1、Chapter 1I first came to know Sophia Leonides in Egypt towards the end of the war. She held a fairly high administrative post in one of the Foreign Office departments out there. I knew her first in an official capacity, and I soon appreciated the efficiency that had brought her to the position she h
2、eld, in spite of her youth (she was at that time just twenty-two).Besides being extremely easy to look at, she had a clear mind and a dry sense of humour that I found very delightful. We became friends. She was a person whom it was extraordinarily easy to talk to and we enjoyed our dinners and occas
3、ional dances very much.All this I knew; it was not until I was ordered East at the close of the European war that I knew something else - that I loved Sophia and that I wanted to marry her. We were dining at Shepheards when I made this discovery. It did not come to me with any shock of surprise, but
4、 more as the recognition of a fact with which I had been long familiar. I looked at her with new eyes - but I saw what I had already known for a long time. I liked everything I saw. The dark crisp hair that sprang up proudly from her forehead, the vivid blue eyes, the small square fighting chin, and
5、 the straight nose.I liked the well cut light grey tailor-made, and the crisp white shirt. She looked refreshingly English and that appealed to me strongly after three years without seeing my native land. Nobody, I thought, could be more English - and even as I was thinking exactly that, I suddenly
6、wondered if, in fact, she was, or indeed could be, as English as she looked. Does the real thing ever have the perfection of a stage performance?I realised that much and freely as we had talked together, discussing ideas, our likes and dislikes, the future, our immediate friends and acquaintances -
7、Sophia had never mentioned her home or her family.She knew all about me (she was, as I have indicated, a good listener) but about her I knew nothing. She had, I supposed, the usual background, but she had never talked about it. And until this moment I had never realised the fact.Sophia asked me what
8、 I was thinking about.I replied truthfully: You.I see, she said. And she sounded as though she did see.We may not meet again for a couple of years, I said. I dont know when I shall get back to England. But as soon as I do get back, the first thing I shall do will be to come and see you and ask you t
9、o marry me.She took it without batting an eyelash. She sat there, smoking, not looking at me. For a moment or two I was nervous that she might not understand.Listen, I said. The one thing Im determined not to do, is to ask you to marry me now. That wouldnt work out anyway. First you might turn me do
10、wn, and then Id go off miserable and probably tie up with some ghastly woman just to restore my vanity. And if you didnt turn me down what could we do about it? Get married and part at once? Get engaged and settle down to a long waiting period. I couldnt stand your doing that. You might meet someone
11、 else and feel bound to be loyal to me. Weve been living in a queer hectic get-on-with-it-quickly atmosphere. Marriages and love affairs making and breaking all round us. Id like to feel youd gone home, free and independent, to look round you and size up the new post-war world and decide what you wa
12、nt out of it. What is between you and me, Sophia, has got to be permanent. Ive no use for any other kind of marriage.No more have I, said Sophia.On the other hand, I said, I think I Im entitled to let you know how I - well - how I feel.But without undue lyrical expression? murmured Sophia.Darling -
13、dont you understand? Ive tried not to say I love you -She stopped me.I do understand, Charles. And I like your funny way of doing things. And you may come and see me when you come back - if you still want to -It was my turn to interrupt.Theres no doubt about that.Theres always a doubt about everythi
14、ng, Charles. There may always be some incalculable factor that upsets the apple cart. For one thing, you dont know much about me, do you?I dont even know where you live in England.I live at Swinly Dean.I nodded at the mention of the well-known outer suburb of London which boasts three excellent golf
15、 courses for the city financier.She added softly in a musing voice: In a little crooked house.I must have looked slightly startled, for she seemed amused, and explained by elaborating the quotation And they all lived together in a little crooked house. Thats us. Not really such a little house either
16、. But definitely crooked - running to gables and half-timbering!Are you one of a large family? Brothers and sisters?One brother, one sister, a mother, a father, an uncle, an aunt by marriage, a grandfather, a great aunt and a step grandmother.Good gracious! I exclaimed, slightly overwhelmed.She laug
