Chapter 10 Nightingale Villa

"Goodbye, my dear." "Goodbye, dear." Alix Martin leaned against the small garden gate and watched her husband shrink in size as he walked towards the village. After a while he turned the corner and was out of sight, but Alix remained in his original position, watching with a dazed expression. Alix Martin was not pretty, nor particularly pretty, but she had a cheerful, soft expression on her face.If her former friends saw this expression, they would not recognize her.Alix has been having a hard time.For fifteen years, from the age of eighteen to thirty-three, she had to fend for herself (another seven years in which she had to attend to her sick mother).She worked as a typist, and she worked neatly and efficiently.However, in the process of struggling for life, her youthful face was covered with weather.

Indeed, she had been in love once, and it was with her clerk, Dick Windiford.Although they are only good friends on the surface, Alex knows in his heart that he loves her.Dix worked hard, saving some money from his meager income to send his brother to a better school, before he could even think about marriage. Unexpectedly, the girl was suddenly liberated from the monotonous daily life.A cousin of hers died and left her all the money, thousands of pounds.Now Alix was free and had a better life, independent.Now she and Dick wouldn't have to wait long to get married. But Dick was acting differently.He had never confessed his love directly to her in the past, and now seemed even more reluctant to reveal his feelings.

He avoids her, taciturn and sullen.Alix quickly realized the truth of this.She was rich, and Dick was too proud to ask her to be his wife. She didn't dislike him for that aspect, and was indeed considering whether she should bring it up first.At this moment, the second unexpected thing happened. She met Gerald Martin at a friend's house.He fell passionately in love with her and proposed to her within a week.Alix, who always thought she was stable and sensible, was completely fascinated by him. Unexpectedly, this angered Dick Windiford.He talked to her, almost speechless with rage.

"To you, this man is a complete stranger! You don't know anything about him!" "I know I love him." "How do you know—only a week?" "Not everyone waits eleven years to find out they're in love with a girl," cried Alex angrily. His face turned pale. "I've loved you since I've known you. I thought you had the same affection for me." Alix told the truth. "I thought so too," she admits, "but that's because I don't know what true love is." Then Dick cried out again, first begging, then threatening--threatening the man who had taken his place.Alix was shocked, not expecting this man to be so angry, and she had always thought she knew him well.

On this sunny morning, she was leaning against the door of the villa while recalling the scene of that meeting.She has been married for a month and is extremely happy.Yet she was often troubled, and cast a shadow over her perfect happiness.Since she got married, she had had the same dream three times.The dream environment of each dream is different, but the main plot that happens in the dream is the same.She dreamed that her husband was lying dead, and that Dick Windyford stood looking down at him, and she knew very well that Dick had beaten him to death. If this thing is terrible, then there are more terrible things, although it seems to be natural and expected in the dream.She, Alex Martin, rejoiced at her husband's death; she extended her hands gratefully to the murderer, and sometimes thanked him.That's how dreams always ended: she was thrown into Dick Windiford's arms.

She never mentioned the dream to her husband, but was very distressed in private.Was it a warning--warning her to beware of Dick Windiford? The telephone rang sharply in the room, and Alex woke up from her contemplation.She went into the room and picked up the receiver.Suddenly, she felt dizzy and stretched out a hand to support the wall. "Who do you say you are?" "Why, Alex, what's the matter with your voice? I can hardly tell it's you. I'm Dick." "Oh!" said Alix, "oh! you—where are you?" "I'm at the Travelers' House--that's the name, isn't it? You don't know there's such a hotel in your village? I'm on vacation and fishing here. I'll see you two this evening after supper, You don't object, do you?"

"No," said Alix sharply, "you can't come." There was a pause, and then Dick's voice came, but something strange. "I'm sorry," he said politely, "of course I don't want to bother you—" Alix interrupted him hastily.He must have thought her reaction was queer.Strange indeed, she must be in a bad mood. "I'm just saying we—we're going out tonight," she explained, trying to keep her voice natural. "Will you—how about coming to dinner to-morrow evening?" But Dick could hear that she was not very enthusiastic.

