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秘方简介

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Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

CHAPTER V. "IT ISN'T STRYCHNINE, IS IT?"

"Where did you find this?" I asked Poirot, in lively curiosity 好奇心.

"In the waste-paper basket 篮. You recognise the hand‧write 书法?"

"Yes, it is Mrs. Inglethorp's. But what does it mean?"

Poirot shrugged 耸 his shoulders.

"I cannot say—but it is suggestive 提示."

A wild idea flashed 使闪光 across me. Was it possible that Mrs. Inglethorp's mind was deranged? Had she some fantastic 奇妙 idea of demoniacal possession 所有物? And, if that were so, was it not also possible that she might have taken her own life?

I was about to expound these theories 理论 to Poirot, when his own words distracted 转移 me.

"Come," he said, "now to examine the coffee-cups!"

"My dear Poirot! What on earth is the good of that, now that we know about the cocoa 可可?"

"Oh, là là! That miserable 悲惨的 cocoa 可可!" cried Poirot flippantly.

He laughed with apparent 清晰可见的；显而易见的；明白易懂的 enjoyment 享受, raising his arms to heaven 天 in mock 嘲笑 despair 绝望, in what I could not but consider the worst 生病:ill possible taste.

"And, anyway 无论如何," I said, with increasing 增加 coldness, "as Mrs. Inglethorp took her coffee upstairs 楼上 with her, I do not see what you expect to find, unless you consider it likely that we shall discover a packet 包 of strychnine on the coffee tray 盘子!"

Poirot was sobered 清醒 at once.

"Come, come, my friend," he said, slipping his arms through mine. "Ne vous fâchez pas! Allow me to interest myself 我 in my coffee-cups, and I will respect your cocoa 可可. There! Is it a bar‧gain 讨价还价；交易?"

He was so quaintly 精巧 humorous 幽默 that I was forced to laugh; and we went together to the drawing-room, where the coffee-cups and tray 盘子 remained undisturbed as we had left them.

Poirot made me recapitulate the scene of the night before, listening very carefully 小心, and verifying 校验 the position of the various cups.

"So Mrs. Cavendish stood by the tray—and poured 淋；倒 out. Yes. Then she came across to the window where you sat sit with Mademoiselle Cynthia. Yes. Here are the three cups. And the cup on the mantel-piece, half drunk drink, that would be Mr. Lawrence Cavendish's. And the one on the tray 3?"

"John Cavendish's. I saw him put it down there."

"Good. One, two, three, four, five—but where, then, is the cup of Mr. Inglethorp?"

"He does not take coffee."

"Then all are accounted for. One moment, my friend."

With infinite 无穷 care, he took a drop or two from the grounds in each cup, sealing 封上，海豹 them up in separate test tubes 管, tasting each in turn as he did so. His physiognomy underwent a curious change. An expression gathered there that I can only describe as half puzzled 使迷惑, and half relieved 解除.

"Bien!" he said at last. "It is evident 明显! I had an idea—but clearly I was mistaken 错误. Yes, altogether 全部地 I was mistaken 错误. Yet it is strange. But no matter!"

And, with a characteristic 特性 shrug 耸, he dismissed 解雇 whatever it was that was worrying him from his mind. I could have told him from the beginning that this obsession 困扰 of his over the coffee was bound 必定；跳 to end in a blind alley 胡同, but I rest‧rain 抑制 my tongue 舌头. After all, though he was old, Poirot had been a great man in his day.

" Breakfast 早餐 is ready," said John Cavendish, coming in from the hall. "You will breakfast with us, Monsieur Poirot?"

Poirot acquiesced. I observed John. Already he was almost restored 修复；使复位；使复职 to his normal 正常 self 自己. The shock of the events of the last night had upset 打翻 him temporarily 暂时, but his equable poise 平衡 soon swung swing back to the normal 正常. He was a man of very little imagination 想像力, in sharp contrast 对比 with his brother, who had, perhaps, too much.

Ever since the early hours of the morning, John had been hard at work, sending telegrams 电报—one of the first had gone to Evelyn Howard—writing notices for the papers, and generally occupying 占据 himself with the melancholy 愁绪 duties that a death entails 意味着.

"May I ask how things are proceeding 继续?" he said. "Do your investigations 调查 point to my mother having died a natural 自然 death—or—or must we prepare ourselves 我们自己 for the worst?"

"I think, Mr. Cavendish," said Poirot gravely 坟墓；严重的, "that you would do well not to buoy your‧self 你自己 up with any false 虚伪的 hopes. Can you tell me the views of the other members of the family?"

"My brother Lawrence is convinced 说服 that we are making a fuss 小题大作 over nothing. He says that everything points to its being a simple case of heart failure."

"He does, does he? That is very interesting—very interesting," murmured 私语 Poirot softly. "And Mrs. Cavendish?"

A faint 微弱的 cloud passed over John's face.

"I have not the least idea what my wife's views on the subject are."

The answer brought a momentary 短暂的 stiffness in its train. John broke break the rather awkward 难堪 silence by saying with a slight effort:

"I told you, didn't I, that Mr. Inglethorp has returned?"

Poirot bent bend his head.

"It's an awkward position for all of us. Of course one has to treat him as usual—but, hang it all, one's gorge 峡谷 does rise at sitting down to eat with a possible murderer!"

Poirot nodded 点头 sympathetically 同情的.

"I quite understand. It is a very difficult situation for you, Mr. Cavendish. I would like to ask you one question. Mr. Inglethorp's reason for not returning last night was, I believe, that he had forgotten forget the latch 闩-key. Is not that so?"

"Yes."

"I suppose you are quite sure that the latch 闩-key was forgotten—that he did not take it after all?"

"I have no idea. I never thought of looking. We always keep it in the hall drawer 抽屉. I'll go and see if it's there now."

Poirot held up his hand with a faint 微弱的 smile.

"No, no, Mr. Cavendish, it is too late now. I am certain that you would find it. If Mr. Inglethorp did take it, he has had ample 充足 time to replace it by now."

"But do you think——"

"I think nothing. If anyone had chanced to look this morning before his return, and seen it there, it would have been a valuable 贵重的 point in his favour. That is all."

John looked perplexed 困扰.

"Do not worry," said Poirot smoothly. "I assure 向…保证；肯定地说 you that you need not let it trouble you. Since you are so kind, let us go and have some break‧fast 早餐."

Every one was assembled 集合 in the dining 吃饭-room. Under the circumstances 环境, we were naturally 自然地 not a cheerful 快乐 party. The reaction 反应 after a shock is always trying, and I think we were all suffering from it. Decorum and good breeding 养育；繁殖 naturally enjoined that our demeanour should be much as usual, yet I could not help wondering if this self 自己-control were really a matter of great difficulty. There were no red eyes, no signs of secretly indulged 放纵 grief 哀思. I felt that I was right in my opinion that Dorcas was the person most affected 影响 by the personal 个人 side of the tragedy 悲剧.

I pass over Alfred Inglethorp, who acted the bereaved 丧 widower 鳏夫 in a manner that I felt to be disgusting 反感 in its hypocrisy 假意. Did he know that we suspected 怀疑；嫌疑犯 him, I wondered. Surely he could not be unaware 不知道 of the fact, conceal 隐藏 it as we would. Did he feel some secret stirring 搅动 of fear, or was he confident 确信的 that his crime 罪行 would go unpunished? Surely the suspicion 怀疑 in the atmosphere 大气层 must warn him that he was already a marked man.

But did every one suspect 怀疑；嫌疑犯 him? What about Mrs. Cavendish? I watched her as she sat at the head of the table, graceful 优美, composed, enigmatic. In her soft grey 灰色:gray frock, with white ruffles 生气 at the wrists 腕 falling over her slender 苗条 hands, she looked very beautiful 美丽. When she chose choose, however, her face could be sphinx-like in its inscrutability. She was very silent, hardly opening her lips, and yet in some queer 奇怪 way I felt that the great strength of her personality 个性 was dominating 支配 us all.

And little Cynthia? Did she suspect 怀疑；嫌疑犯? She looked very tired and ill 生病, I thought. The heaviness and languor of her manner were very marked. I asked her if she were feeling ill, and she answered frankly 坦率地说:

"Yes, I've got the most beastly 野兽 head‧ache 头痛."

"Have another cup of coffee, mademoiselle?" said Poirot solicitously. "It will revive 复活 you. It is unparalleled for the mal de tête." He jumped up and took her cup.

"No sugar 食糖," said Cynthia, watching him, as he picked up the sugar-tongs.

"No sugar? You abandon 放弃 it in the war-time, eh?"

"No, I never take it in coffee."

"Sacré!" murmured 私语 Poirot to himself, as he brought back the replenished cup.

Only I heard him, and glancing 一瞥 up curiously at the little man I saw that his face was working with sup‧press 压制 excitement 激动, and his eyes were as green as a cat 猫's. He had heard or seen something that had affected 影响 him strongly—but what was it? I do not usually label 标签 myself 我 as dense 稠密, but I must confess 供认 that nothing out of the ordinary had attracted 吸引 my attention.

In another moment, the door opened and Dorcas appeared.

"Mr. Wells to see you, sir 先生," she said to John.

I remembered the name as being that of the lawyer to whom 谁 Mrs. Inglethorp had written the night before.

John rose rise immediately.

"Show him into my study." Then he turned to us. "My mother's lawyer," he explained. And in a lower voice: "He is also Coroner—you understand. Perhaps you would like to come with me?"

We acquiesced and followed him out of the room. John strode on ahead and I took the opportunity of whispering 低声说 to Poirot:

"There will be an inquest then?"

Poirot nodded 点头 absently 缺席的. He seemed absorbed 吸收 in thought; so much so that my curiosity 好奇心 was aroused 引起.

"What is it? You are not attending to what I say."

"It is true, my friend. I am much worried."

"Why?"

"Because Mademoiselle Cynthia does not take sugar 3 in her coffee."

"What? You cannot be serious?"

"But I am most serious. Ah, there is something there that I do not understand. My instinct 直觉 was right."

"What instinct 直觉?"

"The instinct 直觉 that led me to insist 咬定 on examining those coffee-cups. Chut! no more now!"

We followed John into his study, and he closed the door behind us.

Mr. Wells was a pleasant man of middle-age, with keen 热切的 eyes, and the typical 典型 lawyer's mouth. John introduced us both, and explained the reason of our presence.

"You will understand, Wells," he added, "that this is all strictly 严格的 private. We are still hoping that there will turn out to be no need for investigation 调查 of any kind."

"Quite so, quite so," said Mr. Wells soothingly. "I wish we could have spared 节省；多余的；备用件 you the pain and publicity 公开 of an inquest, but of course it's quite unavoidable 不免 in the absence 缺席 of a doctor's certificate 证书."

"Yes, I suppose so."

" Clever 聪明的 man, Bauerstein. Great authority 权威 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 witnesses—all of us, I mean?"

"You, of course—and ah—er—Mr.—er—Inglethorp."

A slight pause 暂停 ensued 接踵而至 before the lawyer went on in his soothing 缓和 manner:

"Any other evidence 证据 will be simply confirmatory, a mere matter of form."

"I see."

A faint 微弱的 expression of relief swept sweep over John's face. It puzzled me, for I saw no occasion for it.

"If you know of nothing to the contrary 相反," pursued 追求 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."

"Then that arrangement 安排 will suit you?"

"Perfectly."

"I need not tell you, my dear Cavendish, how distressed 苦难 I am at this most tragic 悲惨 affair."

"Can you give us no help in solving 解决 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 劝告 on a matter of great importance."

"She gave you no hint 暗示 as to what that matter might be?"

"Unfortunately 不幸, no."

"That is a pity 怜悯," 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 you—that is, if it is not against professional 专业的 etiquette. In the event of Mrs. Inglethorp's death, who would inherit 继承 her money?"

The lawyer hesitated 犹豫 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 不重要 legacies 遗产 to servants 仆人, etc., she gave her entire for‧tune 命运 to her step‧son 步；走‧儿子, Mr. John Cavendish."

"Was not that— pardon 宽恕；说啥？ the question, Mr. Cavendish—rather unfair 不公平 to her other step‧son 步；走‧儿子, Mr. Lawrence Cavendish?"

"No, I do not think so. You see, under the terms of their father's will, while John inherited 继承 the property, Lawrence, at his step‧mother 步；走‧母亲's death, would come into a consider‧able 大量 sum 和 of money. Mrs. Inglethorp left her money to her elder 年长的 step‧son 步；走‧儿子, knowing that he would have to keep up Styles. It was, to my mind, a very fair and equitable 公平 distribution."

Poirot nodded 点头 thoughtfully 沉思地.

"I see. But I am right in saying, am I not, that by your English law that will was automatically 自动 revoked 撤消 when Mrs. Inglethorp remarried?"

Mr. Wells bowed 弓 his head.

"As I was about to proceed 继续, Monsieur Poirot, that document 文件 is now null 空值 and void 空虚."

"Hein!" said Poirot. He reflected for a moment, and then asked: "Was Mrs. Inglethorp her‧self 她自己 aware 知道的 of that fact?"

"I do not know. She may have been."

"She was," said John unexpectedly 不料. "We were discussing the matter of wills being revoked 撤消 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 性格, now benefiting 效益 one, now another member of her family."

"Suppose," suggested Poirot, "that, unknown 未知 to you, she had made a new will in favour of someone who was not, in any sense of the word, a member of the family—we will say Miss Howard, for instance 例—would you be surprised?"

"Not in the least."

"Ah!" Poirot seemed to have exhausted 排气 his questions.

I drew draw close to him, while John and the lawyer were debating 辩论 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 好奇心.

Poirot smiled.

"No."

"Then why did you ask?"

"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 我."

"Which simplifies 简化 matters very much," murmured 私语 the lawyer. "As technically 技术上, of course, he was entitled 使有资格，允许——" He did not finish the sentence 句子.

"We will look through the desk in the boudoir first," explained John, "and go up to her bed‧room 卧室 after‧ward 之后. She kept her most important papers in a purple 紫色的 despatch-case, which we must look through carefully 小心."

"Yes," said the lawyer, "it is quite possible that there may be a later will than the one in my possession 所有物."

"There is a later will." It was Poirot who spoke speak.

"What?" John and the lawyer looked at him startled 惊吓.

"Or, rather," pursued 追求 my friend imperturbably, "there was one."

"What do you mean—there was one? Where is it now?"

"Burnt!"

"Burnt?"

"Yes. See here." He took out the charred 烧焦 fragment 分段 we had found in the grate 炉排 in Mrs. Inglethorp's room, and handed it to the lawyer with a brief 简要 explanation 说明 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 同时 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 course—but 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 钟.

