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"From the first, his behaviour has been peculiar. Of all the household, he
alone would be likely to recognize the symptoms of strychnine poisoning,
and yet we find him the only member of the family to uphold strenuously
the theory of death from natural causes. If it had been Monsieur John, I
could have understood it. He has no technical knowledge, and is by nature
unimaginative. But Monsieur Lawrence--no! And now, to-day, he puts
forward a suggestion that he himself must have known was ridiculous.
There is food for thought in this, mon ami!"
"
"
It's very confusing," I agreed.
Then there is Mrs. Cavendish," continued Poirot. "That's another who is not
telling all she knows! What do you make of her attitude?"
"I don't know what to make of it. It seems inconceivable that she should be
shielding Alfred Inglethorp. Yet that is what it looks like."
Poirot nodded reflectively.
"Yes, it is queer. One thing is certain, she overheard a good deal more of that
'private conversation' than she was willing to admit."
"
And yet she is the last person one would accuse of stooping to eavesdrop!"
Exactly. One thing her evidence has shown me. I made a mistake. Dorcas
"
was quite right. The quarrel did take place earlier in the afternoon, about
four o'clock, as she said."
I looked at him curiously. I had never understood his insistence on that
point.
"Yes, a good deal that was peculiar came out to-day," continued Poirot. "Dr.
Bauerstein, now, what was he doing up and dressed at that hour in the
morning? It is astonishing to me that no one commented on the fact."
"
He has insomnia, I believe," I said doubtfully.
"Which is a very good, or a very bad explanation," remarked Poirot. "It covers
everything, and explains nothing. I shall keep my eye on our clever Dr.
Bauerstein."
"
Any more faults to find with the evidence?" I inquired satirically.
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