Убийство в Восточном экспрессе
9. Poirot Propounds Two Solutions
Twoso-called‘clues’weredroppedinthedeadman’scompartment—oneincriminatingColonelArbuthnot(whohadthestrongestalibiandwhoseconnectionwiththeArmstrongfamilywasprobablythehardesttoprove)andthesecondclue,thehandkerchief,incriminatingPrincessDragomiroff,whobyvirtueofhersocialposition,herparticularlyfrailphysiqueandthealibigivenherbyhermaidandtheconductor,waspracticallyinanunassailableposition.Furthertoconfusetheissue,a‘redherring’wasdrawnacrossthetrail—themythicalwomanintheredkimono.AgainIamtobearwitnesstothiswoman’sexistence.Thereisaheavybangatmydoor.Igetupandlookout—andseethescarletkimonodisappearinginthedistance.Ajudiciousselectionofpeople—theconductor,MissDebenhamandMacQueen—willalsohaveseenher.Itwas,Ithink,someonewithasenseofhumourwhothoughtfullyplacedthescarletkimonoonthetopofmysuitcasewhilstIwasinterviewingpeopleinthediningcar.WherethegarmentcamefrominthefirstplaceIdonotknow.IsuspectitisthepropertyofCountessAndrenyi,sinceherluggagecontainedonlyachiffonnegligéesoelaborateastobemoreateagownthanadressinggown.
“WhenMacQueenfirstlearnedthattheletterwhichhadbeensocarefullyburnthadinpartescapeddestruction,andthatthewordArmstrongwasexactlythewordremaining,hemustatoncehavecommunicatedhisnewstotheothers.ItwasatthisminutethatthepositionofCountessAndrenyibecameacuteandherhusbandimmediatelytookstepstoalterthepassport.
