Chapter 18 Chapter Two Poirot's Five Questions

"What's the matter, M. Poirot," said Philip Black impatiently. Poirot said: "Thank you very much for your complete account of the Currel tragedy." Philip Blake seemed very self-aware. He murmured: "You are very polite. When I actually wrote, I realized that I remembered a lot. It was a bit surprising." Poirot said: "The description is very clear, but it was omitted on purpose. something, isn't it?" "Omit?" Philip Black frowned.Hercule Poirot said: "Your account, we may say, is not frank." His tone became hardened. "I was told, Mr. Blake, that one summer night Mrs. Currell was Come out of your room at the right moment."

Philip Black was silent for a long time, except for his heavy breathing.Finally he said, "Who told you that?" Hercule Poirot shook his head. "It doesn't matter who told me, what matters is that I know about it." After another long silence, Philip Blake finally made up his mind.He said: "It appears that you have stumbled upon a purely personal matter. I admit that it does not agree with what I have written, but it is not so bad as you think, and I must now tell you the truth. "Yes, I do hate Caroline Collier, but I can't help being fascinated by her. Maybe the former is the result of the latter. I hate her influence over me, so I keep picking on her." Resisting her attraction to me. I've never liked her - hope you know what I mean, but it's not that hard to get me to make love to her anytime. I've loved her since I was a kid, but she just doesn't notice Me, so I have never been able to forgive her. When Anya fell madly in love with the girl named Ge Li, I found my chance came. I couldn't help telling Kai Ruolin that I fell in love with her, but she said flatly : 'Yes, I already knew that.' That woman is so arrogant!"

"Of course I know she doesn't love me, but I can see that she was very troubled and saddened by Anya's obsession with other women at that time. Women can easily throw themselves into the arms of other men in that mood. She promised to come to me that night , the result really came.” Blake paused, as if he didn't know how to word it properly. "After she came to my room, I put my arms around her, but she told me coldly that it was useless. She said that no matter what, she was a woman who remained faithful. No matter what the situation, She only belonged to Anya Corell. She said she knew she was very bad to me, but she couldn't restrain herself and hoped that I would forgive her. Then she left me, did you hear? She left me! Bai Mr. Luo, wouldn't my hatred for her increase a thousand times? Would I forgive her? She insulted me so much and killed my best friend in the world."

Philip Blake, trembling, said aloud, "I don't want to mention this, do you hear me? You've got the answer you want, now you can go! Don't ever speak to me about this again." That's half a word of the matter!" "Mr. Black, I should like to know the order in which the guests of the house left your laboratory that day," said Meredy Black. "But, dear Mr. Poirot! It has been sixteen years! How can I remember?" ? As I said, Kai Ruolin was the last one to come out." "Are you sure you're right?" "Yes—at least—I think so..."

"Shall we go to the lab now? You know, we have to be pretty sure." Still reluctantly, Meredith Black led the way, unlocked the laboratory door, and pushed open the shutters, to which Poirot said to him in a dignified tone: "Now, my friend, suppose you have shown yourself to the guests. Interesting herbs, please close your eyes and think about it." Meredy Black obediently closed her eyes, and Poirot took out a handkerchief from his pocket and waved it gently back and forth. Black twitched his nose slightly and murmured. "Yes, yes—it's a marvelous way one remembers things. I remember Caroline in a light brown dress, and Philip looked impatient... He always thought my hobbies were silly." Poirot said: "Recall now, suppose you are leaving the laboratory, and you are going to the study to read to them a passage about the death of Socrates. Who was the first to leave the laboratory?—Is it you?" ?”

“Elsa and I – yes, she went out the door first and I followed her and we were talking. I stood at the door and waited for the others to come out so the door could be locked. Philip – yes, Philip Pu then walked out. Behind him was Angela, she was asking him some questions, they went all the way into the hall, and Anya followed. I still stood at the door—of course, to wait for Kai Ruolin.” "That said, you're sure Caroline was the last one to come out. Did you see what she was doing?" Meredith Black shook her head. "No, you know, I have my back to the lab. Because I was talking to Elsa - telling her that according to the ancient superstition, the herbs should be collected when the moon is full, I think she must be very upset. Then Kay Ruo Lin walked out—in a hurry—and I locked the door.”

