PART SIX DECEMBER 27TH
Alfred Lee said with a sigh:
“That was better than I feared!”
They had just returned from the inquest.
and had returned with them. He said:
to be an adjournment—to enable the police to gather up additional evidence.”
George Lee said vexedly:
“It is all most unpleasant—really most unpleasant—a terrible position in which to be placed!
admittance to the house. That man Sugden is as obstinate5 as a mule6. Colonel Johnson should enlist7
the aid of Scotland Yard. These local police are no good. Thickheaded. What about this man
Horbury, for instance? I hear his past is definitely unsatisfactory but the police do nothing
whatever about it.”
Mr. Charlton said:
question. The police have accepted it.”
—with great reserve. Naturally, a criminal always provides himself with an alibi! It is the duty of
the police to break down the alibi—that is, if they know their job.”
“Well, well,” said Mr. Charlton. “I don’t think it’s quite our business to teach the police their
jobs, eh? Pretty competent body of men on the whole.”
George shook his head darkly.
“Scotland Yard should be called in. I’m not at all satisfied with Superintendent10 Sugden—he
may be painstaking—but he is certainly far from brilliant.”
Mr. Charlton said:
“I don’t agree with you, you know. Sugden’s a good man. Doesn’t throw his weight about,
but he gets there.”
Lydia said:
“I’m sure the police are doing their best. Mr. Charlton, will you have a glass of sherry?”
Mr. Charlton thanked her politely, but declined. Then, clearing his throat, he proceeded to the
reading of the will, all members of the family being assembled.
legal technicalities.
He came to the end, took off his glasses, wiped them, and looked round on the assembled
company inquiringly.
“All this legal stuff's a bit hard to follow. Give us the bare bones of it, will you?”
Harry said:
“My God, what’s a difficult will like then?”
“The main provisions of the will are quite simple. Half Mr. Lee’s property goes to his son,
Mr. Alfred Lee, the remainder is divided between his other children.”
Harry laughed unpleasantly. He said:
“As usual, Alfred’s struck lucky! Half my father’s fortune! Lucky dog, aren’t you, Alfred?”
Alfred flushed. Lydia said sharply:
had all the responsibility.”
Harry said: “Oh, yes, Alfred was always the good boy.”
Alfred said sharply:
“You may consider yourself lucky, I think, Harry, that my father left you anything at all!”
Harry laughed, throwing his head back. He said:
“You’d have liked it better if he’d cut me right out, wouldn’t you? You’ve always disliked
me.”
Mr. Charlton coughed. He was used — only too well used — to the painful scenes that
succeeded the reading of a will. He was anxious to get away before the usual family quarrel got
too well under way.
He murmured:
“I think—er—that that is all that I need—er—”
Harry said sharply: “What about Pilar?”
Mr. Charlton coughed again, this time apologetically.
“Er—Miss Estravados is not mentioned in the will.”
Harry said: Doesn’t she get her mother’s share?”
Mr. Charlton explained.
“Señora Estravados, if she had lived, would of course have received an equal share with the
rest of you, but as she is dead, the portion that would have been hers goes back into the estate to be
shared out between you.”
Pilar said slowly in her rich Southern voice:
“Then—I have—nothing?”
Lydia said quickly:
“My dear, the family will see to that, of course.”
George Lee said:
“You will be able to make your home here with Alfred—eh, Alfred? We—er—you are our
niece—it is our duty to look after you.”
Hilda said: “We shall always be glad to have Pilar with us.”
Harry said:
Mr. Charlton murmured:
“Must really—er—be going. Goodbye, Mrs. Lee—anything I can do—er—consult me at any
time. . . .”
He escaped quickly. His experience enabled him to predict that all the ingredients for a
family row were present.
As the door shut behind him Lydia said in her clear voice:
“I agree with Harry. I think Pilar is entitled to a definite share. This will was made many
years before Jennifer’s death.”
“Nonsense,” said George. “Very slipshod and illegal way of thinking, Lydia. The law’s the
Magdalene said:
“It’s hard luck, of course, and we’re all very sorry for Pilar, but George is right. As he says,
the law is the law.”
Lydia got up. She took Pilar by the hand.
“My dear,” she said. “This must be very unpleasant for you. Will you please leave us while
we discuss the question?”
She led the girl to the door.
“Don’t worry, Pilar, dear,” she said. “Leave it to me.”
Pilar went slowly out of the room. Lydia shut the door behind her and turned back.
There was a moment’s pause while everyone drew breath and in another moment the battle
was in full swing.
Harry said:
“You’ve always been a damned skinflint, George.”
