"No,no.Itisnotthatatall.It"sacaseoftheroutinehabitsofthehumananimal.Thatisveryimportant.AndthedeadM.Gascoignedoesnotfitin.Itisallwrong,yousee."
"Ireallydon"tunderstand."
HerculePoirotmurmured:"Thetroubleis,thereistoomuchsauceoverthebadfish."
"Mydearsir?"
HerculePoirotsmiled.
"Youwillbehavingmelockedupasalunaticsoon,MonsieurleDocteur.ButIamnotreallyamentalcase-justamanwhohasalikingfororderandmethodandwhoisworriedwhenhecomesacrossafactthatdoesnotfitin.Imustaskyoutoforgivemeforhavinggivenyousomuchtrouble."
Heroseandthedoctorrosealso.
"Youknow,"saidMacAndrew,"honestly,Ican"tseeanythingtheleastbitsuspiciousaboutthedeathofHenryGascoigne.Isayhefell-yousaysomebodypushedhim.It"sall-well-intheair."
HerculePoirotsighed.
"Yes,"hesaid."Itisworkmanlike.Somebodyhasmadethegoodjobofit!"
"Youstillthink-"
Thelittlemanspreadouthishands.
"I"man.o.bstinateman-amanwithalittleidea-andnothingtosupport.i.t!Bytheway,didHenryGascoignehavefalseteeth?"
"No,hisownteethwereinexcellentpreservation.Verycreditableindeedathisage."
"Helookedafterthemwell-theywerewhiteandwellbrushed?"
"Yes,Inoticedthemparticularly.Teethtendtogrowalittleyellowasonegrowsolder,b.u.t.theywereingoodcondition."
"Notdiscolouredinanyway?"
"No.Idon"tthinkhewasasmokerifthatiswhatyoumean."
"Ididnotmeanthatprecisely-itwasjustalongshot-whichprobablywillnotcomeoff!Goodbye,DrMacAndrew,andthankyouforyourkindness."
Heshookthedoctor"shandanddeparted.
"Andnow,"hesaid,"forthelongshot."
AttheGallantEndeavour,hesatdownatthesametablewhichhehadsharedwithBonnington.ThegirlwhoservedhimwasnotMolly.Molly,thegirltoldhim,wasawayonaholiday.
ItwasonlyjustsevenandHerculePoirotfoundnodifficultyinenteringintoconversationwiththegirlonthesubjectofoldMrGascoigne.
"Yes,"shesaid."He"dbeenhereforyearsandyears.Butnoneofusgirlseverknewhisname.Wesawabouttheinquestinthepaper,andtherewasapictureofhim."There,"IsaidtoMolly."Ifthatisn"tour"OldFatherTime""asweusedtocallhim."
"Hedinedhereontheeveningofhisdeath,didhenot?"
"That"sright,Thursday,thethird.HewasalwayshereonaThursday.TuesdaysandThursdayspunctualasaclock."
"Youdon"tremember,Isuppose,whathehadfordinner?"
"Nowletmesee,itwasmulligatawnysoup,that"sright,andbeefsteakpuddingorwasitthemutton?-nopudding,that"sright,andblackberryandapplepieandcheese.Andthentothinkofhimgoinghomeandfallingdownthosestairsthatverysameevening.Afrayeddressing-gowncordtheysaiditwasascausedit.Ofcourse,hisclotheswerealwayssomethingawful-old-fashionedandputonanyhow,andalltattered,andyethehadakindofair,allthesame,asthoughhewa.s.somebody!Oh,wegetallsortsofinterestingcustomershere."
Shemovedoff.
HerculePoirotatehisfilletedsole.Hiseyesshowedagreenlight.
"Itisodd,"hesaidtohimself,"howthecleverestpeopleslipoverdetails.Bonningtonwillbeinterested."
b.u.t.thetimehadnotyetcomeforleisurelydiscussionwithBonnington.
Armedwithintroductionsfromacertaininfluentialquarter,HerculePoirotfoundnodifficultyatallindealingwiththecoronerforthedistrict.
"Acuriousfigure,thedeceasedmanGascoigne,"heobserved."Alonely,eccentricoldfellow.Buthisdeceaseseemstoarouseanunusualamountofattention?"
Helookedwithsomecuriosityathisvisitorashespoke.
HerculePoirotchosehiswordscarefully."Therearecirc.u.mstancesconnectedwithit,Monsieur,whichmakeinvestigationdesirable."
"Well,howcanIhelpyou?"
