Chapter 11 Chapter Ten Interview with Miss Peabody

"Is such an elaborate lie really necessary, Poirot?" I asked him as we left the two doctors. Poirot shrugged his shoulders and said: "Since one intends to lie—by the way, I noticed that your nature hates lying—and I don't feel guilty about lying..." "I noticed that." I interrupted. "...As I said just now, since a person intends to tell a lie, he must say it artistically and romantically, so that people must believe it!" "Do you think your lies are convincing? Do you think Dr. Donaldson believes them?" "That young man is suspicious by nature," admitted Poirot thoughtfully.

"The way he looks makes me very suspicious of him." "I don't know why he should be under your suspicion. Stupid people make up stories of other stupid people's lives every day. As you say, so do I." "It's the first time I've heard you call yourself a fool," I said, grinning. "I hope that the part I play is as good as anyone else's," said Poirot icily. "I'm sorry you think I've made up this little lie, but I'm quite satisfied with it. .” I changed the subject: "What do we do next?" "That's easy. We'll get into your car and visit Morton Park."

Morton Manor is actually a Victorian building, ugly but solid.An old and frail steward came out to see us, but he was a little skeptical, so he immediately came back and asked if we had an appointment. "Please tell Miss Peabody that we are coming from Dr. Granger," said Poirot. After waiting for a few minutes, the door opened, and a pudgy woman waddled into the room.Her thinning white hair was neatly parted down the middle.She was dressed in black velvet, the down of which had been frayed off in several places, a beautiful knitted flower belt around her neck, and a large jade brooch pinned to her chest.

She walked across the room, staring at us like a near-sighted person, and the first words she spoke were somewhat startling. "Anything for sale?" "No, madame," said Poirot. "Really not?" "Not really." "Don't have a vacuum cleaner for sale?" "No." "No socks to sell?" "No." "No rugs to sell?" "No." "Oh, well," said Miss Peabody, sitting down in a chair, "I think that's all right, you'd better sit down!" We sat down obediently. "Forgive me for asking you," said Miss Peabody, with a hint of apology in her air. "I have to be careful not to trust anyone who comes here. The servants can't, and they can't figure out who they are. Good people. That can't be blamed on them. Those who come here have nothing wrong with their voices, clothes, and names. How can the servants tell? What do they call themselves Commander Ridgway, Scott Edgerton Sir, Captain Dutch Fitzherbert, some of them are pretty, but before you know what's the matter, they push one of my butter-making machines in front of you gone."

Poirot said very seriously: "I assure you, madam, we are not that kind of people." "But, you should know, there is such a thing," said Miss Peabody. Poirot recounted his own story at once.Miss Peabody listened to him without comment, blinking her small eyes once or twice.When Poirot had finished she said: "Are you going to write a book?" "yes." "Write it in English?" "Of course—in English." "But you're a foreigner, eh? Tell me, you're a foreigner, aren't you?" "yes." She shifted her gaze to me.

"I suppose you are his secretary?" "Oh—yes," I said vaguely. "Can you write elegant English?" "I wish I could write." "Where did you go to school?" "Eaton." "Then you can't." Miss Peabody is so critical of this ancient and sacred educational center that I would like to refute it.But since she turned her attention again to Poirot, I could not argue with her. "Are you going to write the life of General Arundel?" "Yes, I think you know him." "Yes, I know John Arundell, and he's a drinker."

After a moment's pause, Miss Peabody continued musing: "Writing about the Indian Rebellion, huh? Seems like a waste of time to me. But that's your business." "You know, ma'am, these things are in fashion. It's fashionable to show India at the moment." "Perhaps so. Some things are back to the way they were. Look, the sleeves are made the same way now." We politely remained silent. "Sleeves like a shank of lamb are always ugly," said Miss Peabody, "but to the Bishop I look pretty good in them." She fixed her bright eyes on Polo, "Oh, what do you want to know?"

