10. The arrest by Agatha Christie
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world calls ' in love' with_him . he declared that that satisfied him, and so -- we were married .''

she waited a long_time, a little frown had gathered on her forehead . she seemed to_be looking back earnestly into those past days .

" i_think -- I_am_sure -- he cared for_me at first . but I suppose we were_not well matched . almost at once, we drifted apart . he -- it_is_not apleasing thing for_my pride, but it_is_the truth -- tired of me very_soon .'' I_must_have made some murmur of dissent, for she went on quickly: "Oh, yes, he_did ! not that_it matters now -- now that we've come to_the parting of_the ways .''

" what do_you_mean ? ''

she answered quietly:

"I mean that I_am not going to remain at Styles .''

" you and John are_not going to live here ? ''

"John may live here, but I_shall_not .''

" you_are going to leave him ? ''

" yes .''

" but why ? ''

she paused a long_time, and said at last:

" perhaps -- because i_want to_be -- free ! ''

and, as she spoke, I had a sudden vision of broad spaces, virgin tracts of forests, untrodden lands -- and a realization of what freedom would mean to such a nature as Mary Cavendish .I seemed to_see her for a moment as she was, a proud wild creature, as untamed by civilization as some shy bird of_the hills .a little cry broke from her lips:

" you don't know, you don't know, how this hateful place has_been prison to_me ! ''

"I understand,'' I_said, " but -- but don't do anything rash .''

"Oh, rash ! '' her voice mocked at my prudence .

then suddenly I_said a thing I_could_have bitten out my tongue for:

" you_know that Dr .Bauerstein has_been arrested ? ''

an instant coldness passed like a mask over her face, blotting out all expression .

"John was so kind as_to break that to_me this_morning .''

" well, what do_you_think ? '' I asked feebly .

" of what ? ''

" of_the arrest ? ''

" what should i_think ? Apparently he_is a German spy; so the gardener had told John .''

her face and voice were absolutely cold and expressionless . did she care, or did she not ?

she moved away a step or two, and fingered one_of_the flower vases .

" these are quite dead . I_must do them again . would you mind moving -- thank_you, Mr Hastings .'' and she walked quietly past me out_of_the window, with a cool little nod of dismissal .

no, surely she_could_not care for Bauerstein . no woman could act her part with_that icy unconcern .

Poirot did_not make his appearance the following morning, and there_was no sign of_the Scotland yard men .

but, at lunch- time, there arrived a new piece of evidence -- or rather lack of evidence . we had vainly tried to trace the fourth letter, which Mrs Inglethorp had written on_the evening preceding her death . our efforts having been in vain, we had abandoned the matter, hoping that_it might turn up of itself one day . and this_is just what did happen, in_the shape of a communication, which arrived by_the second post from a firm of French music publishers, acknowledging Mrs Inglethorp's cheque, and regretting they had_been unable to trace a certain series of Russian folksongs . so the last hope of solving the mystery, by_means of Mrs Inglethorp's correspondence on_the fatal evening, had to_be abandoned .

just before tea, I strolled down to_tell Poirot of_the new disappointment, but found, to my annoyance, that he_was once more out .

" gone to London again ? ''

"Oh, no, monsieur, he has but taken the train to Tadminster .' to_see a young lady's dispensary,' he_said .''

" silly ass ! '' I ejaculated ." i_told him Wednesday was_the one day she wasn't there ! well, tell him to look us up tomorrow morning, will_you ? ''

" certainly, monsieur .''

but, on_the following day, no sign of Poirot . i_was getting angry . he_was really treating us in_the most cavalier fashion .

after lunch, Lawrence drew me aside, and asked if i_was going down to_see him .

" no, I don't think I_shall . he_can come up here if he_wants to_see us .''

"Oh ! '' Lawrence looked indeterminate . something unusually nervous and excited in_his manner roused my curiosity .

" what_is it ? '' I asked ." I_could go if there's anything special .''

" it's nothing much, but -- well, if_you_are going, will_you tell him -- '' he dropped his voice to a whisper -- " i_think I've found the extra coffee- cup ! ''

I had almost forgotten that enigmatical message of Poirot's, but now my curiosity was aroused afresh .

