“So you think you could not give me names?” “Not those sort of names,” said Desmond.
“But some names?” “Well, I’ll come out with what I mean. I think there are two people who might know what happened and why. Because, you see, they’d have been there. They’d have known, really known, of their own knowledge.” “You do not want to go to them yourself?” “Well, I could. I have in a way, but I don’t think, you see, that they—I don’t know. I wouldn’t like to ask some of the things I want to ask. I don’t think Celia would. They’re very nice, and that’s why they’d know. Not because they’re nasty, not because they gossip, but because they might have helped.
They might have done something to make things better, or have tried to do so, only they couldn’t. Oh, I’m putting it all so badly.” “No,” said Poirot, “you are doing it very well, and I am interested and I think you have something definite in your mind. Tell me, does Celia Ravenscroft agree with you?” “I haven’t said too much to her. You see, she was very fond of Maddy and of Zeiie.” “Maddy and Zeiie?” “Oh, well, that’s their names. Oh, I must explain. I haven’t done it very well. You see, when Celia was quite a child—at the time when I first knew her, as I say, when we were living next door in the country—she had a French sort of—well, I suppose nowadays we call it an au pair girl, but it was called a governess then. You know, a French governess. A mademoiselle.
And you see, she was very nice. She played with all of us children and Celia always called her Maddy for short—and all the family called her Maddy.” “Ah, yes. The mademoiselle.” “Yes, you see being French, I thought—I thought perhaps she would tell you things that she knew and wouldn’t wish to speak about to other people.” “Ah. And the other name you mentioned?” “Zeiie. The same sort of thing, you see. A mademoiselle.
Maddy was there, I think, for about two or three years and then, later, she went back to France, or Switzerland I think it was, and this other one came. Younger than Maddy was and , we didn’t call her Maddy. Celia called her Zeiie. All the \ family called her Zeiie. She was very young, pretty and great ‘ fun. We were all frightfully fond of her. She played games with us and we all loved her. The family did. And General Ravenscroft was very taken with her. They used to play games together, picquet, you know, and lots of things.” “And Lady Ravenscroft?” “Oh, she was devoted to Zeiie too, and Zeiie was devoted to her. That’s why she came back again after she’d left.” “Came back?” “Yes, when Lady Ravenscroft was ill, and had been in hospital, Zeiie came back and was sort of companion to her and looked after her. I don’t know, but I believe, I think, I’m almost sure that she was there when it—the tragedy— happened. And so, you see she’d know—what really happened.” “And you know her address? You know where she is now?” “Yes. I know where she is. I’ve got her address. I’ve got both their addresses. I thought perhaps you could go and see her, or both of them. I know it’s a lot to ask—” He broke off.
Poirot looked at him for some minutes. Then he said: “Yes, it is a possibility—certainly—a possibility.” Book Two Long Shadows
CHAPTER XI Superintendent Garroway And Poirot Compare Notes
Superintendent Garroway looked across the table at Poirot. His eyes twinkled. At his side George delivered a whisky and soda. Passing on to Poirot, he put down a glass filled with a dark purple liquid.
“What’s your tipple?” said Superintendent Garroway with some interest.
“A syrup of black currant,” said Poirot.
“Well, well,” said Superintendent Garroway, “everyone to their own taste. What was it Spence told me? He told me you used to drink something called a tisane, wasn’t it? What’s that, a variant of French piano or something?” “No,” said Poirot, “it’s useful for reducing fevers.” “Ah. Invalid dope of some kind.” He drank from his glass.