Elephants Can Remember A Hercule Poirot Agatha Christie | Documentary Mystery AudioBook English P1

this is audible Harper audio presents elephants can remember by Agatha Christie performed by Hugh Fraser chapter one a literary luncheon Mrs Oliver looked at herself in the glass she gave a brief sideways look at the clock on the mantlepiece which she had some idea was 20 minutes slow then she resumed her study of her caur the trouble with Mrs Oliver was and she admitted it freely that her styles of hairdressing were always being changed she had tried almost everything in turn a severe pompadoras she hoped the brow is intellectual she had tried tightly arranged curls she had tried a kind of artistic disarray she had to admit that it did not matter very much today what her type of hairdressing was because today she was going to do what she very seldom did wear a hat on the top shelf of Mrs Oliver's wardrobe there opposed four hats one was definitely allotted to weddings when you went to a wedding a hat was a must but even then Mrs Oliver kept two one in a round band box was of feathers it fitted closely To The Head And stood up very well to sudden squalls of rain if they should overtake one unexpectedly as one passed from a car to the interior of the Sacred edifice or as so often nowadays a registrar's office the other and more elaborate hat was definitely for attending a wedding held on a Saturday afternoon in summer it had flowers and chiffon and a covering of yellow net attached with Mimosa the other two hats on the Shelf were of a more allpurpose character one was what Mrs Oliver called her Country House hat made of tan felt suitable for wearing with Tweeds of almost any pattern with a becoming brim that you could turn up or turn down Mrs Oliver had a cashmere pullover for warmth and a thin pullover for hot days either of which was suitable in color to go with this however though the pullovers were frequently worn the Hat was practically never worn because really why put on a hat just to go to the country and have a meal with your friends the fourth hat was the most expensive of the lot and it had extraordinarily durable advantages about it possibly Mrs Oliver sometimes thought because it was so expensive it consisted of a kind of turban of very ious layers of contrasting velvets all of rather becoming pastel Shades which would go with anything Mrs Oliver paused in doubt and then called for assistance Maria she said then louder Maria come here a minute Maria came she was used to being asked to give advice on what Mrs Oliver was thinking of wearing going to wear your lovely smart hat are you said Maria yes said Mrs Oliver I wanted to know whether you think it looks best this way or the other way round Maria stood back and took a look well that's back to front you're wearing it now isn't it yes I know said Mrs Oliver I know that quite well but I thought somehow it looked better that way oh why should it said Maria well it's meant I suppose but it's got to be meant by me as well as the shop that sold it said Mrs Oliver why do you think it's better the wrong way around well because you get that lovely shade of blue and the dark brown and I think that looks better than on the other way which is green with the red and the chocolate color at this point Mrs Oliver removed the Hat put it on again and tried it Wrong Way Around RightWay round and sideways which both she and Maria disapproved of you can't have it the wide way I mean it's wrong for your face isn't it it would be wrong for anyone's face no that won't do I think I'll have it the right way round after all well I I think it's safer always said Maria Mrs Oliver took off the hat Maria assisted her to put on a well-cut thin Woolen dress of a delicate puse color and helped her to adjust the Hat you look ever so smart said Maria that was what Mrs Oliver liked so much about Maria if given the least excuse for saying so she always approved and gave praise going to make a speech at the luncheon are you Maria asked a speech Mrs Oliver sounded horrified no of course not you know I never make speeches well I thought they always did at these here literary luns that's what you're going to isn't it famous writers of 1973 or whichever year it is we've got to now I don't need to make a speech said Mrs Oliver several other people who like doing it will be making speeches and they are much better at it than I would be oh I'm sure you'd make a lovely speech if you put your mind to it said Maria adjusting herself to the role of a tempter no I shouldn't said Mrs Oliver I know what I can do and I know what I can't I can't make speeches I get all worried and nervy and I should probably stammer or say the same thing twice I should not only feel silly I should probably look silly now it's all right with words you can write words down or speak them into a machine or dictate them I can do things with words as long as I know it's not a speech I'm making oh well I hope everything will go all right I'm sure it will quite a grand luncheon isn't it yes said Mrs Oliver and a deeply depressed voice quite a grand luncheon and why she thought but did not say why on Earth am I going to it she searched her mind for a bit because she always really liked knowing what she was going to do instead of doing it first and wondering why she had done it afterwards I suppose she said again to herself and not to Maria who had had to return rather hurriedly to the kitchen summoned by a smell of overflowing Jam which he happened to have on the stove I wanted to see what it felt like like I'm always being asked to go to literary lunches or something like that and I never go Mrs Oliver arrived at the last course of the grand luncheon with a sigh of satisfaction as she toyed with the remains of the merang on her plate she was particularly fond of merang and it was a delicious last course in a very delicious luncheon nevertheless when one reached middle age one had to be careful with merang one's teeth they looked all right they had the great advantage that they could not ache they were white and quite agreeable looking just like the real thing but it was true enough that they were not real teeth and teeth that were not real teeth or so Mrs Oliver believed were not really of high class material dogs she had always understood had teeth of real Ivory but human beings had teeth merely of bone or she supposed if they were false teeth of plastic anyway the point was that you mustn't get involved in some rather shame making appearance which false teeth might lead you into lettuce was a difficulty and salted almonds and such things as chocolates with hard centers clinging caramels and the delicious stickiness and adherence of merang with a sigh of satisfaction she dealt with the final mouthful it had been a good lunch a very good lunch Mrs Oliver was fond of her Creature Comforts she had enjoyed the lunch very much she had enjoyed the company too the lunch which had been given to celebrate with female writers had fortunately not been conf confined to female writers only there had been other writers and critics and those who read books as well as those who wrote them Mrs Oliver had sat between two very Charming members of the male sex Edwin Orbin whose poetry she always enjoyed an extremely entertaining person who had had various entertaining experiences in his tours abroad and various literary and personal adventures also he was interested in restaurants and food and they had talked very happily about food and left the subject of literature aside as Wesley Kent on her other side had also been an agreeable luncheon companion he had said very nice things about her books and had had the TCT to say things that did not make her feel embarrassed which many people could do almost without trying he had mentioned one or two reasons why he had liked one or other of her books and they had been the right reasons and therefore Mrs Oliver had thought favorably of him for that reason praise from men Mrs Oliver thought to herself is always acceptable it was women who gushed some of the things that women wrote to her really not always women of course sometimes emotional young men from very far away countries only last week she had received a fan letter beginning reading your book I feel what a noble woman you must be after reading the second goldfish he had then gone off into an intense kind of literary ecstasy which was Mrs Oliver felt completely unfitting she was not unduly modest she thought the detective stories she wrote were quite good of their kind some were not so good and some were much better than others s but there was no reason as far as she could see to make anyone think that she was a noble woman she was a lucky woman who had established a happy Knack of writing what quite a lot of people wanted to read wonderful luck that was Mrs Oliver thought to herself well all things considered she had got through this ordeal very well she had quite enjoyed herself talked to some nice people now they were moving to where coffee was being handed around and where you could change partners and chat with other people this was the moment of danger as Mrs Oliver knew well this was now where other women would come and attack her attack her with folsome praise and where she always felt lamentably inefficient at giving the right answers because there weren't really any right answers that you could give it went really rather like a travel book for going abroad with the right phrases question I must tell you how very fond I am of reading your books and how wonderful I think they are answer from flustered author well that's very kind I'm so glad you must understand that I've been waiting to meet you for months it really is wonderful oh it's very nice of you very nice indeed it went on very much like that neither of you seemed to be able to talk about anything of outside interest it had to be all about your books or the other woman's books if you knew what her books were you were in the literary web and you weren't good at this sort of stuff some people could do it but Mrs Oliver was bitterly aware of not having the proper capacity a foreign friend of hers had once put her when she was staying at an embassy abroad through a kind of course I listen to you Albertina had said in her Charming low foreign voice I have listened to what you say to that young man who came from the newspaper to interview you you have not got no you have not got the pride you should have in your work you should say yes I write well I write better than anyone else who writes detective stories but I don't Mrs Oliver had said at that moment I'm not bad but ah do not say I don't like that you must say you do even if you do not think you do you ought to say you do I wish Albertina said Mrs Oliver that you could interview these journalists who come you would do it so well can't you pretend to be me one day and I'll listen behind the door yes I suppose I could do it it would be rather fun but they would know that I was not you they know your face but you must say yes yes I know that I am better than anyone else you must say that to everybody they should know it they should announce it oh yes it is terrible to hear you sitting there and saying things as though you apologize for what you are it must not be like that it had been rather Mrs Oliver thought as though she had been a budding actress trying to learn aart and the director had found her hopelessly bad at taking Direction well anyway there' not made much difficulty here there'd be a few waiting females when they all got up from the table in fact she could see one or two hovering already that wouldn't matter much she would go and smile and be nice and say so kind of you I'm so pleased one is so glad to know people like one's books all the stale old things rather as you put a hand into a box and take out some useful words already strung together like a necklace of beads and then before long she could leave her eyes went around the table because she might perhaps see some friends there as well as would be admirers yes she did see in the distance Moren Grant who was great fun the moment came the literary women and the attendant Cavaliers who had also attended the lunch Rose they streamed towards chairs towards coffee tables towards sofas and confidential Corners the moment of peril Mrs Oliver often thought of it to herself though usually at cocktail and not literary parties because she seldom went to the latter at any moment the danger might arise someone whom you did not remember but who remembered you or someone whom you definitely did not want to talk to to but whom you found you could not avoid in this case it was the first dilemma that came to her a large woman ample proportions large white champing teeth what in French could have been called infam formidable but who definitely had not only the French variety of being formidable but the English one of being supremely bossy obviously she either knew Mrs Oliver or was intent on making her acquaintance there and then the last was how it happened to go oh Mrs Oliver she said in a high-pitched voice what a pleasure to meet you today I have wanted to for so long I simply adore your books said as my son and my husband used to insist on never traveling without at least two of your books but come do sit down there are so many things I want to ask you about oh well thought Mrs Oliver not my favorite type of woman this but as well her as any other she allowed herself to be conducted in a firm way rather as a police officer might have done she was taken to a c for too across a corner and her new friend accepted coffee and placed coffee before her also there now we're settled I don't suppose you know my name I am Mrs Burton Cox oh yes said Mrs Oliver embarrassed as usual Mrs Burton Cox did she write books also no she couldn't really remember anything about her but she seemed to have heard the name a faint thought came to her a book on politics something like that not fiction not fun not crime perhaps a highbrow intellectual with political bias that ought to be easy Mrs Oliver thought with relief I can just let her talk and say how interesting from time to time you'll be very surprised really at what I'm going to say said Mrs Burton Cox but I have felt from reading your books how sympathetic you are how much you understand of human nature and I feel that if there is anyone who can give me an answer to the question I want to ask you will be the one to do so I I don't think really said Mrs Oliver trying to think of suitable words to say that she felt very uncertain of being able to rise to the heights demanded of her Mrs Burton Cox dipped a lump of sugar in her coffee and crunched it in a rather carnivorous way as though it was a bone Ivory teeth perhaps thought Mrs Oliver vaguely Ivory dogs had Ivory walruses had Ivory and elephants had Ivory of course great big tusks of ivory Mrs Burton Cox was saying now the first thing I must ask you I'm pretty sure right though you have a god daughter haven't you a god daughter who's called Celia Ravenscroft oh said Mrs Oliver rather pleasurably surprised she felt she could deal perhaps with a goddaughter she had a good many goddaughters and gods Sons for that matter there were times she had to admit as the years were growing upon her when she couldn't remember them all she had done her Duty in due course one's duty being to send toys to your godchildren at Christmas in their early years to visit them and their parents or to have them visit you during the course of their upbringing to take the boys out from school perhaps and the girls also and then when the crowning days came either the 21st birthday at which a godmother must do the right thing and let it be acknowledged to be done and do it handsomely or else marriage which entailed the same type of gift and a financial or other blessing after that God children rather receded into the middle or far distance they married or went abroad to foreign countries foreign embassies or taught in foreign schools or took up Social projects anyway they faded little by little out of your life you were pleased to see them if they suddenly as it were floated up on the horizon again but you had to remember to think when you had seen them last whose daughters they were what link had led to your being chosen as a godmother Celia Ravenscroft said Mrs Oliver doing her best yes yes yes of course yes definitely not that any picture Rose before her eyes of Celia Ravenscroft not that is since a very early time the christening she'd gone to Celia's christening and had found a very nice Queen Anne silver strainer as a christening present very nice do nicely for straining milk and would also be the sort of thing a god daughter could always sell for a nice little sum if she wanted ready money at any time yes she remembered the strainer very well indeed Queen Anne 1711 it had been britania Mark how much easier it was to remember silver coffee pots or strainers or christening mugs than it was the actual child yes she said yes of course I'm afraid I haven't seen Celia for a very long time now oh yes she is of course a rather impulsive girl said Mrs Burton Cox I mean she's changed her ideas very often of course very intellectual did very well at University but uh her political Notions I suppose all young people have political Notions nowadays I'm afraid I don't deal much with politics said Mrs Oliver to whom politics had always been anathema you see I'm going to confide in you I'm going to tell you exactly what it is I want to know I'm sure you won't mind I've heard from so many people how kind you are how willing always I wonder if she's going to try and borrow money from me thought Mrs Oliver who had known many interviews that began with this kind of approach you see it is a matter of the greatest moment to me something that I feel I really must find out Celia you see is going to marry or thinks she's going to marry my son Desmond Oh indeed said Mrs Oliver at least that is their idea at present of course one has to know about people and there's something I want very much to know it's an extraordinary thing to ask anyone and I couldn't go well I mean I couldn't very well go and ask a stranger but I don't feel you are a stranger Dear Mrs Oliver Mrs Oliver thought I wish you did she was getting nervous now she wondered if Celia had had an illegitimate baby or was going to have an illegitimate baby and whether she Mrs Oliver were supposed to know about it and give details that would be very awkward on the other hand thought Mrs Oliver I haven't seen her now for five or six years and she must be about 25 or six so it would be quite easy to say I don't know anything Mrs Burton Cox leaned forward and breathed hard I want you to tell me because I'm sure you must know or perhaps I have a very good idea how it all came about did her mother kill her father or was it the father mother who killed the mother whatever Mrs Oliver had expected it was certainly not that she stared at Mrs Burton Cox unbelievingly but I don't she stopped I I I can't understand I I mean what reason Dear Mrs Oliver you must know I mean such a famous case of course I know it's a long time ago now well I suppose 10 12 years at least but it did cause a lot of attention at the time time I'm sure you'll remember you must remember Mrs Oliver's brain was working desperately Celia was her goddaughter that was quite true Celia's mother oh yes of course Celia's mother had been Molly Preston gray who had been a friend of hers they're not a particularly intimate one and of course she had married a man in the army yes what was his name sir something ravencroft or was he an ambassador extraordinary one couldn't remember these things she couldn't even remember whether she herself had been Molly's bridesmaid she thought she had rather a smart wedding at the guard's Chapel or something like that but one did forget so and after that she hadn't met them for years they'd been out somewhere in the Middle East Persia in Iraq one time in Egypt Malaya very occasionally when they had been visiting England she met them again but they'd been like one of those photographs that one takes and looks at one knows the people vaguely who are in it but it's so faded that you really can't recognize them or remember who they were and she couldn't remember now whether s something Ravenscroft and Lady Ravenscroft born Molly Preston gray had entered much into her life she didn't think so but then Mrs Burton Cox was still looking at her looking at her as though disappointed in her lack of savvo fair her inability to remember what had evidently been a caused celebra killed you mean an accident no no not an accident in one of those houses by the Sea Cornwall I think somewhere where there were rocks anyway they had a house down there and they were both found on the cliff there and they'd been shot you know but there was nothing really by which the police could tell whether the wife shot the husband and then shot herself or whether the husband shot the wife and then shot himself they went into the evidence of the you know of the bullets and various things but it was very difficult