"Not yet."

"What do you mean by 'not yet' ?"

"These things increase. . . . Those

sheep --"

"Who told you about the sheep ?"

"Diana Maberly. And also your friend

Colonel Frobisher."

LOH18

263

"George would have done better to keep

his mouth shut."

"He is a very old friend of yours, is he

not ?"

"My best friend," the Admiral said

gruffly.

"And he was a friend of — your wife's,

too ?"

Chandler smiled.

"Yes. George was in love with Caroline,

I believe. When she was very young. He's

never married. I believe that's the reason.

Ah well, I was the lucky one—or so I

thought. I carried her off—only to lose

her."

He sighed and his shoulders sagged.

Poirot said: "Colonel Frobisher was with

you when your wife was — drowned ?"

Chandler nodded.

"Yes, he was with us down in Cornwall

when it happened. She and I were out in

the boat together—he happened to stay

at home that day. I've never understood

how that boat came to capsize. . . . Must

have sprung a sudden leak. We were right

out in the bay—strong tide running. I

held her up as long as I could. ..." His

voice broke. "Her body was washed up

264

two days later. Thank the Lord we hadn't

taken little Hugh out with us! At least,

that's what I thought at the time. Now —

well —better for Hugh, poor devil, perhaps,

if he had been with us. If it had all been

finished and done for then. ..."

Again there came that deep, hopeless

sigh.

'•We're the last of the Chandlers, M.

Poirot. There will be no more Chandlers

at Lyde after we're gone. When Hugh got

engaged to Diana, I hoped — well, it's no

good talking of that. Thank God, they

didn't marry. That's all I can say!"

IV

Hercule Poirot sat on a seat in the rose

garden. Beside him sat Hugh Chandler.

Diana Maberly had just left them.

The young man turned a handsome,

tortured face towards his companion.

He said:

"You've got to make her understand,

M. Poirot."

He paused for a minute and then went

on:

"You see, Di's a fighter. She won't give

in. She won't accept what she's darned

265

well got to accept. She—she will go on

believing that I'm — sane."

"While you yourself are quite certain

that you are — pardon me — insane ?"

The young man winced. He said:

"I'm not actually hopelessly off my head

yet — but it's getting worse. Diana doesn't

know, bless her. She's only seen me when

I am — all right."

"And when you are—all wrong, what

happens ?"

Hugh Chandler took a long breath. Then

he said:

"For one thing — I dream. And when I

dream, I am mad. Last night, for instance

— I wasn't a man any longer. I was first of

all a bull — a mad bull — racing about in

blazing sunlight — tasting dust and blood