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VIII. The Kidnapped Prime Minister
Poirotshowednoneofhisusualloquacity,butsatstaringinfrontofhim,withanexpressiononhisfacethatremindedmeofapuzzledchild.ItalkedtoNorman,whomIfoundquiteanamusingfellow.OnarrivingatDoverPoirot’sbehaviourmovedmetointenseamusement.Thelittleman,ashewentonboardtheboat,clutcheddesperatelyatmyarm.Thewindwasblowinglustily.
“MonDieu!”hemurmured.“Thisisterrible!”
“Havecourage,Poirot,”Icried.“Youwillsucceed.Youwillfindhim.Iamsureofit.”
“Ah,monami,youmistakemyemotion.Itisthisvillainousseathattroublesme!Themaldemer—itishorriblesuffering!”
“Oh!”Isaid,rathertakenaback.
Thefirstthroboftheengineswasfelt,andPoirotgroanedandclosedhiseyes.
“MajorNormanhasamapofNorthernFranceifyouwouldliketostudyit?”
Poirotshookhisheadimpatiently.
“Butno,butno!Leaveme,myfriend.Seeyou,tothink,thestomachandthebrainmustbeinharmony.Laverguierhasamethodmostexcellentforavertingthemaldemer.Youbreathein—andout—slowly,so—turningtheheadfromlefttorightandcountingsixbetweeneachbreath.”
Ilefthimtohisgymnasticendeavours,andwentondeck.
AswecameslowlyintoBoulogneHarbourPoirotappeared,neatandsmiling,andannouncedtomeinawhisperthatLaverguier’ssystemhadsucceeded“toamarvel!”
Japp’sforefingerwasstilltracingimaginaryroutesonhismap.“Nonsense!ThecarstartedfromBoulogne—heretheybranchedoff.Now,myideaisthattheytransferredthePrimeMinistertoanothercar.
