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M。 Carrege rubbed his nose。
〃If anything goes wrong；〃 he observed cautiously； 〃it will be most awkward。 M。 Kettering is of the aristocracy。 It will get into the newspapers。 If we have made a mistake …〃 He shrugged his shoulders forebodingly。
〃The jewels now；〃 said the missary； 〃what do you think he has done with them？〃
〃He took them for a plant； of course；〃 said M。 Carrege； 〃they must have been a great inconvenience to him and very awkward to dispose of。〃
Poirot smiled。
〃I have an idea of my own about the jewels。 Tell me； Messieurs； what do you know of a man called the Marquis？〃
The missary leant forward excitedly。
〃The Marquis；〃 he said； 〃the Marquis？ Do you think he is mixed up in this affair； M。 Poirot？〃
〃I ask you what you know of him。〃
The missary made an expressive grimace。
〃Not as much as we should like to；〃 he observed ruefully。 〃He works behind the scenes； you understand。 He has underlings who do his dirty work for him。 But he is someone high up。 That we are sure of。 He does not e from the criminal classes。〃
〃A Frenchman？〃
〃Yes。 At least we believe so。 But we are not sure。 He has worked in France； in England； in America。 There was a series of robberies in Switzerland last autumn which were laid at his door。 By all accounts he is a grand seigneur； speaking French and English with equal perfection and his origin is a mystery。〃
Poirot nodded and rose to take his departure。
〃Can you tell us nothing more； M。 Poirot？〃 urged the missary。
〃At present； no；〃 said Poirot； 〃but I may have news awaiting me at my hotel。〃
M。 Carrege looked unfortable。 〃If the Marquis is concerned in this …〃 he began； and then stopped。
〃It upsets our ideas；〃 plained M。 Caux。
〃It does not upset mine；〃 said Poirot。 〃On the contrary； I think it agrees with them very well。 Au revoir； Messieurs； if news of any importance es to me I will municate it to you immediately。〃
He walked back to his hotel with a grave face。 In his absence a telegram had e to him。 Taking a paper…cutter from his pocket； he slit it open。 It was a long telegram； and he read it over twice before slowly putting it in his pocket。 Upstairs； George was awaiting his master。
〃I am fatigued； Georges； much fatigued。 Will you order for me a small pot of chocolate？〃
The chocolate was duly ordered and brought； and George set it at the little table at his master's elbow。 As he was preparing to retire； Poirot spoke：
〃I believe； Georges； that you have a good knowledge of the English aristocracy？〃 murmured Poirot。
George smiled apologetically。
〃I think that I might say that I have； sir；〃 he replied。
〃I suppose that it is your opinion； Georges； that criminals are invariably drawn from the lower orders。〃
〃Not always； sir。 There was great trouble with one of the Duke of Devize's younger sons。 He left Eton under a cloud； and after that he caused great anxiety on several occasions。 The police would not accept the view that it was kleptomania。 A very clever young gentleman； sir； but vicious through and through； if you take my meaning。 His Grace shipped him to Australia； and I hear he was convicted out there under another name。 Very odd； sir； but there it is。 The young gentleman； I need hardly say； was not in want financially。〃
Poirot nodded his head slowly。
〃Love of excitement；〃 he murmured； 〃and a little kink in the brain somewhere。 I wonder now …〃
He drew out the telegram from his pocket and read it again。
〃Then there was Lady Mary Fox's daughter；〃 continued the valet in a mood of reminiscence。 〃Swindled trades…people something shocking； she did。 Very worrying to the best families； if I may say so； and there are many other queer cases I could mention。〃
〃You have a wide experience； Georges；〃 murmured Poirot。 〃I often wonder having lived so exclusively with titled families that you demean yourself by ing as a valet to me。 I put it down to love of excitement on your part。〃
〃Not exactly； sir；〃 said George。 〃I happened to see in Society Snippets that you had been received at Buckingham Palace。 That was just when I was looking for a new situation。 His Majesty； so it said； had been most gracious and friendly and thought very highly of your abilities。〃
