Agatha Christie The Hollow Chapter I At 6:13 a.m. ... - bzelbublive.info

She accepted the homage smilingly, refused his offer of tea, coffee or cocktail."No, I've just come to talk to you. To talk seriously. I'm worried." "You areworried? I am sorry to hear that." Veronica sat down and sighed. "It's aboutJohn Christow's death. The inquest's tomorrow. You know that?" "Yes, yes, Iknow." "And the whole thing has really been so extraordinary--" She brokeoff. "Most people really wouldn't believe it. But you would, I think, because youknow something about human nature." "I know a little about human nature,"admittedPoirot. "Inspector Grange came to see me. He'd got it into his head that I'dquarrelled with John--which is true in a way, though not in the way he meant-- Itold him that I hadn't seen John for fifteen years--and he simply didn't believe me.But it's true, M. Poirot." Poirot said, "Since it is true, it can easily be proved,so why worry?" She returned his smile in the friendliest fashion. "The realtruth is that I simply haven't dared to tell the Inspector what actually hap pened onSaturday evening. It's so absolutely fantastic that he certainly wouldn't believe it.But I felt I must tell someone. That's why I have come to you."Poirot said quietly, "I am flattered." That fact, he noted, she took for granted. Shewas a woman, he thought, who was very sure of the effect she was producing. So surethat she might, occasionally, make a mistake."John and I were engaged to bemarried fifteen years ago. He was very much in love with me--so much so that itrather-- alarmed me sometimes. He wanted me to give up acting--to give up havingany mind or life of my own. He was so possessive and masterful that I felt I couldn'tgo through with it, and I broke off the engagement. I'm afraid he took that veryhard." Poirot clicked a discreet and sympathetic tongue. "I didn't see himagain until last Saturdaynight. He walked home with me. I told the Inspector that we talked about old times--that's true in a way. But there was far more than that." "Yes?" "John wentmad--quite mad. He wanted to leave his wife and children, he wanted me to get adivorce from my husband and marry him. He said he'd never forgotten me--thatthe moment he saw me time stood still..." She closed her eyes, she swallowed. Underher make-up her face was very pale. She opened her eyes again and smiled almosttimidly at Poirot. "Can you believe that a--a feeling like that is possible?" sheasked. "I think it is possible, yes," said Poirot. "Never to forget--to go on waiting--planning--hoping--to determine with all one's heart and mind to get what one wantsin the end. . . . There are men like that, M. Poirot." "Yes--and women." Shegave him a hard stare. "I'm talking about men--about John Christow. Well, that'show it was. I protested at first, laughed, refused to take him seriously. Then I toldhim he was mad . . . It was quite late when he went back to the house. We'd arguedand argued. . . .He was still--just as determined." She swallowed again."That's why I sent him a note the next morning. I couldn't leave things like that. Ihad to make him realize that what he wanted