Three Blind Mice and Other Stories Part 1
ThreeBlindMiceandOtherStories.
by AgathaChristie
ThreeBlindMice
ThreeBlindMiceThreeBlindMiceSeehowtheyrunSeehowtheyrunTheyallranafterthefarmer'swifeShecutofftheirtailswithacarvingknifeDidyoueverseesuchasightinyourlifeAsThreeBlindMice Itwasverycold.Theskywasdarkandheavywithunshedsnow.
Amaninadarkovercoat,withhism.u.f.flerpulleduproundhisface,andhishatpulleddownoverhiseyes,camealongCulverStreetandwentupthestepsofnumber74.Heputhisfingeronthebellandhearditshrillinginthebas.e.m.e.ntbelow.
MrsCasey,herhandsbusyinthesink,saidbitterly,"Dratthatbell.Neveranypeace,thereisn't."
Wheezingalittle,shetoiledupthebas.e.m.e.ntstairsandopenedthedoor.
Themanstandingsilhouettedagainsttheloweringskyoutsideaskedinawhisper,"MrsLyon?"
"Secondfloor,"saidMrsCasey."Youcangoonup.Doessheexpectyou?"
Themanslowlyshookhishead.
"Oh,well,goonupandknock."
Shewatchedhimashewentuptheshabbilycarpetedstairs.
Afterwardshesaid,he"gaveherafunnyfeeling."Butactuallyallshethoughtwasthathemusthaveaprettybadcoldonlytobeabletowhisperlikethat-andnowonderwiththeweatherwhat.i.twas.
Whenthemangotroundthebendofthestaircasehebegantowhistlesoftly.Thetunehewhistledwas"ThreeBlindMice."
MollyDavissteppedbackintotheroadandlookedupatthenewlypaintedboardbythegate.
MONKSWELLMANORGUESTHOUSE Shenoddedapproval.Itlooked,itreallydidlook,quiteprofessional.Or,perhaps,onemightsayalmostprofessional.TheTofGuestHousestaggereduphillalittle,andtheendofManorwa.s.slightlycrowded,butonthewholeGileshadmadeawonderfuljobofit.
Gileswasreallyveryclever.Thereweresomanythingsthathecoulddo.Shewasalwaysmakingfreshdiscoveriesaboutthishusbandofhers.Hesaidsolittleabouthimselfthat.i.twasonlybydegreesthatshewasfindingoutwhatalotofvariedtalentshehad.Anex-navalmanwasalwaysa"handyman,"sopeoplesaid.
Well,Gileswouldhaveneedofallhistalentsintheirnewventure.n.o.bodycouldbemorerawtothebusinessofrunningaguesthousethansheandGiles.But.i.twouldbegreatfun.Anditdidsolvethehousingproblem.
IthadbeenMolly'sidea.WhenAuntKatherinedied,andthelawyerswrotetoherandinformedherthatheraunthadleftherMonkswellManor,thenaturalreactionoftheyoungcouplehadbeentosellit.
Gileshadasked,"Whatisitlike?"
AndMollyhadreplied,"Oh,abig,ramblingoldhouse,fullofstuffy,old-fashionedVictorianfurniture.Ratheranicegarden,b.u.t.terriblyovergrownsincethewar,becausethere'sbeenonlyoneoldgardenerleft."
Sotheyhaddecidedtoputthehouseonthemarket,andkeepjustenoughfurnituretofurnishasmallcottageorflatforthemselves.
b.u.t.twodifficultiesaroseatonce.First,thereweren'tanysmallcottagesorflatstobefound,andsecondly,allthefurniturewasenormous.
"Well,"saidMolly,"we'lljusthavetosellitall.Isupposeitwillsell?"
Thesolicitora.s.suredthemthatnowadaysanythingwouldsell.
"Veryprobably,"hesaid,"someonewillbuyitforahotelorguesthouseinwhichcasetheymightliketobuyitwiththefurniturecomplete.Fortunatelythehouseisinverygoodrepair.ThelateMissEmoryhadextensiverepairsandmodernizationsdonejustbeforethewar,andtherehasbeenverylittledeterioration.Oh,yes,it'singoodshape."
AnditwasthenthatMollyhadhadheridea.
"Giles,"shesaid,"whyshouldn'twerunitasaguesthouseourselves?"
Atfirstherhusbandhadscoffedattheidea,butMollyhadpersisted.
"Weneedn'ttakeverymanypeople-notatfirst.It'saneasyhousetorun-it'sgothotandcoldwaterinthebedroomsandcentralheatingandagascooker.Andwecanhavehensandducksandourowneggs,andvegetables."
"Who'ddoallthework-isn't.i.tveryhardtogetservants?"
"Oh,we'dhavetodothework.Butwhereverwelivedwe'dhavetodothat.Afewextrapeoplewouldn'treallymeanmuchmoretodo.We'dprobablygetawomantocomeinafterabitwhenwegotproperlystarted.Ifwehadonlyfivepeople,eachpayingsevenguineasaweek-"Mollydepartedintotherealmsofsomewhatoptimisticmentalarithmetic.
