The Mysterious Affair at Styles Agatha Christie (romance novel chinese novels txt) đ
- Author: Agatha Christie
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âYou have my word,â said Inglethorp haughtily.
The Coroner did not trouble to reply.
âThere are two witnesses who will swear to having heard your disagreement with Mrs. Inglethorp.â
âThose witnesses were mistaken.â
I was puzzled. The man spoke with such quiet assurance that I was staggered. I looked at Poirot. There was an expression of exultation on his face which I could not understand. Was he at last convinced of Alfred Inglethorpâs guilt?
âMr. Inglethorp,â said the Coroner, âyou have heard your wifeâs dying words repeated here. Can you explain them in any way?â
âCertainly I can.â
âYou can?â
âIt seems to me very simple. The room was dimly lighted. Dr. Bauerstein is much of my height and build, and, like me, wears a beard. In the dim light, and suffering as she was, my poor wife mistook him for me.â
âAh!â murmured Poirot to himself. âBut it is an idea, that!â
âYou think it is true?â I whispered.
âI do not say that. But it is truly an ingenious supposition.â
âYou read my wifeâs last words as an accusationââ âInglethorp was continuingâ ââthey were, on the contrary, an appeal to me.â
The Coroner reflected a moment, then he said:
âI believe, Mr. Inglethorp, that you yourself poured out the coffee, and took it to your wife that evening?â
âI poured it out, yes. But I did not take it to her. I meant to do so, but I was told that a friend was at the hall door, so I laid down the coffee on the hall table. When I came through the hall again a few minutes later, it was gone.â
This statement might, or might not, be true, but it did not seem to me to improve matters much for Inglethorp. In any case, he had had ample time to introduce the poison.
At that point, Poirot nudged me gently, indicating two men who were sitting together near the door. One was a little, sharp, dark, ferret-faced man, the other was tall and fair.
I questioned Poirot mutely. He put his lips to my ear.
âDo you know who that little man is?â
I shook my head.
âThat is Detective Inspector James Japp of Scotland Yardâ âJimmy Japp. The other man is from Scotland Yard too. Things are moving quickly, my friend.â
I stared at the two men intently. There was certainly nothing of the policeman about them. I should never have suspected them of being official personages.
I was still staring, when I was startled and recalled by the verdict being given:
âWilful Murder against some person or persons unknown.â
VII Poirot Pays His DebtsAs we came out of the Stylites Arms, Poirot drew me aside by a gentle pressure of the arm. I understood his object. He was waiting for the Scotland Yard men.
In a few moments, they emerged, and Poirot at once stepped forward, and accosted the shorter of the two.
âI fear you do not remember me, Inspector Japp.â
âWhy, if it isnât Mr. Poirot!â cried the Inspector. He turned to the other man. âYouâve heard me speak of Mr. Poirot? It was in 1904 he and I worked togetherâ âthe Abercrombie forgery caseâ âyou remember, he was run down in Brussels. Ah, those were great days, moosier. Then, do you remember âBaronâ Altara? There was a pretty rogue for you! He eluded the clutches of half the police in Europe. But we nailed him in Antwerpâ âthanks to Mr. Poirot here.â
As these friendly reminiscences were being indulged in, I drew nearer, and was introduced to Detective-Inspector Japp, who, in his turn, introduced us both to his companion, Superintendent Summerhaye.
âI need hardly ask what you are doing here, gentlemen,â remarked Poirot.
Japp closed one eye knowingly.
âNo, indeed. Pretty clear case I should say.â
But Poirot answered gravely:
âThere I differ from you.â
âOh, come!â said Summerhaye, opening his lips for the first time. âSurely the whole thing is clear as daylight. The manâs caught red-handed. How he could be such a fool beats me!â
But Japp was looking attentively at Poirot.
âHold your fire, Summerhaye,â he remarked jocularly. âMe and Moosier here have met beforeâ âand thereâs no manâs judgment Iâd sooner take than his. If Iâm not greatly mistaken, heâs got something up his sleeve. Isnât that so, moosier?â
Poirot smiled.
âI have drawn certain conclusionsâ âyes.â
Summerhaye was still looking rather sceptical, but Japp continued his scrutiny of Poirot.
âItâs this way,â he said, âso far, weâve only seen the case from the outside. Thatâs where the Yardâs at a disadvantage in a case of this kind, where the murderâs only out, so to speak, after the inquest. A lot depends on being on the spot first thing, and thatâs where Mr. Poirotâs had the start of us. We shouldnât have been here as soon as this even, if it hadnât been for the fact that there was a smart doctor on the spot, who gave us the tip through the Coroner. But youâve been on the spot from the first, and you may have picked up some little hints. From the evidence at the inquest, Mr. Inglethorp murdered his wife as sure as I stand here, and if anyone but you hinted the contrary Iâd laugh in his face. I must say I was surprised the jury didnât bring it in Wilful Murder against him right off. I think they would have, if it hadnât been for the Coronerâ âhe seemed to be holding them back.â
âPerhaps, though, you have a warrant for his arrest in your pocket now,â suggested Poirot.
A kind of wooden shutter of officialdom came down from Jappâs expressive countenance.
âPerhaps I have, and perhaps I havenât,â he remarked dryly.
Poirot looked at him thoughtfully.
âI am very anxious, Messieurs, that he should not be arrested.â
âI dare say,â observed Summerhaye sarcastically.
Japp was regarding Poirot with comical perplexity.
âCanât you go a little further, Mr. Poirot? A winkâs as good as a nodâ âfrom you. Youâve been on the spotâ âand the Yard doesnât want to make any mistakes, you know.â
Poirot nodded gravely.
âThat is exactly what I thought. Well, I will tell you this. Use your warrant: Arrest Mr. Inglethorp. But it will bring you no kudosâ âthe case against him will be dismissed at once! Comme ça!â And he snapped
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