Убийство на поле для гольфа

           Andtonightyouhelpthegirltoescapewhenwehavefoundherwithsomuchtrouble!Ehbien!itcomestothis—areyougoingtoworkwithmeoragainstme,Hastings?”

           ForamomentortwoIdidnotanswer.Tobreakwithmyoldfriendgavemegreatpain.YetImustdefinitelyrangemyselfagainsthim.Wouldheeverforgiveme,Iwondered?Hehadbeenstrangelycalmsofar,butIknewhimtopossessmarvellousself-command.

           “Poirot,”Isaid,“I’msorry.IadmitI’vebehavedbadlytoyouoverthis.Butsometimesonehasnochoice.AndinfutureImusttakemyownline.”

           Poirotnoddedhisheadseveraltimes.

           “Iunderstand,”hesaid.Themockinglighthadquitediedoutofhiseyes,andhespokewithasincerityandkindnessthatsurprisedme.“Itisthat,myfriend,isitnot?Itislovethathascome—notasyouimaginedit,allcockahoopwithfinefeathers,butsadly,withbleedingfeet.Well,well—Iwarnedyou.WhenIrealizedthatthisgirlmusthavetakenthedagger,Iwarnedyou.Perhapsyouremember.Butalreadyitwastoolate.But,tellme,howmuchdoyouknow?”

           Imethiseyessquarely.

           “Nothingthatyoucouldtellmewouldbeanysurprisetome,Poirot.Understandthat.ButincaseyouthinkofresumingyoursearchforMissDuveen,Ishouldlikeyoutoknowonethingclearly.Ifyouhaveanyideathatshewasconcernedinthecrime,orwasthemysteriousladywhocalleduponMr.Renauldthatnight,youarewrong.ItravelledhomefromFrancewithherthatday,andpartedfromheratVictoriathateveningsothatitisclearlyimpossibleforhertohavebeeninMerlinville