Agatha Christie

Appointment with
Death
To Richard and Myra Mallock,
to remind them of their
journey to Petra.
Book One
1
"You do see, don't you, that she's got to be
killed?"
The question foated out into the still night
air, seemed to hang there a moment and then
drift away down into the darkness towards the
Dead ea!
"er#ule $oirot paused a minute with his
hand on the window #at#h! %rowning, he shut it
de#isi&ely, thereby e'#luding any in(urious
night air) "er#ule $oirot had been brought up
to belie&e that all outside air was best left
outside, and that night air was espe#ially
dangerous to the health!
As he pulled the #urtains neatly o&er the
window and walked to his bed, he smiled
tolerantly to himself! "You do see, don't you,
that she's got to be killed?" *urious words for
one "er#ule $oirot, dete#ti&e, to o&erhear on
his +rst night in ,erusalem!
"De#idedly, where&er - go, there is
something to remind me of #rime)" he
murmured to himself! "is smile #ontinued as he
remembered a story he had on#e heard
#on#erning Anthony Trollope, the no&elist!
Trollope was #rossing the Atlanti# at the
time and had o&erheard two fellow passengers
dis#ussing the last published installment of one
of his no&els!
".ery good," one man had de#lared! "/ut
he ought to kill o0 that tiresome old woman!"
1ith a broad smile the no&elist had
addressed them2 "3entlemen, - am mu#h
obliged to you) - will go and kill her
immediately)"
"er#ule $oirot wondered what had
o##asioned the words he had (ust o&erheard! A
#ollaboration, perhaps, o&er a play or a book!
"e thought, still smiling2 "Those words might
be remembered one day, and be gi&en a more
sinister meaning!"
There had been, he now re#olle#ted, a
#urious ner&ous intensity in the &oi#e4a tremor
that spoke of some intense emotional strain! A
man's &oi#e4or a boy's ! ! !
"er#ule $oirot thought to himself as he
turned out the light by his bed2 "- should know
that &oi#e again! ! ! !"
Their elbows on the windowsill, their heads
#lose together, 5aymond and *arol /oynton
ga6ed out into the blue depths of the night!
7er&ously, 5aymond repeated his former
words2 "You do see, don't you, that she's got to
be killed?"
*arol /oynton stirred slightly! he said, her
&oi#e deep and hoarse2 "-t's horrible! ! ! !"
"-t's not more horrible than this)"
"- suppose not! ! ! !"
5aymond said &iolently2 "-t #an't go on like
this4it #an't! ! ! ! 1e must do something! ! ! !
And there isn't anything else we #an do! ! ! !"
*arol said4but her &oi#e was un#on&in#ing and
she knew it2 "-f we #ould get away
somehow ! ! ! ?"
"1e #an't!" "is &oi#e was empty and
hopeless! "*arol, you know we #an't ! ! !"
The girl shi&ered!
"- know 5ay4 - know!"
"e ga&e a sudden short bitter laugh!
"$eople would say we were #ra6y4not to be able
(ust to walk out4"
*arol said slowly2 "$erhaps we are #ra6y)"
"- daresay! Yes, - daresay we are! Anyway
we soon shall be ! ! ! - suppose some people
would say we are already! "ere we are #almly
planning, in #old blood, to kill our own mother)"
*arol said sharply2 "he isn't our own
mother)"
"7o, that's true!"
There was a pause and then 5aymond said,
his &oi#e now quietly matter4of4fa#t2 "You do
agree, *arol?"
*arol answered steadily2 "- think she ought
to die4yes ! ! !" Then she broke out suddenly2
"he's mad ! ! ! -'m quite sure she's mad ! ! !
he4she #ouldn't torture us like she does if she
were sane! %or years we'&e been saying2 'This
#an't go on)' And it has gone on) 1e'&e said,
'he'll die sometime'4but she hasn't died) -
don't think she e&er will die unless4"
5aymond said steadily2 "8nless we kill her !
! !"
"Yes!"
he #len#hed her hands on the windowsill
in front of her!
"er brother went on in a #ool matter4of4fa#t
tone, with (ust a slight tremor denoting his
deep underlying e'#itement2 "You see why it's
got to be one of us, don't you? 1ith 9enno',
there's 7adine to #onsider! And we #ouldn't
bring ,inny into it!"
*arol shi&ered! "$oor ,inny ! ! ! -'m so
afraid ! ! !"
"- know! -t's getting pretty bad, isn't it?
That's why something's got to be done qui#kly4
before she goes right o&er the edge!"
*arol stood up suddenly, pushing ba#k the
tumbled #hestnut hair from her forehead!
"5ay," she said! "You don't think it's really
wrong, do you?"
"e answered in that same would4be
dispassionate tone2 "7o! - think it's (ust like
killing a mad dog4something that's doing harm
in the world and must be stopped! This is the
only way of stopping it!"
*arol murmured2 "/ut they'd4they'd send
us to the #hair (ust the same ! ! ! - mean we
#ouldn't e'plain what she's like ! ! ! -t would
sound fantasti# ! ! ! -n a way, you know, it's all
in our own minds)"
5aymond said2 "7obody will e&er know! -'&e
got a plan! -'&e thought it all out! 1e shall be
quite safe!"
*arol turned suddenly round on him! "5ay4
somehow or other4you're di0erent! omething's
happened to you ! ! ! 1hat's put all this into
your head?"
"1hy should you think anything's
'happened' to me?" "e turned his head away,
staring out into the night!
"/e#ause it has ! ! ! 5ay, was it that girl on
the train?"
"7o, of #ourse not4why should it be? :h,
*arol, don't talk nonsense! 9et's get ba#k again
to4to4"
"To your plan? Are you sure it's a good
plan?"
"Yes! - think so ! ! ! 1e must wait for the
right opportunity, of #ourse! And then4if it goes
all right4we shall be free4all of us!"
"%ree?" *arol ga&e a little sigh! he looked
up at the stars! Then suddenly she shook from
head to foot in a sudden storm of weeping!
"*arol, what's the matter?"
he sobbed out brokenly2 "-t's so lo&ely4the
night and the blueness and the stars! -f only we
#ould be part of it all ! ! ! -f only we #ould be
like other people instead of being as we are4all
queer and warped and wrong!"
"/ut we shall be all right when she's dead)"
"Are you sure? -sn't it too late? han't we
always be queer and di0erent?"
"7o, no, no!"
"- wonder4"
"*arol, if you'd rather not4"
he pushed his #omforting arm aside! "7o,
-'m with you4de+nitely -'m with you) /e#ause of
the others4espe#ially ,inny! 1e must sa&e
,inny)"
5aymond paused a moment! "Then4we'll go
on with it?"
"Yes)"
"3ood! -'ll tell you my plan ! ! !"
"e bent his head to hers!
2
;iss arah <ing, ;!/!, stood by the table in
the writing4room of the olomon "otel in
,erusalem idly turning o&er the papers and
maga6ines! A frown #ontra#ted her brows and
she looked preo##upied!
The tall, middle4aged %ren#hman who
entered the room from the hall wat#hed her for
a moment or two before strolling up to the
opposite side of the table! 1hen their eyes
met, arah made a little gesture of smiling
re#ognition!
he remembered that this man had #ome
to her help when tra&eling from *airo and had
#arried one of her suit#ases at a moment when
no porter appeared to be a&ailable!
"You like ,erusalem, yes?" asked Dr! 3erard,
after they had e'#hanged greetings!
"-t's rather terrible in some ways," said
arah, and added2 "5eligion is &ery odd)"
The %ren#hman looked amused! "- know
what you mean!" "is =nglish was &ery nearly
perfe#t! "=&ery imaginable se#t squabbling and
+ghting)"
"And the awful things they'&e built, too)"
aid arah!
"Yes, indeed!"
arah sighed! "They turned me out of one
pla#e today be#ause - had on a slee&eless
dress," she said ruefully! "Apparently the
Almighty doesn't like my arms in spite of
ha&ing made them!"
Dr! 3erard laughed! Then he said2 "- was
about to order some #o0ee! You will (oin me,
;iss4?"
"<ing, my name is! arah <ing!"
"And mine4permit me!" "e whipped out a
#ard!
Taking it, arah's eyes widened in delighted
awe! "Dr! Theodore 3erard? :h) - am e'#ited to
meet you! -'&e read all your works, of #ourse!
Your &iews on s#hi6ophrenia are frightfully
interesting!"
":f #ourse?" 3erard's eyebrows rose
inquisiti&ely!
arah e'plained rather di>dently! "You see4
-'m by way of being a do#tor myself! ,ust got
my ;!/!!"
"Ah) - see!"
Dr! 3erard ordered #o0ee and they sat
down in a #orner of the lounge! The %ren#hman
was less interested in arah's medi#al
a#hie&ements than in the bla#k hair that
rippled ba#k from her forehead and the
beautifully shaped red mouth! "e was amused
at the ob&ious awe with whi#h she regarded
him!
"You are staying here long?" he asked
#on&ersationally!
"A few days! That is all! Then - want to go
to $etra!"
"Aha? -, too, was thinking of going there if
it does not take too long! You see, - ha&e to be
ba#k in $aris on the ?@
th
!"
"-t takes about a week, - belie&e! Two days
to go, two days there and two days ba#k
again!"
"- must go to the tra&el bureau in the
morning and see what #an be arranged!"
A party of people entered the lounge and
sat down!
arah wat#hed them with some interest!
he lowered her &oi#e2 "Those people who
ha&e (ust #ome in4did you noti#e them on the
train the other night? They left *airo the same
time as we did!"
Dr! 3erard s#rewed in an eyeglass and
dire#ted his glan#e a#ross the room!
"Ameri#ans?"
arah nodded!
"Yes! An Ameri#an family! /ut4rather an
unusual one, - think!"
"8nusual? "ow unusual?"
"1ell, look at them! =spe#ially at the old
woman!" Dr! 3erard #omplied! "is keen
professional glan#e fitted swiftly from fa#e to
fa#e! "e noti#ed +rst a tall, rather loose4boned
man4age about thirty! The fa#e was pleasant
but weak and his manner seemed oddly
apatheti#! Then there were two good4looking
youngsters4the boy had almost a 3reek head!
"omething the matter with him, too," thought
Dr! 3erard! "Yes4a de+nite state of ner&ous
tension!" The girl was #learly his sister, a
strong resemblan#e, and she also was in an
e'#itable #ondition! There was another girl
younger still4with golden red hair that stood
out like a haloA her hands were &ery restlessA
they were tearing and pulling at the
handker#hief in her lap! Yet another woman,
young, #alm, dark4haired with a #reamy pallor,
a pla#id fa#e not unlike a 9uini ;adonna!
7othing (umpy about her) And the #enter of the
group4""ea&ens)" thought Dr! 3erard, with a
%ren#hman's #andid repulsion! "1hat a horror
of a woman)" :ld, swollen, bloated, sitting
there immo&able in the midst of them4a
distorted old spider in the #enter of a web)
To arah he said2 "9a ;anian, she is not
beautiful, eh?" And he shrugged his shoulders!
"There's something rather4sinister about
her, don't you think?" asked arah!
Dr! 3erard s#rutini6ed her again! This time
his eye was professional, not aestheti#!
"Dropsy4#ardia#4" "e added a glib medi#al
phrase!
":h, yes, that)" arah dismissed the
medi#al side! "/ut there is something odd in
their attitude to her, don't you think?"
"1ho are they, do you know?"
"Their name is /oynton! ;other, married
son, his wife, one younger son and two
younger daughters!"
Dr! 3erard murmured2 "9a famille /oynton
sees the world!"
"Yes, but there's something odd about the
way they're seeing it! They ne&er speak to
anyone else! And none of them #an do
anything unless the old woman says so)"
"he is of the matriar#hal type," said
3erard thoughtfully!
"he's a #omplete tyrant, - think," said
arah!
Dr! 3erard shrugged his shoulders and
remarked that the Ameri#an woman ruled the
earth4that was well known!
"Yes, but it's more than (ust that!" arah
was persistent! "he's4 :h, she's got them all
so, so #owed4so positi&ely under her thumb4
that it's, it's inde#ent)"
"To ha&e too mu#h power is bad for
women," 3erard agreed, with sudden gra&ity!
"e shook his head! "-t is di>#ult for a woman
not to abuse power!" "e shot a qui#k sideways
glan#e at arah! he was wat#hing the /oynton
family4or rather she was wat#hing one
parti#ular member of it! Dr! 3erard smiled a
qui#k #omprehending 3alli# smile! Ah) so it was
like that, was it?
"e murmured tentati&ely2 "You ha&e
spoken with them4yes?"
"Yes4at least with one of them!"
"The young man4the younger son?"
"Yes! :n the train #oming here from
<antara! "e was standing in the #orridor! -
spoke to him!" There was no self4#ons#iousness
in arah's manner! There was, indeed, no self4
#ons#iousness in her attitude to life! he was
interested in humanity and was of a friendly
though impatient disposition!
"1hat made you speak to him?" asked
3erard!
arah shrugged her shoulders! "1hy not? -
often speak to people tra&eling! -'m interested
in people4in what they do and think and feel!"
"You put them under the mi#ros#ope, that
is to say)"
"- suppose you might #all it that," the girl
admitted!
"And what were your impressions in this
#ase?"
"1ell"4she hesitated4"it was rather odd! ! ! !
To begin with, the boy fushed right up to the
roots of his hair!"
"-s that so remarkable?" asked 3erard
dryly!
arah laughed! "You mean that he thought
- was a shameless hussy making ad&an#es to
him? :h, no, - don't think he thought that! ;en
#an always tell, #an't they?"
he ga&e him a frank, questioning glan#e!
Dr! 3erard nodded his head!
"- got the impression," said arah, speaking
slowly and frowning a little, "that he was4how
shall - put it?4both e'#ited and appalled!
='#ited out of all proportion4and quite absurdly
apprehensi&e at the same time! 7ow that's
odd, isn't it, be#ause -'&e always found
Ameri#ans unusually self4possessed! An
Ameri#an boy of twenty, say, has in+nitely
more knowledge of the world and far more
sa&oir4faire than an =nglish boy of the same
age! And this boy must be o&er twenty!"
"About twenty4three or four, - should say!"
"As mu#h as that?"
"- should think so!"
"Yes ! ! ! perhaps you're right ! ! ! only,
somehow, he seems &ery young! ! ! !"
";alad(ustment mentally! The '#hild' fa#tor
persists!"
"Then - am right? - mean, there is
something not quite normal about him?"
Dr! 3erard shrugged his shoulders, smiling
a little at her earnestness! ";y dear young
lady, are any of us quite normal? /ut - grant
you that there is probably a neurosis of some
kind!"
"*onne#ted with that horrible old woman,
-'m sure)"
"You seem to dislike her &ery mu#h," said
3erard, looking at her #uriously!
"- do! he's got a4oh, a male&olent eye)"
3erard murmured2 "o ha&e many mothers
when their sons are attra#ted to fas#inating
young ladies)"
arah shrugged an impatient shoulder!
%ren#hmen were all alike, she thought,
obsessed by se') Though, of #ourse, as a
#ons#ientious psy#hologist she herself was
bound to admit that there was always an
underlying basis of se' to most phenomena!
arah's thoughts ran along a familiar
psy#hologi#al tra#k! he #ame out of her
meditations with a start! 5aymond /oynton
was #rossing the room to the #enter table! "e
sele#ted a maga6ine! As he passed her #hair on
his return (ourney she looked up at him and
spoke2 ""a&e you been busy sightseeing
today?"
he sele#ted her words at randomA her real
interest was to see how they would be
re#ei&ed!
5aymond half stopped, fushed, shied like a
ner&ous horse and his eyes went
apprehensi&ely to the #enter of his family
group! "e muttered2 ":h4oh, yes4why, yes,
#ertainly! -4" Then, as suddenly as though he
had re#ei&ed the pri#k of a spur, he hurried
ba#k to his family, holding out the maga6ine!
The grotesque /uddha4like +gure held out
a fat hand for it, but as she took it her eyes, Dr!
3erard noti#ed, were on the boy's fa#e! he
ga&e a grunt, #ertainly no audible thanks! The
position of her head shifted &ery slightly! The
do#tor saw that she was now looking hard at
arah! "er fa#e was quite impassi&e, it had no
e'pression in it! -mpossible to tell what was
passing in the woman's mind!
arah looked at her wat#h and uttered an
e'#lamation! "-t's mu#h later than - thought!"
he got up! "Thank you so mu#h! Dr! 3erard,
for standing me #o0ee! - must write some
letters now!"
"e rose and took her hand!
"1e shall meet again, - hope," he said!
":h, yes) $erhaps you will #ome to $etra?"
"- shall #ertainly try to do so!"
arah smiled at him and turned away! "er
way out of the room led her past the /oynton
family!
Dr! 3erard, wat#hing, saw ;rs! /oynton's
ga6e shift to her son's fa#e! "e saw the boy's
eyes meet hers! As arah passed, 5aymond
/oynton half turned his head4not towards her
but away from her! ! ! ! -t was a slow unwilling
motion and #on&eyed the idea that old ;rs!
/oynton had pulled an in&isible string!
arah <ing noti#ed the a&oidan#e, and was
young enough and human enough to be
annoyed by it! They had had su#h a friendly
talk together in the swaying #orridor of the
1agon49it! They had #ompared notes on =gypt,
had laughed at the ridi#ulous language of the
donkey boys and street touts! arah had
des#ribed how a #amel man, when he had
started hopefully and impudently, "You =nglish
lady or Ameri#an?" had re#ei&ed the answer2
"7o, *hinese," and her pleasure in seeing the
man's #omplete bewilderment as he stared at
her! The boy had been, she thought, like a ni#e
eager s#hoolboy4there had been, perhaps,
something almost patheti# about his
eagerness! And now for no reason at all, he
was shy, boorish4positi&ely rude!
"- shan't take any more trouble with him,"
said arah indignantly! %or arah, without being
unduly #on#eited, had a fairly good opinion of
herself! he knew herself to be de+nitely
attra#ti&e to the opposite se', and she was not
one to take a snubbing lying down) he had
been, perhaps, a shade o&er4friendly to this
boy be#ause, for some obs#ure reason, she had
felt sorry for him!
/ut now, it was apparent, he was merely a
rude, stu#k4up, boorish young Ameri#an)
-nstead of writing the letters she had
mentioned, arah <ing sat down in front of her
dressing4table, #ombed the hair ba#k from her
forehead, looked into a pair of troubled ha6el
eyes in the glass, and took sto#k of her
situation in life!
he had (ust passed through a di>#ult
emotional #risis! A month ago she had broken
o0 her engagement to a young do#tor some
four years her senior! They had been &ery
mu#h attra#ted to ea#h other, but had been
too mu#h alike in temperament! Disagreements
and quarrels had been of #ommon o##urren#e!
arah was of too imperious a temperament
herself to brook a #alm assertion of auto#ra#y!
9ike many high4spirited women, arah
belie&ed herself to admire strength! he had
always told herself that she wanted to be
mastered! 1hen she met a man #apable of
mastering her she found that she did not like it
at all) To break o0 her engagement had #ost
her a good deal of heart burning, but she was
#lear4sighted enough to reali6e that mere
mutual attra#tion was not a su>#ient basis on
whi#h to build a lifetime of happiness! he had
treated herself deliberately to an interesting
holiday abroad in order to help on forgetfulness
before she went ba#k to start working in
earnest!
arah's thoughts #ame ba#k from the past
to the present!
"- wonder," she thought, "if Dr! 3erard will
let me talk to him about his work? "e's done
su#h mar&elous work! -f only he'll take me
seriously ! ! ! $erhaps4if he #omes to $etra4"
Then she thought again of the strange, boorish
young Ameri#an!
he had no doubt that it was the presen#e
of his family whi#h had #aused him to rea#t in
su#h a pe#uliar manner, but she felt slightly
s#ornful of him, ne&ertheless! To be under the
thumb of one's family like that4it was really
rather ridi#ulous4espe#ially for a man) And yet !
! !
A queer feeling passed o&er her! urely
there was something a little odd about it all?
he said suddenly out loud2 "That boy
wants res#uing) -'m going to see to it)"
3
1hen arah had left the lounge Dr! 3erard
sat where he was for some minutes! Then he
walked o&er to the table, pi#ked up the latest
number of 9e ;atin and strolled with it to a
#hair a few yards away from the /oynton
family! "is #uriosity was aroused!
"e had at +rst been amused by the =nglish
girl's interest in this Ameri#an family, shrewdly
diagnosing that it was inspired by interest in
one parti#ular member of the group! /ut now
something out of the ordinary about this family
party awakened in him the deeper, more
impartial interest of the s#ientist! "e sensed
that there was something here of de+nite
psy#hologi#al interest!
.ery dis#reetly, under the #o&er of his
paper, he took sto#k of them! %irst, the boy in
whom that attra#ti&e =nglish girl took su#h a
de#ided interest! Yes, thought 3erard,
de+nitely the type to appeal to her
temperamentally! arah <ing had strength4she
possessed well4balan#ed ner&es, #ool wits and
a resolute will! Dr! 3erard (udged the young
man to be sensiti&e, per#epti&e, di>dent and
intensely suggestible! "e noted with a
physi#ian's eye the ob&ious fa#t that the boy
was at the moment in a state of high ner&ous
tension! Dr! 3erard wondered why! "e was
pu66led! 1hy should a young man whose
physi#al health was ob&iously good, who was
abroad ostensibly en(oying himself, be in su#h
a #ondition that a ner&ous breakdown was
imminent?
The do#tor turned his attention to the other
members of the party! The girl with the
#hestnut hair was ob&iously 5aymond's sister!
They were of the same ra#ial type, small4
boned, well4shaped, aristo#rati#4looking! They
had the same slender, well4formed hands, the
same #lean line of (aw, and the same poise of
the head on a long slender ne#k! And the girl,
too, was ner&ous! ! ! ! he made slight
in&oluntary ner&ous mo&ements, her eyes were
deeply shadowed underneath and o&er4bright!
"er &oi#e, when she spoke, was too qui#k and
a shade breathless! he was wat#hful4alert4
unable to rela'!
"And she is afraid, too," de#ided Dr! 3erard!
"Yes, she is afraid)"
"e o&erheard s#raps of #on&ersation4a &ery
ordinary normal #on&ersation!
"1e might go to olomon's tables!"
"1ould that be too mu#h for ;other?"
"The 1eeping 1all in the morning?"
"The Temple, of #ourse4the ;osque of
:mar they #all it! - wonder why?"
"/e#ause it's been made into a ;oslem
mosque, of #ourse, 9enno'!"
:rdinary, #ommonpla#e tourists' talk! And
yet, somehow, Dr! 3erard felt a queer
#on&i#tion that these o&erheard s#raps of
dialogue were all singularly unreal! They were a
mask4a #o&er for something that surged and
eddied underneath4something too deep and
formless for words ! ! ! !
Again he shot a #o&ert glan#e from behind
the shelter of 9e ;atin!
9enno'? That was the elder brother! The
same family likeness #ould be tra#ed, but there
was a di0eren#e! 9enno' was not so highly
strungA he was, 3erard de#ided, of a less
ner&ous temperament! /ut about him, no,
there seemed something odd! There was no
sign of mus#ular tension about him as there
was about the other two! "e sat rela'ed, limp!
$u66ling, sear#hing among memories of
patients he had seen sitting like that in hospital
wards, 3erard thought2 ""e is e'hausted4yes,
e'hausted with su0ering! That look in the eyes4
the look you see in a wounded dog or a si#k
horse4dumb bestial enduran#e! ! ! ! -t is odd,
that! ! ! ! $hysi#ally there seems nothing wrong
with him! ! ! ! Yet there is no doubt that lately
he has been through mu#h su0ering4mental
su0ering! 7ow he no longer su0ers4he endures
dumbly4waiting, - think, for the blow to fall! ! ! !
1hat blow? Am - fan#ying all this? 7o, the man
is waiting for something, for the end to #ome!
o #an#er patients lie and wait, thankful that
an anodyne dulls the pain a little! ! ! !"
9enno' /oynton got up and retrie&ed a ball
of wool that the old lady had dropped!
""ere you are! ;other!"
"Thank you!"
1hat was she knitting, this monumental,
impassi&e old woman? omething thi#k and
#oarse! 3erard thought2 ";ittens for
inhabitants of a workhouse)" and smiled at his
own fantasy!
"e turned his attention to the youngest
member of the party4the girl with the golden
red hair! he was, perhaps, se&enteen! "er skin
had the e'quisite #learness that often goes
with red hair! Although o&er4thin, it was a
beautiful fa#e! he was sitting smiling to
herself4smiling into spa#e! There was
something a little #urious about that smile! -t
was so far remo&ed from the olomon "otel,
from ,erusalem! ! ! ! -t reminded Dr! 3erard of
something ! ! ! $resently it #ame to him in a
fash! -t was the strange unearthly smile that
lifts the lips of the ;aidens in the A#ropolis at
Athens4something remote and lo&ely and a
little inhuman! ! ! ! The magi# of the smile, her
e'quisite stillness, ga&e him a little pang!
And then with a sho#k, Dr! 3erard noti#ed
her hands! They were #on#ealed from the
group around her by the table, but he #ould
see them #learly from where he sat! -n the
shelter of her lap they were pi#king4pi#king4
tearing a deli#ate handker#hief into tiny
shreds!
-t ga&e him a horrible sho#k!
The aloof remote smile4the still body4and
the busy destru#ti&e hands ! ! !
4
There was a slow asthmati# whee6ing
#ough4then the monumental knitting woman
spoke!
"3ine&ra, you're tiredA you'd better go to
bed!"
The girl startedA her +ngers stopped their
me#hani#al a#tion!
"-'m not tired! ;other!"
3erard re#ogni6ed appre#iati&ely the
musi#al quality of her &oi#e! -t had the sweet
singing quality that lends en#hantment to the
most #ommonpla#e utteran#es!
"Yes, you are! - always know! - don't think
you'll be able to do any sightseeing tomorrow!"
":h) /ut - shall! -'m quite all right!"
-n a thi#k hoarse &oi#e, almost a grating
&oi#e, her mother said2 "7o, you're not! You're
going to be ill!"
"-'m not) -'m not)" The girl began trembling
&iolently!
A soft #alm &oi#e said2 "-'ll #ome up with
you! ,inny!" The quiet young woman with wide,
thoughtful gray eyes and neatly #oiled dark
hair rose to her feet!
:ld ;rs! /oynton said2 "7o! 9et her go up
alone!"
The girl #ried2 "- want 7adine to #ome)"
"Then of #ourse - will!" The young woman
mo&ed a step forward!
The old woman said2 "The #hild prefers to
go by herself4don't you ,inny?"
There was a pause4a pause of a moment4
then 3ine&ra /oynton said, her &oi#e suddenly
fat and dull2 "Yes4-'d rather go alone! Thank
you, 7adine!"
he walked away, a tall angular +gure that
mo&ed with a surprising gra#e!
Dr! 3erard lowered his paper and took a full
satisfying ga6e at old ;rs! /oynton! he was
looking after her daughter and her fat fa#e was
#reased into a pe#uliar smile! -t was a
#ari#ature of the lo&ely unearthly smile that
had transformed the girl's fa#e so short a time
before! Then the old woman transferred her
ga6e to 7adine!
The latter had (ust sat down again! he
raised her eyes and met her mother4in4law's
glan#e! "er fa#e was quite imperturbable! The
old woman's glan#e was mali#ious!
Dr! 3erard thought2 "1hat an absurdity of
an old tyrant)"
And then, suddenly, the old woman's eyes
were full on him, and he drew in his breath
sharply! mall, bla#k, smoldering eyes they
were, but something #ame from them4a power,
a de+nite for#e, a wa&e of e&il malignan#y! Dr!
3erard knew something about the power of
personality! "e reali6ed that here was no spoilt
tyranni#al in&alid indulging petty whims! This
old woman was a de+nite for#e! -n the
malignan#y of her glare he felt a resemblan#e
to the e0e#t produ#ed by a #obra! ;rs!
/oynton might be old, in+rm, a prey to disease,
but she was not powerless!
he was a woman who knew the meaning
of power, who re#ogni6ed a lifetime of power
and who had ne&er on#e doubted her own
for#e! Dr! 3erard had on#e met a woman who
performed a most dangerous and spe#ta#ular
a#t with tigers! The great slinking brutes had
#rawled to their pla#es and performed their
degrading and humiliating tri#ks! Their eyes
and subdued snarls told of hatred, bitter
fanati#al hatred, but they had obeyed, #ringed!
That had been a young woman, a woman with
an arrogant dark beauty, but the look had been
the same!
"8ne dompteuse)" said Dr! 3erard to
himself! And he understood now what that
under#urrent to the harmless family talk had
been! -t was hatred4a dark eddying stream of
hatred!
"e thought2 ""ow fan#iful and absurd most
people would think me) "ere is a #ommonpla#e
de&oted Ameri#an family re&eling in $alestine4
and - wea&e a story of bla#k magi# round it)"
Then he looked with interest at the quiet
young woman who was #alled 7adine! There
was a wedding ring on her left hand, and as he
wat#hed her, he saw her gi&e one swift
betraying glan#e at the fair4haired, loose4
limbed 9enno'! "e knew, then ! ! ! They were
man and wife, those two! /ut it was a mother's
glan#e rather than a wife's4a true mother's
glan#e4prote#ting, an'ious! And he knew
something more! "e knew that out of that
group, 7adine /oynton alone was una0e#ted
by her mother4in4law's spell! he may ha&e
disliked the old woman, but she was not afraid
of her! The power did not tou#h her!
he was unhappy, deeply #on#erned about
her husband, but she was free!
Dr! 3erard said to himself2 "All this is &ery
interesting!"
5
-7T: T"== DA5< imaginings a breath of
the #ommonpla#e #ame with almost ludi#rous
e0e#t!
A man #ame into the lounge, #aught sight
of the /oyntons and #ame a#ross to them!
"e was a pleasant middle4aged Ameri#an
of a stri#tly #on&entional type! "e was #arefully
dressed, with a long, #lean4sha&en fa#e and he
had a slow, pleasant, somewhat monotonous
&oi#e!
"- was looking around for you all," he said!
;eti#ulously he shook hands with the entire
family!
"And how do you +nd yourself, ;rs!
/oynton? 7ot too tired by the (ourney?"
Almost gra#iously, the old lady whee6ed
out2 "7o, thank you! ;y health's ne&er good, as
you know4"
"1hy, of #ourseA too bad4too bad!"
"/ut -'m #ertainly no worse!" ;rs! /oynton
added with a slow reptilian smile2 "7adine,
here, takes good #are of meA don't you,
7adine?"
"- do my best!" "er &oi#e was
e'pressionless!
"1hy, -'ll bet you do," said the stranger
heartily! "1ell, 9enno', and what do you think
of <ing Da&id's #ity?"
":h, - don't know!" 9enno' spoke
apatheti#ally4without interest!
"%ind it kind of disappointing, do you? -'ll
#onfess it stru#k me that way at +rst! /ut
perhaps you ha&en't been around mu#h yet?"
*arol /oynton said2 "1e #an't do &ery
mu#h be#ause of ;other!"
;rs! /oynton e'plained2 "A #ouple of hours'
sightseeing is about all - #an manage e&ery
day!"
The stranger said heartily2 "- think it's
wonderful you manage to do all you do, ;rs!
/oynton!"
;rs! /oynton ga&e a slow whee6y #hu#kleA
it had an almost gloating sound! "- don't gi&e in
to my body) -t's the mind that matters) Yes, it's
the mind! ! ! !"
"er &oi#e died away! 3erard saw 5aymond
/oynton gi&e a ner&ous (erk!
""a&e you been to the 1eeping 1all yet,
;r! *ope?" he asked!
"1hy, yes, that was one of the +rst pla#es -
&isited! - hope to ha&e done ,erusalem
thoroughly in a #ouple more days and -'m
letting them get me out an itinerary at *ook's
so as to do the "oly 9and thoroughly4
/ethlehem, 7a6areth, Tiberias, the ea of
3alilee! -t's all going to be mighty interesting!
Then there's ,erashA there are some &ery
interesting ruins there45oman, you know! And
-'d &ery mu#h like to ha&e a look at the 5ose
5ed *ity of $etra, a most remarkable natural
phenomenon, - belie&e that is, and right o0 the
beaten tra#kA but it takes the best part of a
week to get there and ba#k and do it properly!"
*arol said2 "-'d lo&e to go there! -t sounds
mar&elous!"
"1hy - should say it was de+nitely worth
seeing4yes, de+nitely worth seeing!" ;r! *ope
paused, shot a somewhat dubious glan#e at
;rs! /oynton, and then went on in a &oi#e that
to the listening %ren#hman was palpably
un#ertain2 "- wonder now if - #ouldn't persuade
some of you people to #ome with me?
7aturally - know you #ouldn't manage it, ;rs!
/oynton, and naturally some of your family
would want to remain with youA but if you were
to di&ide for#es, so to speak4"
"e paused! 3erard heard the e&en #li#k of
;rs! /oynton's knitting needles! Then she said2
"- don't think we'd #are to di&ide up! 1e're a
&ery homey group!" he looked up! "1ell,
#hildren, what do you say?"
There was a queer ring in her &oi#e! The
answers #ame promptly2 "7o, ;other!"
":h, no!"
"7o, of #ourse not!"
;rs! /oynton said, smiling that &ery odd
smile of hers2 "You see4they won't lea&e me!
1hat about you, 7adine? You didn't say
anything!"
"7o, thank you, ;other, not unless 9enno'
#ares about it!"
;rs! /oynton turned her head slowly
towards her son! "1ell, 9enno', what about itA
why don't you and 7adine go? he seems to
want to!"
"e started! 9ooked up!
"-4well4no, -4- think we'd better all stay
together!" ;r! *ope said genially2 "1ell, you are
a de&oted family)" /ut something in his
geniality rang a little hollow and for#ed!
"1e keep to oursel&es," said ;rs! /oynton!
he began to wind up her ball of wool! "/y the
way, 5aymond, who was that young woman
who spoke to you (ust now?"
5aymond started ner&ously! "e fushed,
then went white! "-4- don't know her name! he4
she was on the train the other night!"
;rs! /oynton began slowly to try and
hea&e herself out of her #hair! "- don't think
we'll ha&e mu#h to do with her," she said!
7adine rose and assisted the old woman to
struggle out of her #hair! he did it with a
professional deftness that attra#ted 3erard's
attention!
"/edtime," said ;rs! /oynton! "3ood night,
;r! *ope!"
"3ood night, ;rs! /oynton! 3ood night,
;rs! 9enno'!"
They went o04a little pro#ession! -t did not
seem to o##ur to any of the younger members
of the party to stay behind!
;r! *ope was left looking after them! The
e'pression on his fa#e was an odd one!
As Dr! 3erard knew by e'perien#e,
Ameri#ans are disposed to be a friendly ra#e!
They ha&e not the uneasy suspi#ion of the
tra&eling /riton! To a man of Dr! 3erard's ta#t,
making the a#quaintan#e of ;r! *ope
presented few di>#ulties! The Ameri#an was
lonely and was, like most of his ra#e, disposed
to friendliness! Dr! 3erard's #ard4#ase was
again to the fore!
5eading the name on it, ;r! ,e0erson *ope
was duly impressed!
"1hy surely! Dr! 3erard, you were o&er in
the tates not &ery long ago?"
"9ast Autumn! - was le#turing at "ar&ard!"
":f #ourse! Yours, Dr! 3erard, is one of the
most distinguished names in your profession!
You're pretty well at the head of your sub(e#t in
$aris!"
";y dear sir, you are far too kind) -
protest!"
"7o, no, this is a great pri&ilege4meeting
you like this! As a matter of fa#t, there are
se&eral &ery distinguished people here in
,erusalem (ust at present! There's yourself and
there's 9ord 1elldon, and ir 3abriel
teinbaum, the +nan#ier! Then there's the
&eteran =nglish ar#haeologist, ir ;anders
tone! And there's 9ady 1estholme who's &ery
prominent in =nglish politi#s! And there's that
famous /elgian dete#ti&e, "er#ule $oirot!"
"9ittle "er#ule $oirot? -s he here?"
"- read his name in the lo#al paper as
ha&ing lately arri&ed! eems to me all the
world and his wife are at the olomon "otel! A
mighty +ne hotel it is, too! And &ery tastefully
de#orated!"
;r! ,e0erson *ope was #learly en(oying
himself! Dr! 3erard was a man who #ould
display a lot of #harm when he #hose! /efore
long the two men had ad(ourned to the bar!
After a #ouple of highballs 3erard said2 "Tell
me, is that a typi#al Ameri#an family to whom
you were talking?"
,e0erson *ope sipped his drink
thoughtfully! Then he said2 "1hy, no, - wouldn't
say it was e'a#tly typi#al!"
"7o? A &ery de&oted family, though!"
*ope said slowly2 "You mean they all seem
to re&ol&e round the old lady? That's true
enough! he's a &ery remarkable old lady, you
know!"
"-ndeed?"
;r! *ope needed &ery little
en#ouragement! The gentle in&itation was
enough! "- don't mind telling you, Dr! 3erard,
-'&e been ha&ing that family a good deal on my
mind lately! -'&e been thinking about them a
lot! -f - may say so, it would ease my mind to
talk to you about the matter! -f it won't bore
you, that is?"
Dr! 3erard dis#laimed boredom! ;r!
,e0erson *ope went on slowly, his pleasant
#lean4sha&en fa#e #reased with perple'ity!
"-'ll tell you straight away that -'m (ust a
little worried! ;rs! /oynton, you see, is an old
friend of mine! That is to say, not the old ;rs!
/oynton, the young one! ;rs! 9enno' /oynton!"
"Ah, yes, that &ery #harming dark4haired
young lady!"
"That's right! That's 7adine! 7adine
/oynton, Dr! 3erard, is a &ery lo&ely #hara#ter!
- knew her before she was married! he was in
hospital then, working to be a trained nurse!
Then she went for a &a#ation to stay with the
/oyntons and she married 9enno'!"
"Yes?"
;r! ,e0erson *ope took another sip of
highball and went on! "-'d like to tell you, Dr!
3erard, (ust a little of the /oynton family
history!"
"Yes? - should be most interested!"
"1ell, you see, the late =lmer /oynton4he
was quite a well4known man and a &ery
#harming person4was twi#e married! "is +rst
wife died when *arol and 5aymond were tiny
toddlers! The se#ond ;rs! /oynton, so -'&e
been told, was a handsome woman when he
married her, though not &ery young! eems
odd to think she #an e&er ha&e been handsome
to look at her now, but that's what -'&e been
told on &ery good authority! Anyway, her
husband thought a lot of her and adopted her
(udgment on almost e&ery point! "e was an
in&alid for some years before he died, and she
pra#ti#ally ruled the roost! he's a &ery #apable
woman with a +ne head for business! A &ery
#ons#ientious woman, too! After =lmer died,
she de&oted herself absolutely to these
#hildren! There's one of her own, too43ine&ra4
pretty red4haired girl but a bit deli#ate! 1ell, as
- was telling you, ;rs! /oynton de&oted herself
entirely to her family! he (ust shut out the
outside world entirely! 7ow, - don't know what
you think, Dr! 3erard, but - don't think that's
always a &ery sound thing!"
"- agree with you! -t is most harmful to
de&eloping mentalities!"
"Yes, - should say that (ust about e'presses
it! ;rs! /oynton shielded these #hildren from
the outside world and ne&er let them make any
outside #onta#ts! The result of that is that
they'&e grown up4well, kind of ner&y! They're
(umpy, if you know what - mean! *an't make
friends with strangers! -t's bad, that!"
"-t is &ery bad!"
"- we no doubt ;rs! /oynton meant well! -t
was (ust o&er4de&otion on her part!"
"They all li&e at home?" asked the do#tor!
"Yes!"
"Do neither of the sons work?"
"1hy, no! =lmer /oynton was a ri#h man!
"e left all his money to ;rs! /oynton for her
lifetime4but it was understood that it was for
the family upkeep generally!"
"o they are dependent on her +nan#ially?"
"That is so! And she's en#ouraged them to
li&e at home and not go out and look for (obs!
1ell, maybe that's all rightA there's plenty of
money! They don't need to take (obs but - think
for the male se', anyway, work's a good toni#!
