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Chapter XI. The Case for the Prosecution
Butif,ontheotherhand,itwasJohn,thewholethingwasexplainedquitenaturally.”
“So,”Icried,alightbreakinginuponme,“itwasJohnwhoquarrelledwithhismotherthatafternoon?”
“Exactly.”
“Andyouhaveknownthisallalong?”
“Certainly.Mrs.Cavendish’sbehaviourcouldonlybeexplainedthatway.”
“Andyetyousayhemaybeacquitted?”
Poirotshruggedhisshoulders.
“CertainlyIdo.Atthepolicecourtproceedings,weshallhearthecasefortheprosecution,butinallprobabilityhissolicitorswilladvisehimtoreservehisdefence.Thatwillbesprunguponusatthetrial.And—ah,bytheway,Ihaveawordofcautiontogiveyou,myfriend.Imustnotappearinthecase.”
“What?”
“No.Officially,Ihavenothingtodowithit.UntilIhavefoundthatlastlinkinmychain,Imustremainbehindthescenes.Mrs.CavendishmustthinkIamworkingforherhusband,notagainsthim.”
“Isay,that’splayingitabitlowdown,”Iprotested.
“Notatall.Wehavetodealwithamostcleverandunscrupulousman,andwemustuseanymeansinourpower—otherwisehewillslipthroughourfingers.ThatiswhyIhavebeencarefultoremaininthebackground.AllthediscoverieshavebeenmadebyJapp,andJappwilltakeallthecredit.IfIamcalledupontogiveevidenceatall”—hesmiledbroadly—“itwillprobablybeasawitnessforthedefence.”
Icouldhardlybelievemyears.
“Itisquiteenrègle,”continuedPoirot.
