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VII. Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan
Ishallfindit!ImpossibletodeceiveHerculePoirot!”
“You’llcomeacropperoneofthesedays,”Iobserved,ratherdisgustedbyhisvanity.
“Donotbeenraged,Ibegofyou,monami.Icountonyoutodomeaservice—ofyourfriendship.”
“Ofcourse,”Isaideagerly,ratherashamedofmymoroseness.“Whatisit?”
“ThesleeveofmycoatthatIhavetakenoff—willyoubrushit?Seeyou,alittlewhitepowderhasclungtoit.Youwithoutdoubtobservedmerunmyfingerroundthedrawerofthedressing-table?”
“No,Ididn’t.”
“Youshouldobservemyactions,myfriend.ThusIobtainedthepowderonmyfinger,and,beingalittleover-excited,Irubbeditonmysleeve;anactionwithoutmethodwhichIdeplore—falsetoallmyprinciples.”
“Butwhatwasthepowder?”Iasked,notparticularlyinterestedinPoirot’sprinciples.
“NotthepoisonoftheBorgias,”repliedPoirot,withatwinkle.“Iseeyourimaginationmounting.IshouldsayitwasFrenchchalk.”
“Frenchchalk?”
“Yes,cabinet-makersuseittomakedrawersrunsmoothly.”
Ilaughed.
“Youoldsinner!Ithoughtyouwereworkinguptosomethingexciting.”
“Aurevoir,myfriend.Isavemyself.Ifly!”
Thedoorshutbehindhim.Withasmile,halfofderision,halfofaffection,Ipickedupthecoat,andstretchedoutmyhandfortheclothes-brush.
•••••••
Thenextmorning,hearingnothingfromPoirot,Iwentoutforastroll,metsomeoldfriends,andlunchedwiththemattheirhotel.Intheafternoonwewentforaspin.
