Three Blind Mice and Other Stories Part 20

HerculePoirotwasdiningwithhisfriend,HenryBonningtonattheGallantEndeavourintheKing'sRoad,Chelsea.

MrBonningtonwasfondoftheGallantEndeavour.Helikedtheleisurelyatmosphere,helikedthefoodwhichwas'plain'and'English'and'notalotofmadeupmesses.'HelikedtotellpeoplewhodinedwithhimtherejustexactlywhereAugustusJohnhadbeenwonttositanddrawtheattentiontothefamousartists'namesinthevisitors'bookMrBonningtonwas.h.i.+mselftheleastartisticofmen-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.bodyhereknows.h.i.+snameorwherehelivesorwhathisbusinessis.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,itwas.h.i.+sorder.'

'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?'