Reading Help Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie. Ch.I-XIII
`
` "Heart," he said sharply. "Seeing us so suddenly must have given `
` her a shock. Brandy--and quickly, or she'll slip through our `
` fingers." `
` `
` Julius hurried to the washstand. `
` `
` "Not there," said Tuppence over her shoulder. "In the tantalus `
` in the dining-room. Second door down the passage." `
` `
` Between them Sir James and Tuppence lifted Mrs. Vandemeyer and `
` carried her to the bed. There they dashed water on her face, but `
` with no result. The lawyer fingered her pulse. `
` `
` "Touch and go," he muttered. "I wish that young fellow would `
` hurry up with the brandy." `
` `
` At that moment Julius re-entered the room, carrying a glass half `
` full of the spirit which he handed to Sir James. While Tuppence `
` lifted her head the lawyer tried to force a little of the spirit `
` between her closed lips. Finally the woman opened her eyes `
` feebly. Tuppence held the glass to her lips. `
` `
` "Drink this." `
` `
` Mrs. Vandemeyer complied. The brandy brought the colour back to `
` her white cheeks, and revived her in a marvellous fashion. She `
` tried to sit up--then fell back with a groan, her hand to her `
` side. `
` `
` "It's my heart," she whispered. "I mustn't talk." `
` `
` She lay back with closed eyes. `
` `
` Sir James kept his finger on her wrist a minute longer, then `
` withdrew it with a nod. `
` `
` "She'll do now." `
` `
` All three moved away, and stood together talking in low voices. `
` One and all were conscious of a certain feeling of anticlimax. `
` Clearly any scheme for cross-questioning the lady was out of the `
` question for the moment. For the time being they were baffled, `
` and could do nothing. `
` `
` Tuppence related how Mrs. Vandemeyer had declared herself willing `
` to disclose the identity of Mr. Brown, and how she had consented `
` to discover and reveal to them the whereabouts of Jane Finn. `
` Julius was congratulatory. `
` `
` "That's all right, Miss Tuppence. Splendid! I guess that `
` hundred thousand pounds will look just as good in the morning to `
` the lady as it did over night. There's nothing to worry over. `
` She won't speak without the cash anyway, you bet!" `
` `
` There was certainly a good deal of common sense in this, and `
` Tuppence felt a little comforted. `
` `
` "What you say is true," said Sir James meditatively. "I must `
` confess, however, that I cannot help wishing we had not `
` interrupted at the minute we did. Still, it cannot be helped, it `
` is only a matter of waiting until the morning." `
` `
` He looked across at the inert figure on the bed. Mrs. Vandemeyer `
` lay perfectly passive with closed eyes. He shook his head. `
` `
` "Well," said Tuppence, with an attempt at cheerfulness, "we must `
` wait until the morning, that's all. But I don't think we ought `
` to leave the flat." `
` `
` "What about leaving that bright boy of yours on guard?" `
` `
` "Albert? And suppose she came round again and hooked it. Albert `
` couldn't stop her." `
` `
` "I guess she won't want to make tracks away from the dollars." `
` `
` "She might. She seemed very frightened of 'Mr. Brown.' " `
` `
` "What? Real plumb scared of him?" `
` `
` "Yes. She looked round and said even walls had ears." `
` `
` "Maybe she meant a dictaphone," said Julius with interest. `
` `
` "Miss Tuppence is right," said Sir James quietly. "We must not `
` leave the flat--if only for Mrs. Vandemeyer's sake." `
` `
` Julius stared at him. `
` `
` "You think he'd get after her? Between now and to-morrow `
` morning. How could he know, even?" `
` `
` "You forget your own suggestion of a dictaphone," said Sir James `
` dryly. "We have a very formidable adversary. I believe, if we `
` exercise all due care, that there is a very good chance of his `
` being delivered into our hands. But we must neglect no `
` precaution. We have an important witness, but she must be `
` safeguarded. I would suggest that Miss Tuppence should go to `
` bed, and that you and I, Mr. Hersheimmer, should share the `
` vigil." `
` `
