Убийство на поле для гольфа
18. Giraud Acts
“Withgoodfortune,”heremarkedtomeoverhisshoulder,“MademoiselleMarthemayfindherselfinthegarden.IdesiretospeaktoherandwouldprefernottocallformallyattheVillaMarguerite.Ah,alliswell,theresheis.Pst,mademoiselle!Pst!Unmoment,s’ilvousplaît.”
IjoinedhimatthemomentthatMartheDaubreuil,lookingslightlystartled,camerunninguptothehedgeathiscall.
“Alittlewordwithyou,mademoiselle,ifitispermitted?”
“Certainly,MonsieurPoirot.”
Despiteheracquiescence,hereyeslookedtroubledandafraid.
“Mademoiselle,doyourememberrunningaftermeontheroadthedaythatIcametoyourhousewiththeexaminingmagistrate?Youaskedmeifanyoneweresuspectedofthecrime.”
“AndyoutoldmetwoChilians.”Hervoicesoundedratherbreathless,andherlefthandstoletoherbreast.
“Willyouaskmethesamequestionagain,mademoiselle?”
“Whatdoyoumean?”
“This.Ifyouweretoaskmethatquestionagain,Ishouldgiveyouadifferentanswer.Someoneissuspected—butnotaChilian.”
“Who?”Thewordcamefaintlybetweenherpartedlips.
“M.JackRenauld.”
“What?”Itwasacry.“Jack?Impossible.Whodarestosuspecthim?”
“Giraud.”
“Giraud!”Thegirl’sfacewasashy.“Iamafraidofthatman.Heiscruel.Hewill—hewill—”Shebrokeoff.Therewascouragegatheringinherface,anddetermination.Irealizedinthatmomentthatshewasafighter.Poirot,too,watchedherintently.
“Youknow,ofcourse,thathewashereonthenightofthemurder?”heasked.
“Yes,”sherepliedmechanically.
