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"What is it?" I asked solicitously "You are not ill, I trust?"

"No, no, not ill But I decide an affair of great moment"

"Whether to catch the crireat surprise, Poirot nodded gravely

" 'To speak or not to speak,' as your so great Shakespeare says, 'that is the question' "

I did not trouble to correct the quotation

"You are not serious, Poirot?"

"I as in the balance"

"And that is?"

"A woravely

I did not quite knohat to say

"The htfully, "and I do not knohat to do For, see you, it is a big stake for which I play No one but I, Hercule Poirot, would attempt it!" And he tapped himself proudly on the breast