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, she
nevertheless regarded him as a “quaint little foreigner” and had not taken his pretentions very
seriously. She was, however, very willing to talk.
After the first sensational³ announcement about the identity of the victim, the finding of the
inquest had received very little publicity⁴. It had been a case of mistaken identity—the body of
Mrs. Chapman had been mistaken for that of Miss Sainsbury Seale. That was all that the public
knew. The fact that Miss Sainsbury Seale had been probably the last person to see the unfortunate
Mrs. Chapman alive was not stressed. There had been no hint in the Press that Miss Sainsbury
Seale 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 had
been discovered so dramatically. She appeared to have no idea that any suspicion might attach to
Mabelle Sainsbury Seale.
“But it is so extraordinary that she has disappeared like this. I feel sure, M. Poirot, that it must
be 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 it
brought 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, of
course, it wasn’t likely that Miss Sainsbury Seale should happen to mention everyone with whom
she was acquainted. Who was this Mrs. Chapman? Had the police any idea who could have
murdered her?
“It is still a mystery, Madame.” Poirot shook his head and then asked if it was Mrs. Adams who
had recommended Mr. Morley as a dentist to Miss Sainsbury Seale.

分享到：