4. Poirot investigates by Agatha Christie
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the mysterious Affair at Styles chapter 4 Poirot investigates

the house which the Belgians occupied in_the village was quite close to_the park gates . one could save time by taking a narrow path through_the long grass, which cut off the detours of_the winding drive . so I, accordingly, went that way .I had nearly reached the lodge, when my attention was arrested by_the running figure of a man approaching me . it_was Mr Inglethorp . where had he been ? how did he intend to explain his absence ?

he accosted me eagerly .

" my god ! this_is terrible ! my poor wife ! I_have only just heard .''

" where have_you been ? '' I asked .

"Denby kept me late last night . it_was one o'clock before we'd finished . then I_found that I'd forgotten the latch- key after all .I didn't want to arouse the household, so Denby gave_me a bed .''

" how did you hear the news ? '' I asked .

"Wilkins knocked Denby up to_tell him . my poor Emily ! she was so self-sacrificing -- such a noble character . she over- taxed her strength .''

a wave of revulsion swept over me . what a consummate hypocrite the man was !

" I_must hurry on,'' I_said, thankful that he_did_not ask me whither i_was bound .

in_a_few_minutes i_was knocking at_the door of Leastways cottage .

Getting no answer, I repeated my summons impatiently .a window above me was cautiously opened, and Poirot himself looked out .

he_gave an exclamation of surprise at seeing me . in a few brief words, I explained the tragedy that had occurred, and_that i_wanted his help .

" wait, my friend, i_will let you in, and you shall recount to_me the affair whilst I dress .''

in a few_moments he had unbarred the door, and I followed him up to_his room . there he installed me in a chair, and I related the whole story, keeping back nothing, and omitting no circumstance, however insignificant, whilst he himself made a careful and deliberate toilet .

i_told him of_my awakening, of Mrs Inglethorp's dying words, of her husband's absence, of_the quarrel the day before, of_the scrap of conversation between Mary and her mother- in- law that I had overheard, of_the former quarrel between Mrs Inglethorp and Evelyn Howard, and of_the latter's innuendoes .

i_was hardly as clear as I_could wish .I repeated myself several_times, and occasionally had to_go back to some detail that I had forgotten .Poirot smiled kindly on me .

" the mind is confused ? is_it not so ? take time, mon ami . you_are agitated; you_are excited -- it_is but natural . presently, when we_are calmer, we_will arrange the facts, neatly, each in_his proper place . we_will examine -- and reject . those of importance we_will put on one side; those of no importance, pouf ! '' -- he screwed up his cherub- like face, and puffed comically enough -- " blow them away ! ''

" that's all very_well,'' I objected, " but how are_you going to decide what_is important, and what isn't ? that always seems the difficulty to_me .''

Poirot shook his head energetically . he_was now arranging his moustache with exquisite care .

" not so .Voyons ! one fact leads to another -- so we continue .Does the next fit in with_that ? amerveille ! good ! we_can proceed . this next little fact -- no ! Ah, that_is curious ! there_is something missing -- a link in_the chain that_is_not there . we examine . we search . and_that little curious fact, that possibly paltry little detail that_will_not tally, we put it here ! '' he_made an extravagant gesture with_his hand ." it_is significant ! it_is tremendous ! ''

"Y -- es -- ''

"Ah ! '' Poirot shook his forefinger so fiercely at me that I quailed before it ." beware ! Peril to_the detective who says: ' it_is so small -- it does_not matter . it_will_not agree . i_will forget it .' that way lies confusion ! everything matters .''

" I_know . you always told me that . that's why I have_gone into all the details of_this thing whether they seemed to_me relevant or not .''

" and I_am pleased with_you . you_have a good memory, and you_have given me the facts faithfully . of_the order in_which_you present them, I_say nothing -- truly, it_is deplorable ! but I make allowances -- you_are upset . to_that I attribute the circumstance that you_have omitted one fact of paramount importance .''

" what_is that ? '' I asked .

" you_have_not told me if Mrs Inglethorp ate well last night .''

I stared at him . surely the war had affected the little man's brain . he_was carefully engaged in brushing his coat before putting it on, and seemed wholly engrossed in_the task .