"Thank you very much," he said, still politely, "but I don't know when I'm leaving. I'm waiting for a friend. Good-bye, Alex." He paused, and then said hastily in the tone of an old friend: "Happiness to you, dear." Alix hung up the phone, relieved. "He can't come here," she said to herself, "he can't come here. Oh, what a fool I am to be in this place! But even so, I'm relieved if he doesn't come." She picked up an old country hat from the table, went to the garden again, stopped, and looked up at the name engraved on the stone of the front door: Nightingale Cottage.

"That's a very nice name, isn't it?" she had said to Gerald once before they were married.he laughed. "You're a very interesting little girl," he said tenderly. "I don't believe you've ever heard a nightingale. I'm glad you haven't. Nightingales are only supposed to sing for lovers. On summer evenings we'll be together in our house." They will be heard singing outside." Alix stood at the door of the house, laughing when she remembered that they did hear the nightingale afterward. Nightingale Cottage was discovered by Gerald.He was so excited to come and tell her that he had found the perfect house--the perfect place to be.Alix also liked it after seeing it.The location is out of the way - two miles from the nearest village - but the villa itself is lovely.It has a beautiful appearance, a comfortable bathroom with hot water supply, electric lights, and a telephone. Alix took a fancy to it at a glance.But they were disappointed for a while.Gerald found that although the original owner was rich, he refused to rent it out.He is only willing to sell.

Gerald had a lot of money, but most of it was invested and could not be withdrawn.At most he could scrape together a thousand pounds, and the seller wanted three thousand.Alix took a fancy to this villa and helped out.She took half of the money to buy the house.Therefore, the Nightingale Villa belonged to them, and Alix didn't regret it at all afterwards.Of course, the servants don't like being in such a remote country-they don't have anyone at the moment, but Alix, who has never done housework, likes to be a cook and housekeeper very much.There were many beautiful flowers in the garden, which were tended by an old man in the village who came twice a week.

When she came round the corner of the house, she did not expect to see the old gardener busy making flower beds.She didn't think of it, because he came to work on Mondays and Fridays, and today was Wednesday. "Why, George, what are you doing here?" she asked, walking up to him. "I know you'll find it strange, miss. Here's the thing: there's a country flower show in the district this Friday. I don't think Mr. Martin and his wonderful wife would mind if I come on Wednesday and not on Friday. .” "That's all right," said Alix. "I hope you'll enjoy the exhibition." "I'd like to see it," said George briefly, "but before you go, I'd also like to ask you what you think of these flower beds. I don't think you know when you'll be back?" "But I'm not going to leave." George looked at her in surprise. "Aren't you going to London?" "No. How do you know?" George turned his head back. "I saw sir go to the village yesterday. He said you two were going to London to-morrow, and said he didn't know when you'd be back." "Nonsense," laughed Alix, "you must have misheard." That being said, she wondered what on earth Gerald had said, and how the old man had come up with such a strange misunderstanding.to London?She didn't want to go to London any more. "I hate London," she said suddenly bitterly. "Yeah!" said George calmly. "I must be mistaken, but I seem to remember him saying so. I'm glad you're here. I don't approve of walking around, not at all." I like London. I don't need to go to London. The trouble now is that there are too many cars. People have a car and they don't seem to be able to go anywhere. Mr. Amis who lived in this house used to be a stable Steady gentleman, then he bought a car. In less than a month, he was going to sell the villa. He spent a lot of money on lights and so on. I said to