Seventeen
IDinner was a reasonably cheerful meal. Mrs. Luttrell was down again and in her best vein¹ ofartificial Irish gaiety. Franklin was more animated² and cheerful than I had yet seen him. NurseCraven I saw for the first time in mufti instead of her nurse’s uniform. She was certainly a veryattractive young woman now that she had cast off her professional reserve.
After dinner Mrs. Luttrell suggested bridge, but in the end some round games were started.
About half past nine Norton declared his intention of going up to see Poirot.
“Good idea,” said Boyd Carrington. “Sorry he’s been under the weather lately. I’ll come uptoo.”
I had to act quickly.
“Look here,” I said, “do you mind—it really tires him too much to talk to more than one personat a time.”
Norton took the cue and said quickly: “I promised to lend him a book on birds.”
Boyd Carrington said: “All right. You coming back again, Hastings?”
“Yes.”
I went up with Norton. Poirot was waiting. After a word or two I came down again. We beganplaying rummy.
Boyd Carrington, I think, resented the carefree atmosphere of Styles tonight. He thought,perhaps, that it was too soon after the tragedy for everyone to forget. He was absentminded, forgotfrequently what he was doing, and at last excused himself from further play.
He went to the window and opened it. The sound of thunder could be heard in the distance.
There was a storm about although it had not yet reached us. He closed the window again and cameback. He stood for a minute or two watching us play. Then he went out of the room.
I went up to bed at a quarter to eleven. I did not go in to Poirot. He might be asleep. Moreover Ifelt a reluctance³ to think anymore about Styles and its problems. I wanted to sleep—to sleep andforget.
I was just dropping off when a sound wakened me. I thought it might have been a tap on mydoor. I called “Come in,” but as there was no response, I switched the light on and, getting up,looked out into the corridor.
I saw Norton just coming from the bathroom and going into his own room. He wore a checkeddressing gown of particularly hideous⁵ colouring and his hair was sticking up on end as usual. Hewent into his room and shut the door, and immediately afterwards I heard him turn the key in thelock.

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