Agatha Christie - The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd - Chapter 17

Sit back and relax as I continue reading Agatha Christie's The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. This is chapter seventeen. A 24.5-minute story with an additional 3 minutes of relaxing music.

The story: The peaceful English village of King’s Abbot is stunned. The widow Ferrars dies from an overdose of Veronal. Not twenty-four hours later, Roger Ackroyd—the man she had planned to marry—is murdered. It is a baffling case involving blackmail and death that taxes Hercule Poirot’s “little grey cells” before he reaches one of the most startling conclusions of his career.

Transcript

Welcome to Restful Journeys.

In this track I will continue reading The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie.

This will be chapter 17.

Please find a comfortable place to sit or lie down and relax.

Take a few moments to clear your mind and allow yourself to listen to these words and help you become calm.

Let's continue with chapter 17,

Parker.

It occurred to me the next morning that under the exhilaration produced by Tin Ho,

Or the perfect winning,

I might have been slightly indiscreet.

True,

Pierrot had not asked me to keep the discovery of the ring to myself.

On the other hand,

He had said nothing about it whilst at Fernley,

And as far as I knew I was the only person aware that it had been found.

I felt distinctly guilty.

The fact was,

By now,

Spreading through King's Abbot like wildfire.

I was expecting wholesale reproaches from Pierrot at any time.

The joint funeral of Mrs.

Farrars and Roger Ackroyd was fixed for eleven o'clock.

It was a melancholy and impressive ceremony.

All the party from Fernley were there.

After it was over,

Pierrot,

Who had also been present,

Took me by the arm and invited me to accompany him back to the larches.

He was looking very grave,

And I feared that my indiscretion of the night before had got round to his ears.

But it soon transpired that his thoughts were occupied by something totally different in nature.

See you,

He said.

We must act.

With your help,

I propose to examine a witness.

We will question him.

We will put such fear into him that the truth is bound to come out.

What?

What witness are you talking of?

I asked,

Very much surprised.

Parker,

Said Pierrot,

I asked him to be at my house this morning at twelve o'clock.

He should wait us there at this very minute.

What do you think?

I ventured,

Glancing sideways at his face.

I know this,

That I am not satisfied.

Do you think that it was he who blackmailed Mrs.

Farrars?

Either that or.

.

.

Well,

I said,

After waiting a minute or two.

My friend,

I will say this to you.

I hope it was he.

The gravity of his manner and something undefinable that tinged it reduced me to silence.

On arrival at the larches,

We were informed that Parker was already there awaiting our return.

As we entered the room,

The butler rose respectfully.

Good morning,

Parker,

Said Pierrot,

Pleasantly.

One instant,

I pray of you.

He removed his overcoat and gloves.

Allow me,

Sir,

Said Parker and sprang forward to assist him.

He deposited the articles neatly on a chair by the door.

Pierrot watched him with approval.

Thank you,

My good Parker,

He said.

Take a seat,

Will you not?

What I have to say may take some time.

Parker seated himself with an apologetic bend of the head.

Now,

What do you think I asked you to come here for this morning,

Eh?

Parker coughed.

I understood,

Sir,

That you wished to ask me a few questions about my late master.

Private like.

Precisamente,

Said Pierrot,

Beaming.

Have you made many experiments in blackmail?

Sir,

The butler sprang to his feet.

Do not excite yourself,

Said Pierrot,

Placidly.

Do not play the farce of the honest,

Injured man.

You know all there is to know about the blackmail,

Is it not so?

Sir,

I've never,

Never been.

Insulted,

Suggested Pierrot,

In such a way before.

Then why,

My excellent Parker,

Were you so anxious to overhear the conversation in Mr.

Ackroyd's study the other evening,

After you had caught the word blackmail?

I wasn't.

I.

Who was your last master,

Rapped out Pierrot suddenly.

My last master?

Yes,

The master you were with before you came to Mr.

Ackroyd.

A major allergy,

Sir.

Pierrot took the words out of his mouth.

Just so,

Major Allerby.

Major Allerby was addicted to drugs,

Was he not?

