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Chapter 17: We Make Further Investigations Hastings opens this chapter clarifying that, although the previous chapter was the full details of the Beroldy case, a lot of it was gleaned after this case was concluded, as he didn’t remember many of the details at the time, though it was reported in the English papers. Hastings is immediately certain that Poirot has cracked the case wide open at last, everything is clear! Arthur Hastings and Hercule Poirot posted:'Poirot,' I said 'I congratulate you. I see everything now.' Poirot has to shoot him down of course; despite the similarities between the two cases, nothing has been made clear. Hastings’ theory that Jeanne Beroldy, now Madame Daubreuil, is the one who, having gotten away with murder before, has now committed the same crime again in the same way, makes no drat sense. Not only did she have no motive to kill Renauld, she appears to have more reason to keep him alive (as either his mistress or his blackmailer). And Poirot immediately discounts the possibility of it being a crime of passion, as always, the psychology is all wrong. Hercule Poirot posted:If - I say if, you note - Madame Daubreuil was Renauld's mistress, he had not had time to tire of her. And in any case you mistake her character. She is a woman who can simulate great emotional stress. She is a magnificent actress. But, looked at dispassionately, her life disproves her appearance. Throughout, if we examine it, she has been cold-blooded and calculating in her motives and actions. It was not to link her life with that of her young lover that she contrived at her husband's murder. The rich American, for whom she probably did not care a button, was her objective. If she committed a crime, she would always do so for gain. Here there was no gain.' Furthermore, all the similarities in this case to the prior were described to them by Madame Renauld. Unless the two women were working together, that simply doesn’t make any sense. Hastings is more confused than he was before meeting back up with Poirot, and Poirot refuses to enlighten him, instead insisting that Hastings use his own brain for once - to think “not like Giraud, but like Hercule Poirot”. Poirot’s attempt to explain to Hastings that he knows who the murderer is, but not who committed the second crime, is disrupted when he notices Jack Renauld walking up to their hotel, as Poirot had apparently requested of him. Seeing Jack reminds Hastings of something Poirot had reminded him of, that “ only a man could have dug the grave”, because apparently women are incapable of using shovels. And Jack renauld is the only living man associated with the case at all, and thus, in Hastings’ mind, highly suspect. Poirot explains that he asked Jack to meet at the hotel, instead of speaking to him at the villa, in order to get away from Giraud, not wanting the detective to learn anything from their conversation, and Jack agrees , thinking Giraud rude and wanting to see Poirot get one over on him. He’s so willing that he immediately gets roped into one of Poirot’s vitally important but nonsensical demonstrations: Hercule Poirot posted:‘I will ask you to go to the railway station and take a train to the next station along the line, Abbalac. Ask at the cloak-room whether two foreigners deposited a valise there on the night of the murder. It is a small station, and they are almost certain to remember. Will you do this?' Jack is confused, but one does not refuse Hercule Poirot when he asks you to do something nonsensical! Poirot also questions why Jack lied about the time he returned to town, having claimed not to have been there on the night of the murder. He eventually extracts an explanation that Jack had come back to meet with Marthe before he left for South America. He’s very obviously lying when he claims to have talked with her, missed his train back to Cherbourg, and walked 15 kilometers down to the next town to hire a car, but Poirot doesn’t call him on it. When Jack leaves, Poirot insists that they follow him, which they do, discretely, enough to ensure that he went to the train station, trusting that he got on the train from there. Poirot admits that the foreigners and their checked valise were something he made up, it was just an excuse to get Jack out of the way for a little while, while Poirot and Hastings return to the Villa. Truthkeeper fucked around with this message at 13:06 on Aug 8, 2023 |
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Jun 1, 2023 12:57
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Chapter 18: Giraud Acts With the case details hammered out, Hastings takes the time to call out Poirot for trying to look up Cinderella at the Hotel du Phare. Poirot gently ribs him for his crush on the girl whose name he doesn’t even know, and apologizes for offending Hastings’ sensibilities, but says that he’ll understand why soon enough. Hastings accepts that Poirot is just trying to show concern for his friend… and Poirot’s reaction shows that, no, that wasn’t his motivation. quote:It seemed that Poirot had something more to say, but then he changed his mind and remained silent. They return to the Villa, but rather than going inside, Poirot leads them toward the Daubreuil property, hoping that Marthe might be outside where he can talk to her without having to draw attention by formally knocking at the door. This works out for him and he’s able to call Marthe over for a little chat, informing her that the police no longer suspect two nameless, faceless Chileans, but instead Jack Renauld. ”Marthe Daubreuil and Hercule Poirot” posted:'What?' It was a cry. 'Jack? Impossible. Who dares to suspect him?' As it turns out, Marthe was summoned at one point by Giraud to see if she recognized the second body. She didn’t at that point, but in the intervening time spent thinking, she remembered an argument she’d witnessed the morning before M. Renauld was murdered, between Renauld and a tramp she now realizes was the second dead man. She understood that the man was asking Renauld for money, alternating between whining and threatening, but she was called away by her mother partway through the conversation. As she returns to her house and Poirot and Hastings return to the Renauld villa, Hastings proposes that maybe this was a story Marthe made up to protect Jack Renauld by providing an alternative suspect, but Poirot has more confidence in her. ”Hercule Poirot” posted:'It is a curious tale,' said Poirot 'but I believe it to be the absolute truth. Unwittingly, Mademoiselle Marthe told us the truth on another point - and incidentally gave Jack Renauld the lie. Did you notice his hesitation when I asked him if he saw Marthe Daubreuil on the night of the crime? He paused and then said "Yes". I suspected that he was lying. It was necessary for me to see Mademoiselle Marthe before he could put her on her guard. Three little words gave me the information I wanted. When I asked her if she knew that Jack Renauld was here that night, she answered, "He told me". Now, Hastings, what was Jack Renauld doing here on that eventful evening, and if he did not see Mademoiselle Marthe whom did he see?' Hastings is horrified that Poirot would even suggest that Jack murdered his own father, calling him sentimental, and pointing out that he’s dealt in cases of mothers murdering their children for the insurance money. And he suggests that Jack’s motive is the same – for the money, dear boy! Hastings isn’t sure where the tramp comes into things, and Poirot says that Giraud would suggest that he was Jack’s accomplice, who needed to be cut as a loose end afterward. Note that Poirot suggests this as an idea Giraud would suggest, not as what he thinks. Speaking of Giraud, Poirot also suggests that Giraud believes the strand of a woman’s hair found in Renauld’s library was actually a man’s hair – apparently young men wear their hair long and brushed straight back in this time and place. I thank Christie for the detail that I would never have known about. Except it’s useless detail, because Poirot goes on to explain that he knows drat well that it’s a woman’s hair, more specifically, he knows which woman. But when Hastings probes out, suggesting Madame Daubreuil, he plays coy. Returning inside the villa, Poirot and Hastings investigate Jack’s room, finding nothing, but are disappointed when Hastings hears a car drive up. Looking outside, Hastings notes that Giraud and Jack have returned, along with a pair of officers. Poirot is upset about them returning so soon, because it doesn’t give him enough time to properly replace everythign he disturbed in his search, so he instead gives up on subtlety and dumps one of Jack’s drawers, revealing a picture he pockets before Hastings can see it. Downstairs, they question Giraud, who has officially arrested Jack, who he claims was trying to leave town. And when Poirot questions Jack about it… ”Hercule Poirot and Jack Renauld” posted:Poirot wheeled round to confront the boy, who was leaning limply against the door, his face ashy pale.
