HerculePoirotwasdiningwithhisfriend,HenryBonningtonattheGallantEndeavourintheKing"sRoad,Chelsea.
MrBonningtonwasfondoftheGallantEndeavour.Helikedtheleisurelyatmosphere,helikedthefoodwhichwas"plain"and"English"and"notalotofmadeupmesses."HelikedtotellpeoplewhodinedwithhimtherejustexactlywhereAugustusJohnhadbeenwonttositanddrawtheattentiontothefamousartists"namesinthevisitors"bookMrBonningtonwashimselftheleastartisticofmen-buthetookacertainprideintheartisticactivitiesofothers.
Molly,thesympatheticwaitress,greetedMrBonningtonasanoldfriend.Shepridedherselfonrememberinghercustomers"likesanddislikesinthewayoffood.
"Goodevening,sir,"shesaid,asthetwomentooktheirseatsatacornertable."You"reinlucktoday-turkeystuffedwithchestnuts-that"syourfavourite,isn"t.i.t?AndeversuchaniceStiltonwe"vegot!w.i.l.l.youhavesoupfirstorfish?"
MrBonningtondeliberatedthepoint.HesaidtoPoirotwarninglyasthelatterstudiedthemenu:"NoneofyourFrenchkickshawsnow.Goodwell-cookedEnglishfood."
"Myfriend,"HerculePoirotwavedhishand,"Iask.n.o.better!Iputmyselfinyourhandsunreservedly."
"Ah-hm-er-hm,"repliedMrBonningtonandgavecarefulattentiontothematter.
Theseweightymatters,andthequestionofwine,settled,MrBonningtonleanedbackwithasighandunfoldedhisnapkinasMollyspedaway.
"Goodgirl,that,"hesaidapprovingly."Wasquiteabeautyonce-artistsusedtopainther.Sheknowsaboutfood,tooandthat"sagreatdealmoreimportant.Womenareveryunsoundonfoodasarule.There"smanyawomanifshegoesoutwithafellowshefancies,won"tevennoticewhatsheeats.She"lljustorderthefirstthingshesees."
HerculePoirotshookhishead."C"estterrible."
"Menaren"tlikethat,thankG.o.d!"saidMrBonningtoncomplacently.
"Never?"TherewasatwinkleinHerculePoirot"seye.
"Well,perhapswhenthey"reveryyoung,"concededMrBonnington."Youngpuppies!Youngfellowsnowadaysareallthesame-noguts-nostamina.I"venousefortheyoung-andthey,"headdedwithstrictimpartiality,"havenouseforme.Perhapsthey"reright!b.u.t.tohearsomeoftheseyoungfellowstalkyou"dthinknomanhadarighttobealiveaftersixty!Fromthewaytheygoon,you"dwondermoreofthemdidn"thelptheirelderlyrelationsoutoftheworld."
"Itispossible,"saidHerculePoirot,"thattheydo."
"Nicemindyou"vegot,Poirot,Imustsay.Allthispoliceworksapsyourideals."
HerculePoirotsmiled.
"Toutdememe,"hesaid."Itwouldbeinterestingtomakeatableofaccidentaldeathsovertheageofsixty.Ia.s.sureyouitwouldraisesomecuriousspeculationsinyourmind."
"Thetroublewithyouisthatyou"vestartedgoingtolookforcrime-insteadofwaitingforcrimetocometoyou."
"Iapologize,"saidPoirot."Italkwhatyoucall"theshop."Tellme,myfriend,ofyourownaffairs.Howdoestheworldgowithyou?"
"Mess!"saidMrBonnington."That"swhat"sthematterwiththeworldnowadays.Toomuchmess.Andtoomuchfinelanguage.Thefinelanguagehelpstoconcealthemess.Likeahighly-flavouredsauceconcealingthefactthatthefishunderneathitisnoneofthebest!Givemeanhonestfilletofsoleandnomessysauceoverit."
ItwasgivenhimatthatmomentbyMollyandhegruntedapproval.
"YouknowjustwhatIlike,mygirl,"hesaid.
"Well,youcomehereprettyregular,don"tyou,sir?Ioughttoknowwhatyoulike."
HerculePoirotsaid:"Dopeoplethenalwayslikethesamethings?Donottheylikeachangesometimes?"
"Notgentlemen,sir.Ladieslikevariety-gentlemenalwayslikethesamething."
"WhatdidItellyou?"gruntedBonnington."Womenarefundamentallyunsoundwherefoodisconcerned!"
Helookedroundtherestaurant.
"Theworld"safunnyplace.Seethatodd-lookingoldfellowwithabeardinthecorner?Molly"lltellyouhe"salwayshereTuesdaysandThursdaynights.Hehascomehereforcloseontenyearsnow-he"sakindoflandmarkintheplace.Yetn.o.bodyhereknowshisnameorwherehelivesorwhathisbusinessis.It"soddwhenyoucometothinkofit."
Whenthewaitressbroughttheportionsofturkeyhesaid:"Iseeyou"vestillgotOldFatherTimeoverthere."
