Убийство в Восточном экспрессе
1. An Important Passenger on the Taurus Express
Iwillalsotakethepassport,please.MonsieurbreakshisjourneyinStamboul,Iunderstand?”
M.Poirotassented.
“Therearenotmanypeopletravelling,Iimagine?”hesaid.
“No,Monsieur.Ihaveonlytwootherpassengers—bothEnglish.AColonelfromIndia,andayoungEnglishladyfromBaghdad.Monsieurrequiresanything?”
MonsieurdemandedasmallbottleofPerrier.
Fiveo’clockinthemorningisanawkwardtimetoboardatrain.Therewasstilltwohoursbeforedawn.Consciousofaninadequatenight’ssleep,andofadelicatemissionsuccessfullyaccomplished,M.Poirotcurledupinacornerandfellasleep.
Whenheawokeitwashalf-pastnine,andhesalliedforthtotherestaurantcarinsearchofhotcoffee.
Therewasonlyoneoccupantatthemoment,obviouslytheyoungEnglishladyreferredtobytheconductor.Shewastall,slimanddark—perhapstwenty-eightyearsofage.Therewasakindofcoolefficiencyinthewayshewaseatingherbreakfastandinthewayshecalledtotheattendanttobringhermorecoffee,whichbespokeaknowledgeoftheworldandoftravelling.Sheworeadark-colouredtravellingdressofsomethinmaterialeminentlysuitablefortheheatedatmosphereofthetrain.
M.HerculePoirot,havingnothingbettertodo,amusedhimselfbystudyingherwithoutappearingtodoso.
Shewas,hejudged,thekindofyoungwomanwhocouldtakecareofherselfwithperfecteasewherevershewent.Shehadpoiseandefficiency.Heratherlikedthesevereregularityofherfeaturesandthedelicatepallorofherskin.
