Chapter 5 5 Instructions from afar

Three or four days later, the second mail came with a letter.Miss Marple picked up the letter, turned it over as usual, looked at the stamp and then the handwriting, and after confirming that it was not a bill, she opened the letter.The letter was typed. Dear Miss Marple: When you read this letter, I will be dead and buried forever.I'm not cremated, and I'm glad to think that.In my opinion, after death, it seems impossible for a person to resurrect from a beautiful bronze urn filled with his own ashes to entangle the person he wants to entangle, but it is very possible to crawl out of the grave after death to haunt.Will I come up with something strange?who knows?Maybe I still want to talk to you.

By now my lawyer should have written to you and explained my proposal to you and I hope you have accepted it.And if you don't accept it, please don't feel regretful, it's entirely your choice. If my lawyer has done what I ask, and the mail car has done its duty, this letter should reach you on the eleventh of this month.Two days later, you'll get a letter from a London travel agency, hopefully with an offer that doesn't put you off.I don't need to say much, I just hope you have an open mind and take care of yourself.I think you can do it.You are a very sensitive person, and your Patronus is by your side to take care of you.You may need His protection.Good luck!

Your sincere friend J. B．Sincerely, Rafael Two days later!said Miss Marple. She found those two days difficult.The Post Office did its job, and so did the Home and Garden Society of Great Britain. dear jenMiss Marple: The Home and Garden Association of Great Britain follows the instructions of the late Mr. Raphael, and hereby sends a detailed description of the thirty-seventh tour itinerary of the Association.The tour will depart from London next Thursday (17th). If it is convenient for you to come to our London offices, Mrs Sanborn, who will be traveling with the tour group, will be happy to explain the details and answer any questions.

Our tours generally last two to three weeks.Mr. Raphael thinks this tour is very suitable for you, as the tour route will take you to the English country towns that he wants you to hitherto have not visited, and will show you some of the most fascinating scenery and gardens.He has arranged for you the best accommodation and accommodation, plus all the luxurious equipment provided by the club. I would be grateful if you could let me know the date you will be visiting our office on Berkeley Street. Miss Marple folded the letter and put it in her handbag, wrote down the phone number, thought about a few friends she knew, and then dialed two of them.One of them once traveled with the association and highly respected the organization; although the other did not participate in it herself, she had friends who had participated in the tour group organized by this organization, and according to those people, although it was expensive, All the arrangements are very thoughtful, and it will not make the elderly feel strenuous.She called up Berkeley Street and said she would visit them the following Tuesday.

The next day, she and Chelle spoke about the subject. I might be out for a while, Cherry, she said.Take a tour. travel?Cheryl asked.Is it that kind of tour group?You mean a package tour abroad? This time I will not go abroad, but only at home, Miss Marple said.Mainly visit historical monuments and gardens. Do you think you can do it at your age?You know, visiting is tiring.Sometimes you have to walk miles. I'm actually in good health, Miss Marple said.And I've heard that these tour groups are very thoughtful, and will arrange several periods of rest for those who are less able.

Well, you gotta take care of yourself, Cherry said.We don't want you falling down with a heart attack, even if you're admiring the stunning fountain.You know, you're a little old for this kind of thing.Forgive me for saying this, it sounds rude, but I hate to imagine you passing out from too much effort or exhaustion. I can take care of myself, Miss Marple answered with dignity. Well, just be careful, Cherry said. Miss Marple packed a suitcase, went to London, and booked a room in a modest hotel (oh, forget the Patriaman Hotel, she thought. That hotel used to be wonderful! God, I must Don't forget about that. St. George's is a good place.) She arrived on Berkeley Street at the appointed time and was shown into an office.She was greeted by an amiable woman of about thirty-five, who called herself Mrs. Sanborn, and who had been entrusted to accompany Miss Marple herself on this excursion.

