Убийство в Восточном экспрессе
11. The Evidence of Miss Debenham
Butmurderisalittlemorerare.”
“Oh,certainly.”
“Youwerenotacquaintedwiththedeadman?”
“Isawhimforthefirsttimewhenlunchinghereyesterday.”
“Andhowdidhestrikeyou?”
“Ihardlynoticedhim.”
“Hedidnotstrikeyouasanevilpersonality.”
Sheshruggedhershouldersslightly.
“Really,IcannotsayIthoughtaboutit.”
Poirotlookedatherkeenly.
“Youare,Ithink,alittlebitcontemptuousofthewayIprosecutemyinquiries,”hesaidwithatwinkle.“Notso,youthink,wouldanEnglishinquirybeconducted.Thereeverythingwouldbecutanddried—itwouldbeallkepttothefacts—awell-orderedbusiness.ButI,Mademoiselle,havemylittleoriginalities.Ilookfirstatmywitness,Isumuphisorhercharacter,andIframemyquestionsaccordingly.JustalittleminuteagoIamaskingquestionsofagentlemanwhowantstotellmeallhisideasoneverysubject.Well,himIkeepstrictlytothepoint.Iwanthimtoansweryesorno,thisorthat.Andthenyoucome.Iseeatoncethatyouwillbeorderlyandmethodical.Youwillconfineyourselftothematterinhand.Youranswerswillbebriefandtothepoint.Andbecause,Mademoiselle,humannatureisperverse,Iaskofyouquitedifferentquestions.Iaskwhatyoufeel,whatyouthought.Itdoesnotpleaseyouthismethod?”
“Ifyouwillforgivemysayingso,itseemssomewhatofawasteoftime.WhetherornotIlikedMr.Ratchett’sfacedoesnotseemlikelytobehelpfulinfindingoutwhokilledhim.”
“DoyouknowwhothemanRatchettreallywas,Mademoiselle?”
Shenodded.
“Mrs.
