Text B The Companion（第1页）

TextBThepanion

AgathaChristie

&IamdesghappeheislandofGrandotTeisagoodmanyyearsagonow。IhadhadabreakdowhandwasfiveupmypraEnglandandgoabroad。IpraLasPalmas，whichistheprinofGrandmanywaysIethereverymuch。Theclimatewasmildandsunny，therewasextsurfbathing（andIamaicbather）andthesealifeoftheportattractedme。ShipsfromallovertheworldputinatLasPalmas。Iusedtowalkalongthemfarmoreihahefairsexcouldbeishops。”

“AsIsay，shipsfromallovertheworldputinatLasPalmas。Sometimestheystayafewhours，sometimesadayortwo。Intheprincipalhotelthere，theMetropole，youwillseepeopleofallraationalities—birdsofpassage。EventhepeoplegoingtoTenerifeusuallyehereandstayafewdaysbeftotheotherisland。”

“MystiheMetropoleHotel，ohursdayeveninginJanuary。TherewasadangonandIandafrieingatasmalltablewatgthese。ThererinklingofEnglishaiohemajorityofthedancerswereSpanish;aheorchestrastruckupatango，onlyhalfadozehelatternationalitytookthefloor。Theyalldancedwellandwelookedonandadmired。Onearticularexcitedourlivelyadmiratioifulandsinuous，shemovedwiththegraceofahalf-tamedleopardess。Therewassomethingdangerousabouther。Isaidasmuyfriendandheagreed。”

&hat，”hesaid，“arebouory。Lifewillnotpassthemby。”

&yisperhapsadangerouspossession，”Isaid。

“It’snotoy，”heihereissomethiheragain。Thiohappentothatwoman，orbecauseofher。AsIsaid，lifewillnotpassherby。Straiswillsurroundher。You’veonlygottolookathertoknowit。”

Hepausedandthehasmile:“Justasyou’veonlygottolookatthosetwowomehere，andknowthatnothingoutofthewaycouldeverhappehem!Theyaremadeforasafeafulexistence。”

“Ifollowedhiseyes。Thetwowomeoweretravellerswhohadjustarrived—aHollandLloydboathadputintoportthatevening，andthepassebeginningtoarrive。”

“AsIlookedatthemIsawatomyfrieheyweretwoEnglishladies—thethhlyravellihatyoudofindabres，Ishouldsay，wereroundaboutforty。Onewasfairandalittle—justalittle—tooplump;theotherwasdarkandalittle—againjustalittle—iiheywerewhatiscalledwell-preserved，quietlyandinspicuouslydressediweeds，aofanykiheyhadthatairofquietassurancewhichisthebirthrightlishwomehingremarkableabouteitherofdiem。Theywerelikethousaers。Theywoulddoubtlessseewhattheywishedtosee，assistedbyBaedeker，aelse。TheywouldusetheEnglishlibraryaheEnglishaheyhappewasquitelikelythatohofthemsketchedalittle。And，asmyfriendsaid，ingorremarkablewouldeverhappehem，thoughtheymightquitelikelytravelhalfovertheworld。IlookedfromthembacktooursinuousSpanishwomanwithherhalf-eyesandIsmiled。”

“Ps，”saidJahasigh。“ButIdothinkit’ssosillyofpeoplenottomakethemostofthemselves。ThatwomaninBoine—isreallywonderful。AudreyDeoher;andhaveyouseeheDo’?Astheschoolgirliactshe’sreallymarvellous。AAudreyisfiftyifshe’saday。AsamatteroffactIhappentoknowshe’sreallyy。”

“Goon，”saidMrsBantrytoDrLloyd。“IlovestoriesaboutsinuousSpamakesmefethowoldandfatIam。”

“I’msorry，”saidDrLloydapologetically。“Butyousee，asamatteroffact，thisstoryisn’tabouttheSpanish>

“Itisn’t?”

