Cat Among Piiegeons

7/22/2019 Cat Among Piiegeons

1/125

Cat Among the PigeonsFor Stella and Larry Kirwan

Contents

About Agatha ChristieThe Agatha Christie Collection

E-book ExtrasPrologueSummer Term

!e"olution in !amat

# The $oman on the %alcony& 'ntroducing (r !obinson

) !eturn o* a Tra"eller+ Letters *rom (eadowbank School

, Early ays

. Straws in the $ind/ (urder

0 Cat Among the Pigeons

1 Fantastic Story Con*erence

# 2ew Lam3s *or 4ld& Catastro3he

) (iss Chadwick Lies Awake

+ (urder !e3eats 'tsel*

, The !iddle o* the S3orts Pa"ilion. Aladdin5s Ca"e

/ Consultation0 Consultation Continued

#1 Con"ersation

# 6athering Threads## 'ncident in Anatolia

#& Showdown#) Poirot Ex3lains

#+ Legacy

Co3yrightwww7agathachristie7com

About the Publisher

1

1


2/125

Prologue

Summer Term

't was the o3ening day o* the summer term at (eadowbank school7 The late a*ternoon sun shone downon the broad gra"el swee3 in *ront o* the house7 The *ront door was *lung hos3itably wide8 and 9ust within

it8 admirably suited to its 6eorgian 3ro3ortions8 stood (iss :ansittart8 e"ery hair in 3lace8 wearing anim3eccably cut coat and skirt7

Some 3arents who knew no better had taken her *or the great (iss %ulstrode hersel*8 not knowing that

it was (iss %ulstrode5s custom to retire to a kind o* holy o* holies to which only a selected and 3ri"ileged*ew were taken7

To one side o* (iss :ansittart8 o3erating on a slightly di**erent 3lane8 was (iss Chadwick8 com*ortable8knowledgeable8 and so much a 3art o* (eadowbank that it would ha"e been im3ossible to imagine

(eadowbank without her7 't had ne"er been without her7 (iss %ulstrode and (iss Chadwick had

started (eadowbank school together7 (iss Chadwick wore 3ince-ne;8 stoo3ed8 was dowdily dressed8amiably "ague in s3eech8 and ha33ened to be a brilliant mathematician7

:arious welcoming words and 3hrases8 uttered graciously by (iss :ansittart8 *loated through the house7 $ell8 Lydia8 did you en9oy your =ellenic cruise> $hat a wonder*ul

o33ortunity? id you get some good 3hotogra3hs>


3/125


4/125

':

4n the grass swee3 o* lawn beyond the gra"elled dri"e8 (ademoiselle %lanche8 the new French

mistress8 was walking7 She looked with a33reciati"e eyes at the 3ower*ul young man cli33ing the hedge7

The door o* the S3orts Pa"ilion had o3ened abru3tly8 and a bony young woman with ginger-colouredhair emerged7 She ga"e them a shar3 un*riendly stare and mo"ed ra3idly away7


5/125

:''

(iss %ulstrode5s sitting-room had windows looking out in two directions8 one o"er the dri"e and lawnbeyond8 and another towards a bank o* rhododendrons behind the house7 't was Guite an im3ressi"e

room8 and (iss %ulstrode was rather more than Guite an im3ressi"e woman7 She was tall8 and rathernoble looking8 with well-dressed grey hair8 grey eyes with 3lenty o* humour in them8 and a *irm mouth7

The success o* her school and (eadowbank was one o* the most success*ul schools in England was

entirely due to the 3ersonality o* its =eadmistress7 't was a "ery ex3ensi"e school8 but that was not reallythe 3oint7 't could be 3ut better by saying that though you 3aid through the nose8 you got what you 3aid

*or7@our daughter was educated in the way you wished8 and also in the way (iss %ulstrode wished8 and the

result o* the two together seemed to gi"e satis*action7 4wing to the high *ees8 (iss %ulstrode was able to

em3loy a *ull sta**7 There was nothing mass 3roduced about the school8 but i* it was indi"idualistic8 it alsohad disci3line7 isci3line without regimentation8 was (iss %ulstrode5s motto7 isci3line8 she held8 was

reassuring to the young8 it ga"e them a *eeling o* security regimentation ga"e rise to irritation7 =er 3u3ils

were a "aried lot7 They included se"eral *oreigners o* good *amily8 o*ten *oreign royalty7 There were alsoEnglish girls o* good *amily or o* wealth8 who wanted a training in culture and the arts8 with a general

knowledge o* li*e and social *acility who would be turned out agreeable8 well groomed and able to take3art in intelligent discussion on any sub9ect7 There were girls who wanted to work hard and 3ass entrance

examinations8 and e"entually take degrees and who8 to do so8 needed only good teaching and s3ecialattention7 There were girls who had reacted un*a"ourably to school li*e o* the con"entional ty3e7 %ut (iss

%ulstrode had her rules8 she did not acce3t morons8 or 9u"enile delinGuents8 and she 3re*erred to acce3t

girls whose 3arents she liked8 and girls in whom she hersel* saw a 3ros3ect o* de"elo3ment7 The ages o*her 3u3ils "aried within wide limits7 There were girls who would ha"e been labelled in the 3ast as

5

She s3oke with *irm sym3athy7


6/125

't is

so delight*ul to meet a woman with real clothes sense75=er hand en"elo3ed (rs =o3e5s8 shook it8 and im3erce3tibly guided her towards the door7


7/125


8/125

She sto33ed abru3tly with an a3ologetic and *riendly smile7


9/125

$hy >5%ob !awlinson sighed8 wriggled and endea"oured to ex3lain what he *elt7 =e had to struggle with his

own inarticulateness7


10/125

$e take o** andgo ? $e can5t take any baggage8 o*course7 't5s got to be all Guite im3rom3tu75


11/125

5

Ali @usu* looked at his *riend with a**ection7


12/125

Joan was the ideal 3erson7 $hat was it Ali had said about women and 9ewels> %ob smiled to himsel*7

6ood old Joan?She wouldn5t lose her head o"er 9ewels7 Trust her to kee3 her *eet on the earth7 @esDhe

could trust Joan7$ait a minute8 thoughcould he trust Joan> =er honesty8 yes7 %ut her discretion> !egret*ully %ob

shook his head7 Joan would talk8 would not be able to hel3 talking7 E"en worse7 She would hint7 A

commission> =e5d think o* something%ob glanced at his watch and rose to his *eet7 Time was getting on7

=e strode along the street obli"ious o* the midday heat7 E"erything seemed so normal7 There was

nothing to show on the sur*ace7 4nly in the Palace was one conscious o* the banked-down *ires8 o* thes3ying8 the whis3ers7 The ArmyDit all de3ended on the Army7 $ho was loyal> $ho was disloyal> A

cou3 d5tat would certainly be attem3ted7 $ould it succeed or *ail>

%ob *rowned as he turned into !amat5s leading hotel7 't was modestly called the !it; Sa"oy and had agrand modernistic *aOade7 't had o3ened with a *lourish three years ago with a Swiss manager8 a

:iennese che*8 and an 'talian(atre d5hQtel 7 E"erything had been wonder*ul7 The :iennese che* hadgone *irst8 then the Swiss manager7 2ow the 'talian head waiter had gone too7 The *ood was still

ambitious8 but bad8 the ser"ice abominable8 and a good deal o* the ex3ensi"e 3lumbing had gone wrong7The clerk behind the desk knew %ob well and beamed at him7

She has gone on a 3icnic with the little girlD5

5 %ob was taken abackDo* all the silly times to go *or a 3icnic7


13/125

anything outside hersel*7=e swe3t u3 all e"idences o* his toil and 3ut them into his 3ocketThen he hesitated8 looking round7

