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THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
CHAPTER XII THE LAST LINK
POIROT'S abrupt departure had intrigued us all greatly。 Sunday
morning wore away； and still he did not reappear。 But about three
o'clock a ferocious and prolonged hooting outside drove us to the window；
to see Poirot alighting from a car； accompanied by Japp and Summerhaye。
The little man was transformed。 He radiated an absurd complacency。
He bowed with exaggerated respect to Mary Cavendish。
〃Madame； I have your permission to hold a little reunion in the salon？
It is necessary for every one to attend。〃
Mary smiled sadly。
〃You know； Monsieur Poirot； that you have carte blanche in every
way。〃
〃You are too amiable； madame。〃
Still beaming； Poirot marshalled us all into the drawing… room；
bringing forward chairs as he did so。
〃Miss Howardhere。 Mademoiselle Cynthia。 Monsieur Lawrence。
The good Dorcas。 And Annie。 Bien！ We must delay our proceedings a
few minutes until Mr。 Inglethorp arrives。 I have sent him a note。〃
Miss Howard rose immediately from her seat。
〃If that man comes into the house； I leave it！〃
〃No； no！〃 Poirot went up to her and pleaded in a low voice。
Finally Miss Howard consented to return to her chair。 A few minutes
later Alfred Inglethorp entered the room。
The company once assembled； Poirot rose from his seat with the air of
a popular lecturer； and bowed politely to his audience。
〃Messieurs； mesdames； as you all know； I was called in by Monsieur
John Cavendish to investigate this case。 I at once examined the bedroom
of the deceased which； by the advice of the doctors； had been kept locked；
and was consequently exactly as it had been when the tragedy occurred。
I found： first； a fragment of green material； second； a stain on the carpet
near the window； still damp； thirdly； an empty box of bromide powders。
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THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
〃To take the fragment of green material first； I found it caught in the
bolt of the communicating door between that room and the adjoining one
occupied by Mademoiselle Cynthia。 I handed the fragment over to the
police who did not consider it of much importance。 Nor did they
recognize it for what it wasa piece torn from a green land armlet。〃
There was a little stir of excitement。
〃Now there was only one person at Styles who worked on the land
Mrs。 Cavendish。 Therefore it must have been Mrs。 Cavendish who
entered the deceased's room through the door communicating with
Mademoiselle Cynthia's room。〃
〃But that door was bolted on the inside！〃 I cried。
〃When I examined the room； yes。 But in the first place we have only
her word for it； since it was she who tried that particular door and reported
it fastened。 In the ensuing confusion she would have had ample
opportunity to shoot the bolt across。 I took an early opportunity of
verifying my conjectures。 To begin with； the fragment corresponds
exactly with a tear in Mrs。 Cavendish's armlet。 Also； at the inquest； Mrs。
Cavendish declared that she had heard； from her own room； the fall of the
table by the bed。 I took an early opportunity of testing that statement by
stationing my friend Monsieur Hastings in the left wing of the building；
just outside Mrs。 Cavendish's door。 I myself； in company with the police；
went to the deceased's room； and whilst there I； apparently accidentally；
knocked over the table in question； but found that； as I had expected；
Monsieur Hastings had heard no sound at all。 This confirmed my belief
that Mrs。 Cavendish was not speaking the truth when she declared that she
had been dressing in her room at the time of the tragedy。 In fact； I was
convinced that； far from having been in her own room； Mrs。 Cavendish
was actually in the deceased's room when the alarm was given。〃
I shot a quick glance at Mary。 She was very pale； but smiling。
〃I proceeded to reason on that assumption。 Mrs。 Cavendish is in her
mother…in…law's room。 We will say that she is seeking for something and
has not yet found it。 Suddenly Mrs。 Inglethorp awakens and is seized
with an alarming paroxysm。 She flings out her arm； overturning the bed
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THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
table； and then pulls desperately at the bell。 Mrs。 Cavendish； startled；
drops her candle； scattering the grease on the carpet。 She picks it up； and
retreats quickly to Mademoiselle Cynthia's room； closing the door behind
her。 She hurries out into the passage； for the servants must not find her
where she is。 But it is too late！ Already footsteps are echoing along the
gallery which connects the two wings。 What can she do？ Quick as
thought； she hurries back to the young girl's room； and starts shaking her
awake。 The hastily aroused household come trooping down the passage。
They are all busily battering at Mrs。 Inglethorp's door。 It occurs to
nobody that Mrs。 Cavendish has not arrived with the rest； butand this is
significantI can find no one who saw her come from the other wing。〃 He
looked at Mary Cavendish。 〃Am I right； madame？〃
She bowed her head。
〃Quite right； monsieur。 You understand that； if I had thought I would
do my husband any good by revealing these facts； I would have done so。
But it did not seem to me to bear upon the question of his guilt or
innocence。〃
〃In a sense； that is correct； madame。 But it cleared my mind of many
misconceptions； and left me free to see other facts in their true
significance。〃
〃The will！〃 cried Lawrence。 〃Then it was you； Mary； who destroyed
the will？〃
She shook her head； and Poirot shook his also。
〃No；〃 he said quietly。 〃There is only one person who could possibly
have destroyed that willMrs。 Inglethorp herself！〃
〃Impossible！〃 I exclaimed。 〃She had only made it out that very
afternoon！〃
〃Nevertheless； mon ami； it was Mrs。 Inglethorp。 Because； in no other
way can you account for the fact th