The Birth of Venus

The Birth of Venus
"Well，you're better at it than I am，"I said. "You are incontestably right，Hastings.Am I correct in suppsoing thatyou intend to be a cavalier to one of the ladies?" "That was the idea." "And which lady did you propose to honour with your company?" "Well-I-er-hadn't considered yet." "What about Miss Barnard?" "She's rather the independent type，"I demurred. "Miss Grey?" "Yes.She's better." "I find you，Hastings，singularly though transparently dishonest!Allalong you had made up your mind to spend the day with your blonde angel!" "Oh，really，Poirot!" "I am sorry to upset your plans，but I must request you to give yourescort elsewhere."
The Birth of Venus
"Oh，all right.I think you've got a weakness for that Dutch doll of agirl." "The person you are to escort is Mary Drower-and I must request you notto leave her." "But，Poirot，why?" "Because，my dear friend，her name begins with a D.We must take nochances." I saw the justice of his remark.At first it seemed far-fetched.But thenI realized that if A B C had a fanatical hatred of Poirot，he might verywell be keeping himself informed of Poirot's movements.And in that case theelimination of Mary Drower might strike him as a very pat fourth stroke. I promised to be faithful to my trust. I went out leaving Poirot sitting in a chair near the window. In front of him was a little roulette wheel.He spun it as I went out ofthe door and called after me: "Rouge-that is a good omen，Hastings.The luck，it turns!"
The Birth of Venus