The Murder at the Vicarage-19
The 
Murder at the Vicarage
Chapter Nineteen
※Very glad to have met you,§ said Lawrence. ※Come to my 
place.§
We turned in at he little rustic gate, went up the path, and he drew a 
key from his pocket and inserted it in the lock.
※You keep the door locked now,§ I observed.
※Yes.§ He laughed rather bitterly. ※Case of stable door when the 
steed is gone, eh? It is rather like that. You know, padre,§ he held the door open and I 
passed inside, ※there＊s something about all this business that I don＊t like. It＊s 
too much of 每 how shall I put it? 每 an inside job. Someone knew about that pistol of 
mine. That means that the murderer, whoever he was, must have actually been in this house 
每 perhaps even had a drink with me.§
※Not necessarily,§ I objected. ※The whole village of St. Mary 
Mead probably knows exactly where you keep your toothbrush and what kind of tooth powder 
you use.§
※But why should it interest them?§
※I don＊t know,§ I said, ※but it does. If you change your 
shaving cream I t will be topic of conversation.§
※They must be very hard up for news.§
※They are. Nothing exciting ever happens here.§
※Well, it has now 每 with a vengeance.§
I agreed.
※And who tells them all these things, anyway? Shaving cream and 
things like that?§
※Probably old Mrs. Archer.§
※That old crone? She＊s practically a half 每 wit, as far as I can 
make out.§
※That＊s merely the camouflage of the poor,§ I explained. ※They 
take refuge behind a mask of stupidity. You＊ll probably find that the old lady was all 
her wits about her. By the way, she seems very certain now that the pistol was in its 
proper place midday Thursday. What＊s made her so positive all of a sudden?§
※I haven＊t the least idea.§
※Do you think she＊s right?§
※There again I haven＊t the least idea. I don＊t go round taking an 
inventory of my possessions every day.§
I looked round the small living 每 room. Every shelf and table was 
littered with miscellaneous articles. Lawrence lived in the midst of artistic disarray 
that would have driven me quite mad.
※It＊s a bit of a job finding things sometimes,§ he said, 
observing my glance. ※On the other hand, everything is handy 每 not tucked away.§
※Nothing is tucked away, certainly,§ I agreed. ※It might perhaps 
have been better if the pistol had been.§
※Do you know, I rather expected the coroner to say something of the 
sort. Coroners are such asses. I expected to be censured, or whatever they call it.§
※By the way,§ I asked. ※Was it loaded?§
Lawrence shook his head.
※I＊m not quite so careless as that. It was unloaded, but there was 
a box of cartridges beside it.§
※It was apparently loaded in all six chambers, and one shot had been 
fired.§
Lawrence nodded.
※And whose hand fired it? it＊s all very well, sir, but unless the 
real murderer is discovered I shall be suspected of the crime to the day of my death.§
※Don＊t say that, my boy.§
※But I do say it.§
He became silent, frowning to himself. He roused himself at last and 
said,§ But let me tell you how I got on last night. You know, old Miss Marple knows a 
thing or two.§
※She is, I believer, rather unpopular on that account.§
Lawrence proceeded to recount his story.
He had, following Miss Marple＊s advice, gone up to Old Hall. There, 
with Anne＊s assistance, he had had an interview with the parlor-maid.
Anne had said simply, ※Mr. Redding wants to ask you a few questions, 
Rose.§
Then she had left the room.
Lawrence had felt somewhat nervous. Rose, a pretty girl of twenty-five, 
gazed at him with a limpid gaze which he found rather disconcerting.
※It＊s 每 it＊s about Colonel Protheroe＊s death.§
※Yes, sir?§
※I＊m very anxious, you see, to get at the truth.§
※Yes, sir.§
※I feel that there may be 每 that someone might 每 that 每 that 
每 there might be some incident＃§
At this point Lawrence felt that he was not covering himself with 
glory, and heartily cursed Miss Marple and her suggestions.
※I wondered if you could help me?§
※Yes, sir?§
Rose＊s demeanor was still that of the perfect servant, polite, 
anxious to assist, and completely uninterested.
※Dash it all,§ said Lawrence. ※Haven＊t you talked the thing 
over in the servants＊ hall?§
This method of attack flustered Rose slightly. Her perfect poise was 
shaken.
