The Labours of Hercules
Encyclopedia
The Labours of Hercules is a short story
collection written by Agatha Christie
and first published in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company
in 1947
and in the UK by Collins Crime Club
in September of the same year. The US edition retailed at $2.50 and the UK edition at eight shillings and sixpence
(8/6).
It features Belgian
detective Hercule Poirot
, and gives an account of twelve cases with which he intends to close his career as a private detective. His regular sidekicks (his secretary, Miss Lemon, and valet
, Georges) make cameo appearance
s, as does Chief Inspector Japp
. The stories were all first published in periodicals between 1939 and 1947.
In the Foreword to the volume, Poirot declares that he will carefully choose the cases in order to conform to the mythological sequence of the Twelve Labours
of Hercules
. In some cases (such as The Nemean Lion) the connection is a highly tenuous one, while in others the choice of case is more or less forced upon Poirot by circumstances. By the end, The Capture of Cerberus has events that correspond with the twelfth labour with almost self-satirical
convenience.
who recites sonorously some lines from Homer
's Iliad
(XXIII, 316 f) and turns the conversation round to the subject of Poirot's unusual Christian name and how some of the pagan names parents give to their children do not suit their recipients.He also thinks Poirot's and Sherlock Holmes' mother sitting together and discussing names for their children. Poirot admits to being ignorant of the legend of Hercules. The talk turns to Poirot's intention to retire after completing a few cases of interest and personal appeal and Burton laughingly refers to the twelve labours of Hercules. This comment gives Poirot pause for thought and after his visitor has gone, Poirot gets acquainted with the exploits of his legendary namesake, deciding his final cases will mimic Hercules' Twelve Labours.
"The Nemean Lion
Miss Lemon finds the first of the labours in a letter from a bluff outspoken Northern
businessman, Sir Joseph Hoggin, whose wife's Pekingese
dog has been kidnapped. Poirot meets Hoggin who tells him the dog was taken a week ago but returned for a ransom of two hundred pounds. Hoggin would have left the matter there but for the fact that the same thing had happened to an acquaintance at his club. Poirot meets the petulant Lady Hoggin and her put-upon companion
, Miss Amy Carnaby, who is clearly frightened of her employer. Miss Carnaby took the yapping dog, Shan-Tung (described by Poirot as "a veritable lion"), for his walk in the park and she stopped to admire a baby in the pram. When she looked down, someone had cut the dog's lead and it had been taken. A ransom note said to leave the money in notes in an envelope for a Captain Curtis at an address in Bloomsbury.
Poirot begins his investigations. Having ascertained the name of Miss Carnaby's previous employer, Lady Hartingfield who died a year before, he visits her niece who confirms Lady Hoggin's view of Miss Carnaby's lack of intellect but essential good qualities, looking after an invalid sister and being good with dogs, so much so that Lady Hartingfield left her Pekingese to her. Poirot interviews the park keeper who remembers the incident of the kidnap. He then investigates the address where the ransom money was sent to and finds that it is a cheap hotel where letters are often left for non-residents. His third visit is to the wife of the man Hoggin met at his club who gives a very similar story to that told by Lady Hoggin as to the method of kidnap and ransom demand. His last visit is back to Sir Joseph to report on progress where he observes that Sir Joseph's relationship with his blond secretary is not exactly on a professional level...
Poirot sends Georges, his valet, out investigating and finds an address which conforms in every way to Poirot's suspicions of where it would be and what he would find there. Poirot visits it and finds Miss Carnaby, her invalid sister, Emily and their Pekingese dog, Augustus. They are part of a scam run by women who are companions to rich and ungrateful ladies. These women are poorly paid, without talent and will be cast adrift when they get older. The dog that is taken out for a walk is their own, Augustus, who is let off his lead and is able to find his way back to the sister's flat unaided, thus providing witnesses to the 'crime'. The 'subject' of the kidnap is held at the sister's flat and their owner told of the ransom. Quite often it is the companion who is sent out with the envelope of pound notes which goes into a general pool for all the companions involved in the scheme. Miss Carnaby feels guilty for her crime but excuses it on the basis of the way they are treated by their employers – only the other day Lady Hoggin accused her of tampering with her tonic
as it tasted unpleasant. Poirot tells them their activities must stop and that the money must be returned to Lady Hoggin although he is sure that he will be able to persuade her husband not to involve the police.
Poirot meets Sir Joseph and offers two alternatives: prosecute the criminal (who he doesn't name) in which case he will lose his money, or just take the money and call the case closed. The greedy Sir Joseph agrees to the latter option and takes Poirot's cheque. The detective turns the conversation round to murder cases and tells a rattled Sir Joseph that he reminds him of a Belgian murderer who poisoned his wife in order to marry his secretary. Poirot's meaning is quite clear and the shaken man gives Poirot his cheque back, telling him to keep the money. Poirot sends it back to the Misses Carnaby's telling them that it is the final contribution to their fund before it is wound up. Meanwhile, Lady Hoggin tells her relieved husband that her tonic no longer tastes so bitter. Although not mentioned in the story, it means that he was trying to poison his wife by putting poison in her tonic.
"The Lernaean Hydra
Poirot is asked for help by Doctor Charles Oldfield who has a practice in Market Loughborough, a small village in Berkshire
. His wife died just over a year ago and the malicious talk in the village is that he poisoned her. People are avoiding him and several poison pen letter
s have been sent to him but he can do nothing to stem this tide of ill-intentioned gossip – like the heads of the Hydra, when one source of the gossip is cut off, another grows in its place.So, his ultimate aim was to cut the main source of the goosip, just like the hydra had been slayed by cutting its vulnerable head. Mrs Oldfield was a difficult invalid whose death was put down to a gastric ulcer
, whose symptoms are similar to that of arsenic
poisoning. She left her husband a not-considerable sum of money and, under pressure, Oldfield admits that a lot of the talk revolves around Jean Moncrieffe, his young dispenser, who he wants to marry but dare not because of the talk. Poirot travels to Market Loughborough and meets Jean. She is frank about her relationship with Oldfield and her dislike of his wife but opposes Poirot's idea of an exhumation and autopsy
on the body. Poirot makes the rounds of the village, insinuating that he is connected with the Home Office
and thereby generating much hypocritical murmurs of sympathy for the doctor and, more importantly, names of who said what and when. From this he learns of the present whereabouts of two servants of the Oldfields who left their employ after Mrs Oldfield died; Nurse Harrison, who tended to the patient, and Beatrice, the family maid. Nurse Harrison tells a story of overhearing Jean and the Doctor talking about the imminent death of his wife in which it was clear that this was an event that both of them were impatiently waiting for. The nurse is certain that Beatrice must have overheard the talk as well. Poirot tells her of the supposed plans of exhumation and the nurse considers this news and then tells him she agrees that such a thing should be done. When interviewing Beatrice, the sly maid denies overhearing any conversation but tells him of several suspicious stories of Jean making medicines or pots of tea for Mrs Oldfield which the nurse poured away or changed before the patient could take them.
Poirot does indeed get permission for an exhumation and the body is proved to be riddled with arsenic. Nurse Harrison is shocked and tells Poirot a new story of seeing Jean filling up a make-up compact
with a powder from the dispensary. Poirot alerts the police who find such a compact in the bureau of the bedroom of Jean's lodgings. They show it to Nurse Harrison who excitedly confirms that is the one she saw…only for Poirot to tell her that such compacts have only been manufactured for three months and that he had his valet, Georges, follow her some days previously, seeing her buy the compact at Woolworths
and then go to Jean's lodgings and secrete it there. Trapped and broken, Nurse Harrison admits the murder.
Poirot speaks with Jean and tells her that the conversation Nurse Harrison claimed to have overheard seemed psychologically unlikely as two possible conspirators would never had had such a conversation in a place where they could be easily listened to. He observed the nurse's positive reaction when he told her of a possible exhumation and then had her followed by Georges who witnessed the buying of the compact and the laying of the trap for Jean. The motive was jealousy as Nurse Harrison was convinced by Oldfield's kind manner over several years that he intended her to be his bride.
"The Arcadian Deer
Poirot is diverted to stay in an English village inn when his chauffeur
-driven car breaks down. Although he doesn't appreciate the badly cooked meal he is served, he does enjoy relaxing in front of the fire in his room after his walk through the snow to reach the establishment He is interrupted by the mechanic
who is trying to repair the car. The young man – Ted Williamson – is impossibly handsome, like a Greek god, and Poirot is reminded of a shepherd in Arcady
. Williamson knows of Poirot's reputation and asks him to trace a young girl who has disappeared. The previous June, Williamson was called out to a large house nearby called 'Grasslawn' to repair a broken radio. The house owners and their guests were out boating and he was shown in by the maid to a Russian ballet
dancer who was staying there. The golden-haired maid was called Nita and Williamson fell for her. He went out for a walk with her and she said she would be back with her mistress in two weeks time and would see him again but when the time had come for their second meeting, the maid was different. The new maid, Marie Hellin, gave him an address in North London to write to contact Nita - but his letter came back unanswered. Poirot visits this address and was told the girl, an Italian, had returned to her home country. She is described by the landlady as dark-haired and bad-tempered, whereas the girl Williamson described was golden-haired. Poirot tries to trace Nita through her former employer, Katrina Samoushenka, but is told that the dancer has gone to Paris. He also speaks with the owner of 'Grasslawn', Sir George Sanderfield, who remembers Marie – with some unease - but doesn't recall a maid on the first occasion of Madame Samoushenka's visit to his house, and thinks Poirot is mistaken. Marie is the subject of Poirot's next visit. She was employed in the last week of June when the previous maid had left, possibly due to illness. She hints that she knows something of Sir George that Poirot would like to know, but the detective doesn't take up the offer, much to her annoyance.
Poirot speaks to his contact in the theatre world who tells him the dancer has now gone to Vagray Les Alpes in Switzerland
as she has Tuberculosis
, and that her maid was an Italian from Pisa
. Poirot travels to Pisa to find from her family that Nita Valetta – who they refer to as Bianca - had appendicitis
and died on the operating table. Poirot has seemingly reached the end of his quest, but something troubles him and he moves on to Switzerland where he finds the dying Katrina Samoushenka. She confirms Poirot's suspicions that Marie Hellin was blackmailing Sir George Sanderfield and that Marie's predecessor, Nita, has died. However Poirot points out that Nita's family called her 'Bianca'. He notices Katrina's golden hair and puts it to her that on the visit to Sanderfield's house in June, she was between maids – Bianca had left and Marie had not yet been employed. Katrina Samoushenka was, in fact, 'Nita' or 'Incognita' to give her a full name, and she had enjoyed several hours of pleasure in Arcady with her Greek god when he called at the house and the others were out. She does not deny his story. Then, he convinces Katrina to start a new life with Williamson. His quest for the Arcadian deer is at an end.
"The Erymanthian Boar
Poirot is still in Switzerland after solving the third labour of Hercules. Sightseeing, he takes a funicular
to the mountain-top hotel of Rochers Neiges. On the way up, his ticket is checked by a conductor who also passes him a hurriedly scribbled note that is apparently from Lementeuil, the Swiss Commissaire of Police. It tells Poirot that he has been recognised because of his moustaches and asks for his help. Marrascaud, a Parisian gangster, has fled from his homeland after the killing of Salley, a bookmaker
, and is believed from information received to be having a rendezvous with members of his gang at Rochers Neiges. Poirot considers the note; Marrascaud has been the prime suspect in many killings but this is the first time that his guilt in a crime is beyond doubt. Although he is annoyed that his holiday is being delayed, the phrase used by Lementeuil to describe Marrascaud – "a wild boar" – catches his interest. He sees in this the fourth of his self-imposed labours.
Poirot observes his fellow passengers in the funicular. There is a friendly American tourist called Mr Schwartz, a beautiful but melancholy woman, a distinguished-looking man reading a book in German and three criminal types playing cards. Arriving at the hotel, they find it somewhat in chaos as it is only just opening at the start of the season. To Poirot, the hotel manager seems in too much of a nervous panic; the only efficient person is Gustave, the waiter. Talking to the manager and then to Schwartz again, Poirot learns that the beautiful woman is a Madame Grandier, who comes each year on the anniversary of her husband's death in the area, and that the distinguished-looking man is Dr Lutz, a Jewish refugee from the Nazis
in Vienna
. Poirot introduces himself to Schwartz as Monsieur Poirier, a silk merchant from Lyon
.
