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First published in Great Britain by Collins 1940
Agatha Christie® Poirot® One, Two, Buckle My Shoeâ¢
Copyright © 1940 Agatha Christie Limited. All rights reserved.
www.agathachristie.com
Cover design © HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2016
Title lettering by Ghost Design
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Agatha Christie asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
A catalogue copy of this book is available from the British Library.
This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the authorâs imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.
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Source ISBN: 9780008164966
Ebook Edition © September 2016 ISBN: 9780007422630
Version: 2017-04-12
To Dorothy North
who likes detective stories and cream,
in the hope it may make up to her
for the absence of the latter!
One, two, buckle my shoe,
Three, four, shut the door,
Five, six, picking up sticks,
Seven, eight, lay them straight,
Nine, ten, a good fat hen,
Eleven, twelve, men must delve,
Thirteen, fourteen, maids are courting,
Fifteen, sixteen, maids in the kitchen,
Seventeen, eighteen, maids in waiting,
Nineteen, twenty, my plateâs empty â¦
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Epigraph
One, Two, Buckle My Shoe
Three, Four, Shut the Door
Five, Six, Picking Up Sticks
Seven, Eight, Lay Them Straight
Nine, Ten, a Good Fat Hen
Eleven, Twelve, Men Must Delve
Thirteen, Fourteen, Maids Are Courting
Fifteen, Sixteen, Maids in the Kitchen
Seventeen, Eighteen, Maids in Waiting
Nineteen, Twenty, My Plateâs Empty
Also by Agatha Christie
About the Publisher
Mr Morley was not in the best of tempers at breakfast. He complained of the bacon, wondered why the coffee had to have the appearance of liquid mud, and remarked that breakfast cereals were each one worse than the last.
Mr Morley was a small man with a decided jaw and a pugnacious chin. His sister, who kept house for him, was a large woman rather like a female grenadier. She eyed her brother thoughtfully and asked whether the bath water had been cold again.
Rather grudgingly, Mr Morley said it had not.
He glanced at the paper and remarked that the Government seemed to be passing from a state of incompetence to one of positive imbecility!
Miss Morley said in a deep bass voice that it was Disgraceful!
As a mere woman she had always found whatever Government happened to be in power distinctly useful. She urged her brother on to explain exactly why the Governmentâs present policy was inconclusive, idiotic, imbecile and frankly suicidal!
When Mr Morley had expressed himself fully on these points, he had a second cup of the despised coffee and unburdened himself of his true grievance.
âThese girls,â he said, âare all the same! Unreliable, self-centredânot to be depended on in any way.â
Miss Morley said interrogatively:
âGladys?â
âIâve just had the message. Her auntâs had a stroke and sheâs had to go down to Somerset.â
Miss Morley said:
âVery trying, dear, but after all hardly the girlâs fault.â
Mr Morley shook his head gloomily.
âHow do I know the aunt has had a stroke? How do I know the whole thing hasnât been arranged between the girl and that very unsuitable young fellow she goes about with? That young man is a wrong âun if I ever saw one! Theyâve probably planned some outing together for today.â
âOh, no, dear, I donât think Gladys would do a thing like that. You know, youâve always found her very conscientious.â
âYes, yes.â
âAn intelligent girl and really keen on her work, you said.â
âYes, yes, Georgina, but that was before this undesirable young man came along. Sheâs been quite different latelyâquite differentâabsent-mindedâupsetânervy.â
The Grenadier produced a deep sigh. She said:
âAfter all, Henry, girls do fall in love. It canât be helped.â
Mr Morley snapped:
âShe oughtnât to let it affect her efficiency as my secretary. And today, in particular, Iâm extremely busy! Several very important patients. It is most trying!â
âIâm sure it must be extremely vexing, Henry. How is the new boy shaping, by the way?â
Henry Morley said gloomily:
âHeâs the worst Iâve had yet! Canât get a single name right and has the most uncouth manners. If he doesnât improve I shall sack him and try again. I donât know whatâs the good of our education nowadays. It seems to turn out a collection of nit-wits who canât understand a single thing you say to them, let alone remember it.â