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Poirot bundled everything out on the floor with scant ceremony. There were
one or two green fabrics of varying shades; but Poirot shook his head over
them all. He seemed somewhat apathetic in the search, as though he
expected no great results from it. Suddenly he gave an exclamation.
"
What is it?"
Look!"
"
The chest was nearly empty, and there, reposing right at the bottom, was a
magnificent black beard.
"
Oho!" said Poirot. "Oho!" He turned it over in his hands, examining it
closely. "New," he remarked. "Yes, quite new."
After a moment's hesitation, he replaced it in the chest, heaped all the other
things on top of it as before, and made his way briskly downstairs. He went
straight to the pantry, where we found Dorcas busily polishing her silver.
Poirot wished her good morning with Gallic politeness, and went on:
"
We have been looking through that chest, Dorcas. I am much obliged to you
for mentioning it. There is, indeed, a fine collection there. Are they often
used, may I ask?"
"
Well, sir, not very often nowadays, though from time to time we do have
what the young gentlemen call 'a dress-up night.' And very funny it is
sometimes, sir. Mr. Lawrence, he's wonderful. Most comic! I shall never
forget the night he came down as the Char of Persia, I think he called it--a
sort of Eastern King it was. He had the big paper knife in his hand, and
'Mind, Dorcas,' he says, 'you'll have to be very respectful. This is my
specially sharpened scimitar, and it's off with your head if I'm at all
displeased with you!' Miss Cynthia, she was what they call an Apache, or
some such name--a Frenchified sort of cut-throat, I take it to be. A real sight
she looked. You'd never have believed a pretty young lady like that could
have made herself into such a ruffian. Nobody would have known her."
"
These evenings must have been great fun," said Poirot genially. "I suppose
Mr. Lawrence wore that fine black beard in the chest upstairs, when he was
Shah of Persia?"
"He did have a beard, sir," replied Dorcas, smiling. "And well I know it, for he
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