Chapter 21 Section 21

"Mushrooms, dangerous things!" said Mrs. Kidder, who had said that about ten times in the last few days, but Lucy said nothing. "I never touch that kind of thing myself," said Mrs. Kidder. "It's too dangerous, by the mercy of the Lord, but only one dies. The whole party may be gone; and you too, miss, you're dead." escape." "It's not the mushrooms," said Lucy, "the mushrooms are all right." "You can't trust that stuff," said Mrs. Kidder. "Mushrooms, that's a dangerous thing. If one of them is poisonous, it's over."

"Strange," said Mrs. Kidder, as she clattered and clattered the dishes in the sink, "it seems that misfortunes never come singly. My older sister got a rash; our Annie fell and broke her arm; my husband gave birth again. Boils. All within a week! You won't believe it. Don't you? It's the same here." Mrs. Kidder went on, "after the dreadful murder, and now Mr. Alfred People are poisoned to death with arsenic, I want to see who is next?" Lucy felt a little uneasy because she didn't know who was next. "My husband, he doesn't like me coming here now," said Mrs. Kidder. "He thinks it's unfortunate, but I think I've known Miss Crackenthorpe so long. She's a very nice lady." , and rely on my help. I said, I can't leave her to do everything alone. You have worked hard enough now, miss, to prepare so many dishes."

Lucy had to agree that most of her current life was taken up by cooking.Now she is loading dishes and preparing to send them to patients. "As for the nurses, they don't help at all," said Mrs. Kidder. "All they need is for you to prepare pots of strong tea and prepare meals. I'm exhausted. I'm exhausted." Show that she feels confident in her work.But in fact, apart from her routine work in the morning, she has very little to do. Lucy said gravely, "You never let yourself be idle." Mrs. Kidder looked very pleased, and Lucy took the first dish, and began to carry it upstairs.

"What's this?" said Mr. Crackenthorpe disapprovingly. "Beef gravy and brioche," said Lucy. "Take it," said Mr. Crackenthorpe. "I wouldn't touch that kind of stuff. I told the nurse I wanted a steak." "Dr. Quinpo said you shouldn't have steak yet," said Lucy. Mr. Crackenthorpe snorted angrily. "I'm actually well. I'm going to get up. How about the others?" "Mr. Harold is feeling better," said Lucy. "He's going back to London to-morrow." "Well gone," said Mr. Crackenthorpe. "Where's Cedric? Is there any hope of returning to his island to-morrow?"

"He's not ready to go yet." "I'm sorry, how is Emma? Why doesn't she come to see me?" "She's still in bed, Mr. Crackenthorpe." "Women are always pampered," said Mr. Crackenthorpe, "but you're a nice, healthy girl," he said appreciatively, "running about all day, aren't you?" "I get enough exercise every day," Lucy said. Old Mr. Crackenthorpe nodded. "You're a very good girl," he said. "Don't think I've forgotten what I said to you before. Someday you'll see what you want to see." Well, Emma won't stick to my own will forever, and don't listen to those other folks who think I'm a miserly old man, I'm careful with my money, and I've laid down a decent sum. Wait till the time Anyway, I know who I will use it on." He glanced at her with infinite affection.Lucy came out of the room fairly quickly so that he wouldn't take her hand.

The second plate of food was given to Emma. "Oh, thank you, Lucy. I'm really well now, and I'm hungry, and that's a good sign, isn't it, dear?" continued Emma, ​​as Lucy put the plate on her lap, "I feel very sorry for your aunt. I suppose you don't have time to visit her now?" "Yes, there really isn't time to see her." "I think she must miss you very much." "Oh, don't worry, Miss Crackenthorpe, she understands how hard we've been lately." "Did you call her?" "No, not recently."

"Then, call her. You have to call her every day. When the elderly get news from their loved ones, the situation is quite different." "You're very kind," said Lucy, feeling a bit of conscience as she went downstairs to fetch a tray.There were sick people in the house, and she devoted herself to serving them, leaving little time for other things.She decided that as soon as Cedric had finished her meal, she would call Miss Marple. There was only one nurse in the house now, and she met Lucy on the landing to say hello. Cedric looked unbelievably neat, sitting on the bed busy writing something on a stack of papers.

"Hello, Lucy," he said, "what bloody drink are you getting for me today? I want you to drive that nasty nurse away, she's so fake, she keeps calling me 'we' '.'How are we doing today? Did we sleep well last night? Oops! We were naughty, pushing the sheets off like that!'" He imitated the nurse's genteel accent in a falsetto. "You seem to be in high spirits," said Lucy. "What are you up to?" "Plan." Cedric said, "I'm making a plan to see what will happen to this place after the old man dies. You know, this land is very good. I can't decide to develop part of it myself or sell the whole lot. It would be very valuable if used industrially. This house is suitable for a nursing home, or a school. I'm not sure if I can sell half of the land and invest the money in the other half to do something amazing What do you think?"

