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Chapter VI. The Inquest
Inglethorpmayhaveinadvertentlytakenanoverdose?”
“Three,orevenfourdoses,wouldnothaveresultedindeath.Mrs.Inglethorpalwayshadanextralargeamountofmedicinemadeupatatime,asshedealtwithCoot’s,theCashChemistsinTadminster.Shewouldhavehadtotakeverynearlythewholebottletoaccountfortheamountofstrychninefoundatthepost-mortem.”
“Thenyouconsiderthatwemaydismissthetonicasnotbeinginanywayinstrumentalincausingherdeath?”
“Certainly.Thesuppositionisridiculous.”
Thesamejurymanwhohadinterruptedbeforeheresuggestedthatthechemistwhomadeupthemedicinemighthavecommittedanerror.
“That,ofcourse,isalwayspossible,”repliedthedoctor.
ButDorcas,whowasthenextwitnesscalled,dispelledeventhatpossibility.Themedicinehadnotbeennewlymadeup.Onthecontrary,Mrs.Inglethorphadtakenthelastdoseonthedayofherdeath.
Sothequestionofthetonicwasfinallyabandoned,andtheCoronerproceededwithhistask.HavingelicitedfromDorcashowshehadbeenawakenedbytheviolentringingofhermistress’sbell,andhadsubsequentlyrousedthehousehold,hepassedtothesubjectofthequarrelontheprecedingafternoon.
Dorcas’sevidenceonthispointwassubstantiallywhatPoirotandIhadalreadyheard,soIwillnotrepeatithere.
ThenextwitnesswasMaryCavendish.Shestoodveryupright,andspokeinalow,clear,andperfectlycomposedvoice.