The next morning, when delivering coffee to his room, Gustave tells Poirot that in fact he is M. Drouet, a police inspector. They are now cut off in the hotel as the funicular has been damaged during the night, probably by sabotage. Poirot and Drouet discuss who Marrascaud could be amongst the hotel guests and the staff, which also includes Jacques, husband of the cook. Poirot is most interested as to why a rendezvous has been arranged in such an isolated place.
Poirot speaks with Jacques and his wife and discovers that before 'Gustave,' there was another waiter called Robert who was dismissed for incompetence and who no one seems to have witnessed leaving the hotel. That night, the three card-playing men attack Poirot in his room, but he is saved by the pistol-carrying Schwartz. The three men are locked up and Schwartz tells Poirot that the men have already 'carved up' Gustave's face. Schwartz and Poirot find Dr. Lutz attending the injured detective, who is not danger of his life, and then follow a bloody trail down the carpets of the hotel to an unused wing where they find a dead body with a note pinned to it which reads "Marrascaud will kill no more, nor will he rob his friends." Poirot uses a heliograph
to signal down the mountain for help and three days later, Lementeuil and some officers arrive after climbing up to the hotel. Then Poirot announces that Gustave is not Drouet but Marrascaud. It was "Robert" who was Inspector Drouet; Marrascaud killed him and took his place. We learn that during his first night in the hotel, Poirot did not drink his coffee, as he suspected it was drugged, and actually witnessed 'Gustave' entering his room, rifling his pockets, and finding the note from Lementeuil. The three card players were members of Marrascaud's gang but never attacked their leader; the carve-up of Marrascaud's face was carried out by Dr. Lutz, who is not a psychiatrist as he pretended but a plastic surgeon
. This is the real reason the rendezvous took place in such an isolated spot.
, Edward Ferrier, whose predecessor in the role was his father-in-law John Hammett, now Lord Cornworthy. He was held up as an exemplary role model
as to what an honest and honourable politician should be. However beneath the surface he was involved in chicanery, dishonest share-dealing and misusing party funds. These revelations have come as a shock to his son-in-law who forced Hammett to resign on the grounds on ill-health and then took up the post himself. The revelations are about to be revealed to the public by a scandal sheet of a newspaper called The X-Ray News when Ferrier is attempting to clean up public life. Poirot is uninterested until the Home Secretary
, Sir George Conway, uses the phrase "The Augean Stables" at which point he agrees to assist. Poirot visits Percy Perry, the seedy editor of The X-Ray News who he has heard has previously accepted sums of money for not printing stories, in other words, blackmail
. On this occasion, Perry refuses to accept money and says he will publish.
Soon afterwards, along with the stories about Hammett, another series of news reports start to appear in the press which hint at various sex scandals regarding Ferrier's wife, Dagmar. They paint a picture of her as wanton and cavorting at clubs with a South American gigolo. These stories appear in The X-Ray News which is sued for libel by Mrs Ferrier. The prosecution provides their first witness – the Bishop
of Northumbria – who swears that Mrs Ferrier was at his palace recovering on doctor's orders on the dates mentioned by the newspaper. The second witness is a lady called Thelma Anderson who states that she was approached by a man who said he worked for The X-Ray News and employed her to impersonate Mrs Ferrier. She was then photographed in various compromising situations. Mrs Ferrier wins her libel case easily and in doing so also makes the public assume that the rumours about Hammett were also fabricated. Poirot reveals to an astonished Ferrier that the idea to use Thelma Anderson was his and that Dagmar was in on the plan. The idea came from Dumas
's book "The Queen's Necklace," but the real inspiration was "The Augean Stables" when Hercules uses a force of nature – in his case a river – to clean the stables out. Poirot used sex as the force of nature, first blackening Mrs Ferrier's name and then clearing her in a public fashion, resulting in a wave of sympathy which also reflected well on her father and destroyed The X-Ray News and their influence.
at the age of only thirty, is enjoying a holiday in the country of Herzoslovakia at a hotel by the side of Lake Stempka. The only other English people there are an elderly woman, Mrs Rice, and her married daughter, Mrs Elsie Clayton. Two other women cause Harold a moment of disquiet. He first sees them as they come up a path from the lake to the hotel. They are dressed in black-flapping cloaks, have hooked noses and bring to Harold's mind an image of evil birds of prey. Chatting to Mrs Rice, Harold finds out that her daughter is not widowed, as he supposed, but is in an abusive marriage. Her husband, Philip, drinks, is insanely jealous and has a vicious temper. Her daughter's character is slowly being destroyed by this relationship. Mrs Rice has also found out from the hotel concierge that the two evil looking women are Polish
sisters.
One morning, Harold finds Elsie sat on a log in the woods, crying about the state of her life. He comforts her and, as he escorts her back to the hotel, they come across one of the Polish women. He wonders how much she saw...
That evening, Elsie bursts into Harold's room. Her husband has arrived at the hotel unexpectedly and is in a terrible rage. At that moment, Philip Clayton runs in. He is carrying a spanner and screams at Elsie, accusing her of having an affair just as one of the Polish women had told him. He chases Elsie out of Harold's room and back to her own. Harold runs after him and is in time to see Elsie throw a paperweight
at her husband in self-defence. He falls to the ground and Elsie begs Harold to leave them before he gets himself into trouble. Half an hour later, Mrs Rice joins Harold and tells him that Philip is dead, killed by the blow.
Harold is aghast, worried if the foreign police will believe the story both he and Elsie have to tell and that their 'relationship' is innocent. The evidence points to manslaughter
at best and murder at worst. Mrs Rice suddenly has an idea and wonders if the hotel management and foreign police are open to bribery
. Harold agrees to give it a try and wires for money but aside from that, and unable to speak the local language, leaves Mrs Rice to carry out the negotiations. All seems to go well and the next day Harold sees Mrs Rice speaking with a police officer and she tells him that the death has been declared as being from natural causes and that they are all in the clear. That is until the two Polish women approach Mrs Rice and speak to her. She translates for Harold and tells him that they know what really happened (their room being next to Elsie's) and that they are blackmailing the English people. In a fever of concern, Harold is walking by the lake when he encounters Poirot. Desperate, he confesses to the strange little man what has happened. Poirot sees an immediate link between the two Polish women and the Stymphalean Birds. Poirot promises to help and the next day he tells Harold that he has been successful and that his blackmailers have been dealt with. He found out by telegram that they were wanted by the police and that they have been arrested. Harold is relieved but suddenly spots the two Polish women and wonders what is going on. Poirot tells him that they are of good family and that the true blackmailers were Mrs Rice and her daughter. 'Philip Clayton' has never existed and the man Harold saw 'killed' was Mrs Rice in disguise. No foreign police are open to bribery in the way that Harold was told. He provided all the money and was innocent of what Mrs Rice 'negotiated' as he didn't speak the language. Harold resolves to learn every European language from now onwards.
"The Cretan Bull
Poirot is asked for assistance by a young lady, Diana Maberly. She was engaged to marry Hugh Chandler for over a year but he has broken it off as he thinks he is going mad. There is a history of insanity in the family, with his grandfather and a great aunt being afflicted, and his father, Admiral Chandler, has insisted that his son leave the navy before his condition gets worse but the reason was hidden under the pretext of having to manage the family country estate – a reason no one believed, including Colonel Frobisher, a great family friend and Hugh's godfather. At Poirot's prompting, Diana admits that there have been some unusual occurrences on nearby farms with the throats of sheep cut and the like but insists it has nothing to do with the situation. The Admiral refuses to let a doctor see his son.
Poirot travels with Diana to the family seat of Lyde Manor where he meets the people involved. Hugh strikes Poirot as a fine young bull of a man. He learns further details of the history of insanity in the family from Colonel Frobisher, including Hugh's grandfather being so bad that he had to be committed to an asylum. Poirot also hears that Hugh's mother died when he was ten years old in a boating accident when she was out with the Admiral and that she was previously engaged to Frobisher before he went off to India with the British Army but when he came home he found that she had married Admiral Chandler, however this incident did nothing to lessen the ties of friendship between the two men. Poirot forces Frobisher to tell him more details of the incident with the sheep and finds out that on the night concerned, the Admiral found his son in bed with blood on his clothes and blood in the washbasin but Hugh remembered nothing of what he had done. Poirot also questions the Admiral who has aged immensely since these incidents started and who feels that breaking the engagement is best for everyone and that there will be no more Chandlers at Lyde Manor after he and his son have died.
In questioning Hugh, Poirot hears of his dreams which always seem to include elements of hydrophobia
. He also suffers from hallucinations and has one while speaking to Poirot of seeing a skeletal figure in the garden. Poirot however is convinced that Hugh is sane and begins his investigations, asking Diana to arrange for him to spend the night in the manor. He searches Hugh's room and also makes a trip to a local chemist, supposedly to pick up a toothbrush...
That night, Hugh somehow manages to get out of his locked room and is found outside Diana's room, a bloodied knife in his hands from having killed a cat. Hugh recovers consciousness and tells the others he intends to go out shooting rabbits. It is clear that his real intention is to commit suicide in the woods with a shotgun and therefore save himself and the others further pain. Poirot stops him and tells them all that Hugh is being set up to carry out the very act of suicide. He is being poisoned with Datura
. The alkaloid
produces hallucinations and causes great thirst. It is being given to Hugh as part of his shaving cream and thereby continually entering his system with each day's application. Poirot took a sample to the chemist for testing. As to who is responsible…Poirot reveals that Admiral Chandler has inherited the insanity of his family but that Hugh is not his son. Hugh is the natural son of Colonel Frobisher who had an affair with his mother before he went to India. The Admiral recognised the resemblance in his son to his friend and learned the truth from his wife before he murdered her in the boating "accident". He further blocked Hugh from seeing a doctor who would have confirmed his sanity.
Hearing this explanation from Poirot of the facts of the case, the Admiral, who is now described in the narrative as "the last of the Chandlers", briefly speaks a pro forma
denial. He takes the shotgun and repeats his son's excuse that he is going outside rabbit shooting. He is last seen entering the woods with the gun, and a shot is fired.
address given to him, Poirot finds Stoddart in one of the flats where a party had been taking place before the medical man got there. The flat is owned by a lady called Patience Grace and the party involved the use of cocaine
. Mrs. Grace had an argument with her boyfriend, Anthony Hawker, and she attempted to shoot him as he left the flat. She ended up inflicting a flesh wound on a tramp that was passing by and who has now been happily paid off.
Michael's concern is for a beautiful young girl called Sheila Grant who he met at a hunt ball in the country. She is one of four daughters of a retired army general and there is every sign that Sheila and her three sisters are starting to go wild, getting into a bad set where the cocaine flows freely. Sheila was at the party, is still at the flat having just woken up and is feeling terrible after the high of the drugs. Michael lectures her about the cocaine and Poirot introduces himself. It is obvious that Shelia has heard of him and is nervous of him.
Poirot visits the county of Mertonshire where an old friend, Lady Carmichael, gives him details of the Grant family. All the girls are going to the bad as their father cannot control them. Anthony Hawker has an unpleasant reputation as does another of his 'lady friends', Mrs. Larkin. Lady Carmichael is thrilled to think that Poirot has visited to investigate some special crime but the detective tells her he is simply there to tame four wild horses...
He visits General Grant whose house is filled with artifacts of India. The General himself completes the clichéd picture, sitting in an armchair with his foot bandaged up from gout
, drinking port
and railing against the world. Poirot breaks the news of the drugs and listens to the cries of anger and sworn threats of the old man against whoever is getting his girls into trouble. Leaving the room, Poirot clumsily trips against his host.
