ac.themysteriousaffairatstyles-第39部分

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　‘‘But　why？''　
　‘‘Simply　this。　If　it　had　been　Inglethorp　who　was　carrying　on　an　intrigue　with　Mrs。　Raikes；　his　silence　was　perfectly　prehensible。　But；　when　I　discovered　that　it　was　known　all　over　the　village　that　it　was　John　who　was　attracted　by　the　farmer's　pretty　wife；　his　silence　bore　quite　a　different　interpretation。　It　was　nonsense　to　pretend　that　he　was　afraid　of　the　scandal；　as　no　possible　scandal　could　attach　to　him。　This　attitude　of　his　gave　me　furiously　to　think；　and　I　was　slowly　forced　to　the　conclusion　that　Alfred　Inglethorp　wanted　to　be　arrested。　Eh　bien！　from　that　moment；　I　was　equally　determined　that　he　should　not　be　arrested。''　
　‘‘Wait　a　minute。　I　don't　see　why　he　wished　to　be　arrested？''　
　‘‘Because；　mon　ami；　it　is　the　law　of　your　country　that　a　man　once　acquitted　can　never　be　tried　again　for　the　same　offence。　Aha！　but　it　was　clever　　his　idea！　Assuredly；　he　is　a　man　of　method。　See　here；　he　knew　that　in　his　position　he　was　bound　to　be　suspected；　so　he　conceived　the　exceedingly　clever　idea　of　preparing　a　lot　of　manufactured　evidence　against　himself。　He　wished　to　be　arrested。　He　would　then　produce　his　irreproachable　alibi　　and；　hey　presto；　he　was　safe　for　life！''　
　‘‘But　I　still　don't　see　how　he　managed　to　prove　his　alibi；　and　yet　go　to　the　chemist's　shop？''　
　Poirot　stared　at　me　in　surprise。　
　‘‘Is　it　possible？　My　poor　friend！　You　have　not　yet　realized　that　it　was　Miss　Howard　who　went　to　the　chemist's　shop？''　
　‘‘Miss　Howard？''　
　‘‘But；　certainly。　Who　else？　It　was　most　easy　for　her。　She　is　of　a　good　height；　her　voice　is　deep　and　manly；　moreover；　remember；　she　and　Inglethorp　are　cousins；　and　there　is　a　distinct　resemblance　between　them；　especially　in　their　gait　and　bearing。　It　was　simplicity　itself。　They　are　a　clever　pair！''　
　‘‘I　am　still　a　little　fogged　as　to　how　exactly　the　bromide　business　was　done；''　I　remarked。　
　‘‘Bon！　I　will　reconstruct　for　you　as　far　as　possible。　I　am　inclined　to　think　that　Miss　Howard　was　the　master　mind　in　that　affair。　You　remember　her　once　mentioning　that　her　father　was　a　doctor？　Possibly　she　dispensed　his　medicines　for　him；　or　she　may　have　taken　the　idea　from　one　of　the　many　books　lying　about　when　Mademoiselle　Cynthia　was　studying　for　her　exam。　Anyway；　she　was　familiar　with　the　fact　that　the　addition　of　a　bromide　to　a　mixture　containing　strychnine　would　cause　the　precipitation　of　the　latter。　Probably　the　idea　came　to　her　quite　suddenly。　Mrs。　Inglethorp　had　a　box　of　bromide　powders；　which　she　occasionally　took　at　night。　What　could　be　easier　than　quietly　to　dissolve　one　or　more　of　those　powders　in　Mrs。　Inglethorp's　large　sized　bottle　of　medicine　when　it　came　from　Coot's？　The　risk　is　practically　nil。　The　tragedy　will　not　take　place　until　nearly　a　fortnight　later。　If　anyone　has　seen　either　of　them　touching　the　medicine；　they　will　have　forgotten　it　by　that　time。　Miss　Howard　will　have　engineered　her　quarrel；　and　departed　from　the　house。　The　lapse　of　time；　and　her　absence；　will　defeat　all　suspicion。　Yes；　it　was　a　clever　idea！　If　they　had　left　it　alone；　it　is　possible　the　crime　might　never　have　been　brought　home　to　them。　But　they　were　not　satisfied。　They　tried　to　be　too　clever　　and　that　was　their　undoing。''　
　Poirot　puffed　at　his　tiny　cigarette；　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　ceiling。　
　‘‘They　arranged　a　plan　to　throw　suspicion　on　John　Cavendish；　by　buying　strychnine　at　the　village　chemist's；　and　signing　the　register　in　his　hand…writing。　
　‘‘On　Monday　Mrs。　Inglethorp　will　take　the　last　dose　of　her　medicine。　On　Monday；　therefore；　at　six　o'clock；　Alfred　Inglethorp　arranges　to　be　seen　by　a　number　of　people　at　a　spot　far　removed　from　the　village。　Miss　Howard　has　previously　made　up　a　cock　and　bull　story　about　him　and　Mrs。　Raikes　to　account　for　his　holding　his　tongue　afterwards。　At　six　o'clock；　Miss　Howard；　disguised　as　Alfred　Inglethorp；　enters　the　chemist's　shop；　with　her　story　about　a　dog；　obtains　the　strychnine；　and　writes　the　name　of　Alfred　Inglethorp　in　John's　handwriting；　which　she　had　previously　studied　carefully。　
