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V. The Million Dollar Bond Robbery
Ijudgedthathewasendeavouringtogaugetheexactamountofintimacybetweenuncleandnephew.Mr.Vavasour’sanswerswerebriefandpunctilious.HisnephewwasatrustedofficialoftheBank,andhadnodebtsormoneydifficultiesthatheknewof.Hehadbeenentrustedwithsimilarmissionsinthepast.Finallywewerepolitelybowedout.
“Iamdisappointed,”saidPoirot,asweemergedintothestreet.
“Youhopedtodiscovermore?Theyaresuchstodgyoldmen.”
“Itisnottheirstodginesswhichdisappointsme,monami.IdonotexpecttofindinaBankmanagera‘keenfinancierwithaneagleglance’asyourfavouriteworksoffictionputit.No,Iamdisappointedinthecase—itistooeasy!”
“Easy?”
“Yes,doyounotfinditalmostchildishlysimple?”
“Youknowwhostolethebonds?”
“Ido.”
“Butthen—wemust—why——”
“Donotconfuseandflusteryourself,Hastings.Wearenotgoingtodoanythingatpresent.”
“Butwhy?Whatareyouwaitingfor?”
“FortheOlympia.SheisdueonherreturntripfromNewYorkonTuesday.”
“Butifyouknowwhostolethebonds,whywait?Hemayescape.”
“ToaSouthSeaislandwherethereisnoextradition?No,monami,hewouldfindlifeveryuncongenialthere.AstowhyIwait—ehbientotheintelligenceofHerculePoirotthecaseisperfectlyclear,butforthebenefitofothers,notsogreatlygiftedbythegoodGod—theInspectorMcNeil,forinstance—itwouldbeaswelltomakeafewinquiriestoestablishthefacts.Onemusthaveconsiderationforthoselessgiftedthanoneself.
