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Chapter VII. Poirot Pays His Debts
Callformeinpassing—thelasthouseinthevillage.Iwillgowithyou.AtStyles,Mr.Inglethorpwillgiveyou,orifherefuses—asisprobable—Iwillgiveyousuchproofsthatshallsatisfyyouthatthecaseagainsthimcouldnotpossiblybesustained.Isthatabargain?”
“That’sabargain,”saidJappheartily.“And,onbehalfoftheYard,I’mmuchobligedtoyou,thoughI’mboundtoconfessIcan’tatpresentseethefaintestpossibleloop-holeintheevidence,butyoualwayswereamarvel!Solong,then,moosier.”
Thetwodetectivesstrodeaway,Summerhayewithanincredulousgrinonhisface.
“Well,myfriend,”criedPoirot,beforeIcouldgetinaword,“whatdoyouthink?MonDieu!Ihadsomewarmmomentsinthatcourt;Ididnotfiguretomyselfthatthemanwouldbesopig-headedastorefusetosayanythingatall.Decidedly,itwasthepolicyofanimbecile.”
“H’m!Thereareotherexplanationsbesidesthatofimbecility,”Iremarked.“For,ifthecaseagainsthimistrue,howcouldhedefendhimselfexceptbysilence?”
“Why,inathousandingeniousways,”criedPoirot.“See;saythatitisIwhohavecommittedthismurder,Icanthinkofsevenmostplausiblestories!FarmoreconvincingthanMr.Inglethorp’sstonydenials!”
Icouldnothelplaughing.
“MydearPoirot,Iamsureyouarecapableofthinkingofseventy!But,seriously,inspiteofwhatIheardyousaytothedetectives,yousurelycannotstillbelieveinthepossibilityofAlfredInglethorp’sinnocence?”
“Whynotnowasmuchasbefore?Nothinghaschanged.
