I rose, went to the table at the other side of the room and returned with the

paper in question in my hand. She took it from me, found the article, and began

to read aloud:

 

“. . . Amongst other famous stones may be included the Star of the East, a

diamond in the possession of the Yardly family. An ancestor of the present Lord

Yardly brought it back with him from China, and a romantic story is said to

attach to it. According to this, the stone was once the right eye of a temple

god. Another diamond, exactly similar in form and size, formed the left eye, and

the story goes that this jewel, too, would in course of time be stolen. ‘One eye

shall go West, the other East, till they shall meet once more. Then, in triumph

shall they return to the god.’ It is a curious coincidence that there is at the

present time a stone corresponding closely in description with this one, and

known as ‘the Star of the West,’ or ‘the Western Star.’ It is the property of

the celebrated film actress, Miss Mary Marvell. A comparison of the two stones

would be interesting.”

 

She stopped.

 

“_Épatant!_” murmured Poirot. “Without doubt a romance of the first water.” He

turned to Mary Marvell. “And you are not afraid, madame?

 

You have no superstitious terrors? You do not fear to introduce these two

Siamese twins to each other lest a Chinaman should appear and, hey presto! whisk