※In the servants＊ hall, sir?§
※Or the housekeeper＊s room, or the boot-boy＊s dugout, or wherever 
you do talk? There must be some place.§
Rose displayed a very faint disposition to giggle, and Lawrence felt 
encouraged.
※Look here, Rose, you＊re an awfully nice girl. I＊m sure you must 
understand what I＊m feeling like. I don＊t want to be hanged. I didn＊t murder your 
master, but a lot of people think I did. Cant＊ you help me in any way?§
I can imagine at this point that Lawrence must have looked extremely 
appealing. His handsome head thrown back, his Irish blue eyes appealing. Rose softened and 
capitulated.
※Oh! Sir, I＊m sure 每 if any of us could help in any way. None of 
us think you did it, sir. Indeed we don＊t.§
※I know, my dear girl, but that＊s not going to help me with the 
police.§
※The police!§ Rose tossed her head. ※I can tell you, sir, we don＊t 
think much of that Inspector. Slack, he calls himself. The police indeed.§
※All the same, the police are very powerful. Now, Rose, you say you＊ll 
do your best to help me. I can＊t help feeling that there＊s a lot we haven＊t got at 
yet. The lady, for instance, who called to see Colonel Protheroe the night before he died?§
※Mrs. Lestrange?§
※Yes, Mrs. Lestrange. I can＊t help feeling there＊s something 
rather odd about hat visit of hers.§
※Yes, indeed, sir; that＊s what we all said.§
※You did?§
※Coming the way she did. And asking for the Colonel. And, of course, 
there＊s been a lot of talk 每 nobody knowing anything about her down here. And Mrs. 
Simmons, she＊s the housekeeper, sir, she gave it as her opinion that she was a regular 
bad lot. But after hearing what Gladdie said, well, I didn＊t know what to think.§
※What did Gladdie say?§
※Oh, nothing, sir. It was just 每 we were talking, you know.§
Lawrence looked at her. He had the feeling of something kept back.
※I wonder very much what her interview with Colonel Protheroe was 
about.§
※Yes, sir.§
※I believe you know, Rose?§
※Me? Oh, no, sir. Indeed I don＊t. How could I?§
※Look here, Rose. You said you＊d help me. I f you overheard 
anything, anything at all 每 it mightn＊t seem important, but anything 每 I＊d be so 
awfully grateful to you. After all, anyone might 每 might chance 每 just chance 
to overhear something.§
※But I didn＊t, sir, really I didn＊t.§
※Then somebody else did,§ said Lawrence acutely.
※Well, sir＃§
※Do tell me, Rose.§
※I don＊t know that Gladdie would say, I＊m sure.§
※She＊d want you to tell me. Who is Gladdie, by the way?§
※She＊s the kitchen maid, sir. And you see, she＊d just stepped out 
to speak to a friend, and she was passing the window 每 the study window 每 and the 
master was there with the lady. And of course he did speak very loud, the master did, 
always. And naturally, feeling a little curious 每 I mean＃§
※Awfully natural,§ said Lawrence. ※I mean one would simply have 
to listen.§
※But, of course, she didn＊t tell anyone 每 except me. And we both 
thought it very odd. But Gladdie couldn＊t say anything, you see, because if it was known 
she＊d gone out to meet a 每 a friend 每 well, it would have meant a lot of 
unpleasantness with Mrs. Pratt; that＊s the cook, sir. But I＊m sure she＊d tell you 
anything, sir, willing.§
※Well, can I go to the kitchen and speak to her?§
Rose was horrified by the suggestion.
※Oh! No, sir, that would never do. And Gladdie＊s a very nervous 
girl anyway.§
At last the matter was settled, after a lot of discussion over 
difficult points. A clandestine meeting was arranged in the shrubbery.
Here, in due course, Lawrence was confronted by the nervous Gladddie, 
whom he described as more like a shivering rabbit than anything human. Ten minutes were 
spent in trying to put the girl at her ease, the shivering Gladys explaining that she 
couldn＊t ever 每 that she didn＊t ought, that she didn＊t think Rose would have given 
her away, that anyway she hadn＊t meant no harm, indeed she hadn＊t, and that she＊d 
catch it badly if Mrs. Pratt ever came to hear of it.