Poirot manages to get himself invited to a party at Mrs. Larkin's where he meets Pamela Grant, Sheila's sister. Hawker arrives with Sheila in tow, having just come from a hunt, wanting to fill up Hawker's drinks flask. Sheila has heard from one of the house servants that Poirot visited her father the day before. He tells her of the threat she is under from her drug taking and turns to leave, as he goes hearing Pam whispering to Sheila about the flask. In the hall of Mrs. Larkin's house Poirot sees the abandoned drinks flask and finds it full of white powder.
Some time later, back at Lady Carmichael's, Poirot tells Sheila that her photograph has been recognised. She is Sheila Kelly and she and the other three women under General Grant's roof are not sisters. Nor is Grant an army general. He is the head of the drugs ring and the four young women push the drugs for him. He persuades her to give evidence against the man and thereby smash the ring. He tells an astonished Michael that the 'General's' act overdid the cliché as gout is usually suffered by old men, not middle-aged fathers of teenage girls. His trip was a test which Grant failed as he didn't react with pain when Poirot stumbled into him. Hawker was not a pusher of drugs but a receiver and Pam and Sheila were trying to set him up when they put the flask of cocaine in the hall of Mrs. Larkin's house. Poirot tells an embarrassed Michael that Sheila is certain to lose her criminal tendencies with him to look after her…
He is far more interested in a case that Japp has about Winnie King, a fifteen-year old English girl who was being escorted to Paris as one of a party of such girls for the new term at Miss Pope's exclusive school there. On the way back from the dining car of the train, just after it left Amiens
(the last stop before Paris), Winnie King went into the toilet and seemingly vanished. No body has been found by the side of the tracks and the train made no other stops, only slowing down for a signal; however, Winnie's hat was later recovered near the tracks. Poirot asks if her shoes have been found...
Some time later, Japp phones Poirot and tells him Winnie has been found about fifteen miles from Amiens. She is in a daze, has been doped according to the doctor who examined her, and is unable to remember much after setting off from her home town of Cranchester. She remembers nothing of meeting one of Miss Pope's staff, Miss Burshaw, in London over the trip over the channel. Despite the girl being found, Poirot speaks with Detective Inspector Hearn, who has been dealing with the case and is no nearer to solving the mystery of how the girl disappeared. The only other people in the carriage seemed clear of suspicion – two middle-aged spinsters, two French commercial travellers from Lyon, a young man called James Elliot and his flashy wife, and an American lady about whom very little is known. He is able to confirm that Winnie's shoes were found by the rail line which confirms Poirot's theory...
Poirot goes to France and visits Miss Pope's establishment at Neuilly
. The formidable headmistress tells Poirot of the advantages of her school being close to the music and culture of Paris. He hears how two sets of Parisian police asked to search through Winnie's trunk, neither seemingly having spoken to the other, and sees a badly painted picture in oils depicting the bridge at Cranchester, executed by Winnie as a present for Miss Pope. In front of the startled woman, Poirot begins to scrub the picture with turpentine
whilst telling her that Winnie never made the trip across to France. Miss Burshaw met a girl in London whom she had never seen before and who then totally changed her appearance in the toilet on the train, discarding the schoolgirl hat and shoes through the window and transforming herself into the flashy wife of James Elliot. At the same time, Poirot has stripped away "Winnie's" dreadful painting to expose a second one beneath it: the Girdle of Hyppolita, the missing Rubens masterpiece. The thieves used the trick of smuggling the painting in an escorted schoolgirl's trunk, knowing such a thing would never be searched by customs, and one of the gang then threw off her disguise of a plain schoolgirl. Other members of the gang, disguised as policemen, could then search the trunk later and retrieve the painting. They did not know that Miss Pope, who insisted on trunks being unpacked upon arrival, would find the "present" and take possession of it immediately.
When Poirot leaves, the girls swarm around him asking for his autograph which Poirot refers to as the attack by the Amazons
.
"The Flock of Geryon
Poirot is reacquainted with Miss Carnaby, the companion from the episode of the Nemean Lion, who Poirot praises as one of the most successful criminals he ever met. She is worried as she constantly thinks of illegal schemes which she is sure would work and she fears she is turning into a hardened criminal. She wants to put her talents to good use and assist Poirot in fighting crime in any way she can. She also has brought to him a possible case in which she can prove herself. She has a friend, Mrs. Emmeline Clegg, who is a widow who is comfortably off and who in her loneliness has found comfort in a religious sect
called "The Flock of the Shepherd" who are based in a retreat in Devon
. Their leader is a handsome charismatic man called Dr. Andersen and Mrs. Clegg has found herself so caught up in the sect that she has left them all of her property in a will. Miss Carnaby is especially concerned as she knows of three women in a similar situation who have all died within the past year. She has investigated and found nothing unusual in the deaths, all of which were due to natural causes and none of them happened within the sanctuary but at the deceased's homes. Poirot asks Miss Carnaby to infiltrate the sect. She is to pretend to be dismissive of them and then, once within the sanctuary, be persuaded to be a convert.
Poirot consults Japp about the investigation. The Scotland Yard detective finds out that Andersen is a German chemist, expelled from a university there by the Nazis
because he had a Jewish mother and that there is nothing suspicious about the deaths of the women whose names have been supplied by Miss Carnaby. Nevertheless Poirot views Andersen as the monster Geryon
who he is determined to destroy.
Miss Carnaby settles down at the sanctuary with Mrs Clegg and joins in a festival held at night – "The Full Growth of the Pasture". At the service, she is dismissive of the liturgy
but suddenly feels a needle-prick in her arm. Almost instantly she starts to experience a feeling of well-being and euphoria
which makes her sleep for a short while.
Soon afterwards she and Poirot consult and he checks that she has followed the remainder of her instructions: they are to tell Andersen that she is going to come into a large sum of money that she will leave to the sect, that she has problems with her lungs and that Mrs. Clegg will soon inherit an even larger sum of money from an aunt than that which her late husband left her. Poirot also asks if she has met a Mr Cole at the sanctuary. Miss Carnaby has and to her he is a very strange man. As if to prove her assertion correct, soon afterwards Mr Cole accosts Miss Carnaby with tales of his strange visions which involve sacrifices, Jehovah
and even Odin
. She is saved from further strange tales by the arrival of Mr Lipscombe, the lodge keeper of the Devonshire estate.
The day before the next divine service, Miss Carnaby meets Poirot in a local teashop. She seems to have had an about-face and tells Poirot that Andersen is a great man and that cannot betray him. She rushes out of the shop and Poirot sees that a surly-looking man has been listening into their conversation...
The next service is proceeding and Miss Carnaby is about to be injected again when Mr Cole steps in. There is a fight and the police pour into the room. Mr Cole is in fact Detective Inspector Cole and he arrests Andersen.
Later all the parties concerned confer. The man in the teashop was Mr Lipscombe and when Miss Carnaby recognised him, she put on an act of allegiance to Andersen. Poirot realised this when he had the man followed back to the lodge. Andersen's chemistry background (although he was probably not a Jewish refugee) came in useful for preparing a hashish
injection for his adherents and also for injecting them with relevant bacteria when he wanted to kill them in order to inherit the contents of their wills from them. The syringe that Andersen was about to inject Miss Carnaby with contained tuberculosis
bacteria to tie in with the fictional ailment she told him about. The proof has been obtained in the laboratory in the sanctuary that the police have raided.
"The Apples of Hesperides
Poirot receives a visit from Emery Power, a rich art collector. Ten years ago he purchased at auction a gold goblet which was supposedly made for Alexander VI
by Benvenuto Cellini
which the Borgia Pope used to poison his victims. The design of the goblet is a tree with a coiled serpent and the apples on the tree are represented by emeralds. Poirot is immediately interested at the mention of apples. Power paid a sum equal to thirty thousand pounds at the auction in 1929 but on the night of the sale the goblet and other items were stolen from the home of the seller, the Marchese di San Veratrino. The police at the time were certain that a gang of three international thieves were responsible. Two of the men were captured and some of the stolen items recovered but the goblet was not among them. A third man, an Irish cat burglar called Patrick Casey died soon afterwards when he fell from a building while committing his latest crime. Power has spent ten years and a lot of money trying to locate the goblet but without success. The Marchese has offered to refund his money but Power does not want to take advantage of this offer as he would no longer be the legal owner of the goblet should it be found. He had suspected that the real criminal was Sir Reuben Rosenthal, who was his rival bidder at the auction in 1929, but they recently become business allies and Power is now convinced Rosenthal is innocent.
Poirot takes up the commission and interviews the detective on the case – Inspector Wagstaffe - about the suspects. Patrick Casey's wife, a strict Catholic, is dead. His daughter is a nun in a convent
and his son, who took after his father, is in jail in America. There are many leads connected with the gang which stretch all over the world and Poirot sets his inquiries in motion.
Three months later he finds himself in a remote part of the western coast of Ireland
. He visits the convent where Casey's daughter became a nun but discovers that she had died two months earlier. Poirot makes the acquaintance of one of the locals who helps him break into the convent – where he recovers the goblet. He returns it to Power and tells him that the nuns were using it as a chalice
. Casey's daughter probably took it there to atone for her father's sins and the nuns were ignorant of its ownership and ancient history. Poirot deduced it would be at the convent as there had been no trace of anyone having the goblet after it was stolen therefore it was somewhere where "ordinary material values did not apply". The mention of Casey's daughter being a nun supplied the obvious place. Poirot shows Power how during the Renaissance, the Pope used a hidden mechanism in the goblet to put the poison in the victim's drink. Poirot suggests that no good will come out of owning an object with such an evil history. If it was given back to the convent, the nuns will say masses for Power's soul. The art collector realises that his rapaciousness has made him unhappy and agrees to the suggestion.
"The Capture of Cerberus
Poirot is leaving the London Underground
at Piccadilly Circus
when he passes an old acquaintance, the Countess Vera Rossakoff, on the escalators, going in the opposite direction. She insists that they meet and when asked to suggest a place, responds "In Hell
…"! Poirot is puzzled but it is the unflappable Miss Lemon who coolly informs him it is the name of a new London nightclub
and books him a table for that night. The club is in a basement and is decorated in styles of hell as represented by different cultures. It even has a large black, vicious-looking hound at the entrance called Cerberus
. Rossakoff introduces him to Professor Liskeard who advised her on the decorations (although he is ashamed of the gaudy results), and to Dr Alice Cunningham, a practitioner of psychology
who is engaged to Rossakoff's son, currently working in America. Alice and Poirot do not get along. She is coldly interested in criminal tendencies and finds Rossakoff's kleptomania interesting, but to Poirot's chagrin, she does not seem at all interested in the legendary detective! His questioning of her manner of dress with her heavy coat and pocketed skirt instead of a more feminine style of clothing does not go down well. However, Alice does find an individual called Paul Varesco fascinating. He is a good-looking Lounge Lizard
with a very dubious reputation and she spends time dancing with him, questioning him incessantly about incidents in his childhood which could have contributed to his personality. Poirot recognises a young Scotland Yard detective in the crowd in evening dress and feels that something is going on...
Seeing Japp the next day, Poirot's suspicions are confirmed. The club is being watched by the police as they have linked it to a dope ring. They cannot trace the person who put up the money to buy the club but they do know the dope is being paid for by jewellery. Rich ladies swap their stones for paste imitations and drugs, later denying they knew of the substitution when they contact the police and their insurance companies. Scotland Yard have traced the work done on the jewels to a company called Golconda, and from there to Paul Varesco. Under the guise of picking up a wanted murderer, the police raided the club but were unable to find any jewels or dope secreted in the club or on anyone there, particularly Varesco.
Poirot questions Rossakoff about the true owner of the club. She denies that anyone else is the owner, but she is horrified to be told of its dope connection. Japp tells Poirot of another plan to raid the club and Poirot makes his own arrangements. On the night of the raid, Poirot stations a small man called Higgs outside the club.
The morning after the raid, Japp phones Poirot to tell him they found jewels in the pocket of Professor Liskeard but he has been set up. However no dope was discovered so someone must have removed it from the club. Poirot tells the astonished Japp that he was responsible, and then puts the phone down.
