Пуаро ведёт следствие
VI. The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb
Butitwasaclearcaseoftetanus.”
“Didyounotinjectanti-serum?”
“Certainlywedid,”saidthedoctordryly.“Everyconceivablethingthatcouldbedonewastried.”
“Hadyoutheanti-serumwithyou?”
“No.WeprocureditfromCairo.”
“Havetherebeenanyothercasesoftetanusinthecamp?”
“No,notone.”
“AreyoucertainthatthedeathofMr.Bleibnerwasnotduetotetanus?”
“Absolutelyplumbcertain.Hehadascratchuponhisthumbwhichbecamepoisoned,andsepticæmiasetin.Itsoundsprettymuchthesametoalayman,Idaresay,butthetwothingsareentirelydifferent.”
“Thenwehavefourdeaths—alltotallydissimilar,oneheartfailure,onebloodpoisoning,onesuicideandonetetanus.”
“Exactly,MonsieurPoirot.”
“Areyoucertainthatthereisnothingwhichmightlinkthefourtogether?”
“Idon’tquiteunderstandyou?”
“Iwillputitplainly.WasanyactcommittedbythosefourmenwhichmightseemtodenotedisrespecttothespiritofMen-her-Ra?”
ThedoctorgazedatPoirotinastonishment.
“You’retalkingthroughyourhat,MonsieurPoirot.Surelyyou’venotbeenguyedintobelievingallthatfooltalk?”
“Absolutenonsense,”mutteredWillardangrily.
Poirotremainedplacidlyimmovable,blinkingalittleoutofhisgreencat’seyes.
“Soyoudonotbelieveit,monsieurledocteur?”
“No,sir,Idonot,”declaredthedoctoremphatically.“Iamascientificman,andIbelieveonlywhatscienceteaches.”
“WastherenosciencetheninAncientEgypt?”askedPoirotsoftly.Hedidnotwaitforareply,andindeedDr.
