Chapter 15

‘My preparations are complete,’ said Hercule Poirot.

With a little sigh he stepped back a pace or two and contemplated¹ his arrangement of one of theunoccupied hotel bedrooms.

Colonel Carbury, leaning inelegantly against the bed which had been pushed against the wall,smiled as he puffed² at his pipe. ‘Funny feller, aren’t you, Poirot?’ he said. ‘Like to dramatizethings.’

‘Perhaps—that is true,’ admitted the little detective. ‘But indeed it is not all self-indulgence. Ifone plays a comedy, one must first set the scene.’

‘Is this a comedy?’

‘Even if it is a tragedy—there, too, the décor must be correct.’

Colonel Carbury looked at him curiously³.

‘Well,’ he said, ‘it’s up to you! I don’t know what you’re driving at. I gather, though, thatyou’ve got something.’

‘I shall have the honour to present to you what you asked me for—the truth!’

‘Do you think we can get a conviction?’

‘That, my friend, I did not promise you.’

‘True enough. Maybe I’m glad you haven’t. It depends.’

‘My arguments are mainly psychological,’ said Poirot.

Colonel Carbury sighed. ‘I was afraid they might be.’

‘But they will convince you,’ Poirot reassured⁵ him. ‘Oh, yes, they will convince you. The truth,I have always thought, is curious and beautiful.’

‘Sometimes,’ said Colonel Carbury, ‘it’s damned unpleasant.’

‘No, no.’ Poirot was earnest. ‘You take there the personal view. Take instead the abstract, thedetached point of vision. Then the absolute logic⁴ of events is fascinating and orderly.’

‘I’ll try to look on it that way,’ said the Colonel.

Poirot glanced at his watch, a large grotesque⁶ turnip⁷ of a watch.

‘But yes, indeed, it belonged to my grandfather.’

‘Thought it might have done.’

‘It is time to commence our proceedings,’ said Poirot. ‘You, mon Colonel, will sit here behindthis table in an official position.’

‘Oh, all right,’ Carbury grunted⁸. ‘You don’t want me to put my uniform on, do you?’

‘No, no. If you would permit that I straightened your tie.’ He suited the action to the word.

Colonel Carbury grinned again, sat down in the chair indicated and a moment later, unconsciously,tweaked his tie round under his left ear again.

‘Here,’ continued Poirot, slightly altering the position of the chairs, ‘we place la familleBoynton.

‘And over here,’ he went on, ‘we will place the three outsiders who have a definite stake in thecase. Dr Gerard, on whose evidence the case for the prosecution⁹ depends. Miss Sarah King, whohas two separate interests in the case, a personal one, and that of medical examiner. Also MrJefferson Cope, who was on intimate terms with the Boyntons and so may be definitely describedas an interested party.’

He broke off. ‘Aha—here they come.’

He opened the door to admit the party.

Lennox Boynton and his wife came in first. Raymond and Carol followed. Ginevra walked byherself, a faint, faraway smile on her lips. Dr Gerard and Sarah King brought up the rear. MrJefferson Cope was a few minutes late and came in with an apology.

When he had taken his place Poirot stepped forward.

‘Ladies and gentlemen,’ he said, ‘this is an entirely¹⁰ informal gathering¹¹. It has come aboutthrough the accident of my presence in Amman. Colonel Carbury did me the honour to consult me—’

Poirot was interrupted. The interruption came from what was seemingly the most unlikelyquarter. Lennox Boynton said suddenly and pugnaciously¹²:

‘Why? Why the devil should he bring you into this business?’

Poirot waved a hand gracefully¹³.

‘Me, I am often called in in cases of sudden death.’

Lennox Boynton said: ‘Doctors send for you whenever there is a case of heart failure?’

Poirot said gently: ‘Heart failure is such a very loose and unscientific term.’

Colonel Carbury cleared his throat. It was an official noise. He spoke¹⁴ in an official tone.

‘Best to make it quite clear. Circumstance of death reported to me. Very natural occurrence.

Weather unusually hot—journey a very trying one for an elderly lady in bad health. So far allquite clear. But Dr Gerard came to me and volunteered a statement—’

He looked inquiringly at Poirot. Poirot nodded.

‘Dr Gerard is a very eminent¹⁵ physician with a worldwide reputation. Any statement he makes isbound to be received with attention. Dr Gerard’s statement was as follows. On the morning afterMrs Boynton’s death he noted¹⁶ that a certain quantity of a powerful drug acting¹⁷ on the heart wasmissing from his medical supplies. On the previous afternoon he had noticed the disappearance¹⁸ ofa hypodermic syringe. Syringe was returned during the night. Final point—there was a punctureon the dead woman’s wrist corresponding to the mark of a hypodermic syringe.’

