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！
Mademoiselle Cynthia's room。〃
〃But that door was bolted on the inside！〃 I cried。
〃When I examined the room； yes。 But in the first place we have only
her word for it； since it was she who tried that particular door and reported
it fastened。 In the ensuing confusion she would have had ample
opportunity to shoot the bolt across。 I took an early opportunity of
verifying my conjectures。 To begin with； the fragment corresponds
exactly with a tear in Mrs。 Cavendish's armlet。 Also； at the inquest； Mrs。
Cavendish declared that she had heard； from her own room； the fall of the
table by the bed。 I took an early opportunity of testing that statement by
stationing my friend Monsieur Hastings in the left wing of the building；
just outside Mrs。 Cavendish's door。 I myself； in company with the police；
went to the deceased's room； and whilst there I； apparently accidentally；
knocked over the table in question； but found that； as I had expected；
Monsieur Hastings had heard no sound at all。 This confirmed my belief
that Mrs。 Cavendish was not speaking the truth when she declared that she
had been dressing in her room at the time of the tragedy。 In fact； I was
convinced that； far from having been in her own room； Mrs。 Cavendish
was actually in the deceased's room when the alarm was given。〃
I shot a quick glance at Mary。 She was very pale； but smiling。
〃I proceeded to reason on that assumption。 Mrs。 Cavendish is in her
mother…in…law's room。 We will say that she is seeking for something and
has not yet found it。 Suddenly Mrs。 Inglethorp awakens and is seized
with an alarming paroxysm。 She flings out her arm； overturning the bed
164
… Page 165…
THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
table； and then pulls desperately at the bell。 Mrs。 Cavendish； startled；
drops her candle； scattering the grease on the carpet。 She picks it up； and
retreats quickly to Mademoiselle Cynthia's room； closing the door behind
her。 She hurries out into the passage； for the servants must not find her
where she is。 But it is too late！ Already footsteps are echoing along the
gallery which connects the two wings。 What can she do？ Quick as
thought； she hurries back to the young girl's room； and starts shaking her
awake。 The hastily aroused household come trooping down the passage。
They are all busily battering at Mrs。 Inglethorp's door。 It occurs to
nobody that Mrs。 Cavendish has not arrived with the rest； butand this is
significantI can find no one who saw her come from the other wing。〃 He
looked at Mary Cavendish。 〃Am I right； madame？〃
She bowed her head。
〃Quite right； monsieur。 You understand that； if I had thought I would
do my husband any good by revealing these facts； I would have done so。
But it did not seem to me to bear upon the question of his guilt or
innocence。〃
〃In a sense； that is correct； madame。 But it cleared my mind of many
misconceptions； and left me free to see other facts in their true
significance。〃
〃The will！〃 cried Lawrence。 〃Then it was you； Mary； who destroyed
the will？〃
She shook her head； and Poirot shook his also。
〃No；〃 he said quietly。 〃There is only one person who could possibly
have destroyed that willMrs。 Inglethorp herself！〃
〃Impossible！〃 I exclaimed。 〃She had only made it out that very
afternoon！〃
〃Nevertheless； mon ami； it was Mrs。 Inglethorp。 Because； in no other
way can you account for the fact that； on one of the hottest days of the
year； Mrs。 Inglethorp ordered a fire to be lighted in her room。〃
I gave a gasp。 What idiots we had been never to think of that fire as
being incongruous！ Poirot was continuing：
〃The temperature on that day； messieurs； was 80 degrees in the shade。
165
… Page 166…
THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
Yet Mrs。 Inglethorp ordered a fire！ Why？ Because she wished to destroy
something； and could think of no other way。 You will remember that； in
consequence of the War economics practiced at Styles； no waste paper was
thrown away。 There was therefore no means of destroying a thick
document such as a will。 The moment I heard of a fire being lighted in
Mrs。 Inglethorp's room； I leaped to the conclusion that it was to destroy
some important documentpossibly a will。 So the discovery of the
charred fragment in the grate was no surprise to me。 I did not； of course；
know at the time that the will in question had only been made this
afternoon； and I will admit that； when I learnt that fact； I fell into a
grievous error。 I came to the conclusion that Mrs。 Inglethorp's
determination to destroy her will arose as a direct consequence of the
quarrel she had that afternoon； and that therefore the quarrel took place
after； and not before the making of the will。
〃Here； as we know； I was wrong； and I was forced to abandon that idea。
I faced the problem from a new standpoint。 Now； at 4 o'clock； Dorcas
overheard her mistress saying angrily： 'You need not think that any fear of
publicity； or scandal between husband and wife will deter me。〃 I
conjectured； and conjectured rightly； that these words were addressed； not
to her husband； but to Mr。 John Cavendish。 At 5 o'clock； an hour later；
she uses almost the same words； but the standpoint is different。 She
admits to Dorcas； 'I don't know what to do； scandal between husband and
wife is a dreadful thing。' At 4 o'clock she has been angry； but completely
mistress of herself。 At 5 o'clock she is in violent distress； and speaks of
having had a great shock。
〃Looking at the matter psychologically； I drew one deduction which I
was convinced was correct。 The second 'scandal' she spoke of was not
the same as the firstand it concerned herself！
〃Let us reconstruct。 At 4 o'clock； Mrs。 Inglethorp quarrels with her
son； and threatens to denounce him to his wife who； by the way；
overheard the greater part of the conversation。 At 4。30； Mrs。 Inglethorp；
in consequence of a conversation on the validity of wills； makes a will in
favour of her husband； which the two gardeners witness。 At 5 o'clock；
166
… Page 167…
THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
Dorcas finds her mistress in a state of considerable agitation； with a slip of
paper'a letter；' Dorcas thinksin her hand； and it is then that she orders
the fire in her room to be lighted。 Presumably； then； between 4。30 and 5
o'clock； something has occurred to occasion a complete revolution of
feeling； since she is now as anxious to destroy the will； as she was before
to make it。 What was that something？
〃As far as we know； she was quite alone during that half…hour。
Nobody entered or left that boudoir。 What then occasioned this sudden
change of sentiment？
〃One can only guess； but I believe my guess to be correct。 Mrs。
Inglethorp had no stamps in her desk。 We know this； because later she
asked Dorcas to bring her some。 Now in the opposite corner of the room
stood her husband's desklocked。 She was anxious to find some stamps；
and； according to my theory； she tried her own keys in the desk。 That
one of them fitted I know。 She therefore opened the desk； and in
searching for the stamps she came across something elsethat slip of
paper which Dorcas saw in her hand； and which assuredly was never
meant for Mrs。 Inglethorp's eyes。 On the other hand； Mrs。 Cavendish
believed that the slip of paper to which her mother…in…law clung so
tenaciously was a written proof of her own husband's infidelity。 She
demanded it f