按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃You will understand； Wells；〃 he added； 〃that this is all strictly private。
We are still hoping that there will turn out to be no need for investigation
of any kind。〃
〃Quite so； quite so；〃 said Mr。 Wells soothingly。 〃I wish we could
have spared you the pain and publicity of an inquest； but of course it's
quite unavoidable in the absence of a doctor's certificate。〃
〃Yes； I suppose so。〃
〃Clever man； Bauerstein。 Great authority on toxicology； I believe。〃
〃Indeed；〃 said John with a certain stiffness in his manner。 Then he
added rather hesitatingly： 〃Shall we have to appear as witnessesall of us；
I mean？〃
〃You； of courseand aherMr。erInglethorp。〃
A slight pause ensued before the lawyer went on in his soothing
manner：
〃Any other evidence will be simply confirmatory； a mere matter of
form。〃
〃I see。〃
A faint expression of relief swept over John's face。 It puzzled me； for
I saw no occasion for it。
〃If you know of nothing to the contrary；〃 pursued Mr。 Wells； 〃I had
thought of Friday。 That will give us plenty of time for the doctor's report。
The post…mortem is to take place to…night； I believe？〃
〃Yes。〃
54
… Page 55…
THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
〃Then that arrangement will suit you？〃
〃Perfectly。〃
〃I need not tell you； my dear Cavendish； how distressed I am at this
most tragic affair。〃
〃Can you give us no help in solving it； monsieur？〃 interposed Poirot；
speaking for the first time since we had entered the room。
〃I？〃
〃Yes； we heard that Mrs。 Inglethorp wrote to you last night。 You
should have received the letter this morning。〃
〃I did； but it contains no information。 It is merely a note asking me
to call upon her this morning； as she wanted my advice on a matter of
great importance。〃
〃She gave you no hint as to what that matter might be？〃
〃Unfortunately； no。〃
〃That is a pity；〃 said John。
〃A great pity；〃 agreed Poirot gravely。
There was silence。 Poirot remained lost in thought for a few minutes。
Finally he turned to the lawyer again。
〃Mr。 Wells； there is one thing I should like to ask youthat is； if it is
not against professional etiquette。 In the event of Mrs。 Inglethorp's death；
who would inherit her money？〃
The lawyer hesitated a moment； and then replied：
〃The knowledge will be public property very soon； so if Mr。
Cavendish does not object〃
〃Not at all；〃 interpolated John。
〃I do not see any reason why I should not answer your question。 By
her last will； dated August of last year； after various unimportant legacies
to servants； etc。； she gave her entire fortune to her stepson； Mr。 John
Cavendish。〃
〃Was not thatpardon the question； Mr。 Cavendishrather unfair to
her other stepson； Mr。 Lawrence Cavendish？〃
〃No； I do not think so。 You see； under the terms of their father's will；
while John inherited the property； Lawrence； at his stepmother's death；
55
… Page 56…
THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
would come into a considerable sum of money。 Mrs。 Inglethorp left her
money to her elder stepson； knowing that he would have to keep up Styles。
It was； to my mind； a very fair and equitable distribution。〃
Poirot nodded thoughtfully。
〃I see。 But I am right in saying； am I not； that by your English law
that will was automatically revoked when Mrs。 Inglethorp remarried？〃
Mr。 Wells bowed his head。
〃As I was about to proceed； Monsieur Poirot； that document is now
null and void。〃
〃Hein！〃 said Poirot。 He reflected for a moment； and then asked：
〃Was Mrs。 Inglethorp herself aware of that fact？〃
〃I do not know。 She may have been。〃
〃She was；〃 said John unexpectedly。 〃We were discussing the matter
of wills being revoked by marriage only yesterday。〃
〃Ah！ One more question； Mr。 Wells。 You say 'her last will。' Had Mrs。
Inglethorp； then； made several former wills？〃
〃On an average； she made a new will at least once a year；〃 said Mr。
Wells imperturbably。 〃She was given to changing her mind as to her
testamentary dispositions； now benefiting one； now another member of her
family。〃
〃Suppose；〃 suggested Poirot； 〃that； unknown to you； she had made a
new will in favour of some one who was not； in any sense of the word； a
member of the familywe will say Miss Howard； for instancewould you
be surprised？〃
〃Not in the least。〃
〃Ah！〃 Poirot seemed to have exhausted his questions。
I drew close to him； while John and the lawyer were debating the
question of going through Mrs。 Inglethorp's papers。
〃Do you think Mrs。 Inglethorp made a will leaving all her money to
Miss Howard？〃 I asked in a low voice； with some curiosity。
Poirot smiled。
〃No。〃
〃Then why did you ask？〃
56
… Page 57…
THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
〃Hush！〃
John Cavendish had turned to Poirot。
〃Will you come with us； Monsieur Poirot？ We are going through my
mother's papers。 Mr。 Inglethorp is quite willing to leave it entirely to Mr。
Wells and myself。〃
〃Which simplifies matters very much；〃 murmured the lawyer。 〃As
technically； of course； he was entitled〃 He did not finish the sentence。
〃We will look through the desk in the boudoir first；〃 explained John；
〃and go up to her bedroom afterwards。 She kept her most important
papers in a purple despatch…case； which we must look through carefully。〃
〃Yes；〃 said the lawyer； 〃it is quite possible that there may be a later
will than the one in my possession。〃
〃There *IS a later will。〃 It was Poirot who spoke。
〃What？〃 John and the lawyer looked at him startled。
〃Or； rather；〃 pursued my friend imperturbably； 〃there *WAS one。〃
〃What do you meanthere was one？ Where is it now？〃
〃Burnt！〃
〃Burnt？〃
〃Yes。 See here。〃 He took out the charred fragment we had found in
the grate in Mrs。 Inglethorp's room； and handed it to the lawyer with a
brief explanation of when and where he had found it。
〃But possibly this is an old will？〃
〃I do not think so。 In fact I am almost certain that it was made no
earlier than yesterday afternoon。〃
〃What？〃 〃Impossible！〃 broke simultaneously from both men。
Poirot turned to John。
〃If you will allow me to send for your gardener； I will prove it to you。〃
〃Oh； of coursebut I don't see〃
Poirot raised his hand。
〃Do as I ask you。 Afterwards you shall question as much as you
please。〃
〃Very well。〃 He rang the bell。
Dorcas answered it in due course。
57
… Page 58…
THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
〃Dorcas； will you tell Manning to come round and speak to me here。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
Dorcas withdrew。
We waited in a tense silence。 Poirot alone seemed perfectly at his
ease； and dusted a forgotten corner of the bookcase。
The clumping of hobnailed boots on th