Lawrence would say no more, so I decided that i_would descend from my high horse, and once more seek out Poirot at Leastways cottage .

this_time i_was received with a smile .Monsieur Poirot was within . would I mount ? I mounted accordingly .

Poirot was sitting by_the table, his head buried in_his hands . he sprang up at my entrance .

" what_is it ? '' I asked solicitously ." you_are_not ill, I trust ? ''

" no, no, not ill . but I decide an affair of great moment .''

" whether to catch the criminal or not ? '' I asked facetiously .

but, to my great surprise, Poirot nodded gravely .

" ' to_speak or not to_speak,' as_your so great Shakespeare says, ' that_is_the question .' ''

I_did_not trouble to correct the quotation .

" you_are_not serious, Poirot ? ''

" I_am of_the most serious . for_the most serious of all things hangs in_the balance .''

" and_that is ? ''

"A woman's happiness, mon ami,'' he_said gravely .

I_did_not quite know what to_say .

" the moment has_come,'' said Poirot thoughtfully, " and I_do_not know what to_do . for, see you, it_is a big stake for_which I play . no one but I, Hercule Poirot, would attempt it ! '' and he tapped himself proudly on_the breast .

after pausing a few_minutes respectfully, so as not to spoil his effect, I_gave him Lawrence's message .

"Aha ! '' he cried ." so he has found the extra coffee- cup . that_is good . he has more intelligence than would appear, this long- faced Monsieur Lawrence of yours ! ''

I_did_not myself think very highly of Lawrence's intelligence; but I forebore to contradict Poirot, and gently took him to task for forgetting my instructions as to_which were Cynthia's days off .

" it_is true . I_have the head of a sieve . however, the other young lady was most kind . she was sorry for_my disappointment, and showed me everything in_the kindest way .''

"Oh, well, that's all right, then, and you_must go to tea with Cynthia another day .''

i_told him about_the letter .

" I_am sorry for_that,'' he_said ."I always had hopes of_that letter . but no, it_was not to_be . this affair must all be unravelled from within .'' he tapped his forehead ." these little grey cells . it_is ' up to_them' -- as_you say over here .'' then, suddenly, he asked: " are_you a judge of finger-marks, my friend ? ''

" no,'' I_said, rather surprised, " I_know that_there_are no two finger-marks alike, but that's as far as my science goes .''

" exactly .''

he unlocked a little drawer, and took out some photographs which he laid on_the table .

" I_have numbered them, 1, 2, 3 . will_you describe them to_me ? ''

I studied the proofs attentively .

" all greatly magnified, I_see . no .1, i_should say, are a man's finger-prints; thumb and first finger . no .2 are a lady's; they_are much smaller, and quite different in every way . no .3'' -- I paused for some_time -- " there seem_to_be alot of confused finger-marks, but here, very distinctly, are no .1's .''

"Overlapping the others ? ''

" yes .''

" you recognize them beyond fail ? ''

"Oh, yes; they_are identical .''

Poirot nodded, and gently taking the photographs from me locked them up again .

"I suppose,'' I_said, " that as usual, you_are_not going to explain ? ''

" on_the contrary . no .1 were the finger-prints of Monsieur Lawrence . no .2 were those of Mademoiselle Cynthia . they_are_not important .I merely obtained them for comparison . no .3 is a little more complicated .''

" yes ? ''

" it_is, as you_see, highly magnified . you_may_have noticed a sort of blur extending all across the picture . i_will_not describe to_you the special apparatus, dusting powder, etc ., which I used . it_is a well- known process to_the police, and by_means of it you_can obtain a photograph of_the finger-prints of any object in a very short space of_time . well, my friend, you_have seen the finger-marks -- it remains to_tell you the particular object on_which they had_been left .''

" go on -- I_am really excited .''

"Eh bien ! Photo no .3 represents the highly magnified surface of a tiny bottle in_the top poison cupboard of_the dispensary in_the red cross hospital at Tadminster -- which sounds like the house that jack built ! ''

" good heavens ! '' I exclaimed ." but what were Lawrence Cavendish's finger-marks doing on_it ? he never went near the poison cupboard the day we were there ! ''

"Oh, yes, he_did ! ''

" impossible ! we were all together the whole time .''

