Убийство на поле для гольфа
11. Jack Renauld
Shedisplayedagreatdesiretoseeeverythingthatwastobeseen,andI—well,inshort,Itookthekeytoshowherthebody.”
“Ah,parexemple,”criedthemagistrateindignantly.“Butitisagravefaultyouhavecommittedthere,CaptainHastings.Itisaltogethermostirregular.Youshouldnothavepermittedyourselfthisfolly.”
“Iknow,”Isaidmeekly.“Nothingthatyoucansaycouldbetoosevere,M.lejuge.”
“Youdidnotinvitethisladytocomehere?”
“Certainlynot.Imetherquitebyaccident.SheisanEnglishladywhohappenstobestayinginMerlinville,thoughIwasnotawareofthatuntilmyunexpectedmeetingwithher.”
“Well,well,”saidthemagistrate,softening.“Itwasmostirregular,buttheladyiswithoutdoubtyoungandbeautiful,n’est-cepas?Whatitistobeyoung!Ojeunesse,jeunesse!”Andhesighedsentimentally.
Butthecommissary,lessromantic,andmorepractical,tookupthetale:
“Butdidnotyourecloseandlockthedoorwhenyoudeparted.”
“That’sjustit,”Isaidslowly.“That’swhatIblamemyselfforsoterribly.Myfriendwasupsetatthesight.Shenearlyfainted.Igothersomebrandyandwater,andafterwardsinsistedonaccompanyingherbacktotown.Intheexcitement,Iforgottorelockthedoor.IonlydidsowhenIgotbacktotheVilla.”
“Thenfortwentyminutesatleast—”saidthecommissaryslowly.Hestopped.
“Exactly,”Isaid.
“Twentyminutes,”musedthecommissary.
“Itisdeplorable,”saidM.Hautet,hissternnessofmannerreturning.“Withoutprecedent.”
Suddenlyanothervoicespoke.