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Sep 6, 2023 09:18
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Chapter 19: I Use My Grey Cells Hastings is shocked at the idea that Jack could be guilty (why else would he run away?), and fully expects him to deny it. But he doesn’t. He doesn’t say anything at all. Instead, Poirot questions Giraud about why he’s arresting Jack, and after some more dick waving, Giraud has everybody take a seat so he can do the parlor room scene, ripping off Poirot’s favorite trick while telling Poirot that he’s going to explain how modern cops are so different from him. Poirot smiles and acknowledges that he will listen. And that he’s not sleeping just because his eyes are closed. Giraud claims that he immediately saw through the story about the two Chileans as being an obvious smokescreen. Poirot immediately interrupts to remind him how much time he wasted looking into matches and cigarette butts that were part of that smokescreen, while pretending to be praising him. Giraud just ignores him and keeps talking. ”M. Giraud posted:''A man must have been connected with the case, in order to dig the grave. There is no man who actually benefits by the crime, but there was a man who thought he would benefit. I heard of Jack Renauld's quarrel with his father, and of the threats that he had used. The motive was established. Now as to means. Jack Renauld was in Merlinville that night. He concealed the fact - which turned suspicion into certainty. Then we found a second victim - stabbed with the same dagger. We know when that dagger was stolen. Captain Hastings here can fix the time. Jack Renauld, arriving from Cherbourg, was the only person who could have taken it. I have accounted for all the other members of the household.' Poirot again interrupts to point out that there is one other person who could have stolen the dagger. ”M. Giraud posted:'You refer to Monsieur Stonor? He arrived at the front door, in an automobile which had brought him straight from Calais. Ah! believe me, I have looked into everything. Monsieur Jack Renauld arrived by train. An hour elapsed between his arrival and the moment when he presented himself at the house. Without doubt, he saw Captain Hastings and his companion leave the shed, slipped in himself and took the dagger, stabbed his accomplice in the shed -' Poirot cuts him off to point out that the man was already dead when he was stabbed, but Giraud (literally) shrugs it off. ”M. Giraud and Hercule Poirot” posted:'Possibly he did not observe that. He may have judged him to be sleeping. Without doubt they had a rendez-vous. In any case he knew this apparent second murder would greatly complicate the case. It did.' What Poirot has to say to it is that Jack lives here and he’s familiar with the planned work on the golf course and that the body would be discovered immediately. Giraud doesn’t get it, pointing out that Jack wanted the body to be discovered. ”Hercule Poirot” posted:'Then why bury it?' he asked very softly. 'Reflect, Giraud. Since it was to Jack Renauld's advantage that the body should he found without delay, why dig a grave at all?' Giraud has no answer, and so he just shrugs again, trying to imply that it’s not important. Then Poirot brings up the lead pipe again, still not explaining why it’s important, and he walks out of the room without expecting an answer. Despite having been left completely unguarded, Jack is still standing in the hallway outside where they left him (although now there are two officers guarding him, they were not there before). As Poirot and Hastings reach him, his mother comes down the stairs, wondering what’s going on, and Jack explains “They have arrested me, mother.” Eloise takes it in the expected manner of a female character: fainting, falling down the remaining stairs before any of the men can reach her and hitting her head badly. Poirot, pretending to be a doctor, diagnoses her with a concussion, before leaving her in the care of the two maids, before just leaving. Yeah, I’m sure everything will be just fine. Hastings walks alongside Poirot for a few minutes before finally asking if he thinks Jack might actually be guilty. Poirot isn’t sure of his guilt, but he does know with absolute certainty that if Giraud is right and Jack is guilty, he still got to the right conclusion by completely the wrong path. ”Hercule Poirot” posted:If Jack Renauld is guilty, it is in spite of Giraud's arguments, not because of them. And the gravest indictment against him is known only to me.' Hastings asks what he’s talking about, but Poirot doesn’t tell him, only encouraging him to “use your grey cells”. He wants Hastings to work this out himself, without holding his hand. And for once, Hastings actually does it! The two sit on a nearby hill overlooking the beach, and Poirot instructs Hastings to arrange his ideas, applying order and method, as is Poirot’s MO. ”Arthur Hastings and Hercule Poirot posted:
Truthkeeper fucked around with this message at 04:17 on Feb 5, 2024 |
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Feb 4, 2024 10:08
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Chapter 20: An Amazing Statementquote:The next moment Poirot embraced me warmly on the cheek. I have no idea how one goes about hugging a person’s cheek. Does Poirot have Hastings in a headlock? ”Hercule Poirot” posted:'Enfin! You have arrived! And all by yourself. It is superb! Continue your reasoning. You are right. Decidedly we have done wrong to forget Georges Conneau.' This sounds incredibly condescending. Then again, 70% of the words that come out of book Poirot’s mouth sound incredibly condescending to me. 80% when he’s being played by Suchet, 90% by Branagh. Thrilled to actually hear praise from Poirot-sempai, Hastings keeps going, hoping for more. ”Arthur Hastings and Hercule Poirot” posted:'Georges Conneau disappeared twenty years ago, but we have no reason to believe that he is dead.' After all that  on Hastings’ part, Poirot’s response is short, simple, and to the point.”Hercule Poirot and Arthur Hastings” posted:'I think that you should write for the Kinema, mon ami,' he remarked at last. You’re such a great friend, Poirot. Hastings tries to defend his theory, but Poirot shuts him down. His idea doesn’t account for the dead man’s clothes, and when Hastings grasps for an idea that maybe Conneau blackmailed Madame Daubreuil for them, shuts that down as well by pointing out that Conneau is wanted for murder, not exactly in a position to blackmail anybody. Hastings, finally admitting defeat, sarcastically snaps that, obviously, Poirot’s own theory must fit perfectly with regard to every detail. Of course it is. Because Poirot’s theory is the truth, and the truth, obviously, must always fit with the details. Hastings’ error, as always, is that he had an idea and let his imagination fill the the details for him. And Hastings’ imagination, as Poirot said before, is more fitting to Hollywood than policework. Poirot returns to the story of Conneau and Beroldy. There are two options: either Madame Beroldy planned her husband’s murder and Conneau carried it out alone, or she helped with the murder, and Poirot further puts forth his belief that Conneau carried it out. ”Hercule Poirot” posted:'Now, in this case we are investigating, we meet the same tale. As I pointed out to you, the facts render it very unlikely that Madame Daubreuil inspired it. So we turn to the hypothesis that the story had its origin in the brain of Georges Conneau. Very good. Georges Conneau, therefore, planned the crime, with Mrs Renauld as his accomplice. She is in the limelight, and behind her is a shadowy figure whose present alias is unknown to us. Then, even though Hastings is the only one with him and they’re enjoying the great outdoors, Poirot begins the first step of the parlor room scene: he starts summarizing the case. And makes Hastings take notes. The first point is not the letter Poirot received, as Hastings suggests, that’s just when they learned about the case. Poirot’s first point of significance is starts with M. Renauld moving to Merlinville: he began acting differently than he had before, he befriended Madame Daubreuil, and he start paying large sums of money to her. From there, Christie segues directly to Hastings’ notes. quote:'23rd May. M. Renauld quarrels with his son over latter's wish to marry Marthe Daubreuil. Son leaves for Paris. Here, Poirot again encourages Hastings to use his brain, to take these hints Poirot fed him and come up with the answer. Off the first point, Hastings suggests that Renauld was either in love with Daubreuil or being blackmailed by her, Poirot is certain it was blackmail, disregarding Madame Renauld’s statements, as she’s been established to be a liar, in favor of Stonor’s. Hastings tries to defend to affair angle, pointing out that Renauld was obviously cheating on his wife with a woman named Bella (the writer of the letter found in his coat pocket), ergo, he must be the kind of man who would cheat on his wife. Poirot points out that the letter being found in Renauld’s pocket doesn’t automatically mean that it was for him. ”Hercule Poirot and Arthur Hastings” posted:But what makes you think that letter was written to Monsieur Renauld?' I mean, Poirot loves the sound of his own voice… but he usually has stuff that matters to say. Hastings even forgot about him measuring the length of Jack’s coat: very short. Hastings finally catches on to Poirot’s idea that when Jack quickly ran out of the house, he grabbed his dad’s coat. So the letter was Jack’s, not his father’s, and therefore is irrelevant. For now, as Poirot makes sure to put a pin in it for later. Next point: quote:'"23rd May,"' I read. '"M. Renauld quarrels with his son over latter's wish to marry Marthe Daubreuil. Son leaves for Paris." … That was not the next point in the list of notes on the previous loving page. Hastings finds this point, and the next of Renauld changing