Reading Help The Mysterious Affair at Styles Ch.VII-XIII
`
` `
` To my extreme annoyance, Poirot was not in, and the old Belgian `
` who answered my knock informed me that he believed he had gone to `
` London. `
` `
` I was dumbfounded. What on earth could Poirot be doing in `
` London! Was it a sudden decision on his part, or had he already `
` made up his mind when he parted from me a few hours earlier? `
` `
` I retraced my steps to Styles in some annoyance. With Poirot `
` away, I was uncertain how to act. Had he foreseen this arrest? `
` Had he not, in all probability, been the cause of it? Those `
` questions I could not resolve. But in the meantime what was I to `
` do? Should I announce the arrest openly at Styles, or not? Though `
` I did not acknowledge it to myself, the thought of Mary Cavendish `
` was weighing on me. Would it not be a terrible shock to her? For `
` the moment, I set aside utterly any suspicions of her. She could `
` not be implicated--otherwise I should have heard some hint of it. `
` `
` Of course, there was no possibility of being able permanently to `
` conceal Dr. Bauerstein's arrest from her. It would be announced `
` in every newspaper on the morrow. Still, I shrank from blurting `
` it out. If only Poirot had been accessible, I could have asked `
` his advice. What possessed him to go posting off to London in `
` this unaccountable way? `
` `
` In spite of myself, my opinion of his sagacity was immeasurably `
` heightened. I would never have dreamt of suspecting the doctor, `
` had not Poirot put it into my head. Yes, decidedly, the little `
` man was clever. `
` `
` After some reflecting, I decided to take John into my confidence, `
` and leave him to make the matter public or not, as he thought `
` fit. `
` `
` He gave vent to a prodigious whistle, as I imparted the news. `
` `
` "Great Scot! You _were_ right, then. I couldn't believe it at `
` the time." `
` `
` "No, it is astonishing until you get used to the idea, and see `
` how it makes everything fit in. Now, what are we to do? Of `
` course, it will be generally known to-morrow." `
` `
` John reflected. `
` `
` "Never mind," he said at last, "we won't say anything at present. `
` There is no need. As you say, it will be known soon enough." `
` `
` But to my intense surprise, on getting down early the next `
` morning, and eagerly opening the newspapers, there was not a word `
` about the arrest! There was a column of mere padding about "The `
` Styles Poisoning Case," but nothing further. It was rather `
` inexplicable, but I supposed that, for some reason or other, Japp `
` wished to keep it out of the papers. It worried me just a `
` little, for it suggested the possibility that there might be `
` further arrests to come. `
` `
` After breakfast, I decided to go down to the village, and see if `
` Poirot had returned yet; but, before I could start, a well-known `
` face blocked one of the windows, and the well-known voice said: `
` `
` "Bon jour, mon ami!" `
` `
` "Poirot," I exclaimed, with relief, and seizing him by both `
` hands, I dragged him into the room. "I was never so glad to see `
` anyone. Listen, I have said nothing to anybody but John. Is `
` that right?" `
` `
` "My friend," replied Poirot, "I do not know what you are talking `
` about." `
` `
` "Dr. Bauerstein's arrest, of course," I answered impatiently. `
` `
` "Is Bauerstein arrested, then?" `
` `
` "Did you not know it?" `
` `
` "Not the least in the world." But, pausing a moment, he added: `
` "Still, it does not surprise me. After all, we are only four `
` miles from the coast." `
` `
` "The coast?" I asked, puzzled. "What has that got to do with `
` it?" `
` `
` Poirot shrugged his shoulders. `
` `
` "Surely, it is obvious!" `
` `
` "Not to me. No doubt I am very dense, but I cannot see what the `
` proximity of the coast has got to do with the murder of Mrs. `
` Inglethorp." `
` `
` "Nothing at all, of course," replied Poirot, smiling. "But we `
` were speaking of the arrest of Dr. Bauerstein." `
` `
` "Well, he is arrested for the murder of Mrs. Inglethorp----" `
` `
` "What?" cried Poirot, in apparently lively astonishment. "Dr. `
` Bauerstein arrested for the murder of Mrs. Inglethorp?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "Impossible! That would be too good a farce! Who told you that, `
` my friend?" `
` `
` "Well, no one exactly told me," I confessed. "But he is `
` arrested." `
` `
` "Oh, yes, very likely. But for espionage, mon ami." `
` `
` "Espionage?" I gasped. `
` `
` "Precisely." `
` `
` "Not for poisoning Mrs. Inglethorp?" `
` `
` "Not unless our friend Japp has taken leave of his senses," `
` replied Poirot placidly. `
` `
` "But--but I thought you thought so too?" `
` `
` Poirot gave me one look, which conveyed a wondering pity, and his `
` full sense of the utter absurdity of such an idea. `
` `
` "Do you mean to say," I asked, slowly adapting myself to the new `
` idea, "that Dr. Bauerstein is a spy?" `
` `
` Poirot nodded. `
` `
` "Have you never suspected it?" `
` `
` "It never entered my head." `
` `
` "It did not strike you as peculiar that a famous London doctor `