they thought it might be a suicide pack and I forget what the verdict was something it could have been misadventure or something like that but of course everyone knew it must have been meant and there were a lot of stories that went about of course at the time probably all invented ones said Mrs Oliver hopefully trying to remember even one of the stories if she could well maybe maybe it's very hard to say I know there were Tales of a quarrel either that day or before there was some talk of another man and then of course there was the usual talk about some other woman and one never knows which way it was about I think things were hushed up a good deal because General ravenscroft's position was rather a high one and I think it was said that he'd been in a nursing home that year and he'd been very run down or something and that he really didn't know what he was doing I'm really afraid said Mrs Oliver speaking firmly that I must say that I don't know anything about it I do remember now you mentioned it that there was such a case and I remember the names that I knew the people but I never knew what happened or anything at all about it and I really don't think I have the least idea and really thought Mrs Oliver wishing she was brave enough to say it how on Earth you have the impertinence to ask me such a thing I don't know it's very important that I should know said Mrs Burton Cox her eyes which were rather like hard marbles started to snap it's important you see because of my boy my dear boy wanting to marry Celia I'm afraid I can't help you said Mrs Oliver I've never heard anything but you must know said Mrs Burton Cox I mean you write these wonderful stories you know all about crime you know who commits crimes and why they do it and I'm sure that all sorts of people will tell you the story behind the story as one so much thinks of these things I don't know anything said Mrs Oliver in a voice which no longer held very much politeness and definitely now spoke in tones of distaste but you do see that really one doesn't know who to go to ask about it I mean one couldn't go to the police after all these years and I don't suppose they'd tell you anyway because obviously they were trying to hush it up but I feel it's important to get to the truth I only write books said Mrs Oliver coldly they are entirely fictional I know nothing personally about crime and have no opinions on criminology so I'm afraid I can't help you in any way but you could ask your goddaughter you could ask Celia ask Celia Mrs Oliver stared again I don't see how I could do that she was why I think she must have been quite a child when this tragedy happened oh I expect you knew all about about it though said Mrs Burton Cox children always know everything and she'd tell you I'm sure she'd tell you you'd better ask her yourself I should think said Mrs Oliver I didn't think I really could do that said Mrs Burton Cox I didn't think you know that Desmond would like it you know he's rather well he he's rather touchy where Celia is concerned and I really don't think that no I'm sure she'd tell you I really shouldn't dream of asking her said Mrs Oliver she made a in tense of looking at her watch oh dear she said what a long time we've been over this delightful lunch I must run now I have a very important appointment goodbye Mrs uh bedley Cox so sorry I can't help you but these things are rather delicate and does it really make any difference anyway from your point of view oh I think it makes all the difference at that moment a literary figure who Mrs Oliver knew well drifted past Mrs Oliver jumped up to catch her by the arm Louise my dear how lovely to see you I hadn't noticed you were here oh arry hatney it's a long time since I've seen you you've grown a lot thinner haven't you what nice things you always say to me said Mrs Oliver engaging her friend by the arm and retreating from the C I'm rushing away because I've got an appointment I suppose you got tied up with that awful woman didn't you said her friend looking over her shoulder at Mrs Burton Cox she was asking me the most extraordinary questions said Mrs Oliver oh didn't you know how to answer them no they weren't any of my business anyway I didn't know anything about them anyway I wouldn't have wanted to answer them was it about anything interesting I suppose said Mrs Oliver letting a new idea come into her head I suppose it might be interesting only she's getting up to chase you said her friend come along I'll see you get out and give you a lift to anywhere you want to go if you haven't got your car here I never take my car about in London it's so awful to park I know it is absolutely deadly Mrs Oliver made the proper goodbyes thanks words of greatly expressed pleasure and presently was being driven around a London Square Eaton Terrace isn't it said the kindly friend yes said Mrs Oliver but where I've got to go now is I think it's White friers Mansions I can't quite remember the name of it but I know where it is oh Flats rather modern ones very square and geometrical that's right said Mrs Oliver chapter 2 first mention of elephants having failed to find her friend hercu PUO at home Mrs Oliver had to resort to a telephone inquiry are you by any chance going to be at home this evening asked Mrs Oliver she sat by her telephone her fingers tapping rather nervously on the table would that be uh Ari Adney Oliver said Mrs Oliver who was always surprised to find she had to give her name because she always expected all her friends to know her voice as soon as they heard it yes I shall be at home all this evening does that mean that I may have the pleasure of a visit from you it's very of you to put it that way said Mrs Oliver I don't know that it will be such a pleasure it is always a pleasure to see you Sher Madame I don't know said Mrs Oliver I might be going to well bother you rather ask things I want to know what you think about something that I always ready to tell anyone said poo something's come up said Mrs Oliver something tiresome and I don't know what to do about it and so you will come and see me I am flattered highly flattered what time would suit you said Mrs Oliver 9:00 we will drink a coffee together perhaps unless you prefer a grenadine or a syrup de cassis but no you do not like that I remember George said PUO to his invaluable manservant we are to receive tonight the pleasure of a visit from Mrs Oliver coffee I think and perhaps aure of some kind I am never sure what she likes I have seen her drink Kish sir and also I think deont but Kish I think is what she prefers very well then said PUO so be it Mrs Oliver came punctual to time poo had been wondering while eating his dinner what it was that was driving Mrs Oliver to visit him and why she was so doubtful about what she was doing was she bringing him some difficult problem or was she acquainting him with a crime as porro knew well it could be anything with Mrs Oliver the most commonplace things or the most extraordinary things they were as you might say all alike to her she was worried he thought oh well hero thought to himself he could deal with Mrs Oliver he always had been able to deal with Mrs Oliver on occasion she maddened him at the same time he was really very much attached to her they had shared many experiences and experiments together he had read something about her in the paper only that morning or was it in the evening paper he must try and remember it before she came he had just done so when she was announced she came into the room and PUO deduced at once that his diagnosis of worry was true enough her hair do which was fairly elaborate had been ruffled by the fact that she had been running her fingers through it in the frenzied and feverish way that she did sometimes he received her with every sign of pleasure established her in a chair poured her some coffee and handed her a glass of K ah said Mrs Oliver with a sigh of someone who has relief I expect you're going to think I'm awfully silly but still I see or rather I saw in the paper that you were attending a literary lunch today famous women writers something of that kind I thought you never did that kind of thing I don't usually said Mrs Oliver and I Shan ever do it again ah you suffered much poo was quite sympathetic he knew Mrs Oliver's embarrassing moments extravagant Praise of her books always upset her highly because as she had once told him she never knew the proper answers you did not enjoy it up to a point I did said Mrs Oliver and then something very tiresome happened ah and that is what you have come to see me about yes but I really don't know why I mean it's nothing to do with you and I didn't think it's the sort of thing you'd even be interested in and I'm not really interested in it at least I suppose I must be or I wouldn't have wanted to come to you to know what you thought to know what well what you do if you were me that is a very difficult question that last one said poo I know how IO would act in anything but I do not know how you would act well though I know you well you must have some idea by this time says Mrs Oliver you've known me long enough about what uh 20 years now I don't know I can never remember what years are what dates are you know I get mixed up I know 1939 because that was when the war started and I know other dates because of queer things here and there anyway you went to your literary luncheon and you did not enjoy it very much oh I enjoyed the lunch but it was afterwards people said things to you said PUO with the kindliness of a doctor demanding symptoms well they were just getting ready to say things to me suddenly one of those large bossy women who always manage to dominate everyone and who can make you feel more uncomfortable than anyone else descended on me you know like somebody who catches a butterfly or something only she'd have needed a butterfly net she sort of ran me up and pushed me onto a setti and then she began to talk to me starting about a goddaughter of mine ah yes a goddaughter you are fond of I haven't seen her for a good many years said Mrs Oliver I can't keep up with all of them I mean and then she asked me a most worrying question she wanted me oh dear how very difficult it is for me to tell you this no it isn't said PUO kindly it is quite easy everyone tells everything to me sooner or later I'm only a foreigner you see so it does not matter it is easy because I am a foreigner well it is rather easy to say things to you said Mrs Oliver you see she asked me about the girl's father and mother she asked me whether her mother had killed her father or her father had killed her mother I beg your pardon said PUO oh I know it sounds mad well I thought it was mad whether your goddaughter's mother had killed her father or whether her father had killed her mother that's right said Mrs Oliver but was that a matter of fact had her father killed her mother or her mother killed her father well they were both found shot said Mrs Oliver on the top of a cliff I can't remember if it was in Cornwall or in Corsica something like that then it was true then what she said oh yes that part of it was true it happened years ago well but I mean why come to me all because you were a crime writer said PUO she no doubt said you knew all about crime this was a real thing that happened oh yes it wasn't something like what would a do or what would be the proper procedure if your mother had killed your father or your father had killed your mother no it was something that really happened I suppose really I'd better tell you all about it I mean I can't remember all about it but it was quite well known at the time it was about uh I should think it was about 12 years ago at least and as I say I can remember the names of the people because I did know them the wife had been at school with me and I'd known her quite well we'd been friends it was a well-known case you know it was in all the papers and things like that sir Alistair Ravenscroft and Lady Ravenscroft a very happy couple and he was a colonel or a general and she'd been with him and they'd been all over the world then they bought this house somewhere I think it was abroad but I can't remember and then there were suddenly accounts of this case in the papers whether somebody else had killed them or whether they'd been assassinated or something or whether they'd killed each other I think it was a revolver that had been in the house for ages and well I'd better tell you as much as I can remember pulling herself slightly together Mrs Oliver managed to give poo a more or less clear resume of what she had been told porro from time to time checked on a point here or there but why he said finally why should this woman want to know this well that's what I want to find out said Mrs Oliver I could get hold of Celia I think I mean she still lives in London or perhaps it's Cambridge she lives in or Oxford I think she's got a degree and either lectures here or teaches somewhere or does something like that and very modern you know goes about with long-haired people in queer clothes I don't think she takes drugs she's quite all right and just very occasionally I hear from her I mean she sends a card at Christmas and things like that well one doesn't think of one's God children all the time and she's quite 25 or six not married no apparently she is going to marry or that is the idea Mrs uh what's the name of that woman again oh yes Mrs brittle no uh Burton Cox's son and Mrs Burton Cox does not want her son to marry this girl because her father killed her mother or her mother killed her father well I suppose so said Mrs Oliver it's the only I can think but what does it matter which if one of your parents killed the other would it really matter to the mother of the boy you were going to marry which way round it was that is a thing one might have to think about said poo it is yes you know it is quite interesting I do not mean it is very interesting about Sir alist Ravenscroft or lady Ravenscroft I seem to remember vaguely or some case like this one or it might not have been the same one but it is very strange about Mrs Berton Cox perhaps she is a bit touched in the head is she very fond of her son probably said Mrs Oliver probably she doesn't want her to marry this girl at all because she may have inherited a predisposition to murder the man she marries or something of that kind how do I know said Mrs Oliver she seems to think that I can tell her and she's really not told me enough has she but why do you think what's behind it all what does it mean it would be almost interesting to find out said PUO well that's why I've come to you said Mrs Oliver you like finding out things things that you can't see the reason for at first I mean that nobody can see the reason for do you think Mrs Burton Co has any preference said PUO you mean that she'd rather the husband kill the wife or the wife killed the husband I don't think so well said PUO I see your dilemma it is very intriguing you come home from a party you've been asked to do something that is very difficult almost impossible and you wonder what is the proper way to deal with such a thing well what would you think is the proper way said Mrs Oliver it is not easy for me to say said PU I'm not a woman a woman whom you do not really know whom you had met at a party has put this problem to you asked you to do it giving no discernable reason right said Mrs Oliver now what does ariatne do what does a do in other words if you were reading this as a problem in a newspaper well I suppose said PUO there are three things that a could do a could write a note to Mrs Burton Cox and say I'm very sorry but I really feel I cannot oblige you in this matter whatever words you like to put B you get into touch with your goddaughter and you tell her what has been asked of you by the mother of the boy or the young man or whatever he is whom she is thinking of marrying you will find out from her if she is really thinking of marrying this young man if so whether she has any idea or whether the young man has said anything to her about what his mother has got in her head and there will be other interesting points like finding out what this girl thinks of the mother of the young man she wants to marry the third thing you could do said PUO and this is really what I firmly advise you to do is I know said Mrs Oliver one word nothing said poo exactly said Mrs Oliver I know that is the simple and proper thing to do nothing it's darn cheek to go and tell a girl who's my goddaughter what her future mother-in-law is going about saying and asking people but I know said PUO it is human curiosity I want to know why that odious woman came and said what she did to me said Mrs Oliver once I know that I could relax and forget all about it but until I know that yes said puu you won't sleep you will wake up in the night and if I know you you will have the most extraordinary and extravagant ideas which presently probably you will be able to make into a most attractive Crime Story a houd done it a thriller all sorts of things well I suppose I could if I thought of it that way said Mrs Oliver her eyes flashed slightly leave it alone said PUO it will be a very difficult plot to undertake it seems as though there could be no good reason for this but I'd like to make sure that there is no good reason human curiosity said PUO such a very interesting thing he sighed to think what we owe to it throughout history curiosity I don't know who invented curiosity it is said to be usually associated with the cat curiosity killed the cat but I should say really that the Greeks were the inventors of curiosity they wanted to know before them as far as I can see nobody wanted to know much they just wanted to know what the rules of the country they were living in were and how they could avoid having their heads cut off or being impaled on spikes or something disagreeable happening to them but they either obeyed or disobeyed they didn't want to know why but since then a lot of people have wanted to know why and all sorts of things have happened because of that boats trains flying machines and atom bombs and penicillin and cures for various illnesses a little boy watches his mother's Kettle raising its lid because of the Steam and the next thing we know is we have railway trains leading on in due course to railway strikes and all that and so on and so on just tell me said Mrs Oliver do you think I'm a terrible nosy Parker no I do not said po on the whole I don't think you are a woman of great curiosity but I can quite see you getting in a head up State at a literary party busy defending yourself against too much kindness too much praise you ran yourself instead into a very awkward dilemma and you took a very strong dislike to the person who ran you into it yes she's a very tiresome woman a very disagreeable woman this murder in the past of this husband and wife who were supposed to get on well together and no apparent signs of a quarrel was known one never really read about any cause for it according to you but they were shot yes they were shot it could have been a suicide PCT I think the police thought it was at first of course one can't find out about things all those years afterwards oh yes said poo I think I could find out something about it you mean through the exciting friends you've got well I wouldn't say the exciting friends perhaps certainly there are knowledgeable friends friends who could get certain records look up the accounts that were given of the crime at the time some access I could get to certain records you could find out things said Mrs Oliver hopefully and then tell me yes said PUO I think I could help you to know at any rate the full facts of the case it'll take a little time though I can see that if you do that which is what I want you to do I've got something to do myself I'll have to see the girl I've got to see whether she knows anything about all this ask her if she'd like me to give her mother-in-law to be a raspberry or whether there is any other way in which I can help her and I'd like to see the boy she's going to marry too quite right said PUO excellent and I suppose said Mrs Oliver there might be people she broke off frowning I don't suppose people will be very much good said heru PUO this is an affair of the past a CO CRA perhaps at the time but what is a when you come to think of it unless it comes to an astonishing Deno which this one didn't nobody remembers it no said Mrs Oliver that is quite true there was a lot about it in the papers and mentions of it for some time and then it just faded out well like things do now like that girl the other day you know who left her home and they couldn't find her anywhere well I mean that was five or six years ago and then suddenly a little boy playing about in a sand Heap or a gravel pit or something suddenly came across her dead body five or six years later that is true said Faro and it is true that knowing from that body how long it is since death and what happened on that particular day and going back over various events of which there is a a written record one may in the end turn up a murderer but it will be more difficult