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Chapter VI. The Inquest
Couldthestrychninehavebeenadministeredinthat?”
“No,Imyselftookasampleofthecocoaremaininginthesaucepanandhaditanalysed.Therewasnostrychninepresent.”
IheardPoirotchucklesoftlybesideme.
“Howdidyouknow?”Iwhispered.
“Listen.”
“Ishouldsay”—thedoctorwascontinuing—“thatIwouldhavebeenconsiderablysurprisedatanyotherresult.”
“Why?”
“Simplybecausestrychninehasanunusuallybittertaste.Itcanbedetectedinasolutionofoneinseventythousand,andcanonlybedisguisedbysomestronglyflavouredsubstance.Cocoawouldbequitepowerlesstomaskit.”
Oneofthejurywantedtoknowifthesameobjectionappliedtocoffee.
“No.Coffeehasabittertasteofitsownwhichwouldprobablycoverthetasteofstrychnine.”
“Thenyouconsideritmorelikelythatthedrugwasadministeredinthecoffee,butthatforsomeunknownreasonitsactionwasdelayed.”
“Yes,but,thecupbeingcompletelysmashed,thereisnopossibilityofanalyzingitscontents.”
ThisconcludedDr.Bauerstein’sevidence.Dr.Wilkinscorroborateditonallpoints.Soundedastothepossibilityofsuicide,herepudiateditutterly.Thedeceased,hesaid,sufferedfromaweakheart,butotherwiseenjoyedperfecthealth,andwasofacheerfulandwell-balanceddisposition.Shewouldbeoneofthelastpeopletotakeherownlife.
LawrenceCavendishwasnextcalled.Hisevidencewasquiteunimportant,beingamererepetitionofthatofhisbrother.
