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He paused, then went on:

‘Now take the woman Rogers. The people who stand out there are her husband and the doctor. Either of them could have done it as easy as winking—’

Armstrong sprang to his feet. He was trembling.

‘I protest—this is absolutely uncalled for! I swear that the dose I gave the woman was perfectly—’

‘Dr Armstrong.’

The small sour voice was compelling. The doctor stopped with a jerk in the middle of his sentence. The small cold voice went on:

‘Your indignation is very natural. Nevertheless you must admit that the facts have got to be faced. Either you or Rogers could have administered a fatal dose with the greatest ease. Let us now consider the position of the other people present. What chance had I, had Inspector Blore, had Miss Brent, had Miss Claythorne, had Mr Lombard of administering poison? Can any one of us be completely and entirely eliminated?’ He paused. ‘I think not.’

Vera said angrily:

‘I was nowhere near the woman! All of you can swear to that.’

Mr Justice Wargrave waited a minute, then he said:

‘As far as my memory serves me the facts were these—will any one please correct me if I make a mis-statement? Mrs Rogers was lifted on to the sofa by Anthony Marston and Mr Lombard and Dr Armstrong went to her. He sent Rogers for brandy. There was then a question raised as to where the voice we had just heard had come from. We all went into the next room with the exception of Miss Brent who remained in this room—alone with the unconscious woman.’

A spot of colour came into Emily Brent’s cheeks. She stopped knitting. She said:

‘This is outrageous!’

The remorseless small voice went on:

‘When we returned to this room, you, Miss Brent, were bending over the woman on the sofa.’

Emily Brent said:

‘Is common humanity a criminal offence?’

Mr Justice Wargrave said:

‘I am only establishing facts. Rogers then entered the room with the brandy which, of course, he could quite well have doctored before entering the room. The brandy was administered to the woman and shortly afterwards her husband and Dr Armstrong assisted her up to bed where Dr Armstrong gave her a sedative.’

Blore said:

‘That’s what happened. Absolutely. And that lets out the judge, Mr Lombard, myself and Miss Claythorne.’

His voice was loud and jubilant. Mr Justice Wargrave, bringing a cold eye to bear upon him, murmured:

‘Ah, but does it? We must take into account every possible eventuality.’

Blore stared. He said:

‘I don’t get you.’

Mr Justice Wargrave said:

‘Upstairs in her room, Mrs Rogers is lying in bed. The sedative that the doctor has given her begins to take effect. She is vaguely sleepy and acquiescent. Supposing that at that moment there is a tap on the door and someone enters bringing her, shall we say, a tablet, or a draught, with the message that “The doctor says you’re to take this”. Do you imagine for one minute that she would not have swallowed it obediently without thinking twice about it?’