帷幕18

Chapter 12

I‘Is anything worrying you, mon ami?’ asked Poirot that afternoon.

I did not answer him, merely shook my head. I felt that I had no right toburden Poirot with this, my purely personal problem. It was not as thoughhe could help in any way.

Judith would have treated any remonstrances on his part with the smil-ing detachment of the young towards the boring counsels of the old.

Judith, my Judith …

It is hard now to describe just what I went through that day. Afterwards,thinking it over, I am inclined to put something down to the atmosphere ofStyles itself. Evil imaginings came easily to the mind there. There was, too,not only the past, but a sinister present. The shadow of murder and a mur-derer haunted the house.

And to the best of my belief the murderer was Allerton and Judith waslosing her heart to him! It was unbelievable – monstrous – and I didn’tknow what to do.

It was after lunch that Boyd Carrington drew me aside. He hemmed andhawed a bit before coming to the point. At last he said rather jerkily:

‘Don’t think I’m interfering, but I think you ought to speak to that girl ofyours. Give her a word of warning, eh? You know this fellow Allerton –reputation’s pretty bad, and she – well, it looks rather like a case.’

So easy for these men without children to speak like that! Give her aword of warning?

Would it be any use? Would it make things worse?

If only Cinders were here. She would know what to do, what to say.

I was tempted, I admit, to hold my peace and say nothing. But I reflectedafter a while that this was really only cowardice. I shrank from the un-pleasantness of having things out with Judith. I was, you see, afraid of mytall, beautiful daughter.

I paced up and down the gardens in increasing agitation of mind. Myfootsteps led me at last to the rose garden, and there, as it were, the de-cision was taken out of my hands, for Judith was sitting on a seat alone,and in all my life I have never seen an expression of greater unhappinesson any woman’s face.

The mask was off. Indecision and deep unhappiness showed only tooplainly.

I took my courage in my hands. I went to her. She did not hear me untilI was beside her.

‘Judith,’ I said. ‘For God’s sake, Judith, don’t mind so much.’

She turned on me, startled. ‘Father? I didn’t hear you.’

I went on, knowing that it would be fatal if she managed to turn meback to normal everyday conversation.

‘Oh, my dearest child, don’t think I don’t know, that I can’t see. He isn’tworth it – oh, do believe me, he isn’t worth it.’

Her face, troubled, alarmed, was turned towards me. She said quietly:

‘Do you think you really know what you are talking about?’

‘I do know. You care about this man. But, my dear, it’s no good.’

She smiled sombrely. A heart-breaking smile.

‘Perhaps I know that as well as you do.’

‘You don’t. You can’t. Oh, Judith, what can come of it all? He’s a marriedman. There can be no future there for you – only sorrow and shame – andall ending in bitter self-loathing.’

Her smile grew wider – even more sorrowful.

‘How fluently you talk, don’t you?’

‘Give it up, Judith – give it all up.’

‘No!’

‘He’s not worth it, my dear.’

She said very quietly and slowly: ‘He’s worth everything in the world tome.’

‘No, no. Judith, I beg of you –’

The smile vanished. She turned on me like an avenging fury.

‘How dare you? How dare you interfere? I won’t stand it. You are neverto speak to me of this again. I hate you, I hate you. It’s no business ofyours. It’s my life – my own secret inside life!’

She got up. With one firm hand she pushed me aside and went past me.

Like an avenging fury. I stared after her, dismayed.

 

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