Dorcas answered it in due course.

"Dorcas, will you tell Manning to come round and speak to me here."

"Yes, sir 先生."

Dorcas withdrew.

We waited in a tense 紧张 silence. Poirot alone seemed perfectly at his ease 轻松, and dusted a forgotten corner of the book‧case 书‧盒子；案件；例子.

The clumping 丛 of hobnailed boots 靴；鞋 on the gravel 碎石 outside pro‧claim 宣布 the approach of Manning. John looked questioningly at Poirot. The latter nodded 点头.

"Come inside, Manning," said John, "I want to speak to you."

Manning came slowly and hesitatingly through the French window, and stood as near it as he could. He held his cap 盖 in his hands, twisting 扭成一束 it very carefully 小心 round and round. His back was much bent, though he was probably not as old as he looked, but his eyes were sharp and intelligent 智能, and belied his slow and rather cautious 小心的 speech.

"Manning," said John, "this gentle‧man 先生 will put some questions to you which I want you to answer."

"Yes sir 先生," mumbled 咕哝 Manning.

Poirot stepped forward briskly 轻快. Manning's eye swept over him with a faint 3 con‧tempt 鄙视.

"You were planting a bed of begonias round by the south side of the house yesterday afternoon, were you not, Manning?"

"Yes, sir 3, me and Willum."

"And Mrs. Inglethorp came to the window and called you, did she not?"

"Yes, sir, she did."

"Tell me in your own words exactly what happened after that."

"Well, sir, nothing much. She just told Willum to go on his bicycle 自行车 down to the village, and bring back a form of will, or such-like—I don't know what exactly—she wrote it down for him."

"Well?"

"Well, he did, sir."

"And what happened next?"

"We went on with the begonias, sir."

"Did not Mrs. Inglethorp call you again?"

"Yes, sir, both me and Willum, she called."

"And then?"

"She made us come right in, and sign our names at the bottom of a long paper—under where she'd signed."

"Did you see anything of what was written above her signature 签名?" asked Poirot sharply.

"No, sir, there was a bit 一点 of blotting 斑点 paper over that part."

"And you signed where she told you?"

"Yes, sir, first me and then Willum."

"What did she do with it after‧ward 之后?"

"Well, sir, she slipped it into a long envelope 信封, and put it inside a sort of purple 紫色的 box that was standing on the desk."

"What time was it when she first called you?"

"About four, I should say, sir."

"Not earlier? Couldn't it have been about half-past three?"

"No, I shouldn't say so, sir. It would be more likely to be a bit 一点 after four—not before it."

"Thank you, Manning, that will do," said Poirot pleasantly.

The gardener glanced 一瞥 at his master, who nodded 点头, where‧upon 哪里‧在…上面 Manning lifted a finger to his fore‧head 前额 with a low mumble 咕哝, and backed cautiously 小心的 out of the window.

We all looked at each other.

"Good heavens 天!" murmured 私语 John. "What an extra‧ordinary 非凡的 coincidence 巧合."

"How—a coincidence 巧合?"

"That my mother should have made a will on the very day of her death!"

Mr. Wells cleared his throat and remarked drily:

"Are you so sure it is a coincidence 巧合, Cavendish?"

"What do you mean?"

"Your mother, you tell me, had a violent 猛烈 quarrel 争吵 with—someone yesterday afternoon——"

"What do you mean?" cried John again. There was a tremor 震 in his voice, and he had gone very pale.

"In consequence 后果 of that quarrel, your mother very suddenly and hurriedly makes a new will. The contents of that will we shall never know. She told no one of its provisions 规定. This morning, no doubt, she would have consulted 咨询；请教；查阅 me on the subject—but she had no chance. The will disappears 不见, and she takes its secret with her to her grave 坟墓；严重的. Cavendish, I much fear there is no coincidence 巧合 there. Monsieur Poirot, I am sure you agree with me that the facts are very suggestive 提示."

"Suggestive, or not," interrupted 打断 John, "we are most grateful 感激的 to Monsieur Poirot for elucidating the matter. But for him, we should never have known of this will. I suppose, I may not ask you, monsieur, what first led you to suspect the fact?"

Poirot smiled and answered:

"A scribbled 涂 over old envelope 信封, and a freshly planted bed of begonias."

John, I think, would have pressed his questions further, but at that moment the loud 响亮的 purr of a motor was audible 听得见, and we all turned to the window as it swept past.

"Evie!" cried John. " Excuse 原谅 me, Wells." He went hurriedly out into the hall.

Poirot looked inquiringly at me.

"Miss Howard," I explained.

"Ah, I am glad 高兴的 she has come. There is a woman with a head and a heart too, Hastings. Though the good God gave her no beauty!"

I followed John's example, and went out into the hall, where Miss Howard was endeavouring to extricate her‧self 她自己 from the voluminous mass of veils 面纱 that enveloped 信封 her head. As her eyes fell fall on me, a sudden pang of guilt shot shoot through me. This was the woman who had warned me so ear‧nest 热心的, and to whose 谁的 warning I had, alas 唉, paid no heed! How soon, and how contemptuously, I had dismissed it from my mind. Now that she had been proved justified 为…辩护；证明…正当；是…的正当理由 in so tragic 悲惨 a manner, I felt ashamed 惭愧的. She had known Alfred Inglethorp only too well. I wondered whether, if she had remained at Styles, the tragedy 悲剧 would have taken place, or would the man have feared her watchful eyes?

I was relieved when she shook shake me by the hand, with her well remembered painful 痛苦 grip 握. The eyes that met mine were sad 悲哀的, but not reproachful; that she had been crying bitterly, I could tell by the redness of her eyelids 眼皮, but her manner was unchanged 不变 from its old gruffness.

"Started the moment I got the wire. Just come off night duty. Hired car. Quickest way to get here."

"Have you had anything to eat this morning, Evie?" asked John.

"No."

"I thought not. Come along, breakfast's not cleared away yet, and they'll make you some fresh tea 茶水." He turned to me. "Look after her, Hastings, will you? Wells is waiting for me. Oh, here's Monsieur Poirot. He's helping us, you know, Evie."

Miss Howard shook hands with Poirot, but glanced 一瞥 suspiciously 可疑的 over her shoulder at John.

"What do you mean—helping us?"

"Helping us to investigate 调查."

"Nothing to investigate 调查. Have they taken him to prison yet?"

"Taken who to prison?"

"Who? Alfred Inglethorp, of course!"

"My dear Evie, do be careful 小心. Lawrence is of the opinion that my mother died from heart seizure 发作."

"More fool, Lawrence!" retorted 反驳 Miss Howard. "Of course Alfred Inglethorp murdered poor Emily—as I always told you he would."

"My dear Evie, don't shout so. Whatever we may think or suspect, it is better to say as little as possible for the present. The inquest isn't until Friday."

"Not until fiddlesticks!" The snort 哼 Miss Howard gave was truly 真 magnificent 华丽的. "You're all off your heads. The man will be out of the country by then. If he's any sense, he won win't stay here tamely 驯服的 and wait to be hanged."

John Cavendish looked at her help‧less 无助.

"I know what it is," she accused 指责 him, "you've been listening to the doctors. Never should. What do they know? Nothing at all—or just enough to make them dangerous 危险. I ought to know—my own father was a doctor. That little Wilkins is about the greatest fool that even I have ever seen. Heart seizure 发作! Sort of thing he would say. Anyone with any sense could see at once that her husband had poisoned 毒药 her. I always said he'd murder her in her bed, poor soul. Now he's done it. And all you can do is to murmur 私语 silly 愚蠢 things about 'heart seizure 发作' and 'inquest on Friday.' You ought to be ashamed 惭愧的 of your‧self 你自己, John Cavendish."

"What do you want me to do?" asked John, unable 无法 to help a faint smile. "Dash it all, Evie, I can't haul 运输 him down to the local police station by the scruff of his neck."

"Well, you might do something. Find out how he did it. He's a crafty beggar 乞丐. Dare 敢 say he soaked 浸泡 fly papers. Ask Cook if she's missed any."

It occurred 发生 to me very forcibly 强制 at that moment that to harbour Miss Howard and Alfred Inglethorp under the same roof, and keep the peace between them, was likely to prove a Herculean task 任务, and I did not envy 嫉妒 John. I could see by the expression of his face that he fully 充分 appreciated 欣赏 the difficulty of the position. For the moment, he sought refuge 避难所 in retreat 撤退, and left the room precipitately 沉淀.

Dorcas brought in fresh tea. As she left the room, Poirot came over from the window where he had been standing, and sat down facing Miss Howard.

"Mademoiselle," he said gravely, "I want to ask you something."

"Ask away," said the lady, eyeing him with some disfavour.

"I want to be able to count upon your help."

"I'll help you to hang Alfred with pleasure," she replied gruffly. "Hanging's too good for him. Ought to be drawn draw and quartered, like in good old times."

"We are at one then," said Poirot, "for I, too, want to hang the criminal 罪犯."

"Alfred Inglethorp?"

"Him, or another."

"No question of another. Poor Emily was never murdered until he came along. I don't say she wasn't surrounded by sharks 鲨鱼—she was. But it was only her purse 钱包 they were after. Her life was safe enough. But along comes Mr. Alfred Inglethorp—and within two months—hey 嘿 presto!"

"Believe me, Miss Howard," said Poirot very earnestly, "if Mr. Inglethorp is the man, he shall not escape me. On my honour, I will hang him as high as Haman!"

"That's better," said Miss Howard more enthusiastically 踊跃.

"But I must ask you to trust me. Now your help may be very valuable 贵重的 to me. I will tell you why. Because, in all this house of mourning 悼, yours are the only eyes that have wept weep."

Miss Howard blinked 眨, and a new note crept 爬行:creep into the gruffness of her voice.

"If you mean that I was fond 喜欢的 of her—yes, I was. You know, Emily was a selfish 自私的 old woman in her way. She was very generous 慷慨的, but she always wanted a return. She never let people forget what she had done for them—and, that way she missed love. Don't think she ever realized it, though, or felt the lack of it. Hope not, anyway 无论如何. I was on a different footing. I took my stand from the first. 'So many pounds a year I'm worth to you. Well and good. But not a penny 便士 piece besides—not a pair of gloves 手套, nor a theatre ticket 票.' She didn't understand—was very offended 触怒 sometimes. Said I was foolishly 傻 proud. It wasn't that—but I couldn't explain. Anyway, I kept my self-respect. And so, out of the whole bunch 束, I was the only one who could allow myself 我 to be fond 喜欢的 of her. I watched over her. I guarded her from the lot of them, and then a glib-tongued 舌头 scoundrel comes along, and pooh! all my years of devotion 忠诚 go for nothing."

Poirot nodded 点头 sympathetically.

"I understand, mademoiselle, I understand all you feel. It is most natural 自然. You think that we are lukewarm—that we lack fire and energy 能源—but trust me, it is not so."

John stuck stick his head in at this juncture 契机, and invited us both to come up to Mrs. Inglethorp's room, as he and Mr. Wells had finished looking through the desk in the boudoir.

As we went up the stairs 楼梯, John looked back to the dining-room door, and lowered his voice confidentially 秘密的:

"Look here, what's going to happen when these two meet?"

I shook my head help‧less 无助.

"I've told Mary to keep them apart 相隔 if she can."

"Will she be able to do so?"

"The Lord only knows. There's one thing, Inglethorp himself won't be too keen 热切的 on meeting her."

"You've got the keys still, haven't you, Poirot?" I asked, as we reached the door of the locked room.

Taking the keys from Poirot, John unlocked 开锁 it, and we all passed in. The lawyer went straight to the desk, and John followed him.

"My mother kept most of her important papers in this despatch-case, I believe," he said.

Poirot drew out the small bunch 束 of keys.

"Permit me. I locked it, out of pre‧caution 预防, this morning."

"But it's not locked now."

"Impossible!"

"See." And John lifted the lid 盖子 as he spoke.

"Milles tonnerres!" cried Poirot, dumfounded. "And I—who have both the keys in my pocket 口袋!" He flung himself upon the case. Suddenly he stiffened 弄硬. "Eh voilà une affaire! This lock has been forced."

"What?"

Poirot laid down the case again.

"But who forced it? Why should they? When? But the door was locked?" These exclamations burst 爆裂 from us disjointedly.

Poirot answered them categorically—almost mechanically 机械.

"Who? That is the question. Why? Ah, if I only knew. When? Since I was here an hour ago. As to the door being locked, it is a very ordinary lock. Probably any other of the doorkeys in this passage would fit it."

We stared at one another blankly 空白. Poirot had walked over to the mantel-piece. He was outwardly 向外的 calm 镇定的, but I noticed his hands, which from long force of habit 习惯 were mechanically 机械 straightening 变直 the spill 溢出 vases 花瓶 on the mantel-piece, were shaking violently 猛烈.

"See here, it was like this," he said at last. "There was something in that case—some piece of evidence 证据, slight in itself 本身 perhaps, but still enough of a clue 线索 to connect 连接 the murderer with the crime 罪行. It was vital 重要的 to him that it should be destroyed before it was discovered and its significance 重要性 appreciated 欣赏. Therefore, he took the risk, the great risk, of coming in here. Finding the case locked, he was obliged 责成 to force it, thus betraying 背叛 his presence. For him to take that risk, it must have been something of great importance."

"But what was it?"

"Ah!" cried Poirot, with a gesture 手势 of anger 生气. "That, I do not know! A document 文件 of some kind, without doubt, possibly the scrap 废料 of paper Dorcas saw in her hand yesterday afternoon. And I—" his anger burst 爆裂 forth freely—" miserable 悲惨的 animal that I am! I guessed nothing! I have behaved 表现 like an imbecile! I should never have left that case here. I should have carried it away with me. Ah, triple 三倍 pig 猪! And now it is gone. It is destroyed—but is it destroyed? Is there not yet a chance—we must leave no stone unturned—"

He rushed 仓促 like a madman from the room, and I followed him as soon as I had sufficiently 充分地 recovered 恢复 my wits 风趣. But, by the time I had reached the top of the stairs, he was out of sight.

Mary Cavendish was standing where the stair‧case 楼梯 branched, staring down into the hall in the direction in which he had disappeared 不见.

"What has happened to your extra‧ordinary 非凡的 little friend, Mr. Hastings? He has just rushed past me like a mad 疯狂的 bull 公牛."

"He's rather upset 打翻 about something," I remarked feebly 微弱. I really did not know how much Poirot would wish me to disclose 透露. As I saw a faint smile gather on Mrs. Cavendish's expressive 表现的 mouth, I endeavoured to try and turn the conversation by saying: "They haven't met yet, have they?"

