Äåñÿòü íåãðèòÿò / And Then There Were None Êðèñòè Àãàòà
Vera cried angrily: «I think you’re mad!»
His eyes turned slowly till they rested on her. It was the dispassionate stare of a man well used to weighing humanity in the balance. She thought:
«He’s just seeing me as a – as a specimen. And» – the thought came to her with real surprise – «he doesn’t like me much!»
In measured tones the judge was saying:
«My dear young lady, do try and restrain your feelings. I am not accusing you.» He bowed to Miss Brent. «I hope, Miss Brent, that you are not offended by my insistence that all of us are equally under suspicion?»
Emily Brent was knitting. She did not look up. In a cold voice she said:
«The idea that I should be accused of taking a fellow creature’s life – not to speak of the lives of three fellow creatures – is, of course, quite absurd to any one who knows anything of my character. But I quite appreciate the fact that we are all strangers to one another and that in those circumstances, nobody can be exonerated without the fullest proof. There is, as I have said, a devil amongst us.»
The judge said: «Then we are agreed. There can be no elimination on the ground of character or position alone.»
Lombard said: «What about Rogers?»
The judge looked at him unblinkingly.
«What about him?»
Lombard said: «Well, to my mind, Rogers seems pretty well ruled out.»
Mr. Justice Wargrave said: «Indeed, and on what grounds?»
Lombard said: «He hasn’t got the brains for one thing. And for another his wife was one of the victims.»
The judge’s heavy eyebrows rose once more. He said:
«In my time, young man, several people have come before me accused of the murders of their wives – and have been found guilty.»
«Oh! I agree. Wife murder is perfectly possible – almost natural, let’s say! But not this particular kind! I can believe in Rogers killing his wife because he was scared of her breaking down and giving him away, or because he’d taken a dislike to her, or because he wanted to link up with some nice little bit rather less long in the tooth. But I can’t see him as the lunatic Mr. Owen dealing out crazy justice and starting on his own wife for a crime they both committed.»
Mr. Justice Wargrave said: «You are assuming hearsay to be evidence. We do not know that Rogers and his wife conspired to murder their employer. That may have been a false statement, made so that Rogers should appear to be in the same position as ourselves. Mrs. Rogers’ terror last night may have been due to the fact that she realized her husband was mentally unhinged.»
Lombard said: «Well, have it your own way, U. N. Owen is one of us. No exceptions allowed. We all qualify.»
Mr. Justice Wargrave said: «My point is that there can be no exceptions allowed on the score of character, position, or probability. What we must now examine is the possibility of eliminating one or more persons on the facts. To put it simply, is there among us one or more persons who could not possibly have administered either Cyanide to Anthony Marston, or an overdose of sleeping draught to Mrs. Rogers, and who had no opportunity of striking the blow that killed General Macarthur?»
Blore’s rather heavy face lit up. He leant forward.
«Now you’re talking, sir!» he said. «That’s the stuff! Let’s go into it. As regards young Marston I don’t think there’s anything to be done. It’s already been suggested that some one from outside slipped something into the dregs of his glass before he refilled it for the last time. A person actually in the room could have done that even more easily. I can’t remember if Rogers was in the room, but any of the rest of us could certainly have done it.»
He paused, then went on.
«Now take the woman Rogers. The people who stand out there are her husband and the doctor. Either of them could have done it as easy as winking —»
Armstrong sprang to his feet. He was trembling.
«I protest – This is absolutely uncalled for! I swear that the dose I gave the woman was perfectly —»
«Dr. Armstrong.»
The small sour voice was compelling. The doctor stopped with a jerk in the middle of his sentence. The small cold voice went on.
«Your indignation is very natural. Nevertheless you must admit that the facts have got to be faced. Either you or Rogers could have administered a fatal dose with the greatest ease. Let us now consider the position of the other people present. What chance had I, had Inspector Blore, had Miss Brent, had Miss Claythorne, had Mr. Lombard of administering poison? Can any one of us be completely and entirely eliminated?» He paused. «I think not.»
