按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Nevertheless； mon ami； it was Mrs。 Inglethorp。 Because； in no other
way can you account for the fact that； on one of the hottest days of the
year； Mrs。 Inglethorp ordered a fire to be lighted in her room。〃
I gave a gasp。 What idiots we had been never to think of that fire as
being incongruous！ Poirot was continuing：
〃The temperature on that day； messieurs； was 80 degrees in the shade。
165
… Page 166…
THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
Yet Mrs。 Inglethorp ordered a fire！ Why？ Because she wished to destroy
something； and could think of no other way。 You will remember that； in
consequence of the War economics practiced at Styles； no waste paper was
thrown away。 There was therefore no means of destroying a thick
document such as a will。 The moment I heard of a fire being lighted in
Mrs。 Inglethorp's room； I leaped to the conclusion that it was to destroy
some important documentpossibly a will。 So the discovery of the
charred fragment in the grate was no surprise to me。 I did not； of course；
know at the time that the will in question had only been made this
afternoon； and I will admit that； when I learnt that fact； I fell into a
grievous error。 I came to the conclusion that Mrs。 Inglethorp's
determination to destroy her will arose as a direct consequence of the
quarrel she had that afternoon； and that therefore the quarrel took place
after； and not before the making of the will。
〃Here； as we know； I was wrong； and I was forced to abandon that idea。
I faced the problem from a new standpoint。 Now； at 4 o'clock； Dorcas
overheard her mistress saying angrily： 'You need not think that any fear of
publicity； or scandal between husband and wife will deter me。〃 I
conjectured； and conjectured rightly； that these words were addressed； not
to her husband； but to Mr。 John Cavendish。 At 5 o'clock； an hour later；
she uses almost the same words； but the standpoint is different。 She
admits to Dorcas； 'I don't know what to do； scandal between husband and
wife is a dreadful thing。' At 4 o'clock she has been angry； but completely
mistress of herself。 At 5 o'clock she is in violent distress； and speaks of
having had a great shock。
〃Looking at the matter psychologically； I drew one deduction which I
was convinced was correct。 The second 'scandal' she spoke of was not
the same as the firstand it concerned herself！
〃Let us reconstruct。 At 4 o'clock； Mrs。 Inglethorp quarrels with her
son； and threatens to denounce him to his wife who； by the way；
overheard the greater part of the conversation。 At 4。30； Mrs。 Inglethorp；
in consequence of a conversation on the validity of wills； makes a will in
favour of her husband； which the two gardeners witness。 At 5 o'clock；
166
… Page 167…
THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
Dorcas finds her mistress in a state of considerable agitation； with a slip of
paper'a letter；' Dorcas thinksin her hand； and it is then that she orders
the fire in her room to be lighted。 Presumably； then； between 4。30 and 5
o'clock； something has occurred to occasion a complete revolution of
feeling； since she is now as anxious to destroy the will； as she was before
to make it。 What was that something？
〃As far as we know； she was quite alone during that half…hour。
Nobody entered or left that boudoir。 What then occasioned this sudden
change of sentiment？
〃One can only guess； but I believe my guess to be correct。 Mrs。
Inglethorp had no stamps in her desk。 We know this； because later she
asked Dorcas to bring her some。 Now in the opposite corner of the room
stood her husband's desklocked。 She was anxious to find some stamps；
and； according to my theory； she tried her own keys in the desk。 That
one of them fitted I know。 She therefore opened the desk； and in
searching for the stamps she came across something elsethat slip of
paper which Dorcas saw in her hand； and which assuredly was never
meant for Mrs。 Inglethorp's eyes。 On the other hand； Mrs。 Cavendish
believed that the slip of paper to which her mother…in…law clung so
tenaciously was a written proof of her own husband's infidelity。 She
demanded it from Mrs。 Inglethorp who assured her； quite truly； that it had
nothing to do with that matter。 Mrs。 Cavendish did not believe her。 She
thought that Mrs。 Inglethorp was shielding her stepson。 Now Mrs。
Cavendish is a very resolute woman； and； behind her mask of reserve； she
was madly jealous of her husband。 She determined to get hold of that
paper at all costs； and in this resolution chance came to her aid。 She
happened to pick up the key of Mrs。 Inglethorp's despatch…case； which had
been lost that morning。 She knew that her mother…in…law invariably kept
all important papers in this particular case。
〃Mrs。 Cavendish； therefore； made her plans as only a woman driven
desperate through jealousy could have done。 Some time in the evening
she unbolted the door leading into Mademoiselle Cynthia's room。
Possibly she applied oil to the hinges； for I found that it opened quite
167
… Page 168…
THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
noiselessly when I tried it。 She put off her project until the early hours of
the morning as being safer； since the servants were accustomed to hearing
her move about her room at that time。 She dressed completely in her
land kit； and made her way quietly through Mademoiselle Cynthia's room
into that of Mrs。 Inglethorp。〃
He paused a moment； and Cynthia interrupted：
〃But I should have woken up if anyone had come through my room？〃
〃Not if you were drugged； mademoiselle。〃
〃Drugged？〃
〃Mais； oui！〃
〃You remember〃he addressed us collectively again〃that through all
the tumult and noise next door Mademoiselle Cynthia sl