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Dorcas's evidence on this point was substantially what Poirot and I had
already heard, so I will not repeat it here.
The next witness was Mary Cavendish. She stood very upright, and spoke in
a low, clear, and perfectly composed voice. In answer to the Coroner's
question, she told how, her alarm clock having aroused her at 4.30 as
usual, she was dressing, when she was startled by the sound of something
heavy falling.
"
"
That would have been the table by the bed?" commented the Coroner.
I opened my door," continued Mary, "and listened. In a few minutes a bell
rang violently. Dorcas came running down and woke my husband, and we
all went to my mother-in-law's room, but it was locked----"
The Coroner interrupted her.
"I really do not think we need trouble you further on that point. We know all
that can be known of the subsequent happenings. But I should be obliged if
you would tell us all you overheard of the quarrel the day before."
"I?"
There was a faint insolence in her voice. She raised her hand and adjusted
the ruffle of lace at her neck, turning her head a little as she did so. And
quite spontaneously the thought flashed across my mind: "She is gaining
time!"
"Yes. I understand," continued the Coroner deliberately, "that you were
sitting reading on the bench just outside the long window of the boudoir.
That is so, is it not?"
This was news to me and glancing sideways at Poirot, I fancied that it was
news to him as well.
There was the faintest pause, the mere hesitation of a moment, before she
answered:
"Yes, that is so."
"And the boudoir window was open, was it not?"
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