Agatha Christie the Mysterious Affair at Style

8/11/2019 Agatha Christie the Mysterious Affair at Style

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Project Gutenberg's The Mysterious Afair at Styles, byAgatha Christie

This eBook is or the use o anyone anywhere at no costan withal!ost no restrictions whatsoe"er# $ou !ay co%y it, gi"e itaway orre&use it uner the ter!s o the Project Gutenberg icensencluewith this eBook or online at www#gutenberg#org

Title( The Mysterious Afair at Styles

Author( Agatha Christie)elease *ate( +uly -, ../ 01Book 2/345anguage( 1nglishCharacter set encoing( ASC66

777 STA)T 89 T:6S P)8+1CT G;T1


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own %lans, an e%ecte other %eo%le to all in with the!,an in thiscase she certainly ha the whi% han, na!ely( the %ursestrings#

+ohn notice !y sur%rise at the news o his !other'sre!arriage ans!ile rather rueully#

@)otten little bouner tooK@ he sai sa"agely# @6 can tellyou,:astings, it's !aking lie jolly iLcult or us# As or 1"ie&&

youre!e!ber 1"ie@

@


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n# Better be careul#@

@6'! sure 6 shall be only too elighte to !ake !yseluseul,@ 6res%one#

@*on't say it#


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areK $ou'"e no ieaK But 6'! not a nurse, thank hea"en, 6work in theis%ensary#@

@:ow !any %eo%le o you %oison@ 6 aske, s!iling#

Cynthia s!ile too#

@8h, hunresK@ she sai#

@Cynthia,@ calle Mrs# 6nglethor%, @o you think you coulwrite a ew

notes or !e@

@Certainly, Aunt 1!ily#@

She ju!%e u% %ro!%tly, an so!ething in her !annerre!ine !e thather %osition was a e%enent one, an that Mrs#6nglethor%, kin as she!ight be in the !ain, i not allow her to orget it#

My hostess turne to !e#

@+ohn will show you your roo!# Su%%er is at hal&%astse"en# He ha"egi"en u% late inner or so!e ti!e now# ay Ta!inster,our Me!ber'swie&&she was the late or Abbotsbury's aughter&&oesthe sa!e# She

agrees with !e that one !ust set an ea!%le o econo!y#He are Juite awar householE nothing is waste here&&e"ery scra% owaste %a%er, e"en,s sa"e an sent away in sacks#@

6 e%resse !y a%%reciation, an +ohn took !e into thehouse an u% thebroa staircase, which orke right an let hal&way toiferent wings

o the builing# My roo! was in the let wing, an lookeout o"er the%ark#

+ohn let !e, an a ew !inutes later 6 saw hi! ro! !ywinow walkingslowly across the grass ar! in ar! with Cynthia Muroch# 6hear Mrs#6nglethor% call @Cynthia@ i!%atiently, an the girl startean ran backto the house# At the sa!e !o!ent, a !an ste%%e outro! the shaow oa tree an walke slowly in the sa!e irection# :e lookeabout orty,"ery ark with a !elancholy clean&sha"en ace# So!e"iolent e!otionsee!e to be !astering hi!# :e looke u% at !y winowas he %asse, an6 recogniIe hi!, though he ha change !uch in theFteen years thatha ela%se since we last !et# 6t was +ohn's youngerbrother, awrenceCa"enish# 6 wonere what it was that ha brought thatsingulare%ression to his ace#

Then 6 is!isse hi! ro! !y !in, an returne to theconte!%lation o!y own afairs#

The e"ening %asse %leasantly enoughE an 6 rea!ethat night o thatenig!atical wo!an, Mary Ca"enish#

The net !orning awne bright an sunny, an 6 was o theantici%ation o a elightul "isit#

6 i not see Mrs# Ca"enish until lunch&ti!e, when she"olunteere totake !e or a walk, an we s%ent a char!ing aternoonroa!ing in the

woos, returning to the house about F"e#

As we entere the large hall, +ohn beckone us both intthes!oking&roo!# 6 saw at once by his ace that so!ethingisturbing haoccurre# He ollowe hi! in, an he shut the oor ateus#

@ook here, Mary, there's the euce o a !ess# 1"ie's haa row withAlre 6nglethor%, an she's of#@

@1"ie 8f@

+ohn noe gloo!ily#

@$esE you see she went to the !ater, an&&8h, here's 1"hersel#@

Miss :owar entere# :er li%s were set gri!ly togetheran she carriea s!all suit&case# She looke ecite an eter!ine, aslightly onthe eensi"e#

@At any rate,@ she burst out, @6'"e s%oken !y !inK@

@My ear 1"elyn,@ crie Mrs# Ca"enish, @this can't be

trueK@

Miss :owar noe gri!ly#

@True enoughK Arai 6 sai so!e things to 1!ily she woorget ororgi"e in a hurry# *on't !in i they'"e only sunk in a bProbablywater of a uck's back, though# 6 sai right out( '$ou're ol wo!an,1!ily, an there's no ool like an ol ool# The !an'stwenty yearsyounger than you, an on't you ool yoursel as to whahe !arrie youor# MoneyK Hell, on't let hi! ha"e too !uch o it# 9ar!)aikes hasgot a "ery %retty young wie# +ust ask your Alre how!uch ti!e hes%ens o"er there#' She was "ery angry#


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@'*arling Alre'&&'earest Alre'&&'wicke calu!nies'&&'wickeies'&&'wicke wo!an'&&to accuse her 'ear husban'K Thesooner 6 lether house the better# So 6'! of#@

@But not now@

@This !inuteK@

9or a !o!ent we sat an stare at her# 9inally +ohn

Ca"enish, Fninghis %ersuasions o no a"ail, went of to look u% the trains#:is wieollowe hi!, !ur!uring so!ething about %ersuaingMrs# 6nglethor% tothink better o it#

As she let the roo!, Miss :owar's ace change# Sheeant towars !eeagerly#

@Mr# :astings, you're honest# 6 can trust you@

6 was a little startle# She lai her han on !y ar!, ansank her "oiceto a whis%er#

@ook ater her, Mr# :astings# My %oor 1!ily# They're a lotosharks&&all o the!# 8h, 6 know what 6'! talking about#There isn'tone o the! that's not har u% an trying to get !oneyout o her# 6'"e%rotecte her as !uch as 6 coul#


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@awrence :e's gone through e"ery %enny he e"er ha,%ublishing rotten"erses in ancy binings# 3T: A-T: 89 +;$

6 ha arri"e at Styles on the Nth o +uly# 6 co!e now to thee"entso the >3th an >-th o that !onth# 9or the con"enienceo the reaer6 will reca%itulate the incients o those ays in as eact a!anner as%ossible# They were elicite subseJuently at the trial by a%rocess oong an teious cross&ea!inations#

6 recei"e a letter ro! 1"elyn :owar a cou%le o aysater here%arture, telling !e she was working as a nurse at thebig hos%ital inMilingha!, a !anuacturing town so!e Fteen !iles

away, an begging!e to let her know i Mrs# 6nglethor% shoul show any wishto bereconcile#

The only Dy in the oint!ent o !y %eaceul ays was Mrs#Ca"enish'setraorinary, an, or !y %art, unaccountable %reerenceor thesociety o *r# Bauerstein# Hhat she saw in the !an 6cannot i!agine, butshe was always asking hi! u% to the house, an otenwent of or longe%eitions with hi!# 6 !ust coness that 6 was Juiteunable to see hisattraction#

The >3th o +uly ell on a Monay# 6t was a ay o tur!oil#The a!ousbaIaar ha taken %lace on Saturay, an anentertain!ent, in connectionwith the sa!e charity, at which Mrs# 6nglethor% was torecite a Har%oe!, was to be hel that night# He were all busy uringthe !orningarranging an ecorating the :all in the "illage where itwas to take%lace# He ha a late luncheon an s%ent the aternoonresting in the

garen# 6 notice that +ohn's !anner was so!ewhatunusual# :e see!e"ery ecite an restless#

Ater tea, Mrs# 6nglethor% went to lie own to rest beoreher efortsin the e"ening an 6 challenge Mary Ca"enish to asingle at tennis#

About a Juarter to se"en, Mrs# 6nglethor% calle us thatshoul belate as su%%er was early that night# He ha rather a

scra!ble to getreay in ti!eE an beore the !eal was o"er the !otorwas waiting at theoor#

The entertain!ent was a great success, Mrs# 6nglethor%recitationrecei"ing tre!enous a%%lause# There were also so!etableau in whichCynthia took %art# She i not return with us, ha"ing beaske to asu%%er %arty, an to re!ain the night with so!e rienwho ha beenacting with her in the tableau#

The ollowing !orning, Mrs# 6nglethor% staye in be tobreakast, asshe was rather o"ertireE but she a%%eare in her briske!oo about>#4., an swe%t awrence an !ysel of to a luncheo%arty#

@Such a char!ing in"itation ro! Mrs# )olleston# ayTa!inster'ssister, you know# The )ollestons ca!e o"er with theConJueror&&one oour olest a!ilies#@

Mary ha ecuse hersel on the %lea o an engage!en

with *r#Bauerstein#

He ha a %leasant luncheon, an as we ro"e awayawrence suggeste thatwe shoul return by Ta!inster, which was barely a !iout o our way,an %ay a "isit to Cynthia in her is%ensary# Mrs#6nglethor% re%liethat this was an ecellent iea, but as she ha se"eralletters to writeshe woul ro% us there, an we coul co!e back withCynthia in the%ony&tra%#

He were etaine uner sus%icion by the hos%ital %orteuntil Cynthiaa%%eare to "ouch or us, looking "ery cool an sweet iher long whiteo"erall# She took us u% to her sanctu!, an introuce to her ellowis%enser, a rather awe&ins%iring ini"iual, who! Cyntcheerilyaresse as @


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@Say so!ething original,@ groane Cynthia# @1"ery single%erson whoco!es u% here says that# He are really thinking obestowing a %riIe onthe Frst ini"iual who oes not say( 'Hhat a lot obottlesK' An6 know the net thing you're going to say is( ':ow !any%eo%le ha"e you%oisone'@

6 %leae guilty with a laugh#

@6 you %eo%le only knew how atally easy it is to %oisonso!e one by!istake, you wouln't joke about it# Co!e on, let's ha"etea# He'"e gotall sorts o secret stories in that cu%boar#


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their nati"e lan# He Belgians will always re!e!ber herwith gratitue#@

Poirot was an etraorinary looking little !an# :e washarly !ore thanF"e eet, our inches, but carrie hi!sel with greatignity# :is heawas eactly the sha%e o an egg, an he always %erche ita little onone sie# :is !oustache was "ery stif an !ilitary# Theneatness ohis attire was al!ost increible# 6 belie"e a s%eck o ust

woul ha"ecause hi! !ore %ain than a bullet woun# $et this JuaintanyFeittle !an who, 6 was sorry to see, now li!%e baly, habeen in histi!e one o the !ost celebrate !e!bers o the Belgian%olice# Asa etecti"e, his Dair ha been etraorinary, an he haachie"etriu!%hs by unra"elling so!e o the !ost baOing cases othe ay#

:e %ointe out to !e the little house inhabite by hi! anhis ellowBelgians, an 6 %ro!ise to go an see hi! at an earlyate# Then heraise his hat with a Dourish to Cynthia, an we ro"eaway#

@:e's a ear little !an,@ sai Cynthia# @6' no iea youknew hi!#@

@$ou'"e been entertaining a celebrity unawares,@ 6 re%lie#

An, or the rest o the way ho!e, 6 recite to the! the"ariouse%loits an triu!%hs o :ercule Poirot#