him 'the money will never come back Well,' said he, 'but I'll sell it for two thousand pounds.' And he got two thousand pounds." "He got three thousand." Alix said with a smile. "Two thousand," repeated George, "everybody was saying he wanted two thousand then." "It's really three thousand," said Alix. "Ladies don't know the money," said George stubbornly. "Do you mean that Mr. Amis asked you for three thousand pounds?" "He didn't ask for it from me," said Alix, "he asked it from my husband." George bent down and went back to his flower beds. "The price is two thousand." He said with certainty. Alix didn't want to argue with him.She walked to a farther flower bed and began to pick a bouquet of flowers. As she approached the house, she saw something dark green among the leaves of a flower bed.She stopped to pick it up and saw it was her husband's diary. She opened the diary and flipped through it quickly with interest.Almost from the day of her marriage to Gerald, she had discovered that although he was lively and cheerful, he also had the virtue of method.He asks to have meals on time, and he always arranges carefully what he does every day. She flipped through the diary and saw that it was very interesting to see that on April 14th it was written "2:30, married to Alex, St. Peter's Church".Alix smiled and scrolled down again.Suddenly, she stopped. "'Wednesday, June 18th'—that's today." For the rest of the day, Gerald wrote "nine o'clock in the afternoon" in neat, precise letters, and nothing else.What is Gerald planning to do at nine o'clock in the afternoon?Alix didn't understand.She smiled to herself at the thought that if something like this happened to her in the novels she used to read, she would find some unpleasant surprise in her diary.There must be another woman's name in it.She flipped over casually.On it were dates, appointments, brief business notes, but only one woman's name—her own. She stuffed the notebook into her pocket and went back to the house with the flowers, but she felt a little uneasy.She remembered Dick Windiford's words as if he repeated them right next to her: "This man is a complete stranger to you. You know nothing about him." This is the truth.What did she know about him?Gerald was, after all, a man of forty.During forty years, there must have been women in his life... Alix shook her head impatiently.She shouldn't be thinking about it, she has more important things to do.Should she have told her husband that Dick Windiford had called? It was likely that Gerald had already met him in the village.But if he had, he would tell her when he got back.Then it would be safe to tell him about the call.Haven't you met?Alix resolved not to say a word. If she had told him he would have asked Dick Windyford to come to Nightingale Cottage.She had to explain then that Dick had asked if he could come and she had made excuses for not calling him.If he asked her why she didn't call him, what would she say?Tell him about the dream?He'd just laugh--or, if it didn't go well, he'd say she took it so seriously and he didn't care. In the end, although she was a little guilty, she made up her mind not to mention a word.This was the first secret she had not revealed to her husband, and she felt uneasy. At supper she heard Gerald returning from the village, and she hastened to the kitchen, pretending to be busy with cooking, to conceal her confusion. Alix saw at once that Gerald had not met Dick Windiford.She was relieved, but still a little anxious, because she had to try not to let Gerald know that Dick had called. They had simply eaten their supper and were sitting in the living room with the windows open to let in the fresh night air and the scent of flowers when Alix thought of the diary. "This is what you use to water the flowers," she said, throwing it to him. "I fell in a flower bed, didn't I?" "Yes, I know all your secrets now." "No shame," said Gerald, shaking his head. "What secret activity are you going to do at nine o'clock tonight?" "Oh! That—" He seemed to be stunned for a while, and then laughed, as if there was something