Cat Among the Pigeons - Agatha Christie [39]
She went out with a slight nod. Sergeant Bond said,
“Crackers—or don’t you think so?”
“No,” said Kelsey, “I don’t think she’s crackers. I think she’s what’s called a sensitive. You know, like the people who know when there’s a cat in the room long before they see it. If she’d been born in an African tribe she might have been a witch doctor.”
“They go round smelling out evil, don’t they?” said Sergeant Bond.
“That’s right, Percy,” said Kelsey. “And that’s exactly what I’m trying to do myself. Nobody’s come across with any concrete facts so I’ve got to go about smelling out things. We’ll have the French woman next.”
Ten
FANTASTIC STORY
Mademoiselle Angèle Blanche was thirty-five at a guess. No makeup, dark brown hair arranged neatly but unbecomingly. A severe coat and skirt.
It was Mademoiselle Blanche’s first term at Meadowbank, she explained. She was not sure that she wished to remain for a further term.
“It is not nice to be in a school where murders take place,” she said disapprovingly.
Also, there did not seem to be burglar alarms anywhere in the house—that was dangerous.
“There’s nothing of any great value, Mademoiselle Blanche, to attract burglars.”
Mademoiselle Blanche shrugged her shoulders.
“How does one know? These girls who come here, some of them have very rich fathers. They may have something with them of great value. A burglar knows about that, perhaps, and he comes here because he thinks this is an easy place to steal it.”
“If a girl had something of value with her it wouldn’t be in the gymnasium.”
“How do you know?” said Mademoiselle. “They have lockers there, do they not, the girls?”
“Only to keep their sports kit in, and things of that kind.”
“Ah yes, that is what is supposed. But a girl could hide anything in the toe of a gym shoe, or wrapped up in an old pullover or in a scarf.”
“What sort of thing, Mademoiselle Blanche?”
But Mademoiselle Blanche had no idea what sort of thing.
“Even the most indulgent fathers don’t give their daughters diamond necklaces to take to school,” the Inspector said.
Again Mademoiselle Blanche shrugged her shoulders.
“Perhaps it is something of a different kind of value—a scarab, say, or something that a collector would give a lot of money for. One of the girls has a father who is an archaeologist.”
Kelsey smiled. “I don’t really think that’s likely, you know, Mademoiselle Blanche.”
She shrugged her shoulders. “Oh well, I only make the suggestion.”
“Have you taught in any other English schools, Mademoiselle Blanche?”
“One in the north of England some time ago. Mostly I have taught in Switzerland and in France. Also in Germany. I think I will come to England to improve my English. I have a friend here. She went sick and she told me I could take her position here as Miss Bulstrode would be glad to find somebody quickly. So I came. But I do not like it very much. As I tell you, I do not think I shall stay.”
“Why don’t you like it?” Kelsey persisted.
“I do not like places where there are shootings,” said Mademoiselle Blanche. “And the children, they are not respectful.”
“They are not quite children, are they?”
“Some of them behave like babies, some of them might be twenty-five. There are all kinds here. They have much freedom. I prefer an establishment with more routine.”
“Did you know Miss Springer well?”
“I knew her practically not at all. She had bad manners and I conversed with her as little as possible. She was all bones and freckles and a loud ugly voice. She was like caricatures of English-women. She was rude to me often and I did not like it.”
“What was she rude to you about?”
“She did not like me coming to her Sports Pavilion. That seems to be how she feels about it—or felt about it, I mean—that it was her Sports Pavilion! I go there one day because I am interested. I have not been in it before and it is a new building. It is very well arranged and planned and I am just looking round. Then Miss Springer she