He placed his ladder against the side of the house and began his work.
The first window he tackled was that of Mrs. Lorrimer's room.
When, however, he saw what was going on, he quickly retired to another window, but he had seen something first.
He shall tell us his own story."
Poirot stepped lightly across the floor, turned a door handle, called,
"Come in, Stephens," and returned.
A big, awkward-looking man with red hair entered. In his hand he held a uniform hat bearing the legend Chelsea Window Cleaners Association which he twirled awkwardly.
Poirot said, "Is there anybody you recognize in this room?"
The man looked round, then gave a bashful nod of the head toward Doctor Roberts.
"Him," he said.
"Tell us when you saw him last and what he was doing?"
"This morning it was.
Eight o'clock job at a lady's house in Cheyne Lane.
I started on the windows there.
Lady was in bed.
Looked ill she did.
She was just turning her head round on the pillow.
This gent I took to be a doctor.
He shoved her sleeve up and jabbed something into her arm just about here." He gestured. "She just dropped back on the pillow again.
I thought I'd better hop it to another window, so I did.
Hope I didn't do wrong in any way?"
"You did admirably, my friend," said Poirot. He said quietly, "Eh bien, Doctor Roberts?"
"A - a simple restorative," stammered Roberts. "A last hope of bringing her round.
It's monstrous -"
Poirot interrupted him.
"A simple restorative?
N-methyl-clyclo-hexenyl-methyl-malonyl urea," said Poirot. He rolled out the syllables unctuously. "Known more simply as Evipan.
Used as an anesthetic for short operations.
Injected intravenously in large doses it produces instant unconsciousness.
It is dangerous to use it after veronal or any barbiturates have been given.
I noticed the bruised place on her arm where something had obviously been injected into a vein.
A hint to the police surgeon and the drug used was easily discovered by no less a person than Sir Charles Imphrey, the Home Office analyst."
"That about cooks your goose, I think," said Superintendent Battle. "No need to prove the Shaitana business, though, of course, if necessary we can bring a further charge as to the murder of Mr. Charles Craddock - and possibly his wife, also."
The mention of those two names finished Roberts.
He leaned back in his chair.
"I throw in my hand," he said. "You've got me!
I suppose that sly devil Shaitana put you wise before you came that evening.
And I thought I'd settled his hash so nicely."
"It isn't Shaitana you've got to thank," said Battle. "The honors lie with Monsieur Poirot here."
He went to the door and two men entered.
Superintendent Battle's voice became official as he made the formal arrest.
As the door closed behind the accused man Mrs. Oliver said happily, if not quite truthfully,
"I always said he did it!"
Chapter 31 CARDS ON THE TABLE
It was Poirot's moment, every face was turned to his in eager anticipation.
"You are very kind," he said, smiling. "You know, I think, that I enjoy my little lecture.
I am a prosy old fellow.
"This case, to my mind, has been one of the most interesting cases I have ever come across.
There was nothing, you see, to go upon.
There were four people, one of whom must have committed the crime but which of the four?