walking about at all hours of the night； fully dressed？〃
〃No；〃 I confessed； 〃I never thought of such a thing。〃
〃He is； of course； a German by birth；〃 said Poirot thoughtfully；
〃though he has practiced so long in this country that nobody thinks of him
as anything but an Englishman。 He was naturalized about fifteen years
ago。 A very clever mana Jew； of course。〃
〃The blackguard！〃 I cried indignantly。
〃Not at all。 He is； on the contrary； a patriot。 Think what he stands
to lose。 I admire the man myself。〃
But I could not look at it in Poirot's philosophical way。
〃And this is the man with whom Mrs。 Cavendish has been wandering
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about all over the country！〃 I cried indignantly。
〃Yes。 I should fancy he had found her very useful；〃 remarked Poirot。
〃So long as gossip busied itself in coupling their names together； any other
vagaries of the doctor's passed unobserved。〃
〃Then you think he never really cared for her？〃 I asked eagerlyrather
too eagerly； perhaps； under the circumstances。
〃That； of course； I cannot say； butshall I tell you my own private
opinion； Hastings？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Well； it is this： that Mrs。 Cavendish does not care； and never has
cared one little jot about Dr。 Bauerstein！〃
〃Do you really think so？〃 I could not disguise my pleasure。
〃I am quite sure of it。 And I will tell you why。〃
〃Yes？〃
〃Because she cares for some one else； mon ami。〃
〃Oh！〃 What did he mean？ In spite of myself； an agreeable warmth
spread over me。 I am not a vain man where women are concerned； but I
remembered certain evidences； too lightly thought of at the time； perhaps；
but which certainly seemed to indicate
My pleasing thoughts were interrupted by the sudden entrance of Miss
Howard。 She glanced round hastily to make sure there was no one else
in the room； and quickly produced an old sheet of brown paper。 This she
handed to Poirot； murmuring as she did so the cryptic words：
〃On top of the wardrobe。〃 Then she hurriedly left the room。
Poirot unfolded the sheet of paper eagerly； and uttered an exclamation
of satisfaction。 He spread it out on the table。
〃Come here； Hastings。 Now tell me； what is that initialJ。 or L。？〃
It was a medium sized sheet of paper； rather dusty； as though it had
lain by for some time。 But it was the label that was attracting Poirot's
attention。 At the top； it bore the printed stamp of Messrs。 Parkson's； the
well…known theatrical costumiers； and it was addressed to 〃（the
debatable initial） Cavendish； Esq。； Styles Court； Styles St。 Mary； Essex。〃
〃It might be T。； or it might be L。；〃 I said； after studying the thing for a
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minute or two。 〃It certainly isn't a J。〃
〃Good；〃 replied Poirot； folding up the paper again。 〃I； also； am of
your way of thinking。 It is an L。； depend upon it！〃
〃Where did it come from？〃 I asked curiously。 〃Is it important？〃
〃Moderately so。 It confirms a surmise of mine。 Having deduced its
existence； I set Miss Howard to search for it； and； as you see； she has been
successful。〃
〃What did she mean by 'On the top of the wardrobe'？〃
〃She meant；〃 replied Poirot promptly； 〃that she found it on top of a
wardrobe。〃
〃A funny place for a piece of brown paper；〃 I mused。
〃Not at all。 The top of a wardrobe is an excellent place for brown
paper and cardboard boxes。 I have kept them there myself。 Neatly
arranged； there is nothing to offend the eye。〃
〃Poirot；〃 I asked earnestly； 〃have you made up your mind about this
crime？〃
〃Yesthat is to say； I believe I know how it was committed。〃
〃Ah！〃
〃Unfortunately； I have no proof beyond my surmise； unless〃 With
sudden energy； he caught me by the arm； and whirled me down the hall；
calling out in French in his excitement： 〃Mademoiselle Dorcas；
Mademoiselle Dorcas； un moment； s'il vous plait！〃
Dorcas； quite flurried by the noise； came hurrying out of the pantry。
〃My good Dorcas； I have an ideaa little ideaif it should prove
justified； what magnificent chance！ Tell me； on Monday； not Tuesday；