Then there's another thing4they'&e none of
them got any hobbies! They don't play golf!
They don't belong to any #ountry #lub! They
don't go around to dan#es or do anything with
the other young people! They li&e in a great
barra#k of a house way down in the #ountry,
miles from anywhere! - tell you! Dr! 3erard, it
seems all wrong to me!"
"- agree with you," said Dr! 3erard!
"7ot one of them has got the least so#ial
sense! The #ommunity spirit4that's what's
la#king) They may be a &ery de&oted family
but they're all bound up in themsel&es!"
"There has ne&er been any question of one
or the other of them bran#hing out for him4 or
herself?"
"7ot that -'&e heard of! They (ust sit
around!"
"Do you put the blame for that on them or
on ;rs! /oynton?"
,e0erson *ope shifted uneasily! "1ell, in a
sense - feel she is more or less responsible! -t's
bad bringing up on her part! All the same,
when a young fellow #omes to maturity it's up
to him to ki#k o&er the tra#es of his own
a##ord! 7o boy ought to keep on being tied to
his mother's apron strings! "e ought to #hoose
to be independent!"
Dr! 3erard said thoughtfully2 "That might
be impossible!"
"1hy impossible?"
"There are methods, ;r! *ope, of
pre&enting a tree from growing!"
*ope stared! "They're a +ne healthy lot, Dr!
3erard!"
"The mind #an be stunted and warped as
well as the body!"
"They're bright mentally too!"
3erard sighed!
,e0erson *ope went on2 "7o, Dr! 3erard,
take it from me, a man has got the #ontrol of
his own destiny right there in his own hands! A
man who respe#ts himself strikes out on his
own and makes something of his life! "e
doesn't (ust sit round and twiddle his thumbs!
7o woman ought to respe#t a man who does
that!"
3erard looked at him #uriously for a minute
or two, then he said2 "You refer parti#ularly, -
think, to ;r! 9enno' /oynton?"
"1hy, yes, it was 9enno' - was thinking of!
5aymond's only a boy still! /ut 9enno' is (ust
on thirty! Time he showed he was made of
something!"
"-t is a di>#ult life, perhaps, for his wife?"
":f #ourse it's a di>#ult life for her) 7adine
is a &ery +ne girl! - admire her more than - #an
say! he's ne&er let drop one word of
#omplaint! /ut she's not happy, Dr! 3erard!
he's (ust as unhappy as she #an be!"
3erard nodded his head! "Yes, - think that
well might be!"
"- don't know what you think about it, Dr!
3erard, but - think that there's a limit to what a
woman ought to put up with) -f - were 7adine
-'d put it to young 9enno' straight! =ither he
sets to and pro&es what he's made of, or else4"
":r else, you think, she should lea&e him?"
"he's got her own life to li&e! Dr! 3erard! -f
9enno' doesn't appre#iate her as she ought to
be appre#iated, well, there are other men who
will!"
"There is4yourself, for instan#e?"
The Ameri#an fushed! Then he looked
straight at the other with a #ertain simple
dignity! "That's so," he said! "-'m not ashamed
of my feelings for that lady! - respe#t her and -
am &ery, &ery deeply atta#hed to her! All - want
is her happiness! -f she were happy with
9enno', -'d sit right ba#k and fade out of the
pi#ture!"
"/ut as it is?"
"/ut as it is, -'m standing by) -f she wants
me, -'m here)"
"You are, in fa#t, the 'parfait gentil' knight,"
murmured 3erard!
"$ardon?"
";y dear sir, #hi&alry only li&es nowadays
in the Ameri#an nation) You are #ontent to
ser&e your lady without hope of reward) -t is
most admirable, that) 1hat e'a#tly do you
hope to be able to do for her?"
";y idea is to be right here at hand if she
needs me!"
"And what, may - ask, is the older ;rs!
/oynton's attitude towards you?"
,e0erson *ope said slowly2 "-'m ne&er quite
sure about that old lady! As -'&e told she isn't
fond of making outside #onta#ts! /ut she's
been di0erent to me, she's always &ery
gra#ious and treats we quite like one of the
family!"
"-n fa#t, she appro&es of your friendship
with ;rs! 9enno'?"
"he does!"
Dr! 3erard shrugged his shoulders! "That is,
perhaps, a little odd?"
,e0erson *ope said stiBy2 "9et me assure
you, Dr! 3erard, there is nothing dishonorable
in that friendship! -t is purely platoni#!"
";y dear sir, - am quite sure of that! -
repeat, though, that for ;rs! /oynton to
en#ourage that friendship is a #urious a#tion on
her part! You know, ;r! *ope, ;rs! /oynton
interests me4she interests me greatly!"
"he is #ertainly a remarkable woman! he
has great for#e of #hara#ter4a most prominent
personality! As - say =lmer /oynton had the
greatest faith in her (udgment!"
"o mu#h so that he was #ontent to lea&e
his #hildren #ompletely at her mer#y from the
+nan#ial point of &iew! -n my #ountry, ;r! *ope,
it is impossible by law to do su#h a thing!"
;r! *ope rose! "-n Ameri#a," he said, "we're
great belie&ers in absolute freedom!"
Dr! 3erard rose also! "e was unimpressed
by the remark! "e had heard it made before by
people of many di0erent nationalities! The
illusion that freedom is the prerogati&e of one's
own parti#ular ra#e is fairly widespread!
Dr! 3erard was wiser! "e knew that no
ra#e, no #ountry and no indi&idual #ould be
des#ribed as free! /ut he also knew that there
were di0erent degrees of bondage!
"e went up to bed thoughtful and
interested!
6
arah <ing stood in the pre#in#ts of the
Temple, the "aram4esh4herif! "er ba#k was to
the Dome of the 5o#k! The splashing of
fountains sounded in her ears! 9ittle groups of
tourists passed by without disturbing the pea#e
of the oriental atmosphere!
trange, thought arah, that on#e a
,ebusite should ha&e made this ro#ky summit
into a threshing foor and that Da&id should
ha&e pur#hased it for si' hundred shekels of
gold and made it a "oly $la#e! And now the
loud #hattering tongues of sightseers of all
nations #ould be heard ! ! !
he turned and looked at the ;osque
whi#h now #o&ered the shrine and wondered if
olomon's temple would ha&e looked half as
beautiful!
There was a #latter of footsteps and a little
party #ame out from the interior of the ;osque!
-t was the /oyntons es#orted by a &oluble
dragoman! ;rs! /oynton was supported
between 9enno' and 5aymond! 7adine and ;r!
*ope walked behind! *arol #ame last! As they
were mo&ing o0, the latter #aught sight of
arah!
he hesitated, then, on a sudden de#ision,
she wheeled around and ran swiftly and
noiselessly a#ross the #ourtyard!
"='#use me," she said breathlessly!
"- must4 -4- felt - must speak to you!"
"Yes?" said arah!
*arol was trembling &iolently! "er fa#e was
quite white! "-t's about4my brother! 1hen you4
you spoke to him last night you must ha&e
thought him &ery rude! /ut he didn't mean to
be4he4he #ouldn't help it! :h, do please belie&e
me!"
arah felt that the whole s#ene was
ridi#ulous! /oth her pride and her good taste
were o0ended! 1hy should a strange girl
suddenly rush up and tender a ridi#ulous
apology for a boorish brother?
An o0hand reply trembled on her lips4and
then, qui#kly, her mood #hanged! There was
something out of the ordinary here! This girl
was in deadly earnest! That something in arah
whi#h had led her to adopt a medi#al #areer
rea#ted to the girl's need! "er instin#t told her
there was something badly wrong!
he said en#ouragingly2 "Tell me about it!"
""e spoke to you on the train, didn't he?"
began *arol!
arah nodded! "Yes4at least - spoke to him!"
":h, of #ourse! -t would be that way
around! /ut, you see, last night! 5ay was
afraid4" he stopped!
"Afraid?"
*arol's white fa#e #rimsoned! ":h, - know it
sounds absurd4mad! You see, my mother4she's4
she's not well4and she doesn't like us making
friends outside! /ut4but - know 5ay would4
would like to be friends with you!"
arah was interested! /efore she #ould
speak, *arol went on! "- know what -'m saying
sounds &ery silly, but we are rather an odd
family!" he #ast a qui#k look around4it was a
look of fear! "-4- mustn't stay," she murmured!
"They may miss me!"
arah made up her mind! he spoke! "1hy
shouldn't you stay4if you want to? 1e might
walk ba#k together!"
":h no!" *arol drew ba#k! "-4- #ouldn't do
that!"
"1hy not?" said arah!
"- #ouldn't really! ;y mother would be4
would be4"
arah said #learly and #almly2 "- know it's
awfully di>#ult sometimes for parents to
reali6e that their #hildren are grown up! They
will go on trying to run their li&es for them! /ut
it's a pity, you know, to gi&e in) :ne must
stand up for one's rights!"
*arol murmured2 "You don't understand4
you don't understand in the least! ! ! !" "er
hands twisted together ner&ously!
arah went on2 ":ne gi&es in sometimes
be#ause one is afraid of rows! 5ows are &ery
unpleasant, but - think freedom of a#tion is
always worth +ghting for!"
"%reedom?" *arol stared at her! "7one of us
has e&er been free! 1e ne&er will be!"
"7onsense)" said arah #learly!
*arol leaned forward and tou#hed her arm!
"9isten! - must try and make you understand)
/efore her marriage my mother4she's my
stepmother really4was a wardress in a prison!
;y father was the 3o&ernor and he married
her! 1ell, it's been like that e&er sin#e! he's
gone on being a wardress4to us! That's why our
life is (ust4being in prison)" "er head (erked
around again! "They'&e missed me! -4- must
go!"
arah #aught her by the arm as she was
darting o0! ":ne minute! 1e must meet again
and talk!"
"- #an't! - shan't be able to!"
"Yes, you #an!" he spoke authoritati&ely!
"*ome to my room after you go to bed! -t's
C?D! Don't forgetA C?D!" he released her hold!
*arol ran o0 after her family!
arah stood staring after her! he awoke
from her thoughts to +nd Dr! 3erard by her
side!
"3ood morning, ;iss <ing! o you'&e been
talking to ;iss *arol /oynton?"
"Yes, we had the most e'traordinary
#on&ersation! 9et me tell you!"
he repeated the substan#e of her
#on&ersation with the girl!
3erard poun#ed on one point! "1ardress in
a prison, was she, that old hippopotamus? That
is signi+#ant, perhaps!"
arah said2 "You mean that that is the
#ause of her tyranny? -t is the habit of her
former profession?"
3erard shook his head! "7o, that is
approa#hing it from the wrong angle! There is
some deep underlying #ompulsion! he does
not lo&e tyranny be#ause she has been a
wardress! 9et us rather say that she be#ame a
wardress be#ause she lo&ed tyranny! -n my
theory it was a se#ret desire for power o&er
other human beings that led her to adopt that
profession!"
"is fa#e was &ery gra&e! "There are su#h
strange things buried down in the un#ons#ious!
A lust for power4a lust for #ruelty4a sa&age
desire to tear and rend4all the inheritan#e of
our past ra#ial memories ! ! ! They are all there,
;iss <ing, all the #ruelty and sa&agery and lust
! ! ! 1e shut the door on them and deny them
#ons#ious life, but sometimes they are too
strong!"
arah shi&ered! "- know!"
3erard #ontinued2 "1e see it all around us
today4in politi#al #reeds, in the #ondu#t of
nations! A rea#tion from humanitarianism, from
pity, from brotherly good will! The #reeds
sound well sometimes, a wise regime, a
bene+#ent go&ernment4but imposed by for#e4
resting on a basis of #ruelty and fear! They are
opening the door, these apostles of &iolen#e,
they are letting out the old sa&agery, the old
delight in #ruelty for its own sake) :h, it is
di>#ult! ;an is an animal &ery deli#ately
balan#ed! "e has one prime ne#essity4to
sur&i&e! To ad&an#e too qui#kly is as fatal as to
lag behind! "e must sur&i&e) "e must,
perhaps, retain some of the old sa&agery, but
he must not4no, de+nitely he must not4deify it)"
There was a pause! Then arah said2 "You
think old ;rs! /oynton is a kind of adist?"
"- am almost sure of it! - think she re(oi#es
in the infi#tion of pain4mental pain, mind you,
not physi#al! That is &ery mu#h rarer and &ery
mu#h more di>#ult to deal with! he likes to
ha&e #ontrol of other human beings and she
likes to make them su0er!"
"-t's pretty beastly," said arah!
3erard told her of his #on&ersation with
,e0erson *ope!
""e doesn't reali6e what is going on?" she
said thoughtfully!
""ow should he? "e is not a psy#hologist!"
"True! "e hasn't got our disgusting minds)"
"='a#tly! "e has a ni#e, upright,
sentimental, normal Ameri#an mind! "e
belie&es in good rather than e&il! "e sees that
the atmosphere of the /oynton family is all
wrong, but he #redits ;rs! /oynton with
misguided de&otion rather than a#ti&e
male+#en#e!"
"That must amuse her," said arah!
"- should imagine it does)"
arah said impatiently2 "/ut why don't they
break away? They #ould!"
3erard shook his head! "7o, there you are
wrong! They #annot! "a&e you e&er seen the
old e'periment with a #o#k? You #halk a line on
the foor and put the #o#k's beak to it! The #o#k
belie&es he is tied there! "e #annot raise his
head! o with these unfortunates! he has
worked on them, remember, sin#e they were
#hildren! And her dominan#e has been mental!
he has hypnoti6ed them to belie&e that they
#annot disobey her! :h, - know most people
would say that was nonsense4but you and -
know better! he has made them belie&e that
utter dependen#e on her is ine&itable! They
ha&e been in prison so long that if the prison
door stood open they would no longer noti#e)
:ne of them, at least, no longer e&en wants to
be free) And they would all be afraid of
freedom!"
arah asked pra#ti#ally2 "1hat will happen
when she dies?"
3erard shrugged his shoulders! "-t depends
on how soon that happens! -f it happened, well,
- think it might not be too late! The boy and the
girl are still young4impressionable! They would
be#ome, - belie&e, normal human beings! 1ith
9enno', possibly, it has gone too far! "e looks
to me like a man who has parted #ompany with
hope4he li&es and endures like a brute beast!"
arah said impatiently2 ""is wife ought to
ha&e done something) he ought to ha&e
yanked him out of it!"
"- wonder! he may ha&e tried4and failed!"
"Do you think she's under the spell too?"
3erard shook his head! "7o! - don't think
the old lady has any power o&er her, and for
that reason she hates her with a bitter hatred!
1at#h her eyes!"
arah frowned! "- #an't make her out4the
young one, - mean! Does she know what is
going on?"
"- think she must ha&e a pretty shrewd
idea!"
""m," said arah! "That old woman ought
to be murdered) Arseni# in her early morning
tea would be my pres#ription!"
Then she said abruptly2 "1hat about the
youngest girl4the red4haired one with the
rather fas#inating &a#ant smile?"
3erard frowned! "- don't know! There is
something queer there! 3ine&ra /oynton is the
old woman's own daughter, of #ourse!"
"Yes! - suppose that would be di0erent4or
wouldn't it?"
3erard said slowly2 "- do not belie&e that
when on#e the mania for power Eand the lust
for #rueltyF has taken possession of a human
being that it #an spare anybody4not e&en its
nearest and dearest!"
"e was silent for a moment then he said2
"Are you a *hristian, ;ademoiselle?"
arah said slowly2 "- don't know! - used to
think that - wasn't anything! /ut now4-'m not
sure! - feel4oh, - feel that if - #ould sweep all
this away4" she made a &iolent gesture, "4all
the buildings and the se#ts and the +er#e
squabbling #hur#hes4that4that - might see
*hrist's quiet +gure riding into ,erusalem on a
donkey4and belie&e in him!"
Dr! 3erard said gra&ely2 "- belie&e at least
in one of the #hief tenets of the *hristian faith4
#ontentment with a lowly pla#e! - am a do#tor
and - know that ambition4the desire to
su##eed4to ha&e power4leads to most ills of the
human soul! -f the desire is reali6ed it leads to
arrogan#e, &iolen#e and +nal satietyA and if it is
denied4ah) -f it is denied let all the asylums for
the insane rise up and gi&e their testimony)
They are +lled with human beings who were
unable to fa#e being medio#re, insigni+#ant,
ine0e#ti&e and who therefore #reated for
themsel&es ways of es#ape from reality so to
be shut o0 from life itself fore&er!"
arah said abruptly2 "-t's a pity the old
/oynton woman isn't in an asylum!"
3erard shook his head! "7o4her pla#e is not
there among the failures! -t is worse than that!
he has su##eeded, you see) he has
a##omplished her dream!"
arah shuddered!
he #ried passionately2 "u#h things ought
not to be)"
7
arah wondered &ery mu#h whether *arol
/oynton would keep her appointment that
night! :n the whole, she rather doubted it! he
was afraid that *arol would ha&e a sharp
rea#tion after her semi4#on+den#es of the
morning!
7e&ertheless, she made her preparations,
slipping on a blue satin dressing gown and
getting out her little spirit lamp and boiling up
water! he was (ust on the point of gi&ing *arol
up Eit was after one o'#lo#kF and going to bed,
when there was a tap on her door! he opened
it and drew qui#kly ba#k to let *arol #ome in!
The latter said breathlessly2 "- was afraid
you might ha&e gone to bed ! ! !"
arah's manner was #arefully matter4of4
fa#t! ":h, no! - was waiting for you! "a&e some
tea, will you? -t's real 9apsang ou#hong!"
he brought o&er a #up! *arol had been
ner&ous and un#ertain of herself! 7ow she
a##epted the #up and a bis#uit and her manner
be#ame #almer!
"This is rather fun," said arah, smiling!
*arol looked a little startled!
"Yes," she said doubtfully! "Yes, - suppose it
is!"
"5ather like the midnight feasts we used to
ha&e at s#hool," went on arah! "- suppose you
didn't go away to s#hool?"
*arol shook her head! "1e ne&er left home!
1e had a go&erness4di0erent go&ernesses!
They ne&er stayed long!"
"Did you ne&er go away at all?"
"1e'&e li&ed always in the same house!
This #oming abroad is the +rst time -'&e e&er
been away!"
arah said #asually2 "-t must ha&e been a
great ad&enture!"
":h, it was! -t4it's all been like a dream!"
"1hat made your4your stepmother de#ide
to #ome abroad?"
At the mention of ;rs! /oynton's name,
*arol had fin#hed! arah said qui#kly2 "You
know, -'m by way of being a do#tor! -'&e (ust
taken my ;!/!! Your mother4or stepmother
rather4is &ery interesting to me4as a #ase, you
know! - should say she was quite de+nitely a
pathologi#al #ase!"
*arol stared! -t was #learly a &ery
une'pe#ted point of &iew to her! arah had
spoken as she had with deliberate intent! he
reali6ed that to her family ;rs! /oynton loomed
as a kind of powerful obs#ene idol! -t was
arah's ob(e#t to rob her of her more terrifying
aspe#t!
"Yes," she said! "There's a kind of disease
of4of grandeur4that gets hold of people! They
get &ery auto#rati# and insist on e&erything
being done e'a#tly as they say and are
altogether &ery di>#ult to deal with!"
*arol put down her #up! ":h," she #ried,
"-'m so glad to be talking to you! You know, -
belie&e 5ay and - ha&e been getting quite4well,
quite queer! 1e'd got terribly worked up about
things!"
"Talking with an outsider is always a good
thing," said arah! "-nside a family one is apt to
get too intense!" Then she asked #asually2 "-f
you are unhappy, ha&en't you e&er thought of
lea&ing home?"
*arol looked startled! ":h, no) "ow #ould
we? -4- mean, ;other would ne&er allow it!"
"/ut she #ouldn't stop you," said arah
gently! "You're o&er age!"
"-'m twenty4three!"
"='a#tly!"
"/ut still, - don't see how4- mean - wouldn't
know where to go and what to do!" "er tone
seemed bewildered! "You see," she said, "we
ha&en't got any money!"
""a&en't you any friends you #ould go to?"
"%riends?" *arol shook her head! ":h, no,
we don't know anyone)"
"Did none of you e&er think of lea&ing
home?"
"7o4- don't think so! :h4oh4we #ouldn't!"
arah #hanged the sub(e#t! he found the
girl's bewilderment pitiful!
he said2 "Are you fond of your
stepmother?"
lowly *arol shook her head! he
whispered in a low s#ared &oi#e2 "- hate her! o
does 5ay ! ! ! 1e'&e4we'&e often wished she
would die!"
Again arah #hanged the sub(e#t! "Tell me
about your elder brother!"
"9enno'? - don't know what's the matter
with 9enno'! "e hardly e&er speaks now! "e
goes about in a kind of daydream! 7adine's
terribly worried about him!"
"You are fond of your sister4in4law?"
"Yes 7adine is di0erent! he's always kind!
/ut she's &ery unhappy!"
"About your brother?"
"Yes!"
""a&e they been married long?"
"%our years!"
"And they'&e always li&ed at home?"
"Yes!"
arah asked2 "Does your sister4in4law like
that?"
"7o!" There was a pause! Then *arol said2
"There was an awful fuss on#e about four years
ago now! You see, as - told you, none of us e&er
goes outside the house at home! - mean we go
into the grounds, but nowhere else! /ut 9enno'
did! "e got out at night! "e went into %ountain
prings4there was a sort of dan#e going on!
;other was frightfully angry when she found
out! -t was terrible! And then, after that, she
asked 7adine to #ome and stay! 7adine was a
&ery distant #ousin of father's! he was &ery
poor and was training to be a hospital nurse!
he #ame and stayed with us for a month! -
#an't tell you how e'#iting it was to ha&e
someone to stay) And she and 9enno' fell in
lo&e with ea#h other! And ;other said they'd
better be married qui#kly and li&e on with us!"
"And was 7adine willing to do that?"
*arol hesitated! "- don't think she wanted
to do that &ery mu#h, but she didn't really
mind! Then, later, she wanted to go away4with
9enno', of #ourse4"
"/ut they didn't go?" asked arah!
"7o, ;other wouldn't hear of it!" *arol
paused and then said2 "- don't think she likes
7adine any longer! 7adine is funny! You ne&er
know what she's thinking! he tries to help
,inny and ;other doesn't like it!"
",inny is your younger sister?"
"Yes! 3ine&ra is her real name!"
"-s she4unhappy too?"
*arol shook her head doubtfully! ",inny's
been &ery queer lately! - don't understand her!
You see, she's always been rather deli#ate4and4
and ;other fusses about her and4and it makes
her worse! And lately ,inny has been &ery
queer indeed! he4she frightens me
sometimes! he4she doesn't always know what
she's doing!"
""as she seen a do#tor?"
"7oA 7adine wanted her to, but ;other said
no, and ,inny got &ery hysteri#al and s#reamed
and said she wouldn't see a do#tor! /ut -'m
worried about her!" uddenly *arol rose! "-
mustn't keep you up! -t's4it's &ery good of you
letting me #ome and talk to you! You must
think us &ery odd as a family!"
":h, e&erybody's odd, really," said arah
lightly! "*ome again, will you? And bring your
brother, if you like!"
";ay - really?"
"YesA we'll do some se#ret plotting! -'d like
you to meet a friend of mine, tooA a Dr! 3erard,
an awfully ni#e %ren#hman!"
The #olor #ame into *arol's #heeks! ":h
what fun it sounds! -f only ;other doesn't +nd
out)"
arah suppressed her original retort and
said instead, "1hy should she? 3ood night!
hall we say tomorrow night at the same
time?"
":h yes! The day after, you see, we may be
going away!"
"Then let's ha&e a de+nite date for
tomorrow! 3ood night!"
"3ood night and thank you!"
*arol went out of the room and slipped
noiselessly along the #orridor! "er own room
was on the foor abo&e! he rea#hed it, opened
the door4and stood appalled on the threshold!
;rs! /oynton was sitting in an arm#hair by
the +repla#e in a #rimson wool dressing gown!
A little #ry es#aped from *arol's lips! ":h)"
A pair of bla#k eyes bored into hers!
"1here ha&e you been, *arol?"
"-4-4"
"1here ha&e you been?" A soft husky &oi#e
with that queer mena#ing undertone in it that
always made *arol's heart beat with
unreasoning terror!
"To see a ;iss <ing4arah <ing!"
"The girl who spoke to 5aymond the other
e&ening?"
"Yes, ;other!"
""a&e you made any plans to see her
again?"
*arol's lips mo&ed soundlessly! he nodded
assent! %right4great si#kening wa&es of fright ! !
!
"1hen?"
"Tomorrow night!"
"You are not to go! You understand?"
"Yes, ;other!"
"You promise?"
"Yes4yes!"
;rs! /oynton struggled to get up!
;e#hani#ally *arol #ame forward and helped
her! ;rs! /oynton walked slowly a#ross the
room supporting herself on her sti#k! he
paused in the doorway and looked ba#k at the
#owering girl!
"You are to ha&e nothing more to do with
this ;iss <ing! You understand?"
"Yes, ;other!"
"5epeat it!"
"- am to ha&e nothing more to do with her!"
"3ood!"
;rs! /oynton went out and shut the door!
tiBy, *arol mo&ed a#ross the bedroom!
he felt si#k, her whole body felt wooden and
unreal! he dropped onto the bed and suddenly
she was shaken by a storm of weeping! -t was
as though a &ista had opened before her4a
&ista of sunlight and trees and fowers! ! ! ! 7ow
the bla#k walls had #losed around her on#e
more! ! ! !
8
"*an - speak to you a minute?"
7adine /oynton turned in surprise, staring
into the dark eager fa#e of an entirely unknown
young woman!
"1hy, #ertainly!" /ut as she spoke, almost
un#ons#iously she threw a qui#k ner&ous
glan#e o&er her shoulder!
";y name is arah <ing," went on the
other!
":h, yes?"
";rs! /oynton, -'m going to say something
rather odd to you! - talked to your sister4in4law
for quite a long time the other e&ening!"
A faint shadow seemed to ruBe the
serenity of 7adine /oynon's fa#e! "You talked
to 3ine&ra?"
"7o, not to 3ine&ra4to *arol!"
The shadow lifted!
":h, - see4to *arol!"
7adine /oynton seemed pleased, but &ery
mu#h surprised!
""ow did you manage that?"
arah said2 "he #ame to my room4quite
late!" he saw the faint raising of the pen#iled
brows on the white forehead! he said, with
some embarrassment2 "-'m sure it must seem
&ery odd to you!"
"7o," said 7adine /oynton! "- am &ery glad!
.ery glad indeed! -t is &ery ni#e for *arol to
ha&e a friend to talk to!"
"1e4we got on &ery well together!" arah
tried to #hoose her words #arefully! "-n fa#t we
arranged to4to meet again the following night!"
"Yes?"
"/ut *arol didn't #ome!"
"Didn't she?"
7adine's &oi#e was #ool4refe#ti&e! "er
fa#e, so quiet and gentle, told arah nothing!
"7o! Yesterday she was passing through
the hall! - spoke to her and she didn't answer!
,ust looked at me on#e, and then away again,
and hurried on!"
"- see!"
There was a pause! arah found it di>#ult
to go on!
7adine /oynton said presently2 "-'m4&ery
sorry! *arol is4rather a ner&ous girl!"
Again that pause! arah took her #ourage
in both hands! "You know, ;rs! /oynton, -'m by
way of being a do#tor! - think4- think it would be
good for your sister4in4law not to4not to shut
herself away too mu#h from people!"
7adine /oynton looked thoughtfully at
arah! he said2 "- see! You're a do#tor! That
makes a di0eren#e!"
"You see what - mean?" arah urged!
7adine bent her head! he was still
thoughtful! "You are quite right, of #ourse," she
said after a minute or two! "/ut there are
di>#ulties! ;y mother4in4law is in bad health
and she has what - #an only des#ribe as a
morbid dislike of any outsiders penetrating into
her family #ir#le!"
arah said mutinously2 "/ut *arol is a
grown4up woman!"
7adine /oynton shook her head! ":h no,"
she said! "-n body, but not in mind! -f you
talked to her you must ha&e noti#ed that! -n an
emergen#y she would always beha&e like a
frightened #hild!"
"Do you think that's what happened? Do
you think she be#ame4afraid?"
"- should imagine, ;iss <ing, that my
mother4in4law insisted on *arol ha&ing nothing
more to do with you!"
"And *arol ga&e in?"
7adine /oynton said quietly2 "*an you
really imagine her doing anything else?"
The eyes of the two women met! arah felt
that behind the mask of #on&entional words,
they understood ea#h other! 7adine, she felt,
understood the position! /ut she was #learly
not prepared to dis#uss it in any way! arah felt
dis#ouraged! The other e&ening it had seemed
to her as though half the battle were won! /y
means of se#ret meetings she would imbue
*arol with the spirit of re&olt4yes, and
5aymond, too! E/e honest, nowA wasn't it
5aymond really she had had in mind all along?F
And now, in the &ery +rst round of the
battle she had been ignominiously defeated by
that hulk of shapeless fesh with her e&il
gloating eyes! *arol had #apitulated without a
struggle!
"-t's all wrong)" #ried arah!
7adine did not answer! omething in her
silen#e went home to arah like a #old hand
laid on her heart! he thought2 "This woman
knows the hopelessness of it mu#h better than
- do! he's li&ed with it)"
The ele&ator doors opened! The elder ;rs!
/oynton emerged! he leaned on a sti#k and
5aymond supported her on the other side!
arah ga&e a slight start! he saw the old
woman's eyes sweep from her to 7adine and
ba#k again! he had been prepared for dislike
in those eyes4for hatred e&en! he was not
prepared for what she saw4a triumphant and
mali#ious en(oyment!
arah turned away! 7adine went forward
and (oined the other two!
"o there you are, 7adine," said ;rs!
/oynton! "-'ll sit down and rest a little before -
go out!"
They settled her in a high4ba#ked #hair!
7adine sat down beside her!
"1ho were you talking to, 7adine?"
"A ;iss <ing!"
":h, yes! The girl who spoke to 5aymond
the other night! 1ell, 5ay, why don't you go
and speak to her now? he's o&er there at the
writing table!"
The old woman's mouth widened into a
mali#ious smile as she looked at 5aymond! "is
fa#e fushed! "e turned his head away and
muttered something!
"1hat's that you say, son?"
"- don't want to speak to her!"
"7o, - thought not! You won't speak to her!
You #ouldn't, howe&er mu#h you wanted to)"
he #oughed suddenly4a whee6ing #ough!
"-'m en(oying this trip, 7adine," she said! "-
wouldn't ha&e missed it for anything!"
"7o?" 7adine's &oi#e was e'pressionless!
"5ay!"
"Yes, ;other?"
"3et me a pie#e of notepaper4from the
table o&er there in the #orner!"
5aymond went o0 obediently! 7adine
raised her head! he wat#hed, not the boy, but
the old woman! ;rs! /oynton was leaning
forward, her nostrils dilated as though with
pleasure! 5ay passed #lose by arah! he
looked up, a sudden hope showing in her fa#e!
-t died down as he brushed past her, took some
notepaper from the #ase and went ba#k a#ross
the room!
There were little beads of sweat on his
forehead as he re(oined them and his fa#e was
dead white! .ery softly ;rs! /oynton
murmured2 "Ah ! ! !" as she wat#hed his fa#e!
Then she saw 7adine's eyes +'ed on her!
omething in them made her own snap with
sudden anger! "1here's ;r! *ope this
morning?" she said!
7adine's eyes dropped again! he
answered in her gentle e'pressionless &oi#e2 "-
don't know! - ha&en't seen him!"
"- like him," said ;rs! /oynton! "- like him
&ery mu#h! 1e must see a good deal of him!
You'll like that, won't you?"
"Yes," said 7adine! "-, too, like him &ery
mu#h!"
"1hat's the matter with 9enno' lately? "e
seems &ery dull and quiet! 7othing wrong
between you, is there?"
":h, no! 1hy should there be?"
"- wondered! ;arried people don't always
hit it o0! $erhaps you'd be happier li&ing in a
home of your own?"
7adine did not answer!
"1ell, what do you say to the idea? Does it
appeal to you?"
7adine shook her head! he said, smiling2
"- don't think it would appeal to you! ;other!"
;rs! /oynton's eyelids fi#kered! he said
sharply and &enomously2 "You'&e always been
against me, 7adine!"
The younger woman replied e&enly2 "-'m
sorry you should think that!"
The old woman's hand #losed on her sti#k!
"er fa#e seemed to get a shade more purple!
he said, with a #hange of tone2 "- forgot my
drops! 3et them for me, 7adine!"
"*ertainly!"
7adine got up and #rossed the lounge to
the ele&ator! ;rs! /oynton looked after her!
5aymond sat limply in a #hair, his eyes gla6ed
with dull misery! 7adine went upstairs and
along the #orridor! he entered the sitting room
of their suite! 9enno' was sitting by the
window! There was a book in his hand, but he
was not reading! "e roused himself as 7adine
#ame in! ""ullo, 7adine!"
"-'&e #ome up for ;other's drops! he
forgot them!" he went on into ;rs! /oynton's
bedroom! %rom a bottle on the washstand she
#arefully measured a dose into a small
medi#ine glass, +lling it up with water! As she
passed through the sitting room again she
paused! "9enno'!"
-t was a moment or two before he
answered her! -t was as though the message
had a long way to tra&el! Then he said2 "- beg
your pardon! 1hat is it?"
7adine /oynton set down the glass
#arefully on the table! Then she went o&er and
stood beside him! "9enno', look at the
sunshine out there, through the window! 9ook
at life! -t's beautiful! 1e might be out instead of
being here looking through a window!"
Again there was a pause! Then he said2
"-'m sorry! Do you want to go out?"
he answered him qui#kly2 "Yes - want to
go out4with you4out into the sun) 3o out into
life4and li&e4the two of us together!"
"e shrank ba#k into his #hair! "is eyes
looked restless, hunted! "7adine, my dear,
must we go into all this again4"
"Yes, we must! 9et us go away and lead our
own life somewhere!"
""ow #an we? 1e'&e no money!"
"1e #an earn money!"
""ow #ould we? 1hat #ould we do? -'m
untrained! Thousands of men4quali+ed men4
trained men4are out of (obs as it is! 1e #ouldn't
manage it!"
"- would earn money for both of us!"
";y dear #hild, you'&e ne&er e&en
#ompleted your training! -t's hopeless4
impossible!"
"7oA what is hopeless and impossible is our
present life!"
"You don't know what you are talking
about! ;other is &ery good to us! he gi&es us
e&ery lu'ury!"
"='#ept freedom! 9enno', make an e0ort!
*ome with me now, today4"
"7adine, - think you're quite mad!"
"7o, -'m sane! Absolutely and #ompletely
sane! - want a life of my own, with you, in the
sunshine, not stifed in the shadow of an old
woman who is a tyrant and who delights in
making you unhappy!"
";other may be rather an auto#rat4"
"Your mother is mad) he's insane)"
"e answered mildly2 "That's not true! he's
got a remarkably good head for business!"
"$erhaps4yes!"
"And you must reali6e, 7adine, she #an't
li&e fore&er! he's si'ty4odd and she's in &ery
bad health! At her death my father's money is
to be di&ided equally among us, share and
share alike! You remember, she read us the
will?"
"1hen she dies," said 7adine! "-t may be
too late!"
"Too late?"
"Too late for happiness!"
9enno' murmured2 "Too late for
happiness!" "e shi&ered suddenly! 7adine went
#loser to him! he put her hand on his
shoulder!
"9enno', - lo&e you! -t's a battle between
me and your mother! Are you going to be on
her side or mine?"
":n yours, on yours)"
"Then do what - ask!"
"-t's impossible)"
"7o, it's not impossible! Think, 9enno', we
#ould ha&e #hildren ! ! !"
";other wants us to ha&e #hildren, anyway!
he has said so!"
"- know, but - won't bring #hildren into the
world to li&e in the shadow you ha&e all been
brought up in! Your mother #an infuen#e you,
but she's no power o&er me!"
9enno' murmured2 "You make her angry
sometimes, 7adineA it isn't wise!"
"he is only angry be#ause she knows that
she #an't infuen#e my mind or di#tate my
thoughts)"
"- know you are always polite and gentle
with her! You're wonderful! You're too good for
me! You always ha&e been! 1hen you said you
would marry me it was like an unbelie&able
dream!"
7adine said quietly2 "- was wrong to marry
you!"
9enno' said hopelessly2 "Yes, you were
wrong!"
"You don't understand! 1hat - mean is that
if - had gone away then and asked you to follow
me you would ha&e done so! Yes, - really
belie&e you would! ! ! ! - was not #le&er enough
then to understand your mother and what she
wanted!"
he paused, then she said2 "You refuse to
#ome away? 1ell, - #an't make you! /ut - am
free to go) - think4- think - shall go! ! ! !"
"e stared up at her in#redulously! %or the
+rst time his reply #ame qui#kly, as though at
last the sluggish #urrent of his thoughts was
a##elerated! "e stammered2 "/ut4but4you #an't
do that! ;other4;other would ne&er hear of it!"
"he #ouldn't stop me!"
"You'&e no money!"
"- #ould make, borrow, beg or steal it!
8nderstand 9enno', your mother has no power
o&er me) - #an go or stay at my will! - am
beginning to feel that - ha&e borne this life long
enough!"
"7adine4don't lea&e me4don't lea&e
me! ! ! !"
he looked at him thoughtfully4quietly4with
an ins#rutable e'pression!
"Don't lea&e me, 7adine!" "e spoke like a
#hild! he turned her head away, so he should
not see the sudden pain in her eyes!
he knelt down beside him! "Then #ome
with me! *ome with me) You #an! -ndeed you
#an if you only will)"
"e shrank ba#k from her! "- #an't) - #an't) -
tell you! - ha&en't43od help me4- ha&en't the
#ourage! ! ! !"
9
Dr! 3erard walked into the o>#e of ;essrs!
*astle the tourist agents, and found arah <ing
at the #ounter!
he looked up!
":h, good morning! -'m +'ing up my tour to
$etra! -'&e (ust heard you are going after all!"
"Yes, - +nd - #an (ust manage it!"
""ow ni#e!"
"hall we be a large party, - wonder?"
"They say (ust two other women4and you
and me! :ne #ar load!"
"That will be delightful," said 3erard with a
little bow! Then he, in turn, attended to his
business! $resently, holding his mail in his
hands, he (oined arah as she stepped out of
the o>#e! -t was a #risp sunny day, with a
slight #old tang in the air!
"1hat news of our friends, the /oyntons?"
asked Dr! 3erard! "- ha&e been to /ethlehem
and 7a6areth and other pla#es4a tour of three
days!"
lowly and rather unwillingly, arah
narrated her aborti&e e0orts to establish
#onta#t! "Anyhow - failed," she +nished! "And
they're lea&ing today!"
"1here are they going?"
"-'&e no idea!"
he went on &e'edly2 "- feel, you know,
that -'&e made rather a fool of myself!"
"-n what way?"
"-nterfering in other people's business!"
3erard shrugged his shoulders! "That is a
matter of opinion!"
"You mean whether one should interfere or
not?"
"Yes!"
"Do you?"
The %ren#hman looked amused! "You mean,
is it my habit to #on#ern myself with other
people's a0airs? - will say to you frankly4no!"
"Then you think -'m wrong to ha&e tried
butting in?"
"7o, no, you misunderstand me!" 3erard
spoke qui#kly and energeti#ally! "-t is, - think, a
moot question! hould one, if one sees a wrong
being done, attempt to put it right? :ne's
interferen#e may do good4but it may also do
in#al#ulable harm) -t is impossible to lay down
any ruling on the sub(e#t! ome people ha&e a
genius for interferen#e4they do it well) ome
people do it #lumsily and had therefore better
lea&e it alone) Then there is, too, the question
of age! Young people ha&e the #ourage of their
ideals and #on&i#tions, their &alues are more
theoreti#al than pra#ti#al! They ha&e not
e'perien#ed, as yet, that fa#t #ontradi#ts
theory) -f you ha&e a belief in yourself and in
the rightness of what you are doing, you #an
often a##omplish things that are well
worthwhile) E-n#identally you often do a good
deal of harm)F :n the other hand, the middle4
aged person has e'perien#e, he has found that
harm as well as, and perhaps more often than,
good #omes of trying to interfere and so, &ery
wisely, he refrains) o the result is e&en4the
earnest young do both harm and good4the
prudent middle4aged do neither)"
"All that isn't &ery helpful," ob(e#ted arah!
