Убийство в Восточном экспрессе
8. The Evidence of Colonel Arbuthnot
15—theonenextbutonetotheendawayfromthediningcar?”
“Yes.”
“Wherewastheconductorwhenyouwenttoyourcompartment?”
“Sittingattheendatalittletable.Asamatteroffact,MacQueencalledhimjustasIwenttomyowncompartment.”
“Whydidhecallhim?”
“Tomakeuphisbed,Isuppose.Thecompartmenthadn’tbeenmadeupforthenight.”
“Now,ColonelArbuthnot,Iwantyoutothinkcarefully.DuringthetimeyouweretalkingtoMr.MacQueendidanyonepassalongthecorridoroutsidethedoor?”
“Agoodmanypeople,Ishouldthink.Iwasn’tpayingattention.”
“Ah!butIamreferringto—letussaythelasthourandahalfofyourconversation.YougotoutatVincovci,didn’tyou?”
“Yes,butonlyforaboutaminute.Therewasablizzardon.Thecoldwassomethingfrightful.Madeonequitethankfultogetbacktothefug,thoughasaruleIthinkthewaythesetrainsareoverheatedissomethingscandalous.”
M.Boucsighed.
“Itisverydifficulttopleaseeverybody,”hesaid.“TheEnglish,theyopeneverything—thenothers,theycomealongandshuteverything.Itisverydifficult.”
NeitherPoirotnorColonelArbuthnotpaidanyattentiontohim.
“Now,Monsieur,castyourmindback,”saidPoirotencouragingly.“Itwascoldoutside.Youhavereturnedtothetrain.Yousitdownagain,yousmoke—perhapsacigarette,perhapsapipe—”
Hepausedforthefractionofasecond.
“Apipeforme.MacQueensmokedcigarettes.”
“Thetrainstartsagain.Yousmokeyourpipe.YoudiscussthestateofEurope—oftheworld.Itislatenow.
