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〃Miss Marple was more patient；〃 said Mr。 Rafiel。 〃Tell me； Esther； did he ever tell you a story about a murderer？〃
〃Oh yes；〃 said Esther。 〃Several times。〃
〃What was it exactly？ Let's have your recollection。〃
〃Well〃 Esther paused to think。 〃The trouble is；〃 she said apologetically； 〃I didn't really listen very closely。 You see； it was rather like that terrible story about the lion in Rhodesia which used to go on and on。 One did get rather in the habit of not listening。〃
〃Well； tell us what you do remember。〃
〃I think it arose out of some murder case that had been in the papers。 Major Palgrave said that he'd had an experience not every person had had。 He'd actually met a murderer face to face。〃
〃Met？〃 Mr。 Rafiel exclaimed。 〃Did he actually use the word 'Met'？〃
Esther looked confused。 〃I think so。〃 She was doubtful。 〃Or he may have said； 'I can point you out a murderer'。〃
〃Well； which was it？ There's a difference。〃
〃I can't really be sure。。。 I think he said he'd show me a picture of someone。〃
〃That's better。〃
〃And then he talked a lot about Lucrezia Bia。〃
〃Never mind about Lucrezia Bia。 We know all about her。〃
〃He talked about poisoners and that Lucrezia was very beautiful and had red hair。 He said there were probably far more women poisoners going about the world than anyone knew。〃
〃That I fear is quite likely；〃 said Miss Marple。
〃And he talked about poison being a woman's weapon。〃
〃Seems to have been wandering from the point a bit；〃 said Mr。 Rafiel。
〃Well； of course； he always did wander from the point in his stories。 And then one used to stop listening and just say 'Yes' and 'Really？' and 'You don't say so'。〃
〃What about this picture he was going to show you？〃
〃I don't remember。 It may have been something he'd seen in the paper〃
〃He didn't actually show you a snapshot？〃
〃A snapshot？ No。〃 She shook her head。 〃I'm quite sure of that。 He did say that she was a goodlooking woman； and you'd never think she was a murderer to look at her。〃
〃She？〃
〃There you are；〃 exclaimed Miss Marple。 〃It makes it all so confusing。〃
〃He was talking about a woman？〃 Mr。 Rafiel asked。
〃Oh yes。〃
〃The snapshot was a snapshot of a woman？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃It can't have been！〃
〃But it was；〃 Esther persisted。 〃He said 'She's here in this island。 I'll point her out； and then I'll tell you the whole story。'〃
Mr。 Rafiel swore。 In saying what he thought of the late Major Palgrave he did not mince his words。
〃The probabilities are；〃 he finished； 〃that not a word of anything he said was true！〃
〃One does begin to wonder；〃 Miss Marple murmured。
〃So there we are；〃 said Mr。 Rafiel。 〃The old booby started telling you hunting tales。 Pig sticking； tiger shooting； elephant hunting； narrow escapes from lions。 One or two of them might have been fact。 Several of them were fiction； and others had happened to somebody else！ Then he gets on to the subject of murder and he tells one murder story to cap another murder story。 And what's more he tells them all as if they'd happened to him。 Ten to one most of them were a hash up of what he'd read in the paper； or seen on T。V。。〃
He turned accusingly on Esther。 〃You admit that you weren't listening closely。 Perhaps you misunderstood what he was saying。〃
〃I'm certain he was talking about a woman；〃 said Esther obstinately； 〃because of course I wondered who it was。〃
''Who do you think it was？〃 asked Miss Marple。
Esther flushed and looked slightly embarrassed。 〃Oh； I didn't really I mean； I wouldn't like to〃
Miss Marple did not insist。 The presence of Mr。 Rafiel； she thought； was inimical to her finding out exactly what suppositions Esther Walters had made。 That could only be cosily brought out in a tкteаtкte between two women。 And there was； of course； the possibility that Esther Walters was lying。 Naturally； Miss Marple did not suggest this aloud。 She registered it as a possibility but she was not inclined to believe in it。 For one thing she did not think that Esther Walters was a liar （though one never knew） and for another； she could see no point in such a lie。
〃But you say；〃 Mr。 Rafiel was now turning upon Miss Marple； 〃you say that he told you this yam about a murderer and that he then said he had a picture of him which he was going to show you。〃
〃I thought so； yes。〃
〃You thought so？ You were sure enough to begin with！〃
