Chapter 4 Four Celia

Standing on the insole outside the door was a tall girl. Mrs. Olivia looked at her in surprise for a while.She was Celia, and her lively appearance was impressive. Mrs. Olivia felt that she had changed a lot. She thought, this girl came prepared.She may be aggressive, she may be difficult, or she may be dangerous.She is the kind of girl with a sense of mission who will resort to violence to achieve her goals.So interesting, so much fun. Come in, Celia.She said: I haven't seen you for a long time. I remember the last time at a certain wedding. You were a bridesmaid. You were wearing a goose yellow chiffon, right? .

It might be Qiu Qilin, Celia.Ravenk said: "We were sneezing from hay fever and it was a miserable wedding.The bride is Martha.Lei Hong, right?That was the ugliest bridesmaid dress I have ever seen, and certainly the ugliest dress I have ever worn! Yeah, bridesmaids dresses usually don't fit well, but speaking of which, you're better than everyone else. Ah, you are too kind, said Celia: I find it ugly. Mrs. Olivier invited the guests to sit down and brought two bottles of drinks. Want sherry or something else? Take it easy, I like sherry. This cup is for you.Mrs. Olivia said: I think you must be wondering why I called you suddenly.

Oh no, I don't think there's anything weird about that. My godmother is really not responsible enough. No, I'm already this old. You are right, Mrs. Olivier said: there is a time limit for human responsibilities and feelings, but I did not fulfill my responsibilities. I remember that I did not attend your confirmation ceremony. I suppose it's Godmother's job to teach you catechism and all, so I can exorcise evil spirits for me, isn't it? A humorous smile played on Celia's lips. She was as lovely as ever, Madame Olivier thought, but she was also a dangerous girl in a way.

Well, let me tell you why I am looking for you.Mrs Olivier said: "It's been a bit of a twist.I didn't go to literary gatherings much before, but I went the day before yesterday. I know, said Celia: it was mentioned in the papers, and your name was mentioned, Aridan.Mrs Olivier.I find it weird because I know you don't usually go to that kind of occasion. Yes, said Mrs Olivier: I wish I hadn't been there that day. Are you unhappy? No, it turned out not bad, because I haven't been to these kinds of parties before, and it's always interesting to see it for the first time.However, she added: there are inevitably some annoying things.

Did something unpleasant happen to you? Yes, and oddly involving you.I thought um, I guess I should tell you, because I don't like it, very much. Sounds pretty intriguing.said Celia, sipping sherry. A woman came up to me and talked to me, and I didn't know her, and she didn't know me. I thought you should see this kind of thing often.Celia said. Yes, this is a common occurrence.Mrs. Olivier said: It is a risk that writers often encounter.Someone always comes up to you and says I love your book so much, it's nice to meet you, or something like that. I've been a writer's secretary, and I know that sort of thing well, and how hard it is to deal with.

That's right.Well, it was the same that time, I was already mentally prepared, but the woman came up and said: I know you have a goddaughter named Celia. Well, it's kind of weird, Celia said, coming here to tell you that.At least you should bring up this topic slowly, first talk about your book, how much she likes your new book, etc., and then slowly turn to me.How did she criticize me? She is not criticizing you.said Mrs Olivier. is it my friend I have no idea.said Mrs Olivier. Neither of them spoke again. Celia took a few more sips of sherry and looked at Mrs. Olivia suspiciously.

do you know?She said: "I'm really curious, not quite sure what you're trying to say. Well, said Mrs Olivier: I hope you're not mad at me. why am i angry Well, because of what I'm going to say, what I'm going to bring up again, you might say that's none of my business, or that I should keep quiet and not bring it up. I'm getting more and more curious.Celia said. She gave me her name, Mrs. Bordenka. oh!Celia's voice is very special.oh! do you know her Yes, I know her.Celia said. Well, I think you must know, because for what? Because of something she said.

what about meKnow my thing? She said her son might be marrying you soon. Celia's expression changed, her eyebrows raised and lowered, her eyes fixed on Mrs. Olivia. You want to know if this is true? No, said Mrs Olivier: I wouldn't particularly want to know, I bring it up because it was the first thing she said.She said that since you are my goddaughter, I might be able to ask you something, and I presume she meant that I should tell her when I had the answer. what is the answer? Well, I guess you won't like what I'm about to tell, said Mrs Olivier: I don't like it myself.It made me really uncomfortable, actually, because it was really, um, very reckless, very disrespectful, absolutely inexcusable.She said: "Can you find out if her father killed her mother or if her mother killed her father?"

