the mysterious affair at styles(斯代尔斯的怪事)-第44节
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I was equally determined that he should not be arrested。〃
〃Wait a minute。 I don't see why he wished to be arrested？〃
〃Because； mon ami； it is the law of your country that a man once
acquitted can never be tried again for the same offence。 Aha！ but it was
cleverhis idea！ Assuredly； he is a man of method。 See here； he knew
that in his position he was bound to be suspected； so he conceived the
exceedingly clever idea of preparing a lot of manufactured evidence
against himself。 He wished to be arrested。 He would then produce his
irreproachable alibiand； hey presto； he was safe for life！〃
〃But I still don't see how he managed to prove his alibi； and yet go to
the chemist's shop？〃
Poirot stared at me in surprise。
〃Is it possible？ My poor friend！ You have not yet realized that it was
Miss Howard who went to the chemist's shop？〃
〃Miss Howard？〃
〃But； certainly。 Who else？ It was most easy for her。 She is of a
good height； her voice is deep and manly； moreover； remember； she and
Inglethorp are cousins； and there is a distinct resemblance between them；
especially in their gait and bearing。 It was simplicity itself。 They are a
clever pair！〃
〃I am still a little fogged as to how exactly the bromide business was
done；〃 I remarked。
〃Bon！ I will reconstruct for you as far as possible。 I am inclined to
think that Miss Howard was the master mind in that affair。 You
remember her once mentioning that her father was a doctor？ Possibly she
dispensed his medicines for him； or she may have taken the idea from one
of the many books lying about when Mademoiselle Cynthia was studying
for her exam。 Anyway； she was familiar with the fact that the addition of
a bromide to a mixture containing strychnine would cause the precipitation
of the latter。 Probably the idea came to her quite suddenly。 Mrs。
Inglethorp had a box of bromide powders； which she occasionally took at
night。 What could be easier than quietly to dissolve one or more of those
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powders in Mrs。 Inglethorp's large sized bottle of medicine when it came
from Coot's？ The risk is practically nil。 The tragedy will not take place
until nearly a fortnight later。 If anyone has seen either of them touching
the medicine； they will have forgotten it by that time。 Miss Howard will
have engineered her quarrel； and departed from the house。 The lapse of
time； and her absence； will defeat all suspicion。 Yes； it was a clever idea！
If they had left it alone； it is possible the crime might never have been
brought home to them。 But they were not satisfied。 They tried to be too
cleverand that was their undoing。〃
Poirot puffed at his tiny cigarette； his eyes fixed on the ceiling。
〃They arranged a plan to throw suspicion on John Cavendish； by
buying strychnine at the village chemist's； and signing the register in his
hand…writing。
〃On Monday Mrs。 Inglethorp will take the last dose of her medicine。
On Monday； therefore； at six o'clock； Alfred Inglethorp arranges to be seen
by a number of people at a spot far removed from the village。 Miss
Howard has previously made up a cock and bull story about him and Mrs。
Raikes to account for his holding his tongue afterwards。 At six o'clock；
Miss Howard； disguised as Alfred Inglethorp； enters the chemist's shop；
with her story about a dog； obtains the strychnine； and writes the name of
Alfred Inglethorp in John's handwriting； which she had previously studied
carefully。
〃But； as it will never do if John； too； can prove an alibi； she writes him
an anonymous notestill copying his hand…writing which takes him to a
remote spot where it is exceedingly unlikely that anyone will see him。
〃So far； all goes well。 Miss Howard goes back to Middlingham。
Alfred Inglethorp returns to Styles。 There is nothing that can
compromise him in any way； since it is Miss Howard who has the
strychnine； which； after all； is only wanted as a blind to throw suspicion on
John Cavendish。
〃But now a hitch occurs。 Mrs。 Inglethorp does not take her medicine
that night。 The broken bell； Cynthia's absence arranged by Inglethorp
through his wifeall these are wasted。 And thenhe makes his slip。
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〃Mrs。 Inglethorp is out； and he sits down to write to his accomplice；
who； he fears； may be in a panic at the nonsuccess of their plan。 It is
probable that Mrs。 Inglethorp returned earlier than he expected。 Caught
in the act； and somewhat flurried he hastily shuts and locks his desk。 He
fears that if he remains in the room he may have to open it again； and that
Mrs。 Inglethorp might catch sight of the letter before he could snatch it up。
So he goes out and walks in the woods； little dreaming that Mrs。
Inglethorp will open his desk； and discover the incriminating document。
〃But this； as we know； is what happened。 Mrs。 Inglethorp reads it；
and becomes aware of the perfidy of her husband and Evelyn Howard；
though； unfortunately； the sentence about the bromides conveys no
warning to her mind。 She knows that she is in dangerbut is ignorant of
where the danger lies。 She decides to say nothing to her husband； but sits
down and writes to her solicitor； asking him to come on the morrow； and
she also determines to destroy immediately the will which she has just
made。 She keeps the fatal letter。〃
〃It was to discover that letter； then； that her husband forced the lock of
the despatch…case？〃
〃Yes； and from the enormous risk he ran we can see how fully he
realized its importance。 That letter excepted； there was absolutely
nothing to connect him with the crime。〃
〃There's only one thing I can't make out； why didn't he destroy it at
once when he got hold of it？〃
〃Because he did not dare take the biggest risk of allthat of keeping it
on his own person。〃
〃I don't understand。〃
〃Look at it from his point of view。 I have discovered that there were
only five short minutes in which he could have taken itthe five minutes
immediately before our own arrival on the scene； for before that time
Annie was brushing the stairs； and would have seen anyone who passed
going to the right wing。 Figure to yourself the scene！ He enters the room；
unlocking the door by means of one of the other doorkeysthey were all
much alike。 He hurries to the despatch…caseit is locked； and the keys
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are nowhere to be seen。 That is a terrible blow to him； for it means that
his presence in the room cannot be concealed as he had hoped。 But he
sees clearly that everything must be risked for the sake of that damning
piece of evidence。 Quickly； he forces the lock with a penknife； and turns
over the papers until he finds what he is looking for。
〃But now a fresh dilemma arises： he dare not keep that piece of paper
on him。 He may be seen leaving the roomhe may be searched。 If the
paper is found on him； it is certain doom。 Probably； at this minute； too；
he hears the sounds below of Mr。 Wells and John leaving the boudoir。 He
must act quickly。 Where can he hide this terrible slip of paper？ The
contents of the waste…paper…basket are kept and in any case； are sure to be
examined。 There are no means of destroying it； and he dare not keep it。
He looks round； and he seeswhat do you think； mon ami？〃
I shook my head。
〃In a moment； he has torn the letter into long thin strips； and rolling
them up into spills he thrusts them hurriedly in amongst the other spills in
the vase on the mantle…piece。〃
I uttered an exclamation。
〃No one
