the mysterious affair at styles(斯代尔斯的怪事)-第45节
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the vase on the mantle…piece。〃
I uttered an exclamation。
〃No one would think of looking there；〃 Poirot continued。 〃And he
will be able； at his leisure； to come back and destroy this solitary piece of
evidence against him。〃
〃Then； all the time； it was in the spill vase in Mrs。 Inglethorp's
bedroom； under our very noses？〃 I cried。
Poirot nodded。
〃Yes； my friend。 That is where I discovered my 'last link；' and I owe
that very fortunate discovery to you。〃
〃To me？〃
〃Yes。 Do you remember telling me that my hand shook as I was
straightening the ornaments on the mantel…piece？〃
〃Yes； but I don't see〃
〃No； but I saw。 Do you know； my friend； I remembered that earlier in
the morning； when we had been there together； I had straightened all the
objects on the mantel…piece。 And； if they were already straightened； there
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would be no need to straighten them again； unless； in the meantime； some
one else had touched them。〃
〃Dear me；〃 I murmured； 〃so that is the explanation of your
extraordinary behaviour。 You rushed down to Styles； and found it still
there？〃
〃Yes； and it was a race for time。〃
〃But I still can't understand why Inglethorp was such a fool as to leave
it there when he had plenty of opportunity to destroy it。〃
〃Ah； but he had no opportunity。 I saw to that。〃
〃You？〃
〃Yes。 Do you remember reproving me for taking the household into
my confidence on the subject？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Well； my friend； I saw there was just one chance。 I was not sure
then if Inglethorp was the criminal or not； but if he was I reasoned that he
would not have the paper on him； but would have hidden it somewhere；
and by enlisting the sympathy of the household I could effectually prevent
his destroying it。 He was already under suspicion； and by making 190》
the matter public I secured the services of about ten amateur detectives；
who would be watching him unceasingly； and being himself aware of their
watchfulness he would not dare seek further to destroy the document。 He
was therefore forced to depart from the house； leaving it in the spill vase。〃
〃But surely Miss Howard had ample opportunities of aiding him。〃
〃Yes； but Miss Howard did not know of the paper's existence。 In
accordance with their prearranged plan； she never spoke to Alfred
Inglethorp。 They were supposed to be deadly enemies； and until John
Cavendish was safely convicted they neither of them dared risk a meeting。
Of course I had a watch kept on Mr。 Inglethorp； hoping that sooner or later
he would lead me to the hiding…place。 But he was too clever to take any
chances。 The paper was safe where it was； since no one had thought of
looking there in the first week； it was not likely they would do so
afterwards。 But for your lucky remark； we might never have been able to
bring him to justice。〃
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〃I understand that now； but when did you first begin to suspect Miss
Howard？〃
〃When I discovered that she had told a lie at the inquest about the
letter she had received from Mrs。 Inglethorp。〃
〃Why； what was there to lie about？〃
〃You saw that letter？ Do you recall its general appearance？〃
〃Yesmore or less。〃
〃You will recollect； then； that Mrs。 Inglethorp wrote a very distinctive
hand； and left large clear spaces between her words。 But if you look at
the date at the top of the letter you will notice that 'July 17th' is quite
different in this respect。 Do you see what I mean？〃
〃No；〃 I confessed； 〃I don't。〃
〃You do not see that that letter was not written on the 17th； but on the
7ththe day after Miss Howard's departure？ The '1' was written in before
the '7' to turn it into the '17th'。〃
〃But why？〃
〃That is exactly what I asked myself。 Why does Miss Howard
suppress the letter written on the 17th； and produce this faked one instead？
Because she did not wish to show the letter of the 17th。 Why； again？ And
at once a suspicion dawned in my mind。 You will remember my saying
that it was wise to beware of people who were not telling you the truth。〃
〃And yet；〃 I cried indignantly； 〃after that； you gave me two reasons
why Miss Howard could not have committed the crime！〃
〃And very good reasons too；〃 replied Poirot。 〃For a long time they
were a stumbling…block to me until I remembered a very significant fact：
that she and Alfred Inglethorp were cousins。 She could not have
committed the crime single…handed； but the reasons against that did not
debar her from being an accomplice。 And； then； there was that rather
over…vehement hatred of hers！ It concealed a very opposite emotion。
There was； undoubtedly； a tie of passion between them long before he
came to Styles。 They had already arranged their infamous plotthat he
should marry this rich； but rather foolish old lady； induce her to make a
will leaving her money to him； and then gain their ends by a very cleverly
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conceived crime。 If all had gone as they planned； they would probably
have left England； and lived together on their poor victim's money。
〃They are a very astute and unscrupulous pair。 While suspicion was
to be directed against him； she would be making quiet preparations for a
very different denouement。 She arrives from Middlingham with all the
compromising items in her possession。 No suspicion attaches to her。
No notice is paid to her coming and going in the house。 She hides the
strychnine and glasses in John's room。 She puts the beard in the attic。
She will see to it that sooner or later they are duly discovered。〃
〃I don't quite see why they tried to fix the blame on John；〃 I remarked。
〃It would have been much easier for them to bring the crime home to
Lawrence。〃
〃Yes； but that was mere chance。 All the evidence against him arose
out of pure accident。 It must； in fact； have been distinctly annoying to
the pair of schemers。〃
〃His manner was unfortunate；〃 I observed thoughtfully。
〃Yes。 You realize； of course； what was at the back of that？〃
〃No。〃
〃You did not understand that he believed Mademoiselle Cynthia guilty
of the crime？〃
〃No；〃 I exclaimed； astonished。 〃Impossible！〃
〃Not at all。 I myself nearly had the same idea。 It was in my mind
when I asked Mr。 Wells that first question about the will。 Then there
were the bromide powders which she had made up； and her clever male
impersonations； as Dorcas recounted them to us。 There was really more
evidence against her than anyone else。〃
〃You are joking； Poirot！〃
〃No。 Shall I tell you what made Monsieur Lawrence turn so pale
when he first entered his mother's room on the fatal night？ It was because；
whilst his mother lay there； obviously poisoned； he saw； over your
shoulder； that the door into Mademoiselle Cynthia's room was unbolted。〃
〃But he declared that he saw it bolted！〃 I cried。
〃Exactly；〃 said Poirot dryly。 〃And that was just what confirmed my
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suspicion that it was not。 He was shielding Mademoiselle Cynthia。〃
〃But why should he shield her？〃
〃Because he is in love with her。〃
I laughed。
〃There； Poirot； you are quite wrong！ I happen to know for a fact that；
far from being in love with her； he positively dislikes her。〃
〃Who told you that； mon ami？〃
〃Cynthia herself。〃
〃La pauvre petite！ And she was concerned？〃
〃She said that she did not mind at all。〃
〃Then she ce