in your problem since it seems the answer must be one of two things that the husband disliked his wife and wanted to get rid of her or that the wife hated her husband or else had a lover therefore it might have been a passionate crime or something quite different anyway there would be nothing as it were to find out about it if the police could not find out of the time then the motive must have been a difficult one not easy to see therefore it has remained a nine days wonder that is all I suppose I can go to the daughter perhaps that is what that odious woman was getting me to do wanted me to do she thought the daughter knew well the daughter might have known said Mrs Oliver children do you know they know the most extraordinary things have you any idea how old this goddaughter of yours would have been at the time well I have if I reckon it up but I can't say off hand I I think she might have been N9 or 10 but perhaps older I don't know I think that she was away at school at the time but that may just be my fancy remembering back what I read but you think Mrs Burton Cox's wish was to make you get information from the daughter perhaps the daughter knows something perhaps she said something to the Son and the son said something to his mother I expect Mrs beron Cox tried to question the girl herself and got a rebuffed but thought the famous Mrs Oliver being both a godmother and also full of criminal knowledge might obtain information though why it should matter to her I still don't see said PUO and it does not seem to me that what you call vaguely people can help after all this time he added would anybody remember well that's what I think they might said Mrs Oliver you surprise me said PUO looking at her with a somewhat puzzled face do people remember well said Mrs Oliver I was really thinking of ANS elephants as he had thought often before poo thought that really Mrs Oliver was the most unaccountable woman why suddenly elephants I was thinking of elephants at the lunch yesterday said Mrs Oliver why were you thinking of elephants said PUO with some curiosity well I was really thinking of teeth you know things one tries to eat and if you've got some sort of false teeth well you can't do it very well you know you've got to know what you can eat and what you can't ah said puu with a deep sigh yes yes the dentists they can do much for you but not everything quite so and then I thought of you know our teeth being Only Bone and so not awfully good and how nice it would be to be a dog who has real Ivory teeth and then I thought of anyone else who has Ivory teeth and I thought about walruses and oh other things like that and I thought about elephants of course when you think of ivory you do think of elephants don't you great big elephant tusks that is very true said PUO still not seeing the point of what Mrs Oliver was saying so I thought that what we've really got to do is to get at the people who are like elephants because elephants so they say don't forget I have heard the phrase yes said PUO elephants don't forget said Mrs Oliver you know a story children get brought up on how someone an Indian tailor stuck a needle or something in an elephant's Tusk no no not a Tusk his trunk of course an elephant's trunk and the next time the elephant came past he had a great mouthful of water and he splashed it out all over the tailor though he hadn't seen him for several years he hadn't forgotten he remembered that's the point you see elephants remember what I've got to do is I've got to get in touch with some elephants I I don't know yet if I quite see what you mean said hercu poo who are you classifying as elephants you sound as though you were going for information through the zoo well it's not exactly like that said Mrs Oliver not elephants as elephants but the way people up to a point would resemble elephants there are some people who do remember in fact one does remember queer things I mean there are a lot of things that I remember very well they happened I remember a birthday party I had when I was five and a pink cake a lovely pink cake it had a sugar bird on it and I remember the day my canary flew away and I cried and I remember another day when I went into a field and there was a bull there and somebody said it would Gore me and I was terrified and wanted to run out of the field well I I remember that quite well it was a Tuesday too I don't know why I should remember it was a Tuesday but it was a Tuesday and I remember a wonderful picnic with blackberries I remember getting pricked terribly but getting more blackberries than anyone else it was wonderful by that time I was nine I think but one needn't go back as far as that I mean I've been to hundreds of weddings in my life but when I look back on a wedding there are only two that I remember particularly one where I was a bridesmaid it took place in the New Forest I remember and I can't remember who was there actually I think it was a cousin of mine getting married I didn't know her very well but she wanted a good many bridesmaids and well I came in handy I suppose but I know another wedding that was a friend of mine in the Navy he was nearly drowned in a submarine and then he was saved and then the girl he was engaged to her people didn't want her to marry him but then he did marry her after that and I was one of her bridesmaids at the marriage well I mean there's always things you do remember I see your point said PUO I find it interesting so you will go that's right I'd have to get the date right there said PUO I hope I may be able to help you and then I think of people I knew at about that time people that I may have known who also knew the same friends that I did who probably knew General whatnot people who may have known them abroad but whom I also knew although I may have seen them for a good many years you can look up people you know that you haven't seen for a long time because people are always quite pleased to see someone coming up out of the past even if they can't remember very much about you and then you naturally will talk about the things that were happening at that date that you remember about very interesting said PUO I think you are very well equipped for what you proposed to do people who knew the Ravens crafts either well or not very well people who lived in the same part of the world where the things happened or who might have been staying there more difficult but I think one could get at it and so somehow or other one would try different things start a little talk going about what happened what they think happened what anyone else has ever told you about what might have happened about any love affairs the husband or wife had about any money that somebody might have inherited I think you could scratch up a lot of things oh dear said Mrs Oliver I'm afraid really I'm just a nosy Parker you've been given an assignment said PUO not by someone you like not by someone you wish to oblige but someone you entirely dislike that does not matter you are still on a quest a quest of knowledge you take your own path it is the path of the elephants the elephants may remember more voage said PUO take your pardon said Mrs Oliver I sending you forth on your Voyage of Discovery said PUO I expect I'm mad said Mrs Oliver sadly she brushed her hands through her hair again so that she looked like the old picture books of stru Peter I was just thinking of starting a story about a golden retriever but it wasn't going well I couldn't get started if you know what I mean all right abandon the golden retriever concern yourself only with elephants book one elephants chapter three great aart Alice's guide to knowledge can you find my address book for me Miss Livingston it's on your desk Mrs Oliver in the left hand corner oh I didn't mean that one said Mrs Oliver that's the one I'm using now I mean my last one the one I had last year or perhaps the one before that again has it been thrown away perhaps suggested Miss Livingston no I don't throw away address books and things like that because so often you want one I mean some address that you haven't copied into the new one I expected maybe in one of the drawers of the tall boys Miss Livingston was a fairly new arrival replacing Miss Sedwick ariadne Oliver missed Miss Sedwick Sedwick knew so many things she knew the places where Mrs Oliver sometimes put things the kind of places Mrs Oliver kept things in she remembered the names of people Mrs Oliver had written nice letters to and the names of people that Mrs Oliver goed Beyond endurance had written rather rude things to she was invaluable or rather had been invaluable she was like what was that book called Mrs Oliver said casting her mind back oh yes I know a big brown book all victorians had it inquire within upon everything and you could too how to take iron Mark stains off linen how to deal with curdled mayonnaise how to start a chatty letter to a bishop many many things it was all there inquire within upon everything great aunt Alice's great standby Miss Sedwick had been just as good as Aunt Alice's book Miss Livingston was not at all the same thing Miss Livingston stood there always very long-faced with a sow skin looking purposefully efficient every line of her face said I am very efficient but she wasn't really Mrs Oliver thought she only knew all the places where for former literary employers of herss had kept things and where she clearly considered Mrs Oliver ought to keep them what I want said Mrs Oliver with firmness and the determination of a spoiled child is my 1970 address book and I think 1969 as well please look for it as quick as you can will you of course of course said Miss Livingston she looked around her with the rather vacant expression of someone who is looking for something she has never heard of before but which efficiency may be able to produce by some unexpected turn of luck if I don't get Sedwick back I shall go mad thought Mrs Oliver to herself I can't deal with this thing if I don't have Sedwick Miss Livingston started pulling open various drawers in the furniture in Mrs Oliver's so-called study and writing room here is last years said Miss Livingston happily that will be much more up to date won't it 1971 I don't want 1971 said Mrs Oliver vague thoughts and memories came to her look in that tea caddy table she said Miss Livingston looked around round looking worried at that table said Mrs Oliver pointing a desk book wouldn't be likely to be in a tea caddy said Miss Livingston pointing out to her employer the general Facts of Life oh yes it could said Mrs Oliver I seem to remember edging Miss Livingston aside she went to the tea caddy table raised the lid and looked at the attractive inlaid work inside and it is here said Mrs Oliver raising the lid of a papia mashe round canister devised to contain lapsang suong as opposed to Indian tea and taking a curled up small brown notebook here it is she said that's only 1968 Mrs Oliver four years ago well that's about right said Mrs Oliver seizing it and taking it back to her desk that's all for the present Miss Livingston but you might see if you can find my birthday book somewhere I didn't know I don't use it now said Mrs Oliver but I used to have one once quite a big one you know started when I was a child goes on for years I expect it'll be in the Attic upstairs you know the one we use as a spare room sometimes when it's only boys coming for holidays or people who don't mind the sort of chest or Bureau thing next to the bed oh shall I look and see that's the idea said Mrs Oliver she cheered up a little as Miss Livingston went out of the room Mrs Oliver shut the door firmly behind her went back to the desk and started looking down the addresses written in faded ink and smelling of tea Ravenscroft Celia Ravenscroft yes 14 fish Acer Muse sw3 that's the Chelsea address she was living there then but there was another one after that somewhere like strand on the green near Q Bridge she turned a few more pages oh yes this seems to be a later one mardike Grove that's off Fulham Road I think somewh like that has she got a telephone number it's very rubbed out but I think yes I I think that's right flaxman anyway I'll try it she went across to the telephone the door opened and miss living and looked in do you think that perhaps I found the address I want said Mrs Oliver go on looking for that birthday book it's important do you think you could have left it when you were in cely house no I don't said Mrs Oliver go on looking she murmured as the door closed be as long as you like about it she dialed the telephone number and waited opening the door to call up the stairs you might try that Spanish chest you know the one that's bound with brass I forgotten where it is now under the table in the hall I think Mrs Oliver's first dialing was not successful she appeared to have connected herself to a Mrs Smith Potter who seemed both annoyed and unhelpful and had no idea what the present telephone number might be of anyone who had lived in that particular flat before Mrs Oliver applied herself to an examination of the address book once more she discovered two more addresses which were hastily scrolled over other numbers and did not seem wildly helpful however at the third attempt a somewhat illegible Ravenscroft seemed to emerge from the Crossings out and initials and addresses a voice admitted to knowing Celia oh dear yes but she hasn't lived here for years I think she was in Newcastle when I last heard from her oh dear said Mrs Oliver I'm afraid I haven't got that address no I haven't got it either said the kindly girl I think she went to be secretary to a Veterinary surgeon it did not sound very hopeful Mrs Oliver tried once or twice more the addresses in the latest of her two address books were no use so she went back a bit further she struck oil as you might put it when she came to the last one which was for the year 1967 Oh you mean Celia said a voice Celia ravenscraft wasn't it or was it finchwell Mrs Oliver just prevented herself in time from saying no and it wasn't red breast either a very competent girl said the voice she worked for me for over a year and a half oh yes very competent I would have been quite happy if she' stayed longer I think she went from here to somewhere in Harley Street but I think I've got her address somewhere now let me see there was a long pause while Mrs X name unknown was seeing I've got one address here it seems to be in Islington somewhere do you think that's possible Mrs Oliver said that anything was possible and thanked Mrs X very much and wrote it down so difficult isn't it trying to find people's addresses they do send them to you usually you know a sort of postcard or something of that kind personally I always seemed to lose it Mrs Oliver said that she herself also suffered in this respect she tried the Islington number a heavy foreign voice replied to her you want yes you tell me what yes who live here a Miss Celia Ravenscroft oh yes that's very true yes yes she lives here she has a room on the second floor she is out now and she not come home will she be in later this evening oh she'll be home very soon now I think of course she come home to dress for party and go out Mrs Oliver thanked her for the information and rang off really said Mrs Oliver to herself with some annoyance girls she tried to think how long it was since she had last seen her goddaughter Celia one lost touch that was the whole point Celia she thought was in London now if her boyfriend was in London or if the mother of her boyfriend was in London all of it went together oh dear thought Mrs Oliver this really makes my heada ache yes Miss Livingston she turned her head Miss Livingston looking rather unlike herself and decored with a good many cobwebs and a general coating of dust stood looking annoyed in the doorway holding a pile of Dusty volumes I don't know whether any of these will be of any use to you Mrs Oliver they seem to go back for a great many years she was disapproving BTO said Mrs Oliver I don't know if there is anything particular you want me to search for I don't don't think so said Mrs Oliver if you'll just put them on the corner of the sofa there I can look at them this evening Miss Livingston looking more disapproving every moment said very good Mrs Oliver I think I will just dust them first that will be very kind of you said Mrs Oliver just stopping herself in time from saying and for goodness sake dust yourself as well you've got six cobwebs in your left ear she glanced at her watch and rang the Islington number again the voice that answered this time was purely Anglo-Saxon and had a crisp sharpness about that Mrs Oliver felt was rather satisfactory Miss Ravenscroft Celia Ravenscroft yes this is Celia Ravenscroft well I don't expect you'll remember me very well I'm Mrs Oliver AR Adney Oliver we haven't seen each other for a long time but actually I'm your godmother oh yes of course I know that no we haven't seen each other for a long time I wonder very much if I could see you I if if you could come and see me or whatever you like would you like to come to a meal or well it's rather difficult at present where I'm working I could come around this evening if you like about halfast 7 or 8 I've got a date later but if you do that I shall be very very pleased said Mrs Oliver well of course I will I'll give you the address Mrs Oliver gave it good I'll be there yes I know where that is quite well Mrs Oliver made a brief note on the telephone pad and looked with some annoyance at Miss Livingston who had just come into the room struggling under the weight of a large album I wondered if this could possibly be it Mrs Oliver no it couldn't said Mrs Oliver that's got cookery recipes in it oh dear said Mr Livingston so it has well I might as well look at some of them anyway said Mrs Oliver removing the volume firmly go and have another look you know I've thought about the linen cupboard next door to the bathroom you'd have to look on the top shelf above the bath towels I do sometimes stick papers and books in there wait a minute I'll come up and look myself 10 minutes later Mrs Oliver was looking through the pages of a faded album Miss Livingston having entered her final stage of martyrdom was standing by the door unable to Bear the sight of so much suffering Mrs Oliver said well that's all right you might just take a look in the desk in the dining room the old desk you know the one that's broken a bit see if you can find some more address books early ones anything up to about 10 years old will be worthwhile having a look at and after that said Mrs Oliver I don't think I shall want anything more today Miss Livingston departed I wonder said Mrs Oliver to herself releasing a deep sigh as she sat down she looked through the pages of the birthday book who's better pleased she to go or I to see her go after Celia has come and gone I shall have to have a busy evening taking a new exercise book from the pile she kept on a small table by her desk she entered various dates possible addresses and names looked up one or two more things in the telephone book and and then proceeded to ring up Miss hercu PUO ah is that you miss PUO yes madame it is I myself have you done anything said Mrs Oliver I beg your pardon have I done what anything said Mrs Oliver what I asked you about yesterday oh yes certainly I have put things in motion I have arranged to make certain inquiries but you haven't made them yet said Mrs Oliver who had a poor view of what the male view was of doing something and you sh Madame I been very busy said Mrs Oliver ah and what have you been doing Madame assembling elephants said Mrs Oliver if that means anything to you I think I can understand what you mean yes it's not very easy looking into the past said Mrs Oliver it is astonishing really how many people one does remember when one comes to look up names my word the silly things they write in birthday books sometimes too I can't think why when I was about 16 or 17 or even 30 I wanted people to write it my birthday book there's a sort of quotation from a poet for every particular day of the year some of them are terribly silly you are incouraged in your search not quite encouraged said Mrs Oliver but I still think I'm on the right lines I've rung up my goddaughter ah and you are going to see her yes she's coming to see me tonight between 7 and 8 if she doesn't run out on me one never knows young people are very unreliable she appeared pleased that you had rung her up I don't know said Mrs Oliver not particularly pleased she's got a very incisive voice and I remember now the last time I saw her that must be about 6 years ago I thought then that she was rather frightening frightening in what way what I mean is that she was more likely to bully me than I would be to bully her that may be a good thing and not a bad thing oh do you think so if people have made up their minds that they do not wish to like you that they are quite sure they do not like you they will get more pleasure out of making you aware of the fact and in that way will release more information to you than they would have done if they were trying to be amiable and agreeable