particularly interesting. "Meeting a very pretty girl, Alix. She has brown hair and blue eyes, very much like you." "I don't understand," Alix said sternly. "You avoid the vital point." "No, I don't avoid it. In fact, it's a reminder to myself that I need to develop photos tonight and I need your help." Gerald Martin was very interested in photography and had a very good but rather old camera.He develops his photographs in the basement under the house, which he has specially furnished for developing them. "It has to be done at nine o'clock." Alix said with a smile. Gerald looked a little unhappy. "My dear girl," he said, slightly sullenly. "A person should set a time for doing things, so that things can be done quickly and well." Alix was silent for a minute or two, looking at her husband.He was lying in a chair and smoking, his swarthy head was thrown back, and the sharp outline of his face was reflected in the dark background.Alix felt a sudden fright, and unable to control herself, cried out: "Oh, Gerald, I wish I knew more about you!" Her husband looked at her in surprise. "But, my dear Alex, you know all about me. I have told you how I lived in Northumberland when I was a boy, how I lived in South Africa, and Getting rich in Canada in the last ten years." "Hmph! Business!" said Alix contemptuously. "I know what you mean--love. You women are all alike, only interested in your private life." Alix spoke less securely, her throat felt dry: "Well, but must have been - been in love - if I knew -" There was another minute or two of silence.Gerald Martin looked worried and indecisive.When he spoke again, his tone was very serious, not as relaxed and lively as before. "Alex, do you think you know too much? Yes, I've met other women in my past life. I won't deny it, and you won't believe me when I say no. But I can swear to you, To be honest, among these women, none is as important to me as you are." There was such sincerity in his tone that Alix was relieved. "Are you satisfied, Alix?" he asked with a smile, and then he looked at her curiously. "Why do you bring up such unpleasant things this evening in particular?" Alix stood up and paced up and down the room. "Ah, I don't know," she said. "I don't know why, but I feel uncomfortable all day." "That's strange," said Gerald softly, as if talking to himself. "It's weird." "Why is it strange?" "Oh, my dear girl, don't talk to me like that. I blame it because you're always so jovial." Alix had to laugh. "Everything annoys me today," she said truthfully. "Even old George said oddly that we were going to London, and he said you told him." "Where did you see him?" asked Gerald sharply. "He won't come on Friday, but today." "That old fool," said Gerald angrily. Alix looked at him in surprise.Her husband's face was disfigured with anger, and she had never seen him like this.Seeing her shock, Gerald restrained himself as best he could. "I said he was an old fool," he complained. "What did you tell him that he would think so?" "Me? I didn't say anything. At least—oh, yes, I remember; I said 'to London in the morning' half-jokingly, and he probably believed it. Maybe he didn't catch it. You must have Correct him?" He waited eagerly for her answer. "Of course, but the thoughts in the heart of an old man like him are not easy to correct." Then she told him how much the villa had cost, and George was sure of it. Gerald was silent for a while, then said: "Amis wants two thousand pounds in cash immediately, and there is another thousand that can be divided into several installments and paid within a few months. I guess this is the source of the mistake." "Probably." Alex agreed. She looked up at the clock, smiled and pointed. "We've got to do it, Gerald. It's five past nine." A very strange smile came over Gerald Martin's face. "I've changed my mind," he said calmly, "I won't wash tonight." A woman's brain is a strange thing.When Alix went to bed that Wednesday night, her mind was calm and her heart was content.Although her happiness has experienced a temporary shock, she still feels as happy as ever. But by the