his will, perfectly normal. They argued, so Renauld, in a rage, disinherited the kid. Poirot points out that Jack mentioned the warm letters his father sent him while in Paris, but Hastings points out that they only have Jack’s word that they existed. Poirot has no response, and moves on to the next point. quote:'7th June. Quarrel with tramp in garden, witnessed by Marthe Daubreuil. Hastings questions the order Poirot puts these in, and Poirot explains that, based on his questioning, the letter and telegram were sent at the same time, then Masters was given time off after. The argument with the tramp happening first is purely his conjecture. Hastings suggests asking Madame Daubreuil again, but there’s no need, Poirot is certain. And insults Hastings again for not understanding why. “And if you do not see that, you see nothing, Hastings.” The lack of respect from his precious sempai kicks Hastings into gear, making him figure it out. Obviously, if the tramp was Conneau, then the argument with him was the inciting incident for the following events. Renauld believed he was in danger. So he sent away Masters, who could have been bribed, sent the telegram to Jack, and sent the letter to Poirot. Poirot doesn’t praise him again, but keeps prodding. Why did Renauld use the same wording in his letter to Poirot as his wife later used? If Santiago was a red herring, why did he mention it and send Jack there? Hastings must be getting tired, because he makes no effort to answer these questions, instead moving on. quote:We come now to the evening, and the visit of the mysterious lady. I confess that that fairly baffles me, unless it was indeed Madame Daubreuil, as Françoise all along maintained.' Poirot shoots this down as well. Based on the fragments of a check they found, and the fact that Stonor recognized the name “Bella Duveen”, he’s certain that this is the Bella who sent the letter to Jack, and that she was the mysterious woman who visited that evening, in an attempt to persuade Renauld to allow them to marry, to which he responded by writing a check to try and buy her off. ”Hercule Poirot and Arthur Hastings” posted:In the end he got rid of her, and here the words that he used are significant.' Hastings has no idea why the timing was so important, and Poirot merely says that it’s important for them to figure that out. Combined with the broken watch, he’s certain that time plays a critical role in this case. No poo poo Poirot. Brilliant analytical mind there. Do you have any other insights, like “asking witnesses what happened is a pretty neat trick”? He goes on: ”Hercule Poirot” posted:We are now fast approaching the actual drama. It is half past ten when Bella Duveen leaves, and by the evidence of the wristwatch we know that the crime was committed, or at any rate that it was staged, before twelve o'clock. We have reviewed all the events anterior to the murder, there remains only one unplaced. By the doctor's evidence, the tramp, when found, had been dead at least forty-eight hours - with a possible margin of twenty-four hours more. Now, with no other facts to help me than those we have discussed, I place the death as having occurred on the morning of 7th June. When Hastings asks how he can possibly determine that, Poirot says that it’s the only way the chronology makes sense. Hastings still doesn’t get it, but since Poirot obviously does, he gets fed up and asks the great detective to get to the loving point: who killed Renauld? ”Hercule Poirot” posted:LOL I dunno. Okay, maybe that’s not an exact quote. But Poirot does not know yet who killed Renauld. But he is certain that all of these events have been planned by Georges Conneau. Giraud told them in the last chapter that a woman lies to save herself, the man she loves, or her child. And now we’re supposed to care about things Giraud said? It’s safe to assume that Jack Renauld is not Georges Conneau (too young), so it wasn’t the third case. Similarly, we can assume that Madame Renauld is not Georges Conneau (wrong sex, and this is the 1920s). So Madam Renauld lied, not for her own sake, not for her child’s sake, but for the sake of the man she loves: Georges Conneau. So who the gently caress involved with this case could secretly be Georges Conneau? Hastings is still caught up on his idea that Conneau was the tramp. Which is a random idea he made up with no evidence, and Poirot smacks him down again. Instead Poirot’s explanation makes it seem obvious: there is one man Madam Renauld is known to be in love with, to the point where she married him and had his child. The man who, when she saw his dead body, she fainted in horror. The man being blackmailed by Madame Daubreuil is the same man Madame Daubreuil has blackmail material on. The man who has no history beyond randomly appearing from Canada 22 years ago is the man who disappeared 20+ years ago. Paul Renauld is Georges Conneau. And, as Hastings has trouble understanding but Poirot reconfirms, he planned his own murder.
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Feb 8, 2024 11:26
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Chapter 21: Hercule Poirot on the Case Only just now? Then what the gently caress has he been doing until now? quote:In a measured voice Poirot began his exposition. So the chapter opens, and indeed, this entire chapter is Poirot expositing. Poirot acknowledges that, yes, it is weird that a man would plan his own death. And yet, he insists this crazy idea is the truth that Hastings chose to ignore in favor of his own far more impossible idea. Because there’s a key point that makes Poirot’s theory work: Renauld did not intend to die. This just confuses Hastings more, so Poirot reconstructs the entire timeline from the start. Wanted for murder, Conneau flees to Canada and sets up his new identity, Paul Renauld. He gets married, makes a fortune in South America, but gets homesick. Knowing nobody will connect wealthy Paul Renauld with wanted man Georges Conneau, he still takes the precaution of setting up in England and only spending the summers in France, in Merlinville. The one place where he could run into somebody who would recognize him, Madame Daubreuil, formerly Beroldy. And she did recognize him, and set up a long-term blackmail plan. Then Jack Renauld fell in love with his neighbor’s beautiful daughter (Poirot calls this inevitable, but he’s an old softie, just as capable as Hastings of letting his mind go off on romantic tangents). Obviously, Renauld would never permit that marriage. Poirot is certain that Madame Renauld has been fully informed of her husband’s sordid past, but that Jack knows nothing. So they concocted a plan to fake Renauld’s death, based heavily on the murder plot he executed 20+ years earlier. The plan required getting Jack and the chauffeur out of the way, so that only Madame Renauld, the co-conspirator, could be called upon to identify the body. So Masters was sent on vacation, Jack was sent to South America. And just to add an extra layer to how true the story is, he sent the letter summoning Poirot, knowing he would arrive too late. So, prior to the faked home invasion, they killed a random tramp and dressed the body in Renauld’s clothes before stabbing him with the dagger. They hid the man’s own clothes in the shed, assuming they wouldn’t be discovered, or that their significance wouldn’t be noted. That night, Renauld tied up his wife (this time tying her up properly, unlike the last time he did this) and then went to the golf course to bury the body in a location where it would quickly be found. After that, he was to dress in the tramp’s clothes and sneak away under the cover of darkness to the train station, two hours before the time they pretended the crime took place. Then Bella Duveen showed up that night, a risk to the timing of the plan. He managed to get her to go away, and then executed the plan. It was cold and he was in his underwear (so he could put on the dead man’s clothes), so, he grabbed a coat, not paying attention to which he grabbed. He went out to the course to dig a shallow grave… and got stabbed himself. Poirot has been describing these events as two separate crimes. Not because two people were murdered, but because they were two separate, unrelated murders. Poirot has solved the murder set up and committed by Renauld… technically the crime he was summoned for, from a certain point of view… But who killed Paul Renauld? The fact that Poirot hasn’t answered this yet doesn’t stop Hastings from lavishing praise on him. Poirot, trying his best to pretend he knows what modesty is, tries to say a kind word about Giraud. “Without doubt it is not all stupidity. He has had la mauvaise chance once or twice. Hercule Poirot posted:That dark hair coiled round the dagger, for instance. To say the least, it was misleading.” Well, he tried. Hastings asks about the hair that was found with the dagger, and Poirot explains that it was Madame Renauld’s, conveniently one of her darker hairs, rather than the gray ones. Poirot continues expositing about the plan that still exists only in his imagination. Obviously, Jack was never supposed to be accused, he was supposed to safely be halfway to South America. Also obviously, the dead body she identified was never supposed to actually be her husband’s, hence her fainting at the sight of it. Poirot has nothing but admiration for Madame Renauld, “Yes, she is a great woman! If she loved a criminal, she loved him royally.” Hastings interrupts Poirot praising the murder conspirator to ask what the hell Poirot’s precious lead pipe has to do with any of this. Hercule Poirot posted:You do not see? To disfigure the victim's face so that it would be unrecognizable. It was that which first set me on the right track. And that imbecile of a Giraud, swarming all over it to look for match ends! Did I not tell you that a clue of two foot long was quite as good as a clue of two inches? Never passes up a chance to blast Giraud behind