Rossakoff arrives at Poirot's flat. She happily confesses to Poirot that she put the jewels in the professor's pocket as she had found them in her own bag when the raid started, and so she had to get rid of them as quickly as she could. It was Varesco who planted them on her and she admits that he is the true owner of the premises. Poirot takes her into the next room where Higgs and Cerberus are waiting. Higgs is able to handle any dog and took the otherwise fierce animal out during the raid. Poirot asks Rossakoff to order the obedient dog to drop what it is holding in its mouth and it does so. A small sealed packet of cocaine drops to the ground. A shocked Rossakoff loudly proclaims her innocence and Poirot says he believes her – the true criminal is Alice who is in league with Verasco. She carried the drugs in her large skirt pockets and dropped them into her clients' pockets on the dance floor. When the raid occurred and the lights went out temporarily, Poirot was waiting by Cerberus and heard her put the packet in the dog's mouth – and Poirot took the opportunity to cut off a sample of cloth from her sleeve as proof.
Maurice Richardson, in the October 5, 1947 issue of The Observer
wrote briefly, "the Queen of Crime tries the difficult, unrewarding sprint form. The Labours of Hercules consists of twelve Poirot cases, neatly constructed but inevitably lacking the criss-cross of red-herring trails that make our arteries pulse over the full distance. But will Agatha Christie allow the little egg-headed egomaniac to carry out his frightful threat of retirement?"
An unnamed reviewer in the Toronto Daily Star
of December 6, 1947 said, "Hercule Poirot...here emulates his Olympian namesake, Hercules...As the old-timer tackled the 12 classical labors...so Mrs. Christie turns her dapper sleuth loose on 12 modern counterparts in the detection-mystery line. A tricky task, neatly done."
Robert Barnard
: "Probably the best single short-story collection, because more varied in its problems and lighter in its touch than usual. Lots of tricks from her novels, and other people's used very skilfully. But the mention of the goblet made by Cellini for Alexander VI (before the age of three?) is a good example of Christie slapdash, almost amounting to philistinism or contempt for her audience."
as Poirot, as part of the final series of Agatha Christie's Poirot
. It has not yet been announced how the twelve short stories will be condensed into one film.
All of the stories except for The Capture of Cerberus were first published in the UK in the Strand Magazine
with illustrations by Ernest Ratcliff as follows:
The Capture of Cerberus was rejected by Strand Magazine
and was not published as part of the series. A new story under the same title first appeared in the Collins first edition. The original story surfaced in 2009 in Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks by John Curran.
In the US nine of the stories were first published in the weekly newspaper supplement This Week magazine in two series of four stories each plus one later publication as follows:
In addition, two other stories were first published in the US unillustrated in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine as follows:
Note: The German edition was divided into two volumes, hence the two titles
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
collection written by Agatha Christie
Agatha Christie
Dame Agatha Christie DBE was a British crime writer of novels, short stories, and plays. She also wrote romances under the name Mary Westmacott, but she is best remembered for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections , and her successful West End plays.According to...
and first published in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company
Dodd, Mead and Company
Dodd, Mead and Company was one of the pioneer publishing houses of the United States, based in New York City. Under several names, the firm operated from 1839 until 1990. Its history properly began in 1870, with the retirement of its founder, Moses Woodruff Dodd. Control passed to his son Frank...
in 1947
1947 in literature
The year 1947 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*The Diary of Anne Frank is published for the first time.*Jack Kerouac makes the journey which he will later chronicle in his book On the Road....
and in the UK by Collins Crime Club
Collins Crime Club
The Collins Crime Club was an imprint of UK book publishers William Collins & Co Ltd and ran from May 6, 1930 to April 1994. Customers registered their name and address with the club and were sent a newsletter every three months which advised them of the latest books which had been or were to be...
in September of the same year. The US edition retailed at $2.50 and the UK edition at eight shillings and sixpence
British sixpence coin
The sixpence, known colloquially as the tanner, or half-shilling, was a British pre-decimal coin, worth six pence, or 1/40th of a pound sterling....
(8/6).
It features Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
detective Hercule Poirot
Hercule Poirot
Hercule Poirot is a fictional Belgian detective created by Agatha Christie. Along with Miss Marple, Poirot is one of Christie's most famous and long-lived characters, appearing in 33 novels and 51 short stories published between 1920 and 1975 and set in the same era.Poirot has been portrayed on...
, and gives an account of twelve cases with which he intends to close his career as a private detective. His regular sidekicks (his secretary, Miss Lemon, and valet
Valet
Valet and varlet are terms for male servants who serve as personal attendants to their employer.- Word origins :In the Middle Ages, the valet de chambre to a ruler was a prestigious appointment for young men...
, Georges) make cameo appearance
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
s, as does Chief Inspector Japp
Chief Inspector Japp
Detective Chief Inspector James Japp is a fictional character who appears in several of Agatha Christie's novels featuring Hercule Poirot.-Japp in Christie's work:...
. The stories were all first published in periodicals between 1939 and 1947.
In the Foreword to the volume, Poirot declares that he will carefully choose the cases in order to conform to the mythological sequence of the Twelve Labours
Twelve Labours
The twelve labours of Hercules or dodekathlon are a series of archaic episodes connected by a later continuous narrative, concerning a penance carried out by Heracles, the greatest of the Greek heroes, whose name was later romanised as Hercules...
of Hercules
Hercules
Hercules is the Roman name for Greek demigod Heracles, son of Zeus , and the mortal Alcmene...
. In some cases (such as The Nemean Lion) the connection is a highly tenuous one, while in others the choice of case is more or less forced upon Poirot by circumstances. By the end, The Capture of Cerberus has events that correspond with the twelfth labour with almost self-satirical
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
convenience.
Foreword
Hercule Poirot is enjoying a social visit by Dr Burton, a fellow of All SoulsAll Souls College, Oxford
The Warden and the College of the Souls of all Faithful People deceased in the University of Oxford or All Souls College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England....
who recites sonorously some lines from Homer
Homer
In the Western classical tradition Homer , is the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, and is revered as the greatest ancient Greek epic poet. These epics lie at the beginning of the Western canon of literature, and have had an enormous influence on the history of literature.When he lived is...
's Iliad
Iliad
The Iliad is an epic poem in dactylic hexameters, traditionally attributed to Homer. Set during the Trojan War, the ten-year siege of the city of Troy by a coalition of Greek states, it tells of the battles and events during the weeks of a quarrel between King Agamemnon and the warrior Achilles...
(XXIII, 316 f) and turns the conversation round to the subject of Poirot's unusual Christian name and how some of the pagan names parents give to their children do not suit their recipients.He also thinks Poirot's and Sherlock Holmes' mother sitting together and discussing names for their children. Poirot admits to being ignorant of the legend of Hercules. The talk turns to Poirot's intention to retire after completing a few cases of interest and personal appeal and Burton laughingly refers to the twelve labours of Hercules. This comment gives Poirot pause for thought and after his visitor has gone, Poirot gets acquainted with the exploits of his legendary namesake, deciding his final cases will mimic Hercules' Twelve Labours.
"The Nemean LionNemean LionThe Nemean lion was a vicious monster in Greek mythology that lived at Nemea. It was eventually killed by Heracles. It could not be killed with mortal weapons because its golden fur was impervious to attack...
"
Miss Lemon finds the first of the labours in a letter from a bluff outspoken NorthernNorthern England
Northern England, also known as the North of England, the North or the North Country, is a cultural region of England. It is not an official government region, but rather an informal amalgamation of counties. The southern extent of the region is roughly the River Trent, while the North is bordered...
businessman, Sir Joseph Hoggin, whose wife's Pekingese
Pekingese
The Pekingese, or "Peke" is an ancient breed of toy dog, originating in China. The breed was favored by the Chinese Imperial court, and its name refers to the city of Beijing where the Forbidden City resides...
dog has been kidnapped. Poirot meets Hoggin who tells him the dog was taken a week ago but returned for a ransom of two hundred pounds. Hoggin would have left the matter there but for the fact that the same thing had happened to an acquaintance at his club. Poirot meets the petulant Lady Hoggin and her put-upon companion
Lady's companion
A lady's companion was a woman of genteel birth who acted as a paid companion for women of rank or wealth. The term was in use in the United Kingdom from at least the 18th century to the mid 20th century. It was related to the position of lady-in-waiting, which by the 19th century was only applied...
, Miss Amy Carnaby, who is clearly frightened of her employer. Miss Carnaby took the yapping dog, Shan-Tung (described by Poirot as "a veritable lion"), for his walk in the park and she stopped to admire a baby in the pram. When she looked down, someone had cut the dog's lead and it had been taken. A ransom note said to leave the money in notes in an envelope for a Captain Curtis at an address in Bloomsbury.
Poirot begins his investigations. Having ascertained the name of Miss Carnaby's previous employer, Lady Hartingfield who died a year before, he visits her niece who confirms Lady Hoggin's view of Miss Carnaby's lack of intellect but essential good qualities, looking after an invalid sister and being good with dogs, so much so that Lady Hartingfield left her Pekingese to her. Poirot interviews the park keeper who remembers the incident of the kidnap. He then investigates the address where the ransom money was sent to and finds that it is a cheap hotel where letters are often left for non-residents. His third visit is to the wife of the man Hoggin met at his club who gives a very similar story to that told by Lady Hoggin as to the method of kidnap and ransom demand. His last visit is back to Sir Joseph to report on progress where he observes that Sir Joseph's relationship with his blond secretary is not exactly on a professional level...
Poirot sends Georges, his valet, out investigating and finds an address which conforms in every way to Poirot's suspicions of where it would be and what he would find there. Poirot visits it and finds Miss Carnaby, her invalid sister, Emily and their Pekingese dog, Augustus. They are part of a scam run by women who are companions to rich and ungrateful ladies. These women are poorly paid, without talent and will be cast adrift when they get older. The dog that is taken out for a walk is their own, Augustus, who is let off his lead and is able to find his way back to the sister's flat unaided, thus providing witnesses to the 'crime'. The 'subject' of the kidnap is held at the sister's flat and their owner told of the ransom. Quite often it is the companion who is sent out with the envelope of pound notes which goes into a general pool for all the companions involved in the scheme. Miss Carnaby feels guilty for her crime but excuses it on the basis of the way they are treated by their employers – only the other day Lady Hoggin accused her of tampering with her tonic
Patent medicine
Patent medicine refers to medical compounds of questionable effectiveness sold under a variety of names and labels. The term "patent medicine" is somewhat of a misnomer because, in most cases, although many of the products were trademarked, they were never patented...
as it tasted unpleasant. Poirot tells them their activities must stop and that the money must be returned to Lady Hoggin although he is sure that he will be able to persuade her husband not to involve the police.
Poirot meets Sir Joseph and offers two alternatives: prosecute the criminal (who he doesn't name) in which case he will lose his money, or just take the money and call the case closed. The greedy Sir Joseph agrees to the latter option and takes Poirot's cheque. The detective turns the conversation round to murder cases and tells a rattled Sir Joseph that he reminds him of a Belgian murderer who poisoned his wife in order to marry his secretary. Poirot's meaning is quite clear and the shaken man gives Poirot his cheque back, telling him to keep the money. Poirot sends it back to the Misses Carnaby's telling them that it is the final contribution to their fund before it is wound up. Meanwhile, Lady Hoggin tells her relieved husband that her tonic no longer tastes so bitter. Although not mentioned in the story, it means that he was trying to poison his wife by putting poison in her tonic.
"The Lernaean HydraLernaean HydraIn Greek mythology, the Lernaean Hydra was an ancient nameless serpent-like chthonic water beast, with reptilian traits, that possessed many heads — the poets mention more heads than the vase-painters could paint, and for each head cut off it grew two more — and poisonous breath so virulent even...
"
Poirot is asked for help by Doctor Charles Oldfield who has a practice in Market Loughborough, a small village in BerkshireBerkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
. His wife died just over a year ago and the malicious talk in the village is that he poisoned her. People are avoiding him and several poison pen letter
Poison pen letter
A poison pen letter is a letter or note containing unpleasant, abusive or malicious statements or accusations about the recipient or a third party. It is usually sent anonymously. Poison pen letters are usually composed and sent to upset the recipient...
s have been sent to him but he can do nothing to stem this tide of ill-intentioned gossip – like the heads of the Hydra, when one source of the gossip is cut off, another grows in its place.So, his ultimate aim was to cut the main source of the goosip, just like the hydra had been slayed by cutting its vulnerable head. Mrs Oldfield was a difficult invalid whose death was put down to a gastric ulcer
Peptic ulcer
A peptic ulcer, also known as PUD or peptic ulcer disease, is the most common ulcer of an area of the gastrointestinal tract that is usually acidic and thus extremely painful. It is defined as mucosal erosions equal to or greater than 0.5 cm...
