Убийство в Восточном экспрессе
4. The Grease Spot on a Hungarian Passport
”
Sheburiedherfaceinherhands.
“Whatnationalitywasshe,Madame?”
“ShewasFrench.”
“Whatwasherlastname?”
“It’sabsurd,butIcan’tremember—weallcalledherSusanne.Aprettylaughinggirl.ShewasdevotedtoDaisy.”
“Shewasthenurserymaid,wasshenot?”
“Yes.”
“Whowasthenurse?”
“Shewasatrainedhospitalnurse.Stengelberghernamewas.She,too,wasdevotedtoDaisy—andtomysister.”
“Now,Madame,Iwantyoutothinkcarefullybeforeyouanswerthisquestion.Haveyou,sinceyouwereonthistrain,seenanyonethatyourecognized?”
Shestaredathim.
“I?No,nooneatall.”
“WhataboutPrincessDragomiroff?”
“Oh,her?Iknowher,ofcourse.Ithoughtyoumeantanyone—anyonefrom—fromthattime.”
“SoIdid,Madame.Nowthinkcarefully.Someyearshavepassed,remember.Thepersonmighthavealteredtheirappearance.”
Helenapondereddeeply.Thenshesaid:
“No—Iamsure—thereisnoone.”
“Youyourself—youwereayounggirlatthetime—didyouhavenoonetosuperintendyourstudiesortolookafteryou?”
“Oh,yes,Ihadadragon—asortofgovernesstomeandsecretarytoSoniacombined.ShewasEnglishorratherScotch—abig,red-hairedwoman.”
“Whatwashername?”
“MissFreebody.”
“Youngorold?”
“Sheseemedfrightfullyoldtome.Isupposeshecouldn’thavebeenmorethanforty.Susanne,ofcourse,usedtolookaftermyclothesandmaidme.”
“Andtherewerenootherinmatesofthehouse?”
“Onlyservants