"I don't remember,'' I_said ." and, anyway, I don't see -- -- ''

" you do_not_see ? but it_is of_the first importance .''

" I_can't see why,'' I_said, rather nettled ." as far as I_can remember, she didn't eat much . she was obviously upset, and it had taken her appetite away . that was only natural .''

" yes,'' said Poirot thoughtfully, " it_was only natural .''

he opened a drawer, and took out a small despatch- case, then turned to_me .

" now I_am ready . we_will proceed to_the chateau, and study matters on_the spot . excuse me, mon ami, you dressed in haste, and your tie is on one side . permit me .'' with a deft gesture, he rearranged it .

" ? ay EST ! now, shall we start ? ''

we hurried up the village, and turned in at_the lodge gates .Poirot stopped for a moment, and gazed sorrowfully over the beautiful expanse of park, still glittering with morning dew .

" so beautiful, so beautiful, and yet, the poor family, plunged in sorrow, prostrated with grief .''

he looked at me keenly as he spoke, and i_was aware that I reddened under his prolonged gaze .

was_the family prostrated by grief ? was_the sorrow at Mrs Inglethorp's death so great ? I realized that there_was an emotional lack in_the atmosphere . the dead woman had_not the gift of commanding love . her death was a shock and a distress, but she would_not_be passionately regretted .

Poirot seemed to_follow my thoughts . he nodded his head gravely .

" no, you_are right,'' he_said, " it_is_not as_though there_was a blood tie . she has_been kind and generous to_these Cavendishes, but she was not their own mother . blood tells -- always remember that -- blood tells .''

"Poirot,'' I_said, " i_wish you_would tell me why you_wanted to_know if Mrs Inglethorp ate well last night ? I_have_been turning it over in my mind, but I_can't see how it has anything to_do with_the matter ? ''

he_was silent for a minute or two as_we walked along, but finally he_said:

" I_do_not mind telling you -- though, as_you_know, it_is_not my habit to explain until the end is reached . the present contention is_that Mrs Inglethorp died of strychnine poisoning, presumably administered in her coffee .''

" yes ? ''

" well, what time was_the coffee served ? ''

" about eight o'clock .''

" therefore she drank it between then and half- past eight -- certainly not much later . well, strychnine is a fairly rapid poison . its effects would_be felt very_soon, probably in about an hour . yet, in Mrs Inglethorp's case, the symptoms do_not manifest themselves until five o'clock the next morning: nine hours ! but a heavy meal, taken at about_the same time as_the poison, might retard its effects, though hardly to_that extent . still, it_is a possibility to_be taken into account . but, according to_you, she ate very little for supper, and yet the symptoms do_not develop until early the next morning ! now that_is a curious circumstance, my friend . something may arise at_the autopsy to explain it . in_the meantime, remember it .''

as_we neared the house, John came out and met us . his face looked weary and haggard .

" this_is a very dreadful business, Monsieur Poirot,'' he_said ."Hastings has explained to_you that we_are anxious for no publicity ? ''

"I comprehend perfectly .''

" you_see, it_is only suspicion so_far . we_have nothing to_go upon .''

" precisely . it_is a matter of precaution only .''

John turned to_me, taking out his cigarette- case, and lighting a cigarette as he_did so .

" you_know that fellow Inglethorp is back ? ''

" yes .I met him .''

John flung the match into an adjacent flower bed, aproceeding which_was too_much for Poirot's feelings . he retrieved it, and buried it neatly .

" it's jolly difficult to_know how to treat him .''

" that difficulty will not exist long,'' pronounced Poirot quietly .

John looked puzzled, not quite understanding the portent of_this cryptic saying . he handed the two keys which Dr .Bauerstein had given him to_me .

" show Monsieur Poirot everything he_wants to_see .''

" the rooms are locked ? '' asked Poirot .

"Dr .Bauerstein considered it advisable .''

Poirot nodded thoughtfully .

" then he_is very sure . well, that simplifies matters for_us .''

we went up together to_the room of_the tragedy . for convenience I append a plan of_the room and_the principal articles of furniture in_it .

Poirot locked the door on_the inside, and proceeded to a minute inspection of_the room . he darted from one object to_the other with_the agility of a grasshopper .I remained by_the door, fearing to obliterate any clues .Poirot, however, did_not seem grateful to_me for_my forbearance .

