帷幕26

IV

Mrs Franklin was certainly a creature of moods, I thought, as we troopedupstairs after dinner. Having made everyone’s life unbearable all day, shewas now sweetness itself to everybody.

She was dressed in a negligee of pale eau-de-Nil and was lying on herchaise-longue. Beside her was a small revolving bookcase-table with thecoffee apparatus set out. Her fingers, deft and white, dealt with the ritualof coffee making, with some slight aid from Nurse Craven. We were allthere with the exception of Poirot who always retired before dinner, Aller-ton who had not returned from Ipswich, and Mrs and Colonel Luttrell whohad remained downstairs.

The aroma of coffee came to our noses – a delicious smell. The coffee atStyles was an uninteresting muddy fluid, so we all looked forward to MrsFranklin’s brew with freshly ground berries.

Franklin sat on the other side of the table handing the cups as she filledthem. Boyd Carrington stood by the foot of the sofa, Elizabeth Cole andNorton were by the window. Nurse Craven had retired to the backgroundby the head of the bed. I was sitting in an armchair wrestling with TheTimes crossword, and reading out the clues.

‘Even love or third party risk?’ I read out. ‘Eight letters.’

‘Probably an anagram,’ said Franklin.

We thought for a minute. I went on. ‘The chaps between the hills are un-kind.’

‘Tormentor,’ said Boyd Carrington quickly. ‘Quotation: “And Echowhate’er is asked her answers” – blank. Tennyson. Five letters.’

‘Where,’ suggested Mrs Franklin. ‘Surely that’s right. “And Echo answerswhere”?’

I was doubtful. ‘It would make a word end in “W”.’

‘Well, lots of words end in “W”. How and now and snow.’

Elizabeth Cole said from the window: ‘The Tennyson quotation is: “AndEcho whate’er is asked her answers Death”.’

I heard a quick sharp intake of breath behind me. I looked up. It was Ju-dith. She went past us to the window and out upon the balcony.

I said, as I wrote the last clue in: ‘Even love can’t be an anagram. Thesecond letter now is “A”.’

‘What’s the clue again?’

‘Even love or third party risk? Blank A and six blanks.’

‘Paramour,’ said Boyd Carrington.

I heard the teaspoon rattle on Barbara Franklin’s saucer. I went on tothe next clue.

‘“Jealousy is a green-eyed monster,” this person said.’

‘Shakespeare,’ said Boyd Carrington.

‘Was it Othello or Emilia?’ said Mrs Franklin.

‘All too long. The clue is only four letters.’

‘Iago.’

‘I’m sure it was Othello.’

‘It wasn’t in Othello at all. Romeo said it to Juliet.’

We all voiced our opinions. Suddenly from the balcony Judith cried out:

‘Look, a shooting star. Oh, there’s another.’

Boyd Carrington said: ‘Where? We must wish.’ He went out on the bal-cony, joining Elizabeth Cole, Norton and Judith. Nurse Craven went outtoo. Franklin got up and joined them. They stood there, exclaiming, gazingout into the night.

I remained with my head bent over the crossword. Why should I wish tosee a falling star? I had nothing to wish for …Suddenly Boyd Carrington wheeled back into the room.

‘Barbara, you must come out.’

Mrs Franklin said sharply: ‘No, I can’t. I’m too tired.’

‘Nonsense, Babs. You must come and wish!’ He laughed. ‘Now don’tprotest. I’ll carry you.’

And suddenly stooping he picked her up in his arms. She laughed andprotested: ‘Bill, put me down – don’t be so silly.’

‘Little girls have got to come out and wish.’ He carried her through thewindow and set her down on the balcony.

I bent closer over the paper. For I was remembering … A clear tropicalnight, frogs croaking … and a shooting star. I was standing there by thewindow, and I had turned and picked up Cinders and carried her out inmy arms to see the stars and wish …

The lines of my crossword ran and blurred before my eyes.

A figure detached itself from the balcony and came into the room – Ju-dith.

Judith must never catch me with tears in my eyes. It would never do.