his back. Back on the important subject of who killed Renauld, Poirot narrows it down to… somebody. Somebody near the villa just before midnight. Somebody who would benefit from his death. He admits that Jack does fit that description, he is a viable suspect. And there are known to be two identical daggers, both of which are in play: Madame Renauld’s dagger was the one found stabbed in the tramp, and the other belongs to Jack. But that’s just evidence, Poirot doesn’t give a gently caress about that. He cares more about the psychology… or in this case, the biology. Jack Renauld is the son of a murderer, Georges Conneau. Like father, like son. However, Poirot has one last little idea to check out. Just like earlier, and the previous book, he’s loving off for a while. Back to England to seek out Bella Duveen. Despite having never met her, he feels confident he can find her. Hercule Poirot posted:I know nothing about her - but I can guess a good deal. We may take it for granted that her name is Bella Duveen, and since that name was faintly familiar to Monsieur Stonor, though evidently not in connection with the Renauld family, it is probable that she is on the stage. Jack Renauld was a young man with plenty of money, and twenty years of age. The stage is sure to have been the home of his first love. It tallies, too, with Monsieur Renauld's attempt to placate her with a cheque. I think I shall find her all right - especially with the help of this! Poirot whips out the picture he picked up a while back from Jack’s drawer. It’s a picture of a young woman, and it’s helpfully signed “With love from Bella”. That will be a big help to Poirot. But Hastings actually recognizes the girl in the picture. Arthur Hastings posted:The likeness was not first rate - but for all that it was unmistakable to me. I felt a cold sinking, as though some unutterable calamity had befallen me. A person interacting with a protagonist but seemingly unrelated to the case turning out to actually be related to the case? INCONCEIVABLE! Truthkeeper fucked around with this message at 11:44 on Feb 14, 2024 |
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Feb 10, 2024 11:46
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Chapter 22: I Find Love Good old Hastings, always has his priorities in order. As far as Hastings can tell, Poirot didn’t notice him suddenly freezing up while looking at the picture. Nope, he’s totally in the clear, nobody can pin… it’s not clear at this point why Hastings is so concerned about Poirot realizing that he knows Bella, but it’s important to him, while it’s important to Poirot that they get to England and find Bella. quote:In the bustle of departure, I had no time for thinking, but once on board the boat, secure from Poirot's observation, I pulled myself together, and attacked the facts dispassionately. How much did Poirot know, and why was he bent on finding this girl? Did he suspect her of having seen Jack Renauld commit the crime? Or did he suspect - But that was impossible! The girl had no grudge against the elder Renauld, no possible motive for wishing his death. What had brought her back to the scene of the murder? I went over the facts carefully. She must have left the train at Calais where I parted from her that day. No wonder I had been unable to find her on the boat. If she had dined in Calais, and then taken a train out to Merlinville, she would have arrived at the Villa Geneviève just about the time that Françoise said. What had she done when she left the house just after ten? Presumably either gone to an hotel, or returned to Calais. And then? The crime had been committed on Tuesday night. On Thursday morning she was once more in Merlinville. Had she ever left France at all? I doubted it very much. What kept her there - the hope of seeing Jack Renauld? I had told her (as at the time we believed) that he was on the high seas en route to Buenos Ayres. Possibly she was aware that the Anzora had not sailed. But to know that she must have seen Jack. Was that what Poirot was after? Had Jack Renauld, returning to see Marthe Daubreuil, come face to face instead with Bella Duveen, the girl he had heartlessly thrown over? They arrive in London that night without incident, Hastings ready to sleep for the night, but Poirot wanting to go on the hunt immediately. And conveniently, he knows a guy, Joseph Aarons, a theatrical agent he helped out once, who might be helpful in their quest. Poirot must have gotten him out of one hell of a pickle (a noodle incident involving a Japanese wrestler), because when they go to bother the guy at home at midnight, he has nothing but warmth and smiles and all the willingness in the world to help. Aarons recognizes the name Bella Duveen, but is unable to place her until Poirot shows him the picture, which jogs his memory enough to place her as part of a duo called the Dulcibella Kids, singing dancing acrobats. He apparently has the connections to find out where they’re currently performing, and the next morning Poirot and Hastings are off again, this time to Coventry. Rather than asking anybody any questions, Poirot merely buys two tickets to the show. Hastings doesn’t care for most of it, finding the various acrobats, singers, and dancers boring… and the the Dulcibella Kids start their act. quote:At last the number went up which announced the Dulcibella Kids. My heart beat sickeningly. There she was - there they both were, the pair of them, one flaxen-haired, one dark, matching as to size, with short fluffy skirts and immense 'Buster Brown' bows. They looked a pair of extremely piquant children. They began to sing. Their voices were fresh and true, rather thin and music-hally, but attractive. It was quite a pretty little turn. They danced neatly, and did some clever little acrobatic feats. The words of their songs were crisp and catchy. When the curtain fell, there was a full hand of applause. Evidently the Dulcibella Kids were a success. For some reason, this makes Hastings decide he needs to leave, immediately. Poirot stays to watch the rest of the show, while Hastings returns to their hotel nearby and orders a drink. Before he can even finish it, the door opens. Cinderella saw him at the theater and followed him to his hotel. She quickly figured that the guy with him must be his detective friend that he had mentioned, and that he’s looking for her. Then she breaks down crying. Arthur Hastings and Cinderella posted:'Don't cry, child, don't cry, for God's sake. You're safe here. I'll take care of you. Don't cry, darling. Don't cry. I know - I know everything.' Hastings, I’m sometimes not entirely certain you know how to tie your own shoes without Poirot walking you through the process. Well, he at least has a line of reasoning that he seeks confirmation on. She took the dagger, that was why she asked Hastings to show her the body. Why did she take the dagger? Because she was afraid there might be fingerprints on it. Even Hastings remembers that there were no fingerprints because the killer wore gloves, but rather than answering his question, she asks if he’s going to turn her in. Which of course he isn’t. Arthur Hastings posted:'Because I love you, Cinderella.' Erm, Arthur, this is the underage girl you were just referring to as a child. I know it’s the 1920s and things weren’t exactly as they are now, but still, ew. Also, this is the third time you’ve met her. Cinderella asks Hastings what exactly he knows, and he spills everything he knows, making up at least half of it as he goes along. He knows she saw Renauld the night of the murder, and tore up the check he offered her. He knows that she loitered nearby that night, perhaps in hope of seeing Jack, and that just before midnight, she saw a man on the golf course nearby. She recognized Renauld, and stabbed him! She didn’t mean to kill him, Hastings is certain, she just meant to do a nonfatal bit of stabbing between friends. Cinderella confirms that he’s right about everything, and asks if he still loves her. And Hastings’ answer is… surprisingly reasonable, if sentimental. “'I don't know,' I said a little wearily. 'I think love is like that - a thing one cannot help. I have tried, I know - ever since the first day I met you. And love has been too strong for me.” He doesn’t even care that she’s in love with Jack Renauld, not Arthur Hastings. He doesn’t want anything in return. But she’s not in love with Jack, or so she says. She quite literally throws herself at Hastings, crying and laughing, declaring that she loves him and peppering him with kisses. Naturally, this is where Poirot walks in through the still open door. Hastings orders Cinderella to run and moves in to grab Poirot, holding him in place with a GRIP OF IRON… until Poirot points out that this is ridiculous and they should just go sit down. He’s not Giraud, he’s not going to go chasing the girl down on foot. Poirot is a little hurt that his dear friend didn’t mention that he knew the girl they were looking for, and that he helped her escape after going through the trouble of finding her. And he feels bad for Hastings, because falling in love wasn’t the beautiful event he was expecting, but instead a sad thing that has set him on a difficult road. Poirot asks flat out: is Hastings with him or against him in this case? Arthur Hastings posted:'Poirot,' I said, 'I'm sorry. I admit I've behaved badly to you over this. But sometimes one has no choice. And in the future I must take my own line.' And Hastings states his intent. He will quite cheerfully perjure himself if need be, swearing in court that he personally traveled with Cinderella from France all the way to London, and therefore she could not possibly have been in Merlinville to murder Renauld that same evening. Hercule Poirot posted:'Mon ami! Vive l'amour! It can perform miracles. It is decidedly ingenious what you have thought of there. It defeats even Hercule Poirot!' Now Poirot is just making fun of the poor fool in love.
