9. Dr. Bauerstein by Agatha Christie
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the mysterious Affair at Styles chapter 9 Dr .Bauerstein

I had had no opportunity as_yet of passing on Poirot's message to Lawrence . but now, as I strolled out on_the lawn, still nursing a grudge against my friend's high-handedness, I_saw Lawrence on_the croquet lawn, aimlessly knocking a couple of very ancient balls about, with a still more ancient mallet .

it struck me that_it would_be a good opportunity to deliver my message . otherwise, Poirot himself might relieve me of it . it_was true that I_did_not quite gather its purport, but I flattered myself that by Lawrence's reply, and perhaps a little skillful cross- examination on my part, i_should soon perceive its significance . accordingly I accosted him .

"I've been looking for_you,'' I remarked untruthfully .

" have_you ? ''

" yes . the truth is, I've got a message for_you -- from Poirot .''

" yes ? ''

" he_told me to wait until i_was alone with_you,'' I_said, dropping my voice significantly, and watching him intently out_of_the corner of_my eye . I_have always been rather good at what_is called, I believe, creating an atmosphere .

" well ? ''

there_was no change of expression in_the dark melancholic face . had he any idea of what i_was about to_say ?

" this_is_the message .'' I dropped my voice still lower ." ' find the extra coffee- cup, and you_can rest in peace .' ''

" what on earth does he mean ? '' Lawrence stared at me in quite unaffected astonishment .

"Don't you_know ? ''

" not in_the least . do_you ? ''

i_was compelled to shake my head .

" what extra coffee- cup ? ''

"I don't know .''

" he'd better ask Dorcas, or one_of_the maids, if he_wants to_know about coffee-cups . it's their business, not mine .I don't know anything about_the coffee-cups, except that we've got some that_are never used, which are a perfect dream ! old Worcester . you're not a connoisseur, are_you, Hastings ? ''

I shook my head .

" you miss alot .a really perfect bit of old china -- it's pure delight to handle it, or even to look at it .''

" well, what am I to_tell Poirot ? ''

" tell him I don't know what he's talking about . it's double Dutch to_me .''

" all right .''

i_was moving off towards the house again when he suddenly called me back .

" I_say, what_was the end of_that message ? say it over again, will_you ? ''

" ' find the extra coffee- cup, and you_can rest in peace .' are_you sure you don't know what it means ? '' I asked him earnestly .

he shook his head .

" no,'' he_said musingly, "I don't .I -- i_wish I_did .''

the boom of_the gong sounded from_the house, and we went in together .Poirot had_been asked by John to remain to lunch, and was already seated at_the table .

by tacit consent, all mention of_the tragedy was barred . we conversed on_the war, and other outside topics . but after_the cheese and biscuits had_been handed round, and Dorcas had left the room, Poirot suddenly leant forward to Mrs Cavendish .

" pardon me, madame, for recalling unpleasant memories, but I_have a little idea'' -- Poirot's " little ideas'' were becoming a perfect byword -- " and would like to ask one_or_two questions .''

" of me ? certainly .''

" you_are too amiable, madame . what i_want to ask is_this: the door leading into Mrs Inglethorp's room from_that of Mademoiselle Cynthia, it_was bolted, you say ? ''

" certainly it_was bolted,'' replied Mary Cavendish, rather surprised ." I_said so at_the inquest .''

" bolted ? ''

" yes .'' she looked perplexed .

"I mean,'' explained Poirot, " you_are_sure it_was bolted, and not merely locked ? ''

"Oh, I_see what you mean . no, I don't know . I_said bolted, meaning that_it_was fastened, and I_could_not open it, but I believe all the doors were found bolted on_the inside .''

" still, as far as_you_are concerned, the door might equally well have_been locked ? ''

"Oh, yes .''

" you yourself did_not happen to notice, madame, when_you entered Mrs Inglethorp's room, whether that door was bolted or not ? ''

"I -- I believe it_was .''

