Убийство в Восточном экспрессе
5. The Crime
“Thereisn’tanybodyknowsathingonthistrain.Andnobody’stryingtodoanything.Justapackofuselessforeigners.Why,ifthiswereathome,there’dbesomeoneatleasttryingtodosomething.”
ArbuthnotturnedtoPoirotandspokeincarefulBritishFrench.
“Vousêtesundirecteurdelaligne,jecrois,Monsieur.Vouspouveznousdire—”
SmilingPoirotcorrectedhim.
“No,no,”hesaidinEnglish.“ItisnotI.YouconfoundmewithmyfriendM.Bouc.”
“Oh!I’msorry.”
“Notatall.Itismostnatural.Iamnowinthecompartmentthathehadformerly.”
M.Boucwasnotpresentintherestaurantcar.Poirotlookedabouttonoticewhoelsewasabsent.
PrincessDragomiroffwasmissingandtheHungariancouple.AlsoRatchett,hisvalet,andtheGermanlady’smaid.
TheSwedishladywipedhereyes.
“Iamfoolish,”shesaid.“Iambabytocry.Allforthebest,whateverhappen.”
ThisChristianspirit,however,wasfarfrombeingshared.
“That’sallverywell,”saidMacQueenrestlessly.“Wemaybeherefordays.”
“Whatisthiscountryanyway?”demandedMrs.Hubbardtearfully.
OnbeingtolditwasYugo-Slaviashesaid:
“Oh!oneoftheseBalkanthings.Whatcanyouexpect?”
“Youaretheonlypatientone,Mademoiselle,”saidPoirottoMissDebenham.
Sheshruggedhershouldersslightly.
“Whatcanonedo?”
“Youareaphilosopher,Mademoiselle.”
“Thatimpliesadetachedattitude.Ithinkmyattitudeismoreselfish.Ihavelearnedtosavemyselfuselessemotion.”
Shewasnotevenlookingathim.