"Itis,Ibelieve,withinyourprovincetoorderdoc.u.mentsproducedinyourcourttobedestroyed,ortobeimpounded-asyouthinkfit.AcertainletterwasfoundinthepocketofHenryGascoigne"sdressing-gown,wasitnot?"
"Thatisso."
"Aletterfromhisnephew,DrGeorgeLorrimer?"
"Quitecorrect.Theletterwasproducedattheinquestashelpingtofixthetimeofdeath."
"Whichwascorroboratedbythemedicalevidence?"
"Exactly."
"Isthatletterstillavailable?"
HerculePoirotwaitedratheranxiouslyforthereply.
Whenheheardthattheletterwa.s.stillavailableforexaminationhedrewasighofrelief.Whenitwasfinallyproducedhestudieditwithsomecare.Itwaswritteninaslightlycrampedhandwritingwithastylographicpen.Itranasfollows: DearUncleHenry, IamsorrytotellyouthatIhavehadnosuccessasregardsUncleAnthony.Heshowednoenthusiasmforavisitfromyouandwouldgivemenoreplytoyourrequestthathewouldletbygonesbebygones.Heis,ofcourse,extremelyill,andhismindisinclinedtowander.Ishouldfancythattheendisverynear.Heseemedhardlytorememberwhoyouwere.
Iamsorrytohavefailedyou,butIcana.s.sureyouthatIdidmybest.
Youraffectionatenephew, GeorgeLorrimer Theletteritselfwasdated3rdNovember.Poirotglancedattheenvelope"spostmark-4.30p.m.3Nov.
Hemurmured:"Itisbeautifullyinorder,isitnot?"
KingstonHillwashisnextobjective.Afteralittletrouble,withtheexerciseofgood-humouredpertinacity,heobtainedaninterviewwithAmeliaHill,cook-housekeepertothelateAnthonyGascoigne.
MrsHillwasinclinedtobestiffandsuspiciousatfirst,b.u.t.thecharminggenialityofthisstrange-lookingforeignerwouldhavehaditseffectonastone.MrsAmeliaHillbegantounbend.Shefoundherself,ashadsomanyotherwomenbeforeher,pouringouthertroublestoareallysympatheticlistener.ForfourteenyearsshehadhadchargeofMrGascoigne"shousehold-notaneasyjob!No,indeed!Manyawomanwouldhavequailedundertheburdensshehadhadtobear!Eccentricthepoorgentlemanwasandnodenyingit.Remarkablyclosewithhismoney-akindofmaniawithhimitwas-andheasrichagentlemanasmightbe!ButMrsHillhadservedhimfaithfully,andputupwithhisways,andnaturallyshe"dexpectedatanyratearemembrance.Butno-nothingatall!Justanoldwillthatleftallhismoneytohiswifeandifshepredeceasedhimtheneverythingtohisbrother,Henry.Awillmadeyearsago.Itdidn"tseemfair!
GraduallyHerculePoirotdetachedherfromhermainthemeofunsatisfiedcupidity.Itwasindeedaheartlessinjustice!MrsHillcouldnotbeblamedforfeelinghurtandsurprised.ItwaswellknownthatMrGascoignewastight-fistedaboutmoney.Ithadevenbeensaidthatthedeadmanhadrefusedhisonlybrothera.s.sistance.MrsHillprobablyknewallaboutthat.
"WasitthatthatDrLorrimercametoseehimabout?"askedMrsHill."Iknewitwa.s.somethingabouthisbrother,but.i.thought.i.twasjustthathisbrotherwantedtobereconciled.They"dquarrelledyearsago."
"Iunderstand,"saidPoirot,"thatMrGascoignerefusedabsolutely?"
"That"srightenough,"saidMrsHillwithanod.""Henry?"hesays,ratherweaklike."What"sthisaboutHenry?Haven"tseenhimforyearsanddon"twantto.Quarrelsomefellow,Henry."Justthat."
TheconversationthenrevertedtoMrsHill"sownspecialgrievances,andtheunfeelingatt.i.tudeofthelateMrGascoigne"ssolicitor.
WithsomedifficultyHerculePoirottookhisleavewithoutbreakingofftheconversationtooabruptly.
Andso,justafterthedinnerhour,hecametoElmcrest,DorsetRoad,Wimbledon,theresidenceofDrGeorgeLorrimer.
Thedoctorwasin.HerculePoirotwa.s.shownintothesurgeryandtherepresentlyDrGeorgeLorrimercametohim,obviouslyjustrisenfromthedinnertable.