He arri"e back in a "ery cheerul !oo# As we entere

the hall, Mrs#6nglethor% ca!e out o her bouoir# She looke Dushean u%set#

@8h, it's you,@ she sai#

@6s there anything the !atter, Aunt 1!ily@ aske Cynthia#

@Certainly not,@ sai Mrs# 6nglethor% shar%ly# @Hhat shoultherebe@ Then catching sight o *orcas, the %arlour!ai, goingnto theining&roo!, she calle to her to bring so!e sta!%s intothe bouoir#

@$es, !'!#@ The ol ser"ant hesitate, then aeiLently( @*on'tyou think, !'!, you' better get to be $ou're looking"ery tire#@

@Perha%s you're right, *orcas&&yes&&no&&not now# 6'"e so!eetters 6!ust Fnish by %ost&ti!e# :a"e you lighte the Fre in !yroo! as 6 tolyou@

@$es, !'!#@

@Then 6'll go to be irectly ater su%%er#@

She went into the bouoir again, an Cynthia stare ather#

@Gooness graciousK 6 woner what's u%@ she sai toawrence#

:e i not see! to ha"e hear her, or without a wor turne on hisheel an went out o the house#

6 suggeste a Juick ga!e o tennis beore su%%er an,Cynthia agreeing,

6 ran u%stairs to etch !y racJuet#

Mrs# Ca"enish was co!ing own the stairs# 6t !ay ha"been !y ancy,but she, too, was looking o an isturbe#

@:a a goo walk with *r# Bauerstein@ 6 aske, trying ta%%ear asiniferent as 6 coul#

@6 in't go,@ she re%lie abru%tly# @Hhere is Mrs#6nglethor%@

@6n the bouoir#@

:er han clenche itsel on the banisters, then shesee!e to ner"ehersel or so!e encounter, an went ra%ily %ast !eown the stairsacross the hall to the bouoir, the oor o which she shubehin her#

As 6 ran out to the tennis court a ew !o!ents later, 6 hto %ass theo%en bouoir winow, an was unable to hel% o"erhearthe ollowingscra% o ialogue# Mary Ca"enish was saying in the "oo a wo!anes%erately controlling hersel(

@Then you won't show it to !e@

To which Mrs# 6nglethor% re%lie(

@My ear Mary, it has nothing to o with that !atter#@

@Then show it to !e#@

@6 tell you it is not what you i!agine# 6t oes not conceryou in theleast#@

To which Mary Ca"enish re%lie, with a rising bitternes

@8 course, 6 !ight ha"e known you woul shiel hi!#@

Cynthia was waiting or !e, an greete !e eagerly wi

@6 sayK There's been the !ost awul rowK 6'"e got it all oo *orcas#@

@Hhat kin o a row@

@Between Aunt 1!ily an hi!# 6 o ho%e she's oun out at lastK@

@Has *orcas there, then@


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@8 course not# She 'ha%%ene to be near the oor'# 6t wasa real olbust&u%# 6 o wish 6 knew what it was all about#@

6 thought o Mrs# )aikes's gi%sy ace, an 1"elyn :owar'swarnings, butwisely ecie to hol !y %eace, whilst Cynthiaehauste e"ery %ossiblehy%othesis, an cheerully ho%e, @Aunt 1!ily will senhi! away, anwill ne"er s%eak to hi! again#@

6 was anious to get hol o +ohn, but he was nowhere tobe seen#1"iently so!ething "ery !o!entous ha occurre thataternoon# 6 trieto orget the ew wors 6 ha o"erhearE but, o what 6woul, 6 coulnot is!iss the! altogether ro! !y !in# Hhat wasMary Ca"enish'sconcern in the !atter

Mr# 6nglethor% was in the rawing&roo! when 6 ca!e ownto su%%er# :isace was i!%assi"e as e"er, an the strange unreality othe !an struck!e aresh#

Mrs# 6nglethor% ca!e own last# She still looke agitate,an uringthe !eal there was a so!ewhat constraine silence#6nglethor% wasunusually Juiet# As a rule, he surroune his wie withittleattentions, %lacing a cushion at her back, an altogether%laying the%art o the e"ote husban# 6!!eiately ater su%%er,Mrs# 6nglethor%retire to her bouoir again#

@Sen !y cofee in here, Mary,@ she calle# @6'"e just F"e

!inutes tocatch the %ost#@

Cynthia an 6 went an sat by the o%en winow in therawing&roo!# MaryCa"enish brought our cofee to us# She see!e ecite#

@*o you young %eo%le want lights, or o you enjoy thetwilight@ sheaske# @Hill you take Mrs# 6nglethor% her cofee, Cynthia 6will %ourt out#@

@*o not trouble, Mary,@ sai 6nglethor%# @6 will take it to1!ily#@ :e%oure it out, an went out o the roo! carrying itcareully#

awrence ollowe hi!, an Mrs# Ca"enish sat own byus#

He three sat or so!e ti!e in silence# 6t was a gloriousnight, hot anstill# Mrs# Ca"enish anne hersel gently with a %al!ea#

@6t's al!ost too hot,@ she !ur!ure# @He shall ha"e athunerstor!#@

Alas, that these har!onious !o!ents can ne"er enurMy %araise wasruely shattere by the soun o a well known, anheartily islike,"oice in the hall#

@*r# BauersteinK@ eclai!e Cynthia# @Hhat a unny ti!to co!e#@

6 glance jealously at Mary Ca"enish, but she see!eJuite unisturbe,the elicate %allor o her cheeks i not "ary#

6n a ew !o!ents, Alre 6nglethor% ha ushere theoctor in, thelatter laughing, an %rotesting that he was in no Ft stator arawing&roo!# 6n truth, he %resente a sorry s%ectacle,being literally%lastere with !u#

@Hhat ha"e you been oing, octor@ crie Mrs#Ca"enish#

@6 !ust !ake !y a%ologies,@ sai the octor# @6 i notreally !ean toco!e in, but Mr# 6nglethor% insiste#@

@Hell, Bauerstein, you are in a %light,@ sai +ohn, strollinin ro!the hall# @:a"e so!e cofee, an tell us what you ha"ebeen u% to#@

@Thank you, 6 will#@ :e laughe rather rueully, as heescribe how heha isco"ere a "ery rare s%ecies o ern in aninaccessible %lace,an in his eforts to obtain it ha lost his ooting, ansli%%eigno!iniously into a neighbouring %on#

@The sun soon rie !e of,@ he ae, @but 6'! arai !a%%earance is"ery isre%utable#@

At this juncture, Mrs# 6nglethor% calle to Cynthia ro! thall, anthe girl ran out#

@+ust carry u% !y es%atch&case, will you, ear 6'! goito be#@

The oor into the hall was a wie one# 6 ha risen whenCynthia i,+ohn was close by !e# There were thereore threewitnesses who coulswear that Mrs# 6nglethor% was carrying her cofee, as yuntaste, inher han#

My e"ening was utterly an entirely s%oilt by the %reseno *r#Bauerstein# 6t see!e to !e the !an woul ne"er go# :rose at last,howe"er, an 6 breathe a sigh o relie#

@6'll walk own to the "illage with you,@ sai Mr# 6ngletho@6 !ustsee our agent o"er those estate accounts#@ :e turne to+ohn# @


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C:APT1) 666# T:1


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6 instincti"ely ollowe the irection o his eyes, but 6 coulseenothing unusual# The still eebly Dickering ashes in thegrate, an therow o %ri! orna!ents on the !antel%iece, were surelyhar!less enough#

The "iolence o Mrs# 6nglethor%'s attack see!e to be%assing# She wasable to s%eak in short gas%s#

@Better now&&"ery suen&&stu%i o !e&&to lock !ysel in#@

A shaow ell on the be an, looking u%, 6 saw MaryCa"enish staningnear the oor with her ar! aroun Cynthia# She see!eto be su%%ortingthe girl, who looke utterly aIe an unlike hersel# :erace washea"ily Dushe, an she yawne re%eately#

@Poor Cynthia is Juite rightene,@ sai Mrs# Ca"enish in aow clear"oice# She hersel, 6 notice, was resse in her white lans!ock# Thent !ust be later than 6 thought# 6 saw that a aint streak oaylightwas showing through the curtains o the winows, anthat the clock onthe !antel%iece %ointe to close u%on F"e o'clock#

A strangle cry ro! the be startle !e# A resh accesso %ain seiIethe unortunate ol lay# The con"ulsions were o a"iolence terribleto behol# 1"erything was conusion# He thronge rounher, %owerless tohel% or alle"iate# A Fnal con"ulsion lite her ro! the be,until shea%%eare to rest u%on her hea an her heels, with herboy arche in

an etraorinary !anner# 6n "ain Mary an +ohn trie toa!inister !orebrany# The !o!ents Dew# Again the boy arche itsel inthat %eculiarashion#

At that !o!ent, *r# Bauerstein %ushe his wayauthoritati"ely into theroo!# 9or one instant he sto%%e ea, staring at theFgure on thebe, an, at the sa!e instant, Mrs# 6nglethor% crie out ina strangle"oice, her eyes Fe on the octor(

@Alre&&Alre&&&&@ Then she ell back !otionless on the%illows#

Hith a strie, the octor reache the be, an seiIing herar!s workethe! energetically, a%%lying what 6 knew to be artiFcialres%iration#:e issue a ew short shar% orers to the ser"ants# An!%erious wa"e ohis han ro"e us all to the oor# He watche hi!,ascinate, though 6think we all knew in our hearts that it was too late, anthat nothingcoul be one now# 6 coul see by the e%ression on hisace that he

hi!sel ha little ho%e#

9inally he abanone his task, shaking his hea gra"elythat !o!ent,we hear ootste%s outsie, an *r# Hilkins, Mrs#6nglethor%'s ownoctor, a %ortly, ussy little !an, ca!e bustling in#

6n a ew wors *r# Bauerstein e%laine how he haha%%ene to be%assing the loge gates as the car ca!e out, an ha ru% to the houseas ast as he coul, whilst the car went on to etch *r#

Hilkins# Hith aaint gesture o the han, he inicate the Fgure on thebe#

@?e&&ry sa# ?e&&ry sa,@ !ur!ure *r# Hilkins# @Poor elay# Alwaysi ar too !uch&&ar too !uch&&against !y a"ice# 6warne her#:er heart was ar ro! strong# 'Take it easy,' 6 sai to he'Take&&it&&easy'# But no&&her Ieal or goo works was toogreat#


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willy# Then, with a suen cry that startle !e, she crieout( @


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Though, i it is as we sus%ect, it see!s a clear enoughcase# Goorgi"e !e i 6 a! wronging hi!K@

6 looke at !y watch# 6t was si o'clock# 6 eter!ine toose no ti!e#

9i"e !inutes' elay, howe"er, 6 allowe !ysel# 6 s%ent it inransackingthe library until 6 isco"ere a !eical book which ga"e aescri%tiono strychnine %oisoning#

C:APT1) 6?# P86)8T 6


15/86

beore it# @BewareK Peril to the etecti"e who says( '6t is sos!all&&itoes not !atter# 6t will not agree# 6 will orget it#' That wayiesconusionK 1"erything !atters#@

@6 know# $ou always tol !e that# That's why 6 ha"e gonento all theetails o this thing whether they see!e to !e rele"antor not#@

@An 6 a! %lease with you# $ou ha"e a goo !e!ory,

an you ha"e gi"en!e the acts aithully# 8 the orer in which you %resentthe!, 6 saynothing&&truly, it is e%lorableK But 6 !ake allowances&&youare u%set#To that 6 attribute the circu!stance that you ha"e o!itteone act o%ara!ount i!%ortance#@

