Nineteen
I am writing this in Eastbourne.
I came to Eastbourne to see George, formerly¹ Poirot’s valet.
George had been with Poirot many years. He was a competent matter- of- fact man, withabsolutely no imagination. He always stated things literally² and took them at their face value.
Well, I went to see him. I told him about Poirot’s death and George reacted as George wouldreact. He was distressed³ and grieved and managed very nearly to conceal⁴ the fact.
Then I said: “He left you, did he not, a message for me?”
George said at once: “For you, sir? No, not that I am aware of.”
I was surprised. I pressed him, but he was quite definite.
I said at last: “My mistake, I suppose. Well, that’s that. I wish you had been with him at theend.”
“I wish so, too, sir.”
“Still I suppose if your father was ill you had to come to him.”
George looked at me in a very curious manner. He said: “I beg your pardon, sir, I don’t quiteunderstand you.”
“You had to leave in order to look after your father, isn’t that right?”
“I didn’t wish to leave, sir. M. Poirot sent me away.”
“Sent you away?” I stared.
“I don’t mean, sir, that he discharged me. The understanding was that I was to return to hisservice later. But I left by his wish, and he arranged for suitable remuneration whilst I was herewith my old father.”
“But why, George, why?”
“I really couldn’t say, sir.”
“Didn’t you ask?”
“No, sir. I didn’t think it was my place to do so. M. Poirot always had his ideas, sir. A veryclever gentleman, I always understood, sir, and very much respected.”
“Yes, yes,” I murmured abstractedly.
“Very particular about his clothes, he was—though given to having them rather foreign andfancy if you know what I mean. But that, of course, is understandable as he was a foreigngentleman. His hair, too, and his moustache.”
“Ah, those famous moustaches.” I felt a twinge of pain as I remembered his pride in them.
“Very particular about his moustache, he was,” went on George. “Not very fashionable the wayhe wore it, but it suited him, sir, if you know what I mean.”

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