“You think Richard Negus took to the bottle because the vicar died?” I said. “Tempting as it is to make everything tie up, isn’t it more likely that the one has nothing to do with the other?”

“I would not say so, no.” Poirot threw me a sharp look. “Ingest the fresh air of this fine winter’s day, Catchpool. It will perhaps help to introduce oxygen to your little gray cells. Take a deep breath, my friend.”

I humored him by doing as he asked. I was, of course, breathing anyway, so it was rather silly.

“Bon. Now think of this: it is not merely that the young vicar died tragically, it is that he died only hours after his wife died. This is most unusual. Richard Negus mentions the incident in a letter to his brother Henry. Several months later, he is no longer engaged to be married to Ida Gransbury. He makes his escape to Devon, where he embarks upon a decline. He refuses to admit a Bible to his room, and will not attend church even to placate the lady of the house.”

“Why do you say that as though it has special significance?” I asked.

“Ah! The oxygen, it takes much time to make its way to the gray cells! Never mind: it will arrive eventually where it is most needed, in that pincushion of a brain of yours. Church, Catchpool! A vicar and his wife die tragically in Great Holling. Shortly afterward, Richard Negus develops an aversion to the village, to church and to the Bible.”

“Oh, I see what you’re driving at.”

“Bon. Alors, Richard Negus then takes himself to Devon where for many years he pursues the decline, during which time his brother does not make any unwelcome intrusion that might save him from the devastation he wreaks upon himself—”

“You think Henry Negus was negligent in that respect?”

“It is not his fault,” said Poirot with a wave of his hand. “He is English. You English would sit by in polite silence while every species of avoidable disaster takes place in front of your eyes rather than make the social lapse of being seen to interfere!”

“I’m not sure that’s quite fair.” I raised my voice to make myself heard against the bluster of the wind and the voices of other people on the busy London street.