Reading Help The Mysterious Affair at Styles Ch.VII-XIII
afternoon, and that therefore the quarrel took place after, and `
` not before the making of the will. `
` `
` "Here, as we know, I was wrong, and I was forced to abandon that `
` idea. I faced the problem from a new standpoint. Now, at 4 `
` o'clock, Dorcas overheard her mistress saying angrily: 'You need `
` not think that any fear of publicity, or scandal between husband `
` and wife will deter me." I conjectured, and conjectured rightly, `
` that these words were addressed, not to her husband, but to Mr. `
` John Cavendish. At 5 o'clock, an hour later, she uses almost the `
` same words, but the standpoint is different. She admits to `
` Dorcas, 'I don't know what to do; scandal between husband and `
` wife is a dreadful thing.' At 4 o'clock she has been angry, but `
` completely mistress of herself. At 5 o'clock she is in violent `
` distress, and speaks of having had a great shock. `
` `
` "Looking at the matter psychologically, I drew one deduction `
` which I was convinced was correct. The second 'scandal' she `
` spoke of was not the same as the first--and it concerned herself! `
` `
` "Let us reconstruct. At 4 o'clock, Mrs. Inglethorp quarrels with `
` her son, and threatens to denounce him to his wife--who, by the `
` way, overheard the greater part of the conversation. At 4.30, `
` Mrs. Inglethorp, in consequence of a conversation on the validity `
` of wills, makes a will in favour of her husband, which the two `
` gardeners witness. At 5 o'clock, Dorcas finds her mistress in a `
` state of considerable agitation, with a slip of paper--'a `
` letter,' Dorcas thinks--in her hand, and it is then that she `
` orders the fire in her room to be lighted. Presumably, then, `
` between 4.30 and 5 o'clock, something has occurred to occasion a `
` complete revolution of feeling, since she is now as anxious to `
` destroy the will, as she was before to make it. What was that `
` something? `
` `
` "As far as we know, she was quite alone during that half-hour. `
` Nobody entered or left that boudoir. What then occasioned this `
` sudden change of sentiment? `
` `
` "One can only guess, but I believe my guess to be correct. Mrs. `
` Inglethorp had no stamps in her desk. We know this, because `
` later she asked Dorcas to bring her some. Now in the opposite `
` corner of the room stood her husband's desk--locked. She was `
` anxious to find some stamps, and, according to my theory, she `
` tried her own keys in the desk. That one of them fitted I know. `
` She therefore opened the desk, and in searching for the stamps `
` she came across something else--that slip of paper which Dorcas `
` saw in her hand, and which assuredly was never meant for Mrs. `
` Inglethorp's eyes. On the other hand, Mrs. Cavendish believed `
` that the slip of paper to which her mother-in-law clung so `
` tenaciously was a written proof of her own husband's infidelity. `
` She demanded it from Mrs. Inglethorp who assured her, quite `
` truly, that it had nothing to do with that matter. Mrs. `
` Cavendish did not believe her. She thought that Mrs. Inglethorp `
` was shielding her stepson. Now Mrs. Cavendish is a very resolute `
` woman, and, behind her mask of reserve, she was madly jealous of `
` her husband. She determined to get hold of that paper at all `
` costs, and in this resolution chance came to her aid. She `
` happened to pick up the key of Mrs. Inglethorp's despatch-case, `
` which had been lost that morning. She knew that her `
` mother-in-law invariably kept all important papers in this `
` particular case. `
` `
` "Mrs. Cavendish, therefore, made her plans as only a woman driven `
` desperate through jealousy could have done. Some time in the `
` evening she unbolted the door leading into Mademoiselle Cynthia's `
` room. Possibly she applied oil to the hinges, for I found that `
` it opened quite noiselessly when I tried it. She put off her `
` project until the early hours of the morning as being safer, `
` since the servants were accustomed to hearing her move about her `
` room at that time. She dressed completely in her land kit, and `
