Убийство в Восточном экспрессе
3. Poirot Refuses a Case
’Butallthesameyou’dbesurprisedtoknowwhatourcollegethereisdoing.They’vegottenafinestaffofteachers.Iguessthere’snothinglikeeducation.We’vegottoapplyourWesternidealsandteachtheEasttorecognizethem.Mydaughtersays—”
Thetrainplungedintoatunnel.Thecalmmonotonousvoicewasdrowned.
Atthenexttable,asmallone,satColonelArbuthnot—alone.HisgazewasfixeduponthebackofMaryDebenham’shead.Theywerenotsittingtogether.Yetitcouldeasilyhavebeenmanaged.Why?
Perhaps,Poirotthought,MaryDebenhamhaddemurred.Agovernesslearnstobecareful.Appearancesareimportant.Agirlwithherlivingtogethastobediscreet.
Hisglanceshiftedtotheothersideofthecarriage.Atthefarend,againstthewall,wasamiddle-agedwomandressedinblackwithabroadexpressionlessface.GermanorScandinavian,hethought.ProbablyaGermanlady’smaid.
Afterhercameacoupleleaningforwardandtalkinganimatedlytogether.ThemanworeEnglishclothesofloosetweed—buthewasnotEnglish.ThoughonlythebackofhisheadwasvisibletoPoirot,theshapeofitandthesetoftheshouldersbetrayedhim.Abigman,wellmade.HeturnedhisheadsuddenlyandPoirotsawhisprofile.Averyhandsomemanofthirtyoddwithabigfairmoustache.
Thewomanoppositehimwasameregirl—twentyataguess.Atight-fittinglittleblackcoatandskirt,whitesatinblouse,smallchicblacktoqueperchedatthefashionableoutrageousangle.Shehadabeautifulforeign-lookingface,deadwhiteskin,largebrowneyes,jet-blackhair.