Could it be, Miss Marple asked.This trip was specially for me and she hesitated to say anything. Sensing her hesitation, Mrs. Sanborn replied at once: Oh yes, I should have explained it better in the letter I sent.Mr. Raphael has paid for everything. You should know he's passed away, right?asked Miss Marple. Oh, of course, but it was arranged before he died.He said his health was failing, but he wanted to entertain an old friend who hadn't had the opportunity to satisfy his travel wishes. Two days later, Miss Marple handed over the newly purchased fashionable suitcase to the driver, took the carry-on bag, boarded a most comfortable luxury tour bus, and drove out of London towards the northwest.Along the way, she carefully studied the passenger list published in a beautiful booklet, which also recorded in detail the route and timetable of the car dealership, the introduction of hotels, restaurants, and places to visit, as well as which days there were different route choice.Although it is not particularly emphasized, it actually tells you: what kind of itinerary should be chosen by energetic young people, and which one should be chosen by older people, especially those who have leg problems, suffer from arthritis or rheumatism, like People who sit for a long time and cannot walk long distances or climb mountains.The content is comprehensive and well-arranged.

Miss Marple looked at her companion as she looked at the passenger watch.It's not difficult to do this, as other travelers are too.They were looking at her too, but as far as Miss Marple could see, no one was particularly interested in her. Mrs Larry Porter Joanna.Miss Crawford Colonel Walker and his wife H． T．butlers Elizabeth.Miss Temple Professor Wang Sidai Richard.Mr Johnson miss lambli miss bancer Mr Casper miss cook Miss Barrow Emlyn.Mr Pais Jane.miss marple There were four old ladies here, and Miss Marple paid attention to them first, as if to remove the obstacle first.Two of them were traveling together, and Miss Marple thought they were about seventy years of age, and probably belonged to her contemporaries.One of them must be the whiny type, who either insists on sitting in the front seat of the tour bus, or simply sits in the back; To feel that there is not enough fresh air is to feel that there is too much fresh air.They carry travel blankets, woolen scarves, and assorted guidebooks; they falter and often suffer from sore feet or backs and knees.But even old age and sickness cannot prevent them from enjoying life while there is still time.It's an old aunt, yes, but definitely not a reclusive old aunt.Miss Marple made notes in the little notebook she carried with her.

There were fifteen passengers, not including herself and Mrs. Sanborn.Since she was placed in this tour group, at least one of the fifteen travelers should be very important!This person may be a source of information, may be involved in legal matters or judicial proceedings, may even be a murderer. He or she may have killed someone, or may be preparing to kill someone.Miss Marple thought that all that might have something to do with Mr. Raphael.In any case, she must record these characters. On the front of each page of her notebook, she wrote down the people who should be paid attention to from Mr. Raphael's point of view, and on the back of each page, she wrote down or crossed out some people who could provide her with useful information. Maybe he didn't even realize that he had the information in his hands, or even if he knew, he didn't understand that the information might be useful to her, to Mr. Rafael, to the judiciary or to the awe-inspiring justice.She might make a note or two in the back of her notebook this evening, to see if anyone reminded her of people she knew at St. Mary Mead and elsewhere.Any similarities could be useful clues, experience told her.

The other two old ladies were obviously traveling separately, both around sixty years old.One of them is well-kept, well-dressed, and has the air of a smug genteel!But maybe others think so too.She spoke loudly and bossily.She seemed to be carrying a girl of eighteen or nineteen, who called her Aunt Geraldine.Miss Marple noticed that the girl was apparently at ease with the dominance of her Aunt Geraldine, a beautiful and able girl. Sitting across the aisle from Miss Marple was a large man with broad shoulders and a thick body that seemed to have been randomly built by a child with building blocks.His face seemed to be a round face originally planned by God, but that face was made square, so he insisted on growing a strong and powerful jaw.His gray hair and bushy eyebrows rose and fell with the cadence of his voice, which was as much a growl as a talkative sheepdog.He was sitting with a tall, dark foreigner who was quite restless and kept changing positions in his seat.His English accent is very peculiar, occasionally interspersed with some French and German.The bulky man seemed to be comfortable with these foreign languages, occasionally answering a few words in French and German.Miss Marple took only a quick glance at them before deciding that the thick-browed man was Professor Wang Sitai and the moving foreigner was Mr. Casper.

