Three Act Tragedy - Agatha Christie [48]
‘It’s instinctive to take the one nearest to you,’ said Sir Charles.
‘Possibly that might work by handing the tray to the person first—but even then it would be very uncertain. The glasses are close together; one does not look particularly nearer than another. No, no, such a haphazard method could not be adopted. Tell me, Mr Satterthwaite, did Mr Babbington put his cocktail down, or did he retain it in his hand?’
‘He put it down on this table.’
‘Did anyone come near that table after he had done so?’
‘No. I was the nearest person to him, and I assure you I did not tamper with it in any way—even if I could have done so unobserved.’
Mr Satterthwaite spoke rather stiffly. Poirot hastened to apologize.
‘No, no, I am not making an accusation—quelle idée! But I want to be very sure of my facts. According to the analysis there was nothing out of the way in that cocktail—now it seems that, apart from that analysis there could have been nothing put in it. The same results from two different tests. But Mr Babbington ate or drank nothing else, and if he was poisoned by pure nicotine, death would have resulted very rapidly. You see where that leads us?’
‘Nowhere, damn it all,’ said Sir Charles.
‘I would not say that—no, I would not say that. It suggests a very monstrous idea—which I hope and trust cannot be true. No, of course it is not true—the death of Sir Bartholomew proves that…And yet—’
He frowned, lost in thought. The others watched him curiously. He looked up.
‘You see my point, do you not? Mrs Babbington was not at Melfort Abbey, therefore Mrs Babbington is cleared of suspicion.’
‘Mrs Babbington—but no one has even dreamed of suspecting her.’
Poirot smiled beneficently.
‘No? It is a curious thing that. The idea occurred to me at once—but at once. If the poor gentleman is not poisoned by the cocktail, then he must have been poisoned a very few minutes before entering the house. What way could there be? A capsule? Something, perhaps, to prevent indigestion. But who, then, could tamper with that? Only a wife. Who might, perhaps, have a motive that no one outside could possibly suspect? Again a wife.’
‘But they were devoted to each other,’ cried Egg indignantly. ‘You don’t understand a bit.’
Poirot smiled kindly at her.
‘No. That is valuable. You know, but I do not. I see the facts unbiased by any preconceived notions. And let me tell you something, mademoiselle—in the course of my experience I have known five cases of wives murdered by devoted husbands, and twenty-two of husbands murdered by devoted wives. Les femmes, they obviously keep up appearances better.’
‘I think you’re perfectly horrid,’ said Egg. ‘I know the Babbingtons are not like that. It’s—it’s monstrous!’
‘Murder is monstrous, mademoiselle,’ said Poirot, and there was a sudden sternness in his voice.
He went on in a lighter tone.
‘But I—who see only the facts—agree that Mrs Babbington did not do this thing. You see, she was not at Melfort Abbey. No, as Sir Charles has already said, the guilt must lie on a person who was present on both occasions—one of the seven on your list.’
There was a silence.
‘And how do you advise us to act?’ asked Satterthwaite.
‘You have doubtless already your plan?’ suggested Poirot.
Sir Charles cleared his throat.
‘The only feasible thing seems to be a process of elimination,’ he said. ‘My idea was to take each person on that list and consider them guilty until they are proved innocent. I mean that we are to feel convinced ourselves that there is a connection between that person and Stephen Babbington, and we are to use all our ingenuity to find out what that connection can be. If we find no connection, then we pass on to the next person.’
‘It is good psychology, that,’ approved Poirot. ‘And your methods?’
‘That we have not yet had time to discuss. We should welcome your advice on that point, M. Poirot. Perhaps you yourself—’
Poirot held up a hand.
‘My friend, do not ask me to do anything of an active nature. It is my lifelong conviction that any problem