Chapter 14 Chapter Fourteen

"Listen," Toby blurted out sincerely, "I'm so sorry." "yes?" "I mean, let you know about it." "Oh. Aren't you afraid the bank will hear about it too?" Toby thought about it. "No, it's okay," he reassured.He glanced back at her, and a strong sense of relief flashed across his face. "Listen, isn't that what you're worried about?" "Maybe." "Don't worry. Nothing will happen, I assure you," Toby said earnestly. "Of course I've thought about it. But as long as you don't get involved in a public scandal, nothing will happen. That's it." : Avoid public scandal. Just do that, and your private life is your own." He looked around. "For example, old Dufour, that manager, used to go to Boulogne to see a prostitute. Listen Everyone in the office knows about it. Naturally, I also told you in private."

"That's natural." Toby blushed even more. "Eva, I like you," he blurted out, "I like your incredible understanding." "Oh?" "That's right," said Toby, averting her gaze, "look, this isn't something we're supposed to talk about. It's something I don't want to talk to any decent girl, let alone a nice girl like you. .But now that the barrier has been removed... well, that's it." "Yeah. The barrier is removed, isn't it?" "Most women throw tantrums. I'll be honest with you. You have no idea what it was like in here the first few weeks, even before my father passed away. As you may have noticed, I'm not at all the cheerful, happy me I used to be." The little shrew upstairs," Eva was taken aback, "I tell you, she is the most troublesome person in my life. You can't even imagine how I got through it."

"So," Eva asked slowly, "is that all you're going to tell me?" Toby blinked. "Everything I'm going to tell you?" Eva Nair now has a taste of what is called decent decency.But at the same time she was the daughter of old Joe Neil of the Lumhaltenell factory in Lancashire.Like Old Joe herself, there were some things she could endure endlessly, while others she would never yield. Sitting in Miss Prue's chair, she looked at the contents of the room as if through a mist.She saw the back of Toby's head reflected in the mirror over the fireplace, with a patch of sixpence in the bushy hair.Somehow, the back of the head ended up igniting her anger.

Eva stood up abruptly. "You don't know," she said, "how fucking thick is your bloody skin?" Faced with this sudden accusation, Toby seemed to be unable to believe his ears for a second. "You don't know," said Eva, "how ridiculous it is that you preach to me every day, pretending to be a pure and perfect knight, talking about your ideals, your creed, and since you know me, you still don't know me. Have you always made this girl feel hopeful?" Toby was terrified. "No, Eva!" he said, "No!" He began to scan the room rapidly and anxiously, as if half expecting Mr. Dufour, the bank manager, to be in front of him.

"Yes, that is!" said Eva, "stop talking nonsense!" "I never expected to hear you say something like that." "In that case! How about some action?" "Well, what action?" Toby asked. "So you can 'forgive and forget' what I've done, can't you? I should fully believe you can, you... you hypocritical Uriah Heep! A small character in the novel, and later became synonymous with hypocrisy) What about your ideal? Are you still that innocent young man with a pure and noble creed?" Toby wasn't just restless; he was thrilled with surprise.He squinted at her in a myopic way, like his mother. "But that's a completely different thing," he argued, sounding startled, as if explaining something obvious to a child.

"Really?" "Yes, that is!" "How is it different?" Toby struggled with words, as if he had been asked to explain the interstellar system, or the structure of the universe, in twelve monosyllable words. "My dear Eva! Men sometimes have... well, impulses." "Then you think a woman can't be impulsive?" "Ah?" Toby said, "So, you admit it?" "Admit what?" "Finally, you're having an affair with the villain Atwood." "I never said anything like that! I mean a woman..." "Oh, no," said Toby, shaking his head, as if he had some dark secret from God. "A decent woman wouldn't. That's the difference I'm talking about. If she's impulsive, she's not a good woman; she doesn't deserve to be idealized. That's why I'm so surprised by you, Eva.