"Who?"

"Mr. Inglethorp and Miss Howard."

She looked at me in rather a disconcerting 搅乱 manner.

"Do you think it would be such a disaster 灾难，大祸 if they did meet?"

"Well, don't you?" I said, rather taken aback 吓了一跳.

"No." She was smiling in her quiet way. "I should like to see a good flare 闪光 up. It would clear the air. At present we are all thinking so much, and saying so little."

"John doesn't think so," I remarked. "He's anxious 焦急的 to keep them apart 相隔."

"Oh, John!"

Something in her tone 音 fired me, and I blurted out:

"Old John's an awfully 糟糕的 good sort."

She studied me curiously for a minute or two, and then said, to my great surprise:

"You are loyal 忠诚的 to your friend. I like you for that."

"Aren't you my friend too?"

"I am a very bad friend."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because it is true. I am charming 魔力；使陶醉 to my friends one day, and forget all about them the next."

I don't know what impelled me, but I was nettled, and I said foolishly 傻 and not in the best of taste:

"Yet you seem to be invariably 不变地 charming to Dr. Bauerstein!"

Instantly I regretted 后悔 my words. Her face stiffened. I had the impression 印象 of a steel 钢 curtain 窗帘 coming down and blotting 斑点 out the real woman. Without a word, she turned and went swiftly 如飞 up the stairs, whilst 同时 I stood like an idiot 白痴 gaping 盱；目瞪口呆 after her.

I was recalled 召回 to other matters by a frightful row 行 going on below. I could hear Poirot shouting and expounding. I was vexed to think that my diplomacy 外交 had been in vain 徒劳的. The little man appeared to be taking the whole house into his confidence 信心, a proceeding 继续 of which I, for one, doubted the wisdom 智慧. Once again I could not help regretting 后悔 that my friend was so prone 易于 to lose his head in moments of excitement 激动. I stepped briskly 轻快 down the stairs. The sight of me calmed 镇定的 Poirot almost immediately. I drew him aside.

"My dear fellow," I said, "is this wise 明智的；聪明的? Surely you don't want the whole house to know of this occurrence 发生? You are actually playing into the criminal 罪犯's hands."

"You think so, Hastings?"

"I am sure of it."

"Well, well, my friend, I will be guided by you."

"Good. Although, unfortunately 不幸, it is a little too late now."

"Sure."

He looked so crestfallen and abashed that I felt quite sorry 对不起的, though I still thought my rebuke 训斥 a just and wise 明智的；聪明的 one.

"Well," he said at last, "let us go, mon ami."

"You have finished here?"

"For the moment, yes. You will walk back with me to the village?"

"Willingly."

He picked up his little suit-case, and we went out through the open window in the drawing-room. Cynthia Murdoch was just coming in, and Poirot stood aside to let her pass.

" Excuse 原谅 me, mademoiselle, one minute."

"Yes?" she turned inquiringly.

"Did you ever make up Mrs. Inglethorp's medicines 医学?"

A slight flush 红晕 rose in her face, as she answered rather constrainedly:

"No."

"Only her powders 粉?"

The flush 红晕 deepened 变深 as Cynthia replied:

"Oh, yes, I did make up some sleeping powders for her once."

"These?"

Poirot produced the empty box which had contained powders.

She nodded 点头.

"Can you tell me what they were? Sulphonal? Veronal?"

"No, they were bromide powders."

"Ah! Thank you, mademoiselle; good morning."

As we walked briskly 轻快 away from the house, I glanced 一瞥 at him more than once. I had often before noticed that, if anything excited him, his eyes turned green like a cat's. They were shining 发光 like emeralds now.

"My friend," he broke out at last, "I have a little idea, a very strange, and probably utterly 完全 impossible idea. And yet—it fits in."

I shrugged 耸 my shoulders. I privately thought that Poirot was rather too much given to these fantastic 奇妙 ideas. In this case, surely, the truth was only too plain and apparent 清晰可见的；显而易见的；明白易懂的.

"So that is the explanation 说明 of the blank 空白 label 标签 on the box," I remarked. "Very simple, as you said. I really wonder that I did not think of it myself 我."

Poirot did not appear to be listening to me.

"They have made one more discovery 发现, la-bas," he observed, jerking 混蛋 his thumb 拇指 over his shoulder in the direction of Styles. "Mr. Wells told me as we were going upstairs 楼上."

"What was it?"

"Locked up in the desk in the boudoir, they found a will of Mrs. Inglethorp's, dated before her marriage, leaving her for‧tune 命运 to Alfred Inglethorp. It must have been made just at the time they were engaged 从事. It came quite as a surprise to Wells—and to John Cavendish also. It was written on one of those printed will forms, and witnessed by two of the servants—not Dorcas."

"Did Mr. Inglethorp know of it?"

"He says not."

"One might take that with a grain 谷物 of salt," I remarked sceptically. "All these wills are very confusing 使困窘. Tell me, how did those scribbled 涂 words on the envelope 信封 help you to discover that a will was made yesterday afternoon?"

Poirot smiled.

"Mon ami, have you ever, when writing a letter, been arrested 逮捕 by the fact that you did not know how to spell 拼写 a certain word?"

"Yes, often. I suppose every one has."

"Exactly. And have you not, in such a case, tried the word once or twice 两次 on the edge of the blotting 斑点-paper, or a spare 节省；多余的；备用件 scrap 废料 of paper, to see if it looked right? Well, that is what Mrs. Inglethorp did. You will notice that the word ' possessed 拥有' is spelt 拼写:spell first with one 's' and subsequently 随后的，接着的 with two—correctly. To make sure, she had further tried it in a sentence 句子, thus: 'I am possessed.' Now, what did that tell me? It told me that Mrs. Inglethorp had been writing the word 'possessed' that afternoon, and, having the fragment 分段 of paper found in the grate 炉排 fresh in my mind, the possibility 可能性 of a will—(a document 文件 almost certain to contain that word)—occurred 发生 to me at once. This possibility 可能性 was confirmed 确认 by a further circumstance 环境. In the general confusion 混乱, the boudoir had not been swept that morning, and near the desk were several traces 跟踪 of brown mould and earth. The weather had been perfectly fine for some days, and no ordinary boots would have left such a heavy deposit 留下.

"I strolled 漫步 to the window, and saw at once that the begonia beds had been newly 最近，新近 planted. The mould in the beds was exactly similar 类似 to that on the floor of the boudoir, and also I learnt learn from you that they had been planted yesterday afternoon. I was now sure that one, or possibly both of the gardeners 园丁—for there were two sets of foot‧print 脚印 in the bed—had entered the boudoir, for if Mrs. Inglethorp had merely wished to speak to them she would in all probability 可能性 have stood at the window, and they would not have come into the room at all. I was now quite convinced 说服 that she had made a fresh will, and had called the two gardeners 园丁 in to witness her signature 签名. Events proved that I was right in my sup‧position SUP‧位置."

"That was very ingenious 巧妙," I could not help admitting. "I must confess 供认 that the conclusions 结论 I drew from those few scribbled 涂 words were quite erroneous 错误."

He smiled.

"You gave too much rein 缰绳 to your imagination 想像力. Imagination 想像力 is a good servant 仆人, and a bad master. The simplest explanation 说明 is always the most likely."

"Another point—how did you know that the key of the despatch-case had been lost?"

"I did not know it. It was a guess that turned out to be correct. You observed that it had a piece of twisted 扭成一束 wire through the handle. That suggested to me at once that it had possibly been wrenched 扳手 off a flimsy 单薄 key-ring. Now, if it had been lost and recovered 恢复, Mrs. Inglethorp would at once have replaced it on her bunch 束; but on her bunch 3 I found what was obviously 明显 the duplicate 重复 key, very new and bright, which led me to the hypothesis 假设 that somebody else had inserted 插 the original 原版的 key in the lock of the despatch-case."

"Yes," I said, "Alfred Inglethorp, without doubt."

Poirot looked at me curiously.

"You are very sure of his guilt?"

"Well, naturally 自然地. Every fresh circumstance 环境 seems to establish 建立 it more clearly."

"On the contrary 相反," said Poirot quietly, "there are several points in his favour."

"Oh, come now!"

"Yes."

"I see only one."

"And that?"

"That he was not in the house last night."

"'Bad shot!' as you English say! You have chosen choose the one point that to my mind tells against him."

"How is that?"

"Because if Mr. Inglethorp knew that his wife would be poisoned last night, he would certainly have arranged to be away from the house. His excuse 原谅 was an obviously 明显 trumped 王牌 up one. That leaves us two possibilities 可能性: either he knew what was going to happen or he had a reason of his own for his absence 缺席."

"And that reason?" I asked sceptically.

Poirot shrugged 耸 his shoulders.

"How should I know? Discreditable, without doubt. This Mr. Inglethorp, I should say, is some‧what 有些 of a scoundrel—but that does not of necessity 必须 make him a murderer."

I shook my head, unconvinced.

"We do not agree, eh?" said Poirot. "Well, let us leave it. Time will show which of us is right. Now let us turn to other aspects 方面 of the case. What do you make of the fact that all the doors of the bed‧room 卧室 were bolted 螺栓 on the inside?"

"Well——" I considered. "One must look at it logically 逻辑."

"True."

"I should put it this way. The doors were bolted 螺栓—our own eyes have told us that—yet the presence of the candle 蜡烛 grease 油脂 on the floor, and the destruction 破坏 of the will, prove that during the night someone entered the room. You agree so far?"

"Perfectly. Put with admirable 令人钦佩 clearness. Proceed 继续."

"Well," I said, encouraged, "as the person who entered did not do so by the window, nor by miraculous 神奇 means, it follows that the door must have been opened from inside by Mrs. Inglethorp her‧self 她自己. That strengthens 加强 the conviction 定罪 that the person in question was her husband. She would naturally 自然地 open the door to her own husband."

Poirot shook his head.

"Why should she? She had bolted 螺栓 the door leading into his room—a most unusual 异常 proceeding 继续 on her part—she had had a most violent 猛烈 quarrel 争吵 with him that very afternoon. No, he was the last person she would admit."

"But you agree with me that the door must have been opened by Mrs. Inglethorp her‧self 她自己?"

"There is another possibility 可能性. She may have forgotten to bolt 螺栓 the door into the passage when she went to bed, and have got up later, towards morning, and bolted 螺栓 it then."

"Poirot, is that seriously your opinion?"

"No, I do not say it is so, but it might be. Now, to turn to another feature 特征, what do you make of the scrap 废料 of conversation you over‧hear 偷听 between Mrs. Cavendish and her mother-in-law?"

"I had forgotten that," I said thoughtfully 沉思地. "That is as enigmatical as ever. It seems incredible 难以置信 that a woman like Mrs. Cavendish, proud and reticent to the last degree, should interfere 干预 so violently in what was certainly not her affair."

" Precisely 精确地. It was an astonishing 使惊讶 thing for a woman of her breeding to do."

"It is certainly curious," I agreed. "Still, it is unimportant 不重要, and need not be taken into account."

A groan 呻吟 burst from Poirot.

"What have I always told you? Everything must be taken into account. If the fact will not fit the theory 理论—let the theory 理论 go."

"Well, we shall see," I said, nettled.

"Yes, we shall see."

We had reached Leastways Cottage 小屋, and Poirot ushered 招待员 me upstairs 楼上 to his own room. He offered me one of the tiny 小 Russian cigarettes 香烟，纸烟 he himself occasionally 偶尔，间或；有时 smoked. I was amused 使人发笑 to notice that he stowed away the used matches most carefully 小心 in a little china 中国 pot 罐. My momentary 短暂的 annoyance 恼怒 vanished 消失.

Poirot had placed our two chairs in front of the open window which commanded a view of the village street. The fresh air blew blow in warm and pleasant. It was going to be a hot day.

Suddenly my attention was arrested by a weedy looking young man rushing 仓促 down the street at a great pace 步伐，速度. It was the expression on his face that was extra‧ordinary 非凡的—a curious mingling 交融 of terror 恐怖 and agitation 搅动.

"Look, Poirot!" I said.

He leant lean forward.

"Tiens!" he said. "It is Mr. Mace, from the chemist 化学家's shop. He is coming here."

The young man came to a halt 停 before Leastways Cottage 小屋, and, after hesitating 犹豫 a moment, pounded vigorously 大力 at the door.

"A little minute," cried Poirot from the window. "I come."

Motioning to me to follow him, he ran swiftly 如飞 down the stairs and opened the door. Mr. Mace began at once.

"Oh, Mr. Poirot, I'm sorry 对不起的 for the inconvenience 不方便, but I heard that you'd just come back from the Hall?"

"Yes, we have."

The young man moistened his dry lips. His face was working curiously.

"It's all over the village about old Mrs. Inglethorp dying so suddenly. They do say—" he lowered his voice cautiously—"that it's poison 毒药?"

Poirot's face remained quite impassive.

"Only the doctors can tell us that, Mr. Mace."

"Yes, exactly—of course——" The young man hesitated, and then his agitation 搅动 was too much for him. He clutched 离合器 Poirot by the arm, and sank 淹没:sink his voice to a whisper 低声说: "Just tell me this, Mr. Poirot, it isn't—it isn't strychnine, is it?"

I hardly heard what Poirot replied. Something evidently 明显地 of a non 非-committal nature. The young man departed 离开, and as he closed the door Poirot's eyes met mine.

"Yes," he said, nodding 点头 gravely. "He will have evidence 证据 to give at the inquest."

We went slowly upstairs 楼上 again. I was opening my lips, when Poirot stopped me with a gesture 手势 of his hand.

"Not now, not now, mon ami. I have need of reflection 反映. My mind is in some disorder 混乱—which is not well."

For about ten 十 minutes he sat in dead silence, perfectly still, except for several expressive 表现的 motions of his eye‧brow 眉, and all the time his eyes grew grow steadily greener. At last he heaved 举起 a deep sigh 叹.

"It is well. The bad moment has passed. Now all is arranged and classified 分类. One must never permit confusion 混乱. The case is not clear yet—no. For it is of the most complicated 使复杂化! It puzzles 使迷惑 me. Me, Hercule Poirot! There are two facts of significance 重要性."

"And what are they?"

"The first is the state of the weather yesterday. That is very important."

"But it was a glorious 辉煌 day!" I interrupted. "Poirot, you're pulling my leg!"

"Not at all. The thermometer registered 寄存器 80 degrees in the shade 遮阳；阴. Do not forget that, my friend. It is the key to the whole riddle 谜语!"

"And the second point?" I asked.