George retorted:
“At any rate, I’ve not been a sponge and a rotter!”
“You’ve been just as much of a sponge as I have! You’ve battened on Father all these years.”
Harry said:
Magdalene screamed: “How dare you?”
Hilda’s calm voice, slightly raised, said:
“Couldn’t we just discuss this quietly?”
Lydia threw her a grateful glance.
David said with sudden violence:
“Must we have all this disgraceful fuss over money!”
Magdalene said venomously to him:
want money just as much as the rest of us do! All this unworldliness is just a pose!”
David said in a strangled voice:
“You think I ought to refuse it? I wonder—”
Hilda said sharply:
“Of course you oughtn’t. Must we all behave like children? Alfred, you’re the head of the
family—”
Alfred seemed to wake out of a dream. He said:
“I beg your pardon. All of you shouting at once. It—it confuses me.”
Lydia said:
He said slowly:
“She must make her home here, certainly. And we should make her an allowance. I do not
see she has any legal claim to the money which would have gone to her mother. She’s not a Lee,
remember. She’s a Spanish subject.”
“No legal claim, no,” said Lydia. “But I think she has a moral claim. As I see it, your father,
although his daughter had married a Spaniard against his wishes, recognized her to have an equal
claim upon him. George, Harry, David, and Jennifer were to share equally. Jennifer only died last
year. I am sure that when he sent for Mr. Charlton, he meant to make ample provision for Pilar in
a new will. He would have allotted25 her at least her mother’s share. It is possible that he might have
done much more than that. She was the only grandchild, remember. I think the least we can do is
Alfred said warmly:
“Well put, Lydia! I was wrong. I agree with you that Pilar must be given Jennifer’s share of
my father’s fortune.”
Lydia said: “Your turn, Harry.”
Harry said:
“As you know, I agree. I think Lydia has put the case very well, and I’d like to say I admire
her for it.”
Lydia said:
“George?”
George was red in the face. He spluttered:
“Certainly not! Whole thing’s preposterous27! Give her a home and a decent dress allowance.
Quite enough for her!”
“Then you refuse to cooperate?” asked Alfred.
“Yes, I do.”
“And he’s quite right,” said Magdalene. “It’s disgraceful to suggest he should do anything of
the kind! Considering that George is the only member of the family who has done anything in the
world, I think it’s a shame his father left him so little!”
Lydia said: “David?”
“Oh, I think you’re right. It’s a pity there’s got to be so much ugliness and disputing about it
all.”
Hilda said:
“You’re quite right, Lydia. It’s only justice!”
Harry looked round. He said:
“Well, that’s clear. Of the family, Alfred, myself and David are in favour of the motion.
George is against it. The ayes have it.”
George said sharply:
“There is no question of ayes and noes. My share of my father’s estate is mine absolutely. I
shall not part with a penny of it.”
“No, indeed,” said Magdalene.
Lydia said sharply:
“If you like to stand out, that is your business. The rest of us will make up your share of the
total.”
Harry said: “Alfred’s got the lion’s share. He ought to stand most of the racket.”
Alfred said: “I see that your original disinterested30 suggestion will soon break down.”
Hilda said firmly:
“Don’t let’s start again! Lydia shall tell Pilar what we’ve decided31. We can settle details later.”
She added in the hope of making a diversion, “I wonder where Mr. Farr is, and M. Poirot?”
Alfred said:
“We dropped Poirot in the village on our way to the inquest. He said he had an important
purchase to make.”
Harry said: “Why didn’t he go to the inquest? Surely he ought to have done!”
Lydia said:
“Perhaps he knew it was not going to be important. Who’s that out there in the garden?
Superintendent Sugden, or Mr. Farr?”
“Thank you, Hilda. It was nice of you to back me up. You know, you really have been a
comfort in all this.”
Hilda said thoughtfully: “Queer how money upsets people.”
The others had all left the room. The two women were alone.
Lydia said:
“Yes—even Harry—although it was his suggestion! And my poor Alfred—he is so British—
he doesn’t really like Lee money going to a Spanish subject.”
Hilda said, smiling:
“Do you think we women are more unworldly?”
“Well, you know, it isn’t really our money—not our own! That may make a difference.”
Hilda said thoughtfully:
“She is a strange child—Pilar, I mean. I wonder what will become of her?”
Lydia sighed.
“I’m glad that she will be independent. To live here, to be given a home and a dress
allowance, would not, I think, be very satisfactory to her. She’s too proud and, I think, too—too
alien.”
“I once brought some beautiful blue lapis home from Egypt. Out there, against the sun and
the sand, it was a glorious colour—a brilliant warm blue. But when I got it home, the blue of it
Hilda said:
“Yes, I see. . . .”