` should bury himself in a little village like this, and should be `
` in the habit of walking about at all hours of the night, fully `
` dressed?" `
` `
` "No," I confessed, "I never thought of such a thing." `
` `
` "He is, of course, a German by birth," said Poirot thoughtfully, `
` "though he has practiced so long in this country that nobody `
` thinks of him as anything but an Englishman. He was naturalized `
` about fifteen years ago. A very clever man--a Jew, of course." `
` `
` "The blackguard!" I cried indignantly. `
` `
` "Not at all. He is, on the contrary, a patriot. Think what he `
` stands to lose. I admire the man myself." `
` `
` But I could not look at it in Poirot's philosophical way. `
` `
` "And this is the man with whom Mrs. Cavendish has been wandering `
` about all over the country!" I cried indignantly. `
` `
` "Yes. I should fancy he had found her very useful," remarked `
` Poirot. "So long as gossip busied itself in coupling their names `
` together, any other vagaries of the doctor's passed unobserved." `
` `
` "Then you think he never really cared for her?" I asked `
` eagerly--rather too eagerly, perhaps, under the circumstances. `
` `
` "That, of course, I cannot say, but--shall I tell you my own `
` private opinion, Hastings?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "Well, it is this: that Mrs. Cavendish does not care, and never `
` has cared one little jot about Dr. Bauerstein!" `
` `
` "Do you really think so?" I could not disguise my pleasure. `
` `
` "I am quite sure of it. And I will tell you why." `
` `
` "Yes?" `
` `
` "Because she cares for some one else, mon ami." `
` `
` "Oh!" What did he mean? In spite of myself, an agreeable warmth `
` spread over me. I am not a vain man where women are concerned, `
` but I remembered certain evidences, too lightly thought of at the `
` time, perhaps, but which certainly seemed to indicate---- `
` `
` My pleasing thoughts were interrupted by the sudden entrance of `
` Miss Howard. She glanced round hastily to make sure there was no `
` one else in the room, and quickly produced an old sheet of brown `
` paper. This she handed to Poirot, murmuring as she did so the `
` cryptic words: `
` `
` "On top of the wardrobe." Then she hurriedly left the room. `
` `
` Poirot unfolded the sheet of paper eagerly, and uttered an `
` exclamation of satisfaction. He spread it out on the table. `
` `
` "Come here, Hastings. Now tell me, what is that initial--J. or `
` L.?" `
` `
` It was a medium sized sheet of paper, rather dusty, as though it `
` had lain by for some time. But it was the label that was `
`
` `
` To my extreme annoyance, Poirot was not in, and the old Belgian `
` who answered my knock informed me that he believed he had gone to `
` London. `
` `
` I was dumbfounded. What on earth could Poirot be doing in `
` London! Was it a sudden decision on his part, or had he already `
` made up his mind when he parted from me a few hours earlier? `
` `
` I retraced my steps to Styles in some annoyance. With Poirot `
` away, I was uncertain how to act. Had he foreseen this arrest? `
` Had he not, in all probability, been the cause of it? Those `
` questions I could not resolve. But in the meantime what was I to `
` do? Should I announce the arrest openly at Styles, or not? Though `
` I did not acknowledge it to myself, the thought of Mary Cavendish `
` was weighing on me. Would it not be a terrible shock to her? For `
` the moment, I set aside utterly any suspicions of her. She could `
` not be implicated--otherwise I should have heard some hint of it. `
` `
` Of course, there was no possibility of being able permanently to `
` conceal Dr. Bauerstein's arrest from her. It would be announced `
` in every newspaper on the morrow. Still, I shrank from blurting `
` it out. If only Poirot had been accessible, I could have asked `
` his advice. What possessed him to go posting off to London in `
` this unaccountable way? `
` `
` In spite of myself, my opinion of his sagacity was immeasurably `
` heightened. I would never have dreamt of suspecting the doctor, `
` had not Poirot put it into my head. Yes, decidedly, the little `
` man was clever. `
` `
` After some reflecting, I decided to take John into my confidence, `
` and leave him to make the matter public or not, as he thought `
` fit. `
` `
` He gave vent to a prodigious whistle, as I imparted the news. `
` `
` "Great Scot! You _were_ right, then. I couldn't believe it at `
` the time." `
` `
` "No, it is astonishing until you get used to the idea, and see `
` how it makes everything fit in. Now, what are we to do? Of `
` course, it will be generally known to-morrow." `
` `
` John reflected. `
` `
` "Never mind," he said at last, "we won't say anything at present. `
` There is no need. As you say, it will be known soon enough." `
` `
` But to my intense surprise, on getting down early the next `
` morning, and eagerly opening the newspapers, there was not a word `
` about the arrest! There was a column of mere padding about "The `
` Styles Poisoning Case," but nothing further. It was rather `
` inexplicable, but I supposed that, for some reason or other, Japp `
