"You devil! How did you get it?"
A chair was overturned. Poirot skipped nimbly aside. A quick
movement on his part, and his assailant fell with a crash.
"Messieurs, mesdames," said Poirot, with a flourish, "let me
introduce you to the murderer, Mr. Alfred Inglethorp!"
CHAPTER XIII.
POIROT EXPLAINS
"Poirot, you old villain," I said, "I've half a mind to strangle
you! What do you mean by deceiving me as you have done?"
We were sitting in the library. Several hectic days lay behind
us. In the room below, John and Mary were together once more,
while Alfred Inglethorp and Miss Howard were in custody. Now at
last, I had Poirot to myself, and could relieve my still burning
curiosity.
Poirot did not answer me for a moment, but at last he said:
"I did not deceive you, mon ami. At most, I permitted you to
deceive yourself."
"Yes, but why?"
"Well, it is difficult to explain. You see, my friend, you have
a nature so honest, and a countenance so transparent,
that--enfin, to conceal your feelings is impossible! If I had
told you my ideas, the very first time you saw Mr.
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