Lydia said gently:
“I am so glad to come to know you and David at last. I’m glad you both came here.”
Hilda sighed:
“How often I’ve wished in the last few days that we hadn’t!”
nearly as badly as it might have done. I mean, he is so sensitive that it might have upset him
completely. Actually, since the murder, he’s seemed ever so much better—”
Hilda looked slightly disturbed. She said:
“So you’ve noticed that? It’s rather dreadful in a way . . . But oh! Lydia, it’s undoubtedly38
so!”
She was silent a minute recollecting39 words that her husband had spoken only the night
before. He had said to her, eagerly, his fair hair tossed back from his forehead:
“Hilda, you remember in Tosca—when Scarpia is dead and Tosca lights the candles at his
head and feet? Do you remember what she says: “Now I can forgive him . . .” That is what I feel—
about Father. I see now that all these years I couldn’t forgive him, and yet I really wanted to . . .
But no—now there’s no rancour any more. It’s all wiped away. And I feel—oh, I feel as though a
great load had been lifted from my back.”
She had said, striving to fight back a sudden fear:
“Because he’s dead?”
He had answered quickly, stammering40 in his eagerness:
“No, no, you don’t understand. Not because he is dead, but because my childish stupid hate
of him is dead. . . .”
Hilda thought of those words now.
She would have liked to repeat them to the woman at her side, but she felt instinctively41 that it
was wiser not.
She followed Lydia out of the drawing room into the hall.
when she saw them. She said:
“Oh, this must be M Poirot’s important purchase. I saw him put it down here just now. I
wonder what it is.”
“I must go and wash before lunch.”
Magdalene said, still with that affectation of childishness, but unable to keep the desperate
note out of her voice:
“I must just peep!”
She unrolled the piece of paper and gave a sharp exclamation46. She stared at the thing in her
hand.
Lydia stopped and Hilda too. Both women stared.
Magdalene said in a puzzled voice:
“It’s a false moustache. But—but—why?”
Hilda said doubtfully:
“Disguise? But—”
Lydia finished the sentence for her.
“But M. Poirot has a very fine moustache of his own!”
Magdalene was wrapping the parcel up again. She said:
“I don’t understand. It’s—it’s mad. Why does M. Poirot buy a false moustache?”
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1
solicitor
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| n.初级律师，事务律师 | |
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proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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3
purely
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| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
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maniac
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| n.精神癫狂的人；疯子 | |
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5
obstinate
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| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
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6
mule
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| n.骡子，杂种，执拗的人 | |
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7
enlist
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| vt.谋取(支持等)，赢得；征募；vi.入伍 | |
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8
alibi
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| n.某人当时不在犯罪现场的申辩或证明；借口 | |
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9
fumed
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| 愤怒( fume的过去式和过去分词 )； 大怒； 发怒； 冒烟 | |
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10
superintendent
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| n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长 | |
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11
relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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12
harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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13
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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14
rebuked
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| 责难或指责( rebuke的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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15
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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16
whack
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| v.敲击，重打，瓜分；n.重击，重打，尝试，一份 | |
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17
abide
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| vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受 | |
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18
arduous
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| adj.艰苦的，费力的，陡峭的 | |
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19
inflated
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| adj.（价格）飞涨的；（通货）膨胀的；言过其实的；充了气的v.使充气（于轮胎、气球等）( inflate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）膨胀；（使）通货膨胀；物价上涨 | |
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20
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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21
legacy
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| n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西 | |
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22
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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23
sanely
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| ad.神志清楚地 | |
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24
eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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25
allotted
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| 分配，拨给，摊派( allot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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26
injustice
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| n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利 | |
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27
preposterous
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| adj.荒谬的，可笑的 | |
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28
vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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29
assent
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| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
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30
disinterested
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| adj.不关心的，不感兴趣的 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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conclave
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| n.秘密会议，红衣主教团 | |
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33
privately
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| adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地 | |
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34
shrug
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| v.耸肩(表示怀疑、冷漠、不知等) | |
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musingly
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| adv.沉思地，冥想地 | |
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36
beads
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| n.（空心）小珠子( bead的名词复数 )；水珠；珠子项链 | |
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affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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recollecting
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| v.记起，想起( recollect的现在分词 ) | |
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stammering
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的现在分词 ) | |
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41
instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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giggling
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| v.咯咯地笑( giggle的现在分词 ) | |
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belying
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| v.掩饰，与…不符，使…失望；掩饰( belie的现在分词 )；证明（或显示）…为虚假；辜负；就…扯谎 | |
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eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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