sucking up to me you mean yes you have something there you mean then they tell you things that they thought would please you and the other way they'd be annoyed with you and they'd say things that they'd hope would annoy you I wonder if Celia is like that I really remember her much better when she was 5 years old than at any other age she had a nursery governor and she used to throw her boots at her the governor at the child or the child at the governor oh the child at the governers of course said Mrs Oliver she replaced the receiver and went over to the sofa to examine the various piled up memories of the past she murmured names under her breath Marana Josephine pontal of course yes I haven't thought of her for years I thought you was dead Anna brce yes yes she lived in that part of the world I Wonder now continuing all this time passed she was quite surprised when the bell rang she went out herself to open the door chapter 4 Celia a tall girl was standing on the mat outside just for a moment Mrs Oliver was startled looking at her so this was Celia the impression of Vitality and of life was really very strong Mrs Oliver had the feeling which one does not often get here she thought was someone who meant something aggressive perhaps could be difficult could be almost dangerous perhaps one of those girls who had a mission in life who was dedicated to violence perhaps who went in for causes but interesting definitely interesting oh come in Celia she said it's such a long time since I saw you the last time as far as I remember was at a wedding you were a bridesmaid you wore apricot chiffon I remember and large Bunches of I can't remember what it was something that looked like Golden Rod probably was Golden Rod said Celia Ravenscroft we sneezed a lot with hay fever it was a terrible wedding I know Martha Leghorn wasn't it ugliest bridesmaid's dresses I've ever seen certainly the ugliest I've ever worn yes they weren't very becoming to anybody you looked better than most if I may say so well it's nice of you to say that said CIA I didn't feel my best Mrs Oliver indicated a chair and manipulated a couple of decanters like Sherry or or something else now I'd like Sher there you are then I suppose it seems rather odd to you said Mrs Oliver my ringing you up Suddenly like this oh no I don't know that it does particularly I'm not a very conscientious godmother I'm afraid why should you be at my age you're right there said Mrs Oliver one's duty is one feels end at a certain time not that I ever really fulfilled mine I didn't remember coming to your confirmation I believe the duty of the Godmother is to make you learn your catechism and a few things like that isn't it renounce the devil and all his Works in my name said Celia a faint humorous smile came to her lips she was being very amiable but all the same thought Mrs Oliver she's rather a dangerous girl in some ways well I'll tell you why I've been trying to get hold of you said Mrs Oliver the whole thing is rather peculiar I don't often go out to literary parties but as it happened I did go out to one the day before yesterday yes I know said Celia I saw a mention of it in the paper and you had your name in it too Mrs Ari Adney Oliver and I rather wondered because I know you don't usually go to that sort of thing no said Mrs Oliver I rather wish I hadn't gone to that one didn't you enjoy it yes I did in a way because I hadn't been to one before and so well the first time there's always something that amuses you but she added there's usually something that annoys you as well and something happened to annoy you yes yes and it's connected in an old sort of way with you and I thought well I thought I ought to tell you about it because I didn't like what happened I didn't like it at all sounds intriguing said Celia and sipped her Sherry there was a woman there who came and spoke to me I didn't know her and she didn't know me still I suppose that often happens to you said Celia yes invariably said Mrs Oliver it's one of the hazards of literary life people come up to and say I do love your book so much and I'm so pleased to be able to meet you that sort of thing I was secretary to a writer once I do know about that sort of thing and how difficult it is yes well there was some of that too but that I was prepared for and then this woman came up to me and she said I believe you have a god daughter called Celia Ravenscroft well that was a bit odd said Celia just coming up to you and saying that it seems to me she ought to have led into it more gradually you know talking about your books first and how much she'd enjoyed the last one or something like that and then sliding into me what had she got against me as far as I know she hadn't got anything against you said Mrs Oliver was she a friend of mine I don't know said Mrs Oliver there was a silence Celia sipped some more Sherry and looked very searchingly at Mrs Oliver you know she said you're rather intriguing me I can't see quite what you're leading into well said Mrs Oliver I hope you won't be angry with me why should I be angry with you well because I'm going to tell you something or repeat something and you might say it's no business of mine or I ought to keep quiet about it and not mention it you've aroused my curiosity said Celia her name she mentioned to me she was Mrs Burton Cox oh Celia's o was rather distinctive oh you know her yes I know her said CIA well I I thought you must because because of what because of something she said what about me that she knew me she said that she thought her son might be going to marry you Celia's expression changed her eyebrows went up came down again she looked very hard at Mrs Oliver you want to know if that's so or not no said Mrs Oliver I don't particularly want to know I I merely mention that because it's one of the first thing she said to me she said because you were my goddaughter I might be able to ask you to give me some information I presume that she meant that if the information was given to me I was to pass it on to her what information well I don't suppose you'll like what I'm going to say now said Mrs Oliver I didn't like it myself in fact it gives me a very nasty feeling all down my spine because I think it was well such awful cheek awful Bad Manners absolutely unpardonable she said can you find out if her father murdered her mother or if her mother murdered her father she said that to you asked you to do that yes and she didn't know you I mean apart from being an authoress and being at the party she didn't know me at all she'd never met me I'd never met her didn't you find that extraordinary I didn't know that I'd find anything extraordinary that that woman said she struck me said Mrs Oliver if I may say so as a particularly odious woman oh yes she is a particularly odious woman and are you going to marry her son well we've considered the question I don't know you knew what she was talking about well I know what I suppose anyone would know who was acquainted with your family that my father and mother after he had retired from the army bought a house in the country that they went out one day for a walk together a walk along the cliff path that they were found there both of them shot there was a revolver lying there it belonged to my father he had two revolvers in the house it seems there was nothing to say whether it was a suicide PCT or whether my father killed my mother and then shot himself or my mother shot my father and then killed herself but perhaps you know all this already I know it after a fashion said Mrs Oliver it happened I think about 12 years ago about that yes and you were about 12 or 14 at the time yes I don't know much about it said Mrs Oliver I wasn't even in England myself at the time I was on a lecture tour in America I simply read it in the paper it was given a lot of space in the Press because it was difficult to know the real facts there did not seem to be any motive your father and mother had always been happy together and lived on good terms I remember that being mentioned I was interested because I had known your father and mother when we were all much younger especially your mother I was at school with her after that our ways LED apart I married and went somewhere and she married and went out as far as I remember to Mala or some place like that with her Soldier husband but she did ask me to be godmother to one of her children you since your mother and father were living abroad I saw very little of them for many years I saw you occasionally yes you used to take me out from school I remember that gave me some specially good feeds too lovely food you gave me you were an unusual child you liked kaviar I still do said Celia though I don't get it offered to me very often I was shocked to read this mention of things in the paper bit of little was said I gathered it was a kind of open verdict no particular motive nothing to show no accounts of a quarrel there was no suggestion of there having been an attack from outside I was shocked by it said Mrs Oliver and then I forgot it I wondered once or twice what could have led to it but as I was not in the country I was doing a tour at the time in America as I've said the whole thing passed out of my mind it was some years later when I next saw you and naturally I did not speak of it to you no said Celia I appreciate that all through life Mrs Oliver said one comes across very curious things that happen to friends or to acquaintances With Friends of course very often you have some idea of what led to whatever the incident might be but if it's a long time since you've heard them discussed or talked to them you are quite in the dark and there is nobody you can show Too Much curiosity to about the occasion you were always very nice to me said Celia you sent me nice presents a particularly nice present when I was 21 I remember oh that's the time when girls need some extra cash in hand said Mrs Oliver because there are so many things they want to do and have just then yes I always thought you were an understanding person and not well you know what some people are like always questioning and asking things and wanting to know all about you you never asked questions you used to take me out to shows or give me nice meals and talk to me as though well as though everything was all right and you were just a distant relation of the family I've appreciated that I've known so many nosy Parkers in my life yes everyone comes up against that sooner or later said Mrs Oliver but you see now what upset me at this particular party it seems an extraordinary thing to be asked to do by a complete stranger like Mrs Burton Cox I couldn't imagine why she'd want to know it was no business of hers surely unless you thought it was unless it was something to do with my marrying Desmond Desmond is her son yes I suppose it could have been but I couldn't see how or what business it was of hers everything's her business she's nosy in fact she's what you said she was an OD woman but I gather Desmond isn't odious no no I'm very fond of Desmond and Desmond is fond of me I don't like his mother does he like his mother I don't really know said Celia I suppose he might like her anything's possible isn't it anyway I don't want to get married at present I don't feel like it and there are a lot of oh well difficulties you know there are a lot of fors and againsts it must have made you feel rather curious said Celia I mean why Mrs nosy Cox should have asked you to try and worm things out of me and then run along and spill it all to her are you asking me that particular question by the way you mean am I asking you whether you think or know that your mother killed your father or your father killed your mother or whether it was a double suicide is that what you mean well I suppose it is in a way but I think I have to ask you also if you were wanting to ask me that whether you were doing so with the idea of giving Mrs Burton Cox the information you obtained in case you did receive any information from me no said Mrs Oliver quite decidedly no I shouldn't dream of telling the odious woman anything of the sort I shall tell her quite firmly that it is not any business of hers or of mine and that I have no intention of obtaining information from you and retailing it to her well that's what I thought said Celia I thought I could trust you to that extent I don't mind telling you what I do know such as it is oh you needn't I'm not asking you for it no I can quite see that but I'll give you the answer all the same the answer is nothing nothing said Mrs Oliver thoughtfully no I wasn't there at the time I mean I wasn't in the house at the time I can't remember now quite where I was I think I was at school in Switzerland or else I was staying with a school friend during the school holidays you see it's all rather mixed up in my mind by now I suppose said Mrs Oliver doubtfully it wouldn't be likely that you would know considering your age at the time I'd be interested said Celia to know just what you feel about that do you think it would be likely for me to know all about it or not to know well you said you weren't in the house if you'd been in the house at the time then yes I I think it would be quite likely that you might know something children do teenagers do people of that age know a lot they see a lot they don't talk about it very often but they do know things that the outside world wouldn't know and they do know things that they wouldn't be willing shall we say to tell to police inquirers no you're being quite sensible I wouldn't have known I don't think I did know I don't think I had any idea what did the police think you don't mind me asking you that I hope because I should be interested you said you see I never read any account of the inquest or anything like that or the inquiry into it I think they thought it was a double suicide but I don't think they ever had any inkling as to the reason for it do you want to know what I think not if you don't want me to know said Mrs Oliver but I expect you're interested after all you write crime stories about people who kill themselves or kill each other or who have reasons for things I should think you would be interested well yes I'll admit that said Mrs Oliver but the last thing I want to do is to offend you by seeking for information which is no business of mine to know well I wondered said Celia I've often wondered from time to time why and how but I knew very little about things I mean about how things were going on at home the holidays before that I had been away on Exchange on the continent so I hadn't seen my mother and father really very recently I mean they'd come out to Switzerland and taken me out from school once or twice but that was all they seemed much as usual but they seemed older my father I think was a I mean getting feebler I don't know if it was heart or what it was one doesn't really think about that my mother too she was going rather nervy not hypochondriac but a little inclined to fuss over her health they were on good terms quite friendly there wasn't anything that I noticed only sometimes one would well sometimes one gets ideas one doesn't think they're true or necessarily right at all but one just wonders if I don't think we'd talk about it anymore said Mrs Oliver we don't need to know or find out the whole thing's over and done with the verdict was quite satisfactory no means to show or motive or anything like that but there was no question of your father having deliberately killed your mother or of your mother having deliberately killed your father if I thought which was most likely said Celia I would think my father killed my mother because you see it's more natural for a man to shoot anyone I think to shoot a woman for whatever reason it was I don't think a woman or a woman like my mother would be so likely to shoot my father if she wanted him dead I should think she might have chosen some other method but I don't think either of them wanted the other one dead so it could have been an outsider yes but what does one mean by an outsider said Celia who else was there living in the house a housekeeper elderly rather blind and rather deaf a foreign girl an opair girl she'd been my Governor once she was awfully nice she came back to look after my mother who had been in hospital and there was an aunt whom I never loved much I don't think any of them could have been likely to have any grudge against my parents there was nobody who profited by their deaths except I suppose myself and my brother Edward who was four years younger than I was We inherited what money there was but it wasn't very much my father had his pension of course my mother had a small income of her own no there was nothing there of any importance I'm sorry said Mrs Oliver I'm sorry if I've distressed You by asking all this you haven't distressed me You' brought it up in my mind a little and it has interested me because you see I am of an age now that I wish I did know I knew and was fond of them as one is fond of parents not passionately just normally but I realiz I don't know what they were really like what their life was like What mattered to them I don't know anything about it at all I wish I did know it's like a bur something sticky into you and you can't leave it alone yes I would like to know because then you see I shouldn't have to think about it anymore so you do think about it Celia looked at her for a moment she seemed to be trying to come to a decision yes she said I think about it nearly all the time I'm going to have a thing about it if you know what I mean and Desmond feels the same chapter 5 old sins have Long Shadows hercu PUO let the revolving door wind him round arresting the swing of it with one hand he stepped forward into the small restaurant there were not many people there it was an unfashionable time of day but his eyes soon saw the man he had come to meet the square solid bulk of superintendent Spence Rose from the table in one corner good he said you have arrived here you had no difficulty in finding it none at all your instructions were most adequate let me introduce you now this is Chief superintendent gay M hercu PUO gay was a tall thin man with a lean atic face gray hair which left a small round spot like a tonser so that he had a faint resemblance to an ecclesiastic oh this is wonderful said PUO I am retired now of course said gay but one remembers yes certain things one remembers although they are passed and gone and the general public probably remembers nothing about them but yes herul PUO very nearly said elephants do remember but checked himself in time that phrase was so associated in his mind now with Mrs ariadne Oliver that he found it difficult to restrain it from his tongue in many clearly unsuitable categories I hope you have not been getting impatient said superintendent Spence he pulled forward a chair and the three men sat down a menu was brought superintendent Spence who was clearly addicted to this particular restaurant offered tentative words of advice gay and PUO made their choice then leaning back a little in their chairs and sipping glasses of cherry they contemplated each other for some minutes in silence before speaking I must apologize to you said PUO I really must apologize to you for coming to you with my demands about an affair which is over and done with or what interests me said Spence is what has interested you I thought first that it was unlike you to have this wish to delve into the past it is connected with something that has occurred nowadays or is it sudden curiosity about a rather inexplicable perhaps case do you agree with that he looked across the table inspector gway he said as he was at that time was the officer in charge of the investigations into the Ravens Croft shooting he was an old friend of mine and so I had no difficulty in getting in touch with him and he was kind enough to come here today said PUO simply because I must admit to a curiosity which I am sure I have no right to feel about an affair that is passed and done with well I wouldn't say that said gay we all have interests in certain cases that are passed did Lizzie bordon really kill her father and mother with an axe there are people who still do not think so who killed Charles Bravo and why there are several different ideas mostly not very well founded but still people try to find alternative explanations his key shrewd eyes looked across at PUO and M PUO if I'm not mistaken has occasionally shown a leaning towards looking into cases going back shall we say for murder back into the past twice perhaps three times three times certainly said superintendent Spence once I think I'm right by request of a Canadian girl that is so said PUO a Canadian girl very vehement very passionate very forceful who had come here to investigate a murder for which her mother had been condemned to death although she died before sentence was carried out her daughter was convinced that her mother had been innocent and you agreed said gay I did not agree said poo when she first told me of the matter but she was very vehement and very sure oh it was natural for a daughter to wish her mother