ac.themysteriousaffairatstyles-第30部分

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　‘‘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　desk　　locked。　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　else　　that　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　from　Mrs。　Inglethorp　who　assured　her；　quite　truly；　that　it　had　nothing　to　do　with　that　matter。　Mrs。　Cavendish　did　not　believe　her。　She　thought　that　Mrs。　Inglethorp　was　shielding　her　stepson。　Now　Mrs。　Cavendish　is　a　very　resolute　woman；　and；　behind　her　mask　of　reserve；　she　was　madly　jealous　of　her　husband。　She　determined　to　get　hold　of　that　paper　at　all　costs；　and　in　this　resolution　chance　came　to　her　aid。　She　happened　to　pick　up　the　key　of　Mrs。　Inglethorp's　despatch…case；　which　had　been　lost　that　morning。　She　knew　that　her　mother…in…law　invariably　kept　all　important　papers　in　this　particular　case。　
　‘‘Mrs。　Cavendish；　therefore；　made　her　plans　as　only　a　woman　driven　desperate　through　jealousy　could　have　done。　Some　time　in　the　evening　she　unbolted　the　door　leading　into　Mademoiselle　Cynthia's　room。　Possibly　she　applied　oil　to　the　hinges；　for　I　found　that　it　opened　quite　noiselessly　when　I　tried　it。　She　put　off　her　project　until　the　early　hours　of　the　morning　as　being　safer；　since　the　servants　were　accustomed　to　hearing　her　move　about　her　room　at　that　time。　She　dressed　pletely　in　her　land　kit；　and　made　her　way　quietly　through　Mademoiselle　Cynthia's　room　into　that　of　Mrs。　Inglethorp。''　
　He　paused　a　moment；　and　Cynthia　interrupted：　
　‘‘But　I　should　have　woken　up　if　anyone　had　e　through　my　room？''　
　‘‘Not　if　you　were　drugged；　mademoiselle。''　
　‘‘Drugged？''　
　‘‘Mais；　oui！''　
　‘‘You　remember''　　he　addressed　us　collectively　again　　‘‘that　through　all　the　tumult　and　noise　next　door　Mademoiselle　Cynthia　slept。　That　admitted　of　two　possibilities。　Either　her　sleep　was　feigned　　which　I　did　not　believe　　or　her　unconsciousness　was　indeed　by　artificial　means。　
　‘‘With　this　latter　idea　in　my　mind；　I　examined　all　the　coffee…cups　most　carefully；　remembering　that　it　was　Mrs。　Cavendish　who　had　brought　Mademoiselle　Cynthia　her　coffee　the　night　before。　I　took　a　sample　from　each　cup；　and　had　them　analysed　　with　no　result。　I　had　counted　the　cups　carefully；　in　the　event　of　one　having　been　removed。　Six　persons　had　taken　coffee；　and　six　cups　were　duly　found。　I　had　to　confess　myself　mistaken。　
　‘‘Then　I　discovered　that　I　had　been　guilty　of　a　very　grave　oversight。　Coffee　had　been　brought　in　for　seven　persons；　not　six；　for　Dr。　Bauerstein　had　been　there　that　evening。　This　changed　the　face　of　the　whole　affair；　for　there　was　now　one　cup　missing。　The　servants　noticed　nothing；　since　Annie；　the　housemaid；　who　took　in　the　coffee；　brought　in　seven　cups；　not　knowing　that　Mr。　Inglethorp　never　drank　it；　whereas　Dorcas；　who　cleared　them　away　the　following　morning；　found　six　as　usual　　or　strictly　speaking　she　found　five；　the　sixth　being　the　one　found　broken　in　Mrs。　Inglethorp's　room。　
　‘‘I　was　confident　that　the　missing　cup　was　that　of　Mademoiselle　Cynthia。　I　had　an　additional　reason　for　that　belief　in　the　fact　that　all　the　cups　found　contained　sugar；　which　Mademoiselle　Cynthia　never　took　in　her　coffee。　My　attention　was　attracted　by　the　story　of　Annie　about　some　‘salt'　on　the　tray　of　coco　which　she　took　every　night　to　Mrs。　Inglethorp's　room。　I　accordingly　secured　a　sample　of　that　coco；　and　sent　it　to　be　analysed。''　
