the mysterious affair at styles(斯代尔斯的怪事)-第25节
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realize how terrible it may befor you。〃 And as Inglethorp did not appear
to understand； he added： 〃Mr。 Inglethorp； you are standing in very grave
danger。〃
The two detectives fidgeted。 I saw the official caution 〃Anything you
say will be used in evidence against you；〃 actually hovering on
Summerhaye's lips。 Poirot went on。
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〃Do you understand now； monsieur？〃
〃No； What do you mean？〃
〃I mean；〃 said Poirot deliberately； 〃that you are suspected of poisoning
your wife。〃
A little gasp ran round the circle at this plain speaking。
〃Good heavens！〃 cried Inglethorp； starting up。 〃What a monstrous
idea！ _I_poison my dearest Emily！〃
〃I do not think〃Poirot watched him narrowly〃that you quite realize
the unfavourable nature of your evidence at the inquest。 Mr。 Inglethorp；
knowing what I have now told you； do you still refuse to say where you
were at six o'clock on Monday afternoon？〃
With a groan； Alfred Inglethorp sank down again and buried his face in
his hands。 Poirot approached and stood over him。
〃Speak！〃 he cried menacingly。
With an effort； Inglethorp raised his face from his hands。 Then；
slowly and deliberately； he shook his head。
〃You will not speak？〃
〃No。 I do not believe that anyone could be so monstrous as to accuse
me of what you say。〃
Poirot nodded thoughtfully； like a man whose mind is made up。
〃Soit！〃 he said。 〃Then I must speak for you。〃
Alfred Inglethorp sprang up again。
〃You？ How can you speak？ You do not know〃 he broke off
abruptly。
Poirot turned to face us。 〃Mesdames and messieurs！ I speak！ Listen！
I； Hercule Poirot； affirm that the man who entered the chemist's shop； and
purchased strychnine at six o'clock on Monday last was not Mr。 Inglethorp；
for at six o'clock on that day Mr。 Inglethorp was escorting Mrs。 Raikes
back to her home from a neighbouring farm。 I can produce no less than
five witnesses to swear to having seen them together； either at six or just
after and； as you may know； the Abbey Farm； Mrs。 Raikes's home； is at
least two and a half miles distant from the village。 There is absolutely no
question as to the alibi！〃
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THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
CHAPTER VIII。 FRESH
SUSPICIONS
There was a moment's stupefied silence。 Japp； who was the least
surprised of any of us； was the first to speak。
〃My word；〃 he cried； 〃you're the goods！ And no mistake； Mr。 Poirot！
These witnesses of yours are all right； I suppose？〃
〃Voila！ I have prepared a list of themnames and addresses。 You
must see them； of course。 But you will find it all right。〃
〃I'm sure of that。〃 Japp lowered his voice。 〃I'm much obliged to you。
A pretty mare's nest arresting him would have been。〃 He turned to
Inglethorp。 〃But； if you'll excuse me； sir； why couldn't you say all this at
the inquest？〃
〃I will tell you why；〃 interrupted Poirot。 〃There was a certain
rumour〃
〃A most malicious and utterly untrue one；〃 interrupted Alfred
Inglethorp in an agitated voice。
〃And Mr。 Inglethorp was anxious to have no scandal revived just at
present。 Am I right？〃
〃Quite right。〃 Inglethorp nodded。 〃With my poor Emily not yet
buried； can you wonder I was anxious that no more lying rumours should
be started。〃
〃Between you and me； sir；〃 remarked Japp； 〃I'd sooner have any
amount of rumours than be arrested for murder。 And I venture to think
your poor lady would have felt the same。 And； if it hadn't been for Mr。
Poirot here； arrested you would have been； as sure as eggs is eggs！〃
〃I was foolish； no doubt；〃 murmured Inglethorp。 〃But you do not
know； inspector； how I have been persecuted and maligned。〃 And he shot a
baleful glance at Evelyn Howard。
〃Now； sir；〃 said Japp； turning briskly to John； 〃I should like to see the
lady's bedroom； please； and after that I'll have a little chat with the
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servants。 Don't you bother about anything。 Mr。 Poirot； here； will show
me the way。〃
As they all went out of the room； Poirot turned and made me a sign to
follow him upstairs。 There he caught me by the arm； and drew me aside。
〃Quick； go to the other wing。 Stand therejust this side of the baize
door。 Do not move till I come。〃 Then； turning rapidly； he rejoined the
two detectives。
I followed his instructions； taking up my position by the baize door；
and wondering what on earth lay behind the request。 Why was I to stand
in this particular spot on guard？ I looked thoughtfully down the corridor in
front of me。 An idea struck me。 With the exception of Cynthia
Murdoch's； every one's room was in this left wing。 Had that anything to
do with it？ Was I to report who came or went？ I stood faithfully at my post。
The minutes passed。 Nobody came。 Nothing happened。
It must have been quite twenty minutes before Poirot rejoined me。
〃You have not stirred？〃
〃No； I've stuck here like a rock。 Nothing's happened。〃
〃Ah！〃 Was he pleased； or disappointed？ 〃You've seen nothing at all？〃
〃No。〃
〃But you have probably heard something？ A big bumpeh； mon ami？〃
〃No。〃
〃Is it possible？ Ah； but I am vexed with myself！ I am not usually
clumsy。 I made but a slight gesture〃I know Poirot's gestures〃with the
left hand； and over went the table by the bed！〃
He looked so childishly vexed and crest…fallen that I hastened to
console him。
〃Never mind； old chap。 What does it matter？ Your triumph
downstairs excited you。 I can tell you； that was a surprise to us all。
There must be more in this affair of Inglethorp's with Mrs。 Raikes than we
thought； to make him hold his tongue so persistently。 What are you
going to do now？ Where are the Scotland Yard fellows？〃
〃Gone down to interview the servants。 I showed them all our
exhibits。 I am disappointed in Japp。 He has no method！〃
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〃Hullo！〃 I said； looking out of the window。 〃Here's Dr。 Bauerstein。
I believe you're right about that man； Poirot。 I don't like him。〃
〃He is clever；〃 observed Poirot meditatively。
〃Oh； clever as the devil！ I must say I was overjoyed to see him in the
plight he was in on Tuesday。 You never saw such a spectacle！〃 And I
described the doctor's adventure。 〃He looked a regular scarecrow！
Plastered with mud from head to foot。〃
〃You saw him； then？〃
〃Yes。 Of course； he didn't want to come init was just after dinner
but Mr。 Inglethorp insisted。〃
〃What？〃 Poirot caught me violently by the shoulders。 〃Was Dr。
Bauerstein here on Tuesday evening？ Here？ And you never told me？ Why
did you not tell me？ Why？ Why？〃
He appeared to be in an absolute frenzy。
〃My dear Poirot；〃 I expostulated； 〃I never thought it would interest
you。 I didn't know it was of any importance。〃
〃Importance？ It is of the first importance！ So Dr。 Bauerstein was here
on Tuesday nightthe night of the murder。 Hastings； do you not see？
That alters everythingeverything！〃
I had never seen him so upset。 Loosening his hold of me； he
mechanically straightened a pair of candlesticks； still murmuring to
himself： 〃Yes； that alters everythingeverything。〃
Suddenly he seemed to come to a decision。
〃Allons！〃 he said。 〃We must act at once。 Where is Mr。 Cavendish？〃
J