"The important fact that Monsieur Inglethorp wears very peculiar 奇怪的 clothes, has a black beard 胡须, and uses glasses."

"Poirot, I cannot believe you are serious."

"I am absolutely serious, my friend."

"But this is childish 幼稚!"

"No, it is very momentous."

"And supposing the Coroner's jury 陪审团 returns a verdict 判决书 of Wilful Murder against Alfred Inglethorp. What becomes of your theories 理论, then?"

"They would not be shaken shake because twelve 十二 stupid 愚蠢的 men had happened to make a mistake! But that will not occur 发生. For one thing, a country jury 陪审团 is not anxious 焦急的 to take responsibility 责任 upon itself 本身, and Mr. Inglethorp stands practically in the position of local squire. Also," he added placidly, "I should not allow it!"

"You would not allow it?"

"No."

I looked at the extraordinary 3 little man, divided between annoyance 恼怒 and amusement 娱乐. He was so tremendously 异常 sure of himself. As though he read my thoughts, he nodded 点头 gently.

"Oh, yes, mon ami, I would do what I say." He got up and laid his hand on my shoulder. His physiognomy underwent a complete change. Tears came into his eyes. "In all this, you see, I think of that poor Mrs. Inglethorp who is dead. She was not extravagantly 靡 loved—no. But she was very good to us Belgians—I owe 欠…债 her a debt 债务."

I endeavoured to interrupt 打断, but Poirot swept on.

"Let me tell you this, Hastings. She would never for‧give 原谅 me if I let Alfred Inglethorp, her husband, be arrested now—when a word from me could save him!"

CHAPTER VI. THE INQUEST

In the interval 间隔 before the inquest, Poirot was unfailing in his activity. Twice 两次 he was closeted 壁橱 with Mr. Wells. He also took long walks into the country. I rather resented 愤恨 his not taking me into his confidence 信心, the more so as I could not in the least guess what he was driving at.

It occurred 发生 to me that he might have been making inquiries 调查 at Raikes's farm; so, finding him out when I called at Leastways Cottage 小屋 on Wednesday evening, I walked over there by the fields, hoping to meet him. But there was no sign of him, and I hesitated to go right up to the farm itself 本身. As I walked away, I met an aged rustic 乡村, who leered at me cunningly 狡猾.

"You'm from the Hall, bain't you?" he asked.

"Yes. I'm looking for a friend of mine whom 谁 I thought might have walked this way."

"A little chap 皴裂? As waves his hands when he talks? One of them Belgies from the village?"

"Yes," I said eagerly 渴望的. "He has been here, then?"

"Oh, ay, he's been here, right enough. More'n once too. Friend of yours, is he? Ah, you gentlemen from the Hall—you'n a pretty lot!" And he leered more jocosely than ever.

"Why, do the gentlemen from the Hall come here often?" I asked, as care‧less 粗心 as I could.

He winked 眨眼 at me knowingly 有意识.

"One does, mister 薄雾. Naming no names, mind. And a very liberal 自由主义的 gentle‧man 先生 too! Oh, thank you, sir, I'm sure."

I walked on sharply. Evelyn Howard had been right then, and I experienced a sharp twinge of disgust 反感, as I thought of Alfred Inglethorp's liberality with another woman's money. Had that piquant gipsy face been at the bottom of the crime, or was it the baser main‧spring 主要的‧春季 of money? Probably a judicious mixture 混合 of both.

On one point, Poirot seemed to have a curious obsession 困扰. He once or twice 两次 observed to me that he thought Dorcas must have made an error 错误 in fixing the time of the quarrel 3. He suggested to her repeatedly 反复 that it was 4.30, and not 4 o' clock 钟 when she had heard the voices.

But Dorcas was unshaken. Quite an hour, or even more, had elapsed 过去 between the time when she had heard the voices and 5 o' clock, when she had taken tea to her mistress 情妇.

The inquest was held on Friday at the Stylites Arms in the village. Poirot and I sat together, not being required to give evidence 证据.

The preliminaries 初步 were gone through. The jury 陪审团 viewed the body, and John Cavendish gave evidence 证据 of identification 鉴定.

Further questioned, he described his awakening 憬 in the early hours of the morning, and the circumstances 环境 of his mother's death.

The medical evidence 证据 was next taken. There was a breath‧less 咋舌 hush 嘘, and every eye was fixed on the famous 著名 London specialist 专家；专业人员, who was known to be one of the greatest authorities 权威 of the day on the subject of toxicology.

In a few brief 简要 words, he summed 和 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 毒药. Judging from the quantity 量 recovered 恢复, she must have taken not less than three-quarters of a grain 谷物 of strychnine, but probably one grain or slightly over.

"Is it possible that she could have swallowed 吞 the poison 毒药 by accident 意外事件?" asked the Coroner.

"I should consider it very unlikely 不会. Strychnine is not used for domestic 国内 purposes, as some poisons 毒药 are, and there are restrictions 受限制的，受约束的 placed on its sale."

"Does anything in your examination 检查 lead you to determine how the poison was administered 管理?"

"No."

"You arrived at Styles before Dr. Wilkins, I believe?"

"That is so. The motor met me just outside the lodge 存放 gates 门, and I hurried there as fast as I could."

"Will you relate to us exactly what happened next?"

"I entered Mrs. Inglethorp's room. She was at that moment in a typical 典型 tetanic convulsion. She turned towards me, and gasped 喘气 out: 'Alfred—Alfred——'"

"Could the strychnine have been administered 管理 in Mrs. Inglethorp's after-dinner coffee which was taken to her by her husband?"

"Possibly, but strychnine is a fairly rapid drug 药物 in its action. The symptoms 症状 appear from one to two hours after it has been swallowed. It is retarded 减速 under certain conditions, none of which, however, appear to have been present in this case. I presume 假设 Mrs. Inglethorp took the coffee after dinner about eight 八 o' clock 钟, whereas 而 the symptoms did not manifest 表现 themselves until the early hours of the morning, which, on the face of it, points to the drug 药物 having been taken much later in the evening."

"Mrs. Inglethorp was in the habit 习惯 of drinking a cup of cocoa 可可 in the middle of the night. Could the strychnine have been administered 管理 in that?"

"No, I myself 我 took a sample of the cocoa 可可 remaining in the sauce‧pan 平底锅 and had it analysed. There was no strychnine present."

I heard Poirot chuckle 暗笑 softly beside me.

"How did you know?" I whispered 低声说.

"Listen."

"I should say"—the doctor was continuing—"that I would have been consider‧able 相当 surprised at any other result."

"Why?"

"Simply because strychnine has an unusually 异常 bitter taste. It can be detected 发现，察觉，看出 in a solution of 1 in 70,000, and can only be disguised 伪装 by some strongly flavoured substance 物质. Cocoa would be quite power‧less 无力 to mask 面具 it."

One of the jury 陪审团 wanted to know if the same objection 反对 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 药物 was administered 管理 in the coffee, but that for some unknown 未知 reason its action was delayed 延迟."

"Yes, but, the cup being completely smashed 粉碎, there is no possibility 可能性 of analyzing 分析 its contents."

This concluded 得出结论 Dr. Bauerstein's evidence 证据. Dr. Wilkins corroborated it on all points. Sounded as to the possibility 可能性 of suicide, he repudiated it utterly 完全. The deceased 死亡, he said, suffered from a weak heart, but otherwise enjoyed perfect health, and was of a cheerful 快乐 and well-balanced disposition 性格. She would be one of the last people to take her own life.

Lawrence Cavendish was next called. His evidence 证据 was quite unimportant 不重要, being a mere repetition 重复 of that of his brother. Just as he was about to step down, he paused 暂停, and said rather hesitatingly:

"I should like to make a suggestion 建议 if I may?"

He glanced 一瞥 deprecatingly at the Coroner, who replied briskly 轻快:

"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 自然 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 补品 containing strychnine."

"Ah!" said the Coroner.

The jury 陪审团 looked up, interested.

"I believe," continued Lawrence, "that there have been cases where the cumulative 累积的 effect of a drug 药物, administered 管理 for some time, has ended by causing death. Also, is it not possible that she may have taken an over‧dose 过量 of her medicine 医学 by accident 意外事件?"

"This is the first we have heard of the deceased 死亡 taking strychnine at the time of her death. We are much obliged 责成 to you, Mr. Cavendish."

Dr. Wilkins was recalled 召回 and ridiculed 嘲笑 the idea.

"What Mr. Cavendish suggests is quite impossible. Any doctor would tell you the same. Strychnine is, in a certain sense, a cumulative 累积的 poison 3, 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 慢性 symptoms which would at once have attracted my attention. The whole thing is absurd 荒诞."

"And the second suggestion 建议? That Mrs. Inglethorp may have inadvertently 不经意间 taken an over‧dose 过量?"

"Three, or even four doses 剂量, would not have resulted in death. Mrs. Inglethorp always had an extra 额外的 large amount of medicine 医学 made up at a time, as she dealt deal with Coot's, the Cash 现金 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 解雇 the tonic 补品 as not being in any way instrumental 仪器的 in causing her death?"

"Certainly. The sup‧position SUP‧位置 is ridiculous 荒谬."

The same jury‧man 陪审团‧男人 who had interrupted before here suggested that the chemist 化学家 who made up the medicine 医学 might have committed 承诺 an error 错误.

"That, of course, is always possible," replied the doctor.

But Dorcas, who was the next witness called, dispelled 打消 even that possibility 可能性. The medicine 3 had not been newly 最近，新近 made up. On the contrary 相反, Mrs. Inglethorp had taken the last dose 剂量 on the day of her death.

So the question of the tonic 补品 was finally abandoned 放弃, and the Coroner proceeded 继续 with his task 任务. Having elicited 引出 from Dorcas how she had been awakened 憬 by the violent ringing of her mistress 情妇's bell 钟, and had subsequently roused 唤醒 the house‧hold 家庭, he passed to the subject of the quarrel on the preceding 优于 afternoon.

Dorcas's evidence 证据 on this point was substantially 基本上 what Poirot and I had already heard, so I will not repeat it here.

The next witness was Mary Cavendish. She stood very upright 直立的, and spoke in a low, clear, and perfectly composed voice. In answer to the Coroner's question, she told how, her alarm 警告 clock 3 having aroused 引起 her at 4.30 as usual, she was dressing, when she was startled 惊吓 by the sound of something heavy falling.

"That would have been the table by the bed?" commented 评论 the Coroner.

"I opened my door," continued Mary, "and listened. In a few minutes a bell 钟 rang violently. Dorcas came running down and woke 醒:wake my husband, and we all went to my mother-in-law's room, but it was locked——"

The Coroner interrupted her.

"I really do not think we need trouble you further on that point. We know all that can be known of the subsequent 随后的，接着的 happenings. But I should be obliged 责成 if you would tell us all you over‧hear 偷听 of the quarrel the day before."

"I?"

There was a faint insolence in her voice. She raised her hand and adjusted 改变；调节 the ruffle 生气 of lace 花边 at her neck, turning her head a little as she did so. And quite spontaneously 自发 the thought flashed across my mind: "She is gaining time!"

"Yes. I understand," continued the Coroner deliberately 故意, "that you were sitting reading on the bench 长凳 just outside the long window of the boudoir. That is so, is it not?"

This was news to me and glancing 一瞥 sideways 侧身 at Poirot, I fancied 想像 that it was news to him as well.

There was the faintest 微弱的 pause 暂停, the mere hesitation 犹豫 of a moment, before she answered:

"Yes, that is so."

"And the boudoir window was open, was it not?"

Surely her face grew a little paler as she answered:

"Yes."

"Then you cannot have failed to hear the voices inside, especially as they were raised in anger. In fact, they would be more audible 听得见 where you were than in the hall."

"Possibly."

"Will you repeat to us what you over‧hear 偷听 of the quarrel?"

"I really do not remember hearing anything."

"Do you mean to say you did not hear voices?"

"Oh, yes, I heard the voices, but I did not hear what they said." A faint spot of colour came into her cheek 脸颊. "I am not in the habit of listening to private conversations."

The Coroner persisted 坚持.

"And you remember nothing at all? Nothing, Mrs. Cavendish? Not one stray 流浪 word or phrase 短语 to make you realize that it was a private conversation?"

She paused, and seemed to reflect, still outwardly as calm 镇定的 as ever.

"Yes; I remember. Mrs. Inglethorp said something—I do not remember exactly what—about causing scandal 丑闻 between husband and wife."

"Ah!" the Coroner leant back satisfied. "That corresponds 对应 with what Dorcas heard. But excuse 3 me, Mrs. Cavendish, although you realized it was a private conversation, you did not move away? You remained where you were?"

I caught catch the momentary 短暂的 gleam 闪光 of her tawny eyes as she raised them. I felt certain that at that moment she would willingly 甘心 have torn tear the little lawyer, with his insinuations, into pieces, but she replied quietly enough:

"No. I was very comfort‧able 舒服；自在 where I was. I fixed my mind on my book."

"And that is all you can tell us?"

"That is all."

The examination 检查 was over, though I doubted if the Coroner was entirely satisfied with it. I think he suspected that Mary Cavendish could tell more if she chose.

Amy Hill, shop assistant 助理, was next called, and deposed 免职 to having sold sell a will form on the afternoon of the 17th to William Earl, under-gardener at Styles.

William Earl and Manning succeeded her, and testified 作证 to witnessing a document 文件. Manning fixed the time at about 4.30, William was of the opinion that it was rather earlier.

Cynthia Murdoch came next. She had, however, little to tell. She had known nothing of the tragedy 悲剧, until awakened 憬 by Mrs. Cavendish.

"You did not hear the table fall?"

"No. I was fast asleep 睡着的."

The Coroner smiled.

"A good conscience 良心 makes a sound sleeper," he observed. "Thank you, Miss Murdoch, that is all."

"Miss Howard."

Miss Howard produced the letter written to her by Mrs. Inglethorp on the evening of the 17th. Poirot and I had, of course already seen it. It added nothing to our knowledge of the tragedy 悲剧. The following is a facsimile:

STYLES COURT
ESSEX hand written note: July 17th

My dear Evelyn

Can we not bury 埋葬 the hachet? I have found it hard to for‧give 原谅 the
things you said against my dear husband but I am an old woman
& 功放; very fond 喜欢的 of you

Yours affectionately 亲热,

Emily Inglethorpe

It was handed to the jury 陪审团 who scrutinized 细察 it attentively 注意的.

"I fear it does not help us much," said the Coroner, with a sigh 叹. "There is no mention of any of the events of that afternoon."

"Plain as a pikestaff to me," said Miss Howard shortly. "It shows clearly enough that my poor old friend had just found out she'd been made a fool of!"