` Tuppence was about to protest, but happening to glance at the bed `
` she saw Mrs. Vandemeyer, her eyes half-open, with such an `
` expression of mingled fear and malevolence on her face that it `
` quite froze the words on her lips. `
` `
` For a moment she wondered whether the faint and the heart attack `
` had been a gigantic sham, but remembering the deadly pallor she `
` could hardly credit the supposition. As she looked the expression `
` disappeared as by magic, and Mrs. Vandemeyer lay inert and `
` motionless as before. For a moment the girl fancied she must have `
` dreamt it. But she determined nevertheless to be on the alert. `
` `
` "Well," said Julius, "I guess we'd better make a move out of here `
` any way." `
` `
` The others fell in with his suggestion. Sir James again felt `
` Mrs. Vandemeyer's pulse. `
` `
` "Perfectly satisfactory," he said in a low voice to Tuppence. `
` "She'll be absolutely all right after a night's rest." `
` `
` The girl hesitated a moment by the bed. The intensity of the `
` expression she had surprised had impressed her powerfully. Mrs. `
` Vandemeyer lifted her lids. She seemed to be struggling to `
` speak. Tuppence bent over her. `
` `
` "Don't--leave----" she seemed unable to proceed, murmuring `
` something that sounded like "sleepy." Then she tried again. `
` `
` Tuppence bent lower still. It was only a breath. `
` `
` "Mr.--Brown----" The voice stopped. `
` `
` But the half-closed eyes seemed still to send an agonized `
` message. `
` `
` Moved by a sudden impulse, the girl said quickly: `
` `
` "I shan't leave the flat. I shall sit up all night." `
` `
` A flash of relief showed before the lids descended once more. `
` Apparently Mrs. Vandemeyer slept. But her words had awakened a `
` new uneasiness in Tuppence. What had she meant by that low `
` murmur: "Mr. Brown?" Tuppence caught herself nervously looking `
` over her shoulder. The big wardrobe loomed up in a sinister `
` fashion before her eyes. Plenty of room for a man to hide in `
` that.... Half-ashamed of herself, Tuppence pulled it open and `
` looked inside. No one--of course! She stooped down and looked `
` under the bed. There was no other possible hiding-place. `
` `
` Tuppence gave her familiar shake of the shoulders. It was `
` absurd, this giving way to nerves! Slowly she went out of the `
` room. Julius and Sir James were talking in a low voice. Sir James `
` turned to her. `
` `
` "Lock the door on the outside, please, Miss Tuppence, and take `
` out the key. There must be no chance of anyone entering that `
` room." `
` `
` The gravity of his manner impressed them, and Tuppence felt less `
` ashamed of her attack of "nerves." `
` `
` "Say," remarked Julius suddenly, "there's Tuppence's bright boy. `
` I guess I'd better go down and ease his young mind. That's some `
` lad, Tuppence." `
` `
` "How did you get in, by the way?" asked Tuppence suddenly. "I `
` forgot to ask." `
` `
` "Well, Albert got me on the phone all right. I ran round for Sir `
` James here, and we came right on. The boy was on the look out `
` for us, and was just a mite worried about what might have `
` happened to you. He'd been listening outside the door of the `
` flat, but couldn't hear anything. Anyhow he suggested sending us `
` up in the coal lift instead of ringing the bell. And sure enough `
` we landed in the scullery and came right along to find you. `
` Albert's still below, and must be just hopping mad by this time." `
` With which Julius departed abruptly. `
` `
` "Now then, Miss Tuppence," said Sir James, "you know this place `
` better than I do. Where do you suggest we should take up our `
` quarters?" `
` `
` Tuppence considered for a moment or two. `
` `
` "I think Mrs. Vandemeyer's boudoir would be the most `
` comfortable," she said at last, and led the way there. `
` `
` Sir James looked round approvingly. `
` `
` "This will do very well, and now, my dear young lady, do go to `
` bed and get some sleep." `
` `
` Tuppence shook her head resolutely. `
` `
` "I couldn't, thank you, Sir James. I should dream of Mr. Brown `
` all night!" `
