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es　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　masters　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　Devizes　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　Foxs　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

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