akorn - Mighty Old Tales Retold

The Great Gatsby - Ch 1 - F Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby - Ch 1
F Scott Fitzgerald
Then wear the gold hat, if that will move her;If you can bounce high, bounce for her too,Till she cry "Lover, gold-hatted, high-bouncing lover,I must have you!"
THOMAS PARKE D'INVILLIERS

The Secret of Chimneys - Chs 28, 29, 30, 31 - THE END - Agatha Christie

The Secret of Chimneys - Chs 28, 29, 30, 31 - THE END
Agatha Christie
“I suspected her from the first,” explained Anthony. “There was a light in her room on the night of the murder. Afterwards, I wavered. I made inquiries about her in Brittany, and came back satisfied that she was what she represented herself to be. I was a fool. Because the Comtesse de Breteuil had employed a Mademoiselle Brun and spoke highly of her, it never occurred to me that the real Mademoiselle Brun might have been kidnapped on her way to her new post, and that it might be a substitute taking her place. Instead I shifted my suspicions to Mr. Fish. It was not until he had followed me to Dover, and we had had a mutual explanation, that I began to see clearly. Once I knew that he was a Pinkerton’s man, trailing King Victor, my suspicions swung back again to their original object.”

The Secret of Chimneys - Chs 26 & 27 - Agatha Christie

The Secret of Chimneys - Chs 26 & 27
Agatha Christie
At ten o’clock on the morning of Wednesday, the 13th of October, Anthony Cade walked into Harridge’s Hotel and asked for Baron Lolopretjzyl who was occupying a suite there.After suitable and imposing delay, Anthony was taken to the suite in question. The Baron was standing on the hearthrug in a correct and stiff fashion. Little Captain Andrassy, equally correct as to demeanour, but with a slightly hostile attitude, was also present.The usual bows, clicking of heels, and other formal greetings of etiquette took place. Anthony was, by now, thoroughly conversant with the routine.“You will forgive this early call I trust, Baron,” he said cheerfully, laying down his hat and stick on the table. “As a matter of fact, I have a little business proposition to make to you.”

The Secret of Chimneys - Ch 25 - Agatha Christie

The Secret of Chimneys - Ch 25
Agatha Christie
Lord Caterham, Virginia and Bundle were sitting in the library after dinner. It was Tuesday evening. Some thirty hours had elapsed since Anthony’s rather dramatic departure.For at least the seventh time Bundle repeated Anthony’s parting words, as spoken at Hyde Park Corner.“I’ll find my own way back,” echoed Virginia thoughtfully. “That doesn’t look as though he expected to be away as long as this. And he’s left all his things here.”“He didn’t tell you where he was going?”“No,” said Virginia, looking straight in front of her. “He told me nothing.”

The Secret of Chimneys - Chs 23 & 24 - Agatha Christie

The Secret of Chimneys - Chs 23 & 24
Agatha Christie
At 2:30 a little party met together in the Council Chamber: Bundle, Virginia, Superintendent Battle, M. Lemoine and Anthony Cade.“No good waiting until we can get hold of Mr. Lomax,” said Battle. “This is the kind of business one wants to get on with quickly.”“If you’ve got any idea that Prince Michael was murdered by someone who got in this way, you’re wrong,” said Bundle. “It can’t be done. The other end’s blocked completely.”“There is no question of that, milady,” said Lemoine quickly. “It is quite a different search that we make.”“Looking for something, are you?” asked Bundle quickly. “Not the historic whatnot, by any chance?”

The Secret of Chimneys - Ch 22 - Agatha Christie

The Secret of Chimneys - Ch 22
Agatha Christie
“Superintendent Battle was standing in the library at Wyvern Abbey.George Lomax, seated before a desk overflowing with papers, was frowning portentously.Superintendent Battle had opened proceedings by making a brief and businesslike report. Since then, the conversation had lain almost entirely with George, and Battle had contented himself with making brief and usually monosyllabic replies to the other’s questions.On the desk, in front of George, was the packet of letters Anthony had found on his dressing table.“I can’t understand it at all,” said George irritably, as he picked up the packet. “They’re in code, you say?”

The Secret of Chimneys - Chs 20 & 21 - Agatha Christie

The Secret of Chimneys - Chs 20 & 21
Agatha Christie
Anthony said nothing. He continued to stare out of the window. Superintendent Battle looked for some time at his motionless back.“Well, goodnight, sir,” he said at last, and moved to the door.Anthony stirred.“Wait a minute, Battle.”The superintendent halted obediently. Anthony left the window. He drew out a cigarette from his case and lighted it. Then, between two puffs of smoke, he said:“You seem very interested in this business at Staines?”“I wouldn’t go as far as that, sir. It’s unusual, that’s all.”“Do you think the man was shot where he was found, or do you think he was killed elsewhere and the body brought to that particular spot afterwards?”

The Secret of Chimneys - Ch 19 - Agatha Christie

The Secret of Chimneys - Ch 19
Agatha Christie
They all stared at the French detective, who smiled back at them.“But yes,” he said, “it is true.”There was a pause for a general readjusting of ideas. Then Virginia turned to Battle.“Do you know what I think, Superintendent Battle?”“What do you think, Mrs. Revel?”“I think the time has come to enlighten us a little.”“To enlighten you? I don’t quite understand, Mrs. Revel.”“Superintendent Battle, you understand perfectly.”

The Secret of Chimneys - Chs 17 & 18 - Agatha Christie

The Secret of Chimneys - Chs 17 & 18
Agatha Christie
The inquest took place on the following morning. It was extraordinarily unlike the inquests as pictured in sensational fiction. It satisfied even George Lomax in its rigid suppression of all interesting details. Superintendent Battle and the coroner, working together with the support of the chief constable, had reduced the proceedings to the lowest level of boredom.Immediately after the inquest, Anthony took an unostentatious departure.His departure was the one bright spot in the day for Bill Eversleigh.

The Secret of Chimneys - Ch 16 - Agatha Christie

The Secret of Chimneys - Ch 16
Agatha Christie
Anthony regained the terrace with the feeling uppermost in his mind that the only safe place for private conversations was the middle of the lake.The resonant boom of a gong sounded from the house, and Tredwell appeared in a stately fashion from a side door “Luncheon is served, my lord.”“Ah!” said Lord Caterham, brisking up a little. “Lunch!”At that moment two children burst out of the house. They were high-spirited young women of twelve and ten, and though their names might be Dulcie and Daisy, as Bundle had affirmed, they appeared to be more generally known as Guggle and Winkle. They executed a kind of war dance, interspersed with shrill whoops till Bundle emerged and quelled them.“Where’s Mademoiselle?” she demanded.“She’s got the migraine, the migraine, the migraine!” chanted Winkle.“Hurrah!” said Guggle, joining in.