, whose symptoms are similar to that of arsenic
Arsenic
Arsenic is a chemical element with the symbol As, atomic number 33 and relative atomic mass 74.92. Arsenic occurs in many minerals, usually in conjunction with sulfur and metals, and also as a pure elemental crystal. It was first documented by Albertus Magnus in 1250.Arsenic is a metalloid...
poisoning. She left her husband a not-considerable sum of money and, under pressure, Oldfield admits that a lot of the talk revolves around Jean Moncrieffe, his young dispenser, who he wants to marry but dare not because of the talk. Poirot travels to Market Loughborough and meets Jean. She is frank about her relationship with Oldfield and her dislike of his wife but opposes Poirot's idea of an exhumation and autopsy
Autopsy
An autopsy—also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy , autopsia cadaverum, or obduction—is a highly specialized surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present...
on the body. Poirot makes the rounds of the village, insinuating that he is connected with the Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
and thereby generating much hypocritical murmurs of sympathy for the doctor and, more importantly, names of who said what and when. From this he learns of the present whereabouts of two servants of the Oldfields who left their employ after Mrs Oldfield died; Nurse Harrison, who tended to the patient, and Beatrice, the family maid. Nurse Harrison tells a story of overhearing Jean and the Doctor talking about the imminent death of his wife in which it was clear that this was an event that both of them were impatiently waiting for. The nurse is certain that Beatrice must have overheard the talk as well. Poirot tells her of the supposed plans of exhumation and the nurse considers this news and then tells him she agrees that such a thing should be done. When interviewing Beatrice, the sly maid denies overhearing any conversation but tells him of several suspicious stories of Jean making medicines or pots of tea for Mrs Oldfield which the nurse poured away or changed before the patient could take them.
Poirot does indeed get permission for an exhumation and the body is proved to be riddled with arsenic. Nurse Harrison is shocked and tells Poirot a new story of seeing Jean filling up a make-up compact
Compact (cosmetics)
A compact is cosmetic product. It is usually contained in a small, round case, with two or all of the following: a mirror, pressed powder, and a powder puff. The term is an abbreviation for "compact powder"...
with a powder from the dispensary. Poirot alerts the police who find such a compact in the bureau of the bedroom of Jean's lodgings. They show it to Nurse Harrison who excitedly confirms that is the one she saw…only for Poirot to tell her that such compacts have only been manufactured for three months and that he had his valet, Georges, follow her some days previously, seeing her buy the compact at Woolworths
Woolworths Group
Woolworths Group plc was a listed British company that owned the high-street retail chain, Woolworths, as well as other brands such as the entertainment distributor Entertainment UK and book and resource distributor Bertram Books...
and then go to Jean's lodgings and secrete it there. Trapped and broken, Nurse Harrison admits the murder.
Poirot speaks with Jean and tells her that the conversation Nurse Harrison claimed to have overheard seemed psychologically unlikely as two possible conspirators would never had had such a conversation in a place where they could be easily listened to. He observed the nurse's positive reaction when he told her of a possible exhumation and then had her followed by Georges who witnessed the buying of the compact and the laying of the trap for Jean. The motive was jealousy as Nurse Harrison was convinced by Oldfield's kind manner over several years that he intended her to be his bride.
"The Arcadian DeerCeryneian HindIn Greek mythology, the Ceryneian Hind , also called Cerynitis, was an enormous hind , who lived in Keryneia, Greece. It was sacred to Artemis, the chaste goddess of the hunt, animals and unmarried women. It had golden antlers like a stag and hooves of bronze or brass, and it was said that it could...
"
Poirot is diverted to stay in an English village inn when his chauffeurChauffeur
A chauffeur is a person employed to drive a passenger motor vehicle, especially a luxury vehicle such as a large sedan or limousine.Originally such drivers were always personal servants of the vehicle owner, but now in many cases specialist chauffeur service companies, or individual drivers provide...
-driven car breaks down. Although he doesn't appreciate the badly cooked meal he is served, he does enjoy relaxing in front of the fire in his room after his walk through the snow to reach the establishment He is interrupted by the mechanic
Mechanic
A mechanic is a craftsman or technician who uses tools to build or repair machinery.Many mechanics are specialized in a particular field such as auto mechanics, bicycle mechanics, motorcycle mechanics, boiler mechanics, general mechanics, industrial maintenance mechanics , air conditioning and...
who is trying to repair the car. The young man – Ted Williamson – is impossibly handsome, like a Greek god, and Poirot is reminded of a shepherd in Arcady
Arcadia
Arcadia is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Peloponnese. It is situated in the central and eastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. It takes its name from the mythological character Arcas. In Greek mythology, it was the home of the god Pan...
. Williamson knows of Poirot's reputation and asks him to trace a young girl who has disappeared. The previous June, Williamson was called out to a large house nearby called 'Grasslawn' to repair a broken radio. The house owners and their guests were out boating and he was shown in by the maid to a Russian ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
dancer who was staying there. The golden-haired maid was called Nita and Williamson fell for her. He went out for a walk with her and she said she would be back with her mistress in two weeks time and would see him again but when the time had come for their second meeting, the maid was different. The new maid, Marie Hellin, gave him an address in North London to write to contact Nita - but his letter came back unanswered. Poirot visits this address and was told the girl, an Italian, had returned to her home country. She is described by the landlady as dark-haired and bad-tempered, whereas the girl Williamson described was golden-haired. Poirot tries to trace Nita through her former employer, Katrina Samoushenka, but is told that the dancer has gone to Paris. He also speaks with the owner of 'Grasslawn', Sir George Sanderfield, who remembers Marie – with some unease - but doesn't recall a maid on the first occasion of Madame Samoushenka's visit to his house, and thinks Poirot is mistaken. Marie is the subject of Poirot's next visit. She was employed in the last week of June when the previous maid had left, possibly due to illness. She hints that she knows something of Sir George that Poirot would like to know, but the detective doesn't take up the offer, much to her annoyance.
Poirot speaks to his contact in the theatre world who tells him the dancer has now gone to Vagray Les Alpes in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
as she has Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
, and that her maid was an Italian from Pisa
Pisa
Pisa is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa...
. Poirot travels to Pisa to find from her family that Nita Valetta – who they refer to as Bianca - had appendicitis
Appendicitis
Appendicitis is a condition characterized by inflammation of the appendix. It is classified as a medical emergency and many cases require removal of the inflamed appendix, either by laparotomy or laparoscopy. Untreated, mortality is high, mainly because of the risk of rupture leading to...
and died on the operating table. Poirot has seemingly reached the end of his quest, but something troubles him and he moves on to Switzerland where he finds the dying Katrina Samoushenka. She confirms Poirot's suspicions that Marie Hellin was blackmailing Sir George Sanderfield and that Marie's predecessor, Nita, has died. However Poirot points out that Nita's family called her 'Bianca'. He notices Katrina's golden hair and puts it to her that on the visit to Sanderfield's house in June, she was between maids – Bianca had left and Marie had not yet been employed. Katrina Samoushenka was, in fact, 'Nita' or 'Incognita' to give her a full name, and she had enjoyed several hours of pleasure in Arcady with her Greek god when he called at the house and the others were out. She does not deny his story. Then, he convinces Katrina to start a new life with Williamson. His quest for the Arcadian deer is at an end.
"The Erymanthian BoarErymanthian BoarIn Greek mythology, the Erymanthian Boar is remembered in connection with The Twelve Labours, in which Heracles, the enemy of Hera, visited in turn "all the other sites of the Goddess throughout the world, to conquer every conceivable 'monster' of nature and rededicate the primordial world to its...
"
Poirot is still in Switzerland after solving the third labour of Hercules. Sightseeing, he takes a funicularFunicular
A funicular, also known as an inclined plane or cliff railway, is a cable railway in which a cable attached to a pair of tram-like vehicles on rails moves them up and down a steep slope; the ascending and descending vehicles counterbalance each other.-Operation:The basic principle of funicular...
to the mountain-top hotel of Rochers Neiges. On the way up, his ticket is checked by a conductor who also passes him a hurriedly scribbled note that is apparently from Lementeuil, the Swiss Commissaire of Police. It tells Poirot that he has been recognised because of his moustaches and asks for his help. Marrascaud, a Parisian gangster, has fled from his homeland after the killing of Salley, a bookmaker
Bookmaker
A bookmaker, or bookie, is an organization or a person that takes bets on sporting and other events at agreed upon odds.- Range of events :...
, and is believed from information received to be having a rendezvous with members of his gang at Rochers Neiges. Poirot considers the note; Marrascaud has been the prime suspect in many killings but this is the first time that his guilt in a crime is beyond doubt. Although he is annoyed that his holiday is being delayed, the phrase used by Lementeuil to describe Marrascaud – "a wild boar" – catches his interest. He sees in this the fourth of his self-imposed labours.
Poirot observes his fellow passengers in the funicular. There is a friendly American tourist called Mr Schwartz, a beautiful but melancholy woman, a distinguished-looking man reading a book in German and three criminal types playing cards. Arriving at the hotel, they find it somewhat in chaos as it is only just opening at the start of the season. To Poirot, the hotel manager seems in too much of a nervous panic; the only efficient person is Gustave, the waiter. Talking to the manager and then to Schwartz again, Poirot learns that the beautiful woman is a Madame Grandier, who comes each year on the anniversary of her husband's death in the area, and that the distinguished-looking man is Dr Lutz, a Jewish refugee from the Nazis
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. Poirot introduces himself to Schwartz as Monsieur Poirier, a silk merchant from Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
.
The next morning, when delivering coffee to his room, Gustave tells Poirot that in fact he is M. Drouet, a police inspector. They are now cut off in the hotel as the funicular has been damaged during the night, probably by sabotage. Poirot and Drouet discuss who Marrascaud could be amongst the hotel guests and the staff, which also includes Jacques, husband of the cook. Poirot is most interested as to why a rendezvous has been arranged in such an isolated place.
Poirot speaks with Jacques and his wife and discovers that before 'Gustave,' there was another waiter called Robert who was dismissed for incompetence and who no one seems to have witnessed leaving the hotel. That night, the three card-playing men attack Poirot in his room, but he is saved by the pistol-carrying Schwartz. The three men are locked up and Schwartz tells Poirot that the men have already 'carved up' Gustave's face. Schwartz and Poirot find Dr. Lutz attending the injured detective, who is not danger of his life, and then follow a bloody trail down the carpets of the hotel to an unused wing where they find a dead body with a note pinned to it which reads "Marrascaud will kill no more, nor will he rob his friends." Poirot uses a heliograph
Heliograph
A heliograph is a wireless solar telegraph that signals by flashes of sunlight reflected by a mirror. The flashes are produced by momentarily pivoting the mirror, or by interrupting the beam with a shutter...
to signal down the mountain for help and three days later, Lementeuil and some officers arrive after climbing up to the hotel. Then Poirot announces that Gustave is not Drouet but Marrascaud. It was "Robert" who was Inspector Drouet; Marrascaud killed him and took his place. We learn that during his first night in the hotel, Poirot did not drink his coffee, as he suspected it was drugged, and actually witnessed 'Gustave' entering his room, rifling his pockets, and finding the note from Lementeuil. The three card players were members of Marrascaud's gang but never attacked their leader; the carve-up of Marrascaud's face was carried out by Dr. Lutz, who is not a psychiatrist as he pretended but a plastic surgeon
Plastic surgery
Plastic surgery is a medical specialty concerned with the correction or restoration of form and function. Though cosmetic or aesthetic surgery is the best-known kind of plastic surgery, most plastic surgery is not cosmetic: plastic surgery includes many types of reconstructive surgery, hand...
. This is the real reason the rendezvous took place in such an isolated spot.
