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room。 For one instant he stopped dead； staring at the figure on the bed；
and； at the same instant； Mrs。 Inglethorp cried out in a strangled voice； her
eyes fixed on the doctor：
〃AlfredAlfred〃 Then she fell back motionless on the pillows。
With a stride； the doctor reached the bed； and seizing her arms worked
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them energetically； applying what I knew to be artificial respiration。 He
issued a few short sharp orders to the servants。 An imperious wave of his
hand drove us all to the door。 We watched him； fascinated； though I
think we all knew in our hearts that it was too late； and that nothing could
be done now。 I could see by the expression on his face that he himself
had little hope。
Finally he abandoned his task； shaking his head gravely。 At that
moment； we heard footsteps outside； and Dr。 Wilkins； Mrs。 Inglethorp's
own doctor； a portly； fussy little man； came bustling in。
In a few words Dr。 Bauerstein explained how he had happened to be
passing the lodge gates as the car came out； and had run up to the house as
fast as he could； whilst the car went on to fetch Dr。 Wilkins。 With a faint
gesture of the hand； he indicated the figure on the bed。
〃Very sad。 Very sad；〃 murmured Dr。 Wilkins。 〃Poor dear lady。
Always did far too muchfar too muchagainst my advice。 I warned her。
Her heart was far from strong。 'Take it easy；' I said to her； 'Takeiteasy'。
But noher zeal for good works was too great。 Nature rebelled。 Na
ture rebelled。〃
Dr。 Bauerstein； I noticed； was watching the local doctor narrowly。 He
still kept his eyes fixed on him as he spoke。
〃The convulsions were of a peculiar violence； Dr。 Wilkins。 I am
sorry you were not here in time to witness them。 They were quite
tetanic in character。〃
〃Ah！〃 said Dr。 Wilkins wisely。
〃I should like to speak to you in private；〃 said Dr。 Bauerstein。 He
turned to John。 〃You do not object？〃
〃Certainly not。〃
We all trooped out into the corridor； leaving the two doctors alone； and
I heard the key turned in the lock behind us。
We went slowly down the stairs。 I was violently excited。 I have a
certain talent for deduction； and Dr。 Bauerstein's manner had started a
flock of wild surmises in my mind。 Mary Cavendish laid her hand upon
my arm。
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〃What is it？ Why did Dr。 Bauerstein seem sopeculiar？〃
I looked at her。
〃Do you know what I think？〃
〃What？〃
〃Listen！〃 I looked round； the others were out of earshot。 I lowered
my voice to a whisper。 〃I believe she has been poisoned！ I'm certain Dr。
Bauerstein suspects it。〃
〃*WHAT？〃 She shrank against the wall； the pupils of her eyes dilating
wildly。 Then； with a sudden cry that startled me； she cried out： 〃No； no
not thatnot that！〃 And breaking from me； fled up the stairs。 I followed
her； afraid that she was going to faint。 I found her leaning against the
bannisters； deadly pale。 She waved me away impatiently。
〃No； noleave me。 I'd rather be alone。 Let me just be quiet for a
minute or two。 Go down to the others。〃
I obeyed her reluctantly。 John and Lawrence were in the dining…room。
I joined them。 We were all silent； but I suppose I voiced the thoughts of
us all when I at last broke it by saying：
〃Where is Mr。 Inglethorp？〃
John shook his head。
〃He's not in the house。〃
Our eyes met。 Where *WAS Alfred Inglethorp？ His absence was
strange and inexplicable。 I remembered Mrs。 Inglethorp's dying words。
What lay beneath them？ What more could she have told us； if she had had
time？
At last we heard the doctors descending the stairs。 Dr。 Wilkins was
looking important and excited； and trying to conceal an inward exultation
under a manner of decorous calm。 Dr。 Bauerstein remained in the
background； his grave bearded face unchanged。 Dr。 Wilkins was the
spokesman for the two。 He addressed himself to John：
〃Mr。 Cavendish； I should like your consent to a postmortem。〃
〃Is that necessary？〃 asked John gravely。 A spasm of pain crossed his
face。 〃Absolutely；〃 said Dr。 Bauerstein。
〃You mean by that？〃
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〃That neither Dr。 Wilkins nor myself could give a death certificate
under the circumstances。〃
John bent his head。
〃In that case； I have no alternative but to agree。〃
〃Thank you；〃 said Dr。 Wilkins briskly。 〃We propose that it should
take place to…morrow nightor rather to…night。〃 And he glanced at the
daylight。 〃Under the circumstances； I am afraid an inquest can hardly be
avoidedthese formalities are necessary； but I beg that you won't distress
yourselves。〃
There was a pause； and then Dr。 Bauerstein drew two keys from his
pocket； and handed them to John。
〃These are the keys of the two rooms。 I have locked them and； in my
opinion； they would be better kept locked for the present。〃
The doctors then departed。
I had been turning over an idea in my head； and I felt that the moment
had now come to broach it。 Yet I was a little chary of doing so。 John； I
knew； had a horror of any kind of publicity； and was an easygoing optimist；
who preferred never to meet trouble half…way。 It might be difficult to
convince him of the soundness of my plan。 Lawrence； on the other hand；
being less conventional； and having more imagination； I felt I might count
upon as an ally。 There was no doubt that the moment had come for me to
take the lead。
〃John；〃 I said； 〃I am going to ask you something。〃
〃Well？〃
〃You remember my speaking of my friend Poirot？ The Belgian who is
here？ He has been a most famous detective。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃I want you to let me call him into investigate this matter。〃
〃Whatnow？ Before the post…mortem？〃
〃Yes； time is an advantage ififthere has been foul play。〃
〃Rubbish！〃 cried Lawrence angrily。 〃In my opinion the whole thing
is a mare's nest of Bauerstein's！ Wilkins hadn't an idea of such a thing；
until Bauerstein put it into his head。 But； like all specialists； Bauerstein's
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got a bee in his bonnet。 Poisons are his hobby； so of course he sees them
everywhere。〃
I confess that I was surprised by Lawrence's attitude。 He was so
seldom vehement about anything。
John hesitated。
〃I can't feel as you do； Lawrence；〃 he said at last。 〃I'm inclined to
give Hastings a free hand； though I should prefer to wait a bit。 We don't
want any unnecessary scandal。〃
〃No； no；〃 I cried eagerly； 〃you need have no fear of that。 Poirot is
discretion itself。〃
〃Very well； then； have