@Hhat is that@ 6 aske#

@$ou ha"e not tol !e i Mrs# 6nglethor% ate well lastnight#@

6 stare at hi!# Surely the war ha afecte the little!an's brain#:e was careully engage in brushing his coat beore%utting it on, ansee!e wholly engrosse in the task#

@6 on't re!e!ber,@ 6 sai# @An, anyway, 6 on't see&&&&@

@$ou o not see But it is o the Frst i!%ortance#@

@6 can't see why,@ 6 sai, rather nettle# @As ar as 6 canre!e!ber,she in't eat !uch# She was ob"iously u%set, an it hataken hera%%etite away# That was only natural#@

@$es,@ sai Poirot thoughtully, @it was only natural#@

:e o%ene a rawer, an took out a s!all es%atch&case,then turne to!e#

@


16/86

@This is a "ery reaul business, Monsieur Poirot,@ hesai# @:astingshas e%laine to you that we are anious or no %ublicity@

@6 co!%rehen %erectly#@

@$ou see, it is only sus%icion so ar# He ha"e nothing to gou%on#@

@Precisely# 6t is a !atter o %recaution only#@

+ohn turne to !e, taking out his cigarette&case, an

ighting acigarette as he i so#

@$ou know that ellow 6nglethor% is back@

@$es# 6 !et hi!#@

+ohn Dung the !atch into an ajacent Dower be, a%roceeing which wastoo !uch or Poirot's eelings# :e retrie"e it, an burie itneatly#

@6t's jolly iLcult to know how to treat hi!#@

@That iLculty will not eist long,@ %ronounce PoirotJuietly#

+ohn looke %uIIle, not Juite unerstaning the %ortento this cry%ticsaying# :e hane the two keys which *r# Bauerstein hagi"en hi! to !e#

@Show Monsieur Poirot e"erything he wants to see#@

@The roo!s are locke@ aske Poirot#

@*r# Bauerstein consiere it a"isable#@

Poirot noe thoughtully#

@Then he is "ery sure# Hell, that si!%liFes !atters or us#@

He went u% together to the roo! o the tragey# 9orcon"enience 6 a%%ena %lan o the roo! an the %rinci%al articles o urniture int#

Poirot locke the oor on the insie, an %roceee to a!inutens%ection o the roo!# :e arte ro! one object to theother with theagility o a grassho%%er# 6 re!aine by the oor, earing toobliterateany clues# Poirot, howe"er, i not see! grateul to !e or!yorbearance#

@Hhat ha"e you, !y rien,@ he crie, @that you re!ainthere like&&howo you say it&&ah, yes, the stuck %ig@

6 e%laine that 6 was arai o obliterating any oot&!arks#

@9oot&!arks But what an ieaK There has alreay been%ractically anar!y in the roo!K Hhat oot&!arks are we likely to Fn


17/86

@$ou o not 8bser"e the la!%&&the chi!ney is broken intwo %lacesE theyie there as they ell# But see, the cofee&cu% is absolutelys!ashe to%ower#@

@Hell,@ 6 sai wearily, @6 su%%ose so!e one !ust ha"este%%e on it#@

@1actly,@ sai Poirot, in an o "oice# @So!e one ste%%eon it#@

:e rose ro! his knees, an walke slowly across to the!antel%iece,where he stoo abstractely Fngering the orna!ents, anstraighteningthe!&&a trick o his when he was agitate#

@Mon a!i,@ he sai, turning to !e, @so!eboy ste%%e onthat cu%,grining it to %ower, an the reason they i so waseither because itcontaine strychnine or&&which is ar !ore serious&&because it i notcontain strychnineK@

6 !ae no re%ly# 6 was bewilere, but 6 knew that it wasno goo askinghi! to e%lain# 6n a !o!ent or two he rouse hi!sel, anwent on withhis in"estigations# :e %icke u% the bunch o keys ro!the Door, antwirling the! roun in his Fngers Fnally selecte one, "erybrightan shining, which he trie in the lock o the %ur%lees%atch&case# 6tFtte, an he o%ene the bo, but ater a !o!ent'shesitation, closean relocke it, an sli%%e the bunch o keys, as well asthe key thatha originally stoo in the lock, into his own %ocket#

@6 ha"e no authority to go through these %a%ers# But itshoul beone&&at onceK@

:e then !ae a "ery careul ea!ination o the rawerso thewash&stan# Crossing the roo! to the let&han winow, aroun stain,harly "isible on the ark brown car%et, see!e tonterest hi!%articularly# :e went own on his knees, ea!ining it!inutely&&e"engoing so ar as to s!ell it#

9inally, he %oure a ew ro%s o the coco into a test tube,sealing itu% careully# :is net %roceeing was to take out a littlenotebook#

@He ha"e oun in this roo!,@ he sai, writing busily, @si%oints onterest# Shall 6 enu!erate the!, or will you@

@8h, you,@ 6 re%lie hastily#

@?ery well, then# 8ne, a cofee&cu% that has been grounnto %owerEtwo, a es%atch&case with a key in the lockE three, a stain

on the

Door#@

@That !ay ha"e been one so!e ti!e ago,@ 6 interru%te

@


18/86

n the grate# @The Fre burns&&an it estroys# But bychance&&there!ight be&&let us seeK@

*etly, on hans an knees, he began to sort the ashesro! the gratento the ener, hanling the! with the greatest caution#Suenly, hega"e a aint ecla!ation#

@The orce%s, :astingsK@

6 Juickly hane the! to hi!, an with skill he etracte as!all %ieceo hal charre %a%er#

@There, !on a!iK@ he crie# @Hhat o you think o that@

6 scrutiniIe the rag!ent# This is an eact re%rouction ot(&&

6 was %uIIle# 6t was unusually thick, Juite unlike orinarynote%a%er#Suenly an iea struck !e#

@PoirotK@ 6 crie# @This is a rag!ent o a willK@

@1actly#@

6 looke u% at hi! shar%ly#

@$ou are not sur%rise@

@


19/86

ooke at her keenly#

@My goo *orcas, it is necessary that 6 shoul know e"eryetail o thatJuarrel as ully as %ossible# *o not think that you arebetraying your!istress's secrets# $our !istress lies ea, an it isnecessary that weshoul know all&&i we are to a"enge her#


20/86

@Ah, but you see it was not in the sa!e %lace yesteray ast wasto&ay#


21/86

@AhK@ 6 eclai!e# @To be sure, that is oK@

@:a"e you e"er known a che!ist to sen out a bo likethat, without his%rinte na!e@

@


22/86

6 ha the ut!ost iLculty in controlling !y ecite!ent#;nknown tohersel, Annie ha %ro"ie us with an i!%ortant %iece oe"ience# :owshe woul ha"e ga%e i she ha realiIe that her @coarsekitchen salt@was strychnine, one o the !ost ealy %oisons known to!ankin# 6!ar"elle at Poirot's cal!# :is sel&control wasastonishing# 6 awaitehis net Juestion with i!%atience, but it isa%%ointe !e#

@Hhen you went into Mrs# 6nglethor%'s roo!, was the ooreaing intoMiss Cynthia's roo! bolte@

@8hK $es, sirE it always was# 6t ha ne"er been o%ene#@

@An the oor into Mr# 6nglethor%'s roo! *i you notice ithat wasbolte too@

Annie hesitate#

@6 couln't rightly say, sirE it was shut but 6 couln't saywhether itwas bolte or not#@

@Hhen you Fnally let the roo!, i Mrs# 6nglethor% boltthe oor ateryou@

@


23/86

A @!an o !etho@ was, in Poirot's esti!ation, the highest%raise thatcoul be bestowe on any ini"iual#

6 elt that !y rien was not what he ha been as hera!ble onisconnectely(

@There were no sta!%s in his esk, but there !ight ha"ebeen, eh,!on a!i There !ight ha"e been $es@&&his eyes

wanere roun theroo!&&@this bouoir has nothing !ore to tell us# 6t i notyiel !uch#8nly this#@

:e %ulle a cru!%le en"elo%e out o his %ocket, antosse it o"erto !e# 6t was rather a curious ocu!ent# A %lain, irtyooking olen"elo%e with a ew wors scrawle across it, a%%arentlyat rano!# Theollowing is a acsi!ile o it#

C:APT1) ?# @6T 6S


24/86

Poirot acJuiesce# 6 obser"e +ohn# Alreay he was al!ostrestore tohis nor!al sel# The shock o the e"ents o the last nightha u%set hi!te!%orarily, but his eJuable %oise soon swung back to thenor!al# :e wasa !an o "ery little i!agination, in shar% contrast with hisbrother,who ha, %erha%s, too !uch#

1"er since the early hours o the !orning, +ohn ha beenhar at work,

sening telegra!s&&one o the Frst ha gone to 1"elyn:owar&&writingnotices or the %a%ers, an generally occu%ying hi!selwith the!elancholy uties that a eath entails#

@May 6 ask how things are %roceeing@ he sai# @*o yourn"estigations%oint to !y !other ha"ing ie a natural eath&&or&&or!ust we %re%areoursel"es or the worst@

@6 think, Mr# Ca"enish,@ sai Poirot gra"ely, @that youwoul o wellnot to buoy yoursel u% with any alse ho%es# Can you tell!e the "iewso the other !e!bers o the a!ily@

@My brother awrence is con"ince that we are !aking auss o"ernothing# :e says that e"erything %oints to its being asi!%le case oheart ailure#@

@:e oes, oes he That is "ery interesting&&"erynteresting,@ !ur!urePoirot sotly# @An Mrs# Ca"enish@

A aint clou %asse o"er +ohn's ace#

@6 ha"e not the least iea what !y wie's "iews on thesubject are#@

The answer brought a !o!entary stifness in its train#+ohn broke therather awkwar silence by saying with a slight efort(

@6 tol you, in't 6, that Mr# 6nglethor% has returne@

Poirot bent his hea#

@6t's an awkwar %osition or all o us# 8 course one has totreat hi!as usual&&but, hang it all, one's gorge oes rise at sittingown to eatwith a %ossible !urererK@

Poirot noe sy!%athetically#

@6 Juite unerstan# 6t is a "ery iLcult situation or you,Mr#Ca"enish# 6 woul like to ask you one Juestion# Mr#6nglethor%'s reasonor not returning last night was, 6 belie"e, that he haorgotten theatch&key# 6s not that so@

@$es#@

@6 su%%ose you are Juite sure that the latch&key wasorgotten&&thathe i not take it ater all@

@6 ha"e no iea# 6 ne"er thought o looking# He alwayskee% it in thehall rawer# 6'll go an see i it's there now#@

Poirot hel u% his han with a aint s!ile#

@


25/86

ace coul be s%hin&like in its inscrutability# She was "erysilent,harly o%ening her li%s, an yet in so!e Jueer way 6 eltthat the greatstrength o her %ersonality was o!inating us all#

An little Cynthia *i she sus%ect She looke "ery tirean ill, 6thought# The hea"iness an languor o her !anner were"ery !arke# 6aske her i she were eeling ill, an she answere rankly(

@$es, 6'"e got the !ost beastly heaache#@

@:a"e another cu% o cofee, !ae!oiselle@ sai Poirotsolicitously#@6t will re"i"e you# 6t is un%arallele or the !al e tete#@:e ju!%eu% an took her cu%#

@


26/86

re%ort# The %ost&!orte! is to take %lace to&night, 6belie"e@

@$es#@

@Then that arrange!ent will suit you@

@Perectly#@

@6 nee not tell you, !y ear Ca"enish, how istresse 6a! at this!ost tragic afair#@

@Can you gi"e us no hel% in sol"ing it, !onsieur@nter%ose Poirot,s%eaking or the Frst ti!e since we ha entere the roo!#

