Chapter 11 Chapter Ten: The Weeping Pig

Angela's room is overlooking the Regent Park. In this warm spring season, a gentle air flow pours in from the window. If it weren't for the occasional rumble of cars outside, it would be like being in the Country-like. When the door opened, Poirot turned from the window, and Angela also walked in. This was not the first time he had seen her, he had heard her speak once.He thought her speech was very good, and most people might think it was a little boring.When Angela spoke, there was no pause or hesitation, no repetition, and the tone was clear without melody.She made no concessions to romantic sentiments, and covered few popular interests.She states many facts, presents many excellent slides, and draws intelligent conclusions from the facts presented.In short, correct, unemotional, clear, intelligible, and fairly specific.

Polo couldn't help deeply approving, he thought, her mind is really very clear. At this moment, he was able to see her up close, and he realized that she might have been a very good-looking woman.Her features were regular, if slightly severe.Her eyebrows are straight, her brown eyes are clear and wise, and her skin is quite fair. With square shoulders, he walks a bit like a man. From her body, of course, there is no trace of the pair of "woo-woo" and weeping piglets.But there is a wrinkled scar on her right cheek, and her right eye is also a little twisted, with a slightly drooping corner, but outsiders can't tell that this eye is blind.Polo was almost sure that all these years had almost made her completely forget about this crippled limb.It also made him think that among the five people he is most interested in, the one with the best conditions may not be the most successful and happiest now.Take Aisha, who had the best conditions at the time, as an example. She was young, beautiful, and rich at the time, but now she seems to be the most failed.She was like a flower caught by a premature frost—still blooming, but lifeless.From the outside, Miss William had nothing to boast about, but in Poirot's eyes, she didn't feel depressed at all, and she didn't feel that she had any failures.Miss William was very interested in her own life, and in other people and things.She had the mind and the morals of a strict Victorian upbringing that people of the day lacked—she had done the part God had given her, and God would call her to heaven.

This self-confidence armed her against envy, dissatisfaction, and regret.Although her economic ability is limited, she has her own memorable events and little joys, and enough energy and health to keep her interested in life. As for Angela in front of her—although her body was mutilated and humiliated because of it, Polo believed that the struggle she had to face made her more confident and affirmed her life.The naughty and unruly female student back then has turned into an energetic woman.She has the brains, the energy, and can pull off any ambition.Poirot believed that she was a successful and happy woman with a fulfilling and gratifying life.

However, she is not the kind of woman that Poirot really likes.Poirot admired her clarity of mind, but she only reminded him of men.Her eyes were always high. Talking to Angela, it is easy to get to the point without finding other excuses.He only briefly explained the process of meeting Carla. Angela's serious face became cheerful and clear. "Little Carla? Is she here? I really want to see her." "You didn't keep in touch with her?" "Should have kept in touch, but we hardly ever did. I went to boarding school when she went to Canada, and of course I thought she'd forget about us in a year or two. The next few years we only had occasional Christmas Gifts to each other on Christmas Day. I think she's quite used to life in Canada now, and will be living there in the future. In this case, it's best."

Polo said: "Of course you can think that way. She changed her surname, her living environment changed, and she lived a brand new life. But in fact it is not that simple." He then spoke of Carla's engagement, the tragedy she discovered as an adult, and her motives for coming to England. Angela listened quietly, her injured right cheek resting on one hand.When Polo said these things, she didn't show any emotion, but after Polo finished speaking, she said quietly: "It's also good for Cara." Polo was very surprised, this was the first time he had come into contact with this kind of reaction.He said: "You agree? Miss Warren."

"Of course, I wish her success and would do everything in my power to help her. You know, I feel guilty for not trying to do anything." "So she might be right?" Angela said: "Of course, Kai Ruolin didn't kill him, I already knew." Poirot murmured: "You really surprised me, miss. Everyone I met..." She interrupted him at once, saying, "You can't listen to them. I know there's a lot of evidence, but I have reasons for believing it—based on what I know of my sister. I'm absolutely sure that Caroline couldn't have kill anybody."

