And Im sure Mr Mercado hadnt suspected.
He must have been quick as lightning.
But, M. Poirot, why? I asked.
He answered me by another question. Did you notice anything, sister? he asked.
I nodded my head slowly.
Hypodermic marks, I said.
So now we know something about Mr Mercado, said Poirot.
I suspected but I did not know.
It is always necessary to know.
And you dont care how you set about it! I thought, but didnt say.
Poirot suddenly clapped his hand to his pocket.
Alas, I have dropped my handkerchief down there.
I concealed the pin in it.
Ill get it for you, I said and hurried back.
Id got the feeling, you see, by this time, that M. Poirot and I were the doctor and nurse in charge of a case. At least, it was more like an operation and he was the surgeon.
Perhaps I oughtnt to say so, but in a queer way I was beginning to enjoy myself.
I remember just after Id finished my training, I went to a case in a private house and the need for an immediate operation arose, and the patients husband was cranky about nursing homes.
He just wouldnt hear of his wife being taken to one.
Said it had to be done in the house.
Well, of course it was just splendid for me!
Nobody else to have a look in!
I was in charge of everything.
Of course, I was terribly nervous I thought of everything conceivable that doctor could want, but even then I was afraid I might have forgotten something.
You never know with doctors.
They ask for absolutely anything sometimes!
But everything went splendidly!
I had each thing ready as he asked for it, and he actually told me Id done first-rate after it was over and thats a thing most doctors wouldnt bother to do!
The G.P. was very nice too.
And I ran the whole thing myself!
The patient recovered, too, so everybody was happy.
Well, I felt rather the same now.
In a way M. Poirot reminded me of that surgeon.
He was a little man, too.
Ugly little man with a face like a monkey, but a wonderful surgeon.
He knew instinctively just where to go.
Ive seen a lot of surgeons and I know what a lot of difference there is.
Gradually Id been growing a kind of confidence M. Poirot.
I felt that he, too, knew exactly what he was doing.
And I was getting to feel that it was my job to help him as you might say to have the forceps and the swabs and all handy just when he wanted them.
Thats why it seemed just as natural for me to run off and look for his handkerchief as it would have been to pick up a towel that a doctor had thrown on the floor.
When Id found it and got back I couldnt see him at first. But at last I caught sight of him.
He was sitting a little way from the mound talking to Mr Carey.
Mr Careys boy was standing near with that great big rod thing with metres marked on it, but just at that moment he said something to the boy and the boy took it away.
It seemed he had finished with it for the time being.
Id like to get this next bit quite clear.
You see, I wasnt quite sure what M. Poirot did or didnt want me to do.
He might, I mean, have sent me back for that handkerchiefon purpose.
To get me out of the way.
It was just like an operation over again.
Youve got to be careful to hand the doctor just what he wants and not what he doesnt want.