Colonel Carbury paused.

‘In these circumstances I considered that it was the duty of those in authority to inquire into thematter. M. Hercule Poirot was my guest and very considerately offered his highly specializedservices. I gave him full authority to make any investigations¹⁹ he pleased. We are assembled herenow to hear his report on the matter.’

There was silence—a silence so acute that you could have heard—as the saying is—a pin drop.

Actually someone did drop what was probably a shoe in the next room. It sounded like a bomb inthe hushed atmosphere.

Poirot cast a quick glance at the little group of three people on his right, then turned his gaze tothe five people huddled²⁰ together on his left—a group of people with frightened eyes.

Poirot said quietly: ‘When Colonel Carbury mentioned this business to me, I gave him myopinion as an expert. I told him that it might not be possible to bring proof—such proof as wouldbe admissible in a court of law—but I told him very definitely that I was sure I could arrive at thetruth — simply by questioning the people concerned. For let me tell you this, my friends, toinvestigate a crime it is only necessary to let the guilty party or parties talk—always, in the end,they tell you what you want to know!’ He paused.

‘So, in this case, although you have lied to me, you have also, unwittingly, told me the truth.’

He heard a faint sigh, the scrape of a chair on the floor to his right, but he did not look round.

He continued to look at the Boyntons.

‘First, I examined the possibility of Mrs Boynton having died a natural death—and I decidedagainst it. The missing drug—the hypodermic syringe—and above all, the attitude of the deadlady’s family all convinced me that that supposition could not be entertained.

‘Not only was Mrs Boynton killed in cold blood—but every member of her family was aware ofthe fact! Collectively they reacted as guilty parties.

‘But there are degrees in guilt²¹. I examined the evidence carefully with a view to ascertainingwhether the murder—yes, it was murder—had been committed by the old lady’s family acting ona concerted plan.

‘There was, I may say, overwhelming motive²³. One and all stood to gain by her death—both inthe financial sense—for they would at once attain²⁴ financial independence and indeed enjoy veryconsiderable wealth—and also in the sense of being freed from what had become an almostinsupportable tyranny.

‘To continue: I decided²², almost immediately, that the concerted theory would not hold water.

The stories of the Boynton family did not dovetail neatly²⁵ into each other, and no system ofworkable alibis²⁶ had been arranged. The facts seemed more to suggest that one—or possibly two—members of the family had acted in collusion and that the others were accessories after the fact. Inext considered which particular member or members—were indicated. Here, I may say, I wasinclined to be biased²⁷ by a certain piece of evidence known only to myself.’

Here Poirot recounted his experience in Jerusalem.

‘Naturally, that pointed²⁸ very strongly to Mr Raymond Boynton as the prime mover in the affair.

Studying the family, I came to the conclusion that the most likely recipient²⁹ of his confidences thatnight would be his sister Carol. They strongly resembled each other in appearance andtemperament, and so would have a keen bond of sympathy and they also possessed³¹ the nervousrebellious temperament³⁰ necessary for the conception of such an act. That their motive was partlyunselfish—to free the whole family and particularly their younger sister—only made the planningof the deed more plausible³².’ Poirot paused a minute.

Raymond Boynton half opened his lips, then shut them again. His eyes looked steadily³³ at Poirotwith a kind of dumb agony in them.

‘Before I go into the case against Raymond Boynton, I would like to read to you a list ofsignificant points which I drew up and submitted to Colonel Carbury this afternoon.

Significant points

1. Mrs Boynton was taking a mixture containing digitalin.

2. Dr Gerard missed a hypodermic syringe.

3. Mrs Boynton took definite pleasure in keeping her family from enjoying themselves with otherpeople.

4. Mrs Boynton, on the afternoon in question, encouraged her family to go away and leave her.

5. Mrs Boynton is a mental sadist.

6. The distance from the marquee to the place where Mrs Boynton was sitting is (roughly) twohundred yards.

7. Mr Lennox Boynton said at first he did not know what time he returned to the camp, but later headmitted having set his mother’s wrist-watch to the right time.

8. Dr Gerard and Miss Genevra Boynton occupied tents next door to each other.

9. At half-past six, when dinner was ready, a servant was dispatched to announce the fact to MrsBoynton.

10. Mrs Boynton, in Jerusalem, used these words: “I never forget. Remember that. I’ve neverforgotten anything.”

‘Although I have numbered the points separately, occasionally they can be bracketed in pairs.

That is the case, for instance, with the first two. Mrs Boynton taking a mixture containing digitalis.

Dr Gerard had missed a hypodermic syringe. Those two points were the first thing that struck meabout the case, and I may say to you that I found them most extraordinary — and quiteirreconcilable. You do not see what I mean? No matter. I will return to the point presently. Let itsuffice that I noticed those two points as something that had definitely got to be explainedsatisfactorily.