" but you_did_not_see it ? ''

" no .I -- never looked .''

" but I_did,'' interrupted Lawrence suddenly ."I happened to notice that_it_was bolted .''

"Ah, that settles it .'' and Poirot looked crestfallen .

I_could_not help rejoicing that, for once, one of_his " little ideas'' had come to naught .

after lunch Poirot begged me to accompany him home .I consented rather stiffly .

" you_are annoyed, is_it not so ? '' he asked anxiously, as_we walked through_the park .

" not at all,'' I_said coldly .

" that_is well . that lifts a great load from my mind .''

this_was not quite what I had intended .I had hoped that

he_would_have observed the stiffness of_my manner . still, the fervour of_his words went towards the appeasing of_my just displeasure .I thawed .

" I_gave Lawrence your message,'' I_said .

" and what did he say ? he_was entirely puzzled ? ''

" yes . I_am quite_sure he had no idea of what you meant .''

I had expected Poirot to_be disappointed; but, to my surprise, he replied that that was as he had thought, and_that he_was very_glad . my pride forbade me to ask any questions .

Poirot switched off on another tack .

"Mademoiselle Cynthia was not at lunch to- day ? how was_that ? ''

" she_is at_the hospital again . she resumed work to- day .''

"Ah, she_is an industrious little demoiselle . and pretty too . she_is like pictures I_have_seen in Italy . i_would rather like to_see that dispensary of hers . do_you_think she_would show it to_me ? ''

" I_am_sure she_would be delighted . it's an interesting little place .''

"Does she go there every day ? ''

" she has all Wednesdays off, and comes back to lunch on Saturdays . those are her only times off .''

" i_will remember . women are doing great work nowadays, and Mademoiselle Cynthia is clever -- oh, yes, she has brains, that little one .''

" yes .I believe she has passed quite a stiff exam .''

" without doubt . after all, it_is very responsible work .I suppose they_have very strong poisons there ? ''

" yes, she showed them to_us . they_are kept locked up in a little cupboard .I believe they_have to_be very careful . they always take out the key before leaving the room .''

" indeed . it_is near the window, this cupboard ? ''

" no, right the other side of_the room . why ? ''

Poirot shrugged his shoulders .

"I wondered . that_is all . will_you come in ? ''

we had reached the cottage .

" no . i_think I'll be getting back . I_shall go round the long way through_the woods .''

the woods round Styles were very beautiful . after_the walk across the open park, it_was pleasant to saunter lazily through_the cool glades . there_was hardly a breath of wind, the very chirp of_the birds was faint and subdued .I strolled on a little way, and finally flung myself down at_the foot of a grand old beech- tree . my thoughts of mankind were kindly and charitable .I even forgave Poirot for_his absurd secrecy . in_fact, i_was at peace with_the world . then I yawned .

i_thought about_the crime, and it struck me as being very unreal and far off .

I yawned again .

probably, i_thought, it really never happened . of_course, it_was all a bad dream . the truth of_the matter was that_it_was Lawrence who had murdered Alfred Inglethorp with a croquet mallet . but it_was absurd of John to_make such a fuss about_it, and to_go shouting out: "I tell you I won't have it ! ''

I woke up with a start .

at once I realized that i_was in a very awkward predicament . for, about twelve feet away from me, John and Mary Cavendish were standing facing each_other, and_they were evidently quarrelling . and, quite as evidently, they were unaware of_my vicinity, for before I_could move or speak John repeated the words which had aroused me from my dream .

"I tell you, Mary, I won't have it .''

Mary's voice came, cool and liquid:

" have_you any right to criticize my actions ? ''

" it_will_be the talk of_the village ! my mother was only buried on Saturday, and here you_are gadding about with_the fellow .''

"Oh,'' she shrugged her shoulders, " if_it_is only village gossip that you mind ! ''

" but it isn't .I've had enough of_the fellow hanging about . he's a polish Jew, anyway .''

