Chapter 9 9 Polygonum vine

Lunch was ordinary, a small piece of mutton, baked potatoes, followed by a piece of plum pie, a small pot of cream and bland pastry.On the walls around the dining room were a few portraits of what Miss Marple guessed were family portraits, bland Victorian portraits in large, heavy frames of beautiful plum-coloured mahogany.The curtains were dark red brocade, and the large mahogany table was more than enough for ten people. Miss Marple chatted about all that had happened on her trip.However, the trip has only been three days so far, so there is not much to talk about. I suppose Mr. Rafael is your old friend?Big sister Crotty asked.

Not really, said Miss Marple.I first met him on a trip to the West Indies.I think he went there because he wanted to recuperate. Yes, he was severely paralyzed for a few years, Anthea said. Very sad, Miss Marple said, really, I admire his perseverance, he still works non-stop, dictating the secretary to write and send telegrams every day, and he has not flinched at all because of his illness. Indeed, he will never back down, Ancia said. We haven't seen him much in recent years, Mrs. Green said.Of course, he is a busy man.But he always remembers us fondly at Christmas time. Do you live in London, Miss Marple?Ancia asked.

Oh no, Miss Marple answered.I live in the country, in a little place between Leomouth and Basingmarket, about twenty-five miles from London.It used to be a very quiet old village, but like the rest, it is now a so-called progressive and prosperous area.She added: Mr. Raphael lives in London, doesn't he?At least I noticed that his hotel at San Jano was registered in the Eaton Square neighborhood, or Belgray Square, wasn't it? He had a country house in Kent, Crotty said.Sometimes he goes there to entertain friends.You know, most of them are friends in the mall, or friends from abroad.None of us have ever been there.We saw him very rarely, occasionally, and he always entertained us in London.

He was very considerate, said Miss Marple.I suggest that you invite me to come here while traveling.Very thoughtful.I can't believe that someone as busy as him is so thoughtful. We have also invited some of his friends who have participated in this kind of tour to our house.Generally speaking, they are satisfied with this arrangement.Of course, you can't please everyone.Of course young people like to walk, travel long distances, climb high and look far away, but old people can't do it, so they have to stay in hotels, and the hotels around here are not luxurious at all.I believe you have found today's journey very tiring, and tomorrow's trip to Lucky Rock will be the same.You know, tomorrow they're going to take a boat to visit an island, and sometimes there's wind and waves.

Even walking around the houses was tiring enough, Mrs. Green said. Oh, I know, said Miss Marple.After walking too much and standing for too long, my feet are sore and tired.I really shouldn't take this kind of long-distance travel, but those beautiful mansions, beautiful rooms and furniture, etc., are too tempting.Of course, there are those exquisite portraits. And the garden, Anthea said.You like gardens, don't you? Oh yes, said Miss Marple.Especially the garden.According to the description in the tour outline, I was really looking forward to seeing those well-preserved gardens in some old houses, and she smiled at the table.

Everything seemed pleasant and natural, but for some reason she felt tense.She felt that there was something unnatural here.But what did she mean by unnatural?These conversations are ordinary, nothing more than clichés.She herself picked out ordinary topics and said that the three sisters did the same. three sisters.Thinking of the three sisters, Miss Marple fell into deep thought again.Why do things seem to be ominous every three days?The three sisters, the three witches in "Macbeth".Alas, how can you compare these three sisters with those three witches?Anyway, Miss Marple always felt in her heart that those theater producers made a mistake in portraying the three witches.She once saw a play, which was even more ridiculous.The witches, with their ridiculous pointed hats and fluttering wings, looked like characters in a comic pantomime.They were dancing and bouncing around.Miss Marble remembers saying to her nephew who paid her to watch this famous Shakespeare play: Dear Raymond, you know, if I were to write and direct this good play, I would use a completely different way to shape the three witch.I'll turn them into three ordinary old women, old Scotch crones, who don't have to dance, don't have to jump, just look at each other with sly eyes.In this way, the audience will feel that there is a threat hidden under their ordinary appearance.

