Chapter 14 Chapter two

Gisup was a middle-aged man with a monkey-like face and a thin build.He looked tense, and there was a reason for it.He was fluent in English, which he explained was because he had come to England when he was sixteen and married an English wife. Kemp was kind to him. "Now, Gisup, let's hear if you think of anything else?" "It was very, very unpleasant to me. I served their table, I poured the wine. People would say I didn't want to live. Said I poisoned the wine. It's not true, but People still say that. Mr. Goldstein said I'd better take a week off - so people don't ask and point at me. He's fair and nice and he understands it's not my fault , and I've been there for years, so he's not going to fire me like other restaurateurs. So is Mr. Charles, he's always been kind, but it's still a great misfortune for me - and makes I was terrified. I asked myself, do I have any enemies that might frame me?"

"Oh," said Camp, with a face like a statue, "do you have any?" Gisep's sad monkey face contorted, then broke into laughter, and he spread his hands and said: "Me? I don't have any enemies in this world. I have many good friends, but I have no enemies." Camp grunted. "Now talk to me about the champagne." "It's a 1928 Cretan champagne--very expensive wine. Mr. Barton likes it--he likes good food, the best." "Is he pre-ordered wine?" "Yes. He arranges everything with Charles." "What about the empty seat at the table?"

"That, too, was arranged by him. He told Charles, and Charles told me. A young lady who was coming later took a seat." "A young lady?" Reese and Kemp looked at each other, "Do you know who that young lady is?" Jessup shook his head. "I don't know at all. I just heard she was going to be late." "Continue to talk about the wine, how many bottles are there?" "There were three bottles including the spare bottle. The first bottle was consumed quickly. The second bottle was opened shortly before the sideshow, and I filled all the glasses and put it in the ice bucket."

"When was the last time you noticed Mr. Button raising a drink?" "Let's see, after the sideshow, they honored the lady. It was her birthday, so I knew it was her. Then they went to dance. After the dance, they went back to their seats, and Mr. Barton drank, and all of a sudden In no time, he died!" "Did you pour the wine while they were dancing?" "No, sir. When they toasted the lady, the wine glass was full. They didn't drink much, they only took a few sips, so there was still a lot of wine in the glass after the toast." "Did anyone—anyone—approach that table while they were dancing?"

"Not at all, sir, I'm sure." "They all go dancing at the same time?" "yes." "And all return to their seats at the same time?" Gisep narrowed his eyes and tried to remember. "Mr. Barton, he went back first—with the lady. He was fatter than the others, and he didn't dance for long, which you can understand. Then there was the gentleman, Mr. Farley, and the lady in black." Mrs. Alexander Farrelly and the dark gentleman are last." "You know Mr. Farrelly and Mrs. Alexander?" "Yes, sir. I see them often at the Luxembourg restaurant. They stand out."

"Gissup, if one of them put something in Mr. Button's cup, you'd be sure to find out?" "Then I can't promise, sir. I have two other small tables to serve, plus two tables in the hall. I haven't been paying attention to Mr. Barton's table. After the sideshow, almost everyone gets up." dancing, so I stood there silently at that time - which is why I'm sure no one approached the table after that. But as soon as the guests sat down, I was busy again." Kemp nodded. "But I think," continued Kitsup, "that it would be difficult to do what you say without being noticed. It seems to me that it is possible only for Mr. Button himself. But you don't think so?"

He looked at the inspector questioningly. "That's your opinion, then, isn't it?" "Actually I don't know anything - I'm just guessing. Exactly a year ago, that pretty lady, Mrs. Button, killed herself. Could it not be that Mr. Button was overwhelmed with grief and decided to kill himself in the same way?" That's very poetic. Of course that would be bad for the restaurant - but suicidal people don't think about that." After he finished speaking, his eyes shuttled back and forth between the two people in front of him. Kemp shook his head. "I wonder if it's that simple," he said.

He asked a few more questions, then let Gisup go. After the door closed behind Gisup, Reese said: "I wonder if that's what we're supposed to believe?" "Grieving husband commits suicide on wife's death anniversary? Not exactly an anniversary - but close." "Just All Souls' Day," Reese said. "True. Yes, that may have been the idea—but in that case, whoever the murderer was, he could not have known that the two letters were preserved, and that Mr. Button had consulted with you, and had taken the two Show the letter to Iris Marle."

He finished and looked at his watch. "I'm going to Kidderminster at half-past twelve, and we've got time to see the people sitting at the other two little tables—as many as we can. You'll come with me. Right, Colonel?"