“I think you are kind.”

 

Poirot nodded his head several times.

 

“It is very good that—yes, it is very good. Listen, I do in verity believe that

this husband of yours is innocent—but the affair marches badly. If I am to save

him, I must know all there is to know—even if it should seem to make the case

against him blacker than before.”

 

“How well you understand,” said Ursula.

 

“So you will tell me the whole story, will you not? From the beginning.”

 

“You’re not going to send _me_ away, I hope,” said Caroline, settling herself

comfortably in an arm-chair. “What I want to know,” she continued, “is why this

child was masquerading as a parlormaid?”

 

“Masquerading?” I queried.

 

“That’s what I said. Why did you do it, child? For a wager?”

 

“For a living,” said Ursula dryly.

 

And encouraged, she began the story which I reproduce here in my own words.