Vera said angrily: «I was nowhere near the woman! All of you can swear to that.»
Mr. Justice Wargrave waited a minute, then he said:
«As far as my memory serves me the facts were these – will any one please correct me if I make a misstatement? Mrs. Rogers was lifted onto the sofa by Anthony Marston and Mr. Lombard and Dr. Armstrong went to her. He sent Rogers for brandy. There was then a question raised as to where the voice we had just heard had come from. We all went into the next room with the exception of Miss Brent who remained in this room – alone with the unconscious woman.»
A spot of colour came into Emily Brent’s cheeks. She stopped knitting. She said:
«This is outrageous!»
The remorseless small voice went on.
«When we returned to this room, you, Miss Brent, were bending over the woman on the sofa.»
Emily Brent said: «Is common humanity a criminal offence?»
Mr. Justice Wargrave said: «I am only establishing facts. Rogers then entered the room with the brandy which, of course, he could quite well have doctored before entering the room. The brandy was administered to the woman and shortly afterwards her husband and Dr. Armstrong assisted her up to bed where Dr. Armstrong gave her a sedative.»
Blore said: «That’s what happened. Absolutely. And that lets out the judge, Mr. Lombard, myself and Miss Claythorne.»
His voice was loud and jubilant. Mr. Justice Wargrave, bringing a cold eye to bear upon him, murmured:
«Ah, but does it? We must take into account every possible eventuality.»
Blore stared. He said:
«I don’t get you.»
Mr. Justice Wargrave said: «Upstairs in her room, Mrs. Rogers is lying in bed. The sedative that the doctor has given her begins to take effect. She is vaguely sleepy and acquiescent. Supposing that at that moment there is a tap on the door and some one enters bringing her, shall we say, a tablet, or a draught, with the message that ‘the doctor says you’re to take this.’ Do you imagine for one minute that she would not have swallowed it obediently without thinking twice about it?»
There was a silence. Blore shifted his feet and frowned. Philip Lombard said:
«I don’t believe in that story for a minute. Besides none of us left this room for hours afterwards. There was Marston’s death and all the rest of it.»
The judge said: «Some one could have left his or her bedroom – later.»
Lombard objected: «But then Rogers would have been up there.»
Dr. Armstrong stirred.
«No,» he said. «Rogers went downstairs to clear up in the dining-room and pantry. Any one could have gone up to the woman’s bedroom then without being seen.»
Emily Brent said: «Surely, doctor, the woman would have been fast asleep by then under the influence of the drug you had administered?»
«In all likelihood, yes. But it is not a certainty. Until you have prescribed for a patient more than once you cannot tell their reaction to different drugs. There is, sometimes, a considerable period before a sedative takes effect. It depends on the personal idiosyncrasy of the patient towards that particular drug.»
Lombard said: «Of course you would say that, doctor. Suits your book – eh?»
Again Armstrong’s face darkened with anger. But again that passionless cold little voice stopped the words on his lips.
«No good result can come from recrimination. Facts are what we have to deal with. It is established, I think, that there is a possibility of such a thing as I have outlined occurring. I agree that its probability value is not high; though there again, it depends on who that person might have been. The appearance of Miss Brent or of Miss Claythorne on such an errand would have occasioned no surprise in the patient’s mind. I agree that the appearance of myself, or of Mr. Blore, or of Mr. Lombard could have been, to say the least of it, unusual, but I still think the visit would have been received without the awakening of any real suspicion.»
Blore said: «And that gets us – where?»
VII
Mr. Justice Wargrave, stroking his lip and looking quite passionless and inhuman, said:
«We have now dealt with the second killing, and have established the fact that no one of us can be completely exonerated from suspicion.»
He paused and went on.
«We come now to the death of General Macarthur. That took place this morning. I will ask any one who considers that he or she has an alibi to state it in so many words. I myself will state at once that I have no valid alibi. I spent the morning sitting on the terrace and meditating on the singular position in which we all find ourselves. „I sat on that chair on the terrace for the whole morning until the gong went, but there were, I should imagine, several periods during the morning when I was quite unobserved and during which it would have been possible for me to walk down to the sea, kill the General, and return to my chair. There is only my word for the fact that I never left the terrace. In the circumstances that is not enough. There must be proof.“»
Blore said: «I was with Mr. Lombard and Dr. Armstrong all the morning. They’ll bear me out.»
