Death Comes as End - Agatha Christie [54]
Esa’s tone was dry.
Hori asked: ‘He said that to you?’
‘He was kind enough to associate me with himself in the possession of a certain amount of intelligence.’
Renisenb demanded incredulously:
‘You think Ipy deliberately poisoned Yahmose and Sobek?’
‘I consider it a possibility, no more. This is suspicion that we talk now–we have not yet come to proof. Men have killed their brothers since the beginning of time, knowing that the Gods dislike such killing, yet driven by the evils of covetousness and hatred. And if Ipy did this thing, we shall not find it easy to get proof of what he did, for Ipy, I freely admit, is clever.’
Hori nodded.
‘But as I say, it is suspicion we talk here, under the sycamore. And we will go on now to considering every member of the household in the light of suspicion. As I say, I exclude the servants because I do not believe for one moment that any one of them would dare do such a thing. But I do not exclude Henet.’
‘Henet?’ cried Renisenb. ‘But Henet is devoted to us all. She never stops saying so.’
‘It is as easy to utter lies as truth. I have known Henet for many years. I knew her when she came here as a young woman with your mother. She was a relative of hers–poor and unfortunate. Her husband had not cared for her–and indeed Henet was always plain and unattractive–and had divorced her. The one child she bore died in infancy. She came here professing herself devoted to your mother, but I have seen her eyes watching your mother as she moved about the house and courtyard–and I tell you, Renisenb, there was no love in them. No, sour envy was nearer the mark–and as to her professions of love for you all, I distrust them.’
‘Tell me, Renisenb,’ said Hori. ‘Do you yourself feel affection towards Henet?’
‘N-no,’ said Renisenb unwillingly. ‘I cannot. I have often reproached myself because I dislike her.’
‘Don’t you think that that is because, instinctively, you know her words are false? Does she ever show her reputed love for you by any real service? Has she not always fomented discord between you all by whispering and repeating things that are likely to wound and cause anger?’
‘Yes–yes, that is true enough.’
Esa gave a dry chuckle.
‘You have both eyes and ears in your head, most excellent Hori.’
Renisenb argued:
‘But my father believes in her and is fond of her.’
‘My son is a fool and always has been,’ said Esa. ‘All men like flattery–and Henet applies flattery as lavishly as unguents are applied at a banquet! She may be really devoted to him–sometimes I think she is–but certainly she is devoted to no one else in this house.’
‘But surely she would not–she would not kill,’ Renisenb protested. ‘Why should she want to poison any of us? What good would it do her?’
‘None. None. As to why–I know nothing of what goes on inside Henet’s head. What she thinks, what she feels, that I do not know. But I sometimes think that strange things are brewing behind that cringing, fawning manner. And if so, her reasons are reasons that we, you and I and Hori, would not understand.’
Hori nodded. ‘There is a rottenness that starts from within. I spoke to Renisenb once of that.’
‘And I did not understand you,’ said Renisenb. ‘But I am beginning to understand better now. It began with the coming of Nofret–I saw then how none of us were quite what I had thought us to be. It made me afraid…And now–’ she made a helpless gesture with her hands–‘everything is fear…’
‘Fear is only incomplete knowledge,’ said Hori. ‘When we know, Renisenb, then there will be no more fear.’
‘And then, of course, there is Kait,’ proceeded Esa.
‘Not Kait,’ protested Renisenb. ‘Kait would not try to kill Sobek. It is unbelievable.’
‘Nothing is unbelievable,’ said Esa. ‘That at least I have learned in the course of my life. Kait is a thoroughly stupid woman and I have always mistrusted stupid women. They are dangerous. They