=e drew (rs Sutcli**e5s writing 3ad towards him and sat *rowningD

=e must lea"e a note *or JoanD%ut what could he say> 't must be something that Joan would understandDbut which would mean

nothing to anyone who read the note7And really that was im3ossible? 'n the kind o* thriller that %ob liked reading to *ill u3 his s3are moments8

you le*t a kind o* cry3togram which was always success*ully 3u;;led out by someone7 %ut he couldn5t

e"en begin to think o* a cry3togramDand in any case Joan was the sort o* common-sense 3erson whowould need the i5s dotted and the t5s crossed be*ore she noticed anything at allD

Then his brow cleared7 There was another way o* doing itDdi"ert attention away *rom JoanDlea"e anordinary e"eryday note7 Then lea"e a message with someone else to be gi"en to Joan in England7 =e

wrote ra3idlyD

ear JoanDro33ed in to ask i* you5d care to 3lay a round o* gol* this e"ening but i* you5"e been u3 atthe dam8 you5ll 3robably be dead to the world7 $hat about tomorrow> Fi"e o5clock at the Club7

@ours8 %ob7

A casual sort o* a message to lea"e *or a sister that he might ne"er see againDbut in some ways themore casual the better7 Joan mustn5t be in"ol"ed in any *unny business8 mustn5t e"en know that there was

any *unny business7 Joan could not dissimulate7 =er 3rotection would be the *act that she clearly knewnothing7

And the note would accom3lish a dual 3ur3ose7 't would seem that he8 %ob8 had no 3lan *or de3arturehimsel*7

=e thought *or a minute or two8 then he crossed to the tele3hone and ga"e the number o* the %ritish

Embassy7 Presently he was connected with Edmundson8 the third secretary8 a *riend o* his7

%ob !awlinson here7 Can you meet me somewhere when you get o**>(ake it a bit earlier thanthat>@ou5"e got to8 old boy7 't5s im3ortant7 $ell8 actually8 it5s a girl5 =e ga"e an embarrassed

cough7

had worked out a little code o* their own7 A wonder*ul girl who was


14/125

was such that it re*lected the mirror o* the hanging wardrobe in the room next to hers and in that mirrorshe saw a man doing something "ery curious7

So curious and unex3ected that she stood there motionless8 watching7 =e could not see her *rom where

he sat at the table8 and she could only see him by means o* the double re*lection7'* he had turned his head behind him8 he might ha"e caught sight o* her mirror in the wardrobe mirror8

but he was too absorbed in what he was doing to look behind him4nce8 it was true8 he did look u3 suddenly towards the window8 but since there was nothing to see

there8 he lowered his head again7

The woman watched him while he *inished what he was doing7 A*ter a moment5s 3ause he wrote a notewhich he 3ro33ed u3 on the table7 Then he mo"ed out o* her line o* "ision but she could 9ust hear enough

to reali;e that he was making a tele3hone call7 She couldn5t catch what was said8 but it soundedlight-heartedDcasual7 Then she heard the door close7

The woman waited a *ew minutes7 Then she o3ened her door7 At the *ar end o* the 3assage an Arabwas *licking idly with a *eather duster7 =e turned the corner out o* sight7

The woman sli33ed Guickly to the door o* the next room7 't was locked8 but she had ex3ected that7 The

hair3in she had with her and the blade o* a small kni*e did the 9ob Guickly and ex3ertly7She went in8 3ushing the door to behind her7 She 3icked u3 the note7 The *la3 had only been stuck down

lightly and o3ened easily7 She read the note8 *rowning7 There was no ex3lanation there7She sealed it u38 3ut it back8 and walked across the room7

There8 with her hand outstretched8 she was disturbed by "oices through the window *rom the terracebelow7

4ne was a "oice that she knew to be the occu3ier o* the room in which she was standing7 A decided

didactic "oice8 *ully assured o* itsel*7She darted to the window7

%elow on the terrace8 Joan Sutcli**e8 accom3anied by her daughter Jenni*er8 a 3ale solid child o* *i*teen8was telling the world and a tall unha33y looking Englishman *rom the %ritish Consulate 9ust what she

thought o* the arrangements he had come to make7


15/125

su33ose %ob5s *ussing too7 ' can5t see any sign o* disturbancemysel* in the streets7 This door5s unlocked7=ow careless these 3eo3le are75

5

Edmundson admitted that it was Guite right7


16/125

bomb7 $e ha"en5t got the *ull re3orts yet7 The 3lane crashed in a 3retty inaccessible 3lace7 There was areward o**ered *or *inding it8 but these things take a long time to *ilter through7 Then we had to *ly out

ex3erts to make an examination7 All the red ta3e8 o* course7 A33lications to a *oreign go"ernment8

3ermission *rom ministers8 3alm greasingDto say nothing o* the local 3easantry a33ro3riating anythingthat might come in use*ul75

=e 3aused and looked at Edmundson755

5Colonel Pikeaway stared hard at him and scratched his ear7


17/125

Edmundson considered75


18/125

tro3ical note in your border this year> Lo"ely Amabellis 6ossi3oria8 and some o* the wonder*ul newChinese hybrids o* Sinensis (aka *oolia7 Try the rich blushing beauty o* a clum3 o* Sinistra =o3aless8

not "ery hardy but they should be all right against a west wall7N5 =e broke o** and grinned7 5


19/125

a "ery lucrati"e 9ob with the newrgime now75 =e is yesterday5s news7 2othing is so dead as a dead king7 $e are

concerned8 you in your way8 ' in mine8 with what dead kings lea"e behind them755

(r !obinson shrugged his shoulders7

5

was staying7 =e went u3 to her room and was there *or about #1 minutes7 She hersel* was out7 =e thenle*t the hotel and went to the (erchants %ank in :ictory SGuare where he cashed a cheGue7 $hen he

came out o* the bank a disturbance was beginning7 Students rioting about something7 't was some time

be*ore the sGuare was cleared7 !awlinson then went straight to the airstri3 where8 in com3any withSergeant Achmed8 he went o"er the 3lane7

=e le*t her a notethat would ha"e taken him at most three minutes to scribble7 $hat did he do *or the rest o* the time>5

5


20/125

Colonel Pikeaway asked delicately

4h8 there it is7 And that

local tin we bought to 3ut the extra things inDyes8 one8 two8 three8 *our8 *i"e8 sixDyes8 that5s all right7 All*ourteen things are here75


21/125


22/125

Prince5s 3ilot7 ' wouldn5t ha"e wanted him to throw in his hand7 And he was a good *lier too7 '5m sure i*he ran into a mountain it wasn5t his *ault75

5

2o8 o* course ' ha"en5t7 't was Guite tri"ial7 ' tore it u3 and threw it away7 $hyshould ' kee3 it>5


23/125

5

2o7 =a"e you been un3acking my things too>5


24/125


25/125


26/125

rather exciting *ace and when she reads bits o* Shakes3eare it all seems di**erent and real7 She went on at

us the other day about 'ago8 and whathe*eltDand a lot about 9ealousy and how it ate into you and you

su**ered until you went Guite mad wanting to hurt the 3erson you lo"ed7 't ga"e us all the shi"ersDexce3tJenni*er8 because nothing u3sets her7 (iss !ich teaches us 6eogra3hy8 too7 ' always thought it was such

a dull sub9ect8 but it isn5t with (iss !ich7 This morning she told us all about the s3ice trade and why theyhad to ha"e s3ices because o* things going bad so easily7

'5m starting Art with (iss Laurie7 She comes twice a week and takes us u3 to London to see 3icture

galleries as well7 $e do French with (ademoiselle %lanche7 She doesn5t kee3 order "ery well7 Jenni*ersays French 3eo3le can5t7 She doesn5t get cross8 though8 only bored7 She says ' know you had mine restrung last AutumnDbut it*eels all wrong7 Perha3s it5s got war3ed7 '5d rather like to learn 6reek7 Can '> ' lo"e languages7 Some o*

us are going to London to see the ballet next week7 't5sSwan Lake7The *ood here is 9olly good7@esterday we had chicken *or lunch8 and we had lo"ely home made cakes *or tea7

' can5t think o* any more newsDha"e you had any more burglaries>

@our lo"ing daughter8Jenni*er

Letter *rom (argaret 6ore-$est8 Senior Pre*ect8 to her motherear (ummy8

There is "ery little news7 ' am doing 6erman with (iss :ansittart this term7 There is a rumour that (iss%ulstrode is going to retire and that (iss :ansittart will succeed her but they5"e been saying that *or o"era year now8 and '5m sure it isn5t true7 ' asked (iss Chadwick o* course ' wouldn5t dare ask (iss

%ulstrode? and she was Guite shar3 about it7 Said certainly not and don5t listen to gossi37 $e went to

the ballet on Tuesday7Swan Lake7Too dreamy *or words?