"I"mnotapatient,Doctor,"saidHerculePoirot."Andmycominghereis,perhaps,somewhatofanimpertinence-butI"manoldmanandIbelieveinplainanddirectdealing.Idonotcareforlawyersandtheirlong-windedroundaboutmethods."
HehadcertainlyarousedLorrimer"sinterest.Thedoctorwasaclean-shavenmanofmiddleheight.Hishairwasbrown,buthiseyelasheswerealmostwhitewhichgavehiseyesapale,boiledappearance.Hismannerwasbriskandnotwithouthumour.
"Lawyers?"hesaid,raisinghiseyebrows."Hatethefellows!Yourousemycuriosity,mydearsir.Praysitdown."
Poirotdidsoandthenproducedoneofhisprofessionalcardswhichhehandedtothedoctor.
GeorgeLorrimer"swhiteeyelashesblinked.
Poirotleanedforwardconfidentially."Agoodmanyofmyclientsarewomen,"hesaid.
"Naturally,"saidDrGeorgeLorrimer,withaslighttwinkle.
"Asyousay,naturally,"agreedPoirot."Womendistrusttheofficialpolice.Theypreferprivateinvestigations.Theydonotwanttohavetheirtroublesmadepublic.Anelderlywomancametoconsultmeafewdaysago.Shewasunhappyaboutahusbandshe"dquarrelledwithmanyyearsbefore.Thishusbandofherswasyouruncle,thelateMrGascoigne."
GeorgeLorrimer"sfacewentpurple.
"Myuncle?Nonsense!Hiswifediedmanyyearsago."
"Notyouruncle,MrAnthonyGascoigne.Youruncle,MrHenryGascoigne."
"UncleHenry?Buthewasn"tmarried!"
"Ohyes,hewas,"saidHerculePoirot,lyingunblushingly."Notadoubtofit.Theladyevenbroughtalonghermarriagecertificate."
"It"salie!"criedGeorgeLorrimer.Hisfacewasnowaspurpleasaplum."Idon"tbelieveit.You"reanimpudentliar."
"Itis...o...b..d,isitnot?"saidPoirot."Youhavecommittedmurderfornothing."
"Murder?"Lorrimer"svoicequavered.Hispaleeyesbulgedwithterror.
"Bytheway,"saidPoirot,"Iseeyouhavebeeneatingblackberrytartagain.Anunwisehabit.Blackberriesaresaidtobefullofvitamins,b.u.t.theymaybedeadlyinotherways.OnthisoccasionIratherfancytheyhavehelpedtoputaroperoundaman"sneck-yourneck,DrLorrimer."
"Yousee,monami,whereyouwentwrongwasoveryourfundamentala.s.sumption."HerculePoirot,beamingplacidlyacrossthetableathisfriend,wavedanexpositoryhand."Amanunderseverementalstressdoesn"tchoosethattimetodosomethingthathe"sneverdonebefore.Hisreflexesjustfollowthetrackofleastresistance.Amanwhoisupsetaboutsomethingmightconceivablycomedowntodinnerdressedinhispyjamas-b.u.t.theywillbehisownpyjamas-notsomebodyelse"s.
"Amanwhodislikesthicksoup,suetpuddingandblackberriessuddenlyordersallthreeoneevening.Yousay,becauseheisthinkingofsomethingelse.ButIsaythatamanwhohasgotsomethingonhismindwillorderautomaticallythedishhehasorderedmostoftenbefore.
"Ehbien,then,whatotherexplanationcouldtherebe?Isimplycouldnotthinkofareasonableexplanation.AndIwasworried!Theincidentwasallwrong.Itdidnotfit!IhaveanorderlymindandIlikethingstofit.MrGascoigne"sdinnerorderworriedme.
"Thenyoutoldmethatthemanhaddisappeared.HehadmissedaTuesdayandaThursdaythefirsttimeforyears.Ilikedthatevenless.Aqueerhypothesissprangupinmymind.IfIwererightabout.i.tthemanwasdead.Imadeinquiries.Themanwasdead.Andhewasveryneatlyandtidilydead.Inotherwordsthebadfishwascoveredupwiththesauce!
"HehadbeenseenintheKing"sRoadatseveno"clock.Hehadhaddinnerhereatseven-thirty-twohoursbeforehedied.Itallfittedin-theevidenceofthestomachcontents,theevidenceoftheletter.Muchtoomuchsauce!Youcouldn"tseethefishatall!
