Убийство в Восточном экспрессе
9. Poirot Propounds Two Solutions
“RatchetthadescapedjusticeinAmerica.Therewasnoquestionastohisguilt.Ivisualizedaself-appointedjuryoftwelvepeoplewhocondemnedhimtodeathandwereforcedbyexigenciesofthecasetobetheirownexecutioners.Andimmediately,onthatassumption,thewholecasefellintobeautifulshiningorder.
“Isawitasaperfectmosaic,eachpersonplayinghisorherallottedpart.Itwassoarrangedthatifsuspicionshouldfallonanyoneperson,theevidenceofoneormoreoftheotherswouldcleartheaccusedpersonandconfusetheissue.Hardman’sevidencewasnecessaryincasesomeoutsidershouldbesuspectedofthecrimeandbeunabletoproveanalibi.ThepassengersintheStamboulcarriagewereinnodanger.Everyminutedetailoftheirevidencewasworkedoutbeforehand.Thewholethingwasaverycleverly-plannedjig-sawpuzzle,soarrangedthateveryfreshpieceofknowledgethatcametolightmadethesolutionofthewholemoredifficult.AsmyfriendM.Boucremarked,thecaseseemedfantasticallyimpossible!Thatwasexactlytheimpressionintendedtobeconveyed.
“Didthissolutionexplaineverything?Yes,itdid.Thenatureofthewounds—eachinflictedbyadifferentperson.Theartificialthreateningletters—artificialsincetheywereunreal,writtenonlytobeproducedasevidence.(Doubtlesstherewererealletters,warningRatchettofhisfate,whichMacQueendestroyed,substitutingforthemtheseothers.
