按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Well； sir； not very often nowadays； though from time to time we do
have what the young gentlemen call 'a dress…up night。' And very funny it is
sometimes； sir。 Mr。 Lawrence； he's wonderful。 Most comic！ I shall
never forget the night he came down as the Char of Persia； I think he
called ita sort of Eastern King it was。 He had the big paper knife in his
hand； and 'Mind； Dorcas；' he says； 'you'll have to be very respectful。 This
is my specially sharpened 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 namea 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 herself into such a ruffian。 Nobody would have known
her。〃
〃These evenings must have been great fun；〃 said Poirot genially。 〃I
suppose Mr。 Lawrence wore that fine black beard in the chest upstairs；
when he was Shah of Persia？〃
〃He did have a beard； sir；〃 replied Dorcas； smiling。 〃And well I
know it； for he borrowed two skeins of my black wool to make it with！
And I'm sure it looked wonderfully natural at a distance。 I didn't know as
there was a beard up there at all。 It must have been got quite lately； I
think。 There was a red wig； I know； but nothing else in the way of hair。
Burnt corks they use mostlythough 'tis messy 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； as we walked out into the hall again。
〃Do you think it is *THE one？〃 I whispered eagerly。
Poirot nodded。
〃I do。 You notice it had been trimmed？〃
〃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？〃
〃Some one with a good deal of intelligence；〃 remarked Poirot dryly。
〃You realize that he chose the one place in the house to hide it where its
110
… Page 111…
THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
presence would not be remarked？ Yes； he is intelligent。 But we must be
more intelligent。 We must be so intelligent that he does not suspect us of
being intelligent at all。〃
I acquiesced。
〃There； mon ami； you will be of great assistance to me。〃
I was pleased with the compliment。 There had been times when I
hardly thought that Poirot appreciated me at my true worth。
〃Yes；〃 he continued； staring at me thoughtfully； 〃you will be
invaluable。〃
This was naturally gratifying； but Poirot's next words were not so
welcome。
〃I must have an ally in the house；〃 he observed reflectively。
〃You have me；〃 I protested。
〃True； but you are not sufficient。〃
I was hurt； 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 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。
〃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 civil； Miss Howard assented 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； 〃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。 〃And I told you I'd help you with
pleasureto 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。〃
111
… Page 112…
THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
〃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 influence me in the slightest。 I'll admit that it wasn't
he who bought strychnine at the chemist's shop。 What of that？ I dare say
he soaked fly paper； as I told you at the beginning。〃
〃That is arsenicnot strychnine；〃 said Poirot mildly。
〃What does that matter？ Arsenic would put poor Emily out of the way
just as well as strychnine。 If I'm convinced he did it； it doesn't matter a
jot to me *HOW he did it。〃
〃Exactly。 *IF you are convinced 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？ 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 here？ He repeated it to me； and there is a
sentence of yours that has impressed me very much。 Do you remember
affirming that if a crime had been committed； and anyone you loved had
been murdered； you felt certain that you would know by instinct who the
criminal was； even if you were quite unable to prove it？〃
〃Yes； I remember saying that。 I believe it too。 I suppose you think
it nonsense？〃
〃Not at all。〃
〃And yet you will pay no attention to my instinct against Alfred
Inglethorp。〃
〃No；〃 said Poirot curtly。 〃Because your instinct is not against Mr。
Inglethorp。〃
〃What？〃
112
… Page 113…
THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
〃No。 You wish to believe he committed the crime。 You believe him
capable of committing it。 But your instinct tells you he did not commit it。
It tells you moreshall I go on？〃
She was staring at him； fascinated； and made a slight affirmative
movement 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 and stifle your instinct；
which tells you another name〃
〃No； no； no！〃 cried Miss Howard wildly； flinging 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 wildsuch a dreadful idea into my head！〃
〃I am right； am I not？〃 asked Poirot。
〃Yes； yes； you must be a wizard to have guessed。 But it can't be so
it's too monstrous； 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。 I must be mad to think of such a
thing。〃
Poirot nodded； as if satisfied。
〃I will ask you nothing。 It is enough for me that it is as I thought。
And II； too； have an instinct。 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。
〃You will help me in spite of yourself。 I ask you nothing but you
will be my ally。 You will not be able to help yourself。 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 watc