Chapter 31  MR AARONS LUNCHES
"Ah!" said Mr Joseph Aarons appreciatively.
He took a long draught¹ from his tankard, set it down with a sigh, wiped the froth from his lips, and beamed across the table at his host, Monsieur Hercule Poirot.
"Give me," said Mr Aarons, "a good Porterhouse steak and a tankard of something worth drinking, and anyone can have your French fallals and whatnots, your ordoovres and your omelettes and your little bits of quail². Give me," he reiterated³, "a Porterhouse steak."
Poirot, who had just complied with this request, smiled sympathetically.
"Not that there is much wrong with a steak and kidney pudding," continued Mr Aarons. "Apple tart⁴? Yes, I will take apple tart, thank you, Miss, and a jug⁵ of cream."
The meal proceeded. Finally, with a long sigh, Mr Aarons laid down his spoon and fork preparatory to toying with some cheese before turning his mind to other matters.
"There was a little matter of business I think you said, Monsieur Poirot," he remarked. "Anything I can do to help you I am sure I shall be most happy."
"That is very kind of you," said Poirot. "I said to myself, 'If you want to know anything about the dramatic profession there is one person who knows all that is to be known and that is my old friend, Mr Joseph Aarons.'"
"And you don't say far wrong," said Mr Aarons complacently⁷,
"whether it is past, present, or future, Joe Aarons is the man to come to."
"Précisément. Now I want to ask you, Monsieur Aarons, what you know about a young woman called Kidd."
"Kidd? Kitty Kidd?"
"Kitty Kidd."
"Pretty smart, she was. Male impersonator, song and a dance - That one?"
"That is the one."
"Very smart, she was. Made a good income. Never out of an engagement. Male impersonation mostly, but, as a matter of fact, you could not touch her as a character actress."
"So I have heard," said Poirot, "but she has not been appearing lately, has she?"

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