Hickory Dickory Dock

Hickory Dickory Dock / by Agatha Christie / 56,000 words / YL9 / ★★★★

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Poirot was asked by Mrs. Hubburd who is a sister of his valued secretary.
She was a Matron of a Hostel for Students in Hickory Road.
These students (also there were a few workers) at the hostel were of all nationalities.

Mrs. Hubburd has been very badly worried about things have been stolen.
And all in rather an unnatural way.
It would be natural enough for money to be taken─small sums here and there.
And if it were jewellery that's quite straightforward too.
But the things that have been taken were this...

Evening shoe (one of a new pair)
Bracelet (costume jewellery)
Diamond ring (found in plate of soup)
Powder compact
Lipstick
Stethoscope
Electric light bulbs
Silk scarf (found cut to pieces)
Rucksack (ditto)
Bath salts
and so on...

"Why was such a haphazard collection of things stolen?
Is there any system behind it? Some fixed idea of any kind?" Hercule Poirot said.
"The first thing that strikes me is this. Of all these things that disappeared,
most of them were of small value (some quite negligible) with the exception of two
─a stethoscope and a diamond ring."
"And there are two more items─a rucksack cut to pieces and a silk scarf
in the same state. Here we have something that is neither vanity, nor profit
─instead we have something that is deliberately vindictive." he said.

Few days later Poirot visited to the Hostel and had dinner with the students.
They asked him to say what himself think of this trouble.
"I reply that my advice is quite simple. Should call in the police at once.
No time should be lost."

When Poirot and Mrs. Hubbard talked in her own sitting room, a young woman
(she's not a student but a worker) came in and said "It's me. I've been taking those things.
I don't know why. I can't imagine. It just came over me."
"But I never took any stethoscope. I don't know anything about the rucksack,
or the electric light bulbs, or bath salts, and the ring was just a mistake.
When I realized it was valuable I returned it."

Next day the young woman apologized and offered to pay for everything,
the all members were very nice about it.
At the dinner a young man announced that Celia (the young woman's name) and I
hope to get married next year when I've done my course.
He is an earnest young researcher in psychiatry. And he got sympathy for Celia.
So she took the risk of stealing unimportant trifles with the object of attracting
the attention of the earnest researcher─in which object she has been successful.

But Celia was dead in her bed next morning. She took morphia and left a note.
Why should she wish to kill herself? When last night all is so gay and the engagement is made?

The more facts became clear in a further investigation.
There were another critical case behind Celia's. Celia knew too much about that.
She knew something but she didn't know what is she knew.
But she having seen something and may have mentioned the fact quite unsuspiciously.
This was the truth that Celia died in her sleep with everything arranged to look like suicide.
And it had begun a series of murders.

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In the middle of the story I begun to suspect may A is the criminal.
The criminal must be the most unsuspicious person.
“You can’t catch me this time, Christie! Fufufu.”
For a while I moved through the pages satisfied with my idea.
“But wait a minute, It’s really A? Perhaps I’m wrong. B. Yes, it’s B!
…hum… No, it’s C. That’s right. …or D?”
I had lots ideas and confused.
Also I was excited about imagine who is the criminal.

At the end of the story I got who was the criminal. It didn’t surprise me.
I was surprised at the motive. No way! It’s not true.
I couldn’t accept that motive.
…No, I’m wrong. It’s one of the dark side of human nature.
It must be always happens of all ages and cultures.
I admitted that thought...
At the very last there was something happy news and it made me feel better.
But still after I’ve read the book I’ve got a bitter feeling.