Chapter 12 Chapter 3 Debate

At 7:30 the next morning, Stevens showered and changed into clean clothes.At this time, he heard a hesitant knock on the door, and walked downstairs again. He stood leaning on the banister, and suddenly his tongue got stuck, and he didn't want to answer the door.If it had been Mary who had knocked, he did not know what to say to her, although he had a story ready for the night.The lights downstairs were still on, and the living room was still filled with smoke from last night.He couldn't sleep at all last night, so he didn't sleep all night.His head hurts a little, and his mind is not very clear.He was troubled by the same thing all night, and he didn't have a chance to say what he was ready for. His current state is really not suitable for seeing guests.Even the corridors look slightly unfamiliar.The morning light was blocked by the cold white mist, and only the cold morning mist could be seen from the window.The only source of warmth in the room came from the kitchen, and he turned on the coffee machine, which was beeping.

He went into the kitchen and carefully unplugged the coffee machine.Morning coffee has a pleasant aroma.Then he went to answer the door. "I'm sorry," the voice of the visitor didn't sound familiar, and his heart sank again, "I think—" Standing at the door was a strong woman in a long blue coat.Although she was hesitant, she could see that she was hiding a trace of anger.She looks a little familiar.The woman wore a small blue hat, the brim of which seemed to have been pulled down.She's not pretty, but she looks smart and has some charm.She had bright brown eyes with not very long flaxen lashes.She looks (or she is) direct, breezy and competent.

"I don't know if you remember me, Mr. Stevens," she went on, "but I saw you a few times at the Despard's. I found your lights on, so—I'm Maya Colbert, Mr. Miles Despard's nurse." "Oh, God, yes! Of course! Come in, please." "You see," she said, twisting her hat again, and glancing in the direction of the manor, "something seems amiss. Someone brought me a letter last night telling me to hurry back—" Then she hesitated again.Stevens knew, another damn telegram. "—but I was taking care of a patient, and I didn't hear about it until I got home an hour or so ago. And then, for one reason or another," even more furiously—"I figured I'd get back as soon as possible. But When I got back to the manor, there was no one. I kept knocking on the door, but there was no answer. I didn't know what happened, so I saw the lights in your house and thought, can I come in and wait for them to come back ?”

"Welcome. Come in." He stood aside, looking across the road.In the hazy white mist, a car could be vaguely seen heading up the hill with its lights on.The car suddenly changed direction, slowed down and stopped on the side of the road. "Hey, hey!" Hearing the voice, there was no doubt that it was Ogden Despard. The car door slammed shut, and Ogden's slender body came out of the mist.He was wearing a light-coloured camel-hair coat with dress trouser legs peeking out from under it.OGorden was one of those oddballs in many families, he was like no one.He was dark, smartly dressed, with thin cheeks and a beard.He looked like he needed a shave, but his hair was brushed so shiny it looked like a helmet.His eyes are wrinkled, his complexion is sallow, and his pores are clearly visible.His dark, bushy-lashed eyes looked from the nurse to Stevens with amusement.Although he was only twenty-five (and often pretended to be younger), he looked older than Mark.

"Good morning," he said, putting his hands in his pockets. "The fun-seekers are back, hello everyone! What are you doing? Tryst?" That's the kind of bullshit O'Gorden likes to say.He's not an abomination, but it's hard to feel at ease when you're with him.Stevens especially didn't want to touch him this morning.He led Miss Colbert into the corridor, followed by Ogorden, and closed the door. "It's a mess," Stevens told the nurse. "I've been working all night. But I made coffee. Would you like a cup?" "That's wonderful," said Miss Colbert, trembling suddenly.

"Coffee!" said Ogorden, with a snort of contempt. "How can you serve a man returning from a dinner party with coffee? I don't know if you have any alcohol in the house—" "I've got whiskey in my study," Stevens said. "Go and pour it yourself." He caught the nurse and Ogorden eyeing each other suspiciously, without speaking.An awkward tension began to fill the air.Miss Colbert entered the drawing room sullenly.Stevens took out the coffee pot from the dining room and went into the kitchen to rustle for a cup.At this moment Ogden came in with a half glass of whiskey, humming, and his eyes were alert.He opened the refrigerator door for a ginger ale and exchanged pleasantries with Stevens.

"So our Maya," he said, "has also received a telegram from Yingcha, telling her to come back quickly. Same as me." Stevens said nothing. "I got it last night," O'Gorden continued, "but the party was in full swing and I didn't want to be interrupted. I'm glad the police have a lead, though. What everyone knows can be put on the table Come up." He took out the ice box, knocked on the edge of the sink, then carefully picked up an ice cube and put it into the wine, as cautiously as if doing a plumb level experiment, "By the way, I know you helped me last night. Mark opened the crypt."