evening of the second day, she felt the shock again.Dick Windiford didn't call again, but she felt what she was thinking was the effect of what he said.She seemed to hear him say over and over again: "This man is a complete stranger to you. You don't know anything about him." Then recalling her husband's face, he said, "Alex, you think you know too much." How about more?" When he said this.Why did he say this?This sentence contains a warning.It's like saying "You'd better not ask about my past life, Alex. You'd be freaked out if you found out." By Friday morning, Alex was convinced that there was another woman in Gerald's life, and that he was carefully keeping it from her.The jealousy she had slowly developed was now stronger. Was he going to see a woman at nine o'clock that night?Did he lie when he said he wanted to develop the photos? Three days before she could have sworn that she knew her husband thoroughly, and now he seemed a stranger to whom she knew nothing.She thought of his inexplicable anger towards old George, which was so different from his usual calm demeanor.It might be a small thing, but it showed that she didn't really know what her husband was like. On Friday afternoon, Alix needed to run some small errands in the village.She said she was going shopping, and Gerald remained in the garden, but he did his best to oppose her going, saying that he would go himself, and she stay at home.Alix was compelled to obey, but his firmness both surprised and worried her.Why was he so eager to prevent her from going to the village? Suddenly an explanation occurred to her, which solved the whole mystery.Was it possible, though he said nothing, that he had indeed seen Dick Windiford?Her jealousy arose after the marriage, and the same might have happened to Gerald.He might have been anxious to prevent her seeing Dick Windiford again.This explanation is very in line with the actual situation, Alix calmed down her anxiety, and readily accepted this explanation. When tea time came, she felt uneasy again.She had been struggling with it since Gerald had gone.She thought repeatedly that it was time for her to tidy up Gerald's house, and at last she went upstairs.She took a rag and acted like a good housekeeper. "I wish I could be sure," she said to herself, "I wish I could be sure." She believed that Gerald had destroyed everything that had been associated with women in his past life.But her desire to find out for herself grew stronger and stronger, and finally she couldn't control herself.Though deeply guilty, she eagerly searched for letters, papers, drawers, and even her husband's pockets.Only two drawers could not be opened, the one under the dresser and the small one on the right-hand side of the writing desk, and they were both locked, but Alix could not care less about her guilt now.She believed she would find in one of them something haunting about the imaginary woman from her past. She remembered Gerald's keys lying carelessly on the table downstairs, and she tried them one by one.The third key unlocked the desk drawer.With great joy she opened a drawer, and there was a cheque-book, some money, and a bunch of letters in the top, tied with a ribbon. Alix untied the ribbon nervously, and then flushed, put the letter back in the drawer, closed it, and locked it again.It turned out to be her own letter, written to Gerald Martin before her marriage. So, she went to open the shelf of the dressing table.She didn't expect to find what she was looking for, but since she found it, she didn't want to miss anything. She was annoyed that none of Gerald's keys could open this drawer.But now Alix will not rest.She ran to other rooms and brought all the keys, and finally found that the key that opened the cabinet in the empty room could also open the drawer of the dresser.She opened the lower drawer and pulled it out. There was nothing but a roll of old and dirty newspaper clippings. Alix breathed easily again.But she took a quick look at the clippings, curious to see what it was that interested Gerald so much to keep.Almost all of them were American