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He seemed to speak, and then checked himself. `
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`
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"Miss Murdoch too," I continued, "there's nothing untruthful `
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about _her_." `
`
`
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"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." `
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`
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"Well, she's young. And she sleeps soundly." `
`
`
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"Ah, yes, indeed! She must be a famous sleeper, that one!" `
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`
`
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. `
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`
`
Poirot seized his hat, gave a ferocious twist to his moustache, `
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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. `
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`
`
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. `
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`
`
Poirot had conferred with Japp in a low tone on the way up, and `
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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. `
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`
`
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. `
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`
`
Before very long we had all trooped into the drawing-room, the `
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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: `
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`
`
"MYSTERIOUS TRAGEDY IN ESSEX" `
`
`
`
"WEALTHY LADY POISONED" `
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`
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There would be pictures of Styles, snap-shots of "The family `
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leaving the Inquest"--the village photographer had not been idle! `
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All the things that one had read a hundred times--things that `
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happen to other people, not to oneself. And now, in this house, `
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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. `
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`
`
I think every one was a little surprised that it should be he and `
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not one of the official detectives who took the initiative. `
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`
`
"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. `
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`
`
"Mr. Inglethorp," said Poirot, addressing him directly, "a very `
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dark shadow is resting on this house--the shadow of murder." `
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`
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Inglethorp shook his head sadly. `
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`
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"My poor wife," he murmured. "Poor Emily! It is terrible." `
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`
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"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." `
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`
`
The two detectives fidgeted. I saw the official caution `
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"Anything you say will be used in evidence against you," actually `
`
hovering on Summerhaye's lips. Poirot went on. `
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`
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"Do you understand now, monsieur?" `
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`
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"No; What do you mean?" `
`
`
`
"I mean," said Poirot deliberately, "that you are suspected of `
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poisoning your wife." `
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`
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A little gasp ran round the circle at this plain speaking. `
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`
`
"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. `
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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?" `
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`
`
With a groan, Alfred Inglethorp sank down again and buried his `
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face in his hands. Poirot approached and stood over him. `
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`
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"Speak!" he cried menacingly. `
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`
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With an effort, Inglethorp raised his face from his hands. Then, `
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slowly and deliberately, he shook his head. `
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`
`
"You will not speak?" `
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`
`
"No. I do not believe that anyone could be so monstrous as to `
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accuse me of what you say." `
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`
`
Poirot nodded thoughtfully, like a man whose mind is made up. `
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`
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"Soit!" he said. "Then I must speak for you." `
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`
`
Alfred Inglethorp sprang up again. `
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`
`
"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. `
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`
`
FRESH SUSPICIONS `
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`
`
There was a moment's stupefied silence. Japp, who was the least `
`
surprised of any of us, was the first to speak. `
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`
`
"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 `
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