the mysterious affair at styles(斯代尔斯的怪事)-第14节
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THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
thought。 The heaviness and languor of her manner were very marked。 I
asked her if she were feeling ill； and she answered frankly：
〃Yes； I've got the most beastly headache。〃
〃Have another cup of coffee； mademoiselle？〃 said Poirot solicitously。
〃It will revive you。 It is unparalleled for the mal de tete。〃 He jumped up
and took her cup。
〃No sugar；〃 said Cynthia； watching him； as he picked up the sugar…
tongs。
〃No sugar？ You abandon it in the war…time； eh？〃
〃No； I never take it in coffee。〃
〃Sacre！〃 murmured Poirot to himself； as he brought back the
replenished cup。
Only I heard him； and glancing up curiously at the little man I saw that
his face was working with suppressed excitement； and his eyes were as
green as a cat's。 He had heard or seen something that had affected him
stronglybut what was it？ I do not usually label myself as dense； but I
must confess that nothing out of the ordinary had attracted *MY attention。
In another moment； the door opened and Dorcas appeared。
〃Mr。 Wells to see you； sir；〃 she said to John。
I remembered the name as being that of the lawyer to whom Mrs。
Inglethorp had written the night before。
John rose immediately。
〃Show him into my study。〃 Then he turned to us。 〃My mother's
lawyer；〃 he explained。 And in a lower voice： 〃He is also Coroneryou
understand。 Perhaps you would like to come with me？〃
We acquiesced and followed him out of the room。 John strode on
ahead and I took the opportunity of whispering to Poirot：
〃There will be an inquest then？〃
Poirot nodded absently。 He seemed absorbed in thought； so much so
that my curiosity was aroused。
〃What is it？ You are not attending to what I say。〃
〃It is true； my friend。 I am much worried。〃 〃Why？〃
〃Because Mademoiselle Cynthia does not take sugar in her coffee。〃
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THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
〃What？ You cannot be serious？〃
〃But I am most serious。 Ah； there is something there that I do not
understand。 My instinct was right。〃
〃What instinct？〃
〃The instinct that led me to insist on examining those coffee…cups。
Chut！ no more now！〃
We followed John into his study； and he closed the door behind us。
Mr。 Wells was a pleasant man of middle…age； with keen eyes； and the
typical lawyer's mouth。 John introduced us both； and explained the
reason of our presence。
〃You will understand； Wells；〃 he added； 〃that this is all strictly private。
We are still hoping that there will turn out to be no need for investigation
of any kind。〃
〃Quite so； quite so；〃 said Mr。 Wells soothingly。 〃I wish we could
have spared you the pain and publicity of an inquest； but of course it's
quite unavoidable in the absence of a doctor's certificate。〃
〃Yes； I suppose so。〃
〃Clever man； Bauerstein。 Great authority on toxicology； I believe。〃
〃Indeed；〃 said John with a certain stiffness in his manner。 Then he
added rather hesitatingly： 〃Shall we have to appear as witnessesall of us；
I mean？〃
〃You； of courseand aherMr。erInglethorp。〃
A slight pause ensued before the lawyer went on in his soothing
manner：
〃Any other evidence will be simply confirmatory； a mere matter of
form。〃
〃I see。〃
A faint expression of relief swept over John's face。 It puzzled me； for
I saw no occasion for it。
〃If you know of nothing to the contrary；〃 pursued Mr。 Wells； 〃I had
thought of Friday。 That will give us plenty of time for the doctor's report。
The post…mortem is to take place to…night； I believe？〃
〃Yes。〃
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THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
〃Then that arrangement will suit you？〃
〃Perfectly。〃
〃I need not tell you； my dear Cavendish； how distressed I am at this
most tragic affair。〃
〃Can you give us no help in solving it； monsieur？〃 interposed Poirot；
speaking for the first time since we had entered the room。
〃I？〃
〃Yes； we heard that Mrs。 Inglethorp wrote to you last night。 You
should have received the letter this morning。〃
〃I did； but it contains no information。 It is merely a note asking me
to call upon her this morning； as she wanted my advice on a matter of
great importance。〃
〃She gave you no hint as to what that matter might be？〃
〃Unfortunately； no。〃
〃That is a pity；〃 said John。
〃A great pity；〃 agreed Poirot gravely。
There was silence。 Poirot remained lost in thought for a few minutes。
Finally he turned to the lawyer again。
〃Mr。 Wells； there is one thing I should like to ask youthat is； if it is
not against professional etiquette。 In the event of Mrs。 Inglethorp's death；
who would inherit her money？〃
The lawyer hesitated a moment； and then replied：
〃The knowledge will be public property very soon； so if Mr。
Cavendish does not object〃
〃Not at all；〃 interpolated John。
〃I do not see any reason why I should not answer your question。 By
her last will； dated August of last year； after various unimportant legacies
to servants； etc。； she gave her entire fortune to her stepson； Mr。 John
Cavendish。〃
〃Was not thatpardon the question； Mr。 Cavendishrather unfair to
her other stepson； Mr。 Lawrence Cavendish？〃
〃No； I do not think so。 You see； under the terms of their father's will；
while John inherited the property； Lawrence； at his stepmother's death；
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THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
would come into a considerable sum of money。 Mrs。 Inglethorp left her
money to her elder stepson； knowing that he would have to keep up Styles。
It was； to my mind； a very fair and equitable distribution。〃
Poirot nodded thoughtfully。
〃I see。 But I am right in saying； am I not； that by your English law
that will was automatically revoked when Mrs。 Inglethorp remarried？〃
Mr。 Wells bowed his head。
〃As I was about to proceed； Monsieur Poirot； that document is now
null and void。〃
〃Hein！〃 said Poirot。 He reflected for a moment； and then asked：
〃Was Mrs。 Inglethorp herself aware of that fact？〃
〃I do not know。 She may have been。〃
〃She was；〃 said John unexpectedly。 〃We were discussing the matter
of wills being revoked by marriage only yesterday。〃
〃Ah！ One more question； Mr。 Wells。 You say 'her last will。' Had Mrs。
Inglethorp； then； made several former wills？〃
〃On an average； she made a new will at least once a year；〃 said Mr。
Wells imperturbably。 〃She was given to changing her mind as to her
testamentary dispositions； now benefiting one； now another member of her
family。〃
〃Suppose；〃 suggested Poirot； 〃that； unknown to you； she had made a
new will in favour of some one who was not； in any sense of the word； a
member of the familywe will say Miss Howard； for instancewould you
be surprised？〃
〃Not in the least。〃
〃Ah！〃 Poirot seemed to have exhausted his questions。
I drew close to him； while John and the lawyer were debating the
question of going through Mrs。 Inglethorp's papers。
〃Do you think Mrs。 Inglethorp made a will leaving all her money to
Miss Howard？〃 I asked in a low voice； with some curiosity。
Poirot smiled。
〃No。〃
〃Then why did you ask？〃
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THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
〃Hush！〃
John Cavendish had turned to Poirot。
〃Will you come with us； Monsieur Poirot？ We are going through my
mother's papers。 Mr。 Inglethorp is quite willing to leave it entirely to Mr。
Wells and myself。〃
〃Which simplifies matters very much；〃 murmured the lawyer。 〃As
technically； of course； he was entit
