Убийство в Восточном экспрессе
4. The Grease Spot on a Hungarian Passport
“IdonotsaythatIdisbelieveyou,Monsieur,”saidPoirotslowly.“Yourfamilyis,Iknow,aproudandancientone.Itwouldbebitterindeedforyoutohaveyourwifedraggedintoanunpleasantpolicecase.WiththatIcansympathize.Buthow,then,doyouexplainthepresenceofyourwife’shandkerchiefactuallyinthedeadman’scompartment?”
“Thathandkerchiefisnotmine,Monsieur,”saidtheCountess.
“InspiteoftheinitialH?”
“Inspiteoftheinitial.Ihavehandkerchiefsnotunlikethat,butnotonethatisexactlyofthatpattern.Iknow,ofcoursethatIcannothopetomakeyoubelieveme,butIassureyouthatitisso.Thathandkerchiefisnotmine.”
“Itmayhavebeenplacedtherebysomeoneinordertoincriminateyou?”
Shesmiledalittle.
“Youareenticingmetoadmitthat,afterall,itismine?Butindeed,M.Poirot,itisn’t.”
Shespokewithgreatearnestness.
“Thenwhy,ifthehandkerchiefwasnotyours,didyoualterthenameinthepassport?”
TheCountansweredthis.
“BecauseweheardthatahandkerchiefhadbeenfoundwiththeinitialHonit.Wetalkedthematterovertogetherbeforewecametobeinterviewed.IpointedouttoHelenathatifitwereseenthatherChristiannamebeganwithanHshewouldimmediatelybesubjectedtomuchmorerigorousquestioning.Andthethingwassosimple—toalterHelenatoElenawaseasilydone.”
“Youhave,M.leComte,themakingsofaveryfinecriminal,”remarkedPoirotdryly.“Agreatnaturalingenuity,andanapparentlyremorselessdeterminationtomisleadjustice.