newspapers seven years ago reporting on the trial of Charles Lemantry.Charles Lemantry was suspected of marrying for murder.Human bones were found under the floor of one of the houses he rented, and most of the women he had "married" were missing. Leman Terry defended himself in court at the time with the utmost skill and with the help of some of the best lawyers in the country.The court could not prove his main charge, murder, but found him for some lesser crimes and imprisoned him. Alex remembered the sensation the case had caused, and the sensation caused by Lemantry's escape three years later.The British newspapers described in detail the character of the man and his extraordinary charm for women, and when they reported his impassioned speeches and deeds in court, they mentioned that he had occasional illnesses due to a bad heart. There was a newspaper clipping of a photograph of him, and Alix examined it carefully.A thoughtful, bearded gentleman. Who did this face remind her of?To her sudden surprise it was Gerald himself.The eyes are exactly like his.Maybe that's why he kept the volume of clippings.She started reading the caption next to the photo.It appears that Lemantry kept some dates in his notebook which the papers suggested were the dates on which the woman was murdered.During interrogation a woman pointed out that Lemantry had an old scar on the inner wrist of his left hand. Alix dropped the newspaper and reached out for support.There was an old scar on the inner wrist of her husband's left hand. The room seemed to spin before her eyes.Gerald Martin is Charles Lemantry!Suddenly she realized.All kinds of things that are not unrelated suddenly fit together like details in a riddle. It was her money — and only hers — that bought the house.Even her dreams had meaning.In the back of her mind, though she didn't realize it, she had always been afraid of Gerald Martin.Eager to escape him, she unconsciously sought Dick Windyford's help.That's why she understood the truth all at once without the slightest doubt or hesitation.Lemantry was also planning to murder her.Maybe soon... She remembered something and almost cried out.Wednesday at nine o'clock.The basement is paved with stone slabs, is it not easy to dig up the stone slabs?He had murdered a woman in the past and buried her in this way afterwards.He planned to do it on Wednesday night.But he wrote down the date and time in the notebook, isn't that crazy?No, Gerald had always kept business dealings in his notebook; for him killing was a form of business. But what saved her life?What could have saved her life?He let her go at the last minute?Won't.She suddenly realized that the answer was——Old George. She understood now why her husband was so furious.No doubt he was making preparations for going to London the next day by spreading the word to everyone he met.It had not occurred to him that George would come to work.George mentioned to her about going to London, and she denied it.If old George should say what they said, it would be risky to do it that night!But how dangerous it is!If she hadn't mentioned the little thing at the time - Alix shuddered. She had no time to delay.She had to get away at once—before he came back.She quickly put back the roll of clippings, closed the drawer, and locked it. Then she was as still as a stone, and she heard the door opening on the side of the road, and her husband came back. For a moment Alix stood as if frozen, then she crept to the window and peered down from behind the curtain. Yes, her husband is back.He smiled and sang a little tune.He held something in his hand, and the girl was so frightened that her heart almost stopped beating.It's a shovel. Alix understood right away.He intends tonight... However, there is one more chance.Gerald went around the back of the house humming a ditty. Without hesitation for a moment, she ran down the stairs and out of the villa.But as soon as she was out of the gate, her husband came from the other side of the house. "Well," said he, "where are you going in such a hurry?" Alix struggled with restraint to compose