17. We Make Further Investigations

           IhavesetdowntheBeroldycaseinfull.OfcourseallthedetailsdidnotpresentthemselvestomymemoryasIhaverecountedthemhere.Nevertheless,Irecalledthecasefairlyaccurately.Ithadattractedagreatdealofinterestatthetime,andhadbeenfullyreportedbytheEnglishpapers,sothatitdidnotneedmucheffortofmemoryonmyparttorecollectthesalientdetails.

           Justforthemoment,inmyexcitement,itseemedtoclearupthewholematter.IadmitthatIamimpulsive,andPoirotdeploresmycustomofjumpingtoconclusions,butIthinkIhadsomeexcuseinthisinstance.TheremarkablewayinwhichthisdiscoveryjustifiedPoirot’spointofviewstruckmeatonce.

           “Poirot,”Isaid,“Icongratulateyou.Iseeeverythingnow.”

           “Ifthatisindeedthetruth,Icongratulateyou,monami.Forasaruleyouarenotfamousforseeing—eh,isitnotso?”

           Ifeltalittleannoyed.

           “Comenow,don’trubitin.You’vebeensoconfoundedlymysteriousallalongwithyourhintsandyourinsignificantdetailsthatanyonemightfailtoseewhatyouweredrivingat.”

           Poirotlitoneofhislittlecigaretteswithhisusualprecision.Thenhelookedup.

           “Andsinceyouseeeverythingnow,monami,whatexactlyisitthatyousee?”

           “Why,thatitwasMadameDaubreuil—Beroldy,whomurderedMr.Renauld.Thesimilarityofthetwocasesprovesthatbeyondadoubt.”

           “ThenyouconsiderthatMadameBeroldywaswronglyacquitted?Thatinactualfactshewasguiltyofconnivanceinherhusband’smurder?”

           Iopenedmyeyeswide.