Poirot - Chapter 11 The Case of the Missing Will

Poirot - Chapter 11 The Case of the Missing Will

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
The case of the missing will.The problem presented to us by Miss Violet
Marsh made rather a pleasant change fromour usual routine work. Poirot had received
a brisk and business like note fromthe lady asking for an appointment, and
he had replied, asking her tocall upon him at eleven o'clock the following
day. She arrived punctually, atall, handsome young woman, plainly but

(00:23):
neatly dressed, with an assured andbusiness like manner, clearly a young woman
who meant to get on in theworld. I am not a great admirer
of the so called new woman myself, and in spite of her good looks,
I was not particularly prepossessed in herfavor. My business is of a
somewhat unusual nature, Monsieur Poirot,She began, after she had accepted a

(00:44):
chair. I had better begin atthe beginning and tell you the whole story,
if you please, mademoiselle. Iam an orphan. My father was
one of two brothers, sons ofa small yeoman farmer in Devonshire. The
farm was a poor one, andthe elder brother, Andrew, emigrate to
Australia, where he did very well. Indeed, and by means of successful
speculation in Land became a very richman. The younger brother, Roger,

(01:08):
my father, had no leanings towardsthe agricultural life. He managed to educate
himself a little and obtained a postas a clerk with a small firm.
He married slightly above him. Mymother was the daughter of a poor artist.
My father died when I was sixyears old. When I was fourteen,
my mother followed him to the grave. My only living relation then was

(01:30):
my uncle Andrew, who had recentlyreturned from Australia and bought a small place,
Crabtree Manner, in his native county. He was exceedingly kind to his
brother's orphan child, took me tolive with him and treated me in every
way as though I was his owndaughter. Crabtree Manner, in spite of
its name, is really only anold farmhouse. Farming was in my uncle's
blood, and he was intensely interestedin various modern farming experiments. Although kindness

(01:56):
itself to me, he had certainpeculiar and deeply rooted ideas as to the
upbringing of women. Himself a manof little or no education, though possessing
remarkable shrewdness, he placed little valueon what he called book knowledge. He
was especially opposed to the education ofwomen. In his opinion, girls should
learn practical housework and dairy work,be useful about the home, and have

(02:21):
as little to do with book learningas possible. He proposed to bring me
up on these lines. To mybitter disappointment and annoyance, I rebelled frankly.
I knew that I possessed a goodbrain and had absolutely no talent for
domestic duties. My uncle and Ihad many bitter arguments on the subject,
for though much attached to each other, we were both self willed. I

(02:43):
was lucky enough to win a scholarship, and up to a certain point,
was successful in getting my own way. The crisis arose when I resolved to
go to Girton. I had alittle money of my own left me by
my mother, and I was quitedetermined to make the best use of the
gifts God had given me. Onelong final argument with my uncle, he
put the facts plainly before me.He had no other relations, and he

(03:06):
had intended me to be his soleheiress. As I have told you,
he was a very rich man.If I persisted in these new fangled notions
of mine. However, I needlook for nothing from him. I remained
polite but firm. I should alwaysbe deeply attached to him, I told
him, but I must lead myown life. We parted on that note.

(03:29):
You fancy your brains, my girl, were his last words. I've
no book learning, but for allthat, I'll pit mine against yours.
Any day we'll see what we shallsee. That was nine years ago.
I have stayed with him for aweekend occasionally, and our relations were perfectly
amicable. Though his views remained unaltered. He never referred to my having matriculated,

(03:49):
nor to my b SC. Forthe last three years, his health
had been failing, and a monthago he died. I am now coming
to the point of my visit.My uncle left him most extraordinary will.
By its terms, crabtree manner andits contents are to be at my disposal
for a year from his death,during which time my clever niece may prove
her wits. The actual words run. At the end of that period,

(04:13):
my wits having proved better than hers, the house and all my uncle's large
fortune passed to various charitable institutions.That is a little hard on you,
mademoiselle, seeing that you are misterMarsh's only blood relation. I do not
look on it in that way.Uncle Andrew warned me fairly, and I
chose my own path, since Iwould not fall in with his wishes.
He was at perfect liberty to leavehis money to whom he pleased. Was

(04:38):
the will drawn up by a lawyer. No, it was written on a
printed will form and witnessed by theman and his wife who live in the
house and do for my uncle.There might be a possibility of upsetting such
a will. I would not evenattempt to do such a thing. You
regard it, then, as asporting challenge on the part of your uncle.

