Peril at End House (Hercule Poirot 8)

‘It is a hypothesis. I am driven to it by the difficulty of finding a reasonable theory elsewhere. When you have eliminated other possibilities you turn to the one that is left and say—since the other is not—this must be so…’

He was silent a long time.

At last, rousing himself from his absorption, he drew a sheet of paper towards him and began to write.

‘What are you writing?’ I asked, curiously.

‘Mon ami, I am composing a list. It is a list of people surrounding Mademoiselle Buckley. Within that list, if my theory is correct, there must be the name of the murderer.’

He continued to write for perhaps twenty minutes—then shoved the sheets of paper across to me.

‘Voilà, monami. See what you make of it.’

The following is a reproduction of the paper:

A. Ellen.

B. Her gardener husband.

C. Their child.

D. Mr Croft.

E. Mrs Croft.

F. Mrs Rice.

G. Mr Lazarus.

H. Commander Challenger.

I. Mr Charles Vyse.

J.

Remarks:

Ellen.—Suspicious circumstances. Her attitude and words on hearing of the crime. Best opportunity of anyone to have staged accidents and to have known of pistol, but unlikely to have tampered with car, and general mentality of crime seems above her level. Motive.—None—unless hate arising out of some incident unknown.

Note.—Further inquiries as to her antecedents and general relations with N. B.

Her Husband.—Same as above. More likely to have tampered with car. Note.—Should be interviewed.

Child.—Can be ruled out. Note.—Should be interviewed. Might give valuable information.

Mr Croft.—Only suspicious circumstance the fact that we met him mounting the stair to bedroom floor. Had ready explanation which may be true. But it may not! Nothing known of antecedents.

Motive.—None.

Mrs Croft.—Suspicious circumstances.—None. Motive.—None.

Mrs Rice.—Suspicious circumstances. Full opportunity. Asked N. B. to fetch wrap. Has deliberately tried to create impression that N. B. is a liar and her account of ‘accidents’ not to be relied on. Was not at Tavistock when accidents occurred. Where was she? Motive.—Gain? Very slight. Jealousy? Possible, but nothing known. Fear? Also possible, but nothing known.

Note.—Converse with N. B. on subject. See if any light is thrown upon matter. Possibly something to do with F. R.’s marriage.

Mr Lazarus.—Suspicious circumstances. General opportunity. Offer to buy picture. Said brakes of car were quite all right (according to F. R.). May have been in neighbourhood prior to Friday. Motive.—None—unless profit on picture. Fear?—unlikely.

Note.—Find out where J. L. was before arriving at St Loo. Find out financial position of Aaron Lazarus & Son.

Commander Challenger.—Suspicious circumstances. None. Was in neighbourhood all last week, so opportunity for ‘accidents’ good. Arrived half an hour after murder. Motive.—None.

Mr Vyse.—Suspicious circumstances. Was absent from office at time when shot was fired in garden of hotel. Opportunity good. Statement about selling of End House open to doubt. Of a repressed temperament. Would probably know about pistol. Motive.—Gain? (slight) Love or Hate? Possible with one of his temperament. Fear? Unlikely.

Note.—Find out who held mortgage. Find out position of Vyse’s firm.

?—There could be a J., e.g. an outsider. But with a link in the form of one of the foregoing. If so, probably connected with A. D. and E. or F. The existence of J. would explain (1) Ellen’s lack of surprise at crime and her pleasurable satisfaction. (But that might be due to natural pleasurable excitement of her class over deaths.) (2) The reason for Croft and his wife coming to live in lodge. (3) Might supply motive for F. R.’s fear of secret being revealed or for jealousy.

Poirot watched me as I read.

‘It is very English, is it not? he remarked, with pride. ‘I am more English when I write than when I speak.’

‘It’s an excellent piece of work,’ I said, warmly. ‘It sets all the possibilities out most clearly.’

‘Yes,’ he said, thoughtfully, as he took it back from me. ‘And one name leaps to the eye, my friend. Charles Vyse. He has the best opportunities. We have given him the choice of two motives. Ma foi—if that was a list of racehorses, he would start favourite, n’est-ce pas?’

‘He is certainly the most likely suspect.’

‘You have a tendency, Hastings, to prefer the least likely. That, no doubt, is from reading too many detective stories. In real life, nine times out of ten, it is the most likely and the most obvious person who commits the crime.’

‘But you don’t really think

that is so this time?’

‘There is only one thing that is against it. The boldness of the crime! That has stood out from the first. Because of that, as I say, the motive cannot be obvious.’

‘Yes, that is what you said at first.’

‘And that is what I say again.’

With a sudden brusque gesture he crumpled the sheets of paper and threw them on the floor.

‘No,’ he said, as I uttered an exclamation of protest. ‘That list has been in vain. Still, it has cleared my mind. Order and method! That is the first stage. To arrange the facts with neatness and precision. The next stage—’

‘Yes.’

‘The next stage is that of the psychology. The correct employment of the little grey cells! I advise you, Hastings, to go to bed.’

‘No,’ I said. ‘Not unless you do. I’m not going to leave you.’

‘Most faithful of dogs! But see you, Hastings, you cannot assist me to think. That is all I am going to do—think.’

I still shook my head.

‘You might want to discuss some point with me.’

‘Well—well—you are a loyal friend. Take at least, I beg of you, the easy-chair.’

That proposal I did accept. Presently the room began to swim and dip. The last thing I remember was seeing Poirot carefully retrieving the crumpled sheets of paper from the floor and putting them away tidily in the waste-paper basket.

Then I must have fallen asleep.

Chapter 10

Nick’s Secret

It was daylight when I awoke.

Poirot was still sitting where he had been the night before. His attitude was the same, but in his face was a difference. His eyes were shining with that queer cat-like green light that I knew so well.

I struggled to an upright position, feeling very stiff and uncomfortable. Sleeping in a chair is a proceeding not to be recommended at my time of life. Yet one thing at least resulted from it—I awoke not in that pleasant state of lazy somnolence but with a mind and brain as active as when I fell asleep.