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！
hand； and left large clear spaces between her words。 But if you look at
the date at the top of the letter you will notice that 'July 17th' is quite
different in this respect。 Do you see what I mean？〃
〃No；〃 I confessed； 〃I don't。〃
〃You do not see that that letter was not written on the 17th； but on the
7ththe day after Miss Howard's departure？ The '1' was written in before
the '7' to turn it into the '17th'。〃
〃But why？〃
〃That is exactly what I asked myself。 Why does Miss Howard
suppress the letter written on the 17th； and produce this faked one instead？
Because she did not wish to show the letter of the 17th。 Why； again？ And
at once a suspicion dawned in my mind。 You will remember my saying
that it was wise to beware of people who were not telling you the truth。〃
〃And yet；〃 I cried indignantly； 〃after that； you gave me two reasons
why Miss Howard could not have committed the crime！〃
〃And very good reasons too；〃 replied Poirot。 〃For a long time they
were a stumbling…block to me until I remembered a very significant fact：
that she and Alfred Inglethorp were cousins。 She could not have
committed the crime single…handed； but the reasons against that did not
debar her from being an accomplice。 And； then； there was that rather
over…vehement hatred of hers！ It concealed a very opposite emotion。
There was； undoubtedly； a tie of passion between them long before he
came to Styles。 They had already arranged their infamous plotthat he
should marry this rich； but rather foolish old lady； induce her to make a
will leaving her money to him； and then gain their ends by a very cleverly
180
… Page 181…
THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
conceived crime。 If all had gone as they planned； they would probably
have left England； and lived together on their poor victim's money。
〃They are a very astute and unscrupulous pair。 While suspicion was
to be directed against him； she would be making quiet preparations for a
very different denouement。 She arrives from Middlingham with all the
compromising items in her possession。 No suspicion attaches to her。
No notice is paid to her coming and going in the house。 She hides the
strychnine and glasses in John's room。 She puts the beard in the attic。
She will see to it that sooner or later they are duly discovered。〃
〃I don't quite see why they tried to fix the blame on John；〃 I remarked。
〃It would have been much easier for them to bring the crime home to
Lawrence。〃
〃Yes； but that was mere chance。 All the evidence against him arose
out of pure accident。 It must； in fact； have been distinctly annoying to
the pair of schemers。〃
〃His manner was unfortunate；〃 I observed thoughtfully。
〃Yes。 You realize； of course； what was at the back of that？〃
〃No。〃
〃You did not understand that he believed Mademoiselle Cynthia guilty
of the crime？〃
〃No；〃 I exclaimed； astonished。 〃Impossible！〃
〃Not at all。 I myself nearly had the same idea。 It was in my mind
when I asked Mr。 Wells that first question about the will。 Then there
were the bromide powders which she had made up； and her clever male
impersonations； as Dorcas recounted them to us。 There was really more
evidence against her than anyone else。〃
〃You are joking； Poirot！〃
〃No。 Shall I tell you what made Monsieur Lawrence turn so pale
when he first entered his mother's room on the fatal night？ It was because；
whilst his mother lay there； obviously poisoned； he saw； over your
shoulder； that the door into Mademoiselle Cynthia's room was unbolted。〃
〃But he declared that he saw it bolted！〃 I cried。
〃Exactly；〃 said Poirot dryly。 〃And that was just what confirmed my
181
… Page 182…
THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
suspicion that it was not。 He was shielding Mademoiselle Cynthia。〃
〃But why should he shield her？〃
〃Because he is in love with her。〃
I laughed。
〃There； Poirot； you are quite wrong！ I happen to know for a fact that；
far from being in love with her； he positively dislikes her。〃
〃Who told you that； mon ami？〃
〃Cynthia herself。〃
〃La pauvre petite！ And she was concerned？〃
〃She said that she did not mind at all。〃
〃Then she certainly did mind very much；〃 remarked Poirot。 〃They
are like thatles femmes！〃
〃What you say about Lawrence is a great surprise to me；〃 I said。
〃But why？ It was most obvious。 Did not Monsieur Lawrence make
the sour face every time Mademoiselle Cynthia spoke and laughed with
his brother？ He had taken it into his long head that Mademoiselle Cynthia
was in love with Monsieur John。 When he entered his mother's room；
and saw her obviously poisoned； he jumped to the conclusion that
Mademoiselle Cynthia knew something about the matter。 He was nearly
driven desperate。 First he crushed the coffee…cup to powder under his
feet； remembering that *SHE had gone up with his mother the night before；
and he determined that there should be no chance of testing its contents。
Thenceforward； he strenuously； and quite uselessly； upheld the theory of
'Death from natural causes'。〃
〃And what about the 'extra coffee…cup'？〃
〃I was fairly certain that it was Mrs。 Cavendish who had hidden it； but
I had to make sure。 Monsieur Lawrence did not know at all what I meant；
but； on reflection； he came to the conclusion that if he could find an extra
coffee…cup anywhere his lady love would be cleared of suspicion。 And
he was perfectly right。〃
〃One thing more。 What did Mrs。 Inglethorp mean by her dying
words？〃
〃They were； of course； an accusation against her husband。〃
182
… Page 183…
THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
〃Dear me； Poirot；〃 I said with a sigh； 〃I think you have explained
everything。 I am glad it has all ended so happily。 Even John and his
wife are reconciled。〃
〃Thanks to me。〃
〃How do you meanthanks to you？〃
〃My dear friend； do you not realize that it was simply and solely the
trial which has brought them together again？ That John Cavendish still
loved his wife； I was convinced。 Also； that she was equally in love with
him。 But they had drifted very far apart。 It all arose from a
misunderstanding。 She married him without love。 He knew it。 He is a
sensitive man in his way； he would not force himself upon her if she did
not want him。 And； as he withdrew； her love awoke。 But they are both
unusually proud； and their pride held them inexorably apart。 He drifted
into an entanglement with Mrs。 Raikes； and she deliberately cultivated the
friendship of Dr。 Bauerstein。 Do you remember the day of John
Cavendish's arrest； when you found me deliberating over a big decision？〃
〃Yes； I quite understood your distress。〃