Убийство на поле для гольфа
21. Hercule Poirot on the Case!
Yes,sheisagreatwoman!Ifshelovedacriminal,shelovedhimroyally!”
Poirotlosthimselfincontemplation.
“Onethingmore,Poirot,whataboutthepieceofleadpiping?”
“Youdonotsee?Todisfigurethevictim’sfacesothatitwouldbeunrecognizable.Itwasthatwhichfirstsetmeontherighttrack.AndthatimbecileofaGiraud,swarmingalloverittolookformatchends!DidInottellyouthataclueoftwofeetlongwasquiteasgoodasaclueoftwoinches?”
“Well,Giraudwillsingsmallnow,”Iobservedhastily,toleadtheconversationawayfrommyownshortcomings.
“AsIsaidbefore,willhe?Ifhehasarrivedattherightpersonbythewrongmethod,hewillnotpermitthattoworryhim.”
“Butsurely—”IpausedasIsawthenewtrendofthings.
“Yousee,Hastings,wemustnowstartagain.WhokilledM.Renauld?SomeonewhowasneartheVillajustbeforetwelveo’clockthatnight,someonewhowouldbenefitbyhisdeath—thedescriptionfitsJackRenauldonlytoowell.Thecrimeneednothavebeenpremeditated.Andthenthedagger!”
Istarted,Ihadnotrealizedthatpoint.
“Ofcourse,”Isaid.“TheseconddaggerwefoundinthetrampwasMrs.Renauld’s.Thereweretwo,then.”
“Certainly,and,sincetheywereduplicates,itstandstoreasonthatJackRenauldwastheowner.Butthatwouldnottroublemesomuch.InfactIhavealittleideaastothat.No,theworstindictmentagainsthimisagainpsychological—heredity,monami,heredity!Likefather,likeson—JackRenauld,whenallissaidordone,isthesonofGeorgesConneau