Three Blind Mice and Other Stories Part 2

"IntotheHarrowRoad,thatwas,anditdidn'tseemaswe'dcatchupwithhimthere,nottherate'ewasgoing,and,anyway,bythenitwasabitlate-itwasonlyalittlebook,notawalletoranythinglikethat-maybeitwasn'timportant.'Funnybloke,'Isays.'Hishatpulleddownoverhiseyes,andallb.u.t.tonedup-likeacrookonthepictures,'IsaystoBill,didn'tI,Bill?"

"That'swhatyousaid,"agreedBill.

"FunnyIshouldhavesaidthat,notthat.i.thoughtanythingatthetime.Justinahurrytogethome,that'swhat.i.thought,andIdidn'tblame'im.Not'arfcold,itwas!"

"Not'arf,"agreedBill.

"SoIsaystoBill,'Let's'avealookatthislittlebookandseeifit'simportant.'Well,sir,Itookalook.'Onlyacoupleofaddresses,'IsaystoBill.Seventy-FourCulverStreetandsomeblinkingmanor'ouse."

"Ritzy,"saidBillwithasnortofdisapproval.

Joecontinuedhistalewithacertaingustonowthathehadgotwoundup.

"'Seventy-FourCulverStreet,'IsaystoBill.'That'sjustroundthecornerfrom'ere.Whenweknockoff,we'lltakeitround'-andthenIseessomethingwrittenacrossthetopofthepage.'What'sthis?'IsaystoBill.Andhetakesitandreadsitout.'"Threeblindmice"-mustbeoff'isKnocker,'hesays-andjustatthatverymoment-yes,itwasthatverymoment,sir,we'earssomewomanyelling,'Murder!'acoupleofstreetsaway!"

Joepausedatthisartisticclimax.

"Didn'thalfyell,didshe?"heresumed."'Here,'IsaystoBill,'younipalong.'Andbyandbyhecomesbackandsaysthere'sabigcrowdandthepolicearethereandsomewoman'shadherthroatcutorbeenstrangledandthatwasthelandladywhofoundher,yellingforthepolice.'Wherewasit?'Isaystohim.'InCulverStreet,'hesays.'Whatnumber?'Iasks,andhesayshedidn'trightlynotice."

Billcoughedandshuffledhisfeetwithth.e.s.h.eepishairofonewhohasnotdonehimselfjustice.

"SoIsays,'We'llniparoundandmakesure,'andwhenwefindsit'snumberseventy-fourwetalkeditover,and'Maybe,'Billsays,'theaddressinthenotebook'sgotnothingtodowithit,'andIsaysasmaybeithas,and,anyway,afterwe'vetalkeditoverandheardthepolicewanttointerviewamanwholeftthe'ouseaboutthattime,well,wecomealong'ereandaskifwecanseethegentlemanwho'shandlingthecase,andI'msureI'opeaswearen'twastingyourtime."

"Youactedveryproperly,"saidParminterapprovingly."You'vebroughtthenotebookwithyou?Thankyou.Now-"

Hisquestionsbecamebriskandprofessional.Hegotplaces,times,dates-theonlythinghedidnotgetwasadescriptionofthemanwhohaddroppedthenotebook.Insteadhegotthesamedescriptionashehadalreadygotfromahystericallandlady,thedescriptionofahatpulleddownovertheeyes,ab.u.t.toned-upcoat,am.u.f.flerswathedroundthelowerpartofaface,avoicethatwasonlyawhisper,glovedhands.

Whenthemenhadgoneheremainedstaringdownatthelittlebooklyingopenonhistable.Presentlyitwouldgototheappropriatedepartmenttoseewhatevidence,ifany,offingerprintsitmightreveal.Butnowhisattentionwasheldbythetwoaddressesandbythelineofsmallhandwritingalongthetopofthepage.

Heturnedhisheada.s.sergeantKanecameintotheroom.

"Comehere,Kane.Lookatthis."

Kanestoodbehindhimandletoutalowwhistleashereadout,"'ThreeBlindMice!'Well,I'mdashed!"

"Yes."Parminteropenedadrawerandtookoutahalfsheetofnotepaperwhichhelaidbesidethenotebookonhisdesk.Ithadbeenfoundpinnedcarefullytothemurderedwoman.

Onitwaswritten,Thisisthefirst.Belowwasachildishdrawingofthreemiceandabarofmusic.

Kanewhistledthetunesoftly.ThreeBlindMice,Seehowtheyrun- "That'sit,allright.That'sthesignaturetune."

"Crazy,isn't.i.t,sir?"

"Yes."Parminterfrowned."Theidentificationofthewomanisquitecertain?"

