"On the contrary. The flaws in this equation stand out by themselves.
For instance, our _zong_ is implicated but must obviously be
supplemented in order to balance the _terz_ shading of the exploratory
equation."
"Are you kidding?" Donovan rasped.
"I'll forego technical terms and translate into realities you can
grasp. It amounts to this: The bartender poured the actual poison into
the glass, but all unknowing. However, as a dominant factor of the
equation he must be further developed along the lines of secondary
motivation. In other words, a completely unrelated motivation on his
part cleared the way for the crime."
Dalrymple's fingers were flying. More of the weird symbols were
appearing. "The motivation for the weight he bears in the case is made
up of two characteristics--habit and greed."
"And where does that get us?" I asked.
"It reveals the fact that the bartender poured the poison into the
bottle. But without knowledge that it was poison nor with malicious
intent."
"That's impossible!" I said.
"Not at all. The whole sequence becomes clear when we strive to
complete our equational balance in the first phase. The bartender
poured an unconsumed drink back into the bottle after whoever ordered
it walked out without drinking it."
Of course! The logic of it hit Donovan and me at the same moment.
Donovan said, "How in the hell did you ever think of that?"
He meant it as a compliment but Dalrymple did not take it as such. "I
didn't think of it, you fool. I worked it out. Haven't you understood
anything I've told you? It's all here in the progression of the
equation. Incidentally, that factor is the pivot of the whole sequence.
Your stupid logic should carry you on from there."
"Somebody was trying to poison somebody else!" Donovan said.
"There had to be two men," I added. "They came in and ordered drinks.
One poured poison in the other's drink. Then they left without--"