20. An Amazing Statement

           ThenextmomentPoirotembracedmewarmly.“Enfin!Youhavearrived.Andallbyyourself.Itissuperb!Continueyourreasoning.Youareright.DecidedlywehavedonewrongtoforgetGeorgesConneau.”

           Iwassoflatteredbythelittleman’sapprovalthatIcouldhardlycontinue.ButatlastIcollectedmythoughtsandwenton.

           “GeorgesConneaudisappearedtwentyyearsago,butwehavenoreasontobelievethatheisdead.”

           “Aucunement,”agreedPoirot.“Proceed.”

           “Thereforewewillassumethatheisalive.”

           “Exactly.”

           “Orthathewasaliveuntilrecently.”

           “Demieuxenmieux!”

           “Wewillpresume,”Icontinued,myenthusiasmrising,“thathehasfallenonevildays.Hehasbecomeacriminal,anapache,atramp—awhatyouwill.HechancestocometoMerlinville.Therehefindsthewomanhehasneverceasedtolove.”

           “Eheh!Thesentimentality,”warnedPoirot.

           “Whereonehatesonealsoloves,”Iquotedormisquoted.“Atanyratehefindsherthere,livingunderanassumedname.Butshehasanewlover,theEnglishman,Renauld.GeorgesConneau,thememoryofoldwrongsrisinginhim,quarrelswiththisRenauld.Heliesinwaitforhimashecomestovisithismistress,andstabshimintheback.Then,terrifiedatwhathehasdone,hestartstodigagrave.IimagineitlikelythatMadameDaubreuilcomesouttolookforherlover.SheandConneauhaveaterriblescene.Hedragsherintotheshed,andtheresuddenlyfallsdowninanepilepticfit.NowsupposingJackRenauldtoappear.