the mysterious affair at styles(斯代尔斯的怪事)-第38节
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〃The same address to which you sent the parcel？〃
〃Yes。〃
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〃And the letter came from there？〃
〃Yes。〃
Like a beast of prey； Heavywether fell upon him：
〃How do you know？〃
〃II don't understand。〃
〃How do you know that letter came from Styles？ Did you notice the
postmark？〃
〃Nobut〃
〃Ah； you did *NOT notice the postmark！ And yet you affirm so
confidently that it came from Styles。 It might； in fact； have been any
postmark？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃In fact； the letter； though written on stamped notepaper； might have
been posted from anywhere？ From Wales； for instance？〃
The witness admitted that such might be the case； and Sir Ernest
signified that he was satisfied。
Elizabeth Wells； second housemaid at Styles； stated that after she had
gone to bed she remembered that she had bolted the front door； instead of
leaving it on the latch as Mr。 Inglethorp had requested。 She had
accordingly gone downstairs again to rectify her error。 Hearing a slight
noise in the West wing； she had peeped along the passage； and had seen
Mr。 John Cavendish knocking at Mrs。 Inglethorp's door。
Sir Ernest Heavywether made short work of her； and under his
unmerciful bullying she contradicted herself hopelessly； and Sir Ernest sat
down again with a satisfied smile on his face。
With the evidence of Annie； as to the candle grease on the floor； and as
to seeing the prisoner take the coffee into the boudoir； the proceedings
were adjourned until the following day。
As we went home； Mary Cavendish spoke bitterly against the
prosecuting counsel。
〃That hateful man！ What a net he has drawn around my poor John！
How he twisted every little fact until he made it seem what it wasn't！〃
〃Well；〃 I said consolingly； 〃it will be the other way about to…morrow。〃
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〃Yes；〃 she said meditatively； then suddenly dropped her voice。 〃Mr。
Hastings； you do not thinksurely it could not have been LawrenceOh；
no； that could not be！〃
But I myself was puzzled； and as soon as I was alone with Poirot I
asked him what he thought Sir Ernest was driving at。
〃Ah！〃 said Poirot appreciatively。 〃He is a clever man； that Sir
Ernest。〃
〃Do you think he believes Lawrence guilty？〃
〃I do not think he believes or cares anything！ No； what he is trying for
is to create such confusion in the minds of the jury that they are divided in
their opinion as to which brother did it。 He is endeavouring to make out
that there is quite as much evidence against Lawrence as against Johnand
I am not at all sure that he will not succeed。〃
Detective…inspector Japp was the first witness called when the trial
was reopened； and gave his evidence succinctly and briefly。 After
relating the earlier events； he proceeded：
〃Acting on information received； Superintendent Summerhaye and
myself searched the prisoner's room； during his temporary absence from
the house。 In his chest of drawers； hidden beneath some underclothing；
we found： first； a pair of gold…rimmed pince…nez similar to those worn by
Mr。 Inglethorp〃 these were exhibited〃secondly； this phial。〃
The phial was that already recognized by the chemist's assistant； a tiny
bottle of blue glass； containing a few grains of a white crystalline powder；
and labelled： 〃Strychnine Hydrochloride。 POISON。〃
A fresh piece of evidence discovered by the detectives since the police
court proceedings was a long； almost new piece of blotting…paper。 It had
been found in Mrs。 Inglethorp's cheque book； and on being reversed at a
mirror； showed clearly the words： 〃。 。 。 erything of which I die
possessed I leave to my beloved husband Alfred Ing 。。。〃 This placed
beyond question the fact that the destroyed will had been in favour of the
deceased lady's husband。 Japp then produced the charred fragment of
paper recovered from the grate； and this； with the discovery of the beard in
the attic； completed his evidence。
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But Sir Ernest's cross…examination was yet to come。
〃What day was it when you searched the prisoner's room？〃
〃Tuesday； the 24th of July。〃
〃Exactly a week after the tragedy？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃You found these two objects； you say； in the chest of drawers。 Was
the drawer unlocked？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Does it not strike you as unlikely that a man who had committed a
crime should keep the evidence of it in an unlocked drawer for anyone to
find？〃
〃He might have stowed them there in a hurry。〃
〃But you have just said it was a whole week since the crime。 He
would have had ample time to remove them and destroy them。〃
〃Perhaps。〃
〃There is no perhaps about it。 Would he； or would he not have had
plenty of time to remove and destroy them？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Was the pile of underclothes under which the things were hidden
heavy or light？〃
〃Heavyish。〃
〃In other words； it was winter underclothing。 Obviously； the prisoner
would not be likely to go to that drawer？〃
〃Perhaps not。〃
〃Kindly answer my question。 Would the prisoner； in the hottest week
of a hot summer； be likely to go to a drawer containing winter
underclothing。 Yes； or no？〃
〃No。〃
〃In that case； is it not possible that the articles in question might have
been put there by a third person； and that the prisoner was quite unaware
of their presence？〃
〃I should not think it likely。〃
〃But it is possible？〃
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〃Yes。〃
〃That is all。〃
More evidence followed。 Evidence as to the financial difficulties in
which the prisoner had found himself at the end of July。 Evidence as to
his intrigue with Mrs。 Raikespoor Mary； that must have been bitter
hearing for a woman of her pride。 Evelyn Howard had been right in her
facts； though her animosity against Alfred Inglethorp had caused her to
jump to the conclusion that he was the person concerned。
Lawrence Cavendish was then put into the box。 In a low voice； in
answer to Mr。 Philips' questions； he denied having ordered anything from
Parkson's in June。 In fact； on June 29th； he had been staying away； in
Wales。
Instantly； Sir Ernest's chin was shooting pugnaciously forward。
〃You deny having ordered a black beard from Parkson's on June
29th？〃
〃I do。〃
〃Ah！ In the event of anything happening to your brother； who will
inherit Styles Court？〃
The brutality of the question called a flush to Lawrence's pale face。
The judge gave vent to a faint murmur of disapprobation； and the prisoner
in the dock leant forward angrily。
Heavywether cared nothing for his client's anger。
〃Answer my question； if you please。〃
〃I suppose；〃 said Lawrence quietly； 〃that I should。〃
〃What do you mean by you 'suppose'？ Your brother has no children。
You *WOULD inherit it； wouldn't you？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Ah； that's better；〃 said Heavywether； with ferocious geniality。 〃And
you'd inherit a good slice of money too； wouldn't you？〃
〃Really； Sir Ernest；〃 protested the judge； 〃these questions are not
relevant。〃
Sir Ernest bowed； and having shot his arrow proceeded。
〃On Tuesday； the 17th July； you went； I believe； with another guest； to
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visit the dispensary at the Red Cross Hospital in Tadminster？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Did youwhile you happened to be alone for a few secondsunlock