"The Augean Stables"
Poirot is asked to help the Prime MinisterPrime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
, Edward Ferrier, whose predecessor in the role was his father-in-law John Hammett, now Lord Cornworthy. He was held up as an exemplary role model
Role model
The term role model generally means any "person who serves as an example, whose behaviour is emulated by others".The term first appeared in Robert K. Merton's socialization research of medical students...
as to what an honest and honourable politician should be. However beneath the surface he was involved in chicanery, dishonest share-dealing and misusing party funds. These revelations have come as a shock to his son-in-law who forced Hammett to resign on the grounds on ill-health and then took up the post himself. The revelations are about to be revealed to the public by a scandal sheet of a newspaper called The X-Ray News when Ferrier is attempting to clean up public life. Poirot is uninterested until the Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
, Sir George Conway, uses the phrase "The Augean Stables" at which point he agrees to assist. Poirot visits Percy Perry, the seedy editor of The X-Ray News who he has heard has previously accepted sums of money for not printing stories, in other words, blackmail
Blackmail
In common usage, blackmail is a crime involving threats to reveal substantially true or false information about a person to the public, a family member, or associates unless a demand is met. It may be defined as coercion involving threats of physical harm, threat of criminal prosecution, or threats...
. On this occasion, Perry refuses to accept money and says he will publish.
Soon afterwards, along with the stories about Hammett, another series of news reports start to appear in the press which hint at various sex scandals regarding Ferrier's wife, Dagmar. They paint a picture of her as wanton and cavorting at clubs with a South American gigolo. These stories appear in The X-Ray News which is sued for libel by Mrs Ferrier. The prosecution provides their first witness – the Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Northumbria – who swears that Mrs Ferrier was at his palace recovering on doctor's orders on the dates mentioned by the newspaper. The second witness is a lady called Thelma Anderson who states that she was approached by a man who said he worked for The X-Ray News and employed her to impersonate Mrs Ferrier. She was then photographed in various compromising situations. Mrs Ferrier wins her libel case easily and in doing so also makes the public assume that the rumours about Hammett were also fabricated. Poirot reveals to an astonished Ferrier that the idea to use Thelma Anderson was his and that Dagmar was in on the plan. The idea came from Dumas
Alexandre Dumas, père
Alexandre Dumas, , born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie was a French writer, best known for his historical novels of high adventure which have made him one of the most widely read French authors in the world...
's book "The Queen's Necklace," but the real inspiration was "The Augean Stables" when Hercules uses a force of nature – in his case a river – to clean the stables out. Poirot used sex as the force of nature, first blackening Mrs Ferrier's name and then clearing her in a public fashion, resulting in a wave of sympathy which also reflected well on her father and destroyed The X-Ray News and their influence.
"The Stymphalean Birds"
Harold Waring, an under-secretary of stateParliamentary Under-Secretary of State
A Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State is the lowest of three tiers of government minister in the government of the United Kingdom, junior to both a Minister of State and a Secretary of State....
at the age of only thirty, is enjoying a holiday in the country of Herzoslovakia at a hotel by the side of Lake Stempka. The only other English people there are an elderly woman, Mrs Rice, and her married daughter, Mrs Elsie Clayton. Two other women cause Harold a moment of disquiet. He first sees them as they come up a path from the lake to the hotel. They are dressed in black-flapping cloaks, have hooked noses and bring to Harold's mind an image of evil birds of prey. Chatting to Mrs Rice, Harold finds out that her daughter is not widowed, as he supposed, but is in an abusive marriage. Her husband, Philip, drinks, is insanely jealous and has a vicious temper. Her daughter's character is slowly being destroyed by this relationship. Mrs Rice has also found out from the hotel concierge that the two evil looking women are Polish
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
sisters.
One morning, Harold finds Elsie sat on a log in the woods, crying about the state of her life. He comforts her and, as he escorts her back to the hotel, they come across one of the Polish women. He wonders how much she saw...
That evening, Elsie bursts into Harold's room. Her husband has arrived at the hotel unexpectedly and is in a terrible rage. At that moment, Philip Clayton runs in. He is carrying a spanner and screams at Elsie, accusing her of having an affair just as one of the Polish women had told him. He chases Elsie out of Harold's room and back to her own. Harold runs after him and is in time to see Elsie throw a paperweight
Paperweight collecting
Fine glass paperweights, are widely produced, collected and appreciated as works of art, and are often exhibited in museums as examples of fine glass art.They are made entirely of glass by sole artisans, or factories, usually in limited editions...
at her husband in self-defence. He falls to the ground and Elsie begs Harold to leave them before he gets himself into trouble. Half an hour later, Mrs Rice joins Harold and tells him that Philip is dead, killed by the blow.
Harold is aghast, worried if the foreign police will believe the story both he and Elsie have to tell and that their 'relationship' is innocent. The evidence points to manslaughter
Manslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
at best and murder at worst. Mrs Rice suddenly has an idea and wonders if the hotel management and foreign police are open to bribery
Bribery
Bribery, a form of corruption, is an act implying money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or...
. Harold agrees to give it a try and wires for money but aside from that, and unable to speak the local language, leaves Mrs Rice to carry out the negotiations. All seems to go well and the next day Harold sees Mrs Rice speaking with a police officer and she tells him that the death has been declared as being from natural causes and that they are all in the clear. That is until the two Polish women approach Mrs Rice and speak to her. She translates for Harold and tells him that they know what really happened (their room being next to Elsie's) and that they are blackmailing the English people. In a fever of concern, Harold is walking by the lake when he encounters Poirot. Desperate, he confesses to the strange little man what has happened. Poirot sees an immediate link between the two Polish women and the Stymphalean Birds. Poirot promises to help and the next day he tells Harold that he has been successful and that his blackmailers have been dealt with. He found out by telegram that they were wanted by the police and that they have been arrested. Harold is relieved but suddenly spots the two Polish women and wonders what is going on. Poirot tells him that they are of good family and that the true blackmailers were Mrs Rice and her daughter. 'Philip Clayton' has never existed and the man Harold saw 'killed' was Mrs Rice in disguise. No foreign police are open to bribery in the way that Harold was told. He provided all the money and was innocent of what Mrs Rice 'negotiated' as he didn't speak the language. Harold resolves to learn every European language from now onwards.
"The Cretan BullCretan BullIn Greek mythology, the Cretan Bull was either the bull that carried away Europa or the bull Pasiphaë fell in love with, giving birth to the Minotaur.- Origin :...
"
Poirot is asked for assistance by a young lady, Diana Maberly. She was engaged to marry Hugh Chandler for over a year but he has broken it off as he thinks he is going mad. There is a history of insanity in the family, with his grandfather and a great aunt being afflicted, and his father, Admiral Chandler, has insisted that his son leave the navy before his condition gets worse but the reason was hidden under the pretext of having to manage the family country estate – a reason no one believed, including Colonel Frobisher, a great family friend and Hugh's godfather. At Poirot's prompting, Diana admits that there have been some unusual occurrences on nearby farms with the throats of sheep cut and the like but insists it has nothing to do with the situation. The Admiral refuses to let a doctor see his son.Poirot travels with Diana to the family seat of Lyde Manor where he meets the people involved. Hugh strikes Poirot as a fine young bull of a man. He learns further details of the history of insanity in the family from Colonel Frobisher, including Hugh's grandfather being so bad that he had to be committed to an asylum. Poirot also hears that Hugh's mother died when he was ten years old in a boating accident when she was out with the Admiral and that she was previously engaged to Frobisher before he went off to India with the British Army but when he came home he found that she had married Admiral Chandler, however this incident did nothing to lessen the ties of friendship between the two men. Poirot forces Frobisher to tell him more details of the incident with the sheep and finds out that on the night concerned, the Admiral found his son in bed with blood on his clothes and blood in the washbasin but Hugh remembered nothing of what he had done. Poirot also questions the Admiral who has aged immensely since these incidents started and who feels that breaking the engagement is best for everyone and that there will be no more Chandlers at Lyde Manor after he and his son have died.
In questioning Hugh, Poirot hears of his dreams which always seem to include elements of hydrophobia
Rabies
Rabies is a viral disease that causes acute encephalitis in warm-blooded animals. It is zoonotic , most commonly by a bite from an infected animal. For a human, rabies is almost invariably fatal if post-exposure prophylaxis is not administered prior to the onset of severe symptoms...
. He also suffers from hallucinations and has one while speaking to Poirot of seeing a skeletal figure in the garden. Poirot however is convinced that Hugh is sane and begins his investigations, asking Diana to arrange for him to spend the night in the manor. He searches Hugh's room and also makes a trip to a local chemist, supposedly to pick up a toothbrush...
That night, Hugh somehow manages to get out of his locked room and is found outside Diana's room, a bloodied knife in his hands from having killed a cat. Hugh recovers consciousness and tells the others he intends to go out shooting rabbits. It is clear that his real intention is to commit suicide in the woods with a shotgun and therefore save himself and the others further pain. Poirot stops him and tells them all that Hugh is being set up to carry out the very act of suicide. He is being poisoned with Datura
Datura
Datura is a genus of nine species of vespertine flowering plants belonging to the family Solanaceae. Its precise and natural distribution is uncertain, owing to its extensive cultivation and naturalization throughout the temperate and tropical regions of the globe...
. The alkaloid
Alkaloid
Alkaloids are a group of naturally occurring chemical compounds that contain mostly basic nitrogen atoms. This group also includes some related compounds with neutral and even weakly acidic properties. Also some synthetic compounds of similar structure are attributed to alkaloids...
produces hallucinations and causes great thirst. It is being given to Hugh as part of his shaving cream and thereby continually entering his system with each day's application. Poirot took a sample to the chemist for testing. As to who is responsible…Poirot reveals that Admiral Chandler has inherited the insanity of his family but that Hugh is not his son. Hugh is the natural son of Colonel Frobisher who had an affair with his mother before he went to India. The Admiral recognised the resemblance in his son to his friend and learned the truth from his wife before he murdered her in the boating "accident". He further blocked Hugh from seeing a doctor who would have confirmed his sanity.
Hearing this explanation from Poirot of the facts of the case, the Admiral, who is now described in the narrative as "the last of the Chandlers", briefly speaks a pro forma
Pro forma
The term pro forma is a term applied to practices or documents that are done as a pure formality, perfunctory, or seek to satisfy the minimum requirements or to conform to a convention or doctrine...
denial. He takes the shotgun and repeats his son's excuse that he is going outside rabbit shooting. He is last seen entering the woods with the gun, and a shot is fired.
"The Horses of Diomedes"
One night, Poirot is telephoned for help by a young medical acquaintance, Doctor Michael Stoddart. Going to the mewsMews
Mews is a primarily British term formerly describing a row of stables, usually with carriage houses below and living quarters above, built around a paved yard or court, or along a street, behind large city houses, such as those of London, during the 17th and 18th centuries. The word may also...
address given to him, Poirot finds Stoddart in one of the flats where a party had been taking place before the medical man got there. The flat is owned by a lady called Patience Grace and the party involved the use of cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
. Mrs. Grace had an argument with her boyfriend, Anthony Hawker, and she attempted to shoot him as he left the flat. She ended up inflicting a flesh wound on a tramp that was passing by and who has now been happily paid off.
Michael's concern is for a beautiful young girl called Sheila Grant who he met at a hunt ball in the country. She is one of four daughters of a retired army general and there is every sign that Sheila and her three sisters are starting to go wild, getting into a bad set where the cocaine flows freely. Sheila was at the party, is still at the flat having just woken up and is feeling terrible after the high of the drugs. Michael lectures her about the cocaine and Poirot introduces himself. It is obvious that Shelia has heard of him and is nervous of him.
Poirot visits the county of Mertonshire where an old friend, Lady Carmichael, gives him details of the Grant family. All the girls are going to the bad as their father cannot control them. Anthony Hawker has an unpleasant reputation as does another of his 'lady friends', Mrs. Larkin. Lady Carmichael is thrilled to think that Poirot has visited to investigate some special crime but the detective tells her he is simply there to tame four wild horses...