"Can a person be so sure of another person?" "Probably not in most cases, but I have special reasons and can say so more than anyone else." She pointed to her injured right cheek. "Did you see it? You probably heard about it too?" Polo nodded. "Caroline did it. That's why I know she's not the murderer." "Most people have a hard time accepting that explanation." "No, just the opposite. I believe this proves that Kai Ruolin has a bad temper and is not easy to control. Because she hurt me when I was a child, some people thought she would also poison an unfaithful husband."

Poirot said: "At least I can tell the difference. A grumpy man doesn't steal poison and then poison someone the next day." Angela waved impatiently. "That's not what I meant at all. I must explain what I mean. Suppose you were originally a loving and affectionate person, but very jealous. And suppose that the older you get, the harder it is to control your temper." , I did get angry once and almost killed a person. Think about how shocked, terrified and regretful you will feel. A sentimental person like Kai Ruolin can never get rid of that feeling of fear and regret. She That's it. I'm not saying that I felt that way at the time, but now that I think about it, I understand it very well. Caroline has been thinking about the things that hurt me, and she has never been able to find peace in her heart, so she treats me That attitude. She felt that no matter how nice I was, I was always the most important thing in her eyes. Most of the fights between her and Anya were because of me. I was very jealous of him and used to treat him As a prank, sneaking cat food into his drink, and once putting slugs on his bed. But Caroline always sided with me."

Angela paused, and then said: "Of course it's not good for me, it really spoiled me, but let's not talk about that now, we are now talking about the impression of Kai Ruolin. That impulsive behavior , has influenced her all her life, Kai Ruolin has been paying attention to her own actions, for fear of making the same mistake again. She has her own defense methods, one of which is like to exaggerate, she feels that if the words are strong enough, it will not As for taking drastic action (which, psychologically speaking, seems right to me, too), she has found from experience that it works, so she sometimes says, 'I'm going to chop so-and-so into pieces and put fried in a pan.' Sometimes she would say to me or Anya, 'If you annoy me like this again, I'll kill you.' Likewise, she was very quarrelsome and violent. I think , She knows that she is naturally inclined to violence, so she deliberately vented it in this way. She and Anya often quarrel upside down." Polo nodded. "Yes, I heard that they often quarreled." Angela said: "It's not true at all, that kind of evidence is so ridiculous and so wrong. Of course Kai Ruolin and Anya quarreled! They cursed at each other! But no one knew, they Love to fight, it's true! They're that kind of couple, both of them love acting and drama. Most men are different, they like peace, but Anja is an artist, he likes to be loud, loud, and rough .He's the kind of guy who would make a fuss if the collar button came off. I know it sounds weird, but Anya and Caroline think it's fun to live in such a rowdy life!"

She made an impatient gesture. "I'd tell them that if they weren't in a rush to throw me out and testify in court," she shrugged. I knew this before, but it never occurred to me to say it.” She looked at Poirot. "do you understand me?" He nodded vigorously. "Knowing very well, and knowing that you're absolutely right. Some people just find it too monotonous to live peacefully. Need some drama in life to stimulate the excitement." "exactly!" "Miss Warren, I would like to ask, how did you feel at that time?" Angela sighed.

