II

Poirot paid another visit to Hampstead. Mrs. Adams was a little surprised, perhaps, to see him.

Though he had been vouched¹ for, so to speak, by a Chief Inspector² of Scotland Yard, shenevertheless regarded him as a “quaint little foreigner” and had not taken his pretentions veryseriously. She was, however, very willing to talk.

After the first sensational³ announcement about the identity of the victim, the finding of theinquest had received very little publicity⁴. It had been a case of mistaken identity—the body ofMrs. Chapman had been mistaken for that of Miss Sainsbury Seale. That was all that the publicknew. The fact that Miss Sainsbury Seale had been probably the last person to see the unfortunateMrs. Chapman alive was not stressed. There had been no hint in the Press that Miss SainsburySeale might possibly be wanted by the police on a criminal charge.

Mrs. Adams had been very relieved when she knew that it was not her friend’s body which hadbeen discovered so dramatically. She appeared to have no idea that any suspicion might attach toMabelle Sainsbury Seale.

“But it is so extraordinary that she has disappeared like this. I feel sure, M. Poirot, that it mustbe loss of memory.”

Poirot said that it was very probable. He had known cases of the kind.

“Yes—I remember a friend of one of my cousins. She’d had a lot of nursing and worry, and itbrought it on. Amnesia⁵, I think they called it.”

Poirot said that he believed that that was the technical term.

He paused and then asked if Mrs. Adams had ever heard Miss Sainsbury Seale speak of a Mrs.

Albert Chapman?

No, Mrs. Adams never remembered her friend mentioning anyone of that name. But then, ofcourse, it wasn’t likely that Miss Sainsbury Seale should happen to mention everyone with whomshe was acquainted. Who was this Mrs. Chapman? Had the police any idea who could havemurdered her?

“It is still a mystery, Madame.” Poirot shook his head and then asked if it was Mrs. Adams whohad recommended Mr. Morley as a dentist to Miss Sainsbury Seale.

Mrs. Adams replied in the negative. She herself went to a Mr. French in Harley Street, and ifMabelle had asked her about a dentist she would have sent her to him.

Possibly, Poirot thought, it might have been this Mrs. Chapman who recommended MissSainsbury Seale to go to Mr. Morley.

Mrs. Adams agreed that it might have been. Didn’t they know at the dentist’s?

But Poirot had already asked Miss Nevill that question and Miss Nevill had not known or hadnot remembered. She recollected⁶ Mrs. Chapman, but did not think the latter had ever mentioned aMiss Sainsbury Seale—the name being an odd one, she would have remembered it had she heardit then.

Poirot persevered⁷ with his questions.

Mrs. Adams had known Miss Sainsbury Seale first in India, had she not? Mrs. Adams agreed.

Did Mrs. Adams know if Miss Sainsbury Seale had met Mr. or Mrs. Alistair Blunt at any timeout there?

“Oh, I don’t think so, M. Poirot. You mean the big banker? They were out some years agostaying with the Viceroy, but I’m sure if Mabelle had met them at all, she would have talked aboutit or mentioned them.”

“I’m afraid,” added Mrs. Adams, with a faint smile, “one does usually mention the importantpeople. We’re all such snobs⁸ at heart.”

“She never did mention the Blunts—Mrs. Blunt in particular?”

“Never.”

“If she had been a close friend of Mrs. Blunt’s probably you would have known?”

“Oh yes. I don’t believe she knew anyone like that. Mabelle’s friends were all very ordinarypeople—like us.”

“That, Madame, I cannot allow,” said Poirot gallantly⁹.

Mrs. Adams went on talking of Mabelle Sainsbury Seale as one talks of a friend who hasrecently died. She recalled all Mabelle’s good works, her kindnesses, her indefatigable¹⁰ work forthe mission, her zeal¹¹, her earnestness.

Hercule Poirot listened. As Japp had said, Mabelle Sainsbury Seale was a real person. She hadlived in Calcutta and taught elocution and worked amongst the native population. She had beenrespectable, well-meaning, a little fussy¹² and stupid perhaps, but also what is termed a woman witha heart of gold.

And Mrs. Adams’ voice ran on: “She was so much in earnest over everything, M. Poirot. Andshe found people so apathetic—so hard to rouse. It was very difficult to get subscriptions¹³ out ofpeople—worse every year, with the income tax rising and the cost of living and everything. Shesaid to me once: ‘When one knows what money can do—the wonderful good you can accomplishwith it—well, really sometimes, Alice, I feel I would commit a crime to get it.’ That shows,doesn’t it, M. Poirot, how strongly she felt?”

“She said that, did she?” said Poirot thoughtfully.

He asked, casually¹⁴, when Miss Sainsbury Seale had enunciated¹⁵ this particular statement, andlearned that it had been about three months ago.

He left the house and walked away lost in thought.

He was considering the character of Mabelle Sainsbury Seale.

A nice woman—an earnest and kindly¹⁶ woman—a respectable, decent type of woman. It wasamongst that type of person that Mr. Barnes had suggested a potential criminal could be found.

She had travelled back on the same boat from India as Mr. Amberiotis. There seemed reason tobelieve that she had lunched with him at the Savoy.

She had accosted¹⁷ and claimed acquaintance with Alistair Blunt and laid claim to an intimacywith his wife.

She had twice visited King Leopold Mansions¹⁸ where, later, a dead body had been found dressedin her clothes and with her handbag conveniently identifying it.

A little too convenient, that!

She had left the Glengowrie Court Hotel suddenly after an interview with the police.

Could the theory that Hercule Poirot believed to be true account for and explain all those facts?

He thought it could.

 

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