peculiar
Definition: strange or unusual in a way that is interesting or surprising.
Examples:
There was a peculiar smell coming from the kitchen.
He has a peculiar way of speaking very slowly.
worrying
Definition: making you feel anxious or concerned.
Examples:
The doctor said the test results were worrying.
It is worrying that so many students are absent today.
playing a joke on
Definition: tricking someone in a funny way for amusement.
Examples:
My brother was playing a joke on me by hiding my phone.
I thought my friends were playing a joke on me.
strangely enough
Definition: surprisingly or in an unusual way.
Examples:
Strangely enough, I met my old teacher in another country.
Strangely enough, the baby stopped crying when the music started.
unclear about
Definition: not understanding something well or not being certain about it.
Examples:
She is still unclear about the homework instructions.
I am unclear about what time the meeting starts.
at all costs
Definition: no matter what difficulties or dangers there are.
Examples:
He wanted to win the game at all costs.
We must avoid making the same mistake at all costs.
I was standing by the window in Poirot’s apartment, watching the busy London street below.
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'How peculiar,' I said quietly.
'What is peculiar, mon ami ?' asked Poirot from his armchair.
'Look there,' I replied. 'A fashionable young woman is wandering along the street by herself. She keeps glancing up at the houses. Behind her are three men and a middle-aged woman pointing at her excitedly. What do you think is happening? Is she a criminal being followed by detectives? Or is she an innocent woman in danger?'
Poirot smiled calmly.
'My friend, the simplest explanation is usually the correct one.' He stood up and joined me at the window.
A moment later he laughed softly.
'As usual, Hastings, your imagination is too romantic. That is Miss Mary Marvell, the famous film actress. Those people are only watching her with admiration.'
I laughed too, but felt some embarrassment because of my inaccurate detective work.
'So the mystery is solved already.'
Poirot looked pleased with himself.
'You have seen her films many times, yes?'
'At least twelve.'
'And I have seen her only once. Yet I recognized her immediately.'
'Well, she looks different in real life,' I argued weakly.
Poirot shook his head.
'You notice unimportant details, Hastings. A detective must observe what truly matters.'
Before I could answer, the bell rang downstairs.
Poirot smiled confidently.
'That will be Miss Marvell herself. When she was glancing up, she was looking for this flat.'
As always, he was right.
Mary Marvell entered the room a few minutes later. She was young, fair-haired and elegant. Newspapers constantly discussed her clothes, her wealth, and especially her enormous diamond called The Western Star. The jewel was said to be worth fifty thousand pounds.
'Mr. Poirot,' she began nervously, 'I hope you won’t think I’m foolish. But I’ve received some odd letters, and they are beginning to frighten me.'
'Please continue, madame,' said Poirot politely.
She handed him three envelopes.
Poirot examined them carefully.
'Cheap writing paper. Printed writing. Interesting.'
Inside each envelope was a message. 'I’ll read you this last one,' said Mary. 'It is especially worrying.'
'You have been warned. At the time of the full moon, the two diamonds that are the eyes of the god will return together.'
'I first thought someone was playing a joke on me,' Mary explained. 'But yesterday another letter arrived. Strangely enough, all the letters were delivered by a Chinese man.'
Poirot leaned forward.
'And why does that bother you?'
'Because my husband bought the diamond from a Chinese man in San Francisco three years ago.'
She continued. 'There was apparently some mysterious history connected to the jewel. My husband Gregory said the seller seemed terrified and desperate to get rid of it.'
Poirot nodded thoughtfully.
'And you believe these letters refer to your diamond, The Western Star?'
'Yes.'
Poirot asked calmly, 'Do you have the diamond with you?'
Mary hesitated, then pulled a chain from inside her dress. A spectacular diamond sparkled in her hand.
Poirot stared at it with admiration.
'Magnificent!' he whispered.
'Normally it stays locked safely in the hotel,' she explained. 'But I wanted to show it to you.'
Poirot spoke seriously.
'I strongly advise you to leave the diamond with me until after the full moon.'
Mary looked uncomfortable.
'I can’t do that.'
'Why not?'
'Because on Friday my husband and I are visiting Lord and Lady Yardly at Yardly Chase. And I intend to wear it there.'
At once I remembered newspaper gossip. Gregory Rolf had once been connected romantically with Lady Yardly.
Poirot seemed to notice my expression. He turned back to Miss Marvell.
'You already know Lady Yardly?' he asked casually.
'My husband met her in America,' Mary replied quickly.
Then she picked up a magazine from the table.
'There’s an article here you should read.'
She read it herself aloud about another famous jewel called The Star of the East, owned by the Yardly family. According to legend, the two diamonds had once been the eyes of a Chinese god.
'One eye shall go West and one East until one day they meet again,' Mary read from the newspaper.
Poirot smiled slightly.
'A very dramatic story.'
At that moment the door suddenly opened and Gregory Rolf burst into the room. He was handsome, confident, and looked exactly like the film star he was.
'I said I’d call round for you, Mary,' said Gregory Rolf, 'and here I am. Well, what does Monsieur Poirot say to our little problem? Just a ridiculous story, right? That’s what I say!'
Poirot answered firmly.
'I think your wife should not take the diamond to Yardly Chase.'
'I agree,' said Rolf immediately. 'But women like jewels too much. There’s no way of stopping her!'
Mary looked at her husband angrily.
'That’s nonsense, Gregory!'
I then thought Mary was unclear about whether she really felt she needed to take the diamond to Yardley Chase or not.
After they left, Poirot became thoughtful.
'There is something hidden beneath this story,' he said quietly to himself. 'I must find out what is happening at all costs !'
Later that afternoon another visitor arrived. Hercule Poirot was out, so I received the visitor alone.
It was Lady Yardly herself.
She was tall, dark, elegant, but a clearly worried look was on her face.
'Lady Yardly,' I said confidently as though I were the great detective himself, 'you’ve received threatening letters too.'
She stared at me in shock.
'How did you know?'
I smiled proudly.
'It was logical.'
She admitted that she had indeed received similar messages. Unlike Mary’s letters, however, hers had arrived by post.
'There was a strange Eastern perfume on them,' she explained quietly. 'Do you think Chinese criminals really want the diamonds back?'
'I honestly don’t know,' I admitted.
When Poirot returned, he questioned me carefully about everything Lady Yardly had said.
Then he suddenly announced:
'Mon ami, we are visiting Lord Yardly tomorrow!'
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