She wondered what the two men were discussing so passionately, but Mr. Casper spoke so quickly that she could not make out what she was trying to hear. In the seat in front of them sat a woman of about sixty who might have been, but still pretty, with dark gray hair brushed back from an elegant forehead and coiled high on her head.She is tall, and she will probably stand out from the crowd no matter where she is; although her voice is deep, it is clear and sharp.A fine fellow, thought Miss Marple, and must be an important one.Yes, it must be someone important.She reminds me of someone, she thought to herself.Emily.Mrs. Hua Zhuo.Emily.Mrs. Huazhuo is the principal of Oxford College and a well-known scientist.Miss Marple had seen her once, in the company of her nephew, and had never forgotten it. Miss Marple looked again at her companion.There are two couples here. One is an amiable middle-aged American couple. The wife is talkative and the husband is quiet and easy-going. He is obviously very keen on traveling.Another English couple was also middle-aged, and Miss Marble took note without hesitation: veterans and wives.She ticked the names of Colonel Walker and his wife on the passenger sheet. Behind her seat was a tall, thin man in his thirties who spoke technical jargon and was clearly an architect.A little further away, there are two middle-aged women traveling together, discussing the booklet and exploring the fascinating attractions arranged for this tour.One of them was dark and thin, while the other had a good face and a strong body, and that face was familiar to Miss Marple, who had seen or met her somewhere.But she just can't remember, maybe it was at a cocktail party or once sat face to face on the train.That woman was nothing special, not worth recalling. There was only one passenger left for her to judge.A young man, maybe nineteen or twenty.He was dressed appropriately for his age and gender: black skinny jeans, a thick purple crew-neck sweater, and unruly black hair draped over an oversized head.He looked at the domineering woman's niece with interest, and the girl seemed to be looking back at him with some curiosity.Although old aunts and middle-aged women accounted for the vast majority of the passengers, there were still two young people after all. They stopped for lunch at a picturesque riverside inn, and in the afternoon explored Belainy.Miss Marple, who had been to Belainy twice, saved her feet by wandering indoors, and soon lost herself in the garden and its beauty. By the time everyone arrived at the hotel where they were going to spend the night, the passengers had gradually become acquainted with each other.The capable Mrs. Sanborn is still full of laughter, tirelessly fulfilling her role as a guide, and playing her role appropriately; whenever she sees someone alone, she will draw him into a small group, with a low face. said in a low voice: You must ask Colonel Walker about his garden.He collected a lot of rare late cherry plants.With just a few simple words, she brought everyone together. Miss Marple could call all the passengers by name now.As she expected, the man with thick eyebrows was Professor Wang Sidai, and the foreigner was Mr. Casper.The domineering woman is Mrs. Riley Porter, and her niece is called Joanna.Crawford.The young man with disheveled hair is Emlyn.Pais, he and Joanna.Crawford seems to find that the two share common views on certain life observations, such as public opinion, economics, art, likes and dislikes, politics, and so on. The two oldest women took Miss Marple as a kind of old aunt for granted, and talked happily about arthritis, rheumatism, diet, new doctors, secret recipes, professional medicine, patent rights, and remembered all kinds of old people. Women have tried remedies that have worked and other medicines have not.They talked about the sights, restaurants, travel agencies they had traveled to various European countries, and finally about Somerset, where Miss Lambley and Miss Banther had lived, and how finding a suitable gardener there was a real challenge. Idiots talk about dreams. The other two middle-aged women traveling together were Miss Cook and Miss Barrow.Miss Marple still found one of the two (the prettier one, Miss Cooke) familiar, but she couldn't recall seeing it anywhere.Maybe it was just her illusion.Delusion it might be, it always seemed to her that Miss Barrow and Miss Cook were avoiding her; whenever she approached they hurried away.Of