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possibility of a will（a document almost certain to contain that word）
occurred to me at once。 This possibility was confirmed by a further
circumstance。 In the general confusion； the boudoir had not been swept
that morning； and near the desk were several traces 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。
〃I strolled to the window； and saw at once that the begonia beds had
been newly planted。 The mould in the beds was exactly similar to that on
the floor of the boudoir； and also I learnt from you that they had been
planted yesterday afternoon。 I was now sure that one； or possibly both of
the gardeners for there were two sets of footprints in the bedhad
entered the boudoir； for if Mrs。 Inglethorp had merely wished to speak to
them she would in all probability have stood at the window； and they
would not have come into the room at all。 I was now quite convinced
that she had made a fresh will； and had called the two gardeners in to
witness her signature。 Events proved that I was right in my supposition。〃
〃That was very ingenious；〃 I could not help admitting。 〃I must
confess that the conclusions I drew from those few scribbled words were
quite erroneous。〃
He smiled。
〃You gave too much rein to your imagination。 Imagination is a good
servant； and a bad master。 The simplest explanation is always the most
likely。〃
〃Another pointhow 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
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observed that it had a piece of twisted wire through the handle。 That
suggested to me at once that it had possibly been wrenched off a flimsy
key…ring。 Now； if it had been lost and recovered； Mrs。 Inglethorp would
at once have replaced it on her bunch； but on her bunch I found what was
obviously the duplicate key； very new and bright； which led me to the
hypothesis that somebody else had inserted the original 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。 Every fresh circumstance seems to establish it more
clearly。〃
〃On the contrary；〃 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 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 was an obviously trumped up one。 That leaves us two
possibilities： either he knew what was going to happen or he had a reason
of his own for his absence。〃
〃And that reason？〃 I asked sceptically。
Poirot shrugged his shoulders。
〃How should I know？ Discreditable； without doubt。 This Mr。
Inglethorp； I should say； is somewhat of a scoundrelbut that does not of
necessity make him a murderer。〃
I shook my head； unconvinced。
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〃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 of the case。
What do you make of the fact that all the doors of the bedroom were
bolted on the inside？〃
〃Well〃 I considered。 〃One must look at it logically。〃
〃True。〃
〃I should put it this way。 The doors *WERE boltedour own eyes
have told us thatyet the presence of the candle grease on the floor； and
the destruction of the will； prove that during the night some one entered
the room。 You agree so far？〃
〃Perfectly。 Put with admirable clearness。 Proceed。〃
〃Well；〃 I said； encouraged； 〃as the person who entered did not do so by
the window； nor by miraculous means； it follows that the door must have
been opened from inside by Mrs。 Inglethorp herself。 That strengthens the
conviction that the person in question was her husband。 She would
naturally open the door to her own husband。〃
Poirot shook his head。
〃Why should she？ She had bolted the door leading into his rooma
most unusual proceeding on her partshe had had a most violent quarrel
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 herself？〃
〃There is another possibility。 She may have forgotten to bolt the door
into the passage when she went to bed； and have got up later； towards
morning； and bolted 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； what do you make of the scrap of conversation you overheard
between Mrs。 Cavendish and her mother…in…law？〃
〃I had forgotten that；〃 I said thoughtfully。 〃That is as enigmatical as
ever。 It seems incredible that a woman like Mrs。 Cavendish； proud and
reticent to the last degree； should interfere so violently in what was
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certainly not her affair。〃
〃Precisely。 It was an astonishing thing for a woman of her breeding
to do。〃
〃It is certainly curious；〃 I agreed。 〃Still； it is unimportant； and need
not be taken into account。〃
A groan burst from Poirot。
〃What have I always told you？ Everything must be taken into account。
If the fact will not fit the theorylet the theory go。〃
〃Well； we shall see；〃 I said； nettled。
〃Yes； we shall see。〃
We had reached Leastways Cottage； and Poirot ushered me upstairs to
his own room。 He offered me one of the tiny Russian cigarettes he
himself occasionally smoked。 I was amused to notice that he stowed
away the used matches most carefully in a little china pot。 My
momentary annoyance vanished。
Poirot had placed our two chairs in front of the open window which
commanded a view of the village street。 The fresh air blew in warm and
pleasant。 It was going to be a hot day。
Suddenly my attention was arrested by a weedy looking young man
rushing down the street at a great pace。 It was the expression on his face
that was extraordinarya curious mingling of terror and agitation。
〃Look； Poirot！〃 I said。
He leant forward。
〃Tiens！〃 he said。 〃It is Mr。 Mace； from the chemist's shop。 He is
coming here。〃
The young man came to a halt before Leastways Cottage； and； after
hesitating a moment； pounded vigorously at the door。
〃A little minute；〃 cried Poirot from the window。 〃I come。〃
Motioning to me to follow him； he ran swiftly down the stairs and
opened the door。 Mr。 Mace began at once。
〃Oh； Mr。 Poirot； I'm sorry for the inconvenience； but I heard that you'd
just come back from the Hall？〃
〃Yes； we have。〃
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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？〃
Poirot's face remained quite impassive。
〃Only the doctors can tell us that； Mr。 Mace。〃
〃Yes； exactlyof course〃 The young man hesitated； and then his
agitation was too much for him。