"Yes,sir.Here'sthereportfromthefingerprintsdepartment.MrsLyon,a.s.shecalledherself,wasreallyMaureenGregg.ShewasreleasedfromHollowaytwomonthsagooncompletionofhersentence."

Parmintersaidthoughtfully,"ShewenttoSeventy-FourCulverStreetcallingherselfMaureenLyon.Sheoccasionallydrankabitandshehadbeenknowntobringamanhomewithheronceortwice.Shedisplayednofearofanythingoranyone.There'snoreasontobelieveshethoughtherselfinanydanger.Thismanringsthebell,asksforher,andistoldbythelandladytogouptothesecondfloor.Shecan'tdescribehim,saysonlythathewasofmediumheightandseemedtohaveabadcoldandlosthisvoice.Shewentbackagaintothebas.e.m.e.ntandheardnothingofasuspiciousnature.Shedidnothearthemangoout.Tenminutesorsolatershetookteatoherlodgeranddiscoveredherstrangled."

"Thiswasn'tacasualmurder,Kane.Itwascarefullyplanned."

Hepausedandthenaddedabruptly,"IwonderhowmanyhousesthereareinEnglandcalledMonkswellManor?"

"Theremightbeonlyone,sir."

"Thatwouldprobablybetoomuchluck.Butgetonwithit.There'snotimetolose."

Thesergeant'seyerestedappreciativelyontwoentriesinthenotebook-74CulverStreet;MonkswellManor.Hesaid,"Soyouthink-"

Parmintersaidswiftly,"Yes.Don'tyou?"

"Couldbe.MonkswellManor-nowwhere-Doyouknow,sir,IcouldswearI'veseenthatnamequitelately."

"Where?"

"That'swhatI'mtryingtoremember.Waitaminute-Newspaper-Times.Backpage.Waitaminute-Hotelsandboarding-houses-Halfasec,sir-it'sanoldone.Iwasdoingthecrossword."

Hehurriedoutoftheroomandreturnedintriumph,"Hereyouare,sir,look."

Theinspectorfollowedthepointingfinger.

"MonkswellManor,Harpleden,Berks."Hedrewthetelephonetowardhim."GetmetheBerkshireCountypolice."

WiththearrivalofMajorMetcalf,MonkswellManorsettledintoitsroutineasagoingconcern.MajorMetcalfwasneitherformidablelikeMrsBoyle,norerraticlikeChristopherWren.Hewasastolid,middle-agedmanofsprucemilitaryappearance,whohaddonemostofhisserviceinIndia.Heappearedsatisfiedwithhisroomanditsfurniture,andwhileheandMrsBoyledidnotactuallyfindmutualfriends,hehadknowncousinsoffriendsofhers-"theYorkshirebranch,"outinPoonah.Hisluggage,however,twoheavypigskincases,satisfiedevenGiles'ssuspiciousnature.

Truthtotell,MollyandGilesdidnothavemuchtimeforspeculatingabouttheirguests.Betweenthem,dinnerwascooked,served,eaten,andwashedupsatisfactorily.MajorMetcalfpraisedthecoffee,andGilesandMollyretiredtobed,tiredb.u.t.triumphant-toberousedabouttwointhemorningbythepersistentringingofabell.

"d.a.m.n,"saidGiles."It'sthefrontdoor.Whatonearth-"

"Hurryup,"saidMolly."Goandsee."

Castingareproachfulglanceather,Gileswrappedhisdressing-gownroundhimanddescendedthestairs.Mollyheardtheboltsbeingdrawnbackandamurmurofvoicesinthehall.Presently,drivenbycuriosity,shecreptoutofbedandwenttopeepfromthetopofthestairs.Inthehallbelow,Gileswasa.s.sistingabeardedstrangeroutofasnow-coveredovercoat.Fragmentsofconversationfloateduptoher.

"Brrr."Itwasanexplosiveforeignsound."MyfingersaresocoldIcannotfeelthem.Andmyfeet-"Astampingsoundwasheard.

"Comeinhere."Gilesthrewopenthelibrarydoor."It'swarm.You'dbetterwaitherewhileIgetaroomready."

"Iamindeedfortunate,"saidthestrangerpolitely.

Mollypeeredinquisitivelythroughthebanisters.ShesawanelderlymanwithasmallblackbeardandMephistopheleaneyebrows.Amanwh.o.m.ovedwithayoungandjauntystepinspiteofthegrayathistemples.

Gilesshutthelibrarydooronhimandcamequicklyupthestairs.Mollyrosefromhercrouchingposition.

"Whoisit?"shedemanded.

