Reading Help The Mysterious Affair at Styles Ch.VII-XIII
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 `
` shock--especially 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 time we realized that the thing was not `
` a bad dream, but a tangible reality. We had read of such `
` things--now 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 times--things 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 himself--I think, `
` unconsciously, every one had drawn his chair slightly away from `
` him--and 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 house--the 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 be--for 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. `
` `
` "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!" `
` `
` `
` `
` 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 them--names 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 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 there--just 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 `
`
` `
` "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 `
` shock--especially 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 time we realized that the thing was not `
` a bad dream, but a tangible reality. We had read of such `
` things--now 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 times--things 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 himself--I think, `
` unconsciously, every one had drawn his chair slightly away from `
` him--and 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 house--the 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 be--for 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. `
` `
` "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!" `
` `
` `
` `
` 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 them--names 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 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 there--just 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 `
`