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on with his investigations。 He picked up the bunch of keys from the
floor； and twirling them round in his fingers finally selected one； very
bright and shining； which he tried in the lock of the purple despatch…case。
It fitted； and he opened the box； but after a moment's hesitation； closed
and relocked it； and slipped the bunch of keys； as well as the key that had
originally stood in the lock； into his own pocket。
〃I have no authority to go through these papers。 But it should be
doneat once！〃
He then made a very careful examination of the drawers of the wash…
stand。 Crossing the room to the left…hand window； a round stain； hardly
visible on the dark brown carpet； seemed to interest him particularly。 He
went down on his knees； examining it minutelyeven going so far as to
smell it。
Finally； he poured a few drops of the coco into a test tube； sealing it up
carefully。 His next proceeding was to take out a little notebook。
〃We have found in this room；〃 he said； writing busily； 〃six points of
interest。 Shall I enumerate them； or will you？〃
〃Oh； you；〃 I replied hastily。
〃Very well； then。 One； a coffee…cup that has been ground into powder；
two； a despatch…case with a key in the lock； three； a stain on the floor。〃
〃That may have been done some time ago；〃 I interrupted。
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〃No； for it is still perceptibly damp and smells of coffee。 Four； a
fragment of some dark green fabriconly a thread or two； but
recognizable。〃
〃Ah！〃 I cried。 〃That was what you sealed up in the envelope。〃
〃Yes。 It may turn out to be a piece of one of Mrs。 Inglethorp's own
dresses； and quite unimportant。 We shall see。 Five； *THIS！〃 With a
dramatic gesture； he pointed to a large splash of candle grease on the floor
by the writing…table。 〃It must have been done since yesterday； otherwise
a good housemaid would have at once removed it with blotting…paper and
a hot iron。 One of my best hats oncebut that is not to the point。〃
〃It was very likely done last night。 We were very agitated。 Or
perhaps Mrs。 Inglethorp herself dropped her candle。〃
〃You brought only one candle into the room？〃
〃Yes。 Lawrence Cavendish was carrying it。 But he was very upset。
He seemed to see something over here〃I indicated the mantelpiece〃that
absolutely paralysed him。〃
〃That is interesting；〃 said Poirot quickly。 〃Yes； it is suggestive〃his
eye sweeping the whole length of the wall 〃but it was not his candle that
made this great patch； for you perceive that this is white grease； whereas
Monsieur Lawrence's candle； which is still on the dressing…table； is pink。
On the other hand； Mrs。 Inglethorp had no candlestick in the room； only a
reading…lamp。〃
〃Then；〃 I said； 〃what do you deduce？〃
To which my friend only made a rather irritating reply； urging me to
use my own natural faculties。
〃And the sixth point？〃 I asked。 〃I suppose it is the sample of coco。〃
〃No；〃 said Poirot thoughtfully。 〃I might have included that in the six；
but I did not。 No； the sixth point I will keep to myself for the present。〃
He looked quickly round the room。 〃There is nothing more to be
done here； I think； unless〃he stared earnestly and long at the dead ashes
in the grate。 〃The fire burnsand it destroys。 But by chancethere
might belet us see！〃
Deftly； on hands and knees； he began to sort the ashes from the grate
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THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
into the fender； handling them with the greatest caution。 Suddenly； he
gave a faint exclamation。
〃The forceps； Hastings！〃
I quickly handed them to him； and with skill he extracted a small piece
of half charred paper。
〃There； mon ami！〃 he cried。 〃What do you think of that？〃
I scrutinized the fragment。 This is an exact reproduction of it：
I was puzzled。 It was unusually thick； quite unlike ordinary
notepaper。 Suddenly an idea struck me。
〃Poirot！〃 I cried。 〃This is a fragment of a will！〃
〃Exactly。〃
I looked up at him sharply。
〃You are not surprised？〃
〃No；〃 he said gravely； 〃I expected it。〃
I relinquished the piece of paper； and watched him put it away in his
case； with the same methodical care that he bestowed on everything。 My
brain was in a whirl。 What was this complication of a will？ Who had
destroyed it？ The person who had left the candle grease on the floor？
Obviously。 But how had anyone gained admission？ All the doors had
been bolted on the inside。
〃Now； my friend；〃 said Poirot briskly； 〃we will go。 I should like to
ask a few questions of the parlourmaidDorcas； her name is； is it not？〃
We passed through Alfred Inglethorp's room； and Poirot delayed long
enough to make a brief but fairly comprehensive examination of it。 We
went out through that door； locking both it and that of Mrs。 Inglethorp's
room as before。
I took him down to the boudoir which he had expressed a wish to see；
and went myself in search of Dorcas。
When I returned with her； however； the boudoir was empty。
〃Poirot；〃 I cried； 〃where are you？〃
〃I am here； my friend。〃
He had stepped outside the French window； and was standing；
apparently lost in admiration； before the various shaped flower beds。
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〃Admirable！〃 he murmured。 〃Admirable！ What symmetry！ Observe
that crescent； and those diamondstheir neatness rejoices the eye。 The
spacing of the plants； also； is perfect。 It has been recently done； is it not
so？〃
〃Yes； I believe they were at it yesterday afternoon。 But come in
Dorcas is here。〃
〃Eh bien； eh bien！ Do not grudge me a moment's satisfaction of the
eye。〃
〃Yes； but this affair is more important。〃
〃And how do you know that these fine begonias are not of equal
importance？〃
I shrugged my shoulders。 There was really no arguing with him if he
chose to take that line。
〃You do not agree？ But such things have been。 Well； we will come in
and interview the brave Dorcas。〃
Dorcas was standing in the boudoir； her hands folded in front of her；
and her grey hair rose in stiff waves under her white cap。 She was the
very model and picture of a good old…fashioned servant。
In her attitude towards Poirot； she was inclined to be suspicious； but he
soon broke down her defences。 He drew forward a chair。
〃Pray be seated； mademoiselle。〃
〃Thank you； sir。〃
〃You have been with your mistress many years； is it not so？〃
〃Ten years； sir。〃
〃That is a long time； and very faithful service。 You were much
attached to her； were you not？〃
〃She was a very good mistress to me； sir。〃
〃Then you will not object to answering a few questions。 I put them
to you with Mr。 Cavendish's full approval。〃
〃Oh； certainly； s