فصل 17

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

In Wandsworth

Henry Mitchell, who had been the senior steward on the flight from Le Bourget, was just sitting down to supper with his wife when Monsieur Poirot came to see him. Poirot insisted that the Mitchells should continue with their supper. He sat down in a chair, discussed the weather, and then came to the reason for his visit. ‘Scotland Yard, I fear, is not making much progress with the murder case,’ he said.

Mitchell shook his head. ‘How can they, Sir, if none of the people on the plane saw anything?’

‘Henry’s been so worried about it,’ added his wife. ‘He can’t sleep at night.’

‘I feel so guilty, Sir. I should have noticed that the lady was dead when I first took round the bills.’

‘It would have made no difference,’ Poirot assured him.

‘Inspector Japp has asked me, again and again, if anything unusual happened on the way over. I’m worried that I have forgotten something - but I know I haven’t.’

‘There’s one thing I would like to ask you, Monsieur Mitchell,’ said Poirot. ‘Was everything on Madame Giselle’s table in the correct place?’

‘When I found her?’

‘Yes. The spoons, the forks, the salt pot, and so on?’

‘Yes. Everything had been cleared away, except for the coffee cups. I didn’t notice anything unusual.’

‘It is of no importance. I must also speak with Mr Davis.’

‘He’s working on the 8.45 a.m. service now, Sir.’

‘Has this business upset him much?’

‘He’s young, Sir. I think he’s enjoyed the excitement. People have been buying him drinks and asking to hear about it.’

‘Does he have a young lady? No doubt his connection with the crime would be exciting to her.’

‘He’s seeing the landlord’s daughter at the Crown and Feathers pub. But she’s a sensible girl - she doesn’t approve of being mixed up with a murder.’

‘She is very wise,’ said Poirot, rising to his feet.

Poirot found Davis at the Crown and Feathers and asked him the same question.

‘In the correct place, Sir?’ said Davis. ‘You mean tidy?’

‘I mean, was there something missing from the table - or something present that would not usually be there?’

Davis said slowly, ‘There was something. I noticed it when I was clearing up, after the police had gone, but I don’t suppose that’s what you mean. The dead lady had two coffee spoons in her saucer. It happens sometimes, when we’re serving in a hurry. I noticed it because there’s a saying that two spoons in a saucer means a wedding.’

‘Was there a spoon missing from anyone else’s saucer?’

‘Not that I noticed, Sir.’