"I think it was mostly confusion and helplessness, like an unbelievable nightmare. Kai Ruolin was arrested very quickly, probably in about three days. I still remember being so angry - of course, I kept being childish I thought it was just a ridiculous mistake, nothing really happened. Kai Ruolin was most worried about me --- she asked me to go as far away as possible, and asked Miss William to take me to a distant relative's house immediately. The police didn't object. After they thought that I didn't need to provide evidence, I was sent to a boarding school. Of course I didn't want to go, but they explained to me that Kai Ruolin was very worried about me, and the only thing I could do for her was The way is to leave as soon as possible." She paused and continued. "So I went to Munich, and I was there when... the verdict was pronounced. They didn't let me go, and it was Kai Ruolin who insisted. I think that was the only time she didn't understand me." "No Then, Miss Warren, it might make a terrible impression on a sensitive girl to see someone she loves in prison." "Perhaps." Angela stood up, and said: "Sentence her After being guilty, my sister wrote me a letter. I never showed it to anyone. I thought I should show it to you now, so that you can understand what kind of person she is. If you want, you can also give it to Carla take a look." She walked to the door, turned around and said, "Come with me, there is a portrait of Kai Ruolin in my room." Poirot went with her and stood looking at the picture for a while. As far as the portrait itself was concerned, it was just an ordinary painting, but Poirot looked at it with great interest-it was not its artistic value that attracted him. He saw an oval face, a fine jawline and a sweet, slightly shy expression.It was a face without confidence, heavy on emotion, with a shy and hidden beauty.She's not as energetic as her daughter—Kara apparently inherited that from her father.Kai Ruolin is not as active as her.But from this face, Poirot could understand why a person with a rich imagination like Quentin Fargo hadn't forgotten her. Angela was standing beside him again, holding a letter in her hand. She said calmly: "After seeing her portrait, it's time to read her letter." He opened it carefully, and read the letter Kai Ruolin wrote sixteen years ago. Dear little Angela: You're going to hear bad news from me, and you'll be sad, but I want to emphasize that everything will be fine. I've never lied to you, so when I tell you I'm really happy, I'm really happy -- I experience a peace and tranquility that I've never felt before.It's all right, honey, it's all right.Don't look back on the past, don't feel sorry for me---live your life well and pursue success.I know that you will succeed and everything will be all right, my dear.I am going to follow Anya, and I firmly believe that we will be together.I can't live without him... Do one thing for me -- make yourself happy.As I said, I am very happy.One has to pay one's own debt.It's good to feel at peace in my heart. love your sister caroline Polo read it carefully twice, and then returned the letter to Angela. He said: "It's a beautiful letter, miss -- and very special, really very special." Angela said: "Caroline is a special person." "Yes, her thoughts are very special... Do you think this letter shows her innocence?" "of course!" "It's not stated in the letter." "That's because Kai Ruolin never thought that I would think she was the murderer!" "Maybe—maybe... But it can also be explained from another angle, that is, because she is guilty, only atonement can bring her peace." This, he thought, matched what others had said about her in court.At this moment, he felt an unprecedented suspicion. So far, all the evidence is against Kai Ruolin, and now, even what she said is against her. But on the other hand, Angela's confidence in her was very firm.Needless to say, Angela knew her very well, but could it be just the wishful thinking and loyalty of a sister who loves her sister deeply? Angela seemed to know what he was thinking, and said, "No, Mr. Polo --- I know that Kai Ruolin is not the murderer." Polo said briskly, "God knows I don't want to shake your faith, but we must face the reality. You said that sister Ling is not a murderer, that's fine, so what is the real situation?" Angela nodded thoughtfully and said, "I agree, it's really difficult to find out the answer. I think maybe Kai Ruolin is right, Anya committed suicide." "Is it possible to know him from years ago?" "Very unlikely." "But you didn't say that you knew there was no such possibility as you did just now." "No, as I said, many people do the impossible—that is, the seemingly out of character. But if you know them well enough, it's not entirely impossible." "You know your brother-in-law very well?" "Yes, but not as well as I know Caroline. Anya's suicide does seem very unlikely to me—but I think he might kill himself anyway. In fact, he must have killed himself." "You can't find any other explanation?" Angela accepted his suggestion calmly, but she was not completely uninterested. "Oh, I know what you mean... I