Пуаро ведёт следствие
I. The Adventure of “The Western Star”
Seemsmywife’sbeengettingoddkindofletters,andthatthisMissMarvell’shad’emtoo.Whatdoesitallmean?”
PoirothandedhimthecopyofSocietyGossip.
“First,milord,Iwouldaskyouifthesefactsaresubstantiallycorrect?”
Thepeertookit.Hisfacedarkenedwithangerasheread.
“Damnednonsense!”hespluttered.“There’sneverbeenanyromanticstoryattachingtothediamond.ItcamefromIndiaoriginally,Ibelieve.IneverheardofallthisChinesegodstuff.”
“Still,thestoneisknownas‘TheStaroftheEast.’”
“Well,whatifitis?”hedemandedwrathfully.
Poirotsmiledalittle,butmadenodirectreply.“WhatIwouldaskyoutodo,milord,istoplaceyourselfinmyhands.Ifyoudosounreservedly,Ihavegreathopesofavertingthecatastrophe.”
“Thenyouthinkthere’sactuallysomethinginthesewild-cattales?”
“WillyoudoasIaskyou?”
“OfcourseIwill,but——”
“Bien!ThenpermitthatIaskyouafewquestions.ThisaffairofYardlyChase,isit,asyousay,allfixedupbetweenyouandMr.Rolf?”
“Oh,hetoldyouaboutit,didhe?No,there’snothingsettled.”Hehesitated,thebrick-redcolourofhisfacedeepening.“Mightaswellgetthethingstraight.I’vemaderatheranassofmyselfinmanyways,MonsieurPoirot—andI’mheadoverearsindebt—butIwanttopullup.I’mfondofthekids,andIwanttostraightenthingsup,andbeabletoliveonattheoldplace.GregoryRolfisofferingmebigmoney—enoughtosetmeonmyfeetagain.
