Убийство в Восточном экспрессе
3. Certain Suggestive Points
ledocteur?”
“Idonotunderstandintheleastofwhatyouaretalking.”M.Bouc,meanwhile,seizingupontheonetangiblethinghisfriendhadmentioned,wassortingthroughthepassports.WithagrunthepickedupthatofCountandCountessAndrenyiandopenedit.
“Isthiswhatyoumean?Thisdirtymark?”
“Yes.Itisafairlyfreshgreasespot.Younoticewhereitoccurs?”
“AtthebeginningofthedescriptionoftheCount’swife—herChristianname,tobeexact.ButIconfessthatIstilldonotseethepoint.”
“Iamgoingtoapproachitfromanotherangle.Letusgobacktothehandkerchieffoundatthesceneofthecrime.Aswehavestatednotlongago—threepeopleareassociatedwiththeletterH.Mrs.Hubbard,MissDebenhamandthemaid,HildegardeSchmidt.Nowletusregardthathandkerchieffromanotherpointofview.Itis,myfriends,anextremelyexpensivehandkerchief—anobjetdeluxe,handmade,embroideredinParis.Whichofthepassengers,apartfromtheinitial,waslikelytoownsuchahandkerchief?NotMrs.Hubbard,aworthywomanwithnopretensionstorecklessextravaganceindress.NotMissDebenham;thatclassofEnglish-womanhasadaintylinenhandkerchief,butnotanexpensivewispofcambriccostingperhapstwohundredfrancs.Andcertainlynotthemaid.Buttherearetwowomenonthetrainwhowouldbelikelytoownsuchahandkerchief.LetusseeifwecanconnecttheminanywaywiththeletterH.ThetwowomenIrefertoarePrincessDragomiroff—”
“WhoseChristiannameisNatalia,”putinM.Boucironically.
“Exactly.
