Elephants Can Remember - Agatha Christie [53]
‘I think some societies suggest that that’s the way you should break the news. Does he or you know of any blood relations?’
‘I don’t know. I don’t think he knows, but I don’tthink it worries him at all. He’s not that kind of a worrier.’
‘Do you know if Mrs Burton-Cox was a friend of your family, of your mother and father? Did you ever meet her as far as you can remember, when you were living in your own home in the early days?’
‘I don’t think so. I think Desmond’s mother – I mean, I think Mrs Burton-Cox went to Malaya. I think perhaps her husband died out in Malaya, and that Desmond was sent to school in England while they were out there and that he was boarded with some cousins or people who take in children for holidays. And that’s how we came to be friends in those days. I always remembered him, you know. I was a great hero-worshipper. He was wonderful at climbing trees and he taught me things about birds’ nests and birds’ eggs. So it seemed quite natural, when I met him again I mean, met him at the university, and we both talked about where we’d lived and then he asked me my name. He said “Only your Christian name I know,” and then we remembered quite a lot of things together. It’s what made us, you might say, get acquainted. I don’t know everything about him. I don’t know anything. I want to know. How can you arrange your life and know what you’re going to do with your life if you don’t know all about the things that affect you, that really happened?’
‘So you tell me to carry on with my investigation?’
‘Yes, if it’s going to produce any results, though I don’t think it will be because in a way, well, Desmond and I have tried our hand at finding out a few things. We haven’t been very successful. It seems to come back to this plain fact which isn’t really the story of a life. It’s the story of a death, isn’t it? Of two deaths, that’s to say. When it’s a double suicide, one thinks of it as one death. Is it in Shakespeare or where does the quotation come from – “And in death they were not divided.”’ She turned to Poirot again. ‘Yes, go on. Go on finding out. Go on telling Mrs Oliver or telling me direct. I’d rather you told me direct.’ She turned towards Mrs Oliver. ‘I don’t mean to be horrid to you, Godmother. You’ve been a very nice godmother to me always, but – but I’d like it straight from the horse’s mouth. I’m afraid that’s rather rude, Monsieur Poirot, but I didn’t mean it that way.’
‘No,’ said Poirot, ‘I am content to be the horse’s mouth.’
‘And you think you will be?’
‘I always believe that I can.’
‘And it’s always true, is it?’
‘It is usually true,’ said Poirot. ‘I do not say more than that.’
Chapter 13
Mrs Burton-Cox
‘Well,’ said Mrs Oliver as she returned into the room after seeing Celia to the door. ‘What do you think of her?’
‘She is a personality,’ said Poirot, ‘an interesting girl. Definitely, if I may put it so, she is somebody, not anybody.’
‘Yes, that’s true enough,’ said Mrs Oliver. ‘I would like you to tell me something.’
‘About her? I don’t really know her very well. One doesn’t really, with godchildren. I mean, you only see them, as it were, at stated intervals rather far apart.’
‘I didn’t mean her. Tell me about her mother.’
‘Oh. I see.’
‘You knew her mother?’
‘Yes. We were in a sort of pensionnat in Paris together. People used to send girls to Paris then to be finished,’ said Mrs Oliver. ‘That sounds more like an introduction to a cemetery than an introduction into Society. What do you want to know about her?’
‘You remember her? You remember what she was like?’
‘Yes. As I tell you, one doesn’t entirely forget things or people because they’re in the past.’
‘What impression did she make on you?’
‘She was beautiful,’ said Mrs Oliver. ‘I do remember that. Not when she was about thirteen or fourteen. She had a lot of puppy fat then. I think we all did,’ she added, thoughtfully.
‘Was she a personality?’
‘It’s difficult