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Feb 21, 2024 08:16
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I gotta say I am having trouble seeing the appeal of the Poirot books right now. I swear I don't remember them being this...everything.
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Feb 23, 2024 01:55
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The first couple of books are just legit not that good, which I guess is not that surprising because it takes a while to get good at things. I wish I had more comments to make but I'm sure I will eventually once we get to some later books! Okay, here's one: the main reason Poirot and Hastings never managed to overtake Holmes and Watson is because Hastings is such a dedicated meathead heterosexual that nobody could ever ship them together.
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Feb 23, 2024 02:17
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Discendo Vox posted:I gotta say I am having trouble seeing the appeal of the Poirot books right now. I swear I don't remember them being this...everything. The problem at this point is that Christie is very good at crafting detective stories but very bad at writing. And she's still trying to ape Doyle, which is not her strong suit. Rand Brittain posted:The first couple of books are just legit not that good, which I guess is not that surprising because it takes a while to get good at things. Watson was... okay, not as bad as Hastings. Hastings thankfully stops thinking with his dick in all later appearances, and becomes a more interesting character for it. It's a shame, Hastings isn't a bad character, but the later increase in quality happens at the same time as him loving off to the other side of the pond.
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Feb 23, 2024 03:08
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Chapter 23: Difficulties Ahead Being declared opponents in the case does not stop Poirot and Hastings from having breakfast together the next morning. Hastings is reading a lot into Poirot’s speech and actions, perceiving a change in attitude without explaining in the slightest what’s different, but this is almost certainly entirely in his mind. When Hastings casually mentions taking an early morning walk, Poirot helpfully informs him that he already called ahead; the Dulcibella Kids broke contract and bailed out of the city already for parts unknown. Hastings is torn between suspicion that his nemesis the evil detective is lying to him and knowing that of course it’s the truth, any idiot could have figured out that Cinderella would use the time provided by Hastings wrestling an old fat guy into a chair to grab her sister and get out of Dodge. Of course, this leaves Hastings with no way to get in touch with Cinderella, no way to tell her about his BRILLIANT PLAN to fake an alibi. Maybe she would contact him, but since that could be intercepted by the evil detective, that would be very foolish, and he thinks she’s too smart for it. Because risk assessment is one of those things teenage girls are known for. In fact, the evil detective isn’t doing anything to try and find the girls, instead sitting around, looking innocent (bust Hastings knows this is an act put on by the evil detective to catch him off guard. Even Poirot’s claim that he isn’t searching for Bella Duveen right now because he doesn’t have to is obviously a lie that the evil detective intends to mislead him with. Okay, I’m kidding about the evil detective description, but everything else is directly from Hastings’ narrative. He’s seriously considering himself Poirot’s enemy here and honestly believes Poirot is taking him seriously. Which won’t work, because his BRILLIANT PLAN cannot be defeated. Hastings comments that, since they’re enemies now, obviously he can’t ask what Poirot’s next step will be… and Poirot cheerfully informs him that they’re going back to France. Yes Hastings, you’re going too. Poirot wants you to accompany him, and you don’t dare let the evil detective out of sight. And Poirot would rather that they travel together as usual, rather than take the risk that Hastings might try to disguise himself with something silly like a fake beard. I don’t know, that actually worked pretty well in the last book. Hastings is perfectly okay with this as long as he knows Poirot isn’t loving with him, his sense of fair play satisfied. Of course, that’s when Poirot casually reminds him that his BRILLIANT PLAN to save Cinderella means that Giraud’s current suspect, Jack Renauld, is going to be executed for a crime he didn’t commit, and it will be entirely Hastings’ own fault. He’s okay with the idea of risking himself, even his own life, to save the girl, but has entirely reasonable second thoughts about sacrificing an innocent bystander, especially his lady love’s former lover. If she were to find out that he’s suspected, she might admit guilt to save him. Cinderella is young, beautiful, and has a great sob story about being a jilted lover to throw around, she probably wouldn’t be executed, but she would definitely go to prison, and Hastings doesn’t want that. But he also doesn’t want Jack to be executed. So Hastings’ pins all his hopes to save Jack on Poirot, with absolutely no misgivings about the fact that he’s sabotaging Poirot’s case by shielding the actual killer. Nothing can go wrong with Arthur Hastings’ BRILLIANT PLAN! Chapter 24: Save Him! They jet back to France that evening and are in St. Omer, where Jack is jailed, the next morning. Despite being bitter opponents, Poirot cheerfully lets Hastings accompany him to Hautet’s office, and Hastings tags along because… he has to keep an eye on the evil detective He wants to keep Poirot company. Haute is confused why Poirot is here, having heard that he returned to England, but Pirot waves it off as a side matter that he quickly concluded, and the subject turns to Jack. The magistrate clearly hates Giraud, describing him as an animal with poor manners, but admits that he’s clever and unlikely to have made a mistake. Poirot doubts it, but rather than clearly pointing out any flaws in Giraud’s case, instead only claims that the flaws exist, before asking what Jack has to say in his own defense, which turns out to be “not much”. The police can’t get him to answer any questions, or to even deny his guilt, all he does is remain silent. Haute invites them (or at least Poirot) to attend when he interrogates Jack again the next day, and they accept. Madame Renauld, meanwhile, is apparently not doing well, not having woken up from her combined shock/head wound combo, but the doctors say she’ll recover. That reminds Hautet that a letter was sent to him to forward to Poirot, now he can just hand it off in person, and he does so. Poirot doesn’t read the letter, but Hastings notes the envelope, identifying the address as written in a woman’s handwriting. The two of them leave, only to run into a very puffed up Giraud in front of the building. Giraud and Poirot agree that the case is just about finished now (though obviously each meaning something very different from the other). M. Giraud and Hercule Poirot posted:'The end of the case is not far off now, I fancy.' That this is meant to be insulting is clear, but my French is poor at the best of times. However, it actually gets Poirot riled up (as far as you can rile Poirot without murdering somebody), and he blasts the puffed up fool. Hercule Poirot posted:Monsieur Giraud, throughout the case your manner to me has been deliberately insulting. You need teaching a lesson. I am prepared to wager you five hundred francs that I find the murderer of Monsieur Renauld before you do. Is it agreed? Giraud hems and haws a little, but Poirot doesn’t let down, and Giarud soon accepts the bet, pointing out how much Poirot has annoyed him throughout the case. Hastings, having stood by silently throughout, realizes that this is looking pretty bad for the BRILLIANT PLAN. Poirot is on the warpath, and nothing short of total victory over the forces of injustice will satisfy the evil detective. Because everybody related to the case is suddenly in this new down, Gabriel Stonor suddenly appears behind Hastings as they walk back to their hotel, having arrived to help Jack, whose innocence he believes in. Hastings, desperate to get Jack off the hook, tries to play up how bad the case is and how obvious it is that he’ll be acquitted, but Stonor’s certain that he’ll be declared guilty, and brings up how damned weird Jack’s acting. Hastings realizes that Jack’s innocence will be proven if they can just establish that he didn’t have and couldn’t have gotten the murder weapon that night, which he believes Mrs Renauld can confirm, if