Indeed, had it not been for his little trick with the bread, of which he was evidently quite unaware, I would have sworn readily enough that the man sitting there was some one whom I had never seen before.
"He has recognised you," I murmured. "You should not have come down."
"My excellent Hastings, I have feigned death for three months for this one purpose."
"To startle Number Four?"
"To startle him at a moment when he must act quickly or not at all.
And we have this great advantage - he does not know that we recognise him.
He thinks that he is safe in his new disguise.
How I bless Flossie Monro for telling us of that little habit of his."
"What will happen now?" I asked.
"What can happen?
He recognises the only man he fears, miraculously resurrected from the dead, at the very minute when the plans of the Big Four are in the balance.
Madame Olivier and Abe Ryland lunched here today, and it is thought that they went to Cortina.
Only we know that they have retired to their hiding place.
How much do we know? That is what Number Four is asking himself at this minute.
He dare take no risks.
I must be suppressed at all costs.
Eh bien, let him try to suppress Hercule Poirot!
I shall be ready for him."
As he finished speaking, the man at the next table got up and went out.
"He has gone to make his little arrangements," said Poirot placidly. "Shall we have our coffee on the terrace, my friend?
It would be pleasanter, I think.
I will just go up and get a coat."
I went out on to the terrace, a little disturbed in mind.
Poirot's assurance did not quite content me.
However, so long as we were on our guard, nothing could happen to us.
I resolved to keep thoroughly on the alert.
It was quite five minutes before Poirot joined me.
With his usual precautions against cold, he was muffled up to the ears.
He sat down beside me and sipped his coffee appreciatively.
"Only in England is the coffee so atrocious," he remarked. "On the continent they understand how important it is for the digestion that it should be properly made."
As he finished speaking, the man from the next table suddenly appeared on the terrace.
Without any hesitation, he came over and drew up a third chair to our table.
"You do not mind my joining you, I hope," he said in English.
"Not at all, monsieur," said Poirot.
I felt very uneasy.
It is true that we were on the terrace of the hotel, with people all round us, but nevertheless I was not satisfied.
I sensed the presence of danger.
Meanwhile Number Four chatted away in a perfectly natural manner.
It seemed impossible to believe that he was anything else than a genuine tourist.
He described excursions, car rides and said he knew the surroundings like the palm of his hand.
He got his pipe out and started to light it.
Poirot took a small cigarette-case out of his pocket.
While he put a cigarette between his lips, the stranger lighted a match.
"Allow me to light your cigarette."
He was talking when, without warning, the lights went out.
I heard the sound of glass breaking and felt something strange under my nose, suffocating me...
Chapter 18 IN THE FELSEN LABYRYNTH
I could not have been unconscious more than a minute.
I came to myself being hustled along between two men.
They had me under each arm, supporting my weight, and there was a gag in my mouth.