the mysterious affair at styles(斯代尔斯的怪事)-第20节
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is retarded under certain conditions； none of which； however； appear to
have been present in this case。 I presume Mrs。 Inglethorp took the coffee
after dinner about eight o'clock； whereas the symptoms did not manifest
themselves until the early hours of the morning； which； on the face of it；
points to the drug having been taken much later in the evening。〃
〃Mrs。 Inglethorp was in the habit of drinking a cup of coco in the
middle of the night。 Could the strychnine have been administered in
that？〃
〃No； I myself took a sample of the coco remaining in the saucepan and
had it analysed。 There was no strychnine present。〃
I heard Poirot chuckle softly beside me。
〃How did you know？〃 I whispered。
〃Listen。〃
〃I should say〃the doctor was continuing〃that I would have been
considerably surprised at any other result。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Simply because strychnine has an unusually bitter taste。 It can be
detected in a solution of 1 in 70；000； and can only be disguised by some
strongly flavoured substance。 Coco would be quite powerless to mask
it。〃
One of the jury wanted to know if the same objection applied to
coffee。
〃No。 Coffee has a bitter taste of its own which would probably cover
the taste of strychnine。〃
〃Then you consider it more likely that the drug was administered in
the coffee； but that for some unknown reason its action was delayed。〃
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〃Yes； but； the cup being completely smashed； there is no possibility of
analyzing its contents。〃
This concluded Dr。 Bauerstein's evidence。 Dr。 Wilkins corroborated
it on all points。 Sounded as to the possibility of suicide； he repudiated it
utterly。 The deceased； he said； suffered from a weak heart； but otherwise
enjoyed perfect health； and was of a cheerful and well…balanced
disposition。 She would be one of the last people to take her own life。
Lawrence Cavendish was next called。 His evidence was quite
unimportant； being a mere repetition of that of his brother。 Just as he was
about to step down； he paused； and said rather hesitatingly：
〃I should like to make a suggestion if I may？〃
He glanced deprecatingly at the Coroner； who replied briskly：
〃Certainly； Mr。 Cavendish； we are here to arrive at the truth of this
matter； and welcome anything that may lead to further elucidation。〃
〃It is just an idea of mine；〃 explained Lawrence。 〃Of course I may be
quite wrong； but it still seems to me that my mother's death might be
accounted for by natural means。〃
〃How do you make that out； Mr。 Cavendish？〃
〃My mother； at the time of her death； and for some time before it； was
taking a tonic containing strychnine。〃
〃Ah！〃 said the Coroner。
The jury looked up； interested。
〃I believe；〃 continued Lawrence； 〃that there have been cases where the
cumulative effect of a drug； administered for some time； has ended by
causing death。 Also； is it not possible that she may have taken an
overdose of her medicine by accident？〃
〃This is the first we have heard of the deceased taking strychnine at the
time of her death。 We are much obliged to you； Mr。 Cavendish。〃
Dr。 Wilkins was recalled and ridiculed the idea。
〃What Mr。 Cavendish suggests is quite impossible。 Any doctor
would tell you the same。 Strychnine is； in a certain sense； a cumulative
poison； but it would be quite impossible for it to result in sudden death in
this way。 There would have to be a long period of chronic symptoms
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which would at once have attracted my attention。 The whole thing is
absurd。〃
〃And the second suggestion？ That Mrs。 Inglethorp may have
inadvertently taken an overdose？〃
〃Three； or even four doses； would not have resulted in death。 Mrs。
Inglethorp always had an extra large amount of medicine made up at a
time； as she dealt with Coot's； the Cash Chemists in Tadminster。 She
would have had to take very nearly the whole bottle to account for the
amount of strychnine found at the post…mortem。〃
〃Then you consider that we may dismiss the tonic as not being in any
way instrumental in causing her death？〃
〃Certainly。 The supposition is ridiculous。〃
The same juryman who had interrupted before here suggested that the
chemist who made up the medicine might have committed an error。
〃That； of course； is always possible；〃 replied the doctor。
But Dorcas； who was the next witness called； dispelled even that
possibility。 The medicine had not been newly made up。 On the
contrary； Mrs。 Inglethorp had taken the last dose on the day of her death。
So the question of the tonic was finally abandoned； and the Coroner
proceeded with his task。 Having elicited from Dorcas how she had been
awakened by the violent ringing of her mistress's bell； and had
subsequently roused the household； he passed to the subject of the quarrel
on the preceding afternoon。
Dorcas's evidence on this point was substantially what Poirot and I had
already heard； so I will not repeat it here。
The next witness was Mary Cavendish。 She stood very upright； and
spoke in a low； clear； and perfectly composed voice。 In answer to the
Coroner's question； she told how； her alarm clock having aroused her at
4。30 as usual； she was dressing； when she was startled by the sound of
something heavy falling。
〃That would have been the table by the bed？〃 commented the Coroner。
〃I opened my door；〃 continued Mary； 〃and listened。 In a few minutes
a bell rang violently。 Dorcas came running down and woke my husband；
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and we all went to my mother…in…law's room； but it was locked〃
The Coroner interrupted her。
〃I really do not think we need trouble you further on that point。 We
know all that can be known of the subsequent happenings。 But I should
be obliged if you would tell us all you overheard of the quarrel the day
before。〃
〃I？〃
There was a faint insolence in her voice。 She raised her hand and
adjusted the ruffle of lace at her neck； turning her head a little as she did so。
And quite spontaneously the thought flashed across my mind： 〃She is
gaining time！〃
〃Yes。 I understand；〃 continued the Coroner deliberately； 〃that you
were sitting reading on the bench just outside the long window of the
boudoir。 That is so； is it not？〃
This was news to me and glancing sideways at Poirot； I fancied that it
was news to him as well。
There was the faintest pause； the mere hesitation of a moment； before
she answered：
〃Yes； that is so。〃
〃And the boudoir window was open； was it not？〃
Surely her face grew a little paler as she answered：
〃Yes。〃
〃Then you cannot have failed to hear the voices inside； especially as
they were raised in anger。 In fact； they would be more audible where you
were than in the hall。〃
〃Possibly。〃
〃Will you repeat to us what you overheard of the quarrel？〃
〃I really do not remember hearing anything。〃
〃Do you mean to say you did not hear voices？〃
〃Oh； yes； I heard the voices； but I did not hear what they said。〃 A faint
spot of colour came into her cheek。 〃I am not in the habit of listening to
private conversations。〃
The Coroner persisted。
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〃And you remember nothing at all？ *NOTHING； Mrs。 Cavendish？ Not
one stray word or phrase to make you realize that it *WAS a private
conve
