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    The Second Gong: A Hercule Poirot Short Story
    The Second Gong: A Hercule Poirot Short Story
    The Second Gong: A Hercule Poirot Short Story
    Ebook44 pages36 minutes

    The Second Gong: A Hercule Poirot Short Story

    By Agatha Christie

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    Lytcham Close, one of the oldest stately homes in England, is owned by the last remaining heir and ruled by his intolerable whims. Old Hubert demands complete silence when he plays music and times dinner exactly by a resounding gong. Rushing down at the sound of the second—or is it the first?—gong, Joan Ashby is about to find out that not only is dinner delayed, but something is going on that no one can explain. Everyone is thrown into disarray when Old Hubert never materializes and instead a new guest is announced: Hercule Poirot himself. What unfolds is a mystery of lovers, and a death that is not as it appears.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateSep 27, 2011
    ISBN9780062129659
    Author

    Agatha Christie

    Agatha Christie is known throughout the world as the Queen of Crime. Her books have sold over a billion copies in English with another billion in over 70 foreign languages. She is the most widely published author of all time and in any language, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. She is the author of 80 crime novels and short story collections, 20 plays, and six novels written under the name of Mary Westmacott.

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      Book preview

      The Second Gong - Agatha Christie

      The Second Gong

      A Hercule Poirot Short Story

      by Agatha Christie

      Contents

      Cover

      Title Page

      The Second Gong

      About the Author

      Related Products

      Copyright

      About the Publisher

      The Second Gong

      ‘The Second Gong’ was first published in the USA in Ladies’ Home Journal, June 1932, and then in Strand Magazine, July 1932. It was later expanded into ‘Dead Man’s Mirror’ for the book Murder in the Mews (Collins, March 1937).

      Joan Ashby came out of her bedroom and stood a moment on the landing outside her door. She was half turning as if to go back into the room when, below her feet as it seemed, a gong boomed out.

      Immediately Joan started forward almost at a run. So great was her hurry that at the top of the big staircase she collided with a young man arriving from the opposite direction.

      ‘Hullo, Joan! Why the wild hurry?’

      ‘Sorry, Harry. I didn’t see you.’

      ‘So I gathered,’ said Harry Dalehouse dryly. ‘But as I say, why the wild haste?’

      ‘It was the gong.’

      ‘I know. But it’s only the first gong.’

      ‘No, it’s the second.’

      ‘First.’

      ‘Second.’

      Thus arguing they had been descending the stairs. They were now in the hall, where the butler, having replaced the gongstick, was advancing toward them at a grave and dignified pace.

      ‘It is the second,’ persisted Joan. ‘I know it is. Well, for one thing, look at the time.’

      Harry Dalehouse glanced up at the grandfather clock. ‘Just twelve minutes past eight,’ he remarked. ‘Joan, I believe you’re right, but I never heard the first one. Digby,’ he addressed the butler, ‘is this the first gong or the second?’

      ‘The first, sir.’

      ‘At twelve minutes past eight? Digby, somebody will get the sack for this.’

      A faint smile showed for a minute on the butler’s face.

      ‘Dinner is being served ten minutes later tonight, sir. The master’s orders.’

      ‘Incredible!’ cried Harry Dalehouse. ‘Tut, tut! Upon my word, things are coming to a pretty pass! Wonders will never cease. What ails my revered uncle?’

      ‘The seven o’clock train, sir, was half an hour late, and as –’ The butler broke off, as a sound like the crack of a whip was heard.

      ‘What on earth –’ said Harry. ‘Why, that sounded exactly like a shot.’

      A dark, handsome man of thirty-five came out of the drawing room on their

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