"It says nothing of the kind in the letter," the Coroner pointed out.

"No, because Emily never could bear to put her‧self 她自己 in the wrong. But I know her. She wanted me back. But she wasn't going to own that I'd been right. She went round about. Most people do. Don't believe in it myself 我."

Mr. Wells smiled faintly 微弱的. So, I noticed, did several of the jury 陪审团. Miss Howard was obviously 明显 quite a public character.

"Anyway, all this tomfoolery is a great waste of time," continued the lady, glancing 一瞥 up and down the jury 陪审团 disparagingly. "Talk—talk—talk! When all the time we know perfectly well——"

The Coroner interrupted her in an agony 痛苦 of apprehension 顾虑:

"Thank you, Miss Howard, that is all."

I fancy 想像 he breathed 呼吸 a sigh 叹 of relief when she complied 执行.

Then came the sensation 感觉 of the day. The Coroner called Albert Mace, chemist 化学家's assistant 助理.

It was our agitated 激荡 young man of the pale face. In answer to the Coroner's questions, he explained that he was a qualified 达标 pharmacist 药剂师, but had only recently come to this particular shop, as the assistant 助理 formerly there had just been called up for the army.

These preliminaries 初步 completed, the Coroner proceeded 继续 to business.

"Mr. Mace, have you lately 近来 sold strychnine to any unauthorized 取消授权 person?"

"Yes, sir."

"When was this?"

"Last Monday night."

"Monday? Not Tuesday?"

"No, sir, Monday, the 16th."

"Will you tell us to whom 谁 you sold it?"

You could have heard a pin 钉 drop.

"Yes, sir. It was to Mr. Inglethorp."

Every eye turned simultaneously 同时 to where Alfred Inglethorp was sitting, impassive and wooden 木制的. He started slightly, as the damning 该死的 words fell from the young man's lips. I half thought he was going to rise from his chair, but he remained seated, although a remark‧able 非凡的；奇异的；引人注目的 well acted expression of astonishment 惊愕 rose on his face.

"You are sure of what you say?" asked the Coroner sternly 严肃.

"Quite sure, sir."

"Are you in the habit of selling strychnine indiscriminately over the counter?"

The wretched 不幸的人 young man wilted visibly 可以看见的；可视的 under the Coroner's frown 皱眉.

"Oh, no, sir—of course not. But, seeing it was Mr. Inglethorp of the Hall, I thought there was no harm 损害 in it. He said it was to poison a dog."

Inwardly I sympathized 同情. It was only human nature to endeavour to please "The Hall"—especially when it might result in custom 习惯 being transferred 转让 from Coot's to the local establishment 机构.

"Is it not customary 习惯的 for anyone purchasing 采购 poison to sign a book?"

"Yes, sir, Mr. Inglethorp did so."

"Have you got the book here?"

"Yes, sir."

It was produced; and, with a few words of stern 严肃 censure 谴责, the Coroner dismissed the wretched 不幸的人 Mr. Mace.

Then, amidst 烟雨 a breath‧less 咋舌 silence, Alfred Inglethorp was called. Did he realize, I wondered, how closely the halter 停 was being drawn around his neck?

The Coroner went straight to the point.

"On Monday evening last, did you purchase 采购 strychnine for the purpose of poisoning a dog?"

Inglethorp replied with perfect calmness:

"No, I did not. There is no dog at Styles, except an out‧door 户外 sheep‧dog 羊‧狗, which is in perfect health."

"You deny 拒绝 absolutely having purchased 采购 strychnine from Albert Mace on Monday last?"

"I do."

"Do you also deny 拒绝 this?"

The Coroner handed him the register 寄存器 in which his signature 签名 was inscribed 题.

"Certainly I do. The hand-writing is quite different from mine. I will show you."

He took an old envelope 3 out of his pocket 口袋, and wrote his name on it, handing it to the jury 陪审团. It was certainly utterly 完全 dissimilar.

"Then what is your explanation 说明 of Mr. Mace's statement 声明?"

Alfred Inglethorp replied imperturbably:

"Mr. Mace must have been mistaken 错误."

The Coroner hesitated for a moment, and then said:

"Mr. Inglethorp, as a mere matter of form, would you mind telling us where you were on the evening of Monday, July 16th?"

"Really—I can't remember."

"That is absurd 荒诞, Mr. Inglethorp," said the Coroner sharply. "Think again."

Inglethorp shook his head.

"I cannot tell you. I have an idea that I was out walking."

"In what direction?"

"I really can't remember."

The Coroner's face grew graver 坟墓；严重的.

"Were you in company with anyone?"

"No."

"Did you meet anyone on your walk?"

"No."

"That is a pity 怜悯," said the Coroner dryly. "I am to take it then that you decline 下降 to say where you were at the time that Mr. Mace positively 积极 recognized you as entering the shop to purchase 采购 strychnine?"

"If you like to take it that way, yes."

"Be careful 小心, Mr. Inglethorp."

Poirot was fidgeting nervously 担心的.

"Sacre!" he murmured 私语. "Does this imbecile of a man want to be arrested?"

Inglethorp was indeed creating a bad impression 印象. His futile 无用 denials 否认 would not have convinced 说服 a child. The Coroner, however, passed briskly 轻快 to the next point, and Poirot drew a deep breath of relief.

"You had a discussion with your wife on Tuesday afternoon?"

" Pardon 宽恕；说啥？ me," interrupted Alfred Inglethorp, "you have been misinformed. I had no quarrel with my dear wife. The whole story is absolutely untrue 不确实. I was absent 缺席的 from the house the entire afternoon."

"Have you anyone who can testify 作证 to that?"

"You have my word," said Inglethorp haughtily.

The Coroner did not trouble to reply.

"There are two witnesses who will swear 发誓 to having heard your disagreement 异议 with Mrs. Inglethorp."

"Those witnesses were mistaken 错误."

I was puzzled. The man spoke with such quiet assurance 保证 that I was staggered 错开. I looked at Poirot. There was an expression of exultation on his face which I could not understand. Was he at last convinced 说服 of Alfred Inglethorp's guilt?

"Mr. Inglethorp," said the Coroner, "you have heard your wife's dying words repeated here. Can you explain them in any way?"

"Certainly I can."

"You can?"

"It seems to me very simple. The room was dimly 暗淡 lighted. Dr. Bauerstein is much of my height 高度 and build, and, like me, wears a beard 胡须. In the dim 暗淡 light, and suffering as she was, my poor wife mistook him for me."

"Ah!" murmured 私语 Poirot to himself. "But it is an idea, that!"

"You think it is true?" I whispered.

"I do not say that. But it is truly 真 an ingenious 巧妙 sup‧position SUP‧位置."

"You read my wife's last words as an accusation 指控"—Inglethorp was continuing—"they were, on the contrary 相反, an appeal 上诉 to me."

The Coroner reflected a moment, then he said:

"I believe, Mr. Inglethorp, that you your‧self 你自己 poured out the coffee, and took it to your wife that evening?"

"I poured it out, yes. But I did not take it to her. I meant to do so, but I was told that a friend was at the hall door, so I laid down the coffee on the hall table. When I came through the hall again a few minutes later, it was gone."

This statement 声明 might, or might not, be true, but it did not seem to me to improve matters much for Inglethorp. In any case, he had had ample 充足 time to introduce the poison.

At that point, Poirot nudged 微调 me gently, indicating 表明 two men who were sitting together near the door. One was a little, sharp, dark, ferret 鼬-faced man, the other was tall and fair.

I questioned Poirot mutely 静音. He put his lips to my ear.

"Do you know who that little man is?"

I shook my head.

"That is Detective Inspector James Japp of Scotland Yard—Jimmy Japp. The other man is from Scotland Yard too. Things are moving quickly, my friend."

I stared at the two men intently 意图. There was certainly nothing of the police‧man 警察 about them. I should never have suspected them of being official personages.

I was still staring, when I was startled 惊吓 and recalled 召回 by the verdict 判决书 being given:

"Wilful Murder against some person or persons unknown 未知."

CHAPTER VII. POIROT PAYS HIS DEBTS

As we came out of the Stylites Arms, Poirot drew me aside by a gentle pressure of the arm. I understood understand his object. He was waiting for the Scotland Yard men.

In a few moments, they emerged 出现, and Poirot at once stepped forward, and accosted the shorter of the two.

"I fear you do not remember me, Inspector Japp."

"Why, if it isn't Mr. Poirot!" cried the Inspector. He turned to the other man. "You've heard me speak of Mr. Poirot? It was in 1904 he and I worked together—the Abercrombie forgery case—you remember, he was run down in Brussels. Ah, those were great days, moosier. Then, do you remember 'Baron' Altara? There was a pretty rogue 流氓 for you! He eluded 躲避 the clutches 离合器 of half the police in Europe. But we nailed 钉子 him in Antwerp—thanks to Mr. Poirot here."

As these friendly reminiscences were being indulged 放纵 in, I drew nearer, and was introduced to Detective-Inspector Japp, who, in his turn, introduced us both to his companion 同伴, Superintendent Summerhaye.

"I need hardly ask what you are doing here, gentlemen," remarked Poirot.

Japp closed one eye knowingly 有意识.

"No, indeed. Pretty clear case I should say."

But Poirot answered gravely:

"There I differ 不同 from you."

"Oh, come!" said Summerhaye, opening his lips for the first time. "Surely the whole thing is clear as day‧light 日光. The man's caught red-handed. How he could be such a fool beats me!"

But Japp was looking attentively at Poirot.

"Hold your fire, Summerhaye," he remarked jocularly. "Me and Moosier here have met before—and there's no man's judgment 判断 I'd sooner take than his. If I'm not greatly mistaken 错误, he's got something up his sleeve 袖. Isn't that so, moosier?"

Poirot smiled.

"I have drawn certain conclusions 结论—yes."

Summerhaye was still looking rather sceptical, but Japp continued his scrutiny 审查 of Poirot.

"It's this way," he said, "so far, we've only seen the case from the outside. That's where the Yard's at a disadvantage 坏处 in a case of this kind, where the murder's only out, so to speak, after the inquest. A lot depends on being on the spot first thing, and that's where Mr. Poirot's had the start of us. We shouldn't have been here as soon as this even, if it hadn't been for the fact that there was a smart 聪明 doctor on the spot, who gave us the tip 尖；窍门 through the Coroner. But you've been on the spot from the first, and you may have picked up some little hints 暗示. From the evidence 证据 at the inquest, Mr. Inglethorp murdered his wife as sure as I stand here, and if anyone but you hinted 暗示 the contrary 相反 I'd laugh in his face. I must say I was surprised the jury 陪审团 didn't bring it in Wilful Murder against him right off. I think they would have, if it hadn't been for the Coroner—he seemed to be holding them back."

"Perhaps, though, you have a war‧rant 保证 for his arrest 逮捕 in your pocket now," suggested Poirot.

A kind of wooden 木制的 shutter 关闭 of officialdom came down from Japp's expressive 表现的 countenance 面容.

"Perhaps I have, and perhaps I haven't," he remarked dryly.

Poirot looked at him thoughtfully 沉思地.

"I am very anxious 焦急的, Messieurs, that he should not be arrested."

"I dare 敢 say," observed Summerhaye sarcastically 讽刺的；挖苦的.

Japp was regarding Poirot with comical perplexity.

"Can't you go a little further, Mr. Poirot? A wink 眨眼's as good as a nod—from you. You've been on the spot—and the Yard doesn't want to make any mistakes, you know."

Poirot nodded 点头 gravely.

"That is exactly what I thought. Well, I will tell you this. Use your war‧rant 保证: Arrest 逮捕 Mr. Inglethorp. But it will bring you no kudos—the case against him will be dismissed at once! Comme ça!" And he snapped 卡 his fingers expressively 表现的.

Japp's face grew grave 坟墓；严重的, though Summerhaye gave an incredulous snort 哼.

As for me, I was literally 按照字面 dumb 哑 with astonishment 惊愕. I could only conclude 得出结论 that Poirot was mad.

Japp had taken out a handkerchief 手帕, and was gently dabbing 轻拍 his brow 眉头.

"I daren't do it, Mr. Poirot. I'd take your word, but there's others over me who'll be asking what the devil 魔鬼 I mean by it. Can't you give me a little more to go on?"

Poirot reflected a moment.

"It can be done," he said at last. "I admit I do not wish it. It forces my hand. I would have preferred to work in the dark just for the present, but what you say is very just—the word of a Belgian police‧man 警察, whose 谁的 day is past, is not enough! And Alfred Inglethorp must not be arrested. That I have sworn 发誓:swear, as my friend Hastings here knows. See, then, my good Japp, you go at once to Styles?"

"Well, in about half an hour. We're seeing the Coroner and the doctor first."

"Good. Call for me in passing—the last house in the village. I will go with you. At Styles, Mr. Inglethorp will give you, or if he refuses—as is probable—I will give you such proofs 证明 that shall satisfy you that the case against him could not possibly be sustained 维持；遭受. Is that a bar‧gain 讨价还价；交易?"

"That's a bargain," said Japp heartily 爽朗. "And, on behalf 代表 of the Yard, I'm much obliged 责成 to you, though I'm bound 必定；跳 to confess 供认 I can't at present see the faintest possible loop 循环-hole in the evidence 证据, but you always were a marvel 奇迹! So long, then, moosier."

The two detectives 侦探 strode away, Summerhaye with an incredulous grin 微笑 on his face.

"Well, my friend," cried Poirot, before I could get in a word, "what do you think? Mon Dieu! I had some warm moments in that court; I did not figure to myself 我 that the man would be so pig 猪-headed as to refuse to say anything at all. Decidedly, it was the policy of an imbecile."

"H'm! There are other explanations 说明 besides that of imbecility," I remarked. "For, if the case against him is true, how could he defend himself except by silence?"

"Why, in a thou‧sand 千 ingenious 巧妙 ways," cried Poirot. "See; say that it is I who have committed 承诺 this murder, I can think of seven 七 most plausible 似是而非 stories! Far more convincing 说服 than Mr. Inglethorp's stony denials 否认!"

I could not help laughing.

"My dear Poirot, I am sure you are cap‧able 能 of thinking of seventy 七十! But, seriously, in spite 恶意 of what I heard you say to the detectives 侦探, you surely cannot still believe in the possibility 可能性 of Alfred Inglethorp's innocence 无辜?"

"Why not now as much as before? Nothing has changed."

"But the evidence 证据 is so conclusive 确凿."

"Yes, too conclusive 确凿."

We turned in at the gate 门 of Leastways Cottage 3, and proceeded 继续 up the now familiar stairs.

