Убийство на поле для гольфа
9. M. Giraud Finds Some Clues
”
“Butwhocleansthem?”
“Nobody.Whyshouldtheybecleaned?IsitthatIpromenademyselfonthefrontlikeayoungman?OnSundayIweartheSundayboots,bienentendu,butotherwise—!”heshruggedhisshoulders.
Ishookmyhead,discouraged.
“Well,well,”saidthemagistrate.“Wedonotadvanceverymuch.UndoubtedlyweareheldupuntilwegetthereturncablefromSantiago.HasanyoneseenGiraud?Inveritythatonelackspoliteness!Ihaveaverygoodmindtosendforhimand—”
“Youwillnothavetosendfar,M.lejuge.”
Thequietvoicestartledus.Giraudwasstandingoutsidelookinginthroughtheopenwindow.
Heleapedlightlyintotheroom,andadvancedtothetable.
“HereIam,M.lejuge,atyourservice.Acceptmyexcusesfornotpresentingmyselfsooner.”
“Notatall.Notatall,”saidthemagistrate,ratherconfused.
“OfcourseIamonlyadetective,”continuedtheother.“Iknownothingofinterrogatories.WereIconductingone,Ishouldbeinclinedtodosowithoutanopenwindow.Anyonestandingoutsidecansoeasilyhearallthatpasses. …Butnomatter.”
M.Hautetflushedangrily.Therewasevidentlygoingtobenolovelostbetweentheexaminingmagistrateandthedetectiveinchargeofthecase.Theyhadfallenfoulofeachotheratthestart.Perhapsinanyeventitwouldhavebeenmuchthesame.ToGiraud,allexaminingmagistrateswerefools,andtoM.Hautetwhotookhimselfseriously,thecasualmanneroftheParisdetectivecouldnotfailtogiveoffence.
“Ehbien,M.Giraud,”saidthemagistraterathersharply.
