Убийство в Восточном экспрессе
15. The Evidence of the Passengers’ Luggage
Herpossessionsweresoonexamined.Theyweremeagreintheextreme.Shehadevidentlynotnoticedthemissingwiresfromthehatbox.
MissDebenhamhadputherbookdown.ShewaswatchingPoirot.Whenheaskedher,shehandedoverherkeys.Then,ashelifteddownacaseandopenedit,shesaid:
“Whydidyousendheraway,M.Poirot?”
“I,Mademoiselle?Why,toministertotheAmericanlady.”
“Anexcellentpretext—butapretextallthesame.”
“Idon’tunderstandyou,Mademoiselle.”
“Ithinkyouunderstandmeverywell.”
Shesmiled.
“Youwantedtogetmealone.Wasn’tthatit?”
“Youareputtingwordsintomymouth,Mademoiselle.”
“Andideasintoyourhead?No,Idon’tthinkso.Theideasarealreadythere.Thatisright,isn’tit?”
“Mademoiselle,wehaveaproverb—”
“Ques’excuses’accuse;isthatwhatyouweregoingtosay?Youmustgivemethecreditforacertainamountofobservationandcommonsense.ForsomereasonorotheryouhavegotitintoyourheadthatIknowsomethingaboutthissordidbusiness—thismurderofamanIneversawbefore.”
“Youareimaginingthings,Mademoiselle.”
“No,Iamnotimaginingthingsatall.Butitseemstomethatalotoftimeiswastedbynotspeakingthetruth—bybeatingaboutthebushinsteadofcomingstraightoutwiththings.”
“Andyoudonotlikethewasteoftime.No,youliketocomestraighttothepoint.Youlikethedirectmethod.Ehbien,Iwillgiveittoyou,thedirectmethod.IwillaskyouthemeaningofcertainwordsthatIoverheardonthejourneyfromSyria.
