had imagined nothing like this. No wonder Lambis had been afraid. No wonder Mark had tried to keep me out of it . . .
I said hoarsely: âI suppose theyâd left Mark for dead?â
âYes. It was dark, you see, and they may not have wanted to go down the gully after him. It was a very steep place. If he was not then dead, he would be dead by morning.â
âThen â when the Englishman told them to âthink it overâ, he must have been meaning Colin? The other two âcorpsesâ being Mark, and the dead man?â
âIt seems so.â
âSo Colin must have been alive?â
âThe last Mark heard of it, yes,â said Lambis.
A pause. I said, uncertainly: âThey would come back, by daylight, for Mark.â
âYes.â A glance from those dark eyes. âThis I guessed, even before I heard his story. When I went back to cover our tracks, I brushed the dust over them, and went down for the haversack, then I hid above, among the rocks, and waited. One came.â
Again the breathless impact of that sparse style. âYou saw him?â
âYes. It was a man of perhaps forty, in Cretan dress. You have seen this dress?â
âOh, yes.â
âHe had a blue jacket, and dark-blue breeches, the loose kind. The jacket had some â what is the word for little balls of colour along the edge?â
âWhat? Oh â I suppose Iâd call them bobbles, if you mean that fancy braided trimming with sort of tufts on, like a Victorian fringed table-cloth.â
âBobbles.â Lambis, I could see, had filed my thoughtless definition away for future reference. I hadnât the heart to dissuade him. âHe had red bobbles, and a soft black cap with a red scarf tied round, and hanging, the way the Cretans wear it. He was very dark of face, with a moustache, like most Cretans; but I shall know him again.â
âDo you think it was the murderer?â
âYes. It was very nearly dark when the shooting happened, and Mark did not see faces, but he is certain that the man who did the shooting was in Cretan dress. Not the others.â
âWhat did he do when you saw him?â
âHe looked about him, and went down into the gully, looking for Mark. He took a long time, as if he could not believe that he had gone. When he could find no body, he looked puzzled, and then anxious, and searched further, to see if perhaps Mark had crawled away, and died. He searched all the time below, in the gully, you understand. He did not think that Mark could have climbed up to the path. But when he looked for a long time without finding, then he came back to the path. He was very worried, I could see. He searched the path, then, but I think he saw nothing. After a time he went off, but not towards Agios Georgios. He went up thereââ a gesture vaguely north ââwhere is another village, high up. So we still do not know from where the murderers come.â
âNo. I suppose you couldnâtâ?â I hesitated, picking my words. âI mean, if he was alone . . . ?â
For the first time, Lambis smiled, a sour enough smile. âYou think I should have attacked him? Of course. I do not have to tell you that I wait for the chance to force him to tell me the truth, and what they have done to Colin. But there is no chance. He is too far from me, and between us is the slope of open hillside. And he has his rifle, which he carries, so.â A gesture, indicating a gun held at the ready. âHe is too quick with his gun, that one. I have to let him go. If I take a risk, me, then Mark dies also.â
âOf course.â
âAnd because of Mark, who looks to be dying, I cannot follow this Cretan, to see where he goes . . .â Suddenly he sat up, turning briskly towards me. âSo now you understand? You see why I speak of danger, and why I do not dare to leave Mark, even to find where Colin
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