` wished to keep it out of the papers. It worried me just a `
` little, for it suggested the possibility that there might be `
` further arrests to come. `
` `
` After breakfast, I decided to go down to the village, and see if `
` Poirot had returned yet; but, before I could start, a well-known `
` face blocked one of the windows, and the well-known voice said: `
` `
` "Bon jour, mon ami!" `
` `
` "Poirot," I exclaimed, with relief, and seizing him by both `
` hands, I dragged him into the room. "I was never so glad to see `
` anyone. Listen, I have said nothing to anybody but John. Is `
` that right?" `
` `
` "My friend," replied Poirot, "I do not know what you are talking `
` about." `
` `
` "Dr. Bauerstein's arrest, of course," I answered impatiently. `
` `
` "Is Bauerstein arrested, then?" `
` `
` "Did you not know it?" `
` `
` "Not the least in the world." But, pausing a moment, he added: `
` "Still, it does not surprise me. After all, we are only four `
` miles from the coast." `
` `
` "The coast?" I asked, puzzled. "What has that got to do with `
` it?" `
` `
` Poirot shrugged his shoulders. `
` `
` "Surely, it is obvious!" `
` `
` "Not to me. No doubt I am very dense, but I cannot see what the `
` proximity of the coast has got to do with the murder of Mrs. `
` Inglethorp." `
` `
` "Nothing at all, of course," replied Poirot, smiling. "But we `
` were speaking of the arrest of Dr. Bauerstein." `
` `
` "Well, he is arrested for the murder of Mrs. Inglethorp----" `
` `
` "What?" cried Poirot, in apparently lively astonishment. "Dr. `
` Bauerstein arrested for the murder of Mrs. Inglethorp?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "Impossible! That would be too good a farce! Who told you that, `
` my friend?" `
` `
` "Well, no one exactly told me," I confessed. "But he is `
` arrested." `
` `
` "Oh, yes, very likely. But for espionage, mon ami." `
` `
` "Espionage?" I gasped. `
` `
` "Precisely." `
` `
` "Not for poisoning Mrs. Inglethorp?" `
` `
` "Not unless our friend Japp has taken leave of his senses," `
` replied Poirot placidly. `
` `
` "But--but I thought you thought so too?" `
` `
` Poirot gave me one look, which conveyed a wondering pity, and his `
` full sense of the utter absurdity of such an idea. `
` `
` "Do you mean to say," I asked, slowly adapting myself to the new `
` idea, "that Dr. Bauerstein is a spy?" `
` `
` Poirot nodded. `
` `
` "Have you never suspected it?" `
` `
` "It never entered my head." `
` `
` "It did not strike you as peculiar that a famous London doctor `
` should bury himself in a little village like this, and should be `
` in the habit of walking about at all hours of the night, fully `
` dressed?" `
` `
` "No," I confessed, "I never thought of such a thing." `
` `
` "He is, of course, a German by birth," said Poirot thoughtfully, `
` "though he has practiced so long in this country that nobody `
` thinks of him as anything but an Englishman. He was naturalized `
` about fifteen years ago. A very clever man--a Jew, of course." `
` `
` "The blackguard!" I cried indignantly. `
` `
` "Not at all. He is, on the contrary, a patriot. Think what he `
` stands to lose. I admire the man myself." `
` `
` But I could not look at it in Poirot's philosophical way. `
` `
` "And this is the man with whom Mrs. Cavendish has been wandering `
` about all over the country!" I cried indignantly. `
` `
` "Yes. I should fancy he had found her very useful," remarked `
` Poirot. "So long as gossip busied itself in coupling their names `
` together, any other vagaries of the doctor's passed unobserved." `
` `
` "Then you think he never really cared for her?" I asked `
` eagerly--rather too eagerly, perhaps, under the circumstances. `
` `
` "That, of course, I cannot say, but--shall I tell you my own `
` private opinion, Hastings?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "Well, it is this: that Mrs. Cavendish does not care, and never `
` has cared one little jot about Dr. Bauerstein!" `
` `
` "Do you really think so?" I could not disguise my pleasure. `
` `
` "I am quite sure of it. And I will tell you why." `
` `
` "Yes?" `
` `
` "Because she cares for some one else, mon ami." `
` `
` "Oh!" What did he mean? In spite of myself, an agreeable warmth `
` spread over me. I am not a vain man where women are concerned, `
` but I remembered certain evidences, too lightly thought of at the `
` time, perhaps, but which certainly seemed to indicate---- `
` `
` My pleasing thoughts were interrupted by the sudden entrance of `
` Miss Howard. She glanced round hastily to make sure there was no `
` one else in the room, and quickly produced an old sheet of brown `
` paper. This she handed to Poirot, murmuring as she did so the `
` cryptic words: `
` `
` "On top of the wardrobe." Then she hurriedly left the room. `
` `
` Poirot unfolded the sheet of paper eagerly, and uttered an `
` exclamation of satisfaction. He spread it out on the table. `
` `
` "Come here, Hastings. Now tell me, what is that initial--J. or `
` L.?" `
` `
` It was a medium sized sheet of paper, rather dusty, as though it `
` had lain by for some time. But it was the label that was `
`