@6@

@$es, we hear that Mrs# 6nglethor% wrote to you last night#$ou shoulha"e recei"e the letter this !orning#@

@6 i, but it contains no inor!ation# 6t is !erely a noteasking !e tocall u%on her this !orning, as she wante !y a"ice on a!atter o great!%ortance#@

@She ga"e you no hint as to what that !atter !ight be@

@;nortunately, no#@

@That is a %ity,@ sai +ohn#

@A great %ity,@ agree Poirot gra"ely#

There was silence# Poirot re!aine lost in thought or aew !inutes#9inally he turne to the lawyer again#

@Mr# Hells, there is one thing 6 shoul like to ask you&&thats, i its not against %roessional etiJuette# 6n the e"ent o Mrs#6nglethor%'seath, who woul inherit her !oney@

The lawyer hesitate a !o!ent, an then re%lie(

@The knowlege will be %ublic %ro%erty "ery soon, so i Mr#Ca"enishoes not object&&&&@

@


27/86

@Hill you co!e with us, Monsieur Poirot He are goingthrough !y!other's %a%ers# Mr# 6nglethor% is Juite willing to lea"e itentirely toMr# Hells an !ysel#@

@Hhich si!%liFes !atters "ery !uch,@ !ur!ure theawyer# @Astechnically, o course, he was entitle&&&&@ :e i not Fnishthesentence#

@He will look through the esk in the bouoir Frst,@e%laine +ohn,@an go u% to her beroo! aterwars# She ke%t her !ost!%ortant %a%ersn a %ur%le es%atch&case, which we !ust look throughcareully#@

@$es,@ sai the lawyer, @it is Juite %ossible that there !aybe a laterwill than the one in !y %ossession#@

@There is a later will#@ 6t was Poirot who s%oke#

@Hhat@ +ohn an the lawyer looke at hi! startle#

@8r, rather,@ %ursue !y rien i!%erturbably, @therewas one#@

@Hhat o you !ean&&there was one Hhere is it now@

@BurntK@

@Burnt@

@$es# See here#@ :e took out the charre rag!ent we haoun in thegrate in Mrs# 6nglethor%'s roo!, an hane it to theawyer with a

brie e%lanation o when an where he ha oun it#

@But %ossibly this is an ol will@

@6 o not think so# 6n act 6 a! al!ost certain that it was!ae noearlier than yesteray aternoon#@

@Hhat@ @6!%ossibleK@ broke si!ultaneously ro! both!en#

Poirot turne to +ohn#

@6 you will allow !e to sen or your garener, 6 will %ro"et toyou#@

@8h, o course&&but 6 on't see&&&&@

Poirot raise his han#

@*o as 6 ask you# Aterwars you shall Juestion as !uch asyou %lease#@

@?ery well#@ :e rang the bell#

*orcas answere it in ue course#

@*orcas, will you tell Manning to co!e roun an s%eak to

!e here#@

@$es, sir#@

*orcas withrew#

He waite in a tense silence# Poirot alone see!e%erectly at his ease,an uste a orgotten corner o the bookcase#

The clu!%ing o hobnaile boots on the gra"el outsie%roclai!e thea%%roach o Manning# +ohn looke Juestioningly at Poiro

The latternoe#

@Co!e insie, Manning,@ sai +ohn, @6 want to s%eak toyou#@

Manning ca!e slowly an hesitatingly through the 9renwinow, anstoo as near it as he coul# :e hel his ca% in his hantwisting it"ery careully roun an roun# :is back was !uch benthough hewas %robably not as ol as he looke, but his eyes wereshar% anintelligent, an belie his slow an rather cautious s%ee

@Manning,@ sai +ohn, @this gentle!an will %ut so!eJuestions to youwhich 6 want you to answer#@

@$es sir,@ !u!ble Manning#

Poirot ste%%e orwar briskly# Manning's eye swe%t o"ehi! with aaint conte!%t#

@$ou were %lanting a be o begonias roun by the soutsie o thehouse yesteray aternoon, were you not, Manning@

@$es, sir, !e an Hillu!#@

@An Mrs# 6nglethor% ca!e to the winow an calle yoi she not@

@$es, sir, she i#@

@Tell !e in your own wors eactly what ha%%ene atethat#@

@Hell, sir, nothing !uch# She just tol Hillu! to go on hbicycle ownto the "illage, an bring back a or! o will, or such&likeon'tknow what eactly&&she wrote it own or hi!#@

@Hell@

@Hell, he i, sir#@

@An what ha%%ene net@

@He went on with the begonias, sir#@

@*i not Mrs# 6nglethor% call you again@

@$es, sir, both !e an Hillu!, she calle#@

@An then@


28/86

@She !ae us co!e right in, an sign our na!es at thebotto! o a long%a%er&&uner where she' signe#@

@*i you see anything o what was written abo"e hersignature@ askePoirot shar%ly#

@


29/86

@:a"e you ha anything to eat this !orning, 1"ie@ aske+ohn#

@


30/86

are the only eyes that ha"e we%t#@

Miss :owar blinke, an a new note cre%t into thegrufness o her"oice#

@6 you !ean that 6 was on o her&&yes, 6 was# $ou know,1!ily wasa selFsh ol wo!an in her way# She was "ery generous,but she alwayswante a return# She ne"er let %eo%le orget what she haone or

the!&&an, that way she !isse lo"e# *on't think she e"errealiIe it,though, or elt the lack o it# :o%e not, anyway# 6 was on aiferentooting# 6 took !y stan ro! the Frst# 'So !any %ouns ayear 6'!worth to you# Hell an goo# But not a %enny %iecebesies&&not a%air o glo"es, nor a theatre ticket#' She in'tunerstan&&was "eryofene so!eti!es# Sai 6 was oolishly %rou# 6t wasn'tthat&&but 6couln't e%lain# Anyway, 6 ke%t !y sel&res%ect# An so,out o thewhole bunch, 6 was the only one who coul allow !ysel tobe on oher# 6 watche o"er her# 6 guare her ro! the lot othe!, an then aglib&tongue scounrel co!es along, an %oohK all !yyears o e"otiongo or nothing#@

Poirot noe sy!%athetically#

@6 unerstan, !ae!oiselle, 6 unerstan all you eel# 6ts !ostnatural# $ou think that we are lukewar!&&that we lack Freanenergy&&but trust !e, it is not so#@

+ohn stuck his hea in at this juncture, an in"ite us bothto co!eu% to Mrs# 6nglethor%'s roo!, as he an Mr# Hells haFnishe lookingthrough the esk in the bouoir#

As we went u% the stairs, +ohn looke back to the ining&roo! oor, anowere his "oice conFentially(

@ook here, what's going to ha%%en when these two!eet@

6 shook !y hea hel%lessly#

@6'"e tol Mary to kee% the! a%art i she can#@

@Hill she be able to o so@

@The or only knows# There's one thing, 6nglethor%hi!sel won't be tookeen on !eeting her#@

@$ou'"e got the keys still, ha"en't you, Poirot@ 6 aske, aswe reachethe oor o the locke roo!#

Taking the keys ro! Poirot, +ohn unlocke it, an we all

%asse in# The

lawyer went straight to the esk, an +ohn ollowe hi!

@My !other ke%t !ost o her i!%ortant %a%ers in thises%atch&case, 6belie"e,@ he sai#

Poirot rew out the s!all bunch o keys#

@Per!it !e# 6 locke it, out o %recaution, this !orning#@

@But it's not locke now#@

@6!%ossibleK@

@See#@ An +ohn lite the li as he s%oke#

@Milles tonnerresK@ crie Poirot, u!oune# @An 6&&whha"e boththe keys in !y %ocketK@ :e Dung hi!sel u%on the caseSuenly hestifene# @1n "oila une afaireK This lock has been orce

@Hhat@

Poirot lai own the case again#

@But who orce it Hhy shoul they Hhen But the owas locke@These ecla!ations burst ro! us isjointely#

Poirot answere the! categorically&&al!ost !echanical

@Hho That is the Juestion# Hhy Ah, i 6 only knew#Hhen Since 6 washere an hour ago# As to the oor being locke, it is a "eorinarylock# Probably any other o the oorkeys in this %assagewoul Ft it#@

He stare at one another blankly# Poirot ha walke o"eto the

!antel&%iece# :e was outwarly cal!, but 6 notice hishans, which ro!long orce o habit were !echanically straightening thes%ill "ases onthe !antel&%iece, were shaking "iolently#

@See here, it was like this,@ he sai at last# @There wasso!ething inthat case&&so!e %iece o e"ience, slight in itsel %erhabut stillenough o a clue to connect the !urerer with the cri!6t was "italto hi! that it shoul be estroye beore it wasisco"ere an itssigniFcance a%%reciate# Thereore, he took the risk, thgreat risk,o co!ing in here# 9ining the case locke, he was obligto orce it,thus betraying his %resence# 9or hi! to take that risk, it!ust ha"ebeen so!ething o great i!%ortance#@

@But what was it@

@AhK@ crie Poirot, with a gesture o anger# @That, 6 o nknowK Aocu!ent o so!e kin, without oubt, %ossibly the scro %a%er *orcassaw in her han yesteray aternoon# An 6&&@ his anger

burst orth


31/86

reely&&@!iserable ani!al that 6 a!K 6 guesse nothingK 6ha"e beha"eike an i!becileK 6 shoul ne"er ha"e let that case here# 6shoulha"e carrie it away with !e# Ah, tri%le %igK An now it isgone# 6t isestroye&&but is it estroye 6s there not yet a chance&&we !ust lea"eno stone unturne&&@

:e rushe like a !a!an ro! the roo!, an 6 ollowehi! as soon as 6

ha suLciently reco"ere !y wits# But, by the ti!e 6 hareache theto% o the stairs, he was out o sight#

Mary Ca"enish was staning where the staircasebranche, staring ownnto the hall in the irection in which he ha isa%%eare#

@Hhat has ha%%ene to your etraorinary little rien, Mr#:astings :ehas just rushe %ast !e like a !a bull#@

@:e's rather u%set about so!ething,@ 6 re!arke eebly# 6really i notknow how !uch Poirot woul wish !e to isclose# As 6 sawa aint s!ilegather on Mrs# Ca"enish's e%ressi"e !outh, 6enea"oure to try anturn the con"ersation by saying( @They ha"en't !et yet,ha"e they@

@Hho@

@Mr# 6nglethor% an Miss :owar#@

She looke at !e in rather a isconcerting !anner#

@*o you think it woul be such a isaster i they i!eet@

@Hell, on't you@ 6 sai, rather taken aback#

@


32/86

@$es@ she turne inJuiringly#

@*i you e"er !ake u% Mrs# 6nglethor%'s !eicines@

A slight Dush rose in her ace, as she answere ratherconstrainely(

@


33/86

that she ha !ae a resh will, an ha calle the twogareners into witness her signature# 1"ents %ro"e that 6 was right in!ysu%%osition#@

@That was "ery ingenious,@ 6 coul not hel% a!itting# @6!ust conessthat the conclusions 6 rew ro! those ew scribble worswere Juiteerroneous#@

:e s!ile#

@$ou ga"e too !uch rein to your i!agination# 6!aginations a gooser"ant, an a ba !aster# The si!%lest e%lanation isalways the !ostikely#@

@Another %oint&&how i you know that the key o thees%atch&case habeen lost@

@6 i not know it# 6t was a guess that turne out to becorrect# $ouobser"e that it ha a %iece o twiste wire through thehanle# Thatsuggeste to !e at once that it ha %ossibly beenwrenche of a Di!sykey&ring#


