Убийство на поле для гольфа
3. At the Villa Geneviève
Unfortunatelyhesentformetoolate.”
“Sacritonnerre!”ejaculatedtheFrenchman.“Soheforesawhisownmurder?Thatupsetsourtheoriesconsiderably!Butcomeinside.”
Heheldthegateopen,andwecommencedwalkingtowardsthehouse.M.Bexcontinuedtotalk:
“Theexaminingmagistrate,M.Hautet,musthearofthisatonce.Hehasjustfinishedexaminingthesceneofthecrimeandisabouttobeginhisinterrogations.Acharmingman.Youwilllikehim.Mostsympathetic.Originalinhismethods,butanexcellentjudge.”
“Whenwasthecrimecommitted?”askedPoirot.
“Thebodywasdiscoveredthismorningaboutnineo’clock.MadameRenauld’sevidence,andthatofthedoctorsgoestoshowthatthedeathmusthaveoccurredabout2a.m.Butenter,Iprayofyou.”
WehadarrivedatthestepswhichleduptothefrontdooroftheVilla.Inthehallanothersergentdevillewassitting.Heroseatsightofthecommissary.
“WhereisM.Hautetnow?”inquiredthelatter.
“Inthesalon,monsieur.”
M.Bexopenedadoortotheleftofthehall,andwepassedin.M.Hautetandhisclerkweresittingatabigroundtable.Theylookedupasweentered.Thecommissaryintroducedus,andexplainedourpresence.
M.Hautet,theJuged’Instruction,wasatall,gauntman,withpiercingdarkeyes,andaneatlycutgreybeard,whichhehadahabitofcaressingashetalked.Standingbythemantelpiecewasanelderlyman,withslightlystoopingshoulders,whowasintroducedtousasDr.Durand.
“Mostextraordinary,”remarkedM.Hautet,asthecommissaryfinishedspeaking.