Princess 'ngrid is rather *un7 :ery blue eyes8 but she wears braces on her teeth7 There are two new6erman girls7 They s3eak English Guite well7

(iss !ich is back and looking Guite well7 $e did miss her last term7 The new 6ames (istress is called(iss S3ringer7 She5s terribly bossy and nobody likes her much7 She coaches you in tennis "ery well8

though7 4ne o* the new girls8 Jenni*er Sutcli**e8 is going to be really good8 ' think7 =er backhand5s a bit

weak7 =er great *riend is a girl called Julia7 $e call them the Jays?@ou won5t *orget about taking me out on the #1th8 will you> S3orts ay is June 0th7

26

26


27/125

@our Lo"ing(argaret

Letter *rom Ann Sha3land to ennis !athbone

ear ennis8' shan5t get any time o** until the third week o* term7 ' should like to dine with you then "ery much7 't

would ha"e to be Saturday or Sunday7 '5ll let you know7' *ind it rather *un working in a school7 %ut thank 6od '5m not a schoolmistress? '5d go ra"ing mad7

@ours e"er8

AnnLetter *rom (iss Johnson to her sister

ear Edith8E"erything much the same as usual here7 The summer term is always nice7 The garden is looking beauti*ul

and we5"e got a new gardener to hel3 old %riggsDyoung and strong? !ather good looking8 too8 which is

a 3ity7 6irls are so silly7(iss %ulstrode hasn5t said anything more about retiring8 so ' ho3e she5s got o"er the idea7 (iss

:ansittart wouldn5t beat allthe same thing7 ' really don5t belie"e ' would stay on7

6i"e my lo"e to ick and to the children8 and remember me to 4li"er and Kate when you see them7Els3eth

Letter *rom (ademoiselle AngBle %lanche to !en u3ont8 Post !estante8 %ordeaux7ear !en8

All is well here8 though ' cannot say that ' amuse mysel*7 The girls are neither res3ect*ul nor wellbeha"ed7 ' think it better8 howe"er8 not to com3lain to (iss %ulstrode7 4ne has to be on one5s guard

when dealing with that one?There is nothing interesting at 3resent to tell you7

(oucheLetter *rom (iss :ansittart to a *riend

ear 6loria8

The summer term has started smoothly7 A "ery satis*actory set o* new girls7 The *oreigners are settlingdown well7 4ur little Princess the (iddle East one8 not the Scandina"ian is inclined to lack a33lication8

but ' su33ose one has to ex3ect that7 She has "ery charming manners7The new 6ames (istress8 (iss S3ringer8 isnota success7 The girls dislike her and she is *ar too

high-handed with them7 A*ter all8 this is not an ordinaryschool7 $e don5t stand or *all by P7T7? She is also

"ery inGuisiti"e8 and asks *ar too many 3ersonal Guestions7 That sort o* thing can be "ery trying8 and is soill bred7 (ademoiselle %lanche8 the new French (istress8 is Guite amiable but not u3 to the standard o*

(ademoiselle e3uy7$e had a near esca3e on the *irst day o* term7 Lady :eronica Carlton-Sandways turned u3 com3letely

intoxicated?? %ut *or (iss Chadwick s3otting it and heading her o**8 we might ha"e had a mostun3leasant incident7 The twins are such nice girls8 too7(iss %ulstrode has not said anything de*inite yet aboutthe *utureDbut *rom her manner8 ' think her mind

is de*initely made u37 (eadowbank is a really *ine achie"ement8 and ' shall be 3roud to carry on itstraditions7

6i"e my lo"e to (ar9orie when you see her7

@ours e"er8Eleanor

Letter to Colonel Pikeaway8 sent through the usual channelsTalk about sending a man into danger? '5m the only able-bodied male in an establishment o*8 roughly8

some hundred and ninety *emales7

=er =ighness arri"ed in style7 Cadillac o* sGuashed strawberry and 3astel blue8 with $og 2otable innati"e dress8 *ashion-3late-*rom-Paris wi*e8 and 9unior edition o* same =7!7=77

27

27


28/125

=ardly recogni;ed her the next day in her school uni*orm7 There will be no di**iculty in establishing*riendly relations with her7 She has already seen to that7 $as asking me the names o* "arious *lowers in a

sweet innocent way8 when a *emale 6orgon with *reckles8 red hair8 and a "oice like a corncrake bore

down u3on her and remo"ed her *rom my "icinity7 She didn5t want to go7 '5d always understood these4riental girls were brought u3 modestly behind the "eil7 This one must ha"e had a little worldly

ex3erience during her schooldays in Swit;erland8 ' think7The 6orgon8 alias (iss S3ringer8 the 6ames (istress8 came back to gi"e me a ras3berry7 6arden sta**

werenotto talk to the 3u3ils8 etc7 (y turn to ex3ress innocent sur3rise7


29/125

5 said (ademoiselle %lanche7


30/125

'* there was one thing her school was not8 it was dull7 uring her career as its headmistress8 she hersel*had ne"er *elt dull7 There had been di**iculties to combat8 un*oreseen crises8 irritations with 3arents8 with

children domestic u3hea"als7 She had met and dealt with inci3ient disasters and turned them into

trium3hs7 't had all been stimulating8 exciting8 su3remely worth while7 And e"en now8 though she hadmade u3 her mind to it8 she did not want to go7

She was 3hysically in excellent health8 almost as tough as when she and Chaddy *aith*ul Chaddy? hadstarted the great enter3rise with a mere hand*ul o* children and backing *rom a banker o* unusual

*oresight7 Chaddy5s academic distinctions had been better than hers8 but it was she who had had the

"ision to 3lan and make o* the school a 3lace o* such distinction that it was known all o"er Euro3e7 Shehad ne"er been a*raid to ex3eriment8 whereas Chaddy had been content to teach soundly but unexcitingly

what she knew7 Chaddy5s su3reme achie"ement had always been to bethere 8 at hand8 the *aith*ul bu**er8Guick to render assistance when assistance was needed7 As on the o3ening day o* term with Lady

:eronica7 't was on her solidity8 (iss %ulstrode re*lected8 that an exciting edi*ice had been built7

$ell8 *rom the material 3oint o* "iew8 both women had done "ery well out o* it7 '* they retired now8 they

would both ha"e a good assured income *or the rest o* their li"es7 (iss %ulstrode wondered i* Chaddy

would want to retire when she hersel* did> Probably not7 Probably8 to her8 the school was home7 Shewould continue8 *aith*ul and reliable8 to buttress u3 (iss %ulstrode5s successor7

%ecause (iss %ulstrode had made u3 her mindDa successor there must be7 Firstly associated withhersel* in 9oint rule and then to rule alone7 To know when to goDthat was one o* the great necessities o*

li*e7 To go be*ore one5s 3owers began to *ail8 one5s sure gri3 to loosen8 be*ore one *elt the *aint staleness8the unwillingness to en"isage continuing e**ort7

(iss %ulstrode *inished marking the essays and noted that the I39ohn child had an original mind7

