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the mysterious affair at styles(斯代尔斯的怪事)-第46部分

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     〃Cynthia herself。〃 

     〃La pauvre petite! And she was concerned?〃 

     〃She said that she did not mind at all。〃 

     〃Then   she   certainly   did   mind   very   much;〃   remarked   Poirot。   〃They 

are like thatles femmes!〃 

     〃What you say about Lawrence is a great surprise to me;〃 I said。 

     〃But why? It was most obvious。            Did not Monsieur Lawrence make 

the sour   face   every  time   Mademoiselle   Cynthia spoke   and laughed   with 

his brother? He had taken it into his long head that Mademoiselle Cynthia 

was   in   love   with   Monsieur   John。   When   he   entered   his   mother's   room; 

and    saw    her  obviously    poisoned;     he  jumped     to  the  conclusion     that 

Mademoiselle Cynthia knew something about the matter。                  He was nearly 

driven   desperate。     First   he   crushed   the   coffee…cup   to   powder   under   his 

feet; remembering that *SHE had gone up with his mother the night before; 

and he determined that there should be no chance of testing its contents。 

Thenceforward; he strenuously; and quite uselessly; upheld the theory of 

'Death from natural causes'。〃 

     〃And what about the 'extra coffee…cup'?〃 

     〃I was fairly certain that it was Mrs。 Cavendish who had hidden it; but 

I had to make sure。       Monsieur Lawrence did not know at all what I meant; 

but; on reflection; he came to the conclusion that if he could find an extra 

coffee…cup anywhere his lady love would be cleared of suspicion。                   And 

he was perfectly right。〃 

     〃One    thing   more。    What     did  Mrs。   Inglethorp    mean    by  her   dying 

words?〃 

     〃They were; of course; an accusation against her husband。〃 



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                            THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES 



     〃Dear   me;   Poirot;〃   I   said   with   a   sigh;   〃I   think   you   have   explained 

everything。      I   am   glad   it   has   all   ended   so   happily。 Even   John   and   his 

wife are reconciled。〃 

     〃Thanks to me。〃 

     〃How do you meanthanks to you?〃 

     〃My dear friend; do you not realize that it was simply and solely the 

trial   which   has   brought   them   together   again?   That   John   Cavendish   still 

loved his wife; I was convinced。           Also; that she was equally in love with 

him。      But    they    had   drifted   very    far   apart。    It   all  arose   from    a 

misunderstanding。         She married him without love。           He knew it。      He is a 

sensitive man in his way; he would not force himself upon her if she did 

not want him。       And; as he withdrew; her love awoke。              But they are both 

unusually proud; and their pride held them inexorably apart。                   He drifted 

into an entanglement with Mrs。 Raikes; and she deliberately cultivated the 

friendship      of  Dr。   Bauerstein。      Do    you    remember      the   day    of  John 

Cavendish's arrest; when you found me deliberating over a big decision?〃 

     〃Yes; I quite understood your distress。〃 

     〃Pardon   me;   mon   ami;  but   you   did not understand   it   in   the least。     I 

was trying to decide whether or not I would clear John Cavendish at once。 

I could have cleared himthough it might have meant a failure to convict 

the real criminals。       They were entirely in the dark as to my real attitude 

up to the very last momentwhich partly accounts for my success。〃 

     〃Do you mean that you could have saved John Cavendish from being 

brought to trial?〃 

     〃Yes;   my   friend。    But   I   eventually   decided   in   favour   of   'a   woman's 

happiness'。     Nothing but the great danger through which they have passed 

could have brought these two proud souls together again。〃 

     I   looked   at   Poirot   in   silent   amazement。   The   colossal   cheek   of   the 

little   man!   Who   on   earth   but   Poirot   would   have   thought   of   a   trial   for 

murder as a restorer of conjugal happiness! 

     〃I perceive your thoughts; mon ami;〃 said Poirot; smiling at me。                  〃No 

one but Hercule Poirot would have attempted such a thing! And you are 

wrong in condemning it。           The happiness of one man and one woman is 



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                         THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES 



the greatest thing in all the world。〃 

    His words took me back to earlier events。         I remembered Mary as she 

lay white and exhausted on the sofa; listening; listening。        There had come 

the sound of the bell below。      She had started up。      Poirot had opened the 

door; and meeting her agonized eyes had nodded gently。            〃Yes; madame;〃 

he said。   〃I have brought him back to you。〃 He had stood aside; and as I 

went out I had seen the look in Mary's eyes; as John Cavendish had caught 

his wife in his arms。 

    〃Perhaps you are right; Poirot;〃 I said gently。        〃Yes; it is the greatest 

thing in the world。〃 

    Suddenly; there was a tap at the door; and Cynthia peeped in。 

    〃II only〃 

    〃Come in;〃 I said; springing up。 

    She came in; but did not sit down。 

    〃Ionly wanted to tell you something〃 

    〃Yes?〃 

    Cynthia fidgeted with a little tassel for some moments; then; suddenly 

exclaiming: 〃You dears!〃 kissed first me and then Poirot; and rushed out 

of the room again。 

    〃What on earth does this mean?〃 I asked; surprised。 

    It was very nice to be kissed by Cynthia; but the publicity of the salute 

rather impaired the pleasure。 

    〃It means that she has discovered Monsieur Lawrence does not dislike 

her as much as she thought;〃 replied Poirot philosophically。 

    〃But〃 

    〃Here he is。〃 

    Lawrence at that moment passed the door。 

    〃Eh! Monsieur Lawrence;〃 called Poirot。          〃We must congratulate you; 

is it not so?〃 

    Lawrence blushed; and then smiled awkwardly。              A man in love is a 

sorry spectacle。    Now Cynthia had looked charming。 

    I sighed。 

    〃What is it; mon ami?〃 



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     〃Nothing;〃 I said sadly。     〃They are two delightful women!〃 

     〃And   neither   of   them   is   for   you?〃   finished   Poirot。 〃Never   mind。 

Console yourself; my friend。         We may hunt together again; who knows? 

And then〃 



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