The Mysterious Affair at Styles Read Online Free PDF

on the bed and, looking up, I saw Mary Cavendish standing near the door with
     her arm around Cynthia. She seemed to be supporting the girl, who looked utterly dazed and
     unlike herself. Her face was heavily flushed, and she yawned repeatedly.
    “Poor Cynthia is quite frightened,” said Mrs. Cavendish in a low clear voice. She herself,
     I noticed, was dressed in her white land smock. Then it must be later than I thought. I
     saw that a faint streak of daylight was showing through the curtains of the windows, and
     that the clock on the mantelpiece pointed to close upon five o'clock.
    A strangled cry from the bed startled me. A fresh access of pain seized the unfortunate
     old lady. The convulsions were of a violence terrible to behold. Everything was confusion.
     We thronged round her, powerless to help or alleviate. A final convulsion lifted her from
     the bed, until she appeared to rest upon her head and her heels, with her body arched in
     an extraordinary manner. In vain Mary and John tried to administer more brandy. The
     moments flew. Again the body arched itself in that peculiar fashion.
    At that moment, Dr. Bauerstein pushed his way authoritatively into the room. For one
     instant he stopped dead, staring at the figure on the bed, and, at the same instant, Mrs.
     Inglethorp cried out in a strangled voice, her eyes fixed on the doctor:
    “Alfred - Alfred - - ” Then she fell back motionless on the pillows.
    With a stride, the doctor reached the bed, and seizing her arms worked them energetically,
     applying what I knew to be artificial respiration. He issued a few short sharp orders to
     the servants. An imperious wave of his hand drove us all to the door. We watched him,
     fascinated, though I think we all knew in our hearts that it was too late, and that
     nothing could be done now. I could see by the expression on his face that he himself had
     little hope.
    Finally he abandoned his task, shaking his head gravely. At that moment, we heard
     footsteps outside, and Dr. Wilkins, Mrs. Inglethorp's own doctor, a portly, fussy little
     man, came bustling in.
    In a few words Dr. Bauerstein explained how he had happened to be passing the lodge gates
     as the car came out, and had run up to the house as fast as he could, whilst the car went
     on to fetch Dr. Wilkins. With a faint gesture of the hand, he indicated the figure on the
     bed.
    “Very sad. Very sad,” murmured Dr. Wilkins. “Poor dear lady. Always did far too much - far
     too much - against my advice. I warned her. Her heart was far from strong. 'Take it easy,'
     I said to her, 'Take - it - easy'. But no - her zeal for good works was too great. Nature
     rebelled. Na - ture - re - belled.”
    Dr. Bauerstein, I noticed, was watching the local doctor narrowly. He still kept his eyes
     fixed on him as he spoke.
    “The convulsions were of a peculiar violence, Dr. Wilkins. I am sorry you were not here in
     time to witness them. They were quite - tetanic in character.”
    “Ah!” said Dr. Wilkins wisely.
    “I should like to speak to you in private,” said Dr. Bauerstein. He turned to John. “You
     do not object?”
    “Certainly not.”
    We all trooped out into the corridor, leaving the two doctors alone, and I heard the key
     turned in the lock behind us.
    We went slowly down the stairs. I was violently excited. I have a certain talent for
     deduction, and Dr. Bauerstein's manner had started a flock of wild surmises in my mind.
     Mary Cavendish laid her hand upon my arm.
    “What is it? Why did Dr. Bauerstein seem so - peculiar?”
    I looked at her. “Do you know what I think?”
    “What?”
    “Listen!” I looked round, the others were out of earshot. I lowered my voice to a whisper.
     “I believe she has been poisoned! I'm certain Dr. Bauerstein suspects it.”
    “
    
    
     What?
    
    
     ” She shrank against the wall, the pupils of her eyes dilating wildly. Then, with a sudden
     cry that startled me, she cried out: