Three Blind Mice and Other Stories Part 3

Shewasatworkonthebathswhenthetelephonerang.

Mollyfirstcursedatbeinginterrupted,thenfeltaslightfeelingofreliefthatthetelephoneatleastwa.s.stillinaction,a.s.sherandowntoanswerit.Shearrivedinthelibraryalittlebreathlessandliftedthereceiver.

"Yes?"

Aheartyvoicewithaslightbutpleasantcountryburrasked,"IsthatMonkswellManor?"

"MonkswellManorGuestHouse."

"CanIspeaktoCommanderDavid,please?"

"I'mafraidhecan'tcometothetelephonejustnow,"saidMolly."ThisisMrsDavis.Whoisspeaking,please?"

"SuperintendentHogben,Berks.h.i.+rePolice."

Mollygaveaslightgasp.Shesaid,"Oh,yes-er-yes?"

"MrsDavis,ratheranurgentmatterhasarisen.Idon'twishtosayverymuchoverthetelephone,butIhavesentDetectiveSergeantTrotterouttoyou,andheshouldbethereanyminutenow."

"Buthewon'tgethere.We'resnowedup-completelysnowedup.Theroadsareimpa.s.sable."

Therewasn.o.breakintheconfidenceofthevoiceattheotherend.

"Trotterwillgettoyou,allright,"itsaid."Andpleaseimpressuponyourhusband,MrsDavis,tolistenverycarefullytowhatTrotterhastotellyou,andtofollowhisinstructionsimplicitly.That'sall."

"But,SuperintendentHogben,what-"

b.u.t.therewasadecisiveclick.Hogbenhadclearlysaidallhehadtosayandrungoff.Mollywaggledthetelephonerestonceortwice,thengaveup.Sheturnedasthedooropened.

"Oh,Gilesdarling,thereyouare."

Gileshadsnowonhishairandagooddealofcoalgrimeonhisface.Helookedhot.

"Whatisit,sweetheart?I'vefilledthecoalscuttlesandbroughtinthewood.I'lldothehensnextandthenhavealookattheboiler.Isthatright?What'sthematter,Molly?Youlookedscared."

"Giles,itwasthepolice."

"Thepolice?"Gilessoundedincredulous.

"Yes,they'resendingoutaninspectororasergeantorsomething."

"Butwhy?Whathavewedone?"

"Idon'tknow.Doyouthinkitcouldbethattwopoundsofb.u.t.terwehadfromIreland?"

Gileswasfrowning."Ididremembertogetthewirelesslicense,didn'tI?"

"Yes,it'sinthedesk.Giles,oldMrsBidlockgavemefiveofhercouponsforthatoldtweedcoatofmine.Isupposethat'swrong-but.i.thinkit'sperfectlyfair.I'macoatlesssowhyshouldn'tIhavethecoupons?Oh,dear,whatelseistherewe'vedone?"

"Ihadanearshavewiththecartheotherday.But.i.twasdefinitelytheotherfellow'sfault.Definitely."

"Wemusthavedonesomething,"wailedMolly.

"Thetroubleisthatpracticallyeverythingonedoesnowadaysisillegal,"saidGilesgloomily."That'swhyonehasapermanentfeelingofguilt.ActuallyIexpect.i.t'ssomethingtodowithrunningthisplace.Runningaguesthouseisprobablychock-fullofsnagswe'veneverheardof."

"Ithoughtdrinkwastheonlythingthatmattered.Wehaven'tgivenanyoneanythingtodrink.Otherwise,whyshouldn'twerunourownhouseanywayweplease?"

"Iknow.Itsoundsallright.ButasIsay,everything'smoreorless...o...b..ddennowadays."

"Oh,dear,"sighedMolly."Iwishwe'dneverstarted.We'regoingtobesnowedupfordays,andeverybodywillbecrossandthey'lleatallourreservesoftins-"

"Cheerup,sweetheart,"saidGiles."We'rehavingabadbreakatthemoment,but.i.twillpanoutallright."

Hekissedthetopofherheadratherabsentmindedlyand,releasingher,saidinadifferentvoice,"Youknow,Molly,cometothinkofit,itmustbesomethingprettyserioustosendapolicesergeanttrekkingouthereinallthis."Hewavedahandtowardthesnowoutside.Hesaid,"Itmustbesomethingreallyurgent-"

Astheystaredateachother,thedooropened,andMrsBoylecamein.

"Ah,hereyouare,MrDavis,"saidMrsBoyle."Doyouknowthecentralheatinginthedrawing-roomispracticallystone-cold?"

