Убийство на поле для гольфа
13. The Girl with the Anxious Eyes
Evidently,throughinadvertence,shehadnamedthewronghotel.Thenanotherthoughtstruckme.Wasitinadvertence?Orhadshedeliberatelywithheldhernameandgivenmethewrongaddress?ThemoreIthoughtaboutit,themoreIfeltconvincedthatthislastsurmiseofminewasright.Forsomereasonorothershedidnotwishtolettheacquaintanceripenintofriendship.Andthoughhalfanhourearlierthishadbeenpreciselymyownview,Ididnotenjoyhavingthetablesturneduponme.Thewholeaffairwasprofoundlyunsatisfactory,andIwentuptotheVillaGenevièveinaconditionofdistinctillhumour.Ididnotgotothehouse,butwentupthepathtothelittlebenchbytheshed,andsattheremoodilyenough.
Iwasdistractedfrommythoughtsbythesoundofvoicescloseathand.InasecondortwoIrealizedthattheycame,notfromthegardenIwasin,butfromtheadjoininggardenoftheVillaMarguerite,andthattheywereapproachingrapidly.Agirl’svoicewasspeaking,avoicethatIrecognizedasthatofthebeautifulMarthe.
“Chéri,”shewassaying,“isitreallytrue?Areallourtroublesover.”
“Youknowit,Marthe,”JackRenauldreplied.“Nothingcanpartusnow,beloved.Thelastobstacletoourunionisremoved.Nothingcantakeyoufromme.”
“Nothing?”thegirlmurmured.“Oh,Jack,Jack—Iamafraid.”
Ihadmovedtodepart,realizingthatIwasquiteunintentionallyeavesdropping.AsIrosetomyfeet,Icaughtsightofthemthroughagapinthehedge.Theystoodtogetherfacingme,theman’sarmroundthegirl,hiseyeslookingintohers.