"That"sright,sir.TuesdaysandThursdays,hisdaysare.NotbutwhathecameinhereonaMondaylastweek!Itquiteupsetme!IfeltI"dgotmydateswrongandthat.i.tmustbeTuesdaywithoutmyknowingit!Buthecameinthenextnightaswell-sotheMondaywasjustakindofextra,sotospeak."
"Aninterestingdeviationfromhabit,"murmuredPoirot."Iwonderwhatthereasonwas?"
"Well,sir,ifyouaskme,Ithinkhe"dhadsomekindofupsetorworry."
"Whydidyouthinkthat?Hismanner?"
"No,sir-nothismannerexactly.Hewasveryquietashealwaysis.Neversaysmuchexceptgoodeveningwhenhecomesandgoes.No,itwashisorder."
"Hisorder?"
"Idaresayyougentlemenwilllaughatme,"Mollyflushedup,"butwhenagentlemanhasbeenherefortenyears,yougettoknowhislikesanddislikes.HenevercouldbearsuetpuddingorblackberriesandI"veneverknownhimtakethicksoup-butonthatMondaynightheorderedthicktomatosoup,beefsteakandkidneypuddingandblackberrytart!Seemedasthoughhejustdidn"tnoticewhatheordered!"
"Doyouknow,"saidHerculePoirot,"Ifredthatextraordinarilyinteresting."
Mollylookedgratifiedanddeparted.
"Well,Poirot,"saidHenryBonningtonwithachuckle."Let"shaveafewdeductionsfromyou.Allinyourbestmanner."
"Iwouldprefertohearyoursfirst."
"WantmetobeWatson,eh?Well,oldfellowwenttoadoctorandthedoctorchangedhisdiet."
"Tothicktomatosoup,steakandkidneypuddingandblackberrytart?Icannotimagineanydoctordoingthat."
"Don"tbelieveit,oldboy.Doctorswillputyouontoanything."
"Thatistheonlysolutionthatoccurstoyou?"
HenryBonningtonsaid:"Well,seriously,Isupposethere"sonlyoneexplanationpossible.Ourunknownfriendwasinthegripofsomepowerfulmentalemotion.Hewa.s.soperturbedbyitthatheliterallydidnotnoticewhathewasorderingoreating."Hepausedaminuteandthensaid:"You"llbetellingmenextthatyouknowjustwhatwasonhismind.You"llsayperhapsthathewasmakinguphismindtocommitamurder."
Helaughedathisownsuggestion.
HerculePoirotdidnotlaugh.
Hehasadmittedthatatthatmomenthewa.s.seriouslyworried.Heclaimsthatheoughtthentohavehadsomeinklingofwhatwaslikelytooccur.
Hisfriendsa.s.surehimthatsuchanideaisquitefantastic.
Itwa.s.somethreeweekslaterthatHerculePoirotandBonningtonmetagain-thistimetheirmeetingwasintheTube.
Theynoddedtoeachother,swayingabout,hangingontoadjacentstraps.ThenatPiccadillyCircustherewasageneralexodusandtheyfoundseatsrightattheforwardendofthecar-apeacefulspotsincen.o.bodypa.s.sedinoroutthatway.
"That"sbetter,"saidMrBonnington."Selfishlot,thehumanrace,theywon"tpa.s.supthecarhowevermuchyouask"emto!"
HerculePoirotshruggedhisshoulders.
"Whatw.i.l.l.you?"hesaid."Lifeistoouncertain."
"That"sit.Heretoday,gonetomorrow,"saidMrBonningtonwithakindofgloomyrelish."Andtalkingofthat,d"yourememberthatoldboywenoticedattheGallantEndeavour?Ishouldn"twonderifhe"dhoppedittoabetterworld.He"s...o...b..enthereforawholeweek.Molly"squiteupsetabout.i.t."
HerculePoirotsatup.Hisgreeneyesflashed.
"Indeed?"hesaid."Indeed?"
Bonningtonsaid:"D"yourememberIsuggestedhe"dbeentoadoctorandbeenputonadiet?Diet"snonsenseofcourse-butIshouldn"twonderifhehadconsultedadoctorabouthishealthandwhatthedoctorsaidgavehimabitofajolt.Thatwouldaccountforhimorderingthingsoffthemenuwithoutnoticingwhathewasdoing.Quitelikelythejolthegothurriedhimoutoftheworldsoonerthanhewouldhavegoneotherwise.Doctorsoughttobecarefulwhattheytellachap."
"Theyusuallyare,"saidHerculePoirot.
"Thisismystation,"saidMrBonnington."Bye,bye.Don"tsupposeweshalleverknownowwhotheoldboywas-notevenhisname.Funnyworld!"
Hehurriedoutofthecarriage.
HerculePoirot,sittingfrowning,lookedasthoughhedidnotthinkitwa.s.suchafunnyworld.
Hewenthomeandgavecertaininstructionstohisfaithfulvalet,George.
HerculePoirotranhisfingerdownalistofnames.Itwasarecordofdeathswithinacertainarea.
