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II. The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor
”
“Shootingrooks,eh?”
“Yes,heusuallytookhislittlerookriflewithhim,andIheardoneortwoshotsinthedistance.”
“Whereisthislittlerookriflenow?”
“Inthehall,Ithink.”
SheledthewayoutoftheroomandfoundandhandedthelittleweapontoPoirot,whoexamineditcursorily.
“Twoshotsfired,Isee,”heobserved,ashehandeditback.“Andnow,madame,ifImightsee——”
Hepauseddelicately.
“Theservantshalltakeyou,”shemurmured,avertingherhead.
Theparlourmaid,summoned,ledPoirotupstairs.Iremainedwiththelovelyandunfortunatewoman.Itwashardtoknowwhethertospeakorremainsilent.Iessayedoneortwogeneralreflectionstowhichsherespondedabsently,andinaveryfewminutesPoirotrejoinedus.
“Ithankyouforallyourcourtesy,madame.Idonotthinkyouneedbetroubledanyfurtherwiththismatter.Bytheway,doyouknowanythingofyourhusband’sfinancialposition?”
Sheshookherhead.
“Nothingwhatever.Iamverystupidoverbusinessthings.”
“Isee.Thenyoucangiveusnoclueastowhyhesuddenlydecidedtoinsurehislife?Hehadnotdonesopreviously,Iunderstand.”
“Well,wehadonlybeenmarriedalittleoverayear.But,astowhyheinsuredhislife,itwasbecausehehadabsolutelymadeuphismindthathewouldnotlivelong.Hehadastrongpremonitionofhisowndeath.Igatherthathehadhadonehæmorrhagealready,andthatheknewthatanotheronewouldprovefatal.Itriedtodispelthesegloomyfearsofhis,butwithoutavail.
