the mysterious affair at styles(斯代尔斯的怪事)-第24节
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〃Come； my friend；〃 he said； changing the subject； 〃apart from Mr。
Inglethorp； how did the evidence at the inquest strike you？〃
〃Oh； pretty much what I expected。〃
〃Did nothing strike you as peculiar about it？〃
My thoughts flew to Mary Cavendish； and I hedged：
〃In what way？〃
〃Well； Mr。 Lawrence Cavendish's evidence for instance？〃
I was relieved。
〃Oh； Lawrence！ No； I don't think so。 He's always a nervous chap。〃
〃His suggestion that his mother might have been poisoned accidentally
by means of the tonic she was taking； that did not strike you as strange
hein？〃
〃No； I can't say it did。 The doctors ridiculed it of course。 But it was
quite a natural suggestion for a layman to make。〃
〃But Monsieur Lawrence is not a layman。 You told me yourself that
he had started by studying medicine； and that he had taken his degree。〃
〃Yes； that's true。 I never thought of that。〃 I was rather startled。 〃It
*IS odd。〃
Poirot nodded。
〃From the first； his behaviour has been peculiar。 Of all the household；
he alone would be likely to recognize the symptoms of strychnine
poisoning； and yet we find him the only member of the family to uphold
strenuously the theory of death from natural causes。 If it had been
Monsieur John； I could have understood it。 He has no technical
knowledge； and is by nature unimaginative。 But Monsieur Lawrenceno！
And now； to…day； he puts forward a suggestion that he himself must have
known was ridiculous。 There is food for thought in this； mon ami！〃
〃It's very confusing；〃 I agreed。
〃Then there is Mrs。 Cavendish；〃 continued Poirot。 〃That's another
who is not telling all she knows！ What do you make of her attitude？〃
〃I don't know what to make of it。 It seems inconceivable that she
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should be shielding Alfred Inglethorp。 Yet that is what it looks like。〃
Poirot nodded reflectively。
〃Yes； it is queer。 One thing is certain； she overheard a good deal
more of that 'private conversation' than she was willing to admit。〃
〃And yet she is the last person one would accuse of stooping to
eavesdrop！〃
〃Exactly。 One thing her evidence *HAS shown me。 I made a
mistake。 Dorcas was quite right。 The quarrel did take place earlier in
the afternoon； about four o'clock； as she said。〃
I looked at him curiously。 I had never understood his insistence on
that point。
〃Yes； a good deal that was peculiar came out to…day；〃 continued Poirot。
〃Dr。 Bauerstein； now； what was *HE doing up and dressed at that hour in
the morning？ It is astonishing to me that no one commented on the fact。〃
〃He has insomnia； I believe；〃 I said doubtfully。
〃Which is a very good； or a very bad explanation；〃 remarked Poirot。
〃It covers everything； and explains nothing。 I shall keep my eye on our
clever Dr。 Bauerstein。〃
〃Any more faults to find with the evidence？〃 I inquired satirically。
〃Mon ami；〃 replied Poirot gravely； 〃when you find that people are not
telling you the truthlook out！ Now； unless I am much mistaken； at the
inquest to…day only oneat most； two persons were speaking the truth
without reservation or subterfuge。〃
〃Oh； come now； Poirot！ I won't cite Lawrence； or Mrs。 Cavendish。
But there's Johnand Miss Howard； surely they were speaking the truth？〃
〃Both of them； my friend？ One； I grant you； but both！〃
His words gave me an unpleasant shock。 Miss Howard's evidence；
unimportant as it was； had been given in such a downright straightforward
manner that it had never occurred to me to doubt her sincerity。 Still； I
had a great respect for Poirot's sagacityexcept on the occasions when he
was what I described to myself as 〃foolishly pig…headed。〃
〃Do you really think so？〃 I asked。 〃Miss Howard had always seemed
to me so essentially honestalmost uncomfortably so。〃
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Poirot gave me a curious look； which I could not quite fathom。 He
seemed to speak； and then checked himself。
〃Miss Murdoch too；〃 I continued； 〃there's nothing untruthful about
*HER。〃
〃No。 But it was strange that she never heard a sound； sleeping next
door； whereas Mrs。 Cavendish； in the other wing of the building； distinctly
heard the table fall。〃
〃Well； she's young。 And she sleeps soundly。〃
〃Ah； yes； indeed！ She must be a famous sleeper； that one！〃
I did not quite like the tone of his voice； but at that moment a smart
knock reached our ears； and looking out of the window we perceived the
two detectives waiting for us below。
Poirot seized his hat； gave a ferocious twist to his moustache； and；
carefully brushing an imaginary speck of dust from his sleeve； motioned
me to precede him down the stairs； there we joined the detectives and set
out for Styles。
I think the appearance of the two Scotland Yard men was rather a
shockespecially to John； though of course after the verdict； he had
realized that it was only a matter of time。 Still； the presence of the
detectives brought the truth home to him more than anything else could
have done。
Poirot had conferred with Japp in a low tone on the way up； and it was
the latter functionary who requested that the household； with the exception
of the servants； should be assembled together in the drawing…room。 I
realized the significance of this。 It was up to Poirot to make his boast
good。
Personally； I was not sanguine。 Poirot might have excellent reasons
for his belief in Inglethorp's innocence； but a man of the type of
Summerhaye would require tangible proofs； and these I doubted if Poirot
could supply。
Before very long we had all trooped into the drawing…room； the door
of which Japp closed。 Poirot politely set chairs for every one。 The
Scotland Yard men were the cynosure of all eyes。 I think that for the first
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time we realized that the thing was not a bad dream； but a tangible reality。
We had read of such thingsnow we ourselves were actors in the drama。
To…morrow the daily papers； all over England； would blazon out the news
in staring headlines：
〃MYSTERIOUS TRAGEDY IN ESSEX〃
〃WEALTHY LADY POISONED〃
There would be pictures of Styles； snap…shots of 〃The family leaving
the Inquest〃the village photographer had not been idle！ All the things
that one had read a hundred timesthings that happen to other people； not
to oneself。 And now； in this house； a murder had been committed。 In
front of us were 〃the detectives in charge of the case。〃 The well…known
glib phraseology passed rapidly through my mind in the interval before
Poirot opened the proceedings。
I think every one was a little surprised that it should be he and not one
of the official detectives who took the initiative。
〃Mesdames and messieurs；〃 said Poirot； bowing as though he were a
celebrity about to deliver a lecture； 〃I have asked you to come here all
together； for a certain object。 That object； it concerns Mr。 Alfred
Inglethorp。〃
Inglethorp was sitting a little by himselfI think； unconsciously； every
one had drawn his chair slightly away from himand he gave a faint start
as Poirot pronounced his name。
〃Mr。 Inglethorp；〃 said Poirot； addressing him directly； 〃a very dark
shadow is resting on this housethe shadow of murder。〃
Inglethorp shook his head sadly。
〃My poor wife；〃 he murmured。 〃Poor Emily！ It is terrible。〃
〃I do not think； monsieur；〃 said Poirot pointedly； 〃that you quite
realize how terrible it may befor you。〃 And as Inglethorp did not appear
to understand
