Cards On The Table Part 17

"I'm willing enough to help. What's the trouble?"

Poirot produced from a neat little pocket-case three carefully folded bridge scores.

"These are the first three rubbers the other evening," he explained. "Here is the first one--in Miss Meredith's handwriting. Now can you tell me with this to refresh your memory--exactly what the calling was and how each hand went?"

Roberts stared at him in astonishment.

"You're joking, M. Poirot. How can I possibly remember?"

"Can't you? I should be so very grateful if you could. Take this first rubber.

The first game must have resulted in a game call in hearts or spades, or else one or other side must have gone down fifty."

"Let me seethat was the first hand. Yes, I think they went out in spades."

"And the next hand?"

"I suppose one or other of us went down fifty--but I can't remember which or what it was in. Really, M. Poirot, you can hardly expect me to do so."

"Can't you remember any of the calling or the hands?"

"I got a grand slam--I remember that. It was doubled too. And I also remember going down a nasty smack--playing three no trumps, I think it was--went down a packet. But that was later on."

"Do you remember with whom you were playing?"

"Mrs. Lorrimer. She looked a bit grim, I remember. Didn't like my overcalling, I expect."

"And you can't remember any other of the hands or the calling?"

Roberts laughed.

"My dear M. Poirot, did you really expect I could. First there was the murder---enough to drive the most spectacular hands out of one's mind and in addition I've played at least half a dozen rubbers since then."

Poirot sat looking rather crestfallen.

"I'm sorry," said Roberts.

"It does not matter very much," said Poirot slowly. "I hoped that you might

remember one or two, at least, of the hands, because I thought they might be valuable landmarks in remembering other things."

"What other things?"

"Well, you might have noticed, for instance, that your partner made a mess of playing a perfectly simple no trumper, or that an opponent, say, presented you with a couple of unexpected,rieks by failing to lead an obvious card."

Dr. Roberts became suddenly serious. He leaned forward in his chair. "Ah," he said. "Now I see what you're driving at. Forgive me. I thought at first you were talking pure nonsense. You mean that the murder--the successful accomplishment of the murder--might have made a definite difference in the guilty party's play?"

Poirot nodded.

"You have seized the idea correctly. It would be a clue of the first excellence if you had been four players who knew each other's game well. A variation, a sudden lack of brilliance, a missed oppOrtunity--that would have been immediately noticed. Unluckily, you were all strangers to each other. Variation in play would not be so noticeable. But think, M. le docteur, I beg of you to think. Do you remember any inequalities--any sudden glaring mistakes--in the play of any one?"

There was silence for a minute or two, then Dr. Roberts shook his head.

"It's no good. I can't help you," he said frankly. "I simply don't remember. All I can tell you is what I told you before: Mrs. Lorrimer is a first-cla.s.s player--she never made a slip that I noticed. She was brilliant from start to finish. Despard's play was uniformly good too. Rather a conventional player--that is, his bidding is strictly conventional. He never steps outside the rules. Won't take a long chance.

Miss Meredith "He hesitated.

"Yes? Miss Meredith?" Poirot prompted him.

"She did make mistakes--once or twiceI remember--towards the end of the evening, but that may simply have been because she was tired--not being a very experienced player. Her hand shook, too "

He stopped.

"When did her hand shake?"

"When was it now? I can't remember I think she was just nervous. M.

Poirot, you're making me imagine things."

"I apologise. There is another point on which I seek your help."

"Yes?"

Poirot said slowly: "It is difficult. I do not, you see, wish to ask you a leading question. If I say, did you notice so and so--well, I have put the thing into your head. Your answer will not be so valuable. Let me try to get at the matter another way. If you will be so kind, Dr. Roberts, describe to me the contents of the room in which you played."

Roberts looked thoroughly astonished.

"The contents of the room?"

"If you will be so good."

"My dear fellow, I simply don't know where to begin."

"Begin anywhere you choose."

"Well, there was a good deal of furniturc "

"Non, non, non, be precise, I pray of you."

Dr. Roberts sighed.

He began facetiously after the manner of an auctioneer.

"One large settee upholstered in ivory brocadeone ditto in green ditto--

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four or five large chairs. Eight or nine Persian rugs--a set of twelve small gilt

Empire chairs. William and Mary bureau. (I feel just like an auctioneer's clerk.)

Very beautiful Chinese cabinet. Grand piano. There was other furniture but I'm

afraid I didn't notice it. Six first-cla.s.s j.a.panese prints. Two Chinese pictures on

looking-gla.s.s. Five or six very beautiful snuff-boxes. Some j.a.panese ivory netsuke

figures on a table by themselves. Some old silver--Charles I. tazzas, I think. One

or two pieces of Battersea enamel--"

"Bravo, bravo!" Poirot applauded.

"A couple of old English slipware birds--and, I think, a Ralph Wood figure.

Then there was some Eastern stuff--intricate silver work. Some jewellery, I don't know much about that. Some Chelsea birds, I remember. Oh, and some miniatures in a case-pretty good ones, I fancy. That's not all by a long way--but it's all I can think of for the minute."

"It is magnificent," said Poirot with due appreciation. "You have the true observer's eye."

The doctor asked curiously:

"Have I included the object you had in mind?"

"That is the interesting thing about it,"said Poirot. "If you had mentioned the object I had in mind it would have been extremely surprising to me. As I thought,

you would not mention it."

"Why?"

Poirot twinkled.

"Perhaps--because it was not there to mention."

Roberts stared.

"That seems to remind me of something."

"It reminds you of Sherlock Holmes, does it not? The curious incident of the dog in the night. The dog did not howl in the night. That is the curious thing! Ah, well, I am not above stealing the tricks of others."

"Do you know, M. Poirot, I am completely at sea as to what you are driving