to have been innocent and to try to prove against all appearances that she was innocent said Spence it was just a little more than that said pero she convinced me of the type of woman her mother was a woman incapable of murder no said PUO it would be very difficult and I am sure both of you agree with me to think there is anyone quite incapable of murder if one knows what kind of person they are what led up to it but in that particular case the mother never protested her innocence she appeared to be quite content to be sentenced that was curious to begin with was she a defeatist it did not seem so when I began to inquire it became clear that she was not a defeatist she was one would say almost the opposite of it gay looked interested he leaned across the table twisting a bit of bread off the roll onto his plate and uh was she innocent yes said puu she was innocent and that surprised you not by the time I realized it said PUO there were one or two things one thing in particular that showed she could not have been guilty one fact that nobody had appreciated at the time knowing that one had only to look at what there was shall we say on the menu in the way of looking elsewhere grilled trout was put in front of them at this point there was another case too where you looked into the past not quite in the same way continued Spence a girl who said at a party that she'd once seen a murder committed there again one had to how shall I put it step backwards instead of forward said PUO yes that is very true and had the girl seen the murder committed no said PUO because it was the wrong girl this TR is delicious he added with appreciation they do all fish dishes very well here said superintendent Spence he helped himself from the source boat profer to him a most delicious sauce he added silent appreciation of food filled the next 3 minutes when Spence came along to me said superintendent gay asking if I remembered anything about the Ravens Croft case I was intrigued and delighted at once you haven't forgotten all about it and not the ravencraft case it wasn't an easy case to forget about you agree said PUO that there were discrepancies about it lack of proof alternative Solutions no said gay nothing of that kind all the evidence recorded the visible facts deaths of which there were were several former examples yes all plain sailing and yet well said PUO and yet it was all wrong said gay ah said Spence he looked interested that's what you felt once isn't it said PUO turning to him in the case of Mrs McGinty yes you weren't satisfied said PUO when that extremely difficult young man was arrested he had every reason for doing it he looked as though he had done it everyone thought he had done it but you knew he hadn't done it you were so sure of it that you came to me and told me to go along to see what I could find out see if you could help and you did help didn't you said Spence PUO sighed fortunately yes but what a tiresome young man he was if ever a young man deserved to be hanged not because he had done a murder but because he wouldn't help anyone to prove that he hadn't now we have the ravencroft case you say superintendent gay something was wrong yes I felt quite sure of it you understand what I mean I do understand said PUO and so th Spence one does come across these things sometimes the proofs are there the motive the opportunity the clues the misen it is all there a complete blueprint as you might say but all the same those whose profession it is know they know that it is all wrong just like a Critic in the artistic world knows when a picture is all wrong wrong knows when it is a fake and not the real thing well there wasn't anything I could do about it either said superintendent gway I looked into it around it up above it and down below it as you might say I talked to the people there was nothing there it looked like a suicide PCT it had all the marks of the suicide Packa alternatively of course it could be a husband who shot a wife and then himself or a wife who shot her husband and then herself all those three things happen when one comes across the one knows they have happened but in most cases one has some idea of why there wasn't any real idea of why in this case was that it said PUO yes that's it you see the moment you begin to inquire into a case to inquire about people and things you get a very good picture as a rule of what their lives have been like this was a couple aging a husband with a good record a wife affectionate Pleasant on good terms together that's a thing one soon finds out about they were happy living together they went for walks they played PK and poker patience with each other in the evenings they had children who caused them no particular anxiety a boy in school in England and a girl in a p in Switzerland there was nothing wrong with their lives as far as one could tell from such medical evidence as one could obtain there was nothing definitely wrong with their health the husband had suffered from high blood pressure at one time but was in good condition by The Taking of suitable medicaments which kept him on an even Keel his wife was slightly deaf and he had a little minor heart trouble nothing to be worried about of course it could be as does happen sometimes that one or other of them had fears for their health there are a lot of people who are in good health but are quite convinced they have cancer or quite sure that they won't live another year sometimes that leads to them taking their own life the Ravens Crofts didn't seem that kind of person they seemed well balanced and Placid so what do you really think said PUO well the trouble is that I couldn't think looking back I said to myself it was suicide It could only have been suicide for some reason or other they decided that life was unbearable to them not through financial trouble not through Health difficulties not because of unhappiness and there you see I came to a full stop it had all the marks of suicide I can't see any other thing that could have happened except suicide they went for a walk in that walk they took a revolver with them the revolver lay between the two bodies there were blurred Fingerprints of both of them both of them in fact had handled it but there was nothing to show who had fired it last one tends to think the husband perhaps shot his wife and then himself that is only because it seems more likely well why a great many years have passed when something reminds me now and again something I read in the papers of bodies or husbands and wife's bodies somewhere lying dead having taken their own lives apparently I think back and then I wonder again what happened in the Ravenscroft case 12 years ago or 14 and I still remember the Raven Croft case and wonder well just the one word I think why why why did the wife really hate her husband and want to get rid of him did they go on hating each other until they could bear it no longer gay broke off another piece of bread and chewed at it you got some idea Mr PUO has somebody come to you and told you something that has awakened your interest particularly do you know something that might explain the why no all the same said PUO you must have had a theory come now you had a theory well you're quite right of course one does have theories one expects them all or at one of them at least to work out but they don't usually I think that my theory was in the end that you couldn't look for the cause because one didn't know enough what did I know about them General Ravenscroft was close on 60 his wife was 35 all I knew of them strictly speaking was the last five or six years of their lives the general had retired on a pension they'd come back to England from abroad and all the evidence that came to me all the knowledge was of a brief period during which they had first a house at Bournemouth and then moved to where they lived in the home where the tragedy took place they had lived there peacefully happily their children came home there for the school holidays it was a peaceful period I should say at the end of what one presumed was a a peaceful life I knew of their life after retirement in England of their family there was no Financial motive no motive of hatred no motive of sexual involvement of intrusive love affairs no but there was a period before that what did I know about that what I knew was a life spent mostly abroad with occasional visits home a good record for the man Pleasant remembrances of her from Friends of the wies there was no outstanding tragedy dispute nothing that one knew of but then I might have known one doesn't know there was a period of say 20 30 years from childhood to the time they married the time they lived abroad in Malaya and other places perhaps the root of the tragedy was there there is a proverb My grandmother used to repeat old sins have Long Shadows was the cause of death some long Shadow a shadow from the past that's not an easy thing to find out about you find out about a man's record what friends or acquaintances say but you don't know any inner details well I think little by little the theory grew up in my mind that that would have been the place to look if I could have looked something that had happened then in another country perhaps something that had been thought to be forgotten to have passed out of existence but which still perhaps existed a grudge from the past some happening that nobody knew about that had happened elsewhere not in their life in England but which may have been there if one had known where to look for it not the sort of thing you mean said PUO that anybody would remember I mean remember nowadays something that no friends of theirs in England perhaps would have known about well their friends in England seem to have been mostly made since retirement though I suppose old friends did come and visit them or see them occasionally but one doesn't hear about things that happened in the past people forget yes said puu thoughtfully people forget they're not like elephants said superintendent gay giving a faint smile elephants they always say remember everything it is odd you should say that said PUO what that I should say about long since and not so much that it was your mention of elephants that interested me superintendent gway looked at PUO with some surprise he seemed to be waiting for more Spence also cast a quick glance at his old friend something that happened out east perhaps he suggested I mean well that's where elephants come from isn't it or from Africa anyway who's been talking to about elephants he added a friend of mine happened to mention them said PUO someone you know he said to inspector Spence Mrs Oliver oh Mrs AR Adney Oliver well he paused well what said poo well does she know something then he asked I do not think so as yet said puu but she might know something before very long he added thoughtfully she's that kind of person she gets around if you know what I mean yes said Spence yes has she got any ideas he asked do you mean Mrs ariadne Oliver the writer asked gay with some interest that's the one said Spence does she know a good deal about crime I know she writes crime stories I've never known where she got her ideas from or her facts her ideas said poo come out of her head her facts well that's more difficult he paused for a moment what are you thinking of PUO something in particular yes said PUO I ruined one of her stories once or so she tells me she had just had a very good idea about a fact something that had to do with a long sleeved Woolen vest I asked her something over the telephone and it put the idea for the story out of her head she reproaches me at intervals dear dear said Spence sounds rather like that parsley that sank into the butter on hot day you know Sherlock Holmes and the dog who did nothing in the nighttime did they have a dog asked par I beg you pardon I said did they have a dog General and Lady Ravenscroft did they take a dog for that walk with them on the day they were shot the Ravens Crofts they had a dog yes said gay I suppose they did take him for a walk most days if it had been one of Mrs Oliver's stories said Spence you ought to have found the dog howling over the the two dead bodies but that didn't happen gay shook his head I wonder where the dog is now said poo buried in somebody's Garden I expect said gay it's 14 years ago so we can't go and ask the dog can we said poo he added thoughtfully a Pity it's astonishing you know what dogs can know who was there exactly in the house I mean on the day when the crime happened I brought you a list said superintendent gay in case you'd like to consult it a Mrs Whitaker the elderly cook hous keeper it was her day out so we couldn't get much from her that was helpful a visitor was staying there who had been Governor to the Ravens Croft children once I believe Mrs Whitaker was rather deaf and slightly blind she couldn't tell us anything of Interest except that recently lady Ravenscroft had been in hospital or in a nursing home for nerves but not illness apparently there was a garden too but a stranger might have come from outside a stranger from the past that's your idea superintendent gway well not so much an idea as just a theory po was silent he was thinking of a time when he had asked to go back into the past had studied five people out of the past who had reminded him of the nursery rhyme Five Little Pigs interesting it had been and in the end rewarding because he had found out the truth chapter six an old friend remembers when Mrs Oliver returned to the house the following morning she found Miss Livingston waiting for her there have been two telephone calls Mrs Oliver yes said Mrs Oliver the first one was from kryon and Smith they wanted to know whether you had chosen the lime green brade or the pale blue one I haven't made up my mind yet said Mrs Oliver just remind me tomorrow morning will you I'd like to see it by NightLight and the other was from a foreigner a Mr Hercule PUO I believe oh yes said Mrs Oliver what did he want he asked if you would be able to call and see him this afternoon oh that will be quite impossible said Mrs Oliver ring him up with you I've got to go out again at once as a matter of fact did he leave a telephone number yes he did that's all right then we won't have to look it up again all right just ring him tell him I'm sorry that I can't but that I'm on the track of an elephant I beg your pardon said Miss Livingston say that I'm on the track of an elephant oh yes said Miss Livingston looking shrewdly at her employer to see if she was right in the feelings that she sometimes had that Mrs ariadne Oliver though a successful novelist was at the same time not quite right in the head I've never hunted elephants before said Mrs Oliver it's quite an interesting thing to do though she went into the sitting room opened the top volume of the assorted books on the sofa most of them looking rather the worst for wear since she had toiled through them the evening before and written out a paper with various addresses well one has got to make a start somewhere she said on the whole I think that if Julia hasn't gone completely off her rocker by now I might start with her she always had ideas and after all she knew that part of the country because she lived near there yes I think we'll start with Julia there are four letters here for you to sign said Miss Livingston I can't don't be bothered now said Mrs Oliver I really can't spare a moment I've got to go down to Hampton Court and it's quite a long ride The Honorable Julia cter struggling with some slight difficulty out of her armchair the difficulty that those over the age of 70 have when rising to their feet after prolonged rest even a possible nap stepped forward peering a little to see who it was who had just been announced by the faithful retainer who shared the apartment which she occupied in her status of a member of homes for the privileged being slightly deaf the name had not come clearly to her Mrs guliver was that it but she didn't remember a Mrs guliver she Advanced on slightly Shaky Knees still peering forward I don't expect you'll remember me it's so many years since we met like many elderly people Mrs castair could remember voices better than she did faces why she exclaimed it's dear me it's it's it's arat my dear how very nice to see you greetings passed I just happen to be in this part of the world explained Mrs Oliver I had to come down to see someone not far from here and then I remembered that looking in my address book last night I had seen that this was quite near where you had your apartment delightful isn't it she added looking round uh not too bad said Mrs CZ not quite all it's written up to be you know but it has many advantages one brings One's Own Furniture and things like that that and there is a central restaurant where you can have a meal or you can have your own things of course oh yes it's it's very good really the grounds are charming and well kept up but sit down AR Adney do sit down oh you look very well I saw you were at ill literally lunch the other day in the paper how odd it is that one just sees something in the paper and almost the next day one meets the person quite extraordinary I know said Mrs Oliver taking the chair that was offered her things do go like that don't they you are still living in London Mrs Oliver said yes she was still living in London she then entered into what she thought of in her own mind with vague memories of going to dancing class as a child as the first figure of the Lancers Advance Retreat hands out turn round twice whirl round and so on she inquired after Mrs cair's daughter and about the the two grandchildren and she asked about the other daughter what she was doing she appeared to be doing it in New Zealand Mrs carair did not seem to be quite sure what it was some kind of social research Mrs cair pressed an electric Bell that rested on the arm of her chair and ordered Emma to bring tea Mrs Oliver begged her not to bother Julia castair said of course AR Adney has got to have tea the two ladies lent back the second and third figures of the Lancers old friends other people's children the death of friends it must be years since I saw you last said Mrs carair I think it was at the Luellen's wedding said Mrs Oliver yes that must have been about it how terrible Moira looked as a Brides made that dreadfully Unbecoming shade of apricot they wore I know it didn't suit them I didn't think weddings are nearly as pretty as they used to be in our day some of them seem to wear such very peculiar clothes the other day one of my friends went to a wedding and she said the bridegroom was dressed in some sort of quilted White Satin and ruffles at his neck made of valencian lace I believe most peculiar and the girl was wearing a very peculiar trouser suit also white but it was stamped with green shamrocks all over well my dear AR Adney can you imagine it really extraordinary in church too if I'd been a clergyman I'd have refused to marry them te came talk continued I saw my goddaughter Celia Ravenscroft the other day said Mrs Oliver do you remember the ravencraft of course it's a great many years ago the Raven cofs now wait a minute that was that very sad tragedy wasn't it a double suicide didn't they think it was near their house at overcliffe you've got such a wonderful memory Julia said Mrs Oliver always had though I have difficulties with names sometimes yes it was very tragic wasn't it very tragic indeed one of my cousins knew them very well in Malaya Rod Foster you know General Ravenscroft had had a most distinguished career of course he was a bit deaf by the time he retired he didn't always hear what one said very well do you remember them quite well oh yes one doesn't really forget people does one I mean they lived at overcliffe for quite five or six years I forgotten her Christian name now said Mrs Oliver Margaret I think but everyone called her Molly yes Margaret so many people were called Margaret weren't they at about that time she used to wear a wig do you remember oh yes said Mrs Oliver at least I can't quite remember but I think I do I'm not sure she didn't try to persuade me to get one she said it was so useful when you went abroad and traveled she had four different wigs one for evening and one for traveling and one very strange you know you could put a hat on over it and not really disarrange it I didn't know them as well as you did said Mrs Oliver and of course at the time of the shooting I was in America on a lecture tour so I never really heard any details well of course it was a great mystery said Julia castz I mean to say one didn't know there were so many different stories going about what did they say at the inquest I suppose they had an inquest oh yes of course the police had to investigate it it was one of those indecisive things you know in that the death was due to revolver shots they couldn't say definitely what had occurred it seemed possible that General Ravenscroft had shot his wife and and then himself but apparently it was just as probable that lady Ravenscroft had shot her husband and then herself it seemed more likely I think that it was a suicide paact but it