"I'msorry,MrsBoyle.We'rerathershortofc.o.keand-"

MrsBoylecutinruthlessly."Iampayingsevenguineasaweekhere-sevenguineas.AndIdonotexpecttofreeze."

Gilesflushed.Hesaidshortly,"I'llgoandstokeitup."

Hewentoutoftheroom,andMrsBoyleturnedtoMolly.

"Ifyoudon'tmindmysayingso,MrsDavis,thatisaveryextraordinaryyoungmanyouhavestayinghere.Hismanners-andhisties-Anddoesheneverbrushhishair?"

"He'sanextremelybrilliantyoungarchitect,"saidMolly.

"Ibegyourpardon?"

"ChristopherWrenisanarchitectand-"

"Mydearyoungwoman,"snappedMrsBoyle,"IhavenaturallyheardofSirChristopherWren.Ofcoursehewasanarchitect.HebuiltSt.Paul's.YouyoungpeopleseemtothinkthateducationcameinwiththeEducationAct."

"ImeantthisWren.HisnameisChristopher.Hisparentscalledhimthatbecausetheyhopedhe'dbeanarchitect.Andheis-ornearly-one,soitturnedoutallright."

"Humph,"MrsBoylesnorted."Itsoundsaveryfishystorytome.IshouldmakesomeinquiriesabouthimifIwereyou.Whatdoyouknowabouthim?"

"JustasmuchasIknowaboutyou,MrsBoyle-whichisthatbothyouandhearepayingussevenguineasaweek.That'sreallyallthatIneedtoknow,isn't.i.t?Andallthatconcernsme.Itdoesn'tmattertomewhetherIlikemyguests,orwhether-"MollylookedverysteadilyatMrsBoyle-"orwhetherIdon't."

MrsBoyleflushedangrily."Youareyoungandinexperiencedandshouldwelcomeadvicefromsomeonemoreknowledgeablethanyourself.Andwhataboutthisqueerforeigner?Whendidhearrive?"

"Inthemiddleofthenight."

"Indeed.Mostpeculiar.Notaveryconventionalhour."

"Toturnawaybonafidetravellerswouldbeagainstthelaw,MrsBoyle."Mollyaddedsweetly."Youmaynotbeawareofthat."

"AllIcansayisthatthisParavicini,orwhateverhecalls.h.i.+mself,seemstome-"

"Beware,beware,dearlady.Youtalkofthedevilandthen-"

MrsBoylejumpedasthoughithadbeenindeedthedevilwhoaddressedher.MrParavicini,whohadmincedquietlyinwithouteitherofthetwowomennoticinghim,laughedandrubbedhishandstogetherwithakindofelderlysatanicglee.

"Youstartledme,"saidMrsBoyle."Ididnothearyoucomein."

"Icomeinontiptoe,so,"saidMrParavicini,"n.o.bodyeverhearsmecomeandgo.ThatIfindveryamusing.SometimesIoverhearthings.That,too,amusesme."Headdedsoftly,"ButIdonotforgetwhatIhear."

MrsBoylesaidratherfeebly,"Indeed?Imustgetmyknitting-Ileft.i.tinthedrawing-room."

Shewentouthurriedly.MollystoodlookingatMrParaviciniwithapuzzledexpression.Heapproachedherwithakindofhopandskip.

"Mycharminghostesslooksupset."Beforeshecouldprevent.i.t,hepickedupherhandandkissedit."Whatisit,dearlady?"

Mollydrewbackastep.ShewasnotsurethatshelikedMrParavicinimuch.Hewasleeringatherlikeanelderlysatyr.

"Everythingisratherdifficultthismorning,"shesaidlightly."Becauseofthesnow."

"Yes."MrParaviciniturnedhisheadroundtolookoutofthewindow."Snowmakeseverythingverydifficult,doesitnot?Orelseitmakesthingsveryeasy."

"Idon'tknowwhatyoumean."

"No,"hesaidthoughtfully."Thereisquitealotthatyoudonotknow.Ithink,foronething,thatyoudonotknowverymuchaboutrunningaguesthouse."

Molly'schinwentupbelligerently."Idaresaywedon't.Butwemeantomakeagoofit."

"Bravo,bravo."

"Afterall,"Molly'svoicebetrayedslightanxiety,"I'mnotsuchaverybadcook-"

"Youare,withoutdoubt,anenchantingcook,"saidMrParavicini.

Whatanuisanceforeignerswere,thoughtMolly.

PerhapsMrParavicinireadherthoughts.Atallevents.h.i.+smannerchanged.Hespokequietlyandquiteseriously.

