Agatha Christie The Hollow Chapter I At 6:13 a.m. ... - bzelbublive.info

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Chapter Xit was ten o'clock the next morning whensideboard.John came down. Breakfast was on theGerda had had her breakfast sent up to her in bed and had been rather perturbedsince perhaps she might be "giving trouble." Nonsense, John had said. People like theAngkatells, who still managed to have butlers and servants, might just as well givethem something to do. He felt very kindly towards Gerda this morning. All thatnervous irritation that had so fretted him of late seemed to have died down anddisappeared. Sir Henry and Edward had gone out shooting. Lady Angkatell toldhim. She herself was busy with a gardening basket and gardening gloves. Hestayed talking to her for a while until Gudgeon approached him ^ith a letter on asalver. "This has just come by hand, sir."He took it with slightly raised eyebrows. Veronica! He strolled into the library,tearing it open. Please come over this morning. I must see you.Veronica. Imperious as ever, he thought! He'd a good mind not to go. Then hethought he might as well and get it over. He'd go at once. He took the pathopposite the library window, passed by the swimming pool which was a kind ofnucleus with paths radiating from it in every direction, one up the hill to the woodsproper, one from the flower walk above the house, one from the farm and the onethat led on to the lane which he tooknow. A few yards up the lane was the cottage called Dovecotes. Veronicawas waiting for him. She spoke from the window of the pretentious half-timberedbuilding. "Come inside, John. It's cold this morning." There was a fire lit inthe sitting room which was furnished in off-white with pale cyclamen cushions.Looking at her this morning with an appraising eye, he saw the differences therewere from the girl he remembered, as he had not been able to see them last night.Strictly speaking, he thought, she was more beautiful now than then. She understoodher beauty better, and she cared for it and enhanced it in every way. Her hair whichhad been deep golden was now a silvery platinum colour. Her eyebrows were different,
giving much more poignancy to her expression.Hers had never been a mindlessbeauty. Veronica, he remembered, had qualified as one of our "intellectualactresses." She had a university degree and had had views on Strindberg and onShakespeare. He was struck now with what had been only dimly apparent to him inthe past-- that she was a woman whose egoism was quite abnormal. Veronica wasaccustomed to getting her own way and beneath the smooth, beautiful contours offlesh he seemed to sense an ugly iron determination."I sent for you," said Veronica as she handed him a box of cigarettes, "becausewe've got to talk. We've got to make arrangements. For our future, I mean." Hetook a cigarette and lighted it. Then he said quite pleasantly: "But have we afuture?" She gave him a sharp glance. "What do you mean, John? Of course wehave got a future. We've wasted fifteen years. There's no need to waste any moretime." He sat down. "I'm sorry, Veronica. But I'm afraid you've got all thistaped out wrong. I've-- enjoyed meeting you again very much. But your life andmine don't touch anywhere. They are quite divergent.""Nonsense, John. I love you and you love me. We've always loved each other. Youwere incredibly obstinate in the past! But never mind that now. Our lives needn'tclash. I don't mean to go back to the States. When I've finished this picture I'm workingon now, I'm going to play a straight part on the London stage. I've got a wonderfulplay--Elderton's written it for me. It will be a terrific success." "I'm sure it will," hesaid politely. "And you can go on being a doctor." Her voice was kind axndcondescending. "You're quite well knowm, they tell me." "My dear girl^ I'mmarried. I've got children.""I'm married rmyselfat the moment," said| Veronica. "But ^11 these things are easily arranged. A good lawyer can fix upeverything." She smxied at him dazzlingly. "I always did mean to marry you,darling. I can't think why I have this terrible passion for you, but theire it is!""I'm sorry, Veronica, but no good lawyer is going to fix ixp anything. Your life andmine have nothing to do ^ith each other." "Not after last night?" "You're not ao:hild, Veronica. You've had a couple of husbands, and by all accounts, several lovers.What does last night mean actually? Nothing at all, and you know it." "Oh, myde^r John--" she was still amused, indulgent. "If you'd seen your