17、hed.Of course we dont normally all live together. The war and blitzes have brought that about - but I dont know - she frowned reflectively - perhaps spiritually the family has always lived together - under my grandfathers eye and protection. Hes rather a person, my grandfather. Hes over eighty, abou
18、t four foot ten, and everybody else looks rather dim beside him.He sounds interesting, I said.He is interesting. Hes a Greek from Smyrna. Aristide Leonides. She added, with a twinkle, Hes extremely rich.Will anybody be rich after this is over?My grandfather will, said Sophia with assurance. No soak-
19、the-rich tactics would have any effect on him. Hed just soak the soakers.I wonder, she added, if youll like him?Do you? I asked.Better than anyone in the world, said Sophia. Chapter 2It was over two years before I returned to England. They were not easy years. I wrote to Sophia and heard from her fa
20、irly frequently. Her letters, like mine, were not love letters. They were letters written to each other by close friends - they dealt with ideas and thoughts and with comments on the daily trend of life. Yet I know that as far as I was concerned, and I believed as far as Sophia was concerned too, ou
21、r feeling for each other grew and strengthened.I returned to England on a soft grey day in September. The leaves on the trees were golden in the evening light. There were playful gusts of wind. From the airfield I sent a telegram to Sophia.Just arrived back. Will you dine this evening Marios nine oc
22、lock. Charles.A couple of hours later I was sitting reading the Times; and scanning the Births Marriages and Death column my eye was caught by the name Leonides:On Sept. 19th, at Three Gables, Swinly Dean, Aristide Leonides, beloved husband of Brenda Leonides, in his eighty-fifth year. Deeply regret
23、ted.There was another announcement immediately below:Leonides. Suddenly, at his residence Three Gables, Swinly Dean, Aristide Leonides. Deeply mourned by his loving children and grandchildren. Flowers to St Eldreds Church, Swinly Dean.I found the two announcements rather curious. There seemed to hav
24、e been some faulty staff work resulting in overlapping.But my main preoccupation was Sophia. I hastily sent her a second telegram:Just seen news of your grandfathers death. Very sorry. Let me know when I can see you. Charles.A telegram from Sophia reached me at six oclock at my fathers house. It sai
25、d:Will be at Marios nine oclock. Sophia.The thought of meeting Sophia again made me both nervous and excited. The time crept by with maddening slowness. I was at Marios waiting twenty minutes too early. Sophia herself was only five minutes late.It is always a shock to meet again someone whom you hav
26、e not seen for a long time but who has been very much present in your mind during that period. When at last Sophia came through the swing doors our meeting seemed completely unreal. She was wearing black, and that, in some curious way, startled me! Most other women were wearing black, but I got it i
27、nto my head that it was definitely mourning - and it surprised me that Sophia should be the kind of person who did wear black - even for a near relative.We had cocktails - then went and found our table. We talked rather fast and feverishly - asking after old friends of the Cairo days. It was artific
28、ial conversation but it tided us over the first awkwardness.I expressed commiseration for her grandfathers death and Sophia said quietly that it had been very sudden. Then we started off again reminiscing. I began to feel, uneasily, that something was the matter - something, I mean, other than the f
29、irst natural awkwardnesses of meeting again. There was something wrong, definitely wrong, with Sophia herself. Was she, perhaps, going to tell me that she had found some other man whom she cared for more than she did for me? That her feeling for me had been all a mistake?Somehow I didnt think it was
30、 that - I didnt know what it was. Meanwhile we continued our artificial talk.Then, quite suddenly, as the waiter placed coffee on the table and retired bowing, everything swung into focus. Here were Sophia and I sitting together as so often before at a small table in a restaurant. The years of our s
31、eparation might never have been.Sophia, I said.And immediately she said, Charles!I drew a deep breath of relief.Thank goodness thats over, I said. Whats been the matter with us?Probably my fault. I was stupid.But its all right now?Yes, its all right now.We smiled at each other.Darling! I said. And t
32、hen: How soon will you marry me?Her smile died. The something, whatever it was, was back.I dont know, she said. Im not sure, Charles, that I can ever marry you.But, Sophia! Why not? Is it because you feel Im a stranger? Do you want time to get used to me again? Is there someone else? No - I broke of
