‘Yes, of course, we understand that perfectly. But what I’m getting at is this. Did you see Legge take the darts after the trial throw?’

‘Yes. My cousin pulled them out of the board and gave them to Legge. I remember that.’

‘Splendid,’ said Alleyn. ‘It’s an important point and we’re anxious to clear it up. Thank you. Now standing like that as we’ve agreed you were standing, you would see the whole room. Can you remember the positions of the other onlookers?’

‘I remember that they were grouped behind Legge. Except Abel who was behind the bar counter. Oh, and Will. Will was in the corner as you’ve said. Yes.’

‘So that it would have been impossible, if any of the others came to the table, for their movement to escape your notice?’

‘I suppose so. Yes, of course it would. But I can’t see why it matters.’

‘Don’t you remember,’ said Alleyn gently, ‘that Mr Watchman’s glass was on that table? The glass that was used afterwards when Miss Moore gave him the brandy?’

III

Parish was not a rubicund man but the swift ebbing of what colour he had was sufficiently startling. Alleyn saw the pupils of his eyes dilate; his face was suddenly rather pinched.

‘It was the dart that was poisoned,’ said Parish. ‘They found that out. It was the dart.’

‘Yes. I take it nobody went to the table?’

‘I don’t think anybody—Yes, I suppose that’s right.’

‘And after the accident?’

‘How d’you mean?’

‘What were your positions?’

‘Luke—my cousin—collapsed on the settle. I moved up to him. I mean I stooped down to look at him. I remember I said—oh, it doesn’t matter.’

‘We should like to hear, if we may.’

‘I told him to pull himself together. You see I didn’t think anything of it. He’s always gone peculiar at the sight of his own blood. When we were kids he used to faint if he scratched himself.’

‘Did anybody but yourself know of this peculiarity?’

‘I don’t know. I should think Norman knew. Norman Cubitt. He may not have known but I rather think we’ve talked about it quite recently. I seem to remember we did.’

‘Mr Parish,’ said Alleyn, ‘will you focus your memory on those few minutes after your cousin collapsed on the settle. Will you tell us everything you can remember?’