"Yes, yes, too conclusive 确凿," continued Poirot, almost to himself. "Real evidence 证据 is usually vague 模糊 and unsatisfactory 不满意. It has to be examined—sifted 筛. But here the whole thing is cut and dried. No, my friend, this evidence 证据 has been very cleverly 聪明的 manufactured—so cleverly that it has defeated 击败 its own ends."

"How do you make that out?"

"Because, so long as the evidence 证据 against him was vague 模糊 and intangible 无形, it was very hard to disprove. But, in his anxiety 焦虑, the criminal 罪犯 has drawn the net 网 so closely that one cut will set Inglethorp free."

I was silent. And in a minute or two, Poirot continued:

"Let us look at the matter like this. Here is a man, let us say, who sets out to poison his wife. He has lived by his wits 风趣 as the saying goes. Presumably, therefore, he has some wits 风趣. He is not altogether 全部地 a fool. Well, how does he set about it? He goes boldly 胆大的；醒目的 to the village chemist 化学家's and purchases 采购 strychnine under his own name, with a trumped 王牌 up story about a dog which is bound 必定；跳 to be proved absurd 荒诞. He does not employ the poison that night. No, he waits until he has had a violent quarrel with her, of which the whole house‧hold 家庭 is cognisant, and which naturally 4 directs their suspicions 怀疑 upon him. He prepares no defence—no shadow of an alibi, yet he knows the chemist 化学家's assistant 助理 must necessarily come forward with the facts. Bah! Do not ask me to believe that any man could be so idiotic! Only a lunatic 疯子, who wished to commit 承诺 suicide by causing himself to be hanged, would act so!"

"Still—I do not see—" I began.

"Neither do I see. I tell you, mon ami, it puzzles me. Me—Hercule Poirot!"

"But if you believe him innocent 无辜, how do you explain his buying the strychnine?"

"Very simply. He did not buy it."

"But Mace recognized him!"

"I beg 乞讨 your pardon 宽恕；说啥？, he saw a man with a black beard 胡须 like Mr. Inglethorp's, and wearing glasses like Mr. Inglethorp, and dressed in Mr. Inglethorp's rather notice‧able 显 clothes. He could not recognize a man whom 谁 he had probably only seen in the distance, since, you remember, he himself had only been in the village a fort‧night 两星期, and Mrs. Inglethorp dealt principally 原则上 with Coot's in Tadminster."

"Then you think——"

"Mon ami, do you remember the two points I laid stress 强调 upon? Leave the first one for the moment, what was the second?"

"The important fact that Alfred Inglethorp wears peculiar 奇怪的 clothes, has a black beard 3, and uses glasses," I quoted 引用.

"Exactly. Now suppose anyone wished to pass himself off as John or Lawrence Cavendish. Would it be easy?"

"No," I said thoughtfully 沉思地. "Of course an actor 演员——"

But Poirot cut me short ruthlessly 无情.

"And why would it not be easy? I will tell you, my friend: Because they are both clean-shaven men. To make up successfully 顺利 as one of these two in broad day‧light 日光, it would need an actor of genius 天才, and a certain initial 初始 facial 面部 resemblance 相似. But in the case of Alfred Inglethorp, all that is changed. His clothes, his beard, the glasses which hide his eyes—those are the salient 突出的 points about his personal 个人 appearance. Now, what is the first instinct 直觉 of the criminal 3? To divert 转移 suspicion 怀疑 from himself, is it not so? And how can he best do that? By throwing it on someone else. In this instance 例, there was a man ready to his hand. Everybody was predisposed to believe in Mr. Inglethorp's guilt. It was a foregone conclusion 结论 that he would be suspected; but, to make it a sure thing there must be tangible 有形 proof 证明—such as the actual buying of the poison, and that, with a man of the peculiar appearance of Mr. Inglethorp, was not difficult. Remember, this young Mace had never actually spoken speak to Mr. Inglethorp. How should he doubt that the man in his clothes, with his beard and his glasses, was not Alfred Inglethorp?"

"It may be so," I said, fascinated 深深吸引；迷住 by Poirot's eloquence. "But, if that was the case, why does he not say where he was at six o'clock on Monday evening?"

"Ah, why indeed?" said Poirot, calming 镇定的 down. "If he were arrested, he probably would speak, but I do not want it to come to that. I must make him see the gravity 重力 of his position. There is, of course, something discredit‧able 怀疑‧能够的 behind his silence. If he did not murder his wife, he is, nevertheless 虽然, a scoundrel, and has something of his own to conceal 隐藏, quite apart from the murder."

"What can it be?" I mused 沉思, won over to Poirot's views for the moment, although still retaining 保留 a faint conviction 定罪 that the obvious 明显 deduction 扣除 was the correct one.

"Can you not guess?" asked Poirot, smiling.

"No, can you?"

"Oh, yes, I had a little idea some‧time 有时 ago—and it has turned out to be correct."

"You never told me," I said reproach‧fully 责备‧完全地.

Poirot spread out his hands apologetically.

" Pardon 宽恕；说啥？ me, mon ami, you were not precisely 精确地 sympathique." He turned to me earnestly. "Tell me—you see now that he must not be arrested?"

"Perhaps," I said doubtfully 疑, for I was really quite indifferent 冷漠 to the fate 命运 of Alfred Inglethorp, and thought that a good fright 恐怖 would do him no harm 损害.

Poirot, who was watching me intently 意图, gave a sigh 叹.

"Come, my friend," he said, changing the subject, "apart from Mr. Inglethorp, how did the evidence 证据 at the inquest strike you?"

"Oh, pretty much what I expected."

"Did nothing strike you as peculiar about it?"

My thoughts flew fly to Mary Cavendish, and I hedged 树篱:

"In what way?"

"Well, Mr. Lawrence Cavendish's evidence 证据 for instance 例?"

I was relieved.

"Oh, Lawrence! No, I don't think so. He's always a nervous 担心的 chap 皴裂."

"His suggestion that his mother might have been poisoned accidentally 偶然 by means of the tonic 补品 she was taking, that did not strike you as strange— hein?"

"No, I can't say it did. The doctors ridiculed 嘲笑 it of course. But it was quite a natural 自然 suggestion for a layman to make."

"But Monsieur Lawrence is not a layman. You told me your‧self 你自己 that he had started by studying medicine, and that he had taken his degree."

"Yes, that's true. I never thought of that." I was rather startled 惊吓. "It is odd 奇."

Poirot nodded 点头.

"From the first, his behaviour has been peculiar. Of all the house‧hold 家庭, he alone would be likely to recognize the symptoms of strychnine poisoning, and yet we find him the only member of the family to uphold 坚持 strenuously 费劲 the theory 理论 of death from natural 自然 causes. If it had been Monsieur John, I could have understood it. He has no technical 技术 knowledge, and is by nature unimaginative. But Monsieur Lawrence—no! And now, to-day, he puts forward a suggestion that he himself must have known was ridiculous 荒谬. There is food for thought in this, mon ami!"

"It's very confusing," I agreed.

"Then there is Mrs. Cavendish," continued Poirot. "That's another who is not telling all she knows! What do you make of her attitude 态度?"

"I don't know what to make of it. It seems inconceivable that she should be shielding 盾 Alfred Inglethorp. Yet that is what it looks like."

Poirot nodded 点头 reflectively 反光.

"Yes, it is queer 奇怪. One thing is certain, she over‧hear 偷听 a good deal more of that 'private conversation' than she was willing to admit."

"And yet she is the last person one would accuse 指责 of stooping 哈腰 to eavesdrop!"

"Exactly. One thing her evidence 证据 has shown me. I made a mistake. Dorcas was quite right. The quarrel did take place earlier in the afternoon, about four o'clock, as she said."

I looked at him curiously. I had never understood his insistence 坚持 on that point.

"Yes, a good deal that was peculiar came out to-day," continued Poirot. "Dr. Bauerstein, now, what was he doing up and dressed at that hour in the morning? It is astonishing to me that no one commented 评论 on the fact."

"He has insomnia, I believe," I said doubtfully 疑.

"Which is a very good, or a very bad explanation 说明," remarked Poirot. "It covers everything, and explains nothing. I shall keep my eye on our clever 聪明的 Dr. Bauerstein."

"Any more faults 缺点 to find with the evidence 证据?" I inquired 打听 satirically.

"Mon ami," replied Poirot gravely, "when you find that people are not telling you the truth—look out! Now, unless I am much mistaken 错误, at the inquest to-day only one—at most, two persons were speaking the truth without reservation 保留 or subterfuge."

"Oh, come now, Poirot! I won't cite 举例 Lawrence, or Mrs. Cavendish. But there's John—and Miss Howard, surely they were speaking the truth?"

"Both of them, my friend? One, I grant 发放 you, but both——!"

His words gave me an unpleasant 不愉快 shock. Miss Howard's evidence 证据, unimportant 不重要 as it was, had been given in such a down‧right 彻头彻尾 straight‧forward 直截了当 manner that it had never occurred 发生 to me to doubt her sincerity 诚意. Still, I had a great respect for Poirot's saga‧city 冒险故事‧城市—except on the occasions when he was what I described to myself 我 as "foolishly 傻 pig 猪-headed."

"Do you really think so?" I asked. "Miss Howard had always seemed to me so essentially 基本的 honest 诚实的—almost uncomfortably 不舒服 so."

Poirot gave me a curious look, which I could not quite fathom. He seemed to speak, and then checked himself.

"Miss Murdoch too," I continued, "there's nothing untruthful about her."

"No. But it was strange that she never heard a sound, sleeping next door; whereas 而 Mrs. Cavendish, in the other wing 翅膀 of the building, distinctly 历历 heard the table fall."

"Well, she's young. And she sleeps soundly."

"Ah, yes, indeed! She must be a famous 著名 sleeper, that one!"

I did not quite like the tone 音 of his voice, but at that moment a smart 聪明 knock 敲 reached our ears, and looking out of the window we perceived 认为 the two detectives 侦探 waiting for us below.

Poirot seized 抓住 his hat, gave a ferocious 凶猛 twist 扭成一束 to his moustache, and, carefully 小心 brushing an imaginary 想像中的 speck of dust from his sleeve 袖, motioned me to precede 优于 him down the stairs; there we joined the detectives 侦探 and set out for Styles.

I think the appearance of the two Scotland Yard men was rather a shock—especially to John, though of course after the verdict 判决书, he had realized that it was only a matter of time. Still, the presence of the detectives 侦探 brought the truth home to him more than anything else could have done.

Poirot had conferred 授予 with Japp in a low tone 音 on the way up, and it was the latter functionary who requested that the house‧hold 家庭, with the exception of the servants, should be assembled 集合 together in the drawing-room. I realized the significance 重要性 of this. It was up to Poirot to make his boast 自夸 good.

Personally 亲自, I was not sanguine. Poirot might have excellent reasons for his belief in Inglethorp's innocence 无辜, but a man of the type of Summerhaye would require tangible 有形 proofs, and these I doubted if Poirot could supply.

Before very long we had all trooped 部队 into the drawing-room, the door of which Japp closed. Poirot politely 有礼貌的 set chairs for every one. The Scotland Yard men were the cynosure of all eyes. I think that for the first time we realized that the thing was not a bad dream, but a tangible 有形 reality 现实. We had read of such things—now we ourselves 我们自己 were actors 演员 in the drama 戏剧. To-morrow the daily papers, all over England, would blazon out the news in staring head‧line 标题:

"MYSTERIOUS TRAGEDY IN ESSEX"

"WEALTHY 富裕 LADY POISONED"

There would be pictures of Styles, snap 卡-shots of "The family leaving the Inquest"—the village photographer 照片 had not been idle 无意义的! All the things that one had read a hundred 百 times—things that happen to other people, not to one‧self 自己. And now, in this house, a murder had been committed 承诺. In front of us were "the detectives 侦探 in charge of the case." The well-known glib phraseology passed rapidly through my mind in the interval 间隔 before Poirot opened the proceedings 继续.

I think every one was a little surprised that it should be he and not one of the official detectives 侦探 who took the initiative 倡议.

"Mesdames and messieurs," said Poirot, bowing 弓 as though he were a celebrity 名人 about to deliver a lecture 讲座，课, "I have asked you to come here all together, for a certain object. That object, it concerns Mr. Alfred Inglethorp."

Inglethorp was sitting a little by himself—I think, unconsciously 不知不觉, every one had drawn his chair slightly away from him—and he gave a faint start as Poirot pronounced 发音 his name.

"Mr. Inglethorp," said Poirot, addressing him directly, "a very dark shadow is resting on this house—the shadow of murder."

Inglethorp shook his head sadly 悲哀的.

"My poor wife," he murmured 私语. "Poor Emily! It is terrible."

"I do not think, monsieur," said Poirot pointedly, "that you quite realize how terrible it may be—for you." And as Inglethorp did not appear to understand, he added: "Mr. Inglethorp, you are standing in very grave danger."

The two detectives 侦探 fidgeted. I saw the official caution 小心 "Anything you say will be used in evidence 证据 against you," actually hovering 徘徊 on Summerhaye's lips. Poirot went on.

"Do you understand now, monsieur?"

"No; What do you mean?"

"I mean," said Poirot deliberately 故意, "that you are suspected of poisoning your wife."

A little gasp 喘气 ran round the circle at this plain speaking.

"Good heavens!" cried Inglethorp, starting up. "What a monstrous 滔天 idea! I—poison my dearest Emily!"

"I do not think"—Poirot watched him narrowly—"that you quite realize the unfavourable nature of your evidence 证据 at the inquest. Mr. Inglethorp, knowing what I have now told you, do you still refuse to say where you were at six o'clock on Monday afternoon?"

With a groan 呻吟, Alfred Inglethorp sank down again and buried 埋葬 his face in his hands. Poirot approached and stood over him.

"Speak!" he cried menacingly.

With an effort, Inglethorp raised his face from his hands. Then, slowly and deliberately 故意, he shook his head.

"You will not speak?"

"No. I do not believe that anyone could be so monstrous 滔天 as to accuse 指责 me of what you say."

Poirot nodded 点头 thoughtfully 沉思地, like a man whose 谁的 mind is made up.

"Soit!" he said. "Then I must speak for you."

Alfred Inglethorp sprang up again.

"You? How can you speak? You do not know——" he broke off abruptly 突然.

