Загадочное происшествие в Стайлзе

           AlfredInglethorpreturnstoStyles.Thereisnothingthatcancompromisehiminanyway,sinceitisMissHowardwhohasthestrychnine,which,afterall,isonlywantedasablindtothrowsuspiciononJohnCavendish.

           “Butnowahitchoccurs.Mrs.Inglethorpdoesnottakehermedicinethatnight.Thebrokenbell,Cynthia’sabsence—arrangedbyInglethorpthroughhiswife—allthesearewasted.Andthen—hemakeshisslip.

           “Mrs.Inglethorpisout,andhesitsdowntowritetohisaccomplice,who,hefears,maybeinapanicatthenon-successoftheirplan.ItisprobablethatMrs.Inglethorpreturnedearlierthanheexpected.Caughtintheact,andsomewhatflurriedhehastilyshutsandlockshisdesk.Hefearsthatifheremainsintheroomhemayhavetoopenitagain,andthatMrs.Inglethorpmightcatchsightoftheletterbeforehecouldsnatchitup.Sohegoesoutandwalksinthewoods,littledreamingthatMrs.Inglethorpwillopenhisdesk,anddiscovertheincriminatingdocument.

           “Butthis,asweknow,iswhathappened.Mrs.Inglethorpreadsit,andbecomesawareoftheperfidyofherhusbandandEvelynHoward,though,unfortunately,thesentenceaboutthebromidesconveysnowarningtohermind.Sheknowsthatsheisindanger—butisignorantofwherethedangerlies.Shedecidestosaynothingtoherhusband,butsitsdownandwritestohersolicitor,askinghimtocomeonthemorrow,andshealsodeterminestodestroyimmediatelythewillwhichshehasjustmade.Shekeepsthefatalletter.