Poirot shook his head .

" no, my friend, there_was a moment when_you were_not all together . there_was a moment when you_could_not_have been all together, or it would_not_have_been necessary to_call to Monsieur Lawrence to_come and join you on_the balcony .''

"I'd forgotten that,'' I admitted ." but it_was only for a moment .''

" long enough .''

" long enough for what ? ''

Poirot's smile became rather enigmatical .

" long enough for a gentleman who had once studied medicine to gratify a very natural interest and curiosity .''

our eyes met .Poirot's were pleasantly vague . he got up and hummed a little tune .I watched him suspiciously .

"Poirot,'' I_said, " what_was in_this particular little bottle ? ''

Poirot looked out_of_the window .

"Hydro- chloride of strychnine,'' he_said, over his shoulder, continuing to hum .

" good heavens ! '' I_said it quite quietly . i_was not surprised .I had expected that answer .

" they use the pure hydro- chloride of strychnine very little -- only occasionally for pills . it_is_the official solution, Liq . strychnine Hydro-clor . that_is used in most medicines . that_is why the finger-marks have remained undisturbed since then .''

" how did you manage to_take this photograph ? ''

"I dropped my hat from_the balcony,'' explained Poirot simply ."Visitors were_not permitted below at_that hour, so, in_spite of_my many apologies, Mademoiselle Cynthia's colleague had to_go down and fetch it for_me .''

" then you_knew what you were going to_find ? ''

" no, not at all .I merely realized that_it_was possible, from your story, for Monsieur Lawrence to_go to_the poison cupboard . the possibility had to_be confirmed, or eliminated .''

"Poirot,'' I_said, " your gaiety does_not deceive me . this_is a very_important discovery .''

" I_do_not know,'' said Poirot ." but one_thing does strike me . no_doubt it has struck you too .''

" what_is that ? ''

" why, that_there_is altogether too_much strychnine about_this case . this_is_the third time we run up against it . there_was strychnine in Mrs Inglethorp's tonic . there_is the strychnine sold across the counter at Styles St .Mary by Mace . now we_have more strychnine, handled by one_of_the household . it_is confusing; and, as_you_know, I_do_not like confusion .''

before I_could reply, one_of_the other Belgians opened the door and stuck his head in .

" there_is a lady below, asking for_Mr Hastings .''

"A lady ? ''

I jumped up .Poirot followed me down the narrow stairs .Mary Cavendish was standing in_the doorway .

" I_have_been visiting an old woman in_the village,'' she explained, " and as Lawrence told me you were with Monsieur Poirot i_thought i_would call for_you .''

" alas, madame,'' said Poirot, " i_thought you had come to honour me with a visit ! ''

" i_will some day, if_you ask me,'' she promised him, smiling .

" that_is well . if you_should need a father confessor, madame'' -- she started ever so slightly -- " remember, Papa Poirot is always at your service .''

she stared at him for_a_few_minutes, as_though seeking to read some deeper meaning into his words . then she turned abruptly away .

" come, will_you not walk back with_us too, Monsieur Poirot ? ''

" enchanted, madame .''

all the way to Styles, Mary talked fast and feverishly . it struck me that in some way she was nervous of Poirot's eyes .

the weather had broken, and_the sharp wind was almost autumnal in its shrewishness .Mary shivered a little, and buttoned her black sports coat closer . the wind through_the trees made a mournful noise, like some great giant sighing .

we walked up_to_the great door of Styles, and at once the knowledge came to_us that something was wrong .

Dorcas came running out to meet us . she was crying and wringing her hands . i_was aware of other servants huddled together in_the background, all eyes and ears .

"Oh, m'am ! Oh, m'am ! I don't know how to_tell you -- ''

" what_is it, Dorcas ? '' I asked impatiently ." tell us at once .''

" it's those wicked detectives . they've arrested him -- they've arrested Mr Cavendish ! ''

"Arrested Lawrence ? '' I gasped .

I_saw a strange look come into Dorcas's eyes .

" no, sir . not Mr Lawrence -- Mr John .''

behind me, with a wild cry, Mary Cavendish fell heavily against me, and as I turned to catch her I met the quiet triumph in Poirot's eyes .

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