"MayIgiveyoualittlewordofwarning,MrsDavis?Youandyourhusbandmustnotbetootrusting,youknow.Haveyoureferenceswiththeseguestsofyours?"

"Isthatusual?"Mollylookedtroubled."Ithoughtpeoplejust-justcame."

"Itisadvisablealwaystoknowalittleaboutthepeoplewhosleepunderyourroof."Heleanedforwardandtappedherontheshoulderinaminatorykindofway."Takemyself,forexample.Iturnupinthemiddleofthenight.Mycar,Isay,isoverturnedinasnowdrift.Whatdoyouknowofme?Nothingatall.Perhapsyouknownothing,either,ofyourotherguests."

"MrsBoyle-"beganMolly,butstoppedasthatladyherselfre-enteredtheroom,knittinginhand.

"Thedrawing-roomistoocold.Ishallsitinhere."Shemarchedtowardthefireplace.

MrParavicinipirouettedswiftlyaheadofher."Allowmetopokethefireforyou."

Mollywa.s.struck,a.s.shehadbeenthenightbefore,bytheyouthfuljauntinessofhisstep.Shenoticedthathealwaysseemedcarefultokeephisbacktothelight,andnow,asheknelt,pokingthefire,shethoughtshesawthereasonforit.MrParavicini'sfacewascleverlybutdecidedly"madeup."

Sotheoldidiottriedtomakehimselflookyoungerthanhewas,didhe?Well,hedidn'tsucceed.Helookedallhisageandmore.Onlytheyouthfulwalkwasincongruous.

Perhapsthat,too,hadbeencarefullycounterfeited.

ShewasbroughtbackfromspeculationtothedisagreeablerealitiesbythebriskentranceofMajorMetcalf.

"MrsDavis.I'mafraidthepipesofthe-er-"heloweredhisvoicemodestly,"downstairscloakroomarefrozen."

"Oh,dear,"groanedMolly."Whatanawfulday.Firstthepoliceandthenthepipes."

MrParavicinidroppedthepokerintothegratewithaclatter.MrsBoylestoppedknitting.

Molly,lookingatMajorMetcalf,waspuzzledbyhissuddenstiffimmobilityandbytheindescribableexpressiononhisface.Itwasanexpressionshecouldnotplace.Itwasasthoughallemotionhadbeendrainedoutofit,leavingsomethingcarvedoutofwoodbehind.

Hesaidinashort,staccatovoice,"Police,didyousay?"

Shewasconsciousthatbehindthestiffimmobilityofhisdemeanour,someviolentemotionwasatwork.Itmighthavebeenfearoralertnessorexcitement-b.u.t.therewa.s.something.Thisman,shesaidtoherself,couldbedangerous.

Hesaidagain,andthistimehisvoicewasjustmildlycurious,"What'sthataboutthepolice?"

"Theyrangup,"saidMolly."Justnow.Tosaythey'resendingasergeantouthere."Shelookedtowardthewindow."ButIshouldn'tthinkhe'llevergethere,"shesaidhopefully.

"Whyaretheysendingthepolicehere?"Hetookastepnearertoher,butbeforeshecouldreplythedooropened,andGilescamein.

"Thisruddyc.o.ke'smorethanhalfstones,"hesaidangrily.Thenheaddedsharply,"Isanythingthematter?"

MajorMetcalfturnedtohim."Ihearthepolicearecomingouthere,"hesaid."Why?"

"Oh,that'sallright,"saidGiles."Noonecanevergetthroughinthis.Why,thedriftsarefivefeetdeep.Theroad'sallbankedup.n.o.bodywillgetheretoday."

Andatthatmomenttherecamedistinctlythreeloudtapsonthewindow.

Itstartledthemall.Foramomentortwotheydidnotlocatethesound.Itcamewiththeemphasisandmenaceof.a.ghostlywarning.Andthen,withacry,MollypointedtotheFrenchwindow.Amanwa.s.standingtheretappingonthepane,andthemysteryofhisarrivalwas.e.xplainedbythefactthatheworeskis.

Withanexclamation,Gilescrossedtheroom,fumbledwiththecatch,andthrewopentheFrenchwindow.

"Thankyou,sir,"saidthenewarrival.Hehadaslightlycommon,cheerfulvoiceandawell-bronzedface.

"DetectiveSergeantTrotter,"heannouncedhimself.

MrsBoylepeeredathimoverherknittingwithdisfavour.

"Youcan'tbeasergeant,"shesaiddisapprovingly."You'retooyoung."

Theyoungman,whowasindeedveryyoung,lookedaffrontedatthiscriticismandsaidinaslightlyannoyedtone,"I'mnotquiteasyoungasIlook,madam."