　‘‘But　that　had　already　been　done　by　Dr。　Bauerstein；''　said　Lawrence　quickly。　
　‘‘Not　exactly。　The　analyst　was　asked　by　him　to　report　whether　strychnine　was；　or　was　not；　present。　He　did　not　have　it　tested；　as　I　did；　for　a　narcotic。''　
　‘‘For　a　narcotic？''　
　‘‘Yes。　Here　is　the　analyst's　report。　Mrs。　Cavendish　administered　a　safe；　but　effectual；　narcotic　to　both　Mrs。　Inglethorp　and　Mademoiselle　Cynthia。　And　it　is　possible　that　she　had　a　mauvais　quart　d'heure　in　consequence！　Imagine　her　feelings　when　her　mother…in…law　is　suddenly　taken　ill　and　dies；　and　immediately　after　she　hears　the　word　‘Poison'！　She　has　believed　that　the　sleeping　draught　she　administered　was　perfectly　harmless；　but　there　is　no　doubt　that　for　one　terrible　moment　she　must　have　feared　that　Mrs。　Inglethorp's　death　lay　at　her　door。　She　is　seized　with　panic；　and　under　its　influence　she　hurries　downstairs；　and　quickly　drops　the　coffee…cup　and　saucer　used　by　Mademoiselle　Cynthia　into　a　large　brass　vase；　where　it　is　discovered　later　by　Monsieur　Lawrence。　The　remains　of　the　coco　she　dare　not　touch。　Too　many　eyes　are　upon　her。　Guess　at　her　relief　when　strychnine　is　mentioned；　and　she　discovers　that　after　all　the　tragedy　is　not　her　doing。　
　‘‘We　are　now　able　to　account　for　the　symptoms　of　strychnine　poisoning　being　so　long　in　making　their　appearance。　A　narcotic　taken　with　strychnine　will　delay　the　action　of　the　poison　for　some　hours。''　
　Poirot　paused。　Mary　looked　up　at　him；　the　colour　slowly　rising　in　her　face。　
　‘‘All　you　have　said　is　quite　true；　Monsieur　Poirot。　It　was　the　most　awful　hour　of　my　life。　I　shall　never　forget　it。　But　you　are　wonderful。　I　understand　now　　　''　
　‘‘What　I　meant　when　I　told　you　that　you　could　safely　confess　to　Papa　Poirot；　eh？　But　you　would　not　trust　me。''　
　‘‘I　see　everything　now；''　said　Lawrence。　‘‘The　drugged　coco；　taken　on　top　of　the　poisoned　coffee；　amply　accounts　for　the　delay。''　
　‘‘Exactly。　But　was　the　coffee　poisoned；　or　was　it　not？　We　e　to　a　little　difficulty　here；　since　Mrs。　Inglethorp　never　drank　it。''　
　‘‘What？''　The　cry　of　surprise　was　universal。　
　‘‘No。　You　will　remember　my　speaking　of　a　stain　on　the　carpet　in　Mrs。　Inglethorp's　room？　There　were　some　peculiar　points　about　that　stain。　It　was　still　damp；　it　exhaled　a　strong　odour　of　coffee；　and　imbedded　in　the　nap　of　the　carpet　I　found　some　little　splinters　of　china。　What　had　happened　was　plain　to　me；　for　not　two　minutes　before　I　had　placed　my　little　case　on　the　table　near　the　window；　and　the　table；　tilting　up；　had　deposited　it　upon　the　floor　on　precisely　the　identical　spot。　In　exactly　the　same　way；　Mrs。　Inglethorp　had　laid　down　her　cup　of　coffee　on　reaching　her　room　the　night　before；　and　the　treacherous　table　had　played　her　the　same　trick。　
　‘‘What　happened　next　is　mere　guess　work　on　my　part；　but　I　should　say　that　Mrs。　Inglethorp　picked　up　the　broken　cup　and　placed　it　on　the　table　by　the　bed。　Feeling　in　need　of　a　stimulant　of　some　kind；　she　heated　up　her　coco；　and　drank　it　off　then　and　there。　Now　we　are　faced　with　a　new　problem。　We　know　the　coco　contained　no　strychnine。　The　coffee　was　never　drunk。　Yet　the　strychnine　must　have　been　administered　between　seven　and　nine　o'clock　that　evening。　What　third　medium　was　there　　a　medium　so　suitable　for　disguising　the　taste　of　strychnine　that　it　is　extraordinary　no　one　has　thought　of　it？''　Poirot　looked　round　the　room；　and　then　answered　himself　impressively。　‘‘Her　medicine！''　