Jenni*er Sutcli**e had a com3lete lack o* imagination8 but showed an unusually sound gras3 o* *acts7 (ary:yse8 o* course8 was scholarshi3 classDa wonder*ul retenti"e memory7 %ut what a dull girl? ullDthat

word again7 (iss %ulstrode dismissed it *rom her mind and rang *or her secretary7She began to dictate letters7

ear Lady :alence7 Jane has had some trouble with her ears7 ' enclose the doctor5s re3ortDetc7

ear %aron :on Eisenger7 $e can certainly arrange *or =edwig to go to the 43era on the occasion o*=ellstern5s taking the role o* 'soldaD

An hour 3assed swi*tly7 (iss %ulstrode seldom 3aused *or a word7 Ann Sha3land5s 3encil raced o"erthe 3ad7

A "ery good secretary8 (iss %ulstrode thought to hersel*7 %etter than :era Lorrimer7 Tiresome girl8

:era7 Throwing u3 her 3ost so suddenly7 A ner"ous breakdown8 she had said7 Something to do with aman8 (iss %ulstrode thought resignedly7 't was usually a man7


31/125

time to time7 And then ' ha"e to go back home and take charge755 she asked8 with some curiosity7

Someone to 3our new

li*e into the school7 Some dynamic 3ersonalitylikeDyesDEileen !ich7

%ut Eileen wasn5t old enough8 hadn5t enough ex3erience7 She was stimulating8 though8 she could teach7She had ideas7 She would ne"er be dullD2onsense8 she must get that word out o* her mind7 Eleanor

:ansittart was not dullShe looked u3 as (iss Chadwick came in7

5


32/125

(iss %ulstrode did not 3ay "ery much attention to this criticism7 Chaddy always accused the Frenchmistresses o* being sly7

5 went on %riggs sus3iciously8 5


33/125


34/125

(iss %ulstrode did not answer7 She was ho"ering on the brink o* irre"ocable words7 The o**er o* a3artnershi3 hung in the air7 (iss :ansittart8 though seeming unaware in her well-bred way8 must be

conscious o* the *act that it was there7 (iss %ulstrode did not know really what was holding her back7

$hy did she so dislike to commit hersel*> Probably8 she admitted rue*ully8 because she hated the idea o*gi"ing u3 control7 Secretly8 o* course8 she wanted to stay8 she wanted to go on running her school7 %ut

surely nobody could be a worthier successor than Eleanor> So de3endable8 so reliable7 4* course8 as *aras that went8 so was dear ChaddyDreliable as they came7 And yet you could ne"er en"isage Chaddy as

headmistress o* an outstanding school7

2o8 noit5s not as bad as that7 2o8 it5s more like *ishing8 ' think7@ou don5t know what catch you5re going to get8 what you5re going to drag u3 *rom the sea7 't5s the

Guality o* theres3onse 7 't5s so exciting when it comes7 't doesn5t "ery o*ten8 o* course75

(iss %ulstrode nodded in agreement7 She had been right? This girl had something?55

5 said Eileen !ich7


35/125


36/125

=e looked thought*ully at (ademoiselle %lanche7 't would be a good thing 3erha3s to know a little more

about her7 Subtly8 deliberately8 his manner changed7 't was still res3ect*ul but not Guite so res3ect*ul7 =e3ermitted his eyes to tell her that she was an attracti"e-looking young woman7

5Adam was slightly taken aback7 2asty sus3icious mindshe5s got8 he thought7 =e said8 with a *aintinsolence in his "oice


37/125

%ut Ann did not gi"e him that satis*action7 She merely said @esDand the name> S3ell it8 3lease7 S-P-!-'-2-6-*or greengage>-E-!7

S3ringer7 @es7 @es8 3lease see that nothing is disturbed7 Someone5ll be with you "ery shortly75!a3idly and methodically he then 3roceeded to 3ut into motion the "arious 3rocedures indicated7

5 said etecti"e 'ns3ector Kelsey when his turn came7

$ho is it who5s been murdered>55


38/125

and in"estigate7 As they were lea"ing by the side door they heard the sound o* a shot8 whereu3on theyran as Guickly as they could towards the S3orts Pa"ilion7 4n arri"al thereD5

The 'ns3ector broke in7 5


39/125

5

5


40/125


41/125

3retty well instantaneous755

5

5


42/125

you>5 he asked75


43/125

5 asked (iss %ulstrode dryly75


44/125

di**icult7 @es85 said Kelsey8


45/125

'ns3ector Kelsey started his inter"iewing o* the sta** with (iss :ansittart7 A handsome woman8 hethought8 summing her u37 Possibly *orty or a little o"er tall8 well-built8 grey hair taste*ully arranged7 She

had dignity and com3osure8 with a certain sense8 he thought8 o* her own im3ortance7 She reminded him a

little o* (iss %ulstrode hersel* she was the schoolmistress ty3e all right7 All the same8 he re*lected8 (iss%ulstrode had something that (iss :ansittart had not7 (iss %ulstrode had a Guality o* unex3ectedness7

=e did not *eel that (iss :ansittart would e"er be unex3ected7Huestion and answer *ollowed routine7 'n e**ect8 (iss :ansittart had seen nothing8 had noticed nothing8

had heard nothing7 (iss S3ringer had been excellent at her 9ob7 @es8 her manner had 3erha3s been a

tri*le brusGue8 but not8 she thought8 unduly so7 She had not 3erha3s had a "ery attracti"e 3ersonality butthat was really not a necessity in a 6ames (istress7 't was better8 in *act8not to ha"e mistresses who had

attracti"e 3ersonalities7 't did not do to let the girls get emotional about the mistresses7 (iss :ansittart8ha"ing contributed nothing o* "alue8 made her exit7


46/125

5

5 She sounded startled7

5 said Sergeant %ond7


47/125

55

5


48/125

had hidden there75 =e made the *aint *eeler tentati"ely8 but AngBle %lanche merely laughed7 o you think she hides her lo"e letters

there> ' am sure she has ne"er had a lo"e letter written to her? The other mistresses8 they are at least

3olite7 (iss Chadwick8 she is old-*ashioned and she *usses7 (iss :ansittart8 she is "ery nice8grandedame 8 sym3athetic7 (iss !ich8 she is a little cra;y ' think8 but *riendly7 And the younger mistresses are

Guite 3leasant75AngBle %lanche was dismissed a*ter a *ew more unim3ortant Guestions7

5

5 (iss !owan nearly *ell o** her chair as she leaned *orward

excitedly7 Strands o* lank dark hair *ell *orward across her *ace7


49/125

went out to see who it was7 That5s all right8 ' su33ose8 but who5d want to break into the gymnasium>5 %e o** with you8N and they5d ha"e gone o**75

5Ann Sha3land looked 3u;;led7 5

't was 9ust 3art o* the school buildings75 @ou didn5t *ind that i* you went there she resented your

3resenceDanything o* that kind>5Ann Sha3land shook her head7 5

55


50/125

what you say8 and *or another ' don5t know a thing7 ' went to slee3 last night and ' sle3t unusually hea"y72e"er heard anything o* all the excitement there was7 2obody woke me u3 and told me anything about

it75 She sounded in9ured7 5


51/125


52/125


53/125

9obDand they5d 3robably disagree7 @ou could argue the case a lot o* ways7 They belonged8 threemonths ago8 to =is =ighness Prince Ali @usu* o* !amat7 %ut now> '* they5d turned u3 in !amat they5d

ha"e been the 3ro3erty o* the 3resent 6o"ernment8 they5d ha"e made sure o* that7 Ali @usu* may ha"e

willed them to someone7 A lot would then de3end on where the will was executed and whether it couldbe 3ro"ed7 They may belong to his *amily7 %ut the real essence o* the matter is8 that i* you or ' ha33ened

to 3ick them u3 in the street and 3ut them in our 3ockets8 they would *or all 3ractical 3ur3oses belong tous7 That is8 ' doubt i* any legal machine exists that could get them away *rom us7 They could try8 o*

course8 but the intricacies o* international law are Guite incredible5

5 asked 'ns3ector Kelsey7 =e shook hishead disa33ro"ingly7 $e5"e got to start there7 't5s no

good asking oursel"es who killed her until we5"e made u3 our minds why she was there8 in the S3ortsPa"ilion at that time o* night7 $e can say that in s3ite o* her blameless and athletic li*e she wasn5t slee3ingwell8 and got u3 and looked out o* her window and saw a light in the S3orts Pa"ilionDher window does

look out that way>5Kelsey nodded7


54/125

Guali*icationDShe waits until a suitable night8 then sli3s out to the S3orts Pa"ilion again ourstumbling-block o* a GuestionDwhy>DSomebody is *ollowing herDor waiting *or herDsomeone who

carries a 3istol and is 3re3ared to use it%ut againDwhy> $hat *or> 'n *act8 what the de"il is there

about the S3orts Pa"ilion> 't5s not the sort o* 3lace that one can imagine hiding anything755

