The Seven Dials mystery

By Agatha Christie
PRINTING HISTORY Dodd, Mead edition published March 1929 Grosset & Dunlap edition published February 1930 American Mercury edition published October 1942 Bantam edition/January 1964 New Bantam edition/March 1976 The Agatha Christie Mystery Collection/September 1986
All rights reserved. Copyright 1929 by Dodd, Mead & Company, Inc. Copyright renewed © 1957 by Agatha Christie Mallowan.
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
On Early Rising
That amiable youth, Jimmy Thesiger, came racing down the big staircase at Chimneys two steps at a time. So precipitate was his descent that he collided with Tredwell, the stately butler, just as the latter was crossing the hall bearing a fresh supply of hot coffee. Owing to the marvellous presence of mind and masterly agility of Tredwell, no casualty occurred.
Sorry, apologized Jimmy. I say, Tredwell, am I the last down?
No, sir, Mr. Wade has not come down yet.
Good, said Jimmy, and entered the breakfast-room.
The room was empty save for his hostess, and her reproachful gaze gave Jimmy the same feeling of discomfort he always experienced on catching the eye of a defunct codfish exposed on a fishmonger's slab. Yet, hang it all, why should the woman look at him like that? To come down at a punctual nine-thirty when staying in a country house simply wasn't done. To be sure, it was now a quarter past eleven which was, perhaps, the outside limit, but even then—
Afraid I'm a bit late, Lady Coote. What?
Oh! it doesn't matter, said Lady Coote in a melancholy voice.