Dr. Armstrong said: «You went to the house for a rope.»
Blore said: «Of course, I did. Went straight there and straight back. You know I did.»
Armstrong said: «You were a long time…»
Blore turned crimson.
He said: «What the hell do you mean by that, Dr. Armstrong?»
Armstrong repeated: «I only said you were a long time.»
«Had to find it, didn’t I? Can’t lay your hands on a coil of rope all in a minute.»
Mr. Justice Wargrave said: «During Inspector Blore’s absence, were you two gentlemen together?»
Armstrong said hotly: «Certainly. That is, Lombard went off for a few minutes. I remained where I was.»
Lombard said with a smile: «I wanted to test the possibilities of heliographing to the mainland. Wanted to find the best spot. I was only absent a minute or two.»
Armstrong nodded. He said:
«That’s right. Not long enough to do a murder, I assure you.»
The judge said: «Did either of you two glance at your watches?»
«Well, no.»
Philip Lombard said: «I wasn’t wearing one.»
The judge said evenly:
«A minute or two is a vague expression.» He turned his head to the upright figure with the knitting lying on her lap. «Miss Brent?»
Emily Brent said: «I took a walk with Miss Claythorne up to the top of the island. Afterwards I sat on the terrace in the sun.»
The judge said: «I don’t think I noticed you there.»
«No, I was round the corner of the house to the east. It was out of the wind there.»
«And you sat there till lunch time?»
«Yes.»
«Miss Claythorne?»
Vera answered readily and clearly.
«I was with Miss Brent early this morning. After that I wandered about a bit. Then I went down and talked to General Macarthur.»
Mr. Justice Wargrave interrupted. He said: «What time was that?»
Vera for the first time was vague. She said;
«I don’t know. About an hour before lunch, I think – or it might have been less.»
Blore asked: «Was it after we’d spoken to him or before?»
Vera said: «I don’t know. He – he was very queer.»
She shivered. «In what way was he queer?» the judge wanted to know.
Vera said in a low voice:
«He said we were all going to die – he said he was waiting for the end. He – he frightened me…»
The judge nodded. He said:
«What did you do next?»
«I went back to the house. Then, just before lunch, I went out again and up behind the house. I’ve been terribly restless all day.»
Mr. Justice Wargrave stroked his chin. He said:
«There remains Rogers. Though I doubt if his evidence will add anything to our sum of knowledge.»
Rogers, summoned before the court, had very little to tell. He had been busy all the morning about household duties and with the preparation of lunch. He had taken cocktails onto the terrace before lunch and had then gone up to remove his things from the attic to another room. He had not looked out of the window during the morning and had seen nothing that could have any bearing upon the death of General Macarthur. He would swear definitely that there had been eight china figures upon the dining-table when he laid the table for lunch.
At the conclusion of Rogers’ evidence there was a pause. Mr. Justice Wargrave cleared his throat.
Lombard murmured to Vera Claythorne: «The summing up will now take place!»
The judge said: «We have inquired into the circumstances of these three deaths to the best of our ability. Whilst probability in some cases is against certain people being implicated, yet we cannot say definitely that any one person can be considered as cleared of all complicity. I reiterate my positive belief that of the seven persons assembled in this room one is a dangerous and probably insane criminal. There is no evidence before us as to who that person is. All we can do at the present juncture is to consider what measures we can take for communicating with the mainland for help, and in the event of help being delayed (as is only too possible given the state of the weather) what measures we must adopt to ensure our safety. „I would ask you all to consider this carefully and to give me any suggestions that may occur to you. In the meantime I warn everybody to be upon his or her guard. So far the murderer has had an easy task, since his victims have been unsuspicious. From now on, it is our task to suspect each and every one amongst us. Forewarned is forearmed. Take no risks and be alert to danger. That is all.“»
Philip Lombard murmured beneath his breath:
«The court will now adjourn…»
Chapter 10
I
«Do you believe it?» Vera asked.