` made her way quietly through Mademoiselle Cynthia's room into `
` that of Mrs. Inglethorp." `
` `
` He paused a moment, and Cynthia interrupted: `
` `
` "But I should have woken up if anyone had come through my room?" `
` `
` "Not if you were drugged, mademoiselle." `
` `
` "Drugged?" `
` `
` "Mais, oui!" `
` `
` "You remember"--he addressed us collectively again--"that through `
` all the tumult and noise next door Mademoiselle Cynthia slept. `
` That admitted of two possibilities. Either her sleep was `
` feigned--which I did not believe--or her unconsciousness was `
` indeed by artificial means. `
` `
` "With this latter idea in my mind, I examined all the coffee-cups `
` most carefully, remembering that it was Mrs. Cavendish who had `
` brought Mademoiselle Cynthia her coffee the night before. I took `
` a sample from each cup, and had them analysed--with no result. I `
` had counted the cups carefully, in the event of one having been `
` removed. Six persons had taken coffee, and six cups were duly `
` found. I had to confess myself mistaken. `
` `
` "Then I discovered that I had been guilty of a very grave `
` oversight. Coffee had been brought in for seven persons, not `
` six, for Dr. Bauerstein had been there that evening. This `
` changed the face of the whole affair, for there was now one cup `
` missing. The servants noticed nothing, since Annie, the `
` housemaid, who took in the coffee, brought in seven cups, not `
` knowing that Mr. Inglethorp never drank it, whereas Dorcas, who `
` cleared them away the following morning, found six as usual--or `
` strictly speaking she found five, the sixth being the one found `
` broken in Mrs. Inglethorp's room. `
` `
` "I was confident that the missing cup was that of Mademoiselle `
` Cynthia. I had an additional reason for that belief in the fact `
` that all the cups found contained sugar, which Mademoiselle `
` Cynthia never took in her coffee. My attention was attracted by `
` the story of Annie about some 'salt' on the tray of coco which `
` she took every night to Mrs. Inglethorp's room. I accordingly `
` secured a sample of that coco, and sent it to be analysed." `
` `
` "But that had already been done by Dr. Bauerstein," said Lawrence `
` quickly. `
` `
` "Not exactly. The analyst was asked by him to report whether `
` strychnine was, or was not, present. He did not have it tested, `
` as I did, for a narcotic." `
` `
` "For a narcotic?" `
` `
` "Yes. Here is the analyst's report. Mrs. Cavendish administered `
` a safe, but effectual, narcotic to both Mrs. Inglethorp and `
` Mademoiselle Cynthia. And it is possible that she had a mauvais `
` quart d'heure in consequence! Imagine her feelings when her `
` mother-in-law is suddenly taken ill and dies, and immediately `
` after she hears the word 'Poison'! She has believed that the `
` sleeping draught she administered was perfectly harmless, but `
` there is no doubt that for one terrible moment she must have `
` feared that Mrs. Inglethorp's death lay at her door. She is `
` seized with panic, and under its influence she hurries `
` downstairs, and quickly drops the coffee-cup and saucer used by `
` Mademoiselle Cynthia into a large brass vase, where it is `
` discovered later by Monsieur Lawrence. The remains of the coco `
` she dare not touch. Too many eyes are upon her. Guess at her `
` relief when strychnine is mentioned, and she discovers that after `
` all the tragedy is not her doing. `
` `
` "We are now able to account for the symptoms of strychnine `
` poisoning being so long in making their appearance. A narcotic `
` taken with strychnine will delay the action of the poison for `
` some hours." `
` `
` Poirot paused. Mary looked up at him, the colour slowly rising `
` in her face. `
` `
` "All you have said is quite true, Monsieur Poirot. It was the `
` most awful hour of my life. I shall never forget it. But you `
` are wonderful. I understand now----" `
` `
` "What I meant when I told you that you could safely confess to `
` Papa Poirot, eh? But you would not trust me." `
` `
` "I see everything now," said Lawrence. "The drugged coco, taken `
` on top of the poisoned coffee, amply accounts for the delay." `
