the mysterious affair at styles(斯代尔斯的怪事)-第31节
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〃Can't you guess？〃
〃No。〃
I looked cautiously round； and lowered my voice。
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〃Dr。 Bauerstein！〃 I whispered。
〃Impossible！〃
〃Not at all。〃
〃But what earthly interest could he have in my mother's death？〃
〃That I don't see；〃 I confessed； 〃but I'll tell you this： Poirot thinks so。〃
〃Poirot？ Does he？ How do you know？〃
I told him of Poirot's intense excitement on hearing that Dr。 Bauerstein
had been at Styles on the fatal night； and added：
〃He said twice： 'That alters everything。' And I've been thinking。 You
know Inglethorp said he had put down the coffee in the hall？ Well； it was
just then that Bauerstein arrived。 Isn't it possible that； as Inglethorp
brought him through the hall； the doctor dropped something into the coffee
in passing？〃
〃H'm；〃 said John。 〃It would have been very risky。〃
〃Yes； but it was possible。〃
〃And then； how could he know it was her coffee？ No； old fellow； I
don't think that will wash。〃
But I had remembered something else。
〃You're quite right。 That wasn't how it was done。 Listen。〃 And I
then told him of the coco sample which Poirot had taken to be analysed。
John interrupted just as I had done。
〃But； look here； Bauerstein had had it analysed already？〃
〃Yes； yes； that's the point。 I didn't see it either until now。 Don't you
understand？ Bauerstein had it analysedthat's just it！ If Bauerstein's the
murderer； nothing could be simpler than for him to substitute some
ordinary coco for his sample； and send that to be tested。 And of course
they would find no strychnine！ But no one would dream of suspecting
Bauerstein； or think of taking another sampleexcept Poirot；〃 I added；
with belated recognition。
〃Yes； but what about the bitter taste that coco won't disguise？〃
〃Well； we've only his word for that。 And there are other possibilities。
He's admittedly one of the world's greatest toxicologists〃
〃One of the world's greatest what？ Say it again。〃
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〃He knows more about poisons than almost anybody；〃 I explained。
〃Well； my idea is； that perhaps he's found some way of making strychnine
tasteless。 Or it may not have been strychnine at all； but some obscure
drug no one has ever heard of； which produces much the same symptoms。〃
〃H'm； yes； that might be；〃 said John。 〃But look here； how could he
have got at the coco？ That wasn't downstairs？〃
〃No； it wasn't；〃 I admitted reluctantly。
And then； suddenly； a dreadful possibility flashed through my mind。
I hoped and prayed it would not occur to John also。 I glanced sideways
at him。 He was frowning perplexedly； and I drew a deep breath of relief；
for the terrible thought that had flashed across my mind was this： that Dr。
Bauerstein might have had an accomplice。
Yet surely it could not be！ Surely no woman as beautiful as Mary
Cavendish could be a murderess。 Yet beautiful women had been known
to poison。
And suddenly I remembered that first conversation at tea on the day of
my arrival； and the gleam in her eyes as she had said that poison was a
woman's weapon。 How agitated she had been on that fatal Tuesday
evening！ Had Mrs。 Inglethorp discovered something between her and
Bauerstein； and threatened to tell her husband？ Was it to stop that
denunciation that the crime had been committed？
Then I remembered that enigmatical conversation between Poirot and
Evelyn Howard。 Was this what they had meant？ Was this the monstrous
possibility that Evelyn had tried not to believe？
Yes； it all fitted in。
No wonder Miss Howard had suggested 〃hushing it up。〃 Now I
understood that unfinished sentence of hers： 〃Emily herself〃 And in my
heart I agreed with her。 Would not Mrs。 Inglethorp have preferred to go
unavenged rather than have such terrible dishonour fall upon the name of
Cavendish。
〃There's another thing；〃 said John suddenly； and the unexpected sound
of his voice made me start guiltily。 〃Something which makes me doubt if
what you say can be true。〃
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〃What's that？〃 I asked； thankful that he had gone away from the
subject of how the poison could have been introduced into the coco。
〃Why； the fact that Bauerstein demanded a post…mortem。 He needn't
have done so。 Little Wilkins would have been quite content to let it go at
heart disease。〃
〃Yes；〃 I said doubtfully。 〃But we don't know。 Perhaps he thought it
safer in the long run。 Some one might have talked afterwards。 Then the
Home Office might have ordered exhumation。 The whole thing would
have come out； then； and he would have been in an awkward position； for
no one would have believed that a man of his reputation could have been
deceived into calling it heart disease。〃
〃Yes； that's possible；〃 admitted John。 〃Still；〃 he added； 〃I'm blest if I
can see what his motive could have been。〃
I trembled。
〃Look here；〃 I said； 〃I may be altogether wrong。 And； remember； all
this is in confidence。〃
〃Oh； of coursethat goes without saying。〃
We had walked； as we talked； and now we passed through the little
gate into the garden。 Voices rose near at hand； for tea was spread out
under the sycamore…tree； as it had been on the day of my arrival。
Cynthia was back from the hospital； and I placed my chair beside her；
and told her of Poirot's wish to visit the dispensary。
〃Of course！ I'd love him to see it。 He'd better come to tea there one
day。 I must fix it up with him。 He's such a dear little man！ But he *IS
funny。 He made me take the brooch out of my tie the other day； and put
it in again； because he said it wasn't straight。〃
I laughed。
〃It's quite a mania with him。〃
〃Yes； isn't it？〃
We were silent for a minute or two； and then； glancing in the direction
of Mary Cavendish； and dropping her voice； Cynthia said：
〃Mr。 Hastings。〃
〃Yes？〃
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〃After tea； I want to talk to you。〃
Her glance at Mary had set me thinking。 I fancied that between these
two there existed very little sympathy。 For the first time； it occurred to
me to wonder about the girl's future。 Mrs。 Inglethorp had made no
provisions of any kind for her； but I imagined that John and Mary would
probably insist on her making her home with themat any rate until the
end of the war。 John； I knew； was very fond of her； and would be sorry to
let her go。
John； who had gone into the house； now reappeared。 His good…
natured face wore an unaccustomed frown of anger。
〃Confound those detectives！ I can't think what they're after！ They've
been in every room in the houseturning things inside out； and upside
down。 It really is too bad！ I suppose they took advantage of our all being
out。 I shall go for that fellow Japp； when I next see him！〃
〃Lot of Paul Prys；〃 grunted Miss Howard。
Lawrence opined that they had to make a show of doing something。
Mary Cavendish said nothing。
After tea； I invited Cynthia to come for a walk； and we sauntered off
into the woods together。
〃Well？〃 I inquired； as soon as we were protected from prying eyes by
the leafy screen。
With a sigh； Cynthia flung herself down； and tossed off her hat。 The
sunlight； piercing through the branches； turned the auburn of her hair to
quivering gold。
〃Mr。 Hastingsyou are always so kind； and you know such a lot。〃
It struck me at this moment that Cynthia was really a very charming
girl！ Much more charming than Mary； who never said things of that kind。
〃Well？〃 I asked benignantly
