Hercule Poirot's Casebook

I have done - made the best of both worlds - saved myself from

disaster by a clever trick.'

'My lord,' said Poirot, 'if you could not make the best of both

worlds, you could not be a politician!'

58

MURDER IN THE MEWS

CHAPTER I

'Penny for the guy, sir?'

A small boy with a grimy face grinned ingratiatingly.

'Certainly not!' said Chief Inspector Japp. 'And, look here,

my lad '

A short homily followed. The dismayed urchin beat a

precipitate retreat, remarking briefly and succinctly to his

youthful friends:

'Blimey, if it ain't a cop all togged up!'

The band took to its .heels, chanting the incantation:

Remember, remember

The fifth of November

Gunpowder treason and plot.

We see no reason

Why gunpowder treason

Should ever be forgot.

The chief inspector's companion, a small, elderly man with

an egg-shaped head and large, military-looking moustaches,

was smiling to himself.

'Trbs btam, Japp,' he observed. 'You preach the sermon very

well! I congratulate you!'

'Rank excuse for begging, that's what Guy Fawkes' Day is!'

said Japp.

'An interesting survival,' mused Hercule Poiroc 'The

f'treworks go up - crack - crack - long after the man they

COmmemorate and his deed are forgotten.'

The Scotland Yard man agreed.

59

'Don't suppose many of those kids really know who Guy

Fawkes Was.'

'And soon, doubtless, there will be confusion of thoug Is

it in honour or in execration that on the fifth of Novembe the leu d artifice are sent up. To blow up an English Parlian ,:t,

was it a sin or a noble deed?'

Japp chuckled.

'Some people would say undoubtedly the latter.'

Turning off the main road, the two men passed into the

comparative quiet of a mews. They had been dining toge er

and were now taking a short cut to Hercule Poirot's flat

As they walked along the sound of squibs was still heard

periodically. An occasional shower of golden rain illuminated

the sky.

'Good night for a murder,' remarked Japp with professional

interest. 'Nobody would hear a shot, for instance, on a night

like this.'

'It has always seemed odd to me that more criminals do not

take advantage of the fact,' said Hercule Poirot.

'Do you know, Poirot, I almost wish sometimes that you

would commit a murder.'

Then chert'

'Yes, I'd like to see just how you'd set about it.'

'My dear Japp,/fi committed a murder you would not have

the least chance of seeing - how I set about it! You would not

even be aware, probably, that a murder had been committed.'

Japp laughed good-humouredly and affectionately.

'Cocky little devil, aren't you?' he said indulgently.

At half-past eleven the following morning, Hercule Poirot's

telephone rang.

"Allo? 'Allo?'

'Hallo, that you, Poirot?'

'Oui, c' est mot'.'

'Japp speaking here. Remember we came home last night

through Bardsley Gardens Mews?'

'Yes?'

60

'And that we talked about how easy it would be to shoot a

person with all those squibs and crackers and the rest of it going

off?.'

'Well, there was a suicide in that mews. No. 14. A young

widow - Mrs Allen. I'm going round there now. Like to come?'

'Excuse me, but does someone of your eminence, my dear

friend, usually get sent to a case of suicide?'

'Sharp fellow. No - he doesn't. As a matter of fact our doctor

seems to think there's something funny about this. Will you

come? I kind of feel you ought to be in on it.'

'Certainly I will come. No. 14, you say?'

'That's right.'

Poirot arrived at No. 14 Bardsley Gardens Mews almost at the

same moment as a car drew up containing Japp and three other

No. 14 was clearly marked out as the centre of interest. A big

. circle of people, chauffeurs, their wives, errand boys, loafers,

: well-dressed passers-by and innumerable children were drawn

up all staring at No. I4 with open mouths and a fascinated

stare.

A police constable in uniform stood on the step and did his

best to keep back the curious. Alert-looking young men with

cameras were busy and surged forward as Japp alighted.

i 'Nothing for you now,' said Japp, brushing them aside. He

nodded to Poirot. 'So here you are. Let's get inside.'

They passed in quickly, the door shut behind them and they

found themselves squeezed together at the foot of a ladder-like

flight of stairs.

A man came to the top of the staircase, recognized Japp and

said:

'Up here, sir.'

Japp and Poirot mounted the stairs.

The man at the stairhead opened a door on the left and they

found themselves in a small bedroom.

'Thought you'd like me to run over the chief points, sir.'

61

'Quite right, Jameson,' said Japp. 'What about it?'

Divisional Inspector Jameson took up the tale.

'Deceased's a Mrs Allen, sir. Lived here with a friend - a

Miss Plenderleith. Miss Plenderleith was away staying in the

country and returned this morning. She let herself in with her

key, was surprised to fred no one about. A woman usually

comes in at nine o'clock to do for them. She went upstairs fn-st

into her own room (that's this room) then across the landing to

her friend's room. Door was locked on the inside. She rattled

the handle, knocked and called, but couldn't get any answer. In

the end getting alarmed she rang up the police station. That