4 The Locked Room

　　Two days 1ater there was a storm in the middle of the night．

　　I was hot and I couldn't sleep．I got out of bed，went across to the window and looked out at the night．Black clouds hur ried across the sky，and the trees moved wildly in the wind．The rain made a loud noise on the window．

　　I opened my window and put my head out into the wind and the rain．I looked at the other windows in the house．Most of them were dark．But one window had a light in it．‘Somebody isn't sleeping，’I thought．‘Which room is that？’

　　There were six windows between my window and the room with the light．

　　‘And there are six doors between my room and the locked door！’I thought．‘That light is in the locked room．Somebody's in there！’

　　I put on my dressing－gown and went out of my room．The house was dark，and at first I couldn't see very well．I walked along the passage and turned the corner．

　　There it was， the locked room．And there was a light under the door！

　　I went nearer and heard noises．

　　‘Somebody's moving about in the locked room’，I thought．‘Who is it？’

　　Then the light went off and the door opened．

　　I was afraid to move．

　　Somebody came out of the room， and into the dark passage．Lightning suddenly lit up the house，and I saw who it was．

　　‘It's Mr Ross！’I thought．‘What was he doing in that room in the middle of the night？’

　　I didn't move and he didn't see me． He locked the door of the room carefully．He didn't put the key in his pocket，but hid it in the plant pot next to the door．

　　‘He's coming along here，’I thought．‘I must get back to my room．’

　　And I ran back along the passage．

　　Mr Ross heard me ．‘Who's that？’he called．

　　I didn't answer，but ran into my room and closed the door．

　　He came along the passage and stopped outside my door．Then he walked past and went on down the stairs．

　　I took off my dressing－gown and went back to bed． I was shaking because I was afraid．

　　‘Now I know how to get into the locked room，’I thought．‘But what's in there？’

　　There was no storm in the morning，but it was still raining．I got up early and worked on the farm．There were eggs from the chickens and I put them in boxes．I helped to milk the cows and then took them out to the field．

　　Later，I went back into the house for breakfast．‘Did you sleep all right last night？’asked Mrs Duncan．‘Or did the storm wake you up？’

　　‘I… slept all right，’I said．I didn't want to tell her about the light in the locked room，or about Mr Ross．

　　After breakfast，I went back upstairs．Mr Ross was talking on the telephone in his office．My mother was working at her desk．I knew that Mrs Duncan was in the kitchen and that Mr Duncan was working in the garden．

　　‘Where's Mrs Ross？’I thought．

　　Then I looked out of the window and saw her with Tony Duncan．They were walking to the boat．

　　‘He's taking her out in the boat，’I thought．‘Perhaps she's going to Edinburgh．’

　　The boat moved away from the island and I waited until it was out at sea．Then I opened the door of my room．

　　There was nobody in the passage and I ran along to the locked room．The key was still in the plant pot and I took it out．My hand was shaking．

　　Then I unlocked the door．

　　4 锁着的房间

　　两天后半夜里来了一场暴风雨。

　　我很热，睡不着。我下了床，走到窗边，望着窗外的夜色。乌云在天空中匆匆飘过，树在狂风中猛烈地摇摆。雨打在窗子上弄出了很大的响声。

　　我打开窗子，把头伸在风雨中。我看了看这幢房子的其他窗子。绝大部分窗子是黑的。但有一扇窗子里有灯光。“有人没睡。”我想，“那是哪个房间呢？”

　　我这个和亮着灯的那个房间之间隔六个窗子。

　　“而且我这个房间和锁着门的那个之间隔六扇门！”我思考着。“那个亮着的灯就在那个锁着的房间。那里面有人！”

　　我穿上晨衣，从我屋里走了出来。这座房子里很暗，起初我也看得不怎么清楚。我顺着走廊走，拐了一个弯。

　　那儿就是那个锁着的房间。而且门下面露出了灯光！

　　我走近了些，听到了动静。

　　“有人在这个锁着的房间里走动。”我思考着。“是谁呢？”

　　接着灯熄了，门开了。

　　我没敢动。

　　一个人从屋里走出来，到了黑暗的走廊里。忽然一道闪电照亮了这幢房子，我看清了这个人是谁。

　　“是罗斯先生！”我想。“他半夜在那个房间里干什么呢？”

　　我没动，他也没看见我。他小心地锁上了门。他没把钥匙放入他的衣袋里，却把它藏在门旁的花盆里。

　　“他正往这儿来了。”我想，“我必须回我的房间去。”

　　于是我就顺着走廊往回跑。

　　罗斯先生听见我了。“谁？”他叫喊着。

　　我没回答，却跑进自己的房间，关上了门。

　　他顺着走廊过来了，在我的门外停了下来。然后他就走过去了，往前下了楼。

　　我脱下晨衣，回到了床上。我因害怕而直发抖。

　　“现在我知道怎么进入那锁着的房间了。”我想，“但那里有什么呢？”

　　早晨风暴停了，但雨还在下。我很早就起了床，在农场里干活。那儿有小母鸡下的一些蛋，我把蛋放在箱子里。我帮着给奶牛挤奶，然后把它们带到了外面的田野。

　　后来我回房子里去吃早饭。“昨天晚上你睡得好吗？”邓肯太太问道。“还是暴风雨把你吵醒了？”

　　“我……睡得很好，”我说。我不想把锁着的那个房间里亮着灯的事或罗斯先生的事告诉她。

　　早饭后，我回到楼上。罗斯先生正在他的办公室里打电话。我妈妈正坐在她办公桌旁工作。我知道邓肯太太在厨房里而邓肯先生在园子里干活。

　　“罗斯夫人在哪儿呢？”我想。

　　接着我从窗子向外望去，并看见她和托尼·邓肯在一起。他们正向一条船走去。

　　“他要用船送她出岛。”我想，“她可能去爱丁堡。”

　　船离开了这座岛；我一直等着，直到它出海了。然后我打开了我房间的门。

　　走廊里没有人，我顺着路跑到那个锁着的房间前。钥匙还在花盆里，我把它拿了出来。我的手在颤抖。