She said this to you?Tell you to do this kind of thing? Yes. She doesn't know you?I mean, other than knowing that you're a writer and you're at this party? She didn't know me at all, she hadn't seen me before, and I hadn't seen her. Don't you think that's outrageous? I don't know what the woman said is not outrageous, Mrs. Olivia said: She is threatening me like a wicked mother-in-law. Oh yes, she is really annoying. Are you going to marry her son? Well, we are planning to, not sure yet.You know that thing she mentioned? Well, I guess I know about as much as anyone else who knows your parents.

After my father retired from the army, he bought a house in the country, and one day they went out together, walking along a cliff, and they were both found dead.There was a revolver on the ground, it belonged to my father, and there seemed to be two revolvers in the house.There is no way to determine whether the two of them met to commit suicide, or who killed the other first and then shot himself.You've probably heard all of this, though. I heard a little bit, Mrs. Olivier said: It happened about twelve years ago. almost. So you were twelve or thirteen years old. Yes I don't know the details, Mrs. Olivier said: I was on a speaking tour in the United States, not in England.I saw this news in the newspaper.The newspapers reported it extensively, because it was difficult to find out the truth and no motive for the murder.Your parents have always been loving and happy, and I remember that was mentioned in the newspaper.I notice because I knew your parents, especially your mother, when I was young.Your mother and I were classmates, and developed independently after graduation. I left after getting married, and she also went abroad after getting married. I remember going to places like Malaysia with her military husband.But she asked me to be godmother to her child, and that child is you.Since your parents went abroad, we haven't seen each other for many years, and I only see you occasionally.