34/86

!orning, an bolte it then#@

@Poirot, is that seriously your o%inion@

@


35/86

@But it was a glorious ayK@ 6 interru%te# @Poirot, you're%ulling !yegK@

@


36/86

But *orcas was unshaken# uite an hour, or e"en !ore,ha ela%sebetween the ti!e when she ha hear the "oices an No'clock, when sheha taken tea to her !istress#

The inJuest was hel on 9riay at the Stylites Ar!s in the"illage#Poirot an 6 sat together, not being reJuire to gi"ee"ience#

The %reli!inaries were gone through# The jury "iewe the

boy, an +ohnCa"enish ga"e e"ience o ientiFcation#

9urther Juestione, he escribe his awakening in theearly hours o the!orning, an the circu!stances o his !other's eath#

The !eical e"ience was net taken# There was abreathless hush, ane"ery eye was Fe on the a!ous onon s%ecialist, whowas known to beone o the greatest authorities o the ay on the subject otoicology#

6n a ew brie wors, he su!!e u% the result o the %ost&!orte!# Shorno its !eical %hraseology an technicalities, it a!ounteto the actthat Mrs# 6nglethor% ha !et her eath as the result ostrychnine%oisoning# +uging ro! the Juantity reco"ere, she !ustha"e takennot less than three&Juarters o a grain o strychnine, but%robably onegrain or slightly o"er#

@6s it %ossible that she coul ha"e swallowe the %oison byaccient@aske the Coroner#

@6 shoul consier it "ery unlikely# Strychnine is not useor o!estic%ur%oses, as so!e %oisons are, an there are restrictions%lace on itssale#@

@*oes anything in your ea!ination lea you to eter!inehow the %oisonwas a!inistere@

@ in -.,..., an can only beisguise by so!estrongly Da"oure substance# Coco woul be Juite%owerless to !ask it#@

8ne o the jury wante to know i the sa!e objectiona%%lie to cofee#

@


37/86

but otherwise enjoye %erect health, an was o acheerul anwell&balance is%osition# She woul be one o the last%eo%le to takeher own lie#

awrence Ca"enish was net calle# :is e"ience wasJuite uni!%ortant,being a !ere re%etition o that o his brother# +ust as hewas about toste% own, he %ause, an sai rather hesitatingly(

@6 shoul like to !ake a suggestion i 6 !ay@

:e glance e%recatingly at the Coroner, who re%liebriskly(

@Certainly, Mr# Ca"enish, we are here to arri"e at thetruth o this!atter, an welco!e anything that !ay lea to urthereluciation#@

@6t is just an iea o !ine,@ e%laine awrence# @8 course6 !ay beJuite wrong, but it still see!s to !e that !y !other'seath !ight beaccounte or by natural !eans#@

@:ow o you !ake that out, Mr# Ca"enish@

@My !other, at the ti!e o her eath, an or so!e ti!ebeore it, wastaking a tonic containing strychnine#@

@AhK@ sai the Coroner#

The jury looke u%, intereste#

@6 belie"e,@ continue awrence, @that there ha"e beencases where thecu!ulati"e efect o a rug, a!inistere or so!e ti!e,

has eneby causing eath# Also, is it not %ossible that she !ayha"e taken ano"erose o her !eicine by accient@

@This is the Frst we ha"e hear o the ecease takingstrychnine atthe ti!e o her eath# He are !uch oblige to you, Mr#Ca"enish#@

*r# Hilkins was recalle an riicule the iea#

@Hhat Mr# Ca"enish suggests is Juite i!%ossible# Anyoctor woul tellyou the sa!e# Strychnine is, in a certain sense, acu!ulati"e %oison,but it woul be Juite i!%ossible or it to result in sueneath inthis way# There woul ha"e to be a long %erio o chronicsy!%to!s whichwoul at once ha"e attracte !y attention# The wholething is absur#@

@An the secon suggestion That Mrs# 6nglethor% !ayha"e ina"ertentlytaken an o"erose@

@Three, or e"en our oses, woul not ha"e resulte ineath# Mrs#

6nglethor% always ha an etra large a!ount o !eicin!ae u% at ati!e, as she ealt with Coot's, the Cash Che!ists inTa!inster# Shewoul ha"e ha to take "ery nearly the whole bottle toaccount or thea!ount o strychnine oun at the %ost&!orte!#@

@Then you consier that we !ay is!iss the tonic as nobeing in any wayinstru!ental in causing her eath@

@Certainly# The su%%osition is riiculous#@

The sa!e jury!an who ha interru%te beore heresuggeste that theche!ist who !ae u% the !eicine !ight ha"eco!!itte an error#

@That, o course, is always %ossible,@ re%lie the octor#

But *orcas, who was the net witness calle, is%ellee"en that%ossibility# The !eicine ha not been newly !ae u%# the contrary,Mrs# 6nglethor% ha taken the last ose on the ay o heeath#

So the Juestion o the tonic was Fnally abanone, anthe Coroner%roceee with his task# :a"ing elicite ro! *orcas hoshe habeen awakene by the "iolent ringing o her !istress'sbell, an hasubseJuently rouse the househol, he %asse to thesubject o theJuarrel on the %receing aternoon#

*orcas's e"ience on this %oint was substantially whatPoirot an 6 haalreay hear, so 6 will not re%eat it here#

The net witness was Mary Ca"enish# She stoo "eryu%right, ans%oke in a low, clear, an %erectly co!%ose "oice# 6nanswer to theCoroner's Juestion, she tol how, her alar! clock ha"inarouse her atR#4. as usual, she was ressing, when she was startle the soun oso!ething hea"y alling#

@That woul ha"e been the table by the be@ co!!enthe Coroner#

@6 o%ene !y oor,@ continue Mary, @an listene# 6n aew !inutes abell rang "iolently# *orcas ca!e running own an wok!y husban, anwe all went to !y !other&in&law's roo!, but it waslocke&&&&@

The Coroner interru%te her#

@6 really o not think we nee trouble you urther on tha%oint# Heknow all that can be known o the subseJuentha%%enings# But 6 shoulbe oblige i you woul tell us all you o"erhear o theJuarrel the ay

beore#@


38/86

@6@

There was a aint insolence in her "oice# She raise herhan anajuste the ruOe o lace at her neck, turning her hea aittle asshe i so# An Juite s%ontaneously the thought Dasheacross !y !in(@She is gaining ti!eK@

@$es# 6 unerstan,@ continue the Coroner eliberately,

@that youwere sitting reaing on the bench just outsie the longwinow o thebouoir# That is so, is it not@

This was news to !e an glancing sieways at Poirot, 6ancie that itwas news to hi! as well#

There was the aintest %ause, the !ere hesitation o a!o!ent, beoreshe answere(

@$es, that is so#@

@An the bouoir winow was o%en, was it not@

Surely her ace grew a little %aler as she answere(

@$es#@

@Then you cannot ha"e aile to hear the "oices insie,es%ecially asthey were raise in anger# 6n act, they woul be !oreauible where youwere than in the hall#@

@Possibly#@

@Hill you re%eat to us what you o"erhear o the Juarrel@

@6 really o not re!e!ber hearing anything#@

@*o you !ean to say you i not hear "oices@

@8h, yes, 6 hear the "oices, but 6 i not hear what theysai#@ Aaint s%ot o colour ca!e into her cheek# @6 a! not in thehabit oistening to %ri"ate con"ersations#@

The Coroner %ersiste#

@An you re!e!ber nothing at all -th to Hillia! 1arl,uner&garenerat Styles#

Hillia! 1arl an Manning succeee her, an testiFe twitnessinga ocu!ent# Manning Fe the ti!e at about R#4., Hillwas o theo%inion that it was rather earlier#

Cynthia Muroch ca!e net# She ha, howe"er, little totell# She ha

known nothing o the tragey, until awakene by Mrs#Ca"enish#

@$ou i not hear the table all@

@-th# Poirot an 6 ha, o coursealreay seen it#6t ae nothing to our knowlege o the tragey# Theollowing is aacsi!ile(

ST$1S C8;)T 1SS1 han written note( +uly >-th ear 1"elyn

Can we not bury the hachet 6 ha"e oun it har toorgi"e the

things you sai


39/86

against !y ear husban but 6 a! an ol wo!an "ery on o you

$ours afectionately,

1!ily 6nglethor%e

6t was hane to the jury who scrutiniIe it attenti"ely#

@6 ear it oes not hel% us !uch,@ sai the Coroner, with a

sigh# @Theres no !ention o any o the e"ents o that aternoon#@

@Plain as a %ikestaf to !e,@ sai Miss :owar shortly# @6tshowsclearly enough that !y %oor ol rien ha just oun outshe' been!ae a ool oK@

@6t says nothing o the kin in the letter,@ the Coroner%ointe out#

@


40/86

@


41/86

@6 %oure it out, yes# But 6 i not take it to her# 6 !eant too so,but 6 was tol that a rien was at the hall oor, so 6 laiown thecofee on the hall table# Hhen 6 ca!e through the hallagain a ew!inutes later, it was gone#@

This state!ent !ight, or !ight not, be true, but it i notsee! to !eto i!%ro"e !atters !uch or 6nglethor%# 6n any case, he

ha ha a!%leti!e to introuce the %oison#

At that %oint, Poirot nuge !e gently, inicating two !enwhowere sitting together near the oor# 8ne was a little,shar%, ark,erret&ace !an, the other was tall an air#

6 Juestione Poirot !utely# :e %ut his li%s to !y ear#

@*o you know who that little !an is@

6 shook !y hea#

@That is *etecti"e 6ns%ector +a!es +a%% o Scotlan $ar&&+i!!y +a%%#The other !an is ro! Scotlan $ar too# Things are!o"ing Juickly, !yrien#@

6 stare at the two !en intently# There was certainlynothing o the%olice!an about the!# 6 shoul ne"er ha"e sus%ectethe! o beingoLcial %ersonages#

6 was still staring, when 6 was startle an recalle by the"erict

being gi"en(

@Hilul Murer against so!e %erson or %ersons unknown#@

C:APT1) ?66# P86)8T PA$S :6S *1BTS

As we ca!e out o the Stylites Ar!s, Poirot rew !e asieby a gentle%ressure o the ar!# 6 unerstoo his object# :e waswaiting or theScotlan $ar !en#

6n a ew !o!ents, they e!erge, an Poirot at onceste%%e orwar, anaccoste the shorter o the two#

@6 ear you o not re!e!ber !e, 6ns%ector +a%%#@

@Hhy, i it isn't Mr# PoirotK@ crie the 6ns%ector# :e turneto theother !an# @$ou'"e hear !e s%eak o Mr# Poirot 6t was in>.R he an 6worke together&&the Abercro!bie orgery case&&youre!e!ber, he wasrun own in Brussels# Ah, those were great ays, !oosier#Then, o you

re!e!ber 'Baron' Altara There was a %retty rogue oryouK :e eluethe clutches o hal the %olice in 1uro%e# But we naile inAntwer%&&thanks to Mr# Poirot here#@

As these rienly re!iniscences were being inulge inrew nearer,an was introuce to *etecti"e&6ns%ector +a%%, who, inhis turn,introuce us both to his co!%anion, Su%erintenentSu!!erhaye#

@6 nee harly ask what you are oing here, gentle!en,re!arke Poirot#

+a%% close one eye knowingly#

@


42/86

Murer against hi! right of# 6 think they woul ha"e, i ithan't beenor the Coroner&&he see!e to be holing the! back#@

@Perha%s, though, you ha"e a warrant or his arrest in your%ocket now,@suggeste Poirot#