Hastily I swung round the bookcase and pretended to be looking for abook. I remembered having seen an old edition of Shakespeare there. Yes,here it was. I looked through Othello.

‘What are you doing, Father?’

I mumbled something about the clue, my fingers turning over the pages.

Yes, it was Iago.

‘O beware, my lord, of jealousy;

It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock

The meat it feeds on.’

Judith went on with some other lines:

‘Not poppy, nor mandragora, nor all the drowsy syrups of the worldShall ever medicine thee to that sweet sleep which thou ow’dst yesterday.’

Her voice rang out, beautiful and deep.

The others were coming back, laughing and talking. Mrs Franklin re-sumed her place on the chaise-longue, Franklin came back to his seat andstirred his coffee. Norton and Elizabeth Cole finished drinking theirs andexcused themselves as they had promised to play bridge with the Luttrells.

Mrs Franklin drank her coffee and then demanded her ‘drops’. Judithgot them for her from the bathroom as Nurse Craven had just gone out.

Franklin was wandering aimlessly round the room. He stumbled over asmall table. His wife said sharply:

‘Don’t be so clumsy, John.’

‘Sorry, Barbara. I was thinking of something.’

Mrs Franklin said rather affectedly: ‘Such a great bear, aren’t you,darling?’

He looked at her rather abstractedly. Then he said: ‘Nice night, think I’lltake a stroll.’

He went out.

Mrs Franklin said: ‘He is a genius, you know. You can tell it from hismanner. I really do admire him terrifically. Such a passion for his work.’

‘Yes, yes, clever fellow,’ said Boyd Carrington rather perfunctorily.

Judith left the room abruptly, nearly colliding with Nurse Craven in thedoorway.

Boyd Carrington said: ‘What about a game of picquet, Babs?’

‘Oh, lovely. Can you get hold of some cards, Nurse?’

Nurse Craven went to get cards, and I wished Mrs Franklin good nightand thanked her for the coffee.

Outside I overtook Franklin and Judith. They were standing looking outof the passage window. They were not speaking, just standing side by side.

Franklin looked over his shoulder as I approached. He moved a step ortwo, hesitated and said: ‘Coming out for a stroll, Judith?’

My daughter shook her head. ‘Not tonight.’ She added abruptly: ‘I’m go-ing to bed. Good night.’

I went downstairs with Franklin. He was whistling softly to himself andsmiling.

I remarked rather crossly, for I was feeling depressed myself: ‘You seempleased with yourself tonight.’

He admitted it.

‘Yes. I’ve done something that I’ve been meaning to do for a long time.

Very satisfactory, that.’

I parted from him downstairs, and looked in on the bridge players for aminute. Norton winked at me when Mrs Luttrell wasn’t looking. The rub-ber seemed to be progressing with unusual harmony.

Allerton had still not come back. It seemed to me that the house washappier and less oppressive without him.

I went up to Poirot’s room. I found Judith sitting with him. She smiled atme when I came in and did not speak.

‘She has forgiven you, mon ami,’ said Poirot – an outrageous remark.

‘Really,’ I spluttered. ‘I hardly think –’

Judith got up. She put an arm round my neck and kissed me. She said:

‘Poor Father. Uncle Hercule shall not attack your dignity. I am the one tobe forgiven. So forgive me and say good night.’

I don’t quite know why, but I said: ‘I’m sorry, Judith. I’m very sorry, Ididn’t mean –’

She stopped me. ‘That’s all right. Let’s forget it. Everything’s all rightnow.’ She smiled a slow, far-away smile. She said again: ‘Everything’s allright now …’ and quietly left the room.

When she had gone Poirot looked at me.

‘Well?’ he demanded. ‘What has been happening this evening?’

I spread out my hands. ‘Nothing has happened, or is likely to happen,’ Itold him.

Actually I was very wide of the mark. For something did happen thatnight. Mrs Franklin was taken violently ill. Two more doctors were sentfor, but in vain. She died the following morning.

It was not until twenty-four hours later that we learned that her deathwas due to poisoning by physostigmine.

 

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