Убийство на поле для гольфа
2. An Appeal for Help
“I’msurprisedyouhaven’tinvestedinafewbottlesofsomeseasickremedy,Poirot,”Iobservedmaliciously,asIrecalledourconversationatbreakfast.
Myfriend,whowasanxiouslyscanningtheweather,turnedareproachfulfaceuponme.
“IsitthatyouhaveforgottenthemethodmostexcellentofLaverguier?Hissystem,Ipractiseitalways.Onebalancesoneself,ifyouremember,turningtheheadfromlefttoright,breathinginandout,countingsixbetweeneachbreath.”
“H’m,”Idemurred.“You’llberathertiredofbalancingyourselfandcountingsixbythetimeyougettoSantiago,orBuenosAyres,orwhereveritisyouland.”
“Quelleidée!YoudonotfiguretoyourselfthatIshallgotoSantiago?”
“Mr.Renauldsuggestsitinhisletter.”
“HedidnotknowthemethodsofHerculePoirot.Idonotruntoandfro,makingjourneys,andagitatingmyself.Myworkisdonefromwithin—here—”hetappedhisforeheadsignificantly.
Asusual,thisremarkrousedmyargumentativefaculty.
“It’sallverywell,Poirot,butIthinkyouarefallingintothehabitofdespisingcertainthingstoomuch.Afinger-printhasledsometimestothearrestandconvictionofamurderer.”
“Andhas,withoutdoubt,hangedmorethanoneinnocentman,”remarkedPoirotdryly.
“Butsurelythestudyoffinger-printsandfootprints,cigaretteash,differentkindsofmud,andothercluesthatcomprisetheminuteobservationofdetails—alltheseareofvitalimportance?”
“Butcertainly.Ihaveneversaidotherwise.
