Chapter 20 20 Miss Marple Has Her Own Ideas

After lunch in the dining room, Miss Marple went out to the terrace for coffee.She was drinking her second glass when a tall, thin figure strode up the steps towards her, talking breathlessly.She took a closer look, and it turned out to be An Xiya.Belberry Squeeze. Oh, Miss Marple, we just heard you didn't leave on the tour bus.We thought you would keep traveling, but we didn't expect you to stay here.Crotty and Lavinia want me to tell you that we would very much like you to come and live at the old manor.I'm sure you'd be better off staying in an old estate than a hotel; there's always a lot of people coming and going, especially on weekends and holidays.We'd be very, very happy if you'd come and live with us, really.

Oh, it's very kind of you, said Miss Marple.so enthusiastic.But I guess what I mean is, we were only going to be here for two days.I was going to leave with the tour bus, I mean, after being here for two days and then that tragic accident happened, so well, I really don't think I can go on.I figured I'd at least have a good night's rest. I mean, it would be better if you came to live with us.We will do our best to make you comfortable. Oh, that's for sure; said Miss Marple, I feel quite at ease living with you.Oh yes, I still can't remember it until now.Such a beautiful house, everything is so exquisite, such as your china, glass and furniture.Living at home is of course much more comfortable than living in a hotel.

So you must come with me.Yes, you must come with me.I can pack your luggage for you. Oh, you are very kind.I'll do it myself. Do you want me to help you? Thank you then, said Miss Marple. The two walked towards her room together.Anthea packed Miss Marple's luggage carelessly and sloppily, which made Miss Marple, who always folded clothes neatly, have to bite her lip tightly and show a satisfied look on her face.Yes, she thought to herself, this girl can't fold anything well. An Xiya called a porter from the hotel, and the man turned the corner with the suitcase and sent it to the old manor along the road.Miss Marple gave him a generous tip, thanked him, and walked towards the three sisters.

Three sisters, she thought.We meet again. She felt short of breath, so she sat in the living room and closed her eyes for a while.She seemed a little out of breath, which she thought was natural for someone her age, not to mention Anthea and the hotel porter were walking so fast.But while closing her eyes, she also wanted to clarify how she felt when she stepped into this old house again. Is there an undercurrent of turbulent and dangerous atmosphere here?No. It's not so much about danger as it is about being unhappy, deeply unhappy.The vibe of unhappiness was so deep it was almost frightening.

She opened her eyes and looked at the other two owners of the house.Mrs. Green had just emerged from the kitchen with a tea tray in her hand.Her appearance was the same as before, peaceful and at ease, without any particular emotional fluctuations.Miss Marple thought she was too calm.Could it be that she has experienced the setbacks and tribulations of life, so she has become used to not showing her face, keeping silent and not letting anyone understand her inner world? Her eyes moved from Mrs. Green to Crotty.She had thought she looked a lot like Claydinestri, and she still thought so.Of course Crotty never murdered her husband, because she had no husband to kill.And it seemed impossible that she had killed the girl whom she was said to have loved so much.Miss Marple was absolutely sure of this.When she mentioned Microetti's death, tears welled up in her eyes when she saw Clottey with her own eyes.

So, what about Ancia?Ancia once took a package to the post office for post.An Xiya ran to the hotel to pick her up and go home.An Xiya is full of doubts about An Xiya.Is it because of her impetuousness?For her age, she is too impetuous.The eyes keep wandering to and fro and then back to you.Her eyes seemed to be able to see over your shoulders what no one else could see.She was afraid, thought Miss Marple, of something.What is she afraid of?Is she mentally ill?Did she spend some time in some kind of treatment facility or school and was afraid she would be sent back?Is she afraid that the two sisters will think that.Is it not an option to let her come and go freely?And would her two older sisters be worried about what her younger sister An Xiya would say or do unexpectedly?

There is a vibe here.She swallowed the last sip of tea, thinking Miss Cooke and Miss Barrow didn't know what they were doing now.Did they really go to visit the church?Or were they all lies, meaningless lies?This is very strange.How strange that they went to St. Mary Mead to see her, so that they could recognize her in the tour bus, but they refused to admit that they had seen or met her before. There are too many unexplainable things here. Not long after, Mrs. Green packed up the tea tray and took away. Anthea also went out to the garden. Crotty was the only one left in the living room with Miss Marple.

I think, said Miss Marple.You know a vicar of Bolazon, don't you? Oh yes, Crotty said.He was at church yesterday for a memorial service.You know him? Oh, I don't know, said Miss Marple.But he came up to me at the Fort Gordon Hotel and talked to me.I think he also went to the hospital to find out about Miss Temple's death.He wondered if Miss Temple had left him any messages.I think she had planned to visit him.Of course, I told him that although I went to the hospital to help, I couldn't help at all, except to sit by poor Miss Temple's bed.You know, she has been unconscious.I can't help you with anything.

