You understand that I do not wish to call in the police.’
I shook my head. ‘I fear what you ask is impossible, mademois-elle.
Even though on vacation, I am still of the police.’
She leaned forward. ‘Ecoutez, monsieur. All that I ask of you is to investigate. The result of your investigations you are at perfect liberty to report to the police. If what I believe to be true/s true, we shall need all the machinery of the law.’
That placed a somewhat different complexion on the matter, and I placed myself at her service without more ado.
A slight colour rose in her cheeks. ‘I thank you, monsieur. It is the death of M. Paul Droulard that I ask you to investi-gate.’
‘Comment?’ I exclaimed, surprised.
‘Monsieur, I have nothing to go upon – nothing but my woman’s instinct, but I am convinced – convinced, I tell you – that M.
Droulard did not die a natural death!’
‘But surely the doctors – ‘
‘Doctors may be mistaken. He was so robust, so strong. Ah, Monsieur Poirot, I beseech of you to help me – ‘
The poor child was almost beside herself. She would have knelt to me. I soothed her as best I could.
‘I will help you, mademoiselle. I feel almost sure that your fears are unfounded, but we will see. First, I will ask you to describe to me the inmates of the house.’
‘There are the domestics, of course, Jeanette, Flicie, and Denise the cook. She has been there many years; the others are simple country girls. Also there is Francois, but he too is an old servant.
Then there is Monsieur Droulard’s mother who lived with him, and myself. My name is Virginie Mesnard. I am a poor cousin of the late Madame Droulard, M. Paul’s wife, and I have been a member of their mnage for over three years. I have now described to you the household. There were also two guests staying in the house.’ ‘And they were?’ ‘M. de Saint Alard, a neighbour of M. Droulard’s in France.
Also an English friend, Mr John Wilson.’ ‘Are they still with you?’ ‘Mr Wilson, yes, but M. de Saint Alard departed yesterday.’ ‘And what is your plan, Mademoiselle Mesnard?’ ‘If you will present yourself at the house in half an hour’s time, I will have arranged some story to account for your presence. I had better represent you to be connected with journalism in some way. I shall say you have come from Paris, and that you have brought a card of introduction from M. de Saint Alard. Madame Droulard is very feeble in health, and will’ pay little attention to details.’ On mademoiselle’s ingenious pretext I was admitted to the house, and after a brief interview with the dead deputy’s mother, who was a wonderfully imposing and aristocratic figure though obviously in failing health, I was made free of the premises.
I wonder, my friend (continued Poirot), whether you can possibly figure to yourself the difficulties of my task? Here was a man whose death had taken place three days previously. If there had been foul play, only one possibility was admittable -poironl And I had had no chance of seeing the body, and there was no possibility of examining, or analysing, any medium in which the poison could have been administered. There were no clues, false or otherwise, to consider. Had the man been poisoned? Had he died a natural death? I, Hercule Poirot, with nothing to help me, had to decide.
First, I interviewed the domestics, and with their aid, I recapitulated the evening. I paid especial notice to the food at
dinner, and the method of serving it. The soup had been served by M. Droulard himself from a tureen. Next a dish of cutlets, then a chicken. Finally a compote of fruits. And all placed on the table, and served by Monsieur himself. The coffee was brought in a big pot to the dinner-table. Nothing there, mon ami – impossible to poison one without poisoning alii After dinner Madame Droulard had retired to her own apartments and Mademoiselle Virginie had accompanied her. The three men had adjourned to M. Droulard’s study. Her they had chatted amicably for some time, when suddenly, without any warning, the deputy had fallen heavily to the ground. M. de Saint Alard had rushed out and told Franvois to fetch a doctor immediately.