Убийство в Восточном экспрессе
3. Certain Suggestive Points
AndherChristianname,asIsaidjustnow,isdecidedlysuggestive.TheotherwomanisCountessAndrenyi.Andatoncesomethingstrikesus—”
“You!”
“Me,then.HerChristiannameonherpassportisdisfiguredbyablobofgrease.Justanaccident,anyonewouldsay.ButconsiderthatChristianname.Elena.Supposethat,insteadofElena,itwereHelena.ThatcapitalHcouldbeturnedintoacapitalEandthenrunoverthesmallenexttoitquiteeasily—andthenaspotofgreasedroppedtocoverupthealteration.”
“Helena,”criedM.Bouc.“Itisanidea,that.”
“Certainlyitisanidea!Ilookaboutforanyconfirmation,howeverslight,ofmyidea—andIfindit.OneoftheluggagelabelsontheCountess’sbaggageisslightlydamp.Itisonethathappenstorunoverthefirstinitialontopofthecase.Thatlabelhasbeensoakedoffandputonagaininadifferentplace.”
“Youbegintoconvinceme,”saidM.Bouc,“ButtheCountessAndrenyi—surely—”
“Ah,now,monvieux,youmustturnyourselfroundandapproachanentirelydifferentangleofthecase.Howwasthismurderintendedtoappeartoeverybody?Donotforgetthatthesnowhasupsetallthemurderer’soriginalplan.Letusimagine,foralittleminute,thatthereisnosnow,thatthetrainproceededonitsnormalcourse.What,then,wouldhavehappened?
“Themurder,letussay,wouldstillhavebeendiscoveredinallprobabilityattheItalianfrontierearlythismorning.MuchofthesameevidencewouldhavebeengiventotheItalianpolice.ThethreateningletterswouldhavebeenproducedbyM.MacQueen,M.
