The Hollow - Agatha Christie [0]
For Larry and Danae
With apologies for using their swimming pool
as the scene of a murder
Contents
About Agatha Christie
The Agatha Christie Collection
Chapter 1
At six thirteen am on a Friday morning Lucy Angkatell’s…
Chapter 2
Henrietta Savernake rolled up a little strip of clay and…
Chapter 3
John Christow sat in his consulting-room, seeing his last…
Chapter 4
In the dining-room of the flat above the consulting…
Chapter 5
In the dining-room the child Terry made another scientific…
Chapter 6
Midge Hardcastle came downstairs about eleven on Saturday morning. She…
Chapter 7
As they got into the car and Lewis shut the…
Chapter 8
After tea John said to Henrietta, ‘Come for a walk,’…
Chapter 9
John Christow came out from the chestnut woods on to…
Chapter 10
It was ten o’clock the next morning when John came…
Chapter 11
Hercule Poirot flicked a last speck of dust from his…
Chapter 12
‘Half-past two,’ said Lady Angkatell.
Chapter 13
They had the cold ducks for supper. After the ducks…
Chapter 14
Midge woke up abruptly on Monday morning.
Chapter 15
Hercule Poirot, enjoying a mid-morning cup of chocolate,…
Chapter 16
Gerda Christow pulled the black dress up over her head…
Chapter 17
Sir Henry stared curiously at Inspector Grange.
Chapter 18
Hercule Poirot looked out of his window and saw Henrietta…
Chapter 19
When Henrietta had left him, Poirot sat on until he saw…
Chapter 20
Sitting once more in Sir Henry’s study, Inspector Grange stared…
Chapter 21
In the study Lady Angkatell flitted about touching things here…
Chapter 22
The latch of the gate clicked and Poirot looked out…
Chapter 23
The inquest was over. It had been the merest formality…
Chapter 24
Edward Angkatell stood hesitantly in the swirl of foot traffic…
Chapter 25
But, darling, I am so delighted!’
Chapter 26
Grange came in to Resthaven to drink a cup of…
Chapter 27
The coroner cleared his throat and looked expectantly at…
Chapter 28
Midge, lying dry-eyed and awake in the darkness, turned restlessly…
Chapter 29
Gerda rolled over to the side of the bed and…
Chapter 30
As she drove towards London, the two phrases echoed through…
Credits
Copyright
www.agathachristie.com
About the Publisher
Chapter 1
At six thirteen am on a Friday morning Lucy Angkatell’s big blue eyes opened upon another day and, as always, she was at once wide awake and began immediately to deal with the problems conjured up by her incredibly active mind. Feeling urgently the need of consultation and conversation, and selecting for the purpose her young cousin, Midge Hardcastle, who had arrived at The Hollow the night before, Lady Angkatell slipped quickly out of bed, threw a négligée round her still graceful shoulders, and went along the passage to Midge’s room. Since she was a woman of disconcertingly rapid thought processes, Lady Angkatell, as was her invariable custom, commenced the conversation in her own mind, supplying Midge’s answers out of her own fertile imagination.
The conversation was in full swing when Lady Angkatell flung open Midge’s door.
‘–And so, darling, you really must agree that the weekend is going to present difficulties!’
‘Eh? Hwah!’ Midge grunted inarticulately, aroused thus abruptly from a satisfying and deep sleep.
Lady Angkatell crossed to the window, opening the shutters and jerking up the blind with a brisk movement, letting in the pale light of a September dawn.
‘Birds!’ she observed, peering with kindly pleasure through the pane. ‘So sweet.’
‘What?’
‘Well, at any rate, the weather isn’t going to present difficulties. It looks as though it has set in fine. That’s something. Because if a lot of discordant personalities are boxed up indoors, I’m sure you will agree with me that it makes it ten times worse. Round games perhaps, and that would be like last year when I shall never forgive myself about poor Gerda. I said to Henry afterwards it was most thoughtless of me–and one has to have her, of course, because it would be so rude to ask John without her, but it really