Poirot spread out his hands and said: "Want to know everything! Family history, anecdotes, family life." "I can't tell you about India," said Miss Peabody, "I haven't heard much about it, really. But these old men and their anecdotes are annoying. He's a very silly People—but I bet the generals aren't bad. I've often heard people say that wits don't get you high in the army. Take care of your colonel's wife, Xier, and listen to your superiors, and you'll be fine. Prosperity—that's what my father used to say." Poirot respected the maxim and said a little later:

"You are very close to the Arundel family, aren't you?" "I know them all," said Miss Peabody, "Matilda's the eldest, and she's a freckled girl. She used to teach at a mission school and fell in love with a priest. Then there's Emily. , she is good at riding horses. When her father is drunk, she is the only one who can do anything to her father. The finished wine bottles are pulled out of the house by cart after cart, and they bury them at night. Let me think, below Who is it, Arabella or Thomas? I think it's Thomas next. I'm always sorry for Thomas. There's one man and four women in this family. Among the women, this man looks like a fool. Thomas was a bit of an old lady himself, and no one would have guessed he'd get married. So when he did, it was a bit of a shock."

She pursed her lips and laughed softly—a round, Victorian laugh. It was clear that Miss Peabody was enjoying herself.She almost completely forgot that we were her audience, and was completely immersed in the memory of the past. "And then there's Arabella, a very ordinary girl. She has a face like a scone. Although she's the worst-looking in the family, she's married, to a professor at Cambridge who was then He was not young, sixty for sure. He came here to give a few lectures—I remember on the wonders of modern chemistry. I also listened to it a few times. He had a beard, he spoke Not sure, I couldn't hear most of what he said, and Arabella used to stay after him to ask him questions. She wasn't young herself then, she was almost forty. Well, they're all dead now. It's been a pretty good marriage. Marrying a woman who's not good looking is always going to get people talking - you know right away it's the worst, but the woman isn't frivolous ...and down there is Agnes. She's the youngest--and she's pretty. We all think she's too much of a fun-seeker to be a libertine! You think if any of their sisters were going to get married, it'd be Agnes Ruth. Curiously she wasn't married. She died shortly after the war."

