Убийство в Восточном экспрессе
13. Summary of the Passengers’ Evidence
”
Heretailedatlengththeconclusionsthatheandthedoctorhadarrivedattogetherfromthenatureofthedeadman’swounds.M.Boucgroanedandheldhisheadagain.
“Iknow,”saidPoirotsympathetically.“Iknowexactlyhowyoufeel.Theheadspins,doesitnot?”
“Thewholethingisafantasy,”criedM.Bouc.
“Exactly.Itisabsurd—improbable—itcannotbe.SoImyselfhavesaid.Andyet,myfriend,thereitis!Onecannotescapefromthefacts.”
“Itismadness!”
“Isitnot?Itissomad,myfriend,thatsometimesIamhauntedbythesensationthatreallyitmustbeverysimple…
“Butthatisonlyoneofmy‘littleideas.’…”
“Twomurderers,”groanedM.Bouc.“AndontheOrientExpress.”
Thethoughtalmostmadehimweep.
“Andnowletusmakethefantasymorefantastic,”saidPoirotcheerfully.“Lastnightonthetraintherearetwomysteriousstrangers.ThereistheWagonLitattendantansweringtothedescriptiongivenusbyM.Hardman,andseenbyHildegardeSchmidt,ColonelArbuthnotandM.MacQueen.Thereisalsoawomaninaredkimono—atall,slimwoman—seenbyPierreMichel,byMissDebenham,byM.MacQueenandbymyself—andsmelt,Imaysay,byColonelArbuthnot!Whowasshe?Nooneonthetrainadmitstohavingascarletkimono.She,too,hasvanished.WassheoneandthesamewiththespuriousWagonLitattendant?Orwasshesomequitedistinctpersonality?Wherearethey,thesetwo?And,incidentally,whereistheWagonLituniformandthescarletkimono?”
“Ah!thatissomethingdefinite.”M.Boucsprangupeagerly
