Убийство в Восточном экспрессе
2. Ten Questions
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“Andthesecondquestion—thepipecleaner.DidColonelArbuthnotdropit,orsomebodyelse?”
“Thatismoredifficult.TheEnglish,theydonotstab.Youarerightthere.Iinclinetotheviewthatsomeoneelsedroppedthepipecleaner—anddidsotoincriminatethelong-leggedEnglishman.”
“Asyousaid,M.Poirot,”putinthedoctor,“twocluesistoomuchcarelessness.IagreewithM.Bouc.Thehandkerchiefwasagenuineoversight—hencenoonewilladmitthatitistheirs.Thepipecleanerisafakedclue.Insupportofthattheory,younoticethatColonelArbuthnotshowsnoembarrassmentandadmitsfreelytosmokingapipeandusingthattypeofcleaner.”
“Youreasonwell,”saidPoirot.
“QuestionNo.3—whoworethescarletkimono?”wentonM.Bouc.“AstothatIwillconfessIhavenottheslightestidea.Haveyouanyviewsonthesubject,Dr.Constantine?”
“None.”
“Thenweconfessourselvesbeatenthere.Thenextquestionhas,atanyrate,possibilities.WhowasthemanorwomanmasqueradinginWagonLituniform?Well,onecansaywithcertaintyanumberofpeoplewhomitcouldnotbe.Hardman,ColonelArbuthnot,Foscarelli,CountAndrenyiandHectorMacQueenarealltootall.Mrs.Hubbard,HildegardeSchmidtandGretaOhlssonaretoobroad.
