Убийство на поле для гольфа
28. Journey’s End
”
IretiredwithwhatdignityIcouldcommand.Havingdonemyerrands,Ireturnedtothehotel.Iunderstoodnexttonothingofwhathadoccurred.Theeventsofthenightseemedfantasticandimpossible.Nobodywouldanswermyquestions.Nobodyhadseemedtohearthem.Angrily,Iflungmyselfintobed,andsleptthesleepofthebewilderedandutterlyexhausted.
IawoketofindthesunpouringinthroughtheopenwindowsandPoirot,neatandsmiling,sittingbesidethebed.
“Enfinyouwake!Butitisthatyouareafamoussleeper,Hastings!Doyouknowthatitisnearlyeleveno’clock?”
Igroanedandputahandtomyhead.
“Imusthavebeendreaming,”Isaid.“Doyouknow,IactuallydreamtthatwefoundMartheDaubreuil’sbodyinMrs.Renauld’sroom,andthatyoudeclaredhertohavemurderedMr.Renauld?”
“Youwerenotdreaming.Allthatisquitetrue.”
“ButBellaDuveenkilledMr.Renauld?”
“Oh,no,Hastings,shedidnot!Shesaidshedid—yes—butthatwastosavethemanshelovedfromtheguillotine.”
“What?”
“RememberJackRenauld’sstory.Theybotharrivedonthesceneatthesameinstant,andeachtooktheothertobetheperpetratorofthecrime.Thegirlstaresathiminhorror,andthenwithacryrushesaway.But,whenshehearsthatthecrimehasbeenbroughthometohim,shecannotbearit,andcomesforwardtoaccuseherselfandsavehimfromcertaindeath.”
Poirotleanedbackinhischair,andbroughtthetipsofhisfingerstogetherinfamiliarstyle.
“Thecasewasnotquitesatisfactorytome,”heobservedjudicially.