‘I will conclude now with my study of the possibility of Raymond Boynton’s guilt. Thefollowing are the facts. He had been heard to discuss the possibility of taking Mrs Boynton’s life.

He was in a condition of great nervous excitement. He had—mademoiselle will forgive me’—hebowed apologetically to Sarah—‘just passed through a moment of great emotional crisis. That is,he had fallen in love. The exaltation of his feelings might lead him to act in one of several ways.

He might feel mellowed³⁴ and softened³⁵ towards the world in general, including his stepmother—hemight feel the courage at last to defy her and shake off her influence—or he might find just theadditional spur to turn his crime from theory to practice. That is the psychology³⁶! Let us nowexamine the facts.

‘Raymond Boynton left the camp with the others about three-fifteen. Mrs Boynton was thenalive and well. Before long Raymond and Sarah King had a tête-à-tête interview. Then he left her.

According to him, he returned to the camp at ten minutes to six. He went up to his mother,exchanged a few words with her, then went to his tent and afterwards down to the marquee. Hesays that at ten minutes to six, Mrs Boynton was alive and well.

‘But we now come to a fact which directly contradicts that statement. At half-past six MrsBoynton’s death was discovered by a servant. Miss King, who holds a medical degree, examinedher body and she swears definitely that at that time, though she did not pay any special attention tothe time when death had occurred, it had most certainly and decisively taken place at least an hour(and probably a good deal more) before six o’clock.

‘We have here, you see, two conflicting statements. Setting aside the possibility that Miss Kingmay have made a mistake—’

Sarah interrupted him. ‘I don’t make mistakes. That is, if I had, I would admit to it.’

Her tone was hard and clear.

Poirot bowed to her politely.

‘Then there are only two possibilities — either Miss King or Mr Boynton is lying! Let usexamine Raymond Boynton’s reasons for so doing. Let us assume that Miss King was notmistaken and not deliberately³⁷ lying. What, then, was the sequence of events? Raymond Boyntonreturns to the camp, sees his mother sitting at the mouth of her cave, goes up to her and finds she isdead. What does he do? Does he call for help? Does he immediately inform the camp of what hashappened? No, he waits a minute or two, then passes on to his tent and joins his family in themarquee and says nothing. Such conduct is exceedingly curious, is it not?’

Raymond said in a nervous, sharp voice:

‘It would be idiotic³⁸, of course. That ought to show you that my mother was alive and well asI’ve said. Miss King was flustered³⁹ and upset and made a mistake.’

‘One asks oneself,’ said Poirot, calmly sweeping⁴⁰ on, ‘whether there could possibly be a reasonfor such conduct? It seems, on the face of it, that Raymond Boynton cannot be guilty, since at theonly time he was known to approach his stepmother that afternoon she had already been dead forsome time. Now, supposing, therefore, that Raymond Boynton is innocent, can we explain hisconduct?

‘And I say, that on the assumption that he is innocent, we can! For I remember that fragment ofconversation I overheard. “You do see, don’t you, that she’s got to be killed?” He comes backfrom his walk and finds her dead and at once his guilty memory envisages⁴¹ a certain possibility.

The plan has been carried out—not by him—but by his fellow planner. Tout⁴² simplement—hesuspects that his sister, Carol Boynton, is guilty.’

‘It’s a lie,’ said Raymond in a low, trembling voice.

Poirot went on: ‘Let us now take the possibility of Carol Boynton being the murderess. What isthe evidence against her? She has the same highly-strung temperament—the kind of temperamentthat might see such a deed coloured with heroism⁴³. It was she to whom Raymond Boynton wastalking that night in Jerusalem. Carol Boynton returned to the camp at ten minues past five.

According to her own story she went up and spoke to her mother. No one saw her do so. The campwas deserted—the boys were asleep. Lady Westholme, Miss Pierce and Mr Cope were exploringcaves out of sight of the camp. There was no witness of Carol Boynton’s possible action. The timewould agree well enough. The case, then, against Carol Boynton is a perfectly⁴⁴ possible one.’ Hepaused. Carol had raised her head. Her eyes looked steadily and sorrowfully into his.

‘There is one other point. The following morning, very early, Carol Boynton was seen to throwsomething into the stream. There is reason to believe that that something was a hypodermicsyringe.’

‘Comment?’ Dr Gerard looked up surprised. ‘But my hypodermic was returned. Yes, yes, Ihave it now.’

Poirot nodded vigorously.

‘Yes, yes. This second hypodermic, it is very curious—very interesting. I have been given tounderstand that this hypodermic belonged to Miss King. Is that so?’

Sarah paused for a fraction of a second.