Poirot turned to face us. "Mesdames and messieurs! I speak! Listen! I, Hercule Poirot, affirm 确认 that the man who entered the chemist 化学家's shop, and purchased 采购 strychnine at six o'clock on Monday last was not Mr. Inglethorp, for at six o'clock on that day Mr. Inglethorp was escorting 护送 Mrs. Raikes back to her home from a neighbouring farm. I can produce no less than five witnesses to swear 发誓 to having seen them together, either at six or just after and, as you may know, the Abbey Farm, Mrs. Raikes's home, is at least two and a half miles distant 遥远的 from the village. There is absolutely no question as to the alibi!"

CHAPTER VIII. FRESH SUSPICIONS

There was a moment's stupefied silence. Japp, who was the least surprised of any of us, was the first to speak.

"My word," he cried, "you're the goods! And no mistake, Mr. Poirot! These witnesses of yours are all right, I suppose?"

"Voilà! I have prepared a list of them—names and addresses. You must see them, of course. But you will find it all right."

"I'm sure of that." Japp lowered his voice. "I'm much obliged 责成 to you. A pretty mare 母马's nest （鸟）窝 arresting 逮捕 him would have been." He turned to Inglethorp. "But, if you'll excuse me, sir, why couldn't you say all this at the inquest?"

"I will tell you why," interrupted Poirot. "There was a certain rumour——"

"A most malicious 恶毒 and utterly 完全 untrue 不确实 one," interrupted Alfred Inglethorp in an agitated 激荡 voice.

"And Mr. Inglethorp was anxious 3 to have no scandal 丑闻 revived 复活 just at present. Am I right?"

"Quite right." Inglethorp nodded 点头. "With my poor Emily not yet buried, can you wonder I was anxious that no more lying rumours should be started."

"Between you and me, sir," remarked Japp, "I'd sooner have any amount of rumours than be arrested for murder. And I venture 企业；投机活动；商业冒险 to think your poor lady would have felt the same. And, if it hadn't been for Mr. Poirot here, arrested you would have been, as sure as eggs 鸡蛋 is eggs!"

"I was foolish 傻, no doubt," murmured 私语 Inglethorp. "But you do not know, inspector 检查员, how I have been persecuted 迫害 and maligned." And he shot a baleful glance 一瞥 at Evelyn Howard.

"Now, sir," said Japp, turning briskly 轻快 to John, "I should like to see the lady's bedroom, please, and after that I'll have a little chat 聊 with the servants. Don't you bother about anything. Mr. Poirot, here, will show me the way."

As they all went out of the room, Poirot turned and made me a sign to follow him upstairs 楼上. There he caught me by the arm, and drew me aside.

"Quick, go to the other wing 翅膀. Stand there—just this side of the baize door. Do not move till 到 I come." Then, turning rapidly, he rejoined 归队 the two detectives 侦探.

I followed his instructions 指令, taking up my position by the baize door, and wondering what on earth lay lie behind the request. Why was I to stand in this particular spot on guard? I looked thoughtfully 沉思地 down the corridor 走廊 in front of me. An idea struck strike me. With the exception of Cynthia Murdoch's, every one's room was in this left wing. Had that anything to do with it? Was I to report who came or went? I stood faithfully 忠实 at my post. The minutes passed. Nobody came. Nothing happened.

It must have been quite twenty 二十 minutes before Poirot rejoined 归队 me.

"You have not stirred 搅动?"

"No, I've stuck here like a rock. Nothing's happened."

"Ah!" Was he pleased, or disappointed 使失望? "You've seen nothing at all?"

"No."

"But you have probably heard something? A big bump 磕碰—eh, mon ami?"

"No."

"Is it possible? Ah, but I am vexed with myself 我! I am not usually clumsy 笨拙. I made but a slight gesture 手势"—I know Poirot's gestures 手势—"with the left hand, and over went the table by the bed!"

He looked so childishly 幼稚 vexed and crest 波峰-fallen fall that I hastened 加速 to console 安慰 him.

"Never mind, old chap 皴裂. What does it matter? Your triumph 胜利 downstairs 楼下 excited you. I can tell you, that was a surprise to us all. There must be more in this affair of Inglethorp's with Mrs. Raikes than we thought, to make him hold his tongue 舌头 so persistently 一贯. What are you going to do now? Where are the Scotland Yard fellows?"

"Gone down to interview 访问 the servants. I showed them all our exhibits 展示. I am disappointed in Japp. He has no method 方法!"

"Hullo!" I said, looking out of the window. "Here's Dr. Bauerstein. I believe you're right about that man, Poirot. I don't like him."

"He is clever 聪明的," observed Poirot meditatively.

"Oh, clever 3 as the devil 魔鬼! I must say I was overjoyed to see him in the plight 困境 he was in on Tuesday. You never saw such a spectacle 场面；眼镜!" And I described the doctor's adventure 冒险活动. "He looked a regular scare‧crow 惊恐‧乌鸦! Plastered with mud 泥 from head to foot."

"You saw him, then?"

"Yes. Of course, he didn't want to come in—it was just after dinner—but Mr. Inglethorp insisted 咬定."

"What?" Poirot caught me violently by the shoulders. "Was Dr. Bauerstein here on Tuesday evening? Here? And you never told me? Why did you not tell me? Why? Why?"

He appeared to be in an absolute frenzy 发狂.

"My dear Poirot," I expostulated, "I never thought it would interest you. I didn't know it was of any importance."

"Importance? It is of the first importance! So Dr. Bauerstein was here on Tuesday night—the night of the murder. Hastings, do you not see? That alters 改变 everything—everything!"

I had never seen him so upset 打翻. Loosening his hold of me, he mechanically 机械 straightened 变直 a pair of candlesticks, still murmuring 私语 to himself: "Yes, that alters everything—everything."

Suddenly he seemed to come to a decision.

"Allons!" he said. "We must act at once. Where is Mr. Cavendish?"

John was in the smoking-room. Poirot went straight to him.

"Mr. Cavendish, I have some important business in Tadminster. A new clue 线索. May I take your motor?"

"Why, of course. Do you mean at once?"

"If you please."

John rang the bell 3, and ordered round the car. In another ten 十 minutes, we were racing down the park and along the high road to Tadminster.

"Now, Poirot," I remarked resignedly, "perhaps you will tell me what all this is about?"

"Well, mon ami, a good deal you can guess for your‧self 你自己. Of course you realize that, now Mr. Inglethorp is out of it, the whole position is greatly changed. We are face to face with an entirely new problem. We know now that there is one person who did not buy the poison. We have cleared away the manufactured clues 线索. Now for the real ones. I have ascertained 探明 that anyone in the house‧hold 家庭, with the exception of Mrs. Cavendish, who was playing tennis 网球 with you, could have personated Mr. Inglethorp on Monday evening. In the same way, we have his statement 声明 that he put the coffee down in the hall. No one took much notice of that at the inquest—but now it has a very different significance 重要性. We must find out who did take that coffee to Mrs. Inglethorp eventually 终于, or who passed through the hall whilst 同时 it was standing there. From your account, there are only two people whom 4 we can positively 积极 say did not go near the coffee—Mrs. Cavendish, and Mademoiselle Cynthia."

"Yes, that is so." I felt an inexpressible lightening 变轻 of the heart. Mary Cavendish could certainly not rest under suspicion 怀疑.

"In clearing Alfred Inglethorp," continued Poirot, "I have been obliged 责成 to show my hand sooner than I intended. As long as I might be thought to be pursuing 追求 him, the criminal would be off his guard. Now, he will be doubly careful 小心. Yes—doubly careful 小心." He turned to me abruptly 突然. "Tell me, Hastings, you your‧self 你自己—have you no suspicions of any‧body 任何人?"

I hesitated. To tell the truth, an idea, wild and extravagant 靡 in itself 本身, had once or twice 两次 that morning flashed through my brain. I had rejected 拒绝 it as absurd 荒诞, nevertheless 虽然 it persisted 坚持.

"You couldn't call it a suspicion 3," I murmured 私语. "It's so utterly 完全 foolish 傻."

"Come now," urged Poirot encouragingly. "Do not fear. Speak your mind. You should always pay attention to your instincts 直觉."

"Well then," I blurted out, "it's absurd 荒诞—but I suspect Miss Howard of not telling all she knows!"

"Miss Howard?"

"Yes—you'll laugh at me——"

"Not at all. Why should I?"

"I can't help feeling," I continued blunderingly; "that we've rather left her out of the possible suspects 怀疑；嫌疑犯, simply on the strength of her having been away from the place. But, after all, she was only fifteen 十五 miles away. A car would do it in half an hour. Can we say positively 积极 that she was away from Styles on the night of the murder?"

"Yes, my friend," said Poirot unexpectedly 不料, "we can. One of my first actions was to ring up the hospital where she was working."

"Well?"

"Well, I learnt that Miss Howard had been on afternoon duty on Tuesday, and that—a convoy 护航 coming in unexpectedly 不料—she had kindly offered to remain on night duty, which offer was gratefully 感激的 accepted. That disposes 部署 of that."

"Oh!" I said, rather nonplussed. "Really," I continued, "it's her extraordinary vehemence against Inglethorp that started me off suspecting 怀疑；嫌疑犯 her. I can't help feeling she'd do anything against him. And I had an idea she might know something about the destroying of the will. She might have burnt burn the new one, mistaking it for the earlier one in his favour. She is so terribly bitter against him."

"You consider her vehemence unnatural 不自然?"

"Y—es ES. She is so very violent. I wondered really whether she is quite sane 明智的 on that point."

Poirot shook his head energetically 有活力.

"No, no, you are on a wrong tack 钉 there. There is nothing weak-minded or degenerate 退化 about Miss Howard. She is an excellent specimen 标本 of well-balanced English beef 牛肉 and brawn. She is sanity 明智 itself 本身."

"Yet her hatred 仇恨 of Inglethorp seems almost a mania 狂躁. My idea was—a very ridiculous 荒谬 one, no doubt—that she had intended to poison him—and that, in some way, Mrs. Inglethorp got hold of it by mistake. But I don't at all see how it could have been done. The whole thing is absurd 荒诞 and ridiculous 荒谬 to the last degree."

"Still you are right in one thing. It is always wise to suspect everybody until you can prove logically 逻辑, and to your own satisfaction 满足, that they are innocent 无辜. Now, what reasons are there against Miss Howard's having deliberately 故意 poisoned Mrs. Inglethorp?"

"Why, she was devoted 奉献 to her!" I exclaimed 喊叫.

"Tcha! Tcha!" cried Poirot irritably 急躁. "You argue like a child. If Miss Howard were cap‧able 能 of poisoning the old lady, she would be quite equally cap‧able 能 of simulating 模拟 devotion 忠诚. No, we must look else‧where 在别处. You are perfectly correct in your assumption 假设 that her vehemence against Alfred Inglethorp is too violent to be natural 自然; but you are quite wrong in the deduction 扣除 you draw from it. I have drawn my own deductions 扣除, which I believe to be correct, but I will not speak of them at present." He paused a minute, then went on. "Now, to my way of thinking, there is one insuperable objection 反对 to Miss Howard's being the murderess."

"And that is?"

"That in no possible way could Mrs. Inglethorp's death benefit 效益 Miss Howard. Now there is no murder without a motive 动机."

I reflected.

"Could not Mrs. Inglethorp have made a will in her favour?" Poirot shook his head.

"But you your‧self 你自己 suggested that possibility 可能性 to Mr. Wells?"

Poirot smiled.

"That was for a reason. I did not want to mention the name of the person who was actually in my mind. Miss Howard occupied 占据 very much the same position, so I used her name instead."

"Still, Mrs. Inglethorp might have done so. Why, that will, made on the afternoon of her death may——"

But Poirot's shake of the head was so energetic 有活力 that I stopped.

"No, my friend. I have certain little ideas of my own about that will. But I can tell you this much—it was not in Miss Howard's favour."

I accepted his assurance 保证, though I did not really see how he could be so positive 正 about the matter.

"Well," I said, with a sigh 叹, "we will acquit 开释 Miss Howard, then. It is partly your fault 缺点 that I ever came to suspect her. It was what you said about her evidence 证据 at the inquest that set me off."

Poirot looked puzzled.

"What did I say about her evidence 证据 at the inquest?"

"Don't you remember? When I cited 举例 her and John Cavendish as being above suspicion?"

"Oh—ah—yes." He seemed a little confused 使困窘, but recovered 恢复 himself. "By the way, Hastings, there is something I want you to do for me."

"Certainly. What is it?"

"Next time you happen to be alone with Lawrence Cavendish, I want you to say this to him. 'I have a message for you, from Poirot. He says: "Find the extra 额外的 coffee-cup, and you can rest in peace!"' Nothing more. Nothing less."

"'Find the extra coffee-cup, and you can rest in peace.' Is that right?" I asked, much mystified.

"Excellent."

"But what does it mean?"

"Ah, that I will leave you to find out. You have access 访问 to the facts. Just say that to him, and see what he says."

"Very well—but it's all extremely mysterious 神秘."

We were running into Tadminster now, and Poirot directed the car to the "Analytical Chemist."

Poirot hopped 跳 down briskly 轻快, and went inside. In a few minutes he was back again.

"There," he said. "That is all my business."

"What were you doing there?" I asked, in lively curiosity 好奇心.

"I left something to be analysed."

"Yes, but what?"

"The sample of cocoa 可可 I took from the sauce‧pan 平底锅 in the bedroom."

"But that has already been tested!" I cried, stupefied. "Dr. Bauerstein had it tested, and you your‧self 你自己 laughed at the possibility 可能性 of there being strychnine in it."

"I know Dr. Bauerstein had it tested," replied Poirot quietly.

"Well, then?"

"Well, I have a fancy 想像 for having it analysed again, that is all."

And not another word on the subject could I drag 拖拽 out of him.

This proceeding 继续 of Poirot's, in respect of the cocoa 可可, puzzled me intensely 强烈的，极度的. I could see neither rhyme 韵 nor reason in it. However, my confidence in him, which at one time had rather waned 没落, was fully 充分 restored since his belief in Alfred Inglethorp's innocence 无辜 had been so triumphantly 凯 vindicated 表白.

The funeral 葬礼 of Mrs. Inglethorp took place the following day, and on Monday, as I came down to a late breakfast, John drew me aside, and informed me that Mr. Inglethorp was leaving that morning, to take up his quarters at the Stylites Arms until he should have completed his plans.

"And really it's a great relief to think he's going, Hastings," continued my honest 诚实的 friend. "It was bad enough before, when we thought he'd done it, but I'm hanged if it isn't worse now, when we all feel guilty 有罪的；内疚的 for having been so down on the fellow. The fact is, we've treated him abominably. Of course, things did look black against him. I don't see how anyone could blame 指责 us for jumping to the conclusions 结论 we did. Still, there it is, we were in the wrong, and now there's a beastly feeling that one ought to make amends 修改; which is difficult, when one doesn't like the fellow a bit better than one did before. The whole thing's damned 该死的 awkward 难堪! And I'm thankful 感谢 he's had the tact to take himself off. It's a good thing Styles wasn't the mater 伴，友's to leave to him. Couldn't bear to think of the fellow lording it here. He's welcome to her money."

