Загадочное происшествие в Стайлзе
Chapter VII. Poirot Pays His Debts
Butitwasstrangethatsheneverheardasound,sleepingnextdoor;whereasMrs.Cavendish,intheotherwingofthebuilding,distinctlyheardthetablefall.”
“Well,she’syoung.Andshesleepssoundly.”
“Ah,yes,indeed!Shemustbeafamoussleeper,thatone!”
Ididnotquitelikethetoneofhisvoice,butatthatmomentasmartknockreachedourears,andlookingoutofthewindowweperceivedthetwodetectiveswaitingforusbelow.
Poirotseizedhishat,gaveaferocioustwisttohismoustache,and,carefullybrushinganimaginaryspeckofdustfromhissleeve,motionedmetoprecedehimdownthestairs;therewejoinedthedetectivesandsetoutforStyles.
IthinktheappearanceofthetwoScotlandYardmenwasratherashock—especiallytoJohn,thoughofcourseaftertheverdict,hehadrealizedthatitwasonlyamatteroftime.Still,thepresenceofthedetectivesbroughtthetruthhometohimmorethananythingelsecouldhavedone.
PoirothadconferredwithJappinalowtoneonthewayup,anditwasthelatterfunctionarywhorequestedthatthehousehold,withtheexceptionoftheservants,shouldbeassembledtogetherinthedrawing-room.Irealizedthesignificanceofthis.ItwasuptoPoirottomakehisboastgood.
Personally,Iwasnotsanguine.PoirotmighthaveexcellentreasonsforhisbeliefinInglethorp’sinnocence,butamanofthetypeofSummerhayewouldrequiretangibleproofs,andtheseIdoubtedifPoirotcouldsupply.
Beforeverylongwehadalltroopedintothedrawing-room,thedoorofwhichJappclosed.