Carol spoke quickly: ‘It was not Miss King’s syringe,’ she said. ‘It was mine.’

‘Then you admit throwing it away, mademoiselle?’

She hesitated just a second.

‘Yes, of course. Why shouldn’t I?’

‘Carol!’ It was Nadine. She leaned forward, her eyes wide and distressed⁴⁵. ‘Carol…Oh, I don’tunderstand…’

Carol turned and looked at her. There was something hostile in her glance.

‘There’s nothing to understand! I threw away an old hypodermic. I never touched the—thepoison.’

Sarah’s voice broke in: ‘It is quite true what Miss Pierce told you, M. Poirot. It was mysyringe.’

Poirot smiled.

‘It is very confusing, this affair of the hypodermic—and yet, I think, it could be explained. Ah,well, we have now two cases made out—the case for the innocence⁴⁶ of Raymond Boynton—thecase for the guilt of his sister Carol. But me, I am scrupulously⁴⁷ fair. I look always on both sides.

Let us examine what occurred if Carol Boynton was innocent.

‘She returns to the camp, she goes up to her stepmother, and she finds her—shall we say—dead!

What is the first thing she will think? She will suspect that her brother Raymond may have killedher. She does not know what to do. So she says nothing. And presently, about an hour later,Raymond Boynton returns and having presumably spoken to his mother, says nothing of anythingbeing amiss. Do you not think that then her suspicions would become certainties? Perhaps shegoes to his tent and finds there a hypodermic syringe. Then, indeed, she is sure! She takes itquickly and hides it. Early in the morning she flings it as far away as she can.

‘There is one more indication that Carol Boynton is innocent. She assures me when I questionher that she and her brother never seriously intended to carry out their plan. I ask her to swear—and she swears immediately and with the utmost solemnity that she is not guilty of the crime! Yousee, that is the way she puts it. She does not swear that they are not guilty. She swears for herself,not her brother—and thinks that I will not pay special attention to the pronoun.

‘Eh bien, that is the case for the innocence of Carol Boynton. And now let us go back a step andconsider not the innocence but the possible guilt of Raymond. Let us suppose that Carol isspeaking the truth, that Mrs Boynton was alive at five- ten. Under what circumstances canRaymond be guilty? We can suppose that he killed his mother at ten minutes to six when he wentup to speak to her. There were boys about the camp, true, but the light was fading. It might havebeen managed, but it then follows that Miss King lied. Remember, she came back to the camponly five minutes after Raymond. From the distance she would see him go up to his mother. Then,when later she is found dead, Miss King realizes that Raymond has killed her, and to save him, shelies—knowing that Dr Gerard is down with fever and cannot expose her lie!’

‘I did not lie!’ said Sarah clearly.

‘There is yet another possibility. Miss King, as I have said, reached the camp a few minutesafter Raymond. If Raymond Boynton found his mother alive, it may have been Miss King whoadministered the fatal injection. She believed that Mrs Boynton was fundamentally evil. She mayhave seen herself as a just executioner. That would equally well explain her lying about the time ofdeath.’

Sarah had grown very pale. She spoke in a low, steady voice.

‘It is true that I spoke of the expediency⁴⁸ of one person dying to save many. It was the Place ofSacrifice that suggested the idea to me. But I can swear to you that I never harmed that disgustingold woman—nor would the idea of doing so ever have entered my head!’

‘And yet,’ said Poirot softly, ‘one of you two must be lying.’

Raymond Boynton shifted in his chair. He cried out impetuously:

‘You win, M. Poirot! I’m the liar⁴⁹. Mother was dead when I went up to her. It—it quite knockedme out. I’d been going, you see, to have it out with her. To tell her that from henceforth I was afree agent. I was—all set, you understand. And there she was—dead! Her hand all cold and flabby.

And I thought—just what you said. I thought maybe Carol—you see, there was the mark on herwrist—’

Poirot said quickly: ‘That is the one point on which I am not completely informed. What wasthe method you counted on employing? You had a method — and it was connected with ahypodermic syringe. That much I know. If you want me to believe you, you must tell me the rest.’

Raymond said hurriedly: ‘It was a way I read in a book—an English detective story—you stuckan empty hypodermic syringe into someone and it did the trick. It sounded perfectly scientific. I—I thought we’d do it that way.’

‘Ah,’ said Poirot. ‘I comprehend. And you purchased a syringe?’

‘No. As a matter of fact I pinched Nadine’s.’

Poirot shot a quick look at her. ‘The syringe that is in your baggage in Jerusalem?’ hemurmured.

A faint colour showed in the young woman’s face.

‘I—I wasn’t sure what had become of it,’ she murmured. Poirot murmured: ‘You are so quick-witted, madame.’

 

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