1Dr. Armstrong was dreaming...

2It was very hot in the operating room...

3Surely they'd got the temperature too high? The sweat was rolling down his face.

4His hands were clammy. Difficult to hold the scalpel firmly...

5How beautifully sharp it was...

6Easy to do a murder with a knife like that. And of course he was doing a murder...

7The woman's body looked different. It had been a large unwieldy body. This was a spare meagre body. And the face was hidden.

8Who was it that he had to kill?

9He couldn't remember. But he must know! Should he ask Sister?

10Sister was watching him. No, he couldn't ask her. She was suspicious, he could see that.

11But who was it on the operating table?

12They shouldn't have covered up the face like that...

13If he could only see the face...

14Ah! that was better. A young probationer was pulling off the handkerchief.

15Emily Brent, of course. It was Emily Brent that he had to kill.

16How malicious her eyes were! Her lips were moving. What was she saying? "In the midst of life we are in death..."

17She was laughing now. No, nurse, don't put the handkerchief back. I've got to see. I've got to give the anaesthetic. Where's the ether? I must have brought the ether with me. What have you done with the ether, Sister? ChBteau Neuf du

18Pape? Yes, that will do quite as well.

19Take the handkerchief away, nurse.

20Of course! I knew it all the time! It's Anthony Marston! His face is purple and convulsed. But he's not dead he's laughing. I tell you he's laughing! He's shaking the operating table.

21Look out, man, look out. Nurse, steady it steady it

22With a start Dr. Armstrong woke up. It was morning. Sunlight was pouring into the room.

23And some one was leaning over him shaking him. It was Rogers. Rogers, with a white face, saying: "Doctor doctor!"

24Dr. Armstrong woke up completely.

25He sat up in bed. He said sharply: "What is it?" "It's the wife, doctor. I can't get her to wake. My God! I can't get her to wake.

26And and she don't look right to me. "

27Dr. Armstrong was quick and efficient. He wrapped himself in his dressinggown and followed Rogers.

28He bent over the bed where the woman was lying peacefully on her side. He lifted the cold hand, raised the eyelid. It was some few minutes before he straightened himself and turned from the bed.

29Rogers whispered: "Is she is she ?"

30He passed a tongue over dry lips.

31Armstrong nodded. "Yes, she's gone."

32His eyes rested thoughtfully on the man before him. Then they went to the table by the bed, to the washstand, then back to the sleeping woman.

33Rogers said: "Was it was it 'er 'eart, doctor?"

34Dr. Armstrong was a minute or two before replying. Then he said: "What was her health like normally?"

35Rogers said: "She was a bit rheumaticky." "Any doctor been attending her recently?" "Doctor?" Rogers stared. "Not been to a doctor for years neither of us." "You'd no reason to believe she suffered from heart trouble?" "No, doctor. I never knew of anything."

36Armstrong said: "Did she sleep well?"

37Now Rogers' eyes evaded his. The man's hands came together and turned and twisted uneasily. He muttered. "She didn't sleep extra well no."

38The doctor said sharply: "Did she take things to make her sleep?"

39Rogers stared at him, surprised. "Take things? To make her sleep? Not that I knew of. I'm sure she didn't."

40Armstrong went over to the washstand.

41There were a certain number of bottles on it. Hair lotion, lavender water, cascara, glycerine of cucumber for the hands, a mouthwash, toothpaste and some

42Elliman's.

43Rogers helped by pulling out the drawers of the dressingtable. From there they moved on to the chest of drawers. But there was no sign of sleeping draughts or tablets.

44Rogers said: "She didn't have nothing last night, sir, except what you gave her..."

45II

46When the gong sounded for breakfast at nine o'clock it found every one up and awaiting the summons.

47General Macarthur and the judge had been pacing the terrace outside, exchanging desultory comments on the political situation.

48Vera Claythorne and Philip Lombard had been up to the summit of the island behind the house. There they had discovered William Henry Blore, standing staring at the mainland.

49He said: "No sign of that motor boat yet. I've been watching for it."

50Vera said, smiling: "Devon's a sleepy county. Things are usually late."

51Philip Lombard was looking the other way, out to sea.

52He said abruptly: "What d'you think of the weather?"

53Glancing up at the sky, Blore remarked: "Looks all right to me."

54Lombard pursed up his mouth into a whistle.

55He said: "It will come on to blow before the day's out."

56Blore said: "Squally eh?"

57From below them came the boom of a gong.

58Philip Lombard said: "Breakfast? Well, I could do with some."

59As they went down the steep slope Blore said to Lombard in a ruminating voice: "You know, it beats me why that young fellow wanted to do himself in! I've been worrying about it all night."

60Vera was a little ahead. Lombard hung back slightly. He said: "Got any alternative theory?" "I'd want some proof. Motive, to begin with. Welloff I should say he was."

