post”
ashereplaself,
”noelodratient,itisabsurd”
iii
thelettercabytheeveningpostitypetenexceptforthesignature:dearpoirotitran:
ishouldbegreatlyobligedifyouesotitorroayhaveassionforyouisuggesttyhouseineysecretaryiapologizeforgivingyousuchshortnoticeyourssincerely,
alistairblunt
poirotsothedouttheletterandreaditasendtiatthatntthetelephonerangherculepoirotoccasionallyindulgedinthefancythathekneessagependingonthisoccasionhebeotoneofhisfriends
hegotupandtookdohereceiverhesaidinhispolite,foreignvoice:”hallo”
aniersonalvoicesaid:
”berareyou,please”
”thisisehall7272”
therehenavoicespoke
itansvoice”poirot”
”yes”
”herculepoirot”
”yes”
”poirot,youhaveeitheralreadyreceivedorlyreceivealetter””whoisspeaking”
”itisnotnecessarythatyoushouldknow”
”verye,eightlettersandthreebillsbytheeveningpost””thenyouknoeanyoussionyouhavebeenoffered””that,da,isatterishalldecideself”
thevoicesaidldly:
”iapoirotyourinterferenceoleratedkeepoutofthisbusiness””andifidonotkeepoutofit”
”thenakestepstoseethatyourinterferenceisnolongertobefeared””thatisathreat,da
”obesensibleitisforyourowngood”
”youareverygnanius”
”youcannotaltertheurseofeventsandhasbeenarrangedsokeepoutofdoesntnceyoudoyouunderstand””oh,yes,iunderstandbutinsiderthatrleysdeathisnce”theansvoicesaidsharply:
”rleysdeathheinterferedhourplans”
”heanbeing,da,andhediedbeforehisti”
”heportance”
poirotsvoicely:
”thereyouarewrong”
”itherefusedtobesensible”
”i,too,refusetobesensible”
”thenyouareafool”
theretheotherendasthereceivered
poirotsaid,”ah”thenputdoberheapublictelephoneboxewherebefore
heraerybaisssainsburyseale
ashereeredit,bellesainsburysealesvoiisssainsburysealeesheuldalterhervoibre,thevoiceeeredbutheeotherpersonthatthevoiitavoicehekneheillquitesurethathehadhearditonce,ifnotte,beforehesepeopleactuallybelievethatthreatsapparentlytheydidithologyiv
thereesensationalneoingpapers
theprinisterhadbeenshotatan,anindian,hadbeentakenintocustodyafterreadingthis,poirottookataxitostlandyardthelattergreetedhieartily”ah,sotheneentioned”
”no,”
”alistairblunt”
”really”
”and,”eantforbluntandnotforthepthatis,unlessthenorethunderingbadshotthanheisalready”””
”socrazyhindustudenthalfbaked,asusualbutheuptoititallhisownidea”jappadded:
”quiteasoundbitoftheresusuallyasllgroupofpeople,youknober10anlikegrieathandyelledtothepoliananallright””curiously
”youngfelloeofraikesatter”
poirotsaid:
”hoayingattheholbopalacehotel”
”thatsrightedfaliarhesthepatientoingself”hepausedhesaidslowly:
”ruohatoldbusinesskeepscroppingupyouvestillgotyourideasaboutit,haventyou,poirot”herculepoirotrepliedgravely:
”yesistillhaveideas”
v
atthegothianplishedsocialnner
helyapologetic
”iaosorry,poirotandsoisblunthehasbeencalledtodoreettheresultofthiserincidentlastnightirangyourflat,butunfortunatelyyouhadalreadyleft”theyoungnonrapidly:
”bluntssionedtoaskyouifitathishouseinkentexshayouknoorrowevening”poirothesitated
theyoungnsaidpersuasively:
”bluntisreallystanxioustoseeyou”
herculepoirotbowedhishead
hesaid:
”thankyouiaccept”
”oh,thatssplendidbluntoing,solivera”
janeoliverastherhadjustenteredsheartlydressed,idstofaverysoigneiffur