` `
` "Exactly. But was the coffee poisoned, or was it not? We come to `
` a little difficulty here, since Mrs. Inglethorp never drank it." `
` `
` "What?" The cry of surprise was universal. `
` `
` "No. You will remember my speaking of a stain on the carpet in `
` Mrs. Inglethorp's room? There were some peculiar points about `
` that stain. It was still damp, it exhaled a strong odour of `
` coffee, and imbedded in the nap of the carpet I found some little `
` splinters of china. What had happened was plain to me, for not `
` two minutes before I had placed my little case on the table near `
` the window, and the table, tilting up, had deposited it upon the `
` floor on precisely the identical spot. In exactly the same way, `
` Mrs. Inglethorp had laid down her cup of coffee on reaching her `
` room the night before, and the treacherous table had played her `
` the same trick. `
` `
` "What happened next is mere guess work on my part, but I should `
` say that Mrs. Inglethorp picked up the broken cup and placed it `
` on the table by the bed. Feeling in need of a stimulant of some `
` kind, she heated up her coco, and drank it off then and there. `
` Now we are faced with a new problem. We know the coco contained `
` no strychnine. The coffee was never drunk. Yet the strychnine `
` must have been administered between seven and nine o'clock that `
` evening. What third medium was there--a medium so suitable for `
` disguising the taste of strychnine that it is extraordinary no `
` one has thought of it?" Poirot looked round the room, and then `
` answered himself impressively. "Her medicine!" `
` `
` "Do you mean that the murderer introduced the strychnine into her `
` tonic?" I cried. `
` `
` "There was no need to introduce it. It was already there--in `
` the mixture. The strychnine that killed Mrs. Inglethorp was the `
` identical strychnine prescribed by Dr. Wilkins. To make that `
` clear to you, I will read you an extract from a book on `
` dispensing which I found in the Dispensary of the Red Cross `
` Hospital at Tadminster: `
` `
` `
` "'The following prescription has become famous in text books: `
`
` not before the making of the will. `
` `
` "Here, as we know, I was wrong, and I was forced to abandon that `
` idea. I faced the problem from a new standpoint. Now, at 4 `
` o'clock, Dorcas overheard her mistress saying angrily: 'You need `
` not think that any fear of publicity, or scandal between husband `
` and wife will deter me." I conjectured, and conjectured rightly, `
` that these words were addressed, not to her husband, but to Mr. `
` John Cavendish. At 5 o'clock, an hour later, she uses almost the `
` same words, but the standpoint is different. She admits to `
` Dorcas, 'I don't know what to do; scandal between husband and `
` wife is a dreadful thing.' At 4 o'clock she has been angry, but `
` completely mistress of herself. At 5 o'clock she is in violent `
` distress, and speaks of having had a great shock. `
` `
` "Looking at the matter psychologically, I drew one deduction `
` which I was convinced was correct. The second 'scandal' she `
` spoke of was not the same as the first--and it concerned herself! `
` `
` "Let us reconstruct. At 4 o'clock, Mrs. Inglethorp quarrels with `
` her son, and threatens to denounce him to his wife--who, by the `
` way, overheard the greater part of the conversation. At 4.30, `
` Mrs. Inglethorp, in consequence of a conversation on the validity `
` of wills, makes a will in favour of her husband, which the two `
` gardeners witness. At 5 o'clock, Dorcas finds her mistress in a `
` state of considerable agitation, with a slip of paper--'a `
` letter,' Dorcas thinks--in her hand, and it is then that she `
` orders the fire in her room to be lighted. Presumably, then, `
` between 4.30 and 5 o'clock, something has occurred to occasion a `
` complete revolution of feeling, since she is now as anxious to `
` destroy the will, as she was before to make it. What was that `
` something? `
` `
` "As far as we know, she was quite alone during that half-hour. `
` Nobody entered or left that boudoir. What then occasioned this `
` sudden change of sentiment? `
