Come along by all means."
He held the door open and Bryant and Poirot passed through, followed by the suspicious glances of the rest of the company.
"And why should he be allowed out and we made to stay here?" cried Cicely Horbury.
Venetia Kerr sat down resignedly on a bench.
"Possibly one of the French police," she said.
"Or a customs spy." She lit a cigarette.
Norman Gale said rather diffidently to Jane:
"I think I saw you at - er - Le Pinet."
"I was at Le Pinet."
Norman Gale said: "It's an awfully attractive place. I like the pine trees."
Jane said: "Yes, they smell so nice."
And then they both paused for a minute or two, uncertain what to say next.
Finally Gale said:
"I - er - recognized you at once in the plane."
Jane expressed great surprise. "Did you?"
Gale said: "Do you think that woman was really murdered?"
"I suppose so," said Jane.
"It's rather thrilling, in a way, but it's rather nasty too -" and she shuddered a little, and Norman Gale moved just a little nearer in a protective manner.
The Duponts were talking French to each other.
Mr Ryder was making calculations in a little notebook and looking at his watch from time to time.
Cicely Horbury sat with her foot tapping impatiently on the floor. She lit a cigarette with a shaking hand.
Against the door on the inside leaned a very large, blue-clad, impassive-looking policeman.
In a room near by, Inspector Japp was talking to Doctor Bryant and Hercule Poirot.
"You've got a knack of turning up in the most unexpected places, M. Poirot."
"Isn't Croydon aerodrome a little out of your beat, my friend?" asked Poirot.
"Ah! I'm after rather a big bug in the smuggling line. A bit of luck, my being on the spot.
This is the most amazing business I've come across for years. Now, then, let's get down to it...
First of all, doctor, perhaps you'll give me your full name and address."
"Roger James Bryant.
I am a specialist on diseases of the ear and throat.
My address is 329 Harley street."
A stolid constable sitting at a table took down these particulars.
"Our own surgeons will, of course, examine the body," said Japp, "but we want you at the inquest, doctor."
"Quite so, quite so."
"Can you give us any idea of the time of death?"
"The woman must have been dead at least half an hour when I examined her - that was a few minutes before we arrived at Croydon.
I can't go nearer than that, but I understand from the steward that he had spoken to her about an hour before."
"Well, that narrows it down for all practical purposes.
I suppose it's no good asking you if you observed anything of a suspicious nature?"
The doctor shook his head.
"And me, I was asleep," said Poirot with deep chagrin. "I suffer almost as badly in the air as on the sea.
Always I wrap myself up well and try to sleep."
"Any idea as to the cause of death, doctor?"
"I should not like to say anything definite at this stage.
This is a case for post-mortem examination and analysis."
Japp nodded comprehendingly.
"Well, doctor," he said, "I don't think we need detain you now.
I'm afraid you'll - er - have to go through certain formalities - all the passengers will.
We can't make exceptions."
Doctor Bryant smiled.