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

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voice. Inspector Grange heard it. Bit of a feminist, this girl, he thought. Aloudhe said: "Didn't stand up for herself at all?" "No. Everything revolved round Dr.Christow." "Tyrannical, eh?" Beryl considered. "No, I wouldn't say that . . .But he was what I should call a very selfish man. He took it for granted that Mrs.Christow would always fall in with his ideas." "Any difficulties withpatients—women, I mean? You needn't mind about being frank. Miss Collier. Oneknows doctors have their difficulties in that line." "Oh, that sort of thing!" Beryl'svoice wasscornful. "Dr. Christow was quite equal to dealing with any difficulties in that line. Hehad an excellent manner with patients." She added, "He was really a wonderfuldoctor." There was an almost grudging admiration in her voice. Grange said,"Was he tangled up with any woman? Don't be loyal. Miss Collier, it's importantthat we should know." "Yes, I can appreciate that. Not to my knowledge." Alittle too brusque, he thought. She doesn't know, but perhaps she guesses . . . Hesaid sharply, "What about Miss Henrietta Savernake?" Beryl's lips closed tightly."She was a close friend of the family's." "No—trouble between Dr. and Mrs.Christow on her account?" "Certainly not." The answer was emphatic.(Overemphatic?) The Inspector shifted his ground. "What about MissVeronica Cray?" "Veronica Cray?" There was pure astonishment in Beryl'svoice. "She was a friend of Dr. Christow's, was she not?" "I never heard ofher. At least, I seem to know the name--" "The motion picture actress."Beryl's brow cleared. "Of course! I wondered why the name was familiar. But Ididn't even know that Dr.Christow knew her." She seemed so positive on the point that the Inspectorabandoned it at once. He went on to question her about Dr. Christow's manner onthe preceding Saturday. And here, for the first time, the confidence of Beryl'sreplies wavered. She said, slowly: "His manner wasn't quite as usual." "What wasthe difference?" "He seemed distrait. There was quite a long gap before he rangfor his last patient --and yet normally he was always in a hurry to get throughwhen he was going away. I thought—yes, I definitely thought he had something onhis mind." But she could not be more definite. Inspector Grange was not verysatisfied with his investigations. He'd come nowherenear establishing motive—and motive had to be established before there was a case togo to the Public Prosecutor. He was quite certain in his own mind that GerdaChristow had shot her husband. He suspected jealousy as the motive—but so far hehad found nothing to go on. Sergeant Coombes had been working on the maids butthey all told the same story. Mrs. Christow worshipped the ground her husband walkedon. Whatever happened, he thought, must have happened down at The Hollow.And remembering The Hollow, he felt a vague disquietude. They were an odd lotdown there. The telephone on the desk rang and MissCollier picked up the receiver. She said, "It's for you. Inspector," and passed the
instrument to him. "Hullo, Grange here. . . . What's that? ..." Beryl heard thealteration in his tone and looked at him curiously. The wooden-looking face wasimpassive as ever. He was grunting--listening-- "Yes . . . yes, I've got that. . . .That's absolutely certain, is it? ... No margin of error . . . Yes . . . yes . . . yes, I'll bedown. I've about finished here . . . Yes." He put the receiver back and sat for amoment motionless. Beryl looked at him curiously.He pulled himself togetherand asked in a voice that was quite different from the voice of his previousquestions:"You've no ideas of your own, I suppose, Miss Collier, about this matter?" "Youmean--" "I mean no ideas as to who it was killed Dr. Christow?" She said flatly:"I've absolutely no idea at all. Inspector." Grange said slowly: "When the bodywas found, Mrs. Christow was standing beside it with the revolver in her hand--"He left it purposely as an unfinished sentence.Her reaction came promptly. Notheated, cool and judicial. "If you think Mrs. Christow killed her husband, I amquite sure you are wrong. Mrs. Christow is not at all a violent woman. She is verymeek and submissive and she was entirely under the doctor's thumb. Itseems to me quite ridiculous that anyone could imagine for a moment that she shothim, however much appearances may be against her." "Then if she didn't, whodid?" he asked sharply. Beryl said slowly, "I've no idea ..." The Inspectormoved to the door. Beryl asked: "Do you want to see Mrs. Christow beforeyou go?" "No--yes, perhaps I'd better." Again Beryl wondered; this was not thesame man who had been questioning her before the telephone rang. What news had hegot that had altered him so much? Gerda came into the room nervously. Shelooked unhappy and bewildered. She said in a low, shaky voice: "Have you foundout any more about who killed John?" "Not yet, Mrs. Christow." "It's soimpossible--so absolutely impossible.""But it happened, Mrs. Christow."She nodded, looking down, screwing a handkerchief into a little ball. He saidquietly: "Had your husband any enemies, Mrs. Christow?" "John? Oh, no.He