"A tinge of Jewish blood is_not a bad thing . it leavens the'' -- she looked at him -- " stolid stupidity of_the ordinary Englishman .''

fire in her eyes, ice in her voice . I_did_not wonder that_the blood rose to John's face in a crimson tide .

"Mary ! ''

" well ? '' her tone did_not change .

the pleading died out of_his voice .

"Am I to understand that you_will continue to_see Bauerstein against my express wishes ? ''

" if I choose .''

" you defy me ? ''

" no, but I deny your right to criticize my actions . have_you no friends of whom i_should disapprove ? ''

John fell back apace . the colour ebbed slowly from_his face .

" what do_you_mean ? '' he_said, in an unsteady voice .

" you_see ! '' said Mary quietly ." you_do see, don't you, that you_have no right to dictate to_me as_to_the choice of_my friends ? ''

John glanced at her pleadingly, a stricken look on_his face .

" no right ? have I no right, Mary ? '' he_said unsteadily . he stretched out his hands ."Mary -- -- ''

for a moment, i_thought she wavered .a softer expression came over her face, then suddenly she turned almost fiercely away .

" none ! ''

she was walking away when John sprang after her, and caught her by_the arm .

"Mary'' -- his voice was very quiet now -- " are_you in love with_this fellow Bauerstein ? ''

she hesitated, and suddenly there swept across her face a strange expression, old as_the hills, yet with something eternally young about_it . so might some Egyptian sphinx have smiled .

she freed herself quietly from_his arm, and spoke over her shoulder .

" perhaps,'' she said; and then swiftly passed out_of_the little glade, leaving John standing there as_though he had_been turned to stone .

rather ostentatiously, I stepped forward, crackling some dead branches with my feet as I_did so .John turned . luckily, he_took it for granted that I had only just come upon_the scene .

"Hullo, Hastings . have_you seen the little fellow safely back to_his cottage ? quaint little chap ! is he any good, though, really ? ''

" he_was considered one_of_the finest detectives of_his day .''

"Oh, well, I suppose there_must_be something in_it, then . what a rotten world it_is, though ! ''

" you find it so ? '' I asked .

" good lord, yes ! there's this terrible business to start with . Scotland yard men in and out_of_the house like a jack- in- the- box ! never know where they won't turn up next .Screaming headlines in every paper in_the country -- damn all journalists, I_say ! do_you_know there_was a whole crowd staring in at_the lodge gates this_morning . sort of Madame Tussaud's chamber of horrors business that_can_be seen for nothing . pretty thick, isn't it ? ''

" cheer up, John ! '' I_said soothingly ." it can't last for ever .''

" can't it, though ? it can last long enough for_us never to_be_able to hold up our heads again .''

" no, no, you're getting morbid on_the_subject .''

" enough to_make a man morbid, to_be stalked by beastly journalists and stared at by gaping moon- faced idiots, wherever he goes ! but there's worse than that .''

" what ? ''

John lowered his voice:

" have_you ever thought, Hastings -- it's a nightmare to_me -- who did it ? I_can't help feeling sometimes it must_have been an accident . because -- because -- who could_have done it ? now Inglethorp's out_of_the way, there's no one else; no one, I mean, except -- one of us .''

yes, indeed, that was nightmare enough for any man ! one of us ? yes, surely it must_be so, unless -- -- -

a new idea suggested itself to my mind . rapidly, I considered it . the light increased .Poirot's mysterious doings, his hints -- they all fitted in . fool that i_was not to_have thought of_this possibility before, and what a relief for_us all .

" no, John,'' I_said, " it isn't one of us . how could it be ? ''

" I_know, but, still, who else is_there ? ''

" can't you guess ? ''

" no .''

I looked cautiously round, and lowered my voice .

"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 analysed -- that'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 sample -- except 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 .''

" he_knows more about poisons than almost anybody,'' I explained ." well, my

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