" what have_you, my friend,'' he cried, " that you remain there like -- how do_you say it ? -- ah, yes, the stuck Pig ? ''

I explained that i_was afraid of obliterating any foot-marks .

" foot-marks ? but what an idea ! there has already been practically an army in_the room ! what foot-marks are we likely to_find ? no, come here and aid me in my search . i_will put down my little case until I_need it .''

he_did so, on_the round table by_the window, but it_was an ill- advised proceeding; for, the top of it being loose, it tilted up, and precipitated the despatch- case on_the floor .

"Eh violà une table ! '' cried Poirot ." an, my friend, one may live in a big house and yet have no comfort .''

after which piece of moralizing, he resumed his search .

a small purple despatch- case, with a key in_the lock, on_the writing- table, engaged his attention for some_time . he_took out the key from_the lock, and passed it to_me to inspect . I_saw nothing peculiar, however . it_was an ordinary key of_the Yale type, with a bit of twisted wire through_the handle .

next, he examined the framework of_the door we had broken in, assuring himself that_the bolt had really been shot . then he went to_the door opposite leading into Cynthia's room . that door was also bolted, as I had stated . however, he went to_the length of unbolting it, and opening and shutting it several_times; this he_did with_the utmost precaution against

MRS .INGLETHORPE'S bedroom

making any noise . suddenly something in_the bolt itself seemed to rivet his attention . he examined it carefully, and then, nimbly whipping out a pair of small forceps from_his case, he drew out some minute particle which he carefully sealed up in a tiny envelope .

on_the chest of drawers there_was a tray with a spirit lamp and a small saucepan on_it .a small quantity of a dark fluid remained in_the saucepan, and an empty cup and saucer that had_been drunk out of stood near it .

I wondered how I could_have_been so unobservant as_to overlook this . here was aclue worth having .Poirot delicately dipped his finger into liquid, and tasted it gingerly . he_made a grimace .

"Coco -- with -- i_think -- rum in_it .''

he passed on to_the debris on_the floor, where the table by_the bed had_been overturned .areading- lamp, some books, matches, a bunch of keys, and_the crushed fragments of a coffee- cup lay scattered about .

"Ah, this_is curious,'' said Poirot .

" I_must confess that I_see nothing particularly curious about_it .''

" you_do_not ? observe the lamp -- the chimney is broken in two places; they lie there as_they fell . but see, the coffee- cup is absolutely smashed to powder .''

" well,'' I_said wearily, "I suppose some one must_have stepped on_it .''

" exactly,'' said Poirot, in an odd voice ." some one stepped on_it .''

he rose from_his knees, and walked slowly across to_the mantelpiece, where he stood abstractedly fingering the ornaments, and straightening them -- a trick of_his when he_was agitated .

"Mon ami,'' he_said, turning to_me, " somebody stepped on_that cup, grinding it to powder, and_the reason they_did so was either because it contained strychnine or -- which_is far more serious -- because it did_not contain strychnine ! ''

I_made no reply . i_was bewildered, but I_knew that_it_was no good asking him to explain . in a moment or two he roused himself, and went on with_his investigations . he picked up the bunch of keys from_the floor, and twirling them round in_his fingers finally selected one, very bright and shining, which he tried in_the lock of_the purple despatch- case . it fitted, and he opened the box, but after a moment's hesitation, closed and relocked it, and slipped the bunch of keys, as_well as_the key that had originally stood in_the lock, into his own pocket .

" I_have no authority to_go through these papers . but it should_be_done -- at once ! ''

he then made a very careful examination of_the drawers of_the wash- stand .Crossing the room to_the left- hand window, a round stain, hardly visible on_the dark brown carpet, seemed to interest him particularly . he went down on_his knees, examining it minutely -- even going so_far as_to smell it .

finally, he poured a few drops of_the coco into a test tube, sealing it up carefully . his next proceeding was to_take out a little notebook .

" we_have found in_this room,'' he_said, writing busily, "six points of interest . shall I enumerate them, or will_you ? ''

"Oh, you,'' I replied hastily .

" very_well, then . one, a coffee- cup

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