"The Widow" Bertha

"Miss Marple," Colonel Dent said, "the four guests you suspect are actually murderers."

"..."

There is something like this? !

It's like reading a suspenseful reasoning book, and just before the climax, someone spoiled the murderer for you; or you joined a werewolf killing game, and when you decided that you had a great advantage, the werewolf suddenly dropped the card and stopped playing.

It seemed that the punch hadn't landed on the ground, which made people feel depressed.

Even Bertha Mason, who was lying and bragging without changing her face, froze in place when she heard Colonel Dent's confession.On the contrary, Colonel Dent smiled kindly when he saw Bertha's shocked expression: "Do you want to talk about this in the corridor?"

Only then did Bertha come to her senses.

She let the door open rather uncomfortably, made a gesture of invitation to Colonel Dent, and said with a cold face: "Come in and talk about it, Colonel."

The tall officer entered Bertha's guest room with an almost triumphant step.He nodded politely to the restrained Miss Jane Eyre, not at all as contemptuous of the governess as the female guests.

He didn't continue until Bertha was seated, "I hope you don't want to investigate any further, Miss Marple."

You have uncovered the bottom of the cards, what else is there to check?It's just... Bertha turned her head sideways, and looked up at Colonel Dent with a calm expression: "If you want to convince me, you always need a reason."

"of course."

Colonel Dent was full of confidence: "If Miss Blanche Ingram is a sinner through the ages who may endanger the security of the world and provoke wars and conflicts, will you still avenge her?"

Bertha: "How?"

Colonel Dent: "You have traveled far and wide, Miss Marple, have you ever heard of the Truth Society?"

Of course, Bertha had never heard of it. A month ago, she was a lunatic who attempted arson. Ever since she traveled here, Bertha Mason has never left the vicinity of Thornfield Manor. Where has she heard of the Truth Society?

But Bertha didn't directly deny it, she just responded: "Please speak."

"Miss Blanche Ingram is a member of the Truth Society."

"Let me make a bold guess," Bertha said, "You don't mean to say, what kind of extreme political group or cult organization is this Truth Society?"

"It's not exactly defined like that, but it's roughly true."

Colonel Dent nodded: "The Truth Society's goal is to establish a new social form without borders, nations, and political stances. Its members will do whatever it takes to achieve this goal."

Good guy, isn't this a terrorist organization?

It is said that there are no borders and no nationalities, and the society in the 21st century has not reached this point. As for having no political stance, it is even more ridiculous. Isn't it a political stance to preach "no political stance" everywhere.

In this way, Bertha probably understood.

"Then what heinous thing has Miss Ingram done?" she asked.

"Over the years, she has been the mistress of an important member of the House of Lords," Colonel Dent replied. "Through this channel, a lot of state secrets have been disseminated."

"Do you have evidence?"

"I have."

"……I understand."

"So I hope you stop here, Miss Marple," Colonel Dent persuaded again, "to prevent the Society of Truth from taking revenge, it is better to put the blame on the mad woman in the attic of Thornfield Manor. Mr. Rochester is not the government officials so that they don't find anything to pursue and no targets to pursue."

After speaking, he added again: "Mr. Mycroft Holmes will also agree to do so."

Bertha said nothing.

To be honest, Colonel Dent standing in the guest room is tall and straight, with a steady tone, but his mentality is not as confident as it seems.

This Miss Marple came at a strange time. Colonel Dent regarded her as a member of the Truth Society at first, until Miss Marple revealed that she knew Holmes.

This makes her even more mysterious.

Especially when Miss Marple is deep in thought, her dignified and beautiful face is slightly sideways, and the expression is unclear, which is really unpredictable.

"Miss Jane Eyre."

After a long time, "Miss Marple" recovered from her contemplation, and looked at Jane Eyre who was sitting aside: "In this case, can you help invite the 'murderers' that Colonel Dent called to my room? Oh and Yes, invite Edward Rochester. He is the owner of the manor, and he should make a decision on this matter."

This is something to talk about!

Colonel Dent let out a breath slowly, and smiled slightly: "Miss Marple is right, please, Miss Jane Eyre."

When Miss Jane Eyre nodded and left, only Miss Detective and Colonel Dent were left in the huge guest room.Miss Marple, who was sitting on the chair, shifted her gaze to Colonel Dent's side.

Her dark golden eyes were burning, and her beautiful face was full of curiosity and fun.With this gesture, it seemed that she had seen everything through and participated in it just for fun.

"It turns out that there is really a mad woman hiding in Thornfield Manor," Bertha frowned, "but how did you know?"

"Mr Ashton is a magistrate."