` `
` "But you'll be so tired, child." `
`
` "Heart," he said sharply. "Seeing us so suddenly must have given `
` her a shock. Brandy--and quickly, or she'll slip through our `
` fingers." `
` `
` Julius hurried to the washstand. `
` `
` "Not there," said Tuppence over her shoulder. "In the tantalus `
` in the dining-room. Second door down the passage." `
` `
` Between them Sir James and Tuppence lifted Mrs. Vandemeyer and `
` carried her to the bed. There they dashed water on her face, but `
` with no result. The lawyer fingered her pulse. `
` `
` "Touch and go," he muttered. "I wish that young fellow would `
` hurry up with the brandy." `
` `
` At that moment Julius re-entered the room, carrying a glass half `
` full of the spirit which he handed to Sir James. While Tuppence `
` lifted her head the lawyer tried to force a little of the spirit `
` between her closed lips. Finally the woman opened her eyes `
` feebly. Tuppence held the glass to her lips. `
` `
` "Drink this." `
` `
` Mrs. Vandemeyer complied. The brandy brought the colour back to `
` her white cheeks, and revived her in a marvellous fashion. She `
` tried to sit up--then fell back with a groan, her hand to her `
` side. `
` `
` "It's my heart," she whispered. "I mustn't talk." `
` `
` She lay back with closed eyes. `
` `
` Sir James kept his finger on her wrist a minute longer, then `
` withdrew it with a nod. `
` `
` "She'll do now." `
` `
` All three moved away, and stood together talking in low voices. `
` One and all were conscious of a certain feeling of anticlimax. `
` Clearly any scheme for cross-questioning the lady was out of the `
` question for the moment. For the time being they were baffled, `
` and could do nothing. `
` `
` Tuppence related how Mrs. Vandemeyer had declared herself willing `
` to disclose the identity of Mr. Brown, and how she had consented `
` to discover and reveal to them the whereabouts of Jane Finn. `
` Julius was congratulatory. `
` `
` "That's all right, Miss Tuppence. Splendid! I guess that `
` hundred thousand pounds will look just as good in the morning to `
` the lady as it did over night. There's nothing to worry over. `
` She won't speak without the cash anyway, you bet!" `
` `
` There was certainly a good deal of common sense in this, and `
` Tuppence felt a little comforted. `
` `
` "What you say is true," said Sir James meditatively. "I must `
` confess, however, that I cannot help wishing we had not `
` interrupted at the minute we did. Still, it cannot be helped, it `
` is only a matter of waiting until the morning." `
` `
` He looked across at the inert figure on the bed. Mrs. Vandemeyer `
` lay perfectly passive with closed eyes. He shook his head. `
` `
` "Well," said Tuppence, with an attempt at cheerfulness, "we must `
` wait until the morning, that's all. But I don't think we ought `
` to leave the flat." `
` `
` "What about leaving that bright boy of yours on guard?" `
` `
` "Albert? And suppose she came round again and hooked it. Albert `
` couldn't stop her." `
` `
` "I guess she won't want to make tracks away from the dollars." `
` `
` "She might. She seemed very frightened of 'Mr. Brown.' " `
` `
` "What? Real plumb scared of him?" `
` `
` "Yes. She looked round and said even walls had ears." `
` `
` "Maybe she meant a dictaphone," said Julius with interest. `
` `
` "Miss Tuppence is right," said Sir James quietly. "We must not `
` leave the flat--if only for Mrs. Vandemeyer's sake." `
` `
` Julius stared at him. `
` `
` "You think he'd get after her? Between now and to-morrow `
` morning. How could he know, even?" `
` `
` "You forget your own suggestion of a dictaphone," said Sir James `
` dryly. "We have a very formidable adversary. I believe, if we `
` exercise all due care, that there is a very good chance of his `
` being delivered into our hands. But we must neglect no `
` precaution. We have an important witness, but she must be `
` safeguarded. I would suggest that Miss Tuppence should go to `
` bed, and that you and I, Mr. Hersheimmer, should share the `
` vigil." `
` `
` Tuppence was about to protest, but happening to glance at the bed `
