"I understand what M. Poirot means," said Crome, coming graciously to the rescue. "He's quite right. There's got to be some definite obsession. I think we'll find the root of the matter in an intensified inferiority complex. There may be persecution mania, too, and if so he may possibly associate M. Poirot with it. He may have the delusion that M. Poirot is a detective employed on purpose to hunt him down."
"Hm," said the A.C.
jargon ['dZA:g@n], scientific [,saI@n'tIfIk], society [s@'saI@tI]
"Hm," said the A.C.. "That's the jargon that's talked nowadays. In my day if a man was mad he was mad and we didn't look about for scientific terms to soften it down. I suppose a thoroughly up-to-date doctor would suggest putting a man like A.B.C. in a nursing home, telling him what a fine fellow he was for forty-five days on end and then letting him out as a responsible member of society."
Poirot smiled
The conference broke up
"Well," said the Assistant Commissioner
"We'd have had him before now," said the inspector
"I wonder
inoffensive [,In@'fensIv], citizen ['sItIz@n], perfectly ['p@:f@ktlI]
Poirot smiled but did not answer.
The conference broke up.
"Well," said the Assistant Commissioner. "As you say, Crome, pulling him in is only a matter of time."
"We'd have had him before now," said the inspector, "if he wasn't so ordinary-looking. We've worried enough perfectly inoffensive citizens as it is."
"I wonder where he is at this minute," said the Assistant Commissioner.
XXX. (Not from Captain Hastings' Personal Narrative)
Mr. Cust stood by a greengrocer's shop
He stared across the road
Yes, that was it
Mrs. Ascher
To Let
Empty
Lifeless
across [@k'rOs], tobacconist [t@'b&k@nIst], lifeless ['laIfl@s]
Mr. Cust stood by a greengrocer's shop.
He stared across the road.
Yes, that was it.
Mrs. Ascher. Newsagent and Tobacconist … In the empty window was a sign.
To Let.
Empty …
Lifeless …
"Excuse me, sir