Colonel Dent explained: "He accidentally learned that Mr. Mason, the magistrate of Jamaica, had a marriage contract with the Rochester family. Ten years ago, he married his daughter to Edward Rochester, but Rochester has always claimed to be single. It is said that he is his wife. Become crazy."

Fine.

So Bertha has never understood how Rochester could hide the news of his marriage for a full ten years?You must know that Bertha Mason's elder brother has a good relationship with him, and Bertha's parents have always lived in Jamaica. Since the relationship between the two families is close enough to be married, those who know Bertha's father know the Rochester family. Patriarch, it's not surprising.

Well, this is probably Edward Rochester, one of the few protagonist halos on this not-so-typical love story hero.

Bertha made a look of sudden realization: "No wonder Mr. Ashton released the rumor of the mad woman's murder. It is Mr. Ashton's idea to shift the responsibility to Rochester, the... crazy wife."

"Yes."

"Then what role did you play in this case?"

"I bought the poison."

"..."

"Blanche's sister, Miss Mary Ingram, provided the opportunity to poison. Her sister needs medicine to help her sleep every night before going to bed. The night before the murder, Miss Mary Ingram distracted her. My own sister, so that Henry Lynn can sneak into the guest room and poison."

"What happened to the maid Leah who saw you talking to the deceased the night before the murder?"

"I persuaded her to stop," Colonel Dent smiled wryly. "I even threatened her, but it didn't help. That's why Miss Mary Ingram made up her mind to poison her own sister."

Bertha said nothing.

"We're just trying to prevent state secrets from being leaked, Miss Marple," Colonel Dent said. "If I release the evidence in my hands, Blanche Ingram will not be able to escape the gallows. It's just In that case, my family, relatives and friends, and even the Ingram family will not be able to escape from the Society of Truth. This is the best way."

After all, it is not hope that Bertha can stop the investigation.

"Edward is involved in this matter," Bertha responded coldly. "You should not persuade me, but you should persuade him. Have you ever thought about the consequences for Edward Rochester?"

She admits to being subtly upset.

There is nothing wrong with what Colonel Dent said so convincingly.But they did it directly without going through Rochester. The responsibility was passed on to others, and they picked it up by themselves. What about Rochester?What about Bertha Mason, the madwoman in the attic?

Rochester is likely to be completely ruined because of this incident - from Bertha's point of view, let's say he deserves it.And what about Bertha Mason herself?

If it weren't for the fact that she is already a time-traveling person, wouldn't it be necessary for a crazy woman to carry a murder case for no reason, and pay for her life out of nowhere.

"I admit that such a plan is not perfect," Colonel Dent sighed, "but time is running out, Miss Marple. And it's a matter of national security, or even world security, to sacrifice a person's reputation, or a person's life." , that’s really nothing.”

Bertha snorted coldly.

In the final analysis, it was because the crazy Bertha Mason no longer had any human value in the eyes of the nineteenth-century world.

Married women in the Victorian era had no independent status at all levels, and once married, women became the private property of their husbands.Her dowry belongs to her husband, and the money she earns through other means also legally belongs to her husband.

A large landowner like Rochester deserves a decent wife who will take care of things for him, and show his face in salons, meetings, and various occasions, and it is also the wife's duty to do all this hard work, without any return.

Crazy Bertha could no longer do these things for Rochester, so she was abandoned and imprisoned.Even though Rochester himself has a bit of conscience, in the eyes of outsiders, it makes no difference whether she is dead or alive.

Bertha does not claim to be a just person, she must pay attention to being fair everywhere.But since the calculation is on her own head, no matter how much she is pressured by national affairs, it is only natural that she is unhappy.

Seeing that Bertha looked unhappy, Colonel Dent only thought that "Miss Marple" had a sense of justice. A woman dares to claim that she 'knows' Holmes a little. In that case, I am afraid that you and Mycroft Holmes are quite intimate, and you should have seen many of these things around him."

Bertha took a deep breath.

Just as she was about to open her mouth to say something else, the door of the guest room had already been pushed open.

The people who came in heard nothing but "You have a close relationship with Holmes".Mr. Ashton at the beginning showed a shocked expression: "I knew that Miss Marple was Holmes' lover!"

Bertha: "..."

Rochester who also just walked in: "..."

The author has something to say:

Mike:? ? ? ? ?People sit at home, lovers come from heaven.

#今天 Bertha got mad at her ex-husband? #

Bertha: I think I should be mad, but I didn't do it today!

Rochester: It's you! !

Bertha: Oh, Edward, look at the blue sky~ the rolling mountains~ the green~ the prairie flat river—this is the top of your head!