15. A Photograph
Thedoctor’swordsweresosurprisingthatwewereallmomentarilytakenaback.Herewasamanstabbedwithadaggerwhichweknewtohavebeenstolenonlytwenty-fourhourspreviously,andyetDr.Durandassertedpositivelythathehadbeendeadatleastforty-eighthours!Thewholethingwasfantastictothelastextreme.
Wewerestillrecoveringfromthesurpriseofthedoctor’sannouncement,whenatelegramwasbroughttome.IthadbeensentupfromthehoteltotheVilla.Itoreitopen.ItwasfromPoirot,andannouncedhisreturnbythetrainarrivingatMerlinvilleat12:28.
IlookedatmywatchandsawthatIhadjusttimetogetcomfortablytothestationandmeethimthere.Ifeltthatitwasoftheutmostimportancethatheshouldknowatonceofthenewandstartlingdevelopmentsinthecase.
Evidently,Ireflected,PoirothadhadnodifficultyinfindingwhathewantedinParis.Thequicknessofhisreturnprovedthat.Veryfewhourshadsufficed.IwonderedhowhewouldtaketheexcitingnewsIhadtoimpart.
Thetrainwassomeminuteslate,andIstrolledaimlesslyupanddowntheplatform,untilitoccurredtomethatImightpassthetimebyaskingafewquestionsastowhohadleftMerlinvillebythelasttrainontheeveningofthetragedy.
Iapproachedthechiefporter,anintelligentlookingman,andhadlittledifficultyinpersuadinghimtoenteruponthesubject.ItwasadisgracetothePolice,hehotlyaffirmed,thatsuchbrigandsofassassinsshouldbeallowedtogoaboutunpunished.