DUMB WITNESS
Agatha Christie
Chapter 1
THE MISTRESS OF LITTLEGREEN HOUSE
Miss Arundell died on May 1st. Though her illness was short her
death did not occasion much surprise in the little country town of
Market Basing, where she had lived since she was a girl of sixteen.
For Emily Arundell was well over seventy, the last of a family of five,
and she had been known to be in delicate health for many years and
had indeed nearly died of a similar attack to the one that killed her
some eighteen months before.
But though Miss Arundell's death surprised no one, something else
did. The provisions of her will gave rise to varying emotions,
astonishment, pleasurable excitement, deep condemnation, fury,
despair, anger and general gossip. For weeks and even months
Market Basing was to talk of nothing else. Everyone had something
to say about it, from Mr Jones at the grocery, according to whom
"blood was thicker than water", to Mrs Laphrey, the post-mistress,
who repeated ad nauseam that certain to be something behind it.
"Mark my words!"
What lead to all these speculations was the fact that the testament
was recent, from April 21st. Besides, Emily Arundell's nearest
relatives had spent the Easter holidays with her, thus resulting the
wildest theories, and nicely breaking the monotony so
characteristic of life in Market Basing.
There was one person who mas much more suspected than it was
apparent. It was the lady companion of the deceased, Miss
Wilhelmina Lawson, who knew as much as anybody else, and
proclaimed that she was very surprised when the will was read. Of
course a lot of people didn't believe it. But there was only one
person who knew all about it: the deceased. Emily Arundell, as was
her way, hadn't explained anything to anybody, not even to her
lawyer.
On the Friday before Easter, Emily Arundell had stood in the hall of
Littlegreen House and given instructions to Miss Lawson.
Miss Arundell was saying:
"Now then, Minnie, where have you put them all?"
"Well, I thought - I hope I've done right - Dr and Mrs Tanios in the
Oak room and Theresa in the Blue room and Mr Charles in the Old
Nursery -"
Miss Arundell interrupted:
"Theresa can have the Old Nursery and Charles will have the Blue
room."
"Oh, yes - I'm sorry - I thought the Old Nursery being rather more
inconvenient -"
"It will do very nicely for Theresa."
In Miss Arundell's day, women took second place. Men were the
important members of society.
"I'm so sorry the dear little children aren't coming," murmured Miss
Lawson sentimentally.
She loved children and was quite incapable of managing them.
"Four visitors will be quite enough," said Miss Arundell. "In any
case, Bella spoils her children abominably. They never dream of
doing what they are told."
Minnie Lawson murmured:
"Mrs Tanios is a very devoted mother."
Miss Arundell said with grave approval:
"Bella is a good woman."
Miss Lawson sighed and said:
"It must be very hard for her sometimes - living in an outlandish
place like Smyrna."
Emily Arundell replied:
"She has made her bed and she must lie on it."
And having uttered this final Victorian pronouncement she went on:
"I am going to the village now to speak about the orders for the
weekend."
"Oh, Miss Arundell, do let me. I mean -"
"Nonsense. I prefer to go myself. Rogers needs a sharp word. The
trouble with you is, Minnie, that you're not emphatic enough. Bob!
Bob! Where is the dog?"
A wire-haired terrier came tearing down the stairs. He circled
round and round his mistress, uttering short staccato barks of
delight and expectation.
Together mistress and dog passed out of the front door and down
the short path to the gate.
Miss Lawson stood in the doorway smiling rather foolishly after
them, her mouth a little open. Behind her a voice said tartly:
"Them pillow-cases you gave me, miss, isn't a pair."
"What? How stupid of me..."
Minnie Lawson plunged once more into household routine.
Emily Arundell, attended by Bob, made a royal progress down the
main street of Market Basing.
It was very much of a royal progress. In each shop she entered the
proprietor always hurried forward to attend to her.
She was Miss Arundell of Littlegreen House. She was "one of our
oldest customers." She was "one of the old school. Not many about
like her nowadays."
"Good-morning, miss. What can I have the pleasure of doing for you
- Not tender? Well, I'm sorry to hear that. I thought myself it was as
nice a little saddle - Yes, of course, Miss Arundell. If you say so, it is