Yeah, I remember when you would take me out to school and eat some good food, that food was delicious. You are a special kid who loves caviar. I still like it now, said Celia, but not often. I was taken aback when I saw the report, which didn't say much, and I guess the case was closed with an unknown cause of death.With no particular motive, no witnesses, no rumors of an altercation, no signs of being assaulted, I was genuinely shocked.Mrs. Olivier said: I also forgot later. Once or twice, I thought about the possible reasons for the case, but because I was not in China and mentioned that I was in the United States at that time, I gradually forgot.It's been a few years since I saw you again, so naturally I didn't mention it again. Well, Celia said: I'm glad you didn't bring it up again. In a person's life, Mrs. Olivier said: There will always be some friends or acquaintances who have inexplicable things.When it happens to a friend, you usually have some opinion, whatever the real reason.But if you haven't heard people discuss or talk about it for a long time, you won't think about it again, and you won't find anyone to inquire about. You have been very kind to me, said Celia, and sent me many presents, especially when I was twenty-one, you gave me a special present, which I still remember. Girls that age need cash, Mrs Olivier said: There are so many things to do and buy. I always think you are very considerate, not um, unlike some people who are always questioning you, asking you, and always getting to the bottom of it.You never ask questions, you take me to the theater, treat me to delicious food, and chat with me as if nothing happened, as if you are just my distant relative.I am very grateful to you, I have met too many nosy people in the past. Yes, everyone will meet such a person sooner or later.Mrs Olivier said: Now you know how frustrating this dinner was, to be asked to do a strange thing by a total stranger like Mrs Bordenka.I can't figure out why she wants to know, and it's none of her business unless You mean, unless it's about me marrying Desmond?Desmond was her son. Well, I suppose that might be the case, but I don't know why, and what business it is with her. It's all her business, she's just meddling, she's the kind of wicked woman you said. I guess Desmond isn't annoying. Of course, I like Desmond, and Desmond likes me.It's just that I don't like his mother. Does he like his mother? I don't know, Celia said: I suppose I should like it. Anything is possible, isn't it?Anyway, at the moment I don't want to get married, not much.There are still many, um, many difficulties, as you know, some people are in favor of it, and some are against it.You must be wondering why the meddlesome Mrs. Bodenka asked you to ask me, and then revealed to her that you asked me that question for this purpose, right? You mean, I'm asking you if you know that both your parents committed suicide, or who killed the other?do you mean that Well, in a way, I guess so.But first I should ask, do you want to ask me that too?If you heard something from me, would you tell Mrs. Bordenka? No, said Mrs. Olivier: absolutely not.It never occurred to me to tell that nasty woman anything.I'll make it very clear that it's none of her business and it's none of my business.Also, it never occurred to me to get information from you and then leak it to her. Well, I think so too.Celia said: I think I can trust you, and I don't mind telling you what I know, including this question. Needless to say, I'm not asking you to tell me. I know, I know that, but I'll tell you anyway.The answer is that I don't know anything. I don't know anything, Mrs. Olivia said in a deep voice. right.I wasn't there at the time, I mean, I didn't live in the house, I don't really remember where I was, maybe I was at school in Switzerland, or I was with my classmates on vacation.You see, my memory has been muddled. I think, Mrs. Olivier said suspiciously: It is unlikely that you know the inside story, considering how old you were then? I'm curious, Celia said: What do you think?Do you think I might know the details?Or don't know anything? Well, you said you weren't home at the time.If you were ten years old at the time, I think you would know something. Children are like this, and teenagers are also like this. People of this age actually know a lot and see a lot, but they just don’t say it.They knew a lot of things that the outside world didn't know, and things they didn't want to tell the police. Your insight is very sharp, but I really don't know, I am at a loss and have no idea.What are the police thinking?Don't mind me asking this because I'm curious and I've never seen the interrogation or investigative coverage. I think they thought it was double suicide, but they should not have any evidence. Do you want to know what I think? Don't say it if you don't want me to know.said Mrs Olivier. But I guess you are also curious, after all, your major is to write mystery novels about suicide or murder, I think you must be very interested. Yes, I admit it.Mrs. Olivia said: But I don't want to ask you about things that have nothing to do with me and will offend you. Well, I often ask why?how so?But really clueless.Celia said: "I mean everything that's going on at home.During that holiday, I left the UK to study in Europe, so I rarely saw my parents.They came to Switzerland to see me once or twice, and only once or twice.They haven't changed, they've just aged a bit.It seemed to me that my father was ill, he looked weak, he didn't know if it was a heart problem or something, we usually don't think about it too much.Mother, too, seemed nervous, but not depressed, just fussing over what was wrong with her.They get along well, I haven't seen any disagreements between them.It's just, sometimes um, sometimes I always have some guesses, regardless of whether it is correct or not, I just want to know, if Let's not talk about that any more.Mrs. Olivier said: There is no need to get to the bottom of it. The matter is over, and the conclusion is acceptable: there is no tool or motive for the murder, and there is no question of who deliberately killed whom. If I had to judge which was more probable, Celia said: I would think it was the father who killed the mother.For whatever reason, it is generally men who shoot and kill.I don't think a woman, especially a woman like my mother, could have shot her father, and if she wanted to kill him, she would have chosen something else.But I don't think either of them would want the other dead. So there might be an outsider. possible.But who could it be?Celia asked. Who else lived with your parents at the time? There was an old housekeeper with poor eyesight and hard of hearing; there was a foreign nurse who had been my governess, she was very kind, and she came back to take care of my mother when she was sick and hospitalized; Auntie, but none of them could hold a grudge against my parents.When my parents died, my brother Edward, who was four years my junior, and I inherited the property, without any benefit.We didn't inherit much property, my father had a pension and my mother had a small income.Oh, but none of that matters. I'm sorry, said Mrs. Olivier: asking a bunch of things made you sad again. You didn't make me sad, but instead aroused my interest in reliving the past.You know, I've grown up too, and want to know the truth too.I know and love my parents deeply, not passionately, but just like everyone else.But I don't know at all what kind of people they are, their lives, what's important to them, I don't know anything about that, I wish I did.It stabs you like an awl, and you can't leave it alone.Yes, I want to know, and then I don't have to worry about it. So you keep it on your mind? Celia looked at Mrs. Olivia for a while, seemingly hesitating whether to speak or not. Yes, said Celia: I've been thinking about it almost all the time, and I've been looking for clues, if you know what I mean.Desmond agreed.