she wakes up. As Stonor parts ways from them, Poirot asks him to send word should the lady wake up. Unfortunately for Hastings’ latest discovery, one of the things Poirot looked into while they were in England was the company that made Jack’s souvenir knives. He was able to confirm that there were never only two knives in play. There were three. Poirot believes that Jack gave one knife to his mother, one to Bella, and kept the third for himself. As things stand, it sure looks like Jack has an upcoming date with the guillotine. Hastings, feeling more guilty by the minute, falls back on his faith: Poirot will save Jack. Poirot ribs back that Hastings’ BRILLIANT PLAN should have made it impossible, so Hastings amends that Poirot will save Jack without proving who the actual murder was. Calling Hastings’ request a desire for a miracle, Poirot drops the subject and pulls out the letter Hautet passed on to him, which turns out to be a simple, passionate plea for the great detective to save Jack Renauld. Shortly thereafter, the two arrive at the Villa Marguerite to meet with the writer of the letter, Marthe Daubreuil, desperate with worry. She’s certain that Jack is innocent, but doesn’t understand why he isn’t telling the police that. When Poirot raises the possibility that Jack is protecting someone else, her mind leaps to a suspect immediately. Marthe Daubreuil posted:Screening someone? Do you mean his mother? Ah, from the beginning I have suspected her. Who inherits all that vast fortune? She does. It is easy to wear widow's weeds and play the hypocrite. And they say that when he was arrested she fell down like that!' She made a dramatic gesture. 'And without doubt, Monsieur Stonor, the secretary, he helped her. They are thick as thieves, those two. It is true she is older than he - but what do men care - if a woman is rich.' Poirot ignores that theory though in favor of determining how much Marthe knows about the various identities in play. She was aware that her mother was Jeanne Beroldy, but not that Renauld was Georges Conneau. Marthe is so impressed with Poirot’s brilliant mind that she converts immediately to the Church of Poirot, joining Hastings in fervently praying that Poirot will save Jack Renauld. “'Save him, monsieur,' she cried. 'I love him so. Oh, save him - save him - save him!’”
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Feb 24, 2024 13:59
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"Toqué!" = touched in the head, AFAIK.
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Feb 25, 2024 05:27
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Drimble Wedge posted:"Toqué!" = touched in the head, AFAIK. I'd assumed something of the sort, though my attempts at finding a translation only resulted in finding silly hats and a restaurant in Quebec.
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Feb 25, 2024 12:54
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Let’s continue the double chapter presentation! Chapter 25: An Unexpected Denouement The next morning finds Hastings and Poirot back in St .Omer, where Jack is being questioned by Hautet. He has a lawyer, I assume a public defender of some sort, named Grosier, for all the good that might do him, given that he ignores everything the man says and does. He sticks to his story that didn’t arrive in Merlinville until the morning after his father’s murder, only to have multiple witnesses from the train station claim that they saw him get off there. When presented with the dagger, he identifies it as the one he had made for his mother, and confirms that there are no others like it in existence, which we also know to be a lie, and one that looks very bad. It’s almost like the poor guy is intentionally trying to get convicted, and Hastings realizes that Jack is trying to protect Bella just as much as he is, in his own way. Hautet goes a step further and offers Jack a hammer to pound the coffin nails in himself. M. Hautet and Jack Renauld posted:
Despite his client being singularly unhelpful, Grosier tries his best to do his job, claiming that the things Jack is saying can’t be held against him due to the stress he’s been under, and for just a second, Hautet believes it, Jack overplaying his hand lending a shadow of a doubt. But he rallies, and states the facts plainly. Despite his claim that he didn’t kill his father, Jack has no alibi, has made no attempt at a defense, and he is obviously guilty! That’s when Bella Duveen bursts through the door, and tells Hautet that she’s turning herself in for the murder of Mr. Renauld. That’s when Hastings realizes he done hosed up, because Bella Duveen isn’t Cinderella at all, but her sister. This is what happens when you declare your undying love to a girl without ever actually learning her damned name Hastings. Chapter 26: I Receive a Letter Christie dives right into the letter mentioned in the chapter title, without wasting time on little details like what the gently caress is going on, why is there suddenly a letter, what happened in the courtroom, who is speaking right now. These things all get clarified in time. The letter turns out to be from CInderella, who was Bella’s sister the whole time. That business with her being Bella was only ever a dumb assumption Hastings made, remember. The letter is her accounting of their side of the entire sordid affair. Cinderella posted:'I'll begin from the day I met you in the boat train from Paris. I was uneasy then about Bella. She was just desperate about Jack Renauld she'd have lain down on the ground for him to walk on, and when he began to change, and to stop writing so often she began getting in a state. She got it into her head that he was keen on another girl - and of course, as it turned out afterwards, she was quite right there. She'd made up her mind to go to their Villa at Merlinville, and try and see Jack. She knew I was against it and tried to give me the slip. I found she was not on the train at Calais, and determined I would not go on to England without her. I'd an uneasy feeling that something awful was going to happen if I couldn't prevent it. Narrator: She couldn’t prevent it. She caught up with Bella and tried to persuade her, argued with her, and accomplished nothing. So Bella went off to Merlinville, and Cinderella got a hotel room for the night where Bella was to meet her the next day. She didn’t show, and then Cinderella found out about the murder in the evening paper, and she put two and two together. The next morning, Bella still hadn’t turned up, so Cinderella went to Merlinville herself, where she ran into Hastings. Once she saw the Renauld looked similar to his son, and was wearing Jack’s coat, she cottoned on to the fact that Bella had accidentally killed the wrong man. And when she saw the murder weapon, she didn’t think that her sister had been smart enough to wear gloves while committing murder, so she faked her fainting spell to get an opportunity to steal it. Then she lied to Hastings about where she was staying, instead zipping back to Calais, and from there to London, where she told Bella what she had done, and proclaimed her safe. At which point Bella started laughing. Cinderella assumed that getting back on the road, focusing on work, would help to keep her sister from losing it, so that’s what they did… only to see Hastings (and Poirot) watching them. Obviously, they suspected, and she had to act fast, to try and gain Hastings’ support. The fact that he thought she was Bella helped in that regard, so she let him keep believing it. And then the news reported that Jack had been arrested for the murder, and it was all for nothing. Bella was going to turn herself in to save Jack, there was nothing Cinderella could do about it. The letter, although she started signing ‘Cinderella’, is properly signed ‘Dulcie Duveen’, and I can finally stop calling her Cinderella. Hastings notes here that he kept the letter after the fact, ‘to this day’, although it’s not clear how much time is supposed to have passed, I assume that theoretical present to be around the time of the last book. Hastings realizes one important detail immediately: Arthur Hastings and Hercule Poirot posted:'Did you know all the time that it was - the other?' Hastings forgives him immediately, acknowledging the real affection his friend has for him made it hard to resent him. He hands the letter to Poirot to let him read and silently worries meanwhile. He’s concerned that, for all the words Dulcie had to spill, she didn’t mention if she returns his professed love. Hercule Poirot, romance-meister extraordinary, disagrees. Hercule Poirot and Arthur Hastings posted:'I think you are mistaken, Hastings.' Well, as long as Hastings has his priorities in order, right?
