"Wereyouabletoseethefaceofthemaninthecar,monsieur?DiditresemblethatofTredwellinanyway?"

"Itwastoofarawayformetoseehisface."

"HasTredwellabrother,doyouknow?"

"Hehadseveral,b.u.t.theyarealldead.Thelastonewaskilledinthewar."

"IamnotyetclearastothegroundsofWaverlyCourt.Thecarwasheadingforthesouthlodge.Isthereanotherentrance?"

"Yes,whatwecalltheeastlodge.Itcanbeseenfromtheothersideofthehouse."

"Itseemstomestrangethatn.o.bodysawthecarenteringthegrounds."

"Thereisarightofwaythrough,andaccesstoasmallchapel.Agoodmanycarspa.s.sthrough.Themanmusthavestoppedthecarinaconvenientplaceandrunuptothehousejustasthealarmwasgivenandattentionattractedelsewhere."

"Unlesshewasalreadyinsidethehouse,"musedPoirot."Isthereanyplacewherehecouldhavehidden?"

"Well,wecertainlydidn"tmakeathoroughsearchofthehousebeforehand.Thereseemednoneed.Isupposehemighthavehiddenhimselfsomewhere,butwhowouldhavelethimin?"

"Weshallcometothatlater.Onethingatatime-letusbemethodical.Thereisnospecialhiding-placeinthehouse?WaverlyCourtisanoldplace,andtherearesometimes"priests"holes",astheycallthem."

"Bygad,there"sapriest"shole.Itopensfromoneofthepanelsinthehall."

"Nearthecouncilchamber?"

"Justoutsidethedoor."

"Voila!"

"Butn.o.bodyknowsofits.e.xistenceexceptmywifeandmyself."

"Tredwell?"

"Well-hemighthaveheardofit."

"MissCollins?"

"Ihavenevermentionedittoher."

Poirotreflectedforaminute.

"Well,monsieur,thenextthingisformetocomedowntoWaverlyCourt.IfIarrivethisafternoon,willitsuityou?"

"Oh,a.s.soonaspossible,please,MonsieurPoirot!"criedMrsWaverly."Readthisoncemore."

ShethrustintohishandsthelastmissivefromtheenemywhichhadreachedtheWaverlysthatmorningandwhichhadsentherpost-hastetoPoirot.Itgavecleverandexplicitdirectionsforthepayingoverofthemoney,andendedwithathreatthattheboy"slifewouldpayforanytreachery.ItwasclearthataloveofmoneywarredwiththeessentialmotherloveofMrsWaverly,andthatthelatterwasatlastgainingtheday.

PoirotdetainedMrsWaverlyforaminutebehindherhusband.

"Madame,thetruth,ifyouplease.Doyoushareyourhusband"sfaithinthebutler,Tredwell?"

"Ihavenothingagainsthim,MonsieurPoirot,Icannotseehowhecanhavebeenconcernedinthis,but-well,Ihaveneverlikedhim-never."

"Oneotherthing,madame,canyougivemetheaddressofthechild"snurse?"

"149NetherallRoad,Hammersmith.Youdon"timagine-"

"NeverdoIimagine.Only-Iemploythelittlegreycells.Andsometimes,justsometimes,Ihavealittleidea."

Poirotcamebacktomeasthedoorclosed.

"Somadamehasneverlikedthebutler.Itisinteresting,that,eh,Hastings?"

Irefusedtobedrawn.PoirothasdeceivedmesooftenthatInowgowarily.Thereisalwaysacatchsomewhere.

Aftercompletinganelaborateoutdoortoilet,wesetoffforNetherallRoad.WewerefortunateenoughtofindMissJessieWithersathome.Shewasapleasant-facedwomanofthirty-five,capableandsuperior.Icouldnotbelievethatshecouldbemixedupintheaffair.Shewasbitterlyresentfulofthewayshehadbeendismissed,butadmittedthatshehadbeeninthewrong.Shewasengagedtobemarriedtoapainteranddecoratorwhohappenedtobeintheneighbourhood,andshehadrunouttomeethim.Thethingseemednaturalenough.IcouldnotquiteunderstandPoirot.Allhisquestionsseemedtomequiteirrelevant.TheywereconcernedmainlywiththedailyroutineofherlifeatWaverlyCourt.IwasfranklyboredandgladwhenPoirottookhisdeparture.

"Kidnappingisaneasyjob,monami,"heobserved,ashehailedataxiintheHammersmithRoadandorderedittodrivetoWaterloo.

"Thatchildcouldhavebeenabductedwiththegreatesteaseanydayforthelastthreeyears."

"Idon"tseethatthatadvancesusmuch,"Iremarkedcoldly.

"Aucontraire,itadvancesusenormously,butenormously!Ifyoumustwearatiepin,Hastings,atleastlet.i.tbeintheexactcentreofyourtie.Atpresent.i.tisatleastasixteenthofaninchtoomuchtotheright."

