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〃It's nothing much； butwell； if you are going； will you tell him〃 he
dropped his voice to a whisper〃I think I've found the extra coffee…cup！〃
I had almost forgotten that enigmatical message of Poirot's； but now
my curiosity was aroused afresh。
Lawrence would say no more； so I decided that I would descend from
my high horse； and once more seek out Poirot at Leastways Cottage。
This time I was received with a smile。 Monsieur Poirot was within。
Would I mount？ I mounted accordingly。
Poirot was sitting by the table； his head buried in his hands。 He
sprang up at my entrance。
〃What is it？〃 I asked solicitously。 〃You are not ill； I trust？〃
〃No； no； not ill。 But I decide an affair of great moment。〃
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〃Whether to catch the criminal or not？〃 I asked facetiously。
But； to my great surprise； Poirot nodded gravely。
〃 'To speak or not to speak；' as your so great Shakespeare says； 'that is
the question。' 〃
I did not trouble to correct the quotation。
〃You are not serious； Poirot？〃
〃I am of the most serious。 For the most serious of all things hangs in
the balance。〃
〃And that is？〃
〃A woman's happiness； mon ami；〃 he said gravely。
I did not quite know what to say。
〃The moment has come；〃 said Poirot thoughtfully； 〃and I do not know
what to do。 For； see you； it is a big stake for which I play。 No one but I；
Hercule Poirot； would attempt it！〃 And he tapped himself proudly on the
breast。
After pausing a few minutes respectfully； so as not to spoil his effect； I
gave him Lawrence's message。
〃Aha！〃 he cried。 〃So he has found the extra coffee…cup。 That is
good。 He has more intelligence than would appear； this long…faced
Monsieur Lawrence of yours！〃
I did not myself think very highly of Lawrence's intelligence； but I
forebore to contradict Poirot； and gently took him to task for forgetting my
instructions as to which were Cynthia's days off。
〃It is true。 I have the head of a sieve。 However； the other young
lady was most kind。 She was sorry for my disappointment； and showed
me everything in the kindest way。〃
〃Oh； well； that's all right； then； and you must go to tea with Cynthia
another day。〃
I told him about the letter。
〃I am sorry for that；〃 he said。 〃I always had hopes of that letter。 But
no； it was not to be。 This affair must all be unravelled from within。〃 He
tapped his forehead。 〃These little grey cells。 It is 'up to them'as you
say over here。〃 Then； suddenly； he asked： 〃Are you a judge of finger…
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marks； my friend？〃
〃No；〃 I said； rather surprised； 〃I know that there are no two finger…
marks alike； but that's as far as my science goes。〃
〃Exactly。〃
He unlocked a little drawer； and took out some photographs which he
laid on the table。
〃I have numbered them； 1； 2； 3。 Will you describe them to me？〃
I studied the proofs attentively。
〃All greatly magnified； I see。 No。 1； I should say； are a man's
finger…prints； thumb and first finger。 No。 2 are a lady's； they are much
smaller； and quite different in every way。 No。 3〃I paused for some
time〃there seem to be a lot of confused finger…marks； but here； very
distinctly； are No。 1's。〃
〃Overlapping the others？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃You recognize them beyond fail？〃
〃Oh； yes； they are identical。〃 Poirot nodded； and gently taking the
photographs from me locked them up again。
〃I suppose；〃 I said； 〃that as usual； you are not going to explain？〃
〃On the contrary。 No。 1 were the finger…prints of Monsieur
Lawrence。 No。 2 were those of Mademoiselle Cynthia。 They are not
important。 I merely obtained them for comparison。 No。 3 is a little
more complicated。〃
〃Yes？〃
〃It is； as you see； highly magnified。 You may have noticed a sort of
blur extending all across the picture。 I will not describe to you the
special apparatus； dusting powder； etc。； which I used。 It is a well…known
process to the police； and by means of it you can obtain a photograph of
the finger…prints of any object in a very short space of time。 Well； my
friend； you have seen the finger…marksit remains to tell you the particular
object on which they had been left。〃
〃Go onI am really excited。〃
〃Eh bien！ Photo No。 3 represents the highly magnified surface of a
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tiny bottle in the top poison cupboard of the dispensary in the Red Cross
Hospital at Tadminsterwhich sounds like the house that Jack built！〃
〃Good heavens！〃 I exclaimed。 〃But what were Lawrence
Cavendish's finger…marks doing on it？ He never went near the poison
cupboard the day we were there！〃
〃Oh； yes； he did！〃
〃Impossible！ We were all together the whole time。〃
Poirot shook his head。
〃No； my friend； there was a moment when you were not all together。
There was a moment when you could not have been all together； or it
would not have been necessary to call to Monsieur Lawrence to come and
join you on the balcony。〃
〃I'd forgotten that；〃 I admitted。 〃But it was only for a moment。〃
〃Long enough。〃
〃Long enough for what？〃
Poirot's smile became rather enigmatical。
〃Long enough for a gentleman who had once studied medicine to
gratify a very natural interest and curiosity。〃
Our eyes met。 Poirot's were pleasantly vague。 He got up and
hummed a little tune。 I watched him suspiciously。
〃Poirot；〃 I said； 〃what was in this particular little bottle？〃
Poirot looked out of the window。
〃Hydro…chloride of strychnine；〃 he said； over his shoulder； continuing
to hum。
〃Good heavens！〃 I said it quite quietly。 I was not surprised。 I had
expected that answer。
〃They use the pure hydro…chloride of strychnine very little only
occasionally for pills。 It is the official solution； Liq。 Strychnine Hydro…
clor。 that is used in most medicines。 That is why the finger…marks have
remained undisturbed since then。〃 〃How did you manage to take this
photograph？〃
〃I dropped my hat from the balcony；〃 explained Poirot simply。
〃Visitors were not permitted below at that hour； so； in spite of my many
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apologies； Mademoiselle Cynthia's colleague had to go down and fetch it
for me。〃
〃Then you knew what you were going to find？〃
〃No； not at all。 I merely realized that it was possible； from your story；
for Monsieur Lawrence to go to the poison cupboard。 The possibility
had to be confirmed； or eliminated。〃
〃Poirot；〃 I said； 〃your gaiety does not deceive me。 This is a very
important discovery。〃
〃I do not know；〃 said Poirot。 〃But one thing does strike me。 No
doubt it has struck you too。〃
〃What is that？〃
〃Why； that there is altogether too much strychnine about this case。
This is the third time we run up against it。 There was strychnine in Mrs。
Inglethorp's tonic。 There is the strychnine sold across the counter at
Styles St。 Mary by Mace。 Now we have more strychnine； handled by one
of the household。 It is confusing； and； as you know； I do not like
confusion。〃
Before I could reply； one of the other Belgians opened the door and
stuck his head in。
〃There is a lady below； asking for Mr Hastings。〃
〃A lady？〃
I jumped up。 Poirot followed me down the narrow stairs。 Mary
Cavendish was standing in the doorway。
〃I have been visiting an old