Загадочное происшествие в Стайлзе
Chapter VIII. Fresh Suspicions
Butitcan’tbeso—it’stoomonstrous,tooimpossible.ItmustbeAlfredInglethorp.”
Poirotshookhisheadgravely.
“Don’taskmeaboutit,”continuedMissHoward,“becauseIshan’ttellyou.Iwon’tadmitit,eventomyself.Imustbemadtothinkofsuchathing.”
Poirotnodded,asifsatisfied.
“Iwillaskyounothing.ItisenoughformethatitisasIthought.AndI—I,too,haveaninstinct.Weareworkingtogethertowardsacommonend.”
“Don’taskmetohelpyou,becauseIwon’t.Iwouldn’tliftafingerto—to——”Shefaltered.
“Youwillhelpmeinspiteofyourself.Iaskyounothing—butyouwillbemyally.Youwillnotbeabletohelpyourself.YouwilldotheonlythingthatIwantofyou.”
“Andthatis?”
“Youwillwatch!”
EvelynHowardbowedherhead.
“Yes,Ican’thelpdoingthat.Iamalwayswatching—alwayshopingIshallbeprovedwrong.”
“Ifwearewrong,wellandgood,”saidPoirot.“NoonewillbemorepleasedthanIshall.But,ifweareright?Ifweareright,MissHoward,onwhosesideareyouthen?”
“Idon’tknow,Idon’tknow——”
“Comenow.”
“Itcouldbehushedup.”
“Theremustbenohushingup.”
“ButEmilyherself——”Shebrokeoff.
“MissHoward,”saidPoirotgravely,“thisisunworthyofyou.”
Suddenlyshetookherfacefromherhands.
“Yes,”shesaidquietly,“thatwasnotEvelynHowardwhospoke!”Sheflungherheadupproudly.