He visits General Grant whose house is filled with artifacts of India. The General himself completes the clichéd picture, sitting in an armchair with his foot bandaged up from gout
Gout
Gout is a medical condition usually characterized by recurrent attacks of acute inflammatory arthritis—a red, tender, hot, swollen joint. The metatarsal-phalangeal joint at the base of the big toe is the most commonly affected . However, it may also present as tophi, kidney stones, or urate...
, drinking port
Port wine
Port wine is a Portuguese fortified wine produced exclusively in the Douro Valley in the northern provinces of Portugal. It is typically a sweet, red wine, often served as a dessert wine, and comes in dry, semi-dry, and white varieties...
and railing against the world. Poirot breaks the news of the drugs and listens to the cries of anger and sworn threats of the old man against whoever is getting his girls into trouble. Leaving the room, Poirot clumsily trips against his host.
Poirot manages to get himself invited to a party at Mrs. Larkin's where he meets Pamela Grant, Sheila's sister. Hawker arrives with Sheila in tow, having just come from a hunt, wanting to fill up Hawker's drinks flask. Sheila has heard from one of the house servants that Poirot visited her father the day before. He tells her of the threat she is under from her drug taking and turns to leave, as he goes hearing Pam whispering to Sheila about the flask. In the hall of Mrs. Larkin's house Poirot sees the abandoned drinks flask and finds it full of white powder.
Some time later, back at Lady Carmichael's, Poirot tells Sheila that her photograph has been recognised. She is Sheila Kelly and she and the other three women under General Grant's roof are not sisters. Nor is Grant an army general. He is the head of the drugs ring and the four young women push the drugs for him. He persuades her to give evidence against the man and thereby smash the ring. He tells an astonished Michael that the 'General's' act overdid the cliché as gout is usually suffered by old men, not middle-aged fathers of teenage girls. His trip was a test which Grant failed as he didn't react with pain when Poirot stumbled into him. Hawker was not a pusher of drugs but a receiver and Pam and Sheila were trying to set him up when they put the flask of cocaine in the hall of Mrs. Larkin's house. Poirot tells an embarrassed Michael that Sheila is certain to lose her criminal tendencies with him to look after her…
"The Girdle of Hyppolita"
Alexander Simpson asks Poirot to help in the investigation of a painting by Rubens which was stolen from the gallery that he owns. A group of unemployed men were paid to carry out a demonstration in the gallery which, once it was cleared by the police, was found to have been a diversion to enable the picture to be cut out of its frame. Simpson knows the picture is being transported to France where it will be bought by a millionaire collector and he wants Poirot to assist as he thinks he will be better at dealing with an unscrupulous rich man than the police will be. Poirot reluctantly agrees to help.He is far more interested in a case that Japp has about Winnie King, a fifteen-year old English girl who was being escorted to Paris as one of a party of such girls for the new term at Miss Pope's exclusive school there. On the way back from the dining car of the train, just after it left Amiens
Amiens
Amiens is a city and commune in northern France, north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in Picardy...
(the last stop before Paris), Winnie King went into the toilet and seemingly vanished. No body has been found by the side of the tracks and the train made no other stops, only slowing down for a signal; however, Winnie's hat was later recovered near the tracks. Poirot asks if her shoes have been found...
Some time later, Japp phones Poirot and tells him Winnie has been found about fifteen miles from Amiens. She is in a daze, has been doped according to the doctor who examined her, and is unable to remember much after setting off from her home town of Cranchester. She remembers nothing of meeting one of Miss Pope's staff, Miss Burshaw, in London over the trip over the channel. Despite the girl being found, Poirot speaks with Detective Inspector Hearn, who has been dealing with the case and is no nearer to solving the mystery of how the girl disappeared. The only other people in the carriage seemed clear of suspicion – two middle-aged spinsters, two French commercial travellers from Lyon, a young man called James Elliot and his flashy wife, and an American lady about whom very little is known. He is able to confirm that Winnie's shoes were found by the rail line which confirms Poirot's theory...
Poirot goes to France and visits Miss Pope's establishment at Neuilly
Neuilly-Plaisance
Neuilly-Plaisance is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-History:*The commune of Neuilly-Plaisance was created on 13 April 1892 by detaching its territory from the commune of Neuilly-sur-Marne....
. The formidable headmistress tells Poirot of the advantages of her school being close to the music and culture of Paris. He hears how two sets of Parisian police asked to search through Winnie's trunk, neither seemingly having spoken to the other, and sees a badly painted picture in oils depicting the bridge at Cranchester, executed by Winnie as a present for Miss Pope. In front of the startled woman, Poirot begins to scrub the picture with turpentine
Turpentine
Turpentine is a fluid obtained by the distillation of resin obtained from trees, mainly pine trees. It is composed of terpenes, mainly the monoterpenes alpha-pinene and beta-pinene...
whilst telling her that Winnie never made the trip across to France. Miss Burshaw met a girl in London whom she had never seen before and who then totally changed her appearance in the toilet on the train, discarding the schoolgirl hat and shoes through the window and transforming herself into the flashy wife of James Elliot. At the same time, Poirot has stripped away "Winnie's" dreadful painting to expose a second one beneath it: the Girdle of Hyppolita, the missing Rubens masterpiece. The thieves used the trick of smuggling the painting in an escorted schoolgirl's trunk, knowing such a thing would never be searched by customs, and one of the gang then threw off her disguise of a plain schoolgirl. Other members of the gang, disguised as policemen, could then search the trunk later and retrieve the painting. They did not know that Miss Pope, who insisted on trunks being unpacked upon arrival, would find the "present" and take possession of it immediately.
When Poirot leaves, the girls swarm around him asking for his autograph which Poirot refers to as the attack by the Amazons
Amazons
The Amazons are a nation of all-female warriors in Greek mythology and Classical antiquity. Herodotus placed them in a region bordering Scythia in Sarmatia...
.
"The Flock of GeryonGeryonIn Greek mythology, Geryon , son of Chrysaor and Callirrhoe and grandson of Medusa, was a fearsome giant who dwelt on the island Erytheia of the mythic Hesperides in the far west of the Mediterranean. A more literal-minded later generation of Greeks associated the region with Tartessos in southern...
"
Poirot is reacquainted with Miss Carnaby, the companion from the episode of the Nemean Lion, who Poirot praises as one of the most successful criminals he ever met. She is worried as she constantly thinks of illegal schemes which she is sure would work and she fears she is turning into a hardened criminal. She wants to put her talents to good use and assist Poirot in fighting crime in any way she can. She also has brought to him a possible case in which she can prove herself. She has a friend, Mrs. Emmeline Clegg, who is a widow who is comfortably off and who in her loneliness has found comfort in a religious sectSect
A sect is a group with distinctive religious, political or philosophical beliefs. Although in past it was mostly used to refer to religious groups, it has since expanded and in modern culture can refer to any organization that breaks away from a larger one to follow a different set of rules and...
called "The Flock of the Shepherd" who are based in a retreat in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
. Their leader is a handsome charismatic man called Dr. Andersen and Mrs. Clegg has found herself so caught up in the sect that she has left them all of her property in a will. Miss Carnaby is especially concerned as she knows of three women in a similar situation who have all died within the past year. She has investigated and found nothing unusual in the deaths, all of which were due to natural causes and none of them happened within the sanctuary but at the deceased's homes. Poirot asks Miss Carnaby to infiltrate the sect. She is to pretend to be dismissive of them and then, once within the sanctuary, be persuaded to be a convert.
Poirot consults Japp about the investigation. The Scotland Yard detective finds out that Andersen is a German chemist, expelled from a university there by the Nazis
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
because he had a Jewish mother and that there is nothing suspicious about the deaths of the women whose names have been supplied by Miss Carnaby. Nevertheless Poirot views Andersen as the monster Geryon
Geryon
In Greek mythology, Geryon , son of Chrysaor and Callirrhoe and grandson of Medusa, was a fearsome giant who dwelt on the island Erytheia of the mythic Hesperides in the far west of the Mediterranean. A more literal-minded later generation of Greeks associated the region with Tartessos in southern...
who he is determined to destroy.
Miss Carnaby settles down at the sanctuary with Mrs Clegg and joins in a festival held at night – "The Full Growth of the Pasture". At the service, she is dismissive of the liturgy
Liturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
but suddenly feels a needle-prick in her arm. Almost instantly she starts to experience a feeling of well-being and euphoria
Euphoria
Euphoria is an emotional and mental state defined as a sense of great elation and well being.Euphoria may also refer to:* Euphoria , a genus of scarab beetles* Euphoria, a genus name previously used for the longan and other trees...
which makes her sleep for a short while.
Soon afterwards she and Poirot consult and he checks that she has followed the remainder of her instructions: they are to tell Andersen that she is going to come into a large sum of money that she will leave to the sect, that she has problems with her lungs and that Mrs. Clegg will soon inherit an even larger sum of money from an aunt than that which her late husband left her. Poirot also asks if she has met a Mr Cole at the sanctuary. Miss Carnaby has and to her he is a very strange man. As if to prove her assertion correct, soon afterwards Mr Cole accosts Miss Carnaby with tales of his strange visions which involve sacrifices, Jehovah
Jehovah
Jehovah is an anglicized representation of Hebrew , a vocalization of the Tetragrammaton , the proper name of the God of Israel in the Hebrew Bible....
and even Odin
Odin
Odin is a major god in Norse mythology and the ruler of Asgard. Homologous with the Anglo-Saxon "Wōden" and the Old High German "Wotan", the name is descended from Proto-Germanic "*Wodanaz" or "*Wōđanaz"....
. She is saved from further strange tales by the arrival of Mr Lipscombe, the lodge keeper of the Devonshire estate.
The day before the next divine service, Miss Carnaby meets Poirot in a local teashop. She seems to have had an about-face and tells Poirot that Andersen is a great man and that cannot betray him. She rushes out of the shop and Poirot sees that a surly-looking man has been listening into their conversation...
The next service is proceeding and Miss Carnaby is about to be injected again when Mr Cole steps in. There is a fight and the police pour into the room. Mr Cole is in fact Detective Inspector Cole and he arrests Andersen.
Later all the parties concerned confer. The man in the teashop was Mr Lipscombe and when Miss Carnaby recognised him, she put on an act of allegiance to Andersen. Poirot realised this when he had the man followed back to the lodge. Andersen's chemistry background (although he was probably not a Jewish refugee) came in useful for preparing a hashish
Hashish
Hashish is a cannabis preparation composed of compressed stalked resin glands, called trichomes, collected from the unfertilized buds of the cannabis plant. It contains the same active ingredients but in higher concentrations than unsifted buds or leaves...
injection for his adherents and also for injecting them with relevant bacteria when he wanted to kill them in order to inherit the contents of their wills from them. The syringe that Andersen was about to inject Miss Carnaby with contained tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
bacteria to tie in with the fictional ailment she told him about. The proof has been obtained in the laboratory in the sanctuary that the police have raided.
"The Apples of HesperidesHesperidesIn Greek mythology, the Hesperides are nymphs who tend a blissful garden in a far western corner of the world, located near the Atlas mountains in North Africa at the edge of the encircling Oceanus, the world-ocean....
"
Poirot receives a visit from Emery Power, a rich art collector. Ten years ago he purchased at auction a gold goblet which was supposedly made for Alexander VIPope Alexander VI
Pope Alexander VI , born Roderic Llançol i Borja was Pope from 1492 until his death on 18 August 1503. He is one of the most controversial of the Renaissance popes, and his Italianized surname—Borgia—became a byword for the debased standards of the Papacy of that era, most notoriously the Banquet...
by Benvenuto Cellini
Benvenuto Cellini
Benvenuto Cellini was an Italian goldsmith, sculptor, painter, soldier and musician, who also wrote a famous autobiography. He was one of the most important artists of Mannerism.-Youth:...
which the Borgia Pope used to poison his victims. The design of the goblet is a tree with a coiled serpent and the apples on the tree are represented by emeralds. Poirot is immediately interested at the mention of apples. Power paid a sum equal to thirty thousand pounds at the auction in 1929 but on the night of the sale the goblet and other items were stolen from the home of the seller, the Marchese di San Veratrino. The police at the time were certain that a gang of three international thieves were responsible. Two of the men were captured and some of the stolen items recovered but the goblet was not among them. A third man, an Irish cat burglar called Patrick Casey died soon afterwards when he fell from a building while committing his latest crime. Power has spent ten years and a lot of money trying to locate the goblet but without success. The Marchese has offered to refund his money but Power does not want to take advantage of this offer as he would no longer be the legal owner of the goblet should it be found. He had suspected that the real criminal was Sir Reuben Rosenthal, who was his rival bidder at the auction in 1929, but they recently become business allies and Power is now convinced Rosenthal is innocent.