"You haven't got it yet." Lucy said coldly, coldly. "I'll have it, though," said Cedric. "This estate isn't divided like other things. I can have it all, and if I get a good price, that's the principal, not the Get interest on time. So, I don't have to pay income tax, so I have money to spend as I like, and think about it!" "I always thought you despised money," said Lucy. "Of course I despise it when I've got no money," said Cedric. "That's the only way to look noble. Lucy, what a lovely girl you are! Or it's been a long time since I've seen a pretty girl?"

"I think that's why," said Lucy. "Are you still taking care of everything and taking care of everyone?" "It seems that someone has taken care of you." Lucy said, looking at him. "That's the damned nurse," said Cedric with disgust. "Have they held an inquest on the Alfred case? How's it going?" "It's been postponed," said Lucy. "The police are very smart, and this kind of group poisoning is scary, isn't it? I mean the psychological aspect, and I don't mean the more obvious aspects." He went on, "Miss, you'd better be careful."

"I will," said Lucy. "Is little Alexander going back to school?" "I think he's still with the Stoddard Wests now, and I think school starts the day after tomorrow." Lucy went to the telephone and called Miss Marple before she went to pick up her lunch. "I've been unable to see you lately, sorry. But I'm really busy." "Of course it's busy, dear, of course! And there's nothing we can do at the moment, we'll just have to wait." "Yes. But what are we waiting for?" "Now Esbeth McGillicuddy is coming home soon," said Miss Marple. "I wrote to her to fly back at once, and I said it was her duty. So don't worry too much, my dear." .” Her voice was kind and reassuring. "You don't think—" Lucy began, then stopped shortly. "Are there going to be more murders? Well, I hope not, my dear. But, no one knows, do they? I mean who knows when a man can be really vicious? I think, here is Something very nasty." "Or something crazy," said Lucy. "Of course, I know that's the modern way of thinking about everything, and I personally don't think so." Lucy hung up and went into the kitchen to get her plate of lunch, while Mrs Kidder had taken off her apron and was going back. "Miss, I hope, are you all right?" she asked worriedly. "Of course I'm fine." Lucy suddenly said impatiently. She took her plate of lunch and ate it not in the great gloomy dining room but in the little study, and was just finishing when Brian Easterly entered. "Hello," said Lucy, "this is quite unexpected." "I think so," Brian said. "How's everyone doing?" "Ah, much better. Harold is going back to London tomorrow." "What do you think all this is about? Is it really arsenic?" "It's arsenic, that's all right," said Lucy. "It hasn't been reported yet." "Yes, I think the police will keep it secret for the time being." "Somebody must have had a lot of hatred for this family," Bryan said. "Who could have sneaked in and tampered with the food?" "Actually, I think I'm the most likely person to do that." Brian looked at her worriedly and asked, "But you didn't do that, did you?" His voice sounded startled. "No, I haven't," said Lucy. It was impossible for anyone to tamper with the chicken curry, which she cooked in the kitchen alone and served on the table herself.The only person who could do anything was one of the five people who sat down to eat. "I mean, why would you do that?" Brian said. "They have nothing to do with you, do they?" He went on. "Oh, no, no, of course not, are you here to stay?" "Ah, I want to do this, I don't know if you will find it annoying?" "No, no, we're fine." "You know what? I don't have a job at the moment, and besides, I'm—tired of being alone, don't you really object?" "Well, in any case, I'm not one to object to your staying here. That's Emma." "Oh, Emma's all right," said Brian. "Emma's always been good to me, you know? That's the way she's been. She's got a lot of things on her mind. Actually, She is a somewhat unpredictable person. My dear Emma, ​​living here to serve the old man is beyond the reach of most people, but unfortunately she is not married. I think it is too late now." "I thought it wasn't too late," said Lucy. "Then—" Brian thought about it, "maybe a clergyman," he said hopefully, "she'd be useful among the parishioners, and must be very tactful with the Mothers' Society. I mean really As far as the Mothers' Society is concerned, isn't it? Not because I really know much about that group, but because we see it in books sometimes. And, she wears a hat to church on Sunday." "I don't think that sounds like a very enviable hope," said Lucy, standing up and taking her plate. "I'll get it," Brian said, taking the tray from her as well.They went into the kitchen together. "Can I help you do the dishes? I do like this kitchen," he went on, "actually, it's not really what people like at the moment. But, I like this house. Surprisingly interesting, perhaps, but you See, you can easily land a plane on the hunting ground here," he went on enthusiastically. He picked up a glass rag and began wiping the spoon and fork. "If it had gone to Cedric, it would seem to have gone to waste," said he. "The first thing he'd do is sell it, and then go abroad and spend all his money. I don't understand, in the There's nothing wrong with England. Harold wouldn't like the house. Of course it's too big for Emma. If it was for Alexander, I'd be happy living here with him. Of course Well, if only a woman lived in the house with me." He looked at Lucy thoughtfully. "Oh, what's the good of talking like that? If Alexander is going to get the house, they'll all have to die first. That's very unlikely, isn't it? But as far as I know the old man Saying that he's likely to live to be a hundred years old, it's going to upset everybody, and I don't think he's going to be very upset about Alfred's death, is he?" Lucy said bluntly, "Yes, not sad." "Damn old devil," said Brian Easterly briskly.