33、f. Im a fool. Its none of those things.No, it isnt. She shook her head. I waited. She said in a low voice:Its my grandfathers death.Your grandfathers death? But why? What earthly difference can that make? You dont mean - surely you cant imagine - is it money? Hasnt he left any? But surely, dearest -
34、It isnt money. She gave a fleeting smile. I think youd be quite willing to take me in my shift as the old saying goes. And grandfather never lost any money in his life.Then what is it?Its just his death - you see, I think, Charles, that he didnt just - die. I think he may have been - killed.I stared
35、 at her.But - what a fantastic idea. What made you think of it?I didnt think of it. The doctor was queer to begin with. He wouldnt sign a certificate. Theyre going to have a post mortem. Its quite clear that they suspect something is wrong.I didnt dispute that with her. Sophia had plenty of brains;
36、any conclusions she had drawn could be relied upon.Instead I said earnestly: Their suspicions may be quite unjustified. But putting that aside, supposing that they are justified, how does that affect you and me?It might under certain circumstances. Youre in the Diplomatic Service. Theyre rather part
37、icular about wives. No - please dont say all the things that youre just bursting to say. Youre bound to say them - and I believe you really think them - and theoretically I quite agree with them. But Im proud - Im devilishly proud. I want our marriage to be a good thing for everyone - I dont want to
38、 represent one half of a sacrifice for love! And, as I say, it may be all right.You mean the doctor - may have made a mistake?Even if he hasnt made a mistake, it wont matter - so long as the right person killed him.What do you mean, Sophia? It was a beastly thing to say. But, after all, one might as
39、 well be honest.She forestalled my next words.No, Charles, Im not going to say any more. Ive probably said too much already. But I was determined to come and meet you tonight - to see you myself and make you understand. We cant settle anything until this is cleared up.At least tell me about it.She s
40、hook her head.I dont want to.But - Sophia -No, Charles. I dont want you to see us from my angle. I want you to see us unbiased from the outside point of view.And how am I to do that?She looked at me, a queer light in her brilliant blue eyes.Youll get that from your father, she said.I had told Sophia
41、 in Cairo that my father was Assistant Commissioner of Scotland Yard. He still held that office. At her words, I felt a cold weight settling down on me.Its as bad as that, then?I think so. Do you see a man sitting at a table by the door all alone - rather a nice-looking stolid ex-Army type?Yes.He wa
42、s on Swinly Dean platform this evening when I got into the train.You mean hes followed you here?Yes. I think were all - how does one put it? - under observation. They more or less hinted that wed all better not leave the house. But I was determined to see you.Her small square chin shot out pugnaciou
43、sly.I got out of the bathroom window and shinned down the water pipe.Darling!But the police are very efficient. And of course there was the telegram I sent you. Well - never mind - were here - together. But from now on, weve both got to play a lone hand.She paused and then added: Unfortunately - the
44、res no doubt - about our loving each other.No doubt at all, I said. And dont say unfortunately. You and I have survived a world war, weve had plenty of near escapes from sudden death - and I dont see why the sudden death of just one old man - how old was he, by the way?Eighty five.Of course. It was
45、in the Times. If you ask me, he just died of old age, and any self-respecting G.P. would accept the fact.If youd known my grandfather, said Sophia, youd have been surprised at his dying of anything!Chapter 3Id always taken a certain amount of interest in my fathers police work, but nothing had prepa
46、red me for the moment when I should come to take a direct and personal interest in it.I had not yet seen the Old Man. He had been out when I arrived, and after a bath, a shave and a change I had gone out to meet Sophia. When I returned to the house, however, Glover told me that he was in his study.H
47、e was at his desk, frowning over a lot of papers. He jumped up when I came in.Charles! Well, well, its been a long time.Our meeting, after five years of war, would have disappointed a Frenchman.Actually all the emotion of reunion was there all right. The Old Man and I are very fond of each other, and we understand each other pretty well.Ive got some whisky, he said. Say when. Sorry I was out when you got here. I
