"We're talking like a woman's beauty

parlour. Lotions, soothing creams, patent

pills, eye trouble. What does it all amount

to ? What are you getting at, M. Poirot ?"

Poirot said quietly:

"I am trying to do the best I can for

Diana Maberly."

Hugh's mood changed. His face sobered.

He laid a hand on Poirot's arm.

"Yes, do what you can for her. Tell her

she's got to forget. Tell her that it's no

good hoping. . . . Tell her some of the

things I've told you. . . . Tell her — oh,

tell her for God's sake to keep away from

me! That's the only thing she can do for

me now. Keep away — and try to forget!"

V

"Have you courage. Mademoiselle ? Great

courage ? You will need it."

Diana cried sharply:

272

"Then it's true. It's true ? He is mad P33

Hercule Poirot said:

<c! am not an alienist. Mademoiselle. It

is not I who can say, 'This man is mad.

This man is sane.' 33

She came closer to him.

"Admiral Chandler thinks Hugh is

mad. George Frobisher thinks he is mad.

Hugh himself thinks he is mad --M

Poirot was watching her.

"And you. Mademoiselle ?33

"I ? / say he isn't mad! That's why --33

She stopped.

"That is why you came to me ?33

"Yes. I couldn't have had any other

reason for coming to you, could I ?33

"That,39 said Hercule Poirot, "is exactly

what I have been asking myself. Mademoiselle

.p?

"I don't understand you.3'

"Who is Stephen Graham ?33

She stared.

"Stephen Graham? Oh, he's--he's

just someone.33

She caught him by the arm.

"What's in your mind? What are you

thinking about? You just stand there-behind that great moustache of yours - 273

blinking your eyes in the sunlight, and

you don't tell me anything. You're making

me afraid — horribly afraid. Why are you

making me afraid ?"

"Perhaps,33 said Poirot, "because I am

afraid myself."

The deep grey eyes opened wide, stared

up at him. She said in a whisper:

"What are you afraid of?"

Hercule Poirot sighed—a deep sigh.

He said:

"It is much easier to catch a murderer

than it is to prevent a murder."

She cried out: "Murder? Don't use

that word."

"Nevertheless," said Hercule Poirot, "I

do use it."

He altered his tone, speaking quickly

and authoritatively.

"Mademoiselle, it is necessary that both

you and I should pass the night at Lyde

Manor. I look to you to arrange the matter.

You can do that?"

"I — yes — I suppose so. But why — ?"

"Because there is no time to lose. You

have told me that you have courage. Prove

that courage now. Do what I ask and make

no questions about it."

274

She nodded without a word and turned

away.

Poirot followed her into the house after

the lapse of a moment or two. He heard

her voice in the library and the voices of