Sophia went out. I sank down in one of the large brocaded chairs and gave myself up to speculation.
Upstairs I had seen Brendas side of it. Here and now I had been shown Sophias side of it. I realized completely the justice of Sophias point of viewwhat might be called the Leonides familys point of view. They resented a stranger within the gates who had obtained admission by what they regarded as ignoble means. They were entirely within their rights. As Sophia had said: on paper it wouldnt look well
But there was the human side of itthe side that I saw and that they didnt. They were, they always had been, rich and well established. They had no conception of the temptations of the underdog. Brenda Leonides had wanted wealth, and pretty things and safetyand a home. She had claimed that in exchange she had made her old husband happy. I had sympathy with her. Certainly, while I was talking with her, I had had sympathy for her Had I got as much sympathy now?
Two sides to the questiondifferent angles of vision which was the true angle the true angle
I had slept very little the night before. I had been up early to accompany Taverner. Now, in the warm, flower-scented atmosphere of Magda Leonides drawing-room, my body relaxed in the cushioned embrace of the big chair and my eyelids dropped
Thinking of Brenda, of Sophia, of an old mans picture, my thoughts slid together into a pleasant haze.
I slept
Chapter 10
I returned to consciousness so gradually that I didnt at first realize that I had been asleep.
The scent of the flowers was in my nose. In front of me a round white blob appeared to float in space. It was some few seconds before I realized that it was a human face I was looking ata face suspended in the air about a foot or two away from me. As my fa culties returned, my vision became more precise. The face still had its goblin suggestionit was round with a bulging brow, combed-back hair and small, rather beady, black eyes. But it was definitely attached to a bodya small skinny body. It was regarding me very earnestly.
Hallo, it said.
Hallo, I replied, blinking.
Im Josephine.
I had already deduced that. Sophias sister, Josephine, was, I judged, about eleven or twelve years of age. She was a fantastically ugly child with a very distinct likeness to her grandfather. It seemed to me possible that she also had his brains.
Youre Sophias young man, said Josephine.
I acknowledged the correctness of this remark.
But you came down here with Chief Inspector Taverner. Why did you come with Chief Inspector Taverner?
Hes a friend of mine.
Is he? I dont like him. I shant tell him things.
What sort of things?
The things I know. I know a lot of things. I like knowing things.
She sat down on the arm of the chair and conti nued her searching scrutiny of my face. I began to feel quite uncomfortable.
Crandfathers been murdered. Did you know?
Yes, I said. I knew.
He was poisoned. With es-er-ine. She pronounced the word very carefully. Its interesting, isnt it?
I suppose it is.
Eustace and I are very interested. We like detective stories. Ive always wanted to be a detective. Im being one now. Im collecting clues.
She was, I felt, rather a ghoulish child.
She returned to the charge.
The man who came with Chief Inspector Taver ner is a detective too, isnt he? In books it says you can always know plain-clothes detectives by their boots. But this detective was wearing suede shoes.
The old order changeth[82], I said.
Josephine interpreted this remark according to her own ideas.
Yes, she said, there will be a lot of changes here now, I expect. We shall go and live in a house in London on the Embankment. Mother has wanted to for a long time. Shell be very pleased. I dont expect father will mind if his books go, too. He couldnt afford it before. He lost an awful lot of money over Jezebel[83].
Jezebel I queried.
Yes, didnt you see it?
Oh, it was a play? No, I didnt. Ive been abroad.
It didnt run very long. Actually it was the most awful flop. I dont think mothers really the type to play Jezebel, do you?
I balanced my impressions of Magda. Neither in the peach-coloured neglige nor in the tailored suit had she conveyed any suggestion of Jezebel, but I was willing to believe that there were other Magdas that I had not yet seen.
Perhaps not, I said cautiously.
Grandfather always said it would be a flop. He said he wouldnt put up any money for one of these historical religious plays. He said it would never be a box-office success[84]. But mother was frightfully keen. I didnt like it much myself. It wasnt really a bit like the story in the Bible. I mean, Jezebel wasnt wicked like she is in the Bible. She was all patriotic and really quite nice. That made it dull. Still, the end was all right. They threw her out of the window. Only no dogs came and ate her. I think that was a pity, dont you? I like the part about the dogs eating her best. Mother says you cant have dogs on the stage but I dont see why. You could have performing dogs. She quoted with gusto: And they ate her all but the palms of her hands Why didnt they eat the palms of her hands?
Ive really no idea, I said.