Kelsey was grinning7


55/125

(iss %ulstrode had another *aculty which demonstrated her su3eriority o"er most other women7 Shecould listen7

She listened in silence to both 'ns3ector Kelsey and Adam7 She did not so much as raise an eyebrow7Then she uttered one word7

5


56/125

the 3ublicity connected with the school7 Can the school hel3 you in anyway> Can' hel3 you>5 Any incident> 4r any 3erson>5

(iss %ulstrode was silent *or a moment or two7 Then she said slowly5


57/125


58/125

woman coming along towards her be*ore7 't did not occur to her that the woman might ha"e been hiddenbehind a tree or in the rhododendron bushes and 9ust ste33ed out o* them7 Such an idea would not ha"e

occurred to Jenni*er8 since why should a woman hide behind rhododendron bushes and suddenly ste3

out o* them>S3eaking with a slightly American accent the woman said8 5 'must remember to

write and thank her75


59/125

5


60/125

Some o* the sta** had weekend lea"e8 returning late Sunday night or early (onday morning7 4n this3articular occasion (iss %ulstrode hersel* was 3ro3osing to be absent *or the weekend7 This was

unusual since it was not her habit to lea"e the school during term time7 %ut she had her reasons7 She was

going to stay with the uchess o* $elsham at $elsington Abbey7 The duchess had made a s3ecial 3ointo* it and had added that =enry %anks would be there7 =enry %anks was the Chairman o* the 6o"ernors7

=e was an im3ortant industrialist and he had been one o* the original backers o* the school7 The in"itationwas there*ore almost in the nature o* a command7 2ot that (iss %ulstrode would ha"e allowed hersel* to

be commanded i* she had not wished to do so7 %ut as it ha33ened8 she welcomed the in"itation gladly7

She was by no means indi**erent to duchesses and the uchess o* $elsham was an in*luential duchess8whose own daughters had been sent to (eadowbank7 She was also 3articularly glad to ha"e the

o33ortunity o* talking to =enry %anks on the sub9ect o* the school5s *uture and also to 3ut *orward herown account o* the recent tragic occurrence7

4wing to the in*luential connections at (eadowbank the murder o* (iss S3ringer had been 3layed

down "ery tact*ully in the Press7 't had become a sad *atality rather than a mysterious murder7 Theim3ression was gi"en8 though not said8 that 3ossibly some young thugs had broken into the S3orts

Pa"ilion and that (iss S3ringer5s death had been more accident than design7 't was re3orted "aguely that

se"eral young men had been asked to come to the 3olice station and


61/125


62/125


63/125

'''(iss :ansittart and (iss Chadwick were in the Common !oom when (iss !owan entered and said

' can5t *ind her anywhere7 The Emir5s car has 9ust arri"ed to call *or her75

5 Chaddy looked u3 sur3rised7 5

5


64/125


65/125

Such an ugly "iolent wordDcoming in *rom the outside world like an ill-mannered storm wind7

(urderDa word associated by (iss Chadwick only with delinGuent boys with *lick kni"es8 or

e"il-minded doctors 3oisoning their wi"es7 %ut murder hereDat a schoolDand not any schoolDat(eadowbank7 'ncredible7

!eally8 (iss S3ringerD3oor (iss S3ringer8 naturally it wasn5t her*ault Dbut8 illogically8 Chaddy *eltthat it must ha"e been her *ault in some way7 She didn5t know the traditions o* (eadowbank7 A tactless

woman7 She must in some way ha"e in"ited murder7 (iss Chadwick rolled o"er8 turned her 3illow8 said


66/125

And ' thought '5d better

come home7 Then ' couldn5t remember how long ago it was when ' le*t home7 't makes it "eryembarrassing8 dear8 when you can5t Guite remember things7N (ummy was really "ery *unny o"er it all8

you know7 ' mean she Guite sees the humorous side hersel*755


67/125

(ore like a commentator on the radio75


68/125

less went into hysterics7 't was the matron who tele3honed8 (iss Johnson75 Shot again>5

The doctor shook his head7 5

The doctor shook his head7 $ait a minuteDthat5s the girl they re3orted this e"eningas missing>5


69/125


70/125


71/125

This was in the nature o* a 3arenthesis7 She 3ressed her attack7 @ou ought to8 by

this time7 And this kidna33ing on to3 o* e"erything else7 ' blame mysel* there7 The girl talked about

someone wanting to kidna3 her7 ' thought8 6od *orgi"e me8 she was making hersel* im3ortant7 ' see nowthat there must ha"e been something behind it7 Someone must ha"e hinted8 or warnedDone doesn5t

know whichD5 She broke o**8 resuming


72/125

and her *ormer em3loyers "ouch *or her7 'n addition she has an alibi *or last night7 $hen (iss :ansittartwas killed8 (iss Sha3land was with a (r ennis !athbone at a night club7 They5re both well known

there8 and (r !athbone has an excellent character7 (ademoiselle %lanche5s antecedents ha"e also been

checked7 She has taught at a school in the north o* England and at two schools in 6ermany8 and has beengi"en an excellent character7 She is said to be a *irst-class teacher75

5

5 SoD5 She 3aused and *ixed anaccusing eye on Adam7

The clarion call reached him7 =e raised a startled *ace75

Another murder? At (eadowbank? At Jenni*er5s school75

=ere8 letme see?5isregarding his wi*e5s remark that it would be in his 3a3er8 too8 (r Sutcli**e leant across the table and

72

72


73/125

snatched the sheet *rom his wi*e5s gras375 The idea o* a

rende;"ous was out7 2o one would choose to kee3 a rende;"ous a second time in the same 3lace where

murder had occurred7 't came back to it8 then8 that there was something here that someone was looking*or7 =ardly acache o* 9ewels7 That seemed ruled out7 There could be no secret hiding 3lace8 *alse

drawers8 s3ring catches8 etc7 And the contents o* the lockers were 3iti*ully sim3le7 They had their secrets8but they were the secrets o* school li*e7 Photogra3hs o* 3in u3 heroes8 3ackets o* cigarettes8 an

occasional unsuitable chea3 3a3erback7 Es3ecially he returned to Shaista5s locker7 't was while bending

o"er that that (iss :ansittart had been killed7 $hat had (iss :ansittart ex3ected to *ind there> =ad she*ound it> =ad her killer taken it *rom her dead hand and then sli33ed out o* the building in the nick o* time

to miss being disco"ered by (iss Chadwick>'n that case it was no good looking7 $hate"er it was8 was gone7

The sound o* *ootste3s outside aroused him *rom his thoughts7 =e was on his *eet and lighting a cigarette

in the middle o* the *loor when Julia I39ohn a33eared in the doorway8 hesitating a little7

