the mysterious affair at styles(斯代尔斯的怪事)-第21节
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one stray word or phrase to make you realize that it *WAS a private
conversation？〃
She paused； and seemed to reflect； still outwardly as calm as ever。
〃Yes； I remember。 Mrs。 Inglethorp said somethingI do not
remember exactly whatabout causing scandal between husband and
wife。〃
〃Ah！〃 the Coroner leant back satisfied。 〃That corresponds with what
Dorcas heard。 But excuse me； Mrs。 Cavendish； although you realized it
was a private conversation； you did not move away？ You remained where
you were？〃
I caught the momentary gleam of her tawny eyes as she raised them。
I felt certain that at that moment she would willingly have torn the little
lawyer； with his insinuations； into pieces； but she replied quietly enough：
〃No。 I was very comfortable where I was。 I fixed my mind on my
book。〃
〃And that is all you can tell us？〃
〃That is all。〃
The examination was over； though I doubted if the Coroner was
entirely satisfied with it。 I think he suspected that Mary Cavendish could
tell more if she chose。
Amy Hill； shop assistant； was next called； and deposed to having sold
a will form on the afternoon of the 17th to William Earl； under…gardener at
Styles。
William Earl and Manning succeeded her； and testified to witnessing a
document。 Manning fixed the time at about 4。30； William was of the
opinion that it was rather earlier。
Cynthia Murdoch came next。 She had； however； little to tell。 She
had known nothing of the tragedy； until awakened by Mrs。 Cavendish。
〃You did not hear the table fall？〃
〃No。 I was fast asleep。〃
The Coroner smiled。
〃A good conscience makes a sound sleeper；〃 he observed。 〃Thank
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you； Miss Murdoch； that is all。〃
〃Miss Howard。〃
Miss Howard produced the letter written to her by Mrs。 Inglethorp on
the evening of the 17th。 Poirot and I had； of course already seen it。 It
added nothing to our knowledge of the tragedy。 The following is a
facsimile：
STYLES COURT
ESSEX hand written note： July 17th My dear Evelyn
Can we not bury the hachet？ I have found it hard to forgive the things
you said
against my dear husband but I am an old woman & very fond of you
Yours affectionately；
Emily Inglethorpe
It was handed to the jury who scrutinized it attentively。
〃I fear it does not help us much；〃 said the Coroner； with a sigh。
〃There is no mention of any of the events of that afternoon。〃
〃Plain as a pikestaff to me；〃 said Miss Howard shortly。 〃It shows
clearly enough that my poor old friend had just found out she'd been made
a fool of！〃
〃It says nothing of the kind in the letter；〃 the Coroner pointed out。
〃No； because Emily never could bear to put herself in the wrong。 But
I know her。 She wanted me back。 But she wasn't going to own that I'd
been right。 She went round about。 Most people do。 Don't believe in it
myself。〃 Mr。 Wells smiled faintly。 So； I noticed； did several of the jury。
Miss Howard was obviously quite a public character。
〃Anyway； all this tomfoolery is a great waste of time；〃 continued the
lady； glancing up and down the jury disparagingly。 〃Talktalktalk！
When all the time we know perfectly well〃
The Coroner interrupted her in an agony of apprehension：
〃Thank you； Miss Howard； that is all。〃
I fancy he breathed a sigh of relief when she complied。
Then came the sensation of the day。 The Coroner called Albert Mace；
chemist's assistant。
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THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
It was our agitated young man of the pale face。 In answer to the
Coroner's questions； he explained that he was a qualified pharmacist； but
had only recently come to this particular shop； as the assistant formerly
there had just been called up for the army。
These preliminaries completed； the Coroner proceeded to business。
〃Mr。 Mace； have you lately sold strychnine to any unauthorized
person？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃When was this？〃
〃Last Monday night。〃
〃Monday？ Not Tuesday？〃
〃No； sir； Monday； the 16th。〃
〃Will you tell us to whom you sold it？〃
You could have heard a pin drop。
〃Yes； sir。 It was to Mr。 Inglethorp。〃
Every eye turned simultaneously to where Alfred Inglethorp was
sitting； impassive and wooden。 He started slightly； as the damning words
fell from the young man's lips。 I half thought he was going to rise from
his chair； but he remained seated； although a remarkably well acted
expression of astonishment rose on his face。
〃You are sure of what you say？〃 asked the Coroner sternly。
〃Quite sure； sir。〃
〃Are you in the habit of selling strychnine indiscriminately over the
counter？〃
The wretched young man wilted visibly under the Coroner's frown。
〃Oh； no； sirof course not。 But； seeing it was Mr。 Inglethorp of the
Hall； I thought there was no harm in it。 He said it was to poison a dog。〃
Inwardly I sympathized。 It was only human nature to endeavour to
please 〃The Hall〃especially when it might result in custom being
transferred from Coot's to the local establishment。
〃Is it not customary for anyone purchasing poison to sign a book？〃
〃Yes； sir； Mr。 Inglethorp did so。〃
〃Have you got the book here？〃
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THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
〃Yes； sir。〃
It was produced； and； with a few words of stern censure； the Coroner
dismissed the wretched Mr。 Mace。
Then； amidst a breathless silence； Alfred Inglethorp was called。 Did
he realize； I wondered； how closely the halter was being drawn around his
neck？
The Coroner went straight to the point。
〃On Monday evening last； did you purchase strychnine for the purpose
of poisoning a dog？〃
Inglethorp replied with perfect calmness：
〃No； I did not。 There is no dog at Styles； except an outdoor sheepdog；
which is in perfect health。〃
〃You deny absolutely having purchased strychnine from Albert Mace
on Monday last？〃
〃I do。〃
〃Do you also deny *THIS？〃
The Coroner handed him the register in which his signature was
inscribed。
〃Certainly I do。 The hand…writing is quite different from mine。 I
will show you。〃
He took an old envelope out of his pocket； and wrote his name on it；
handing it to the jury。 It was certainly utterly dissimilar。
〃Then what is your explanation of Mr。 Mace's statement？〃
Alfred Inglethorp replied imperturbably：
〃Mr。 Mace must have been mistaken。〃
The Coroner hesitated for a moment； and then said：
〃Mr。 Inglethorp； as a mere matter of form； would you mind telling us
where you were on the evening of Monday； July 16th？〃 〃ReallyI can't
remember。〃
〃That is absurd； Mr。 Inglethorp；〃 said the Coroner sharply。 〃Think
again。〃
Inglethorp shook his head。
〃I cannot tell you。 I have an idea that I was out walking。〃
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〃In what direction？〃
〃I really can't remember。〃
The Coroner's face grew graver。
〃Were you in company with anyone？〃
〃No。〃
〃Did you meet anyone on your walk？〃
〃No。〃
〃That is a pity；〃 said the Coroner dryly。 〃I am to take it then that you
decline to say where you were at the time that Mr。 Mace positively
recognized you as entering the shop to purchase strychnine？〃
〃If you like to take it that way； yes。〃
〃Be careful； Mr。 Inglethorp。〃
Poirot was fidgeting nervously。
〃Sacre！〃 he murmured。 〃Does this imbecile of a man *WANT to be
arrested？〃
Inglethorp was indeed creating a bad impression。 His futile denials
would not have convinced a child。 The C