61Emily Brent came out of the drawingroom window to meet them.

62She said sharply: "Is the boat coming?" "Not yet," said Vera.

63They went in to breakfast. There was a vast dish of eggs and bacon on the sideboard and tea and coffee.

64Rogers held the door open for them to pass in, then shut it from the outside.

65Emily Brent said: "That man looks ill this morning."

66Dr. Armstrong, who was standing by the window, cleared his throat. He said: "You must excuse any er shortcomings this morning. Rogers has had to do the best he can for breakfast singlehanded. Mrs. Rogers has er not been able to carry on this morning."

67Emily Brent said sharply: "What's the matter with the woman?"

68Dr. Armstrong said easily: "Let us start our breakfast. The eggs will be cold. Afterwards, there are several matters I want to discuss with you all."

69They took the hint. Plates were filled, coffee and tea was poured. The meal began.

70Discussion of the island was, by mutual consent, tabooed. They spoke instead in a desultory fashion of current events. The news from abroad, events in the world of sport, the latest reappearance of the Loch Ness monster.

71Then, when plates were cleared, Dr. Armstrong moved back his chair a little, cleared his throat importantly and spoke.

72He said: "I thought it better to wait until you had had your breakfast before telling you of a sad piece of news. Mrs. Rogers died in her sleep."

73There were startled and shocked ejaculations.

74Vera exclaimed: "How awful! Two deaths on this island since we arrived!"

75Mr. Justice Wargrave, his eyes narrowed, said in his small precise clear voice: "H'm very remarkable what was the cause of death?"

76Armstrong shrugged his shoulders. "Impossible to say offhand." "There must be an autopsy?" "I certainly couldn't give a certificate. I have no knowledge whatsoever of the woman's state of health."

77Vera said: "She was a very nervouslooking creature. And she had a shock last night. It might have been heart failure, I suppose?"

78Dr. Armstrong said drily: "Her heart certainly failed to beat but what caused it to fail is the question."

79One word fell from Emily Brent. It fell hard and clear into the listening group. "Conscience!" she said.

80Armstrong turned to her. "What exactly do you mean by that, Miss Brent?"

81Emily Brent, her lips tight and hard, said: "You all heard. She was accused, together with her husband, of having deliberately murdered her former employer an old lady." "And you think?"

82Emily Brent said: "I think that that accusation was true. You all saw her last night. She broke down completely and fainted. The shock of having her wickedness brought home to her was too much for her. She literally died of fear."

83Dr. Armstrong shook his head doubtfully. "It is a possible theory," he said. "One cannot adopt it without more exact knowledge of her state of health. If there was cardiac weakness "

84Emily Brent said quietly. "Call it, if you prefer, an Act of God."

85Every one looked shocked. Mr. Blore said uneasily: "That's carrying things a bit far, Miss Brent."

86She looked at them with shining eyes. Her chin went up. She said: "You regard it as impossible that a sinner should be struck down by the wrath of

87God! I do not!"

88The judge stroked his chin. He murmured in a slightly ironic voice: "My dear lady, in my experience of illdoing, Providence leaves the work of conviction and chastisement to us mortals and the process is often fraught with difficulties. There are no short cuts."

89Emily Brent shrugged her shoulders.

90Blore said sharply: "What did she have to eat and drink last night after she went up to bed?"

91Armstrong said: "Nothing." "She didn't take anything? A cup of tea? A drink of water? I'll bet you she had a cup of tea. That sort always does." "Rogers assures me she had nothing whatsoever." "Ah," said Blore. "But he might say so!"

92His tone was so significant that the doctor looked at him sharply.

93Philip Lombard said: "So that's your idea?"

94Blore said aggressively: "Well, why not? We all heard that accusation last night. May be sheer moonshine just plain lunacy! On the other hand, it may not. Allow for the moment that it's true. Rogers and his missus polished off that old lady. Well, where does that get you? They've been feeling quite safe and happy about it "

95Vera interrupted. In a low voice she said: "No, I don't think Mrs. Rogers ever felt safe."

96Blore looked slightly annoyed at the interruption. "Just like a woman," his glance said.

97He resumed: "That's as may be. Anyway there's no active danger to them as far as they know.

98Then, last night, some unknown lunatic spills the beans. What happens? The woman cracks she goes to pieces. Notice how her husband hung over her as she was coming round. Not all husbandly solicitude! Not on your life! He was like a cat on hot bricks. Scared out of his life as to what she might say. "And there's the position for you! They've done a murder and got away with it.

99But if the whole thing's going to be raked up, what's going to happen? Ten to one, the woman will give the show away. She hasn't got the nerve to stand up and brazen it out. She's a living danger to her husband, that's what she is. He's all right. He'll lie with a straight face till kingdom comes but he can't be sure of her!

