Tapemeasure Murder.docx
- 文档编号:26223594
- 上传时间:2023-06-17
- 格式:DOCX
- 页数:13
- 大小:24.56KB
Tapemeasure Murder.docx
《Tapemeasure Murder.docx》由会员分享,可在线阅读,更多相关《Tapemeasure Murder.docx(13页珍藏版)》请在冰豆网上搜索。
TapemeasureMurder
Tape-measureMurder
MissMarple'sFinalCases
Tape-MeasureMurder
MissPolitttookholdoftheknockerandrappedpolitelyonthecottagedoor.Afteradiscreetintervalsheknockedagain.Theparcelunderherleftarmshiftedalittleasshedidso,andshereadjustedit.InsidetheparcelwasMrs.Spenlow'snewgreenwinterdress,readyforfitting.FromMissPolitt'slefthanddangledabagofblacksilk,containingatapemeasure,apincushion,andalarge,practicalpairofscissors.
MissPolittwastallandgaunt,withasharpnose,pursedlips,andameagreiron-greyhair.Shehesitatedbeforeusingtheknockerforthethirdtime.Glancingdownthestreet,shesawafigurerapidlyapproaching.MissHartnell,jolly,weather-beaten,fifty-five,shoutedoutinherusualloudbassvoice,"Goodafternoon,MissPolitt!
"
Thedressmakeranswered,"Goodafternoon,MissHartnell."Hervoicewasexcessivelythinandgenteelinitsaccents.Shehadstartedlifeasalady'smaid."Excuseme,"shewenton,"butdoyouhappentoknowifbyanychanceMrs.Spenlowisn'tathome?
"
"Nottheleastidea,"saidMissHartnell.
"It'sratherawkward,yousee.IwastofitonMrs.Spenlow'snewdressthisafternoon.Three-thirty,shesaid."
MissHartnellconsultedherwristwatch."It'salittlepastthehalf-hournow."
"Yes.Ihaveknockedthreetimes,buttheredoesn'tseemtobeanyanswer,soIwaswonderingifperhapsMrs.Spenlowmighthavegoneoutandforgotten.Shedoesn'tforgetappointmentsasarule,andshewantsthedresstowearthedayaftertomorrow."
MissHartnellenteredthegateandwalkedupthepathtojoinMissPolittoutsidethedoorofLaburnamCottage.
"Whydoesn'tGladysanswerthedoor?
"shedemanded."Oh,no,ofcourse,it'sThursday-Gladys'sdayout.IexpectMrs.Spenlowhasfallenasleep.Idon'texpectyou'vemadeenoughnoisewiththisthing."
Seizingtheknocker,sheexecutedadeafeningrat-a-tat-tat,andinaddition,thumped
uponthepanelsofthedoor.Shealsocalledoutinastentorianvoice:
"Whatho,withinthere!
"
Therewasnoresponse.
MissPolittmurmured,"Oh,IthinkMrs.Spenlowmusthaveforgottenandgoneout.I'llcallroundsomeothertime."Shebeganedgingawaydownthepath.
"Nonsense,"saidMissHartnellfirmly."Shecan'thavegoneout.I'dhavemether.I'lljusttakealookthroughthewindowsandseeifIcanfindanysignsoflife."
Shelaughedinherusualheartymanner,toindicatethatitwasajoke,andappliedaperfunctoryglancetothenearestwindowpane-perfunctorybecausesheknewquitewellthatthefrontroomwasseldomused,Mr.andMrs.Spenlowpreferringthesmallbacksittingroom.
Perfunctoryasitwas,though,itsucceededinitsobject.MissHartnell,itistrue,sawnosignsoflife.Onthecontrary,shesaw,throughthewindow,Mrs.Spenlowlyingonthehearthrug-dead.
"Ofcourse,"saidMissHartnell,tellingthestoryafterward,"Imanagedtokeepmyhead.ThatPolittcreaturewouldn'thavehadtheleastideaofwhattodo.'Gottokeepourheads,'Isaidtoher.'YoustayhereandI'llgoforConstablePalk.'Shesaid
somethingaboutnotwantingtobeleft,butIpaidnoattentionatall.Onehastobefirmwiththatsortofperson.I'vealwaysfoundtheyenjoymakingafuss.SoIwasjustgoingoffwhen,atthatverymoment,Mr.Spenlowcameroundthecornerofthehouse."
