The antika-room?
The verandah?
Or the open countryside?
I was facing the courtyard.
Could you see the boy Abdullah washing pots from where you were?
Oh, yes, if I looked up, but of course I was very intent on what I was doing. All my attention was on that.
If anyone had passed the courtyard window, though, you would have noticed it?
Oh, yes, I am almost sure of that.
And nobody did so?
No.
But if anyone had walked, say, across the middle of the courtyard, would you have noticed that?
I think probably not unless, as I said before, I had happened to look up and out of the window.
You did not notice the boy Abdullah leave his work and go out to join the other servants?
No.
Ten minutes, mused Poirot.
That fatal ten minutes.
There was a momentary silence.
Miss Johnson lifted her head suddenly and said: You know, M. Poirot, I think I have unintentionally misled you.
On thinking it over, I do not believe that I could possibly have heard any cry uttered in Mrs Leidners room from where I was.
The antika-room lay between me and her and I understand her windows were found closed.
In any case, do not distress yourself, mademoiselle, said Poirot kindly.
It is not really of much importance.
No, of course not. I understand that.
But you see, it is of importance to me, because I feel I might have done something.
Dont distress yourself, dear Anne, said Dr Leidner with affection.
You must be sensible.
What you heard was probably one Arab bawling to another some distance away in the fields.
Miss Johnson flushed a little at the kindliness of his tone.
I even saw tears spring to her eyes.
She turned her head away and spoke even more gruffly than usual.
Probably was.
Usual thing after a tragedy start imagining things that arent so at all.
Poirot was once more consulting his notebook.
I do not suppose there is much more to be said.
Mr Carey?
Richard Carey spoke slowly in a wooden mechanical manner.
Im afraid I can add nothing helpful.
I was on duty at the dig.
The news was brought to me there.
And you know or can think of nothing helpful that occurred in the days immediately preceding the murder?
Nothing at all.
Mr Coleman?
I was right out of the whole thing, said Mr Coleman with was it just a shade of regret in his tone.
I went into Hassanieh yesterday morning to get the money for the mens wages.
When I came back Emmott told me what had happened and I went back in the bus to get the police and Dr Reilly.
And beforehand?
Well, sir, things were a bit jumpy but you know that already.
There was the antika-room scare and one or two before that hands and faces at the window you remember, sir, he appealed to Dr Leidner, who bent his head in assent.
I think, you know, that youll find some Johnny did get in from outside. Must have been an artful sort of beggar.
Poirot considered him for a minute or two in silence.