was wonderful. Everyone adored him." "You can't think of anyone who had agrudge against him," he paused, "or against you?""Against me?" She seemed amazed. "Oh, no. Inspector." Inspector Grangesighed. "What about Miss Veronica Cray?" "Veronica Cray? Oh, you mean theone who came that night to borrow matches?" "Yes, that's the one. You knewher?" Gerda shook her head. "I'd never seen her before. John knew her yearsago--or so she said." "I suppose she might have had a grudge against him that youdidn't know about?" Gerda said with dignity: "I don't believe anybody could havehad a grudge against John. He was the kindest and most unselfish--oh, and one ofthe noblest men.""H'm," said the Inspector. "Yes. Quiteunderstand about the inquest? Elevenwill be very simple--nothing to upset youso. Well, good morning, Mrs. Christow. Youo'clock Wednesday in Market Depleach. It--probably be adjourned for a week so that
Page 1 and 2:
Agatha ChristieThe HollowChapter IA
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couldn't think of how to make thing
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wouldn't be called for hours. She w
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wasn't going to give it back!" "No,
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it, yes--but she'd got something el
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Chapter IIIjohn christow sat in his
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"You are always willing to say anyt
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oom. A tiresome woman, a woman with
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Gerda shook her head.Carve the mutt
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was able to laugh at him . . .He wa
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esentment became subordinated to hi
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Angkatells were always so far ahead
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unfair. Henrietta seldom talked of
Page 27 and 28: Chapter VImidge hardcastle came dow
Page 29 and 30: if Lucy does them. What is it, I wo
Page 31 and 32: you've been there." "I know. ..." W
Page 33 and 34: Chapter VIIAs they got into the car
Page 35 and 36: point of changing up just when you'
Page 37 and 38: firing revolvers. Henry Angkatell's
Page 39 and 40: Henry? How do you know what they fe
Page 41 and 42: have assured success.It worried Hen
Page 43 and 44: Chapter IXjohn christow came out fr
Page 45 and 46: Angkatell. And to Lucy Angkatell, t
Page 47 and 48: giving much more poignancy to her e
Page 49 and 50: go to Henrietta and tell her-- He l
Page 51 and 52: the Angkatells to invite guests for
Page 53 and 54: her fingers. She was standing by th
Page 55 and 56: glasses and a decanter of sherry. "
Page 57 and 58: Angkatell looked surprised, murmure
Page 59 and 60: and quiet pessimism. "Never like th
Page 61 and 62: Chapter XIIIthey had the cold ducks
Page 63 and 64: said Henrietta thoughtfully. "I sup
Page 65 and 66: of relief from tension. Midge said,
Page 67 and 68: evolver in her hand. The revolver s
Page 69 and 70: no need, actually, for her to earn
Page 71 and 72: here to brood upon his position. Th
Page 73 and 74: feel is really nice and probably a
Page 75 and 76: and Lady Angkatell are important--t
Page 77: oken down then, becoming hysterical
Page 81 and 82: The thing was remarkable--and beyon
Page 83 and 84: Chapter XVIIIhercule poirot looked
Page 85 and 86: You--are very anxious on this point
Page 87 and 88: had 10the toothache."Henrietta said
Page 89 and 90: sharply to look at him. He felt her
Page 91 and 92: simple as that? He thought of his c
Page 93 and 94: drink." "I see. I imagined your con
Page 95 and 96: in her hand the gun she had just us
Page 97 and 98: murder scene, set and staged to dec
Page 99 and 100: told the Inspector and he quite und
Page 101 and 102: "just a bit batty," to describe a f
Page 103 and 104: and the whole thing will die out."
Page 105 and 106: She accepted the homage smilingly,
Page 107 and 108: Chapter XXIIIthe inquest was over.
Page 109 and 110: has managed to keep its distance, a
Page 111 and 112: For some minutes she stood abstract
Page 113 and 114: shoulders and walked in. He was ins
Page 115 and 116: said to the driver, "Go to the Berk
Page 117 and 118: the whole thing would be far more i
Page 119 and 120: complex--that is to say, we were co
Page 121 and 122: He said, "The adjourned inquest's t
Page 123 and 124: it." Grange stared at him. He said:
Page 125 and 126: Angkatell, clasping Gerda's hand, m
Page 127 and 128: thought—she and Edward, linked, a
Page 129 and 130:
Chapter XXVIIImidge, lying dry eyed
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understand. It was because of Henri
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Chapter XXIXgerda rolled over to th
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guessed at and brought to life, car
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word. He was asking me to protect G
Page 139 and 140:
Chapter XXXAs she drove towards Lon
Page 141 and 142:
Mrs. Crabtree looked at her for a m
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