Dorcas； but Monday； the day before the tragedy； did anything go wrong
with Mrs。 Inglethorp's bell？〃
Dorcas looked very surprised。
〃Yes； sir； now you mention it； it did； though I don't know how you
came to hear of it。 A mouse； or some such； must have nibbled the wire
through。 The man came and put it right on Tuesday morning。〃
With a long drawn exclamation of ecstasy； Poirot led the way back to
the morning…room。
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〃See you； one should not ask for outside proofno； reason should be
enough。 But the flesh is weak； it is consolation to find that one is on the
right track。 Ah； my friend； I am like a giant refreshed。 I run！ I leap！〃
And； in very truth； run and leap he did； gambolling wildly down the
stretch of lawn outside the long window。
〃What is your remarkable little friend doing？〃 asked a voice behind
me； and I turned to find Mary Cavendish at my elbow。 She smiled； and
so did I。 〃What is it all about？〃
〃Really； I can't tell you。 He asked Dorcas some question about a bell；
and appeared so delighted with her answer that he is capering about as you
see！〃
Mary laughed。
〃How ridiculous！ He's going out of the gate。 Isn't he coming back to…
day？〃
〃I don't know。 I've given up trying to guess what he'll do next。〃
〃Is he quite mad； Mr。 Hastings？〃
〃I honestly don't know。 Sometimes； I feel sure he is as mad as a
hatter； and then； just as he is at his maddest； I find there is method in his
madness。〃
〃I see。〃
In spite of her laugh； Mary was looking thoughtful this morning。 She
seemed grave； almost sad。
It occurred to me that it would be a good opportunity to tackle her on
the subject of Cynthia。 I began rather tactfully； I thought； but I had not
gone far before she stopped me authoritatively。
〃You are an excellent advocate； I have no doubt； Mr。 Hastings； but in
this case your talents are quite thrown away。 Cynthia will run no risk of
encountering any unkindness from me。〃
I began to stammer feebly that I hoped she hadn't thought But again
she stopped me； and her words were so unexpected that they quite drove
Cynthia； and her troubles； out of my mind。
〃Mr。 Hastings；〃 she said； 〃do you think I and my husband are happy
together？〃
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I was considerably taken aback； and murmured something about it's
not being my business to think anything of the sort。
〃Well；〃 she said quietly； 〃whether it is your business or not； I will tell
you that we are *NOT happy。〃
I said nothing； for I saw that she had not finished。
She began slowly； walking up and down the room； her head a little
bent； and that slim； supple figure of hers swaying gently as she walked。
She stopped suddenly； and looked up at me。
〃You don't know anything about me； do you？〃 she asked。 〃Where I
come from； who I was before I married John anything； in fact？ Well； I
will tell you。 I will make a father confessor of you。 You are kind； I
thinkyes； I am sure you are kind。〃
Somehow； I was not quite as elated as I might have been。 I
remembered that Cynthia had begun her confidences in much the same
way。 Besides； a father confessor should be elderly； it is not at all the role
for a young man。
〃My father was English；〃 said Mrs。 Cavendish； 〃but my mother was a
Russian。〃
〃Ah；〃 I said； 〃now I understand〃
〃Understand what？〃
〃A hint of something foreigndifferentthat there has always been
about you。〃
〃My mother was very beautiful； I believe。 I don't know； because I
never saw her。 She died when I was quite a little child。 I believe there
was some tragedy connected with her deathshe took an overdose of some
sleeping draught by mistake。 However that may be； my father was
broken…hearted。 Shortly afterwards； he went into the Consular Service。
Everywhere he went； I went with him。 When I was twenty…three； I had
been nearly all over the world。 It was a splendid lifeI loved it。〃
There was a smile on her face； and her head was thrown back。 She
seemed living in the memory of those old glad days。
〃Then my father died。 He left me very badly off。 I had to go and
live with some old aunts in Yorkshire。〃 She shuddered。 〃You will