He stopped and looked at Poirot, who was putting his handkerchief back into his pocket.Meredith Black thought in disgust: "Hey, this guy still wears perfume!" Then exclaimed: "I'm sure that's the order, Elsa, myself, Philip, Angela, Anya, and Kay." Ruo Lin, is this of any use to you?" Poirot said: "Everything is going well, I want to arrange a party here. I think it shouldn't be too difficult..." "What's up?" Aisha Ditisan's tone was urgent - childlike. "I want to ask you something, ma'am." "Oh?" "After the incident—I mean after the trial—did Meredith Black propose to you?"

Elsa stares at him with contempt.Even a little tired expression. "Yes—he proposed to me. How?" "Are you surprised?" "Am I surprised? I don't remember." "How did you answer him?" Aisha smiled and said, "What do you think I would answer? Compared with Anya - Meredith? It's ridiculous! He's so stupid, he's always been stupid." She laughed again suddenly: "You You know, he wanted to protect me—take care of me, he said! He thought the trial was going to hit me hard, like everyone else, and the reporters! The disgruntled crowd! All that slander against me!"

She thought for a moment, then said, "Poor old Meredy! What a fool!" and laughed again. Hercule Poirot once again faced Miss William's shrewd and stern eyes, and felt that time seemed to go back a long time, and he became a docile and fearful little boy again. He explained to her that he had a question he wanted to ask her. Miss William said she would like to hear what the problem was. Poirot chose his words carefully and said: "Angela Warren was injured when she was very young. I found out from my notes that this incident was mentioned twice. One of them was that Mrs. Currel A book town was thrown at the child, and another time it was said that she beat her with an iron rod. Which statement is correct?"

Miss William replied sullenly: "I've never heard of using iron rods, it should be using book weights." "Who told you that?" "Angela told me herself, and she took the initiative to use me to tell this story very early on." "What did she say?" "She touched her cheek and said: 'This is what Kai Ruolin did to me when I was a child. She threw me with a book. Please don't mention it to her, okay? Because she will be very disturbed.'" "Korei Has Mrs. Earl ever talked to you about it herself?" "Only indirectly. She thought I should know the story. I remember her saying once: 'I know you think I dote on Angela too much to put her Spoiled, but you know, I always feel like there's no way I can make up for what I've done.' Another time she said: 'Knowing that I've hurt someone forever is an unbearable psychological burden.'"" Thank you, Miss William, that's all I want to know." Poirot slowed down a little as he walked into the row of apartments facing Regent Park.It occurred to him that he actually didn't want to ask Angela Warren any questions at all.Even the only thing I want to ask her can wait until... Yes, he came here just to satisfy that sense of symmetry and balance. Since there are five people, he should ask five questions!In this way, his work will be more complete.Well, well—he could always think of whatever he wanted.Angela Warren greeted him with considerable enthusiasm, and said, "Got any clues? Any progress?"

Poirot nodded with the most respectful attitude, and said: "At least I have made some progress?" "Is that Philip Black?" Her tone was somewhere between narrative and questioning. "Miss, I don't want to say anything yet, because the time has not come yet. I just want to trouble you to Hanks Manor, and everyone else has already agreed." She frowned slightly and said, "What do you want to do? Relive the old dream from sixteen years ago?" "Perhaps to look at it from a clearer angle. Would you like to go?" Angela Warren said slowly, "Okay, I will. It must be interesting to see those people again. Maybe As you said, I can now see them from a clearer standpoint as well." "Can you take the letter you showed me?" Angela Warren frowned again. "That's my private letter. It's good intentions and reasons for me to show you, but I don't want those strangers and sympathetic people to read it." "Can you listen to me about this matter?" "I don't do that kind of thing. I'll take the letter with me, but I'll judge for myself. I'll take the liberty to say that I trust my judgment to be as good as yours." Poirot made a gesture of determination.He stood up to leave, and said. "Can I ask one more quick question?" "what is the problem?" "Did you just read Maugham's book when the tragedy happened?" Angela looked at him and said, "I think—yes, you're right." She looked at him curiously and asked, "How do you know?" "I just want you to know, miss, that I can be a magician even in trivial things. There are things I don't need to be told."