"Andthink,Giles,"sheended,"itwouldbeourownhouse.Withourownthings.Asitis,itseemstomeitwillbeyearsbeforewecaneverfindanywheretolive."
That,Gilesadmitted,wastrue.Theyhadhadsolittletimetogethersincetheirhastymarriage,thattheywerebothlongingtosettledowninahome.
Sothegreatexperimentwa.s.setunderway.Advertis.e.m.e.ntswereputinthelocalpaperandintheTimes,andvariousanswerscame.
Andnow,today,thefirstoftheguestswastoarrive.Gileshadgoneoffearlyinthecartotryandobtainsomearmywirenettingthathadbeenadvertisedasforsaleontheothersideofthecounty.
Mollyannouncedthenecessityofwalkingtothevillagetomakesomelastpurchases.
Theonlythingthatwaswrongwastheweather.Forthelasttwodaysithadbeenbitterlycold,andnowthesnowwasbeginningtofall.
Mollyhurriedupthedrive,thick,featheryflakesfallingonherwaterproofedshouldersandbrightcurlyhair.Theweatherforecastshadbeenlugubriousintheextreme.Heavysnowfallwastobeexpected.
Shehopedanxiouslythatallthepipeswouldn'tfreeze.Itwouldbetoobadifeverythingwentwrongjustastheystarted.
Sheglancedatherwatch.Pastteatime.WouldGileshavegotbackyet?Wouldhebewonderingwhereshewas?
"IhadtogotothevillageagainforsomethingIhadforgotten,"shewouldsay.
Andhewouldlaughandsay,"Moretins?"
Tinswereajokebetweenthem.Theywerealwaysonthelookoutfortinsoffood.Thelarderwasreallyquitenicelystockednowincaseofemergencies.
And,Mollythoughtwithagrimacea.s.shelookedupatthesky,itlookedasthoughemergenciesweregoingtopresentthemselvesverysoon.
Thehousewasempty.Gileswas...o...b..ckyet.
Mollywentfirstintothekitchen,thenupstairs,goingroundthenewlypreparedbedrooms.MrsBoyleinthesouthroomwiththemahoganyandthefour-poster.MajorMetcalfintheblueroomwiththeoak.MrWrenintheeastroomwiththebaywindow.Alltheroomslookedverynice-andwhatablessingthatAuntKatherinehadhadsuchasplendidstockoflinen.Mollypattedacounterpaneintoplaceandwentdownstairsagain.
Itwasnearlydark.Thehousefeltsuddenlyveryquietandempty.Itwasalonelyhouse,twomilesfromavillage,twomiles,asMollyput.i.t,fromanywhere.
Shehadoftenbeenaloneinthehousebefore-butshehadneverbeforebeensoconsciousofbeingaloneinit.
Thes...o...b..atinasoftflurryagainstthewindowpanes.Itmadeawhispery,uneasysound.
SupposingGilescouldn'tgetback-supposingthesnowwa.s.sothickthatthecarcouldn'tgetthrough?Supposingshehadtostayalonehere-stayalonefordays,perhaps.
Shelookedroundthekitchen-abig,comfortablekitchenthatseemedtocallforabig,comfortablecookpresidingatthekitchentable,herjawsmovingrhythmicallya.s.sheaterockcakesanddrankblacktea-sheshouldbeflankedbyatall,elderlyparlour-maidononesideandaround,rosyhousemaidontheother,withakitchen-maidattheotherendofthetableobservingherbetterswithfrightenedeyes.Andinsteadtherewasjustherself,MollyDavis,playingarolethatdidnotyetseemaverynaturalroletoplay.
Herwholelife,atthemoment,seemedunreal-Gilesseemedunreal.Shewasplayingapart-justplayingapart.
Ashadowpa.s.sedthewindow,andshejumped-astrangemanwascomingthroughthesnow.Sheheardtherattleofthesidedoor.Thestrangerstoodthereintheopendoorway,shakingoffsnow,astrangeman,walkingintotheemptyhouse.Andthen,suddenly,illusionfled.
"OhGiles,"shecried,"I'msogladyou'vecome!"
"Hullo,sweetheart!Whatfilthyweather!Lord,I'mfrozen."
Hestampedhisfeetandblewthroughhishands.
AutomaticallyMollypickedupthecoatthathehadthrowninaGiles-likemannerontotheoakchest.Sheput.i.tonahanger,takingoutofthestuffedpocketsam.u.f.fler,anewspaper,aballofstring,andthemorning'scorrespondencewhichhehadshovedinpellmell.Movingintothekitchen,shelaiddownthearticlesonthedresserandputthekettleonthegas.
"Didyougetthenetting?"sheasked."Whatagesyou'vebeen."