Poirot said in a low voice: "You say Thomas's marriage is a bit unexpected." Miss Peabody let out another mellow giggle from her throat. "Unexpected! I'd say it's totally unexpected! A scandal in nine days. You'd never have guessed he'd do it—what a quiet, shy, humble man he was, such a clock, Love his sister." She paused, then said: "You remember one of the big cases in the late nineteenth century? Remember that Mrs. Walley? She was accused of poisoning her husband with arsenic. She was a pretty woman. That case cost a lot of money. She was acquitted of all charges. This woman stunned Thomas Arundell. He collected all the newspapers, read the reports on the case, and cut out Mrs. Varley's picture from the newspapers. Keep it. Can you believe that he came to London as soon as the trial was over, and went to propose to her? A quiet, shut-in man, this Thomas! No one can fathom a man's mind, you can. Is it? Men's feelings are too easy to burst out." "What happened next?" "Oh, she married him." "His sisters are shocked by this?" "I think so! They didn't want to see her. After thinking about it all, I don't know who to blame. Thomas was furious. He left home to live on the Channel islands, and no one heard about it again." His situation. I don't know if Valli poisoned the first husband, but she didn't poison Thomas. He lived three years after she died. They had two children, a boy and a girl. The pair The children are beautiful - like their mothers." "I suppose they grew up here to see their aunt?" "They came here after their parents died. They were all in school, they were almost grown up after their parents died. They used to come here for holidays. Emily was the only one alive at the time, and they and Bella Biggs were Her only family." "Biggs?" "Arabella's daughter, a slow-witted girl--a few years older than Teresa. She did a stupid thing of her own, and married a college graduate named Day Pigeon, who is now a Greek doctor. Although I admit he Obnoxious looking - but charming manners. I don't think poor Bella has much choice in marriage. She spends her time with her father, or winding her mother's knitting yarn, this man is Foreigners, totally exotic, cater to her heart." "Is their marriage happy?" Miss Peabody suddenly changed her attitude: "I don't like to judge any marriage positively! They seem to be very happy. They have two yellow children. They live in Smyrna." "But they're in England now, aren't they?" "Yes, they came in March. I think they'll be back soon." "Is Miss Emily Arundell fond of her niece?" "Do you like Bella, you ask? Well, I do. But she's an unresponsive woman—obsessed with children and chores every day." "Is she satisfied with her husband?" Miss Peabody giggled. "She's not happy with her husband, but I think she likes the guy quite a bit. You know, he's got brains. If you ask me, he's got a lot of tricks with her. The guy is greedy for money." Poirot coughed. "Miss Arundell died rich, I hear?" he whispered. Miss Peabody made herself more comfortable in the chair, and said: "Yes, that's why Miss Arundell's death has caused so much talk! People never dreamed that she would leave so much money when she died. Here's the thing: old General Arundel left a considerable amount of money— —divided equally among his sons and daughters. Part of it was reinvested, and I think each investment was a success. The family had stock in the Mortall Company. When Thomas and Arabella got married, Of course, they took away their shares. The other three sisters still live here. They can't even spend a tenth of their income on weekdays. As before, they reinvest the money they can't spend. When Mattie When Erda died, she divided her money between Emily and Agnes, and when Agnes died, she gave all of her money to Emily. Emily lived frugally Live. And when she died, she was a very rich woman—but the Lawson woman got all the money!" Miss Peabody reached the pinnacle of triumph when she said those last words. "Doesn't this surprise you, Miss Peabody?" "Honestly, it surprised me! Emily used to say openly before she died that she was going to share the money with Theresa, Charles, and Bella when she died. And that the relics were going to the servants and all. My God Why, when Emily died, and was about to do what her will said, it was found that she had rewritten her will, and had given poor Miss Lawson all her property!" "This new will must have been written shortly before her death!" Peabody cast a piercing glance on Poirot. "I also wondered if the old woman had been under some undue influence. But I was afraid not, and I don't think poor Lawson had the brains or guts to attempt such a thing. Honestly." , she looked as surprised as everyone else—or so she said herself!" Poirot smiled when he heard the last words. "The new will was made ten days before she died," continued Miss Peabody. "The solicitor says there's no problem, well—maybe it's all right." "You mean..." Poirot leaned forward slightly. "Scam, that's what I'm talking about," said Miss Peabody. "There's something in it." "What exactly are you thinking?" "Don't you understand? How can I know what the scam is? I'm not a lawyer. But this matter is a bit strange, please remember my words." Poirot said slowly: "Has no one questioned or contested the will?" "I believe Teresa consulted legal counsel. It would do her a great favor! What is a lawyer's opinion nine times out of ten? To tell you: 'Don't sue!' Once upon a time, five The lawyers told me not to take action. And how did I do it? No money! I won the case. They put me on the witness stand, a smart but arrogant young man from London, managed to make me do He was unsuccessful. He said to me in court: 'You can't tell whose furs are, Miss Peabody. There's no markings on them.'" "'Maybe so.' I Said, 'But there's a darning in the lining, and if anyone can darn like that today, I'll eat my