beasts and super-beasts(野兽与超级野兽)-第24章
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！
matters； but I had to go through her papers。〃
〃That would be a fairly heavy task in itself。 I should imagine there
were reams of family letters。〃
〃Stacks of them； and most of them highly uninteresting。 There was
one packet； however； which I thought might repay a careful perusal。 It
was a bundle of correspondence from her brother Peter。〃
〃The Canon of tragic memory；〃 said Lulworth。
〃Exactly； of tragic memory； as you say； a tragedy that has never been
fathomed。〃
〃Probably the simplest explanation was the correct one；〃 said Sir
Lulworth； 〃he slipped on the stone staircase and fractured his skull in
falling。〃
Egbert shook his head。 〃The medical evidence all went to prove
that the blow on the head was struck by some one coming up behind him。
A wound caused by violent contact with the steps could not possibly
have been inflicted at that angle of the skull。 They experimented with
a dummy figure falling in every conceivable position。〃
〃But the motive？〃 exclaimed Sir Lulworth； 〃no one had any interest
in doing away with him； and the number of people who destroy Canons
of the Established Church for the mere fun of killing must be extremely
limited。 Of course there are individuals of weak mental balance who
do that sort of thing； but they seldom conceal their handiwork； they are
more generally inclined to parade it。〃
〃His cook was under suspicion；〃 said Egbert shortly。
〃I know he was；〃 said Sir Lulworth； 〃simply because he was about
the only person on the premises at the time of the tragedy。 But could
73
… Page 74…
BEASTS AND SUPER…BEASTS
anything be sillier than trying to fasten a charge of murder on to
Sebastien？ He had nothing to gain； in fact； a good deal to lose； from
the death of his employer。 The Canon was paying him quite as good
wages as I was able to offer him when I took him over into my service。
I have since raised them to something a little more in accordance with
his real worth； but at the time he was glad to find a new place without
troubling about an increase of wages。 People were fighting rather shy
of him； and he had no friends in this country。 No； if anyone in the
world was interested in the prolonged life and unimpaired digestion of
the Canon it would certainly be Sebastien。〃
〃People don't always weigh the consequences of their rash acts；〃 said
Egbert； 〃otherwise there would be very few murders committed。
Sebastien is a man of hot temper。〃
〃He is a southerner；〃 admitted Sir Lulworth； 〃to be geographically
exact I believe he hails from the French slopes of the Pyrenees。 I took
that into consideration when he nearly killed the gardener's boy the other
day for bringing him a spurious substitute for sorrel。 One must
always make allowances for origin and locality and early environment；
‘Tell me your longitude and I'll know what latitude to allow you；' is my
motto。〃
〃There； you see；〃 said Egbert； 〃he nearly killed the gardener's boy。〃
〃My dear Egbert； between nearly killing a gardener's boy and
altogether killing a Canon there is a wide difference。 No doubt you
have often felt a temporary desire to kill a gardener's boy； you have
never given way to it； and I respect you for your self…control。 But I
don't suppose you have ever wanted to kill an octogenarian Canon。
Besides； as far as we know； there had never been any quarrel or
disagreement between the two men。 The evidence at the inquest
brought that out very clearly。〃
〃Ah！〃 said Egbert； with the air of a man coming at last into a
deferred inheritance of conversational importance； 〃that is precisely
what I want to speak to you about。〃
He pushed away his coffee cup and drew a pocket…book from his
inner breast…pocket。 From the depths of the pocket…book he produced
74
… Page 75…
BEASTS AND SUPER…BEASTS
an envelope； and from the envelope he extracted a letter； closely written
in a small； neat handwriting。
〃One of the Canon's numerous letters to Aunt Adelaide；〃 he
explained； 〃written a few days before his death。 Her memory was
already failing when she received it； and I daresay she forgot the
contents as soon as she had read it； otherwise； in the light of what
subsequently happened； we should have heard something of this letter
before now。 If it had been produced at the inquest I fancy it would
have made some difference in the course of affairs。 The evidence； as
you remarked just now； choked off suspicion against Sebastien by
disclosing an utter absence of anything that could be considered a
motive or provocation for the crime； if crime there was。〃
〃Oh； read the letter；〃 said Sir Lulworth impatiently。
〃It's a long rambling affair； like most of his letters in his later years；〃
said Egbert。 〃I'll read the part that bears immediately on the mystery。
〃 'I very much fear I shall have to get rid of Sebastien。 He cooks
divinely； but he has the temper of a fiend or an anthropoid ape； and I am
really in bodily fear of him。 We had a dispute the other day as to the
correct sort of lunch to be served on Ash Wednesday； and I got so
irritated and annoyed at his conceit and obstinacy that at last I threw a
cupful of coffee in his face and called him at the same time an impudent
jackanapes。 Very little of the coffee went actually in his face； but I
have never seen a human being show such deplorable lack of self…
control。 I laughed at the threat of killing me that he spluttered out in
his rage； and thought the whole thing would blow over； but I have
several times since caught him scowling and muttering in a highly
unpleasant fashion； and lately I have fancied that he was dogging my
footsteps about the grounds； particularly when I walk of an evening in
the Italian Garden。'
〃It was on the steps in the Italian Garden that the body was found；〃
commented Egbert； and resumed reading。
〃 'I daresay the danger is imaginary； but I shall feel more at ease
when he has quitted my service。' 〃
Egbert paused for a moment at the conclusion of the extract； then； as
75
… Page 76…
BEASTS AND SUPER…BEASTS
his uncle made no remark； he adde