Lawrence reassure, cajoled, persuaded 每 at last Gladys consented to 
speak.
※If you＊ll be sure it＊ll go no farther, sir.§
※Of course it won＊t.§
※And it won＊t be brought up against me in a court of law?§
※Never.§
※And you won＊t tell the mistress?§
※Not on any account.§
※If it were to get to Mrs. Pratt＊s ears＃§
※It won＊t. Now tell me, Gladys.§
※If you＊re sure it＊s all right?§
※Of course it is. You＊ll be glad some day you＊ve saved me from 
being hanged.§
Gladys gave a little shriek.
※Oh! Indeed, I wouldn＊t like that, sir. Well, it＊s very little I 
heard 每 and that entirely by accident, as you might say＃§
※I quite understand.§
※But the master, he was evidently very angry. ＆After all these 
years＊ 每 that＊s what he was saying 每 ＆you dare to come her. It＊s an outrage＃＊ 
I couldn＊t hear what the lady said 每 but after a bit he said, ＆ I utterly refuse 每 
utterly.＊ I can＊t remember everything 每 seemed as though they were at in hammer and 
tongs, she wanting him to do something and he refusing. ＆It＊s a disgrace that you 
should have come down here.＊ That＊s one thing he said. And ＆You shall not see her 
每 I forbid it.＊ And that made me prick up my ears. Looked as though the lady wanted to 
tell Mrs. Protheroe a thing or two, and he was afraid about it. And I thought to myself, 
＆Well, now, fancy the master. Him so particular. And maybe no beauty himself when all＊s 
said and done. Fancy!＊ I said. And ＆Men are all alike,＊ I said to my friend later. 
Not hat he＊d agree. Argued, he did. But he did admit he was surprised at Colonel 
Protheroe 每 him being a churchwarden and handing round the plate and reading the lessons 
on Sundays. ＆But there,＊ I said, ＆that＊s very often the worse.＊ For that＊s 
what I＊ve heard my mother say, many a time.§
Gladdie paused, out of breath, and Lawrence tried tactfully to get back 
to where the conversation had started.
※Did you hear anything else?§
※Well, it＊s difficult to remember exactly, sir. It was all must the 
same. HE said once or twice, ＆I don＊t believe it.＊ Just like that, ＆Whatever 
Haydock says, I don＊t believe it.＊§
※He said that, did he? ＆Whatever Haydock says＊?§
※Yes. And he said it was all a plot.§
※You didn＊t hear the lady speak at all?§
※Only just at the end. She must have got up to go and come nearer the 
window. And I heard what she said. Made my blood run cold, it did. I＊ll never forget it. 
＆By this time tomorrow night, you may be dead,＊ she said. Wicked the way she said it. 
As soon as I heard the news: ＆There,＊ I said to Rose. ＆There!＊§
Lawrence wondered. Principally he wondered how much of Gladys＊s story 
was to be depended up. True, in the main, he suspected that it had been embellished and 
polished sine the murder. In especial he doubted the accuracy of the last remark. He 
thought it highly possible that it owed its being to the fact of the murder.
He thanked Gladys, rewarded her suitably, reassured her as to here 
mis-doings being made known to Mrs. Pratt, and left Old Hall with a good deal to think 
over.
One thing was clear 每 Mrs. Lestrange＊s interview with Colonel 
Protheroe had certainly not bee a peaceful one, and it was one which he was anxious to 
keep from the knowledge of his wife.
I thought of Miss Marple＊s churchwarden with his separate 
establishment. Was this a case resembling that?
I wondered more than ever where Haydock came in. he had saved Mrs. 
Lestrange from having to give evidence at the inquest. He had done his best to protect her 
from the police.
How far would he carry that protection?
Supposing he suspected her of crime 每 would he still try and shield 
her?
She was a curious woman 每 a woman of very strong magnetic charm. I 
myself hated the thought of connecting her with the crime in any way.
Something in me said, ※It can＊t be her!§
Why?
And an imp in my brain replied, ※Because she＊s a very beautiful and 
attractive woman. That＊s why.§
There is, as Miss Marple would say, a lot of human nature in all of us.
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