CHAPTER VIII. FRESH SUSPICIONS

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• The Mysterious Affair at Styles   CHAPTER XIII. POIROT EXPLAINS

  “Poirot, you old villain,” I said, “I’ve half a mind to strangle you! What do you mean by deceiving me as you have done?”We were sitting in the library. Several hectic days lay behind us. In the room below, John and Mary were together once more, while Alfred Inglethorp and Miss Howard were in custody. Now at last, I had Poirot to myself, and could relieve my still burning curiosity.Poirot did not answer me for a moment, but at last he said:“I did not deceive you, mon ami. At most, I permitted you to deceive yourself.”“Yes, but why?”“Well, it is difficult to explain. You see, my friend, you have a nature so honest, and a countenance so transparent, that—enfin, to conceal your feelings is impossible! If I had told you my ideas, the very first time you saw Mr. Alfred Inglethorp that astute gentleman would have—in your so expressive idiom—‘smelt a rat’! And then, bonjour to our chances of catching him!”“I think that I have more diplomacy than you give me credit for.”“My frien

• 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 réunion in the salon? It is necessary for everyone 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 Howard—here. 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 th

• The Mysterious Affair at Styles   CHAPTER XI. THE CASE FOR THE PROSECUTION

  The trial of John Cavendish for the murder of his stepmother took place two months later.Of the intervening weeks I will say little, but my admiration and sympathy went out unfeignedly to Mary Cavendish. She ranged herself passionately on her husband’s side, scorning the mere idea of his guilt, and fought for him tooth and nail.I expressed my admiration to Poirot, and he nodded thoughtfully.“Yes, she is of those women who show at their best in adversity. It brings out all that is sweetest and truest in them. Her pride and her jealousy have——”“Jealousy?” I queried.“Yes. Have you not realized that she is an unusually jealous woman? As I was saying, her pride and jealousy have been laid aside. She thinks of nothing but her husband, and the terrible fate that is hanging over him.”He spoke very feelingly, and I looked at him earnestly, remembering that last afternoon, when he had been deliberating whether or not to speak. With his tenderness for “a woman’s happiness,” I felt gla

• The Mysterious Affair at Styles   CHAPTER X. THE ARREST

  To my extreme annoyance, Poirot was not in, and the old Belgian who answered my knock informed me that he believed he had gone to London.I was dumbfounded. What on earth could Poirot be doing in London! Was it a sudden decision on his part, or had he already made up his mind when he parted from me a few hours earlier?I retraced my steps to Styles in some annoyance. With Poirot away, I was uncertain how to act. Had he foreseen this arrest? Had he not, in all probability, been the cause of it? Those questions I could not resolve. But in the meantime what was I to do? Should I announce the arrest openly at Styles, or not? Though I did not acknowledge it to myself, the thought of Mary Cavendish was weighing on me. Would it not be a terrible shock to her? For the moment, I set aside utterly any suspicions of her. She could not be implicated—otherwise I should have heard some hint of it.Of course, there was no possibility of being able permanently to conceal Dr. Bauerstein’s arrest fro

• The Mysterious Affair at Styles   CHAPTER IX. DR. BAUERSTEIN

  I had had no opportunity as yet of passing on Poirot’s message to Lawrence. But now, as I strolled out on the lawn, still nursing a grudge against my friend’s high-handedness, I saw Lawrence on the croquet lawn, aimlessly knocking a couple of very ancient balls about, with a still more ancient mallet.It struck me that it would be a good opportunity to deliver my message. Otherwise, Poirot himself might relieve me of it. It was true that I did not quite gather its purport, but I flattered myself that by Lawrence’s reply, and perhaps a little skillful cross-examination on my part, I should soon perceive its significance. Accordingly I accosted him.“I’ve been looking for you,” I remarked untruthfully.“Have you?”“Yes. The truth is, I’ve got a message for you—from Poirot.”“Yes?”“He told me to wait until I was alone with you,” I said, dropping my voice significantly, and watching him intently out of the corner of my eye. I have always been rather good at what is called, I believe

• The Mysterious Affair at Styles   CHAPTER VIII. FRESH SUSPICIONS

  There was a moment’s stupefied silence. Japp, who was the least surprised of any of us, was the first to speak.“My word,” he cried, “you’re the goods! And no mistake, Mr. Poirot! These witnesses of yours are all right, I suppose?”“Voilà! I have prepared a list of them—names and addresses. You must see them, of course. But you will find it all right.”“I’m sure of that.” Japp lowered his voice. “I’m much obliged to you. A pretty mare’s nest arresting him would have been.” He turned to Inglethorp. “But, if you’ll excuse me, sir, why couldn’t you say all this at the inquest?”“I will tell you why,” interrupted Poirot. “There was a certain rumour——”“A most malicious and utterly untrue one,” interrupted Alfred Inglethorp in an agitated voice.“And Mr. Inglethorp was anxious to have no scandal revived just at present. Am I right?”“Quite right.” Inglethorp nodded. “With my poor Emily not yet buried, can you wonder I was anxious that no more lying rumours should be started.”“Betwe