“Quite, sir. Now can you tell me if it is the case that Sir Garth’s family was in ignorance of this condition?”
“Certainly not. Not, that is to say, at the time of his death. It is true that for some time Sir Garth told his family and friends that it was his heart that was troubling him—he considered that deception, I believe, to be a euphemism. But he made no stipulation to me about it and I myself told his son what was the matter with him. The boy and his sister were worried by a slight accident that had occurred to Sir Garth—only a week or two before his death, it was, as a matter of fact—and young Fratten came up here to see me about it. I wrote him out a note of explanation to show his sister—he wasn’t sure that he could explain it to her himself. It was obviously desirable that they should know, so that they could use their influence to restrain him from overdoing himself.”
Poole felt a slight stirring of interest as he listened, though he was not sure exactly what had aroused it. But he was now coming to the awkward part of his interrogation.
“About the actual cause of Sir Garth’s death, sir. I understand about the aneurism bursting, but what exactly caused it to burst?”
Sir Horace fidgeted with a paper-knife.
“Surely,” he said, “your people read the papers? There was a slight accident, very slight. Someone stumbled against Sir Garth, upset him to a certain extent. No doubt it was a shock, as it was on the occasion of which I have already spoken—he was nearly run over in the City by a motor-bicycle. The shock and excitement were quite sufficient to burst the aneurism. I had no difficulty in deciding the cause of death and in giving a certificate to that effect.”
Poole took the plunge.
“You will forgive me, sir,” he said, “but I shall be glad if you will tell me whether you are quite sure that there is no possibility of mistake. Is it impossible that death was due to some other cause, such as a blow? Some deliberate cause, that is to say?”
Sir Horace sat up abruptly.
“What on earth do you mean, sir?” he exclaimed. “Are you throwing doubts upon my diagnosis?”