I hardly agree, said Poirot.
Oh, come now dont go looking for trouble thats my motto!
But you cant fasten anything on me.
I never went into the courtyard, and you cant find anyone wholl say I did.
That, of course, has been the difficulty, said Poirot.
The evidence of the servants that no one entered the courtyard from outside.
But it occurred to me, upon reflection, that that was really not what they had said.
They had sworn that no stranger had entered the premises.
They had not been asked if a member of the expedition had done so.
Well, you ask them, said Coleman.
Ill eat my hat if they saw me or Carey either.
Ah! but that raises rather an interesting question.
They would notice a stranger undoubtedly but would they have even noticed a member of the expedition?
The members of the staff are passing in and out all day.
The servants would hardly notice their going and coming.
It is possible, I think, that either Mr Carey or Mr Colemanmight have entered and the servants minds would have no remembrance of such an event.
Bunkum! said Mr Coleman.
Poirot went on calmly: Of the two, I think Mr Carey was the least likely to be noticed going or coming.
Mr Coleman had started to Hassanieh in the car that morning and he would be expected to return in it.
His arrival on foot would therefore be noticeable.
Of course it would! said Coleman.
Richard Carey raised his head. His deep-blue eyes looked straight at Poirot.
Are you accusing me of murder, M. Poirot? he asked.
His manner was quite quiet but his voice had a dangerous undertone.
Poirot bowed to him.
As yet I am only taking you all on a journey my journey towards the truth.
I had now established one fact that all the members of the expedition staff, and also Nurse Leatheran, could in actual fact have committed the murder.
That there was very little likelihood of some of them having committed it was a secondary matter.
I had examined means and opportunity. I next passed to motive.
I discovered that one and all of you could be credited with a motive!
Oh!
M. Poirot, I cried.
Not me!
Why, I was a stranger. Id only just come.
Eh bien, ma soeur, and was not that just what Mrs Leidner had been fearing?
A stranger from outside?
But but Why, Dr Reilly knew all about me!
He suggested my coming!
How much did he really know about you?
Mostly what you yourself had told him.
Imposters have passed themselves off as hospital nurses before now.
You can write to St. Christophers, I began.
For the moment will you silence yourself.
Impossible to proceed while you conduct this argument.
I do not say I suspect you now.
All I say is that, keeping the open mind, you might quite easily be someone other than you pretended to be.
There are many successful female impersonators, you know.
Young William Bosner might be something of that kind.
I was about to give him a further piece of my mind.
Female impersonator indeed!