Убийство в Восточном экспрессе

9. Poirot Propounds Two Solutions

           

           “Nowwhenwastherealtimeofthecrime?Andwhokilledhim?

           “Inmyopinion,andthisisonlyanopinion,Ratchettwaskilledatsometimeverycloseupontwoo’clock,thelatesthourthedoctorgivesusaspossible.

           “Astowhokilledhim—”

           Hepaused,lookingathisaudience.Hecouldnotcomplainofanylackofattention.Everyeyewasfixeduponhim.Inthestillnessyoucouldhaveheardapindrop.

           Hewentonslowly:

           “IwasparticularlystruckbytheextraordinarydifficultyofprovingacaseagainstanyonepersononthetrainandontherathercuriouscoincidencethatineachcasethetestimonygivinganalibicamefromwhatImightdescribeasan‘unlikely’person.ThusMr.MacQueenandColonelArbuthnotprovidedalibisforeachother—twopersonsbetweenwhomitseemedmostunlikelythereshouldbeanyprioracquaintanceship.ThesamethinghappenedwiththeEnglishvaletandtheItalian,withtheSwedishladyandtheEnglishgirl.Isaidtomyself,‘Thisisextraordinary—theycannotallbeinit!’

           “Andthen,Messieurs,Isawlight.Theywereallinit.ForsomanypeopleconnectedwiththeArmstrongcasetobetravellingbythesametrainbyacoincidencewasnotonlyunlikely,itwasimpossible.Itmustbenotchance,butdesign.IrememberedaremarkofColonelArbuthnot’sabouttrialbyjury.Ajuryiscomposedoftwelvepeople—thereweretwelvepassengers—Ratchettwasstabbedtwelvetimes.Andthethingthathadworriedmeallalong—theextraordinarycrowdtravellingintheStamboul—Calaiscoachataslacktimeofyearwasexplained.

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