said I was to have the utmost confidence in you.
She advised me to tell you everything--and that
you'd put the whole thing right."
Inwardly Mr. Parker Pyne cursed the obtrusive
Mrs. Wycherley.
Resigning himself he said:
"Well, let us thrash the matter out. A girl, I
suppose?"
"Did he tell you about her?"
"Only indirectly."
Words poured in a vehement stream from Mrs.
Chester. The girl was dreadful. She drank, she
swore--she wore no clothes to speak of. Her sister
lived out here--was married to an artist--a Dutch-man.
The whole set was most undesirable. Half of
them were living together without being married.
Basil was completely changed. He had always
88
Agatha Christie
· .
.
been so quiet, so interested in serious subjects. H
had thought at one time of taking up archae
ology-''
"Well, well," said Mr. Parker Pyne. "Nature
will have her revenge."
"What do you mean?"
"It isn't healthy for a young man to be inter
ested in serious subjects· He ought to be making
'an idiot of himself over one girl after another."