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

"Well, at any rate, it's over now." "It's not exactly over--the inquest was onlyadjourned. And that nice Inspector Grange has got men all over the place simplycrashing through the chestnut woods and startling all the pheasants, and springing uplike jacks-in-the-box in the most unlikely places." "What are they looking for?"asked Edward. "The revolver that Christow was shot with?" B "I imaginethat must be it. They even came to the house with a search warrant-- the Inspectorwas most apologetic about it, quite shy--but, of course, I told him we should bedelighted. It was really most interesting. They looked absolutely everywhere. I followedthem round, you know, and I suggested one or two places which eventhey hadn't thought of. But they didn't find anything. It was most disappointing. PoorInspector Grange, he is growing quite thin and he pulls and pulls at that moustache ofhis. His wife ought to give him specially nourishing meals with all this worry he ishaving--but I have a vague idea that she must be one of those women who care moreabout having the linoleum really well-polished than in cooking a tasty little meal.Which reminds me, I must go and see Mrs. Medway. Funny how servants cannot bearthe police. Her cheese souffle last night was quite uneatable. Souffles and pastry alwaysshow if one is off balance. If it weren't for Gudgeon keeping them all together, I reallybelieve half the servants would leave. Why don't you two go and have a nice walk andhelp the police look for the revolver?" Hercule Poirot sat on the bench overlookingthe chestnut groves above the pool. He had no sense of trespassing since Lady Angkatellhad very sweetly begged him to wander where he would at any time. It was LadyAngkatell5 s sweetness which Hercule Poirot was considering at this moment. Fromtime to time he heard the cracking of twigs in the woods above or caught sight of afigure moving through the chestnut groves below him. Presently, Henrietta camealong the path from the direction of the lane. She stopped for a moment when shesaw Poirot, then she came and sat down by him. "Good morning, M. Poirot. I havejustbeen to call upon you. But you were out. You look very Olympian. Are you presidingover the hunt? The Inspector seems very active. What are they looking for? Therevolver?" "Yes, Miss Savernake." "Will they find it, do you think?""I think so. Quite soon now, I should say?" She looked at him inquiringly."Have you an idea, then, where it is?" "No. But I think it will be found soon. It istime for it to be found." "You do say odd things, M. Poirot!" "Odd things happenhere. You have come back very soon from London, Mademoiselle." Herface hardened. She gave a short, bitterlaugh. "The murderer returns to the scene of the crime? That is the oldsuperstition, isn't it? So you do think that I--did it! You don't believe me when I tellyou that I wouldn't --that I couldn't kill anybody?" Poirot did not answer at once.At last he said thoughtfully: "It has seemed to me from the beginning thateither this crime was very simple--so simple that it was difficult to believe its simplicity(and simplicity. Mademoiselle, can be strangely baffling)or else it was extremely