The Paragraph in the Paper

           Caroline,ofcourse,hadnotfailedtoseeMissRussellcometothesurgerydoor.Ihadanticipatedthis,andhadreadyanelaborateaccountofthelady’sbadknee.ButCarolinewasnotinacross-questioningmood.HerpointofviewwasthatsheknewwhatMissRussellhadreallycomeforandthatIdidn’t.

           "Pumpingyou,James,"saidCaroline."Pumpingyouinthemostshamelessmanner,I’venodoubt.It’snogoodinterrupting.

           Idaresayyouhadn’ttheleastideashewasdoingiteven.Menaresosimple.SheknowsthatyouareinM.Poirot’sconfidence,andshewantstofindoutthings.DoyouknowwhatIthink,James?""Icouldn’tbegintoimagine.Youthinksomanyextraordinarythings.""It’snogoodbeingsarcastic.IthinkMissRussellknowsmoreaboutMr.Ackroyd’sdeaththansheispreparedtoadmit."Carolineleanedbacktriumphantlyinherchair.

           "Doyoureallythinkso?"Isaidabsently.

           "Youareverydulltoday,James.Noanimationaboutyou.

           It’sthatliverofyours."Ourconversationthendealtwithpurelypersonalmatters.

           TheparagraphinspiredbyPoirotdulyappearedinourdailypaperthenextmorning.Iwasinthedarkastoitspurpose,butitseffectonCarolinewasimmense.

           Shebeganbystating,mostuntruly,thatshehadsaidasmuchallalong.Iraisedmyeyebrows,butdidnotargue.