You traveled about with him.

When he was in Bermuda,

There was some trouble.

A man was killed.

Major Allerby was partly responsible.

It was hushed up,

But you knew about it.

How much did Major Allerby pay you to keep your mouth shut?

Parker was staring at him,

Open-mouthed.

The man had gone to pieces.

His cheeks looked flabby.

You see,

Me,

I have made inquiries,

Said Pierrot pleasantly.

It is as I say.

You got a good sum then as blackmail and Major Allerby went on paying you until he died.

Now I want to hear about your latest experiment.

Parker still stared.

It is useless to deny.

Hercule Pierrot knows.

It is so,

What I have said about Major Allerby,

Is it not?

As though against his will,

Parker nodded reluctantly once.

His face was ashen pale.

But I never heard a hair on Mr.

Aykroyd's head.

He moaned.

Honest to God,

Sir,

I didn't.

I have been afraid of this coming all the time,

And I tell you I didn't.

I didn't kill him.

His voice rose almost to a scream.

I am inclined to believe you,

My friend,

Said Pierrot.

You have not the nerve,

The courage,

But I must have the truth.

I'll tell you anything,

Sir,

Anything you want to know.

It's true that I tried to listen that night.

A word or two I heard made me curious.

And Mr.

Aykroyd's wanting not to be disturbed and shutting himself up with a doctor the way he did,

It's God's own truth what I told the police.

I heard the word blackmail,

Sir,

And,

Well.

.

.

He paused.

You thought there might be something in it for you,

Suggested Pierrot smoothly.

Well,

Well,

Yes,

I did,

Sir.

I thought that if Mr.

Aykroyd had been blackmailed,

Why shouldn't I have a share of the pickings?

A very curious expression passed over Pierrot's face.

He leaned forward.

Had you any reason to suppose before that night that Mr.

Aykroyd was being blackmailed?

No,

Indeed,

Sir.

It was a great surprise to me.

Such a regular gentleman in all his habits.

How much did you overhear?

Not very much,

Sir.

There seemed what I might call a spite against me.

Of course,

I had to attend to my duties in the party,

And when I did creep along once or twice to the study,

It was no use.

The first time,

Dr.

Shepard came out and almost caught me in the act.

And another time,

Mr.

Raymond passed me in the big hall and went that way,

So I knew it was no use.

And when I went with the tray,

Miss Flora headed me off.

Pierrot stared for a long time at the man,

As if to test his sincerity.

Parker returned his gaze earnestly.

I hope you believe me,

Sir.

I've been afraid all along the police would rake up that old business with Major Allerby and be suspicious of me in consequence.

Ah,

Bien,

Said Pierrot at last.

I am disposed to believe you,

But there is one thing I must request of you,

To show me your bank book.

You have a bank book,

I presume?

Yes,

Sir,

As a matter of fact.

I have it with me now.

With no sign of confusion,

He produced it from his pocket.

Pierrot took the slim,

Cream-covered book and perused the entries.

Ah,

I perceive you have purchased five hundred pounds of National Savings Certificates this year?

Yes,

Sir.

I have already over a thousand pounds saved,

The result of my connection with,

Er,

My late master,

Major Allerby,

And I have had quite a little flutter on some horses this year.

Very successful.

If you remember,

Sir,

A rank outsider won the Jubilee.

I was fortunate enough to back it.

Twenty pounds.

Pierrot handed him back the book.

I will wish you good morning.

I believe that you have told me the truth.

If you have not,

So much the worse for you,

My friend.

When Parker had departed,

Pierrot picked up his overcoat once more.

Going out again?

I asked.

Yes.

We will pay a little visit to the good M.

Hammond.

You believe Parker's story?

It is credible enough on the face of it.

It seems clear that,

Unless he is a very good actor indeed,

He genuinely believes it was Aykroyd himself who was the victim of blackmail.

If so,

He knows nothing at all about the Mrs.

Farrar's business.

Then in that case,

Who?

Precisamente,

Who?

But our visit to M.

Hammond will accomplish one purpose.

