Read Online Lord Edgeware Dies by Agatha Christie - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Agatha Christie
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the lower classes.
“How many keys are there to the front door?”
“Two,” replied Miss Carroll promptly. “Lord Edgware always carried one. The other was kept in the drawer in the hall, so that anybody who was going to be late in could take it. There was a third one, but Captain Marsh lost it. Very careless.”
“Did Captain Marsh come much to the house?”
“He used to live here until three years ago.”
“Why did he leave?” asked Japp.
“I don't know. He couldn't get on with his uncle, I suppose.”
“I think you know a little more than that, Mademoiselle,” said Poirot gently.
She darted a quick glance at him.
“I am not one to gossip, M. Poirot.”
“But you can tell us the truth concerning the rumours of a serious disagreement between Lord Edgware and his nephew.”
“It wasn't so serious as all that. Lord Edgware was a difficult man to get on with.”
“Even you found that?”
“I'm not speaking of myself. I never had any disagreements with Lord Edgware. He always found me perfectly reliable.”
“But as regards Captain Marsh -”
Poirot stuck to it, gently continuing to goad her into further revelations.
Miss Carroll shrugged her shoulders.
“He was extravagant. Got into debt. There was some other trouble - I don't know exactly what. They quarrelled. Lord Edgware forbade him the house. That's all.”
Her mouth closed firmly. Evidently she intended to say no more.
The room we had interviewed her in was on the first floor. As we left it, Poirot took me by the arm.
“A little minute. Remain here if you will, Hastings. I am going down with Japp. Watch till we have gone into the library, then join us there.”
I have long ago given up asking Poirot questions beginning “Why?” Like the Light Brigade “Mine not to reason why, mine but to do or die,” though fortunately it has not yet come to dying! I thought that possibly he suspected the butler of spying on him and wanted to know if such were really the case.
I took up my stand looking over the banister. Poirot and Japp went first to the front door out of my sight. Then they reappeared walking slowly along the hall, I followed their backs with my eye until they had gone into the library. I waited a minute or two in case the butler appeared, but there was no sign of anyone, so I ran down the stairs and joined them.
The body had, of course, been removed. The curtains were drawn and the electric light was on. Poirot and Japp were standing in the middle of the room looking round them.
“Nothing here,” Japp was saying.
And Poirot replied with a smile:
“Alas! not the cigarette ash - nor the footprint - nor a lady's glove - nor even a lingering perfume! Nothing that the detective of fiction so conveniently finds.”
“The police are always made out to be as blind as bats in detective stories,” said Japp with a grin.
“I found a clue once,” said Poirot dreamily. “But since it was four feet long instead of four centimetres no one would believe in it.”
I remembered the circumstances and laughed. Then I remembered my mission.
“It's all right, Poirot,” I said. “I watched, but no one was spying upon you as far as I could see.”
“The eyes of my friend Hastings,” said Poirot in a kind of gentle mockery. “Tell me, my friend, did you notice the rose between my lips?”
“The rose between your lips?” I asked in astonishment. Japp turned aside spluttering with laughter.
“You'll be the death of me, M. Poirot,” he said. “The death of me. A rose. What next?”
“I had the fancy to pretend I was Carmen,” said Poirot quite undisturbed. I wondered if they were going mad or if I was.
“You did not observe it, Hastings?” There was reproach in Poirot's voice.
“No,” I said, staring. “But then I couldn't see your face.”
“No matter.” He shook his head gently.
Were they making fun of me?
“Well,” said Japp. “No more to do here, I fancy. I'd like to see the daughter again if I could.
“How many keys are there to the front door?”
“Two,” replied Miss Carroll promptly. “Lord Edgware always carried one. The other was kept in the drawer in the hall, so that anybody who was going to be late in could take it. There was a third one, but Captain Marsh lost it. Very careless.”
“Did Captain Marsh come much to the house?”
“He used to live here until three years ago.”
“Why did he leave?” asked Japp.
“I don't know. He couldn't get on with his uncle, I suppose.”
“I think you know a little more than that, Mademoiselle,” said Poirot gently.
She darted a quick glance at him.
“I am not one to gossip, M. Poirot.”
“But you can tell us the truth concerning the rumours of a serious disagreement between Lord Edgware and his nephew.”
“It wasn't so serious as all that. Lord Edgware was a difficult man to get on with.”
“Even you found that?”
“I'm not speaking of myself. I never had any disagreements with Lord Edgware. He always found me perfectly reliable.”
“But as regards Captain Marsh -”
Poirot stuck to it, gently continuing to goad her into further revelations.
Miss Carroll shrugged her shoulders.
“He was extravagant. Got into debt. There was some other trouble - I don't know exactly what. They quarrelled. Lord Edgware forbade him the house. That's all.”
Her mouth closed firmly. Evidently she intended to say no more.
The room we had interviewed her in was on the first floor. As we left it, Poirot took me by the arm.
“A little minute. Remain here if you will, Hastings. I am going down with Japp. Watch till we have gone into the library, then join us there.”
I have long ago given up asking Poirot questions beginning “Why?” Like the Light Brigade “Mine not to reason why, mine but to do or die,” though fortunately it has not yet come to dying! I thought that possibly he suspected the butler of spying on him and wanted to know if such were really the case.
I took up my stand looking over the banister. Poirot and Japp went first to the front door out of my sight. Then they reappeared walking slowly along the hall, I followed their backs with my eye until they had gone into the library. I waited a minute or two in case the butler appeared, but there was no sign of anyone, so I ran down the stairs and joined them.
The body had, of course, been removed. The curtains were drawn and the electric light was on. Poirot and Japp were standing in the middle of the room looking round them.
“Nothing here,” Japp was saying.
And Poirot replied with a smile:
“Alas! not the cigarette ash - nor the footprint - nor a lady's glove - nor even a lingering perfume! Nothing that the detective of fiction so conveniently finds.”
“The police are always made out to be as blind as bats in detective stories,” said Japp with a grin.
“I found a clue once,” said Poirot dreamily. “But since it was four feet long instead of four centimetres no one would believe in it.”
I remembered the circumstances and laughed. Then I remembered my mission.
“It's all right, Poirot,” I said. “I watched, but no one was spying upon you as far as I could see.”
“The eyes of my friend Hastings,” said Poirot in a kind of gentle mockery. “Tell me, my friend, did you notice the rose between my lips?”
“The rose between your lips?” I asked in astonishment. Japp turned aside spluttering with laughter.
“You'll be the death of me, M. Poirot,” he said. “The death of me. A rose. What next?”
“I had the fancy to pretend I was Carmen,” said Poirot quite undisturbed. I wondered if they were going mad or if I was.
“You did not observe it, Hastings?” There was reproach in Poirot's voice.
“No,” I said, staring. “But then I couldn't see your face.”
“No matter.” He shook his head gently.
Were they making fun of me?
“Well,” said Japp. “No more to do here, I fancy. I'd like to see the daughter again if I could.
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