not so bad telling you because you're not English.'
Hercule Poirot understood her without taking offence.
'You mean that to a foreigner it is natural that people should listen at doors and open letters, or read letters that are left about?'
'Oh, I'd never open anybody else's letters,' said Miss Gilchrist in a shocked tone. 'Not that. But I did listen that day – the day that Mr Richard Abernethie came down to see his sister. I was curious, you know, about his turning up suddenly after all those years. And I did wonder why – and – you see when you haven't much life of your own or very many friends, you do tend to get interested – when you're living with anybody, I mean.'
'Most natural,' said Poirot.
'Yes, I do think it was natural… Though not, of course, at all right. But I did it! And I heard what he said!'
'You heard what Mr Abernethie said to Mrs Lansquenet?'
'Yes. He said something like – 'It's no good talking to Timothy. He pooh-poohs everything. Simply won't listen. But I thought I'd like to get it off my chest to you, Cora. We three are the only ones left. And though you've always liked to play the simpleton you've got a lot of common sense. So what would you do about it, if you were me?'
'I couldn't quite hear what Mrs Lansquenet said, but I caught the word police – and then Mr Abernethie burst out quite loud, and said, 'I can't do that. Not when it's a question of my own niece.' And then I had to run in the kitchen for something boiling over and when I got back Mr Abernethie was saying, 'Even if I die an unnatural death I don't want the police called in, if it can possibly be avoided. You understand that, don't you, my dear girl But don't worry. Now that I know, I shall take all possible precautions. And he went on, saying he'd made a new will, and that she, Cora, would be quite all right. And then he said about her having been happy with her husband and how perhaps he'd made a mistake over that in the past.'
Miss Gilchrist stopped.
Poirot said: 'I see – I see…'
'But I never wanted to say – to tell. I didn't think Mrs Lansquenet would have wanted me to… But now – after Mrs Leo being attacked this morning – and then you saying so calmly it was coincidence. But, oh, M. Pontarlier, it wasn't coincidence!'
Poirot smiled. He said:
'No, it wasn't coincidence… Thank you, Miss Gilchrist, for coming to me. It was very necessary that you should.'
III
He had a little difficulty in getting rid of Miss Gilchrist, and it was urgent that he should, for he hoped for further confidences.
His instinct was right. Miss Gilchrist had hardly gone before Gregory Banks, striding across the lawn, came impetuously into the summer-house. His face was pale and there were beads of perspiration on his forehead. His eyes were curiously excited.
'At last!' he said. 'I thought that stupid woman would never go. You're all wrong in what you said this morning. You're wrong about everything. Richard Abernethie was killed. I killed him.'
Hercule Poirot let his eyes move up and down over the excited young man. He showed no surprise.
'So you killed him, did you? How?'
Gregory Banks smiled.
'It wasn't difficult for ms. You can surely realise that. There were fifteen or twenty different drugs I could lay my hands on that would do it. The method of administration took rather more thinking out, but I hit on a very ingenious idea in the end. The beauty of it was that I didn't need to be anywhere near at the time.'
'Clever,' said Poirot.
'Yes.' Gregory Banks cast his eyes down modestly. He seemed pleased. 'Yes – I do think it was ingenious.'
Poirot asked with interest:
'Why did you kill him? For the money that would come to your wife?'
'No. No, of course not.' Greg was suddenly excitedly indignant. 'I'm not a money grubber. I didn't marry Susan for her money!'
'Didn't you, Mr Banks?'
'That's what he thought,' Greg said with sudden venom. 'Richard Abernethie! He liked Susan, he admired her, he was proud of her as an example of Abernethie blood! But he thought she'd married beneath her – he thought I was no good – he despised me! I dare say I hadn't the right accent – I didn't wear my clothes the right way. He was a snob – a filthy snob!'
'I don't think so,' said Poirot mildly. 'From all I have heard, Richard Abernethie was no snob.'
'He was. He was.' The young man spoke with something approaching hysteria. 'He thought nothing of me. He sneered at me – always very polite but underneath I could see that he didn't like me!'
'Possibly.'
'People can't treat me like that and get away with it! They've tried it before! A woman who used to come and have her medicines made up. She was rude to me. Do you know what I did?'
'Yes,' said Poirot.
Gregory looked startled. 'So you know that?'
'Yes.'
'She nearly died.' He spoke in a satisfied manner. 'That shows you I'm not the sort of person to be trifled with! Richard Abernethie despised me – and what happened to him? He died.'
'A most successful murder,' said Poirot with grave congratulation.
He added: 'But why come and give yourself away – to me?'
'Because you said you were through with it all! You said he hadn't been murdered. I had to show you that you're not as clever as you think you are – and besides – besides -'
'Yes,' said Poirot. 'And besides?'
Greg collapsed suddenly on to the bench. His face changed. It took on a sudden ecstatic quality.
'It was wrong – wicked… I must be punished… I must go back there – to the place if punishment… to atone… Yes, to atone! Repentance! Retribution!'
His face was alight now with a kind of glowing ecstasy. Poirot studied him for a moment or two curiously.
Then he asked:
'How badly do you want to get away from your wife?'
Gregory's face changed.
'Susan? Susan is wonderful – wonderful!'
'Yes. Susan is wonderful. That is a grave burden. Susan loves you devotedly. That is a burden, too?'
Gregory sat looking in front of him. Then he said, rather in the manner of a sulky child:
'Why couldn't she let me alone?'
He sprang up.
'She's coming now – across the lawn. I'll go now. But you'll tell her what I told you? Tell her I've gone to the police station. To confess.'
IV
Susan came in breathlessly.
'Where's Greg? He was here! I saw him.'