It will either clear Parker completely,

Or else.

Well?

I fall into the habit of leaving my sentences unfinished this morning,

Said Pierrot apologetically.

You must bear with me.

By the way,

I said rather sheepishly,

I've got a confession to make.

I'm afraid I have inadvertently let out something about that ring.

What ring?

The ring you found in the goldfish pond.

Ah,

Yes,

Said Pierrot,

Smiling broadly.

I hope you're not annoyed.

It was very careless of me.

But not at all,

My good friend.

Not at all.

I laid no commands upon you.

You were at liberty to speak of it if you so wished.

She was interested.

Your sister?

She was indeed.

It created a sensation.

All sorts of theories are flying about.

Ah,

And yet it is so simple.

The truth explanation leapt to the eye,

Did it not?

Did it?

I said dryly.

Pierrot laughed.

The wise man does not commit himself,

He observed.

Is not that so?

But here we are at Mr.

Hammond's.

The lawyer was in his office,

And we were ushered in without any delay.

He rose and greeted us in his dry,

Precise manner.

Pierrot came at once to the point.

Monsieur,

I desire from you certain information,

That is,

If you will be so good as to give it to me.

You acted,

I understand,

For the late Mrs.

Ferraris of King's Paddock.

I noticed the swift gleam of surprise which showed in the lawyer's eyes,

Before his professional reserve came down once more like a mask over his face.

Certainly,

All her affairs have passed through our hands.

Very good.

Now,

Before I ask you to tell me anything,

I should like you to listen to the story Dr.

Shepard will relate to you.

You have no objections,

Have you,

My friend,

To repeating the conversation you had with the Mr.

Aykroyd last Friday night?

Not in the least,

I said,

And straight away began the recital of that strange evening.

Hammond listened with close attention.

That is all,

I said when I had finished.

Blackmail,

Said the lawyer thoughtfully.

You are surprised,

Asked Pierrot.

The lawyer took off his pince-nez and polished them with his handkerchief.

No,

He replied.

I can hardly say that I am surprised.

I have suspected something of the kind for some time.

That brings us,

Said Pierrot,

To the information for which I am asking.

If anyone can give us an idea of the actual sums paid,

You are the man,

Mansur.

I see no object in withholding the information,

Said Hammond,

After a moment or two.

During the past year,

Mrs.

Farrars has sold out certain securities,

And the money for them was paid into her account and not reinvested,

As her income was a large one,

And she lived very quietly after her husband's death.

It seems certain that these sums of money were paid away for some special purpose.

I once sounded her on the subject,

And she said that she was obliged to support several of her husband's poor relations.

I let the matter drop,

Of course,

Until now.

I have always imagined that the money was paid to some woman who had had a claim on Ashley Farrars.

I never dreamed that Mrs.

Farrars herself was involved.

And that amount?

Asked Pierrot.

In all,

I should say the various sums totaled at least twenty thousand pounds.

Twenty thousand pounds?

I exclaimed.

In one year,

Mrs.

Farrars was a very wealthy woman,

Said Pierrot dryly.

And the penalty for murder is not a pleasant one.

Is there anything else that I can tell you?

Inquired Mr.

Hammond.

I thank you.

No,

Said Pierrot,

Rising.

All my excuses for having deranged you.

Not at all.

Not at all.

The word derange,

I remarked when we were out on the road.

Outside again.

Is applicable to mental disorder only.

Ah,

Cried Pierrot.

Never will my English be quite perfect.

A curious language.

I should then have said,

Disarranged.

And I say pa?

Disturbed is the word you had in mind.

I thank you,

My friend.

The word exact you are zealous for.

Ah,

Bien.

What about our friend Parker now?

With twenty thousand pounds in hand,

Would he have continued being a butler?

Je ne sais pas.

It is,

Of course,

Possible that he banked the money under another name.

But I am disposed to believe he spoke the truth to us.

If he is a scoundrel,

He is a scoundrel on a mean scale.

He has not the big ideas.

That leaves us as a possibility.

Raymond.

