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

Chapter XVhercule poirot, enjoying a midmorningringing of the telephone. He got up and liftedcup of chocolate, was interrupted by thethe receiver.'Allo?" "M. Poirot?" "Lady Angkatell?" "How nice of you to know myvoice. Am I disturbing you?" "But not at all. You are, I hope, none the worsefor the distressing events of yesterday?" "No, indeed. Distressing, as you say, butone feels, I find, quite detached. I rang you up to know if you could possibly comeover--an imposition, I know, but I am really in great distress ..." "But certainly.Lady Angkatell. Did you mean now?" "Well, yes, I did mean now. As quicklyas you can. That's very sweet of you." "Not at all. I will come by the woods, then?""Oh, of course--the shortest way. Thankyou so much, dear M. Poirot." Pausing only to brush a few specks of dust off thelapels of his coat and to slip on a thin overcoat, Poirot crossed the lane and hurriedalong the path through the chestnuts. The swimming pool was deserted--the policehad finished their work and gone. It looked innocent and peaceful in the soft, mistyAutumnal light. Poirot took a quick look into the pavilion. The platinum foxcape, he noted, had been removed. But the six boxes of matches still stood upon thetable by the settee. He wondered more than ever about those matches. "It is not aplace to keep matches--here in the damp. One box, for convenience, perhaps--but notsix." He frowned down on the painted iron table.The tray of glasses had been removed. Someone had scrawled with a pencil on thetable--a rough design of a nightmarish tree. It pained Hercule Poirot. It offended histidy mind. He clicked his tongue, shook his head, and hurried on towards thehouse, wondering at the reason for this urgent summons. Lady Angkatell waswaiting for him at the French windows and swept him into the emptydrawing-room. "It was nice of you to come, M. Poirot." She clasped his handwarmly. "Madame, I am at your service." Lady AngkatelFs hands floated outexpressively. Her wide beautiful eyes opened. "You see, it's all so difficult. TheInspector person is interviewing, no, questioning--taking a statement--what is the term theyhere depends on Gudgeon, and one does sois terrible for him to be questioned by theuse?--Gudgeon. And really, our whole lifesympathize with him. Because, naturally, itpolice--even Inspector Grange, who I do