Poirot"sfingerstopped.
"HenryGascoigne.Sixty-nine.Imighttryhimfirst."
Laterintheday,HerculePoirotwa.s.sittinginDrMacAndrew"ssurgeryjustofftheKing"sRoad.MacAndrewwasatallred-hairedScotsmanwithanintelligentface.
"Gascoigne?"hesaid."Yes,that"sright.Eccentricoldbird.Livedaloneinoneofthosederelictoldhousesthatarebeingclearedawayinordertobuildablockofmodernflats.Ihadn"tattendedhimbefore,butI"dseenhimaboutandIknewwhohewas.Itwasthedairypeoplegotthewindupfirst.Themilkbottlesbegantopileupoutside.Intheendthepeoplenextdoorsentwordtothepoliceandtheybrokethedoorinandfoundhim.He"dpitcheddownthestairsandbrokenhisneck.Hadonanolddressing-gownwitharaggedcord-mighteasilyhavetrippedhimselfupwithit."
"Isee,"saidHerculePoirot."Itwasquitesimple-anaccident."
"That"sright."
"Hadheanyrelations?"
"There"sanephew.Usedtocomealongandseehisuncleaboutonceamonth.Lorrimer,hisnameis,GeorgeLorrimer.He"samedicohimself.LivesatWimbledon."
"Washeupsetattheoldman"sdeath?"
"Idon"tknowthatI"dsayhewasupset.Imean,hehadanaffectionfortheoldman,buthedidn"treallyknowhimverywell."
"HowlonghadMrGascoignebeendeadwhenyousawhim?"
"Ah!"saidDrMacAndrew."Thisiswherewegetofficial.Notlessthanforty-eighthoursandnotmorethanseventy-twohours.Hewasfoundonthemorningofthesixth.Actually,wegotcloserthanthat.He"dgotaletterinthepocketofhisdressing-gown-writtenonthethird-postedinWimbledonthatafternoon-wouldhavebeendeliveredsomewherearoundnine-twentyp.m.Thatputsthetimeofdeathatafternine-twentyontheeveningofthethird.Thatagreeswiththecontentsofthestomachandtheprocessesofdigestion.Hehadhadamealabouttwohoursbeforedeath.Iexaminedhimonthemorningofthesixthandhisconditionwasquiteconsistentwithdeathhavingoccurredaboutsixtyhourspreviously-roundabouttenp.m.onthethird."
"Itallseemsveryconsistent.Tellme,whenwashelastseenalive?"
"Hewa.s.seenintheKing"sRoadaboutseveno"clockthatsameevening,Thursdaythethird,andhedinedattheGallantEndeavourrestaurantatseven-thirty.ItseemshealwaysdinedthereonThursdays.Hewasbywayofbeinganartist,youknow.Anextremelybadone."
"Hehadnootherrelations?Onlythisnephew?"
"Therewasatwinbrother.Thewholestoryisrathercurious.Theyhadn"tseeneachotherforyears.Itseemstheotherbrother,AnthonyGascoigne,marriedaveryrichwomanandgaveupart-andthebrothersquarrelledoverit.Hadn"tseeneachothersince,Ibelieve.Butoddlyenough,theydiedonthesameday.Theeldertwinpa.s.sedawayatthreeo"clockontheafternoonofthethird.OncebeforeI"veknownacaseoftwinsdyingonthesameday-indifferentpartsoftheworld!Probablyjustacoincidence-b.u.t.thereitis."
"Istheotherbrother"swifealive?"
"No,shediedsomeyearsago."
"WheredidAnthonyGascoignelive?"
"HehadahouseonKingstonHill.Hewas,Ibelieve,fromwhatDrLorrimertellsme,verymuchofarecluse."
HerculePoirotnoddedthoughtfully.
TheScotsmanlookedathimkeenly.
"Whatexactlyhaveyougotinyourmind,M.Poirot?"heaskedbluntly."I"veansweredyourquestions-aswasmydutyseeingthecredentials...o...b..ought.ButI"minthedarkastowhat.i.t"sallabout."
Poirotsaidslowly:"Asimplecaseofaccidentaldeath,that"swhatyousaid.WhatIhaveinmindisequallysimple-asimplepush."
DrMacAndrewlookedstartled.
"Inotherwords,murder!Haveyouanygroundsforthatbelief?"
"No,"saidPoirot."Itisameresupposition."
"Theremustbesomething-"persistedtheother.
Poirotdidnotspeak.
MacAndrewsaid:"Ifit"sthenephew,Lorrimer,yoususpect,Idon"tmindtellingyouhereandnowthatyouarebarkingupthewrongtree.LorrimerwasplayingbridgeinWimbledonfromeight-thirtytillmidnight.Thatcameoutattheinquest."
Poirotmurmured:"Andpresumablyitwasverified.Thepolicearecareful."
Thedoctorsaid:"Perhapsyouknowsomethingagainsthim?"
"Ididn"tknowthattherewa.s.suchapersonuntilyoumentionedhim."
"Thenyoususpectsomebodyelse?"