course, this may be purely paranoid on her part. Among these fifteen people, at least one person has an important status.During the chat that night, she deliberately mentioned Mr. Rafael's name to see if anyone would react.There was no reaction at all. That beautiful woman is Elizabeth.Miss Temple, is the retired principal of a prestigious girls' school.In Miss Marple's eyes, no one looked like a murderer, except Mr. Casper.This may be due to prejudice against foreigners.The tall, thin young man was named Richard.Jason, is an architect. I may make progress tomorrow, Miss Marple said to herself. Miss Marple was evidently exhausted when she went to bed.The sightseeing, while enjoyable, was tiring enough, and it was even more exhausting to have to scrutinize the fifteen travelers to determine which of them might have been involved in the murder.Miss Marple found the affair tinged with unreality, and it was difficult to take it seriously.These people seem to be good people, purely a group of people interested in excursions, travel and entertainment.Still, she picked up the passenger list and went through it quickly before writing something in her notebook. Mrs Riley Porter?Nothing to do with the crime.She is too social and very selfish. Her niece Joanna.Crawford too?But she is capable. After all, Mrs Rileypot may have some information that Miss Marple would consider important.She had to get on with Mrs. Rileyport. Elizabeth.Where's Miss Temple?A very good character.interesting.She could not remind Miss Marple of any murderer she knew.In fact, Miss Marple said to herself.There was an air of integrity about her.If she committed a murder, it must be a murder that everyone would applaud.Perhaps she would kill for some noble reason, or what she thought was a noble reason?But this answer is also unsatisfactory.Miss Temple, she thought, was a clear-headed person who knew what she was doing and why.It stands to reason that she would not have the stupid idea to commit a crime that is not noble at all, but evil in nature.Anyway, said Miss Marple.She was an important person, and probably someone Mr. Raphael wanted me to meet, and she copied these thoughts on the reverse page of her notebook. She changed her mind.Who she was thinking about could be the murderer, then, who could be the victim?No one looked like a victim.Perhaps Mrs. Rileyporter fit the bill; she was rich and difficult.That bright niece might get her inheritance.For the cause of anti-capitalism, she and the anarchist Emlyn.Pais may team up to commit a crime.This idea is outrageous, but there seems to be no suspicious murderer in front of him. How about Professor Wang Sidai?She's sure he's an interesting guy and kind.Is he a scientist or a doctor?She wasn't sure yet, but she assumed he was a scientist for the time being.She herself doesn't understand science, but he's not impossible. The Butlers?She crossed out their names.Educated Americans, who had nothing to do with either the West Indies or anyone she knew.No, she didn't think it was possible for the Butlers. Richard.Where is Jason?It was the very thin architect.Miss Marple couldn't see how architecture could be connected with murder, though it was still possible.Probably something to do with the priest's secret cave?One of the buildings they were planning to visit might be the priest's secret cave, which might contain a skeleton.Mr. Jensen is the architect and should know where the Priest's Cave is.He'll help her find it (or she'll help him find it), and together the two discover a dead body.Oh, yes, said Miss Marple.What am I thinking and talking nonsense about! Where are Miss Cook and Miss Barrow?Very ordinary two people.But she was sure she had seen one of them, at least Miss Cooke.She thought, oh, then she's a suspect. Colonel Walker and his wife?a good person.He was a veteran who had spent most of his military career abroad and was well-spoken, but she didn't think they had what she wanted. Miss Banther and Miss Lamley?Two old aunts, not like criminals.But since they belong to the old aunts, they may know a lot of gossip or some information, so they may say some things that are too obvious, even if these words are related to rheumatism, arthritis or special medicines. Where's Mr. Casper?Possibly a dangerous person.Very noticeable.She put him on the blacklist for the time being. Emlyn.Pais?Should be a student.Students are very aggressive.Mr. Raphael will not send her to find a student, right?It depends on