Agatha Christie

“ It was half-past five when we arrived at Yardly Chase, and followed the dignified butler to the old paneled hall with its fire of blazing logs. A pretty picture met our eyes: Lady Yardly and her two children, the mother’s proud dark head bent down over the two fair ones. Lord Yardly stood near by, smiling down on them.
"M. Poirot and Captain Hastings," announced the butler.
Lady Yardly looked up with a start; her husband came forward uncertainly, his eyes seeking instruction from Poirot. The little man was equal to the occasion. ”

“ Poirot smiled up at the big actor. They made a ridiculous contrast.
"Hoax or no hoax, Mr. Rolf," he said dryly, "I have advised Madame your wife not to take the jewel with her to Yardly Chase on Friday."
"I’m with you, sir. I’ve already said so to Mary. But there! She’s a woman through and through, and I guess she can’t bear to think of another woman outshining her in the jewel line."
"What nonsense, Gregory!" said Mary Marvell sharply. But she flushed angrily.
Poirot shrugged his shoulders. "Madame, I have advised. I can do no more. Cest fini." ”

“ What does the great detective say?"
"The great detective, mon ami, chooses, as ever, the simplest course. He rises to see for himself." My friend joined me at the window. In a minute he gave vent to an amused chuckle.
"As usual, your facts are tinged with your incurable romanticism. That is Miss Mary Marvell, the film star. She is being followed by a bevy of admirers who have recognized her. And, en passant, my dear Hastings, she is quite aware of the fact!"
I laughed.
"So all is explained! But you get no marks for that, Poirot. ”

“ I asked with lively curiosity.
"I said to him that Lady Yardly had told her husband all, that I was empowered to recover the jewel, and that if it were not immediately handed over, proceedings would be taken. Also a few more little lies which occurred to me! He was as wax in my hands!"
I pondered the matter.
"It seems a little unfair on Mary Marvell. She has lost her diamond through no fault of her own."
"Bah!" said Poirot brutally. "She has a magnificent advertisement. That is all she cares for, that one! Now, the other, she is different. Bonne mére—trés femme!" ”

“ Milady your wife, which plan does she approve?"
"Oh, she’s bitterly opposed to my selling the jewel. You know what women are. She’s all for this film stunt."
"I comprehend," said Poirot. He remained a moment or so in thought, then rose briskly to his feet. ‘You return to Yardly Chase at once? Bien! Say no word to anyone,—to anyone, mind,—but expect us there this evening. We will arrive shortly after five."
"All right; but I don’t see—"
"Ca n’a pas d'importance," said Poirot kindly. "You will that I preserve for you your diamond, n’est-ce pas?" ”

“ The arrival of a diamond-expert is announced; Lady Yardly, as I felt sure she would, immediately arranges a robbery—and does it very well too! But Hercule Poirot, he sees nothing but facts. What happens in actuality? The lady switches off the light, bangs the door, throws the necklace down the passage, and screams. ”

“ When one is unique, one knows it! And others share that opinion—even, if I mistake not, Miss Mary Marvell."
"What?"
"Without doubt. She is coming here."
As usual Poirot was right. After a short interval, the American film star was ushered in and we rose to our feet.
Mary Marvell was undoubtedly one of the most popular actresses on the screen. She had only lately arrived in England in company with her husband, Gregory B. Rolf, also a film actor. Their marriage had taken place about a year ago in the States, and this was their first visit to England. They had been given a great reception. ”

“ Deduce, Poirot, from the following facts: Here is a young lady, richly dressed fashionable hat, magnificent furs. She is coming along slowly, looking up at the houses as she goes. Unknown to her, she is being shadowed by three men and a middle-aged woman. They have just been joined by an errand-boy who points after the girl, gesticulating as he does so. What drama is this being played? Is the girl a crook, and are the shadowers detectives preparing to arrest her? ”

“ Lady Yardly, aptly ministered to by Poirot, who is as good as a woman in these matters, was sufficiently recovered to be able to tell her story.
"I was just going to turn on the other light," she said, "when a man sprang on me from behind. He tore my necklace from my neck with such force that I fell headlong to the floor. ”

“ According to this, the stone was once the right eye of a temple god. ‘Another diamond, exactly similar in form and size, formed the left eye, and the story goes that this jewel also would, in course of time, be stolen. ‘"One eye shall go west, the other east, till they shall meet once more. Then, in triumph, shall they return to the god." It is a curious coincidence that there is at the present time a stone corresponding closely in description with this one, and known as the "Star of the West," or "the Western Star." It is the property of the celebrated film actress, Miss Mary Marvell. ”

“ A very different type, this, from Miss Mary Marvell—tall, dark, with flashing eyes and a pale, proud face, yet something wistful in the curves of the mouth.
I felt a desire to rise to the occasion. Why not? In Poirot’s presence I have frequently felt a difficulty—I do not ap- pear at my best. And yet there is no doubt that I too possess the deductive sense in a marked degree. I leaned for- ward on a sudden impulse.
"Lady Yardly," I said. "I know why you have come here. You too have received blackmailing letters about the diamond." ”

“ Ah, mon ami, it is a pity that you study not the psychology; you would have known at once that she was lying. She told you that the letters were destroyed! Oh, la-la, never does a woman destroy a letter if she can avoid it! ”

“ That is what frightens me—"
"Why?"
"Because it was from a Chink in San Francisco that Gregory bought the stone three years ago."
"I see, madame, that you believe the diamond referred to, to be—"’
"The Western Star," finished Miss Marvell. ‘"That’s so. At the time, Gregory remembers that there was some story attached to the stone, but the Chink wasn’t handing out any information. Gregory says he seemed just scared to death, and in a mortal hurry to get rid of the thing. He only asked about a tenth of its value. It was Greg’s wedding-present to me." ”

“ She comes to you on Friday, does she not? I make a little tour first to make sure that all is secure. Also I wanted to ask of Milady if she recollected at all the post-marks on the letters she received? ”

“ This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.
The longest-living author of this work died in 1976, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 47 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works. ”