Did she say, did she say or explain anything about what happened?Crotty asked. She asked in a nonchalant manner.Miss Marple couldn't tell if she wanted to know but she pretended to be careless.But generally speaking, it seems not.She thinks that Crotty has other thoughts. Do you think that was an accident?asked Miss Marple.Do you think it is credible that Mrs. Rileypotter's niece said she saw someone pushing a boulder? Well, I think if they both said that, they must have seen it. Yes, they both said so, said Miss Marple.Although the statement is not exactly the same.However, this should also come naturally.

Crotty looked at her curiously. You seem to be very interested in this matter. Oh, what she said seemed incredible, said Miss Marple.very strange, unless Unless what? Oh, I'm just curious, said Miss Marple. Mrs. Green entered the drawing room again. What did you say you were curious about?she asked. We're talking about that accident and maybe it wasn't an accident.Crotty said. but who would Their words seemed very unbelievable, Miss Marple continued. There's something about this place, Crotty said suddenly.There's something wrong with the atmosphere here.That thing has been haunting us, and we haven't gotten rid of it since Microetti died.Although it has been many years, the atmosphere is still there.A shadow hangs over the place.She looked at Miss Marple.Do you think so too?Don't you think there's a shadow hanging over this place?

Oh, I'm a stranger, said Miss Marple.Not like you sisters; you live here and know the dead girl.I believe, as the vicar of Bolazon said, that she is a very beautiful and charming girl. She was a very sweet kid and sweet, Crotty said. Wish I knew her better, said Mrs. Green.Of course, I was still living abroad at the time.My husband and I used to come back for vacation.But at that time we mostly lived in London and didn't come here very often. Ancia came in from the garden, holding a bouquet of lilies in her hand. Mourning flowers, she said.There should be such a thing here today, right?I'm going to put these flowers in a big vase.This is a mourning flower. She laughed suddenly, a strange hysterical smirk. Anthea, Crotty said.Don't do this, it's not good to be otherwise. I'm going to put these flowers in the water, Anshiya said happily as she stepped out of the living room. Indeed, said Mrs. Green.Ancia!i really feel her She was getting worse, Crotty said. Miss Marple pretended not to hear anything, and picked up a small enamel box, and looked at it with admiring eyes. I'm afraid she's going to break another vase, Lavinia said. She walks out of the living room.Miss Marple asked: Are you worried about your sister Ansia? oh yes.She had always been an anomaly; she was the youngest and delicate.Recently, however, she's clearly getting worse.I don't think she knew the gravity of the matter at all.She had bouts of hysteria, and she laughed uncontrollably at things that should be taken seriously.We didn't want to, uh, send her to some institution or something like that, you know.She should have been sent for treatment, but I don't think she would want to leave the house.After all, this is her home, although life is difficult at times. Difficulties are inevitable in any life, said Miss Marple. Lavinia had mentioned moving, Crotty said.She said she planned to move abroad again.Tomina, I thought, where she and her husband had been for a long time, and they were very happy together.Although she has lived with us for so many years, she seems to want to go out and travel.Sometimes I think sometimes I think it's because she doesn't want to live with Anthea. Oh dear, said Miss Marple.Yes, I have heard many such embarrassing things. She was afraid of Anthea, Crotty said.I am very afraid of her.Really, I keep telling her that there is nothing to be afraid of, that Ancia is just a little silly sometimes, you know, just thinking wildly and talking weirdly.But I don't think she's dangerous Uh, I mean oh I don't know what to say.She's not going to do anything dangerous or spooky. Nothing ever happened to her, did she?asked Miss Marple. No, never.Sometimes she would have a nervous fit and suddenly feel very disgusted with certain people.She's jealous, you know.Very jealous, uh, sensitive to a lot of people.I do not know how to say it.Sometimes I think we should just sell the house and move far away. You think the house is a sad place for you, don't you?said Miss Marple.I think I can understand.It must be very hard for you to live in this place with memories of the past. You understand, right?Yes, I can see that you do understand.I can't help myself, I always think of that caring and lovely girl.She is like my daughter.In fact, she is the daughter of a good friend of mine.She's also very clever, and she's a smart girl.She is very artistic, with good grades in aesthetics and design.She is fascinated by art design and I am so proud of her.But then that twisted love, that horrible, psychotic kid You mean Mr. Rafael's son, Mike.Rafael? right.If only he had never been to our house.The world is so big, and he lives nearby. His father asked him to visit us, so he came to our house to have dinner with us once.You know, he's charming, but he's a pathetic bad guy with a criminal record.He has been in prison twice, and he has seduced girls a lot.But it never occurred to me that Viloty was besotted with him.I think it's easy for a girl her age to do that.She has a crush on him and insists that nothing he does is his fault.You know what the girls say: everyone is right with him.That's what they say all the