couldn't be said definitely how it came about there seemed no question of it being a crime no no it was said quite clearly there was no suggestion of Foul Play I mean there were no foot Prince or or any signs of anyone coming near them they left the house to go for a walk after tea as they so often did they didn't come back again for dinner and the manservant or somebody or or the gardener whoever it was went out to look for them and found them both dead the revolver was lying by the bodies the revolver belonged to him didn't it oh yes he had two revolvers in the house these exmilitary people so often do don't they I mean uh they feel safer what with everything that goes on nowadays a second revolver was still in the drawer in the house so that he well he must have gone out deliberately with a revolver presumably I don't think it likely that she'd have gone out for a walk carrying a revolver no no it it wouldn't have been so easy would it but there was nothing apparently in the evidence to show that there was any unhappiness or that there had been any quarrel between them or that there was any reason why they should commit suicide of course one never knows what sad things there are in people's lives no no said Mrs Oliver one never knows how very true that is Julia did you have any idea yourself well one always wonders my dear yes said Mrs Oliver one always wonders it might be of course you'll see that he had some disease I think he might have been told he was going to die of cancer but that wasn't so according to the medical evidence he was quite healthy I mean he had I think he had had a what do you call those things coroner is that what I mean it sounds like a crown doesn't it but it's really a heart attack isn't it he'd had that but he'd recovered from it and she was uh well she was very nervy she was neurotic always yes I seem to remember that said Mrs Oliver of course I did know them well but um she asked suddenly was she wearing a wig oh well you know I can't really remember that she always wore her wig one of them I mean I just wondered said Mrs Oliver somehow I feel if you were going to shoot yourself or even shoot your husband I don't think you'd wear your wig do you the ladies discussed this point with some interest what do you really think Julia well as I said one wonders you know there were things said but then there always are about him or her well they said that there was a young woman you know yes I think she did some secretarial work for him he was writing his Memoirs of his career abroad I believe commissioned by a publisher at that and she used to take dictation from him but some people said well you know what they do say sometimes that perhaps he had got uh tied up with this girl in some way she wasn't very young she was over 30 not very good-look and I don't think there were no scandals about her or anything but still one doesn't know people thought he might have shot his wife because he wanted to well he might have wanted to marry her yes but I don't really think people said that sort of thing and I never believed it what did you think well of course I wondered a little about her you mean that a man was mentioned I believe there was something out in mea some kind of story I heard about her then that she got embroiled with some young man much younger than herself and her husband hadn't liked it much and caused a bit of Scandal I I forget where but anyway that was a long time ago and I I didn't think anything ever came of it you don't think there was any talk nearer home no special relationship with anyone in the neighborhood there wasn't any evidence of quarrels between them or anything of that kind no I I don't think so of course I read everything about it at the time one did discuss it of course because one couldn't help feeling there might be some well some really very tragic love story connected with it but there wasn't you think they had children didn't they there was my goddaughter of course oh yes and there was was a son I think he was quite young at school somewhere the girl was only 12 no older than that she was with a family in Switzerland there was no um mental trouble I suppose in the family Oh you mean the boy yes might be of course you do hear very strange things there was that boy who shot his father that was somewhere near New hle I think some years before that you know he'd been very depressed and at first I think they said he tried to hang himself when he was at the University then he came and shot his father but nobody quite knew why anyway there wasn't anything of that sort with the Ravens Crofts no I I don't think so in fact I'm pretty sure of it I can't help thinking in some ways yes Julia I can't help thinking that there might have been a man you know you mean that she yes well well one thinks it rather likely you know the wigs for one thing I don't quite see how the wigs come into it well wanting to improve her appearance she was 35 I think more more 36 I think and well I know she showed me the wigs one day and one or two of them really made her look quite attractive and she used a good deal of makeup and that had all started just after they had come to live there I think she was a rather goodlooking woman you mean she might have met someone some man well that's what I've always thought said Mrs carair you see if a man's getting off with a girl people notice it usually because men aren't so good at hiding their tracks but a woman it might be well I mean like someone she'd met and nobody knew much about it oh do you really think so Julia no no I don't really think so said Julia because I mean people always do know don't they I mean you know servants know or or gardeners or or bus drivers or somebody in the neighborhood and they know and they talk but still there could have been something like that and either he found out about it you mean it was a crime of jealousy I think so yes so you think it's more likely that he shot her then himself than that she shot him and then herself well I should think so because I think if she were trying to get rid of him well I don't think they'd have gone for a walk together and she'd have to have taken the revolver with her in a handbag and it would have been rather a bigger handbag if so one has to think of the Practical side of things I know said Mrs Oliver one does it's very interesting it must be interesting to you dear because you write those crime stories so I expect you really would have better ideas You' know more what's likely to happen I don't know what's likely to happen said Mrs Oliver because you see in all the crimes that I write I've invented the crimes I mean what I want to happen happens in my stories it's not something that actually has happened or that could happen so I'm really the worst person to talk about it I'm interested to know what you think because you know people very well Julia and you knew them well and I think she might have said something to you one day or he might yes yes now wait a minute when you say that that seems to bring something back to me Mrs castz leaned back in her chair shook her head doubtfully half closed her eyes and went into a kind of coma Mrs Oliver remained silent with a look on her face which women are apt to wear when they are waiting for the first signs of a kettle coming to the boil she did say something once I remember and I wonder what she meant by it said Mrs cair something about starting a new life in connection I think with cesa cesa of Aila Mrs Oliver looked slightly startled but uh how did St Teresa of ail come into it well uh I don't know really I I think she must have been reading a life of her anyway anyway she said that it was wonderful how women get a sort of Second Wind that's not quite the term she used but something like that you know when they are 40 or 50 or that sort of age and they suddenly want to begin a new life Teresa of Aila did she hadn't done anything special up till then except being a nun then she went out and reformed all the convents didn't she and flung her weight about and became a great Saint yes but that doesn't seem quite the same thing no it doesn't said Mrs carair but women do talk in a very silly way you know when they're referring to love affairs when they get on in life about how it's never too late chapter 7 back to the nursery Mrs Oliver looked rather doubtfully at the three steps and the front door of a small rather dilapidated looking Cottage in the side street below the windows some bulbs were growing mainly tulips Mrs Oliver paused opened the little address book in her hand verified that she was in the place she thought she was and wrapped gently with the knocker after having tried to press a bell push of possible electrical significance but which did not seem to yield any satisfactory bell ringing inside or anything of that kind presently not getting any response she knocked again this time there were sounds from inside a shuffling sound of feet some asmatic breathing and hands apparently trying to manage the opening of the door with this noise there came a a few vague echoes in the letter box oh drat it drat it stuck again you brute you finally success met these inward Industries and the door making a creaky and rather doubtful noise was slowly pulled open a very old woman with a wrinkled face humped shoulders and a general arthritic appearance looked at her visitor her face was unwelcoming it held no sign of fear merely of distaste for those who came and knocked at the home of an English woman's Castle she might have been 70 or 80 but she was still a valiant defender of her home I don't know what you've come about and I she stopped why she said it's Miss AR Adney well I never know it's Miss AR Adney I think you're wonderful to know me said Mrs Oliver how are you Mrs matcham Miss AR Adney just think of that now it was Mrs Ari Adney Oliver thought a long time ago since she had been addressed as Miss AR Adney but the intonation of the voice cracked with age though it was rang a familiar Note coming M dear said the old Dame come in now you're looking well you are I don't know how many years it is since I've seen you 15 at least it was a good deal more than 15 but Mrs Oliver made no Corrections she came in Mrs matcham was shaking hands her hands were rather unwilling to obey their owner's orders she managed to shut the door and shuffling her feet and limping entered a small room which was obviously one that was kept for the reception of any likely or unlikely visitors whom Mrs matcham was prepared to admit to her home there were large numbers of photographs some of babies some of adults some in nice leather frames which were slowly drooping but had not quite fallen to pieces yet one in a silver frame by now rather tarnished representing a young woman in presentation Court dress with feathers Rising up on her head two naval officers two military gentlemen some photographs of babies sprawling on rugs there was a sofa and two chairs as bidden Mrs Oliver sat in a chair Mrs masham pressed herself down on the sofa and pulled a cushion into the hollow of her back with some difficulty well my dear fancy seeing you and you're still writing your pretty stories are you yes said Mrs Oliver assenting to this though with a slight doubt as to how far detective stories and stories of crime and general criminal Behavior could be called pretty stories but that she thought was very much a habit of Mrs matchams I'm all alone now said Mrs matcham you remember Gracie my sister she died last Autumn she did cancer it was they operated but it was too late oh dear I'm so sorry said Mrs Oliver conversation proceeded for the next 10 minutes on the subject of the demise one by one of Mrs matchams last remaining relatives and you're all right are you doing all right got a husband now oh now I remember he's dead years ago isn't he and what brings you here to little Sal and Miner I just happened to be in the neighborhood said Mrs Oliver and as I've got your address in my little address book with me I thought I'd just drop in and uh well see how you were and everything a talk about old times perhaps always nice when you can do that isn't it yes indeed said Mrs Oliver feeling some relief that this particular line had been indicated to her since was more or less what she had come for what a lot of photographs you've got she said ah I have in that do you know when I was in that home silly name it had Sunset hours of happiness for the agid something like that it was called a year and a quarter I lived there till I couldn't stand it no more a nasty lot they were saying you couldn't have any of your own things with you you know everything had to belong to the home I don't say as it wasn't comfortable but you know I like my own things around me my photographs of me furniture and then there was ever so nice a lady came from a council she did some Society or other and she told me there was another place where they had homes of their own or something and you could take what you like with you and there's ever such a nice helper as comes in every day to see if you're all right ah very comfortable I am here very comfortable indeed I've got all my own things something from everywhere said Mrs Oliver looking around yes that table the brass one that's Captain Wilson he sent me that from Singapore or something like that and that berar is brass too that's nice isn't it that's a funny thing on the astray that's Egyptian that is it's a Scarab or or some name like that you know it sounds like some kind of scratching disease but it isn't now it's a sort of a beetle and it's made out of some Stone they call it a precious stone a bright blue and a a lazy a la lazy lapping or or something like that lapis lazuli said Mrs Oliver that's right that's what it is very nice that is that was my archaological boy what went digging he sent me that all your lovely past said Mrs Oliver yes all my boys and girls some of them is babies some of them I had from the month and the older ones some of them when I went to India and that other time when I was in si yes that's Miss Moyer in her Court dress oh she was a pretty thing divorced two husbands she has yes trouble with his lordship the first one then she married one of those pop singers and of course that didn't take very well and then she married someone in California they had a yacht and went places I think died 2 or 3 years ago and only 62 pity dying so young you know you've been to a lot of different parts of the world yourself haven't you said Mrs Oliver India Hong Kong then Egypt and South America wasn't it oh yes I've been been about a good deal I remember said Mrs Oliver when I was in Mala you were with a service family then weren't you a general somebody was it now wait a minute I can't remember the name it wasn't General and lady ravencroft was it no no no you've got the name wrong you're thinking of when I was with the barnab that's right you came to stay with them remember you were doing a tour you were and you came and stayed with the barnabees you were an old friend of hers he was a judge ah yes said Mrs Oliver it's difficult a bit one gets names mixed up two nice children they had said Mrs matcham of course they went to school in England the boy went to arrow and the little girl went to Rodin I think it was and so I moved on to another family after that ah things have changed nowadays not so many Amar even as there used to be mind you the Amar used to be a bit of trouble now and then I got on with our one very well when I was with the barnabees I mean who was it you spoke of the Ravens Crofts well I remember them yes I forget the name of the place where they live now not far from us the families were acquainted you know oh yes it's it's a long time ago but I remember it all I was still out there with the barnabus you know I stayed on when the children went to school to look after Mrs Barnaby look after her things you know and mend them and all that oh yes I was there when that awful thing happened I don't mean the barnab I mean to the Ravens crafts yes I shall never forget that hearing about it I mean naturally I I wasn't mixed up in it myself but it was a terrible thing to happen wasn't it I should think it must have been said Mrs Oliver it was after you'd gone back to England good long time after that I think a nice couple they were very nice couple and it was a shock to them I don't really remember now said Mrs Oliver I know one forgets things I don't myself but they said she'd always been queer you know ever since the time she was a child some early story there was she took a baby out the pram and threw it in the river jealousy they said other people said she wanted the baby to go to heaven and not wait is it is it lady ravencraft you mean no no of course I don't oh you don't remember as well as I do it was the sister her sister I'm not sure whether it was her sister or his sister they said she'd been in a kind of mental place for a long time you know ever since she was about 11 or 12 years old they kept her there and then they said she was all right again and she came out and she married someone in the Army and then there was trouble and the next thing they heard I believe was that she'd been put back again in one of them looney bin places they treat you very well you know they have a a site nice rooms and all that and they used to go and see her I believe I mean the general did or his wife the children were brought up by someone else I think because they were afraid like however they said she was all right in the end so she came back to live with her husband and then died or something blood pressure I think it was or heart anyway she was very upset and she came out to stay with her brother or her sister whichever it was she seemed quite happy there and everything and ever a fond of children she was it wasn't the little boy I think he was at school it was a little girl and another little girl who'd come to play with her that afternoon oh well I can't remember the details now it's so long ago there was a lot of talk about it there was some has said you know it wasn't her at all they thought it was the Amar that had done it but the Amar lefted them and she was very very upset she wanted to take them away from the house she said they weren't safe there and all sorts of things like that but of course the others didn't believe in it and then this came about and I gather they think it must have been whatever her name was I can't remember it now anyway there it was and what happened to this sister either of general or lady Ravenscroft well I think you know as she was taken away by a doctor and put in some place and went back to England I believe in the end I don't know if she went to the same place as before but she was well looked after somewhere there was plenty of money I think you know plenty of money in the husband's family maybe she got all right again but well I haven't thought of it for years not till you came here asking me stories about General and Lady Ravenscroft I wonder where they are now they must have retired before now long ago well it was rather sad said Mrs Oliver perhaps you read about it in the papers read what well they bought a house in England and then ah now it's coming back to me I remember reading something about that in the paper yes and thinking then that I knew the name Ravenscroft I couldn't quite remember when and how they fell over a cliff didn't they something of that kind yes said Mrs Oliver something of that kind now look here Deary it's so nice to see you you must let me give you a cup of t really said Mrs Oliver I don't need any tea really I I don't want it of course you want some tea if you don't mind now come into the kitchen will you I mean I spend most of my time there now it's easier to get about there but I take visitors always into this room because I I'm proud of my things you know proud of my things and proud of all the children and the others I think said Mrs Oliver that people like you must have had a wonderful life with all the children you've looked after yes I remember when you were a little girl you like to listen to the stories I told you there was one about a tiger I remember and one about monkeys monkeys in a tree yes said Mrs Oliver I remember those it was a very long time ago her mind swept back to herself a child of six or seven walking in button boots that were rather too tight on a road in England and listening to a story of India and Egypt from an attendant Nanny and this was Nanny Mrs matcham was Nanny she looked around the room as she followed her Hostess out at the pictures of girls of school boys of children and various middle-aged people all mainly photographed in their best clothes and sent in nice frames or other things because they hadn't forgotten Nanny because of them probably Nanny was having a reasonably comfortable old age with money supplied Mrs Oliver felt a sudden desire to burst out crying this was so unlike her that she was able to stop herself by an effort of will she followed Mrs matchim to the kitchen there she produced the offering she had brought well I never a tin of top old tatham's tea always my favorite fancy you remembering I