Activity 7

"A very quick death," he said.

Harrison seemed to find his voice.

-What do you know?

-Like I told you, I saw Claude Langton's name on

the record. But I didn't tell him what followed
immediately after. I found him when I was going
out and he explained that he had bought potassium
cyanide at your request to destroy the hornet's nest.
That seemed strange to me, my friend, because I
remember that at that dinner to which I referred
earlier, you presented your point of view on the
greater merit of gasoline for these things, and
denounced the use of cyanide as dangerous and
unnecessary.

-Go on.

-I know something else. I saw Claude Langton and

Molly Deane when they thought they were free
from prying eyes. I do not know the cause of the
breakup of lovers that separated them, putting
Molly in your arms, but I understood that the
misunderstandings had ended between the couple
and that Miss Deane was returning to her old love.

-Go on.

-Nothing else. Except I was on Harley the other day

and saw you leave a certain doctor's office, my
friend. Your expression told me the kind of illness
you suffer from and its severity. It is a very peculiar
expression, which I have only observed a couple of
times in my life, but unmistakable. She reflects the
knowledge of one's own death sentence. Am I right
or not?

-Yes. Only two months to live. That's what she told

me.

-You did not see me, my friend, because I had other

things to think about. But I noticed something else
on his face; I noticed that thing that men try to hide,
and about which I told you before. I hate my friend.
Don't bother to deny it.
"Go on," Harrison urged.

-Not much more to say. By pure chance I saw

Langton's name in the poison log. The rest you
already know. You denied me that Langton was
going to use the cyanide, and you were even
surprised that he did. My visit was not particularly
pleasant to him at first, though he soon found it
convenient and encouraged my suspicions. Langton
told me he would be here at eight thirty. You that at
nine. No doubt he thought that at that time I would
meet the fait accompli.

-Why did you come? cried Harrison. I wish I hadn't

come!