"Would you mind if I made it clearer, Eva? I would never hurt you. You know that. But I, honestly, can't help but say what's on my mind. Tonight I seem to be using a kind of Seeing you with new eyes. To me..." Eva didn't interrupt him. She watched him with detachment standing so close to the fire; the calf fabric of his gray suit was already scorched and smoking; in a second or two, if he changed his position, the place It will burn him hard.Yet this did not disturb her. The conversation was still interrupted by Miss Prue, she knocked on the door hastily, flew in, ran to the table, and apologized anxiously. "I—my cotton thread," she explained, "I've got to find another ball." Miss Prue began to rummage in the work-basket, and Toby, aching from the burnt cloth on his calf, jumped up. stand up.Eva looked at him ecstatically. "My dear Toby," continued Miss Prue, "and ladies. May I ask you not to shout so loudly? We have a good reputation here, and it will disturb the neighbors."

"Did we yell?" "You're yelling and yelling. I can't understand because I don't know English. But it doesn't look good." She found a ball of red cotton thread and held it up to the lamp. "I hope you don't have any disagreements about compensation--do you?" "No," Eva said, "we do." "Miss?" "I don't want to buy your love from you," said Eva.In this way, Toby was completely exposed.To be fair, Toby is just as irritated by this aspect as Eva herself. "But I can make you an offer," continued old Jo Nell's daughter, "if you will persuade your sister Yvette to admit that she locked me up on the night Sir Maurice Lawes was murdered. outside my house, then I will give you double compensation."

Prue's face became a little pale, and the lips with pink lipstick and eyes with thick black eyelashes stood out. "I don't know what my sister did!" "Don't you know, for example, that she wants me to be arrested? Perhaps in the hope that Mr. Laws will marry you?" "Ma'am!" Prue yelled. (Eva thinks, obviously, she doesn't know.) "Don't worry about arrests," Toby yelled. "They're bluffing, not really trying to do it." "Oh, don't they really want to do it? Half a dozen of them came to my house and tried to take me to jail. I ran out of the house and came here to avoid them."

Toby tugged at his collar.Although Eva spoke in English, a terrified Prue certainly got the gist of the conversation.She checked another ball of cotton thread, then threw it on the table. "The police are coming here?" "That wouldn't surprise me either," Eva responded. With trembling fingers, Prue rummaged through the sewing basket, found out everything in it, checked one by one, and dumped them all on the table.There are more balls of cotton thread.A board of pins.A pair of scissors.There's also a quirky shoehorn, a measuring tape, and a hairnet with a hoop. "Your sister," said Eva, "has a stubborn idea in her head. I never thought it was you."

