Agatha Christie - Death Comes as the End

"But it was Satipy -"

"No, no, Renisenb. That is where you were all wrong. From down below Satipy saw it happen. Now do you understand?"

"But Yahmose was with you on the cultivation."

"Yes, for the last hour. But do you not realize, Renisenb, that Nofret's body was cold? You felt her cheek yourself. You thought she had fallen a few moments before - but that was impossible. She had been dead at least two hours; otherwise, in that hot sun, her face could never have felt cold to your touch. Satipy saw it happen. Satipy hung around, fearful, uncertain what to do; then she saw you coming and tried to head you off."

"Hori, when did you know all this?"

"I guessed fairly soon. It was Satipy's behavior that told me. She was obviously going about in deadly fear of someone or something - and I was fairly soon convinced that the person she feared was Yahmose. She stopped bullying him and instead was eager to obey him in every way. It had been, you see, a terrible shock to her. Yahmose, whom she despised as the meekest of men, had actually been the one to kill Nofret. It turned Satipy's world upside down. Like most bullying women, she was a coward. This new Yahmose terrified her. In her fear she began to talk in her sleep. Yahmose soon realized that she was a danger to him...

"And now, Renisenb, you can realize the truth of what you saw that day - with your own eyes. It was not a spirit Satipy saw that caused her to fall. She saw what you saw today. She saw in the face of the man following her - her own husband - the intention to throw her down as he had thrown that other woman. In her fear she backed away from him and fell. And when, with her dying lips, she shaped the word Nofret, she was trying to tell you that Yahmose killed Nofret."

Hori paused and then went on:

"Esa came on the truth because of an entirely irrelevant remark made by Henet. Henet complained that I did not look at her, but as though I saw something behind her that was not there. She went on to speak of Satipy. In a flash Esa saw how much simpler the whole thing was than we had thought. Satipy did not look at something behind Yahmose - it was Yahmose himself she saw. To test her idea, Esa introduced the subject in a rambling way which could mean nothing to anyone except Yahmose himself - and only to him if what she suspected was true. Her words surprised him and he reacted to them just for a moment, sufficiently for her to know that what she suspected was the truth. But Yahmose knew then that she did suspect. And once a suspicion had arisen, things would fit in too well, even to the story the herd boy told - a boy devoted to him who would do anything his Lord Yahmose commanded - even to swallowing a medicine that night which ensured that he would not wake again..."

"Oh, Hori, it is so hard to believe that Yahmose could do such things. Nofret, yes, I can understand that. But why these other killings!"

"It is difficult to explain to you, Renisenb, but once the heart is opened to evil - evil blossoms like poppies amongst the corn. All his life Yahmose had had, perhaps, a longing for violence and had been unable to achieve it. He despised his own meek, submissive role. I think that the killing of Nofret gave him a great sense of power. He realized it first by Satipy. Satipy, who had browbeaten and abused him, was now meek and terrified. All the grievances that had laid buried in his heart so long reared their heads - as that snake reared up on the path here one day. Sobek and Ipy were, one handsomer, the other cleverer than he - so they must go. He, Yahmose, was to be the ruler of the house, and his father's only comfort and stay! Satipy's death increased the actual pleasure of killing. He felt more powerful as a result of it. It was after that that his mind began to give way - from then on evil possessed him utterly.

"You, Renisenb, were not a rival. So far as he still could he loved you. But the idea that your husband should share with him in the estate was not one to be borne. I think Esa agreed to the idea of accepting Kameni with two ideas in her head - the first that if Yahmose struck again, it would be more likely to be at Kameni than at you - and in any case she trusted me to see that you were kept safe. The second idea - for Esa was a bold woman - was to bring things to a head. Yahmose, watched by me - whom he did not know suspected him - would be caught in the act."

"As you did," said Renisenb. "Oh, Hori, I was so frightened when I looked back and saw him."

"I know, Renisenb. But it had to be. So long as I stuck close to Yahmose's side, you would necessarily be safe - but that could not go on for ever. I knew that if he had an opportunity of throwing you off the path at that same place, he would take it. It would revive the superstitious explanation of the deaths."

"Then the message Henet brought me was not from you?" Hori shook his head.

"I sent you no message."

"But why did Henet -" Renisenb stopped and shook her head. "I cannot understand Henet's part in all this."

"I think Henet knows the truth," said Hori thoughtfully. "She was conveying as much to Yahmose this morning - a dangerous thing to do. He made use of her to lure you up here - a thing she would be willing to do - since she hates you, Renisenb -"

"I know."

"Afterwards - I wonder? Henet would believe her knowledge would give her power. But I do not believe Yahmose would have let her live long. Perhaps even now -"

Renisenb shivered.

"Yahmose was mad," said Renisenb. "He was possessed by evil spirits, but he was not always like that."

"No, and yet - You remember, Renisenb, how I told you the story of Sobek and Yahmose as children, and how Sobek beat Yahmose's head against the ground and how your mother came, all pale and trembling, and said, 'That is dangerous.' I think, Renisenb, that her meaning was that to do such things to Yahmose was dangerous. Remember that next day how Sobek was ill - food poisoning, they thought. I think your mother, Renisenb, knew something of the queer self-contained fury that dwelt within the breast of her gentle, meek little son and feared that someday it might be roused."

Renisenb shuddered.

"Is no one what he seems?"

Hori smiled at her.

"Yes, sometimes. Kameni and I, Renisenb. Both of us, I think, are as you believe we are. Kameni and I..."

He said the last words with significance, and suddenly Renisenb realized that she stood at a moment of choice in her life.

Hori went on:

"We both love you, Renisenb. You must know that."

"And yet," said Renisenb slowly, "you have let the arrangements be made for my marriage, and you have said nothing - not one word."

"That was for your protection. Esa had the same idea. I must remain disinterested and aloof, so that I could keep constant watch on Yahmose, and not arouse his animosity." Hori added with emotion: "You must understand, Renisenb, that Yahmose has been my friend for many years. I loved Yahmose. I tried to induce your father to give him the status and authority he desired. I failed. All that came too late. But although I was convinced in my heart that Yahmose had killed Nofret, I tried not to believe it. I found excuses, even, for his action. Yahmose, my unhappy, tormented friend, was very dear to me. Then came Sobek's death, and Ipy's and finally Esa's... I knew then that the evil in Yahmose had finally vanquished the good. And so Yahmose has come to his death at my hands - a swift, almost painless death."

"Death - always death."

"No, Renisenb. It is not death that faces you today, but life. With whom will you share that life? With Kameni or with me?"

Renisenb stared straight ahead of her out over the valley below and to the silver streak of the Nile.

Before her, very clearly, there rose up the image of Kameni's smiling face as he had sat facing her that day in the boat.