He returned to the desk.
I require a house about this distance from London, said Poirot. In the country, but not in the dead country, if you understand me
Perfectlyperfectly. Too much in the country doesnt do. Servants dont like it for one thing. Here, you have the advantages of the country but not the disadvantages. Miss Jenkins flitted in with a typewritten sheet of paper which she placed in front of her employer who dismissed her with a nod.
Here we are, said Mr Gabler, reading with practised rapidity. Period House of character: four recep.[135], eight bed and dressing, usual offices, commodious kitchen premises, ample outbuildings, stables, etc. Main water, old-world gardens, inexpensive upkeep[136], amounting in all to three acres[137], two summer-houses, etc., etc. Pricse £2,850 or near offer[138].
You can give me an order to view?
Certainly, my dear sir. Mr Gabler began writing in a flourishing fashion. Your name and address?
Slightly to my surprise, Poirot gave his name as Mr Parotti.
We have one or two other properties on our books which might interest you, Mr Gabler went on.
Poirot allowed him to add two further additions.
Littlegreen House can be viewed any time? he inquired.
Certainly, my dear sir. There are servants in residence. I might perhaps ring up to make certain. You will be going there immediately? Or after lunch?
Perhaps after lunch would be better.
Certainlycertainly. Ill ring up and tell them to expect you about two oclockeh? Is that right?
Thank you. Did you say the owner of the housea Miss Arundell, I think you said?
Lawson. Miss Lawson. That is the name of the present owner. Miss Arundell, I am sorry to say, died a short time ago. That is how the place has come into the market. And I can assure you it will be snapped up. Not a doubt of it. Between you and me, just in confidence, if you do think of making an offer[139] I should make it quickly. As Ive told you, there are two gentlemen after it already, and I shouldnt be surprised to get an offer for it any day from one or other of them. Each of them knows the others after it, you see. And theres no doubt that competition spurs a man on[140]. Ha, ha! I shouldnt like you to be disappointed.
Miss Lawson is anxious to sell, I gather.
Mr Gabler lowered his voice confidentially.
Thats just it. The place is larger than she wantsone middle-aged lady living by herself. She wants to get rid of[141] this and take a house in London. Quite understandable. Thats why the place is going so ridiculously cheap.
She would be open, perhaps, to an offer?
Thats the idea, sir. Make an offer and set the ball rolling[142]. But you can take it from me that there will be no difficulty in getting a price very near the figure named. Why, its ridiculous! To build a house like that nowadays would cost every penny of six thousand, let alone[143] the land value and the valuable frontages.
Miss Arundell died very suddenly, didnt she?
Oh, I wouldnt say that. Anno dominianno domini[144]. She had passed her three-score and ten[145] some time ago. And shed been ailing for a long time. The last of her familyyou know something about the family, perhaps?
Oh, I wouldnt say that. Anno dominianno domini[144]. She had passed her three-score and ten[145] some time ago. And shed been ailing for a long time. The last of her familyyou know something about the family, perhaps?
I know some people of the same name who have relations in this part of the world. I fancy it must be the same family.
Very likely. Four sisters there were. One married fairly late in life and the other three lived on here. Ladies of the old school. Miss Emily was the last of them. Very highly thought of in the town.
He leant forward and handed Poirot the orders.
Youll drop in[146] again and let me know what you think of it, eh? Of course, it may need a little modernizing here and there. Thats only to be expected. But I always say, Whats a bathroom or two? Thats easily done.
We took our leave and the last thing we heard was the vacant voice of Miss Jenkins saying:
Mrs Samuels rang up, sir. Shed like you to ring her Holland 5391.
As far as I could remember that was neither the number Miss Jenkins had scribbled on her pad nor the number finally arrived at through the telephone.
I felt convinced that Miss Jenkins was having her revenge for having been forced to find the particulars of Littlegreen House.
CHAPTER 7. Lunch at the George
As we emerged into the market square, I remarked that Mr Gabler lived up to his name! Poirot assented with a smile.
Hell be rather disappointed when you dont return, I said. I think he feels he has as good as[147] sold you that house already.
Indeed, yes, I fear there is a deception in store[148] for him.
I suppose we might as well have lunch here before returning to London, or shall we lunch at some more likely spot on our way back?
My dear Hastings, I am not proposing to leave Market Basing so quickly. We have not yet accomplished that which we came to do.
I stared.
Do you meanbut, my dear fellow, thats all a washout. The old lady is dead.
Exactly.