can hardly ever get it nowadays that's my favorite tea biscuit well you are a one for never forgetting what was it they used to call you those two little boys who came to play one would call you lady elephant and the other called you lady Swan the one who called you lady elephant used to sit on your back and you went about the floor on all fours and pretended to have a trunk you picked things up with you don't forget many things do you nanny said Mrs Oliver ah said Mrs matcham elephants don't forget that's the old saying chapter 8 Mrs Oliver at work Mrs Oliver entered the premises of Williams and Barnett a well-appointed chemist shop also dealing with various Cosmetics she paused by a kind of dumb waiter containing various types of corn remedies hesitated by mountain of rubber sponges wandered vaguely towards the prescription desk and then came down past the welld displayed aids to Beauty as imagined by Elizabeth Arden helina Rubenstein Max Factor and other benefit providers for women's lives she stopped finally near a rather plump girl and inquired for certain lipsticks then uttered a short Cry of surprise why Marlene it is marene isn't it well I never it's Mrs Oliver I am pleased to see you it's wonderful isn't it all the girls will be very excited when I tell them you've been in to buy things here no need to tell them said Mrs Oliver oh now I'm sure they'll be bringing out their autograph books I'd rather they didn't said Mrs Oliver and how are you marleene oh getting along getting along said marleene I didn't know whether you would be working here still well it's as good as any other place I think and they treat you very well here you know I had a rise in salary last year and I'm more or less in charge of this Cosmetics counter now and your mother is she well oh yes Mama will be pleased to hear I've met you is she still living in her same house down the uh the road past the hospital oh yes we're still there H dad's not been so well he's been in hospital for a while but mom keeps along very well indeed oh she will be pleased to hear I've seen you are you staying here by any chance not really said Mrs Oliver I'm just passing through as a matter of fact I've been to see an old friend and I wonder now she looked at her wristwatch would your mother be at home now Marlene I could just call in and see her have a few words before I have to get on oh do do that said Marlene she'd be ever so pleased I'm sorry I can't leave here and come with you but I don't think well it wouldn't be viewed very well you know I can't get off for another hour and a half oh well some other time said Mrs Oliver anyway I can't quite remember was it number 17 or has it got a name it's called Laurel Cottage oh yes of course how stupid of me well nice to have seen you she hurried out plus one unwanted lipstick in her bag and drove her car down the main street of chipping Bartram and turned after passing a garage and a hospital building down a rather narrow road which had quite Pleasant small houses on either side of it she left the car outside Laurel Cottage and went in a thin energetic woman with gray hair of about 50 years of age opened the door and displayed instant signs of recognition why so it's you Mrs AR ever ah well now not seeing you for years and years I haven't oh it's a very long time well come in then come in can I make you a nice cup of tea I'm afraid not said Mrs Oliver because I've had tea already with a friend and I've got to get back to London as it happened I went into the chemist for something I wanted and I saw marleene there yes she's got a very good job there they think a lot of her in that place they say she's got a lot of Enterprise well that's very nice and how are you Mrs buckle you look very well hardly older than when I saw you last oh I wouldn't like to say that gray hairs and I've lost a lot of weight this seems to be a day when I meet a lot of friends I knew formerly said Mrs Oliver going into the house and being led into a small rather over cluttered sitting room I don't know if you remember Mrs CZ Mrs Julia CZ oh of course I do yes rather she must be getting on oh yes she is really but we talked over a few old days you know in fact we went as far as talking about that tragedy that occurred I was in America at the time so I didn't know much about it people called Ravenscroft oh I remember that well you worked for them didn't you at one time Mrs Buckle yes I used to go three mornings a week very nice people they were you know real military lady and gentleman as you might say the old school it was a very tragic thing to happen yes it was indeed were you still working for them at that time no as a matter of fact I'd given up going there I had my old Aunt Emma come to live with me and she was rather blind not very well and I couldn't really spare the time anymore to go out doing things for people but I'd been with them up to about a month or two before that it seemed such a terrible thing to happen said Mrs Oliver I understand that they thought it was a suicide paact I don't believe that said Mrs Buckle I'm sure they'd never have committed suicide together not people like that and living so pleasantly together as they did of course they hadn't lived there very long no I suppose they hadn't said Mrs Oliver they lived somewhere near Bournemouth didn't they when they first came to land yes but they found it was a bit too far for getting to London from there and so that's why they came to chip in Bartram very nice house it was and a nice Garden were they both in good health when you were working for them last well he felt his age a bit as most people do the general he'd had some kind of heart trouble or a slight stroke something of that kind you know they'd take pills you know and lie up a bit from time to time and lady ravenscraft well I think she missed the life she'd had abroad you know they didn't know so very many people there although they got to know a good many families of course being the sort of class they were but I suppose it wasn't like Malaya or those places you know where you have a lot of servants I suppose gay parties that sort of thing you think she missed her gay parties well I don't know that exactly somebody told me she'd take into wearing a wig oh yeah she'd got several wigs said Mrs Buckle smiling slightly very smart ones and very expensive you know from time to time she'd send one back to the place she'd got it from in London and they'd redress it for her again and send it there were all kinds you know there was one with Orban hair and one with little gray curls all over her head really she looked very nice in that one and two well not so attractive really but useful for you know windy days when you wanted something to put on when it might be raining thought a lot about her appearance you know and spent a lot of her money on clothes what do you think was the cause of the tragedy said Mrs Oliver you see not being anywhere near here and not seeing any of my friends at that time because I was in America I missed hearing about it and well one doesn't like to ask questions or write letters about things of that kind I suppose there must have been some cause I mean it was General ravenscroft's own revolver that was used I understand oh yes he had uh two of those in the house because he said that no house was safe without perhaps he was right there you know not that they had had any trouble beforehand as far as I know one afternoon a rather nasty sort of fellow came along to the door didn't like the look of him I didn't wanted to see the General said he'd been in the General's regiment when he was a young fell the general asked him a few questions and I think thought as how he didn't well he thought he wasn't very reliable so he sent him off you think then that it was someone outside that did it well I think it must have been because I can't see any other thing mind you I didn't like the man who came and did the gardening for them very much he hadn't got a very good reputation and I gather he'd had a few jail sentences earlier in his life but of course the general took up his references and he wanted to give him a chance so you think the gardener might have killed them well I I always thought that but then I'm probably wrong it doesn't seem to me I mean the people who said there was some scandalous story or something about either her or him and that e shotter or or she shot him that's all nonsense I'd say no it was some Outsider one of these people that well it's not as bad as it is nowadays because that you must remember was before people began getting all this violence idea but look at what you're reading in the papers every day now young men practically only boys still taking a lot of drugs and going wild and rushing about shooting a lot of people for nothing at all asking a girl and a pub to have a drink with them and when they see her home the next day her body's found in a ditch stealing children out of prams from their mothers taking a girl to a dance and murdering her or strangling her on the way back if anything you feel as anyone could do anything and anyway there's that nice couple the general and his wife out for a nice walk in the evening and there they were both Shot Through The Ed what it through the head well I don't remember exactly now and of of course I never saw anything myself but anyway just went for a walk as they often did and they'd not been on bad terms with each other well they had words now and again but who doesn't no boyfriend or girlfriend well if you can use that term of people that age I mean there was a bit of talk here and there but it was all nonsense nothing to it at all people always want to say something of that kind perhaps one of of them was Ill well lady ravenscraft had been up to London once or twice Consulting a doctor about something and I rather think she was going into hospital or planning to go into Hospital for an operation of some kind though she never told me exactly what it was but I think they managed to put her right she was in this hospital for a short time no operation I think and when she came back she looked very much younger altogether she'd had a lot of face treatment and you know she looked so pretty in these wigs with curls on them rather as though she'd got a new lease of life and general Ravenscroft he was a very nice gentleman and I never heard or knew of any Scandal about him and I don't think there was any people say things but then they want to say something when there's been a tragedy of any kind it seems to me perhaps as he might have had a blow on the head in Malaya or something like that I had an uncle or a great uncle you know who fell off his horse there once it is on a cannon or something and he was very queer afterwards all right for about 6 months then they had to put him into an asylum because he wanted to take his wife's life the whole time he said she was persecuting him and following him and that she was a spy for another Nation ah there's no saying what things happen or can happen in families anyway you don't think there was any truth in some of the stories about them that I have happened to hear of bad feeling between them so that one of them shot the other and then shot him or herself oh no I don't were her children at home at the time no Miss uh oh what was her name now rosie no Penelope Celia said Mrs Oliver she's my god daughter oh of course she is yes I know that now I remember you coming and taking her out once she was a high-spirited girl rather bad-tempered in some ways but she was very fond of her father and mother I think now she was away at school in Switzerland when it happened I'm glad to say because it would have been a terrible shock to her if she'd been at home and the one who saw them and there was a boy too wasn't there oh yes master Edward is father was a bit worried about him I think he looked as though he disliked his father oh there's nothing in that boy go through that stage was he very devoted to his mother well she fussed over him a bit too much I think which he found tiresome you know they don't like a mother fussing over them telling them to wear thicker vests or put on an extra pullover his father he didn't like the way he wore his hair it was well they weren't wearing hair like the way they do nowadays but they were a beginning to if you know what I mean but the boy wasn't at home at the time of the tragedy no I suppose it was a shock to him well it must have been of course I wasn't going to the house anymore at that time so I didn't hear so much if you ask me I didn't like that Gardener what was his name now Fred I think Fred wizel something like that seems to me if he'd done a bit of well a bit of cheating or something like that and the general had found him out and was going to sack him I wouldn't put it past him to shoot the husband and wife well I'd have thought it more likely he'd just have shot the general if he shot the general and the wife came along then he'd have had to shoot her too you read things like that in books yes said Mrs Oliver thoughtfully one does read all sorts of things in books there was the tutor I didn't like him much a what tutor well there was a tutor for the boy earlier you know he couldn't pass an examine things at the earlier school he was at prep school or something so they had a tutor for him he was there for about a year I think lady Ravenscroft liked him very much she was musical you know and so was this tutor Mr Edmonds I think his name was rather a amby pambi sort of young man I thought myself and it's my opinion that General ravenscraft didn't care much for him but lady ravenscraft did oh they had a lot in common I think and I think she was the one that chose him rather more than the general mind you he had very nice manners and spoke to everyone nicely and all that and did uh what's his name Edward oh yes he liked him all right I think almost a bit of hero worship anyway don't you believe any stories you hear about scandals in the family or her having an affair with anyone or general ravenscraft with that rather pie-faced girl who did filing work for him and all that sort of thing no whoever that Wicked murderer was it's one who came from outside the police never got on to anyone a car was seen near there but there was nothing in it and they never got any further but all the same I think one ought to look about for somebody perhaps who'd known them in Malaya or abroad or somewhere else or even when they were first living at Bournemouth one never knows what did your husband think about it said Mrs Oliver he wouldn't have known as much about them as you would of course but still he might have heard a lot oh he heard a lot of torque of course in the Georgian flag of an evening you know people say all sorts of things said as she drank and that cases of empty bottles had been taken out of the house absolutely untrue that was I know for a fact and there was a nephew as used to come and see them sometimes got into trouble with the police in some way he did but I don't think there was anything in that the police didn't either anyway it wasn't at that time there was no one else really living in the house was there except the general and Lady Ravenscroft well she had a sister who used to come sometimes lady Ravenscroft did she was a half sister I think something like that looked rather L lady Ravenscroft she made a bit of trouble between them I always used to think when she came for a visit she was one of those who likes stirring things up if you know what I mean just said things to annoy people was Lady ravenscraft fond of her well if you ask me I don't think she was really I think the sister more or less wish herself onto them sometimes and she didn't like not to have her but I think she found it pretty trying to have her there the general quite liked her because she played Cardwell played chess and things with him and he enjoyed that and she was an amusing woman in a way Mrs Jerry boy or something like that her name was she was a widow I think used to borrow money from them I think too did you like her well if you don't mind me saying so ma'am no I didn't like her I disliked her very much I thought she was one of those troublemakers you know but she hadn't been down for some time before the tragedy happened I don't really remember very much what she was like she had a son has came with her once or twice didn't like him very much Shifty I thought well said Mrs Oliver I suppose nobody will really ever know the truth not now not after all this time I saw my goddaughter the other day did you know ma'am I'd be interested to hear about Miss Celia how is she all right yes she seems quite all right I I think she's thinking perhaps of getting married at any rate she's got a got a steady boyfriend as she said Mrs Buckle ah well we've all got that not that we all marry the first one we settle on just as well if you don't nine times out of 10 you don't know of Mrs Burton Cox do you asked Mrs Oliver Burton Cox I seem to know that name no I don't think so wasn't living down here or come to stay with him or anything no not that I remember yet I did hear something some old friend of General ravenscraft I think which he known in Malaya but I don't know she shook her head well said Mrs Oliver I mustn't stay gossiping with you any longer it's been so nice to see you and Marlene chapter n results of elephantine research a telephone call for you said hercu pu's manservant George from Mrs Oliver ah yes George and what had she to say she wondered if she could come and see you this evening sir after dinner that would be admirable said poo admirable I have had a tiring day it will be a stimulating experience to see Mrs Oliver she is always entertaining as well as being highly unexpected in the things she says did she mention elephants by the way elephant sir no I don't think so ah then it would seem perhaps that the elephants have been disappointing George looked at his master rather doubtfully there were times when he did not quite understand the relevance of paro's remarks ring her back said hercu poo tell her I shall be delighted to receive her George Went Away to carry out this order and returned to say that Mrs Oliver would be there about a quter to 9 a coffee said poro let coffee be prepared and some put I rather think I ordered some in Lately from fortan Mason a Cur of any kind sir no I think not I myself will have some srup de cassis yes sir Mrs Oliver arrived exactly on time poo greeted her with every sign of pleasure and how are you Sher Madame exhausted said Mrs Oliver she sank down into the armchair the PUO indicated completely exhausted ah oh I cannot remember the saying I remember it said Mrs Oliver I learned it as as a child alas that I am sure is not applicable to the chase you have been conducting I am referring to the pursuit of elephants unless that was merely a figure of speech not at all said Mrs Oliver I have been pursuing elephants madly Here There and Everywhere the amount of petrol I have used the amount of trains I have taken the amount of letters I've written the amount of telegrams I've sent you wouldn't believe how exhausting it all is then Repose yourself have some coffee nice strong black coffee coffee yes I will just what I want did you may I ask get any results plenty of results said Mrs Oliver the trouble is I don't know whether any of them are any use you learn facts however no not really I learned things that people told me were facts but I strongly doubt myself whether any of them were facts they were hearsay no they were what I said they would be they were memories lots of people who had Memories the trouble is when you remember things you don't always remember them right do you no but they are still what you might describe perhaps as a results is not that so and what have you done said Mrs Oliver you are always so Stern Madame said PUO you demand that I run about that I also do things well have you run about I have not run about but I have had a few consultations with others of my own profession it sounds far more peaceful than what I've been doing said Mrs Oliver oh this coffee is nice it's really strong you wouldn't believe how tired I am and how muddled come come let us have good expectancy you have got things you have got something I think I've got a lot of different suggestions and stories I don't know whether any of them are true they could be not true but still of use said PUO well I I know what you mean said Mrs Oliver and that's what I think too I mean that's what I thought when I went about it when people remember something and tell you about it I mean it's often not quite natur what occurred but it's what they themselves thought occurred but they must have had something on which to base it said PUO I've brought you a list of a Kind said Mrs Oliver I don't need to go into details of where I went or what I said or why I went out deliberately for well information one couldn't perhaps get from anybody in this country now but it's all from people who knew something about the Ravens coft even if they hadn't known them very well news from foreign places do you mean quite a lot of them were from foreign places