5 asked Adam7


74/125

5 asked Julia75

5


75/125

5


76/125


77/125

wishing that it was the custom at (eadowbank to ha"e keys in the locks7 She went to the window83ulled u3 the to3 sash and bolted it7 There was no tree growing near the window and no cree3ers7 She

doubted i* it was 3ossible *or anyone to come in that way but she was not going to take any chances7She looked at her small clock7 =al* 3ast ten7 She drew a dee3 breath and turned out the light7 2o one

must notice anything unusual7 She 3ulled back the curtain a little *rom the window7 There was a *ull moonand she could see the door clearly7 Then she sat down on the edge o* the bed7 'n her hand she held the

stoutest shoe she 3ossessed7


78/125


79/125

5

6ood75=ercule Poirot closed his eyes7

Suddenly he o3ened them and became brisk7

5


80/125


81/125

is sa*ely lodged in a bank7 ' think there*ore that you need antici3ate no *urther de"elo3ments o* anun3leasant nature here75

55 said (iss %ulstrode7


82/125


83/125

=e listened to 'ns3ector Kelsey8 and he listened to Adam 6oodman7 =e listened to the brie* summing u3o* the Chie* Constable7 Then he leaned back8 closed his eyes8 and slowly nodded his head7

They ha"e been sent merely to bolster u3 the kidna33ing

theory>5 ' wouldn5t know7 They all

wear stockings most o* the time8 and their skirts are 9ust below knee length75

A scar> Something o* that kind>5


84/125


85/125

was at Little3ort on Sea8 (iss Sha3land was in London at a night club8 the 2id Sau"age8 with (r ennis!athbone75

She might be anywhere7There5s a lot o* Anatolia?5


86/125


87/125

England75

daughter to a school where the mistresses are being murdered all the time75't seemed a highly reasonable 3oint o* "iew7

4h yes8 i* he5s sa*elycaught8 well8 then ' su33ose itwould be di**erent7 4* course there can5t be many 3eo3le like that8 can

there>5


88/125

you say75(rs Sutcli**e looked *aintly 3leased7 2obody had said anything like that to her *or some time7 =enry had

merely said things like 5 and Jenni*er had

sulked and re*used to answer7


89/125

*air hair7 ' think she was an American755

5

5

5


90/125

5

5 Eileen !ich stared at her7 5


91/125

:ansittart5 ' don5t know what to say now75


92/125

%ut the real thing isn5t so good7 ' think85 added Ann thought*ully8 5

Ann laughed suddenly7


93/125

really *ine75


94/125

(ademoiselle %lanche *reshened hersel* u3 in the ad9oining cloak room8 then she went and tried on acou3le o* blouses8 but did not buy them she went out into the street again8 smiling to hersel*7 She looked

into a booksho38 and then caught a bus back to (eadowbank7

She was still smiling to hersel* as she walked u3 the dri"e7 She had arranged matters "ery well7 The sumshe had demanded had not been too largeDnot im3ossible to raise at short notice7 And it would do "ery

well to go on with7 %ecause8 o* course8 in the *uture8 there would be *urther demands@es8 a "ery 3retty little source o* income this was going to be7 She had no Gualms o* conscience7 She

did not consider it in any way her duty to re3ort what she knew and had seen to the 3olice7 That S3ringer

had been a detestable woman8 rude8mal le"e 7 Prying into what was no business o* hers7 Ah8 well8 shehad got her deserts7

(ademoiselle %lanche stayed *or a while by the swimming 3ool7 She watched Eileen !ich di"ing7 ThenAnn Sha3land8 too8 climbed u3 and di"edD"ery well8 too7 There was laughing and sGueals *rom the girls7

A bell rang8 and (ademoiselle %lanche went in to take her 9unior class7 They were inattenti"e and

tiresome8 but (ademoiselle %lanche hardly noticed7 She would soon ha"e done with teaching *or e"er7She went u3 to her room to tidy hersel* *or su33er7 :aguely8 without really noticing8 she saw that8

contrary to her usual 3ractice8 she had thrown her garden coat across a chair in the corner instead o*

hanging it u3 as usual7She leaned *orward8 studying her *ace in the glass7 She a33lied 3owder8 li3stickD

The mo"ement was so Guick that it took her com3letely by sur3rise7 2oiseless? Pro*essional7 The coaton the chair seemed to gather itsel* together8 dro3 to the ground and in an instant behind (ademoiselle

%lanche a hand with a sandbag rose and8 as she o3ened her li3s to scream8 *ell8 dully8 on the back o* herneck7

Cha3ter ##

'ncident in Anatolia(rs I39ohn was sitting by the side o* the road o"erlooking a dee3 ra"ine7 She was talking 3artly in

French and 3artly with gestures to a large and solid-looking Turkish woman who was telling her with asmuch detail as 3ossible under these di**iculties o* communications all about her last miscarriage7 2ine

children she had had8 she ex3lained7 Eight o* them boys8 and *i"e miscarriages7 She seemed as 3leased at

the miscarriages as she did at the births7

5 she 3oked (rs I39ohn amiably in the ribs7 DgarOons>D*illes>Dcombien>5 Sheheld u3 her hands ready to indicate on the *ingers7


95/125

(rs I39ohn looked u37 A little way away a car had dri"en u37 The man standing o33osite her hadundoubtedly alighted *rom it7 =is *ace was unmistakably %ritish8 as was his "oice7 =e was im3eccably

dressed in a grey *lannel suit7

55 Suddenly (rs I39ohn rose to her *eet7 All traces o* the

gay tra"eller had disa33eared7 She was all mother8 e"ery inch o* her7 5 she said shar3ly7 5

5


96/125

=ercule Poirot rose to his *eet8 beamed on his audience and care*ully twisted his moustaches7 The twoyounger mistresses had a sudden desire to giggle8 and looked away *rom each other 3ursing their li3s

together7

5

4ne and all they shook their heads7


97/125

school7 This substitute8 o* course8 was necessarily much older than the real Shaista7 %ut that would hardlyattract attention since Eastern girls noticeably look much more mature than their age7 A young French

actress who s3eciali;es in 3laying schoolgirl 3arts was the agent chosen7


98/125

where the cache was8 went out to the S3orts Pa"ilion one night8 ha"ing 3re"iously taken an im3ression o*the key and got a key cut7 At that time o* night e"eryone should ha"e been in bed and aslee37 %ut that

was not so7 (iss S3ringer saw the light o* a torch in the S3orts Pa"ilion *rom the house8 and went out to

in"estigate7 She was a tough he*ty young woman and had no doubts o* her own ability to co3e withanything she might *ind7 The 3erson in Guestion was 3robably sorting through the tennis racGuets to *ind

the right one7 isco"ered and recogni;ed by (iss S3ringer8 there was no hesitationThe searcher was akiller8 and shot (iss S3ringer dead7 A*terwards8 howe"er8 the killer had to act *ast7 The shot had been

heard8 3eo3le were a33roaching7 At all costs the killer must get out o* the S3orts Pa"ilion unseen7 The

racGuet must be le*t where it was *or the moment That is why8 you see8 '

and 'ns3ector Kelsey and (r Adam 6oodman ha"e been making the inGuiries7 $e ha"e to know8 yousee8 i* there is still a cat among the 3igeons? @ou understand what ' mean> 's there still someone here

who is masGuerading under *alse colours>5

There was a slight ri33le 3assing through those who listened to him8 a brie* almost *urti"e sidelong glanceas though they wished to look at each other8 but did not dare do so7

98

98


99/125

(iss Chadwick was here8 (iss Johnson was here75 =is eyes went on to the two 9unior(istresses7 5

5 $hat has it got to do with anyone here> ' ha"en5t killed anyone8 ' tell you7 ' ha"en5tkilled anyone75


100/125


101/125

Toredo8 a S3anish8 or near-S3anish cabaret dancer7 @ou occu3ied the room in the hotel next to that o*(rs Sutcli**e and somehow you managed to see %ob !awlinson conceal the 9ewels in the racGuet7 @ou

had no o33ortunity o* taking the racGuet then *or there was the sudden e"acuation o* all %ritish 3eo3le8

but you had read the labels on their luggage and it was easy to *ind out something about them7 To obtaina secretarial 3ost here was not di**icult7 ' ha"e made some inGuiries7 @ou 3aid a substantial sum to (iss

