Пуаро ведёт следствие
VIII. The Kidnapped Prime Minister
HewasmorethanEngland’sPrimeMinister—hewasEngland;andtohaveremovedhimfromhissphereofinfluencewouldhavebeenacrushingandparalysingblowtoBritain.
Poirotwasbusymoppingagreysuitwithaminutesponge.NeverwasthereadandysuchasHerculePoirot.Neatnessandorderwerehispassion.Now,withtheodourofbenzinefillingtheair,hewasquiteunabletogivemehisfullattention.
“InalittleminuteIamwithyou,myfriend.Ihaveallbutfinished.Thespotofgrease—heisnotgood—Iremovehim—so!”Hewavedhissponge.
IsmiledasIlitanothercigarette.
“Anythinginterestingon?”Iinquired,afteraminuteortwo.
“Iassista—howdoyoucallit?—‘charlady’tofindherhusband.Adifficultaffair,needingthetact.ForIhavealittleideathatwhenheisfoundhewillnotbepleased.Whatwouldyou?Formypart,Isympathizewithhim.Hewasamanofdiscriminationtolosehimself.”
Ilaughed.
“Atlast!Thespotofgrease,heisgone!Iamatyourdisposal.”
“IwasaskingyouwhatyouthoughtofthisattempttoassassinateMacAdam?”
“Enfantillage!”repliedPoirotpromptly.“Onecanhardlytakeitseriously.Tofirewiththerifle—neverdoesitsucceed.Itisadeviceofthepast.”
“Itwasverynearsucceedingthistime,”Iremindedhim.
Poirotshookhisheadimpatiently.Hewasabouttoreplywhenthelandladythrustherheadroundthedoorandinformedhimthatthereweretwogentlemenbelowwhowantedtoseehim.
“Theywon’tgivetheirnames,sir,buttheysaysasit’sveryimportant.
