinSirJames,aDwightonwhowasatruedescendantoftheoldDeWittons,wholongagohadwrungmoneyoutofthelandandlockeditfastincoffers,sothatwhoeverelsehadfallenonevildays,themastersofAlderwayhadneverbecomeimpoverished.

AtlastMrSatterthwaiteceased.Hewa.s.sure,hadbeensureallalong,ofthesympathyofhisaudience.

Hewaitednowthewordofpraisewhichwas.h.i.+sdue.Itcame.

"Youareanartist.MrSatterthwaite."

"I-Idomybest."Thelittlemanwa.s.suddenlyhumble.

Theyhadturnedinatthelodgegatessomeminutesago.Nowthecardrewupinfrontofthedoorway,andapoliceconstablecamehurriedlydownthestepstomeetthem.

"Goodevening,sir.InspectorCurtisisinthelibrary."

"Right."

Melroseranupthestepsfollowedbytheothertwo.Asthethreeofthempa.s.sedacrossthewidehall,anelderlybutlerpeeredfromadoorwayapprehensively.Melrosenoddedtohim.

"Evening,Miles.Thisisasadbusiness."

"Itisindeed,"theotherquavered."Icanhardlybelieveit,sir;indeedIcan't.Tothinkthatanyoneshouldstrikedownthemaster."

"Yes,yes,"saidMelrose,cuttinghimshort."I'llhaveatalkwithyoupresently."

Hestrodeontothelibrary.Thereabig,soldierly-lookinginspectorgreetedhimwithrespect "Nastybusiness,sir.Ihavenotdisturbedthings.Nofingerprintsontheweapon.Whoeverdiditknewhisbusiness."

MrSatterthwaitelookedatthebowedfiguresittingatthebigwriting-table,andlookedhurriedlyawayagain.Themanhadbeenstruckdownfrombehind,asmas.h.i.+ngblowthathadcrashedintheskull.Thesightwasnotaprettyone.