Chapter 20 Chapter 20

As night fell, the lights on the terrace were turned on.The guests were eating and talking and laughing, although not as loudly as they had been a day or two ago.The percussion band is still playing. But the dance was over early.Everyone yawned and went back to bed.The lights went out.It was dark and silent all around.Palme d'Or is fast asleep... "Evelyn Evelyn!" a gasped whisper. Evelyn Hillingdon sat up suddenly.Tim Kendall stood in the doorway.She looked at him in surprise. "Please, Evelyn, can you come here? It's Molly. There's something wrong with her. I don't know what happened to her either.I think she must have taken some medicine. "

Evelyn took swift, decisive action immediately. "Okay, Tim. I'll come. You go back and watch her and I'll be right there," Tim Kendall walked away.Evelyn got out of bed lightly, put on an evening coat, and looked at the other bed.Her husband didn't seem to wake up.He was lying on his back with his head tilted to one side, breathing steadily.Evelyn hesitated, still determined not to disturb him.She walked out the door and walked briskly across the hotel building to the Kendals' cabin.Catch up with Tim at the door. Molly lay on the bed.Her eyes were closed, and her breathing was obviously not normal.

Wen Fulin bent over and rolled up her eyelids, felt her pulse, and then looked at the small table beside the bed.There was a used glass on the table.Next to it was an empty medicine bottle.She picked it up. "That's her sleeping pills," Tim said. "But the bottle was half full yesterday, or the day before. I think she must have taken a lot." "Go get Dr. Graham," said Evelyn, "and wake up one of the cooks and tell him to make some strong coffee, as strong as possible. Quick!" Tim ran out, and just outside the door, she bumped into Edward Hillingdon.

"Oh, sorry, Edward." "What's the matter here?" Hillingdon asked hastily, "What's the matter?" "It's Molly. Evelyn's with her. I have to go to the doctor. I think I should go to the doctor first, but I—I can't make up my mind. I think Evelyn might understand better if No need, I called the doctor, Molly will be angry." With that said, he ran out.Edward Hillingdon looked behind him for a moment before entering the bedroom. "What's going on?" he said, "Is it serious?" "Oh, here you are, Edward. I was wondering if I'd wake you up. The silly boy is on his pills."

"Is it bad?" "I don't know how much medicine she took. It's hard to judge. If I rescue her quickly, I don't think it will be too serious. I ordered coffee for her. If I can give her a sip." "Why would she do that? You don't think—" He broke off. "What don't I think?" Evelyn asked. "Don't you think it's because the police are investigating—something like that?" "Certainly. It's frightening to a nervous man to have a love-hate relationship like that." "Molly has never been a nervous person."

"Yes, I remember...? He stopped again. "Actually," said Evelyn, "people don't know anything about other people." She added, "Not even the closest people." "It's too much. Evelyn—is it too much?" "I don't think so. When we think of other people, it's all about our own imagination." "I know you well," Edward said softly. "You think you understand." "No. I really know you," he said. "You know me too." Evelyn took one look at him, then turned her head to the bed, grabbed Molly by the shoulders, and shook her violently.

"We'll have to figure something out, but I think maybe we'll wait until Dr. Graham comes: Well, I think they're coming." "She's fine," Dr. Graham took a step back, wiped his forehead with a handkerchief, and breathed a sigh of relief. "Do you think she's all right?" Tim asked anxiously. "Yes, yes. Fortunately, we saved it early. Anyway, she didn't eat much. It'll be fine in a day or two.But you have to suffer for one or two days first. He picked up the empty medicine bottle and said, "Who prescribed this medicine for her?" "

"A doctor in New York. She wasn't sleeping well then." "That's right. I know doctors give it to their patients too lightly these days. There's no doctor teaching young women to count sheep, get up and eat a biscuit, or write a letter before going to bed when they can't sleep. Yes. Today everyone wants instant medicine. Sometimes I think it's unfortunate that doctors prescribe this medicine. It's good to put a pacifier in a crying baby, but you can't give him a lifetime. Learn to be patient." He said with a chuckle: "I bet, if you ask Miss Marple why she can't sleep, she will tell you that she counted the sheep at the gate." He turned to look He looked at Molly wriggling on the bed.Her eyes are now open.She looked at everyone with no interest and no recognition of anyone.Dr. Graham took her hand.

"Why, honey, what are you doing with yourself?" She blinked, but didn't answer. "Why are you doing this, Molly, why? Tell me why?" Tim took her other hand. Her eyes still didn't move.If her eyes rested on anyone, it was Evelyn Shillingden.There may still be some doubts in the line of sight, but it is not easy to see.Evelyn seemed to be answering her question. "It was Tim who called me," she said. Her eyes moved from Tim to Dr. Graham. "You don't mind now," said Dr. Graham, "but you must never do it again." "She didn't mean to," Tim said softly. "I know she didn't mean to. She just wanted to get some sleep. Maybe the pills didn't work at first and she took a few more. Didn't you, Mo Li?"

"You mean—you put it on purposely?" Tim said. Molly spoke. "Yes," she said. "But why, Molly, why?" Her eyelids loosened again, "I'm afraid." The voice was so low that it was almost inaudible. "Park? What are you afraid of?" Yet her eyes were closed. "Better leave her alone," said Dr. Graham, but Tim urged her: "What? The police? Because they're staring at you and asking you? I don't blame you. Who wouldn't be scared, but that's the way they are. Nobody's going to think you—" he said Got stuck.

