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〃Yes？〃
〃He told me to wait until I was alone with you；〃 I said； dropping my
voice significantly； and watching him intently out of the corner of my eye。
I have always been rather good at what is called； I believe； creating an
atmosphere。
〃Well？〃
There was no change of expression in the dark melancholic face。
Had he any idea of what I was about to say？
〃This is the message。〃 I dropped my voice still lower。 〃 'Find the
extra coffee…cup； and you can rest in peace。' 〃
〃What on earth does he mean？〃 Lawrence stared at me in quite
unaffected astonishment。
〃Don't you know？〃
〃Not in the least。 Do you？〃
I was compelled to shake my head。
〃What extra coffee…cup？〃
〃I don't know。〃
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〃He'd better ask Dorcas； or one of the maids； if he wants to know
about coffee…cups。 It's their business； not mine。 I don't know anything
about the coffee…cups； except that we've got some that are never used；
which are a perfect dream！ Old Worcester。 You're not a connoisseur； are
you； Hastings？〃
I shook my head。
〃You miss a lot。 A really perfect bit of old chinait's pure delight to
handle it； or even to look at it。〃
〃Well； what am I to tell Poirot？〃
〃Tell him I don't know what he's talking about。 It's double Dutch to
me。〃
〃All right。〃
I was moving off towards the house again when he suddenly called me
back。
〃I say； what was the end of that message？ Say it over again； will you？〃
〃 'Find the extra coffee…cup； and you can rest in peace。' Are you sure
you don't know what it means？〃 I asked him earnestly。
He shook his head。
〃No；〃 he said musingly； 〃I don't。 II wish I did。〃
The boom of the gong sounded from the house； and we went in
together。 Poirot had been asked by John to remain to lunch； and was
already seated at the table。
By tacit consent； all mention of the tragedy was barred。 We
conversed on the war； and other outside topics。 But after the cheese and
biscuits had been handed round； and Dorcas had left the room； Poirot
suddenly leant forward to Mrs。 Cavendish。
〃Pardon me； madame； for recalling unpleasant memories； but I have a
little idea〃Poirot's 〃little ideas〃 were becoming a perfect byword〃and
would like to ask one or two questions。〃
〃Of me？ Certainly。〃
〃You are too amiable； madame。 What I want to ask is this： the door
leading into Mrs。 Inglethorp's room from that of Mademoiselle Cynthia； it
was bolted； you say？〃
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〃Certainly it was bolted；〃 replied Mary Cavendish； rather surprised。
〃I said so at the inquest。〃
〃Bolted？〃
〃Yes。〃 She looked perplexed。
〃I mean；〃 explained Poirot； 〃you are sure it was bolted； and not merely
locked？〃
〃Oh； I see what you mean。 No； I don't know。 I said bolted； meaning
that it was fastened； and I could not open it； but I believe all the doors
were found bolted on the inside。〃
〃Still； as far as you are concerned； the door might equally well have
been locked？〃
〃Oh； yes。〃
〃You yourself did not happen to notice； madame； when you entered
Mrs。 Inglethorp's room； whether that door was bolted or not？〃
〃II believe it was。〃
〃But you did not see it？〃
〃No。 Inever looked。〃
〃But I did；〃 interrupted Lawrence suddenly。 〃I happened to notice
that it *WAS bolted。〃
〃Ah； that settles it。〃 And Poirot looked crestfallen。
I could not help rejoicing that； for once； one of his 〃little ideas〃 had
come to naught。
After lunch Poirot begged me to accompany him home。 I consented
rather stiffly。
〃You are annoyed； is it not so？〃 he asked anxiously； as we walked
through the park。
〃Not at all；〃 I said coldly。
〃That is well。 That lifts a great load from my mind。〃
This was not quite what I had intended。 I had hoped that he would
have observed the stiffness of my manner。 Still； the fervour of his words
went towards the appeasing of my just displeasure。 I thawed。
〃I gave Lawrence your message；〃 I said。
〃And what did he say？ He was entirely puzzled？〃
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〃Yes。 I am quite sure he had no idea of what you meant。〃
I had expected Poirot to be disappointed； but； to my surprise； he
replied that that was as he had thought； and that he was very glad。 My
pride forbade me to ask any questions。
Poirot switched off on another tack。
〃Mademoiselle Cynthia was not at lunch to…day？ How was that？〃
〃She is at the hospital again。 She resumed work to…day。〃
〃Ah； she is an industrious little demoiselle。 And pretty too。 She is
like pictures I have seen in Italy。 I would rather like to see that
dispensary of hers。 Do you think she would show it to me？〃
〃I am sure she would be delighted。 It's an interesting little place。〃
〃Does she go there every day？〃
〃She has all Wednesdays off； and comes back to lunch on Saturdays。
Those are her only times off。〃
〃I will remember。 Women are doing great work nowadays； and
Mademoiselle Cynthia is cleveroh； yes； she has brains； that little one。〃
〃Yes。 I believe she has passed quite a stiff exam。〃
〃Without doubt。 After all； it is very responsible work。 I suppose
they have very strong poisons there？〃
〃Yes； she showed them to us。 They are kept locked up in a little
cupboard。 I believe they have to be very careful。 They always take out
the key before leaving the room。〃
〃Indeed。 It is near the window； this cupboard？〃
〃No； right the other side of the room。 Why？〃
Poirot shrugged his shoulders。
〃I wondered。 That is all。 Will you come in？〃
We had reached the cottage。
〃No。 I think I'll be getting back。 I shall go round the long way
through the woods。〃
The woods round Styles were very beautiful。 After the walk across
the open park； it was pleasant to saunter lazily through the cool glades。
There was hardly a breath of wind； the very chirp of the birds was faint
and subdued。 I strolled on a little way； and finally flung myself down at
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the foot of a grand old beech…tree。 My thoughts of mankind were kindly
and charitable。 I even forgave Poirot for his absurd secrecy。 In fact； I
was at peace with the world。 Then I yawned。
I thought about the crime； and it struck me as being very unreal and far
off。
I yawned again。
Probably； I thought； it really never happened。 Of course； it was all a
bad dream。 The truth of the matter was that it was Lawrence w