13. Poirot explains by Agatha Christie
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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 ? ''

" yes -- more 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 7th -- the 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 astumbling- 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 plot -- that 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 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 dénouement . 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 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 certainly did mind very_much,'' remarked Poirot ." they_are like that -- les femmes ! ''

" what you say about Lawrence is a great surprise to_me,'' I_said .

" but why ? it_was most obvious . did_not Monsieur Lawrence make_the sour face every time Mademoiselle Cynthia spoke and laughed with_his brother ? he had taken it into his long head that Mademoiselle Cynthia was in love with Monsieur John . when he entered his mother's room, and saw her obviously poisoned, he jumped to_the conclusion that Mademoiselle Cynthia knew something about_the_matter . he_was nearly driven desperate . first he crushed the coffee- cup to powder under his feet, remembering that she had gone up with_his mother the night before, and he determined that there should_be no chance of testing its contents . thenceforward, he strenuously, and quite uselessly, upheld the theory of ' death from natural causes' .''

" and what about_the ' extra coffee- cup' ? ''

" i_was fairly certain that_it_was Mrs Cavendish who had hidden it, but I had to_make sure .Monsieur Lawrence did_not know at all what I meant; but, on reflection, he_came to_the conclusion that if he_could find an extra coffee- cup anywhere his lady love would_be cleared of suspicion . and he_was perfectly right .''

" one_thing more . what did Mrs Inglethorp mean by her dying words ? ''

" they were, of_course, an accusation against her husband .''

" dear me, Poirot,'' I_said with a sigh, " i_think you_have explained everything . I_am_glad it has all ended so happily . even John and_his wife are reconciled .''

" thanks to_me .''

" how do_you_mean -- thanks to_you ? ''

" my dear friend, do_you not realize_that it_was simply and solely the trial which_has brought them together again ? that John Cavendish still loved his wife, i_was convinced . also, that she was equally in love with_him . but they had drifted very far apart . it all arose from amisunderstanding . she married him without love . he_knew it . he_is a sensitive man in_his way, he_would_not force himself upon her if she did_not want him . and, as he withdrew, her love awoke . but they_are both unusually proud, and their pride held them inexorably apart . he drifted into an entanglement with Mrs Raikes, and she deliberately cultivated the friendship of Dr .Bauerstein . do_you remember the day of John Cavendish's arrest, when_you found me deliberating over a big decision ? ''

" yes, I quite understood your distress .''

" pardon me, mon ami, but you_did_not understand it in_the least . i_was trying to decide whether or not i_would clear John Cavendish at once . I_could_have cleared him -- though it might_have meant a failure to convict the real criminals . they were entirely in_the dark as_to my real attitude up_to_the very last moment -- which partly accounts for_my success .''

" do_you_mean that you_could_have saved John Cavendish from being brought to trial ? ''

" yes, my friend . but I eventually decided in favour of 'a woman's happiness' . nothing but the great danger through which_they_have passed could_have brought these two proud souls together again .''

I looked at Poirot in silent amazement . the colossal cheek of_the little man ! who on earth but Poirot would_have thought of a trial for murder as arestorer of conjugal happiness !

"I perceive your thoughts, mon ami,'' said Poirot, smiling at me ." no one but Hercule Poirot would_have attempted such a thing ! and you_are wrong in condemning it . the happiness of one man and one woman is_the greatest thing in all the world .''

his words took me back to earlier events .I remembered Mary as she lay white and exhausted on_the sofa, listening, listening . there had come the sound of_the bell below . she had started up .Poirot had opened the door, and meeting her agonized eyes had nodded gently ." yes, madame,'' he_said ." I_have brought him back to_you .'' he had stood aside, and as I went out I had seen the look in Mary's eyes, as John Cavendish had caught his wife in_his arms .

" perhaps you_are right, Poirot,'' I_said gently ." yes, it_is_the greatest thing in_the_world .''

suddenly, there_was a tap at_the door, and Cynthia peeped in .

"I -- I only -- -- ''

" come in,'' I_said, springing up .

she came in, but did_not sit down .

"I -- only wanted to_tell you something -- -- ''

" yes ? ''

Cynthia fidgeted with a little tassel for some moments, then, suddenly exclaiming: " you dears ! '' kissed first me and then Poirot, and rushed out_of_the room again .

" what on earth does this mean ? '' I asked, surprised .

it_was very nice to_be kissed by Cynthia, but the publicity of_the salute rather impaired the pleasure .

" it means that she has discovered Monsieur Lawrence does_not dislike her as_much as she thought,'' replied Poirot philosophically .

" but -- -- ''

" here he_is .''

Lawrence at_that moment passed the door .

"Eh ! Monsieur Lawrence,'' called Poirot ." we_must congratulate you, is_it not so ? ''

Lawrence blushed, and then smiled awkwardly .a man in love is a sorry spectacle . now Cynthia had looked charming .

I sighed .

" what_is it, mon ami ? ''

" nothing,'' I_said sadly ." they_are two delightful women ! ''

" and neither of_them is for_you ? '' finished Poirot ." never mind . console yourself, my friend . we_may hunt together again, who knows ? and then -- -- ''

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