“Not at all, Monsieur, not at all,” declared the Commissary heartily. “But enter, I pray of you. You know of this⁠—”

“Yes, I know,” said Hercule Poirot. “I came to see if I might be of any assistance?”

“We should be flattered,” replied the Commissary promptly. “Let me present you, M. Poirot, to”⁠—he consulted the passport he still held in his hand⁠—“to Madame⁠—er⁠—Mademoiselle Grey.”

Poirot smiled across at Katherine.

“It is strange, is it not,” he murmured, “that my words should have come true so quickly?”

“Mademoiselle, alas! can tell us very little,” said the Commissary.

“I have been explaining,” said Katherine, “that this poor lady was a complete stranger to me.”