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Chapter IV. Poirot Investigates
Inglethorpatewelllastnight?Ihavebeenturningitoverinmymind,butIcan’tseehowithasanythingtodowiththematter?”
Hewassilentforaminuteortwoaswewalkedalong,butfinallyhesaid:
“Idonotmindtellingyou—though,asyouknow,itisnotmyhabittoexplainuntiltheendisreached.ThepresentcontentionisthatMrs.Inglethorpdiedofstrychninepoisoning,presumablyadministeredinhercoffee.”
“Yes?”
“Well,whattimewasthecoffeeserved?”
“Abouteighto’clock.”
“Thereforeshedrankitbetweenthenandhalf-pasteight—certainlynotmuchlater.Well,strychnineisafairlyrapidpoison.Itseffectswouldbefeltverysoon,probablyinaboutanhour.Yet,inMrs.Inglethorp’scase,thesymptomsdonotmanifestthemselvesuntilfiveo’clockthenextmorning:ninehours!Butaheavymeal,takenataboutthesametimeasthepoison,mightretarditseffects,thoughhardlytothatextent.Still,itisapossibilitytobetakenintoaccount.But,accordingtoyou,sheateverylittleforsupper,andyetthesymptomsdonotdevelopuntilearlythenextmorning!Nowthatisacuriouscircumstance,myfriend.Somethingmayariseattheautopsytoexplainit.Inthemeantime,rememberit.”
Aswenearedthehouse,Johncameoutandmetus.Hisfacelookedwearyandhaggard.
“Thisisaverydreadfulbusiness,MonsieurPoirot,”hesaid.“Hastingshasexplainedtoyouthatweareanxiousfornopublicity?”
“Icomprehendperfectly.”
“Yousee,itisonlysuspicionsofar.Wehavenothingtogoupon.”
“Precisely.
