Убийство в Восточном экспрессе
9. Poirot Propounds Two Solutions
Then,inasoftrichdreamyvoice,quiteunliketheoneshehadusedallthejourney,Mrs.Hubbardsaid:
“Ialwaysfanciedmyselfincomedyparts.”
Shewentonstilldreamily:
“Thatslipaboutthespongebagwassilly.Itshowsyoushouldalwaysrehearseproperly.Wetrieditonthewayout—Iwasinanevennumbercompartmentthen,Isuppose.Ineverthoughtoftheboltsbeingindifferentplaces.”
SheshiftedherpositionalittleandlookedstraightatPoirot.
“Youknowallaboutit,M.Poirot.You’reaverywonderfulman.Butevenyoucan’tquiteimaginewhatitwaslike—thatawfuldayinNewYork.Iwasjustcrazywithgrief—soweretheservants—andColonelArbuthnotwasthere,too.HewasJohnArmstrong’sbestfriend.”
“Hesavedmylifeinthewar,”saidArbuthnot.
“Wedecidedthenandthere—perhapsweweremad—Idon’tknow—thatthesentenceofdeaththatCassettihadescapedhadgottobecarriedout.Thereweretwelveofus—orrathereleven—Susanne’sfatherwasoverinFrance,ofcourse.Firstwethoughtwe’ddrawlotsastowhoshoulddoit,butintheendwedecidedonthisway.Itwasthechauffeur,Antonio,whosuggestedit.MaryworkedoutallthedetailslaterwithHectorMacQueen.He’dalwaysadoredSonia—mydaughter—anditwashewhoexplainedtousexactlyhowCassetti’smoneyhadmanagedtogethimoff.
“Ittookalongtimetoperfectourplan.WehadfirsttotrackRatchettdown.Hardmanmanagedthatintheend.ThenwehadtotrytogetMastermanandHectorintohisemployment—oratanyrateoneofthem.Well,wemanagedthat.