A kin o wooen shutter o oLcialo! ca!e own ro!+a%%'s e%ressi"ecountenance#

@Perha%s 6 ha"e, an %erha%s 6 ha"en't,@ he re!arkeryly#

Poirot looke at hi! thoughtully#

@6 a! "ery anious, Messieurs, that he shoul not bearreste#@

@6 are say,@ obser"e Su!!erhaye sarcastically#

+a%% was regaring Poirot with co!ical %er%leity#

@Can't you go a little urther, Mr# Poirot A wink's as gooas ano&&ro! you# $ou'"e been on the s%ot&&an the $aroesn't want to!ake any !istakes, you know#@

Poirot noe gra"ely#

@That is eactly what 6 thought# Hell, 6 will tell you this#;se yourwarrant( Arrest Mr# 6nglethor%# But it will bring you nokuos&&the caseagainst hi! will be is!isse at onceK Co!!e caK@ An hesna%%e hisFngers e%ressi"ely#

+a%%'s ace grew gra"e, though Su!!erhaye ga"e an

ncreulous snort#

As or !e, 6 was literally u!b with astonish!ent# 6 coulonly concluethat Poirot was !a#

+a%% ha taken out a hankerchie, an was gentlyabbing his brow#

@6 aren't o it, Mr# Poirot# 6' take your wor, but there'sotherso"er !e who'll be asking what the e"il 6 !ean by it# Can'tyou gi"e !ea little !ore to go on@

Poirot reDecte a !o!ent#

@6t can be one,@ he sai at last# @6 a!it 6 o not wish it# 6torces !y han# 6 woul ha"e %reerre to work in the arkust or the%resent, but what you say is "ery just&&the wor o aBelgian %olice!an,whose ay is %ast, is not enoughK An Alre 6nglethor%!ust not bearreste# That 6 ha"e sworn, as !y rien :astings hereknows# See,then, !y goo +a%%, you go at once to Styles@

@Hell, in about hal an hour# He're seeing the Coroner an

the octor

Frst#@

@Goo# Call or !e in %assing&&the last house in the "illa6 will gowith you# At Styles, Mr# 6nglethor% will gi"e you, or i hereuses&&asis %robable&&6 will gi"e you such %roos that shall satisyyou that thecase against hi! coul not %ossibly be sustaine# 6s thabargain@

@That's a bargain,@ sai +a%% heartily# @An, on behal o

the $ar, 6'!!uch oblige to you, though 6'! boun to coness 6 canat %resent seethe aintest %ossible loo%&hole in the e"ience, but youalways were a!ar"elK So long, then, !oosier#@

The two etecti"es stroe away, Su!!erhaye with anincreulous grin onhis ace#

@Hell, !y rien,@ crie Poirot, beore 6 coul get in a wo@what oyou think Mon *ieuK 6 ha so!e war! !o!ents in thacourtE 6 i notFgure to !ysel that the !an woul be so %ig&heae ato reuse to sayanything at all# *eciely, it was the %olicy o ani!becile#@

@:'!K There are other e%lanations besies that oi!becility,@ 6re!arke# @9or, i the case against hi! is true, how couhe eenhi!sel ece%t by silence@

@Hhy, in a thousan ingenious ways,@ crie Poirot# @Seesay that it is6 who ha"e co!!itte this !urer, 6 can think o se"en

!ost %lausiblestoriesK 9ar !ore con"incing than Mr# 6nglethor%'s stonyenialsK@

6 coul not hel% laughing#

@My ear Poirot, 6 a! sure you are ca%able o thinking ose"entyKBut, seriously, in s%ite o what 6 hear you say to theetecti"es, yousurely cannot still belie"e in the %ossibility o Alre6nglethor%'sinnocence@

@Hhy not now as !uch as beore


43/86

rien, this e"ience has been "ery cle"erly!anuacture&&so cle"erlythat it has eeate its own ens#@

@:ow o you !ake that out@

@Because, so long as the e"ience against hi! was "aguean intangible,t was "ery har to is%ro"e# But, in his aniety, thecri!inal hasrawn the net so closely that one cut will set 6nglethor%ree#@

6 was silent# An in a !inute or two, Poirot continue(

@et us look at the !atter like this# :ere is a !an, let ussay, whosets out to %oison his wie# :e has li"e by his wits as thesayinggoes# Presu!ably, thereore, he has so!e wits# :e is notaltogethera ool# Hell, how oes he set about it :e goes bolly tothe "illageche!ist's an %urchases strychnine uner his own na!e,with a tru!%e u%story about a og which is boun to be %ro"e absur# :eoes not e!%loythe %oison that night#


44/86

@Can you not guess@ aske Poirot, s!iling#

@


45/86

@8h, co!e now, PoirotK 6 won't cite awrence, or Mrs#Ca"enish# Butthere's +ohn&&an Miss :owar, surely they were s%eakingthe truth@

@Both o the!, !y rien 8ne, 6 grant you, but both&&&&K@

:is wors ga"e !e an un%leasant shock# Miss :owar'se"ience,uni!%ortant as it was, ha been gi"en in such a ownrightstraightorwar !anner that it ha ne"er occurre to !e

to oubt hersincerity# Still, 6 ha a great res%ect or Poirot's sagacity&&ece%ton the occasions when he was what 6 escribe to !yselas @oolishly%ig&heae#@

@*o you really think so@ 6 aske# @Miss :owar ha alwayssee!e to !eso essentially honest&&al!ost unco!ortably so#@

Poirot ga"e !e a curious look, which 6 coul not Juiteatho!# :e see!eto s%eak, an then checke hi!sel#

@Miss Muroch too,@ 6 continue, @there's nothinguntruthul abouther#@

@


46/86

@6 o not think, !onsieur,@ sai Poirot %ointely, @that youJuiterealiIe how terrible it !ay be&&or you#@ An as 6nglethor%i nota%%ear to unerstan, he ae( @Mr# 6nglethor%, you arestaning in"ery gra"e anger#@

The two etecti"es Fgete# 6 saw the oLcial caution@Anythingyou say will be use in e"ience against you,@ actually

ho"ering onSu!!erhaye's li%s# Poirot went on#

@*o you unerstan now, !onsieur@

@


47/86

the lay's beroo!, %lease, an ater that 6'll ha"e a littlechat withthe ser"ants# *on't you bother about anything# Mr# Poirot,here, willshow !e the way#@

As they all went out o the roo!, Poirot turne an !ae!e a sign toollow hi! u%stairs# There he caught !e by the ar!, anrew !e asie#

@uick, go to the other wing# Stan there&&just this sie o

the baiIeoor# *o not !o"e till 6 co!e#@ Then, turning ra%ily, herejoine thetwo etecti"es#

6 ollowe his instructions, taking u% !y %osition by thebaiIe oor,an wonering what on earth lay behin the reJuest# Hhywas 6 tostan in this %articular s%ot on guar 6 lookethoughtully ownthe corrior in ront o !e# An iea struck !e# Hith theece%tion oCynthia Muroch's, e"ery one's roo! was in this let wing#:a thatanything to o with it Has 6 to re%ort who ca!e or went6 stooaithully at !y %ost# The !inutes %asse#


48/86

@Hell, !on a!i, a goo eal you can guess or yoursel# 8course yourealiIe that, now Mr# 6nglethor% is out o it, the whole%osition isgreatly change# He are ace to ace with an entirely new%roble!# Heknow now that there is one %erson who i not buy the%oison# He ha"ecleare away the !anuacture clues#


49/86

Miss :owar were ca%able o %oisoning the ol lay, shewoul be JuiteeJually ca%able o si!ulating e"otion#


50/86

The uneral o Mrs# 6nglethor% took %lace the ollowingay, an onMonay, as 6 ca!e own to a late breakast, +ohn rew !easie, annor!e !e that Mr# 6nglethor% was lea"ing that !orning,to take u% hisJuarters at the Stylites Ar!s until he shoul ha"eco!%lete his %lans#

@An really it's a great relie to think he's going, :astings,@continue !y honest rien# @6t was ba enough beore,

when we thoughthe' one it, but 6'! hange i it isn't worse now, when weall eelguilty or ha"ing been so own on the ellow# The act is,we'"e treatehi! abo!inably# 8 course, things i look black againsthi!# 6 on'tsee how anyone coul bla!e us or ju!%ing to theconclusions we i#Still, there it is, we were in the wrong, an now there's abeastlyeeling that one ought to !ake a!ensE which is iLcult,when oneoesn't like the ellow a bit better than one i beore# Thewholething's a!ne awkwarK An 6'! thankul he's ha thetact to takehi!sel of# 6t's a goo thing Styles wasn't the !ater's toea"e tohi!# Couln't bear to think o the ellow loring it here#:e's welco!eto her !oney#@

@$ou'll be able to kee% u% the %lace all right@ 6 aske#

@8h, yes# There are the eath uties, o course, but hal!y ather's!oney goes with the %lace, an awrence will stay with usor the

%resent, so there is his share as well# He shall be %incheat Frst, ocourse, because, as 6 once tol you, 6 a! in a bit o a holeFnancially!ysel# Still, the +ohnnies will wait now#@

6n the general relie at 6nglethor%'s a%%roaching e%arture,we ha the!ost genial breakast we ha e%erience since thetragey# Cynthia,whose young s%irits were naturally buoyant, was lookingJuite her %rettysel again, an we all, with the ece%tion o awrence,who see!eunalterably gloo!y an ner"ous, were Juietly cheerul, atthe o%ening oa new an ho%eul uture#

The %a%ers, o course, ha been ull o the tragey#Glaring healines,sanwiche biogra%hies o e"ery !e!ber o thehousehol, subtlennuenoes, the usual a!iliar tag about the %olice ha"inga clue#


51/86

@Ah, the bra"e *orcasK He will look at the chest,although&&but no!atter&&we will ea!ine it all the sa!e#@

He entere the house by one o the winows# There wasno one in thehall, an we went straight u% to the attic#

Sure enough, there was the chest, a Fne ol %iece, allstue withbrass nails, an ull to o"erDowing with e"ery i!aginable

ty%e ogar!ent#

Poirot bunle e"erything out on the Door with scantcere!ony# Therewere one or two green abrics o "arying shaesE butPoirot shook hishea o"er the! all# :e see!e so!ewhat a%athetic in thesearch, asthough he e%ecte no great results ro! it# Suenly hega"e anecla!ation#

@Hhat is it@

@ookK@

The chest was nearly e!%ty, an there, re%osing right atthe botto!, wasa !agniFcent black bear#

@8hoK@ sai Poirot# @8hoK@ :e turne it o"er in his hans,ea!ining itclosely# @


52/86

welco!e#

@6 !ust ha"e an ally in the house,@ he obser"ereDecti"ely#

@$ou ha"e !e,@ 6 %roteste#

@True, but you are not suLcient#@

6 was hurt, an showe it# Poirot hurrie to e%lain hi!sel#

@$ou o not Juite take !y !eaning# $ou are known to be

working with !e#6 want so!eboy who is not associate with us in anyway#@

@8h, 6 see# :ow about +ohn@

@


53/86

@6 a! right, a! 6 not@ aske Poirot#

@$es, yesE you !ust be a wiIar to ha"e guesse# But itcan't beso&&it's too !onstrous, too i!%ossible# 6t !ust be Alre6nglethor%#@

Poirot shook his hea gra"ely#

@*on't ask !e about it,@ continue Miss :owar, @because6 shan't tell

you# 6 won't a!it it, e"en to !ysel# 6 !ust be !a tothink o such athing#@

Poirot noe, as i satisFe#

@6 will ask you nothing# 6t is enough or !e that it is as 6thought#An 6&&6, too, ha"e an instinct# He are working togethertowars aco!!on en#@

