Tony put an arm round her and remarked over
his shoulder to Poirot as they glided off:
"You can meditate on crime yet to come, old
boy!"
Poirot said: "It is profound what you say there.
Yes, it is profound .... "
He sat meditatively for a minute or two, then he
raised a finger. Luigi came promptly, his wide
Italian face wreathed in smiles.
"Mon vieux," said Poirot. "I need some information."
"Always at your service, Monsieur."
"I desire to know how many of these people at
this table here have used the telephone tonight?"
"I can tell you, Monsieur. The young lady, the
one in white, she telephoned at once when she got
here. Then she went to leave her cloak and while
she was doing that the other lady came out of the
cloakroom and went into the telephone box."
"So the Sefiora did telephone! Was that before
she came into the restaurant?"
"Yes, Monsieur."
"Anyone else?"
"No, Monsieur."
"All this, Luigi, gives me furiously to think!"
"Indeed, Monsieur."
"Yes. I think, Luigi, that tonight of all nights, I
114
Agatha Christie
must have my wits about me! Something is going
to happen, Luigi, and I am not at all sure what it