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I. The Adventure of “The Western Star”
“Ah!Sacré!”criedPoirot.“IsitthatyouexpecthertopromenadeherselfinthestreetsofLondoninacowboyhat,orwithbarefeet,andabunchofcurls,asanIrishcolleen?Alwayswithyouitisthenon-essentials!Rememberthecaseofthedancer,ValerieSaintclair.”
Ishruggedmyshoulders,slightlyannoyed.
“Butconsoleyourself,monami,”saidPoirot,calmingdown.“AllcannotbeasHerculePoirot!Iknowitwell.”
“YoureallyhavethebestopinionofyourselfofanyoneIeverknew!”Icried,dividedbetweenamusementandannoyance.
“Whatwillyou?Whenoneisunique,oneknowsit!Andotherssharethatopinion—even,ifImistakenot,MissMaryMarvell.”
“What?”
“Withoutdoubt.Sheiscominghere.”
“Howdoyoumakethatout?”
“Verysimply.Thisstreet,itisnotaristocratic,monami!Initthereisnofashionabledoctor,nofashionabledentist—stilllessisthereafashionablemilliner!Butthereisafashionabledetective.Oui,myfriend,itistrue—Iambecomethemode,thederniercri!Onesaystoanother:‘Comment?Youhavelostyourgoldpencil-case?YoumustgotothelittleBelgian.Heistoomarvellous!Everyonegoes!Courez!’Andtheyarrive!Inflocks,monami!Withproblemsofthemostfoolish!”Abellrangbelow.“WhatdidItellyou?ThatisMissMarvell.”
Asusual,Poirotwasright.Afterashortinterval,theAmericanfilmstarwasusheredin,andwerosetoourfeet.
MaryMarvellwasundoubtedlyoneofthemostpopularactressesonthescreen.ShehadonlylatelyarrivedinEnglandincompanywithherhusband,GregoryB.