%ulstrode5s *ormer secretary to "acate her 3ost on the 3lea o* a MbreakdownN7 And you had Guite a3lausible story7 @ou had been commissioned to write a series o* articles on a *amous girls5 school M*rom

withinN7

Sim3ler still8 you wouldgo out at night to the S3orts Pa"ilion8 and abstract the 9ewels7 %ut you had not reckoned with (iss

S3ringer7 Perha3s she had already seen you examining the racGuets7 Perha3s she 9ust ha33ened to wakethat night7 She *ollowed you out there and you shot her7 Later8 (ademoiselle %lanche tried to blackmail

you8 and you killed her7 't comes natural to you8 does it not8 to kill>5

=e sto33ed7 'n a monotonous o**icial "oice8 'ns3ector Kelsey cautioned his 3risoner7She did not listen7 Turning towards =ercule Poirot8 she burst out in a low-3itched *lood o* in"ecti"e that

startled e"eryone in the room7


102/125

'ns3ector Kelsey was s3eaking in a slightly com3laining tone7


103/125

hersel* i* attacked7 And what did she *ind> She *ound Eleanor :ansittart kneeling down looking in alocker8 and she thought8 it may beD*or ' am good85 said =ercule Poirot in a 3arenthesis8


104/125

innocence75=e added that he8 too8 must be getting along8 and sli33ed out7

5 said (iss %ulstrode7 =er "oice was brisk and businesslike7 '5ll tell you what you5"e done7 @ou5"e 3robably denied

your instincts too long7 There was a man8 you *ell in lo"e with him8 you had a child7 ' su33ose youcouldn5t marry75

5 An

enormous waiting list8 and ' look at the girls and ' see the girls and ' choose? @ou get your 3ick8 do you

see> ' choose my girls7 ' choose them "ery care*ully8 some *or character8 some *or brains8 some *or 3ureacademic intellect7 Some because ' think they ha"en5t had a chance but are ca3able o* being made

something o* that5s worth while7 @ou5re young8 Eileen7 @ou5re *ull o* idealsDit5s the teaching that mattersto you and the ethical side o* it7 @our "ision5s Guite right7 't5s the girls that matter8 but i* you want to make

a success o* anything8 you know8 you5"e got to be a good tradesman as well7 'deas are like e"erything

else7 They5"e got to be marketed7 $e5ll ha"e to do some 3retty slick work in *uture to get (eadowbankgoing again7 '5ll ha"e to get my hooks into a *ew 3eo3le8 *ormer 3u3ils8 bully them8 3lead with them8 get

104

104


105/125

them to send their daughters here7 And then the others will come7 @ou let me be u3 to my tricks8 andthen you shall ha"e your way7 (eadowbank will go on and it5ll be a *ine school75

5

Poirot looked horri*ied at the idea7 %y a natural association o* ideas8 his *ingers went to his moustache7=e was reassured7 There was no lim3ness7

105

105


106/125

(r !obinson looked eGually horri*ied7


107/125

oil8 and steel8 and uranium8 and cobalt and all the rest o* it8 *oreign relations are a matter o* the utmostdelicacy7 The great thing is to be able to say that =er (a9esty5s 6o"ernment8 etc78 etc78 has absolutelyno

in*ormation on the sub9ect75

5


108/125

' ha"e to be sure you5re the 3erson you say you are75

She stared a moment8 then went o"er to a small desk7 From one o* the drawers she brought out an

en"elo3e8 extracted a 3a3er *rom it and brought it to him7


109/125

all right in this country and Allen would be legitimate7 't was the best he could do *or me7 =e really didlo"e me8 you know7 =e really did75


110/125

Styles Court8 the

abducted$hat links these *ascinating cases> The brilliant deducti"e 3owers o* =ercule Poirotin


111/125


112/125

hel3 *eeling that some kind o* heinous stagecra*t is in 3lay7 And does more murder wait in the wings> The 2ew @ork Times The 2ew @ork Times


113/125

sur3rise at the end75&7The A%C (urders 0&,

Ca3tain Arthur =astings returns to narrate this account o* a 3ersonal challenge made to


114/125

her own 3et7 Ca3tain Arthur =astings8 in his 3enultimate Poirot a33earance like Poirot8Curtain will behis last8 again takes u3 narrati"e dutiesDalong with8 remarkably8 the e3onymous %ob8 a wire-haired

terrier who8 u3on care*ul ins3ection8 declares Poirot


115/125

aily (ail

4* note The 3roducers o*(urder on the 4rient Ex3ress andeath on the 2ile released a *ilm "ersion o*

E"il Inder the Sun in 0/# again8 as in2ile 8 they cast Peter Istino" as Poirot7 aily Telegra3h


116/125

re"elation o* a com3lex web o* romantic attachments among the deni;ens o* The =ollow74* note The 3henomenon o*The (ousetra3 tends to distract *rom Agatha Christie5s other stage

successes7 An ada3tation o*The =ollow was one such trium3h8 3remiering in Cambridge in 0+ and

subseGuently 3laying *or o"er a year in the $est End7 Poirot8 howe"er8 is not a character in the stage"ersionDthe diminuti"e %elgian with the o"ersi;ed 3ersonality was re3laced by a 3er*ectly neutral

Scotland @ard ins3ector7 'n herAutobiogra3hy 8 (rs Christie notes that she wishes she had made asimilar swa3 in the no"elDso rich are the characters inThe =ollow Dbut Poirot *ans then The =ollow

was a tremendous bestseller and today would ha"e it no other way7

San Francisco Chronicleo* the no"el Justice 3resumes a 3ittance o* cash and 9ustice has condemned James %entley8 herloathsome lodger8 to hang *or the crime7 %ut Su3erintendent S3ence is not satis*ied with the "erdict8 and

a33eals to Poirot to in"estigateDand sa"e the li*e o* the wretch %entley7

4* note Crime no"elist Ariadne 4li"er8 o*Cards on the Table 8 returns to hel3 Poirot and S3ence sol"ethe crime7

116

116


117/125

Sunday Times


118/125

&&7The Ad"enture o* the Christmas Pudding 0,1


119/125

desires this real-li*e mystery sol"ed8 and calls u3on =ercule Poirot to hel3 her do so74ld sins ha"e longshadows 8 the 3ro"erb goes7 Poirot is now a "ery old man8 but his mind is as nimble and as shar3 as e"er

and can still 3enetrate dee3 into the shadows7 %ut as Poirot and (rs 4li"er and Su3erintendent S3ence

reo3en the long-closed case8 a startling disco"ery awaits them7 And i* memory ser"es Poirot and itdoes?8 crimeDlike historyDhas a tendency to re3eat itsel*7

The Times


120/125

The statistics concerning numbers o* co3ies o* "olumes sold re"ealed the %ible and Shakes3eare to beahead o* Agatha Christie8 who came third with something like )1181118111 co3ies7

(rs Christie may ha"e been translated into only one hundred and three languages by 0+07 Forty years

later the number is higher and the sales *igures are considerably higher? but she was not necessarilyadmired uncritically in all o* them7 Inder the heading8


121/125

broad *orehead8 and a generous mouth that dis3layed rather o"er-large "ery white teeth57 (r !obinsonwill make an a33earance inPostern o* Fate and a (iss (ar3le ad"enture8At %ertram5s =otel 7

For some years8 =ercule Poirot has li"ed in an a3artment in $hiteha"en (ansions8 London8 $7 $e

learn inCat Among the Pigeons that the number o* his a3artment is ##/8 but the block o* *lats is nowcalled $hitehouse (ansions7 (rs Christie5s carelessness again> 4r sim3ly a mis3rint in certain editions>

4r has Poirot mo"ed without telling e"en his creator>At one 3oint in the narrati"e a schoolgirl mentions one o* the characters *rom(rs (c6inty5s ead 8 and

Poirot reminisces this time without gi"ing away the solution o* the earlier no"el7 The reader en9oys such

harmless and cosy links between no"els8 but not when "ital in*ormation is carelessly and unnecessarilyre"ealed7

Julia8 the schoolgirl8 is taken to a 3er*ormance o*Faust at Co"ent 6arden7 '* (rs Christie had been in thehabit o* researching in the interests o* accuracy8 she would ha"e disco"ered that 6ounod5s o3era had not

been staged at Co"ent 6arden since 0&/7 Julia was taken either to Sadler5s $ells Theatre8 or the

$elsh 2ational 43era8 or the old Carl !osa Com3any on tour7 4r8 o* course8 to Paris?

