the golf course mystery(高尔夫教程)-第48节
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〃Yes； I！〃 she cried。 〃The woman you kicked out like a sick dog！
I've found you at last； and now I'll make you suffer all I did and more …
you … devil！〃
〃Softly； Kate； softly！〃 murmured the colonel。 But she did not heed
him。
〃You … you spawn of hell ！〃 she cried。 〃It was you who sent me down
where I am … where not a decent woman will look at me and a decent man
won't speak to me。 You did it … you left me to rot in my shame so you
could find some one else … some one younger and prettier to fondle and
kiss and … Oh； God！〃
She sank in a shuddering heap on the sand at the feet of the man who
had broken her body and spirit； and lay there； sobbing out her anger。
〃Let her stay there a little；〃 said the colonel softly。 〃She'll feel better
after this outburst。〃
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〃Jean！ Jean！ What is it all about？〃 begged the girl who still
maintained her place beside him。 〃Oh； speak to me！ Tell me！ Who is
she？〃 and she pointed to the huddled figure on the sand。
〃I'll tell you who she is；〃 said Colonel Ashley。 〃She is the legal wife
of Jean Carnot； alias Jean Forette； and … 〃
A scream from Mazi stopped him。
〃Tell me it isn't true； Jean！ Tell me it isn't true！〃 begged the girl。
Jean Carnot did not speak。
〃He knows it is true；〃 said the colonel。 〃And now； my French auto
friend； I've come to take you into custody on a charge of … 〃
〃I didn't do it！ I didn't do it！〃 cried the man。 〃I swear I didn't do it。 I
was going to throw the glass away but he grabbed it from me； and … 〃
〃I arrest you on a charge of bigamy；〃 went on the calm voice of
Colonel Ashley。 And then； as he saw Mazi stagger as though about to fall；
he added：
〃All right； Jack。 I'll take care of her。 You put the bracelets on him。
And see that they're good and tight。 We don't want him slipping out and
getting married again。 He doesn't have much regard for bonds of any
sort； matrimonial or legal。〃
And then he lifted poor； little Mazi up and carried her into the cottage；
while Morocco Kate got slowly to her feet and sat down on the bench in
the darkest shadows； sobbing。
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THE GOLF COURSE MYSTERY
CHAPTER XXIV
STILL WATERS
〃The records show that Henri Margot； alias Jean Carnot alias Jean
Forette was married to Isabel Pelubit in Paris on March 17； four years ago；
and that she died under suspicious circumstances three months later；
leaving her husband all of a snug little fortune she possessed。
〃All lies； monsieur … all lies！ I do not believe anything you tell me！〃
〃Well； that's very foolish of you； Mazi； for you can easily prove for
yourself everything I tell you； and it will be better for you； in the end； if
you do believe。〃
〃I do not。 But go on with … more lies！〃 She shrugged her shoulders
contemptuously。
Colonel Ashley leafed over a sheaf of papers he had spread out on the
table in front of him。 He and Mazi sat in a room in police headquarters
in Lakeside。 It was the day following the procession to the cottage on the
moor。
〃The records show；〃 went on the detective； 〃that Henri Margot was
arrested in Paris； charged with having poisoned his wife so that he might
spend on another woman the money she possessed。 But he was not
convicted； chiefly because the chemists could not agree on the kind of
poison that had caused death。〃
〃All lies … I do not believe；〃 said Mazi； stolidly。
〃Um！〃 mused the colonel。 〃Well； Mazi； you're more stubborn than I
thought。 But it doesn't make any difference to me； you know。 I'm paid
for all this。 Now let's see … what's next？ Oh； yes。 Then the records
show that Henri； or Jean； whichever you choose to call him； came to this
country。 He fell in love with a pretty girl … she wasn't as pretty as you；
Mazi； I'll say that … but he fell in love with her and married her … or
pretended to。 However； it was a fake ceremony； and she couldn't prove
anything when he had spent all her money and tossed her aside。 So there
wasn't anything we could do to him that time。〃
〃More lies；〃 said Mazi； calmly … or at least with the appearance of
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calmness。
〃The records show；〃 went on the inexorable voice of Colonel Ashley；
that next Jean Carnot； as he called himself then； became infatuated with a
pretty girl … and this time I'll say she was just about as pretty as you； Mazi
… and her name was Annie Tighe。 She was an Irish girl； and she insisted
on being married by a priest； so there wasn't any faking there。 Jean was
properly married at least。〃
〃What do I care for all these lies？〃 sneered the girl； impatiently
tapping her foot on the floor。 〃Why do you bore me？ I am not
interested！ I should like to see Jean。 Ha！ Where have you put him？〃
〃You'll see him soon enough； Mazi。 I've got just a few more records
to show you； and then I'm done。 Now we come to the time when； after
he found he couldn't get out of a legal marriage； Jean put his foot in it； so
to speak。 He was tied right； this time； so he took refuge in a lie when he
wanted to shake off the bonds of matrimony； as my friend Jack Young
would say。 He told his wife … and she was his wife； and is yet … he told
her the ceremony was a fake； that the priest was a false one； in his pay。〃
〃All lies！ What do I care？〃 sneered Mazi； again shrugging her
shoulders。
〃Well； now let's get along。 After our friend Jean found he was tired
of his wife he shamed her into leaving him and she went … well； that isn't
pleasant to dwell on； either。 Except that he's the villain responsible for
her going to the dogs。 He sent her there just as he would have sent you；
Mazi； except for what has happened。〃
〃You mean he is not my husband？〃
〃Not in the least。〃
〃I do not believe you。 It is all lies。 These women are but jealous。
Proceed。〃
〃That's about all there is to it； Mazi； except to show you the letter from
your own priest； who confirms the fact that the priest who married Jean
Carnot and Annie Tighe was legally authorized to do so； both by the laws
of his own church and those of New York State； where the ceremony took
place。 You will believe Father Capoti； won't you？〃 and he laid beside the
girl a letter which she read eagerly。
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This time she said nothing about lies； but her face turned deadly pale。
〃And this is the last exhibit；〃 went on the colonel； as he laid a
photograph before Mazi。 It showed a man and a girl； evidently in their
wedding finery； and the face of the man was that of Jean Forette； and that
of the girl was of the woman who had groveled on the sand at the feet of
the chauffeur the night before； … Morocco Kate。
〃Look on the back；〃 suggested the detective； and when Mazi turned
the photograph over she read：
〃The happiest day of my life … Jean Carnot。〃
〃If you happen to have any love letters from him … and I guess you
have；〃 went on the colonel； 〃you might compare the writing and … 〃
〃I have no need； monsieur；〃 was the low answer。 〃I … God help me。 … I
believe now！ Oh； the liar！ If I could see him now … 〃
〃I rather thought you'd want to；〃 murmured the colonel。 〃Bring him
in！〃 he called。
The door opened； and； handcuffed to a stalwart officer； in slunk Jean
of the many names。
Mazi sprang to her feet； her face livid。 She would have leaped at the
prisoner； but the colonel held her back。 But he could not hold back the
flood of voluble French that poured from her lips。