(04:58):
That is exactly how I look uponit. It bears that interpretation,
certainly, said Puirot thoughtfully. Somewherein this rambling old manor house, your
uncle has concealed either a sum ofmoney in notes, or possibly a second
will, and has given you ayear in which to exercise your ingenuity to
find it exactly, Monsieur Poirot,and I am paying you the compliment of

(05:18):
assuming that your ingenuity will be greaterthan mine. Ay ay, but that
is very charming of you. Mygray sales are at your disposal. You
have made no search yourself, onlya cursory one. But I have too
much respect for my uncle's undoubted abilitiesto fancy that the task will be an
easy one. Have you the willor a copy of it with you?

(05:41):
Miss marsh handed a document across thetable. Puiot ran through it, nodding
to himself, made three years ago, dated March twenty fifth, and the
time is given also eleven A mthat is very suggestive. It narrows the
field of search. Assuredly it isanother will we have to seek. For
a will made even half an hourlater would upset this Ebien, mademoiselle.

(06:02):
It is a problem charming and ingeniousthat you have presented to me here.
I shall have all the pleasure inthe world in solving it for you.
Granted that your uncle was a manof ability, his gray cells cannot have
been of the quality of Hercule Poirot's. Really, Poirot's vanity is blatant.
Fortunately, I have nothing a momenton hand at the minute, Hastings,

(06:23):
and I will go down to CrabtreeManor tonight. The man and wife who
attended on your uncle are still there, I presume yes. Their name is
Baker. The following morning saw usstarted on the hunt proper. We had
arrived late the night before. Misterand missus Baker, having received a telegram
from Miss Marsh, were expecting us. They were a pleasant couple, the

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man gnarled and pink cheeked like ashriveled Pippin, and his wife a woman
of vast proportions and true Devonshire calm. Tired with our journey in the eight
mile drive from the station, wehad retired at once to bed after a
supper of roast chicken, apple pieand Devonshire cream. We had now disposed
of an excellent breakfast and were sittingin a small paneled room which had been

(07:04):
the late mister Marsh's study and livingroom. A roll top desk stuffed with
papers, all neatly docketed, stoodagainst the wall, and a big leather
arm chair showed plainly that it hadbeen its owner's constant resting place. A
big chintz covered settee ran along theopposite wall, and the deep low window
seats were covered with the same fadedchintz of an old fashioned pattern. Eh

(07:29):
bien mon ami, said Poirot,lighting one of his tiny cigarettes. We
must map out our plan of campaign. Already I have made a rough survey
of the house, but I amof opinion that any clue will be found
in this room. We shall haveto go through the documents in the desk
with meticulous care. Naturally, Ido not expect to find the will amongst
them, but it is likely thatsome apparently innocent paper may conceal the clue

(07:51):
to its hiding place. But firstwe must have a little information. Ring
the bell, I pray of you. I did so. While we were
waiting for it to be answered,Poirot walked up and down, looking about
him approvingly. A man of method, this, mister marsh See how neatly
the packets of papers are docketed.Then the key to each drawer has its
ivory label. So has the keyof the china cabinet on the wall.

