Inspector Alleyn 3-Book Collection 2. Ngaio Marsh

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СКАЧАТЬ Mr Pringle distastefully.

      ‘Next please,’ said Alleyn cheerfully. Mrs Candour spoke suddenly from the ecclesiastical throne. She had the air of uttering an appalling indecency.

      ‘My name is Dagmar Candour. Mrs. Queen Charlotte Flats, Kensington Square. No.12.’

      ‘C.a.n. – ?’ queried Alleyn.

      ‘d.o.u.r.’

      ‘Thank you.’

      Mr Ogden, who had several times taken a step forward and as often politely retreated, now spoke up firmly.

      ‘Samuel J. Ogden, Chief. I guess you’re not interested in my home address. I come from the States – New York. In London I have a permanent apartment in York Square. No.93, Achurch Court. I just can’t locate my card-case, but – well, those are the works.’

      ‘Thank you so much, Mr Ogden. And now you, if you please, sir.’

      Father Garnette hesitated a moment, oddly. Then he cleared his throat and answered in his usual richly inflected voice:

      ‘Father Jasper Garnette.’ He spelt it. ‘I am officiating priest of this temple. I live here.’

      ‘Here?’

      ‘I have a little dwelling beyond the altar.’

      ‘Extremely convenient,’ murmured Alleyn. ‘And now, these two’ – he looked a little doubtfully at Claude and Lionel – ‘these two young men.’

      Claude and Lionel answered together in a rapturous gush.

      ‘What?’ asked Alleyn.

      ‘Do be quiet, Lionel,’ said Claude. ‘We share a flat in Ebury Street; “Ebury Mews.” Well, it isn’t actually a flat, is it, Lionel? Oh dear, I always forget the number – it’s too stupid of me.’

      ‘You are hopeless, Claude,’ said Lionel. ‘It’s 17 Ebury Mews, Ebury Street, Inspector Alleyn, only we aren’t very often there because I’m in the show at the Palladium and Claude is at Madame Karen’s in Sloane Street and –’

      ‘I do not yet know your names.’

      ‘Lionel, you are perfectly maddening,’ said Claude. ‘I’m Claude Wheatley, Inspector Alleyn, and this is Lionel Smith.’

      Alleyn wrote these names down with the address, and added in brackets: ‘Gemini, possibly heavenly.’

      M. de Ravigne came forward and bowed.

      ‘Raoul Honoré Christophe Jérôme de Ravigne, monsieur. I live at Branscombe Chambers, Lowndes Square. My card.’

      ‘Thank you. M. de Ravigne. And now will you all please show me exactly how you were placed while the cup was passed round the circle. I understand the ceremony took place in the centre of this area.’

      After a moment’s silence the priest came forward.

      ‘I stood here,’ he said, ‘with the chalice in my hands. Mr Ogden knelt on my right, and Mrs Candour on my left.’

      ‘That is correct, sir,’ agreed Ogden and moved into place. ‘Miss Jenkins was on my right, I guess.’

      ‘Yes,’ said that lady, ‘and Maurice on mine.’

      Mrs Candour came forward reluctantly and stood on Garnette’s left.

      ‘M. de Ravigne was beside me,’ she whispered.

      ‘Certainly.’ M. de Ravigne took up his position and Miss Wade slipped in beside him.

      ‘I was here,’ she said, ‘between Mr de Ravigne and Mr Pringle.’

      ‘That completes the circle,’ said Alleyn. ‘What were the movements of the acolytes.’

      ‘Well you see,’ began Claude eagerly, ‘I came here – just here on Father Garnette’s right hand. I was the Ganymede you see, so I had the jug of wine. As soon as Father Garnette gave Mrs Candour the cup, I gave her the wine. She holds the cup in her left hand and the wine in her right hand. She pours in a little wine and speaks the first god-name. You are Hagring, aren’t you Mrs Candour?’

      ‘I was,’ sobbed Mrs Candour.

      ‘Yes. And then I take the jug and hand it to the next person and –’

      ‘And so on,’ said Alleyn. Thank you.’

      ‘And I was censing over here,’ struck in Lionel with passionate determination. ‘I was censing all the time.’

      ‘Yes,’ said Alleyn; ‘and now, I’m afraid I’ll have to keep you all a little longer. Perhaps, Mr Garnette, you will allow them to wait in your rooms. I am sure you would all like to get away from the scene of this tragedy. I think I hear my colleagues outside.’

      There was a resounding knock on the front door.

      ‘Oh, may I let them in?’ asked Claude.

      ‘Please do,’ said Alleyn.

      Claude hurried away down the aisle and opened the double doors. Seven men, three of them constables, came in, in single file, headed by a tall thick-set individual in plain clothes who removed his hat, glanced in mild surprise at the nude statues, and walked stolidly up the aisle.

      ‘Hullo, Fox,’ said Alleyn.

      ‘Evening, sir,’ said Inspector Fox.

      ‘There’s been some trouble here. One of you men go with these ladies and gentlemen into the room at the back there. Mr Garnette will show you the way. Will you, Mr Garnette? I’ll keep you no longer than I can possibly help. Dr Kasbek, if you wouldn’t mind waiting here –’

      ‘Look here,’ said Maurice Pringle suddenly, ‘I’m damned if I can see why we should be herded about like a mob of sheep. What has happened? Is she murdered?’

      ‘Very probably,’ said Alleyn coolly. ‘Nobody is going to herd you, Pringle. You are going to wait quietly and reasonably while we make the necessary investigations. Off you go.’

      ‘But –’

      ‘I knew,’ cried Mrs Candour suddenly. ‘I knew something dreadful would happen. M. de Ravigne, didn’t I tell you?’

      ‘If you please, madame!’ said de Ravigne with great firmness.

      ‘All that sort of thing should have been kept out,’ said little Miss Wade. ‘It should never –’

      ‘I think we had better follow instructions,’ interrupted Father Garnette loudly. ‘Will you all follow me?’

      They trooped away, escorted by the largest of the constables.

      ‘Lumme!’ ejaculated Alleyn when the altar door had shut. ‘As you yourself would say, Fox, “quelle galère.”’

      ‘A СКАЧАТЬ