The Murder at the Vicarage Read Online Free PDF Page B

said.
    “Well,” said Lawrence Redding, “I must be off. Thank you very much, Mrs. Clement, for a
     very pleasant evening.”
    Griselda and Dennis saw him off. Dennis returned to the study alone. Something had
     happened to ruffle the boy. He wandered about the room aimlessly, frowning and kicking the
     furniture.
    Our furniture is so shabby already that it can hardly be damaged further, but I felt
     impelled to utter a mild protest.
    “Sorry,” said Dennis.
    He was silent for a moment and then burst out:
    “What an absolutely rotten thing gossip is!”
    I was a little surprised. “What's the matter?” I asked.
    “I don't know whether I ought to tell you.”
    I was more and more surprised.
    “It's such an absolutely rotten thing,” Dennis said again. “Going round and saying things.
     Not even saying them. Hinting them. No, I'm damned Ñ sorry Ñ if I tell you! It's too
     absolutely rotten.”
    I looked at him curiously, but I did not press him further. I wondered very much, though.
     It is very unlike Dennis to take anything to heart.
    Griselda came in at that moment.
    “Miss Wetherby's just rung up,” she said. "Mrs. Lestrange went out at a quarter?past eight
     and hasn't come in yet. Nobody knows where she's gone.''
    “Why should they know?”
    “But it isn't to Dr. Haydock's. Miss Wetherby does know that, because she telephoned to
     Miss Hartnell who lives next door to him and who would have been sure to see her.”
    “It is a mystery to me,” I said, “how any one ever gets any nourishment in this place.
     They must eat their meals standing up by the window so as to be sure of not missing
     anything.”
    “And that's not all,” said Griselda, bubbling with pleasure. “They've found out about the
     Blue Boar. Dr. Stone and Miss Cram have got rooms next door to each other, BUT” Ñ she
     waved an impressive forefinger Ñ “
    
    
     no communicating door!
    
    
     ”
    “That,” I said, “must be very disappointing to everybody.”
    At which Griselda laughed.
    Thursday started badly. Two of the ladies of my parish elected to quarrel about the church
     decorations. I was called in to adjudicate between two middle?aged ladies, each of whom
     was literally trembling with rage. If it had not been so painful, it would have been quite
     an interesting physical phenomenon.
    Then I had to reprove two of our choir boys for persistent sweet sucking during the hours
     of divine service, and I had an uneasy feeling that I was not doing the job as
     wholeheartedly as I should have done.
    Then our organist, who is distinctly “touchy,” had taken offence and had to be smoothed
     down.
    And four of my poorer parishioners declared open rebellion against Miss Hartnell, who came
     to me bursting with rage about it.
    I was just going home when I met Colonel Protheroe. He was in high good?humour, having
     sentenced three poachers, in his capacity as magistrate.
    “Firmness,” he shouted in his stentorian voice. He is slightly deaf and raises his voice
     accordingly as deaf people often do. “That's what's needed nowadays Ñ firmness! Make an
     example. That rogue Archer came out yesterday and is vowing vengeance against me, I hear.
     Impudent scoundrel. Threatened men live long, as the saying goes. I'll show him what his
     vengeance is worth next time I catch him taking my pheasants. Lax! We're too lax nowadays!
     I believe in showing a man up for what he is. You're always being asked to consider a
     man's wife and children. Damned nonsense. Fiddlesticks. Why should a man escape the
     consequences of his acts just because he whines about his wife and children? It's all the
     same to me Ñ no matter what a man is Ñ doctor, lawyer, clergyman, poacher, drunken wastrel
     Ñ if you catch him on the wrong side of the law, let the law punish him. You agree with
     me, I'm sure.”
    “You forget,” I said. “My calling obliges me to respect one quality above all others Ñ the
     quality