You wouldnt think, would you, that dogs were so particular. Our dogs arent. They eat simply anything.
Josephine brooded on this Biblical mystery for some seconds.
Im sorry the play was a flop, I said.
Yes. Mother was terribly upset. The notices were simply frightful. When she read them, she burst into tears[85] and cried all day and she threw her breakfast tray at Gladys, and Gladys gave notice[86]. It was rather fun.
I perceive that you like drama, Josephine, I said.
They did a post-mortem on grandfather, said Josephine. To find out what he had died of. A PM, they call it, but I think thats rather confusing, dont you? Because PM stands for Prime Minister too. And for afternoon, she added thoughtfully.
Are you sorry your grandfather is dead? I asked.
Not particularly. I didnt like him much. He stopped me learning to be a ballet dancer.
Did you want to learn ballet dancing?
Yes, and mother was willing for me to learn, and father didnt mind, but grandfather said Id be no good.
She slipped off the arm of the chair, kicked off her shoes and endeavoured to get on to what are called technically, I believe, her points.
You have to have the proper shoes, of course, she explained, and even then you get frightful abscesses sometimes on the ends of your toes. She resumed her shoes and inquired casually:
Do you like this house?
Im not quite sure, I said.
I suppose it will be sold now. Unless Brenda goes on living in it. And I suppose Uncle Roger and Aunt Clemency wont be going away now.
Were they going away? I asked with a faint stirring of interest.
Yes. They were going on Tuesday. Abroad somewhere. They were going by air. Aunt Clemency bought one of those new featherweight cases.
I hadnt heard they were going abroad, I said.
No, said Josephine. Nobody knew. It was a secret. They werent going to tell anyone until after theyd gone. They were going to leave a note behind for grandfather.
She added:
Not pinned to the pin-cushion. Thats only in very old-fashioned books and wives do it when they leave their husbands. But it would be silly now because nobody has pin-cushions any more.
Of course they dont. Josephine, do you know why your Uncle Roger wasgoing away?
She shot me a cunning sideways glance.
I think I do. It was something to do with Uncle Rogers office in Tondon. I rather thinkbut Im not surethat hed embezzled something.
What makes you think that?
Josephine came nearer and breathed heavily in my face.
The day that grandfather was poisoned Uncle Roger was shut up in his room with him ever so long. They were talking and talking. And Uncle Roger was saying that hed never been any good, and that hed let grandfather down[87]and that it wasnt the money so muchit was the feeling hed been unworthy of trust. He was in an awful state.
I looked at Josephine with mixed feelings.
Josephine, I said, hasnt anybody ever told you that its not nice to listen at doors?
Josephine nodded her head vigorously.
Of course they have. But if you want to find things out, you have to listen at doors. I bet Chief Inspector Taverner does, dont you?
I considered the point. Josephine went on vehemently:
And anyway, if he doesnt, the other one does, the one with the suede shoes. And they look in peoples desks and read all their letters, and find out all their secrets. Only theyre stupid! They dont know where to look!
Josephine spoke with cold superiority. I was stupid enough to let the inference escape me. The unpleasant child went on:
Eustace and I know lots of thingsbut I know more than Eustace does. And I shant tell him. He says women cant ever be great detectives. But I say they can. Im going to write down everything in a notebook and then, when the police are completely baffled, I shall come forward and say, I can tell you who did it.
Do you read a lot of detective stories, Josephine?
Masses.
I suppose you think you know who killed your grandfather?
Well, I think sobut I shall have to find a few more clues. She paused and added: Chief Inspector Taverner thinks that Brenda did it, doesnt he? Or Brenda and Laurence together because theyre in love with each other.
You shouldnt say things like that, Josephine.
Why not? They are in love with each other.
You cant possibly judge.
Yes, I can. They write to each other. Love letters.
Josephine! How do you know that?
Because Ive read them. Awfully soppy letters. But Laurence is soppy. He was too frightened to fight in the war. He went into basements, and stoked boilers. When the flying-bombs went over here, he used to turn green really green. It made Eustace and me laugh a lot.
What I would have said next I do not know, for at that moment a car drew up outside. In a flash Josephine was at the window, her snub nose pressed to the pane.
Who is it? I asked.
Its Mr Gaitskill, grandfathers lawyer. I expect hes come about the will.
Breathing excitedly, she hurried from the room, doubtless to resume her sleuthing activities.
Magda Leonides came into the room, and to my surprise came across to me and took my hands in hers.