"Devotednephewwrotetheletter,devotednephewhadbeautifulalibifortimeofdeath.Deathverysimple-afalldownthestairs.Simpleaccident?Simplemurder?Everyonesaystheformer.
"Devotednephewonlysurvivingrelative.Devotednephewwillinherit-butisthereanythingtoinherit?Unclenotoriouslypoor.
"b.u.t.thereisabrother.Andbrotherinhistimehadhadmarriedarichwife.AndbrotherlivesinabigrichhouseonKingstonHill,soitwouldseemthatrichwifemusthavelefthimallhermoney.Youseethesequence-richwifeleavesmoneytoAnthony,AnthonyleavesmoneytoHenry,Henry"smoneygoestoGeorge-acompletechain."
"Allveryprettyintheory,"saidBonnington."Butwhatdidyoudo?"
"Onceyouknow-youca.n.u.suallygetholdofwhatyouwant.Henryhaddiedtwohoursafterameal-thatisalltheinquestreallybotheredabout.Butsupposingthemealwasnotdinner,butlunch.PutyourselfinGeorge"splace.Georgewantsmoney-badly.AnthonyGascoigneisdying-buthisdeathisnogoodtoGeorge.HismoneygoestoHenry,andHenryGascoignemayliveforyears.SoHenrymustdietoo-andthesoonerthebetter-buthisdeathmusttakeplaceafterAnthony"s,andatthesametimeGeorgemusthavea.n.a.libi.Henry"shabitofdiningregularlyatarestaurantontwoeveningsoftheweeksuggesta.n.a.libitoGeorge.Beingacautiousfellow,hetrieshisplanoutfirst.HeimpersonateshisuncleonMondayeveningattherestaurantinquestion.Itgoeswithoutahitch.Everyonethereacceptshimashisuncle.Heissatisfied.HehasonlytowaittillUncleAnthonyshowsdefinitesignsofpeggingout.Thetimecomes.HewritesalettertohisuncleontheafternoonofthesecondNovemberbutdatesitthethird.Hecomesuptotownontheafternoonofthethird,callsonhisuncle,andcarrieshisschemeintoaction.AsharpshoveanddownthestairsgoesUncleHenry.Georgehuntsaboutfortheletterhehaswritten,andshovesitinthepocketofhisuncle"sdressing-gown.Atseven-thirtyheisattheGallantEndeavour,beard,bushyeyebrowsallcomplete.UndoubtedlyMrHenryGascoigneisaliveatseven-thirty.ThenarapidmetamorphosisinalavatoryandbackfullspeedinhiscartoWimbledonandaneveningofbridge.Theperfectalibi."
MrBonningtonlookedathim.
"b.u.t.thepostmarkontheletter?"
"Oh,thatwasverysimple.Thepostmarkwa.s.smudgy.Why?IthadbeenalteredwithlampblackfromsecondNovembertothirdNovember.Youwouldnotnoticeitunlessyouwerelookingforit.Andfinallythereweretheblackbirds."
"Blackbirds?"
"Four-and-twentyblackbirdsbakedinapie!Orblack-berriesifyouprefertobeliteral!George,youcomprehend,wasafterallnotquiteagoodenoughactor.DoyourememberthefellowwhoblackedhimselfallovertoplayOth.e.l.lo?Thatisthekindofactoryouhavegottobeincrime.Georgelookedlikehisuncleandwalkedlikehisuncleandspokelikehisuncleandhadhisuncles"beardandeyebrows,butheforgottoeatlikehisuncle.Heorderedthedishesthathehimselfliked.Blackberriesdiscolourtheteeth-thecorpse"steethwerenotdiscoloured,andyetHenryGascoigneateblackberriesattheGallantEndeavourthatnight.b.u.t.thereweren.o.blackberriesinthestomach.Iaskedthismorning.AndGeorgehadbeenfoolenoughtokeepthebeardandtherestofthemake-up.Oh!plentyofevidenceonceyoulookforit.IcalledonGeorgeandrattledhim.Thatfinishedit!Hehadbeeneatingblackberriesagain,bytheway.Agreedyfellow-caredalotabouthisfood.Ehbien,greedwillhanghimallrightunlessIamverymuchmistaken."
Awaitressbroughtthemtwoportionsofblackberryandappletart.
"Takeitaway,"saidMrBonnington."Onecan"tbetoocareful.Bringmeasmallhelpingofsagopudding."
TheLoveDetectives
LittleMrSatterthwaitelookedthoughtfullyacrossathishost.