Sharpless smiled.
"I'll say I do! I remember everything about that afternoon. What about it?"
"Oh, ah. You did carry it up, then?"
"Yes, of course. What about it?"
"And you didn't put it down anywhere? Or stop to talk to anybody? You just took it up, and handed it to the lady? Eh?"
If Frank's astonishment were assumed, Courtney thought, he must be among the first actors of the world. It was as though you could read every thought in the man's head.
"That's right. And you can add, if you like, that I stopped there and watched her while she ate it." Enlightenment came to him. "Oh! I get it! You're wondering whether the grapefruit might have had a bad effect, or a good effect, in bringing on the poison?"
"Something like that."
"Well," said Sharpless, drawing in his breath, "if it had a good effect, I'm glad. And if it had a bad effect-well, that doesn't matter now, thanks to Sir Henry. I haven't thanked you properly, sir, for whatever it was you did the other night. But, by gad, if there's ever anything you want done for you: a little matter of a murder or anything like that: you just come to me. I'm your man."
"Eee!" cried Mrs. Propper, and flounced up out of her chair like a pouncing owl.