"Thank you, ma'am!" "But it doesn't work. It doesn't work at all. Mr. Laws has no intention of marrying you. He must have told you himself. Besides, I am in a very dangerous situation. Your sister can help me clarify." "I don't understand what you're talking about. Yvette thinks I'm stupid and she won't tell me anything!" "Come on!" Eva tried desperately to convince her. "Your sister must have known all about what happened that night. She could tell them Mr. Atwood was in my room the whole time. Even if they didn't Trust Atwood and trust her. If she wants me arrested just because of your paranoia, then no doubt..." Eva got her emotions under control and stood up from her chair in agitation. Prue had almost emptied the sewing basket.Among the pins and balls of thread she tossed out in spite of her temper, there was a new discovery, which might or might not be a piece of cheap fake jewelry.An antique-style necklace of fine twisted metal wire alternately strung with two small gemstones, one square, crystal-like, and the other shimmering blue.The necklace coiled like a snake where Prue dropped it, and the light shone maliciously on it, making the gemstones shine brightly. "Where did you," said Eva, "find that necklace?" Prue raised an eyebrow. "The necklace? It's worthless, ma'am." "It is worthless?" "Yes, ma'am." "Diamonds, and turquoise." Eva picked up one end of the necklace and waved it at the lamp. "It's Madame Lamballe's necklace! Unless I'm completely crazy, the last time I saw this necklace was in Father Rolls's collection. Just after entering the study, next to the antique cabinet to the left of the door." inside." "Diamonds and turquoises? Ma'am must be mistaken," Prue said sarcastically. "Do you doubt? Ask Madam to go to Mr. Vier's shop, just a few doors away, and ask him how much it is worth." money!" "Yeah," interposed Toby in a curious tone, "where did you get that, little one?" Prue looked from Eva to Toby. "Maybe I'm stupid, like my sister said." A scowl came over her confident face, "Maybe my idea is bad. Oh God, if I make a mistake, my sister will kill me You guys are trying to lie to me, I don't believe you. I won't answer any of your questions. In fact, I... I'm going to call my sister right now!" Prue hurried through these words in a threatening manner, and rushed out of the room with such speed that they could not stop them.They heard her pointy high heels click on the stairs behind the flower shop's back door.Eva threw the necklace on the table. "Toby, did you give it to her?" "My God, no!" "Are you sure?" "Of course I'm sure. Besides," Toby argued.He turned around suddenly, facing her in the mirror, "The necklace you mentioned is still there!" "Still...?" "Still in the antique cabinet to the left of the door. At least, it must have been there when I left the house an hour ago. I remember Janice calling my attention." "Toby," said Eva, "who ever wore brown gloves?" There are a few small rust spots on the mirror, and Toby's face looks a little unnatural in it. "When the police questioned me this afternoon," Eva said.Every nerve in her body was tense and uncontrollable. "I didn't tell the whole truth. Ned Atwood saw the man who killed your father. I almost saw it too. A man, wearing a pair of brown gloves, came into the study, broke the snuffbox, and Killed Papa Rolls. You know, maybe Ned wouldn't die. If he didn't," Toby's eyes flickered in the mirror, "he'd tell what he saw. I don't have much I can tell you, Toby. But at least I can tell you that whoever did it, it was a member of your dear, sweet family." "Bawdy lie," said Toby, but not loudly. "Really? You can think so if you want to." "You...what did your boyfriend see?" Eva told him. "You never said that to Glenn," Toby pointed out.He seemed to have difficulty speaking because of a dry throat. "Yes! Then you know why I don't say it?" "I can't tell. Unless you want to hide the swooning hug, with..." "Toby Laws, do you want me to come over and slap you in the face?" "I see. We're getting rude, aren't we?" "You mean rude?" Eva said. "Sorry." Toby closed his eyes, clutching the mantelpiece, "but you don't understand. Eva, it's too much for me. I'm telling you, I don't want my mother or my sister to be mentioned It's about this!" "Who mentioned your mother or your sister? I just told you that Ned could testify, and possibly Yvette Ladour. And I kept quiet about it like an idiot, because I couldn't bear to hurt you. You are such a noble young man, such a frank fellow..." Toby pointed to the ceiling. "Did you despise me because of her?" he pursued. "I didn't despise you for anything." "Jealous, huh?" Toby asked eagerly. Eva thought about it. "Funny, I don't think I'm jealous." She laughed. "If you could see your own face when I walked in. If the police didn't follow me and you didn't do anything to stop them, That was a real joke. And now we find out that this Miss Prue has a necklace that looks like..." The drapes separating the living room from the front shop were of thick brown chenille.A hand lifted the curtain.Eva saw a twisted smile—a wacky smile, as if the mouth wasn't supposed to grow on the face of the tall man in the old sweatshirt who took off his hat as he entered the living room. "Excuse me for interrupting," said Dermot Kinross, "but I was wondering if I could see that necklace?" Toby turned around. Dermot walked over to the table and put his hat