Gilesgrinned."Anotherguestfortheguesthouse.Caroverturnedinasnowdrift.Hegothimselfoutandwasmakinghiswayasbesthecould-it'sahowlingblizzardstill,listentoit-alongtheroadwhenhesawourboard.Hesaiditwaslikeananswertoprayer."

"Youthinkhe's-allright?"

"Darling,thisisn'tthesortofnightforahousebreakertobedoinghisrounds."

"He'saforeigner,isn'the?"

"Yes.Hisname'sParavicini.Isawhiswallet-Iratherthinkheshoweditonpurpose-simplycrammedwithnotes.Whichroomshallwegivehim?"

"Thegreenroom.It'salltidyandready.We'lljusthavetomakeupthebed."

"IsupposeI'llhavetolendhimpajamas.Allhisthingsareinthecar.Hesaidhehadtoclimboutthroughthewindow."

Mollyfetchedsheets,pillowcases,andtowels.

Astheyhurriedlymadethebedup,Gilessaid,"It'scomingdownthick.We'regoingtobesnowedup,Molly,completelycutoff.Ratherexcitinginaway,isn't.i.t?"

"Idon'tknow,"saidMollydoubtfully."DoyouthinkIcanmakesodabread,Giles?"

"Ofcourseyoucan.Youcanmakeanything,"saidherloyalhusband.

"I'venevertriedtomakebread.It'sthesortofthingonetakesforgranted.Itmaybeneworitmaybestalebut.i.t'sjustsomethingthebakerbrings.Butifwe'resnoweduptherewon'tbeabaker."

"Norabutcher,norapostman.Nonewspapers.Andprobablynotelephone."

"Justthewirelesstellinguswhattodo?"

"Atanyratewemakeourownelectriclight."

"Youmustruntheengineagaintomorrow.Andwemustkeepthecentralheatingwellstoked."

"Isupposeournextlotofc.o.kewon'tcomeinnow.We'reverylow."

"Oh,bother.Giles,Ifeelweareinforasimplyfrightfultime.HurryupandgetPara-whateverhisnameis.I'llgobacktobed."

MorningbroughtconfirmationofGiles'sforebodings.Snowwaspiledfivefeethigh,driftingupagainstthedoorsandwindows.Outsideitwa.s.stillsnowing.Theworldwaswhite,silent,and-insomesubtleway-menacing.

MrsBoylesatatbreakfast.Therewasnooneelseinthedining-room.Attheadjoiningtable,MajorMetcalf'splacehadbeenclearedaway.MrWren'stablewa.s.stilllaidforbreakfast.Oneearlyriser,presumably,andonelateone.MrsBoyleherselfknewdefinitelythattherewasonlyonepropertimeforbreakfast,nineo'clock.

MrsBoylehadfinishedherexcellentomeletteandwaschampingtoastbetweenherstrongwhiteteeth.Shewasinagrudgingandundecidedmood.MonkswellManorwasnotatallwhatshehadimagineditwouldbe.Shehadhopedforbridge,forfadedspinsterswhomshecouldimpresswithhersocialpositionandconnections,andtowhomshecouldhintattheimportanceandsecrecyofherwa.r.s.ervice.

TheendofthewarhadleftMrsBoylemarooned,asitwere,onadesertsh.o.r.e.Shehadalwaysbeenabusywoman,talkingfluentlyofefficiencyandorganization.Hervigoranddrivehadpreventedpeopleaskingwhethershewas,indeed,agoodorefficientorganizer.

Waractivitieshadsuitedherdowntotheground.Shehadbossedpeopleandbulliedpeopleandworriedheadsofdepartmentsand,togiveherherdue,hadatnotimesparedherself.Subservientwomenhadruntoandfro,terrifiedofherslightestfrown.Andnowallthatexcitinghustlinglifewasover.Shewasbackinprivatelife,andherformerprivatelifehadvanished.

Herhouse,whichhadbeenrequisitionedbythearmy,neededthoroughrepairingandredecoratingbeforeshecouldreturntoit,andthedifficultiesofdomestichelpmadeareturntoitimpracticableinanycase.Herfriendswerelargelyscatteredanddispersed.

Presently,nodoubt,shewouldfindherniche,butatthemoment.i.twasacaseofmarkingtime.Ahoteloraboarding-houseseemedtheanswer.AndshehadchosentocometoMonkswellManor.

Shelookedroundherdisparagingly.

Mostdishonest,shesaidtoherself,nottohavetoldmetheywereonlyjuststarting.

