Poirot’s Little Reunion

           "Andnow,"saidCaroline,rising,"thatchildiscomingupstairstoliedown.Don’tyouworry,mydear.M.Poirotwilldoeverythinghecanforyou–besureofthat.""IoughttogobacktoFernly,"saidUrsulauncertainly.

           ButCarolinesilencedherprotestswithafirmhand.

           "Nonsense.You’reinmyhandsforthetimebeing.You’llstayhereforthepresent,anyway–eh,M.Poirot?""Itwillbethebestplan,"agreedthelittleBelgian."ThiseveningIshallwantmademoiselle–Ibegherpardon,madame–toattendmylittlereunion.Nineo’clockatmyhouse.Itismostnecessarythatsheshouldbethere."Carolinenodded,andwentwithUrsulaoutoftheroom.

           Thedoorshutbehindthem.Poirotdroppeddownintoachairagain.

           "Sofar,sogood,"hesaid."Thingsarestraighteningthemselvesout.""They’regettingtolookblackerandblackeragainstRalphPaton,"Iobservedgloomily.

           Poirotnodded.

           "Yes,thatisso.Butitwastobeexpected,wasitnot?"Ilookedathim,slightlypuzzledbytheremark.Hewasleaningbackinthechair,hiseyeshalfclosed,thetipsofhisfingersjusttouchingeachother.Suddenlyhesighedandshookhishead.

           "Whatisit?"Iasked.

           "ItisthattherearemomentswhenagreatlongingformyfriendHastingscomesoverme.ThatisthefriendofwhomIspoketoyou–theonewhoresidesnowintheArgentine.