Poirot takes up the commission and interviews the detective on the case – Inspector Wagstaffe - about the suspects. Patrick Casey's wife, a strict Catholic, is dead. His daughter is a nun in a convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
and his son, who took after his father, is in jail in America. There are many leads connected with the gang which stretch all over the world and Poirot sets his inquiries in motion.
Three months later he finds himself in a remote part of the western coast of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. He visits the convent where Casey's daughter became a nun but discovers that she had died two months earlier. Poirot makes the acquaintance of one of the locals who helps him break into the convent – where he recovers the goblet. He returns it to Power and tells him that the nuns were using it as a chalice
Chalice (cup)
A chalice is a goblet or footed cup intended to hold a drink. In general religious terms, it is intended for drinking during a ceremony.-Christian:...
. Casey's daughter probably took it there to atone for her father's sins and the nuns were ignorant of its ownership and ancient history. Poirot deduced it would be at the convent as there had been no trace of anyone having the goblet after it was stolen therefore it was somewhere where "ordinary material values did not apply". The mention of Casey's daughter being a nun supplied the obvious place. Poirot shows Power how during the Renaissance, the Pope used a hidden mechanism in the goblet to put the poison in the victim's drink. Poirot suggests that no good will come out of owning an object with such an evil history. If it was given back to the convent, the nuns will say masses for Power's soul. The art collector realises that his rapaciousness has made him unhappy and agrees to the suggestion.
"The Capture of CerberusCerberusCerberus , or Kerberos, in Greek and Roman mythology, is a multi-headed hound which guards the gates of the Underworld, to prevent those who have crossed the river Styx from ever escaping...
"
Poirot is leaving the London UndergroundLondon Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
at Piccadilly Circus
Piccadilly Circus tube station
Piccadilly Circus tube station is the London Underground station located directly beneath Piccadilly Circus itself, with entrances at every corner...
when he passes an old acquaintance, the Countess Vera Rossakoff, on the escalators, going in the opposite direction. She insists that they meet and when asked to suggest a place, responds "In Hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
…"! Poirot is puzzled but it is the unflappable Miss Lemon who coolly informs him it is the name of a new London nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
and books him a table for that night. The club is in a basement and is decorated in styles of hell as represented by different cultures. It even has a large black, vicious-looking hound at the entrance called Cerberus
Cerberus
Cerberus , or Kerberos, in Greek and Roman mythology, is a multi-headed hound which guards the gates of the Underworld, to prevent those who have crossed the river Styx from ever escaping...
. Rossakoff introduces him to Professor Liskeard who advised her on the decorations (although he is ashamed of the gaudy results), and to Dr Alice Cunningham, a practitioner of psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
who is engaged to Rossakoff's son, currently working in America. Alice and Poirot do not get along. She is coldly interested in criminal tendencies and finds Rossakoff's kleptomania interesting, but to Poirot's chagrin, she does not seem at all interested in the legendary detective! His questioning of her manner of dress with her heavy coat and pocketed skirt instead of a more feminine style of clothing does not go down well. However, Alice does find an individual called Paul Varesco fascinating. He is a good-looking Lounge Lizard
Lounge Lizard
The term Lounge Lizard is usually used to refer to lounge musicians, most often in a negative sense . Since its first appearance as American slang in 1917, "lounge lizard" has surprisingly shown up in nearly every decade...
with a very dubious reputation and she spends time dancing with him, questioning him incessantly about incidents in his childhood which could have contributed to his personality. Poirot recognises a young Scotland Yard detective in the crowd in evening dress and feels that something is going on...
Seeing Japp the next day, Poirot's suspicions are confirmed. The club is being watched by the police as they have linked it to a dope ring. They cannot trace the person who put up the money to buy the club but they do know the dope is being paid for by jewellery. Rich ladies swap their stones for paste imitations and drugs, later denying they knew of the substitution when they contact the police and their insurance companies. Scotland Yard have traced the work done on the jewels to a company called Golconda, and from there to Paul Varesco. Under the guise of picking up a wanted murderer, the police raided the club but were unable to find any jewels or dope secreted in the club or on anyone there, particularly Varesco.
Poirot questions Rossakoff about the true owner of the club. She denies that anyone else is the owner, but she is horrified to be told of its dope connection. Japp tells Poirot of another plan to raid the club and Poirot makes his own arrangements. On the night of the raid, Poirot stations a small man called Higgs outside the club.
The morning after the raid, Japp phones Poirot to tell him they found jewels in the pocket of Professor Liskeard but he has been set up. However no dope was discovered so someone must have removed it from the club. Poirot tells the astonished Japp that he was responsible, and then puts the phone down.
Rossakoff arrives at Poirot's flat. She happily confesses to Poirot that she put the jewels in the professor's pocket as she had found them in her own bag when the raid started, and so she had to get rid of them as quickly as she could. It was Varesco who planted them on her and she admits that he is the true owner of the premises. Poirot takes her into the next room where Higgs and Cerberus are waiting. Higgs is able to handle any dog and took the otherwise fierce animal out during the raid. Poirot asks Rossakoff to order the obedient dog to drop what it is holding in its mouth and it does so. A small sealed packet of cocaine drops to the ground. A shocked Rossakoff loudly proclaims her innocence and Poirot says he believes her – the true criminal is Alice who is in league with Verasco. She carried the drugs in her large skirt pockets and dropped them into her clients' pockets on the dance floor. When the raid occurred and the lights went out temporarily, Poirot was waiting by Cerberus and heard her put the packet in the dog's mouth – and Poirot took the opportunity to cut off a sample of cloth from her sleeve as proof.
Literary significance and reception
No review of this book appeared in the Times Literary Supplement.Maurice Richardson, in the October 5, 1947 issue of The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
wrote briefly, "the Queen of Crime tries the difficult, unrewarding sprint form. The Labours of Hercules consists of twelve Poirot cases, neatly constructed but inevitably lacking the criss-cross of red-herring trails that make our arteries pulse over the full distance. But will Agatha Christie allow the little egg-headed egomaniac to carry out his frightful threat of retirement?"
An unnamed reviewer in the Toronto Daily Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
of December 6, 1947 said, "Hercule Poirot...here emulates his Olympian namesake, Hercules...As the old-timer tackled the 12 classical labors...so Mrs. Christie turns her dapper sleuth loose on 12 modern counterparts in the detection-mystery line. A tricky task, neatly done."
Robert Barnard
Robert Barnard
Robert Barnard is an English crime writer, critic and lecturer.- Life and work :Born in Essex, Barnard was educated at the Colchester Royal Grammar School and at Balliol College in Oxford....
: "Probably the best single short-story collection, because more varied in its problems and lighter in its touch than usual. Lots of tricks from her novels, and other people's used very skilfully. But the mention of the goblet made by Cellini for Alexander VI (before the age of three?) is a good example of Christie slapdash, almost amounting to philistinism or contempt for her audience."
Adaptation
The Labours of Hercules will be adapted into a TV film in 2012 with David SuchetDavid Suchet
David Suchet, CBE, is an English actor, known for his work on British television. He is recognised for his RTS- and BPG award-winning performance as Augustus Melmotte in the 2001 British TV mini-drama The Way We Live Now, alongside Matthew Macfadyen and Paloma Baeza, and a 1991 British Academy...
as Poirot, as part of the final series of Agatha Christie's Poirot
Agatha Christie's Poirot
Agatha Christie's Poirot is a British television drama that has aired on ITV since 1989. It stars David Suchet as Agatha Christie's fictional detective Hercule Poirot. It was originally made by LWT and is now made by ITV Studios...
. It has not yet been announced how the twelve short stories will be condensed into one film.
Publication history
- 1947, Dodd Mead and Company (New York), 1947, Hardback, 265 pp
- 1947, Collins Crime Club (London), September 1947, Hardback, 256 pp
- 1951, Dell Books, Paperback, 255 pp
- 1953, Penguin BooksPenguin BooksPenguin Books is a publisher founded in 1935 by Sir Allen Lane and V.K. Krishna Menon. Penguin revolutionised publishing in the 1930s through its high quality, inexpensive paperbacks, sold through Woolworths and other high street stores for sixpence. Penguin's success demonstrated that large...
, Paperback, (Penguin number 928), 254 pp - 1961, Fontana Books (Imprint of HarperCollinsHarperCollinsHarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
), Paperback, 256 pp - 1967, Greenway edition of collected works (William Collins), Hardcover, 319 pp
- 1967, Greenway edition of collected works (Dodd Mead), Hardcover, 319 pp
- 1978, Ulverscroft Large-print Edition, Hardcover, 467 pp ISBN 0-70-890119-0
First publication of stories
Strand Magazine
The Strand Magazine was a monthly magazine composed of fictional stories and factual articles founded by George Newnes. It was first published in the United Kingdom from January 1891 to March 1950 running to 711 issues, though the first issue was on sale well before Christmas 1890.Its immediate...
with illustrations by Ernest Ratcliff as follows:
- The Nemean Lion: November 1939 - Issue 587
- The Lernaean Hydra: December 1939 - Issue 588
- The Arcadian Deer: January 1940 - Issue 589
- The Erymanthian Boar: February 1940 - Issue 590
- The Augean Stables: March 1940 - Issue 591
- The Stymphalean Birds: April 1940 - Issue 592
- The Cretan Bull: May 1940 - Issue 593
- The Horses of Diomedes: June 1940 - Issue 594
- The Girdle of Hyppolita: July 1940 - Issue 595
- The Flock of Geryon: August 1940 - Issue 596
- The Apples of the Hesperides: September 1940 - 597
The Capture of Cerberus was rejected by Strand Magazine
Strand Magazine
The Strand Magazine was a monthly magazine composed of fictional stories and factual articles founded by George Newnes. It was first published in the United Kingdom from January 1891 to March 1950 running to 711 issues, though the first issue was on sale well before Christmas 1890.Its immediate...
and was not published as part of the series. A new story under the same title first appeared in the Collins first edition. The original story surfaced in 2009 in Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks by John Curran.
In the US nine of the stories were first published in the weekly newspaper supplement This Week magazine in two series of four stories each plus one later publication as follows:
- The Lernaean Hydra: September 3, 1939 under the title Invisible Enemy
- The Girdle of Hyppolita: September 10, 1939 under the title The Disappearance of Winnie King
- The Stymphalean Birds: September 17, 1939 under the title The Vulture Women with an illustration by C.C. Beall
- The Cretan Bull: September 24, 1939 under the title Midnight Madness
- The Erymanthian Boar: May 5, 1940 under the title Murder Mountain
- The Apples of the Hesperides: May 12, 1940 under the title The Poison Cup
- The Arcadian Deer: May 19, 1940 under the title Vanishing Lady with an illustration by C.C. Beall
- The Flock of Geryon: May 26, 1940 under the title Weird Monster
- The Capture of Cerberus: March 16, 1947 under the title Meet Me in Hell
In addition, two other stories were first published in the US unillustrated in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine as follows:
- The Nemean Lion: September 1944 (Volume 5, Number 18) under the title The Case of the Kidnapped Pekinese
- The Horses of Diomedes: January 1945 (Volume 6, Number 20) under the title The Case of the Drug Peddler
International Titles
- Dutch: De werken van Hercules (The Labours of Hercules)
- German: Die ersten Arbeiten des Herkules (The First Labours of Hercules) & Die letzten Arbeiten des Herkules (The Last Labours of Herkules)
- Russian: Подвиги Геракла (=Podvigi Gerakla, The Labours of Heracles)
Note: The German edition was divided into two volumes, hence the two titles
External links
- The Labours of Hercules at the official Agatha Christie website