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CHAPTER VIII. FRESH SUSPICIONS
There was a moment's stupefied silence. Japp, who was the least surprised
of any of us, was the first to speak.
"My word," he cried, "you're the goods! And no mistake, Mr. Poirot! These
witnesses of yours are all right, I suppose?"
"Voila! I have prepared a list of them--names and addresses. You must see
them, of course. But you will find it all right."
"
I'm sure of that." Japp lowered his voice. "I'm much obliged to you. A pretty
mare's nest arresting him would have been." He turned to Inglethorp. "But,
if you'll excuse me, sir, why couldn't you say all this at the inquest?"
"I will tell you why," interrupted Poirot. "There was a certain rumour----"
"
A most malicious and utterly untrue one," interrupted Alfred Inglethorp in
an agitated voice.
"And Mr. Inglethorp was anxious to have no scandal revived just at present.
Am I right?"
"
Quite right." Inglethorp nodded. "With my poor Emily not yet buried, can
you wonder I was anxious that no more lying rumours should be started."
"
Between you and me, sir," remarked Japp, "I'd sooner have any amount of
rumours than be arrested for murder. And I venture to think your poor lady
would have felt the same. And, if it hadn't been for Mr. Poirot here, arrested
you would have been, as sure as eggs is eggs!"
"I was foolish, no doubt," murmured Inglethorp. "But you do not know,
inspector, how I have been persecuted and maligned." And he shot a baleful
glance at Evelyn Howard.
"Now, sir," said Japp, turning briskly to John, "I should like to see the lady's
bedroom, please, and after that I'll have a little chat with the servants. Don't
you bother about anything. Mr. Poirot, here, will show me the way."
As they all went out of the room, Poirot turned and made me a sign to follow
him upstairs. There he caught me by the arm, and drew me aside.
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