what the student has done, wants to do, or is planning to do.He was most likely a radical anarchist. Oh, my God, Miss Marple was suddenly tired.I have to go to sleep. Her feet hurt and her back hurt, and her mind was not responding well, so she fell asleep immediately.But her sleep was disturbed by several dreams. In one of the dreams, she dreamed that Wang Sidai's thick eyebrows fell off, because they were not his own eyebrows, but fake eyebrows.When she woke up, her first reaction, as she often has, was to believe that the dream had solved everything. Yes, she thought.That's right!His eyebrows are fake, that's right, he's a criminal. Unfortunately, it occurred to her then, that the dream resolved nothing.Professor Wang Sidai's dropped eyebrows didn't help her at all. Even more unfortunate, now she can't sleep anymore.She made up her mind and sat up straight on the bed.Sighing, she put on her nightgown, moved from the bed to a straight-backed chair, took a larger notebook from the suitcase, and started working. I took on this task, she wrote.It must be related to some kind of crime.Mr. Raphael apparently made this very clear in his letter.He said I had a gift for justice, and that necessarily included an instinct for crime.So this matter involves a crime, and it is reasonable to say that it cannot be espionage, fraud or robbery, because I have never touched those things, so I will not be involved with that kind of crime, and I have neither knowledge nor special ability in that regard .Mr. Rafael knew me only during the period when we were together on San Jano Island.There we were connected by a murder.I never paid attention to murders reported in the papers, nor read a book on criminology or took a serious interest in such matters.No, I just found that more murders seemed to happen around me than normal.Murders involving my friends or acquaintances attract my attention.These strange coincidences actually happen in everyday life.I remember an aunt of mine who had been shipwrecked five times, and a friend who was known as the king of accidents.I know that some of her friends refuse to share a taxi with her because she has been involved in four taxi accidents, three car accidents and two train accidents.For some reason, this kind of thing always seems to happen to certain people.I hate to say it, but murder seems to happen more often than not to me, thank God, not to me. Miss Marple paused.She changed her posture, put a cushion behind her back, and continued to write: For the task I have undertaken, I must make a reasonable assessment.The instructions (or briefings, as my Navy friends called them) I got were pretty scant.In fact, it amounts to nothing.So I had to ask myself a simple and straightforward question: what the hell is going on here?The answer is: I don't know!It's really weird and interesting.Such an unusual approach was indeed befitting a man like Mr. Rafael, especially since he was such a successful entrepreneur and financier.He wants me to use my intuition to guess, to observe, and to follow the instructions or hints I get. So, number one: I was given instructions, and the instructions came from a dead man.Second point: My problem deals with the subject of justice, if not justice for injustice, or vengeance against evil forces and their just punishment.This is consistent with the code word Nemesis that Mr. Raphael told me. After listening to the principled explanation, I received the first instruction, that is, Mr. Rafael arranged for me to participate in the thirty-seventh echelon tour of the Chinese House and Garden Association before his death.Why?I have to ask myself.Is it because of geographical or geographical reasons?Is it because there is a connection or there are clues to follow?Is it related to a famous mansion?Or is it about a certain garden or attraction?This seems unlikely.The more likely explanation is related to this group of people or one of them on the tour bus.I didn't know any of them, but at least one of them was relevant to the mystery I had to solve.There must be someone among us who had something to do with the murder, either someone who knew something about the crime or something about the victim, or someone who was the murderer himself, an as yet unsuspected murderer. After writing this, Miss Marple suddenly stopped.She nodded, satisfied with the current analysis of the situation. So she went to bed. Miss Marple made a final entry in her notebook: This is the end of the first day.