Убийство на поле для гольфа
23. Difficulties Ahead
”
“Itiswhatyouwoulddo,wereyouinmyplace.Iunderstandthat.ButIamnotofthosewhoenjoyrushingupanddownacountryseekinganeedleinahaystack,asyouEnglishsay.No—letMademoiselleBellaDuveengo.Withoutdoubt,Ishallbeabletofindherwhenthetimecomes.Untilthen,Iamcontenttowait.”
Istaredathimdoubtfully.Washeseekingtomisleadme?Ihadanirritatingfeelingthat,evennow,hewasmasterofthesituation.Mysenseofsuperioritywasgraduallywaning.Ihadcontrivedthegirl’sescape,andevolvedabrilliantschemeforsavingherfromtheconsequencesofherrashact—butIcouldnotresteasyinmymind.Poirot’sperfectcalmawakenedathousandapprehensions.
“Isuppose,Poirot,”Isaidratherdiffidently,“Imustn’taskwhatyourplansare?I’veforfeitedtheright.”
“Butnotatall.Thereisnosecretaboutthem.WereturntoFrancewithoutdelay.”
“We?”
“Precisely—‘we!’YouknowverywellthatyoucannotaffordtoletPapaPoirotoutofyoursight.Eh,isitnotso,myfriend?ButremaininEnglandbyallmeansifyouwish—”
Ishookmyhead.Hehadhitthenailonthehead.Icouldnotaffordtolethimoutofmysight.AlthoughIcouldnotexpecthisconfidenceafterwhathadhappened,Icouldstillcheckhisactions.TheonlydangertoBellalaywithhim.GiraudandtheFrenchpolicewereindifferenttoherexistence.AtallcostsImustkeepnearPoirot.
Poirotobservedmeattentivelyasthesereflectionspassedthroughmymind,andgaveanodofsatisfaction.