The tone of that one word made me stare at him harder than ever. It was evident that he had some bee in his bonnet[149] over this incoherent letter.
But if shes dead, Poirot, I said gently, whats the use? She cant tell you anything now. Whatever the trouble was, its over and finished with.
How lightly and easily you put the matter aside[150]! Let me tell you that no matter is finished with until Hercule Poirot ceases to concern himself with it!
I should have known from experience that to argue with Poirot is quite useless. Unwarily I proceeded.
But since she is dead
Exactly, Hastings. Exactlyexactlyexactly You keep repeating the significant point with a magnificently obtuse disregard of its significance. Do you not see the importance of the point? Miss Arundell is dead.
But my dear Poirot, her death was perfectly natural and ordinary! There wasnt anything odd or unexplained about it. We have old Gablers word for that.
We have his word that Littlegreen House is a bargain at £2,850. Do you accept that as gospel[151] also?
No, indeed. It struck me that Gabler was all out[152] to get the place soldit probably needs modernizing from top to toe[153]. Id swear heor rather his clientwill be willing to accept a very much lower figure than that. These large Georgian houses fronting right on the street must be the devil to get rid of.
Eh bien[154], then, said Poirot. Do not say, But Gabler says so! as though he were an inspired prophet who could not lie.
I was about to protest further, but at this minute we passed the threshold of the George and with an emphatic Chut![155] Poirot put a damper on[156] further conversation.
We were directed to the coffee-room, a room of fine proportions, tightly-shut windows and an odour of stale food. An elderly waiter attended to us, a slow, heavybreathing man. We appeared to be the only lunchers. We had some excellent mutton, large slabs of watery cabbage and some dispirited potatoes. Some rather tasteless stewed fruit and custard followed. After gorgonzola and biscuits the waiter brought us two cups of a doubtful fluid called coffee.
At this point Poirot produced his orders to view and invited the waiters aid.
Yes, sir. I know where most of these are. Hemel Down is three miles awayon the Much Benham roadquite a little place. Naylors Farm is about a mile away. Theres a kind of lane goes off to it not long after the Kings Head. Bisset Grange? No, Ive never heard of that. Littlegreen House is just close by, not more than a few minutes walk.
Ah, I think I have already seen it from the outside. That is the most possible one, I think. It is in good repair[157]yes?
Oh, yes, sir. Its in good conditionroof and drains and all that. Old-fashioned, of course. Its never been modernized in any way. The gardens are a picture. Very fond of her garden Miss Arundell was.
It belongs, I see, to a Miss Lawson.
Thats right, sir. Miss Lawson, she was Miss Arundells companion and when the old lady died everything was left to herhouse and all.
Indeed? I suppose she had no relations to whom to leave it?
Well, it was not quite like that, sir. She had nieces and nephews living. But, of course, Miss Lawson was with her all the time. And, of course, she was an old lady and wellthats how it was.
In any case I suppose there was just the house and not much money?
I have often had occasion to notice how, where a direct question would fail to elicit a response, a false assumption brings instant information in the form of a contradiction.
Very far from that, sir. Very far indeed. Everyone was surprised at the amount the old lady left. The will was in the paper and the amount and everything. It seems she hadnt lived up to her income[158] for many a long year. Something like three or four hundred thousand pounds she left.
You astonish me, cried Poirot. It is like a fairy tale eh? The poor companion suddenly becomes unbelievably wealthy. Is she still young, this Miss Lawson? Can she enjoy her newfound wealth?
Oh, no, sir, shes a middle-aged person, sir.
His enunciation of the word person was quite an artistic performance. It was clear that Miss Lawson, ex-companion, had cut no kind of a figure[159] in Market Basing.
It must have been disappointing for the nephews and nieces, mused Poirot.
Yes, sir, I believe it came as somewhat of a shock to them. Very unexpected. Theres been feeling over it here in Market Basing. There are those who hold it isnt right to leave things away from your own flesh and blood[160]. But, of course, theres others as hold that everyones got a right to do as they like with their own. Theres something to be said for both points of view, of course.
Miss Arundell had lived for many years here, had she not?
Miss Arundell had lived for many years here, had she not?
Yes, sir. She and her sisters and old General Arundell, their father, before them. Not that I remember him, naturally, but I believe he was quite a character[161]. Was in the Indian Mutiny.
There were several daughters?
Three of them that I remember, and I believe there was one that married. Yes, Miss Matilda, Miss Agnes, and Miss Emily. Miss Matilda, she died first, and then Miss Agnes, and finally Miss Emily.