Miss Marple put the last mouthful of plum pie into her mouth and looked at Anthea across the table.She is ordinary, unkempt, with unremarkable facial features, and a little impetuous.Why did she think An Xiya was a little spooky? I'm fantasizing again, Miss Marple said to herself.I can't think about it anymore. After lunch, she was taken for a walk in the garden, and it was Anthea's turn to accompany her this time.Miss Marple thought the walk was rather bleak.The garden, though once well tended, was by no means remarkable.It had the usual features of a Victorian garden: a bush, a row of dappled laurel trees, lawns and paths that were once undoubtedly well groomed, and an acre and a half or so of vegetable gardens.For the three sisters who live here now, the vegetable garden is obviously too big, part of it is nothing planted, overgrown with weeds, and creeping plants almost occupy most of the flower beds. Convolvulus weeds spreading everywhere.

An Xiya's long hair fluttered in the wind, and the small hair pins fell on the path or grass from time to time.She spoke abruptly. Your garden should be beautiful, right?she says. Oh, my garden is very small, said Miss Marple. They followed a grassy path that ended in a wall, and they stopped by a small mound in front of the wall. This is our greenhouse, said Miss Anthea sadly. Oh, you said, the one covered with beautiful vines. There were three at that time, Anthea said.One is a black hamburger, a small white grape, very sweet; the other is a beautiful muscat. You said there was also a heliotrope plant.

It's a cherry tree, Anthea said. Oh, yes, it's a cherry tree, and it smells so good.Have you ever been bombed here?Did, uh, the explosion knock out the greenhouse? Oh no, we've never had anything like that happen.This area has nothing to do with bombing.No, I think it just collapsed from decay.We hadn't moved in long and had no money to renovate or rebuild.In fact, it's not worth it, because even if it is repaired, we can't afford to maintain it.I'm afraid we have nothing to do but to let it decay like this.You see, it's all overgrown with weeds now. Ah, what kind of vines are blooming when they are completely covered?

Oh that.It's a very common vine, An Xiya said.The first character is the initials of cursive, alas, what is the name? She pondered for a moment, it was called Polygonum or something. Oh yes.I think I know the name, Polygonum vine.Grows fast, right?It is useful if one wishes to hide a dilapidated building or something ugly and unsightly. The small hill in front of her was indeed covered with a dense green grass interspersed with small white flowers.Miss Marple knew it was a threat to the survival of any other plant.Polygonum vines cover everything, and in a fraction of the time. This greenhouse must be huge, she said.

Oh, yes, there are peach trees and nectarines in it, Anthea showed a sentimental look. Looking pretty now, too, said Miss Marble comfortingly.These little white flowers are so pretty, aren't they? Going forward along this path and turning left again, we still have a beautiful magnolia tree, Anshiya said.I believe there used to be a beautiful flower bed here, full of herbs.Too bad we still can't keep up.It's so hard, nothing is easy.Everything was unrecognizable, all destroyed. She led the way hurriedly to the right along a path that ran down a side wall.She quickened her pace, and Miss Marple could not keep up with her.It seemed to Miss Marple that the mistress was trying to lead her away from the Polygonum Knoll, as if she were trying to lead her away from some hideous place.Was she ashamed that her past glory was no longer there?Those vines were really rambunctious, and they hadn't even been pruned or trimmed into shape.It makes this part of the garden a sea of ​​wildflowers. Miss Marple followed suit, thinking that the mistress seemed to be fleeing the place.Before long, her attention was attracted by a collapsed pigsty.There are several rose vines wrapped around the pigsty. My great-uncle used to raise several pigs, Anthea explained.Of course, no one would want to raise pigs these days, would they?I'm afraid the environment will be dirty.We have several hybrid roses growing near the house.I think this hybrid flower is a great solution to trouble. Oh, I see what you mean, said Miss Marple. She casually mentioned the names of several new varieties of roses.She felt that An Xiya knew nothing about these flower names. Do you often take part in travel?Ancia asked. This question was asked very suddenly. You mean tours about mansions and gardens? Yes, some people come every year. I don't want that.You know, this kind of travel is expensive.This trip is a gift from a friend of mine to celebrate my birthday next year.He is so nice. Oh, I see.I've been wondering how you came here.I mean this kind of travel must be exhausting, right?But if you go to the West Indies or something like that Oh, and that trip to the West Indies came from someone else's kindness.That time it was my nephew who paid for it.He was a good boy, and thoughtful of his old aunt. Oh, that's right. Well, that's right. I don't know what old people would do without young people, said Miss Marple.Young people are very caring, don't you think? I think so.Actually I don't know.Neither did any of our younger relatives. Does your sister, Mrs. Green, have any children?She never mentioned it, and it's hard for me to ask. No, she and her husband have no children.Maybe that's fine too. What do you mean by that?thought Miss Marple curiously, as they walked back to the house.