the subject of Cynthia。 I began rather tactfully； I thought； but I had not
gone far before she stopped me authoritatively。
〃You are an excellent advocate； I have no doubt； Mr。 Hastings； but in
this case your talents are quite thrown away。 Cynthia will run no risk of
encountering any unkindness from me。〃
I began to stammer feebly that I hoped she hadn't thought But again
she stopped me； and her words were so unexpected that they quite drove
Cynthia； and her troubles； out of my mind。
〃Mr。 Hastings；〃 she said； 〃do you think I and my husband are happy
together？〃
135
… Page 136…
THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
I was considerably taken aback； and murmured something about it's
not being my business to think anything of the sort。
〃Well；〃 she said quietly； 〃whether it is your business or not； I will tell
you that we are *NOT happy。〃
I said nothing； for I saw that she had not finished。
She began slowly； walking up and down the room； her head a little
bent； and that slim； supple figure of hers swaying gently as she walked。
She stopped suddenly； and looked up at me。
〃You don't know anything about me； do you？〃 she asked。 〃Where I
come from； who I was before I married John anything； in fact？ Well； I
will tell you。 I will make a father confessor of you。 You are kind； I
thinkyes； I am sure you are kind。〃
Somehow； I was not quite as elated as I might have been。 I
remembered that Cynthia had begun her confidences in much the same
way。 Besides； a father confessor should be elderly； it is not at all the role
for a young man。
〃My father was English；〃 said Mrs。 Cavendish； 〃but my mother was a
Russian。〃
〃Ah；〃 I said； 〃now I understand〃
〃Understand what？〃
〃A hint of something foreigndifferentthat there has always been
about you。〃
〃My mother was very beautiful； I believe。 I don't know； because I
never saw her。 She died when I was quite a little child。 I believe there
was some tragedy connected with her deathshe took an overdose of some
sleeping draught by mistake。 However that may be； my father was
broken…hearted。 Shortly afterwards； he went into the Consular Service。
Everywhere he went； I went with him。 When I was twenty…three； I had
been nearly all over the world。 It was a splendid lifeI loved it。〃
There was a smile on her face； and her head was thrown back。 She
seemed living in the memory of those old glad days。
〃Then my father died。 He left me very badly off。 I had to go and
live with some old aunts in Yorkshire。〃 She shuddered。 〃You will
136
… Page 137…
THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
understand me when I say that it was a deadly life for a girl brought up as
I had been。 The narrowness； the deadly monotony of it； almost drove me
mad。〃 She paused a minute； and added in a different tone： 〃And then I met
John Cavendish。〃
〃Yes？〃
〃You can imagine that； from my aunts' point of view； it was a very
good match for me。 But I can honestly say it was not this fact which
weighed with me。 No； he was simply a way of escape from the
insufferable monotony of my life。〃
I said nothing； and after a moment； she went on：
〃Don't misunderstand me。 I was quite honest with him。 I told him；
what was true； that I liked him very much； that I hoped to come to like him
more； but that I was not in any way what the world calls 'in love' with him。
He declared that that satisfied him； and sowe were married。〃
She waited a long time； a little frown had gathered on her forehead。
She seemed to be looking back earnestly into those past days。
〃I thinkI am surehe cared for me at first。 But I suppose we were
not well matched。 Almost at once； we drifted apart。 Heit is not a
pleasing thing for my pride； but it is the truthtired of me very soon。〃 I
must have made some murmur of dissent； for she went on quickly： 〃Oh；
yes； he did！ Not that it matters nownow that we've come to the parting of
the ways。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
She answered quietly：
〃I mean that I am not going to remain at Styles。〃
〃You and John are not going to live here？〃
〃John may live here； but I shall not。〃
〃You are going to leave him？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃But why？〃
She paused a long time； and said at last：
〃Perhapsbecause I want to befree！〃
And； as she spoke； I had a sudden vision of broad spaces； virgin tracts
137
… Page 138…
THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
of forests； untrodden landsand a realization of what freedom would mean
to such a nature as Mary Cavendish。 I seemed to see her for a moment as
she was； a proud wild creature； as untamed by civilization as some shy
bird of the hills。 A little cry broke from her lips：
〃You don't know； you don't know； how this hateful place has been
prison to me！〃
〃I understand；〃 I said； 〃butbut don't do anything rash。〃
〃Oh； rash！〃 Her voice mocked at my prudence。
Then suddenly I said a thing I could have bitten out my tongue for：
〃You know that Dr。 Bauerstein has been arrested？〃
An instant coldness passed like a mask over her face； blotting out all
expression。
〃John was so kind as to break that to me this morning。〃
〃Well； what do you think？〃 I asked feebly。
〃Of what？〃
〃Of the arrest？〃
〃What should I think？ Apparently he is a German spy； so the gardener
had told John。〃
Her face and voice were absolutely cold and expressionless。 Did she
care； or did she not？
She moved away a step or two； and fingered one of the flower vases。
〃These are quite dead。 I must do them again。 Would you mind
movingthank you； Mr。 Hastings。〃 And she walked quietly past me out of
the window； with a cool little nod of dismissal。
No； surely she could not care for Bauerstein。 No woman could act
her part with that icy unconcern。
Poirot did not make his appearance the following morning； and there
was no sign of the Scotland Yard men。
But； at lunch…time； there arrived a new piece of evidence or rather
lack of evidence。 We had vainly tried to trace the fourth letter； which
Mrs。 Inglethorp had written on the evening preceding her death。 Our
efforts having been in vain； we had abandoned the matter； hoping that it
might turn up of itself one day。 And this is just what did happen； in the
138
… Page 139…
THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
shape of a communication； which arrived by the second post from a firm
of French music publishers； acknowledging Mrs。 Inglethorp's cheque； and
regretting they had been unable to trace a certain series of Russian
folksongs。 So the last hope of solving the mystery； by means of Mrs。
Inglethorp's correspondence on the fatal evening； had to be abandoned。
Just before tea； I strolled down to tell Poirot of the new disappointment；
but found； to my annoyance； that he was once more out。
〃Gone to London again？〃
〃Oh； no； monsieur； he has but taken the train to Tadminster。 'To see a
young lady's dispensary；' he said。〃
〃Silly ass！〃 I ejaculated。 〃I told him Wednesday was the one day she
wasn't there！ Well； tell him to look us up to…morrow morning； will you？〃
〃Certainly； monsieur。〃
But； on the following day； no sign of Poirot。 I was getting angry。
He was really treating us in the most cavalier fashion。
After lunch； Lawrence drew me aside； and asked if I was going down
to see him。
〃No； I don't think I shall。 He can come up here if he wants to see us。〃
〃Oh！〃 Lawrence looked indeterminate。 Something unusually nervous
and excited in his manner roused my curiosity。
〃What is it？〃 I asked。 〃I could go if there's anything special。〃
〃It's nothing much； butwell； if you are