　‘‘But；　as　it　will　never　do　if　John；　too；　can　prove　an　alibi；　she　writes　him　an　anonymous　note　　still　copying　his　hand…writing　　which　takes　him　to　a　remote　spot　where　it　is　exceedingly　unlikely　that　anyone　will　see　him。　
　‘‘So　far；　all　goes　well。　Miss　Howard　goes　back　to　Middlingham。　Alfred　Inglethorp　returns　to　Styles。　There　is　nothing　that　can　promise　him　in　any　way；　since　it　is　Miss　Howard　who　has　the　strychnine；　which；　after　all；　is　only　wanted　as　a　blind　to　throw　suspicion　on　John　Cavendish。　
　‘‘But　now　a　hitch　occurs。　Mrs。　Inglethorp　does　not　take　her　medicine　that　night。　The　broken　bell；　Cynthia's　absence　　arranged　by　Inglethorp　through　his　wife　　all　these　are　wasted。　And　then　　he　makes　his　slip。　
　‘‘Mrs。　Inglethorp　is　out；　and　he　sits　down　to　write　to　his　acplice；　who；　he　fears；　may　be　in　a　panic　at　the　nonsuccess　of　their　plan。　It　is　probable　that　Mrs。　Inglethorp　returned　earlier　than　he　expected。　Caught　in　the　act；　and　somewhat　flurried　he　hastily　shuts　and　locks　his　desk。　He　fears　that　if　he　remains　in　the　room　he　may　have　to　open　it　again；　and　that　Mrs。　Inglethorp　might　catch　sight　of　the　letter　before　he　could　snatch　it　up。　So　he　goes　out　and　walks　in　the　woods；　little　dreaming　that　Mrs。　Inglethorp　will　open　his　desk；　and　discover　the　incriminating　document。　
　‘‘But　this；　as　we　know；　is　what　happened。　Mrs。　Inglethorp　reads　it；　and　bees　aware　of　the　perfidy　of　her　husband　and　Evelyn　Howard；　though；　unfortunately；　the　sentence　about　the　bromides　conveys　no　warning　to　her　mind。　She　knows　that　she　is　in　danger　　but　is　ignorant　of　where　the　danger　lies。　She　decides　to　say　nothing　to　her　husband；　but　sits　down　and　writes　to　her　solicitor；　asking　him　to　e　on　the　morrow；　and　she　also　determines　to　destroy　immediately　the　will　which　she　has　just　made。　She　keeps　the　fatal　letter。''　
　‘‘It　was　to　discover　that　letter；　then；　that　her　husband　forced　the　lock　of　the　despatch…case？''　
　‘‘Yes；　and　from　the　enormous　risk　he　ran　we　can　see　how　fully　he　realized　its　importance。　That　letter　excepted；　there　was　absolutely　nothing　to　connect　him　with　the　crime。''　
　‘‘There's　only　one　thing　I　can't　make　out；　why　didn't　he　destroy　it　at　once　when　he　got　hold　of　it？''　
　‘‘Because　he　did　not　dare　take　the　biggest　risk　of　all　　that　of　keeping　it　on　his　own　person。''　
　‘‘I　don't　understand。''　
　‘‘Look　at　it　from　his　point　of　view。　I　have　discovered　that　there　were　only　five　short　minutes　in　which　he　could　have　taken　it　　the　five　minutes　immediately　before　our　own　arrival　on　the　scene；　for　before　that　time　Annie　was　brushing　the　stairs；　and　would　have　seen　anyone　who　passed　going　to　the　right　wing。　Figure　to　yourself　the　scene！　He　enters　the　room；　unlocking　the　door　by　means　of　one　of　the　other　doorkeys　　they　were　all　much　alike。　He　hurries　to　the　despatch…case　　it　is　locked；　and　the　keys　are　nowhere　to　be　seen。　That　is　a　terrible　blow　to　him；　for　it　means　that　his　presence　in　the　room　cannot　be　concealed　as　he　had　hoped。　But　he　sees　clearly　that　everything　must　be　risked　for　the　sake　of　that　damning　piece　of　evidence。　Quickly；　he　forces　the　lock　with　a　penknife；　and　turns　over　the　papers　until　he　finds　what　he　is　looking　for。　
　‘‘But　now　a　fresh　dilemma　arises：　he　dare　not　keep　that　piece　of　paper　on　him。　He　may　be　seen　leaving　the　room　　he　may　be　searched。　If　the　paper　is　found　on　him；　it　is　certain　doom。　Probably；　at　this　minute；　too；　he　hears　the　sounds　below　of　Mr。　Wells　and　John　leaving　the　boudoir。　He　must　act　quickly。　Where　can　he　hide　this　terrible　slip　of　paper？　The　contents　of　the　waste…paper…basket　are　kept　and　in　any　case；　are　sure　to　be　examined。　There　are　no　means　of　destroying　it；　and　he　dare　not　keep　it。　He　looks　round；　and　he　sees　　what　do　you　think；　mon　ami？''　
　I　shook　my　head。　
　‘‘In　a　moment；　he　has　torn　the　letter　into　long　thin　strips；　and　rolling　them　up　into　spills　he　thrusts　them　hurriedly　in　amongst　the　other　spills　in　the　vase　on　the　mantle…piece。''　
　I　uttered　an　exclamation。　
　‘‘No　one　would　think　of　looking　there；''　Poirot　continued。　‘‘And　he　will　be　able；　at　his　leisure；　to　e　back　and　destroy　this　solitary　piece　of　evidence　against　him。''　
　‘‘Then；　all　the　time；　it　was　in　the　spill　vase　in　Mrs。　Inglethorp's　bedroom；　u