"Why do you think so?" "I'm not a fool." "No, that's not what I meant." Ogden put down his wine glass, his thin face looked distorted. "Then you are," he asked in a low voice, "what do you mean?" "Listen," Stevens said, turning around, "I'm in a bad mood right now, and I'm tempted to throw you on the china cabinet. Or anyone else who's going to mess with me. But, for our own safety, Better not start fighting at 7:30 in the morning. Can you pass me the cream in the fridge?" Ogorden laughed. "I'm sorry. But I don't understand why you're so bothered—I'd know what you guys did last night. It was an instinct. When I was looking for whiskey, I found Mark's own roll in your study." cigarettes, and a drawing of a walkway in a crypt, apparently by Mark. Oh, yes, every detail can’t escape my eyes. It’s useful. I know Mark’s always wanted to do this, and that’s what he did yesterday. The reason for sending us all out of the mansion late." His long face became sharp, and there was a bit of malice, "What did the police say when they found you guys prying open the sidewalk?"

"The police didn't come." "what?" "And, obviously, those telegrams weren't from the police at all." Ogorden bit his lower lip, looked at him sharply, and suddenly changed slightly: "Oh, I thought of that too. But--but--listen, Stevens. You'd better tell me the truth , or I will know when I go back to the mansion. I saw three cups in the study, which means there are three people in the room. Who is the third person?" "A doctor named Paddington." "Wow!" Ogden became thoughtful, with a hint of pleasure in his expression, "something has happened. You must be talking about the disqualified doctor. I thought he was staying in England well. If He finds out - but I'm sure I'll know. I'll just say, I've got it all under my control (that's OGorden's peculiarity, another annoying idiom), of course. Mark wants him to do something What, entrails or something. Well, you better tell me, what did you find?"

"Nothing was found." "Uh--" "I mean, we found nothing, literally nothing. The body wasn't in the crypt at all." OGorden retracted his neck, with a clear look of suspicion on his face.Stevens had never hated that face so much.After staring fixedly for a while, OGorden took out a small dish of applesauce from the refrigerator and pushed it to Stevens from the dining table. "You mean," he said, "that you gang of faithful friends and allies got together and found poor old Uncle Miles poisoned. Then you hid the body so no one else would find out. I Know what Mark thinks of the police. You want to hear my opinion?"

