04-01-04-三十九级台阶 [26]
，and he did not recognize him in a church.
Perhaps these people were playing the same game. A stupid man tries to look different；a clever man looks the same and is different.
My friend had also told me this：'If you want to disguise yourself， you must believe that you're the person you're pretending to be. 'That would explain the game of tennis. These men weren't acting；they just changed from one life to another，and the new life was as natural as the old. It is the secret of all great criminals.
It was now about eight o'clock. I went back to seeMacGillivray and we arranged where the other policeman would hide. After that I went for a walk along the coast，looking at the peaceful people on holiday. Out at sea I could see lights on the Ariadne，and on the warship，and， further away，the lights of other ships. Everything seemed so normal and peaceful that I couldn't believe the three men were my criminals. But I turned and walked towards Trafalgar House at about half past nine.
MacGillivray's men were，I supposed，in their hiding places. The house was quiet， but I could just hear the sound of voices；the men were just finishing their dinner Feeling very stupid，I walked up to the door and rang the bell.
When a servant opened the door， I asked for Mr Appleton and was shown in. I had planned to walk straight in and surprize the men into recognizing me. But I started looking at all the pictures on the wall There were photographs of groups of English schoolboys and lots of other things that you only find in an English home. The servant walked in front of me into the dining-room and told the men who I was，and I missed the chance of surprise.
When I walked in， the old man stood up and turned round to meet me. The other two turned to look at me. The old man was perfectly polite.
'Mr Hannay？'he said. 'Did you wish to see me？'
I pulled up a chair and sat down.
'I think we've met before，'I said， 'and I guess you know why I'm here. '
The light in the room was not bright， but I think they all looked very surprised.
'Perhaps，perhaps，'said the old man. ' I'm afraid I don' t remember faces very well. You'll have to tell me why you're here，because I really don' t know. '
'Well，'I said， although I didn't really believe what I was saying，'I have come to arrest all three of you. '
'Arrest！'said the old man in surprise. 'Arrest！What for？'
'For the murder of Franklin Scudder in London on the 23rd of May. '
'I've never heard the name before，' said the old man.
One of the others spoke. 'That was the Langham Place murder. I read about that in the newspapers. But you must be mad！Where do you come from？'
'Scotland Yard，'I said.
Then there was silence for a moment until the fat one started to talk，hesitating a lot between words.
'Don't worry， uncle. It's all a stupid mistake. Even the police make mistakes. I wasn't even in England on the 23rd，and Bob was in hospital. You were in London，but you can explain what you were doing. '
'You're right，Percy，it's easy. The 23rd！That was the day after Agatha's wedding. Yes，I had lunch with Charlie Symons and in the evening I went to the Cardwells'. Why， they gave me that！'He pointed to a cigar box on the table.
'I think you will see that you have made a mistake，'the thin dark man said to me politely. 'We are quite happy to help Scotland Yard，and we don't want the police to make stupid mistakes. That's so， isn't it， uncle？'
'Certainly，Bob. 'The old man looked happier now. 'Certainly we'll help if we can. But this is madness. ' 'This will make our friends laugh，'said the fat man. 'They think we're boring and that nothing ever happens to us. Hebegan to laugh very pleasantly.
'Yes， it's a good story. Really， Mr Hannay，I should be angry，but it's too funny. You really frightened me！ You looked too serious. I thought I'd killed somebody in my sleep！'
They weren't acting. There was nothing false about them. At first I wanted to apologize and leave. Then I stood up and went to the door and turned on the main light. I looked at the three faces.
I saw nothing to help me. One was old and bald
Perhaps these people were playing the same game. A stupid man tries to look different；a clever man looks the same and is different.
My friend had also told me this：'If you want to disguise yourself， you must believe that you're the person you're pretending to be. 'That would explain the game of tennis. These men weren't acting；they just changed from one life to another，and the new life was as natural as the old. It is the secret of all great criminals.
It was now about eight o'clock. I went back to seeMacGillivray and we arranged where the other policeman would hide. After that I went for a walk along the coast，looking at the peaceful people on holiday. Out at sea I could see lights on the Ariadne，and on the warship，and， further away，the lights of other ships. Everything seemed so normal and peaceful that I couldn't believe the three men were my criminals. But I turned and walked towards Trafalgar House at about half past nine.
MacGillivray's men were，I supposed，in their hiding places. The house was quiet， but I could just hear the sound of voices；the men were just finishing their dinner Feeling very stupid，I walked up to the door and rang the bell.
When a servant opened the door， I asked for Mr Appleton and was shown in. I had planned to walk straight in and surprize the men into recognizing me. But I started looking at all the pictures on the wall There were photographs of groups of English schoolboys and lots of other things that you only find in an English home. The servant walked in front of me into the dining-room and told the men who I was，and I missed the chance of surprise.
When I walked in， the old man stood up and turned round to meet me. The other two turned to look at me. The old man was perfectly polite.
'Mr Hannay？'he said. 'Did you wish to see me？'
I pulled up a chair and sat down.
'I think we've met before，'I said， 'and I guess you know why I'm here. '
The light in the room was not bright， but I think they all looked very surprised.
'Perhaps，perhaps，'said the old man. ' I'm afraid I don' t remember faces very well. You'll have to tell me why you're here，because I really don' t know. '
'Well，'I said， although I didn't really believe what I was saying，'I have come to arrest all three of you. '
'Arrest！'said the old man in surprise. 'Arrest！What for？'
'For the murder of Franklin Scudder in London on the 23rd of May. '
'I've never heard the name before，' said the old man.
One of the others spoke. 'That was the Langham Place murder. I read about that in the newspapers. But you must be mad！Where do you come from？'
'Scotland Yard，'I said.
Then there was silence for a moment until the fat one started to talk，hesitating a lot between words.
'Don't worry， uncle. It's all a stupid mistake. Even the police make mistakes. I wasn't even in England on the 23rd，and Bob was in hospital. You were in London，but you can explain what you were doing. '
'You're right，Percy，it's easy. The 23rd！That was the day after Agatha's wedding. Yes，I had lunch with Charlie Symons and in the evening I went to the Cardwells'. Why， they gave me that！'He pointed to a cigar box on the table.
'I think you will see that you have made a mistake，'the thin dark man said to me politely. 'We are quite happy to help Scotland Yard，and we don't want the police to make stupid mistakes. That's so， isn't it， uncle？'
'Certainly，Bob. 'The old man looked happier now. 'Certainly we'll help if we can. But this is madness. ' 'This will make our friends laugh，'said the fat man. 'They think we're boring and that nothing ever happens to us. Hebegan to laugh very pleasantly.
'Yes， it's a good story. Really， Mr Hannay，I should be angry，but it's too funny. You really frightened me！ You looked too serious. I thought I'd killed somebody in my sleep！'
They weren't acting. There was nothing false about them. At first I wanted to apologize and leave. Then I stood up and went to the door and turned on the main light. I looked at the three faces.
I saw nothing to help me. One was old and bald