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Feb 26, 2024 14:02
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Well, that's it then. The true killer has been found, the innocent man will be acquitted, all's well that ends well. Wait, why do I still have two chapters left in this book? And why is this chapter longer than the last two combined? I suspect that all might not be well. Chapter 27: Jack Renauld's Story Well, Jack at least has been released from prison, much the worse for ware after his brief stint in a cell, or more likely, the stress involved in trying to take the blame for his father’s murder, and the guilt by proxy that his father died in his place, all because he played with a young girl’s feelings. And all for nothing, as Bella refused to trade his life for her own protection. Of course, he’s still dreadfully worried about Bella, but Poirot isn’t concerned. She’s young and beautiful, the court will be lenient. Yay for judicial corruption! Nobody’s told Jack the actual course of events, and he still hasn’t cottoned on to the full picture, leaving him wondering why his father was at the golf course in his underwear and Jack’s overcoat in the first place. But it’s not important for him to know what’s going on, and Poirot placates him with a promise to explain later. It’s far more important that Jack tell Poirot what he knows, after all. Jack did indeed come to Merlinville the night of his father’s murder, wanting to see Martha (Christie has switched spellings several times between Marthe and Martha, I’m not sure if this is because Jack is a dumb Anglophone or because Christie is), before taking ship to South America. His train came in late that night and he took a shortcut across the golf course, only to hear a choked off gasp, and turn a corner to see his father face down on the ground, a knife sticking out of his back, Bella standing over him. They both stared at each other in horror for a bit, then Bella cried out and ran off. Jack never even considered that he might be a suspect, he was too busy worrying what he would do if he was called to testify against her. With Jack’s narrative complete, a telegram conveniently arrives to inform everybody present (Poirot, Hastings, Jack, and Stonor) that Mrs. Renauld has woken up, so everybody immediately rushes off to Merlinville again, except for Stonor, who Jack instructs to do whatever is in his power to help Bella. As they arrive, Jack proposes that Poirot should go to his mother first,to give her the good news that he’s been released, because he wants to go see Marthe to tell her. Poirot agrees and mentions he was going to suggest the same idea, so the party splits up, Jack going to the Daubreuil home, while Poirot and Hastings continue to the Renauld villa. Hastings indulges in a bit of sentiment, thinking about how they first arrived there, only a few days ago, and how so much has happened. Poirot agrees, but less sentimentally; he’s thinking about the technical aspects of the crime, all of the events that have happened and how everything ties together. This crime is neither ordered nor methodical; despite Georges Conneau’s elaborate plan, he got himself shanked by an angry young girl. When they arrive at the house, Poirot goes to Mrs. Renauld alone, while Hastings waits downstairs. A while later, Poirot returns, grumbling about there being “squalls ahead” and women doing the unexpected, but doesn’t have a chance to explain what he’s talking about before Jack returns, accompanied by Marthe. Poirot meets them at the door with a warning to not come in, because Mrs. Renauld is upset. At the very least, Jack should go in without Marthe, and preferably accompanied by Poirot to see his mother, but he’s cut off by the woman herself, apparently well enough to get out of bed and come down the stairs, despite the maid she’s leaning on crying about how she’s going to kill herself going against doctor’s orders. It was desperately important for her to come down, so that she could disown Jack and throw him out. She’s decided that, even though he didn’t kill Renauld himself, the man’s blood is on his hands; he’s morally guilty, if not legally so, so she’s throwing him out and disheriting him. She makes her way back upstairs, and Jack, strained as far as a man can take and more, collapses with brain fever, which Christie believed was a thing back then. She got better about it later. Poirot sends him off to be taken care of by Marthe and her mother, and he and Hastings go out for a later dinner of omelets and steaks, before returning to the same hotel they previously stayed at. After securing new rooms, Poirot confuses Hastings by asking the clerk if the English lady, Miss Robinson, has arrived, and is assured that she’s waiting for him. He teases Hastings a bit by suggesting that he’s arranged a marriage for his friend, before explaining that he didn’t want to make trouble by introducing anybody named Duveen into the town where a murder was just committed by a woman with the same name. Indeed, it’s Cinderella herself, Dulcie Duveen (though Hastings is still calling her Cinderella in his narration), waiting for them. She and Hastings grip each other’s hands and stare into each other’s eyes, but Poirot interrupts, he still has work to do, and that takes priority. He requested that Dulcie bring something with her, and she present him with the third dagger, the one she claimed to have tossed in the ocean. Poirot tries to dismiss her with promises that she can see Hastings tomorrow, but Dulcie is adamant that, wherever they’re going, she’s going too. Poirot puts up a token argument before giving in, warning her that it will be boring, he doesn’t expect anything to happen. The threesome make their way through the dark streets back to the neighboring villas, letting themselves through the gate to the Villa Marguerite, where they manage to neatly leave Dulcie, to prevent any cattiness between her and Marthe. She meets them at the door, informing them that there’s been no change in Jack’s condition, but letting them in to see firsthand. Jack is sleeping, but still feverish and mumbling in his sleep while Marthe sits with him. Madame Daubreuil accompanies them back to the door, and Hastings, now that he knows her history, compares her to a beautiful, but poisonous, snake. Great judge of character after the fact, our Hastings. Maybe next he can tell us about how Alfred Inglethorpe might not be the most trustworthy guy. Okay, that’s not fair, he distrusted Alfred from the start, but that was beard-based bigotry, not actual judgement. As they leave, Poirot, by chance, asks her if Stonor had been in town that day, perhaps to talk to Mrs. Renauld. Daubreuil questions why he would ask her, and Hastings silently wonders the same, because he’s incapable of understanding when Poirot is pulling a Poirot. As they catch up with Dulcie outside, Poirot refuses to explain to Hastings, instead staring at the window of Jack’s room, watching Marthe’s silhouette and commenting that at least he’s being guarded. They continue on to the Villa Genevieve, but rather than approach the door, Poirot picks a spot behind some bushes near the driveway, near Mrs. Renauld’s window, for them to hide in. He’s just explaining to the other two the basics of how a stakeout works ( that it’s entirely possible nothing will happen, and if anything does happen, it will only be after hours of sitting around being bored), when he’s conveniently interrupted by something happening! quote:His words were interrupted by a long, thin drawn cry: The three of them rush in, Poirot banging on the door loudly before making his way to the tree outside the bedroom window. Despite being short, fat, and old, Poirot can apparently climb trees with the best of them, as can Dulcie, who disdains Hastings’ warning to take care like she’s a professional acrobat or something. Poirot and Hastings find the door locked and bolted from the outside, leaving them powerless to get to the ongoing fight. Breaking down a properly made door (not the hollow poo poo we have nowadays) is actually really hard. Luckily, they brought a professional acrobat. Duclie jumps back out the window, grabs the edge of the roof, and makes her way over to the window of the next room. They hear Dulcie fighting somebody just as Francoise the maid opens the door, letting them out into the hallway, only to find that the other room is locked, but from the inside! After more combat noise, Dulcie opens the door for them, She’s fine, if a little pale. Mrs. Renauld is mostly fine, recovering from nearly being strangled to death. The third person in the room, clothed in black with their face covered, is not fine, Dulcie explaining that they hit their head going down. But who is it? Poirot knows! Arthur Hastings and Hercule Poirot posted:'But who is it?' I cried. Well, that makes total and complete sense and doesn’t feel like it was pulled out of Christie’s rear end at all! Or at least it won’t feel that way after Poirot explains what the hell is going on.