time.Everyone is right with him, no one is more lenient to him.Oh︱Hearing it makes my ears callous.Can't girls be more rational? I agree, they are often irrational, said Miss Marple. She doesn't listen.I've tried keeping him away from my house.I told him not to come to the door again.Of course, I was stupid enough to do so.I learned later that this was tantamount to forcing her outside to meet him.I don't know the location, they have several dating locations.He used to drive to pick her up at the appointed place and then drop her back late at night.Once or twice he didn't even bring her back until the next day.I told them it couldn't go on like this and that was the end of it.But they don't listen.Microlotty would not listen.Of course, I didn't expect Mike to listen either. Is she going to marry him?asked Miss Marple. Oh, I don't think they've gotten that far yet.I don't think he ever intended or wanted to marry her. I am deeply sorry for you, said Miss Marple.You must have suffered a lot. That's right.The scariest thing is to identify the dead body.That was after she had been missing for quite some time.We thought she must have eloped with him, and maybe we'd hear from them later.I knew that the police took her disappearance very seriously. They summoned Mike to the police station for questioning, but his confession seemed to be inconsistent with what the locals said. They found her later, in a drain in a fenced-in lot.The place was far away, about thirty miles away, at the end of a lonely alleyway that was not traveled by.Yes, I had to go to the morgue to identify the body.What a horrible sight.How cruel, how violent!Why did he make her like that?Wasn't it enough that he strangled her?He strangled her with her scarf.I can't I can't go on.I can't stand it.I can't stand it. She suddenly burst into tears. I'm so sorry for you, said Miss Marple.Very, very sad. I believe you are, Crotty looked at her suddenly.But the worst part is that even you don't know. How to say? I don't know I don't know what happened to Ancia. What do you mean by that? She was eccentric during that time.She is very jealous of others.She suddenly had a great distaste for Microlotty, almost hated her.Sometimes I think I think, oh well, that's a horrible thought, I shouldn't be so suspicious of my sister but she did attack people.You know, she used to have sudden tantrums and tantrums.I wondered, would she oh, I shouldn't have said that, there's no way.Please forget what I just said.Nothing, nothing at all.But, but uh, she's not normal.I have to face reality.When she was young, several strange things happened.We had a parrot, a talking parrot, and the parrot used to say silly things, and she broke the parrot's neck.I haven't felt the same way about her since then.I don't think I can trust her anymore.I'm not sure about her.I've never felt oh my god, why am I so hysterical. Well, well, said Miss Marple.Stop thinking about these things. right.It was bad enough knowing that Microetti was dead.She died so badly.In any case, the other girls would not be at the hands of the boy again.He was sentenced to life imprisonment and remains behind bars.They won't let him come out and hurt people again.But why didn't they sentence him to insanity to reduce criminal responsibility? Isn't this a common method these days?He should be sent to a mental hospital in Bromo.I believe he cannot be held accountable for what he has done. She stood up and walked out of the living room.Mrs. Green came back and passed her sister at the door. Don't listen to Crotty, she said.She still hasn't recovered from the tragedy that happened so many years ago.She loved Viloty very much. She seems to be very worried about your sister. Worried about Ancia?Anthea is fine.She's uh, uh, she's confused, you know.She is a little hysterical, easily agitated when things happen, and sometimes she can't help but have weird fantasies or imaginations.However, I think Crotty is needless to worry about her.God, who is walking by the window? Two apologetic figures suddenly appeared in front of the French windows. I'm so sorry, Miss Barrow said.We've just walked around the house looking for Miss Marple.I heard she came here with you, so I thought oh, here you are, dear Miss Marple.I want to tell you that we didn't go to that church this afternoon.It is not open because it is being cleaned.So I think we'll just have to not go anywhere today until tomorrow.We're taking the liberty of coming here, please don't take offense.I rang the gate bell, but it didn't seem to ring. It doesn't ring sometimes, Mrs. Green said.You know, it can also be emotional, sometimes it rings, sometimes it doesn't ring.Please sit down and chat with us.I didn't expect you didn't leave with the tour bus. No.We want to spend a few more days around here, because we have traveled a long way.Besides, after the accident that happened a day or two ago, it would be really, uh, really painful to keep going with the car. Have some sherry, Mrs. Green said. She walked out of the living room, and soon came back with An Xiya.At this time, Ansia had calmed down. She brought a bottle of sherry and a few wine glasses, and the two sat down together. I should like to know, said Mrs. Green.How this thing will develop.I mean the death of Miss Temple.I mean, it's literally impossible to know what the police are thinking.They seem to be still looking into this.I mean, now that the coroner's court has announced the postponement, obviously they're not happy.I don't know if there is something strange about her injury. I don't think so, said Miss Barrow.I