She and Philip Lombard sat on the windowsill of the living-room. Outside the rain poured down and the wind howled in great shuddering gusts against the window-panes.
Philip Lombard cocked his head slightly on one side before answering. Then he said:
«You mean, do I believe that old Wargrave is right when he says it’s one of us?»
«Yes.»
Philip Lombard said slowly: «It’s difficult to say. Logically, you know, he’s right, and yet —»
Vera took the words out of his mouth.
«And yet it seems so incredible!»
Philip Lombard made a grimace.
«The whole thing’s incredible! But after Macarthur’s death there’s no more doubt as to one thing. There’s no question now of accidents or suicides. It’s definitely murder. Three murders up to date.»
Vera shivered. She said:
«It’s like some awful dream. I keep feeling that things like this can’t happen!»
He said with understanding: «I know. Presently a tap will come on the door, and early morning tea will be brought in.»
Vera said: «Oh, how I wish that could happen!»
Philip Lombard said gravely: «Yes, but it won’t! We’re all in the dream! And we’ve got to be pretty much upon our guard from now on.»
Vera said, lowering her voice: «If – if it is one of them – which do you think it is?»
Philip Lombard grinned suddenly. He said:
«I take it you are excepting our two selves? Well, that’s all right. I know very well that I’m not the murderer, and I don’t fancy that there’s anything insane about you, Vera. You strike me as being one of the sanest and most level-headed girls I’ve come across. I’d stake my reputation on your sanity.»
With a slightly wry smile, Vera said: «Thank you.»
He said: «Come now, Miss Vera Claythorne, aren’t you going to return the compliment?»
Vera hesitated a minute, then she said:
«You’ve admitted, you know, that you don’t hold human life particularly sacred, but all the same I can’t see you as – as the man who dictated that gramophone record.»
Lombard said: «Quite right. If I were to commit one or more murders it would be solely for what I could get out of them. This mass clearance isn’t my line of country. Good, then we’ll eliminate ourselves and concentrate on our five fellow prisoners. Which of them is U. N. Owen? Well, at a guess, and with absolutely nothing to go upon, I’d plump for Wargrave!»
«Oh!» Vera sounded surprised. She thought a minute or two and then said, «Why?»
«Hard to say exactly. But to begin with, he’s an old man and he’s been presiding over courts of law for years. That is to say, he’s played God Almighty for a good many months every year. That must go to a man’s head eventually. He gets to see himself as all powerful, as holding the power of life and death – and it’s possible that his brain might snap and he might want to go one step farther and be Executioner and Judge Extraordinary.»
Vera said slowly: «Yes, I suppose that’s possible…»
Lombard said: «Who do you plump for?»
Without any hesitation Vera answered:
«Dr. Armstrong.»
Lombard gave a low whistle.
«The doctor, eh? You know, I should have put him last of all.»
Vera shook her head.
«Oh, no! Two of the deaths have been poison. That rather points to a doctor. And then you can’t get over the fact that the only thing we are absolutely certain Mrs. Rogers had was the sleeping draught that he gave her.»
Lombard admitted:
«Yes, that’s true.»
Vera persisted: «If a doctor went mad, it would be a long time before any one suspected. And doctors overwork and have a lot of strain.»
Philip Lombard said: «Yes but I doubt if he could have killed Macarthur. He wouldn’t have had time during that brief interval when I left him – not, that is, unless he fairly hared down there and back again, and I doubt if he’s in good enough training to do that and show no signs of it.»
Vera said: «He didn’t do it then. He had an opportunity later.»
«When?»
«When he went down to call the General to lunch.»
Philip whistled again very softly. He said:
«So you think he did it then? Pretty cool thing to do.»
Vera said impatiently:
«What risk was there? He’s the only person here with medical knowledge. He can swear the body’s been dead at least an hour and who’s to contradict him?»
