7. The Mysterious Madame Daubreuil

           Asweretracedourstepstothehouse,M.Bexexcusedhimselfforleavingus,explainingthathemustimmediatelyacquainttheexaminingmagistratewiththefactofGiraud’sarrival.GiraudhimselfhadbeenobviouslydelightedwhenPoirotdeclaredthathehadseenallhewanted.Thelastthingweobserved,asweleftthespot,wasGiraud,crawlingaboutonallfours,withathoroughnessinhissearchthatIcouldnotbutadmire.Poirotguessedmythoughts,forassoonaswewerealoneheremarkedironically:

           “Atlastyouhaveseenthedetectiveyouadmire—thehumanfoxhound!Isitnotso,myfriend?”

           “Atanyrate,he’sdoingsomething,”Isaid,withasperity.“Ifthere’sanythingtofind,he’llfindit.Nowyou—”

           “Ehbien!Ialsohavefoundsomething!Apieceoflead-piping.”

           “Nonsense,Poirot.Youknowverywellthat’sgotnothingtodowithit.Imeantlittlethings—tracesthatmayleadusinfalliblytothemurderers.”

           “Monami,aclueoftwofeetlongiseverybitasvaluableasonemeasuringtwomillimetres!Butitistheromanticideathatallimportantcluesmustbeinfinitesimal!Astothepieceoflead-pipinghavingnothingtodowiththecrime,yousaythatbecauseGiraudtoldyouso.No”—asIwasabouttointerposeaquestion—“wewillsaynomore.LeaveGiraudtohissearch,andmetomyideas.Thecaseseemsstraightforwardenough—andyet—andyet,monami,Iamnotsatisfied!Anddoyouknowwhy?Becauseofthewristwatchthatistwohoursfast.Andthenthereareseveralcuriouslittlepointsthatdonotseemtofitin.