Убийство в Восточном экспрессе
15. The Evidence of the Passengers’ Luggage
Sheseemed,indeed,ratherboredbythewholeproceeding,remainingcurledupinhercorner,staringdreamilyoutthroughthewindowwhilstthemensearchedherluggageinthecompartmentnextdoor.
Poirotfinishedhissearchbyopeningthelittlecupboardabovethewashbasinandtakingarapidglanceatitscontents—asponge,facecream,powderandasmallbottlelabelledtrional.
Then,withpoliteremarksoneitherside,thesearchpartywithdrew.
Mrs.Hubbard’scompartment,thatofthedeadman,andPoirot’sowncamenext.
Theynowcametothesecond-classcarriages.Thefirstone,Nos.10,11,wasoccupiedbyMaryDebenham,whowasreadingabook,andGretaOhlsson,whowasfastasleepbutwokewithastartattheirentrance.
Poirotrepeatedhisformula.TheSwedishladyseemedagitated,MaryDebenhamcalmlyindifferent.
PoirotaddressedhimselftotheSwedishlady.
“Ifyoupermit,Mademoiselle,wewillexamineyourbaggagefirst,andthenperhapsyouwouldbesogoodastoseehowtheAmericanladyisgettingon.Wehavemovedherintooneofthecarriagesinthenextcoach,butsheisstillveryupsetastheresultofherdiscovery.Ihaveorderedcoffeetobesenttoher,butIthinksheisofthosetowhomsomeonetotalktoisanecessityofthefirstwater.”
Thegoodladywasinstantlysympathetic.Shewouldgoimmediately.Itmusthavebeenindeedaterribleshocktothenerves,andalreadythepoorladywasupsetbythejourneyandleavingherdaughter.Ah,yes,certainlyshewouldgoatonce—hercasewasnotlocked—andshewouldtakewithhersomesalammoniac.
Shebustledoff.