"*an one person e&er be helpful to
another? -t is your problem not mine!"
"You mean you are not going to do
anything about the /oyntons?"
"7o! %or me, there would be no #han#e of
su##ess!"
"Then there isn't for me either?"
"%or you, there might be!"
"1hy?"
"/e#ause you ha&e spe#ial quali+#ations!
The appeal of your youth and se'!"
"e'? :h, - see!"
":ne #omes always ba#k to se', does one
not? You ha&e failed with the girl! -t does not
follow that you would fail with her brother!
1hat you ha&e (ust told me, Ewhat the girl
*arol told youF, shows &ery #learly the one
mena#e to ;rs! /oynton's auto#ra#y! The
eldest son, 9enno', de+ed her in the for#e of
his young manhood! "e played truant from
home, went to lo#al dan#es! The desire of a
man for a mate was stronger than the hypnoti#
spell! /ut the old woman was quite aware of
the power of se'! Ehe will ha&e seen
something of it in her #areer!F he dealt with it
&ery #le&erly, brought a pretty but penniless
girl into the house, en#ouraged a marriage!
And so a#quired yet another sla&e!"
arah shook her head! "- don't think young
;rs! /oynton is a sla&e!"
3erard agreed! "7o, perhaps not! - think
that be#ause she was a quiet do#ile young girl,
old ;rs! /oynton underestimated her for#e of
will and #hara#ter! 7adine /oynton was too
young and ine'perien#ed at the time to
appre#iate the true position! he appre#iates it
now, but it is too late!"
"Do you think she has gi&en up hope?"
Dr! 3erard shook his head doubtfully! "-f
she has plans no one would know about them!
There are, you know, #ertain possibilities where
*ope is #on#erned! ;an is a naturally (ealous
animal4and (ealousy is a strong for#e! 9enno'
/oynton might still be roused from the inertia
in whi#h he is sinking!"
"And you think"4arah purposely made her
tone &ery businesslike and professional4"that
there's a #han#e - might be able to do
something about 5aymond?"
"- do!"
arah sighed! "- suppose - might ha&e
tried4 :h, well, it's too late now, anyway! And4
and - don't like the idea!"
3erard looked amused! "That is be#ause
you are =nglish) The =nglish ha&e a #omple'
about se'! They think it is 'not quite ni#e!'"
arah's indignant response failed to mo&e
him! "Yes, yes, - know you are &ery modern,
that you use freely in publi# the most
unpleasant words you #an +nd in the
di#tionary, that you are professional and
entirely uninhibited) Tout de merne, - repeat,
you ha&e the same ra#ial #hara#teristi#s as
your mother and your grandmother! You are
still the blushing =nglish ;iss although you do
not blush)"
"- ne&er heard su#h rubbish)"
Dr! 3erard, a twinkle in his eyes, and quite
unperturbed, added2 "And it makes you &ery
#harming!"
This time arah was spee#hless!
Dr! 3erard hastily raised his hat! "- take my
lea&e," he said, "before you ha&e time to begin
to say all that you think!"
"e es#aped into the hotel!
arah followed him more slowly! There was
a good deal of a#ti&ity going on! e&eral #ars
loaded with luggage were in pro#ess of
departing! 9enno' and 7adine /oynton and ;r!
*ope were standing by a big saloon #ar
superintending arrangements! A fat dragoman
was standing talking to *arol with quite
unintelligible fuen#y!
arah passed them and went into the
hotel! ;rs! /oynton, wrapped in a thi#k #oat,
was sitting in a #hair, waiting to depart!
9ooking at her, a queer re&ulsion of feeling
swept o&er arah!
he had felt that ;rs! /oynton was a
sinister +gure, an in#arnation of e&il
malignan#y! 7ow, suddenly, she saw the old
woman as a patheti# ine0e#tual +gure! To be
born with su#h a lust for power, su#h a desire
for dominion, and to a#hie&e only a petty
domesti# tyranny) -f only her #hildren #ould see
her as arah saw her that minute4an ob(e#t of
pity4a stupid, malignant, patheti#, posturing old
woman!
:n an impulse arah went up to her!
"3oodbye, ;rs! /oynton," she said! "- hope
you'll ha&e a ni#e trip!"
The old lady looked at her! ;alignan#y
struggled with outrage in those eyes!
"You'&e wanted to be &ery rude to me,"
said arah! E1as she #ra6y, she wondered?
1hat on earth was urging her on to talk like
this?F "You'&e tried to pre&ent your son and
daughter making friends with me! Don't you
think, really, that that is all &ery silly and
#hildish? You like to make yourself out a kind of
ogre, but really, you know, you're (ust patheti#
and rather ludi#rous! -f - were you -'d gi&e up all
this silly play4a#ting! - e'pe#t you'll hate me for
saying this, but - mean it4and some of it may
sti#k! You know you #ould ha&e a lot of fun still!
-t's really mu#h better to be friendly and kind!
You #ould be if you tried!"
There was a pause! ;rs! /oynton had
fro6en into a deadly immobility! At last she
passed her tongue o&er her dry lips, her mouth
opened! ! ! ! till for a moment no words #ame!
"3o on," said arah en#ouragingly! "ay it) -t
doesn't matter what you say to me! /ut think
o&er what -'&e said to you!"
The words #ame at last4in a soft, husky, but
penetrating &oi#e! ;rs! /oynton's basilisk eyes
looked, not at arah, but oddly o&er her
shoulder! he seemed to address, not arah,
but some familiar spirit!
"- ne&er forget," she said! "5emember that!
-'&e ne&er forgotten anything, not an a#tion,
not a name, not a fa#e! ! ! !" There was nothing
in the words themsel&es, but the &enom with
whi#h they were spoken made arah retreat a
step!
And then ;rs! /oynton laughed! -t was,
de+nitely, rather a horrible laugh!
arah shrugged her shoulders! "You poor
old thing," she said! he turned away! As she
went towards the ele&ator she almost #ollided
with 5aymond /oynton! :n an impulse she
spoke qui#kly2 "3oodbyeA - hope you'll ha&e a
lo&ely time! $erhaps we'll meet again some
day!"
he smiled at him, a warm friendly smile,
and passed qui#kly on!
5aymond stood as though turned to stone!
o lost in his own thoughts was he that a small
man with big mousta#hes, endea&oring to pass
out of the ele&ator, had to speak se&eral times!
"$ardon!"
At last it penetrated! 5aymond stepped
aside! "o sorry," he said! "-4- was thinking!"
*arol #ame towards him! "5ay, get ,inny,
will you? he went ba#k to her room! 1e're
going to start!"
"5ightA -'ll tell her she's got to #ome
straight away!" 5aymond walked into the
ele&ator!
"er#ule $oirot stood for a moment looking
after him, his eyebrows raised, his head a little
on one side as though he were listening! Then
he nodded his head as though in agreement!
1alking through the lounge he took a good
look at *arol who had (oined her mother! Then
he be#koned the head waiter who was passing!
"$ardon, #an you tell me the name of those
people o&er there?"
"The name is /oynton, ;onsieurA they are
Ameri#ans!"
"Thank you," said "er#ule $oirot!
:n the third foor Dr! 3erard, going to his
room, passed 5aymond /oynton and 3ine&ra
walking towards the waiting ele&ator! ,ust as
they were about to get into it 3ine&ra said2
",ust a minute! 5ayA wait for me in the
ele&ator!" he ran ba#k, turned a #orner,
#aught up with the walking man! "$lease4- must
speak to you!"
Dr! 3erard looked up in astonishment! The
girl #ame up #lose to him and #aught his arm!
"They're taking me away) They may be going
to kill me! ! ! ! - don't really belong to them, you
know! ;y name isn't really /oynton! ! ! !" he
hurried on, her words #oming fast and tumbling
o&er ea#h other! "-'ll trust you with the se#ret!
-'m4-'m 5oyal, really) -'m the heiress to a
throne! That's why there are enemies all
around me! They try to poison me, all sorts of
things ! ! ! -f you #ould help me4to get away4"
he broke o0! %ootsteps!
",inny4"
/eautiful in her sudden startled gesture,
the girl put a +nger to her lips, threw 3erard an
imploring glan#e, and ran ba#k! "-'m #oming,
5ay!"
Dr! 3erard walked on with his eyebrows
raised! lowly, he shook his head and frowned!
10
-t was the morning of the start to $etra!
arah #ame down to +nd a big masterful
woman with a ro#king4horse nose whom she
had already noti#ed in the hotel, outside the
main entran#e ob(e#ting +er#ely to the si6e of
the #ar!
"A great deal too small) %our passengers?
And a dragoman? Then of #ourse we must ha&e
a mu#h larger saloon! $lease take that #ar
away and return with one of an adequate si6e!"
-n &ain did the representati&e of ;essrs!
*astle's raise his &oi#e in e'planation! That was
the si6e of #ar always pro&ided! -t was really a
most #omfortable #ar! A larger #ar was not so
suitable for desert tra&el! The large woman,
metaphori#ally speaking, rolled o&er him like a
large steamroller! Then she turned her
attention to arah! ";iss <ing? - am 9ady
1estholme! - am sure you agree with me that
that #ar is grossly inadequate as to si6e?"
"1ell," said arah #autiously, "- agree that
a larger one would be more #omfortable)"
The young man from *astle's murmured
that a larger #ar would add to the pri#e!
"The pri#e," said 9ady 1estholme +rmly, "is
in#lusi&e and - shall #ertainly refuse to san#tion
any addition to it! Your prospe#tus distin#tly
states 'in #omfortable saloon #ar!' You will keep
to the terms of your agreement!"
5e#ogni6ing defeat, the young man from
*astle's murmured something about seeing
what he #ould do and wilted away from the
spot! 9ady 1estholme turned to arah, a smile
of triumph on her weather4beaten
#ountenan#e, her large red ro#king4horse
nostrils dilated e'ultantly!
9ady 1estholme was a &ery well4known
+gure in the =nglish politi#al world! 1hen 9ord
1estholme, a middle4aged, simple4minded
peer, whose only interests in life were hunting,
shooting and +shing, was returning from a trip
to the 8nited tates, one of his fellow
passengers was a ;rs! .ansittart! hortly
afterwards ;rs! .ansittart be#ame 9ady
1estholme! The mat#h was often #ited as one
of the e'amples of the danger of o#ean
&oyages! The new 9ady 1estholme li&ed
entirely in tweeds and stout brogues, bred
dogs, bullied the &illagers and for#ed her
husband pitilessly into publi# life! -t being
borne in upon her, howe&er, that politi#s was
not 9ord 1estholme's mGtier in life and ne&er
would be, she gra#iously allowed him to
resume his sporting a#ti&ities and herself stood
for $arliament! /eing ele#ted with a substantial
ma(ority, 9ady 1estholme threw herself with
&igor into politi#al life, being espe#ially a#ti&e
at Huestion time! *artoons of her soon began
to appear Ealways a sure sign of su##essF! As a
publi# +gure she stood for the old4fashioned
&alues of %amily 9ife, 1elfare work amongst
1omen, and was an ardent supporter of the
9eague of 7ations! he had de#ided &iews on
questions of Agri#ulture, "ousing and lum
*learan#e! he was mu#h respe#ted and
almost uni&ersally disliked) -t was highly
possible that she would be gi&en an 8nder
e#retaryship when her $arty returned to
power! At the moment a 9iberal 3o&ernment
Eowing to a split in the 7ational 3o&ernment
between 9abor and *onser&ati&esF was
somewhat une'pe#tedly in power! 9ady
1estholme looked with grim satisfa#tion after
the departing #ar! ";en always think they #an
impose upon women," she said!
arah thought that it would be a bra&e
man who thought he #ould impose upon 9ady
1estholme) he introdu#ed Dr! 3erard who had
(ust #ome out of the hotel!
"Your name is, of #ourse, familiar to me,"
said 9ady 1estholme, shaking hands! "- was
talking to $rofessor *lemen#eau' the other day
in $aris! - ha&e been taking up the question of
the treatment of pauper lunati#s &ery strongly
lately! .ery strongly, indeed! hall we #ome
inside while we wait for a better #ar to be
obtained?"
A &ague little middle4aged lady with wisps
of gray hair who was ho&ering near by turned
out to be ;iss Annabel $ier#e, the fourth
member of the party! he too was swept into
the lounge under 9ady 1estholme's prote#ting
wing!
"You are a professional woman ;iss <ing?"
"-'&e (ust taken my ;!/!!"
"3ood," said 9ady 1estholme with
#ondes#ending appro&al! "-f anything is to be
a##omplished, mark my words, it is women
who will do it!"
8neasily #ons#ious for the +rst time of her
se', arah followed 9ady 1estholme meekly to
a seat! There, as they sat waiting, 9ady
1estholme informed them that she had
refused an in&itation to stay with the "igh
*ommissioner during her stay in ,erusalem!
"- did not want to be hampered by
o>#ialdom! - wished to look into things for
myself!"
"1hat things?" arah wondered!
9ady 1estholme went on to e'plain that
she was staying at the olomon "otel so as to
remain unhampered! he added that she had
made se&eral suggestions to the ;anager for
the more #ompetent running of his hotel!
"=>#ien#y," said 9ady 1estholme, "is my
1at#hword!"
-t #ertainly seemed to be) -n a quarter of
an hour a large and e'tremely #omfortable #ar
arri&ed and in due #ourse4after ad&i#e from
9ady 1estholme as to how the luggage should
be bestowed4the party set o0!
Their +rst halt was the Dead ea! They had
lun#h at ,eri#ho! Afterwards when 9ady
1estholme armed with a /aedeker had gone
o0 with ;iss $ier#e, the do#tor and the fat
dragoman to do a tour of old ,eri#ho, arah
remained in the garden of the hotel!
"er head a#hed slightly and she wanted to
be alone! A deep depression weighed her
down4a depression for whi#h she found it hard
to a##ount! he felt suddenly listless and
uninterested, disin#lined for sightseeing, bored
by her #ompanions! he wished at this moment
that she had ne&er #ommitted herself to this
$etra tour! -t was going to be &ery e'pensi&e
and she felt quite sure she wasn't going to
en(oy it) 9ady 1estholme's booming &oi#e, ;iss
$ier#e's endless twitterings, and the anti4
Iionist lamentation of the dragoman were
already fraying her ner&es to a fra66le! he
disliked almost as mu#h Dr! 3erard's amused
air of knowing e'a#tly how she was feeling!
he wondered where the /oyntons were
now4perhaps they had gone on to yria4they
might be at /aalbek or Damas#us! 5aymond!
he wondered what 5aymond was doing!
trange how #learly she #ould see his fa#e, its
eagerness, its di>den#e, its ner&ous tension! ! !
! :h) "ell, why go on thinking of people she
would probably ne&er see again? That s#ene
the other day with the old woman4what #ould
ha&e possessed her to mar#h up to the old lady
and spurt out a lot of nonsense! :ther people
must ha&e heard some of it! he fan#ied that
9ady 1estholme had been quite #lose by!
arah tried to remember e'a#tly what it was
she had said! omething that probably
sounded quite absurdly hysteri#al! 3oodness,
what a fool she had made of herself) /ut it
wasn't her fault really4it was old ;rs!
/oynton's! There was something about her that
made you lose your sense of proportion!
Dr! 3erard entered and plumped down in a
#hair, wiping his hot forehead! "$hew) That
woman should be poisoned)" he de#lared!
arah started! ";rs! /oynton?"
";rs! /oynton) 7o, - meant that 9ady
1estholme) -t is in#redible to me that she has
had a husband for many years and that he has
not already done so! 1hat #an he be made of,
that husband?"
arah laughed! ":h, he's the 'huntin',
+shin', shootin'' kind," she e'plained!
"$sy#hologi#ally that is &ery sound) "e
appeases his lust to kill on the Eso4#alledF lower
#reations!"
"- belie&e he is &ery proud of his wife's
a#ti&ities!"
The %ren#hman suggested2 "/e#ause they
take her a good deal away from home? That is
understandable!" Then he went on! "1hat did
you say (ust now? ;rs! /oynton? 8ndoubtedly
it would be a &ery good idea to poison her, too!
8ndeniably the simplest solution of that family
problem) -n fa#t, a great many women would
be better poisoned! All women who ha&e grown
old and ugly!" "e made an e'pressi&e fa#e!
arah #ried out, laughing2 ":h, you
%ren#hmen) You'&e got no use for any woman
who isn't young and attra#ti&e!"
3erard shrugged his shoulders! "1e are
more honest about it, that is all! =nglishmen,
they do not get up in tubes and trains for ugly
women4no, no!"
""ow depressing life is," said arah with a
sigh!
"There is no need for you to sigh!
;ademoiselle!"
"1ell, - feel thoroughly disgruntled today!"
"7aturally!"
"1hat do you mean4naturally?" snapped
arah!
"You #ould +nd the reason &ery easily if you
e'amine your state of mind honestly!"
"- think it's our fellow tra&elers who
depress me," said arah! "-t's awful, isn't it, but
- do hate women) 1hen they're ine>#ient and
idioti# like ;iss $ier#e, they infuriate me, and
when they're e>#ient like 9ady 1estholme,
they annoy me more still!"
"-t is, - should say, una&oidable that these
two people should annoy you! 9ady 1estholme
is e'a#tly +tted to the life she leads and is
#ompletely happy and su##essful! ;iss $ier#e
has worked for years as a nursery go&erness
and has suddenly #ome into a small lega#y
whi#h has enabled her to ful+ll her lifelong wish
and tra&el! o far, tra&el has li&ed up to her
e'pe#tations! *onsequently you, who ha&e (ust
been thwarted in obtaining what you want,
naturally resent the e'isten#e of people who
ha&e been more su##essful in life than you
are!"
"- suppose you're right," said arah
gloomily! "1hat a horribly a##urate mind
reader you are! - keep trying to humbug myself
and you won't let me!"
At this moment the others returned! The
guide seemed the most e'hausted of the three!
"e was quite subdued and hardly e'uded any
information on the way to Amman! "e did not
e&en mention the ,ews! %or whi#h e&eryone
was profoundly grateful! "is &oluble and
fren6ied a##ount of their iniquities had done
mu#h to try e&eryone's temper on the (ourney
from ,erusalem!
7ow the road wound upward from the
,ordan, twisting and turning with #lumps of
oleanders showing rose4#olored fowers!
They rea#hed Amman late in the afternoon
and after a short &isit to the 3rae#o45oman
theatre, went to bed early! They were to make
an early start the ne't morning as it was a full
day's motor run a#ross the desert to ;a'an!
They left soon after eight o'#lo#k! The party
was in#lined to be silent! -t was a hot airless
day and by noon when a halt was made for a
pi#ni# lun#h to be eaten, it was really, stifingly
hot! The irritation on a hot day of being bo'ed
up #losely with four other human beings had
got a little on e&eryone's ner&es!
9ady 1estholme and Dr! 3erard had a
somewhat irritable argument o&er the 9eague
of 7ations! 9ady 1estholme was a fer&ent
supporter of the 9eague! The %ren#hman, on
the other hand, #hose to be witty at the
9eague's e'pense! %rom the attitude of the
9eague #on#erning Abyssinia and pain they
passed to the 9ithuania boundary dispute of
whi#h arah had ne&er heard and from there to
the a#ti&ities of the 9eague in suppressing
dope gangs!
"You must admit they ha&e done wonderful
work! 1onderful)" snapped 9ady 1estholme!
Dr! 3erard shrugged his shoulders!
"$erhaps! And at wonderful e'pense, too)"
"The matter is a &ery serious one! 8nder
the Dangerous Drugs A#t4" The argument
waged on!
;iss $ier#e twittered to arah2 "-t is really
most interesting tra&eling with 9ady
1estholme!"
arah said a#idly2 "-s it?" but ;iss $ier#e
did not noti#e the a#erbity and twittered
happily on2 "-'&e so often seen her name in the
papers! o #le&er of women to go into publi#
life and hold their own! -'m always so glad
when a woman a##omplishes something)"
"1hy?" demanded arah fero#iously!
;iss $ier#e's mouth fell open and she
stammered a little! ":h, be#ause4- mean4(ust
be#ause4well4it's so ni#e that women are able
to do things)"
"- don't agree," said arah! "-t's ni#e when
any human being is able to a##omplish
something worthwhile) -t doesn't matter a bit
whether it's a man or a woman! 1hy should
it?"
"1ell, of #ourse4" said ;iss $ier#e! "Yes4-
#onfess4of #ourse, looking at it in that light4"
/ut she looked slightly wistful! arah said more
gently2 "-'m sorry, but - do hate this
di0erentiation between the se'es! 'The modern
girl has a thoroughly businesslike attitude to
life)' That sort of thing! -t's not a bit true) ome
girls are businesslike and some aren't! ome
men are sentimental and muddle4headed,
others are #lear4headed and logi#al! There are
(ust di0erent types of brains! e' only matters
where se' is dire#tly #on#erned!"
;iss $ier#e fushed a little at the word se'
and adroitly #hanged the sub(e#t! ":ne #an't
help wishing that there were a little shade,"
she murmured! "/ut - do think all this
emptiness is so wonderful, don't you?"
arah nodded! Yes, she thought, the
emptiness was mar&elous ! ! ! "ealing ! ! !
$ea#eful ! ! ! 7o human beings to agitate one
with their tiresome inter4relationships ! ! ! 7o
burning personal problems) 7ow, at last, she
felt, she was free of the /oyntons! %ree of that
strange #ompelling wish to interfere in the li&es
of people whose orbit did not remotely tou#h
her own! he felt soothed and at pea#e! "ere
was loneliness, emptiness, spa#iousness ! ! ! -n
fa#t, pea#e ! ! ! :nly, of #ourse, one wasn't
alone to en(oy it! 9ady 1estholme and Dr!
3erard had +nished with drugs and were now
arguing about guileless young women who
were e'ported in a sinister manner to
Argentinean #abarets! Dr! 3erard had displayed
throughout the #on&ersation a le&ity whi#h
9ady 1estholme, who, being a true politi#ian,
had no sense of humor, found de+nitely
deplorable!
"1e go on now, yes?" announ#ed the tar4
bushed dragoman and began to talk about the
iniquities of ,ews again!
-t was about an hour o0 sunset when they
rea#hed ;a'an at last! trange wild4fa#ed men
#rowded around the #ar! After a short halt they
went on! 9ooking o&er the fat desert #ountry
arah was at a loss as to where the ro#ky
stronghold of $etra #ould be! urely they #ould
see for miles and miles all around them? There
were no mountains, no hills anywhere! 1ere
they then still many miles from their (ourney's
end?
They rea#hed the &illage of Am ;usa where
the #ars were to be left! "ere horses were
waiting for them4sorry looking thin beasts! The
inadequa#y of her striped wash fro#k disturbed
;iss $ier#e greatly! 9ady 1estholme was
sensibly attired in riding bree#hes, not perhaps
a parti#ularly be#oming style to her type of
+gure, but #ertainly pra#ti#al!
The horses were led out of the &illage along
a slippery path with loose stones! The ground
fell away and the horses 6ig6agged down! The
sun was #lose on setting!
arah was &ery tired with the long hot
(ourney in the #ar! "er senses felt da6ed! The
ride was like a dream! -t seemed to her
afterwards that it was like the pit of "ell
opening at one's feet! The way wound down4
down into the ground! The shapes of ro#k rose
up around them, down, down into the bowels of
the earth, through a labyrinth of red #li0s! They
towered now on either side! arah felt stifed,
mena#ed by the e&er4narrowing gorge! he
thought #onfusedly to herself2 "Down into the
&alley of death4down into the &alley of
death! ! ! !"
:n and on! -t grew dark, the &i&id red of
the walls faded, and still on, winding in and
out, imprisoned, lost in the bowels of the earth!
he thought2 "-t's fantasti# and
unbelie&able ! ! ! a dead #ity!"
And again like a refrain #ame the words2
"The &alley of death! ! ! !"
9anterns were lit now! The horses wound
along through the narrow ways! uddenly they
#ame out into a wide spa#e4the #li0s re#eded!
%ar ahead of them was a #luster of lights!
"That is #amp)" said the guide!
The horses qui#kened their pa#e a little4not
&ery mu#h4they were too star&ed and dispirited
for that, but they showed (ust a shade of
enthusiasm! 7ow the way ran along a gra&elly
waterbed! The lights grew nearer! They #ould
see a #luster of tents, a higher row up against
the fa#e of a #li0! *a&es, too, hollowed out in
the ro#k!
They were arri&ing! /edouin ser&ants #ame
running out!
arah stared up at one of the #a&es! -t held
a sitting +gure! 1hat was it? An idol? A giganti#
squatting image?
7o, that was the fi#kering lights that made
it loom so large! /ut it must be an idol of some
kind, sitting there immo&able, brooding o&er
the pla#e! ! ! ! And then, suddenly, her heart
ga&e a leap of re#ognition!
3one was the feeling of pea#e4of es#ape4
that the desert had gi&en her! he had been
led from freedom ba#k into #apti&ity! he had
ridden down into this dark winding &alley and
here, like an ar#h priestess of some forgotten
#ult, like a monstrous swollen female /uddha,
sat ;rs! /oynton! ! ! !
11
;rs! /oynton was here, at $etra)
arah answered me#hani#ally questions
that were addressed to her! 1ould she ha&e
dinner straight away4it was ready4or would she
like to wash +rst? 1ould she prefer to sleep in
a tent or a #a&e?
"er answer to that #ame qui#kly! A tent!
he fin#hed at the thought of a #a&eA the
&ision of that monstrous squatting +gure
re#urred to her! E1hy was it that something
about the woman seemed hardly human?F
%inally she followed one of the nati&e ser&ants!
"e wore khaki bree#hes mu#h pat#hed and
untidy puttees and a ragged #oat &ery mu#h
the worse for wear! :n his head the nati&e
headdress, the #he>yah, its long folds
prote#ting the ne#k and se#ured in pla#e with a
bla#k silk twist +tting tightly to the #rown of his
head! arah admired the easy swing with whi#h
he walked, the #areless proud #arriage of his
head! :nly the =uropean part of his #ostume
seemed tawdry and wrong! he thought2
"*i&ili6ation's all wrong4all wrong) /ut for
#i&ili6ation there wouldn't be a ;rs! /oynton) -n
sa&age tribes they'd probably ha&e killed and
eaten her years ago)"
he reali6ed, half humorously, that she was
o&ertired and on edge! A wash in hot water and
a dusting of powder o&er her fa#e and she felt
herself again4#ool, poised, and ashamed of her
re#ent pani#!
he passed a #omb through her thi#k bla#k
hair, squinting sideways at her refe#tion in the
wa&ering light of a small oil lamp in a &ery
inadequate glass!
Then she pushed aside the tent fap and
#ame out into the night prepared to des#end to
the big marquee below!
"You4here?"
-t was a low #ry4da6ed, in#redulous! he
turned to look straight into 5aymond /oynton's
eyes! o ama6ed they were) And something in
them held her silent and almost afraid! u#h an
unbelie&able (oy! ! ! ! -t was as though he had
seen a &ision of $aradise4wondering, da6ed,
thankful, humble) 7e&er, in all her life, was
arah to forget that look! o might the damned
look up and see $aradise! ! ! !
"e said again2 "You ! ! !"
-t did something to her4that low &ibrant
tone! -t made her heart turn o&er in her breast!
-t made her feel shy, afraid, humble and yet
suddenly arrogantly glad!
he said quite simply2 "Yes!"
"e #ame nearer4still da6ed4still only half
belie&ing! Then suddenly he took her hand! "-t
is you," he said! "You're real! - thought at +rst
you were a ghost4be#ause -'d been thinking
about you so mu#h!" "e paused and then said2
"- lo&e you, you know! ! ! ! - ha&e from the
moment - saw you in the train! - know that now!
And - want you to know it so that4so that you'll
know it isn't me4the real me4who4who beha&es
so #addishly! You see, - #an't answer for myself
e&en now! - might do4anything) - might pass
you by or #ut you4but - do want you to know
that it isn't me4the real me4who is responsible
for that! -t's my ner&es! - #an't depend on
them! ! ! ! 1hen she tells me to do things4- do
them) ;y ner&es make me) You will
understand, won't you? Despise me if you ha&e
to4"
he interrupted him! "er &oi#e was low and
une'pe#tedly sweet! "- won't despise you!"
"All the same, -'m pretty despi#able) -
ought to4to be able to beha&e like a man!"
-t was partly an e#ho of 3erard's ad&i#e,
but more out of her own knowledge and hope
that arah answered4and behind the sweetness
of her &oi#e there was a ring of #ertainty and
#ons#ious authority! "You will now!"
"hall -?" "is &oi#e was wistful! "$erhaps! ! !
!"
"You'll ha&e #ourage now! -'m sure of it!"
"e drew himself up4fung ba#k his head!
"*ourage? Yes4that's all that's needed!
*ourage)"
uddenly he bent his head, tou#hed her
hand with his lips! A minute later he had left
her!
12
arah went down to the big marquee! he
found her three fellow tra&elers there! They
were sitting at table eating! The guide was
e'plaining that there was another party here!
"They #ome two days ago! 3o day after
tomorrow! Ameri#ans! The mother &ery fat,
&ery di>#ult get here) *arried in #hair by
bearers4they say &ery hard work4they get &ery
hot4yes!"
arah ga&e a sudden spurt of laughter! :f
#ourse, take it properly, the whole thing was
funny) The fat dragoman looked at her
gratefully! "e was not +nding his task too easy!
9ady 1estholme had #ontradi#ted him out of
/aedeker three times that day and had now
found fault with the type of bed pro&ided! "e
was grateful to the one member of his party
who seemed to be una##ountably in a good
temper!
""a)" said 9ady 1estholme! "- think these
people were at the olomon! - re#ogni6ed the
old mother as we arri&ed here! - think - saw you
talking to her at the hotel! ;iss <ing!"
arah blushed guiltily, hoping 9ady
1estholme had not o&erheard mu#h of that
#on&ersation!
"5eally, what possessed me)" she thought
to herself in an agony! -n the meantime 9ady
1estholme had made a pronoun#ement!
"7ot interesting people at all! .ery
pro&in#ial," she said!
;iss $ier#e made eager sy#ophantish
noises and 9ady 1estholme embarked on a
history of &arious interesting and prominent
Ameri#ans whom she had met re#ently! The
weather being so unusually hot for the time of
year, an early start was arranged for the
morrow!
The four assembled for breakfast at si'
o'#lo#k! There were no signs of any of the
/oynton family! After 9ady 1estholme had
#ommented unfa&orably on the absen#e of
fruit, they #onsumed tea, tinned milk and fried
eggs in a generous allowan#e of fat, fanked by
e'tremely salty ba#on!
Then they started forth! 9ady 1estholme
and Dr! 3erard dis#ussing with animation on
the part of the former the e'a#t &alue of
&itamins in diet and the proper nutrition of the
working #lasses!
Then there was a sudden hail from the
#amp and they halted to allow another person
to (oin the party! -t was ;r! ,e0erson *ope who
hurried after them, his pleasant fa#e fushed
with the e'ertion of running!
"1hy, if you don't mind, -'d like to (oin your
party this morning! 3ood morning, ;iss <ing!
Huite a surprise meeting you and Dr! 3erard
here! 1hat do you think of it?" "e made a
gesture indi#ating the fantasti# red ro#ks that
stret#hed in e&ery dire#tion!
"- think it's rather wonderful and (ust a little
horrible," said arah! "- always thought of it as
romanti# and dreamlike4the 'rose red #ity!' /ut
it's mu#h more real than that4it's as real as4as
raw beef!"
"And &ery mu#h the #olor of it," agreed ;r!
*ope!
"/ut it's mar&elous, too," admitted arah!
The party began to #limb! Two /edouin
guides a##ompanied them! Tall men, with an
easy #arriage, they swung upward
un#on#ernedly in their hobnailed boots,
#ompletely foot4sure on the slippery slope!
Di>#ulties soon began! arah had a good head
for heights and so had Dr! 3erard! /ut both ;r!
*ope and 9ady 1estholme were far from
happy, and the unfortunate ;iss $ier#e had to
be almost #arried o&er the pre#ipitous pla#es,
her eyes shut, her fa#e green, while her &oi#e
rose #easelessly in a perpetual wail2 "- ne&er
#ould look down pla#es! 7e&er4from a #hild)"
:n#e she de#lared her intention of going
ba#k, but on turning to fa#e the des#ent, her
skin assumed an e&en greener tinge, and she
relu#tantly de#ided that to go on was the only
thing to be done!
Dr! 3erard was kind and reassuring! "e
went up behind her, holding his sti#k between
her and the sheer drop like a balustrade, and
she #onfessed that the illusion of a rail did
mu#h to #onquer the feeling of &ertigo!
arah, panting a little, asked the
dragoman, ;ahmoud, who in spite of his ample
proportions showed no signs of distress2 "Don't
you e&er ha&e trouble getting people up here?
=lderly ones, - mean!"
"Always4always we ha&e trouble," agreed
;ahmoud serenely!
"Do you always try and take them?"
;ahmoud shrugged his thi#k shoulders!
"They like to #ome! They ha&e paid money to
see these things! They wish to see them! The
/edouin guides are &ery #le&er4&ery
surefooted4always they manage!"
They arri&ed at last at the summit! arah
drew a deep breath! All around and below
stret#hed the blood4red ro#ks4a strange and
unbelie&able #ountry unparalleled anywhere!
"ere in the e'quisite pure morning air, they
stood like gods, sur&eying a baser world4a
world of faring &iolen#e!
"ere was, as the guide told them, the
"$la#e of a#ri+#e"4the ""igh $la#e!"
"e showed them the trough #ut in the fat
ro#k at their feet! arah strayed away from the
rest, from the glib phrases that fowed so
readily from the dragoman's tongue! he sat
on a ro#k, pushed her hands through her thi#k
bla#k hair, and ga6ed down on the world at her
feet! $resently she was aware of someone
standing by her side!
Dr! 3erard's &oi#e said2 "You appre#iate the
appositeness of the de&il's temptation in the
7ew Testament! atan took :ur 9ord up to the
summit of a mountain and showed him the
world! 'All these things will - gi&e thee, if thou
wilt fall down and worship me!' "ow mu#h
greater the temptation up on high to be a 3od
of ;aterial $ower!"
arah assented, but her thoughts were so
#learly elsewhere that 3erard obser&ed her in
some surprise! "You are pondering something
&ery deeply," he said!
"Yes, - am!" he turned a perple'ed fa#e to
him! "-t's a wonderful idea4to ha&e a pla#e of
sa#ri+#e up here! - think, sometimes, don't you,
that a sa#ri+#e is ne#essary! ! ! ! - mean, one
#an ha&e too mu#h regard for life! Death isn't
really so important as we make out!"
"-f you feel that, ;iss <ing, you should not
ha&e adopted our profession! To us, death is4
and must always be4the =nemy!"
arah shi&ered! "Yes, - suppose you're
right! And yet, so often, death might sol&e a
problem! -t might e&en mean fuller life! ! ! !"
"'-t is e'pedient for us that one man should
die for the people)'" quoted 3erard gra&ely!
arah turned a startled fa#e on him! "-
didn't mean4"
he broke o0! ,e0erson *ope was
approa#hing them! "7ow this is really a most
remarkable spot," he de#lared! ";ost
remarkable, and -'m only too pleased not to
ha&e missed it! - don't mind #onfessing that
though ;rs! /oynton is #ertainly a most
remarkable woman! - greatly admire her plu#k
in being determined to #ome here! -t does
#ertainly #ompli#ate matters tra&eling with her!
"er health is poor, and - suppose it naturally
makes Jher a little in#onsiderate of other
people's feelings, but it does not seem to o##ur
to her that her family might like o##asionally to
go on e'#ursions without her! he's (ust so
used to them #lustering round her that -
suppose she doesn't think4" ;r! *ope broke o0!
"is ni#e kindly fa#e looked a little disturbed
and un#omfortable, "You know," he said, "-
heard a pie#e of information about ;rs!
/oynton that disturbed me greatly!"
arah was lost in her own thoughts again!
;r! *ope's &oi#e (ust fowed pleasantly in her
ears like the agreeable murmur of a remote
stream, but Dr! 3erard said2 "-ndeed? 1hat was
it?"
";y informant was a lady - #ame a#ross in
the hotel at Tiberias! -t #on#erned a ser&ant girl
who had been in ;rs! /oynton's employ! This
girl, - gather, was4had4" ;r! *ope paused,
glan#ed deli#ately at arah and lowered his
&oi#e! "he was going to ha&e a #hild! The old
lady, it seemed, dis#o&ered this but was
apparently quite kind to the girl! Then a few
weeks before the #hild was born she turned her
out of the house!"
Dr! 3erard's eyebrows went up! "Ah," he
said refe#ti&ely!
";y informant seemed &ery positi&e of her
fa#ts! - don't know whether you agree with me,
but that seems to me a &ery #ruel and
heartless thing to do! - #annot understand4"
Dr! 3erard interrupted him! "You should try
to! That in#ident, - ha&e no doubt, ga&e ;rs!
/oynton a good deal of quiet en(oyment!"
;r! *ope turned a sho#ked fa#e on him!
"7o, sir," he said with emphasis! "That - #annot
belie&e! u#h an idea is quite in#on#ei&able!"
oftly Dr! 3erard quoted2 "'o - returned
and did #onsider all the oppressions done
beneath the sun! And there was weeping and
whining from those that were oppressed and
had no #omfortA for with their oppressors there
was power, so that no one #ame to #omfort
them! Then - did praise the dead whi#h are
already dead, yea, more than the li&ing whi#h
linger still in lifeA yea, he that is not is better
than dead or li&ingA for he doth not know of the
e&il that is wrought fore&er on earth! ! ! !'" "e
broke o0 and said2 ";y dear sir, - ha&e made a
life's study of the strange things that go on in
the human mind! -t is no good turning one's
fa#e only to the fairer side of life! /elow the
de#en#ies and #on&entions of e&eryday life,
there lies a &ast reser&oir of strange things!
There is su#h a thing, for instan#e, as delight in
#ruelty for its own sake! /ut when you ha&e
found that, there is something deeper still! The
desire, profound and pitiful, to be appre#iated!
-f that is thwarted, if through an unpleasing
personality a human being is unable to get the
response it needs, it turns to other methods4it
must be felt4it must #ount4and so to
innumerable strange per&ersions! The habit of
#ruelty, like any other habit, #an be #ulti&ated,
#an take hold of one4"
;r! *ope #oughed! "- think, Dr! 3erard, that
you are slightly e'aggerating! 5eally, the air up
here is too wonderful! ! ! !" "e edged away!
3erard smiled a little! "e looked again at
arah! he was frowning4her fa#e was set in a
youthful sternness! he looked, he thought, like
a young (udge deli&ering senten#e! ! ! !
"e turned as ;iss $ier#e tripped unsteadily
towards him!
"1e are going down now," she futtered!
":h, dear) - am sure - shall ne&er manage it,
but the guide says the way down is quite a
di0erent route and mu#h easier! - do hope so,
be#ause from a #hild - ne&er ha&e been able to
look down from heights! ! ! !"
The des#ent was down the #ourse of a
waterfall! Although there were loose stones
whi#h were a possible sour#e of danger to
ankles, it presented no di66y &istas!
The party arri&ed ba#k at the #amp weary
but in good spirits and with an e'#ellent
appetite for a late lun#h! -t was past two
o'#lo#k! The /oynton family was sitting around
the big table in the marquee! They were (ust
+nishing their meal!
9ady 1estholme addressed a gra#ious
senten#e to them in her most #ondes#ending
manner! "5eally a most interesting morning,"
she said! "$etra is a wonderful spot!"
*arol, to whom the words seemed
addressed, shot a qui#k look at her mother,
and murmured2 ":h, yes4yes, it is," and
relapsed into silen#e!
9ady 1estholme, feeling she had done her
duty, addressed herself to her food! As they
ate, the four dis#ussed plans for the afternoon!
