"Visitors were not permitted below at that hour, so, in spite of
my many apologies, Mademoiselle Cynthia's colleague had to go
down and fetch it for me."
"Then you knew what you were going to find?"
"No, not at all. I merely realized that it was possible, from
your story, for Monsieur Lawrence to go to the poison cupboard.
The possibility had to be confirmed, or eliminated."
"Poirot," I said, "your gaiety does not deceive me. This is a
very important discovery."
"I do not know," said Poirot. "But one thing does strike me. No
doubt it has struck you too."
"What is that?"
"Why, that there is altogether too much strychnine about this
case. This is the third time we run up against it. There was
strychnine in Mrs. Inglethorp's tonic. There is the strychnine
sold across the counter at Styles St. Mary by Mace. Now we have
more strychnine, handled by one of the household. It is
confusing; and, as you know, I do not like confusion."
Before I could reply, one of the other Belgians opened the door
and stuck his head in.
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