Shepushedherplatefartherawayfromher.Thefactthatherbreakfasthadbeenexcellentlycookedandserved,withgoodcoffeeandhomemademarmalade,inacuriouswayannoyedherstillmore.Ithaddeprivedherofalegitimatecauseofcomplaint.Herbed,too,hadbeencomfortable,withembroideredsheetsandasoftpillow.MrsBoylelikedcomfort,butshealsolikedtofindfault.Thelatterwas,perhaps,thestrongerpa.s.sionofthetwo.

Risingmajestically,MrsBoyleleftthedining-room,pa.s.singinthedoorwaythatveryextraordinaryyoungmanwiththeredhair.Hewaswearingthismorningacheckedtieofvirulentgreen-awoollentie.

Preposterous,saidMrsBoyletoherself.Quitepreposterous.

Thewayhelookedather,too,sidewaysoutofthosepaleeyesofhis-shedidn'tlikeit.Therewa.s.somethingupsetting-unusual-aboutthatfaintlymockingglance.

Unbalancedmentally,Ishouldn'twonder,saidMrsBoyletoherself.

Sheacknowledgedhisflamboyantbowwithaslightinclinationofherheadandmarchedintothebigdrawing-room.Comfortablechairshere,particularlythelargerose-coloredone.Shehadbettermakeitclearthatthatwastobeherchair.Shedepositedherknittingonitasaprecautionandwalkedoverandlaidahandontheradiators.a.s.shehadsuspected,theywereonlywarm,nothot.MrsBoyle'seyegleamedmilitantly.Shecouldhavesomethingtosayaboutthat.

Sheglancedoutofthewindow.Dreadfulweather-quitedreadful.Well,shewouldn'tstayherelong-notunlessmorepeoplecameandmadetheplaceamusing.

Somesnowslidofftheroofwithasoftwhooshingsound.MrsBoylejumped."No,"shesaidoutloud."Ishan'tstayherelong."

Somebodylaughed-afaint,highchuckle.Sheturnedherheadsharply.YoungWrenwa.s.standinginthedoorwaylookingatherwiththatcurious.e.xpressionofhis.

"No,"hesaid."Idon'tsupposeyouwill."

MajorMetcalfwashelpingGilestoshovelawaysnowfromthebackdoor.Hewasagoodworker,andGileswasquitevociferousinhis.e.xpressionsofgrat.i.tude.

"Goodexercise,"saidMajorMetcalf."Mustgetexerciseeveryday.Gottokeepfit,youknow."

Sothemajorwasanexercisefiend.Gileshadfearedasmuch.Itwentwithhisdemandforbreakfastathalfpastseven.

AsthoughreadingGiles'sthoughts,themajorsaid,"Verygoodofyourmissustocookmeanearlybreakfast.Nicetogetanew-laidegg,too."

Gileshadrisenhimselfbeforeseven,owingtotheexigenciesofhotel-keeping.HeandMollyhadhadboiledeggsandteaandhadsettoonthesitting-rooms.Everythingwa.s.spick-and-span.Gilescouldnothelpthinkingthatifhehadbeenaguestinhisownestablishment,nothingwouldhavedraggedhimoutofbedonamorningsuchasthisuntilthelastpossiblemoment.

Themajor,however,hadbeenupandbreakfasted,androamedaboutthehouse,apparentlyfullofenergyseekinganoutlet.

Well,thoughtGiles,there'splentyofsnowtoshovel.

Hethrewasidewaysglanceathiscompanion.Notaneasymantoplace,really.Hard-bitten,wellovermiddleage,somethingqueerlywatchfulabouttheeyes.Amanwhowasgivingnothingaway.GileswonderedwhyhehadcometoMonkswellManor.

Demobilized,probably,andnojobtogoto.

MrParavicinicamedownlate.Hehadcoffeeandapieceoftoast-afrugalContinentalbreakfast.

HesomewhatdisconcertedMollywhenshebrought.i.ttohimbyrisingtohisfeet,bowinginanexaggeratedmanner,andexclaiming,"Mycharminghostess?Iamright,amInot?"

Mollyadmittedrathershortlythathewasright.Shewasinnomoodforcomplimentsatthishour.

"Andwhy,"shesaid,a.s.shepiledcrockeryrecklesslyinthesink,"everybodyhastohavetheirbreakfastatadifferenttime-It'sabithard."

Sheslungtheplatesintotherackandhurriedupstairstodealwiththebeds.Shecouldexpectnoa.s.sistancefromGilesthismorning.Hehadtoclearawaytotheboilerhouseandtothehenhouse.

Mollydidthebedsattopspeedandadmittedlyinthemostslovenlymanner,smoothingsheetsandpullingthemupasfasta.s.shecould.