〃Ah；〃 said Poirot； 〃one always likes to know the reason for things。〃
He remained in thought for a few moments and then said：
〃You rang up Mademoiselle Papopolous？〃
〃Yes； sir； she and her father will be pleased to dine with you tonight。〃
〃Ah；〃 said Poirot thoughtfully。 He drank off his chocolate； set the cup and saucer neatly in the middle of the tray； and spoke gently； more to himself than to the valet。
〃The squirrel； my good Georges； collects nuts。 He stores them up in the autumn so that they may be of advantage to him later。 To make a success of humanity； Georges； we must profit by the lessons of those below us in the animal kingdom。 I have always done so。 I have been the cat； watching at the mouse hole。 I have been the good dog following up the scent； and not taking my nose from the trail。 And also； my good Georges； I have been the squirrel。 I have stored away the little fact here； the little fact there。 I go now to my store and I take out one particular nut； a nut that I stored away … let me see； seventeen years ago。 You follow me； Georges？〃
〃I should hardly have thought； sir；〃 said George； 〃that nuts would have kept so long as that； though I know one can do wonders with preserving bottles。〃
Poirot looked at him and smiled。
Chapter 28
POIROT PLAYS THE SQUIRREL
Poirot started to keep his dinner appointment with a margin of three quarters of an hour to spare。 He had an object in this。 The car took him； not straight to Monte Carlo； but to Lady Tamplin's house at Cap Martin； where he asked for Miss Grey。 The ladies were dressing and Poirot was shown into a small salon to wait； and here； after a lapse of three or four minutes； Lenox Tamplin came to him。
〃Katherine is not quite ready yet；〃 she said。 〃Can I give her a message； or would you rather wait until she es down？〃
Poirot looked at her thoughtfully。 He was a minute or two in replying； as though something of great weight hung upon his decision。 Apparently the ansattered。
〃No；〃 he said at last； 〃no； I do not think it is necessary that I should wait to see Mademoiselle Katherine。 I think； perhaps； that it is better that I should not。 These things are sometimes difficult。〃
Lenox waited politely； her eyebrows slightly raised。
〃I have a piece of news；〃 continued Poirot。 〃You will； perhaps； tell your friend。 M。 Kettering was arrested tonight for the murder of his wife。〃
〃You want me to tell Katherine that？〃 asked Lenox。 She breathed rather hard； as though she had been running； her face； Poirot thought； looked white and strained … rather noticeably so。
〃If you please； Mademoiselle。〃
〃Why？〃 said Lenox。 〃Do you think Katherine will be upset？ Do you think she cares？〃
〃I don't know； Mademoiselle；〃 said Poirot。 〃See； I admit it frankly。 As a rule I know everything； but in this case； I … well； I do not。 You； perhaps； know better than I do。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Lenox； 〃I know … but I am not going to tell you all the same。〃
She paused for a minute or two； her dark brows drawn together in a frown。
〃You believe he did it？〃 she said abruptly。 Poirot shrugged his shoulders。
〃The police say so。〃
〃Ah；〃 said Lenox； 〃hedging； are you？ So there is something to hedge about。〃
Again she was silent； frowning。 Poirot said gently：
〃You have known Derek Kettering a long time； have you not？〃
〃Off and on ever since I was a kid；〃 said Lenox gruffly。
Poirot nodded his head several times without speaking。
ents Lenox drew forward a chair and sat down on it； her elbows on the table and her face supported by her hands。 Sitting thus； she looked directly across the table at Poirot。
〃What have they got to go on？〃 she demanded。 〃Motive； I suppose。 Probably came into money at her death。〃
〃He came into two million。〃
〃And if she had not died he would have been ruined？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃But there must have been more than that；〃 persisted Lenox。 〃He travelled by the same train； I know； but … that would not be enough to g