"- think - shall rest most of the afternoon,"
said ;iss $ier#e! "-t is important, - think, not to
do too mu#h!"
"- shall go for a walk and e'plore," said
arah! "1hat about you Dr! 3erard?"
"- will go with you!"
;rs! /oynton dropped a spoon with a
ringing #latter and e&eryone (umped!
"- think," said 9ady 1estholme, "that - shall
follow your e'ample ;iss $ier#e! $erhaps half
an hour with a book, then - shall lie down and
take an hour's rest at least! After that, perhaps,
a short stroll!"
lowly, with the help of 9enno', old ;rs!
/oynton struggled to her feet! he stood for a
moment and then spoke! "You'd better all go
for a walk this afternoon," she said with
une'pe#ted amiability!
-t was, perhaps, slightly ludi#rous to see
the startled fa#es of her family!
"/ut, ;other, what about you?"
"- don't need any of you! - like sitting alone
with my book! ,inny had better not go! he'll lie
down and ha&e a sleep!"
";other, -'m not tired! - want to go with the
others!"
"You are tired! You'&e got a heada#he) You
must be #areful of yourself! 3o and lie down
and sleep! - know what's best for you!"
"er head thrown ba#k, the girl stared
rebelliously! Then her eyes dropped4
faltered! ! ! !
"illy #hild," said ;rs! /oynton! "3o to your
tent!"
he stumped out of the marquee4the
others followed!
"Dear me," said ;iss $ier#e! "1hat &ery
pe#uliar people! u#h a &ery odd #olor, the
mother! Huite purple! "eart, - should imagine!
This heat must be &ery trying for her!"
arah thought2 "he's letting them go free
this afternoon! he knows 5aymond wants to
be with me! 1hy? -s it a trap?"
After lun#h, when she had gone to her tent
and had #hanged into a fresh linen dress, the
thought still worried her! in#e last night, her
feeling towards 5aymond had swelled into a
passion of prote#ti&e tenderness! This, then,
was lo&e, this agony on another's behalf, this
desire to a&ert, at all #osts, pain from the
belo&ed! ! ! ! Yes, she lo&ed 5aymond /oynton!
-t was t! 3eorge and the Dragon re&ersed! -t
was she who was the res#uer and 5aymond
who was the #hained &i#tim!
And ;rs! /oynton was the Dragon! A
dragon whose sudden amiability was, to
arah's suspi#ious mind, de+nitely sinister!
-t was about a quarter past three when
arah strolled down to the marquee!
9ady 1estholrne was sitting on a #hair!
Despite the heat of the day she was still
wearing her ser&i#eable "arris tweed skirt! :n
her lap was the report of a 5oyal *ommission!
Dr! 3erard was talking to ;iss $ier#e who was
standing by her tent holding a book entitled
The 9o&e Huest and des#ribed on its wrapper
as a thrilling tale of passion and
misunderstanding!
"- don't think it's wise to lie down too soon
after lun#h," e'plained ;iss $ier#e! ":ne's
digestion, you know! Huite #ool and pleasant in
the shadow of the marquee! :h, dear, do you
think that old lady is wise to sit in the sun up
there?"
They all looked at the ridge in front of
them! ;rs! /oynton was sitting as she had sat
last night, a motionless /uddha in the door of
her #a&e! There was no other human #reature
in sight! All the #amp personnel were asleep! A
short distan#e away, following the line of the
&alley, a little group of people walked together!
"%or on#e," said Dr! 3erard, "the good
;amma permits them to en(oy themsel&es
without her! A new de&ilment on her part,
perhaps?"
"Do you know," said arah, "that's (ust
what - thought!"
"1hat suspi#ious minds we ha&e! *ome, let
us (oin the truants!"
9ea&ing ;iss $ier#e to her e'#iting reading,
they set o0! :n#e around the bend of the
&alley, they #aught up the other party who
were walking slowly! %or on#e, the /oyntons
looked happy and #arefree!
9enno' and 7adine, *arol and 5aymond,
;r! *ope with a broad smile on his fa#e and the
last arri&als, 3erard and arah, were soon all
laughing and talking together!
A sudden wild hilarity was born! -n
e&eryone's mind was the feeling that this was a
snat#hed pleasure4a stolen treat to en(oy to the
full! arah and 5aymond did not draw apart!
-nstead, arah walked with *arol and 9enno'!
Dr! 3erard #hatted to 5aymond #lose behind
them! 7adine and ,e0erson *ope walked a little
apart!
-t was the %ren#hman who broke up the
party! "is words had been #oming
spasmodi#ally for some time! uddenly he
stopped!
"A thousand e'#uses! - fear - must go
ba#k!"
arah looked at him! "Anything the
matter?"
"e nodded! "Yes, fe&er! -t's been #oming on
e&er sin#e lun#h!"
arah s#rutini6ed him! ";alaria?"
"Yes! -'ll go ba#k and take quinine! "ope
this won't be a bad atta#k! -t is a lega#y from a
&isit to the *ongo!"
"hall - #ome with you?" asked arah!
"7o, no! - ha&e my #ase of drugs with me! A
#onfounded nuisan#e! 3o on, all of you!"
"e walked qui#kly ba#k in the dire#tion of
the #amp! arah looked unde#idedly after him
for a minute, then she met 5aymond's eyes,
smiled at him, and the %ren#hman was
forgotten!
%or a time the si' of them, *arol, herself,
9enno', *ope, 7adine and 5aymond, kept
together! Then, somehow or other, she and
5aymond had drifted apart! They walked on,
#limbing up ro#ks, turning ledges and rested at
last in a shady spot! There was a silen#e! Then
5aymond said2 "1hat's your name? -t's <ing, -
know! /ut your other name!"
"arah!"
"arah! ;ay - #all you that?"
":f #ourse!"
"arah, will you tell me something about
yourself?"
9eaning ba#k against the ro#ks she talked,
telling him of her life at home in Yorkshire, of
her dogs and the aunt who had brought her up!
Then, in his turn, 5aymond told her a little,
dis(ointedly, of his own life! After that, there
was a long silen#e! Their hands strayed
together! They sat, like #hildren, hand in hand,
strangely #ontent!
Then, as the sun grew lower, 5aymond
stirred! "-'m going ba#k now," he said! "7o, not
with you! - want to go ba#k by myself! There's
something - ha&e to say and do! :n#e that's
done, on#e -'&e pro&ed to myself that -'m not a
#oward4then4then4- shan't be ashamed to #ome
to you and ask you to help me! - shall need
help, you know! - shall probably ha&e to borrow
money from you!"
arah smiled! "-'m glad you're a realist! You
#an #ount on me!"
"/ut +rst -'&e got to do this alone!"
"Do what?"
The young boyish fa#e grew suddenly
stern! 5aymond /oynton said2 "-'&e got to
pro&e my #ourage! -t's now or ne&er!" Then,
abruptly, he turned and strode away!
arah leaned ba#k against the ro#k and
wat#hed his re#eding +gure! omething in his
words had &aguely alarmed her! "e had
seemed so intense4so terribly in earnest and
strung up! %or a moment she wished she had
gone with him! ! ! ! /ut she rebuked herself
sternly for that wish! 5aymond had desired to
stand alone, to test his newfound #ourage!
That was his right!
/ut she prayed with all her heart that that
#ourage would not fail! ! ! !
The sun was setting when arah #ame
on#e more in sight of the #amp! As she #ame
nearer in the dim light, she #ould make out the
grim +gure of ;rs! /oynton still sitting in the
mouth of the #a&e! arah shi&ered a little at
the sight of that grim motionless +gure! ! ! !
he hurried past on the path below and
#ame into the lighted marquee!
9ady 1estholme was sitting knitting a na&y
blue (umper, a skein of wool hung around her
ne#k! ;iss $ier#e was embroidering a table mat
with anemi# blue forget4me4nots, and being
instru#ted on the proper reform of the Di&or#e
9aws!
The ser&ants #ame in and out preparing for
the e&ening meal! The /oyntons were at the far
end of the marquee in de#k #hairs reading!
;ahmoud appeared, fat and digni+ed, and was
plainti&ely reproa#hful! .ery ni#e after tea
ramble had been arranged to take pla#e but
e&eryone absent from #amp! ! ! ! The
programme was now entirely thrown out! .ery
instru#ti&e &isit to 7abatean ar#hite#ture!
arah said hastily that they had all en(oyed
themsel&es &ery mu#h! he went o0 to her tent
to wash for supper! :n the way ba#k she
paused by Dr! 3erard's tent, #alling in a low
&oi#e2 "Dr! 3erard)"
There was no answer! he lifted the fap
and looked in! The do#tor was lying motionless
on his bed! arah withdrew noiselessly, hoping
he was asleep! A ser&ant #ame to her and
pointed to the marquee! =&idently supper was
ready! he strolled down again!
=&eryone was assembled there around the
table with the e'#eption of Dr! 3erard and ;rs!
/oynton! A ser&ant was dispat#hed to tell the
old lady dinner was ready! Then there was a
sudden #ommotion outside! Two frightened
ser&ants #ame in and spoke e'#itedly to the
dragoman in Arabi#!
;ahmoud looked around him in a fustered
manner and went outside! :n an impulse arah
(oined him!
"1hat's the matter?" she asked!
;ahmoud replied2 "The old lady! Abdul says
she is ill4#annot mo&e!"
"-'ll #ome and see!"
arah qui#kened her step! %ollowing
;ahmoud, she #limbed the ro#ks and walked
along until she #ame to the squat lounging
#hair, tou#hed the pu0y hand, felt for the
pulse, bent o&er her! ! ! !
1hen she straightened herself she was
paler! he re4trod her steps ba#k to the
marquee! -n the doorway she paused a minute,
looking at the group at the far end of the table!
"er &oi#e when she spoke sounded to
herself brusque and unnatural! "-'m so sorry,"
she said! he for#ed herself to address the
head of the family, 9enno'! "Your mother is
dead, ;r! /oynton!"
And #uriously, as though from a great
distan#e, she wat#hed the fa#es of +&e people
to whom that announ#ement meant
freedom! ! ! !
Book Two
1
*olonel *arbury smiled a#ross the table at
his guest and lifted his glass! "1ell, to #rime)"
"er#ule $oirot's eyes twinkled in
a#knowledgment of the toast!
"e had #ome to Amman with a letter of
introdu#tion to *olonel *arbury from *olonel
5a#e!
*arbury seemed interested to see this
world4famous in&estigator person Ka few
unreadable pages hereL Yet in Trans(ordania he
was a power!
"There s ,erash," he said! "*are about that
sort of thing?"
"- am interested in e&erything)"
"Yes" said *arbury! "That's the only way to
rea#t to life!"
"Tell me, d'you e&er +nd your own spe#ial
(ob has a way of following you around?"
"$ardon?"
"1ell4to put it plainly4do you #ome to
pla#es e'pe#ting a holiday from #rime4and +nd
instead bodies #ropping up?"
"-t has happened, yes4more than on#e!"
""m," said *olonel *arbury, and looked
parti#ularly abstra#ted! Then he roused himself
with a (erk! "3ot a body now -'m not &ery
happy about," he said!
"-ndeed?"
"Yes! "ere in Amman! :ld Ameri#an
woman! 1ent to $etra with her family! Trying
(ourney, unusual heat for time of year, old
woman su0ered from heart trouble, di>#ulties
of the (ourney a bit harder for her than she
imagined, e'tra strain on heart4she popped
o0)"
""ere4in Amman?"
"7o, down at $etra! They brought the body
here today!"
"Ah)"
"All quite natural! $erfe#tly possible!
9ikeliest thing in the world to happen! :nly4"
"Yes? :nly4?"
*olonel *arbury s#rat#hed his bald head!
"-'&e got the idea," he said, "that her family did
her in)"
"Aha) And what makes you think that?"
*olonel *arbury did not reply to that
question dire#tly! "8npleasant old woman, it
seems! 7o loss! 3eneral feeling all around that
her popping o0 was a good thing! Anyway, &ery
di>#ult to pro&e anything so long as the family
sti#k together and if ne#essary lie like hell! :ne
doesn't want #ompli#ations4or international
unpleasantness! =asiest thing to do4let it go)
7othing really to look upon! <new a do#tor
#hap on#e! "e told me4often had suspi#ions in
#ases of his patients4hurried into the ne't
world a little ahead of time) "e said4best thing
to do keep quiet unless you really had
something damned good to go upon)
:therwise beastly stink, #ase not pro&ed, bla#k
mark against an earnest hard4working 3!$!!
omething in that! All the same4" "e s#rat#hed
his head again! "-'m a tidy man," he said
une'pe#tedly!
*olonel *arbury's tie was under his left ear,
his so#ks were wrinkled, his #oat was stained
and torn! Yet "er#ule $oirot did not smile! "e
saw, #learly enough, the inner neatness of
*olonel *arbury's mind, his neatly do#keted
fa#ts, his #arefully sorted impressions!
"Yes! -'m a tidy man," said *arbury! "e
wa&ed a &ague hand! "Don't like a mess! 1hen
- #ome a#ross a mess - want to #lear it up!
ee?"
"er#ule $oirot nodded gra&ely! "e saw!
"There was no do#tor down there?" he asked!
"Yes, two! :ne of 'em was down with
malaria, though! The other's a girl4(ust out of
the medi#al student stage! till, she knows her
(ob, - suppose! There wasn't anything odd
about the death! :ld woman had got a di#ky
heart! he'd been taking heart medi#ine for
some time! 7othing really surprising about her
#onking out suddenly like she did!"
"Then what, my friend, is worrying you?"
asked $oirot gently!
*olonel *arbury turned a harassed blue
eye on him! ""eard of a %ren#hman #alled
3erard? Theodore 3erard?"
"*ertainly! A &ery distinguished man in his
own line!"
"9oony bins," #on+rmed *olonel *arbury!
"$assion for a #harwoman at the age of four
makes you insist you're the Ar#hbishop of
*anterbury when you're thirty4eight! *an't see
why and ne&er ha&e, but these #haps e'plain it
&ery #on&in#ingly!"
"Dr! 3erard is #ertainly an authority on
#ertain forms of deep4seated neurosis," agreed
$oirot with a smile! "-s4er4are4er4his &iews on
the happening at $etra based on that line of
argument?"
*olonel *arbury shook his head &igorously!
"7o, no! houldn't ha&e worried about them if
they had been) 7ot, mind you, that - don't
belie&e it's all true! -t's (ust one of those things
- don't understand4like one of my /edouin
fellows who #an get out of a #ar in the middle
of a fat desert, feel the ground with his hand
and tell you to within a mile or two where you
are! -t isn't magi#, but it looks like it! 7o, Dr!
3erard's story is quite straightforward! ,ust
plain fa#ts! - think, if you're interested4you are
interested?"
"Yes, yes!"
"3ood man! Then - think -'ll (ust phone o&er
and get 3erard along here and you #an hear
his story for yourself!"
1hen the *olonel had dispat#hed an
orderly on this quest, $oirot said2 ":f what does
this family #onsist?"
"7ame's /oynton! There are two sons, one
of 'em married! "is wife's a ni#e4looking girl4the
quiet sensible kind! And there are two
daughters! /oth of 'em quite good4looking in
totally di0erent styles! Younger one a bit ner&y4
but that may be (ust sho#k!"
"/oynton," said $oirot! "is eyebrows rose!
"That is #urious4&ery #urious!"
*arbury #o#ked an inquiring eye at him!
/ut as $oirot said nothing more, he himself
went on2 "eems pretty ob&ious mother was a
pest) "ad to be waited on hand and foot and
kept the whole lot of them dan#ing attendan#e!
And she held the purse strings! 7one of them
had a penny of their own!"
"Aha) All &ery interesting! -s it known how
she left her money?"
"- did (ust slip that question in4#asual like,
you know! -t gets di&ided equally among the lot
of them!"
$oirot nodded his head! Then he asked2
"You are of opinion that they are all in it?"
"Don't know! That's where the di>#ulty's
going to lie! 1hether it was a #on#erted e0ort,
or whether it was one bright member's idea! -
don't know! ;aybe the whole thing's a mare's
nest) 1hat it #omes to is this2 -'d like to ha&e
your professional opinion! Ah, here #omes
3erard!"
2
The %ren#hman #ame in with a qui#k yet
unhurried tread! As he shook hands with
*olonel *arbury, he shot a keen interested
glan#e at $oirot!
*arbury said2 "This is ;! "er#ule $oirot!
taying with me! /een talking to him about this
business down at $etra!"
"Ah, yes?" 3erard's qui#k eyes looked
$oirot up and down! "You are interested?"
"er#ule $oirot threw up his hands! "Alas)
:ne is always in#urably interested in one's own
sub(e#t!"
"True," said 3erard!
""a&e a drink?" said *arbury!
"e poured out a whisky and soda and
pla#ed it by 3erard's elbow! "e held up the
de#anter inquiringly but $oirot shook his head!
*olonel *arbury set it down again and drew his
#hair a little nearer! "1ell," he said! "1here are
we?"
"- gather," said $oirot to 3erard, "that
*olonel *arbury is not satis+ed!"
3erard made an e'pressi&e gesture! "And
that," he said, "is my fault) And - may be
wrong! 5emember that, *olonel *arburyA - may
be entirely wrong!"
*arbury ga&e a grunt! "3i&e $oirot the
fa#ts," he said!
Dr! 3erard began with a brief re#apitulation
of the e&ents pre#eding the (ourney to $etra!
"e ga&e a short sket#h of the &arious members
of the /oynton family and des#ribed the
#ondition of emotional strain under whi#h they
were laboring!
$oirot listened with interest!
Then 3erard pro#eeded to the a#tual
e&ents of their +rst day at $etra, des#ribing
how he had returned to the #amp! "- was in for
a bad bout of malaria4#erebral type," he
e'plained! "%or that - proposed to treat myself
by an intra&enous in(e#tion of quinine! That is
the usual method!"
$oirot nodded his #omprehension!
"The fe&er was on me badly! - fairly
staggered into my tent! - #ould not at +rst +nd
my #ase of drugs, someone had mo&ed it from
where - had originally pla#ed it! Then, when -
had found that - #ould not +nd my hypodermi#
syringe, - hunted for it for some time, then
ga&e it up and took a large dose of quinine by
the mouth and fung myself on my bed!"
3erard paused, then went on2 ";rs!
/oynton's death was not dis#o&ered until after
sunset! :wing to the way in whi#h she was
sitting and the support the #hair ga&e to her
body no #hange o##urred in her position and it
was not until one of the boys went to summon
her to dinner at si'4thirty that it was noti#ed
that anything was wrong!"
"e e'plained in full detail the position of
the #a&e and its distan#e away from the big
marquee! ";iss <ing, who is a quali+ed do#tor,
e'amined the body! he did not disturb me,
knowing that - had fe&er! There was, indeed,
nothing that #ould be done! ;rs! /oynton was
dead4and had been dead for some little time!"
$oirot murmured2 ""ow long e'a#tly?"
3erard said slowly2 "- do not think that ;iss
<ing paid mu#h attention to that point! he did
not, - presume, think it of any importan#e!"
":ne #an say, at least, when she was last
de+nitely known to be ali&e?" said $oirot!
*olonel *arbury #leared his throat and
referred to an o>#ial4looking do#ument! ";rs!
/oynton was spoken to by 9ady 1estholme and
;iss $ier#e shortly after four $!;!! 9enno'
/oynton spoke to his mother about four4thirty!
;rs! 9enno' /oynton had a long #on&ersation
with her about +&e minutes later! *arol
/oynton had a word with her mother at a time
she is unable to state pre#isely4but whi#h, from
the e&iden#e of others, would seem to ha&e
been about ten minutes past +&e!"
",e0erson *ope, an Ameri#an friend of the
family, returning to the #amp with 9ady
1estholme and ;iss $ier#e, saw her asleep! "e
did not speak to her! That was about twenty to
si'! 5aymond /oynton, the younger son, seems
to ha&e been the last person to see her ali&e!
:n his return from a walk he went and spoke to
her at about ten minutes to si'! The dis#o&ery
of the body was made at si'4thirty when a
ser&ant went to tell her dinner was ready!"
"/etween the time that ;r! 5aymond
/oynton spoke to her and half4past si' did no
one go near her?" asked $oirot!
"- understand not!"
"/ut someone might ha&e done so?" $oirot
persisted!
"Don't think so! %rom #lose on si' and up to
si'4thirty ser&ants were mo&ing about the
#amp, people were going to and from their
tents! 7o one #an be found who saw anyone
approa#hing the old lady!"
"Then 5aymond /oynton was de+nitely the
last person to see his mother ali&e?" said
$oirot!
Dr! 3erard and *olonel *arbury
inter#hanged a qui#k glan#e! *olonel *arbury
drummed on the table with his +ngers!
"This is where we begin to get into deep
waters," he said! "3o on, 3erard! This is your
pigeon!"
Dr! 3erard said2 "As - mentioned (ust now,
arah <ing, when she e'amined ;rs! /oynton,
saw no reason for determining the e'a#t time
of death! he merely said that ;rs! /oynton
had been dead 'some little time'A but when, on
the following day for reasons of my own, -
endea&ored to narrow things down and
happened to mention that ;rs! /oynton was
last seen ali&e by her son, 5aymond, at a little
before si', ;iss <ing, to my great surprise, said
point blank that that was impossible, that at
that time ;rs! /oynton must already ha&e been
dead!"
$oirot's eyebrows rose! ":dd! ='tremely
odd! And what does ;! 5aymond /oynton say
to that?"
*olonel *arbury said abruptly2 ""e swears
that his mother was ali&e! "e went up to her
and said2 '-'m ba#k! "ope you ha&e had a ni#e
afternoon?' omething of that kind! "e says
she (ust grunted 'Huite all right,' and he went
on to his tent!"
$oirot frowned perple'edly! "*urious," he
said! "='tremely #urious! Tell me4it was growing
dusk by then?"
"The sun was (ust setting!"
"*urious," said $oirot again! "And you, Dr!
3erard, when did you see the body?"
"7ot until the following day! At nine A!;!, to
be pre#ise!"
"And your estimate of the time death had
o##urred?"
The %ren#hman shrugged his shoulders! "-t
is di>#ult to be e'a#t after that length of time!
There must ne#essarily be a margin of se&eral
hours! 1ere - gi&ing e&iden#e on oath - #ould
only say that she had been dead #ertainly
twel&e hours and not longer than eighteen! You
see, that does not help at all)"
"3o on, 3erard," said *olonel *arbury!
"3i&e him the rest of it!"
":n getting up in the morning," said Dr!
3erard, "- found my hypodermi# syringe4it was
behind a #ase of bottles on my dressing table!"
"e leaned forward! "You may say, if you like,
that - had o&erlooked it the day before! - was in
a miserable state of fe&er and wret#hedness,
shaking from head to foot, and how often does
one look for a thing that is there all the time
and yet be unable to +nd it) - #an only say that
- am quite positi&e the syringe was not there
then!"
"There's something more still," said
*arbur&! "Yes, two fa#ts for what they are worth
and they mean a great deal! There was a mark
on the dead woman's wrist4a mark su#h as
would be #aused by the insertion of a
hypodermi# syringe! "er daughter e'plains it
as ha&ing been #aused by the pri#k of a pin4"
$oirot stirred! "1hi#h daughter?"
""er daughter, *arol!"
"Yes, #ontinue, - pray you!"
"And there is the last fa#t! "appening to
e'amine my little #ase of drugs - noti#ed that
my sto#k of digito'in was &ery mu#h
diminished!"
"Digito'in," said $oirot, "is a heart poison,
is it not?"
"Yes! -t is obtained from digitalis purpurea4
the #ommon fo'glo&e! There are four a#ti&e
prin#iples4digitalin4digitonin4digitalein4and
digito'in! :f these, digito'in is #onsidered the
most a#ti&e poisonous #onstituent of digitalis
lea&es! A##ording to <opp's e'periments, it is
from si' to ten times stronger than digitalin or
digitalein! -t is o>#ial in %ran#e4but not in the
/ritish $harma#opoeia!"
"And a large dose of digito'in?"
Dr! 3erard said gra&ely2 "A large dose of
digito'in thrown suddenly on the #ir#ulation by
intra&enous in(e#tion would #ause sudden
death by qui#k palsy of the heart! -t has been
estimated that four milligrams might pro&e
fatal to an adult man!"
"And ;rs! /oynton already su0ered with
heart trouble?"
"YesA as a matter of fa#t, she was a#tually
taking a medi#ine #ontaining digitalis!"
"That," said $oirot, "is e'tremely
interesting!"
"D'you mean," asked *olonel *arbury,
"that her death might ha&e been attributed to
an o&erdose of her own medi#ine?"
"That4yes! /ut - meant more than that! -n
some senses," said Dr! 3erard, "digitalis may
be #onsidered a #umulati&e drug! ;oreo&er, as
regards postmortem appearan#e, the a#ti&e
prin#iples of the digitalis may destroy life and
lea&e no appre#iati&e sign!"
$oirot nodded slow appre#iation! "Yes, that
is #le&er4&ery #le&er! Almost impossible to
pro&e satisfa#torily to a (ury! Ah, but let me tell
you, gentlemen, if this is a murder, it is a &ery
#le&er murder) The hypodermi# repla#ed, the
poison employed being one whi#h the &i#tim
was already taking4the possibilities of a
mistake4or a##ident4are o&erwhelming! :h,
yes, there are brains here! There is thought4
#are4genius!"
%or a moment he sat in silen#e, then he
raised his head! "And yet, one thing pu66les
me!"
"1hat is that?"
"The theft of the hypodermi# syringe!"
"-t was taken," said Dr! 3erard qui#kly!
"Taken4and returned?"
"Yes!"
":dd," said $oirot! ".ery odd! :therwise
e&erything +ts so well ! ! !"
*olonel *arbury looked at him #uriously!
"1ell?" he said! "1hat's your e'pert opinion?
1as it murder4or wasn't it?"
$oirot held up a hand! ":ne moment! 1e
ha&e not yet arri&ed at that point! There is still
some e&iden#e to #onsider!"
"1hat e&iden#e? You'&e had it all!"
"Ah) /ut this is e&iden#e that -, "er#ule
$oirot, bring to you!" "e nodded his head and
smiled a little at their two astonished fa#es!
''Yes it is droll, that) That -, to whom you tell
the story, should in return present you with a
pie#e of e&iden#e about whi#h you do not
know! -t was like this! -n the olomon "otel, one
night, - go to the window to make sure it is
#losed4"
"*losed4or open?" asked *arbury!
"*losed," said $oirot +rmly! "-t was open, so
naturally, - go to #lose it! /ut before - do so, as
my hand is on the lat#h, - hear a &oi#e
speaking4an agreeable &oi#e, low and #lear
with a tremor in it of ner&ous e'#itement! - say
to myself it is a &oi#e - will know again! And
what does it say, this &oi#e? -t says these
words2 'You do see, don't you, that she's got to
be killed?'"
"e paused!
"At the moment, naturellement, - do not
take those words as referring to a killing of
fesh and blood! - think it is an author or
perhaps a playwright who speaks! /ut now -
am not so sure! That is to say, - am sure it was
nothing of the kind!"
Again he paused before saying2 ";essieurs,
- will tell you this4to the best of my knowledge
and belief those words were spoken by a young
man whom - saw later in the lounge of the
hotel and who was, so they told me on
inquiring, a young man of the name of
5aymond /oynton!"
3
"5AY;:7D /:Y7T:7 A-D T"AT?" The
e'#lamation broke from the %ren#hman!
"You think it unlikely4psy#hologi#ally
speaking?" $oirot inquired pla#idly!
3erard shook his head! "7o, - should not
say that! - was surprised, yes! -f you follow me,
- was surprised (ust be#ause 5aymond /oynton
was so eminently +tted to be a suspe#t!"
*olonel *arbury sighed! "These
psy#hologi#al fellers)" the sigh seemed to say!
"Huestion is," he murmured, "what are we
going to do about it?"
3erard shrugged his shoulders! "- do not
see what you #an do," he #onfessed! "The
e&iden#e is bound to be in#on#lusi&e! You may
know that murder has been done but it will be
di>#ult to pro&e it!"
"- see," said *olonel *arbury! "1e suspe#t
that murder's been done and we (ust sit ba#k
and twiddle our +ngers) Don't like it)" "e
added, as if in e'tenuation, his former odd
plea2 "-'m a tidy man!"
"- know! - know," $oirot nodded his head
sympatheti#ally! "You would like to #lear this
up! You would like to know de+nitely e'a#tly
what o##urred and how it o##urred! And you!
Dr! 3erard? You ha&e said that there is nothing
to be done4that the e&iden#e is bound to be
in#on#lusi&e? That is probably true! /ut are you
satis+ed that the matter should rest so?"
"he was a bad life," said 3erard slowly! "-n
any #ase she might ha&e died &ery shortly4a
week4a month4a year!"
"o you are satis+ed?" persisted $oirot!
3erard went on2 "There is no doubt that her
death was4how shall we put it?4bene+#ial to the
#ommunity! -t has brought freedom to her
family! They will ha&e s#ope to de&elop4they
are all, - think, people of good #hara#ter and
intelligen#e! They will be, now, useful members
of so#iety) The death of ;rs! /oynton, as - see
it, has resulted in nothing but good!"
$oirot repeated for the third time2 "o you
are satis+ed?"
"7o!" Dr! 3erard pounded a +st suddenly
on the table! "- am not 'satis+ed,' as you put it)
-t is my instin#t to preser&e life4not to hasten
death! Therefore, though my #ons#ious mind
may repeat that this woman's death was a
good thing, my un#ons#ious mind rebels
against it) -t is not well, gentlemen, that a
human being should die before his or her time
has #ome!"
$oirot smiled! "e leaned ba#k, #ontented
with the answer he had probed for so patiently!
*olonel *arbury said unemotionally2 ""e
don't like murder) Huite right) 7o more do -!"
"e rose and poured himself out a sti0 whisky
and soda! "is guests' glasses were still full!
"And now," he said, returning to the sub(e#t,
"let's get down to brass ta#ks! -s there anything
to be done about it? 1e don't like it4no) /ut we
may ha&e to lump it) 7o good making a fuss if
you #an't deli&er the goods!"
3erard leaned forward! "1hat is your
professional opinion, ;! $oirot? You are the
e'pert!"
$oirot took a little time to speak!
;ethodi#ally he arranged an ashtray or two
and made a little heap of used mat#hes! Then
he said2 "You desire to know, do you not,
*olonel *arbury, who killed ;rs! /oynton?
EThat is, if she was killed and did not die a
natural death!F ='a#tly how and when she was
killed4and, in fa#t, the whole truth of the
matter?"
"- should like to know that, yes!" *arbury
spoke unemotionally!
"er#ule $oirot said slowly2 "- see no reason
why you should not know it)"
Dr! 3erard looked in#redulous! *olonel
*arbury looked mildly interested! ":h," he said!
"o you don't, don't you? That's interestin'!
"ow d'you propose to set about it?"
"/y methodi#al sifting of the e&iden#e, by a
pro#ess of reasoning!"
"uits me," said *olonel *arbury!
"And by a study of the psy#hologi#al
possibilities!"
"uits Dr! 3erard, - e'pe#t," said *arbury!
"And after that, after you'&e sifted the e&iden#e
and done some reasoning and paddled in
psy#hology4hey, presto)4you think you #an
produ#e the rabbit out of the hat?"
"- should be e'tremely surprised if - #ould
not do so," said $oirot #almly!
*olonel *arbury stared at him o&er the rim
of his glass! ,ust for a moment the &ague eyes
were no longer &ague4 they measured4and
appraised! "e put down his glass with a grunt!
"1hat do you say to that, Dr! 3erard?"
"- admit that - am skepti#al of su##ess ! ! !
yet - know that ;! $oirot has great powers!"
"- am gifted4yes," said the little man! "e
smiled modestly!
*olonel *arbury turned away his head and
#oughed!
$oirot said2 "The +rst thing to de#ide is
whether this is a #omposite murder4planned
and #arried out by the /oynton family as a
whole, or whether it is the work of one of them
only! -f the latter, whi#h is the most likely
member of the family to ha&e attempted it?"
Dr! 3erard said2 "There is your own
e&iden#e! :ne must, - think, #onsider +rst
5aymond /oynton!"
"- agree," said $oirot! "The words -
o&erheard and the dis#repan#y between his
e&iden#e and that of the young woman do#tor
puts him de+nitely in the forefront of the
suspe#ts! "e was the last person to see ;rs!
/oynton ali&e! That is his own story, arah <ing
#ontradi#ts that! Tell me, Dr! 3erard, is there4
eh?4you know what - mean4a little tendresse,
shall we say4there?"
The %ren#hman nodded! "=mphati#ally so!"
"Alas) -s she, this young lady, a brunette
with hair that goes ba#k from her forehead4so4
and big ha6el eyes and a manner &ery
de#ided?"
Dr! 3erard looked rather surprised! "Yes,
that des#ribes her &ery well!"
"- think - ha&e seen her4in the olomon
"otel! he spoke to this 5aymond /oynton and
afterwards he remained plantG la4in a dream4
blo#king the e'it from the lift! Three times - had
to say '$ardon' before he heard me and
mo&ed!"
$oirot remained in thought for some
moments! Then he said2 "o, to begin with, we
will a##ept the medi#al e&iden#e of ;iss arah
<ing with #ertain mental reser&ations! he is an
interested party!" "e paused4then went on2
"Tell me, Dr! 3erard, do you think 5aymond
/oynton is of the temperament that #ould
#ommit murder easily?"
3erard said slowly2 "You mean deliberate,
planned murder? Yes, - think it is possible4but
only under #onditions of intense emotional
strain!"
"Those #onditions were present?"
"De+nitely! This (ourney abroad
undoubtedly heightened the ner&ous and
mental strain under whi#h all these people
were li&ing! The #ontrast between their own
li&es and those of other people was more
apparent to them! And in 5aymond /oynton's
#ase4"
"Yes?"
"There was the additional #ompli#ation of
being strongly attra#ted to arah <ing!"
"That would gi&e him an additional moti&e?
And an additional stimulus?"
"That is so!"
*olonel *arbury #oughed! "9ike to butt in a
moment! That senten#e of his you
o&erheard4'You do see, don't you, that she's got
to be killed?'4must ha&e been spoken to
someone!"
"A good point," said $oirot! "- had not
forgotten it! Yes, to whom was 5aymond
/oynton speaking? 8ndoubtedly to a member
of his family! /ut whi#h member? *an you tell
us something, Do#tor, of the mental #onditions
of the other members of the family?"
3erard replied promptly! "*arol /oynton
was, - should say, in &ery mu#h the same state
as 5aymond4a state of rebellion a##ompanied
by se&ere ner&ous e'#itement, but
un#ompli#ated in her #ase by the introdu#tion
of a se' fa#tor! 9enno' /oynton had passed the
stage of re&olt! "e was sunk in apathy! "e was
+nding it, - think, di>#ult to #on#entrate! "is
method of rea#tion to his surroundings was to
retire further and further within himself! "e was
de+nitely an intro&ert!"
"And his wife?"
""is wife, though tired and unhappy,
showed no signs of mental #onfi#t! he was, -
belie&e, hesitating on the brink of a de#ision!"
"u#h a de#ision being?"
"1hether or not to lea&e her husband!"
"e repeated the #on&ersation he had held
with ,e0erson *ope!
$oirot nodded in #omprehension! "And
what of the younger girl, 3ine&ra her name is,
is it not?"
The %ren#hman's fa#e was gra&e! "e said2
"- should say that mentally she is in an
e'tremely dangerous #ondition! he has
already begun to display symptoms of
s#hi6ophrenia! 8nable to bear the suppression
of her life, she is es#aping into a realm of
fantasy! he has ad&an#ed delusions of
perse#ution4that is to saw, she #laims to be a
5oyal $ersonage in danger, enemies
surrounding her, all the usual things)"
"And that is dangerous?"
".ery dangerous! -t is the beginning of
what is often homi#idal mania! The su0erer
kills4not for the lust of killing4but in self4
defense! "e or she kills in order not to be killed
themsel&es! %rom their point of &iew it is
eminently rational!"
"o you think that 3ine&ra /oynton might
ha&e killed her mother?"
"Yes! /ut - doubt if she would ha&e had the
knowledge or the #onstru#ti&eness to do it the
way it was done! The #unning of that #lass of
mania is usually &ery simple and ob&ious! And -
am almost #ertain she would ha&e #hosen a
more spe#ta#ular method!"
"/ut she is a possibility?" $oirot insisted!
"Yes," admitted 3erard!
"And afterwards4when the deed was done?
Do you think the rest of the family knew who
had done it?"
"They know)" said *olonel *arbury
une'pe#tedly! "-f e&er - #ame a#ross a bun#h of
people who had something to hide these are
they) They're putting something o&er, all
right!"
"1e will make them tell us what it is," said
$oirot!
"Third degree?" said *olonel *arbury,
raising his eyebrows!
"7o!" $oirot shook his head! ",ust ordinary
#on&ersation! :n the whole, you know, people
tell you the truth! /e#ause it is easier) /e#ause
it is less strain on the in&enti&e fa#ulties) You
#an tell one lie4or two lies, or three or e&en four
lies4but you #annot lie all the time! The truth
be#omes plain!"
"omething in that," agreed *arbury! Then
he said bluntly2 "You'll talk to them, you say?
That means you're willing to take this on?"
$oirot bowed his head! "9et us be &ery
#lear about this," he said! "1hat you demand,
and what - undertake to supply, is the truth!
/ut mark this, e&en when we ha&e got the
truth, there may be no proof! That is to say, no
proof that would be a##epted in a #ourt of law!
You #omprehend?"
"Huite," said *arbury! "You satisfy me of
what really happened, then it's up to me to
de#ide whether a#tion is possible or not4ha&ing
regard to the -nternational aspe#ts! Anyway it
will be #leared up4no mess! Don't like a mess!"
$oirot smiled!
":ne more thing," said *arbury! "- #an't
gi&e you mu#h time! *an't detain these people
here inde+nitely!"
$oirot said quietly2 "You #an detain them
twenty4four hours! You shall ha&e the truth by
tomorrow night!"
*olonel *arbury stared hard at him! "$retty
#on+dent, aren't you?" he asked!
"- know my own ability," murmured $oirot!
5endered un#omfortable by this un4/ritish
attitude, *olonel *arbury looked away and
+ngered his untidy mousta#he! "1ell," he
mumbled! "-t's up to you!"
"And if you su##eed, my friend," said Dr!
3erard, "you are indeed a mar&el)"
4
arah <ing looked long and sear#hingly at
"er#ule $oirot! he saw the egg4shaped head,
the giganti# mousta#hes, the dandi+ed
appearan#e and the suspi#ious bla#kness of his
hair! A look of doubt #rept into her eyes!
"1ell, ;ademoiselle, are you satis+ed?"
arah fushed as he met the amused
ironi#al glan#e of his eyes! "- beg your pardon,"
she said awkwardly!
"Du tout) To use an e'pression - ha&e
re#ently learnt, you gi&e me the one o&er, is it
not so?"
arah smiled a little! "1ell, at any rate you
#an do the same to me," she said!
"Assuredly! - ha&e not negle#ted to do so!"
he glan#ed at him sharply! omething in
his tone4 /ut $oirot was twirling his
mousta#hes #ompla#ently and arah thought
Efor the se#ond timeF, "The man's a
mountebank)"
"er self4#on+den#e restored, she sat up a
little straighter and said inquiringly2 "- don't
think - quite understand the ob(e#t of this
inter&iew?"
"The good Dr! 3erard did not e'plain?"
arah said, frowning2 "- don't understand
Dr! 3erard! "e seems to think4"
"That there is something rotten in the state
of Denmark!" quoted $oirot! "You see, - know
your hakespeare!"
arah wa&ed aside hakespeare! "1hat
e'a#tly is all this fuss about?" she demanded!
"=h bien, one wants, does one not, to get
at the truth of this a0air?"
"Are you talking about ;rs! /oynton's
death?"
"Yes!"
"-sn't it rather a fuss about nothing? You, of
#ourse, are a spe#ialist, ;! $oirot! -t is natural
for you4"
$oirot +nished the senten#e for her! "-t is
natural for me to suspe#t #rime whene&er - #an
possibly +nd an e'#use for doing so?"