100And if she goes to pieces, his neck's in danger! So he slips something into a cup of tea and makes sure that her mouth is shut permanently. "

101Armstrong said slowly: "There was no empty cup by her bedside there was nothing there at all. I looked."

102Blore snorted. "Of course there wouldn't be! First thing he'd do when she'd drunk it would be to take that cup and saucer away and wash it up carefully."

103There was a pause. Then General Macarthur said doubtfully: "It may be so. But I should hardly think it possible that a man would do that to his wife."

104Blore gave a short laugh.

105He said: "When a man's neck's in danger, he doesn't stop to think too much about sentiment."

106There was a pause. Before any one could speak, the door opened and Rogers came in.

107He said, looking from one to the other: "Is there anything more I can get you? I'm sorry there was so little toast, but we've run right out of bread. The new bread hasn't come over from the mainland yet."

108Mr. Justice Wargrave stirred a little in his chair. He asked: "What time does the motor boat usually come over?" "Between seven and eight, sir. Sometimes it's a bit after eight. Don't know what

109Fred Narracott can be doing this morning. If he's ill he'd send his brother. "

110Philip Lombard said: "What's the time now?" "Ten minutes to ten, sir."

111Lombard's eyebrows rose. He nodded slowly to himself.

112Rogers waited a minute or two.

113General Macarthur spoke suddenly and explosively. "Sorry to hear about your wife, Rogers. Doctor's just been telling us."

114Rogers inclined his head. "Yes, sir. Thank you, sir."

115He took up the empty bacon dish and went out.

116Again there was silence.

117Ill

118On the terrace outside Philip Lombard said: "About this motor boat "

119Blore looked at him.

120Blore nodded his head.

121He said: "I know what you're thinking, Mr. Lombard. I've asked myself the same question.

122Motor boat ought to have been here nigh on two hours ago. It hasn't come?

123It's part and parcel of the whole business.

124It's all bound up together. "

125Philip Lombard said: "It won't come, you think?"

126A voice spoke behind him a testy impatient voice. "The motor boat's not coming," he said.

127Blore turned his square shoulder slightly and viewed the last speaker thoughtfully. "You think not too, General?"

128General Macarthur said sharply: "Of course it won't come. We're counting on the motor boat to take us off the island. That's the meaning of the whole business. We're not going to leave the island... None of us will ever leave... Il's the end, you see the end of everything..."

129He hesitated, then he said in a low strange voice: "That's peace real peace. To come to the end not to have to go on... Yes, peace..."

130He turned abruptly and walked away. Along the terrace, then down the slope towards the sea obliquely to the end of the island where loose rocks went out into the water.

131He walked a little unsteadily, like a man who was only half awake.

132Blore said: "There goes another one who's balmy! Looks as though it'll end with the whole lot going that way."

133Philip Lombard said: "I don't fancy you will, Blore."

134The exinspector laughed. "It would take a lot to send me off my head." He added drily: "And I don't think you'll be going that way either, Mr. Lombard."

135Philip Lombard said: "I feel quite sane at the minute, thank you."

136IV

137Dr. Armstrong came out onto the terrace. He stood there hesitating. To his left were Blore and Lombard. To his right was Wargrave, slowly pacing up and down, his head bent down.

138Armstrong, after a moment of indecision, turned towards the latter.

139But at that moment Rogers came quickly out of the house. "Could I have a word with you, sir, please?"

140Armstrong turned.

141He was startled at what he saw.

142Rogers' face was working. Its colour was greyish green. His hands shook.

143It was such a contrast to his restraint of a few minutes ago that Armstrong was quite taken aback. "Please, sir, if I could have a word with you. Inside, sir."

144The doctor turned back and reentered the house with the frenzied butler. He said: "What's the matter, man? Pull yourself together." "In here, sir, come in here."

145He opened the diningroom door. The doctor passed in. Rogers followed him and shut the door behind him. "Well," said Armstrong, "what is it?"

146The muscles of Rogers' throat were working. He was swallowing. He jerked out "There's things going on, sir, that I don't understand."

147Armstrong said sharply: "Things? What things?" "You'll think I'm crazy, sir. You'll say it isn't anything. But it's got to be explained, sir. It's got to be explained. Because it doesn't make any sense." "Well, man, tell me what it is? Don't go on talking in riddles."

148Rogers swallowed again.

149He said: "It's those little figures, sir. In the middle of the table. The little china figures.

150Ten of them, there were. I'll swear to that, ten of them. "

151Armstrong said: "Yes, ten. We counted them last night at dinner."

152Rogers came nearer. "That's just it, sir. Last night, when I was clearing up, there wasn't but nine, sir.

153I noticed it and thought it queer. But that's all I thought. And now, sir, this morning. I didn't notice when I laid the breakfast. I was upset and all that. "But now, sir, when I came to clear away. See for yourself if you don't believe me. "There's only eight, sir! Only eight! It doesn't make sense, does it? Only eight..."