(08:15):
And see with what precision the chinawithin is arranged. It rejoices the heart.
Nothing here offends the eye. Hecame to an abrupt pause as his
eye was caught by the key ofthe desk itself, to which a dirty
envelope was affixed. Poirot frowned atit and withdrew it from the lock.
On it were scrawled the words keyof roll top desk in a crabbed handwriting,

(08:37):
quite unlike the neat superscriptions on theother keys. An alien note,
said Poirot, frowning, I couldswear that here we have no longer the
personality of mister Marsh. But whoelse has been in the house only miss
Marsh, and she, if Imistake not, is also a young lady
of method and order. Baker camein answer to the bell, Will you

(08:58):
fetch madame your wife? And Annetis her a few questions. Baker departed
and in a few moments returned withMissus Baker wiping her hands on her apron
and beaming all over her face.In a few clear words, Poirot set
forth the object of his mission.The Bakers were immediately sympathetic. US don't
want to see miss Violet done outof what's hers, declared the woman cruel
heart, would be for hospitals toget it all. Poirot proceeded with his

(09:24):
questions, yes, mister, andmissus Baker remembered perfectly witnessing the will.
Baker had previously been sent into theneighboring town to get two printed will forms
two, said Poirot, sharply,yes, sir, for safety, like
I suppose, in case he shouldspoil one, And sure enough so he
did. Do us had signed one? What time of day was that?

(09:46):
Baker scratched his head, But hiswife was quicker. Why to be sure?
I just put the milk on forthe coco at eleven? Don't you
remember? It had all boiled overon the stove when us got back to
kitchen, and afterwards twould be aan hour later. Us had to go
in again. I've made a mistake, says old Master, had to tear
the whole thing up. I'll troubleyou to sign again, and us did.

(10:09):
And afterwards Master give us a tidysum of money each I've left you
nothing in my will, says he, But each year I live, You'll
have this to be a nest eggwhen I'm gone, And sure enough so
he did. Poorot reflected, afteryou had signed the second time, what
did mister marsh do? Do youknow? Went out to the village to
pay tradesmen's books That did not seemvery promising. Poirot tried another tack.

(10:35):
He held out, the key ofthe desk is that your master's writing I
may have imagined it, but Ifancied that. A moment or two elapsed
before Baker replied, yes, sir, it is. He's lying. I
thought, But why has your masterlet the house? Have there been any
strangers in it during the last threeyears? No, sir, no visitors,

(10:56):
only miss Violet. No strangers haveany kind been inside this room?
No, sir, you forget theworkman, Jim, His wife reminded him
workmen. Poirot wheeled round on herwhat workmen, and the woman explained that
about two years and a half ago, workmen had been in the house to
do certain repairs. She was quitevague as to what the repairs were.

(11:18):
Her view seemed to be that thewhole thing was a fad of her master's
and quite unnecessary. Part of thetime the workmen had been in the study,
but what they had done there shecould not say, as her master
had not led either of them intothe room whilst the work was in progress.
Unfortunately, they could not remember thename of the firm employed, beyond
the fact that it was a Plymouthone. We progress hastings, said Poirot,
rubbing his hands as the Bakers leftthe room. Clearly he made a

(11:41):
second will, and then had workmenfrom Plymouth in to make a suitable hiding
place. Instead of wasting time takingup the floor and tapping the walls,
we will go to Plymouth, NIMI. With a little trouble, we were
able to get the information we wanted. After one or two essays we found
the firm employed by mister Marsh.Their employees had all been with them many
years, and it was easy tofind the two men who had worked under

(12:05):
mister Marsh's orders. They remembered thejob perfectly, amongst various other minor jobs.
They had taken up one of thebricks of the old fashioned fireplace,
made a cavity beneath, and socut the brick that it was impossible to
see the join. By pressing onthe second brick from the end, the
whole thing was raised. It hadbeen quite a complicated piece of work,
and the old gentleman had been veryfussy about it. Our informant was a

(12:28):
man called Coggan, a big gauntman with a grizzled mustache. He seemed
an intelligent fellow. We returned toCrabtree manner and high spirits, and locking
the study door, proceeded to putour newly acquired knowledge into effect. It
was impossible to see any sign onthe bricks, but when we pressed in
the manner indicated a deep cavity wasat once disclosed. Eagerly, Poirot plunged

(12:52):
in his hand. Suddenly his facefell from complacent elation to consternation. All
he held was a charred fragment ofstiff paper. But the cavity was empty.
Sacra, cried Puirot angrily. Someonehas been before us. We examined
the scrap of paper anxiously. Clearlyit was a fragment of what we sought.
A portion of Baker's signature remained,but no indication of what the terms