"1ell4yes4perhaps!"
"You ha&e no doubt yourself as to ;rs!
/oynton's death?"
arah shrugged her shoulders! "5eally, ;!
$oirot, if you had been to $etra you would
reali6e that the (ourney there is a somewhat
strenuous business for an old woman whose
#ardia# #ondition was unsatisfa#tory!"
"-t seems a perfe#tly straightforward
business to you?"
"*ertainly! - #an't understand Dr! 3erard's
attitude! "e didn't e&en know anything about
it! "e was down with fe&er! -'d bow to his
superior medi#al knowledge naturally, but in
this #ase he had nothing whate&er to go on! -
suppose they #an ha&e a p!m! in ,erusalem if
they like, if they're not satis+ed with my
&erdi#t!"
$oirot was silent for a moment, then he
said2 "There is a fa#t, ;iss <ing, that you do not
yet know! Dr! 3erard has not told you of it!"
"1hat fa#t?" demanded arah!
"A supply of a drug4digito'in4is missing
from Dr! 3erard's tra&eling medi#ine #ase!"
":h)" Hui#kly arah took in this new aspe#t
of the #ase! =qually qui#kly she poun#ed on the
one doubtful point! "-s Dr! 3erard quite sure of
that?"
$oirot shrugged his shoulders! "A do#tor, as
you should know, ;ademoiselle, is usually
fairly #areful in making his statements!"
":h, of #ourse! That goes without saying!
/ut Dr! 3erard had malaria at the time!"
"That is so, of #ourse!"
""as he any idea when it #ould ha&e been
taken?"
""e had o##asion to go to his #ase on the
night of his arri&al in $etra! "e wanted some
phena#etin as his head was a#hing badly! 1hen
he repla#ed the phena#etin on the following
morning and shut up the #ase he is almost
#ertain that all the drugs were inta#t!"
"Almost4" said arah!
$oirot shrugged!
"Yes, there is a doubt) There is the doubt
that any man, who is honest, would be likely to
feel!"
arah nodded! "Yes, - know! :ne always
distrusts those people who are o&er4sure! /ut
all the same, ;! $oirot, the e&iden#e is &ery
slight! -t seems to me4" he paused!
$oirot +nished the senten#e for her! "-t
seems to you that an inquiry on my part is ill4
ad&ised)"
arah looked him squarely in the fa#e!
"%rankly, it does! Are you sure, ;! $oirot, that
this is not a #ase of 5oman "oliday?"
$oirot smiled! "The pri&ate li&es of a family
upset and disturbed4so that "er#ule $oirot #an
play a little game of dete#tion to amuse
himself?"
"- didn't mean to be o0ensi&e4but isn't it a
little like that?"
"You, then, are on the side of the famille
/oynton, ;ademoiselle?"
"- think - am! They'&e su0ered a good deal!
They4they oughtn't to ha&e to stand any more!"
"And la ;aman, she was unpleasant,
tyranni#al, disagreeable and de#idedly better
dead than ali&e? That also4hm?"
"1hen you put it like that4" arah paused,
fushed, went on2 ":ne shouldn't, - agree, take
that into #onsideration!"
"/ut all the same one does) That is, you do!
;ademoiselle) - do not) To me, it is all the
same! The &i#tim may be one of the good
3od's saints4or, on the #ontrary, a monster of
infamy! -t mo&es me not! The fa#t is the same!
A life taken) - say it always, - do not appro&e of
murder!"
";urder)" arah drew in her breath sharply!
"/ut what e&iden#e of that is there? The
fimsiest imaginable) Dr! 3erard himself #annot
be sure)"
$oirot said quietly2 "/ut there is other
e&iden#e, ;ademoiselle!"
"1hat e&iden#e?" "er &oi#e was sharp!
"The mark of a hypodermi# pun#ture upon
the dead woman's wrist! And something more
still4some words that - o&erheard spoken in
,erusalem on a #lear still night when - went to
#lose my bedroom window! hall - tell you what
those words were, ;iss <ing? They were these2
- heard ;r! 5aymond /oynton say2 'You do see,
don't you, that she's got to be killed?'" "e saw
the #olor drain slowly from arah's fa#e!
he said2 "You heard that?"
"Yes!"
The girl stared straight ahead of her! he
said at last2 "-t would be you who heard it)"
"e a#quies#ed! "Yes, it would be me! These
things happen! You see now why - think there
should be an in&estigation?"
arah said quietly2 "- think you are quite
right!"
"Ah) And you will help me?"
"*ertainly!"
"er tone was matter4of4fa#t, unemotional!
"er eyes met his #oolly!
$oirot bowed! "Thank you, ;ademoiselle!
7ow, - will ask you to tell me in your own words
e'a#tly what you #an remember of that
parti#ular day!"
arah #onsidered for a moment! "9et me
see! - went on an e'pedition in the morning!
7one of the /oyntons were with us! - saw them
at lun#h! They were +nishing as we #ame in!
;rs! /oynton seemed in an unusually good
temper!"
"he was not usually amiable, -
understand!"
".ery far from it," said arah with a slight
grima#e! he then des#ribed how ;rs! /oynton
had released her family from attendan#e on
her!
"That, too, was unusual?"
"Yes! he usually kept them around her!"
"Do you think, perhaps, that she suddenly
felt remorseful, that she had what is #alled un
bon moment?"
"7o, - don't," said arah bluntly!
"1hat did you think, then?"
"- was pu66led! - suspe#ted it was
something of the #at and mouse order!"
"-f you would elaborate, ;ademoiselle?"
"A #at en(oys letting a mouse away and
then #at#hing it again! ;rs! /oynton had that
kind of mentality! - thought she was up to some
new de&iltry or other!"
"1hat happened ne't, ;ademoiselle?"
"The /oyntons started o04"
"All of them?"
"7oA the youngest, 3ine&ra, was left
behind! he was told to go and rest!"
"Did she wish to do so?"
"7o! /ut that didn't matter! he did what
she was told! The others started o0! Dr! 3erard
and - (oined them4"
"1hen was this?"
"About half4past three!"
"1here was ;rs! /oynton then?"
"7adine4young ;rs! /oynton4had settled
her in her #hair outside her #a&e!"
"$ro#eed!"
1hen we got around the bend Dr! 3erard
and - #aught up with the others! 1e all walked
together! Then, after a while Dr! 3erard turned
ba#k! "e had been looking rather queer for
some time! - #ould see he had fe&er! - wanted
to go ba#k with him, but he wouldn't hear of
it!"
"1hat time was this?"
":h, about four, - suppose!"
"And the rest?"
"1e went on!"
"1ere you all together?"
"At +rst! Then we split up!" arah hurried
on as though foreseeing the ne't question!
"7adine /oynton and ;r! *ope went one way
and *arol, 9enno', 5aymond and - went
another!"
"And you #ontinued like that?"
"1ell4no! 5aymond /oynton and -
separated from the others! 1e sat down on a
slab of ro#k and admired the wildness of the
s#enery! Then he went o0 and - stayed where -
was for some time longer! -t was about half4
past +&e when - looked at my wat#h and
reali6ed - had better get ba#k! - rea#hed the
#amp at si' o'#lo#k! -t was (ust about sunset!"
"You passed ;rs! /oynton on the way?"
"- noti#ed she was still in her #hair up on
the ridge!"
"That did not strike you as odd, that she
had not mo&ed?"
"7o, be#ause - had seen her sitting there
the night before when we arri&ed!"
"- see! *ontinue6!"
"- went into the marquee! The others were
all there4e'#ept Dr! 3erard! - washed and then
#ame ba#k! They brought in dinner and one of
the ser&ants went to tell ;rs! /oynton! "e
#ame running ba#k to say she was ill! - hurried
out! he was sitting in her #hair (ust as she had
been, but as soon as - tou#hed her - reali6ed
she was dead!"
"You had no doubt at all as to her death
being natural?"
"7one whate&er! - had heard that she
su0ered from heart trouble, though no
spe#i+ed disease had been mentioned!"
"You simply thought she had died sitting
there in her #hair?"
"Yes!"
"1ithout #alling out for assistan#e?"
"Yes! -t happens that way sometimes! he
might e&en ha&e died in her sleep! he was
quite likely to ha&e do6ed o0! -n any #ase, all
the #amp was asleep most of the afternoon! 7o
one would ha&e heard her unless she had
#alled &ery loud!"
"Did you form an opinion as to how long
she had been dead?"
"1ell, - didn't really think &ery mu#h about
it! he had #learly been dead some time!"
"1hat do you #all some time?" asked
$oirot!
"1ell4o&er an hour! -t might ha&e been
mu#h longer! The refra#tion o0 the ro#k would
keep her body from #ooling qui#kly!"
":&er an hour? Are you aware,
;ademoiselle <ing, that ;r! 5aymond /oynton
spoke to her only a little o&er half an hour
earlier and that she was then ali&e and well?"
7ow her eyes no longer met his! /ut she
shook her head! ""e must ha&e made a
mistake! -t must ha&e been earlier than that!"
"7o, ;ademoiselle, it was not!" he looked
at him point4blank! "e noti#ed again the set of
her mouth!
"1ell," said arah! "-'m young and - ha&en't
had mu#h e'perien#e with dead bodies but -
know enough to be quite sure of one thing2
;rs! /oynton had been dead at least an hour
when - e'amined her body)"
"That," said "er#ule $oirot une'pe#tedly,
"is your story and you are going to sti#k to it)"
"-t's the truth," said arah!
"Then #an you e'plain why ;r! /oynton
should say his mother was ali&e when she was,
in point of fa#t, dead?"
"-'&e no idea," said arah! "They're
probably rather &ague about time, all of them)
They're a &ery ner&ous family!"
":n how many o##asions, ;ademoiselle,
ha&e you spoken with them?"
arah was silent a moment, frowning a
little! "- #an tell you e'a#tly," she said! "- talked
to 5aymond /oynton in the 1agon49it #orridor
#oming to ,erusalem! - had two #on&ersations
with *arol /oynton4one at the ;osque of :mar
and one late that e&ening in my bedroom! - had
a #on&ersation with ;rs! 9enno' /oynton the
following morning! That's all, up to the
afternoon of ;rs! /oynton's death, when we all
went walking together!"
"You did not ha&e any #on&ersation with
;rs! /oynton herself?"
arah fushed un#omfortably! "Yes! -
e'#hanged a few words with her the day she
left ,erusalem!" he paused and then blurted
out2 "As a matter of fa#t, - made a fool of
myself!"
"Ah?"
The interrogation was so patent that, stiBy
and unwillingly, arah ga&e an a##ount of the
#on&ersation!
$oirot seemed interested and #ross4
e'amined her #losely! "The mentality of ;rs!
/oynton, it is &ery important in this #ase," he
said! "And you are an outsider4an unbiased
obser&er! That is why your a##ount of her is
&ery signi+#ant!"
arah did not reply! he still felt hot and
un#omfortable when she thought of that
inter&iew! "Thank you, ;ademoiselle," said
$oirot! "- will now #on&erse with the other
witnesses!"
arah rose! "='#use me, ;! $oirot, but if -
might make a suggestion4"
"*ertainly! *ertainly!"
"1hy not postpone all this until an autopsy
#an be made and you dis#o&er whether or not
your suspi#ions are (usti+ed! - think all this is
rather like putting the #art before the horse!"
$oirot wa&ed a grandiloquent hand! "This is
the method of "er#ule $oirot," he announ#ed!
$ressing her lips together, arah left the
room!
5
9ADY 1=T":9;= =7T=5=D the room with
the assuran#e of a transatlanti# liner #oming
into do#k! ;iss Annabel $ier#e, an
indeterminate #raft, followed in the liner's wake
and sat down in an inferior make of #hair
slightly in the ba#kground!
"*ertainly, ;! $oirot," boomed 9ady
1estholme, "- shall be delighted to assist you
by any means in my power! - ha&e always
#onsidered that in matters of this kind one has
a publi# duty to perform4"
1hen 9ady 1estholme's publi# duty had
held the stage for some minutes, $oirot was
adroit enough to get in a question!
"- ha&e a perfe#t re#olle#tion of the
afternoon in question," replied 9ady
1estholme! ";iss $ier#e and - will do all we #an
to assist you!"
":h, yes," sighed ;iss $ier#e, almost
e#stati#ally! "o tragi#, was it not? Dead4(ust
like that4in the twinkle of an eye)"
"-f you will tell me e'a#tly what o##urred on
the afternoon in question?"
"*ertainly," said 9ady 1estholme! "After we
had +nished lun#h - de#ided to take a brief
siesta! The morning e'#ursion had been
somewhat fatiguing! 7ot that - was really tired4-
seldom am! - do not really know what fatigue
is! :ne has so often, on publi# o##asions, no
matter what one really feels4"
KunreadableL an adroit murmur from $oirot!
"- saw, - was in fa&or of a siesta! ;iss $ier#e
agreed with me!"
":h, yes," sighed ;iss $ier#e! "And - was
terribly tired all the morning! u#h a dangerous
#limb4and although interesting, most
e'hausting! -'m afraid -'m not quite as strong
as 9ady 1estholme!"
"%atigue," said 9ady 1estholme, "#an be
#onquered like e&erything else! - make a point
of ne&er gi&ing in to my bodily needs!"
;iss $ier#e looked at her admiringly!
$oirot said2 "After lun#h, then, you two
ladies went to your tents?"
"Yes!"
";rs! /oynton was then sitting at the
mouth of her #a&e?"
""er daughter4in4law assisted her there
before she herself went o0!"
"You #ould both see her?"
":h yes," said ;iss $ier#e! "he was
opposite, you know4only of #ourse a little way
along and up abo&e!"
9ady 1estholme elu#idated the statement!
"The #a&es opened onto a ledge! /elow that
ledge were some tents! Then there was a small
stream and a#ross that stream was the big
marquee and some other tents! ;iss $ier#e and
- had tents near the marquee! he was on the
right side of the marquee and - was on the left!
The openings of our tents fa#ed the ledge, but
of #ourse it was some distan#e away!"
"7early two hundred yards, - understand!"
"$ossibly!"
"- ha&e here a plan," said $oirot,
"#on#o#ted with the help of the dragoman,
;ahmoud!"
9ady 1estholme remarked that in that #ase
it was probably wrong) "That man is grossly
ina##urate! - ha&e #he#ked his statements from
my /aedeker! e&eral times his information
was de+nitely misleading!"
"A##ording to my plan," said $oirot, "the
#a&e ne't to ;rs! /oynton's was o##upied by
her son, 9enno', and his wife! 5aymond, *arol
and 3ine&ra /oynton had tents (ust below but
more to the right4in fa#t almost opposite the
marquee! :n the right of 3ine&ra /oynton's
was Dr! 3erard's tent and ne't to his was that
of ;iss <ing! :n the other side4ne't to the
marquee on the left4you and ;r! *ope had
tents! ;iss $ier#e's, as you mentioned, was on
the right of the marquee! -s that #orre#t?"
9ady 1estholme admitted grudgingly that
as far as she knew it was!
"- thank you! That is perfe#tly #lear! $ray
#ontinue, 9ady 1estholme!"
9ady 1estholme smiled gra#iously on him
and went on2 "At about a quarter to four -
strolled along to ;iss $ier#e's tent to see if she
were awake yet and felt like a stroll! he was
sitting in the doorway of the tent reading! 1e
agreed to start in about half an hour when the
sun was less hot! - went ba#k to my tent and
read for about twenty4+&e minutes! Then - went
along and (oined ;iss $ier#e! he was ready
and we started out! =&eryone in the #amp
seemed asleepA there was no one about and,
seeing ;rs! /oynton sitting up there alone, -
suggested to ;iss $ier#e that we should ask
her if she wanted anything before we left!"
"Yes, you did! ;ost thoughtful of you, -
#onsidered it," murmured ;iss $ier#e!
"- felt it to be my duty," said 9ady
1estholme with a ri#h #ompla#en#y!
"And then for her to be so rude about it)"
e'#laimed ;iss $ier#e!
$oirot looked inquiring!
":ur path passed (ust under the ledge,"
e'plained 9ady 1estholme, "and - #alled up to
her, saying that we were going for a stroll and
asking #ould we do anything for her before we
went! Do you know, ;! $oirot, absolutely the
only answer she ga&e us was a grunt) A grunt)
he (ust looked at us as though we were4as
though we were dirt)"
"Disgra#eful it was)" said ;iss $ier#e,
fushing!
"- must #onfess," said 9ady 1estholme,
reddening a little, "that - then made a
somewhat un#haritable remark!"
"- think you were quite (usti+ed," said ;iss
$ier#e!
"Huite4under the #ir#umstan#es!"
"1hat was this remark?" asked $oirot!
"- said to ;iss $ier#e that perhaps she
drank) 5eally, her manner was most pe#uliar! -t
had been all along! - thought it possible that
drink might a##ount for it! The e&ils of al#oholi#
indulgen#e, as - &ery well know4"
De'terously $oirot steered the
#on&ersation away from the drink question!
""ad her manner been &ery pe#uliar on
this parti#ular day? At lun#h time, for
instan#e?"
"7o," said 9ady 1estholme, #onsidering!
"7o, - should say that then her manner had
been fairly normal4for an Ameri#an of that
type, that is to say," she added
#ondes#endingly!
"he was &ery abusi&e to that ser&ant,"
said ;iss $ier#e
"1hi#h one?"
"7ot &ery long before we started out!"
":h, yes, - remember! he did seem
e'traordinarily annoyed with him) :f #ourse,"
went on 9ady 1estholme "to ha&e ser&ants
about who #annot understand a word of =nglish
is &ery trying, but what - say is that when one
is tra&eling one must make allowan#es!"
"1hat ser&ant was this?" asked $oirot!
":ne of the /edouin ser&ants atta#hed to
the #amp! "e went up to her! - think she must
ha&e sent him to fet#h her something and -
suppose he brought the wrong thing! - don't
really know what it was, but she was &ery
angry about it! The poor man slunk away as
fast as he #ould, and she shook her sti#k at him
and #alled out!"
"1hat did she #all out?"
"1e were too far away to hear! At least -
didn't hear anything distin#tly! Did you, ;iss
$ier#e?"
"7o, - didn't! - think she'd sent him to fet#h
something from her younger daughter's tent4or
perhaps she was angry with him for going into
her daughter's tent4- #ouldn't say e'a#tly!"
"1hat did he look like?"
;iss $ier#e, to whom the question was
addressed, shook her head &aguely! "5eally, -
#ouldn't say! "e was too far away! All these
Arabs look alike to me!"
""e was a man of more than a&erage
height," said 9ady 1estholme, "and wore the
usual nati&e headdress! "e had on a pair of
&ery torn and pat#hed bree#hes4really
disgra#eful they were4and his puttees were
wound most untidily4all anyhow) These men
need dis#ipline)"
"You #ould point the man out among the
#amp ser&ants?"
"- doubt it! 1e didn't see his fa#e4it was too
far away! And, as ;iss $ier#e says, really, these
Arabs all look alike!"
"- wonder," said $oirot thoughtfully, "what
it was he did to make ;rs! /oynton so angry?"
"They are &ery trying to the patien#e
sometimes," said 9ady 1estholme! ":ne of
them took my shoes away, though - had
e'pressly told him4by pantomime too4that -
preferred to #lean my shoes myself!"
"Always - do that too," said $oirot, di&erted
for a moment from his interrogation! "- take
e&erywhere my little shoe4#leaning out+t! Also,
- take a duster!"
"o do -!" 9ady 1estholme sounded quite
human! "/e#ause these Arabs they do not
remo&e the dust from one's belongings4"
"7e&er) :f #ourse one has to dust one's
things three or four times a day4"
"/ut it is well worth it!"
"Yes, indeed! - #annot stand dirt)" 9ady
1estholme looked positi&ely militant! he
added with feeling2 "The fies4in the ba6aars4
terrible)"
"1ell, well," said $oirot, looking slightly
guilty! "1e #an soon inquire from this man what
it was that irritated ;rs! /oynton! To #ontinue
with your story?"
"1e strolled along slowly," said 9ady
1estholme! "And then we met Dr! 3erard! "e
was staggering along and looked &ery ill! -
#ould see at on#e he had fe&er!"
""e was shaking," put in ;iss $ier#e!
"haking all o&er!"
"- saw at on#e he had an atta#k of malaria
#oming on," said 9ady 1estholme! "- o0ered to
#ome ba#k with him and get him some quinine
but he said he had his own supply with him!"
"$oor man," said ;iss $ier#e! "You know it
always seems so dreadful to me to see a do#tor
ill! -t seems all wrong, somehow!"
"1e strolled on," #ontinued 9ady
1estholme! "And then we sat down on a ro#k!"
;iss $ier#e murmured2 "5eally4so tired
after the morning's e'ertion4the #limbing4"
"- ne&er feel fatigue," said 9ady 1estholme
+rmly! "/ut there was no point in going further!
1e had a &ery good &iew of all the surrounding
s#enery!"
"1ere you out of sight of the #amp?"
"7o, we were sitting fa#ing towards it!"
"o romanti#," murmured ;iss $ier#e! "A
#amp pit#hed in the middle of a wilderness of
rose4red ro#ks!" he sighed and shook her
head!
"That #amp #ould be mu#h better run than
it is," said 9ady 1estholme! "er ro#king4horse
nostrils dilated! "- shall take up the matter with
*astle's! - am not at all sure that the drinking
water is boiled as well as +ltered! -t should be! -
shall point that out to them!"
$oirot #oughed and led the #on&ersation
qui#kly away from the sub(e#t of drinking
water! "Did you see any other members of the
party?" he inquired!
"Yes! The elder ;r! /oynton and his wife
passed us on their way ba#k to the #amp!"
"1ere they together?"
"7o, ;r! /oynton #ame +rst! "e looked a
little as though he had had a tou#h of the sun!
"e was walking as though he were slightly
di66y!"
"The ba#k of the ne#k," said ;iss $ier#e!
":ne must prote#t the ba#k of the ne#k) -
always wear a thi#k silk handker#hief!"
"1hat did ;r! 9enno' /oynton do on his
return to #amp?" asked $oirot!
%or on#e ;iss $ier#e managed to get in +rst
before 9ady 1estholme #ould speak! ""e went
right up to his mother, but he didn't stay long
with her!"
""ow long?"
",ust a minute or two!"
"- should put it at (ust o&er a minute
myself," said 9ady 1estholme! "Then he went
on into his #a&e and after that he went down to
the marquee!"
"And his wife?"
"he #ame along about a quarter of an
hour later! he stopped a minute and spoke to
us4quite #i&illy!"
"- think she's &ery ni#e," said ;iss $ier#e!
".ery ni#e indeed!"
"he is not so impossible as the rest of the
family," allowed 9ady 1estholme!
"You wat#hed her return to the #amp?"
'Yes! he went up and spoke to her mother4
in4law! Then she went into her #a&e and
brought out a #hair and sat by her talking for
some time4about ten minutes, - should say!"
"And then?"
"Then she took the #hair ba#k to the #a&e
and went down to the marquee where her
husband was!"
"1hat happened ne't?"
"That &ery pe#uliar Ameri#an #ame along,"
said 9ady 1estholme! "*ope, - think his name
is! "e told us that there was a &ery good
e'ample of the debased ar#hite#ture of the
period (ust round the bend of the &alley! "e
said we ought not to miss it! A##ordingly we
walked there! ;r! *ope had with him quite an
interesting arti#le on $etra and the 7abateans!"
"-t was all most interesting," de#lared ;iss
$ier#e fer&ently!
9ady 1estholme #ontinued2 "1e strolled
ba#k to the #amp, it being then about twenty
minutes to si'! -t was growing quite #hilly!"
";rs! /oynton was still sitting where you
had left her?"
"Yes!"
"Did you speak to her?"
"7o! As a matter of fa#t, - hardly noti#ed
her!"
"1hat did you do ne't?"
"- went to my tent, #hanged my shoes and
got out my own pa#ket of *hina tea! - then
went to the marquee! The guide person was
there and - dire#ted him to make some tea for
;iss $ier#e and myself with the tea - had
brought and to make quite sure that the water
with whi#h it was made was boiling! "e said
that dinner would be ready in about half an
hour4the boys were laying the table at the
time4but - said that made no di0eren#e!"
"- always say a #up of tea makes all the
di0eren#e," murmured ;iss $ier#e &aguely!
"1as there anyone in the marquee?"
":h, yes! ;r! and ;rs! 9enno' /oynton
were sitting at one end reading! And *arol
/oynton was there too!"
"And ;r! *ope?"
""e (oined us at our tea," said ;iss $ier#e!
"Though he said tea drinking wasn't an
Ameri#an habit!"
9ady 1estholme #oughed! "- be#ame (ust a
little afraid that ;r! *ope was going to be a
nuisan#e4that he might fasten himself upon
me! -t is a little di>#ult sometimes to keep
people at arm's length when one is tra&eling! -
+nd they are in#lined to presume! Ameri#ans,
espe#ially, are sometimes rather dense!"
$oirot murmured sua&ely2 "- am sure! 9ady
1estholme, that you are quite #apable of
dealing with situations of that kind! 1hen
tra&eling a#quaintan#es are no longer of any
use to you, - am sure you are an adept at
dropping them!"
"- think - am #apable of dealing with most
situations," said 9ady 1estholme #ompla#ently!
The twinkle in $oirot's eye was quite lost
upon her! "-f you will (ust #on#lude your re#ital
of the day's happenings?" murmured $oirot!
"*ertainly! As far as - #an remember,
5aymond /oynton and the red4haired /oynton
girl #ame in shortly afterwards! ;iss <ing
arri&ed last! Dinner was then ready to be
ser&ed! :ne of the ser&ants was dispat#hed by
the dragoman to announ#e the fa#t to old ;rs!
/oynton! The man #ame running ba#k with one
of his #omrades in a state of some agitation
and spoke to the dragoman in Arabi#! There
was some mention of ;rs! /oynton being taken
ill! ;iss <ing o0ered her ser&i#es! he went out
with the dragoman! he #ame ba#k and broke
the news to the members of ;rs! /oynton's
family!"
"he did it &ery abruptly," put in ;iss
$ier#e! ",ust blurted it out! - think myself it
ought to ha&e been done more gradually!"
"And how did ;rs! /oynton's family take
the news?" asked $oirot!
%or on#e both 9ady 1estholme and ;iss
$ier#e seemed a little at a loss! The former said
at last, in a &oi#e la#king its usual self4
assuran#e2 "1ell4really4it is di>#ult to say!
They4they were &ery quiet about it!"
"tunned," said ;iss $ier#e! he o0ered the
word more as a suggestion than as a fa#t!
"They all went out with ;iss <ing," said
9ady 1estholme! ";iss $ier#e and - &ery
sensibly remained where we were!"
A faintly wistful look was obser&able in ;iss
$ier#e's eye at this point!
"- detest &ulgar #uriosity)" #ontinued 9ady
1estholme! The wistful look be#ame more
pronoun#ed! -t was #lear that ;iss $ier#e had
had perfor#e to hate &ulgar #uriosity too)
"9ater," #on#luded 9ady 1estholme, "the
dragoman and ;iss <ing returned! - suggested
that dinner should be ser&ed immediately to
the four of us, so that the /oynton family #ould
dine later in the marquee without the
embarrassment of strangers being present! ;y
suggestion was adopted and immediately after
the meal - retired to my tent! ;iss <ing and
;iss $ier#e did the same! ;r! *ope, - belie&e,
remained in the marqueeA he is a friend of the
family and thought he might be of some
assistan#e to them! That is all - know, ;!
$oirot!"
"1hen ;iss <ing had broken the news, all
the /oynton family a##ompanied her out of the
marquee?"
"Yes4no, - belie&e, now that you #ome to
mention it, that the red4haired girl stayed
behind! $erhaps you #an remember! ;iss
$ier#e?"
"Yes, - think4- am quite sure she did!"
$oirot asked2 "1hat did she do?"
9ady 1estholme stared at him! "1hat did
she do, ;! $oirot? he did not do anything, as
far as - #an remember!"
"- mean was she sewing, or reading, did
she look an'ious, did she say anything?"
"1ell, really4" 9ady 1estholme frowned!
"he4er4she (ust sat there, as far as - #an
remember!"
"he twiddled her +ngers," said ;iss $ier#e
suddenly! "- remember noti#ing4poor thingA -
thought, it shows what she's feeling) 7ot that
there was anything to show in her fa#e, you
know4(ust her hands turning and twisting!"
":n#e," went on ;iss $ier#e
#on&ersationally, "- remember tearing up a
pound note that way4not thinking of what - was
doing! 'hall - #at#h the +rst train and go to
her?' - thought Eit was a great aunt of mine4
taken suddenly illF, 'or shall - not?' And -
#ouldn't make up my mind one way or the
other and then - looked down, and instead of
the telegram - was tearing up a pound note4a
pound note)4into tiny pie#es)" ;iss $ier#e
paused dramati#ally!
7ot entirely appro&ing of this sudden bid
for the limelight on the part of her satellite
9ady 1estholme said #oldly2 "-s there anything
else, ;! $oirot?"
1ith a start, $oirot seemed to #ome out of
a brown study! "7othing, nothing! You ha&e
been most #lear4most de+nite!"
"- ha&e an e'#ellent memory," said 9ady
1estholme with satisfa#tion!
":ne last little demand! 9ady 1estholme,"
said $oirot! "$lease #ontinue to sit as you are
sitting4without looking around! 7ow, would you
be so kind as to des#ribe to me (ust what ;iss
$ier#e is wearing today4that is, if ;iss $ier#e
does not ob(e#t?"
":h, no, not in the least)" twittered ;iss
$ier#e! "5eally, ;! $oirot, is there any ob(e#t4"
"$lease be so kind as to do as - ask,
;adame!"
9ady 1estholme shrugged her shoulders
and then said with a rather bad gra#e2 ";iss
$ier#e has on a striped brown and white #otton
dress and is wearing with it a udanese belt of
red, blue and beige leather! he is wearing
beige silk sto#kings and brown gla#e strap
shoes! There is a ladder in her left sto#king!
he has a ne#kla#e of #ornelian beads and one
of bright royal blue beads and is wearing a
broo#h with a pearl butterfy on it! he has an
imitation s#arab ring on the third +nger of her
right hand! :n her head she has a double terai
of pink and brown felt!" he paused4a pause of
quiet #ompeten#e! Then2 "-s there anything
further?" she asked #oldly!
$oirot spread out his hands in a wide
gesture! "You ha&e my entire admiration,
;adame! Your obser&ation is of the highest
order!"
"Details rarely es#ape me!" 9ady
1estholme rose, made a slight in#lination of
her head and left the room! As ;iss $ier#e was
following her, ga6ing down ruefully at her left
leg, $oirot said2 "A little moment, please,
;ademoiselle?"
"Yes?" ;iss $ier#e looked up, a slightly
apprehensi&e look upon her fa#e!
$oirot leaned forward #on+dentially! "You
see this bun#h of wild fowers on the table
here?"
"Yes," said ;iss $ier#e staring!
"And you noti#ed that, when you +rst #ame
into the room, - snee6ed on#e or twi#e?"
"Yes!"
"Did you noti#e if - had (ust been sni>ng
those fowers?"
"1ell4really4no4- #ouldn't say!"
"/ut you remember my snee6ing?"
":h, yes, - remember that)"
"Ah, well4no matter! - wondered, you see, if
these fowers might indu#e the hay fe&er! 7o
matter)"
""ay fe&er)" #ried ;iss $ier#e! "- remember
a #ousin of mine was a martyr to it) he always
said that if you sprayed your nose daily with a
solution of bora#i#4"
1ith some di>#ulty $oirot shel&ed the
#ousin's nasal treatment and got rid of ;iss
$ier#e! "e shut the door and #ame ba#k into
the room with his eyebrows raised!
"/ut - did not snee6e," he murmured! "o
mu#h for that! 7o, - did not snee6e!"
6
9enno' /oynton #ame into the room with a
qui#k resolute step! "ad he been there, Dr!
3erard would ha&e been surprised at the
#hange in the man! The apathy was gone! "is
bearing was alert4although he was plainly
ner&ous! "is eyes had a tenden#y to shift
rapidly from point to point about the room!
"3ood morning, ;! /oynton!" $oirot rose
and bowed #eremoniously! 9enno' responded
somewhat awkwardly! "- mu#h appre#iate your
gi&ing me this inter&iew!"
9enno' /oynton said rather un#ertainly2
"=r4*olonel *arbury said it would be a good
thing! Ad&ised it! ome formalities he said!"
"$lease sit down, ;! /oynton!"
9enno' sat down on the #hair lately
&a#ated by 9ady 1estholme!
$oirot went on #on&ersationally2 "This has
been a great sho#k to you, - am afraid!"
"Yes, of #ourse! 1ell, no, perhaps not ! ! !
1e always knew that my mother's heart was
not strong!"
"1as it wise, under those #ir#umstan#es, to
allow her to undertake su#h an arduous
e'pedition?"
9enno' /oynton raised his head! "e spoke
not without a #ertain sad dignity! ";y mother,
;!4er, $oirot, made her own de#isions! -f she
had made up her mind to anything it was no
good our opposing her!" "e drew in his breath
sharply as he said the last words! "is fa#e
suddenly grew rather white!
"- know well," admitted $oirot, "that elderly
ladies are sometimes headstrong!"
9enno' said irritably2 "1hat is the purpose
of all this? That is what - want to know! 1hy
ha&e all these formalities arisen?"
"$erhaps you do not reali6e, ;! /oynton,
that in #ases of sudden and une'plained
deaths, formalities must ne#essarily arise!"
9enno' said sharply2 "1hat do you mean
by 'une'plained'?"
$oirot shrugged his shoulders! "There is
always the question to be #onsidered2 -s a
death natural or might it perhaps be sui#ide?"
"ui#ide?" 9enno' /oynton stared!
$oirot said lightly2 "You, of #ourse, would
know best about su#h possibilities! *olonel
*arbury, naturally, is in the dark! -t is
ne#essary for him to de#ide whether to order
an inquiry4an autopsy4all the rest of it! As - was
on the spot and as - ha&e mu#h e'perien#e of
these matters, he suggested that - should
make a few inquiries and ad&ise him upon the
matter! 7aturally, he does not wish to #ause
you in#on&enien#e if it #an be helped!"
9enno' /oynton said angrily2 "- shall wire to
our *onsul in ,erusalem!"
$oirot said non#ommittally2 "You are quite
within your rights in doing so, of #ourse!" There
was a pause! Then $oirot said, spreading out
his hands2 "-f you ob(e#t to answering my
questions4"
9enno' /oynton said qui#kly2 "7ot at all!
:nly4it seems4all so unne#essary!"
"- #omprehend! - #omprehend perfe#tly! /ut
it is all &ery simple, really! A matter, as they
say, of routine! 7ow, on the afternoon of your
mother's death, ;! /oynton, - belie&e you left
the #amp at $etra and went for a walk?"
"Yes! 1e all went, with the e'#eption of my
mother and my younger sister!"
"Your mother was then sitting in the mouth
of her #a&e?"
"Yes, (ust outside it! he sat there e&ery
afternoon!"
"Huite so! You started4when?"
"oon after three, - should say!"
"You returned from your walk4when?"
"- really #ouldn't say what time it was4four
o'#lo#k4+&e o'#lo#k perhaps!"
"About an hour to two hours after you set
out?"
"Yes4about that, - should think!"
"Did you pass anyone on your way ba#k?"
"Did - what?"
"$ass anyone! Two ladies sitting on a ro#k,
for instan#e?"
"- don't know! Yes, - think - did!"
"You were, perhaps, too absorbed in your
thoughts to noti#e?"
"Yes, - was!"
"Did you speak to your mother when you
got ba#k to the #amp?"
"Yes4yes, - did!"
"he did not then #omplain of feeling ill?"
"7o4no, she seemed perfe#tly all right!"
";ay - ask what passed between you?"
9enno' paused a minute! "he said - had
#ome ba#k soon! - said, yes, - had!" "e paused
again in an e0ort of #on#entration! "- said it
was hot! he4she asked me the time4said her
wristwat#h had stopped! - took it from her,
wound it up, set it and put it ba#k on her wrist!"
$oirot interrupted gently2 "And what time
was it?"
"=h?" said 9enno'!
"1hat time was it when you set the hands
of the wristwat#h?"
":h, - see! -t4it was twenty4+&e minutes to
+&e!"
"o you do know e'a#tly the time you
returned to the #amp)" said $oirot gently!
9enno' fushed! "Yes, what a fool - am) -'m
sorry, ;! $oirot, my wits are all astray, -'m
afraid! All this worry4"
$oirot #himed in qui#kly2 ":h) - understand4
- understand perfe#tly) -t is all of the most
disquieting) And what happened ne't?"
"- asked my mother if she wanted anything!
A drink4tea, #o0ee, et#!! he said no! Then -
went to the marquee! 7one of the ser&ants
seemed to be about, but - found some soda
water and drank it! - was thirsty! - sat there
reading some old numbers of the aturday
=&ening $ost! - think - must ha&e do6ed o0!"
"Your wife (oined you in the marquee?"
"Yes, she #ame in not long after!"
"And you did not see your mother again
ali&e?"
"7o!"
"he did not seem in any way agitated or
upset when you were talking to her?"
"7o, she was e'a#tly as usual!"
"he did not refer to any trouble or
annoyan#e with one of the ser&ants?"
9enno' stared! "7o, nothing at all!"
"And that is all you #an tell me?"
"- am afraid so4yes!"
"Thank you, ;! /oynton!" $oirot in#lined his
head as a sign that the inter&iew was o&er!
9enno' did not seem &ery willing to depart!
"e stood hesitating by the door! "=r4there's
nothing else?"
"7othing! $erhaps you would be so good as
to ask your wife to #ome here?"
9enno' went slowly out! :n the pad beside
him $oirot wrote "9! /! @2CM $!;!"
7
$oirot looked with interest at the tall
digni+ed young woman who entered the room!
"e rose and bowed to her politely!
";rs! 9enno' /oynton? "er#ule $oirot, at
your ser&i#e!"
7adine /oynton sat down! "er thoughtful
eyes were on $oirot's fa#e!
"- hope you do not mind, ;adame, my
intruding on your sorrow in this way?"
"er ga6e did not wa&er! he did not reply
at on#e! "er eyes remained steady and gra&e!
At last, she ga&e a sigh and said2 "- think it is
best for me to be quite frank with you, ;!
$oirot!"
"- agree with you, ;adame!"
"You apologi6ed for intruding upon my
sorrow! That sorrow, ;! $oirot, does not e'ist
and it is idle to pretend that it does! - had no
lo&e for my mother4in4law and - #annot
honestly say that - regret her death!"
"Thank you, ;adame, for your plain
speaking!"
7adine went on2 "till, although - #annot
pretend sorrow, - #an admit to another feeling4
remorse!"
"5emorse?" $oirot's eyebrows went up!
"Yes! /e#ause, you see, it was - who
brought about her death! %or that - blame
myself bitterly!"
"1hat is this that you are saying,
;adame?"
"- am saying that - was the #ause of my
mother4in4law's death! - was a#ting, as -
thought, honestly4but the result was
unfortunate! To all intents and purposes, - killed
her!"
$oirot leaned ba#k in his #hair! "1ill you be
so kind as to elu#idate this statement,
;adame?"
7adine bent her head! "Yes, that is what -
wish to do! ;y +rst rea#tion, naturally, was to
keep my pri&ate a0airs to myself, but - see that
the time has #ome when it would be better to
speak out! - ha&e no doubt, ;! $oirot, that you
ha&e often re#ei&ed #on+den#es of a somewhat
intimate nature?"
"That, yes!"
"Then - will tell you quite simply what
o##urred! ;y married life, ;! $oirot, has not
been parti#ularly happy! ;y husband is not
entirely to blame for that4his mother's
infuen#e o&er him has been unfortunate4but -
ha&e been feeling for some time that my life
was be#oming intolerable,"
he paused and then went on2 ":n the
afternoon of my mother4in4law's death - #ame
to a de#ision! - ha&e a friend4a &ery good
friend! "e has suggested more than on#e that -
should throw in my lot with his! :n that
afternoon - a##epted his proposal!"
"You de#ided to lea&e your husband?"
"Yes!"
"*ontinue, ;adame!"
7adine said in a lower &oi#e2 ""a&ing on#e
made my de#ision - wanted to4to establish it as
soon as possible! - walked home to the #amp
by myself! ;y mother4in4law was sitting alone,
there was one about, and - de#ided to break
the news to her right there! - got a #hair, sat
down by her and told her abruptly what - had
de#ided!"
"he was surprised?"
"Yes - am afraid it was a great sho#k to her!
he was both surprised and angry4&ery angry!
he4she worked herself into quite a state about
it) $resently - refused to dis#uss the matter any
longer! - got up and walked away!" "er &oi#e
dropped! "-4- ne&er saw her again ali&e!"
$oirot nodded his head slowly! "e said2 "-
see!" Then he said2 "You think her death was
the result of the sho#k?"
"-t seems to me almost #ertain! You see,
she had already o&ere'erted herself
#onsiderably getting to this pla#e! ;y news,
and her anger at it, would do the rest! ! ! ! - feel
additionally guilty be#ause - ha&e had a #ertain
amount of training in illness and so -, more
than anyone else, ought to ha&e reali6ed the
possibility of su#h a thing happening!"
$oirot sat in silen#e for some minutes, then
he said2 "1hat e'a#tly did you do when you left
her?"
"- took the #hair - had brought out ba#k into
my #a&e, then - went down to the marquee! ;y
husband was there!"
$oirot wat#hed her #losely as he said2 "Did
you tell him of your de#ision? :r had you
already told him?"
There was a pause, an in+nitesimal pause,
before 7adine said2 "- told him then!"
""ow did he take it?"
he answered quietly2 ""e was &ery upset!"
"Did he urge you to re#onsider your
de#ision?"
he shook her head! ""e4he didn't say &ery
mu#h! You see, we had both known for some
time that something like this might happen!"
$oirot said2 "You will pardon me, but the
other man was, of #ourse, ;! ,e0erson *ope?"
he bent her head! "Yes!"
There was a long pause, then, without any
#hange of &oi#e, $oirot asked2 "Do you own a
hypodermi# syringe, ;adame?"
"Yes4no!"
"is eyebrows rose!
he e'plained! "- ha&e an old hypodermi#
amongst other things in a tra&eling medi#ine
#hest, but it is in our big luggage whi#h we left
in ,erusalem!"
"- see!"
There was a pause, then she said with a
shi&er of uneasiness2 "1hy did you ask me
that, ;! $oirot?"
"e did not answer the question! -nstead he
put one of his own! ";rs! /oynton was, -
belie&e, taking a mi'ture #ontaining digitalis?"
"Yes!"
"e thought that she was de+nitely wat#hful
now! "That was for her heart trouble?"
"Yes!"
"Digitalis is, to some e'tent, a #umulati&e
drug?"
"- belie&e it is! - do not know &ery mu#h
about it!"
";rs! /oynton had taken a big o&erdose of
digitalis4"
he interrupted him qui#kly but with
de#ision! "he did not! he was always most
#areful! o was -, if - measured the dose for
her!"
"There might ha&e been an o&erdose in this
parti#ular bottle! A mistake of the #hemist who
made it up?"
"- think that is &ery unlikely," she replied
quietly!
"Ah well, the analysis will soon tell us!"
7adine said2 "8nfortunately the bottle was
broken!"
$oirot eyed her with sudden interest!
"-ndeed) 1ho broke it?"
"-'m not quite sure! :ne of the ser&ants, -
think! -n #arrying my mother4in4law's body into
her #a&e, there was a good deal of #onfusion
and the light was &ery poor! A table got
kno#ked o&er!"
$oirot eyed her steadily for a minute or
two! "That," he said, "is &ery interesting!"
7adine /oynton shifted wearily in her #hair!
"You are suggesting, - think, that my mother4in4
law did not die of sho#k, but of an o&erdose of
digitalis?" she said and went on2 "That seems
to me most improbable!"
$oirot leaned forward! "=&en when - tell you
that Dr! 3erard, the %ren#h physi#ian who was
staying in the #amp, had missed an
appre#iable quantity of a preparation of
digito'in from his medi#ine #hest?"
"er fa#e grew &ery pale! "e saw the #lut#h
of her other hand on the table! "er eyes
dropped! he sat &ery still! he was like a
;adonna #ar&ed in stone!
"1ell, ;adame," said $oirot at last! "1hat
ha&e you say to that?"
The se#onds ti#ked on but she did not
speak! -t was quite two minutes before she
raised her head, and he started a little when he
saw the look in her eyes!
";! $oirot, - did not kill my mother4in4law!
That you know) he was ali&e and well when -
left her! There are many people who #an testify
to that) Therefore, being inno#ent of the #rime,
- #an &enture to appeal to you! 1hy must you
mi' yourself up in this business? -f - swear to
you on my honor that (usti#e and only (usti#e
has been done! 1ill you not abandon this
inquiry? There has been so mu#h su0ering4you
do not know! 7ow that at last there is pea#e
and the possibility of happiness, must you
destroy it all?"
$oirot sat up &ery straight! "is eyes shone
with a green light! "9et me be #lear, ;adame!
1hat are you asking me to do?"
"- am telling you that my mother4in4law
died a natural death and - am asking you to
a##ept that statement!"
"9et us be de+nite! You belie&e that your
mother4in4law was deliberately killed, and you
are asking me to #ondone4murder)"
"- am asking you to ha&e pity)"
"Yes4on someone who had no pity)"
"You don't understand4it was not like that!"
"Did you #ommit the #rime yourself,
;adame, that you know so well?"
7adine shook her head! he showed no
signs of guilt! "7o," she said quietly! "he was
ali&e when - left her!"
"Then what happened? You know4or you
suspe#t4"
7adine said passionately2 "- ha&e heard, ;!
$oirot, that on#e, in that a0air of the :rient
='press, you a##epted an o>#ial &erdi#t of
what had happened?"
$oirot looked at her #uriously! "- wonder
who told you that!"
"-s it true?"
"e said slowly2 "That #ase was4di0erent!"
"7o! 7o, it was not di0erent) The man who
was killed was e&il," her &oi#e dropped, "as she
was! ! ! !"
$oirot said2 "The moral #hara#ter of the
&i#tim has nothing to do with it) A human being
who has e'er#ised the right of pri&ate
(udgment and taken the life of another human
being is not safe to e'ist amongst the
#ommunity! - tell you that) -, "er#ule $oirot)"
""ow hard you are)"
";adame, in some ways - am adamant! -
will not #ondone murder) That is the +nal word
of "er#ule $oirot!"
he got up! "er dark eyes fashed with
sudden +re! "Then go on) /ring ruin and misery
into the li&es of inno#ent people) - ha&e
nothing more to say!"
"/ut -4- think, ;adame, that you ha&e a lot
to say!"
"7o, nothing more!"
"1hat happened, ;adame, after you left
your mother4in4law? 1hilst you and your
husband were in the marquee together?"
he shrugged her shoulders! ""ow should -
know?"
"You do know4or you suspe#t!"
he looked him straight in the eyes! "-
know nothing, ;! $oirot!" Turning, she left the
room!
8
After noting on his pad "7! /! @2@N," $oirot
opened the door and #alled to the orderly
whom *olonel *arbury had left at his disposal,
an intelligent man with a good knowledge of
=nglish! "e asked him to fet#h ;iss *arol
/oynton!
$oirot looked with some interest at the girl
as she entered2 at the #hestnut hair, the poise
of the head on the long ne#k, the ner&ous
energy of the beautifully shaped hands!
"e said2 "it down ;ademoiselle!"
he sat down obediently! "er fa#e was
#olorless and e'pressionless!
$oirot began with a me#hani#al e'pression
of sympathy to whi#h the girl a#quies#ed
without any #hange of e'pression!
"And now, ;ademoiselle, will you re#ount
to me how you spent the afternoon of the day
in question?"
"er answer #ame promptly, raising the
suspi#ion that it had already been well
rehearsed!
"After lun#heon we all went for a stroll! -
returned to the #amp4"
$oirot interrupted! "A little minute! 1ere
you all together until then?"
"7o, - was with my brother 5aymond and
;iss <ing or most of the time! Then - strolled
o0 on my own!"
"Thank you! And you were saying you
returned to the #amp! Do you know the
appro'imate time?"
"- belie&e it was (ust about ten minutes
past +&e!"
$oirot put down "*! /! M2?N!"
"And what then?"
";y mother was still sitting where she had
been when we set out! - went up and spoke to
her and then went on to my tent!"
"*an you remember e'a#tly what passed
between you?"
"- (ust said it was &ery hot and that - was
going to lie down! ;y mother said she would
remain where she was! That was all!"
"Did anything in her appearan#e strike you
as out of the ordinary?"
"7o! At least4that is4" he paused
doubtfully, staring at $oirot!
"-t is not from me that you #an get the
answer, ;ademoiselle," said $oirot quietly!
he fushed and looked away! "- was (ust
#onsidering! - hardly noti#ed at the time, but
now, looking ba#k4"
"Yes?"
*arol said slowly2 "-t is true4she was a
funny #olor4her fa#e was &ery red4more so than
usual!"
"he might, perhaps, ha&e had a sho#k of
some kind!" $oirot suggested!
"A sho#k?" he stared at him!
"Yes, she might ha&e had, let us say, some
trouble with one of the Arab ser&ants!"
":h)" "er fa#e #leared! "Yes4she might!"
"he did not mention su#h a thing ha&ing
happened?"
"7o, no, nothing at all!"
$oirot went on2 "And what did you do ne't
;ademoiselle?"
"- went to my tent and lay down for about
half an hour! Then - went down to the marquee!
;y brother and his wife were there reading!"
"And what did you do?"
":h) - had some sewing to do! And then -
pi#ked up a maga6ine!"
"Did you speak to your mother again on
your way to the marquee?"
"7o, - went straight down! - don't think -
e&en glan#ed in her dire#tion!"
"And then?"
"- remained in the marquee until4until ;iss
<ing told us she was dead!"
"And that is all you know, ;ademoiselle?"
"Yes!"
$oirot leaned forward! "is tone was the
same, light and #on&ersational! "And what did
you feel, ;ademoiselle?"
"1hat did - feel?"
"Yes, when you found that your mother4
pardon4your stepmother was she not?4what did
you feel when you learned she was dead?"
he stared at him! "- don't understand what
you mean)"
"- think you understand &ery well!"
"er eyes dropped! he said, un#ertainly2 "-t
was4a great sho#k!"
"1as it?"
The blood rushed to her fa#e! he stared at
him helplessly!
7ow he saw fear in her eyes! "1as it su#h a
great sho#k, ;ademoiselle? 5emembering a
#ertain #on&ersation you had with your brother
5aymond one night in ,erusalem?"
"is shot pro&ed right! "e saw it in the way
the #olor drained out of her #heeks again! "You
know about that?" she whispered!
"Yes, - know!"
"/ut how4how?"
"$art of your #on&ersation was o&erheard!"
":h)" *arol /oynton buried her fa#e in her
hands! "er sobs shook the table! "er#ule $oirot
waited a minute, then he said quietly2 "You
were planning together to bring about your
stepmother's death!"
*arol sobbed out brokenly2 "1e were mad4
mad4that e&ening)"
"$erhaps!"
"-t's impossible for you to understand the
state we were in)" he sat up, pushing ba#k
the hair from her fa#e! "-t would sound
fantasti#! -t wasn't so bad in Ameri#a4but
tra&eling brought it home to us so!"
"/rought what home to you?" "is &oi#e was
kind now, sympatheti#!
":ur being di0erent from4other people) 1e4
we got desperate about it! And there was
,inny!"
",inny?"
";y sister! You ha&en't seen her! he was
going4well4queer! And ;other was making her
worse! he didn't seem to reali6e! 1e were
afraid, 5ay and -, that ,inny was going quite
mad) And we saw KunreadableL
$oirot nodded his head slowly! "Yes, it has
seemed so, - know, to many! That is, by
history!"
"That's how 5ay and - felt that night! ! ! !"
he put her hand on the table! "/ut we didn't
really do it! :f #ourse we didn't do it) 1hen
daylight #ame the thing seemed absurd,
melodramati#! :h, yes, and wi#ked too)
-ndeed, indeed, ;! $oirot, ;other died naturally
of heart failure! 5ay and - had nothing to do
with it!"
$oirot said quietly2 "1ill you swear to me,
;ademoiselle, as your sal&ation after death,
that ;rs! /oynton did not die as a result of any
a#tion of yours?"
he lifted her head! "er &oi#e #ame
steadily "- swear," said *arol, "as - hope for
sal&ation - ne&er harmed her! ! ! !"
$oirot leaned ba#k in his #hair! "7o," he
said, "that is that!"
There was silen#e! $oirot thoughtfully
#aressed his mousta#he! Then he said2 "1hat
e'a#tly was your plan?"
"$lan?"
"Yes, you and your brother must ha&e had
a plan!"
-n his mind he ti#ked o0 the se#onds before
her answer #ame! :ne, two, three!
"1e had no plan," said *arol at last! "1e
ne&er got as far as that!"
"er#ule $oirot got up!
"That is all, ;ademoiselle! 1ill you be so
good as to send your brother to me!"
*arol rose! he stood unde#idedly for a
minute! ";! $oirot, you do4you do belie&e me?"
""a&e - said," asked $oirot, "that - do not?"
"7o, but4" he stopped!
"e said2 "You will ask your brother to #ome
here?"
"Yes!"
he went slowly towards the door! he
stopped as she got to it, turning around
passionately! "- ha&e told you the truth4- ha&e)"
"er#ule $oirot did not answer and *arol
/oynton went slowly out of the room!
9
$oirot noted the likeness between brother
and sister as 5aymond /oynton #ame into the
room!
"is fa#e was stern and set! "e did not
seem ner&ous or afraid! "e dropped into a
#hair, stared hard at $oirot and said2 "1ell?"
$oirot said gently2 "Your sister has spoken
with you?"
5aymond nodded! "Yes, when she told me
to #ome here! :f #ourse - reali6e that your
suspi#ions are quite (usti+ed! -f our
#on&ersation was o&erheard that night, the fa#t
that my stepmother died rather suddenly
#ertainly would seem suspi#ious) - #an only
assure you that that #on&ersation was the
madness of an e&ening) 1e were, at the time,
under an intolerable strain! This fantasti# plan
of killing my stepmother did4oh, how shall - put
it?4it let o0 steam somehow)"
"er#ule $oirot bent his head slowly! "That,"
he said, "is possible!"
"-n the morning, of #ourse, it all seemed
rather absurd) - swear to you, ;! $oirot, that -
ne&er thought of the matter again)"
$oirot did not answer!
5aymond said qui#kly2 "1ell, yes, - know
that that is easy enough to say! - #annot e'pe#t
you to belie&e me on my bare word! /ut
#onsider the fa#ts! - spoke to my mother (ust a
little before si' o'#lo#k! he was #ertainly ali&e
and well then! - went to my tent, had a wash
and (oined the others in the marquee! %rom
that time onwards neither *arol nor - mo&ed
from the pla#e! 1e were in full sight of
e&eryone! You must see, ;! $oirot, that my
mother's death was natural, a #ase of heart
failure! -t #ouldn't be anything else) There were
ser&ants about, a lot of #oming and going! Any
other idea is absurd!"
$oirot said quietly2 "Do you know, ;!
/oynton, that ;iss <ing is of the opinion that
when she e'amined the body4at si'4thirty4
death had o##urred at least an hour and a half
and probably two hours earlier?"
5aymond stared at him! "e looked
dumbfounded! "arah said that?" he gasped!
$oirot nodded! "1hat ha&e you to say
now?"
"/ut4it's impossible)"
"That is ;iss <ing's testimony! 7ow you
#ome and tell me that your mother was ali&e
and well only forty minutes before ;iss <ing
e'amined the body!"
5aymond said2 "/ut she was)"
"/e #areful, ;! /oynton!"
"arah must be mistaken) There must be
some fa#tor she didn't take into a##ount!
5efra#tion o0 the ro#k4something! - #an assure
you, ;! $oirot, that my mother was ali&e at (ust
before si' and that - spoke to her!"
$oirot's fa#e showed nothing!
5aymond leaned forward earnestly! ";!
$oirot, - know how it must seem to you, but
look at it fairly! You are a biased person! You are
bound to be by the nature of things! You li&e in
an atmosphere where e&en sudden death must
seem to you a possible murder! *an't you
reali6e that your sense of proportion is to be
relied upon? $eople die e&ery day4espe#ially
those with weak hearts4and there is nothing in
the least sinister about su#h deaths!"
$oirot sighed! "o you would tea#h me my
business, is that it?"
"7o of #ourse not! /ut - do think that you
are pre(udi#ed4be#ause of that unfortunate
#on&ersation! There is nothing really about my
mother's death to awaken suspi#ion e'#ept
that unlu#ky hysteri#al #on&ersation between
*arol and myself!"
$oirot shook his head! "You are in error," he
said! "There is something else! There is the
poison taken from Dr! 3erard's medi#ine
#hest!"
"$oison?" 5ay stared at him! "$oison)" "e
pushed his #hair ba#k a little! "e looked
#ompletely stupe+ed! "-s that what you
suspe#t?"
$oirot ga&e him a minute or two! Then he
said quietly, almost indi0erently2 "Your plan
was di0erent4eh?"
":h, yes!" 5aymond answered
me#hani#ally! "That's why this #hanges
e&erything! ! ! ! -4- #an't think #learly!"
"1hat was your plan?"
":ur plan? -t was4" 5aymond stopped
abruptly! "is eyes be#ame alert, suddenly
wat#hful! "- don't think," he said, "that -'ll say
any more!" "e got up!
"As you please," said $oirot!
"e wat#hed the young man out of the
room! "e drew his pad towards him and in
small neat #hara#ters made a +nal entry! "5! /!
M2MM!"
Then, taking a large sheet of paper, he
pro#eeded to write! "is task #ompleted, he sat
ba#k with his head on one side #ontemplating
the result! -t ran as follows2
Boyntons and Jeferson Cope leae the
camp !"#$ %appro&.'
(r. )erard and *arah +ing leae the camp
!",$ %appro&.'
-ady .estholme and Miss Pierce leae the
camp /",$
(r. )erard returns to camp /"0# %appro&.'
-enno& Boynton returns to camp /"!$
1adine Boynton returns to camp and talks
to Mrs. Boynton /"/#
1adine Boynton leaes her mother2in2la3
and goes to mar4uee /"$# %appro&.'
Carol Boynton returns to camp $",#
-ady .estholme, Miss Pierce and M.
Jeferson Cope return to camp $"/#.
Raymond Boynton returns to camp $"$#
*arah +ing returns to camp 5"##
Body discoered 5"!#
10
"- wonder," said "er#ule $oirot! "e folded
up the list, went to the door and ordered
;ahmoud to be brought to him! The stout
dragoman was &oluble! 1ords dripped from
him in a rising food!
"Always, always, - am blamed! 1hen
anything happens, say always my fault! Always
my fault! 1hen 9ady =llen "unt sprain her
ankle #oming down from $la#e of a#ri+#e, it
my fault, though she would go high4heeled
shoes and she si'ty at least4perhaps se&enty!
;y life all one misery) Ah) 1hat with miseries
and iniquities ,ews do to us4"
At last $oirot su##eeded in stemming the
food and in getting in his question!
""alf4past +&e o'#lo#k, you say? 7o, - not
think any of ser&ants were about then! You see,
lun#h it late4two o'#lo#k! And then to #lear it
away! After the lun#h all afternoon sleep! Yes,
Ameri#ans, they not take tea! 1e all settle
sleep by half4past three! At +&e -, who am soul
of e>#ien#y4always4always - wat#h for the
#omfort of ladies and gentlemen - ser&ing, -
#ome out knowing that time all =nglish ladies
want tea! /ut no one there! They all gone
walking! %or me, that is &ery well4better than
usual! - #an go ba#k sleep! At quarter to si'
trouble beg! 9arge =nglish lady4&ery grand
lady4#ome ba#k and want tea although boys
are now laying dinner! he makes quite fuss4
says water must be boiling4- am see myself! Ah,
my good gentleman) 1hat a life4what life) - do
all - #an4always - blamed4-4"
$oirot #ut short the re#riminations! "There
is another small matter! The dead lady was
angry with one of the boys! Do you know whi#h
one it was and what it was about?"
;ahmoud's hands rose to hea&en! "hould
- know? /ut naturally not! :ld lady did not
#omplain to me!"
"*ould you +nd out?"
"7o, my good gentleman, that would be
impossible! 7one of the boys admit it for a
moment! :ld lady angry, you say? Then
naturally boys would not tell! Abdul say it
;ohammed, and ;ohammed say it A6i6, and
A6i6 say it Aissa, and so on! They are all &ery
stupid /edouin4understand nothing!" "e took a
breath and #ontinued2 "7ow -, - ha&e
ad&antage of ;ission edu#ation! - re#ite to you
<eats4helley4ladado&eandasweedo&edied4"
$oirot fin#hed! Though =nglish was not his
nati&e tongue he knew it well enough to su0er
from the strange enun#iation of ;ahmoud!
"uperb)" he said hastily! "uperb)
De+nitely - re#ommend you to all my friends!"
"e #ontri&ed to es#ape from the dragoman's
eloquen#e! Then he took his list to *olonel
*arbury, whom he found in his o>#e!
*arbury pushed his tie a little more askew
and asked2 "3ot anything?"
$oirot sat down! "hall - tell you a theory of
mine?"
"-f you like," said *olonel *arbury, and
sighed! :ne and another he had heard a good
many theories in the #ourse of his e'isten#e!
";y theory is that #riminology is the
easiest s#ien#e in the world) :ne has only to
let the #riminal talk4sooner or later he will tell
you e&erything!"
"- remember you said something of the
kind before! 1ho's been telling you things?"
"=&erybody!"
/riefy, $oirot retailed the inter&iews he
had had that morning!
""m," said *arbury! "Yes, you'&e got hold of
a pointer or two, perhaps! $ity of it is, they all
seem to point in opposite dire#tions! "a&e we
got a #ase, that's what - want to know?"
"7o!"
*arbury sighed again!
"- was afraid not!"
"/ut before nightfall," said $oirot, "you
shall ha&e the truth)"
"1ell, that's all you e&er promised me,"
said *olonel *arbury! "And - rather doubted
your getting that) ure of it?"
"- am &ery sure!"
";ust be ni#e to feel like that," #ommented
the other! -f there was a faint twinkle in his eye,
$oirot appeared unaware of it! "e produ#ed his
list!
"7eat," said *olonel *arbury appro&ingly!
"e bent o&er it! After a minute or two he
said2 "<now what - think?"
"- should be delighted if you would tell me!"
"Young 5aymond /oynton's out of it!"
"Ah) You think so?"
"Yes! *lear as a bell what he thought! 1e
might ha&e known he'd be out of it! /eing, as
in dete#ti&e stories the most likely person!
in#e you pra#ti#ally o&erheard him sa&ing he
was going to bump o0 the old lady4we might
ha&e known that meant he was inno#ent)"
"You read the dete#ti&e stories, yes?"
"Thousands of them," said *olonel *arbury!
"e added and his tone was that of a wistful
s#hoolboy2 "- suppose you #ouldn't do the
things the dete#ti&e does in books? 1rite a list
of signi+#ant fa#ts4things that don't seem to
mean anything but are really frightfully
important4that sort of thing?"
"Ah," said $oirot kindly! "You like that kind
of dete#ti&e story? /ut #ertainly, - will do it for
you with pleasure!"
"e drew a sheet of paper towards him and
wrote qui#kly and neatly2
-37-%-*A7T $:-7T
,. Mrs. Boynton 3as taking a mi&ture
containing digitalis.
0. (r. )erard missed a hypodermic syringe.
!. Mrs. Boynton took de6nite pleasure in
keeping her family from enjoying themseles
3ith other people.
/. Mrs. Boynton, on the afternoon in
4uestion, encouraged her family to go a3ay
and leae her.
$. Mrs. Boynton 3as a mental sadist.
5. The distance from the mar4uee to the
place 3here Mrs. Boynton 3as sitting is
%roughly' t3o hundred yards. Mr -enno&
Boynton said at 6rst he did not kno3 3hat time
he returned to the camp, 7ut later he admitted
haing set his mother8s 3rist3atch to the right
time.
9 (r. )erard and Miss )inera Boynton
occupied tents ne&t door to each other. :t half2
past si&, 3hen dinner 3as ready, a serant 3as
dispatched to announce the fact to Mrs.
Boynton.
The *olonel perused this with great
satisfa#tion! "*apital)" he said! ",ust the thing)
You'&e made it di>#ult4and seemingly
irrele&ant4absolutely the authenti# tou#h) /y
the way, it seems to me there are one or two
rather noti#eable omissions! /ut that, -
suppose, is what you tempt the mug with?"
$oirot's eyes twinkled a little but he did not
answer!
"$oint two, for instan#e," said *olonel
*arbury tentati&ely! "Dr! 3erard missed a
hypodermi# syringe4yes! "e also missed a
#on#entrated solution of digitalis4or something
of that kind!"
"The latter point," said $oirot, "is not
important in the way the absen#e of his
hypodermi# syringe is important!"
"plendid)" said *olonel *arbury, his fa#e
irradiated with smiles! "- don't get it at all! -
should ha&e said the digitalis was mu#h more
important than the syringe) And what about
that ser&ant motif that keeps #ropping up4a
ser&ant being sent to tell her dinner was ready!
And that story of her shaking her sti#k at a
ser&ant earlier in the afternoon? You're not
going to tell me one of my poor desert mutts
bumped her o0 after all? /e#ause," added
*olonel *arbur& sternly, "if so, that would be
#heating!"
$oirot smiled but did not answer! As he left
the o>#e, he murmured to himself2 "-n#redible)
The =nglish ne&er grow up)"
11
arah <ing sat on a hilltop absently
plu#king up wild fowers! Dr! 3erard sat on a
rough wall of stones near her! he said,
suddenly and +er#ely2 "1hy did you start all
this? -f it hadn't been for you4"
Dr! 3erard said slowly2 "You think - should
ha&e kept silen#e?"
"Yes!"
"<nowing what - knew?"
"You didn't know," said arah!
The %ren#hman sighed! "- did know! /ut -
admit one #an ne&er be absolutely sure!"
"Yes, one #an," said arah
un#ompromisingly!
The %ren#hman shrugged his shoulders!
"You, perhaps)"
arah said2 "You had fe&er4a high
temperature4you #ouldn't be #learheaded
about the business! The syringe was probably
there all the time! And you may ha&e made a
mistake about the digito'in or one of the
ser&ants may ha&e meddled with the #ase!"
3erard said #yni#ally2 "You need not worry)
The e&iden#e is almost bound to be
in#on#lusi&e! You will see, your friends the
/oyntons will get away with it)"
arah said +er#ely2 "- don't want that,
either!"
"e shook his head! "You are illogi#al)"
"1asn't it you"4arah demanded4"in
,erusalem who said a great deal about not
interfering? And now look)"
"- ha&e not interfered! - ha&e only told what
- know)"
"And - say you don't know it! :h, dear,
there we are ba#k again) -'m arguing in a
#ir#le!"
3erard said gently2 "- am sorry, ;iss <ing!"
arah said in a low &oi#e2 "You see, after
all, they ha&en't es#aped4any of them) he's
still there) =&en from her gra&e she #an still
rea#h out and hold them! There was something
terrible about her! he's (ust as terrible now
she's dead) - feel4- feel she's en(oying all this)"
he #len#hed her hands! Then she said in
an entirely di0erent tone, a light e&eryday
&oi#e2 "That little man's #oming up the hill!"
Dr! 3erard looked o&er his shoulder, "Ah)
"e #omes in sear#h of us, - think!"
"-s he as mu#h of a fool as he looks?" asked
arah!
Dr! 3erard said gra&ely2 ""e is not a fool at
all!"
"- was afraid of that," said arah <ing! 1ith
somber eyes she wat#hed the uphill progress
of "er#ule $oirot!
"e rea#hed them at last and wiped his
forehead! Then he looked sadly down at his
patent leather shoes!
"Alas," he said! "This stony #ountry) ;y
poor shoes!"
"You #an borrow 9ady 1estholme's shoe4
#leaning apparatus," said arah unkindly! "And
her duster! he tra&els with a kind of patent
housemaid's equipment!"
"That will not remo&e the s#rat#hes,
;ademoiselle!" $oirot shook his head sadly!
"$erhaps not! 1hy on earth do you wear
shoes like that in this sort of #ountry?"
$oirot put his head a little on one side! "-
like to ha&e the appearan#e soigne," he said!
"- should gi&e up trying for that in the
desert," said arah!
"1omen do not look their best in the
desert," said Dr! 3erard dreamily! ";iss <ing
here, yes4she always looks neat and well
turned out! /ut that 9ady 1estholme in her
great thi#k #oats and skirts and those terribly
unbe#oming riding bree#hes and boots4quelle
horreur de femme) And the poor ;iss $ier#e4
her #lothes so limp, like faded #abbage lea&es,
and the #hains and the beads that #link) =&en
young ;rs! /oynton, who is a good4looking
woman, is not what you #all #hi#) "er #lothes
are uninteresting!"
arah said resti&ely2 "1ell, - don't suppose
;! $oirot #limbed up here to talk about
#lothes)"
"True," said $oirot! "- #ame to #onsult Dr!
3erard4his opinion should be of &alue to me4
and yours too, ;ademoiselle! You are young
and up to date in your psy#hology! - want to
know, you see, all that you #an tell me of ;rs!
/oynton!"
"Don't you know all that by heart now?"
asked arah!
"7o! - ha&e a feeling4more than a feeling4a
#ertainty that the mental equipment of ;rs!
/oynton is &ery important in this #ase! u#h
types as hers are no doubt familiar to Dr!
3erard!"
"%rom my point of &iew she was #ertainly
an interesting study," said the do#tor!
"Tell me!"
Dr! 3erard was nothing loath! "e des#ribed
his interest in the family group, his
#on&ersation with ,e0erson *ope, and the
latter's #omplete misreading of the situation!
""e is a sentimentalist, then," said $oirot
thoughtfully!
":h, essentially) "e has ideals4based,
really, on a deep instin#t of la6iness! To take
human nature at its best and the world as a
pleasant pla#e is undoubtedly the easiest
#ourse in life) ,e0erson *ope has,
#onsequently, not the least idea what people
are really like!"
"That might be dangerous sometimes,"
said $oirot!
Dr! 3erard went on2 ""e persisted in
regarding what - may des#ribe as 'the /oynton
situation' as a #ase of mistaken de&otion! :f
the underlying hate, rebellion, sla&ery and
misery he had only the faintest notion!"
"-t is stupid, that," $oirot #ommented!
"All the same," went on Dr! 3erard, "e&en
the most willfully obtuse of sentimental
optimists #annot be quite blind! - think, on the
(ourney to $etra, ;r! ,e0erson *ope's eyes were
being opened!"
And he des#ribed the #on&ersation he had
had with the Ameri#an on the morning of ;rs!
/oynton's death!
"That is an interesting story, that story of a
ser&ant girl, said $oirot thoughtfully! "-t throws
light on the old woman's methods!"
3erard said2 "-t was altogether an odd,
strange morning, that) You ha&e not been to
$etra, ;! $oirot? -f you go, you must #ertainly
#limb to the $la#e of a#ri+#e! -t has an4how
#ould - say?4an atmosphere)" "e des#ribed the
s#ene in detail adding2 ";ademoiselle here sat
like a young (udge, speaking of the sa#ri+#e of
one to sa&e many! You remember, ;iss <ing?"
arah shi&ered! "Don't) Don't let's talk of
that day!"
"7o, no," said $oirot! "9et us talk of e&ents
further ba#k in the past! - am interested, Dr!
3erard, in your sket#h of ;rs! /oynton's
mentality! 1hat - do not quite understand is
this! "a&ing brought her family into absolute
sub(e#tion, why did she then arrange this trip
abroad where surely there was danger of
outside #onta#ts and of her authority being
weakened?"
Dr! 3erard leaned forward e'#itedly! "/ut,
mon &ieu', that is (ust it) :ld ladies are the
same all the world o&er! They get bored) -f their
spe#ialty is pla#ing patien#e, they si#ken of the
patien#e they know too well! They want to
learn a new patien#e! And it is (ust the same
with an old lady whose re#reation Ein#redible as
it may soundF is the dominating and
tormenting of human #reatures) ;rs! /oynton4
to speak of her as une dompteuse4had tamed
her tigers! There was perhaps some e'#itement
as they passed through the stage of
adoles#en#e! 9enno''s marriage to 7adine was
an ad&enture! /ut then, suddenly, all was stale!
9enno' is so sunk in melan#holy that it is
pra#ti#ally impossible to wound or stress him!
5aymond and *arol show no signs of rebellion!"
"3ine&ra4Ah) 9a pau&re 3ine&ra4she, from
her mother's point of &iew, gi&es the poorest
sport of all) 3ine&ra has found a way of
es#ape) he es#apes from reality into fantasy!
The more her mother goads her the more
easily she gets a se#ret thrill out of being a
perse#uted heroine) %rom ;rs! /oynton's point
of &iew it is all deadly dull! he seeks, like
Ale'ander, new worlds to #onquer! And so she
plans the &oyage abroad! There will be the
danger of her tamed beasts rebelling, there will
be opportunities for infi#ting fresh pain) -t
sounds absurd does it not, but it was so) he
wanted a new thrill!"
$oirot took a deep breath! "-t is perfe#t,
that! Yes, - see e'a#tly what you mean! -t was
so! -t all +ts in! he #hose to li&e dangerously,
la ;aman /oynton and she paid the penalty)"
arah leaned forward, her pale intelligent
fa#e &ery serious!
"You mean," she said, "that she dro&e her
&i#tims too far and4and they turned on her4or4
or one of them did?"
$oirot bowed his head!
arah said, and her &oi#e was a little
breathless2 "1hi#h of them?"
$oirot looked at her, at her hands #len#hed
+er#ely on the wild fowers, at the pale rigidity
of her fa#e!
"e did not answer4was indeed sa&ed from
answering4for at that moment 3erard tou#hed
his shoulder and said2 "9ook!"
A girl was wandering along the side of the
hill! he mo&ed with a strange rhythmi# gra#e
that somehow ga&e the impression that she
was not quite real! The gold4red of her hair
shone in the sunlight, a strange se#reti&e smile
lifted the beautiful #orners of her mouth!
$oirot drew in his breath! "e said2 ""ow
beautiful! ! ! "ow strangely, mo&ingly beautiful!
That is how :phelia should be played4like a
young goddess straying from another world,
happy be#ause she has es#aped out of the
bondage of human (oys and griefs!"
"Yes, yes, you are right," said 3erard! "-t is
a fa#e to dream of, is it not? - dreamt of it! -n
my fe&er - opened my e&es and saw that fa#e4
with its sweet unearthly smile! ! ! ! -t was a
good dream! - was sorry to wake! ! ! !"
Then, with a return to his #ommonpla#e
manner2 "That is 3ine&ra /oynton," he said!
12
-n another minute the girl had rea#hed
them! Dr! 3erard performed the introdu#tion!
";iss /oynton, this is ;! "er#ule $oirot!"
":h)" he looked at him un#ertainly! "er
+ngers (oined together, twined themsel&es
uneasily in and out! The en#hanted nymph had
#ome ba#k from the #ountry of en#hantment!
he was now (ust an ordinary, awkward girl,
slightly ner&ous and ill at ease!
$oirot said2 "-t is a pie#e of good fortune
meeting you here, ;ademoiselle! - tried to see
you in the hotel!"
"Did you?" "er smile was &a#ant! "er
+ngers began plu#king at the belt of her dress!
"e said gently2 "1ill you walk with me a
little way?"
he mo&ed do#ilely enough, obedient to his
whim! $resently she said, rather une'pe#tedly,
in a queer hurried &oi#e2 "You are4you are a
dete#ti&e, aren't you?"
"Yes, ;ademoiselle,"
"A &ery well4known dete#ti&e?"
"The best dete#ti&e in the world," said
$oirot, stating it as a simple truth, no more, no
less!
3ine&ra /oynton breathed &ery softly2 "You
ha&e #ome here to prote#t me?"
$oirot stroked his mousta#he thoughtfully!
"e said2 "Are you then in danger,
;ademoiselle?"
"Yes! Yes)" he looked around with a qui#k
suspi#ious dan#e! "- told Dr! 3erard about it in
,erusalem! "e was &ery #le&er! "e ga&e no sign
at the time! /ut he followed me to that terrible
pla#e with the red ro#ks!" he shi&ered! "They
meant to kill me there! - ha&e to be #ontinually
on my guard!"
$oirot nodded gently and indulgently!
3ine&ra /oynton said2 ""e is kind4and
good! "e is in lo&e with me)"
"Yes?"
":h, yes! "e says my name in his
sleep! ! ! !" "er fa#e softened4again a kind of
trembling, unearthly beauty ho&ered there! "-
saw him lying there turning and tossing and
saying my name! ! ! ! - stole away quietly!" he
paused! "- thought, perhaps, he had sent for
you? - ha&e a terrible lot of enemies, you know!
They are all around me! ometimes they are
disguised!"
"Yes, yes," said $oirot gently! "/ut you are
safe here4with all your family around you!"
he drew herself up proudly! "They are not
my family) - ha&e nothing to do with them! -
#annot tell you who - really am4that is a great
se#ret! -t would surprise you if you knew!"
"e said gently2 "1as your mother's death a
great sho#k to you, ;ademoiselle?"
3ine&ra stamped her foot! "- tell you she
wasn't my mother) ;y enemies paid her to
pretend she was and to see - did not es#ape)"
"1here were you on the afternoon of her
death?"
he answered readily2 "- was in the
tent! ! ! ! -t was hot in there, but - didn't dare
#ome out! ! ! ! They might ha&e got me! ! ! !"
he ga&e a little qui&er! ":ne of them looked
into my tent! "e was disguised, but - knew him!
- pretended to be asleep! The heikh had sent
him! The heikh wanted to kidnap me, of
#ourse!"
%or a few moments $oirot walked in silen#e,
then he said2 "They are &ery pretty, these
histories you re#ount to yourself!"
he stopped! he glared at him! "They're
true! They're all true!" Again she stamped an
angry foot!
"Yes," said $oirot, "they are #ertainly
ingenious!"
he #ried out2 "They are true4true4" Then,
angrily, she turned from him and ran down the
hillside!
$oirot stood looking after her! -n a minute
or two he heard a &oi#e #lose behind him!
"1hat did you say to her?"
$oirot turned to where Dr! 3erard, a little
out of breath, stood beside him! arah was
#oming towards them both, but she #ame at a
more leisurely pa#e!
$oirot answered 3erard's question! "- told
her," he said, "that she had imagined to herself
some pretty stories!"
The do#tor nodded his head thoughtfully!
"And she was angry) That is a good sign! -t
shows, you see, that she has not yet
#ompletely passed through the gate! till
knows that it is not the truth) - shall #ure her!"
KunreadableL
"Yes! - ha&e dis#ussed the matter with
young ;rs! /oynton and her husband! 3ine&ra
will #ome to $aris and enter one of my #lini#s!
Afterwards she will ha&e her training for the
stage!"
"The stage?"
"Yes, there is a possibility there for her, of
great su##ess! And that is what she needs4what
she must ha&e) -n many essentials she has the
same nature as her mother!"
"7o)" #ried arah, re&olted!
"-t seems impossible to you, but #ertain
fundamental traits are the same! They were
both born with a great yearning for importan#e,
they both demand that their personalities shall
impress) This poor #hild has been thwarted and
suppressed at e&ery turn, she has been gi&en
no outlet for her +er#e ambition, for her lo&e of
life, for the e'pressing of her &i&id romanti#
personality!" "e ga&e a little laugh! "7ous
&oullons #hanger tout pa)"
Then, with a little bow, he murmured2 "You
will e'#use me?" And he hurried down the hill
after the girl!
arah said2 "Dr! 3erard is tremendously
keen on his (ob!"
"- per#ei&e his keenness," said $oirot!
arah said with a frown2 "All the same, -
#an't bear his #omparing her to that horrible
old woman although on#e - felt sorry for ;rs!