About Charles 4sborne

This essay was ada3ted *rom Charles 4sborne5sThe Li*e and Crimes o* Agatha Christie A %iogra3hicalCom3anion to the $orks o* Agatha Christie 0/#8 re"7 0007 (r7 4sborne was born in %risbane in

0#.7 =e is known internationally as an authority on o3era8 and has written a number o* books onmusical and literary sub9ects8 among themThe Com3lete 43eras o* :erdi 0,0$agner and =is $orld

0.. and$7=7 Auden The Li*e o* a Poet 0/17 An addict o* crime *iction and the world5s leadingauthority on Agatha Christie8 Charles 4sborne ada3ted the Christie 3lays%lack Co**ee PoirotS3ider5s

$eb andThe Inex3ected 6uest into no"els7 =e li"es in London7

About Agatha ChristieAgatha Christie is known throughout the world as the Hueen o* Crime7 =er books ha"e sold o"er a

billion co3ies in English and another billion in 11 *oreign languages7 She is the most widely 3ublishedauthor o* all time and in any language8 outsold only by the %ible and Shakes3eare7 (rs Christie is the

author o* eighty crime no"els and short story collections8 nineteen 3lays8 and six no"els written under the

name o* (ary $estmacott7Agatha Christie5s *irst no"el8The (ysterious A**air at Styles 8 was written towards the end o* $orld

$ar ' during which she ser"ed in the :oluntary Aid etachments7 'n it she created =ercule Poirot8 thelittle %elgian in"estigator who was destined to become the most 3o3ular detecti"e in crime *iction since

Sherlock =olmes7 A*ter ha"ing been re9ected by a number o* houses8The (ysterious A**air at Styles was

e"entually 3ublished by The %odley =ead in 0#17'n 0#,8 now a"eraging a book a year8 Agatha Christie wrote her master3iece7The (urder o* !oger

Ackroyd was the *irst o* her books to be 3ublished by $illiam Collins and marked the beginning o* anauthor-3ublisher relationshi3 that lasted *or *i*ty years and 3roduced o"er se"enty books7The (urder o*

!oger Ackroyd was also the *irst o* Agatha Christie5s works to be dramatisedDasAlibi Dand to ha"e asuccess*ul run in London5s $est End7The (ousetra3 8 her most *amous 3lay8 o3ened in 0+# and runsto this day at St (artin5s Theatre in the $est End it is the longest-running 3lay in history7

Agatha Christie was made a ame in 0.7 She died in 0.,8 since when a number o* her books ha"ebeen 3ublished the bestselling no"elSlee3ing (urder a33eared in 0.,8 *ollowed byAn Autobiogra3hy

and the short story collections(iss (ar3le5s Final Cases Problem at Pollensa %ay and$hile the Light

Lasts 7 'n 00/8%lack Co**ee was the *irst o* her 3lays to be no"elised by Charles 4sborne8 (rsChristie5s biogra3her7

The Agatha Christie CollectionChristie Crime Classics

The (an in the %rown Suit

The Secret o* ChimneysThe Se"en ials (ystery

121

121


122/125

The (ysterious (r HuinThe Sitta*ord (ystery

The =ound o* eathThe Listerdale (ystery

$hy idn5t They Ask E"ans>Parker Pyne 'n"estigates

(urder 's Easy

And Then There $ere 2oneTowards Yero

eath Comes as the EndS3arkling Cyanide

Crooked =ouse

They Came to %aghdadestination Inknown

S3ider5s $eb Z

The Inex3ected 6uest Z4rdeal by 'nnocence

The Pale =orseEndless 2ight

Passenger To Frank*urtProblem at Pollensa %ay

$hile the Light Lasts

=ercule Poirot 'n"estigatesThe (ysterious A**air at Styles

The (urder on the LinksPoirot 'n"estigates

The (urder o* !oger Ackroyd

The %ig Four

The (ystery o* the %lue Train%lack Co**ee Z

Peril at End =ouse

Lord Edgware ies(urder on the 4rient Ex3ress

Three-Act Tragedyeath in the Clouds

The A%C (urders(urder in (eso3otamiaCards on the Table

(urder in the (ewsumb $itness

eath on the 2ile

A33ointment with eath=ercule Poirot5s Christmas

Sad Cy3ress4ne8 Two8 %uckle (y Shoe

E"il Inder the Sun

Fi"e Little PigsThe =ollow

122

122


123/125


124/125

Z no"elised by Charles 4sbornewww7agathachristie7com

For more in*ormation about Agatha Christie8 3lease "isit the o**icial website7

CAT A(426 T=E P'6E42Sby Agatha ChristieCo3yright [ 0+0 Agatha Christie Limited a Chorion com3any

MEssay by Charles 4sborneN excer3ted *romThe Li*e and Crimes o* Agatha Christie 7 Co3yright [0/#8 000 by Charles 4sborne7 !e3rinted with 3ermission7

All rights reser"ed under 'nternational and Pan-American Co3yright Con"entions7 %y 3ayment o* the

reGuired *ees8 you ha"e been granted the non-exclusi"e8 non-trans*erable right to access and read the text

o* this e-book on-screen7 2o 3art o* this text may be re3roduced8 transmitted8 downloaded8decom3iled8 re"erse engineered8 or stored in or introduced into any in*ormation storage and retrie"al

system8 in any *orm or by any means8 whether electronic or mechanical8 now known or hereina*ter

in"ented8 without the ex3ress written 3ermission o* Per*ect%ound\7Per*ect%ound\ and the Per*ect%ound\ logo are trademarks o* =ar3erCollins Publishers8 'nc7

(icroso*t !eader edition 3ublished Se3tember #11) 'S%2 1-1,-1.011-+

This e-book was set *rom theAgatha Christie Signature Edition 3ublished #11# by =ar3erCollinsPublishers 8 London7

1 0 / . , + ) & #First 3ublished in 6reat %ritain by Collins 0+0

For more in*ormation about Agatha Christie e-books "isit www73er*ectbound7comWagathachristieAbout the Publisher

Australia

=ar3erCollins Publishers Australia Pty7 Ltd7#+ !yde !oad P4 %ox

Pymble8 2S$ #1.&8 Australiahtt3WWwww73er*ectbound7com7au

Canada

=ar3erCollins Publishers Ltd7++ A"enue !oad8 Suite #011

Toronto8 428 (+!8 &L#8 Canadahtt3WWwww73er*ectbound7ca

2ew Yealand

=ar3erCollinsPublishers 2ew Yealand LimitedP747 %ox

Auckland8 2ew Yealandhtt3WWwww7har3ercollins7co7n;

Inited Kingdom=ar3erCollins Publishers Ltd7

..-/+ Fulham Palace !oadLondon8 $, /J%8 IK

htt3WWwww7uk73er*ectbound7com

Inited States=ar3erCollins Publishers 'nc7

1 East +&rd Street2ew @ork8 2@ 11##

htt3WWwww73er*ectbound7com

For more in*ormation about Agatha Christie e-books "isit www73er*ectbound7comWagathachristieAbout this Title

124

124


125/125

This e%ook was created using !eader$orks\Publisher Pre"iew8 3roduced by 4"erri"e8 'nc7For more in*ormation on !eader$orks8 "isit us on the $eb at ]www7readerworks7com]

125

Documents

Cat Among Piiegeons