Five Little Pigs

‘When a girl gets to that stage, school is very helpful. She needs the stimulation of other minds-that, and the wholesome discipline of a community, help her to become a reasonable member of society. Angela’s home conditions were not what I would have called ideal. Mrs Crale spoiled her, for one thing. Angela had only to appeal to her and Mrs Crale always backed her up. The result was that Angela considered she had first claim upon her sister’s time and attention, and it was in these moods of hers that she used to clash with Mr Crale. Mr Crale naturally thought thathe should come first-and intended to do so. He was really very fond of the girl-they were good companions and used to spar together quite amiably, but there were times when Mr Crale used suddenly to resent Mrs Crale’s preoccupation with Angela. Like all men, he was a spoilt child; he expected everybody to make a fuss ofhim. Then he and Angela used to have a real set-to-and very often Mrs Crale would take Angela’s side. Then he would be furious. On the other hand, ifshe supportedhim, Angela would be furious. It was on these occasions that Angela used to revert to childish ways and play some spiteful trick on him. He had a habit of tossing off his drinks and she once put a lot of salt into his drink. The whole thing, of course, acted as an emetic, and he was inarticulate with fury. But what really brought things to a head was when she put a lot of slugs into his bed. He had a queer aversion for slugs. He lost his temper completely and said that the girl had got to be sent away to school. He wasn’t going to put up with all this petty nonsense any more. Angela was terribly upset-though actually she had once or twice expressed a wish herself to go to a boarding school-but she chose to make a huge grievance of it. Mrs Crale didn’t want her to go but allowed herself to be persuaded-largely owing, I think, to what I said to her on the subject. I pointed out to her that it would be greatly to Angela’s advantage, and that I thought it would really be a great benefit to the girl. So it was settled that she should go to Helston-a very fine school on the south coast-in the autumn term. But Mrs Crale was still unhappy about it all those holidays. And Angela kept up a grudge against Mr Crale whenever she remembered. It wasn’t really serious, you understand, M. Poirot, but it made a kind of undercurrent that summer to-well-to everythingelse that was going on.’

Poirot said: ‘Meaning-Elsa Greer?’

Miss Williams said sharply:

‘Exactly.’ And shut her lips very tight after the word.

‘What was your opinion of Elsa Greer?’

‘I had no opinion of her at all. A thoroughly unprincipled young woman.’

‘She was very young.’

‘Old enough to know better. I can see no excuse for her-none at all.’

‘She fell in love with him, I suppose-’

Miss Williams interrupted with a snort.

‘Fell in love with him indeed. I should hope, M. Poirot, that whatever our feelings, we can keep them in decent control. And we can certainly control our actions. That girl had absolutely no morals of any kind. It meant nothing to her that Mr Crale was a married man. She was absolutely shameless about it all-cool and determined. Possibly she may have been badly brought up-but that’s the only excuse I can find for her.’

‘Mr Crale’s death must have been a terrible shock to her.’

‘Oh, it was. And she herself was entirely to blame for it. I don’t go as far as condoning murder, but all the same, M. Poirot, if ever a woman was driven to breaking point, that woman was Caroline Crale. I tell you frankly, there were moments when I would have liked to murder them both myself. Flaunting the girl in his wife’s face, listening to her having to put up with the girl’s insolence-and shewas insolent, M. Poirot. Oh no, Amyas Crale deserved what he got. No man should treat his wife as he did and not be punished for it. His death was a just retribution.’

Hercule Poirot said: ‘You feel strongly…’

The small woman looked at him with those indomitable grey eyes. She said:

‘I feelvery strongly about the marriage tie. Unless it is respected and upheld, a country degenerates. Mrs Crale was a devoted and faithful wife. Her husband deliberately flouted her and introduced his mistress into her home. As I say, he deserved what he got. He goaded her past endurance and I, for one, do not blame her for what she did.’

Poirot said slowly: ‘He acted very badly-that I admit-but he was a great artist, remember.’

Miss Williams gave a terrific snort.