Загадочное происшествие в Стайлзе
Chapter V. “It Isn’t Strychnine, Is It?”
Ofcourseonehastotreathimasusual—but,hangitall,one’sgorgedoesriseatsittingdowntoeatwithapossiblemurderer!”
Poirotnoddedsympathetically.
“Iquiteunderstand.Itisaverydifficultsituationforyou,Mr.Cavendish.Iwouldliketoaskyouonequestion.Mr.Inglethorp’sreasonfornotreturninglastnightwas,Ibelieve,thathehadforgottenthelatch-key.Isnotthatso?”
“Yes.”
“Isupposeyouarequitesurethatthelatch-keywasforgotten—thathedidnottakeitafterall?”
“Ihavenoidea.Ineverthoughtoflooking.Wealwayskeepitinthehalldrawer.I’llgoandseeifit’stherenow.”
Poirothelduphishandwithafaintsmile.
“No,no,Mr.Cavendish,itistoolatenow.Iamcertainthatyouwouldfindit.IfMr.Inglethorpdidtakeit,hehashadampletimetoreplaceitbynow.”
“Butdoyouthink——”
“Ithinknothing.Ifanyonehadchancedtolookthismorningbeforehisreturn,andseenitthere,itwouldhavebeenavaluablepointinhisfavour.Thatisall.”
Johnlookedperplexed.
“Donotworry,”saidPoirotsmoothly.“Iassureyouthatyouneednotletittroubleyou.Sinceyouaresokind,letusgoandhavesomebreakfast.”
Everyonewasassembledinthedining-room.Underthecircumstances,wewerenaturallynotacheerfulparty.Thereactionafterashockisalwaystrying,andIthinkwewereallsufferingfromit.