“No。AsithappensmyfriendandIwerewrong。NothiexghappeheSpay。ShemarriedaashippingoffidbythetimeIlefttheislandshehadhadfiveai。”

“JustlikethatgirlofIsraelPeters，”issMarple。“Theohestageandhadsuchgoodlegsthattheymadeherprincipalboyiomime。Everyonesaidshe’detonogood，butshemarriedaercialtravelleraleddownsplendidly。”

“Thevillageparallel，”murmuredSirHenrysoftly。

“hedoystoryisaboutthetwoEnglishladies。”

&hihem?”breathedMissHelier。

&hihem—aday，too。”

“Yes?”saidMrsBantryengly。

“Justforcuriosity，asIwentoutthateveningIglahehister。Ifoundthenameseasilyenough。MissMaryBartonandMissAmyDurrantofLittlePaddocks，Weir，Bucks。IlittlethoughtthenhowsoonIwastoeheowhosenamesagairagicces。”

“ThefollowingdayIhadarraogoforapiiefrieoracrosstheisland，takingourlunch，toaplacecalled（asfarasIremember—itissolongago）LasNieves，awell-shelteredbaywherewecouldbatheifwefeltihisprogrammewedulycarriedout，exceptthathatlateinstarting，sothatwestoppedontheiigontoLaserwardsforabathebeforetea。”

“Asroachedthebeach，wewereatoremendousotion。Thewholepopulationofthesmallvillageseemedtobegatheredontheshore。Assoonastheysawustheyrushedtowardsthedbeganexplaiedly。OurSpanishnotbeingverygood，ittookmeafewmiouand，butatlastIgotit。”

“TwoofthemadEnglishladieshadgoobathe，andonehadswumouttotintodifficulties。Theoerherandhadtriedtherihinturnhadfailedaoowouldhavedrowamainabhtinresdrescued—thelatterbeyondhelp。”

“AssoonasIgotthehangofthingsIpushedthecrowdasideahebeawowomen。Theplumpfigureioeagreehingcapawokenochnitionasshelookedupanxiously。Shewaskhebodyofherfriend，makieurishattemptsatartificialrespiratiooldherthatIwasadaveasighofrelief，andIorderedheroffatohecottagesforarubdownanddryg。Oheladiesinmypartywentwithher。Imyselfworkedunavailinglyonthebodyofthedrownedwoman。LifewasonlytooclearlyextintheendIhadrelutlytogivein。”

&heothersinthesmallfisherman’sdthereIhadtobreakthesadhesurvivorwasattirednowinherownclothes，aelyreizedherasowoarrivalsofthenightbefore。Shereceivedthesadnewsfairlyditwasevidentlythehorrorofthewholethingthatstruckhermorethapersonalfeeling。”

“PoorAmy，”shesaid。“Poor，poorAmy。Shehadbeenlookingforwardtothebathingheresomudshewasagoodswimmertoo。Iderstandit。Whatdoyouthinkithavebeen，doctor?”

“Possiblycramp。Willyoutellmeexactlyened?”

&hbeenswimmingaboutforsometime—twentyminutes，Ishouldsay。ThenIthoughtIwouldgoin，butAmysaidshewasgoingtoswimoutoncemore。Shedidso，andsuddenlyIheardherdrealizedshewasgforhelp。IswamoutasfastasIcould。ShewasstillafloatwhenIgottoher，butsheclutchedatmewildlyahwehadhatmaningoutwithhisboatIshouldhavebeeoo。”

“Thathashappenedfairlyoften，”Isaid。“Tosaveanyonefrisnotaneasyaffair。”

“Itseemssoawful，”issBarton。“Weoerday，andweresodelightinginthesunshineandourlittleholiday。Andnowthis—thisterribletragedyoccurs。”

“IaskedherthenforparticularsaboutthedeadlainingthatIwoulddIcouldforher，butthattheSpanishauthoritieswouldrequirefullinformation。Thisshegavemereadilyenough。”

“Thedeadwoman，MissAmyDurrant，washerpanionandhadetoheraboutfivemoheyhadgotoher，butMissDurranthadspokeleaboutherpeople。Shehadbeeanorphanatanearlyageaupbyanundhadearnedherownlivingsiwenty-one。”

“Andsothatwasthat，”weor。Hepausedandsaidagain，butthistimewithafinalityinhisvoidsothat>

“Idoand，”saidJahatall?Imearagic。Isuppose，butitisisn’ty。”