/oynton myself!"
"1hen was that, ;ademoiselle?"
"That time - told you about in ,erusalem! -
suddenly felt as though -'d got the whole
business wrong! You know that feeling one has
sometimes when (ust for a short time you see
e&erything the other way round? - got all 'het
up' about it and went and made a fool of
myself)"
":h, no4not that)"
arah, as always, when she remembered
her #on&ersation with ;rs! /oynton, was
blushing a#utely! "- felt all e'alted as though -
had a mission) And then later, when 9ady 1!
+'ed a +shy eye on me and said she had seen
me talking to ;rs! /oynton, - thought she had
probably o&erheard, and - felt the most
#omplete ass!"
$oirot said2 "1hat e'a#tly was it that old
;rs! /oynton said to you? *an you remember
the e'a#t words?"
"- think so! They made rather an impression
on me! '- ne&er forget!' That's what she said!
'5emember that! -'&e ne&er forgotten anything4
not an a#tion, not a name, not a fa#e!'" arah
shi&ered! "he said it so male&olently4not e&en
looking at me! - feel4- feel as if, e&en now, - #an
hear her! ! ! !"
$oirot said gently2 "-t impressed you &ery
mu#h?"
"Yes! -'m not easily frightened but
sometimes - dream of her saying (ust these
words and - #an see her e&il, leering,
triumphant fa#e! 8gh)" he ga&e a qui#k
shi&er! Then she turned suddenly to him!
";! $oirot, perhaps - ought not to ask, but
ha&e you #ome to a #on#lusion about this
business? "a&e you found out anything
de+nite?"
"Yes!"
"e saw her lips tremble as she asked2
"1hat?"
"- ha&e found out to whom 5aymond
/oynton spoke that night in ,erusalem! -t was
to his sister *arol!"
"*arol4of #ourse)" Then she went on2 "Did
you tell him4did you ask him4" -t was no use!
he #ould not go on! $oirot looked at her
gra&ely and #ompassionately! "e said quietly2
"-t means so mu#h to you, ;ademoiselle?"
"-t means (ust e&erything)" said arah!
Then she squared her shoulders! "/ut -'&e got
to know!"
$oirot said quietly2 ""e told me that it was
a hysteri#al outburst4no more) That he and his
sister were worked up! "e told me that in
daylight su#h an idea appeared fantasti# to
them both!"
"- see! ! ! !"
$oirot said gently2 ";iss arah, will you not
tell me what it is you fear?"
arah turned a white despairing fa#e upon
him! "That afternoon we were together! And he
left me saying4saying he wanted to do
something now4while he had the #ourage! -
thought he meant (ust to4to tell her! /ut
supposing he meant ! ! !" "er &oi#e died away!
he stood rigid, +ghting for #ontrol!
13
7AD-7= /:Y7T:7 *A;= out of the hotel!
As she hesitated un#ertainly, a waiting +gure
sprang forward! ;r! ,e0erson *ope was
immediately at his lady's side "hall we walk
up this way? - think it's the pleasantest!"
he a#quies#ed!
They walked along and ;r! *ope talked! "is
words #ame freely, if a trife monotonously! -t is
not #ertain whether he per#ei&ed that 7adine
was not listening! As they turned aside onto
the stony fower4#o&ered hillside she
interrupted him!
",e0erson, -'m sorry! -'&e got to talk to you!"
"er fa#e had grown pale!
"1hy, #ertainly, my dear! Anything you like,
but don't distress yourself!"
he said, "You're #le&erer than - thought!
You know, don't you, what -'m going to say?"
"-t is undoubtedly true," said ;r! *ope,
"that #ir#umstan#es alter #ases! - do feel, &ery
profoundly, that in the present #ir#umstan#es,
de#isions may ha&e to be re#onsidered!" "e
sighed! "You'&e got to go right ahead, 7adine,
and do (ust what you feel!"
he said, with real emotion2 "You're so
good, ,e0erson! o patient) - feel -'&e treated
you &ery badly! - really ha&e been downright
mean to you!"
"7ow, look here, 7adine, let's get this right!
-'&e always known what my limitations were
where you were #on#erned! -'&e had the
deepest a0e#tion and respe#t for you sin#e -'&e
known you! All - want is your happiness! That's
all -'&e e&er wanted! eeing you unhappy has
&ery nearly dri&en me #ra6y! And - may say
that -'&e blamed 9enno'! -'&e felt that he didn't
deser&e to keep you if he didn't &alue your
happiness a little more than he seemed to do!"
;r! *ope took a breath and went on2 "7ow
-'ll admit that after tra&eling with you to $etra, -
felt that perhaps 9enno' wasn't quite so mu#h
to blame as - thought! "e wasn't so mu#h
sel+sh where you were #on#erned, as too
unsel+sh where his mother was #on#erned! -
don't want to say anything against the dead,
but - do think that your mother4in4law was
perhaps an unusually di>#ult woman!"
"Yes, - think you may say that," murmured
7adine!
"Anyway," went on ;r! *ope, "you #ame to
me yesterday and told me that you'd de+nitely
de#ided to lea&e 9enno'! - applauded your
de#ision! -t wasn't right4the life you were
leading! You were quite honest with me! You
didn't pretend to be more than (ust mildly fond
of me! 1ell, that was all right with me! All -
asked was the #han#e to look after you and
treat you as you should be treated! - may say
that afternoon was one of the happiest in my
life!"
7adine #ried out2 "-'m sorry4-'m sorry!"
"7o, my dear, be#ause all along - had a
kind of feeling that it wasn't real! - felt it was
quite on the #ards that you would ha&e
#hanged your mind by the ne't morning! 1ell,
things are di0erent now! You and 9enno' #an
lead a life of your own!"
7adine said quietly2 "Yes! - #an't lea&e
9enno'! $lease forgi&e me!"
"7othing to forgi&e," de#lared ;r! *ope!
"You and - will go ba#k to being old friends!
1e'll (ust forget about that afternoon!"
7adine pla#ed a gentle hand on his arm!
"Dear ,e0erson, thank you! -'m going to +nd
9enno' now!"
he turned and left him! ;r! *ope went on
alone!
7adine found 9enno' sitting at the top of
the 3rae#o45oman Theatre! "e was in su#h a
brown study that he hardly noti#ed her till she
sank breathless at his side! "9enno'!"
"7adine!" "e half turned!
he said2 "1e ha&en't been able to talk
until now! /ut you know, don't you, that - am
not lea&ing you?"
"e said gra&ely2 "Did you e&er really mean
to, 7adine?"
he nodded! "Yes! You see, it seemed to be
the only possible thing left to do! - hoped4-
hoped that you would #ome after me! $oor
,e0erson, how mean - ha&e been to him!"
9enno' ga&e a sudden #urt laugh! "7o, you
ha&en't! Anyone who is as unsel+sh as *ope,
ought to be gi&en full s#ope for his nobility)
And you were right, you know, 7adine! 1hen
you told me that you were going away with him
you ga&e me the sho#k of my life! You know,
honestly, - think - must ha&e been going queer
or something lately! 1hy the hell didn't - snap
my +ngers in ;other's fa#e and go o0 with you
when you wanted me to?"
he said gently2 "You #ouldn't, my dear,
you #ouldn't!"
9enno' said musingly2 ";other was a
damned queer #hara#ter! ! ! ! - belie&e she'd
got us all half hypnoti6ed!"
"he had!"
9enno' mused a minute or two longer!
Then he said2 "1hen you told me that
afternoon4it was (ust like being hit a #ra#k on
the head) - walked ba#k half da6ed, and then,
suddenly - saw what a damned fool -'d been) -
reali6ed that there was only one thing to be
done if - didn't want to lose you!"
"e felt her sti0en! "is tone be#ame
grimmer! "- went and4"
"Don't ! ! !"
"e ga&e her a qui#k glan#e! "- went and
argued with her!" "e spoke with a #omplete
#hange of tone4#areful and rather toneless! "-
told her that -'d got to #hoose between her and
you4and that - #hose you!"
There was a pause! "e repeated, in a tone
of #urious self4appro&al2 "Yes, that's what - said
to her!"
14
$oirot met two people on his way home!
The +rst was ;r! ,e0erson *ope!
";! "er#ule $oirot? ;y name's ,e0erson
*ope!"
The two men shook hands #eremoniously!
Then, falling into step beside $oirot, ;r! *ope
e'plained2 "-t's (ust got around to me that
you're making a kind of routine inquiry into the
death of my old friend, ;rs! /oynton! That
#ertainly was a sho#king business! :f #ourse,
mind you, the old lady ought ne&er to ha&e
undertaken su#h a fatiguing (ourney! /ut she
was headstrong, ;! $oirot! "er family #ould do
nothing with her! he was by way of being a
household tyrant4had had her own way too
long, - guess! -t #ertainly is true that what she
said went) Yes, sir, that #ertainly was true!"
There was a momentary pause!
"-'d (ust like to tell you, ;! $oirot, that -'m
an old friend of the /oynton family! 7aturally,
they're all a good deal upset o&er this business,
they're a trife ner&ous and highly strung too,
you know, so if there are any arrangements to
be made2 ne#essary formalities, arrangements
for the funeral, transport of the body to
,erusalem, why, -'ll take as mu#h trouble as -
#an on their hands! ,ust #all upon me for
anything that needs doing!"
"- am sure the family will appre#iate your
o0er," said $oirot! "e added2 "You are, - think, a
spe#ial friend of young ;rs! /oynton's!"
;r! ,e0erson *ope went a little pink! "1ell!
1e won't say mu#h about that, ;! $oirot! - hear
you had an inter&iew with ;rs! 9enno' /oynton
this morning and she may ha&e gi&en you a
hint how things were between us, but that's all
o&er now! ;rs! /oynton is a &ery +ne woman
and she feels that her +rst duty is to her
husband in his sad berea&ement!"
There was a pause! $oirot re#ei&ed the
information by a deli#ate gesture of the head!
Then he murmured2 "-t is the desire of *olonel
*arbury to ha&e a #lear statement #on#erning
the afternoon of ;rs! /oynton's death! *an you
gi&e me an a##ount of that afternoon?"
"1hy, #ertainly! After our lun#heon and a
brief rest we set out for a kind of informal tour
around! 1e es#aped, -'m glad to say, without
that pestilential dragoman! That man's (ust
#ra6y on the sub(e#t of the ,ews! - don't think
he's quite sane on that point! Anyway, as - was
saying, we set out! -t was then that - had my
inter&iew with 7adine! Afterwards, she wished
to be alone with her husband to dis#uss
matters with him! - went o0 on my own,
working gradually ba#k towards the #amp!
About half way there - met the two =nglish
ladies who had been on the morning
e'pedition! :ne of them's an =nglish peeress, -
understand!"
$oirot said that su#h was the #ase!
"Ah, she's a +ne woman, a &ery powerful
intelle#t and &ery well informed! The other
seemed to me rather a weak sister, and she
looked about dead with fatigue! That
e'pedition in the morning was &ery strenuous
for an elderly lady, espe#ially when she doesn't
like heights! 1ell, as - was saying, - met these
two ladies and was able to gi&e them some
information on the sub(e#t of the 7abateans!
1e went around a bit and got ba#k to the #amp
about si'! 9ady 1estholme insisted on ha&ing
tea and - had the pleasure of ha&ing a #up with
her! The tea was kind of weak but it had an
interesting fa&or! Then the boys laid the table
for supper and sent out for the old lady, only to
+nd that she was sitting there dead in her
#hair!"
"Did you noti#e her as you walked home?"
"- did (ust noti#e she was there4it was her
usual seat in the afternoon and e&ening, but -
didn't pay spe#ial attention! - was (ust
e'plaining to 9ady 1estholme the #onditions of
our re#ent slump! - had to keep an eye on ;iss
$ier#e, too! he was so tired she kept turning
her ankles!"
"Thank you, ;r! *ope! ;ay - be so
indis#reet as to ask if ;rs! /oynton is likely to
ha&e left a large fortune?"
"A &ery #onsiderable one! That is to say,
stri#tly speaking, it was not hers to lea&e! he
had a life interest in it and at her death it is
di&ided among the late =lmer /oynton's
#hildren! Yes, they will all be &ery #omfortably
o0 now!"
";oney," murmured $oirot, "makes a lot of
di0eren#e! "ow many #rimes ha&e been
#ommitted for it)"
;r! *ope looked a little startled! "1hy,
that's so, - suppose," he admitted!
$oirot smiled sweetly and murmured2 "/ut
there are so many moti&es for murder, are
there not? Thank you, ;r! *ope, for your kind
#ooperation!"
"You're wel#ome, -'m sure," said ;r! *ope!
"Do - see ;iss <ing sitting up there? - think -'ll
go and ha&e a word with her!"
$oirot #ontinued to des#end the hill! "e
met ;iss $ier#e futtering up it! he greeted
him breathlessly!
":h ;! $oirot, -'m so glad to meet you! -'&e
been talking to that &ery odd /oynton girl4the
youngest one, you know! he has been saying
the strangest things4about enemies and some
heikh who wanted to kidnap her and how she
has spies all around her! 5eally, it sounded
most romanti#) 9ady 1estholme says it is all
nonsense and that she on#e had a redheaded
kit#hen maid who told lies (ust like that, but -
think sometimes that 9ady 1estholme is rather
hard! And after all, it might be true, mightn't it,
;! $oirot? - read some years ago that one of
the *6ar's daughters was not killed in the
5e&olution in 5ussia but es#aped se#retly to
Ameri#a! The 3rand Du#hess Tatiana, - think it
was! -f so, this might be her daughter, mightn't
it? he did hint at something 5oyal! And she
has a look, don't you think? 5ather la&i#,
those #heekbones! "ow thrilling it would be)"
;iss $ier#e looked wistful and e'#ited!
$oirot said, somewhat sententiously2 "-t is true
that there are many strange things in life!"
"- didn't really take in this morning who you
are," said ;iss $ier#e, #lasping her hands! ":f
#ourse you are that &ery famous dete#ti&e) -
read all about the A!/!*! #ase! -t was so
thrilling! - had a#tually a post as go&erness
near Don#aster at the time!"
$oirot murmured something! ;iss $ier#e
went on with growing agitation2 "That is why -
felt that perhaps - had been wrong this
morning! :ne must always tell e&erything,
must one, of e&en the smallest detail, howe&er
unrelated it may seem! /e#ause, of #ourse, if
you are mi'ed up in this, poor ;rs! /oynton
must ha&e been murdered) - see that now! -
suppose ;r! ;ah ;ood4- #annot remember his
name4but the dragoman, - mean4- suppose he
#ould not be a /olshe&ik agent? :r e&en,
perhaps, ;iss <ing's? - belie&e many quite well
brought up young girls of good family belong to
these dreadful *ommunists) That's why -
wondered if - ought to tell you4be#ause, you
see, it was rather pe#uliar when one #omes to
think of it!"
"$re#isely," said $oirot! "And therefore you
will tell me all about it!"
"1ell, it's not really anything &ery mu#h!
-t's only that on the ne't morning after ;rs!
/oynton's death - was up rather early and -
looked out of my tent to see the e0e#t of the
sunrise, you know! :nly of #ourse it wasn't
a#tually sunrise be#ause the sun must ha&e
risen quite an hour before! /ut it was early4"
"Yes, yes! And you saw?"
"That's the #urious thing4at least at the
time it didn't seem mu#h! -t was only that - saw
that /oynton girl #ome out of her tent and fing
something right out into the stream! 7othing in
that, of #ourse, but it glittered in the sunlight)
As it went through the air! -t glittered, you
know!"
"1hi#h /oynton girl was it?"
"- think it was the one they #all *arol4a &ery
ni#e4looking girl4so like her brother! 5eally they
might be twins! :r, of #ourse, it might ha&e
been the youngest one! The sun was in my
eyes so - #ouldn't quite see! /ut - don't think
the hair was red4(ust bron6e! -'m so fond or that
#oppery bron6e hair) 5ed hair always says
#arrots to me)" he tittered!
"And she threw away a brightly glittering
ob(e#t?" said $oirot!
"Yes! And, of #ourse, as - said, - didn't think
mu#h of it at the time! /ut later - had walked
along the stream and ;iss <ing was there! And
there amongst a lot of other &ery unsuitable
things4e&en a tin or two4- saw a little bright
metal bo'! 7ot an e'a#t square! A sort of long
square if you understand what - mean4"
"/ut, yes, - understand perfe#tly! About so
long?"
"Yes, how #le&er of you) And - thought to
myself, '- suppose that's what the /oynton girl
threw away, but it's a ni#e little bo'!' And (ust
out of #uriosity - pi#ked it up and opened it! -t
had a kind of syringe inside4the same thing
they stu#k into my arm when - was being
ino#ulated for typhoid! And - thought how
#urious to throw it away like that be#ause it
didn't seem broken or anything! /ut (ust as -
was wondering ;iss <ing spoke behind me! -
hadn't heard her #ome up! And she said, ':h,
thank you4that's my hypodermi#! - was #oming
to look for it!' o - ga&e it to her and she went
ba#k to the #amp with it!"
;iss $ier#e paused and then went on
hurriedly2 "And, of #ourse, - e'pe#t there is
nothing in it4only it did seem a little #urious
that *arol /oynton should throw away ;iss
<ing's syringe! - mean, it was odd, if you know
what - mean! Though of #ourse - e'pe#t there is
a &ery good e'planation!"
he paused, looking e'pe#tantly at $oirot!
"is fa#e was gra&e! "Thank you
;ademoiselle! 1hat you ha&e told me may not
be important in itself, but - will tell you this) -t
#ompletes my #ase) =&erything is now #lear
and in order!"
":h, really?" ;iss $ier#e looked as fushed
and pleased as a #hild!
$oirot es#orted her to the hotel!
/a#k in his own room he added one line to
his memorandum2
;Point 1o. ,#. < neer forget. Remem7er
that <8e neer forgotten anything. . . .;
"e nodded his head! ";ais oui," he said! "-t
is all #lear now)"
15
";y preparations are #omplete," said
"er#ule $oirot! 1ith a little sigh, he stepped
ba#k a pa#e or two and #ontemplated his
arrangement of one of the uno##upied hotel
bedrooms!
*olonel *arbury, leaning inelegantly
against the bed whi#h had been pushed
against the wall, smiled as he pu0ed at his
pipe!
"%unny feller, aren't you, $oirot?" he said!
"9ike to dramati6e things!"
"$erhaps that is true," admitted the little
dete#ti&e! "/ut, indeed, it is not all self4
indulgen#e! -f one plays a #omedy, one must
+rst set the s#ene!"
"-s this a #omedy?"
"=&en if it is a tragedy4there, too, the de#or
must be #orre#t!"
*olonel *arbury looked at him #uriously!
"1ell," he said! "-t's up to you) - don't know
what you're dri&ing at! - gather, though, that
you'&e got something!"
"- shall ha&e the honor to present to you
what you asked me for4the truth)"
"Do you think we #an get a #on&i#tion?"
"That, my friend, - did not promise you!"
"True enough! ;aybe -'m glad you ha&en't!
-t depends!"
";y arguments are mainly psy#hologi#al,"
said $oirot!
*olonel *arbur& sighed! "- was afraid they
might be!"
"/ut they will #on&in#e you," $oirot
reassured him! ":h, yes, they will #on&in#e
you! The truth, - ha&e always thought, is
#urious and beautiful!"
"ometimes," said *olonel *arbury, "it's
damned unpleasant!"
"7o, no!" $oirot was earnest! "You take
there the personal &iew! Take instead, the
abstra#t, the deta#hed point of &ision! Then the
absolute logi# of e&ents is fas#inating and
orderly!"
"-'ll try and look on it that way," said the
*olonel!
$oirot glan#ed at his wat#h, a large
grotesque turnip of a wat#h!
"%amily heirloom?" inquired *arbury
interestedly!
"/ut, yes, indeed, it belonged to my
grandfather!"
"Thought it might ha&e done!"
"-t is time to #ommen#e our pro#eedings,"
said $oirot! "You, mon *olonel, will sit here
behind this table in an o>#ial position!"
":h, all right," *arbury grunted! "You don't
want me to put my uniform on, do you?"
"7o, no! -f you would permit that -
straightened your tie!"
"e suited the a#tion to the word! *olonel
*arbury grinned again, sat down in the #hair
indi#ated and a moment later, un#ons#iously,
tweaked his tie around under his left ear again!
""ere," #ontinued $oirot, slightly altering
the position of the #hairs, "we pla#e la famille
/oynton! And o&er here," he went on, "we will
pla#e the three outsiders who ha&e a de+nite
stake in the #ase! Dr! 3erard, on whose
e&iden#e the #ase for the prose#ution depends!
;iss arah <ing, who has two separate
interests in the #ase, a personal one and that
of medi#al e'aminer! Also ;! ,e0erson *ope,
who was on intimate terms with the /oyntons
and so may be de+nitely des#ribed as an
interested party!"
"e broke o0! "Aha4here they #ome!"
"e opened the door to admit the party!
9enno' /oynton and his wife #ame in +rst!
5aymond and *arol followed! 3ine&ra walked
by herself, a faint faraway smile on her lips! Dr!
3erard and arah <ing brought up the rear! ;r!
,e0erson *ope was a few minutes late and
#ame in with an apology!
1hen he had taken his pla#e, $oirot
stepped forward!
"9adies and gentlemen," he said, "this is an
entirely informal gathering! -t has #ome about
through the a##ident of my presen#e in
Amman! *olonel *arbury did me the honor to
#onsult me4"
$oirot was interrupted! The interruption
#ame from what was seemingly the most
unlikely quarter! 9enno' /oynton said suddenly
and pugna#iously2 "1hy? 1hy the de&il should
he bring you into this business?"
$oirot wa&ed a hand gra#efully! ";e, - am
often #alled in #ases of sudden death!"
9enno' /oynton said2 "Do#tors send for you
whene&er there is a #ase of heart failure?"
$oirot said gently2 ""eart failure is su#h a
&ery loose and uns#ienti+# term!"
*olonel *arbury #leared his throat! -t was
an o>#ial noise! "e spoke in an o>#ial tone2
"/est to make it quite #lear! *ir#umstan#es of
death reported to me! .ery natural o##urren#e!
1eather unusually hot! ,ourney a &ery trying
one for an elderly lady in bad health! o far all
quite #lear! /ut Dr! 3erard #ame to me and
&olunteered a statement4" "e looked
inquiringly at $oirot! $oirot nodded!
"Dr! 3erard is a &ery eminent physi#ian
with a worldwide reputation! Any statement he
makes is bound to be re#ei&ed with attention!
Dr! 3erard's statement was as follows2 :n the
morning after ;rs! /oynton's death, he noti#ed
that a #ertain quantity of a powerful drug
a#ting on the heart was missing from his
medi#al supplies! :n the pre&ious afternoon he
had noted the disappearan#e of a hypodermi#
syringe! yringe was returned during the night!
%inal point4there was a pun#ture on the dead
woman's wrist #orresponding to the mark of a
hypodermi# syringe!"
*olonel *arbury paused! "-n these
#ir#umstan#es - #onsidered that it was the duty
of those in authority to inquire into the matter!
;! "er#ule $oirot was my guest and &ery
#onsiderately o0ered his highly spe#iali6ed
ser&i#es! - ga&e him full authority to make any
in&estigations he pleased! 1e are assembled
here now to hear his report on the matter!"
There was silen#e! A silen#e so a#ute that
you #ould ha&e heard4as the saying is4a pin
drop! A#tually, somebody in the ne't room did
drop what was probably a shoe! -t sounded like
a bomb in the hushed atmosphere!
$oirot #ast a qui#k glan#e at the little group
of three people on his right, then turned his
ga6e to the +&e people huddled together on his
left4a group of people with frightened eyes!
$oirot said quietly2 "1hen *olonel *arbury
mentioned this business to me, - ga&e him my
opinion as an e'pert! - told him that it might
not be possible to bring proof4su#h proof as
would be admissible in a #ourt of law4but - told
him &ery de+nitely that - was sure - #ould arri&e
at the truth simply by questioning the people
#on#erned! %or let me tell you this, my friends,
to in&estigate a #rime it is only ne#essary to let
the guilty party or parties talk! Always, in the
end, they tell you what you want to know)"
"e paused! "o, in this #ase, although you
ha&e lied to me, you ha&e also, unwittingly,
told me the truth!"
"e heard a faint sigh, the s#rape of a #hair
on the foor to his right, but he did not look
around! "e #ontinued to look at the /oyntons!
"%irst, - e'amined the possibility of ;rs!
/oynton's ha&ing died a natural death4and -
de#ided against it! The missing drug, the
hypodermi# syringe, and abo&e all, the attitude
of the dead lady's family all #on&in#ed me that
that supposition #ould not be entertained! 7ot
only was ;rs! /oynton killed in #old blood4but
e&ery member of her family was aware of the
fa#t) *olle#ti&ely they rea#ted as guilty
parties!"
"/ut there are degrees in guilt! - e'amined
the e&iden#e #arefully with a &iew to
as#ertaining whether the murder4yes, it was
murder)4had been #ommitted by the old lady's
family a#ting on a #on#erted plan! There was, -
may say, o&erwhelming moti&e! :ne and all
stood to gain by her death4both in the +nan#ial
sense4for they would at on#e attain +nan#ial
independen#e and indeed en(oy &ery
#onsiderable wealth4and also in the sense of
being freed from what had be#ome an almost
insupportable tyranny!"
"To #ontinue2 - de#ided, almost
immediately, that the #on#erted theory would
not hold water! The stories of the /oynton
family did not do&etail neatly into ea#h other
and no system of workable alibis had been
arranged! The fa#ts seemed more to suggest
that one4or possibly two members of the family
had a#ted in #ollusion and that the others were
a##essories after the fa#t!"
"- ne't #onsidered whi#h parti#ular member
or members were indi#ated! "ere, - may say, -
was in#lined to be biased by a #ertain pie#e of
e&iden#e known only to myself!"
"ere $oirot re#ounted his e'perien#e in
,erusalem!
"7aturally, that pointed &ery strongly to ;!
5aymond /oynton as the prime mo&er in the
a0air! tudying the family - #ame to the
#on#lusion that the most likely re#ipient of his
#on+den#es that night would be his sister
*arol! They strongly resembled ea#h other in
appearan#e and temperament, and so would
ha&e a keen bond of sympathy and they also
possessed the ner&ous rebellious temperament
ne#essary for the #on#eption of su#h an a#t!
That their moti&es were partly unsel+sh4to free
the whole family and parti#ularly their younger
sister4only made the planning of the deed more
plausible!"
$oirot paused a minute!
5aymond /oynton half opened his lips,
then shut them again! "is eyes looked steadily
at $oirot with a kind of dumb agony in them!
"/efore - go into the #ase against 5aymond
/oynton, - would like to read to you a list of
signi+#ant points whi#h - drew up and
submitted to *olonel *arbury this afternoon2
-37-%-*A7T $:-7T
,. Mrs. Boynton 3as taking a mi&ture
containing digitalis.
0. (r. )erard missed a hypodermic syringe.
!. Mrs. Boynton took de6nite pleasure in
keeping her family from enjoying themseles
3ith other people.
/. Mrs. Boynton, on the afternoon in
4uestion, encouraged her family to go a3ay
and leae her.
$. Mrs. Boynton 3as a mental sadist.
5. The distance from the mar4uee to the
place 3here Mrs. Boynton 3as sitting is
%roughly' t3o hundred yards.
=. M. -enno& Boynton said at 6rst he did
not kno3 3hat time he returned to the camp,
7ut later he admitted haing set his mother8s
3rist3atch to the right time.
9. (r. )erard and Miss )inera Boynton
occupied tents ne&t door to each other.
>. :t half2past si&, 3hen dinner 3as ready,
a serant 3as dispatched to announce the fact
to Mrs. Boynton.
,#. Mrs. Boynton, in Jerusalem, used these
3ords" 8< neer forget. Remem7er that. <8e
neer forgotten anything.8
Although - ha&e numbered the points
separately, o##asionally they #an be bra#keted
in pairs! That is the #ase, for instan#e, with the
+rst two! ;rs! /oynton was taking a mi'ture
#ontaining digitalis! Dr! 3erard had missed a
hypodermi# syringe! Those two points were the
+rst thing that stru#k me about the #ase, and -
may say to you that - found them most
e'traordinary4and quite irre#on#ilable! You do
not see what - mean? 7o matter! - will return to
the point presently! 9et it su>#e that - noted
those two points as something that had
de+nitely got to be e'plained satisfa#torily!"
"- will #on#lude now with my study of the
possibility of 5aymond /oynton's guilt! The
following are the fa#ts2 "e had been heard to
dis#uss the possibility of taking ;rs! /oynton's
life! "e was in a #ondition of great ner&ous
e'#itement! "e had4;ademoiselle will forgi&e
me4"he bowed apologeti#ally to arah4"(ust
passed through a moment of great emotional
#risis! That is, he had fallen in lo&e! The
e'altation of his feelings might lead him to a#t
in one of se&eral ways! "e might feel mellowed
and softened towards the world in general,
in#luding his stepmother, he might feel the
#ourage at last to defy her and shake o0 her
infuen#e or he might +nd (ust the additional
spur to turn his #rime from theory to pra#ti#e!
That is the psy#hology) 9et us now e'amine
the fa#ts!"
"5aymond /oynton left the #amp with the
others about three4+fteen! ;rs! /oynton was
then ali&e and well! /efore long 5aymond and
arah <ing had a tOte4P4tOte inter&iew! Then he
left her! A##ording to him, he returned to the
#amp at ten minutes to si'! "e went up to his
mother, e'#hanged a few words with her, then
went to his tent and afterwards down to the
marquee! "e says that at ten minutes to si'
;rs! /oynton was ali&e and well!"
"/ut we now #ome to a fa#t whi#h dire#tly
#ontradi#ts that statement! At half4past si' ;rs!
/oynton's death was dis#o&ered by a ser&ant!
;iss <ing, who holds a medi#al degree,
e'amined her body and she swears de+nitely
that at that time, though she did not pay any
spe#ial attention to the time when death had
o##urred, it had most #ertainly and de#isi&ely
taken pla#e at least an hour Eand probably a
good deal moreF before si' o'#lo#k!"
"1e ha&e here, you see, two #onfi#ting
statements! etting aside the possibility that
;iss <ing may ha&e made a mistake4"
arah interrupted him! "- don't make
mistakes! That is, if - had, - would admit to it!"
"er tone was hard and #lear!
$oirot bowed to her politely!
"Then there are only two possibilities4either
;iss <ing or ;! /oynton is lying) 9et us
e'amine 5aymond /oynton's reasons for so
doing! 9et us assume that ;iss <ing was not
mistaken and not deliberately lying! 1hat then
was the sequen#e of e&ents? 5aymond
/oynton returns to the #amp, sees his mother
sitting at the mouth of her #a&e, goes up to her
and +nds she is dead! 1hat does he do? Does
he #all for help? Does he immediately inform
the #amp of what has happened? 7o, he waits
a minute or two, then passes on to his tent and
(oins his family in the marquee and says
nothing! u#h #ondu#t is e'#eedingly #urious,
is it not?"
5aymond said, in a ner&ous sharp &oi#e2 "-t
would be idioti#, of #ourse! That ought to show
you that my mother was ali&e and well, as -'&e
said! ;iss <ing was fustered and upset and
made a mistake!"
":ne asks oneself," said $oirot, #almly
sweeping on, whether there #ould possibly be a
reason for su#h #ondu#t? -t seems, on the fa#e
of it, that 5aymond /oynton #annot be guilty,
sin#e at the only time he was known to
approa#h his stepmother that afternoon, she
had already been dead for some time! 7ow,
supposing, therefore, that 5aymond /oynton is
inno#ent, #an we e'plain his #ondu#t?"
"And - say, that on the assumption that he
is inno#ent we #an) %or - remember that
fragment of #on&ersation - o&erheard! 'You do
see, don't you, that she's got to be killed?' "e
#omes ba#k from his walk and +nds her dead
and at on#e his guilty memory en&isages a
#ertain possibility! The plan has been #arried
out, not by him, but by his fellow planner! Tout
simplement he suspe#ts that his sister, *arol
/oynton, is guilty!"
"-t's a lie," said 5aymond in a low,
trembling &oi#e!
$oirot went on2 "9et us now take the
possibility of *arol /oynton being the
murderess! 1hat is the e&iden#e against her?
he has the same highly4strung temperament4
the kind of temperament that might see su#h a
deed #olored with heroism! -t was she to whom
5aymond /oynton was talking that night in
,erusalem! *arol /oynton returned to the #amp
at ten minutes past +&e! A##ording to her own
story, she went up and spoke to her mother! 7o
one saw her do so! The #amp was deserted4the
boys were asleep! 9ady 1estholme, ;iss $ier#e
and ;! *ope were e'ploring #a&es out of sight
of the #amp! There was no witness to *arol
/oynton's possible a#tion! The time would
agree well enough! The #ase, then, against
*arol /oynton, is a perfe#tly possible one!"
"e paused! *arol had raised her head! "er
eyes looked steadily and sorrowfully into his!
"There is one other point! The following
morning, &ery early, *arol /oynton was seen to
throw something into the stream! There is
reason to belie&e that that 'something' was a
hypodermi# syringe!"
"*omment?" Dr! 3erard looked up
surprised! "/ut my hypodermi# was returned!
Yes, yes, - ha&e it now!"
$oirot nodded &igorously!
"Yes, yes! This se#ond hypodermi#, it is
&ery #urious4&ery interesting! - ha&e been
gi&en to understand that this hypodermi#
belonged to ;iss <ing! -s that so?"
arah paused for a fra#tion of a se#ond!
*arol spoke qui#kly2 "-t was not ;iss <ing's
syringe," she said! "-t was mine!"
"Then you admit throwing it away,
;ademoiselle?"
he hesitated (ust a se#ond! "Yes, of
#ourse! 1hy shouldn't -?"
"*arol)" -t was 7adine! he leaned forward,
her eyes wide and distressed! "*arol! ! ! :h, -
don't understand! ! ! !"
*arol turned and looked at her! There was
something hostile in her glan#e! "There's
nothing to understand) - threw away an old
hypodermi#! - ne&er tou#hed the4the poison!"
arah's &oi#e broke in! "-t is quite true what
;iss $ier#e told you, ;! $oirot! -t was my
syringe!"
$oirot smiled!
"-t is &ery #onfusing, this a0air of the
hypodermi#4and yet, - think, it #ould be
e'plained! Ah, well, we ha&e now two #ases
made out4the #ase for the inno#en#e of
5aymond /oynton4the #ase for the guilt of his
sister *arol! /ut me, - am s#rupulously fair! -
look always on both sides! 9et us e'amine what
o##urred if *arol /oynton was inno#ent!"
"he returns to the #amp, she goes up to
her stepmother, and she +nds her4shall we say4
dead) 1hat is the +rst thing she will think? he
will suspe#t that her brother 5aymond may
ha&e killed her! he does not know what to do!
o she says nothing! And presently, about an
hour later, 5aymond /oynton returns and,
ha&ing presumably spoken to his mother, says
nothing of anything being amiss! Do you not
think that then her suspi#ions would be#ome
#ertainties? $erhaps she goes to his tent and
+nds there a hypodermi# syringe! Then, indeed
she is sure) he takes it qui#kly and hides it!
=arly in the morning she fings it as far away as
she #an!"
"There is one more indi#ation that *arol
/oynton is inno#ent! he assures me, when -
question her, that she and her brother ne&er
seriously intended to #arry out their plan! - ask
her to swear4and she swears immediately and
with the utmost solemnity that she is not guilty
of the #rime) You see, that is the way she puts
it! he does not swear that they are not guilty!
he swears for herself, not her brother4and
thinks that - will not pay spe#ial attention to
the pronoun!"
"=h bien, that is the #ase for the inno#en#e
of *arol /oynton! And now let us go ba#k a
step and #onsider not the inno#en#e but the
possible guilt of 5aymond! 9et us suppose that
*arol is speaking the truth, that ;rs! /oynton
was ali&e at +&e4ten! 8nder what
#ir#umstan#es #an 5aymond be guilty? 1e #an
suppose that he killed his mother at ten
minutes to si' when he went up to speak to
her! There were boys about the #amp, true, but
the light was failing! -t might ha&e been
managed but it then follows that ;iss <ing lied!
5emember, she #ame ba#k to the #amp only
+&e minutes after 5aymond! %rom the distan#e
she would see him go up to his mother! Then,
when later she is found dead, ;iss <ing
reali6es that 5aymond has killed her! To sa&e
him, she lies4knowing that Dr! 3erard is down
with fe&er and #annot e'pose her lie)"
"- did not lie)" said arah #learly!
"There is yet another possibility! ;iss <ing,
as - ha&e said, rea#hed the #amp a few
minutes after 5aymond! -f 5aymond /oynton
found his mother ali&e, it may ha&e been ;iss
<ing who administered the fatal in(e#tion! he
belie&ed that ;rs! /oynton was fundamentally
e&il! he may ha&e seen herself as a (ust
e'e#utioner! That would equally well e'plain
her lying about the time of death!"
arah had grown &ery pale! he spoke in a
low steady &oi#e2 "-t is true that - spoke of the
e'pedien#y of one person dying to sa&e many!
-t was the $la#e of a#ri+#e that suggested the
idea to me! /ut - #an swear to you that - ne&er
harmed that disgusting old woman4nor would
the idea of doing so e&er ha&e entered my
head)"
"And yet," said $oirot softly, "one of you
two must be lying!"
5aymond /oynton shifted in his #hair! "e
#ried out impetuously2 "You win, ;! $oirot) -'m
the liar! ;other was dead when - went up to
her! -t4it quite kno#ked me out! You see, -'d
been going to ha&e it out with her! To tell her
that from hen#eforth - was a free agent! - was
all set, you understand! And there she was4
dead) "er hand all #old and fabby! And -
thought4(ust what you said! - thought maybe
*arol4you see, there was the mark on her
wrist4"
$oirot said qui#kly2 "That is the one point
on whi#h - am not yet #ompletely informed!
1hat was the method you #ounted on
employing? You had a method4and it was
#onne#ted with a hypodermi# syringe! That
mu#h - know! -f you want me to belie&e you,
you must tell me the rest!"
5aymond said hurriedly2 "-t was a way -
read in a book4an =nglish dete#ti&e story! You
stu#k an empty hypodermi# syringe into
someone and it did the tri#k! -t sounded
perfe#tly s#ienti+#! -4- thought we'd do it that
way!"
"Ah," said $oirot! "- #omprehend! And you
pur#hased a syringe?"
"7o! As a matter of fa#t, we pin#hed
7adine's!"
$oirot shot a qui#k look at her! "The syringe
that is in your baggage in ,erusalem?" he
murmured!
A faint #olor showed in the young woman's
fa#e! "-4- wasn't sure what had be#ome of it,"
she said,
$oirot murmured2 "You are so qui#k4witted,
;adame!"
16
There was a pause! Then, #learing his
throat with a slightly a0e#ted sound, $oirot
went on2 "1e ha&e now sol&ed the mystery of
what - might term the se#ond hypodermi#! That
belonged to ;rs! 9enno' /oynton, was taken
by 5aymond /oynton before lea&ing ,erusalem,
was taken from 5aymond by *arol after the
dis#o&ery' of ;rs! /oynton's dead body, was
thrown away by her, found by ;iss $ier#e, and
#laimed by ;iss <ing as hers! - presume ;iss
<ing has it now!"
"- ha&e," said arah!
"o that when you said it was yours (ust
now, you were doing what you told us you do
not do4you told a lie!"
arah said #almly2 "That's a di0erent kind
of lie! -t isn't4it isn't a professional lie!"
3erard nodded appre#iation! "Yes, it is a
point that! - understand you perfe#tly
;ademoiselle!"
"Thanks," said arah!
Again $oirot #leared his throat2 "9et us now
re&iew our time table2 Thus2
Boyntons and Jeferson Cope leae the
camp !"#$ %appro&.'
(r. )erard and *arah +ing leae the camp
!",$ %appro&.'
-ady .estholme and Miss Pierce leae the
camp /",$
(r. )erard returns to camp /"0# %appro&.'