@*on't ask !e to hel% you, because 6 won't# 6 wouln't lit aFngerto&&to&&&&@ She altere#

@$ou will hel% !e in s%ite o yoursel# 6 ask you nothing&&but you willbe !y ally# $ou will not be able to hel% yoursel# $ou will othe onlything that 6 want o you#@

@An that is@

@$ou will watchK@

1"elyn :owar bowe her hea#

@$es, 6 can't hel% oing that# 6 a! always watching&&always

ho%ing 6shall be %ro"e wrong#@

@6 we are wrong, well an goo,@ sai Poirot# @


54/86

against !y rien's high&haneness, 6 saw awrence onthe croJuet lawn,ai!lessly knocking a cou%le o "ery ancient balls about,with a still!ore ancient !allet#

6t struck !e that it woul be a goo o%%ortunity to eli"er!y !essage#8therwise, Poirot hi!sel !ight relie"e !e o it# 6t was truethat 6 inot Juite gather its %ur%ort, but 6 Dattere !ysel that byawrence's

re%ly, an %erha%s a little skillul cross&ea!ination on !y%art, 6shoul soon %ercei"e its signiFcance# Accoringly 6accoste hi!#

@6'"e been looking or you,@ 6 re!arke untruthully#

@:a"e you@

@$es# The truth is, 6'"e got a !essage or you&&ro! Poirot#@

@$es@

@:e tol !e to wait until 6 was alone with you,@ 6 sai,ro%%ing !y"oice signiFcantly, an watching hi! intently out o thecorner o!y eye# 6 ha"e always been rather goo at what is calle,6 belie"e,creating an at!os%here#

@Hell@

There was no change o e%ression in the ark!elancholic ace# :a heany iea o what 6 was about to say

@This is the !essage#@ 6 ro%%e !y "oice still lower# @'9inthe etra

cofee&cu%, an you can rest in %eace#'@

@Hhat on earth oes he !ean@ awrence stare at !e inJuite unafecteastonish!ent#

@*on't you know@

@


55/86

@Still, as ar as you are concerne, the oor !ight eJuallywell ha"ebeen locke@

@8h, yes#@

@$ou yoursel i not ha%%en to notice, !aa!e, whenyou entere Mrs#6nglethor%'s roo!, whether that oor was bolte or not@

@6&&6 belie"e it was#@

@But you i not see it@

@


56/86

At once 6 realiIe that 6 was in a "ery awkwar%reica!ent# 9or, abouttwel"e eet away ro! !e, +ohn an Mary Ca"enish werestaningacing each other, an they were e"iently Juarrelling#An, Juite ase"iently, they were unaware o !y "icinity, or beore 6coul !o"e ors%eak +ohn re%eate the wors which ha arouse !ero! !y rea!#

@6 tell you, Mary, 6 won't ha"e it#@

Mary's "oice ca!e, cool an liJui(

@:a"e you any right to criticiIe !y actions@

@6t will be the talk o the "illageK My !other was onlyburie onSaturay, an here you are gaing about with theellow#@

@8h,@ she shrugge her shoulers, @i it is only "illagegossi% that you!inK@

@But it isn't# 6'"e ha enough o the ellow hanging about#:e's aPolish +ew, anyway#@

@A tinge o +ewish bloo is not a ba thing# 6t lea"ensthe@&&she lookeat hi!&&@stoli stu%iity o the orinary 1nglish!an#@

9ire in her eyes, ice in her "oice# 6 i not woner that thebloo roseto +ohn's ace in a cri!son tie#

@MaryK@

@Hell@ :er tone i not change#

The %leaing ie out o his "oice#

@A! 6 to unerstan that you will continue to seeBauerstein against !ye%ress wishes@

@6 6 choose#@

@$ou ey !e@

@


57/86

@1nough to !ake a !an !orbi, to be stalke by beastlyournalists anstare at by ga%ing !oon&ace iiots, where"er he goesKBut there'sworse than that#@

@Hhat@

+ohn lowere his "oice(

@:a"e you e"er thought, :astings&&it's a night!are to !e&&who i it

6 can't hel% eeling so!eti!es it !ust ha"e been anaccient#Because&&because&&who coul ha"e one it


58/86

%oison#

An suenly 6 re!e!bere that Frst con"ersation at teaon the ay o!y arri"al, an the glea! in her eyes as she ha sai that%oison was awo!an's wea%on# :ow agitate she ha been on that atalTuesay e"eningK:a Mrs# 6nglethor% isco"ere so!ething between heran Bauerstein, anthreatene to tell her husban Has it to sto% thatenunciation that

the cri!e ha been co!!itte

Then 6 re!e!bere that enig!atical con"ersationbetween Poirot an1"elyn :owar# Has this what they ha !eant Has thisthe !onstrous%ossibility that 1"elyn ha trie not to belie"e

$es, it all Ftte in#


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Ater tea, 6 in"ite Cynthia to co!e or a walk, an wesauntere ofnto the woos together#

@Hell@ 6 inJuire, as soon as we were %rotecte ro!%rying eyes by theeay screen#

Hith a sigh, Cynthia Dung hersel own, an tosse of herhat# Thesunlight, %iercing through the branches, turne the auburno her hair

to Jui"ering gol#

@Mr# :astings&&you are always so kin, an you know sucha lot#@

6t struck !e at this !o!ent that Cynthia was really a "erychar!inggirlK Much !ore char!ing than Mary, who ne"er saithings o that kin#

@Hell@ 6 aske benignantly, as she hesitate#

@6 want to ask your a"ice# Hhat shall 6 o@

@*o@

@$es# $ou see, Aunt 1!ily always tol !e 6 shoul be%ro"ie or# 6su%%ose she orgot, or in't think she was likely to ie&&anyway, 6 a!not %ro"ie orK An 6 on't know what to o# *o youthink 6 ought togo away ro! here at once@

@Goo hea"ens, noK They on't want to %art with you, 6'!sure#@

Cynthia hesitate a !o!ent, %lucking u% the grass withher tiny hans#

Then she sai( @Mrs# Ca"enish oes# She hates !e#@

@:ates you@ 6 crie, astonishe#

Cynthia noe#

@$es# 6 on't know why, but she can't bear !eE an hecan't, either#@

@There 6 know you're wrong,@ 6 sai war!ly# @8n thecontrary, +ohn is"ery on o you#@

@8h, yes&&+ohn# 6 !eant awrence#


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Accoringly, 6 went to the little house with the@A%art!ents@ carnserte in the winow, where 6 knew he loge, anta%%e on the oor#

An ol wo!an ca!e an o%ene it#

@Goo aternoon,@ 6 sai %leasantly# @6s *r# Bauerstein in@

She stare at !e#

@:a"en't you hear@

@:ear what@

@About hi!#@

@Hhat about hi!@

@:e's took#@

@Took *ea@

@


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@6s Bauerstein arreste, then@

@*i you not know it@

@


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hane to Poirot, !ur!uring as she i so the cry%ticwors(

@8n to% o the warrobe#@ Then she hurriely let theroo!#

Poirot unole the sheet o %a%er eagerly, an uttere anecla!ationo satisaction# :e s%rea it out on the table#

@Co!e here, :astings#


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see!e gra"e, al!ost sa#

6t occurre to !e that it woul be a goo o%%ortunity totackle her onthe subject o Cynthia# 6 began rather tactully, 6 thought,but 6 hanot gone ar beore she sto%%e !e authoritati"ely#

@$ou are an ecellent a"ocate, 6 ha"e no oubt, Mr#:astings, but inthis case your talents are Juite thrown away# Cynthia willrun no risk

o encountering any unkinness ro! !e#@

6 began to sta!!er eebly that 6 ho%e she han'tthought&&But againshe sto%%e !e, an her wors were so une%ecte thatthey Juite ro"eCynthia, an her troubles, out o !y !in#

@Mr# :astings,@ she sai, @o you think 6 an !y husbanare ha%%ytogether@

6 was consierably taken aback, an !ur!ure so!ethingabout it's notbeing !y business to think anything o the sort#

@Hell,@ she sai Juietly, @whether it is your business ornot, 6 willtell you that we are not ha%%y#@

6 sai nothing, or 6 saw that she ha not Fnishe#

She began slowly, walking u% an own the roo!, herhea a little bent,an that sli!, su%%le Fgure o hers swaying gently as shewalke# Shesto%%e suenly, an looke u% at !e#

@$ou on't know anything about !e, o you@ she aske#

@Hhere 6 co!ero!, who 6 was beore 6 !arrie +ohn&&anything, in actHell, 6will tell you# 6 will !ake a ather conessor o you# $ou arekin, 6think&&yes, 6 a! sure you are kin#@

So!ehow, 6 was not Juite as elate as 6 !ight ha"e been#6 re!e!berethat Cynthia ha begun her conFences in !uch the sa!eway# Besies,a ather conessor shoul be elerly, it is not at all the roleor ayoung !an#

@My ather was 1nglish,@ sai Mrs# Ca"enish, @but !y!other was a)ussian#@

@Ah,@ 6 sai, @now 6 unerstan&&@

@;nerstan what@

@A hint o so!ething oreign&&iferent&&that there hasalways beenabout you#@

@My !other was "ery beautiul, 6 belie"e# 6 on't know,because 6 ne"er

saw her# She ie when 6 was Juite a little chil# 6 belie"there wasso!e tragey connecte with her eath&&she took ano"erose o so!eslee%ing raught by !istake# :owe"er that !ay be, !yather wasbroken&hearte# Shortly aterwars, he went into theConsular Ser"ice#1"erywhere he went, 6 went with hi!# Hhen 6 was twenthree, 6 ha beennearly all o"er the worl# 6t was a s%leni lie&&6 lo"e i

There was a s!ile on her ace, an her hea was throwback# She see!eli"ing in the !e!ory o those ol gla ays#

@Then !y ather ie# :e let !e "ery baly of# 6 ha togo an li"ewith so!e ol aunts in $orkshire#@ She shuere# @$ou unerstan!e when 6 say that it was a ealy lie or a girl broughu% as 6 habeen# The narrowness, the ealy !onotony o it, al!oro"e !e !a#@She %ause a !inute, an ae in a iferent tone( @Athen 6 !et +ohnCa"enish#@

@$es@

@$ou can i!agine that, ro! !y aunts' %oint o "iew, it a "ery goo!atch or !e# But 6 can honestly say it was not this actwhich weighewith !e#


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@$ou an +ohn are not going to li"e here@

@+ohn !ay li"e here, but 6 shall not#@

@$ou are going to lea"e hi!@

@$es#@

@But why@

She %ause a long ti!e, an sai at last(

@Perha%s&&because 6 want to be&&reeK@

An, as she s%oke, 6 ha a suen "ision o broa s%aces,"irgin tractso orests, untroen lans&&an a realiIation o whatreeo! woul!ean to such a nature as Mary Ca"enish# 6 see!e tosee her or a!o!ent as she was, a %rou wil creature, as unta!e byci"iliIation asso!e shy bir o the hills# A little cry broke ro! her li%s(

@$ou on't know, you on't know, how this hateul %lacehas been %risonto !eK@

@6 unerstan,@ 6 sai, @but&&but on't o anything rash#@

@8h, rashK@ :er "oice !ocke at !y %ruence#

Then suenly 6 sai a thing 6 coul ha"e bitten out !ytongue or(

@$ou know that *r# Bauerstein has been arreste@

An instant colness %asse like a !ask o"er her ace,blotting out alle%ression#

@+ohn was so kin as to break that to !e this !orning#@

@Hell, what o you think@ 6 aske eebly#

@8 what@

@8 the arrest@

@Hhat shoul 6 think A%%arently he is a Ger!an s%yE sothe garener hatol +ohn#@

:er ace an "oice were absolutely col ane%ressionless# *i shecare, or i she not

She !o"e away a ste% or two, an Fngere one o theDower "ases#

@These are Juite ea# 6 !ust o the! again# Houl you!in!o"ing&&thank you, Mr# :astings#@ An she walke Juietly%ast !e out othe winow, with a cool little no o is!issal#