Or,

Well,

Major Blunt.

Surely not Raymond?

I objected.

Since we know that he was desperately hard up for a matter of five hundred pounds.

That is what he says.

Yes.

And as to Hector Blunt?

I will tell you something as to the good Major Blunt.

Interrupted Pierrot.

It is my business to make inquiries.

I make them.

Ah,

Bien.

That legacy of which he speaks.

I have discovered that the amount of it was close upon twenty thousand pounds.

What do you think of that?

I was so taken aback that I could hardly speak.

It's impossible,

I said at last.

A well-known man like Hector Blunt.

Pierrot shrugged his shoulders.

Who knows?

At least he is a man with big ideas.

I confess that I hardly see him as a blackmailer.

But there is another possibility that you have not even considered.

What is that?

The fire,

My friend.

Aykroyd himself may have destroyed that letter,

Blue envelope and all,

After you left him.

I hardly think that likely,

I said slowly.

And yet,

Of course,

It may be so.

He might have changed his mind.

We had just arrived at my house,

And on the spur of the moment,

I invited Pierrot to come in and take potluck.

I thought Caroline would be pleased with me,

But it is hard to satisfy one's woman folk.

It appears that we were eating chops for lunch,

The kitchen staff being regaled on tripe and onions,

And two chops set before three people are productive of embarrassment.

But Caroline is seldom daunted for long.

With magnificent mendacity,

She explained to Pierrot that although James laughed at her for doing so,

She adhered strictly to a vegetarian diet.

She decanted ecstatically on the delights of nut cutlets,

Which I am quite sure she has never tasted,

And ate a Welsh rare bit with gusto,

And frequent cutting remarks as to the dangers of flesh foods.

Afterwards,

When we were sitting in front of the fire and smoking,

Caroline attacked Pierrot directly.

Not found Ralph Payton yet?

She asked.

Where should I find him,

Mademoiselle?

I thought perhaps you'd found him in Cranchester,

Said Caroline with intense meaning in her tone.

Pierrot looked merely bewildered.

In Cranchester?

But why in Cranchester?

I enlightened him with a touch of malice.

One of our ample staff of private detectives happened to see you in a car on the Cranchester road yesterday.

I explained.

Pierrot's bewilderment vanished.

He laughed heartedly.

Ah,

That!

A simple visit to the dentist,

Says Toot.

My tooth,

It aches.

I go there.

My tooth,

It is at once better.

I think to return quickly.

The dentist,

He says,

No,

Better to have it out.

I argue.

He insists.

He has his way.

That particular tooth,

It will never ache again.

Caroline collapsed,

Rather like a pricked balloon.

We fell to discussing Ralph Payton.

A weak nature,

I insisted,

But not a vicious one.

Ah,

Said Pierrot.

But weakness,

Where does it end?

Exactly,

Said Caroline.

Take James here.

Weak as water,

If I weren't about to look after him.

My dear Caroline,

I said irritably.

Can't you talk without dragging in personalities?

You are weak,

James,

Said Caroline,

Quite unmoved.

I am eight years older than you.

Oh,

I don't mind him,

Pierrot,

Knowing that.

I should never have guessed it,

Mademoiselle,

Said Pierrot,

With a gallant little bow.

Eight years older,

But I've always considered it my duty to look after you.

With a bad upbringing,

Heaven knows what mischief you might have gotten into by now.

I might have married a beautiful adventuress.

I murmured,

Gazing at the ceiling and blowing smoke rings.

Adventurous,

Said Caroline with a snort.

If we're talking of adventuresses,

She left the sentence unfinished.

Well,

I said with some curiosity.

Nothing,

But I can think of someone not a hundred miles away.

Then she turned to Pierrot suddenly.

James sticks to it that you believe someone in the house committed the murder.

All I can say is,

You're wrong.

I should not like to be wrong,

Said Pierrot.

It is not,

How do you say,

My mietère.

I've got the facts pretty clearly,

Continued Caroline,

Taking no notice of it.

Of Pierrot's remark.

From James and others,

As far as I can see of the people in the house,

Only two have had the chance of doing it.