WaverlyCourtwasafineoldplaceandhadrecentlybeenrestoredwithtasteandcare.MrWaverlyshowedusthecouncilchamber,theterrace,andallthevariousspotsconnectedwiththecase.Finally,atPoirot"srequest,hepressedaspringinthewall,apanelslidaside,andashortpa.s.sageledusintothepriest"shole.

"Yousee,"saidWaverly."Thereisnothinghere."

Thetinyroomwasbareenough,therewasnoteventhemarkofafootsteponthefloor.IjoinedPoirotwherehewasbendingattentivelyoveramarkinthecorner.

"Whatdoyoumakeofthis,myfriend?"

Therewerefourimprintsclosetogether.

"Adog,"Icried.

"Averysmalldog,Hastings."

"APom."

"SmallerthanaPom."

"Agriffon?"Isuggesteddoubtfully.

"Smallereventhanagriffon.AspeciesunknowntotheKennelClub."

Ilookedathim.Hisfacewasalightwithexcitementandsatisfaction.

"Iwasright,"hemurmured."IknewIwasright.Come,Hastings."

Aswesteppedoutintothehallandthepanelclosedbehindus,ayoungladycameoutofadoorfartherdownthepa.s.sage.MrWaverlypresentedhertous.

"MissCollins."

MissCollinswasaboutthirtyyearsof.a.ge,briskandalertinmanner.Shehadfair,ratherdullhair,andworepince-nez.

AtPoirot"srequest,wepa.s.sedintoasmallmorning-room,andhequestionedhercloselyastotheservantsandparticularlyastoTredwell.Sheadmittedthatshedidnotlikethebutler.

"Hegiveshimselfairs,"sheexplained.

TheythenwentintothequestionofthefoodeatenbyMrsWaverlyonthenightofthe28th.MissCollinsdeclaredthatshehadpartakenofthesamedishesupstairsinhersitting-roomandhadfeltnoilleffects.a.s.shewasdepartingInudgedPoirot.

"Thedog,"Iwhispered.

"Ah,yes,thedog!"Hesmiledbroadly."Isthereadogkeptherebyanychance,mademoiselle?"

"Therearetworetrieversinthekennelsoutside."

"No,Imeanasmalldog,atoydog."

"No-nothingofthekind."

Poirotpermittedhertodepart.Then,pressingthebell,heremarkedtome,"Shelies,thatMademoiselleCollins.PossiblyIshould,also,inherplace.Nowforthebutler."

Tredwellwasadignifiedindividual.Hetoldhisstorywithperfectaplomb,anditwasessentiallythesameasthatofMrWaverly.Headmittedthatheknewthesecretofthepriest"shole.Whenhefinallywithdrew,pontificaltothelast,ImetPoirot"squizzicaleyes.

"Whatdoyoumakeofitall,Hastings?"

"Whatdoyou?"Iparried.

"Howcautious...o...b..come.Never,neverwillthegreycellsfunctionunlessyoustimulatethem.Ah,butIwillnotteaseyou!Letusmakeourdeductionstogether.Whatpointsstrikeusspeciallyasbeingdifficult?"

"Thereisonethingthatstrikesme,"Isaid."Whydidthemanwhokidnappedthechildgooutbythesouthlodgeinsteadofbytheeastlodgewherenoonewouldseehim?"

"Thatisaverygoodpoint,Hastings,anexcellentone.Iwillmatchitwithanother.WhywarntheWaverlysbeforehand?Whynotsimplykidnapthechildandholdhimtoransom?"

"Becausetheyhopedtogetthemoneywithoutbeingforcedtoaction."

"Surelyitwasveryunlikelythatthemoneywouldbepaidonamerethreat?"

"Alsotheywantedtofocusattentionontwelveo"clock,sothatwhenthetrampmanwa.s.seized,theothercouldemergefromhishiding-placeandgetawaywiththechildunnoticed."

"Thatdoesnotalterthefactthattheyweremakingathingdifficultthatwasperfectlyeasy.Iftheydonotspecifyatimeordate,nothingwouldbeeasierthantowaittheirchance,andcarryoffthechildinamotoronedaywhenheisoutwithhisnurse."

"Ye-es,"Iadmitteddoubtfully.

"Infact,thereisadeliberateplayingofthefarce!Nowletusapproachthequestionfromanotherside.Everythinggoestoshowthattherewasanaccompliceinsidethehouse.Pointnumberone,themysteriouspoisoningofMrsWaverly.Pointnumbertwo,theletterpinnedtothepillow.Pointnumberthree,theputtingonoftheclocktenminutes-allinsidejobs.Andanadditionalfactthatyoumaynothavenoticed.Therewasnodustinthepriest"shole.Ithadbeensweptoutwithabroom.

