第26部分(第2/7 頁)

lf　to　be；　Katherine　felt　a　faint　answering　thrill。

〃I　want　to　talk　to　you；〃　went　on　Derek；　〃and　who　knows　when　I　may　have　another　opportunity？　There　is　an　idea　going　about　that　I　murdered　my　wife　…　no；　please　don't　interrupt。　It　is　absurd；　of　course。〃　He　paused　for　a　minute　or　two；　then　went　on；　speaking　more　deliberately。　〃In　dealing　with　the　police　and　Local　Authorities　here　I　have　had　to　pretend　to　…　well　…　a　certain　decency。　I　prefer　not　to　pretend　with　you。　I　meant　to　marry　money。　I　was　on　the　look　out　for　money　when　I　first　met　Ruth　Van　Aldin。　She　had　the　look　of　a　slim　Madonna　about　her；　and　I　…　well　…　I　made　all　sorts　of　good　resolutions　…　and　was　bitterly　disillusioned。　My　wife　was　in　love　with　another　man　when　she　married　me。　She　never　cared　for　me　in　the　least。　Oh；　I　am　not　plaining；　the　thing　was　a　perfectly　respectable　bargain。　She　wanted　Leconbury　and　I　wanted　money。　The　trouble　arose　simply　through　Ruth's　American　blood。　Without　caring　a　pin　for　me；　she　would　have　liked　me　to　be　continually　dancing　attendance。　Time　and　again　she　as　good　as　told　me　that　she　had　bought　me　and　that　I　belonged　to　her。　The　result　was　that　I　behaved　abominably　to　her。　My　father…in…law　will　tell　you　that；　and　he　is　quite　right。　At　the　time　of　Ruth's　death；　I　was　faced　with　absolute　disaster。〃　He　laughed　suddenly。　〃One　is　faced　with　absolute　disaster　when　one　is　up　against　a　man　like　Rufus　Van　Aldin。〃

〃And　then？〃　asked　Katherine　in　a　low　voice。

〃And　then；〃　Derek　shrugged　his　shoulders；　〃Ruth　was　murdered　…　very　providentially。〃

He　laughed；　and　the　sound　of　his　laugh　hurt　Katherine。　She　winced。

〃Yes；〃　said　Derek。　〃that　wasn't　in　very　good　taste。　But　it　is　quite　true。　Now　I　am　going　to　tell　you　something　more。　From　the　very　first　moment　I　saw　you