Убийство на поле для гольфа
6. The Scene of the Crime
Thereweretwolargeovalflower-bedsplantedwithscarletgeraniums,oneeachsideofthestepsleadinguptothefrontdoor.Thetreeinquestionhaditsrootsactuallyatthebackofthebeditself,anditwouldhavebeenimpossibletoreachitwithoutsteppingonthebed.
“Yousee,”continuedthecommissary,“owingtothedryweathernoprintswouldshowonthedriveorpaths;but,onthesoftmouldoftheflower-bed,itwouldhavebeenaverydifferentaffair.”
Poirotwentclosetothebedandstudieditattentively.AsBexhadsaid,themouldwasperfectlysmooth.Therewasnotanindentationonitanywhere.
Poirotnodded,asthoughconvinced,andweturnedaway,buthesuddenlydartedoffandbeganexaminingtheotherflower-bed.
“M.Bex!”hecalled.“Seehere.Hereareplentyoftracesforyou.”
Thecommissaryjoinedhim—andsmiled.
“MydearM.Poirot,thosearewithoutdoubtthefootprintsofthegardener’slargehobnailedboots.Inanycase,itwouldhavenoimportance,sincethissidewehavenotree,andconsequentlynomeansofgainingaccesstotheupperstory.”
“True,”saidPoirot,evidentlycrestfallen.“Soyouthinkthesefootprintsareofnoimportance?”
“Nottheleastintheworld.”
Then,tomyutterastonishment,Poirotpronouncedthesewords:
“Idonotagreewithyou.Ihavealittleideathatthesefootprintsarethemostimportantthingswehaveseenyet.”
M.Bexsaidnothing,merelyshruggedhisshoulders.Hewasfartoocourteoustoutterhisrealopinion.
“Shallweproceed?”heaskedinstead.
“Certainly.