　‘‘Do　you　mean　that　the　murderer　introduced　the　strychnine　into　her　tonic？''　I　cried。　
　‘‘There　was　no　need　to　introduce　it。　It　was　already　there　　in　the　mixture。　The　strychnine　that　killed　Mrs。　Inglethorp　was　the　identical　strychnine　prescribed　by　Dr。　Wilkins。　To　make　that　clear　to　you；　I　will　read　you　an　extract　from　a　book　on　dispensing　which　I　found　in　the　Dispensary　of　the　Red　Cross　Hospital　at　Tadminster：　
　‘‘　‘The　following　prescription　has　bee　famous　in　text　books：　
　　
　Strychninae　Sulph
　。　。　。　。　。　。　gr。I
　Potass　Bromide
　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　3vi
　Aqua　ad
　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　3viii
　Fiat　Mistura
　
　This　solution　deposits　in　a　few　hours　the　greater　part　of　the　strychnine　salt　as　an　insoluble　bromide　in　transparent　crystals。　A　lady　in　England　lost　her　life　by　taking　a　similar　mixture：　the　precipitated　strychnine　collected　at　the　bottom；　and　in　taking　the　last　dose　she　swallowed　nearly　all　of　it！''　
　‘‘Now　there　was；　of　course；　no　bromide　in　Dr。　Wilkins'　prescription；　but　you　will　remember　that　I　mentioned　an　empty　box　of　bromide　powders。　One　or　two　of　those　powders　introduced　into　the　full　bottle　of　medicine　would　effectually　precipitate　the　strychnine；　as　the　book　describes；　and　cause　it　to　be　taken　in　the　last　dose。　You　will　learn　later　that　the　person　who　usually　poured　out　Mrs。　Inglethorp's　medicine　was　always　extremely　careful　not　to　shake　the　bottle；　but　to　leave　the　sediment　at　the　bottom　of　it　undisturbed。　
　‘‘Throughout　the　case；　there　have　been　evidences　that　the　tragedy　was　intended　to　take　place　on　Monday　evening。　On　that　day；　Mrs。　Inglethorp's　bell　wire　was　neatly　cut；　and　on　Monday　evening　Mademoiselle　Cynthia　was　spending　the　night　with　friends；　so　that　Mrs。　Inglethorp　would　have　been　quite　alone　in　the　right　wing；　pletely　shut　off　from　help　of　any　kind；　and　would　have　died；　in　all　probability；　before　medical　aid　could　have　been　summoned。　But　in　her　hurry　to　be　in　time　for　the　village　entertainment　Mrs。　Inglethorp　forgot　to　take　her　medicine；　and　the　next　day　she　lunched　away　from　home；　so　that　the　last　　and　fatal　　dose　was　actually　taken　twenty…four　hours　later　than　had　been　anticipated　by　the　murderer；　and　it　is　owing　to　that　delay　that　the　final　proof　　the　last　link　of　the　chain　　is　now　in　my　hands。''　
　Amid　breathless　excitement；　he　held　out　three　thin　strips　of　paper。　
　‘‘A　letter　in　the　murderer's　own　hand…writing；　mes　amis！　Had　it　been　a　little　clearer　in　its　terms；　it　is　possible　that　Mrs。　Inglethorp；　warned　in　time；　would　have　escaped。　As　it　was；　she　realized　her　danger；　but　not　the　manner　of　it。''　
　In　the　deathly　silence；　Poirot　pieced　together　the　slips　of　paper　and；　clearing　his　throat；　read：　
　‘‘　‘Dearest　Evelyn：　
　‘You　will　be　anxious　at　hearing　nothing。　It　is　all　right　　only　it　will　be　to…night　instead　of　last　night。　You　understand。　There's　a　good　time　ing　once　the　old　woman　is　dead　and　out　of　the　way。　No　one　can　possibly　bring　home　the　crime　to　me。　Th