"Nowthen,wehavefourpeopleinthehouse.Wecanexcludethenurse,sinceshecouldnothavesweptoutthepriest"shole,thoughshecouldhaveattendedtotheotherthreepoints.Fourpeople,MrandMrsWaverly,Tredwell,thebutler,andMissCollins.WewilltakeMissCollinsfirst.Wehavenothingmuchagainsther,exceptthatweknowverylittleabouther,thatsheisobviouslyanintelligentyoungwoman,andthatshehasonlybeenhereayear."

"Sheliedaboutthedog,yousaid,"Iremindedhim.

"Ah,yes,thedog."Poirotgaveapeculiarsmile."Nowletuspa.s.stoTredwell.Thereareseveralsuspiciousfactsagainsthim.Foronething,thetrampdeclaresthat.i.twasTredwellwhogavehimtheparcelinthevillage."

"b.u.t.tredwellcanprovea.n.a.libionthatpoint."

"Eventhen,hecouldhavepoisonedMrsWaverly,pinnedthenotetothepillow,putontheclock,andsweptoutthepriest"shole.Ontheotherhand,hehasbeenbornandbredintheserviceoftheWaverlys.Itseemsunlikelyinthelastdegreethatheshouldconniveattheabductionofthesonofthehouse.Itisnotinthepicture!"

"Well,then?"

"Wemustproceedlogically-howeverabsurditmayseem.WewillbrieflyconsiderMrsWaverly.Butsheisrich,themoneyishers.Itishermoneywhichhasrestoredthisimpoverishedestate.Therewouldbenoreasonforhertokidnaphersonandpayoverhermoneytoherself.Herhusband,now,isinadifferentposition.Hehasarichwife.Itisnotthesamethingasbeingrichhimself-infactIhavealittleideathattheladyisnotveryfondofpartingwithhermoney,exceptonaverygoodpretext.ButMrWaverly,youcanseeatonce,heisbonviveur."

"Impossible,"Ispluttered.

"Notatall.Whosendsawaytheservants?MrWaverly.Hecanwritethenotes,drughiswife,putonthehandsoftheclock,andestablishanexcellentalibiforhisfaithfulretainerTredwell.TredwellhasneverlikedMrsWaverly.Heisdevotedtohismasterandiswillingtoobeyhisordersimplicitly.Therewerethreeoftheminit.Waverly,Tredwell,andsomefriendofWaverly.Thatisthemistakethepolicemade,theymadenofurtherinquiriesaboutthemanwhodrovethegreycarwiththewrongchildinit.Hewasthethirdman.Hepicksupachildinavillagenearby,aboywithflaxencurls.Hedrivesinthroughtheeastlodgeandpa.s.sesoutthroughthesouthlodgejustattherightmoment,wavinghishandandshouting.Theycannotseehisfaceorthenumberofthecar,soobviouslytheycannotseethechild"sface,either.ThenhelaysafalsetrailtoLondon.Inthemeantime,Tredwellhasdonehispartinarrangingfortheparcelandnotetobedeliveredbyarough-lookinggentleman.Hismastercanprovidea.n.a.libiintheunlikelycaseofthemanrecognizinghim,inspiteofthefalsemoustachehewore.AsforMrWaverly,a.s.soonasthehullabaloooccursoutside,andtheinspectorrushesout,hequicklyhidesthechildinthepriest"shole,andfollowshimout.Laterintheday,whentheinspectorisgoneandMissCollinsisoutoftheway,itwillbeeasyenoughtodrivehimofftosomesafeplaceinhisowncar."

"Butwhataboutthedog?"Iasked."AndMissCollinslying?"

"Thatwasmylittlejoke.Iaskedheriftherewereanytoydoginthehouse,andshesaidno-butdoubtlesstherearesome-inthenursery!Yousee,MrWaverlyplacedsometoysinthepriest"sholetokeepJohnnieamusedandquiet."

"M.Poirot-"MrWaverlyenteredtheroom-"haveyoudiscoveredanything?Haveyouanycluetowheretheboyhasbeentaken?"

Poirothandedhimapieceofpaper."Hereistheaddress."

"b.u.t.thisisablanksheet."

"BecauseIamwaitingforyoutowriteitdownforme."

"Whatthe-"MrWaverly"sfaceturnedpurple.

"Iknoweverything,monsieur.Igiveyoutwenty-fourhourstoreturntheboy.Youringenuitywillbeequaltothetaskofexplaininghisreappearance.Otherwise,MrsWaverlywillbeinformedoftheexactsequenceofevents."

MrWaverlysankdowninachairandburiedhisfaceinhishands."Heiswithmyoldnurse,tenmilesaway.Heishappyandwellcaredfor."

"Ihavenodoubtofthat.IfIdidnotbelieveyoutobeagoodfatheratheart,Ishouldnotbewillingtogiveyouanotherchance."

"Thescandal-"

"Exactly.Yournameisanoldandhonouredone.Donotjeopardizeitagain.Goodevening,MrWaverly.Ah,bytheway,onewordofadvice.Alwayssweepinthecorners!"

FourandTwentyBlackbirds

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