herself.I can't run away for a while, but there is still a chance, as long as she is careful, don't make him suspicious.Even now, maybe... "I was going to go to the other side of the road and come back," she said, her voice sounding weak and uncertain to her own ears. "Well," said Gerald, "I'll go with you." "No, you don't, Gerald. I don't feel very well--I'd better walk alone." He looked at her with concern, and she seemed to see a trace of doubt flashing in his eyes. "What is the matter with you, Alix? You are pale and trembling." "It's nothing," she forced a smile, building up her confidence, "it's just a headache. It'll be fine after a walk." "Then you can't say you don't want me to accompany you," Gerald said with a smile, "whether you want it or not, I will accompany you for a walk." She dare not object, if he suspects that she knows... She tried to regain her composure, but she was uneasy, and felt that he looked at her coldly from time to time, as if his suspicion had not been completely dispelled. When they got home, he waited on her to lie down, caring for her like a considerate husband.Alix fell into a trap as if feeling tied hand and foot, in a desperate situation. He never left her for a moment.He went with her into the kitchen and helped her with the simple cold dishes she had prepared.She knew she was fighting for her life now.She was all alone with this man, and the rescuers were miles away, all at his mercy.Her only hope was not to make him suspicious, and he would leave her long enough to run down the hall and call for help.It was the only hope in front of her. A gleam of hope flashed through her mind as she remembered how he had abandoned his plans the last time.She was on the point of telling him that Dick Windiford was coming to see them that evening, but it was useless to say so.This person will not abandon the plan a second time.There was a determination in his steady demeanor that worried her.He'd kill her right away, then call Dick Windiford calmly to say they'd been called away on a last-minute business.Oh!If only Dick Windyford came to-night!If it were Dick... an idea came to her suddenly.She glanced sideways at him, as if afraid that he might know what she was thinking.Now that she has a sense in her heart, she has confidence.She's completely back to normal. She made the coffee and took it outside, where they always drank it in the evening when the weather was fine. "Oh, yes," said Gerald suddenly, "we'll develop the pictures later." Alix seemed to have run cold in her blood, but she simply replied, "Can you do it alone? I'm tired tonight." "It won't be long," he said with a laugh. "I promise you won't be tired after developing the photos." He seemed very pleased when he said it.Alix closed her eyes, she had to get to her plan now. She stood up. "I was just trying to call the butcher," she said calmly. "You don't need to get up." "For the butcher? Still calling at this late hour?" "Yes, it's closed, dear. But he's home now. To-morrow is Saturday, and I forgot to ask him to bring me some meat for the weekend. He's a nice old man, he'll do anything for me." .” She quickly ran into the house and closed the door behind her.She heard Gerald say "Don't close the door," and she replied cheerfully: "Are you worried that I'm in love with a butcher, my dear?" As soon as she was inside, she picked up the receiver and asked for the number of the Travelers' House.Connected right away. "Mr. Windyford? Is he still here? May I speak to him?" Her heart beat faster.Her husband opened the door and stepped into the hall. "Go away, Gerald," she said angrily, "I hate people listening to me on the phone." He just smiled and sat down. Alix is ​​desperate, her plan fails.Dick Windyford will be on the phone shortly.Should she take the risk and ask him for help? Anxiously, she pressed the small button on the receiver in her hand, and immediately came up with another idea.When you press the key, the other party cannot hear the voice, but when you release it, you can hear it. "It's hard to get hold of," she thought to herself. "I must be calm, think