Ralph Payton and Flora Aykroyd.

My dear Caroline.

Now,

James,

Don't interrupt me.

I know what I'm talking about.

Parker met her outside the door,

Didn't she?

He didn't hear her uncle saying goodnight to her.

She could have killed him then and there.

Caroline.

I'm not saying she did,

James.

I'm saying she could have done.

As a matter of fact,

Though Flora is like all these young girls nowadays,

With no veneration for their betters and thinking they know best on every subject under the sun,

I don't for a minute believe she'd kill even a chicken.

But there it is.

Mr.

Raymond and Major Blunt have alibis.

Mrs.

Aykroyd's got an alibi.

Even that Russell woman seems to have one.

And a good job for her.

It is she has.

Who is left?

Only Ralph and Flora.

And say what you will,

I don't believe Ralph Payton is a murderer.

A boy we've known all our lives.

Pierrot was silent for a minute.

Watching the curling smoke rise from his cigarette.

When at last he spoke,

It was in a gentle,

Faraway voice that produced a curious impression.

It was totally unlike his usual manner.

Let us take a man,

A very ordinary man.

A man with no idea of murder in his heart.

There is in him somewhere a strain of weakness deep down.

It has so far never been called into play.

Perhaps it never will be.

And if so,

He will go to his grave honored and respected by everyone.

But let us suppose that something occurs.

He is in difficulties,

Or perhaps not that even.

He may stumble by accident on a secret.

A secret involving life or death to someone.

And his first impulse will be to speak out.

To do his duty as an honest citizen.

And then the strain of weakness tells.

Here is a chance of money.

A great amount of money.

He wants money.

He desires it.

And it's so easy.

He has to do nothing for it.

Just keep silent.

That is the beginning.

The desire for money grows.

He must have more.

And more.

He is intoxicated by the gold mine which has opened at his feet.

He becomes greedy.

And in his greed,

He overreaches himself.

One can press a man as far as one likes.

But with a woman,

One must not press too far.

For a woman has a heart.

A great desire to speak the truth.

How many husbands have deceived their wives.

Go comfortably to their graves.

Carrying their secret with them.

How many wives who have deceived their husbands.

Wrecked their lives by throwing the fact in those same husband's teeth.

They have been pressed too far.

In a reckless moment.

Which they will afterwards regret.

Bien intendu.

They fling safety to the winds and turn at bay.

Proclaiming the truth with great momentary satisfaction to themselves.

So it was,

I think,

In this case.

The strain was too great.

And so there came your proverb.

The death of the goose that laid the golden egg.

But it is not the end.

Exposure face the man of whom we are speaking.

And he is not the same man he was,

Say,

A year ago.

His moral fiber is blunted.

He is desperate.

He is fighting a losing battle.

And he is prepared to take any means that comes to his hand.

For exposure means ruin to him.

And so the dagger strikes.

He was silent for a moment.

It was as though he had laid a spell upon the room.

I cannot try to describe the impression his words produced.

There was something in the merciless analysis.

And the ruthless power of vision which struck fear into both of us.

Afterwards,

He went on softly.

The danger removed.

He will be himself again,

Normal,

Kindly.

But if the need again arises,

Then once more he will strike.

Caroline roused herself at last.

You are speaking of Ralph Payton,

She said.

You might be right.

You may not.

But you have no business to condemn a man unheard.

The telephone bell rang sharply.

I went out into the hall and took it off the receiver.

What?

I said.

Yes,

Dr.

Shepherd speaking.

I listened for a minute or two,

Then replied briefly.

Replacing the receiver,

I went back into the drawing room.

Pierrot,

I said.

They have detained a man at Liverpool.

His name is Charles Kent,

And he is believed to be the stranger who visited Fernley that night.

They want me to go to Liverpool at once and identify him.

That concludes Chapter 17,

Parker,

From the Story,

The Murder of Roger Ackerman.

By Agatha Christie Thank you for listening.

I hope you have enjoyed this story and hopefully become relaxed and possibly fallen asleep.