Murder of Roger Ackroyd - Agatha Christie [58]
Parker vanished, and we repaired to the lobby outside the study door. Presently we heard a chink in the outer hall, and Parker appeared in the doorway carrying a tray with a siphon, a decanter of whisky, and two glasses on it.
“One moment,” cried Poirot, raising his hand and seemingly very excited. “We must have everything in order. Just as it occurred. It is a little method of mine.”
“A foreign custom, sir,” said Parker. “Reconstruction of the crime they call it, do they not?”
He was quite imperturbable as he stood there politely waiting on Poirot’s orders.
“Ah! he knows something, the good Parker,” cried Poirot. “He has read of these things. Now, I beg you, let us have everything of the most exact. You came from the outer hall—so. Mademoiselle was—where?”
“Here,” said Flora, taking up her stand just outside the study door.
“Quite right, sir,” said Parker.
“I had just closed the door,” continued Flora.
“Yes, miss,” agreed Parker. “Your hand was still on the handle as it is now.”
“Then allez,” said Poirot. “Play me the little comedy.”
Flora stood with her hand on the door handle, and Parker came stepping through the door from the hall, bearing the tray.
He stopped just inside the door. Flora spoke.
“Oh! Parker. Mr. Ackroyd doesn’t want to be disturbed again tonight.”
“Is that right?” she added in an undertone.
“To the best of my recollection, Miss Flora,” said Parker, “but I fancy you used the word evening instead of night.” Then, raising his voice in a somewhat theatrical fashion: “Very good, miss. Shall I lock up as usual?”
“Yes, please.”
Parker retired through the door, Flora followed him, and started to ascend the main staircase.
“Is that enough?” she asked over her shoulder.
“Admirable,” declared the little man, rubbing his hands. “By the way, Parker, are you sure there were two glasses on the tray that evening? Who was the second one for?”
“I always bring two glasses, sir,” said Parker. “Is there anything further?”
“Nothing. I thank you.”
Parker withdrew, dignified to the last.
Poirot stood in the middle of the hall frowning. Flora came down and joined us.
“Has your experiment been successful?” she asked. “I don’t quite understand, you know—”
Poirot smiled admiringly at her.
“It is not necessary that you should,” he said. “But tell me, were there indeed two glasses on Parker’s tray that night?”
Flora wrinkled her brows a minute.
“I really can’t remember,” she said. “I think there were. Is—is that the object of your experiment?”
Poirot took her hand and patted it.
“Put it this way,” he said. “I am always interested to see if people will speak the truth.”
“And did Parker speak the truth?”
“I rather think he did,” said Poirot thoughtfully.
A few minutes later saw us retracing our steps to the village.
“What was the point of that question about the glasses?” I asked curiously.
Poirot shrugged his shoulders.
“One must say something,” he remarked. “That particular question did as well as any other.”
I stared at him.
“At any rate, my friend,” he said seriously, “I know now something I wanted to know. Let us leave it at that.”
Sixteen
AN EVENING AT MAH JONG
That night we had a little Mah Jong party. This kind of simple entertainment is very popular in King’s Abbot. The guests arrive in galoshes and waterproofs after dinner. They partake of coffee and later of cake, sandwiches and tea.
On this particular night our guests were Miss Gannett and Colonel Carter, who lives near the church. A good deal of gossip is handed round at these evenings, sometimes seriously interfering with the game in progress. We used to play bridge—chatty bridge of the worst description. We find Mah Jong much more peaceful. The irritated demand as to why on earth your partner did not lead a certain card is entirely done away with, and though we still express criticisms frankly, there is not the same acrimonious spirit.
“Very cold evening, eh, Sheppard?” said Colonel Carter, standing with his back to the fire. Caroline had taken Miss Gannett to her own room, and was there assisting her to disentangle herself