` she saw Mrs. Vandemeyer, her eyes half-open, with such an `
` expression of mingled fear and malevolence on her face that it `
` quite froze the words on her lips. `
` `
` For a moment she wondered whether the faint and the heart attack `
` had been a gigantic sham, but remembering the deadly pallor she `
` could hardly credit the supposition. As she looked the expression `
` disappeared as by magic, and Mrs. Vandemeyer lay inert and `
` motionless as before. For a moment the girl fancied she must have `
` dreamt it. But she determined nevertheless to be on the alert. `
` `
` "Well," said Julius, "I guess we'd better make a move out of here `
` any way." `
` `
` The others fell in with his suggestion. Sir James again felt `
` Mrs. Vandemeyer's pulse. `
` `
` "Perfectly satisfactory," he said in a low voice to Tuppence. `
` "She'll be absolutely all right after a night's rest." `
` `
` The girl hesitated a moment by the bed. The intensity of the `
` expression she had surprised had impressed her powerfully. Mrs. `
` Vandemeyer lifted her lids. She seemed to be struggling to `
` speak. Tuppence bent over her. `
` `
` "Don't--leave----" she seemed unable to proceed, murmuring `
` something that sounded like "sleepy." Then she tried again. `
` `
` Tuppence bent lower still. It was only a breath. `
` `
` "Mr.--Brown----" The voice stopped. `
` `
` But the half-closed eyes seemed still to send an agonized `
` message. `
` `
` Moved by a sudden impulse, the girl said quickly: `
` `
` "I shan't leave the flat. I shall sit up all night." `
` `
` A flash of relief showed before the lids descended once more. `
` Apparently Mrs. Vandemeyer slept. But her words had awakened a `
` new uneasiness in Tuppence. What had she meant by that low `
` murmur: "Mr. Brown?" Tuppence caught herself nervously looking `
` over her shoulder. The big wardrobe loomed up in a sinister `
` fashion before her eyes. Plenty of room for a man to hide in `
` that.... Half-ashamed of herself, Tuppence pulled it open and `
` looked inside. No one--of course! She stooped down and looked `
` under the bed. There was no other possible hiding-place. `
` `
` Tuppence gave her familiar shake of the shoulders. It was `
` absurd, this giving way to nerves! Slowly she went out of the `
` room. Julius and Sir James were talking in a low voice. Sir James `
` turned to her. `
` `
` "Lock the door on the outside, please, Miss Tuppence, and take `
` out the key. There must be no chance of anyone entering that `
` room." `
` `
` The gravity of his manner impressed them, and Tuppence felt less `
` ashamed of her attack of "nerves." `
` `
` "Say," remarked Julius suddenly, "there's Tuppence's bright boy. `
` I guess I'd better go down and ease his young mind. That's some `
` lad, Tuppence." `
` `
` "How did you get in, by the way?" asked Tuppence suddenly. "I `
` forgot to ask." `
` `
` "Well, Albert got me on the phone all right. I ran round for Sir `
` James here, and we came right on. The boy was on the look out `
` for us, and was just a mite worried about what might have `
` happened to you. He'd been listening outside the door of the `
` flat, but couldn't hear anything. Anyhow he suggested sending us `
` up in the coal lift instead of ringing the bell. And sure enough `
` we landed in the scullery and came right along to find you. `
` Albert's still below, and must be just hopping mad by this time." `
` With which Julius departed abruptly. `
` `
` "Now then, Miss Tuppence," said Sir James, "you know this place `
` better than I do. Where do you suggest we should take up our `
` quarters?" `
` `
` Tuppence considered for a moment or two. `
` `
` "I think Mrs. Vandemeyer's boudoir would be the most `
` comfortable," she said at last, and led the way there. `
` `
` Sir James looked round approvingly. `
` `
` "This will do very well, and now, my dear young lady, do go to `
` bed and get some sleep." `
` `
` Tuppence shook her head resolutely. `
` `
` "I couldn't, thank you, Sir James. I should dream of Mr. Brown `
` all night!" `
` `
` "But you'll be so tired, child." `
`