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Inglethorp's rather noticeable clothes。 He could not recognize a man
whom he had probably only seen in the distance； since； you remember； he
himself had only been in the village a fortnight； and Mrs。 Inglethorp dealt
principally with Coot's in Tadminster。〃
〃Then you think〃
〃Mon ami； do you remember the two points I laid stress upon？ Leave
the first one for the moment； what was the second？〃
〃The important fact that Alfred Inglethorp wears peculiar clothes； has a
black beard； and uses glasses；〃 I quoted。
〃Exactly。 Now suppose anyone wished to pass himself off as John or
Lawrence Cavendish。 Would it be easy？〃
〃No；〃 I said thoughtfully。 〃Of course an actor〃
But Poirot cut me short ruthlessly。
〃And why would it not be easy？ I will tell you； my friend： Because
they are both clean…shaven men。 To make up successfully as one of these
two in broad daylight； it would need an actor of genius； and a certain
initial facial resemblance。 But in the case of Alfred Inglethorp； all that is
changed。 His clothes； his beard； the glasses which hide his eyesthose
are the salient points about his personal appearance。 Now； what is the
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first instinct of the criminal？ To divert suspicion from himself； is it not so？
And how can he best do that？ By throwing it on some one else。 In this
instance； there was a man ready to his hand。 Everybody was predisposed
to believe in Mr。 Inglethorp's guilt。 It was a foregone conclusion that he
would be suspected； but； to make it a sure thing there must be tangible
proofsuch as the actual buying of the poison； and that； with a man of the
peculiar appearance of Mr。 Inglethorp； was not difficult。 Remember； this
young Mace had never actually spoken to Mr。 Inglethorp。 How should
he doubt that the man in his clothes； with his beard and his glasses； was
not Alfred Inglethorp？〃
〃It may be so；〃 I said； fascinated by Poirot's eloquence。 〃But； if that
was the case； why does he not say where he was at six o'clock on Monday
evening？〃
〃Ah； why indeed？〃 said Poirot； calming down。 〃If he were arrested；
he probably would speak； but I do not want it to come to that。 I must
make him see the gravity of his position。 There is； of course； something
discreditable behind his silence。 If he did not murder his wife； he is；
nevertheless； a scoundrel； and has something of his own to conceal； quite
apart from the murder。〃
〃What can it be？〃 I mused； won over to Poirot's views for the moment；
although still retaining a faint conviction that the obvious deduction was
the correct one。
〃Can you not guess？〃 asked Poirot； smiling。
〃No； can you？〃
〃Oh； yes； I had a little idea sometime agoand it has turned out to be
correct。〃
〃You never told me；〃 I said reproachfully。
Poirot spread out his hands apologetically。
〃Pardon me； mon ami； you were not precisely sympathique。〃 He
turned to me earnestly。 〃Tell meyou see now that he must not be
arrested？〃
〃Perhaps；〃 I said doubtfully； for I was really quite indifferent to the
fate of Alfred Inglethorp； and thought that a good fright would do him no
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harm。
Poirot； who was watching me intently； gave a sigh。
〃Come； my friend；〃 he said； changing the subject； 〃apart from Mr。
Inglethorp； how did the evidence at the inquest strike you？〃
〃Oh； pretty much what I expected。〃
〃Did nothing strike you as peculiar about it？〃
My thoughts flew to Mary Cavendish； and I hedged：
〃In what way？〃
〃Well； Mr。 Lawrence Cavendish's evidence for instance？〃
I was relieved。
〃Oh； Lawrence！ No； I don't think so。 He's always a nervous chap。〃
〃His suggestion that his mother might have been poisoned accidentally
by means of the tonic she was taking； that did not strike you as strange
hein？〃
〃No； I can't say it did。 The doctors ridiculed it of course。 But it was
quite a natural suggestion for a layman to make。〃
〃But Monsieur Lawrence is not a layman。 You told me yourself that
he had started by studying medicine； and that he had taken his degree。〃
〃Yes； that's true。 I never thought of that。〃 I was rather startled。 〃It
*IS odd。〃
Poirot nodded。
〃From the first； his behaviour has been peculiar。 Of all the household；
he alone would be likely to recognize the symptoms of strychnine
poisoning； and yet we find him the only member of the family to uphold
strenuously the theory of death from natural causes。 If it had been
Monsieur John； I could have understood it。 He has no technical
knowledge； and is by nature unimaginative。 But Monsieur Lawrenceno！
And now； to…day； he puts forward a suggestion that he himself must have
known was ridiculous。 There is food for thought in this； mon ami！〃
〃It's very confusing；〃 I agreed。
〃Then there is Mrs。 Cavendish；〃 continued Poirot。 〃That's another
who is not telling all she knows！ What do you make of her attitude？〃
〃I don't know what to make of it。 It seems inconceivable that she
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should be shielding Alfred Inglethorp。 Yet that is what it looks like。〃
Poirot nodded reflectively。
〃Yes； it is queer。 One thing is certain； she overheard a good deal
more of that 'private conversation' than she was willing to admit。〃
〃And yet she is the last person one would accuse of stooping to
eavesdrop！〃
〃Exactly。 One thing her evidence *HAS shown me。 I made a
mistake。 Dorcas was quite right。 The quarrel did take place earlier in
the afternoon； about four o'clock； as she said。〃
I looked at him curiously。 I had never understood his insistence on
that point。
〃Yes； a good deal that was peculiar came out to…day；〃 continued Poirot。
〃Dr。 Bauerstein； now； what was *HE doing up and dressed at that hour in
the morning？ It is astonishing to me that no