(13:15):
of the will had been. Poirotsat back on his heels. His expression
would have been comical if we hadnot been so overcome, and I understand
it not. He growled, Whodestroyed this? And what was their object?
The Bakers, I suggested, poorCui, neither will make any provision
for them, and they are morelikely to be kept on with Miss Marsh
than if the place became the propertyof a hospital. How could it be

(13:37):
to anyone's advantage to destroy the will? The hospital's benefit, yes, But
one cannot suspect institutions. Perhaps theold man changed his mind and destroyed it
himself, I suggested. Puio roseto his feet, dusting his knees with
his usual care. That may be, he admitted, one of your more
sensible observations, Hastings. Well,we can do no more here. We

(14:00):
have done all that mortal man cando. We have successfully pitted our wits
against the late Andrew Marshes. Butunfortunately his niece is no better off for
our success. By driving to thestation at once, we were just able
to catch a train to London,though not the principal express. Poirot was
sad and dissatisfied. For my part, I was tired and dozed in a
corner. Suddenly, as we werejust moving out of Taunton, Poirot uttered

(14:26):
a piercing squeal. Vite, Hastings, awake and jump But jump, I
say, Before I knew where Iwas. We were standing on the platform,
bareheaded and minus arvalises, whilst thetrain disappeared into the night. I
was furious, but Poirot paid noattention. Imbecile that I have been,
he cried, triple imbecile. Notagain will I vaunt my little gray cells.

(14:48):
That's a good job at any rate, I said, grumpily, But
what is this all about? Asusual, when following out his own ideas,
Poirot paid absolutely no attention to me. The tradesmen's books, I have
left them entirely out of account,yes, but where where? Never mind,
I cannot be mistaken. We mustreturn at once. Easier said than
done. We managed to get aslow train to Exeter, and there Poirot

(15:11):
hired a car. We arrived backat Crabtree Manor in the small hours of
the morning. I pass over thebewilderment of the bakers when we had at
last aroused them. Paying no attentionto anybody, Poirot strode at once to
the study. I have been nota triple imbecile, but thirty six times
won my friend, he deigned toremark. Now behold, going straight to

(15:31):
the desk, he drew out thekey and detached the envelope from it.
I stared at him stupidly, howcould he possibly hope to find a big
will form in that tiny envelope?With great care, he cut open the
envelope, laying it out flat.Then he lighted the fire and held the
plane inside surface of the envelope tothe flame. In a few minutes,
faint characters began to appear. Look, Monomie, cried Poirot in triumph.

(15:56):
I looked. There were just afew lines of faint writing, stating briefly
that he left everything to his niece, Violet marsh. It was dated March
twenty fifth, twelve thirty p m. And witnessed by Albert Pike, confectioner,
and Jesse Pike, married woman.But is it legal, I gasped.
As far as I know, thereis no law against writing your will
in a blend of disappearing and sympatheticink. The intention of the testator is

(16:18):
clear, and the beneficiary is hisonly living relation. But the cleverness of
him, he foresaw every step thata searcher would take that I, miserable,
imbecile took. He gets two willforms, makes the servants sign twice,
then sallies out with his will writtenon the inside of a dirty envelope
and a fountain pen containing his littleink mixture. On some excuse, he

(16:40):
gets the confectioner and his wife tosign their names under his own signature.
Then he ties it to the keyof his desk and chuckles to himself.
If his niece sees through his littleruse, she will have justified her choice
of life and elaborate education, andbe thoroughly welcome to his money. She
didn't see through it, did shesaid slowly? It seems rather unfair the

(17:02):
old man really won. But noHastings, it is your wits that go
astray. Miss Marsh proved the astutenessof her wits and the value of the
higher education for women, by atonce putting the matter in my hands.
Always employ the expert. She hasamply proved her right to the money.
And I wonder, I very muchwonder what old Andrew Marsh would have thought the end