Mr. Benedict Farley would like to have the
benefit of your advice. If convenient to your-self
he would be glad if you would call upon
him at the above address at 9:30 tomorrow
(Thursday) evening.
Yours truly,
HUGO CORNWORTHY.
(Secretary).
P.S.--Please bring this letter with you.
Deftly the butler relieved Poirot of hat, stick,
and overcoat. He said:
"Will you please come up to Mr. Cornworthy's
room?"
148
Agatha Christie
He led the way up the broad staircase. Poirot
followed him, looking with appreciation at such oh jets d'art as were of an opulent and florid nature!
His taste in art was always somewhat bourgeois.
On the first floor the butler knocked on a door.
Hercule Poirot's eyebrows rose very slightly. It
was the first jarring note. For the best butlers do
not knock at doors--and yet indubitably this was
a first-class butler!
It was, so to speak, the first intimation of contact
with the eccentricity of a millionaire. ,
A voice from within called out something. The
butler threw open the door. He announced (and
again Poirot sensed the deliberate departure from
orthodoxy):
"The gentleman you are expecting, sir."