The Chocolate Box: A Hercule Poirot Short Story

The Chocolate Box
A Short Story

by Agatha Christie

Copyright

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Copyright © 1999 Agatha Christie Ltd.

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Ebook Edition © MAY 2013 ISBN: 9780007526413

Version: 2017-04-13

Contents

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

The Chocolate Box

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About the Publisher

The Chocolate Box

‘The Chocolate Box’ was first published as ‘The Clue of the Chocolate Box’ in The Sketch, 23 May 1923.

It was a wild night. Outside, the wind howled malevolently, and the rain beat against the windows in great gusts.

Poirot and I sat facing the hearth, our legs stretched out to the cheerful blaze. Between us was a small table. On my side of it stood some carefully brewed hot toddy; on Poirot’s was a cup of thick, rich chocolate which I would not have drunk for a hundred pounds! Poirot sipped the thick brown mess in the pink china cup, and sighed with contentment.

‘Quelle belle vie!’ he murmured.

‘Yes, it’s a good old world,’ I agreed. ‘Here am I with a job, and a good job too! And here are you, famous –’

‘Oh, mon ami!’ protested Poirot.

‘But you are. And rightly so! When I think back on your long line of successes, I am positively amazed. I don’t believe you know what failure is!’