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Chapter XI. The Case for the Prosecution
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“ThenIwillleavetheremarkablesimilarityofhand-writingbetweenthenote,theregister,andyourown,totheconsiderationofthejury,”saidMr.Philips,andsatdownwiththeairofamanwhohasdonehisduty,butwhowasneverthelesshorrifiedbysuchdeliberateperjury.
Afterthis,asitwasgrowinglate,thecasewasadjournedtillMonday.
Poirot,Inoticed,waslookingprofoundlydiscouraged.HehadthatlittlefrownbetweentheeyesthatIknewsowell.
“Whatisit,Poirot?”Iinquired.
“Ah,monami,thingsaregoingbadly,badly.”
Inspiteofmyself,myheartgavealeapofrelief.EvidentlytherewasalikelihoodofJohnCavendishbeingacquitted.
Whenwereachedthehouse,mylittlefriendwavedasideMary’sofferoftea.
“No,Ithankyou,madame.Iwillmounttomyroom.”
Ifollowedhim.Stillfrowning,hewentacrosstothedeskandtookoutasmallpackofpatiencecards.Thenhedrewupachairtothetable,and,tomyutteramazement,begansolemnlytobuildcardhouses!
Myjawdroppedinvoluntarily,andhesaidatonce:
“No,monami,Iamnotinmysecondchildhood!Isteadymynerves,thatisall.Thisemploymentrequiresprecisionofthefingers.Withprecisionofthefingersgoesprecisionofthebrain.AndneverhaveIneededthatmorethannow!”
“Whatisthetrouble?”Iasked.
Withagreatthumponthetable,Poirotdemolishedhiscarefullybuiltupedifice.
