Убийство на поле для гольфа
9. M. Giraud Finds Some Clues
Thedoorbeingleftopenwastheresultofeitherdesignornecessity,andanytheorythatdoesnotadmitthatfactisboundtoprovevain.”
Weallregardedthelittlemanwithagooddealofastonishment.Theconfessionofignorancedrawnfromhimoverthematchendhad,Ithought,beenboundtohumiliatehim,butherehewasselfsatisfiedasever,layingdownthelawtothegreatGiraudwithoutatremor.
Thedetectivetwistedhismoustache,eyeingmyfriendinasomewhatbanteringfashion.
“Youdon’tagreewithme,eh?Well,whatstrikesyouparticularlyaboutthecase.Let’shearyourviews.”
“Onethingpresentsitselftomeasbeingsignificant.Tellme,M.Giraud,doesnothingstrikeyouasfamiliaraboutthiscase?Istherenothingitremindsyouof?”
“Familiar?Remindsmeof?Ican’tsayoff-hand.Idon’tthinkso,though.”
“Youarewrong,”saidPoirotquietly.“Acrimealmostpreciselysimilarhasbeencommittedbefore.”
“When?Andwhere?”
“Ah,that,unfortunately,Icannotforthemomentremember—butIshalldoso.Ihadhopedyoumightbeabletoassistme.”
Giraudsnortedincredulously.
“Therehavebeenmanyaffairsofmaskedmen!Icannotrememberthedetailsofthemall.Thesecrimesallresembleeachothermoreorless.”
“Thereissuchathingastheindividualtouch.”Poirotsuddenlyassumedhislecturingmanner,andaddresseduscollectively.“Iamspeakingtoyounowofthepsychologyofcrime.M.