Three Blind Mice and Other Stories Part 21

'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-fas.h.i.+onedandputonanyhow,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?'

KingstonHillwas.h.i.+snextobjective.Afteralittletrouble,withtheexerciseofgood-humouredpertinacity,heobtainedaninterviewwithAmeliaHill,cook-housekeepertothelateAnthonyGascoigne.

Mrs.h.i.+llwasinclinedtobestiffandsuspiciousatfirst,b.u.t.thecharminggenialityofthisstrange-lookingforeignerwouldhavehaditseffectonastone.MrsAmeliaHillbegantounbend.Shefoundherself,ashadsomanyotherwomenbeforeher,pouringouthertroublestoareallysympatheticlistener.ForfourteenyearsshehadhadchargeofMrGascoigne'shousehold-notaneasyjob!No,indeed!Manyawomanwouldhavequailedundertheburdensshehadhadtobear!Eccentricthepoorgentlemanwasandnodenyingit.Remarkablyclosewithhismoney-akindofmaniawithhimitwas-andheasrichagentlemanasmightbe!ButMrs.h.i.+llhadservedhimfaithfully,andputupwithhisways,andnaturallyshe'dexpectedatanyratearemembrance.Butno-nothingatall!Justanoldwillthatleftallhismoneytohiswifeandifshepredeceasedhimtheneverythingtohisbrother,Henry.Awillmadeyearsago.Itdidn'tseemfair!

GraduallyHerculePoirotdetachedherfromhermainthemeofunsatisfiedcupidity.Itwasindeedaheartlessinjustice!Mrs.h.i.+llcouldnotbeblamedforfeelinghurtandsurprised.ItwaswellknownthatMrGascoignewastight-fistedaboutmoney.Ithadevenbeensaidthatthedeadmanhadrefusedhisonlybrothera.s.sistance.Mrs.h.i.+llprobablyknewallaboutthat.

'WasitthatthatDrLorrimercametoseehimabout?'askedMrs.h.i.+ll.'Iknewitwa.s.somethingabouthisbrother,but.i.thought.i.twasjustthathisbrotherwantedtobereconciled.They'dquarrelledyearsago.'

'Iunderstand,'saidPoirot,'thatMrGascoignerefusedabsolutely?'

'That'srightenough,'saidMrs.h.i.+llwithanod.'"Henry?"hesays,ratherweaklike."What'sthisaboutHenry?Haven'tseenhimforyearsanddon'twantto.Quarrelsomefellow,Henry."Justthat.'

TheconversationthenrevertedtoMrs.h.i.+ll'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,lyingunblus.h.i.+ngly.'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,hetries.h.i.+splanoutfirst.Heimpersonates.h.i.+suncleonMondayeveningattherestaurantinquestion.Itgoeswithoutahitch.Everyonethereaccepts.h.i.+mas.h.i.+suncle.Heissatisfied.HehasonlytowaittillUncleAnthonyshowsdefinitesignsofpeggingout.Thetimecomes.HewritesalettertohisuncleontheafternoonofthesecondNovemberbutdatesitthethird.Hecomesuptotownontheafternoonofthethird,callsonhisuncle,andcarries.h.i.+sschemeintoaction.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.