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〃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。 He clutched Poirot by the arm； and sank
his voice to a whisper： 〃Just tell me this； Mr。 Poirot； it isn'tit isn't
strychnine； is it？〃
I hardly heard what Poirot replied。 Something evidently of a non…
committal nature。 The young man departed； and as he closed the door
Poirot's eyes met mine。
〃Yes；〃 he said； nodding gravely。 〃He will have evidence to give at
the inquest。〃
We went slowly upstairs again。 I was opening my lips； when Poirot
stopped me with a gesture of his hand。
〃Not now； not now； mon ami。 I have need of reflection。 My mind is
in some disorderwhich is not well。〃
For about ten minutes he sat in dead silence； perfectly still； except for
several expressive motions of his eyebrows； and all the time his eyes grew
steadily greener。 At last he heaved a deep sigh。
〃It is well。 The bad moment has passed。 Now all is arranged and
classified。 One must never permit confusion。 The case is not clear yet
no。 For it is of the most complicated！ It puzzles *ME。 *ME； Hercule
Poirot！ There are two facts of significance。〃
〃And what are they？〃
〃The first is the state of the weather yesterday。 That is very
important。〃
〃But it was a glorious day！〃 I interrupted。 〃Poirot； you're pulling my
leg！〃
〃Not at all。 The thermometer registered 80 degrees in the shade。
Do not forget that； my friend。 It is the key to the whole riddle！〃
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〃And the second point？〃 I asked。
〃The important fact that Monsieur Inglethorp wears very peculiar
clothes； has a black beard； and uses glasses。〃
〃Poirot； I cannot believe you are serious。〃
〃I am absolutely serious； my friend。〃
〃But this is childish！〃
〃No； it is very momentous。〃
〃And supposing the Coroner's jury returns a verdict of Wilful Murder
against Alfred Inglethorp。 What becomes of your theories； then？〃
〃They would not be shaken because twelve stupid men had happened
to make a mistake！ But that will not occur。 For one thing； a country jury
is not anxious to take responsibility upon itself； 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 little man； divided between annoyance
and amusement。 He was so tremendously sure of himself。 As though
he read my thoughts； he nodded 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 lovedno。 But she
was very good to us BelgiansI owe her a debt。〃
I endeavoured to interrupt； but Poirot swept on。
〃Let me tell you this； Hastings。 She would never forgive me if I let
Alfred Inglethorp； her husband； be arrested nowwhen a word from me
could save him！〃
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CHAPTER VI。 THE INQUEST
In the interval before the inquest； Poirot was unfailing in his activity。
Twice he was closeted with Mr。 Wells。 He also took long walks into the
country。 I rather resented his not taking me into his confidence； the more
so as I could not in the least guess what he was driving at。
It occurred to me that he might have been making inquiries at Raikes's
farm； so； finding him out when I called at Leastways Cottage 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。 As I walked away； I met an aged rustic； who leered at me
cunningly。
〃You'm from the Hall； bain't you？〃 he asked。
〃Yes。 I'm looking for a friend of mine whom I thought might have
walked this way。〃
〃A little chap？ As waves his hands when he talks？ One of them
Belgies from the village？〃
〃Yes；〃 I said eagerly。 〃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
carelessly as I could。
He winked at me knowingly。
〃*ONE does； mister。 Naming no names； mind。 And a very liberal
gentleman 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； 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 mainspring of money？
Probably a judicious mixture of both。
On one point； Poirot seemed to have a curious obsession。 He once or
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twice observed to me that he thought Dorcas must have made an error in
fixing the time of the quarrel。 He suggested to her repeatedly that it was
4。30； and not 4 o'clock when she had heard the voices。
But Dorcas was unshaken。 Quite an hour； or even more； had elapsed
between the time when she had heard the voices and 5 o'clock； when she
had taken tea to her mistress。
The inquest was held on Friday at the Stylites Arms in the village。
Poirot and I sat together； not being required to give evidence。
The preliminaries were gone through。 The jury viewed the body； and
John Cavendish gave evidence of identification。
Further questioned； he described his awakening in the early hours of
the morning； and the circumstances of his mother's death。
The medical evidence was next taken。 There was a breathless hush；
and every eye was fixed on the famous London specialist； who was known
to be one of the greatest authorities of the day on the subject of toxicology。
In a few brief words； he summed 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。 Judging from the quantity recovered； she must have taken not
less than three…quarters of a grain of strychnine； but probably one grain or
slightly over。
〃Is it possible that she could have swallowed the poison by accident？〃
asked the Coroner。
〃I should consider it very unlikely。 Strychnine is not used for
domestic purposes； as some poisons are； and there are restrictions placed
on its sale。〃
〃Does anything in your examination lead you to determine how the
poison was administered？〃
〃No。〃
〃You arrived at Styles before Dr。 Wilkins； I believe？〃
〃That is so。 The motor met me just outside the lodge gates； and I
hurried there as fast as I could。〃
〃Will you relate to us exactly what happened next？〃
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〃I entered Mrs。 Inglethorp's room。 She was at that moment in a
typical tetanic convulsion。 She turned towards me； and gasped out：
'AlfredAlfred' 〃
〃Could the strychnine have been administered in Mrs。 Inglethorp's
after…dinner coffee which was taken to her by her husband？〃
〃Possibly； but strychnine is a fairly rapid drug in its action。 The
symptoms appear from one to two hours after it has been swallowed。 It
is retarded under certain conditions； none of which； however