is other people who knew them here rather slightly or from people whose aunts or cousins or friends knew them long ago and each one that you've noted down had some story to tell some reference to the tragedy or to people involved that's the idea said Mrs Oliver I'll tell you roughly shall I yes have a py thank you said Mrs Oliver she took a particularly sweet and rather bilious looking one and champed it with energy Sweet Things She Said said really give you a lot of Vitality I always think well now I've got the following suggestions these things have usually been said to me starting by oh yes of course how sad it was that whole story of course I think everyone knows really what happened that's the sort of thing yes these people thought they knew what happened but there weren't really any very good reasons it was just something someone had told them or they'd heard either from friends or servants or relations or things like that the suggestions of course are all of the kind that you might think they were a that General Ravenscroft was writing his Memoirs of his milayan days and that he had a young woman who acted as his secretary and took dictation and typed things for him and was helping him that she was a nicelooking girl and no doubt there was something there the result being well there seemed to be two schools of thought one school of thought was that he shot his wife because he hoped to marry the girl and then when he had shot her immediately was horror stricken at what he'd done and shot himself exactly said PU a romantic explanation the other idea was that there had been a tutor who came to give lessons to the son who had been ill and away from his prep school for 6 months or so a good-look young man ah yes and the wife had fallen in love with the young man perhaps had an affair with him that was the idea said Mrs Oliver no kind of evidence just romantic suggestion again and therefore therefore I think the idea was that the general probably shot his wife and then in a fit of remorse shot himself there was another story that the general had had an affair and that his wife found out about it that she shot him and then herself it's always been slightly different every time but nobody really knew anything I mean it's always just a likely story every time I mean the general may have had an affair with a girl or lots of girls or just another married woman or it might have been the wife who had an affair with someone it's been a different someone in each story I've been told there was nothing definite about it or any evidence for it it's just the gossip that went round about 12 or 13 years ago which people have rather forgotten about now but they'd remember enough about it to tell one a few names and get things only moderately wrong about what happened there was an angry Gardener who happened to live on the place there was a nice elderly cook housekeeper who was rather blind and rather deaf but nobody seems to suspect that she had anything to do with it and so on I've got all the names and possibilities written down the names of some of them wrong and some of them right it's all very difficult his wife had been ill I gather for some short time I think it was some kind of fever that she had a lot of her hair must have fallen out because she bought four wigs there were at least four new wigs found among her things yes I too heard that said PUO who did you hear it from a friend of mine in the police he went back over the accounts of the inquest and the various things in the house four wigs I would like to have your opinion on that Madame do you think that four wigs seems somewhat excessive well I do really said Mrs Oliver I had an aunt who had a wig and she had an extra wig but she sent one back to be redressed and wore the second one I never heard of anyone who had four wigs Mrs Oliver extracted a small notebook from her bag ruffled the pages of it searching for extracts Mrs cair she's 77 and rather gaggar quote from her I do remember the Raven scrafts quite well yes she has a very nice couple it's very sad I think yes cancer it was I asked her which of them had cancer said Mrs Oliver but Mrs carair had rather forgotten about that she said she thought the wife came to London and consulted a doctor and had an operation and then came home and was very miserable and her husband was very upset about her so of course he shot her and himself was that her Theory or did she have an exact knowledge oh I think it was entirely Theory as far as I can see and hear in the course of my investigations said Mrs Oliver making rather a point of this last word When anybody has heard that any of their friends whom they don't happen to know very well have sudden illnesses or consult doctors they always think it's cancer and so do the people themselves I think somebody else I can't read her name here i' forgotten I think it began with t she said that it was the husband who had cancer he was very unhappy and so was his wife and they talked it over together and they couldn't bear the thought of it all so they decided to commit suicide sad and romantic said PUO yes and I don't think really true said Mrs Oliver it is worrying isn't it I mean the people remembering so much and that they really mostly seem to have made it up themselves they have made up the solution of something they knew about said PUO that is to say they know that somebody comes to London say to consult a doctor or that someone has been in hospital for two or three months that is a fact that they know yes said Mrs Oliver and then when they come to talk about it a long time afterwards they've got the solution for it which they made up themselves that isn't awfully helpful is it it is helpful said Paro you are quite right you know in what you said to me about elephants said Mrs Oliver rather doubtfully about elephants said PUO it is is important to know certain facts which have lingered in people's memories although they may not know exactly what the fact was why it happened or what led to it but they might easily know something that we do not know and that we have no means of learning so there have been memories leading to theories theories of infidelity of illness of suicide PS of jealousy all these things have been suggested to you further search could be made as to points if they seem in any way probable people like talking about the past said Mrs Oliver they like talking about the past really much more than they like talking about what's happening now or what happened last year it brings things back to them they tell you of course first about a lot of other people that you don't want to hear about and then you hear what the other people that they've remembered knew about somebody else that they didn't know but they heard about you know so that the general and Lady Ravenscroft you hear about is at Wonder move as it were it's like family relationships she said you know first cousin once removed second cousin twice removed all the rest of it I didn't think think I've been really very helpful though you must not think that said PUO I'm pretty sure that you will find that some of these things in your agreeable little purple colored notebook would have something to do with the past tragedy I can tell you from my own inquiries into the official accounts of these two deaths that they have remained a mystery that is from the police point of view they were an affectionate couple there was no gossip or hear say much about them of any sex trouble there was no illness discovered such as would have caused anyone to take their own life I talk now only of the time you understand immediately preceding the tragedy but there was a time before that further back I know what you mean said Mrs Oliver and I've got something about that from an old Nanny an old nanny who is now I don't know she might be a 100 but I think she's only about 80 I remember her from my childhood days she used to tell me stories about people in the services abroad India Egypt sayam and Hong Kong and the rest anything that interested you yes said Mrs Oliver there was some tragedy that she talked about she seemed a bit uncertain about what it was I'm not sure that it had anything to do with the ravenscraft it might have been to do with some other people out there because she doesn't remember surnames and things very well it was a mental case in one family someone's sister-in-law either General whoever it was his sister or Mrs whoever it was his sister somebody who'd been in a mental home for years I gathered she'd killed her own children or tried to kill her own children long ago and then she'd been supposed to be cured or paroled or something and come out to Egypt or Mala or whatever it was she came out to stay with the people and then it seems there was some other tragedy connected again I think with children or something of that kind anyway it was something that was hushed up but I wondered I mean if there was something mental in the family either lady ravenscroft's family or general ravenscroft's family I don't think it need have been as near as a sister it could have been a cousin or something like that but well it seemed to me a possible line of inquiry yes said puu there's always possibility in something that waits for many years and then comes home to roost from somewhere in the past that is what someone said to me old sins have Long Shadows it seemed to me said Mrs Oliver not that it was likely or even that old Nanny matcham remembered it right or even really about it being the people she thought it was but it might have fitted in with what that awful woman at the literary luncheon said to me you mean when she wanted to know yes when she wanted me to find out from the daughter my godchild whether her mother had killed her her father or whether her father had killed her mother and she thought the girl might know well it's likely enough that the girl would know I mean not at the time it might have been shielded from her but she might know things about it which would make her be aware what the circumstances were in their lives and who was likely to have killed whom though she would probably never mention it or say anything about it or talk to anyone about it and you say that this woman uh this Mrs uh yes I forgotten her name now Mrs Burton something and a name like that she said something about her son had this girlfriend and that they were thinking of getting married and I can quite see that you might want to know if so whether her mother or father had criminal relations in their family or a looney strain she probably thought that if it was the mother who killed the father it would be very unwise for the boy to marry her whereas if the father had killed the mother she probably wouldn't mind as much said Mrs Oliver you mean that she would think that the inheritance would go in the female line well she wasn't a very clever type of woman bossy said Mrs Oliver thinks she knows a lot but no I think you might think that way if you were a woman an interesting point of view but possible said PUO yes I realize that he sighed we have a lot to do still I've got another sidelight on things too same thing but secondhand if you know what I mean you know someone says the Ravenscroft weren't they that couple who adopted a child then it seems after it was all arranged and they were absolutely stuck on it very very keen on it one of their children had died in Mala I think but at any rate they had adopted this child and then its own mother wanted it back and they had a court case or something but the court gave them the custody of the child and the mother came and tried to kidnap it back there are simpler points said PUO arising out of your report points that I prefer such as wigs four wigs well said Mrs Oliver I thought that was interesting you but I don't know why it doesn't seem to mean anything the other story was just somebody mental there are mental people who are in homes or Looney bins because they have killed their children or some other child for some absolutely batty reason no sense to it at all I don't see why that would make the general and lady ravenscraft want to kill themselves unless one of them was implicated said PUO you mean that General Ravenscroft may have killed someone a boy an illegitimate child perhaps of his wife or of his own no I think we're getting a bit too melodramatic there or she might have killed her husband's child or her own and yet said PUO what people seem to be they usually are you mean they seemed an affectionate couple a couple who lived together happily without disputes they seem to have had no case history of illness beyond the suggestion of an operation of someone coming to London to consult some medical Authority a possibility of cancer of leukemia something of that kind some future that they could not face and yet somehow we do not seem to get at something beyond what is possible but not yet what is probable if there was anyone else in the house anyone else at the time the police my friends that is to say who have known the investigation at the time say that nothing told was really compatible with anything else but with the facts for some reason those two didn't want to go on living why why I knew a couple said Mrs Oliver in the war the second war I mean they thought that the Germans would land in England and they had decided if that happened they would kill themselves I said it was very stupid they said it would be impossible to go on living it still seems to be stupid you've got to have enough courage to live through something I mean it's not as though your death was going to do any good to anybody else I wonder yes what do you wonder well when I said that I wondered something L if General and Lady ravenscroft's deaths did any good to anyone else you mean somebody inherited money from them yes not quite as blatant as that perhaps somebody would have a better chance of doing well in life something there was in their life that they didn't want either of their two children ever to hear about or to know about poo sighed the trouble with you is he said you think so often of something that well might have occurred that might have been you give me ideas possible ideas if only they were probable ideas also why why were the deaths of these two necessary why is it they were not in pain they were not in illness they were not deeply unhappy from what one can see then why in the evening of a beautiful day did they go for a walk to a cliff and taking the dog with them what's the dog got to do with it said Mrs Oliver well I wondered for a moment did they take the dog or did the dog follow them where does the dog come in I suppose it comes in like the wigs said Mrs Oliver just one more thing that you can't explain and doesn't seem to make sense one of my elephants said the dog was devoted to Lady Ravenscroft but another one said the dog bit her one always comes back to the same thing said PUO one wants to know more he sighed one wants to know more about the people and how can you know people separated from you by a gulf of years well you've done it once or twice haven't you said Mrs Oliver you know something about where a painter was shot or poisoned that was near the sea on a sort of fortification or something you found out who did that although you didn't know any of the people no I didn't know any of the people but I learned about them from the other people who were there well that's what I'm trying to do said Mrs Oliver only I can't get near enough I can't get to anyone who really knew anything who was really involved do you think really we ought to give it up I think it would be very wise to give it up said PUO but there is a moment when one no longer wants to be wise one wants to find out more I have an interest now in that couple of kindly people with two nice children I presume they are nice children I don't know the boy said Mrs Oliver I don't think I've ever met him and do you want to see my goddaughter I could send her to see you if you like yes I think I would like to see her meet her some way perhaps she would not wish to come and see me but a meeting could be brought about it might I think be interesting and there is someone else I would like to see oh who is that the woman at the party the bossy woman your bossy friend she's no friend of mine said Mrs Oliver she just came up and spoke to me that's all you could resume acquaintance with her oh yes quite easily I would think she'd probably jump at it I would like to see her I would like to know why she wants to know these things yes I suppose that might be useful anyway Mrs Oliver side I shall be glad to have a rest from elephants Nanny you know the old nanny I talked about she mentioned elephants and that elephants don't forget that sort of silly sentence is beginning to haunt me ah well you must look for more elephants it's your turn and what about you perhaps I could look for swans M where the swans come in it is only what I remember which Nanny reminded me of that there were little boys I used to play with and one used to call me lady elephant and the other one used to call me lady Swan when I was Lady Swan I pretended to be swimming about on the floor when I was Lady elephant they rode on my back there are no Swans in this that is a good thing said poo elephants are quite enough chapter 10 Desmond two days later as hercu pero drank his morning Chocolate he read at the same time a letter that had been among his correspondents that morning he was reading it now for the second time the handwriting was a moderately good one though it hardly bore the stamp of maturity dearo I'm afraid you will find this letter of mine somewhat peculiar but I believe it would help if I mentioned a friend of yours I tried to get in touch with her to ask her if she would arrange for me to come and see you but apparently she had left home her secretary I'm referring to Mrs Ari Adney Oliver the novelist her secretary seemed to say something about her having gone on a safari in East Africa if so I can see she may not return for some time but I'm sure she would help me I would indeed like to see you so much I am badly in need of advice of some kind Mrs Oliver I understand is acquainted with my mother who met her at a literary luncheon party if you could give me an appointment to visit you one day I should be very grateful I can suit my time to anything you suggest I don't know if it is helpful at all but Mrs Oliver's secretary did mention the word elephants I presume this has something to do with Mrs Oliver's travels in East Africa the secretary spoke as though it was some kind of password I don't really understand this but perhaps you will I am in a great state of worry and anxiety and I would be very grateful If You Could See Me Yours Truly Desmond Burton Cox Nom said heril PUO I beg your pardon sir said George a mere ejaculation said hercu PUO there are some things once they have invaded your life which you find very difficult to get rid of again with me it seems to be a question of elephants he left The Breakfast Table summoned his faithful secretary Miss lemon handed her the letter from Desmond Cox and gave her directions to arrange an appointment with the writer of the letter I am not too occupied at the present time he said tomorrow will be quite suitable Miss lemon reminded him of two appointments which he already had but agreed that that left plenty of hours vacant and she would arrange something as he wished something to do with the Zoological Gardens she inquired hardly said Faro no do not mention elephants in your letter there can be too much of anything elephants are large animals they occupy a great deal of the Horizon yes we can leave elephants they will no doubt arise in the course of the conversation I propose to hold with Desmond Burton Cox Mr Desmond Burton Cox announced George ushering in the expected guest PUO had risen to his feet and was standing beside the mantlepiece he remained for a moment or two without speaking then he Advanced having summed up his own impression a somewhat nervous and energetic personality quite naturally so PUO thought a little ill at ease but managing to mask it very successfully he said extending a hand Miss heru PUO that is Right Said PUO and your name is Desmond Burton Cox pray sit down and tell me what I can do for you the reasons why you have come to see me it's all going to be rather difficult to explain said Desmond Burton Cox so many things are difficult to explain said hercu PUO but we have plenty of time sit down Desmond looked rather doubtfully at the figure confronting him really a very comic personality he thought the egg-shaped head the big mustaches not some very imposing not quite in fact what he had expected to encounter you you are a detective aren't you he said I mean you you find out things people come to you to find out or to ask you to find out things for them yes said PUO that is one of my tasks in life I don't suppose that you know what I've come about or that you know anything much about me I know something said PUO Oh you mean Mrs Oliver your friend Mrs Oliver she's told you something she told me that she had had an interview with a goddaughter of hers