Пуаро ведёт следствие
III. The Adventure of the Cheap Flat
ItoccupiedthesamepositioninthebuildingasthatoftheRobinsons,butwastwofloorshigher.
ThedayafterourinstallationwasaSunday.Intheafternoon,Poirotleftthefrontdoorajar,andsummonedmehastilyasabangreverberatedfromsomewherebelow.
“Lookoverthebanisters.Arethoseyourfriends.Donotletthemseeyou.”
Icranedmyneckoverthestaircase.
“That’sthem,”Ideclaredinanungrammaticalwhisper.
“Good.Waitawhile.”
Abouthalfanhourlater,ayoungwomanemergedinbrilliantandvariedclothing.Withasighofsatisfaction,Poirottiptoedbackintotheflat.
“C’estça.Afterthemasterandmistress,themaid.Theflatshouldnowbeempty.”
“Whatarewegoingtodo?”Iaskeduneasily.
Poirothadtrottedbrisklyintothesculleryandwashaulingattheropeofthecoal-lift.
“Weareabouttodescendafterthemethodofthedustbins,”heexplainedcheerfully.“Noonewillobserveus.TheSundayconcert,theSunday‘afternoonout,’andfinallytheSundaynapaftertheSundaydinnerofEngland—lerosbif—allthesewilldistractattentionfromthedoingsofHerculePoirot.Come,myfriend.”
HesteppedintotheroughwoodencontrivanceandIfollowedhimgingerly.
“Arewegoingtobreakintotheflat?”Iaskeddubiously.
Poirot’sanswerwasnottooreassuring:
“Notpreciselyto-day,”hereplied.
Pullingontherope,wedescendedslowlytillwereachedthesecondfloor.Poirotutteredanexclamationofsatisfactionasheperceivedthatthewoodendoorintothescullerywasopen.
“Youobserve?Neverdotheyboltthesedoorsinthedaytime.