` `
` "One can only guess, but I believe my guess to be correct. Mrs. `
` Inglethorp had no stamps in her desk. We know this, because `
` later she asked Dorcas to bring her some. Now in the opposite `
` corner of the room stood her husband's desk--locked. She was `
` anxious to find some stamps, and, according to my theory, she `
` tried her own keys in the desk. That one of them fitted I know. `
` She therefore opened the desk, and in searching for the stamps `
` she came across something else--that slip of paper which Dorcas `
` saw in her hand, and which assuredly was never meant for Mrs. `
` Inglethorp's eyes. On the other hand, Mrs. Cavendish believed `
` that the slip of paper to which her mother-in-law clung so `
` tenaciously was a written proof of her own husband's infidelity. `
` She demanded it from Mrs. Inglethorp who assured her, quite `
` truly, that it had nothing to do with that matter. Mrs. `
` Cavendish did not believe her. She thought that Mrs. Inglethorp `
` was shielding her stepson. Now Mrs. Cavendish is a very resolute `
` woman, and, behind her mask of reserve, she was madly jealous of `
` her husband. She determined to get hold of that paper at all `
` costs, and in this resolution chance came to her aid. She `
` happened to pick up the key of Mrs. Inglethorp's despatch-case, `
` which had been lost that morning. She knew that her `
` mother-in-law invariably kept all important papers in this `
` particular case. `
` `
` "Mrs. Cavendish, therefore, made her plans as only a woman driven `
` desperate through jealousy could have done. Some time in the `
` evening she unbolted the door leading into Mademoiselle Cynthia's `
` room. Possibly she applied oil to the hinges, for I found that `
` it opened quite noiselessly when I tried it. She put off her `
` project until the early hours of the morning as being safer, `
` since the servants were accustomed to hearing her move about her `
` room at that time. She dressed completely in her land kit, and `
` made her way quietly through Mademoiselle Cynthia's room into `
` that of Mrs. Inglethorp." `
` `
` He paused a moment, and Cynthia interrupted: `
` `
` "But I should have woken up if anyone had come through my room?" `
` `
` "Not if you were drugged, mademoiselle." `
` `
` "Drugged?" `
` `
` "Mais, oui!" `
` `
` "You remember"--he addressed us collectively again--"that through `
` all the tumult and noise next door Mademoiselle Cynthia slept. `
` That admitted of two possibilities. Either her sleep was `
` feigned--which I did not believe--or her unconsciousness was `
` indeed by artificial means. `
` `
` "With this latter idea in my mind, I examined all the coffee-cups `
` most carefully, remembering that it was Mrs. Cavendish who had `
` brought Mademoiselle Cynthia her coffee the night before. I took `
` a sample from each cup, and had them analysed--with no result. I `
` had counted the cups carefully, in the event of one having been `
` removed. Six persons had taken coffee, and six cups were duly `
` found. I had to confess myself mistaken. `
` `
` "Then I discovered that I had been guilty of a very grave `
` oversight. Coffee had been brought in for seven persons, not `
` six, for Dr. Bauerstein had been there that evening. This `
` changed the face of the whole affair, for there was now one cup `
` missing. The servants noticed nothing, since Annie, the `
` housemaid, who took in the coffee, brought in seven cups, not `
` knowing that Mr. Inglethorp never drank it, whereas Dorcas, who `
` cleared them away the following morning, found six as usual--or `
` strictly speaking she found five, the sixth being the one found `
` broken in Mrs. Inglethorp's room. `
` `
` "I was confident that the missing cup was that of Mademoiselle `
` Cynthia. I had an additional reason for that belief in the fact `
` that all the cups found contained sugar, which Mademoiselle `
` Cynthia never took in her coffee. My attention was attracted by `
` the story of Annie about some 'salt' on the tray of coco which `
` she took every night to Mrs. Inglethorp's room. I accordingly `
` secured a sample of that coco, and sent it to be analysed." `
` `
