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anyhow。 And besides； if I'm going to do the thing； I'm going to do it
properly。'
〃'Yes； you always were an artist；' I said； looking at him admiringly。
〃He purred。 To be called an artist was what he longed for most。 Now
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The Red House Mystery
I knew that I had him。
〃'All the same；' I went on； 'even without your beard and moustache
you might be recognizable。 Unless； of course …' I broke off。
〃'Unless what？'
〃'You pretend to be Robert。' I began to laugh to myself again。 'By
Jove！' I said； 'that's not a bad idea。 Pretend to be Robert； the wastrel
brother； and make yourself objectionable to Miss Norris。 Borrow money
from her； and that sort of thing。'
〃He looked at me； with his bright little eyes； nodding eagerly。
〃'Robert；' he said。 'Yes。 How shall we work it？'
〃There was really a Robert； Mr。 Gillingham； as I have no doubt you
and the Inspector both discovered。 And he was a wastrel and he went to
Australia。 But he never came to the Red House on Tuesday afternoon。
He couldn't have； because he died （unlamented） three years ago。 But
there was nobody who knew this； save Mark and myself； for Mark was the
only one of the family left； his sister having died last year。 Though I
doubt； anyhow； if she knew whether Robert was alive or dead。 He was
not talked about。
〃For the next two days Mark and I worked out our plans。 You
understand by now that our aims were not identical。 Mark's endeavour
was that his deception should last for； say； a couple of hours； mine that it
should go to the grave with him。 He had only to deceive Miss Norris and
the other guests； I had to deceive the world。 When he was dressed up as
Robert； I was going to kill him。 Robert would then be dead； Mark （of
course） missing。 What could anybody think but that Mark had killed
Robert？ But you see how important it was for Mark to enter fully into
his latest （and last） impersonation。 Half…measures would be fatal。
〃You will say that it was impossible so do the thing thoroughly enough。
I answer again that you never knew Mark。 He was being what he wished
most to be … an artist。 No Othello ever blacked himself all over with such
enthusiasm as did Mark。 His beard was going anyhow … possible a
chance remark of Miss Norbury's helped here。 She did not like beards。
But it was important for me that the dead man's hands should not be the
hands of a manicured gentleman。 Five minutes playing upon the vanity
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The Red House Mystery
of the artist settled his hands。 He let the nails grow and then cut them
raggedly。 'Miss Norris would notice your hands at once；' I had said。
'Besides； as an artist …'
〃So with his underclothes。 It was hardly necessary to warn him that
his pants might show above the edge of his socks； as an artist he had
already decided upon Robertian pants。 I bought them； and other things；
in London for him。 Even if I had not cut out all trace of the maker's
name； he would instinctively have done it。 As an Australian and an artist；
he could not have an East London address on his underclothes。 Yes； we
were doing the thing thoroughly； both of us； he as an artist； I as a … well；
you may say murderer； if you like。 I shall not mind now。
〃Our plans were settled。 I went to London on the Monday and wrote
him a letter from Robert。 （The artistic touch again。） I also bought a
revolver。 On the Tuesday morning he announced the arrival of Robert at
the breakfast…table。 Robert was now alive … we had six witnesses to
prove it； six witnesses who knew that he was coming that afternoon。 Our
private plan was that Robert should present himself at three o'clock； in
readiness for the return of the golfing…party shortly afterwards。 The maid
would go to look for Mark； and having failed to find him； come back to
the office to find me entertaining Robert in Mark's absence。 I would
explain that Mark must have gone out somewhere； and would myself
introduce the wastrel brother to the tea…table。 Mark's absence would not
excite any comment； for it would be generally felt … indeed Robert would
suggest it … that he had been afraid of meeting his brother。 Then Robert
would make himself amusingly offensive to the guests； particularly； of
course； Miss Norris； until he thought that the joke had gone far enough。
〃That was our private plan。 Perhaps I should say that it was Mark's
private plan。 My own was different。
〃The announcement at breakfast went well。 After the golfing…party
had gone off； we had the morning in which to complete our arrangements。
What I was chiefly concerned about was to establish as completely as
possible the identity of Robert。 For this reason I suggested to Mark that；
when dressed； he should go out by the secret passage to the bowling…green；
and come back by the drive； taking care to enter into conversation with the
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The Red House Mystery
lodge…keeper。 In this way I would have two more witnesses of Robert's
arrival … first the lodge…keeper； and secondly one of the gardeners whom I
would have working on the front lawn。 Mark； of course； was willing
enough。 He could practise his Australian accent on the lodge…keeper。 It
was really amusing to see how readily he fell into every suggestion which
I made。 Never was a killing more carefully planned by its victim。
〃He changed into Robert's clothes in the office bedroom。 This was
the safest way … for both of us。 When he was ready； he called me in； and
I inspected him。 It was extraordinary how well he looked the part。 I
suppose that the signs of his dissipation had already marked themselves on；
his face； but had been concealed hitherto by his moustache and beard； for
now that he was clean…shaven they lay open to the world from which we
had so carefully hidden them； and he was indeed the wastrel which he was
pretending to be。
〃'By Jove； you're wonderful；' I said。
〃He smirked； and called my attention to the various artistic touches
which I might have missed。
〃'Wonderful；' I said to myself again。 'Nobody could possibly guess。'
〃I peered into the hall。 It was empty。 We hurried across to the
library； he got into the passage and made off。 I went back to the
bedroom； collected all his discarded clothes； did them up in a bundle and
returned with them to the passage。 Then I sat down in the hall and
waited。
〃You heard the evidence of Stevens； the maid。 As soon as she was on
her way to the Temple in search of Mark； I stepped into the office。 My
hand was in my side…pocket； and in my hand was the revolver。
〃He began at once in his character of Robert … some rigmarole about
working his passage over from Australia； a little private performance for
my edification。 Then in his natural voice； gloating over his well…planned
retaliation on Miss Norris； he burst out； 'It's my turn now。 You wait。' It
was this which Elsie heard。 She had no business to be there and she
might have ruined everything； but as it turned out it was the luckiest thing
which could have happened。 For it was the one piece of evidence which I
wanted； evidence； other than my own； that Mark and Robert were in the
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