Miss Marple retorted with spirit。 〃It is never easy to repeat a conversation and be entirely accurate in what the other party to it has said。 One is always inclined to jump at what you think they meant。 Then； afterwards； you put actual words into their mouths。 Major Palgrave told me this story； yes。 He told me that the man who told it to him； this doctor； had shown him a snapshot of the murderer； but if I am to be quite honest I must admit that what he actually said to me was 'Would you like to see a snapshot of a murderer？' and naturally I assumed that it was the same snapshot he had been talking about。 That it was the snapshot of that particular murderer。 But I have to admit that it is possibleonly remotely possible； but still possiblethat by an association of ideas in his mind he leaped from the snapshot he had been shown in the past； to a snapshot he had taken recently of someone here whom he was convinced was a murderer。〃
〃Women！〃 snorted Mr。 Rafiel； in exasperation； 〃You're all the same； the whole blinking lot of you！ Can't be accurate。 You're never exactly sure of what a thing was。 And now；〃 he added irritably； 〃where does that leave us？〃 He snorted。 〃Evelyn Hillingdon； or Greg's wife。 Lucky？ The whole thing is a mess。〃
There was a slight apologetic cough。
Arthur Jackson was standing at Mr。 Rafiel's elbow。 He had e so noiselessly that nobody had noticed him。
〃Time for your massage； sir；〃 he said。
Mr。 Rafiel displayed immediate temper。 〃What do you mean by sneaking up on me in that way and making me jump？ I never heard you。〃
〃Very sorry； sir。〃
〃I don't think I'll have any massage today。 It never does me a damn bit of good。〃
〃Oh e sir； you mustn't say that。〃 Jackson was full of professional cheerfulness。 〃You'd soon notice it if you left it off。〃
He wheeled the chair deftly round。
Miss Marple rose to her feet； smiled at Esther and went down to the beach。
Chapter 18
WITHOUT BENEFIT OF CLERGY
The beach was rather empty this morning。 Greg was splashing in the water in his usual noisy style。 Lucky was lying on her face on the beach with a suntanned back well oiled and her blonde hair splayed over her shoulders。 The Hillingdons were not there。 Seсora de Caspearo； with an assorted bag of gentlemen in attendance was lying face upwards and talking deepthroated； happy Spanish。 Some French and Italian children were playing at the water's edge and laughing。 Canon and Miss Prescott were sitting in beach chairs observing the scene。 The Canon had his hat tilted forward over his eyes and seemed half asleep。 There was a convenient chair next to Miss Prescott and Miss Marple made for it and sat down。
〃Oh dear；〃 she said； with a deep sigh。
〃I know；〃 said Miss Prescott。
It was their joint tribute to violent death。
〃That poor girl；〃 said Miss Marple。
〃Very sad；〃 said the Canon。 〃Most deplorable。〃
〃For a moment or two；〃 said Miss Prescott； 〃we really thought of leaving； Jeremy and I。 But then we decided against it。 It would not really be fair； I felt； on the Kendals。 After all； it's not their fault。 It might have happened anywhere。〃
〃In the midst of life we are in death；〃 said the Canon solemnly。
〃It's very important； you know；〃 said Miss Prescott； 〃that they should make a go of this place。 They have sunk all their capital in it。〃
〃A very sweet girl；〃 said Miss Marple； 〃but not looking at all well lately。〃
〃Very nervy；〃 agreed Miss Prescott。 〃Of course her family〃 she shook her head。
〃I really think； Joan；〃 said the Canon in mild reproof； 〃that there are some things〃
〃Everybody knows about it；〃 said Miss Prescott。 〃Her family live in our part of the world。 A greatauntmost peculiarand one of her uncles took off all his clothes in one of the tube stations。 Green Park； I believe it was。〃
〃Joan； that is a thing that should not be repeated。〃
〃Very sad；〃 said Miss Marple； shaking her head； 〃though I believe not an unmon form of madness。 I know when we were working for the Armenian relief； a most respectable elderly clergyman was afflicted the same way。 They telephoned his wife and she came along at once and took him home in a cab； wrapped in a blanket。〃
〃Of course； Molly's immediate family's all right；〃 said Miss Prescott。 〃She never got on very well with her mother； but then so few girls seem to get on with their mothers nowadays。〃
〃Such a pity；〃 said Miss Marple； shaking her head； 〃because really a young girl needs her mother's knowledge of the world and experience。〃
〃Exactly；〃 said Miss Prescott with emphasis。 〃Molly； you know； took up with some manquite unsuitable； I understand。〃
〃It so often happens；〃 said Miss Marple。
〃Her family disapproved； naturally。 She didn't tell them about it。 They heard about it from a plete outsider。 Of course her mother said she must bring him along so that they met him properly。 This； I underst