-enno& Boynton returns to camp /"!$
1adine Boynton returns to camp and talks
to Mrs. Boynton /"/# %appro&.'
1adine Boynton leaes her mother2in2la3
and goes to mar4uee /"$# %appro&.'
Carol Boynton returns to camp $",#
-ady .estholme, Miss Pierce and M.
Jeferson Cope return to camp $"/#
Raymond Boynton returns to camp $"$#
*arah +ing returns to camp 5"##
Body discoered 5"!#
"There is, you will noti#e, a gap of twenty
minutes between four4+fty, when 7adine
/oynton left her mother4in4law, and +&e4ten
when *arol returned! Therefore, if *arol is
speaking the truth, ;rs! /oynton must ha&e
been killed in that twenty minutes!"
"7ow who #ould ha&e killed her? At that
time ;iss <ing and 5aymond /oynton were
together! ;r! *ope Enot that he had any
per#ei&able moti&e for killing herF has an alibi!
"e was with 9ady 1estholme and ;iss $ier#e!
9enno' /oynton was with his wife in the
marquee! Dr! 3erard was groaning with fe&er in
his tent! The #amp is deserted, the boys are
asleep! -t is a suitable moment for a #rime) 1as
there a person who #ould ha&e #ommitted it?"
"is eyes went thoughtfully to 3ine&ra
/oynton!
"There was one person! 3ine&ra /oynton
was in her tent all the afternoon! That is what
we ha&e been told4but a#tually there is
e&iden#e that she was not in her tent all the
time2 3ine&ra /oynton made a &ery signi+#ant
remark! he said that Dr! 3erard spoke her
name in his fe&er! And Dr! 3erard has also told
us that he dreamt in his fe&er of 3ine&ra
/oynton's fa#e! /ut it was not a dream) -t was
a#tually her fa#e he saw, standing there by his
bed! "e thought it an e0e#t of fe&er4but it was
the truth! 3ine&ra was in Dr! 3erard's tent! -s it
not possible that she had #ome to put ba#k the
hypodermi# syringe after using it?"
3ine&ra /oynton raised her head with its
#rown of red4gold hair! "er wide beautiful eyes
stared at $oirot! They were singularly
e'pressionless! he looked like a &ague saint!
"Ah) ;e non)" #ried Dr! 3erard!
"-s it then so psy#hologi#ally impossible?"
inquired $oirot!
The %ren#hman's eyes dropped!
7adine /oynton said sharply2 "-t's quite
impossible)"
$oirot's eyes #ame qui#kly round to her!
"-mpossible, ;adame?"
"Yes!" he paused, bit her lip, then went
on2 "- will not hear of su#h a disgra#eful
a##usation against my young sister4in4law! 1e4
all of us4know it to be impossible!"
3ine&ra mo&ed a little on her #hair! The
lines of her mouth rela'ed into a smile4the
tou#hing, inno#ent, half4un#ons#ious smile of a
&ery young girl!
7adine said again2 "-mpossible!"
"er gentle fa#e had hardened into lines of
determination! The eyes that met $oirot's were
hard and unfin#hing!
$oirot leaned forward in what was half a
bow! ";adame is &ery intelligent," he said!
7adine said quietly2 "1hat do you mean by
that, ;! $oirot?"
"- mean, ;adame, that all along - ha&e
reali6ed you ha&e what - belie&e is #alled an
'e'#ellent headpie#e!'"
"You fatter me!"
"- think not! All along you ha&e en&isaged
the situation #almly and #olle#tedly! You ha&e
remained on outwardly good terms with your
husband's mother, deeming that the best thing
to be done, but inwardly you ha&e (udged and
#ondemned her! - think that some time ago you
reali6ed that the only #han#e for your
husband's happiness was for him to make an
e0ort to lea&e home4strike out on his own, no
matter how di>#ult and penurious su#h a life
might be! You were willing to take all risks and
you endea&ored to infuen#e him to e'a#tly
that #ourse of a#tion! /ut you failed, ;adame!
9enno' /oynton had no longer the will to
freedom! "e was #ontent to sink into a
#ondition of apathy and melan#holy!"
"7ow, - ha&e no doubt at all, ;adame, but
that you lo&e your husband! Your de#ision to
lea&e him was not a#tuated by a greater lo&e
for another man! -t was, - think, a desperate
&enture undertaken as a last hope! A woman in
your position #ould only try three things! he
#ould try appeal! That, as - ha&e said, failed!
he #ould threaten to lea&e her husband! /ut it
is possible that e&en that threat would not
ha&e mo&ed 9enno' /oynton! -t would plunge
him deeper in misery but it would not #ause
him to rebel! There was one last desperate
throw! You #ould go away with another man!
,ealousy and the instin#t of possession are two
of the most deeply rooted fundamental
instin#ts in man! You showed your wisdom in
trying to rea#h that deep, underground, sa&age
instin#t! -f 9enno' /oynton would let you go to
another man without an e0ort4then he must
indeed be beyond human aid, and you might
as well then try to make a new life for yourself
elsewhere!"
"/ut let us suppose that e&en that last
desperate remedy failed! Your husband was
terribly upset at your de#ision, but in spite of
that he did not, as you had hoped, rea#t as a
primiti&e man might ha&e done, with an uprush
of the possessi&e instin#t! 1as there anything
at all that #ould sa&e your husband from his
own rapidly failing mental #ondition? :nly one
thing! -f his stepmother were to die, it might
not be too late! "e might be able to start life
anew as a free man, building up in himself
independen#e and manliness on#e more!"
$oirot paused, then repeated gently2 "-f
your mother4in4law were to die ! ! !"
7adine's eyes were still +'ed on his! -n an
unmo&ed gentle &oi#e she said2 "You are
suggesting that - helped to bring that e&ent
about, are you not? /ut you #annot do so, ;!
$oirot! After - had broken the news of my
impending departure to ;rs! /oynton, - went
straight to the marquee and (oined 9enno'! -
did not lea&e there again until my mother4in4
law was found dead! 3uilty of her death - may
be, in the sense that - ga&e her a sho#k4that of
#ourse presupposes a natural death! /ut if, as
you say4Ethough so far you ha&e no dire#t
e&iden#e of it and #annot ha&e until an autopsy
has taken pla#eF4she was deliberately killed,
then - had no opportunity of doing so!"
$oirot said2 "You did not lea&e the marquee
again until your mother4in4law was found dead?
That is what you ha&e (ust said! That, ;rs!
/oynton, was one of the points - found #urious
about this #ase!"
"1hat do you mean?"
"-t is here on my list! $oint D! At half4past
si', when dinner was ready, a ser&ant was
dispat#hed to announ#e the fa#t to ;rs!
/oynton!"
5aymond said2 "- don't understand!"
*arol said2 "7o more do -!"
$oirot looked from one to the other of
them! "You do not, eh? 'A ser&ant was sent'!
1hy a ser&ant? 1ere you not, all of you, most
assiduous in your attendan#e on the old lady
as a general rule? Did not one or another of
you always es#ort her to meals? he was
in+rm! -t was di>#ult for her to rise from a
#hair without assistan#e! Always one or
another of you was at her elbow! - suggest
then, that on dinner being announ#ed, the
natural thing would ha&e been for one or
another of her family to go out and help her!
/ut not one of you o0ered to do so! You all sat
there, paraly6ed, wat#hing ea#h other,
wondering perhaps, why no one went!"
7adine said sharply2 "All this is absurd, ;!
$oirot) 1e were all tired that e&ening! 1e
ought to ha&e gone, - admit, but4on that
e&ening4we (ust didn't)"
"$re#isely4pre#isely4on that parti#ular
e&ening) You, ;adame, did perhaps more
waiting on her than anyone else! -t was one of
the duties that you a##epted me#hani#ally! /ut
that e&ening you did not o0er to go out to help
her in! 1hy? That is what - asked myself4why?
And - tell you my answer! /e#ause you knew
quite well that she was dead! ! ! !"
"7o, no, do not interrupt me, ;adame!" "e
raised an impassioned hand! "You will now
listen to me4"ereule $oirot) There were
witnesses to your #on&ersation with your
mother4in4law! 1itnesses who #ould see but
who #ould not hear) 9ady 1estholme and ;iss
$ier#e were a long way o0! They saw you
apparently ha&ing a #on&ersation with your
mother4in4law, but what a#tual e&iden#e is
there of what o##urred? - will propound to you
instead a little theory! You ha&e brains,
;adame! -f in your quiet, unhurried fashion you
ha&e de#ided on4shall we say the elimination of
your husband's mother?4you will #arry it out
with intelligen#e and with due preparation! You
ha&e a##ess to Dr! 3erard's tent during his
absen#e on the morning e'#ursion! You are
fairly sure that you will +nd a suitable drug!
Your nursing training helps you there! You
#hoose digito'in4the same kind of drug that the
old lady is taking! You also take his hypodermi#
syringe sin#e, to your annoyan#e, your own has
disappeared! You hope to repla#e the latter
before the do#tor noti#es its absen#e!"
"/efore pro#eeding to #arry out your plan,
you make one last attempt to stir your husband
into a#tion! You tell him of your intention to
marry ,e0erson *ope! Though your husband is
terribly upset, he does not rea#t as you had
hoped so you are for#ed to put your plan of
murder into a#tion! You return to the #amp,
e'#hanging a pleasant natural word with 9ady
1estholme and ;iss $ier#e as you pass! You go
up to where your mother4in4law is sitting! You
ha&e the syringe with the drug in it ready! -t is
easy to sei6e her wrist and4pro+#ient as you
are with your nurse's training4for#e home the
plunger! -t is done before your mother4in4law
reali6es what you are doing! %rom far down the
&alley the others only see you talking to her,
bending o&er her! Then, deliberately, you go
and fet#h a #hair and sit there, apparently
engaged in an ami#able #on&ersation for some
minutes! Death must ha&e been almost
instantaneous! -t is a dead woman to whom
you sit talking, but who shall guess that? Then
you put away the #hair and go down to the
marquee where you +nd your husband reading
a book! And you are #areful not to lea&e that
marquee) ;rs! /oynton's death, you are sure,
will be put down to heart trouble! E-t will,
indeed, be due to heart trouble!F -n only one
thing ha&e your plans gone astray! You #annot
return the syringe to Dr! 3erard's tent be#ause
the do#tor is in there shi&ering with malaria4
and although you do not know it, he has
already missed the syringe! That, ;adame, was
the faw in an otherwise perfe#t #rime!"
There was silen#e4a moment's dead
silen#e4then 9enno' /oynton sprang to his feet!
"7o)" he shouted! "That's a damned lie!
7adine did nothing! he #ouldn't ha&e done
anything! ;y mother4my mother was already
dead!"
"Ah)" $oirot's eyes #ame gently around to
him! "o, after all, it was you who killed her, ;!
/oynton?"
Again a moment's pause4then 9enno'
dropped ba#k into his #hair and raised
trembling hands to his fa#e!
"Yes4that's right4- killed her!"
"You took the digito'in from Dr! 3erard's
tent?"
"Yes!"
"1hen?"
"As4as4you said4in the morning!"
"And the syringe?"
"The syringe? Yes!"
"1hy did you kill her?"
"*an you ask?"
"- am asking, ;! /oynton)"
"/ut you know my wife was lea&ing me4
with *ope4"
"Yes, but you only learned that in the
afternoon)"
9enno' stared at him!
":f #ourse! 1hen we were out4"
"/ut you took the poison and the syringe in
the morning4before you knew?"
"1hy the hell do you badger me with
questions?" "e paused and passed a shaking
hand a#ross his forehead! "1hat does it
matter, anyway?"
"-t matters a great deal! - ad&ise you, ;!
9enno' /oynton, to tell me the truth!"
"The truth?" 9enno' stared at him!
7adine suddenly turned abruptly in her
#hair and ga6ed into her husband's fa#e!
"That is what - said4the truth!"
"/y 3od, - will," said 9enno' suddenly! "/ut
- don't know whether you will belie&e me!" "e
drew a deep breath! "That afternoon, when -
left 7adine, - was absolutely all to pie#es! -'d
ne&er dreamed she'd go from me to someone
else! - was4- was nearly mad) - felt as though -
was drunk or re#o&ering from a bad illness!"
$oirot nodded! "e said2 "- noted 9ady
1estholme's des#ription of your gait when you
passed her! That is why - knew your wife was
not speaking the truth when she said she told
you after you were both ba#k at the #amp!
*ontinue, ;! /oynton!"
"- hardly knew what - was doing! ! ! ! /ut as
- got near, my brain seemed to #lear! -t fashed
o&er me that - had only myself to blame) -'d
been a miserable worm) - ought to ha&e de+ed
my stepmother and #leared out years ago! And
it #ame to me that it mightn't be too late e&en
now! There she was, the old de&il, sitting up
like an obs#ene idol against the red #li0s! -
went right up to ha&e it out with her! - meant to
tell her (ust what - thought and to announ#e
that - was #learing out! - had a wild idea - might
get away at on#e that e&ening4#lear out with
7adine and get as far as ;a'an anyway that
night!"
":h, 9enno'4my dear4" -t was a long soft
sigh!
"e went on2 "And then, my 3od4you #ould
ha&e stru#k me down with a tou#h) he was
dead! itting there4dead! ! ! ! -4- didn't know
what to do! - was dumb4da6ed! =&erything -
was going to shout out at her bottled up inside
me4turning to lead4- #an't e'plain! ! ! ! tone4
that's what it felt like4being turned to stone! -
did something me#hani#ally! - pi#ked up her
wristwat#h Eit was lying in her lapF and put it
around her wrist4her horrid, limp, dead wrist! ! !
!"
"e shuddered!
"3od) -t was awful) Then - stumbled down,
went into the marquee! - ought to ha&e #alled
someone, - suppose but - #ouldn't! - (ust sat
there, turning the pages4waiting! ! ! !"
"e stopped!
"You won't belie&e that4you #an't! 1hy
didn't - #all someone? Tell 7adine? - don't
know!"
Dr! 3erard #leared his throat! "Your
statement is perfe#tly plausible, ;! /oynton,"
he said! "You were in a bad ner&ous #ondition!
Two se&ere sho#ks administered in rapid
su##ession would be quite enough to put you in
the #ondition you ha&e des#ribed -t is the
1eissenhalter rea#tion4best e'empli+ed in the
#ase of a bird that has dashed its head against
a window! =&en after its re#o&ery it refrains
instin#ti&ely from all a#tion4gi&ing itself time to
read(ust the ner&e #enters! - do not e'press
myself well in =nglish, but what - mean is this2
You #ould not ha&e a#ted any other way! Any
de#isi&e a#tion of any kind would ha&e been
quite impossible for you) You passed through a
period of mental paralysis!"
"e turned to $oirot! "- assure you, my
friend, that is so)"
":h, - do not doubt it," said $oirot! "There
was a little fa#t - had already noted4the fa#t
that ;! /oynton had repla#ed his mother's
wristwat#h! That was #apable of two
e'planations4it might ha&e been a #o&er for the
a#tual deed, or it might ha&e been obser&ed
and misinterpreted by young ;rs! /oynton! he
returned only +&e minutes after her husband!
he must therefore ha&e seen that a#tion!
1hen she got up to her mother4in4law and
found her dead, with the mark of a hypodermi#
syringe on her wrist, she would naturally (ump
to the #on#lusion that her husband had
#ommitted the deed4that her announ#ement of
her de#ision to lea&e him had produ#ed a
rea#tion in him di0erent from that for whi#h
she had hoped! /riefy! 7adine /oynton
belie&ed that she had inspired her husband to
#ommit murder!"
"e looked at 7adine! "That is so, ;adame?"
he bowed her head! Then she asked2 "Did
you really suspe#t me, ;! $oirot?"
"- thought you were a possibility, ;adame!"
he leaned forward! "And now? 1hat really
happened, ;! $oirot?"
17
"1hat really happened?" $oirot repeated!
"e rea#hed behind him, drew forward a
#hair and sat down! "is manner was now
friendly4informal! "-t is a question, is it not? %or
the digito'in was taken, the syringe was
missing! There was the mark of a hypodermi#
on ;rs! /oynton's wrist!"
"-t is true that in a few days' time we shall
know de+nitely4the autopsy will tell us4whether
;rs! /oynton died of an o&erdose of digitalis or
not! /ut then it may be too late) -t would be
better to rea#h the truth tonight4while the
murderer is here under our hand!"
7adine raised her head sharply! "You mean
that you still belie&e that one of us here in this
room4" "er &oi#e died away!
$oirot was slowly nodding to himself! "The
truth4that is what - promised *olonel *arbury!
And so, ha&ing #leared our path we are ba#k
again where - was earlier in the day, writing
down a list of printed fa#ts and being fa#ed
straight away with two glaring in#onsisten#ies!"
*olonel *arbury spoke for the +rst time!
"uppose, now, we hear what they are?" he
suggested!
$oirot said with dignity2 "- am about to tell
you! 1e will take on#e more those +rst two
fa#ts on my list! ;rs! /oynton was taking a
mi'ture of digitalis and Dr! 3erard missed a
hypodermi# syringe! Take those fa#ts and set
them against the undeniable fa#t with whi#h -
was immediately #onfronted2 that the /oynton
family showed unmistakably guilty rea#tions! -t
would seem therefore #ertain that one of the
/oynton family must ha&e #ommitted the
#rime) And yet those two fa#ts - mentioned
were all against that theory! %or, see you, to
take a #on#entrated solution of digitalis4that,
yes, it is a #le&er idea, be#ause ;rs! /oynton
was already taking the drug! /ut what would a
member of her family do then? Ah, ma foi)
There was only one sensible thing to do! $ut
the poison into her bottle of medi#ine) That is
what anyone4anyone with a grain of sense and
who had a##ess to the medi#ine4would
#ertainly do)"
"ooner or later ;rs! /oynton takes a dose
and dies4and e&en if the digito'in is dis#o&ered
in the bottle it may be set down as a mistake of
the #hemist who made it up! *ertainly nothing
#an be pro&ed)"
"1hy, then, the theft of the hypodermi#
needle?"
"There #an be only two e'planations of
that! =ither Dr! 3erard o&erlooked the syringe
and it was ne&er stolen, or else the syringe was
taken be#ause the murderer had not got
a##ess to the medi#ine4that is to say, the
murderer was not a member of the /oynton
family! The two +rst fa#ts point o&erwhelmingly
to an outsider as ha&ing #ommitted the #rime)"
"- saw that but - was pu66led, as - say, by
the strong e&iden#es of guilt displayed by the
/oynton family! 1as it possible that, in spite of
that #ons#iousness of guilt, the /o&ntons were
inno#ent? - set out to pro&e, not the guilt, but
the inno#en#e of those people)"
"That is where we stand now! The murder
was #ommitted by an outsider4that is, by
someone who was not su>#iently intimate with
;rs! /oynton to enter her tent or to handle her
medi#ine bottle!"
"e paused!
"There are three people in this room who
are, te#hni#ally, outsiders, but who ha&e a
de+nite #onne#tion with the #ase!"
";! *ope whom we will #onsider +rst, has
been #losely asso#iated with the /oynton
family for some time! *an we dis#o&er moti&e
and opportunity on his part? -t seems not! ;rs!
/oynton's death has a0e#ted him ad&ersely4
sin#e it has brought about the frustration of
#ertain hopes! 8nless ;! *ope's moti&e was an
almost fanati#al desire to bene+t others, we
#an +nd no reason for his desiring ;rs!
/oynton's death! 8nless, of #ourse, there is a
moti&e about whi#h we are entirely in the dark!
1e do not know e'a#tly what ;! *ope's
dealings with the /oynton family ha&e been!"
;r! *ope said, with dignity2 "This seems to
me a little far4fet#hed, ;! $oirot! You must
remember, - had absolutely no opportunity for
#ommitting this deed, and in any #ase! - hold
&ery strong &iews as to the san#tity of human
life!"
"Your position #ertainly seems impe##able,"
said $oirot with gra&ity! "-n a work of +#tion you
would be strongly suspe#ted on that a##ount!"
"e turned a little in his #hair! "1e now
#ome to ;iss <ing! ;iss <ing had a #ertain
amount of moti&e and she had the ne#essary
medi#al knowledge and is a person of
#hara#ter and determination, but sin#e she left
the #amp before three4thirty with the others
and did not return to it until si' o'#lo#k, it
seems di>#ult to see where she #ould ha&e
had an opportunity!"
"7e't we must #onsider Dr! 3erard! 7ow,
here we must take into a##ount the a#tual time
that the murder was #ommitted! A##ording to
;! 9enno' /oynton's last statement, his mother
was dead at four thirty4+&e! A##ording to 9ady
1estholme and ;iss $ier#e she was ali&e at
four4+fteen, when they started on their walk!
That lea&es e'a#tly twenty minutes
una##ounted for! 7ow, as these two ladies
walked away from the #amp Dr! 3erard passed
them going to it! There is no one to say what
Dr! 3erard's mo&ements were when he rea#hed
the #amp be#ause the two ladies' ba#ks were
towards it! They were walking away from it!
Therefore it is perfe#tly possible for Dr! 3erard
to ha&e #ommitted the #rime! /eing a do#tor,
he #ould easily #ounterfeit the appearan#e of
malaria! There is, - should say, a possible
moti&e! Dr! 3erard might ha&e wished to sa&e a
#ertain person whose reason Eperhaps more
&ital a loss than a loss of lifeF was in danger
and he may ha&e #onsidered the sa#ri+#e of an
old and worn out life worth it)"
"Your ideas," said Dr! 3erard, "are
fantasti#)" "e smiled amiably!
1ithout taking any noti#e, $oirot went on!
"/ut if so, why did 3erard #all attention to the
possibility of foul play? -t is quite #ertain that,
but for his statement to *olonel *arbury, ;rs!
/oynton's death would ha&e been put down to
natural #auses! -t was Dr! 3erard who +rst
pointed out the possibility of murder! That, my
friends," said $oirot, "does not make #ommon
sense)"
"Doesn't seem to," said *olonel *arbury
gruBy! "e looked #uriously at $oirot!
"There is one more possibility," said $oirot!
";rs! 9enno' /oynton (ust now negated
strongly the possibility of her young sister4in4
law being guilty! The for#e of her ob(e#tion lay
in the fa#t that she knew her mother4in4law to
be dead at the time! /ut remember this2
3ine&ra /oynton was at the #amp all the
afternoon! And there was a moment4a moment
when 9ady 1estholme and ;iss $ier#e were
walking away from the #amp and before Dr!
3erard had returned to it ! ! !"
3ine&ra stirred! he leaned forward, staring
into $oirot's fa#e with a strange, inno#ent,
pu66led stare! "- did it? You think - did it?" Then
suddenly, with a mo&ement of swift,
in#omparable beauty, she was up from her
#hair and had fung herself a#ross the room
and down on her knees beside Dr! 3erard,
#linging to him, ga6ing up passionately into his
fa#e!
"7o) 7o) Don't let them say it) They're
making the walls #lose around me again) -t's
not true) - ne&er did anything) They are my
enemies4they want to put me in prison4to shut
me up! You must help me) You must help me)"
"There, there, my #hild!" 3ently the do#tor
patted her head! Then he addressed $oirot!
"1hat you say is nonsense4absurd!"
"Delusions of perse#ution?" murmured
$oirot!
"Yes4but she #ould ne&er ha&e done it that
way! he would ha&e done it, you must
per#ei&e, dramati#ally4a dagger, something
famboyant, spe#ta#ular4ne&er this #ool, #alm
logi#) - tell you, my friends, it is so! This was a
reasoned #rime4a sane #rime!"
$oirot smiled! 8ne'pe#tedly he bowed! ",e
suis entierement de &otre a&is," he said
smoothly!
18
"*ome," said "er#ule $oirot! "1e ha&e still
a little way to go) Dr! 3erard has in&oked the
psy#hology! o let us now e'amine the
psy#hologi#al side of the #ase! 1e ha&e taken
the fa#ts, we ha&e established a #hronologi#al
sequen#e of e&ents, we ha&e heard the
e&iden#e! There remains4the psy#hology! And
the most important psy#hologi#al e&iden#e
#on#erns the dead woman! -t is the psy#hology
of ;rs! /oynton herself that is the most
important thing in this #ase!"
"Take from my list of spe#i+ed fa#ts points
three and four! ;rs! /oynton took de+nite
pleasure in keeping her family from en(oying
themsel&es with other people! ;rs! /oynton, on
the afternoon in question, en#ouraged her
family to go away and lea&e her!"
"These two fa#ts, they #ontradi#t ea#h
other fatly) 1hy, on this parti#ular afternoon,
should ;rs! /oynton suddenly display a
#omplete re&ersal of her usual poli#y? 1as it
that she felt a sudden warmth of the heart4an
instin#t of bene&olen#e? That, it seems to me
from all - ha&e heard, was e'tremely unlikely)
Yet there must ha&e been a reason! 1hat was
that reason?"
"9et us e'amine #losely the #hara#ter of
;rs! /oynton! There ha&e been many di0erent
a##ounts of her! he was a tyranni#al old
martinet, she was a mental sadist, she was an
in#arnation of e&il, she was #ra6y! 1hi#h of
these &iews is the true one?"
"- think myself that arah <ing #ame
nearest to the truth when in a fash of
inspiration in ,erusalem she saw the old lady as
intensely patheti#! /ut not only patheti#4futile)"
"9et us, if we #an, think oursel&es into the
mental #ondition of ;rs! /oynton! A human
#reature born with immense ambition, with a
yearning to dominate and to impress her
personality on other people! he neither
sublimated that intense #ra&ing for power nor
did she seek to master it! 7o, mes dames and
messieurs, she fed it) /ut in the end4listen well
to this4in the end, what did it amount to? he
was not a great power) he was not feared and
hated o&er a wide area) he was the petty
tyrant of one isolated family) And as Dr! 3erard
said to me4she be#ame bored like any other old
lady with her hobby and she sought to e'tend
her a#ti&ities and to amuse herself by making
her dominan#e more pre#arious) /ut that led to
an entirely di0erent aspe#t of the #ase) /y
#oming abroad, she reali6ed for the +rst time
how e'tremely insigni+#ant she was)"
"And now we #ome dire#tly to point
number ten4the words spoken to arah <ing in
,erusalem! arah <ing, you see, had put her
+nger on the truth! he had re&ealed fully and
un#ompromisingly the pitiful futility of ;rs!
/oynton's s#heme of e'isten#e) And now listen
&ery #arefully4all of you4to what her e'a#t
words to ;iss <ing were! ;iss <ing has said
that ;rs! /oynton spoke 'so male&olently, not
e&en looking at me!' And this is what she
a#tually said2 '-'&e ne&er forgotten anything,
not an a#tion, not a name, not a fa#e!'"
"Those words made a great impression on
;iss <ing! Their e'traordinary intensity and the
loud hoarse tone in whi#h they were uttered)
o strong was the impression they left on her
mind - think that she quite failed to reali6e their
e'traordinary signi+#an#e)"
"Do you see that signi+#an#e, any of you?"
"e waited a minute! "-t seems not! ! ! ! /ut,
mes amis, does it es#ape you that those words
were not a reasonable answer at all to what
;iss <ing had (ust been saying! '-'&e ne&er
forgotten anything, not an a#tion, not a name,
not a fa#e!' -t does not make sense) -f she had
said2 '- ne&er forget impertinen#e'4something of
that kind4but no4a fa#e is what she said! ! ! !"
"Ah)" #ried $oirot, beating his hands
together! "/ut it leaps to the eye) Those words,
ostensibly spoken to ;iss <ing, were not meant
for ;iss <ing at all) They were addressed to
someone else standing behind ;iss <ing!"
"e paused, noting their e'pressions!
"Yes, it leaps to the eye) That was, - tell
you, a psy#hologi#al moment in ;rs! /oynton's
life) he had been e'posed to herself by an
intelligent young woman) he was full of
baBed fury and at that moment she
re#ogni6ed someone4a fa#e from the past4a
&i#tim deli&ered bound into her hands)"
"1e are ba#k, you see, to the outsider) And
now the meaning of ;rs! /oynton's une'pe#ted
amiability on the afternoon of her death is
#lear! he wanted to get rid of her family
be#ause4to use a &ulgarity4she had other +sh
to fry) he wanted the +eld left #lear for an
inter&iew with a new &i#tim! ! ! !"
"7ow, from that new standpoint, let us
#onsider the e&ents of the afternoon) The
/oynton family goes o0! ;rs! /oynton sits up
by her #a&e! 7ow, let us #onsider &ery #arefully
the e&iden#e of 9ady 1estholme and ;iss
$ier#e! The latter is an unreliable witness, she
is unobser&ant and &ery suggestible! 9ady
1estholme, on the other hand, is perfe#tly
#lear as to her fa#ts and meti#ulously
obser&ant! /oth ladies agree on one fa#t) An
Arab, one of the ser&ants, approa#hes ;rs!
/oynton, angers her in some way and retires
hastily! 9ady 1estholme states de+nitely that
the ser&ant had +rst been into the tent
o##upied by 3ine&ra /oynton but you may
remember that Dr! 3erard's tent was ne't door
to 3ine&ra's! -t is possible that it was Dr!
3erard's tent the Arab entered! ! ! !"
*olonel *arbury said2 "D'you mean to tell
me that one of those /edouin fellows of mine
murdered an old lady by sti#king her with a
hypodermi#? %antasti#)"
"1ait, *olonel *arburyA - ha&e not yet
+nished! 9et us agree that the Arab might ha&e
#ome from Dr! 3erard's tent and not 3ine&ra
/oynton's! 1hat is the ne't thing? /oth ladies
agree that they #ould not see his fa#e #learly
enough to identify him and that they did not
hear what was said! That is understandable!
The distan#e between the marquee and the
ledge is about two hundred yards! 9ady
1estholme ga&e a #lear des#ription of the man
otherwise, des#ribing in detail his ragged
bree#hes and the untidiness with whi#h his
puttees were rolled!"
$oirot leaned forward! "And that, my
friends, was &ery odd indeed) /e#ause, if she
#ould not see his fa#e or hear what was said,
she #ould not possibly ha&e noti#ed the state
of his bree#hes and puttees) 7ot at two
hundred yards)"
"-t was an error, that, you see) -t suggested
a #urious idea to me! 1hy insist so on the
ragged bree#hes and untidy puttees! *ould it
be be#ause the bree#hes were not torn and the
puttees were non4e'istent? 9ady 1estholme
and ;iss $ier#e both saw the man4but from
where they were sitting they #ould not see
ea#h other! That is shown by the fa#t that 9ady
1estholme #ame to see if ;iss $ier#e was
awake and found her sitting in the entran#e of
her tent!"
"3ood 9ord," said *olonel *arbury,
suddenly sitting up &ery straight! "Are you
suggesting4"
"- am suggesting that ha&ing as#ertained
(ust what ;iss $ier#e Ethe only witness likely to
be awakeF was doing, 9ady 1estholme
returned to her tent, put on her riding
bree#hes, boots and khaki4#olored #oat, made
herself an Arab headdress with her #he#ked
duster and a skein of knitting wool and that,
thus attired, she went boldly up to Dr! 3erard's
tent, looked in his medi#ine #hest, sele#ted a
suitable drug, took the hypodermi#, +lled it and
went boldly up to her &i#tim!"
";rs! /oynton may ha&e been do6ing! 9ady
1estholme was qui#k! he #aught her by the
wrist and in(e#ted the stu0! ;rs! /oynton half
#ried out4tried to rise4then sank ba#k! The
'Arab' hurried away with e&ery e&iden#e of
being ashamed and abashed! ;rs! /oynton
shook her sti#k, tried to rise, then fell ba#k into
her #hair!"
"%i&e minutes later 9ady 1estholme re(oins
;iss $ier#e and #omments on the s#ene she
has (ust witnessed, impressing her own &ersion
of it on the other! Then they go for a walk,
pausing below the ledge where 9ady
1estholme shouts up to the old lady! he
re#ei&es no answer for ;rs! /oynton is dead
but she remarks to ;iss $ier#e2 '.ery rude (ust
to snort at us like that)' ;iss $ier#e a##epts the
suggestion! he has often heard ;rs! /oynton
re#ei&e a remark with a snort4she will swear
quite sin#erely if ne#essary that she a#tually
heard it! 9ady 1estholme has sat on
#ommittees often enough with women of ;iss
$ieree's type to know e'a#tly how her own
eminen#e and masterful personality #an
infuen#e them! The only point where her plan
went astray was the repla#ing of the syringe!
Dr! 3erard returning so soon upset her s#heme!
he hoped he might not ha&e noti#ed its
absen#e, or might think he had o&erlooked it,
and she put it ba#k during the night!"
"e stopped!
arah said2 "/ut why? 1hy should 9ady
1estholme want to kill old ;rs! /oynton?"
"Did you not tell me that 9ady 1estholme
had been quite near you in ,erusalem when you
spoke to ;rs! /oynton? -t was to 9ady
1estholme that ;rs! /oynton's words were
addressed! '-'&e ne&er forgotten anything, not
an a#tion, not a name, not a fa#e!' $ut that with
the fa#t that ;rs! /oynton had been a wardress
in a prison and you #an get a &ery shrewd idea
of the truth! 9ord 1estholme met his wife on a
&oyage ba#k from Ameri#a! 9ady 1estholme,
before her marriage, had been a #riminal and
had ser&ed a prison senten#e!"
"You see the terrible dilemma she was in?
"er #areer, her ambitions, her so#ial position4
all at stake) 1hat the #rime was for whi#h she
ser&ed a senten#e in prison we do not yet
know Ethough we soon shallF but it must ha&e
been one that would e0e#tually blast her
politi#al #areer if it was made publi#! And
remember this, ;rs! /oynton was not an
ordinary bla#kmailer! he did not want money!
he wanted the pleasure of torturing her &i#tim
for a while and then she would ha&e en(oyed
re&ealing the truth in the most spe#ta#ular
fashion) 7oA while ;rs! /oynton li&ed 9ady
1estholme was not safe! he obeyed ;rs!
/oynton's instru#tions to meet her at $etra E-
thought it strange all along that a woman with
su#h a sense of her own importan#e as 9ady
1estholme should ha&e preferred to tra&el as a
mere touristF, but in her own mind she was
doubtless re&ol&ing ways and means of
murder! he saw her #han#e and #arried it out
boldly! he only made two slips! :ne was to say
a little too mu#h4the des#ription of the torn
bree#hes4whi#h +rst drew my attention to her,
and the other was when she mistook Dr!
3erard's tent and looked +rst into the one
where 3ine&ra was lying half asleep! "en#e the
girl's story4half make4belie&e, half true4of a
heikh in disguise! he put it the wrong way
around, obeying her instin#t to distort the truth
by making it more dramati#, but the indi#ation
was quite signi+#ant enough for me!"
"e paused! "/ut we shall soon know! -
obtained 9ady 1estholme's +ngerprints today
without her being aware of the fa#t! -f these are
sent to the prison where ;rs! /oynton was
on#e a wardress, we shall soon know the truth
when they are #ompared with the +les!"
"e stopped! -n the momentary stillness a
sharp sound was heard!
"1hat's that?" asked Dr! 3erard!
"ounded like a shot to me," said *olonel
*arbury, rising to his feet qui#kly! "-n the ne't
room! 1ho's got that room, by the way?"
$oirot murmured2 "- ha&e a little idea4it is
the room of 9ady 1estholme! ! ! !"
Epiloge
='tra#t from the =&ening hout!
1e regret to announ#e the death of 9ady
1estholme, ;!$!, the result of a tragi# a##ident!
9ady 1estholme, who was fond of tra&eling in
out4of4the4way #ountries, always took a small
re&ol&er with her!
he was #leaning this when it went o0
a##identally and killed her! Death was
instantaneous! The deepest sympathy will be
felt for 9ord 1estholme, et#! et#!
:n a warm ,une e&ening +&e years later
arah /oynton and her husband sat in the
stalls of a 9ondon theatre! The play was
"amlet! arah gripped 5aymond's arm as
:phelia's words #ame foating o&er the
footlights2
?o3 should < your true loe kno3
@rom another oneA
By his cockle hat and staf,
:nd his sandal shoon.
?e is dead and gone, lady,
?e is dead and goneB
:t his head a grass2green turfB
:t his heels a stone.
C, hoD
A lump rose in arah's throat! That
e'quisite, witless beauty, that lo&ely, unearthly
smile of one gone beyond trouble and grief to a
region where only a foating mirage was truth! !
! !
arah said to herself2 "he's lo&ely4lo&ely ! !
!"
That haunting, lilting &oi#e, always
beautiful in tone, but now dis#iplined and
modulated to be the perfe#t instrument!
arah said with de#ision, as the #urtain fell
at the end of the a#t2 ",inny's a great a#tress4a
great4great a#tress)"
9ater, they sat around a supper table at the
a&oy!
3ine&ra, smiling, remote, turned to the
bearded man by her side!
"- was good, wasn't -, Theodore?"
"You were wonderful, #herie!"
A happy smile foated on her lips!
he murmured2 "You always belie&ed in
me4you always knew - #ould do great things4
sway multitudes! ! ! !"
At a table not far away, the "amlet of the
e&ening was saying gloomily2 ""er
mannerisms) :f #ourse people like it (ust at
+rst but what - say is, it's not hakespeare! Did
you see how she ruined my e'it?! ! ! !"
7adine, sitting opposite 3ine&ra, said2
""ow e'#iting it is, to be here in 9ondon with
,inny a#ting :phelia and being so famous)"
3ine&ra said softly2 "-t was ni#e of you to
#ome o&er!"
"A regular family party," said 7adine,
smiling, as she looked around! Then she said to
9enno'2 "- think the #hildren might go to the
matinee, don't you? They're quite old enough,
and they do so want to see Aunt ,inny on the
stage)"
9enno', a sane, happy4looking 9enno' with
humorous eyes, lifted his glass! "To the newly4
weds, ;r! and ;rs! *ope)"
,e0erson *ope and *arol a#knowledged the
toast!
"The unfaithful swain)" said *arol,
laughing! ",e0, you'd better drink to your +rst
lo&e as she's sitting right opposite you!"
5aymond said gaily2 ",e0's blushing! "e
doesn't like being reminded of the old days!"
"is fa#e #louded suddenly! arah tou#hed
his hand with hers, and the #loud lifted! "e
looked at her and grinned!
"eems (ust like a bad dream)"
A dapper +gure stopped by their table!
"er#ule $oirot, faultlessly and beautifully
appareled, his mousta#hes proudly twisted,
bowed regally!
";ademoiselle," he said to 3ine&ra, "mes
homages! You were superb)"
They greeted him a0e#tionately, made a
pla#e for him beside arah! "e beamed on
them all and when they were all talking, he
leaned a little sideways and said softly to
arah2 "=h bien, it seems that all mar#hes well
now with la famille /oynton?"
"Thanks to you!" said arah!
""e be#omes &ery eminent, your husband!
- read today an e'#ellent re&iew of his last
book!"
"-t's really rather good4although - do say it)
Did you know that *arol and ,e0erson *ope
had made a mat#h of it at last? And 9enno'
and 7adine ha&e got two of the ni#est #hildren4
#ute, 5aymond #alls them! As for ,inny4well, -
rather think ,inny's a genius!"
he looked a#ross the table at the lo&ely
fa#e and the red4gold #rown of hair, and then
she ga&e a tiny start! %or a moment her fa#e
was gra&e! he raised her glass slowly to her
lips!
"You drink a toast, ;adame?" asked $oirot!
arah said slowly2 "- thought4suddenly4of
"er! 9ooking at ,inny - saw4for the +rst time4the
likeness! The same thing4only ,inny is in light4
where he was in darkness! ! ! !"
And from opposite, 3ine&ra said
une'pe#tedly2 "$oor ;other ! ! ! he was queer!
! ! ! 7ow that we're all so happy - feel kind of
sorry for her! he didn't get what she wanted
out of life! -t must ha&e been tough for her!"
Almost without a pause, her &oi#e qui&ered
softly into the lines from *ymbeline while the
others listened spellbound to the musi# of
them2
@ear no more the heat o8 the sun,
1or the furious 3inters ragesB
Thou thy 3orldly task hast done,
?ome art gone, and ta8en thy 3ages . . .
http"EE333.esnips.comE3e7Ee7##ks