"Itwasn'ttherightkind.Wouldn'thavebeenanygoodforus.Iwentontoanotherdump,b.u.t.thatwasn'tanygoodeither.Whathaveyoubeendoingwithyourself?n.o.bodyturnedupyet,Isuppose?"
"MrsBoyleisn'tcomingtilltomorrow,anyway."
"MajorMetcalfandMrWrenoughttobeheretoday."
"MajorMetcalfsentacardtosayhewouldn'tbeheretilltomorrow."
"ThenthatleavesusandMrWrenfordinner.Whatdoyouthinkhe'slike?Correctsortofretiredcivilservantismyidea."
"No,Ithinkhe'sanartist."
"Inthatcase,"saidGiles,"we'dbettergetaweek'srentinadvance."
"Oh,no,Giles,theybringluggage.Iftheydon'tpaywehangontotheirluggage."
"Andsupposetheirluggageisstoneswrappedupinnewspaper?Thetruthis,Molly,wedon'tintheleastknowwhatwe'reupagainstinthisbusiness.Ihopetheydon'tspotwhatbeginnersweare."
"MrsBoyleissureto,"saidMolly."She'sthatkindofwoman."
"Howdoyouknow?Youhaven'tseenher?"
Mollyturnedaway.Shespreadanewspaperonthetable,fetchedsomecheese,andsettoworktograteit.
"What'sthis?"inquiredherhusband.
"It'sgoingtobeWelshrarebit,"Mollyinformedhim.
"Breadcrumbsandmashedpotatoesandjustateeny-weenybitofcheesetojustifyitsname."
"Aren'tyouaclevercook?"saidheradmiringhusband.
"Iwonder.Icandoonethingatatime.It'sa.s.semblingthemthatneedssomuchpractice.Breakfastistheworst."
"Why?"
"Becauseitallhappensatonce-eggsandbaconandhotmilkandcoffeeandtoast.Themilkboilsover,orthetoastburns,orthebaconfrizzles,ortheeggsgohard.Youhavetobeasactiveasascaldedcat.w.a.tchingeverythingatonce."
"Ishallhavetocreepdownun.o.bservedtomorrowmorningandwatchthisscalded-catimpersonation."
"Thekettle'sboiling,"saidMolly."Shallwetakethetrayintothelibraryandhearthewireless?It'salmosttimeforthenews."
"Asweseemtobegoingtospendalmostthewholeofourtimeinthekitchen,weoughttohaveawirelessthere,too."
"Yes.Hownicekitchensare.Ilovethiskitchen.Ithinkit'sfarandawaythenicestroominthehouse.Ilikethedresserandtheplates,andIsimplylovethelavishfeelingthatanabsolutelyenormouskitchenrangegivesyou-though,ofcourse,I'mthankfulIhaven'tgottocookonit."
"Isupposeawholeyear'sfuelrationwouldgoinoneday."
"Almostcertainly,Ishouldsay.b.u.t.thinkofthegreatjointsthatwereroastedinit-sirloinsofbeefandsaddlesofmutton.Colossalcopperpreserving-pansfullofhomemadestrawberryjamwithpoundsandpoundsofsugargoingintoit.Whatalovely,comfortableagetheVictorianagewas.Lookatthefurnitureupstairs,largeandsolidandratherornate-but,oh!-theheavenlycomfortofit,withlotsofroomfortheclothesoneusedtohave,andeverydrawerslidinginandoutsoeasily.Doyourememberthatsmartmodernflatwewerelent?Everythingbuiltinandsliding-onlynothingslid-italwaysstuck.Andthedoorspushedshut-onlytheyneverstayedshut,oriftheydidshuttheywouldn'topen."
"Yes,that'stheworstofgadgets.Iftheydon'tgoright,you'resunk."
"Well,comeon,let'shearthenews."
Thenewsconsistedmainlyofgrimwarningsabouttheweather,theusualdeadlockinforeignaffairs,spiritedbickeringsinParliament,andamurderinCulverStreet,Paddington.
"Ugh,"saidMolly,switchingitoff."Nothingbutmisery.I'mnotgoingtohearappealsforfueleconomyalloveragain.Whatdotheyexpectyoutodo,sitandfreeze?Idon'tthinkweoughttohavetriedtostartaguesthouseinthewinter.Weoughttohavewaiteduntilthespring."Sheaddedinadifferenttoneofvoice,"Iwonderwhatthewomanwaslikewhowasmurdered."
"MrsLyon?"
"Wasthathername?Iwonderwhowantedtomurderherandwhy."
"Perhapsshehadafortuneunderthefloorboards."
"Whenitsaysthepoliceareanxioustointerviewaman'seeninthevicinity'doesthatmeanhe'sthemurderer?"
"Ithinkit'susuallythat.Justapolitewayofputtingit."
Theshrillnoteofabellmadethembothjump.
"That'sthefrontdoor,"saidGiles."Enter-amurderer,"headdedfacetiously.
"Itwouldbe,ofcourse,inaplay.Hurryup.ItmustbeMrWren.Nowweshallseewho'srightabouthim,youorme."