Убийство в Восточном экспрессе
9. Poirot Propounds Two Solutions
Athalfanhouraftermidnight,asyouallknow,thetrainranintoasnowdrift.Afterthattimeitwasimpossibleforanyonetoleavethetrain.
“TheevidenceofMr.Hardman,whoisamemberofaNewYorkDetectiveAgency”(severalheadsturnedtolookatMr.Hardman)“showsthatnoonecouldhavepassedhiscompartment(No.16attheextremeend)withoutbeingseenbyhim.Wearethereforeforcedtotheconclusionthatthemurdereristobefoundamongtheoccupantsofoneparticularcoach—theStamboul-Calaiscoach.
“That,Iwillsay,wasourtheory.”
“Comment?”ejaculatedM.Bouc,startled.
“ButIwillputbeforeyouanalternativetheory.Itisverysimple.Mr.Ratchetthadacertainenemywhomhefeared.HegaveMr.Hardmanadescriptionofthisenemyandtoldhimthattheattempt,ifmadeatall,wouldmostprobablybemadeonthesecondnightoutfromStamboul.”
“NowIputittoyou,ladiesandgentlemen,thatMr.Ratchettknewagooddealmorethanhetold.TheenemyasMr.Ratchettexpected,joinedthetrainatBelgrade,orpossiblyatVincouci,bythedoorleftopenbyColonelArbuthnotandMr.MacQueenwhohadjustdescendedtotheplatform.HewasprovidedwithasuitofWagonLituniform,whichheworeoverhisordinaryclothes,andapasskeywhichenabledhimtogainaccesstoMr.Ratchett’scompartmentinspiteofthedoorbeinglocked.Mr.Ratchettwasundertheinfluenceofasleepingdraught.ThismanstabbedhimwithgreatferocityandleftthecompartmentthroughthecommunicatingdoorleadingtoMrs.Hubbard’scompartment—”
“That’sso,”saidMrs.
