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I. The Adventure of “The Western Star”
IheardPoirotmurmurbeneathhisbreath:“Ah,c’estcommeça!”Thenhesaidaloud,withhisusualuncannyluckinhittingthebull’s-eye(hedignifiesitbythenameofpsychology):“ThenyouarewithoutdoubtalreadyacquaintedwithLadyYardly,orperhapsyourhusbandis?”
“GregoryknewherwhenshewasoutWestthreeyearsago,”saidMissMarvell.Shehesitatedamoment,andthenaddedabruptly:“DoeitherofyoueverseeSocietyGossip?”
Webothpleadedguiltyrathershamefacedly.
“Iaskbecauseinthisweek’snumberthereisanarticleonfamousjewels,andit’sreallyverycurious——”Shebrokeoff.
Irose,wenttothetableattheothersideoftheroomandreturnedwiththepaperinquestioninmyhand.Shetookitfromme,foundthearticle,andbegantoreadaloud:
“...AmongstotherfamousstonesmaybeincludedtheStaroftheEast,adiamondinthepossessionoftheYardlyfamily.AnancestorofthepresentLordYardlybroughtitbackwithhimfromChina,andaromanticstoryissaidtoattachtoit.Accordingtothis,thestonewasoncetherighteyeofatemplegod.Anotherdiamond,exactlysimilarinformandsize,formedthelefteye,andthestorygoesthatthisjewel,too,wouldincourseoftimebestolen.‘OneeyeshallgoWest,theotherEast,tilltheyshallmeetoncemore.Then,intriumphshalltheyreturntothegod.’Itisacuriouscoincidencethatthereisatthepresenttimeastonecorrespondingcloselyindescriptionwiththisone,andknownas‘theStaroftheWest,’or‘theWesternStar.
