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Chapter XII. The Last Link
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“Lapauvrepetite!Andshewasconcerned?”
“Shesaidthatshedidnotmindatall.”
“Thenshecertainlydidmindverymuch,”remarkedPoirot.“Theyarelikethat—lesfemmes!”
“WhatyousayaboutLawrenceisagreatsurprisetome,”Isaid.
“Butwhy?Itwasmostobvious.DidnotMonsieurLawrencemakethesourfaceeverytimeMademoiselleCynthiaspokeandlaughedwithhisbrother?HehadtakenitintohislongheadthatMademoiselleCynthiawasinlovewithMonsieurJohn.Whenheenteredhismother’sroom,andsawherobviouslypoisoned,hejumpedtotheconclusionthatMademoiselleCynthiaknewsomethingaboutthematter.Hewasnearlydrivendesperate.Firsthecrushedthecoffee-cuptopowderunderhisfeet,rememberingthatshehadgoneupwithhismotherthenightbefore,andhedeterminedthatthereshouldbenochanceoftestingitscontents.Thenceforward,hestrenuously,andquiteuselessly,upheldthetheoryof‘Deathfromnaturalcauses’.”
“Andwhataboutthe‘extracoffee-cup’?”
“IwasfairlycertainthatitwasMrs.Cavendishwhohadhiddenit,butIhadtomakesure.MonsieurLawrencedidnotknowatallwhatImeant;but,onreflection,hecametotheconclusionthatifhecouldfindanextracoffee-cupanywherehisladylovewouldbeclearedofsuspicion.Andhewasperfectlyright.”
“Onethingmore.WhatdidMrs.Inglethorpmeanbyherdyingwords?”
“Theywere,ofcourse,anaccusationagainstherhusband.”
“Dearme,Poirot,”Isaidwithasigh,“Ithinkyouhaveexplainedeverything.