"I'm going to sleep," said Molly. "It's the best thing for you," said Dr. Graham. He made his way to the door, the others following him. "She'll sleep," said Dr. Graham. "Is there anything I should remember to do?" Tim asked.He spoke with the timidity of a patient. "I can stay with her if you want." Evelyn said earnestly. "Oh, no, no. It's nothing," Tim said. Evelyn walked back to Molly's bedside. "Shall I stay with you, Molly?" Molly opened her eyes."No," she said, and after a pause, "Just Tim." Tim came back and sat on the edge of the bed. "Here I am, Molly," he said, taking her hand. "Sleep. I won't leave you." She sighed slightly and closed her eyes again. The doctor stopped outside the cabin, with the Hillingdons standing beside him. "Do you really think you don't need me to do anything?" Evelyn asked. "No need, you, Mrs. Hillingdon. She'd be better off with her husband now. But. Maybe tomorrow—her husband's got to take care of the hotel after all—" I think there should be someone with her. " "Do you think she'll—try again?" asked Shirringden. Dr. Graham touched his forehead in annoyance. "There is no certainty in such a thing. It stands to reason that it is extremely improbable. You have seen yourself that the treatment which brought her back to life was very unpleasant. Of course, there is no absolute certainty in such a thing." .She may have hidden some of that medicine somewhere else." "It never occurred to me that suicide would be associated with a girl like Molly," Hillingden said. Dr. Graham said coldly: "Usually people who talk about suicide all the time, and clamoring to commit suicide, don't do it. They just put on a show and vent." "Molly has always been very happy, and I thought maybe—" Evelyn hesitated—"I should tell you, Dr. Graham." She told him the details of her long conversation with Molly on the beach the night Victoria was killed.After hearing this, Dr. Graham's face was very dark. "It's a good thing you told me, Hillingdon. The signs are clear. She must be in some deep distress. Yes, I'll have to speak to her husband early in the morning." "I want to have a serious talk with you, Ken, about your wife." They're sitting in Tim's office.Evelyn Hillingdon was at Molly's bedside, and Lucky had promised to be 'on duty' (to use her own word) later.Miss Marple also said she would help.Poor Tim, having to look after the restaurant and keep an eye on his wife, has been dragged down really badly. "I don't get it," Tim said. "I don't get Molly more and more. She's changed. The whole person has changed. " "As far as I know, she's been having nightmares a lot these days, hasn't she?" "Yes, yes, she has been complaining to me for a long time." "How long has it been?" "Oh, I don't know. Probably - er, a month - maybe more. She - we - thought it was just a - er, nightmare. You know." "Yes, yes, I understand. But there seems to be more serious symptoms, and she seems to be afraid of someone. Did she mention it to you?" "Well, yes. She said once or twice--well, it seems someone followed her." "Oh! Keep an eye on her tail?" "Yes, she did use that word. She said her enemy came here with her." "Has she any enemies, Mr Kendall?" "No. Of course not." "Nothing happened in England? Before you were married?" "Oh, no. Nothing like that. It's just that she doesn't get along very well with the family. Her mother has a strong personality, and maybe it's not easy to get along with. But..." "Are there any signs of psychological instability in the family?" In a moment of impatience, Tim opened his mouth and closed it again.He pushed the pen on the table in front of him. The doctor said, "I have to remind you, Tim, that if this happens, you'd better tell me." "Well, yes, I'm sure there is. But it's nothing serious, and I think she's got an aunt or something, which is kind of weird. But it's all right. I mean, it happens to almost any family." "Oh, yes, yes, this is indeed common, and this is not something I want to remind you of, but it may indicate a tendency, that is, when you are under pressure, you may have a nervous breakdown or be prone to fantasy. " "I don't know that either," Tim said. "People don't tell people all about their family background, do they?" "No, no, of course not. Had she never had a boyfriend before—was she not engaged to someone else, and was she threatened, or threatened by jealousy? Something like that?" "I don't know. I don't think so. Molly did get engaged before I did. As far as I know, her parents were against it; but I think she was only showing rebellion when she took a fancy to the man. He suddenly squeezed out a half-smile and said: "You know that when you are young, if someone insists on controlling you, you will be more stubborn and rebellious to the end no matter who it is." " Dr. Graham also smiled, and said, "Oh, indeed, it's a common thing. We should not exclude friends that children like but we can't understand.Usually, children slowly forget.Whoever this man was, had he never threatened Molly? " "No, I know there must be no. Otherwise, she would have told me. She herself said that she was immature at the time, and she just worshiped him blindly, mainly because of his bad reputation." "Oh, yes, yes. It's not a serious matter. Well, there is one more thing. It seems that your wife has described herself as having dizziness and forgetfulness. For a short time, she Can't remember my own actions at all. This, you know, Tim?" "No," Tim said slowly, "I don't know. She never told me. Now that you mention it, I think I do notice that she seems to be lost sometimes..." He Stopped, thought for a while and said: "Yes, that's right. I didn't understand how she couldn't even remember simple things; sometimes she didn't even know the time. I thought, I I also thought she was just forgetful." "We've been talking for a long time, Tim, and I just want to seriously advise you to take your wife to see a specialist." Tim blushed with anger. "I take it you mean a psychiatrist?" "Well, come on, don't get mad at names. Be it a psychiatrist or a psychoanalyst, just go find someone who specializes in what people call neurasthenia. There's a very good one in Kingston. .In New York, of course. There must be a reason for what your wife is suffering mentally anyway. Go see a doctor for her, Tim. The sooner the better." After patting the young man on the shoulder, he stood up. "There is nothing to worry about at present. Your wife has many good friends, and we will all look after her." "She won't—you think she won't try again?" "Extremely unlikely to me," said Dr. Graham. "That's not for sure," Tim said. "There's no certainty," said Dr. Graham. "That's the first thing to remember in our profession." He put his hand on Tim's shoulder again and said, "Don't worry too much." "Easy to say," Tim murmured after the doctor walked out of the room. "Don't worry, really! Does he think I'm a wooden man?"