Chapter X. The Arrest

           Tomyextremeannoyance,Poirotwasnotin,andtheoldBelgianwhoansweredmyknockinformedmethathebelievedhehadgonetoLondon.

           Iwasdumbfounded.WhatonearthcouldPoirotbedoinginLondon!Wasitasuddendecisiononhispart,orhadhealreadymadeuphismindwhenhepartedfrommeafewhoursearlier?

           IretracedmystepstoStylesinsomeannoyance.WithPoirotaway,Iwasuncertainhowtoact.Hadheforeseenthisarrest?Hadhenot,inallprobability,beenthecauseofit?ThosequestionsIcouldnotresolve.ButinthemeantimewhatwasItodo?ShouldIannouncethearrestopenlyatStyles,ornot?ThoughIdidnotacknowledgeittomyself,thethoughtofMaryCavendishwasweighingonme.Woulditnotbeaterribleshocktoher?Forthemoment,Isetasideutterlyanysuspicionsofher.Shecouldnotbeimplicated—otherwiseIshouldhaveheardsomehintofit.

           Ofcourse,therewasnopossibilityofbeingablepermanentlytoconcealDr.Bauerstein’sarrestfromher.Itwouldbeannouncedineverynewspaperonthemorrow.Still,Ishrankfromblurtingitout.IfonlyPoirothadbeenaccessible,Icouldhaveaskedhisadvice.WhatpossessedhimtogopostingofftoLondoninthisunaccountableway?

           Inspiteofmyself,myopinionofhissagacitywasimmeasurablyheightened.Iwouldneverhavedreamtofsuspectingthedoctor,hadnotPoirotputitintomyhead.Yes,decidedly,thelittlemanwasclever.

           Aftersomereflecting,IdecidedtotakeJohnintomyconfidence,andleavehimtomakethematterpublicornot,ashethoughtfit.