on it.He picked up the blue and white gemstone necklace and held it up to the lamp.He twirled one by one with his fingers, then took a jeweler's magnifying glass from his pocket, placed it awkwardly over his right eye, and examined the necklace again. "Yes," he said, with a sigh of relief, "yes, it's fake." He dropped the necklace and put the magnifying glass back in his pocket.Eva said: "You're with the police! Don't they...?" "Following you? No," Dermot said with a slight smile. "Actually, I've come to the Harp Road to meet the art dealer Mr. Vier. I need an expert's point of view on this." He took something wrapped in tissue paper from his inner pocket.After opening it, holding one end, he showed another necklace with sparkling blue and white gemstones.At first sight—this one was exactly the same as the one on the table, so that Eva looked at one and then at the other. "This one," explained Dermot, pointing to the exhibits in the tissue paper, "is Lady Lamballe's necklace, which was in the collection of Sir Maurice Lawes. It was found thrown under a cabinet after the crime. on the floor, do you remember?" "So?" Eva said. "I want to know why. These are real diamonds and turquoise." He touched the necklace again. "Mr. Veer just confirmed it to me. But now, here's a second necklace: a synthetic gemstone." Imitation. You see, this leads to an inference..." He stared blankly at something, then nodded before waking up.He carefully wrapped the real necklace back in the tissue paper and put it back in his pocket. "Will you tell me," cried Toby, "what on earth are you doing here?" "Did I break into your house, sir?" "You know what I mean. Don't keep calling me 'sir' politely! It sounds like..." "what?" "Like you're making fun of me!" Dermot turned to Eva: "I saw you come in. Your taxi driver assured me that you were still here and that the front door was wide open. What I do want to tell you is, don't worry, the police don't Will come to arrest you. At least not yet." "But they went to my house!" "Yes, it's just their habit. From now on, you'll find them everywhere. But I can tell you privately that the person they most wanted to see was Yvette Latour, who welcomed them with great warmth. This If the old shrew doesn't teach her a lesson at this moment, I don't know what a French character is. . . . Hey, stand still!" "I... I'm fine." "Have you had dinner yet?" "No...no." "I don't think so. Gotta make it up. It's past eleven, but there are still a few on-demand restaurants. That's it. Our friend Glenn has had a slight change of heart since someone pointed out to him , someone in the Rouse family deliberately lied." Hearing the ominous words "Rouse's house", the whole atmosphere changed again.Toby took a step forward: "Are you also involved in this conspiracy?" "There was a plot, sir. By God, there was! But it's none of my business." "While you were listening at the door," Toby pointed out, emphasizing the word "listen," "didn't you hear anything? Anything else about the brown gloves?" "heard it." "Doesn't that surprise you?" "No, I'm not surprised." Toby breathed heavily, showing a genuine sadness to them.He touched the black gauze on his left sleeve with his fingers. "Listen," he said. "I'm not the type to make public housekeeping, and I think you'll admit that. But I'm asking you, I'm a reasonable person, are you disappointing me too much on this one?" Eva was about to speak. "Wait!" Toby insisted. "I admit...appearances are one thing. But to think that one of us killed my father is nonsense and sounds like a conspiracy. And she said it, you pay attention!" he pointed out. "A woman I trust and actually adore. I told her just now that I seem to be looking at her in a new light. My God, that's it! She'd better admit she's started talking to Atwood again. This guy is hanging out. She just loves it and stuff. I told her about it and she threw a fit and said nothing like the woman I'm going to marry. "Why did she talk like that? It's because of Prue the girl. Well! I admit it's wrong in a way. But a man makes a little mistake now and then, doesn't he? He doesn't take it seriously, I don’t want others to take it seriously.” Toby's voice rose: "That's nothing like a woman who's sworn to marriage. Even if she actually had nothing to do with this villain, Atwood, I'd give her reason for my doubts here, she made He came into her room: Didn't he? I'm a businessman with a good reputation. I can't bear to be told that my wife does such a thing, at least, after we've announced our engagement. Can't bear it, no matter how much I love her. I Thought she had changed her ways, and I trusted my own judgment at the time. But if that's what she did to me, I don't know if we should consider breaking off the engagement." Honest Toby pauses, feeling guilty because Eva is crying.It was pure anger and nervousness.But Toby didn't know. "Still, I love you very much," he added reassuringly. There was about ten seconds of absolute silence, you could even hear Miss Prue crying to herself upstairs, and Dermot Kinross stood holding his breath.If he didn't, he thought he might explode.In his mind, there is both wisdom and memories of the homicides he has experienced, and among them, there are sighs because of the pain and humiliation of the past. But he just put his hand firmly and firmly on Eva's arm. "Get out of here," he said gently, "you deserve better than this."