` "But that had already been done by Dr. Bauerstein," said Lawrence `
` quickly. `
` `
` "Not exactly. The analyst was asked by him to report whether `
` strychnine was, or was not, present. He did not have it tested, `
` as I did, for a narcotic." `
` `
` "For a narcotic?" `
` `
` "Yes. Here is the analyst's report. Mrs. Cavendish administered `
` a safe, but effectual, narcotic to both Mrs. Inglethorp and `
` Mademoiselle Cynthia. And it is possible that she had a mauvais `
` quart d'heure in consequence! Imagine her feelings when her `
` mother-in-law is suddenly taken ill and dies, and immediately `
` after she hears the word 'Poison'! She has believed that the `
` sleeping draught she administered was perfectly harmless, but `
` there is no doubt that for one terrible moment she must have `
` feared that Mrs. Inglethorp's death lay at her door. She is `
` seized with panic, and under its influence she hurries `
` downstairs, and quickly drops the coffee-cup and saucer used by `
` Mademoiselle Cynthia into a large brass vase, where it is `
` discovered later by Monsieur Lawrence. The remains of the coco `
` she dare not touch. Too many eyes are upon her. Guess at her `
` relief when strychnine is mentioned, and she discovers that after `
` all the tragedy is not her doing. `
` `
` "We are now able to account for the symptoms of strychnine `
` poisoning being so long in making their appearance. A narcotic `
` taken with strychnine will delay the action of the poison for `
` some hours." `
` `
` Poirot paused. Mary looked up at him, the colour slowly rising `
` in her face. `
` `
` "All you have said is quite true, Monsieur Poirot. It was the `
` most awful hour of my life. I shall never forget it. But you `
` are wonderful. I understand now----" `
` `
` "What I meant when I told you that you could safely confess to `
` Papa Poirot, eh? But you would not trust me." `
` `
` "I see everything now," said Lawrence. "The drugged coco, taken `
` on top of the poisoned coffee, amply accounts for the delay." `
` `
` "Exactly. But was the coffee poisoned, or was it not? We come to `
` a little difficulty here, since Mrs. Inglethorp never drank it." `
` `
` "What?" The cry of surprise was universal. `
` `
` "No. You will remember my speaking of a stain on the carpet in `
` Mrs. Inglethorp's room? There were some peculiar points about `
` that stain. It was still damp, it exhaled a strong odour of `
` coffee, and imbedded in the nap of the carpet I found some little `
` splinters of china. What had happened was plain to me, for not `
` two minutes before I had placed my little case on the table near `
` the window, and the table, tilting up, had deposited it upon the `
` floor on precisely the identical spot. In exactly the same way, `
` Mrs. Inglethorp had laid down her cup of coffee on reaching her `
` room the night before, and the treacherous table had played her `
` the same trick. `
` `
` "What happened next is mere guess work on my part, but I should `
` say that Mrs. Inglethorp picked up the broken cup and placed it `
` on the table by the bed. Feeling in need of a stimulant of some `
` kind, she heated up her coco, and drank it off then and there. `
` Now we are faced with a new problem. We know the coco contained `
` no strychnine. The coffee was never drunk. Yet the strychnine `
` must have been administered between seven and nine o'clock that `
` evening. What third medium was there--a medium so suitable for `
` disguising the taste of strychnine that it is extraordinary no `
` one has thought of it?" Poirot looked round the room, and then `
` answered himself impressively. "Her medicine!" `
` `
` "Do you mean that the murderer introduced the strychnine into her `
` tonic?" I cried. `
` `
` "There was no need to introduce it. It was already there--in `
` the mixture. The strychnine that killed Mrs. Inglethorp was the `
` identical strychnine prescribed by Dr. Wilkins. To make that `
` clear to you, I will read you an extract from a book on `
` dispensing which I found in the Dispensary of the Red Cross `
` Hospital at Tadminster: `
` `
` `
` "'The following prescription has become famous in text books: `
`