face--there in lhatstuffy drawing-room! You might have 'been in San Miguel again!"John sighed. He said: "I was in San Miguel . . Try to understand, Veronica. You cameto me out of the Past. Last night I, too, was in the past, but today--today's 4ifferent.I'm a man fifteen years older. A man you don't even know-- I and whom, Idaresay, you wouldn't like much if you did know." "You prefer your wife andchildren to me?" She was genuinely amazed. "Odd as it may seem to you, Ido." "Nonsense, John, you love me." "I'm sorry, Veronica." She saidincredulously: "You don't love me?" "It's better to be quite clear about thesethings. You are an extraordinarily beautifulShe sat so still that she might have beenwoman, Veronica, but I don't love you."a waxwork. That stillness of hers made him
Page 1 and 2: Agatha ChristieThe HollowChapter IA
Page 3 and 4: couldn't think of how to make thing
Page 5 and 6: wouldn't be called for hours. She w
Page 7 and 8: wasn't going to give it back!" "No,
Page 9 and 10: it, yes--but she'd got something el
Page 11 and 12: Chapter IIIjohn christow sat in his
Page 13 and 14: "You are always willing to say anyt
Page 15 and 16: oom. A tiresome woman, a woman with
Page 17 and 18: Gerda shook her head.Carve the mutt
Page 19 and 20: was able to laugh at him . . .He wa
Page 21 and 22: esentment became subordinated to hi
Page 23 and 24: Angkatells were always so far ahead
Page 25 and 26: unfair. Henrietta seldom talked of
Page 27 and 28: Chapter VImidge hardcastle came dow
Page 29 and 30: if Lucy does them. What is it, I wo
Page 31 and 32: you've been there." "I know. ..." W
Page 33 and 34: Chapter VIIAs they got into the car
Page 35 and 36: point of changing up just when you'
Page 37 and 38: firing revolvers. Henry Angkatell's
Page 39 and 40: Henry? How do you know what they fe
Page 41 and 42: have assured success.It worried Hen
Page 43 and 44: Chapter IXjohn christow came out fr
Page 45: Angkatell. And to Lucy Angkatell, t
Page 49 and 50: go to Henrietta and tell her-- He l
Page 51 and 52: the Angkatells to invite guests for
Page 53 and 54: her fingers. She was standing by th
Page 55 and 56: glasses and a decanter of sherry. "
Page 57 and 58: Angkatell looked surprised, murmure
Page 59 and 60: and quiet pessimism. "Never like th
Page 61 and 62: Chapter XIIIthey had the cold ducks
Page 63 and 64: said Henrietta thoughtfully. "I sup
Page 65 and 66: of relief from tension. Midge said,
Page 67 and 68: evolver in her hand. The revolver s
Page 69 and 70: no need, actually, for her to earn
Page 71 and 72: here to brood upon his position. Th
Page 73 and 74: feel is really nice and probably a
Page 75 and 76: and Lady Angkatell are important--t
Page 77 and 78: oken down then, becoming hysterical
Page 79 and 80: instrument to him. "Hullo, Grange h
Page 81 and 82: The thing was remarkable--and beyon
Page 83 and 84: Chapter XVIIIhercule poirot looked
Page 85 and 86: You--are very anxious on this point
Page 87 and 88: had 10the toothache."Henrietta said
Page 89 and 90: sharply to look at him. He felt her
Page 91 and 92: simple as that? He thought of his c
Page 93 and 94: drink." "I see. I imagined your con
Page 95 and 96: in her hand the gun she had just us
Page 97 and 98:
murder scene, set and staged to dec
Page 99 and 100:
told the Inspector and he quite und
Page 101 and 102:
"just a bit batty," to describe a f
Page 103 and 104:
and the whole thing will die out."
Page 105 and 106:
She accepted the homage smilingly,
Page 107 and 108:
Chapter XXIIIthe inquest was over.
Page 109 and 110:
has managed to keep its distance, a
Page 111 and 112:
For some minutes she stood abstract
Page 113 and 114:
shoulders and walked in. He was ins
Page 115 and 116:
said to the driver, "Go to the Berk
Page 117 and 118:
the whole thing would be far more i
Page 119 and 120:
complex--that is to say, we were co
Page 121 and 122:
He said, "The adjourned inquest's t
Page 123 and 124:
it." Grange stared at him. He said:
Page 125 and 126:
Angkatell, clasping Gerda's hand, m
Page 127 and 128:
thought—she and Edward, linked, a
Page 129 and 130:
Chapter XXVIIImidge, lying dry eyed
Page 131 and 132:
understand. It was because of Henri
Page 133 and 134:
Chapter XXIXgerda rolled over to th
Page 135 and 136:
guessed at and brought to life, car
Page 137 and 138:
word. He was asking me to protect G
Page 139 and 140:
Chapter XXXAs she drove towards Lon
Page 141 and 142:
Mrs. Crabtree looked at her for a m
show all

Agatha Christie The Hollow Chapter I At 6:13 a.m. ... - bzelbublive.info

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?