HereMissHartnellmadeasignificantpause.Itenabledheraudiencetoaskbreathlessly,"Tellme,howdidhelook?
"
MissHartnellwouldthengoon:
"Frankly,Isuspectedsomethingatonce!
Hewas
fartoocalm.Hedidn'tseemsurprisedintheleast.Andyoumaysaywhatyoulike,itisn'tnaturalforamantohearthathiswifeisdeadanddisplaynoemotionwhatever."
Everybodyagreedwiththisstatement.
Thepoliceagreedwithittoo.SosuspiciousdidtheyconsiderMr.Spenlow'sdetachmentthattheylostnotimeinascertaininghowthatgentlemanwassituatedasaresultofhiswife'sdeath.WhentheydiscoveredthatMrs.Spenlowhadbeenthemoneyedpartner,andthathermoneywenttoherhusbandunderawillmadesoonaftertheirmarriage,theyweremoresuspiciousthanever.
MissMarple,thatsweet-faced-and,somesaid,vinegar-tongued-elderlyspinsterwholivedinthehousenexttotherectory,wasinterviewedveryearly-withinhalfanhourofthediscoveryofthecrime.ShewasapproachedbyPoliceConstablePalk,importantlythumbinganotebook."Ifyoudon'tmind,ma'am,I'veafewquestionstoaskyou."
Missmarplesaid,"InconnectionwiththemurderofMrs.Spenlow?
"
Palkwasstartled."MayIask,madam,howyougottoknowofit?
"
"Thefish,"saidMissMarple.
ThereplywasperfectlyintelligibletoConstablePalk.Heassumedcorrectlythatthefishmonger'sboyhadbroughtit,togetherwithMissMarple'seveningmeal.
MissMarplecontinuedgently."Lyingonthefloorinthesittingroom,strangled-possiblybyaverynarrowbelt.Butwhateveritwas,itwastakenaway."
Palk'sfacewaswrathful."HowthatyoungFredgetstoknoweverything-"
MissMarplecuthimshortadroitly.Shesaid,"There'sapininyourtunic."
ConstablePalklookeddown,startled.Hesaid,"Theydosay:
'Seeapinandpickitup,allthedayyou'llhavegoodluck.'"
"Ihopethatwillcometrue.Nowwhatisityouwantmetotellyou?
"
ConstablePalkclearedhisthroat,lookedimportant,andconsultedhisnotebook."StatementwasmadetomebyMr.ArthurSpenlow,husbandofthedeceased.Mr.Spenlowsaysthatattwo-thirty,asfarashecansay,hewasrungupbyMissMarpleandaskedifhewouldcomeoverataquarterpastthree,asshewasanxioustoconsulthimaboutsomething.Now,ma'am,isthattrue?
"
"Certainlynot,"saidMissMarple.
"YoudidnotringupMr.Spenlowattwo-thirty?
"
"Neitherattwo-thirtynoranyothertime."
"Ah,"saidConstablePalk,andsuckedhismoustachewithagooddealofsatisfaction.
"WhatelsedidMr.Spenlowsay?
"
"Mr.Spenlow'sstatementwasthathecameoverhereasrequested,leavinghisownhouseattenminutespastthree;thatonarrivalherehewasinformedbythemaidservantthatMissMarplewas'notat'ome.'"
"Thatpartofitistrue,"saidMissMarple."Hedidcomehere,butIwasatameetingattheWomen'sInstitute."
"Ah,"saidConstablePalkagain.
"MissMarpleexclaimed,"Dotellme,Constable,doyoususpectMr.Spenlow?
"
"It'snotformetosayatthisstage,butitlookstomeasthoughsomebody,namingnonames,hadbeentryingtobeartful."
MissMarplesaidthoughtfully,"Mr.Spenlow?