through my words, and never hesitate for a moment. I believe I can do it, and I must do it." Just then, she heard Dick Windiford answering the phone. Alix took a deep breath.Then she let go of the key and spoke. "I'm Mrs. Martin - Nightingale Cottage. Please come (she presses the key) tomorrow morning with a piece of beef for two (she releases the key again). Very important (presses the key). Thank you You, Mr. Hacksocket; I'm sorry to call you so late, but this meat is really a matter of life and death (she presses the key). Well - tomorrow morning (let go), the sooner the better." She put the receiver back and turned to look at her husband. "Is that how you talk to the butcher?" said Gerald. "It's a woman's voice," said Alix. She was shaking with excitement.He didn't suspect anything.Dick would come even if he didn't understand. She went into the living room and turned on the light.Gerald followed her. "You seem to be in a high mood right now," he said, looking at her curiously. "Yes," said Alix, "the headache is gone." She took her place and smiled at her husband as he took his own.She was saved, it was only twenty-five past eight, and Dick would be here before nine. "I don't like the coffee you make me," complained Gerald. "It's too bitter." "It's a new variety I want to try. If you don't like it, we'll just not use it next time, honey." Alix took up sewing.Gerald read a few pages.So he looked at the clock and put the book down. "Eight-thirty. It's time, let's go to work." The needlework slipped from between Alix's fingers. "Ah, not yet. Wait until nine o'clock." "No, my girl, at eight-thirty. I have an eight-thirty. You can go to bed early." "I'd like to wait until nine o'clock." "You know what time I have, and I always keep it. Come on, Alex. I don't want to wait a minute." Alix looked up at him.His hands were shaking, his eyes were shining, and he was constantly moistening his parched lips with his tongue.He can't wait. 爱丽克丝想：“真的——他等不及了——像一个疯子。” 他走到她跟前，抓住她的肩头，把她拉起来。 “来吧，姑娘——否则我抱你下去。” 他话虽说得高兴，但语气里有一股子狠劲儿叫人害怕。她用力把他推开，自己背靠着墙。她没有办法了——她脱不了身——她无能为力——他正朝着她过来。 “来，爱丽克丝——” "no no." 她大声喊道，拼着命用手把他挡开。 “杰拉尔德——住手——我跟你说一件事，向你坦白——” 他果真住了手。 “坦白？”他好奇地问。 “是的，坦白。”她用这个词儿，没有经过很多的考虑，但她在绝望之中还是这么说，只希望吸引住他的注意力。 他脸上现出厌恶的神情：“想必是从前的情人吧？” “不，”爱丽克丝说，“别的事。我估计你会叫它——是的，你会管它叫犯罪。” 她马上发现自己说得对。他的注意力被吸引住了。她一意识到这一点，就恢复了勇气。她感到自己又能左右局面了。 “你最好坐下。”她平静地说。 她自己也走过去，坐在老位置上。她还弯下身去，捡起针线活儿。但是在她平静的表情背后，脑子里像发昏似的在编造故事，为的是引起他的兴趣，等救兵来到。 “我告诉过你，”她慢吞吞地说，“我做了十五年的打字员。这不完全是实话。我中断过两次。第一次是在我二十二岁那一年。我认识了一个男人，他上了年纪，有点钱财。他爱上了我，向我求婚。我接受了，我们结了婚。”她停了一下，又说：“我劝他说，为我着想，去办理人寿保险。” 她看到她丈夫脸上突然显出兴趣，就更有信心地往下说。 “我战争期间在医院里工作过一段时间。我在那里处理过各种各样稀有的毒品。” 毫无疑问，杰拉尔德听得很有兴趣。杀人犯必然对于杀人有兴趣。她碰一碰运气，结果成功了。她很快看了一眼钟：差二十五分九点。 “有一种毒药——细小的白粉——只要一丁点儿就能致人死命。你也许懂得毒药吧？” 她担心地提出这个问题。如果他懂行，她就得多加小心。 “不，”杰拉尔德说，“我懂得很少。” 她大大放心了。 “你当然听说过天仙子碱啰？我说的那种毒药，作用跟天仙子碱差不多，但是事后不会在人体里找到痕迹。医生会以为是心脏病。我偷了一点这种毒药，把它藏了起来。”她停了一下。 “说下去，”杰拉尔德说。 “不。我害怕。我不能告诉你。改时间再谈吧。” “现在说，”他性急地说，“我要听。” “我们结婚了一个月。我对年老的丈夫非常好。他在所有的邻居面前都夸我好。谁都知道我是一个贤妻。我每天晚上都给他煮咖啡。有一天晚上，只有我跟他两个人，我放了一点点毒药在他杯子里——” 爱丽克丝停住了，小心地理一理她的线。她一辈子没有演过戏，但是在这个时刻，她比得上世界最有名的女演员。她实际上已经进入残酷的放毒犯的角色。 “这种毒药很平和。我坐着瞧着他。他咳嗽了一下，说他要呼吸新鲜空气。我打开窗子。接着他说他站不起来了，结果他死了。” 她停下来笑了笑。九点差一刻，他们肯定马上就要来了。 “你从人寿保险里拿到多少钱？”杰拉尔德问道。 “大约两千镑。这钱我花得很不得当，都花光了。我回去当我的打字员，但是我不想干长。后来我遇到另外一个男人。这个男人不知道我以前结过婚。这个人年纪轻一些，长得挺好，他有一点钱。我们悄悄地在索塞克斯结了婚。他不想办人寿保险，但是如果他死了，他的钱当然归我所有。他跟我第一个丈夫一样，喜欢我亲自给他煮咖啡。” 爱丽克丝若有所思地笑了笑，只加了这么一句：“我咖啡煮得非常好。” 接着她往下说： “在我们住的那个村子里，我有几个朋友。我丈夫有一天吃完晚饭，突发心脏病死了，他们都替我非常难过。说真的，我不喜欢那个医生。现在看来他没有怀疑我，但是他对于我丈夫的突然死亡确实感到非常惊奇。这一回，我到手了四千镑，我把钱存起来了。接着你——” 但是她的话被打断了。杰拉尔德·马丁用一只手哆哆嗦嗦地指着她，另一只手捂着自己的喉咙。 “咖啡——就是这咖啡！” 她惊慌地看着他。 “我知道了，咖啡为什么这样苦。你这个魔鬼！你下了毒药。” 他用两只手抓住椅子的扶手，正准备向她扑来。爱丽克丝向后退去，退到火炉旁边。她又吓坏了。她张开嘴，正想把真相告诉他——又停住了。他马上会扑过来的。她准备使出全部力气。她稳住自己，镇定地看着他，“是的，”她说，“我已经给你下了毒药。毒药开始起作用了。现在你站不起来了——你站不起来——” 她要是能使他坐在那里不动——哪怕几分钟也好。 Oh!what is that?她听到路上有脚步声，听到开园门的声音，又传来外面小路上的脚步声，外屋的门开了。 “你起不来了。”她又说了一遍。 她从他身旁溜过去，冲出房间，晕倒在狄克·温迪福德的怀里。 “老天爷！爱丽克丝。”狄克喊道。 他扭过头去，跟同他一起来的人说话，这是一位身材高大的警察。 “你进去看看屋里发生了什么事儿。” 他小心地把爱丽克丝扶到一把椅子上坐下，低下身来看着她。 “我的小姑娘，”他轻轻地说。“我可怜的小姑娘。他把你怎么了？” 她的眼皮动了动，嘴里轻声地吐出他的名字。 警察回来，碰了碰狄克的胳膊。 “屋子里头没有什么，先生，就是有一个男人坐在椅子里。看来他好像受了某种极度的惊吓，而且——” "how?" “嗯，先生，他——死了。” 突然，他们听到爱丽克丝的声音。 “结果，”她像做梦似的说，“他死了。”