Убийство в Восточном экспрессе
7. The Body
Couldyoudeliversuchablow?”
Poirotraisedhishand.
“Précisément,”hesaid.“Isee.Withtherighthanditisexceedinglydifficult—almostimpossible.Onewouldhavetostrikebackhanded,asitwere.Butiftheblowwerestruckwiththelefthand—”
“Exactly,M.Poirot.Thatblowwasalmostcertainlystruckwiththelefthand.”
“Sothatourmurdererisleft-handed?No,itismoredifficultthanthat,isitnot?”
“Asyousay,M.Poirot.Someoftheseotherblowsarejustasobviouslyright-handed.”
“Twopeople.Wearebackattwopeopleagain,”murmuredthedetective.Heaskedabruptly:
“Wastheelectriclighton?”
“Itisdifficulttosay.Youseeitisturnedoffbytheconductoreverymorningaboutteno’clock.”
“Theswitcheswilltellus,”saidPoirot.
Heexaminedtheswitchofthetoplightandalsotherollbackbed-headlight.Theformerwasturnedoff.Thelatterwasclosed.
“Ehbien,”hesaidthoughtfully.“WehavehereahypothesisoftheFirstandSecondMurderer,asthegreatShakespearewouldputit.TheFirstMurdererstabbedhisvictimandleftthecompartment,turningoffthelight.TheSecondMurderercameininthedark,didnotseethathisorherworkhadbeendoneandstabbedatleasttwiceatadeadbody.Quepensezvousdeça?”
“Magnificent,”saidthelittledoctorwithenthusiasm.
Theother’seyestwinkled.
“Youthinkso?Iamglad.Itsoundedtomealittlelikethenonsense.”
“Whatotherexplanationcantherebe?”
“ThatisjustwhatIamaskingmyself.