never seriously considered that possibility. You mean that someone else among those people killed him? It was cold-blooded murder..." "It's possible, isn't it?" "It's possible...but it seems too improbable." "More unlikely than suicide?" "It's hard to say... On the face of it, there was no reason to suspect anyone else. In retrospect, I still have no reason to..." "But we might as well consider it. Of those who are closely connected, who do you think--the most likely murderer?" "I'll think about it. Well, I didn't kill him, and neither did Elsa, who was mad when he died. Who else? Meredith? He's always liked Caroline, like It's like a good little cat in their family. I think this may be his motivation. He may want to get rid of Anya so that he can marry Kai Ruolin. But he can also achieve it as long as he lets Anya leave with Elsa. Purpose. Besides, I really don't see Meredy as the murderer. He's too gentle, too cautious. Who else?" Polo prompted: "Miss William? Philip?" Angela's serious expression turned into a relaxed smile. "Miss William? No one believes that tutors can really kill people! Miss William has always been strong, full of justice, and integrity." She paused, and then said: "Of course, she likes Kai Ruolin very much and is willing to do anything for her. She also hates Anya. She is a full-fledged feminist and hates men. Is this enough to constitute a reason for murder?" ?of course not." "It doesn't look like it," said Poirot. Angela said again: "Philip?" She was silent for a moment, then said calmly, "You know, if we're talking about possibilities, he should be the most likely." Poirot said, "That's really interesting, Miss Warren. May I ask why?" "There are definite reasons, but from what I remember of him he must have been a man of limited imagination." "You think people with limited imaginations tend to kill people?" "It could be a rude way to solve one's own difficulties, the type of person who takes satisfaction from a certain action. Murder is a rude thing, don't you think?" "Yes, I think you're right...it's a possibility. But, Miss Warren, more importantly, we must be sure. What motives might Philip have?" Angela didn't answer immediately, she stood frowning and looked at the ground. Poirot said, "He's Anya's best friend, isn't he?" She nodded. "There must be something in your heart that you didn't tell me, Miss Warren. Are the two of them against each other? Maybe it's because of that girl Aisha?" "Oh, no, it's not." "What's that?" Angela said slowly, "You know, it's a very strange way to suddenly recall the past after many years. Let me explain it to you: When I was eleven years old, someone told me the story, I didn't understand the point at the time, and I let it go and never thought about it again. But almost two years ago, when I went to see a farce, the story suddenly came back to me, and I thought I was so surprised that I even said it aloud: 'Oh, so that's what the pudding's silly story meant, and I just understand it now.' But there is no direct relationship between the two, just some funny similarities." Polo said : "I understand what you mean, Miss." "Then you will understand the meaning of what I am going to tell you now. I was once staying in a hotel and was walking down a passage when a bedroom door opened and a woman I knew came out. It wasn't her bedroom—but the expression on her face when she saw me made it clear. So I also realized that one night in Audbury, seeing Caroline from the filet That look on her face when she came out of Pu's room meant a lot." She leaned forward to stop Polo from interrupting. "You know, I didn't think of anything at the time. I was sensible--girls at that age usually understand things between men and women--but I didn't associate those things with reality. Caroline never Philip's coming out of his room seemed to me just Caroline's coming out of his room, no different from Miss William's or mine. But I did notice the look on her face - when I I don't understand that strange expression, and I can't understand it. I didn't understand what it was until I saw the same expression on the other woman's face that night in Paris." Poirot said slowly: "But Hua Miss Lun, what you said really surprised me. From what Philip told me, I think he has always disliked Miss Ling." Angela said: "I know, I can't explain it, but it's the way it is." Polo nodded slowly.When he met Philip, he felt something was wrong.Philip's hatred for Kai Ruolin was somewhat not from the bottom of his heart.A sentence that Meredy said came back to Poirot's mind at this time: "When Anya married her, he must have been very angry... and ignored them for more than a year..." So, did Philip What about Kai Ruolin?Would it be because she chose Anya that he would turn love into hatred?Yes, Philip was too excited --- too prejudiced.I don't care to think about him, a happy, successful man with golf balls and a comfortable house.Sixteen years ago, what did he really feel?Angela said: "I don't understand this, you know, I have no experience with love - Venus has never found me. I tell you this because I think it may... What happened is connected."