"You'll be able to keep up the place all right?" I asked.

"Oh, yes. There are the death duties, of course, but half my father's money goes with the place, and Lawrence will stay with us for the present, so there is his share as well. We shall be pinched 捏 at first, of course, because, as I once told you, I am in a bit of a hole financially 经济 myself 我. Still, the Johnnies will wait now."

In the general relief at Inglethorp's approaching departure 离开, we had the most genial breakfast we had experienced since the tragedy 悲剧. Cynthia, whose 谁的 young spirits were naturally 5 buoyant, was looking quite her pretty self again, and we all, with the exception of Lawrence, who seemed unalterably gloomy 阴沉 and nervous 担心的, were quietly cheerful 快乐, at the opening of a new and hopeful 有希望 future.

The papers, of course, had been full of the tragedy 悲剧. Glaring head‧line 标题, sandwiched 三明治 biographies 传 of every member of the house‧hold 家庭, subtle 微妙 innuendoes, the usual familiar tag 标签 about the police having a clue 线索. Nothing was spared us. It was a slack 松弛 time. The war was momentarily 短暂的 inactive 待用, and the newspapers seized with avidity on this crime in fashion‧able 时髦 life: "The Mysterious Affair at Styles" was the topic 话题 of the moment.

Naturally it was very annoying 打扰 for the Cavendishes. The house was constantly 总是；经常地，不断地 besieged by reporters 记者, who were consistently 始终如一 denied 拒绝 admission 准许进入, but who continued to haunt 出没 the village and the grounds, where they lay in wait with cameras 照相机, for any unwary members of the house‧hold 家庭. We all lived in a blast 爆破 of publicity 公开. The Scotland Yard men came and went, examining, questioning, lynx-eyed and reserved of tongue 舌头. Towards what end they were working, we did not know. Had they any clue 线索, or would the whole thing remain in the category 类别 of undiscovered crimes 罪行?

After breakfast, Dorcas came up to me rather mysteriously 神秘, and asked if she might have a few words with me.

"Certainly. What is it, Dorcas?"

"Well, it's just this, sir. You'll be seeing the Belgian gentleman to-day perhaps?" I nodded 点头. "Well, sir, you know how he asked me so particular if the mistress 情妇, or anyone else, had a green dress?"

"Yes, yes. You have found one?" My interest was aroused 引起.

"No, not that, sir. But since then I've remembered what the young gentlemen"—John and Lawrence were still the "young gentlemen" to Dorcas—"call the 'dressing-up box.' It's up in the front attic 阁楼, sir. A great chest 胸部, full of old clothes and fancy 想像 dresses, and what not. And it came to me sudden like that there might be a green dress amongst 之中 them. So, if you'd tell the Belgian gentleman——"

"I will tell him, Dorcas," I promised.

"Thank you very much, sir. A very nice gentleman he is, sir. And quite a different class from them two detectives 侦探 from London, what goes prying 撬 about, and asking questions. I don't hold with foreigners 外国人 as a rule, but from what the newspapers say I make out as how these brave 勇敢的 Belges isn't the ordinary run of foreigners 外国人, and certainly he's a most polite 有礼貌的 spoken gentleman."

Dear old Dorcas! As she stood there, with her honest face upturned 翻转 to mine, I thought what a fine specimen 标本 she was of the old-fashioned servant 仆人 that is so fast dying out.

I thought I might as well go down to the village at once, and look up Poirot; but I met him half-way, coming up to the house, and at once gave him Dorcas's message.

"Ah, the brave 勇敢的 Dorcas! We will look at the chest 胸部, although—but no matter—we will examine it all the same."

We entered the house by one of the windows. There was no one in the hall, and we went straight up to the attic 阁楼.

Sure enough, there was the chest, a fine old piece, all studded 螺柱 with brass 黄铜 nails 钉子, and full to over‧flow 溢出 with every imaginable type of garment 服装.

Poirot bundled 捆 everything out on the floor with scant 很少的 ceremony 典礼. There were one or two green fabrics 布 of varying 变化 shades 遮阳；阴; but Poirot shook his head over them all. He seemed some‧what 有些 apathetic in the search, as though he expected no great results from it. Suddenly he gave an exclamation.

"What is it?"

"Look!"

The chest was nearly empty, and there, reposing right at the bottom, was a magnificent 华丽的 black beard.

"Ohó!" said Poirot. "Ohó!" He turned it over in his hands, examining it closely. "New," he remarked. "Yes, quite new."

After a moment's hesitation 犹豫, he replaced it in the chest, heaped 堆 all the other things on top of it as before, and made his way briskly 轻快 downstairs 楼下. He went straight to the pantry, where we found Dorcas busily polishing 擦光 her silver 银.

Poirot wished her good morning with Gallic politeness 礼貌, and went on:

"We have been looking through that chest, Dorcas. I am much obliged 责成 to you for mentioning it. There is, indeed, a fine collection there. Are they often used, may I ask?"

"Well, sir, not very often nowadays 现在, though from time to time we do have what the young gentlemen call 'a dress-up night.' And very funny 有趣的 it is sometimes, sir. Mr. Lawrence, he's wonderful 精彩. Most comic 滑稽! I shall never forget the night he came down as the Char of Persia, I think he called it—a sort of Eastern 东方的 King it was. He had the big paper knife in his hand, and 'Mind, Dorcas,' he says, 'you'll have to be very respectful 尊敬的. This is my specially sharpened 使锐利 scimitar, and it's off with your head if I'm at all displeased with you!' Miss Cynthia, she was what they call an Apache, or some such name—a Frenchified sort of cut-throat, I take it to be. A real sight she looked. You'd never have believed a pretty young lady like that could have made her‧self 她自己 into such a ruffian. Nobody would have known her."

"These evenings must have been great fun 乐趣," said Poirot genially. "I suppose Mr. Lawrence wore wear that fine black beard in the chest upstairs 楼上, when he was Shah of Persia?"

"He did have a beard, sir," replied Dorcas, smiling. "And well I know it, for he borrowed 借 two skeins of my black wool 羊毛 to make it with! And I'm sure it looked wonderfully 奇妙 natural 自然 at a distance. I didn't know as there was a beard up there at all. It must have been got quite lately 近来, I think. There was a red wig 假发, I know, but nothing else in the way of hair. Burnt corks 软木塞 they use mostly—though 'tis TI messy 乱 getting it off again. Miss Cynthia was a nigger once, and, oh, the trouble she had."

"So Dorcas knows nothing about that black beard," said Poirot thoughtfully 沉思地, as we walked out into the hall again.

"Do you think it is the one?" I whispered eagerly.

Poirot nodded 点头.

"I do. You notice it had been trimmed 修剪?"

"No."

"Yes. It was cut exactly the shape of Mr. Inglethorp's, and I found one or two snipped hairs. Hastings, this affair is very deep."

"Who put it in the chest, I wonder?"

"Someone with a good deal of intelligence 情报," remarked Poirot dryly. "You realize that he chose the one place in the house to hide it where its presence would not be remarked? Yes, he is intelligent 智能. But we must be more intelligent 智能. We must be so intelligent 智能 that he does not suspect us of being intelligent 智能 at all."

I acquiesced.

"There, mon ami, you will be of great assistance 帮助 to me."

I was pleased with the compliment 赞扬. There had been times when I hardly thought that Poirot appreciated 欣赏 me at my true worth.

"Yes," he continued, staring at me thoughtfully 沉思地, "you will be invaluable 无价."

This was naturally gratifying 取悦, but Poirot's next words were not so welcome.

"I must have an ally 联盟；盟友 in the house," he observed reflectively 反光.

"You have me," I protested 抗议.

"True, but you are not sufficient 足够."

I was hurt 损害, and showed it. Poirot hurried to explain himself.

"You do not quite take my meaning. You are known to be working with me. I want somebody who is not associated 关联 with us in any way."

"Oh, I see. How about John?"

"No, I think not."

"The dear fellow isn't perhaps very bright," I said thoughtfully 沉思地.

"Here comes Miss Howard," said Poirot suddenly. "She is the very person. But I am in her black books, since I cleared Mr. Inglethorp. Still, we can but try."

With a nod that was barely 光秃秃的 civil 国内, Miss Howard assented 同意 to Poirot's request for a few minutes' conversation.

We went into the little morning-room, and Poirot closed the door.

"Well, Monsieur Poirot," said Miss Howard impatiently 不耐烦, "what is it? Out with it. I'm busy."

"Do you remember, mademoiselle, that I once asked you to help me?"

"Yes, I do." The lady nodded 点头. "And I told you I'd help you with pleasure—to hang Alfred Inglethorp."

"Ah!" Poirot studied her seriously. "Miss Howard, I will ask you one question. I beg of you to reply to it truthfully 真实."

"Never tell lies," replied Miss Howard.

"It is this. Do you still believe that Mrs. Inglethorp was poisoned by her husband?"

"What do you mean?" she asked sharply. "You needn't think your pretty explanations 说明 influence me in the slightest. I'll admit that it wasn't he who bought buy strychnine at the chemist 化学家's shop. What of that? I dare say he soaked 浸泡 fly paper, as I told you at the beginning."

"That is arsenic—not strychnine," said Poirot mildly 温柔的.

"What does that matter? Arsenic would put poor Emily out of the way just as well as strychnine. If I'm convinced 说服 he did it, it doesn't matter a jot to me how he did it."

"Exactly. If you are convinced 说服 he did it," said Poirot quietly. "I will put my question in another form. Did you ever in your heart of hearts believe that Mrs. Inglethorp was poisoned by her husband?"

"Good heavens!" cried Miss Howard. "Haven't I always told you the man is a villain 恶棍? Haven't I always told you he would murder her in her bed? Haven't I always hated him like poison?"

"Exactly," said Poirot. "That bears out my little idea entirely."

"What little idea?"

"Miss Howard, do you remember a conversation that took place on the day of my friend's arrival 到达 here? He repeated it to me, and there is a sentence of yours that has impressed 给…留下深刻印象；使钦佩 me very much. Do you remember affirming 确认 that if a crime had been committed 承诺, and anyone you loved had been murdered, you felt certain that you would know by instinct 直觉 who the criminal was, even if you were quite unable 无法 to prove it?"

"Yes, I remember saying that. I believe it too. I suppose you think it non‧sense 废话?"

"Not at all."

"And yet you will pay no attention to my instinct 直觉 against Alfred Inglethorp."

"No," said Poirot curtly. "Because your instinct 直觉 is not against Mr. Inglethorp."

"What?"

"No. You wish to believe he committed 承诺 the crime. You believe him cap‧able 能 of committing 承诺 it. But your instinct 直觉 tells you he did not commit 承诺 it. It tells you more—shall I go on?"

She was staring at him, fascinated, and made a slight affirmative 肯定 movement 运动 of the hand.

"Shall I tell you why you have been so vehement against Mr. Inglethorp? It is because you have been trying to believe what you wish to believe. It is because you are trying to drown 淹死 and stifle 窒息 your instinct 直觉, which tells you another name——"

"No, no, no!" cried Miss Howard wildly, flinging 一扔 up her hands. "Don't say it! Oh, don't say it! It isn't true! It can't be true. I don't know what put such a wild—such a dreadful 可怕—idea into my head!"

"I am right, am I not?" asked Poirot.

"Yes, yes; you must be a wizard 巫师 to have guessed. But it can't be so—it's too monstrous 滔天, too impossible. It must be Alfred Inglethorp."

Poirot shook his head gravely.

"Don't ask me about it," continued Miss Howard, "because I shan't tell you. I won't admit it, even to myself 我. I must be mad to think of such a thing."

Poirot nodded 点头, as if satisfied.

"I will ask you nothing. It is enough for me that it is as I thought. And I—I, too, have an instinct 直觉. We are working together towards a common end."

"Don't ask me to help you, because I won't. I wouldn't lift a finger to—to——" She faltered 衰退.

"You will help me in spite 恶意 of your‧self 你自己. I ask you nothing—but you will be my ally 联盟；盟友. You will not be able to help your‧self 你自己. You will do the only thing that I want of you."

"And that is?"

"You will watch!"

Evelyn Howard bowed her head.

"Yes, I can't help doing that. I am always watching—always hoping I shall be proved wrong."

"If we are wrong, well and good," said Poirot. "No one will be more pleased than I shall. But, if we are right? If we are right, Miss Howard, on whose 4 side are you then?"

"I don't know, I don't know——"

"Come now."

"It could be hushed 嘘 up."

"There must be no hushing 嘘 up."

"But Emily her‧self 她自己——" She broke off.

"Miss Howard," said Poirot gravely, "this is unworthy of you."

Suddenly she took her face from her hands.

"Yes," she said quietly, "that was not Evelyn Howard who spoke!" She flung her head up proudly. "This is Evelyn Howard! And she is on the side of Justice! Let the cost be what it may." And with these words, she walked firmly out of the room.

"There," said Poirot, looking after her, "goes a very valuable ally 联盟；盟友. That woman, Hastings, has got brains as well as a heart."

I did not reply.

"Instinct is a marvellous thing," mused 沉思 Poirot. "It can neither be explained nor ignored 忽视."

"You and Miss Howard seem to know what you are talking about," I observed coldly. "Perhaps you don't realize that I am still in the dark."

"Really? Is that so, mon ami?"

"Yes. Enlighten me, will you?"

Poirot studied me attentively for a moment or two. Then, to my intense 强烈的，极度的 surprise, he shook his head decidedly 果断地.

"No, my friend."

"Oh, look here, why not?"

"Two is enough for a secret."

"Well, I think it is very unfair 不公平 to keep back facts from me."

"I am not keeping back facts. Every fact that I know is in your possession 所有物. You can draw your own deductions 扣除 from them. This time it is a question of ideas."

"Still, it would be interesting to know."

Poirot looked at me very earnestly, and again shook his head.

"You see," he said sadly, "you have no instincts 直觉."

"It was intelligence 情报 you were requiring just now," I pointed out.

"The two often go together," said Poirot enigmatically.

The remark seemed so utterly 完全 irrelevant 不相干 that I did not even take the trouble to answer it. But I decided that if I made any interesting and important discoveries 发现—as no doubt I should—I would keep them to myself 我, and surprise Poirot with the ultimate 最终 result.

There are times when it is one's duty to assert 断言 one‧self 自己.