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THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
twice observed to me that he thought Dorcas must have made an error in
fixing the time of the quarrel。 He suggested to her repeatedly that it was
4。30； and not 4 o'clock when she had heard the voices。
But Dorcas was unshaken。 Quite an hour； or even more； had elapsed
between the time when she had heard the voices and 5 o'clock； when she
had taken tea to her mistress。
The inquest was held on Friday at the Stylites Arms in the village。
Poirot and I sat together； not being required to give evidence。
The preliminaries were gone through。 The jury viewed the body； and
John Cavendish gave evidence of identification。
Further questioned； he described his awakening in the early hours of
the morning； and the circumstances of his mother's death。
The medical evidence was next taken。 There was a breathless hush；
and every eye was fixed on the famous London specialist； who was known
to be one of the greatest authorities of the day on the subject of toxicology。
In a few brief words； he summed up the result of the post…mortem。
Shorn of its medical phraseology and technicalities； it amounted to the fact
that Mrs。 Inglethorp had met her death as the result of strychnine
poisoning。 Judging from the quantity recovered； she must have taken not
less than three…quarters of a grain of strychnine； but probably one grain or
slightly over。
〃Is it possible that she could have swallowed the poison by accident？〃
asked the Coroner。
〃I should consider it very unlikely。 Strychnine is not used for
domestic purposes； as some poisons are； and there are restrictions placed
on its sale。〃
〃Does anything in your examination lead you to determine how the
poison was administered？〃
〃No。〃
〃You arrived at Styles before Dr。 Wilkins； I believe？〃
〃That is so。 The motor met me just outside the lodge gates； and I
hurried there as fast as I could。〃
〃Will you relate to us exactly what happened next？〃
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〃I entered Mrs。 Inglethorp's room。 She was at that moment in a
typical tetanic convulsion。 She turned towards me； and gasped out：
'AlfredAlfred' 〃
〃Could the strychnine have been administered in Mrs。 Inglethorp's
after…dinner coffee which was taken to her by her husband？〃
〃Possibly； but strychnine is a fairly rapid drug in its action。 The
symptoms appear from one to two hours after it has been swallowed。 It
is retarded under certain conditions； none of which； however； appear to
have been present in this case。 I presume Mrs。 Inglethorp took the coffee
after dinner about eight o'clock； whereas the symptoms did not manifest
themselves until the early hours of the morning； which； on the face of it；
points to the drug having been taken much later in the evening。〃
〃Mrs。 Inglethorp was in the habit of drinking a cup of coco in the
middle of the night。 Could the strychnine have been administered in
that？〃
〃No； I myself took a sample of the coco remaining in the saucepan and
had it analysed。 There was no strychnine present。〃
I heard Poirot chuckle softly beside me。
〃How did you know？〃 I whispered。
〃Listen。〃
〃I should say〃the doctor was continuing〃that I would have been
considerably surprised at any other result。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Simply because strychnine has an unusually bitter taste。 It can be
detected in a solution of 1 in 70；000； and can only be disguised by some
strongly flavoured substance。 Coco would be quite powerless to mask
it。〃
One of the jury wanted to know if the same objection applied to
coffee。
〃No。 Coffee has a bitter taste of its own which would probably cover
the taste of strychnine。〃
〃Then you consider it more likely that the drug was administered in
the coffee； but that for some unknown reason its action was delayed。〃
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THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
〃Yes； but； the cup being completely smashed； there is no possibility of
analyzing its contents。〃
This concluded Dr。 Bauerstein's evidence。 Dr。 Wilkins corroborated
it on all points。 Sounded as to the possibility of suicide； he repudiated it
utterly。 The deceased； he said； suffered from a weak heart； but otherwise
enjoyed perfect health； and was of a cheerful and well…balanced
disposition。 She would be one of the last people to take her own life。
Lawrence Cavendish was next called。 His evidence was quite
unimportant； being a mere repetition of that of his brother。 Just as he was
about to step down； he paused； and said rather hesitatingly：
〃I should like to make a suggestion if I may？〃
He glanced deprecatingly at the Coroner； who replied briskly：
〃Certainly； Mr。 Cavendish； we are here to arrive at the truth of this
matter； and welcome anything that may lead to further elucidation。〃
〃It is just an idea of mine；〃 explained Lawrence。 〃Of course I may be
quite wrong； but it still seems to me that my mother's death might be
accounted for by natural means。〃
〃How do you make that out； Mr。 Cavendish？〃
〃My mother； at the time of her death； and for some time before it； was
taking a tonic containing strychnine。〃
〃Ah！〃 said the Coroner。
The jury looked up； interested。
〃I believe；〃 continued Lawrence； 〃that there have been cases where the
cumulative effect of a drug； administered for some time； has ended by
causing death。 Also； is it not possible that she may have taken an
overdose of her medicine by accident？〃
〃This is the first we have heard of the deceased taking strychnine at the
time of her death。 We are much obliged to you； Mr。 Cavendish。〃
Dr。 Wilkins was recalled and ridiculed the idea。
〃What Mr。 Cavendish suggests is quite impossible。 Any doctor
would tell you the same。 Strychnine is； in a certain sense； a cumulative
poison； but it would be quite impossible for it to result in sudden death in
this way。 There would have to be a long period of chronic symptoms
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THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
which would at once have attracted my attention。 The whole thing is
absurd。〃
〃And the second suggestion？ That Mrs。 Inglethorp may have
inadvertently taken an overdose？〃
〃Three； or even four doses； would not have resulted in death。 Mrs。
Inglethorp always had an extra large amount of medicine made up at a
time； as she dealt with Coot's； the Cash Chemists in Tadminster。 She
would have had to take very nearly the whole bottle to account for the
amount of strychnine found at the post…mortem。〃
〃Then you consider that we may dismiss the tonic as not being in any
way instrumental in causing