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awrence woul say no !ore, so 6 ecie that 6 woulescen ro! !yhigh horse, an once !ore seek out Poirot at eastwaysCottage#

This ti!e 6 was recei"e with a s!ile# Monsieur Poirot waswithin# Houl6 !ount 6 !ounte accoringly#

Poirot was sitting by the table, his hea burie in hishans# :e s%rangu% at !y entrance#

@Hhat is it@ 6 aske solicitously# @$ou are not ill, 6 trust@

@


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well&known %rocess to the %olice, an by !eans o it youcan obtain a%hotogra%h o the Fnger&%rints o any object in a "eryshort s%ace oti!e# Hell, !y rien, you ha"e seen the Fnger&!arks&&itre!ains totell you the %articular object on which they ha been let#@

@Go on&&6 a! really ecite#@

@1h bienK Photo


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starte e"er so slightly&&@re!e!ber, Pa%a Poirot is alwaysat yourser"ice#@

She stare at hi! or a ew !inutes, as though seeking torea so!eee%er !eaning into his wors# Then she turne abru%tlyaway#

@Co!e, will you not walk back with us too, MonsieurPoirot@

@1nchante, !aa!e#@

All the way to Styles, Mary talke ast an e"erishly# 6tstruck !ethat in so!e way she was ner"ous o Poirot's eyes#

The weather ha broken, an the shar% win was al!ostautu!nal in itsshrewishness# Mary shi"ere a little, an buttone herblack s%ortscoat closer# The win through the trees !ae a !ournulnoise, like so!egreat giant sighing#

He walke u% to the great oor o Styles, an at once theknowlege ca!eto us that so!ething was wrong#

*orcas ca!e running out to !eet us# She was crying anwringing herhans# 6 was aware o other ser"ants hule together inthe backgroun,all eyes an ears#

@8h, !'a!K 8h, !'a!K 6 on't know how to tell you&&@

@Hhat is it, *orcas@ 6 aske i!%atiently# @Tell us at once#@

@6t's those wicke etecti"es# They'"e arreste hi!&&

they'"e arresteMr# Ca"enishK@

@Arreste awrence@ 6 gas%e#

6 saw a strange look co!e into *orcas's eyes#

@


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6t is one thing to know that a !an is guilty, it is Juiteanother !atterto %ro"e hi! so# An, in this case, there is terribly littlee"ience#That is the whole trouble# 6, :ercule Poirot, know, but 6 lackthe lastink in !y chain# An unless 6 can Fn that !issing link&&@:e shookhis hea gra"ely#

@Hhen i you Frst sus%ect +ohn Ca"enish@ 6 aske,ater a !inute or

two#

@*i you not sus%ect hi! at all@

@Nth +ohn Ca"enish a%%eare in the oat the 8l Bailey,charge with @The Hilul Murer o 1!ily Agnes6nglethor%,@ an %leae@


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trusting wo!an by the ste%son to who! she ha been!ore than a !other#1"er since his boyhoo, she ha su%%orte hi!# :e anhis wie ha li"eat Styles Court in e"ery luury, surroune by her carean attention#She ha been their kin an generous beneactress#

:e %ro%ose to call witnesses to show how the %risoner, a%roDigate ans%enthrit, ha been at the en o his Fnancial tether,an ha also

been carrying on an intrigue with a certain Mrs# )aikes, aneighbouringar!er's wie# This ha"ing co!e to his ste%!other's ears,she tae hi!with it on the aternoon beore her eath, an a Juarrelensue, %arto which was o"erhear# 8n the %re"ious ay, the %risonerha %urchasestrychnine at the "illage che!ist's sho%, wearing aisguise by !eans owhich he ho%e to throw the onus o the cri!e u%onanother !an&&to wit,Mrs# 6nglethor%'s husban, o who! he ha been bitterlyealous# uckilyor Mr# 6nglethor%, he ha been able to %rouce anuni!%eachable alibi#

8n the aternoon o +uly >-th, continue Counsel,!!eiately ater theJuarrel with her son, Mrs# 6nglethor% !ae a new will# Thiswill wasoun estroye in the grate o her beroo! the ollowing!orning, bute"ience ha co!e to light which showe that it ha beenrawn u% ina"our o her husban# *ecease ha alreay !ae a willn hisa"our beore her !arriage, but&&an Mr# Phili%s waggean e%ressi"e

oreFnger&&the %risoner was not aware o that# Hhat hanuce theecease to !ake a resh will, with the ol one still etant,he coulnot say# She was an ol lay, an !ight %ossibly ha"eorgotten theor!er oneE or&&this see!e to hi! !ore likely&&she !ayha"e ha an ieathat it was re"oke by her !arriage, as there ha beenso!e con"ersationon the subject# aies were not always "ery well "erse inegalknowlege# She ha, about a year beore, eecute a willn a"our othe %risoner# :e woul call e"ience to show that it wasthe %risonerwho ulti!ately hane his ste%!other her cofee on theatal night#ater in the e"ening, he ha sought a!ission to herroo!, on whichoccasion, no oubt, he oun an o%%ortunity o estroyingthe willwhich, as ar as he knew, woul rener the one in hisa"our "ali#

The %risoner ha been arreste in conseJuence o theisco"ery, in hisroo!, by *etecti"e 6ns%ector +a%%&&a !ost brilliant oLcer&&o the

ientical %hial o strychnine which ha been sol at the"illageche!ist's to the su%%ose Mr# 6nglethor% on the aybeore the !urer#6t woul be or the jury to ecie whether or not thesea!ning actsconstitute an o"erwhel!ing %roo o the %risoner's gui

An, subtly i!%lying that a jury which i not so eciewas Juiteunthinkable, Mr# Phili%s sat own an wi%e his orehea

The Frst witnesses or the %rosecution were !ostly thowho ha beencalle at the inJuest, the !eical e"ience being againtaken Frst#

Sir 1rnest :ea"ywether, who was a!ous all o"er 1nglaor theunscru%ulous !anner in which he bullie witnesses, onaske twoJuestions#

@6 take it, *r# Bauerstein, that strychnine, as a rug, actJuickly@

@$es#@

@An that you are unable to account or the elay in thicase@

@$es#@

@Thank you#@

Mr# Mace ientiFe the %hial hane hi! by Counsel asthat sol byhi! to @Mr# 6nglethor%#@ Presse, he a!itte that he onknew Mr#6nglethor% by sight# :e ha ne"er s%oken to hi!# Thewitness was not

cross&ea!ine#

Alre 6nglethor% was calle, an enie ha"ing %urchathe %oison# :ealso enie ha"ing Juarrelle with his wie# ?ariouswitnesses testiFeto the accuracy o these state!ents#

The gareners' e"ience, as to the witnessing o the wiwas taken, anthen *orcas was calle#

*orcas, aithul to her @young gentle!en,@ eniestrenuously that itcoul ha"e been +ohn's "oice she hear, an resolutelyeclare, inthe teeth o e"erything, that it was Mr# 6nglethor% who hbeen in thebouoir with her !istress# A rather wistul s!ile %asseacross theace o the %risoner in the ock# :e knew only too wellhow useless hergallant eFance was, since it was not the object o theeence to enythis %oint# Mrs# Ca"enish, o course, coul not be calleu%on to gi"ee"ience against her husban#

Ater "arious Juestions on other !atters, Mr# Phili%s ask


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@6n the !onth o +une last, o you re!e!ber a %arcelarri"ing or Mr#awrence Ca"enish ro! Parkson's@

*orcas shook her hea#

@6 on't re!e!ber, sir# 6t !ay ha"e one, but Mr# awrencewas away ro!ho!e %art o +une#@

@6n the e"ent o a %arcel arri"ing or hi! whilst he wasaway, what

woul be one with it@

@6t woul either be %ut in his roo! or sent on ater hi!#@

@By you@

@


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Sir 1rnest :ea"ywether !ae short work o her, an unerhis un!erciulbullying she contraicte hersel ho%elessly, an Sir1rnest sat ownagain with a satisFe s!ile on his ace#

Hith the e"ience o Annie, as to the canle grease on theDoor, an asto seeing the %risoner take the cofee into the bouoir, the%roceeingswere ajourne until the ollowing ay#

As we went ho!e, Mary Ca"enish s%oke bitterly againstthe %rosecutingcounsel#

@That hateul !anK Hhat a net he has rawn aroun !y%oor +ohnK :ow hetwiste e"ery little act until he !ae it see! what itwasn'tK@

@Hell,@ 6 sai consolingly, @it will be the other way aboutto&!orrow#@

@$es,@ she sai !eitati"elyE then suenly ro%%e her"oice# @Mr#:astings, you o not think&&surely it coul not ha"e beenawrence&&8h,no, that coul not beK@

But 6 !ysel was %uIIle, an as soon as 6 was alone withPoirot 6 askehi! what he thought Sir 1rnest was ri"ing at#

@AhK@ sai Poirot a%%reciati"ely# @:e is a cle"er !an, thatSir 1rnest#@

@*o you think he belie"es awrence guilty@

@6 o not think he belie"es or cares anythingK


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@=inly answer !y Juestion# Houl the %risoner, in thehottest week o ahot su!!er, be likely to go to a rawer containing winterunerclothing#$es, or no@

@


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@3th, the%risoner haentere the che!ist's sho% in the "illage, isguise as M6nglethor%#The %risoner, on the contrary, was at that ti!e at a lons%ot calleMarston's S%inney, where he ha been su!!one by aanony!ous note,couche in black!ailing ter!s, an threatening to re"ecertain !attersto his wie unless he co!%lie with its e!ans# The%risoner ha,accoringly, gone to the a%%ointe s%ot, an ater waitthere "ainlyor hal an hour ha returne ho!e# ;nortunately, he h!et with no

one on the way there or back who coul "ouch or thetruth o his story,but luckily he ha ke%t the note, an it woul be %roucas e"ience#

As or the state!ent relating to the estruction o the wthe%risoner ha or!erly %ractice at the Bar, an was%erectly well awarethat the will !ae in his a"our a year beore wasauto!atically re"okeby his ste%!other's re!arriage# :e woul call e"ienceshow who iestroy the will, an it was %ossible that that !ight o%eu% Juite anew "iew o the case#

9inally, he woul %oint out to the jury that there wase"ience againstother %eo%le besies +ohn Ca"enish# :e woul irecttheir attention tothe act that the e"ience against Mr# awrence Ca"enwas Juite asstrong, i not stronger than that against his brother#

:e woul now call the %risoner#

+ohn acJuitte hi!sel well in the witness&bo# ;ner S1rnest's


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skilul hanling, he tol his tale creibly an well# Theanony!ous noterecei"e by hi! was %rouce, an hane to the jury toea!ine# Thereainess with which he a!itte his Fnancial iLculties,an theisagree!ent with his ste%!other, lent "alue to hisenials#

At the close o his ea!ination, he %ause, an sai(

@6 shoul like to !ake one thing clear# 6 utterly reject an

isa%%ro"eo Sir 1rnest :ea"ywether's insinuations against !ybrother# My brother,6 a! con"ince, ha no !ore to o with the cri!e than 6ha"e#@

Sir 1rnest !erely s!ile, an note with a shar% eye that+ohn's %rotestha %rouc

Agatha Christie the Mysterious Affair at Style

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