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VIII. The Kidnapped Prime Minister
“That’soldhistory.”
“Asmycolleaguesays,”continuedLordEstair,“thataffairisoveranddonewith.Luckily,itfailed.IwishedIcouldsayasmuchforthesecondattempt.”
“Therehasbeenasecondattempt,then?”
“Yes,thoughnotofthesamenature.MonsieurPoirot,thePrimeMinisterhasdisappeared.”
“What?”
“Hehasbeenkidnapped!”
“Impossible!”Icried,stupefied.
Poirotthrewawitheringglanceatme,whichIknewenjoinedmetokeepmymouthshut.
“Unfortunately,impossibleasitseems,itisonlytootrue,”continuedhislordship.
PoirotlookedatMr.Dodge.“Yousaidjustnow,monsieur,thattimewaseverything.Whatdidyoumeanbythat?”
Thetwomenexchangedglances,andthenLordEstairsaid:
“Youhaveheard,MonsieurPoirot,oftheapproachingAlliedConference?”
Myfriendnodded.
“Forobviousreasons,nodetailshavebeengivenofwhenandwhereitistotakeplace.But,althoughithasbeenkeptoutofthenewspapers,thedateis,ofcourse,widelyknownindiplomaticcircles.TheConferenceistobeheldto-morrow—Thursday—eveningatVersailles.Nowyouperceivetheterriblegravityofthesituation.IwillnotconcealfromyouthatthePrimeMinister’spresenceattheConferenceisavitalnecessity.ThePacifistpropaganda,startedandmaintainedbytheGermanagentsinourmidst,hasbeenveryactive.ItistheuniversalopinionthattheturningpointoftheConferencewillbethestrongpersonalityofthePrimeMinister.Hisabsencemayhavethemostseriousresults—possiblyaprematureanddisastrouspeace.