"No. What I've told you is the truth, and that's all.—I'll carry the glass over, and hold the door for me, please?" Ogorden was taken aback, but he was lost in thought and complied absently.Stevens could see his shrewd mind spinning, considering various details, before he cast a disturbing look at his host. He said, "By the way, where is Mary?" "She's--not up yet." "Strange," said Ogorden.Stevens knew in his heart that what Ogorden said might not mean anything, he just habitually made people uncomfortable, even if what he said were some ordinary things.Still, he felt a twinge of nervousness.Stevens walked into the living room first, carrying two glasses.Apparently having made up his mind, Ogden passed beside him and raised his glass to Miss Colbert. "I wanted to talk to you just now, honey," he said, "but the need for alcohol comes first. For health, cheers!" Stevens thought to himself: If he keeps using these damn clichés, I'd like to pour this hot cup of coffee over his head.Miss Colbert, hands folded in her lap, sat silently watching Ogorden, unmoved. "About the telegram," continued Ogorden, "you got it too?" "Why do you think I've got a telegram?" asked the nurse. "Do I have to explain it to everyone? Well, one more time. Because I got one too. Last night, as I just told this friend. But I was on the run from party to party. ,so--" "If you're going to a party from house to house," Miss Colbert asked pragmatically, "where does the telegram go to you?" OGorden narrowed his eyes.He seemed about to say a couple of witty sarcasms, torn between extinguishing or further stoking the other person's anger.But he wisely found that it would be futile. "You like to pick on me, don't you?" he asked. "When I transferred to the Caribou Club, the telegram was there waiting for me. No, I mean it, why don't we open the skylight You know, you'd better be honest, or I'll find out when I get back to the mansion. And don't keep it from Ted Stevens, he knows it all. Besides, it might be a good thing you're here. Maybe The evidence you have is very useful to the police, no one can tell about this kind of thing." "Thank you," said the nurse solemnly, "what evidence do I have?" "Of course it's about the evidence that Uncle Miles was poisoned." "How can you say that!" she exclaimed, spilling her coffee. "If you want to say anything, talk to the doctor. You have no reason to think—" She paused. Worried, but not suspicious. I wasn't home the night it happened, and I—" "And," interposed Ogorden, rising sharply, "you locked the door very carefully, so that if he had a sudden attack, no one could get in and get his medicine. So, in a sense, it was You killed your own patient. If that wasn't negligence, I don't know what is. It won't do your professional reputation any good if it gets out." All three knew that this was what the nurse was worried about, and Ogden guided her deftly. "Oh, I have to admit you have a reason for locking the door," he continued, "Uncle Miles is almost on the verge of recovery. And since someone once stole a bottle of deadly poison from your room - well , maybe you have a reason to prevent this from happening again. But you didn't suspect it? I know Baker is an old man, I think he is getting old, but he didn't suspect it at all? Saturday, your room A bottle of poison was dropped in the house. On the Wednesday night of the second week, Uncle Miles died. Quite a coincidence, if you ask me." OGorden looked contented, and it was obvious that his purpose of doing this was not so much to explore the facts, but to make trouble.The nurse also realized this, and her face sank again. "You seem to know more than anyone else," she said wearily, "so I should tell you that if something was stolen, it wouldn't kill anyone; besides, it wouldn't kill Mr. Despard. That symptom." "Oh, I don't think so. So it wasn't the arsenic that was stolen, was it?" She didn't answer. "Besides, you must know who did it—" Miss Colbert carefully placed the coffee cup on the table.Stevens has been particularly sensitive to changes in the wind since this morning, and he knows that this question has deep meaning.He noticed that the nurse was looking around the room for some reason, at the stairs, as if waiting or listening.If Ogden hadn't been there, she would have spoken long ago. "I don't know who it is," the nurse said calmly. O'Gorden coaxed: "Come on, you'd better tell me the truth. It'll do your conscience good, and I can see—" "You've been using the rhetoric too much, haven't you?" Stevens asked curtly. "For God's sake, there's something in the way you talk and act. You're not a cop. Actually, you don't care about your uncle at all." What happened to—” OGorden turned around, smiling warily. "That makes me wonder, what have you got to cover up?" he asked. "I'm sure you're hiding something. You haven't been your usual happy self this morning. Maybe it's just because of Uncle Miles' dead body." Lost lied to me. Maybe not. I reserve my opinion." The nurse stood up, and Ogden turned his gaze: "Aren't you going to leave? Are you? Let me drive you there." "No, thank you." The atmosphere became more tense.O'Gorden was still watching the other two, like a swordsman watching his opponent.His neck was tucked into the collar of his turned-up camel-hair coat, and that skeptical smile was on his long face.He said he didn't seem welcome, thanked Stevens for the whiskey, said it wasn't too bad in all fairness, and left.It wasn't until the front door closed that the nurse followed Stevens into the hallway.Then she put her hand on the latter's arm and spoke quickly. "The real reason I'm here," she said, "is to talk to you. I know it's not important, but I warn you—" The front door swung open and OGorden leaned out through the opening. "Sorry," he said, grinning like a wolf, "but I still feel like you're having a tryst. It's too bad your wife's still sleeping upstairs. Is she really there? I noticed your car Not in the garage. In order to maintain social morality, I decided to follow you to the mansion." "Get out," Stevens said calmly. OGorden sensibly complied, though his countenance remained unchanged.But he still didn't forget to make trouble, drove the car very slowly, and followed them to the manor.The fog dissipated a little, and the visibility was less than a dozen feet. Fences, bushes, and street lights all suddenly appeared from the fog, and the manor was deadly silent.Suddenly, the sound of knocking on the door knocker of the mansion resounded in the dense fog, piercing the silent air, the knocking sound disappeared, and suddenly it sounded again.In such thick fog, the sound was unpleasant. "My God!" said Ogorden suddenly, "you don't think they—" Something strange came into Ogorden's mind, and Stevens couldn't figure it out at all.However, at such a slow speed, he almost hit the pillar beside the driveway.In front of the gate of the mansion, there was a sturdy man with a briefcase in his hand, and while he was beating on the door, he was standing with his left and right feet switched.After everyone approached, he turned around and looked at the visitor suspiciously.The man was neatly dressed in a blue-black coat and a gray bonnet.The brim of the hat was turned down to reveal humorous eyes, gray eyebrows and a wide jaw.His face certainly looked younger than his age, for the sides of his hair were graying a bit.His manner was mild, almost contemptuous. "Any of you live here?" he asked. "I know I'm early, but no one seems to be home." He paused and said, "My name is Brennan, and I'm from the police headquarters." Ogden whistled twice and calmed down a little, but Stevens could feel him suddenly on the defensive. Well, well, well.I think they all went to bed late yesterday, so they overslept.It's okay, I have the key.Here I live, Ogden Despard.Detective, what did you want to talk to us this morning? " I'm the captain," Brennan said, looking at Ogorden, who seemed to have no problem with anyone this morning, "I want you to talk to my brother, Mr. Despard.if--" The front door swung open, and Brennan's hand, reaching out to knock, dropped in the air.Despite the little cinders falling from the blackened chimneys, the hallways of the mansion looked even more bleak and gloomy than the foggy porches.Paddington was fully dressed, his face was shaved red, and he stood at the door and looked at the crowd. What's the matter? he asked. The police captain cleared his throat: "My name is Brennan, and I'm from the police headquarters." At this moment, Stevens can finally be sure that the world is crazy.Paddington's face was ashen, and he put his hand on the door frame.If he didn't, he seemed to be on his knees.