Убийство в Восточном экспрессе
15. The Evidence of the Passengers’ Luggage
Theexaminationofhisbaggagetookonlyafewminutes.Poirotnotedapacketofpipecleaners.
“Youalwaysusethesamekind?”heasked.
“Usually.IfIcanget’em.”
“Ah!”Poirotnodded.
Thesepipecleanerswereidenticalwiththeonehehadfoundonthefloorofthedeadman’scompartment.
Dr.Constantineremarkedasmuchwhentheywereoutinthecorridoragain.
“Toutdemême,”murmuredPoirot,“Icanhardlybelieveit.Itisnotdanssoncaractère,andwhenyouhavesaidthatyouhavesaideverything.”
Thedoorofthenextcompartmentwasclosed.ItwasthatoccupiedbyPrincessDragomiroff.TheyknockedonthedoorandthePrincess’sdeepvoicecalled,“Entrez.”
M.Boucwasspokesman.Hewasverydeferentialandpoliteasheexplainedtheirerrand.
ThePrincesslistenedtohiminsilence,hersmalltoad-likefacequiteimpassive.
“Ifitisnecessary,Messieurs,”shesaidquietlywhenhehadfinished,“thatisallthereistoit.Mymaidhasthekeys.Shewillattendtoitwithyou.”
“Doesyourmaidalwayscarryyourkeys,Madame?”askedPoirot.
“Certainly,Monsieur.”
“AndifduringthenightatoneofthefrontierstheCustomsofficialsshouldrequireapieceofluggagetobeopened?”
Theoldladyshruggedhershoulders.
“Itisveryunlikely.Butinsuchacasethisconductorwouldfetchher.”
“Youtrusther,then,implicitly,Madame?”
“Ihavetoldyousoalready,”saidthePrincessquietly.“IdonotemploypeoplewhomIdonottrust.”
“Yes,”saidPoirotthoughtfully.“Trustisindeedsomethinginthesedays.