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Mar 4, 2024 08:15
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Chapter 28: Journey’s End Future narrator Hastings opens the last chapter by admitting that, at whatever nebulous future point he’s writing at, he still isn’t entirely sure what was going on from this point forward. The chapter events start with Poirot taking the three maids to task for not telling him that Mrs. Renauld had moved to a different bedroom. They try to defend themselves by explaining why she moved, but that’s not what Poirot is angry about. He wasn’t told that she moved, he made plans to protect the wrong room, and so the woman he was trying to protect very nearly got murdered right under his nose - all because he was not informed. Poirot is pissed. Hercule Poirot posted:'Then why was I not told?' vociferated Poirot, striking the table, and working himself into a first-class passion. 'I demand of you - why - was - I - not - told? You are an old woman completely imbecile! And Léonie and Denise are no better. All of you are triple idiots! Your stupidity has nearly caused the death of your mistress. But for this courageous child -' Poirot cuts off his ranting to see to the injured woman and sends Hastings to get the doctor and the police, in that order, and to not bother coming back afterward, because Poirot will be too busy playing nurse to Mrs. Renauld - or so Google Translate tells me “garde-malade” means. Hastings whines about how, even though he did as he was told, nobody bothered to answer any of his questions for the rest of the night, as if anybody other than Poirot probably could. He goes to bed angry and exhausted, and wakes up to find Poirot standing over him, finally ready to explain what the gently caress happened. It’s not a parlor room, and it’s just Hastings getting the explanation, but it’s as close as this book is providing. In short, Bella Duveen was never the murderer. She claimed guilt to save Jack, just as Jack had done so to save her. Neither idiot considered the possibility that the other person they had met standing over the body was actually innocent. And Poirot knew this all along, because the psychology wasn’t right for it to be a crime of passion as Bella had claimed. The murder of Renauld was premeditated by a cold and calculating individual. They made Renauld’s own plan to fake his death a part of their murder plot; therefore, they had to know about the plan. And Marthe Daubreuil told Poirot about how she’d overheard Renauld’s argument with the tramp (who was to be murdered in his place). The motive? The money, dear reader! It’s all about the Benjamins… or whoever may have appeared on a similarly high value franc note in this time period.,, *Falls down a Wikipedia rabbithole for half an hour* Napoleon, I guess? It’s all about the Napoleans? Sure, let’s go with that. Without ever using the word “sociopath”, Christie has Poirot give a fairly decent description of the disorder and claims that it applies to both Daubreuil women. Marthe put up a pretense of loving Jack, but was just in it to get richer than the blackmail scheme was maing them. Plan A was to marry him, he would inherit half the fortune, easy-peasy. But Renauld refused to consider the marriage and threatened to disinherit Jack. So she needed the man dead before he could do so. And along comes his plan to fake his death to get away from his blackmailers. In a bit of a stretch Poirot brings up the three airplane daggers again. It’s known that Jack had three made, and that he gave one to his mother and one to Bella. Ergo,he probably gave the third one to Marthe. Hercule Poirot posted:'So, then to sum up, there were four points of note against Marthe Daubreuil: Later in the chapter, Poirot will claim that he suspected Marthe from the very moment he saw her. The chapter that introduced her was “The Girl With the Anxious Eyes”, and so she was described in text - but why was she so anxious? There were just two little issues with this. One, Poirot had to actual evidence to prove Marthe’s guilt. And two, Bella Duveen claimed to have done it. Poirot didn’t want Bella to be the killer. He didn’t consider Bella a worthy adversary (which suggests that Marthe is more worthy in his eyes, though he never straight up says it), but he couldn’t rule her our just because he didn’t like it. He had still had no evidence… and then Dulcie’s letter to Hastings came along, where she explained that she stole the dagger used in the murder and threw it into the sea. So that dagger was gone. Ergo, anybody who still had a dagger was technically in the clear. So Poirot sought out Dulcie, without letting Hastings know, and told her just enough to know that if she found her sister’s dagger, it would prove her innocence. And she did, which is why she met with Poirot at the hotel. Speaking of things all going according to the scenario, Mrs. Renauld threatening to disinherit Jack was also all part of the plan. It was to force Marthe to take action or risk losing her chance at the Renauld fortune forever, and put Mrs. Renauld’s life at risk, but it was a chance she was willing to take. The previous night, they left Marthe at her home, caring for the unconscious and feverish Jack… but no, she managed to fool Poirot. Marthe snuck out the back door, while her mother stood in Jack’s room. Seen as a silhouette on a window shade, both women look alike. She was already in the Renauld house before Poirot and company even got set up for guard duty. Snuck in with a rope ladder, a bottle of chloroform, and a syringe full of morphine to stage a suicide. Oh no, how terrible, the old woman who suffered so many shocks and a head injury took her own life. Thankfully for Mrs. Renauld, she was awake when Marthe came to kill her, and was able to fight off the younger woman long enough for Dulcie to do her acrobatic entry into the room for a daring last minute save. So, to sum up our important characters: Marthe, dead. Her mother, fled. Mrs. Renauld, recovered enough to fight a murderer and live to tell the tale. Jack Renauld, on the mend, but as of yet uninformed about any of these events. Poirot thinks he’ll take it alright, because he was never really in love with Marthe, she was just an evil temptress who pulled him from his one true love, Bella, who he was willing to die to protect. As for Giruad, “He has a crise of the nerves, that one! He has been obliged to return to Paris.” Some time later (Christie only describes it as “at length”), Mrs. Renauld and Poirot have a long talk with Jack, where they tell him everything about his father’s past and how it came to bite them in the rear end. Poirot reassures Jack that these details are known only to them, he wasn’t working for the police, they don’t need to know the extraneous details. Of course, without those details, a lot of things don’t add up for the police, but Poirot managed to explain the situation in such a way that, if they weren’t actually satisfied, they at least stopped asking questions. Sometime after Poirot and Hastings finally return to London, Poirot adds a new decoration to his home, a model of a foxhound. It cost him 500 francs, and he named it Giraud. That would have been a great note to end the book on, but instead, Christie keeps going! Jack comes to England to visit, telling Poirot that he’s leaving for South America, to start a new life running his father’s business interests on the other side of the world. He’s taking his mother, Stonor, and absolutely nobody else. Especially not the girl who loved him enough to risk execution for him, and who he loved equally to risk the same. He has a laundry list of excuses why he can’t ask Bella to go with him. He’s a damned fool, the son of a murderer, yadda yadda. But Poirot has hope for him, because Poirot believes in heredity. Jack is the son of Georges Conneau, a despicable murdered, but he’s also the son of Eloise Renauld, “a woman of courage and endurance, capable of great love, of supreme self-sacrifice”, and Poirot thinks that’s important. He tells Jack to go to Bella tell her everything, and to see what she says. Christie doesn’t mention how that conversation went, I like to think it went well. This is also a pretty good place to end the story. But there’s one last minor little detail: Hastings’ love life. Arthur Hastings and Dulcie Duveen posted:And what of Captain Arthur Hastings, humble chronicler of these pages? This is technically the end of Hastings. He’ll be around for many of the short stories, and he’ll commute across the pond for a few later novels, but Christie is jettisoning her Holmes-knockoff baggage and going her own way in future novels. But before we can talk about later novels, I have to tackle what comes next. The first short story collection, Poirot Investigates, featuring 14 stories.
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Apr 29, 2024 05:43
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There are actually some pretty good ones in that one.
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Apr 29, 2024 13:12
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