Philip looked at her thoughtfully.
«You know,» he said, «that’s a clever idea of yours. I wonder —»
II
«Who is it, Mr. Blore? That’s what I want to know. Who is it?»
Rogers’ face was working. His hands were clenched round the polishing leather that he held in his hand.
Ex-Inspector Blore said: «Eh, my lad, that’s the question!»
«One of us, ‘is lordship said. Which one? That’s what I want to know. Who’s the fiend in ‘uman form?»
«That,» said Blore, «is what we all would like to know.»
Rogers said shrewdly: «But you’ve got an idea, Mr. Blore. You’ve got an idea, ‘aven’t you?»
«I may have an idea,» said Blore slowly. «But that’s a long way from being sure. I may be wrong. All I can say is that if I’m right the person in question is a very cool customer – a very cool customer indeed.»
Rogers wiped the perspiration from his forehead. He said hoarsely:
«It’s like a bad dream, that’s what it is.»
Blore said, looking at him curiously: «Got any ideas yourself, Rogers?»
The butler shook his head. He said hoarsely:
«I don’t know. I don’t know at all. And that’s what’s frightening the life out of me. To have no idea…»
III
Dr. Armstrong said violently: «We must get out of here – we must – we must! At all costs!»
Mr. Justice Wargrave looked thoughtfully out of the smoking-room window. He played with the cord of his eye-glasses. He said:
«I do not, of course, profess to be a weather prophet. But I should say that it is very unlikely that a boat could reach us – even if they knew of our plight – under twenty-four hours – and even then only if the wind drops.»
Dr. Armstrong dropped his head in his hands and groaned.
He said: «And in the meantime we may all be murdered in our beds?»
«I hope not,» said Mr. Justice Wargrave. «I intend to take every possible precaution against such a thing happening.»
It flashed across Dr. Armstrong’s mind that an old man like the judge, was far more tenacious of life than a younger man would be. He had often marvelled at that fact in his professional career. Here was he, junior to the judge by perhaps twenty years, and yet with a vastly inferior sense of self-preservation.
Mr. Justice Wargrave was thinking:
«Murdered in our beds! These doctors are all the same – they think in clichiis. A thoroughly commonplace mind.»
The doctor said: «There have been three victims already, remember.»
«Certainly. But you must remember that they were unprepared for the attack. We are forewarned.»
Dr. Armstrong said bitterly: «What can we do? Sooner or later —»
«I think,» said Mr. Justice Wargrave, «that there are several things we can do.»
Armstrong said: «We’ve no idea, even, who it can be —»
The judge stroked his chin and murmured:
«Oh, you know, I wouldn’t quite say that.»
Armstrong stared at him.
«Do you mean you know?»
Mr. Justice Wargrave said cautiously: «As regards actual evidence, such as is necessary in court, I admit that I have none. But it appears to me, reviewing the whole business, that one particular person is sufficiently clearly indicated. Yes, I think so.»
Armstrong stared at him.
He said: «I don’t understand.»
IV
Miss Brent was upstairs in her bedroom.
She took up her Bible and went to sit by the window. She opened it. Then, after a minute’s hesitation, she set it aside and went over to the dressing-table. From a drawer in it she took out a small black-covered notebook.
She opened it and began writing. «A terrible thing has happened. General Macarthur is dead. (His cousin married Elsie MacPherson.) There is no doubt but that he was murdered. After luncheon the judge made us a most interesting speech. He is convinced that the murderer is one of us. That means that one of us is possessed by a devil. I had already suspected that. Which of us is it? They are all asking themselves that. I alone know…»
She sat for some time without moving. Her eyes grew vague and filmy. The pencil straggled drunkenly in her fingers. In shaking loose capitals she wrote:
THE MURDERER’S NAME IS BEATRICE TAYLOR…
Her eyes closed.
Suddenly, with a start, she awoke. She looked down at the notebook. With an angry exclamation she scored through the vague unevenly scrawled characters of the last sentence.
She said in a low voice:
«Did I write that? Did I? I must be going mad…»
V
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