“Not always, sir. There was great trouble with one of the Duke of Devize’s younger sons. He left Eton under a cloud, and after that he caused great anxiety on several occasions. The police would not accept the view that it was kleptomania. A very clever young gentleman, sir, but vicious through and through, if you take my meaning. His Grace shipped him to Australia, and I hear he was convicted out there under another name. Very odd, sir, but there it is. The young gentleman, I need hardly say, was not in want financially.”

Poirot nodded his head slowly.

“Love of excitement,” he murmured, “and a little kink in the brain somewhere. I wonder now⁠—”

He drew out the telegram from his pocket and read it again.

“Then there was Lady Mary Fox’s daughter,” continued the valet in a mood of reminiscence. “Swindled tradespeople something shocking, she did. Very worrying to the best families, if I may say so, and there are many other queer cases I could mention.”