Убийство в Восточном экспрессе
9. Poirot Propounds Two Solutions
Thecrime,then,wasnotcommittedataquarterpastone.
“Wasit,then,committedearlier?Tobeexact,attwenty-threeminutestoone?MyfriendM.Boucadvancedasanargumentinfavourofittheloudcrywhichawokemefromsleep.ButifRatchettwereheavilydruggedhecouldnothavecriedout.Ifhehadbeencapableofcryingouthewouldhavebeencapableofmakingsomekindofastruggletodefendhimself,andtherewerenosignsofanysuchstruggle.
“IrememberedthatMacQueenhadcalledattention,notoncebuttwice(andthesecondtimeinaveryblatantmanner),tothefactthatRatchettcouldspeaknoFrench.Icametotheconclusionthatthewholebusinessattwenty-threeminutestoonewasacomedyplayedformybenefit!Anyonemightseethroughthewatchbusiness—itisacommonenoughdeviceindetectivestories.TheyassumedthatIshouldseethroughitandthat,plumingmyselfonmyowncleverness,IwouldgoontoassumethatsinceRatchettspokenoFrenchthevoiceIheardattwenty-threeminutestoonecouldnotbehis,andthatRatchettmustbealreadydead.ButIamconvincedthatattwenty-threeminutestooneRatchettwasstilllyinginhisdruggedsleep.
“Butthedevicehassucceeded!Ihaveopenedmydoorandlookedout.IhaveactuallyheardtheFrenchphraseused.IfIamsounbelievablydenseasnottorealizethesignificanceofthatphrase,itmustbebroughttomyattention.IfnecessaryMacQueencancomerightoutintheopen.Hecansay,‘Excuseme,M.Poirot,thatcan’thavebeenMr.Ratchettspeaking.Hecan’tspeakFrench.