mean, the cause was purely hitting the head, causing a severe concussion I mean the big rock.The only question, Miss Marple, is whether the rock rolled down by itself, or was someone pushed it down. Oh, said Miss Cook.Don't you think that someone would do such a thing and push the stone down on purpose?I figured there were some rascals around there, you know, some young foreigners or students or something.You know, I really doubt it's possible, uh You mean, said Miss Marple.You suspect that the man may be one of our companions. Well, I didn't say that, said Miss Cook. But really, said Miss Marple.We can't help but think so.I mean, there must be an explanation for this accident.If the police are convinced it wasn't an accident, then it must have been done by someone. Well, I mean, since Miss Temple is an out-of-towner, it doesn't seem likely that anyone would do that to her, I mean locals.So, of course we think about uh, think about the people on the tour bus, don't you think? She let out a chuckle, the howl that old ladies usually have. Oh, really! Yes, I guess I shouldn't talk about these things.But, you know, crime is actually pretty fun.Sometimes weird things just happen. Did you feel anything distinctly yourself, Miss Marple?I'd love to hear it, Crotty said.Oh, we can't help but think of possibilities. Mr Casper said Miss Cook.You know, I hated that man's looks from the very beginning.Seems to me uh, I think he's probably involved with spies, spies or something; you know, like coming down to the country looking for atomic secrets and stuff like that. I don't think we have any atomic secrets in our part of the world, said Mrs. Green. Of course not, Anthea said.Someone might be following her.Maybe someone followed her all the way because she committed a crime. Nonsense, Crotty said.She is a retired principal of a well-known school and a scholar with a very high status. How could anyone want to follow her? Oh, I don't know either.Maybe she's gone astray or something. I believe, said Mrs. Green.Miss Marple had some ideas. Oh, I do have some ideas, said Miss Marple.In my opinion, the only person who could possibly do such a thing is uh, how should I put it?I think logically there are two people who are likely suspects.I'm not saying that's necessarily the case, because I believe both are very good people, but what I'm saying is that logically, the others don't seem to be suspect. Who are you referring to?That's interesting. Oh, I guess I shouldn't have said that.I'm just guessing wildly. Who do you think would push a boulder down a hill?Look at Joanna and Emlyn.Who was that figure that Pais saw? Oh, I actually thought maybe they didn't see anyone. I don't understand.Ancia said.Didn't they see anyone? Well, maybe they made up all these words. What?You're saying it's not true that they saw a figure? It's possible, isn't it? Do you think they are joking or mean?What exactly do you mean? Oh, I mean we often hear about incredible things being done by young people these days, said Miss Marple.You know, stuffing things into a horse's eye, smashing glass in an embassy, ​​hurting people for no reason, throwing rocks at people's houses, it's usually young people who do it, right?And they're the only young men in the group, aren't they? You mean it was Pais and Joanna who rolled the boulder down the hill? Oh, they're obviously suspect, aren't they?said Miss Marple. I can't think of it!Crotty said.Oh, I never thought of this layer.However, I think right, I think what you said does make sense.Of course, I had no idea what kind of people those two were.I have not traveled with them. Oh, they're nice people, said Miss Marple.Joanna seems to me to be a very capable girl. Can you do anything?Ancia asked. Anthea, Crotty said.shut up. "Yes, very competent," said Miss Marple.After all, if you're going to do something that has murderous effect, you've got to be very capable of not being seen or seen. However, they must have conspired, Miss Barrow suggested. Oh yes, said Miss Marple.They are accomplices, so their rhetoric will be roughly the same.They're oh, they're the obvious suspects, that's all I can say.They were out of sight; everyone else was on the walk below.It is possible that they climbed to the top of the hill, pushing off large boulders.They probably didn't mean to kill Miss Temple, just, uh, a moment of lawlessness, or just wanting to smash something or somebody, whoever it was.They pushed the big rock, so of course they'd say they saw a figure and they said they saw the eye-catching clothes and all that sounds unbelievable oh I shouldn't say that but I Always thought so. I think it's an interesting idea, said Mrs. Green.What do you say, Crotty? I think it's a possibility.But I haven't thought about it that way myself. Oh, said Miss Cook, standing up beside her.We must go back to the Fort Gordon Hotel now.Would you like to go back with us, Miss Marple? Oh no, said Miss Marple.I don't think you know, but I forgot to tell you just now, that Miss Beverly Smith was very kind, and she invited me to come back here again for a night or two. Oh, I see.I think this arrangement is very suitable for you.You will be much more comfortable living here.The group of people staying in the hotel tonight seems to be quite noisy. Would you two like to join us for coffee after dinner?Crotty suggested.It's warm tonight.We can't invite you two to dinner because I'm afraid we don't have enough food at home, but if you two can come and have coffee with us That would be great, said Miss Cook.Well, of course we can't live up to your kindness.