Poirot smiled.

"I make a little table, so." He took a paper from his pocket. "My idea is this: A murder is an action performed to bring about a certain result."

"Say that again slowly."

"It is not difficult."

"Probably not, but you make it sound so."

"No, no. it is very simple. Say you want money; you get it when an aunt dies. Bien. You perform an action - this is to kill the aunt - and get the result - inherit the money."

"I wish I had some aunts like that," sighed Japp. "Go ahead. I see your idea. You mean there's got to be a motive."

"I prefer my own way of putting it. An action is performed - the action being murder. What now are the results of that action? By studying the different results, we should get the answer to our conundrum. The results of a single action may be very varied; that particular action affects a lot of different people. Eh bien, I study today - three weeks after the crime - the result in eleven different cases."

He spread out the paper.

Japp leaned forward with some interest and read over Poirot's shoulder.

Miss Grey. Result - temporary improvement. Increased salary.

Mr Gale. Result - bad. Loss of practice.

Lady Horbury. Result - good, if she's CL 52.

Miss Kerr. Result - bad, since Giselle's death makes it more unlikely Lord Horbury will get the evidence to divorce his wife.

"H'm." Japp interrupted his scrutiny. "So you think she's keen on his lordship? You are a one for nosing out love affairs."

Poirot smiled. Japp bent over the chart once more.

Mr Clancy. Result - good. Expects to make money by book dealing with the murder.

Doctor Bryant. Result - good if RT 362.

Mr Ryder. Result - good, owing to small amount of cash obtained through articles on murder which tided firm over delicate time. Also good if Ryder is XVB 724.

M. Dupont. Result - unaffected.

M. Jean Dupont. Result - the same.

Mitchell. Result - unaffected.

Davis. Result - unaffected.

"And you think that's going to help you?" asked Japp skeptically. "I can't see that writing down 'I don't know. I don't know. I can't tell,'

makes it any better."

"It gives one a clear classification," explained Poirot. "In four cases - Mr Clancy, Miss Grey, Mr Ryder and, I think I may say, Lady Horbury - there is a result on the credit side. In the cases of Mr Gale and Miss Kerr there is a result on the debit side; in four cases there is no result at all, so far as we know, and in one - Doctor Bryant - there is either no result or a distinct gain."

"And so?" asked Japp.

"And so," said Poirot, "we must go on seeking."

"With precious little to go upon," said Japp gloomily. "The truth of it is that we're hung up until we can get what we want from Paris. It's the Giselle side that wants going into. I bet I could have got more out of that maid than Fournier did."