"
ShelikedMr.Spenlow.Hewasasmall,spareman,stiffandconventionalinspeech,theacmeofrespectability.Itseemedoddthatheshouldhavecometoliveinthecountry,hehadsoclearlylivedintownsallhislife.ToMissMarpleheconfidedthereason.Hesaid,"Ihavealwaysintended,eversinceIwasasmallboy,toliveinthecountrysomedayandhaveagardenofmyown.Ihavealwaysbeenverymuchattachedtoflowers.Mywife,youknow,keptaflowershop.That'swhereIsawherfirst."
Adrystatement,butitopenedupavistaofromance.Ayounger,prettierMrs.Spenlow,seenagainstabackgroundofflowers.
Mr.Spenlow,however,reallyknewnothingaboutflowers.Hehadnoideaofseeds,ofcuttings,ofbeddingout,ofannualsorperennials.Hehadonlyavision-avisionofasmallcottagegardenthicklyplantedwithsweet-smelling,brightlycolouredblossoms.Hehadasked,almostpathetically,forinstructionandhadnoteddownMissMarple'srepliestoquestionsinalittlebook.
Hewasamanofquietmethod.Itwas,perhaps,becauseofthistraitthatthepolicewereinterestedinhimwhenhiswifewasfoundmurdered.WithpatienceandperseverancetheylearnedagooddealaboutthelateMrs.Spenlow-andsoonallSt.MaryMeadknewittoo.
ThelateMrs.Spenlowhadbegunlifeasabetween-maidinalargehouse.ShehadleftthatpositiontomarrythesecondgardenerandwithhimhadstartedaflowershopinLondon.Theshophadprospered.Notsothegardener,whobeforelonghadsickenedanddied.
Hiswidowhadcarriedontheshopandenlargeditinanambitiousway.Shehadcontinuedtoprosper.Theshehadsoldthebusinessatahandsomepriceandembarkeduponmatrimonyforthesecondtime-withMr.Spenlow,amiddle-agedjewellerwhohadinheritedasmallandstrugglingbusiness.NotlongafterwardtheyhadsoldthebusinessandcomedowntoSt.MaryMead.
Mrs.Spenlowwasawell-to-dowoman.Theprofitsfromherflorist'sestablishmentshehadinvested-"underspiritguidance,"assheexplainedtoallandsundry.Thespiritshadadvisedherwithunexpectedacumen.
Allherinvestmentshadprospered,someinquiteasensationalfashion.Instead,however,ofthisincreasingherbeliefinspiritualism,Mrs.Spenlowbaselydesertedmediumsandsittingsandmadeabriefbutwholeheartedplungeintoanobscure
religionwithIndianaffinitieswhichwasbasedonvariousformsofdeepbreathing.When,however,shearrivedatSt.MaryMead,shehadrelapsedintoaperiodoforthodoxChurch-of-Englandbeliefs.ShewasagooddealattheVicarageandattendedchurchserviceswithassiduity.Shepatronisedthevillageshops,tookaninterestinthelocalhappenings,andplayedvillagebridge.
Ahumdrum,everydaylife.And-suddenly-murder.
ColonelMelchett,thechiefconstable,hadsummonedInspectorSlack.
Slackwasapositivetypeofman.Whenhemadeuphismind,hewassure.Hewasquitesurenow."Husbanddidit,sir,"hesaid.
"Youthinkso?
"
"Quitesureofit.You'veonlygottolookathim.Nevershowedasignofgrieforemotion.Hecamebacktothehouseknowingshewasdead."
"Wouldn'theatleasthavetriedtoactthepartofthedistractedhusband?
"
"Nothim,sir.
- 配套讲稿:
如PPT文件的首页显示word图标,表示该PPT已包含配套word讲稿。双击word图标可打开word文档。
- 特殊限制:
部分文档作品中含有的国旗、国徽等图片,仅作为作品整体效果示例展示,禁止商用。设计者仅对作品中独创性部分享有著作权。
- 关 键 词:
- Tapemeasure Murder
![提示](https://static.bdocx.com/images/bang_tan.gif)