umbrella.' And he's totally down." Miss Peabody giggled heartily. "I suppose," said Poirot cautiously, "that - feelings of disapproval are quite strong between Miss Lawson and members of Miss Arundell's family?" "What do you expect? You know what human nature is. Trouble always follows a man's death. Most mourners die before the body of a man or woman is barely cool in the coffin. They were fighting each other and scratching each other's eyes." Poirot sighed: "Too true." "It's just human nature," said Miss Peabody, as if she was tolerant of that trait. Poirot changed the subject. "Is Miss Arundell really looking for pleasure in spiritualism?" Miss Peabody fixed Poirot fiercely with sharp eyes. "If you think," she said, "that the spirit of John Arundell has returned to the world and ordered Emily to give all the money to Minnie Lawson, and that Emily obeys him, then I may Tell you, you're totally wrong. Emily is not such a fool. If you want me to answer you, I can tell you that she finds spiritualism more fun than playing cards. You met the Tripp sisters ?" "No." "If you've ever seen it, you'll realize how stupid what they do. It's just to irritate women. Always give you information about a relative or two you've lost - and always contradict yourself .They all believed it. Minnie Lawson believed it too. Oh, well, I think it's as good a way of spending the evening as anything else." However, Poirot tried to change the subject again. "You know young Charles Arundell? What was he like?" "He's not a nice guy. He's a lovely guy. But always short of money--always in debt--every time he comes back from all over the world, he's like a pauper. He knows how to seduce a woman." She giggled And he said, "I've seen a lot of people like that. I can't fool me. But I have to say, Thomas has such an interesting son. Thomas is stable and reserved, a typical honest man. But always disgusting. You listen Well, I like the little rascal--but he's one of those days who'd gladly kill his own grandmother for a shilling or two. He's got no morals. It's strange how anyone should be born with no morals." "Where's his sister?" "Theresa?" Miss Peabody said slowly, shaking her head, "I don't know. She's exotic and different. She's engaged to a lifeless doctor here. Perhaps Have you seen him?" "Doctor Donaldson?" "Yes. They say he's brilliant at being a doctor. But otherwise a poor, stupid day. If I had been a young girl, I wouldn't have fallen in love with such a man. But Theresa has her own idea, she has life experience, I guarantee that." "Doesn't Dr. Donaldson see Miss Arundell?" "When Dr. Granger is away on vacation, he comes to see the doctor." "But this time when Miss Arundell was dying, he didn't come!" "I don't think he came." Poirot laughed and said: "I presume, Miss Peabody, that you don't take him for a doctor?" "I never said that. Actually. You're wrong. He's shrewd enough, and smart enough in his profession—but I don't like it. For example: In the old days, if a child ate too much green If you eat apples, you will suffer from liver qi disharmony. The doctor will also say this disease after reading it. He will let you go home and go to the hospital to get a few pills. Now, the doctor tells you that your child has acidosis, pay attention to him and give you the same medicine as in the old days, but in pretty little white pills, made up by a chemist. But you'll pay three times as much as you used to! Dr. Donaldson belongs to this school. You know, most young mothers prefer this kind of medical treatment. Sounds like the new way is better. This young man won't be here for a long time treating measles and liver trouble patients, his eyes look good In London, he has ambitions, he wants to be an expert." "Which field do you want to become an expert in?" "Serum therapy. I think I'm right. If you're sick, no matter how you feel, there's those nasty hypodermic needles going in your flesh. I can't stand those nasty injections myself." "Is Dr. Donaldson trying to cure any other particular ailment?" "Don't ask me. All I know is that a general doctor's practice isn't enough for him. He wants to practice in London. But that requires money, and he's as poor as a church mouse, no matter the church mouse What is it like?" Poirot whispered to himself: "It's frustrating when real talent is held back because of a lack of money. Yet there are people who can't even spend a quarter of their income." "Miss Emily Arundell couldn't spend it," said Miss Peabody. "When the will was read, some people were rather surprised. I said it was the money that surprised people, not the money left to Who's specific method." "Do you think the rest of her own family were surprised, too?" "That's hard to say," said Miss Peabody, her eyes narrowed in excitement. "I don't know for sure, and I don't deny. One of them has a pretty clever idea." "Which person?" "Charles, he's done some calculations with his money. He's not a fool, this Charles." "But a little idle, huh?" "Anyway, he's not a fool," said Miss Peabody slyly. She paused, then asked: "Are you going to meet him?" "That's what I mean," said Poirot solemnly. "It seems to me that he may have family matters concerning his grandfather?" "It's quite possible that he burned the material, this young man has no respect for his elders." "All avenues should be tried." "It seems so," said Miss Peabody dryly. Her blue eyes, which flashed momentarily, seemed to displease Poirot.He stood up. "I shouldn't take any more of your time, miss. I'm very grateful that you were able to tell me all this." "I did my best," said Miss Peabody. "It looks like we're getting pretty far off the subject of the Indian Rebellion, don't we?" She shook hands with us both. "Tell me when it comes out," she said when she parted from us, "and I'll be very interested in it." The last thing we heard was a mellow giggle as we left the house.