Убийство в Восточном экспрессе
7. The Body
”
Ashespokehewasskilfullyremovingtwooftheattachments.Thenherepackedthehatboxandtoldtheconductortoreturnthembothwheretheybelonged.
Whenthedoorwasshutoncemoreheturnedtohiscompanion.
“Seeyou,mydeardoctor,me,Iamnotonetorelyupontheexpertprocedure.ItisthepsychologyIseek,notthefingerprintorthecigaretteash.ButinthiscaseIwouldwelcomealittlescientificassistance.Thiscompartmentisfullofclues,butcanIbesurethatthosecluesarereallywhattheyseemtobe?”
“Idonotquiteunderstandyou,M.Poirot.”
“Well,togiveyouanexample—wefindawoman’shandkerchief.Didawomandropit?Ordidaman,committingthecrime,saytohimself‘Iwillmakethislooklikeawoman’scrime.Iwillstabmyenemyanunnecessarynumberoftimes,makingsomeoftheblowsfeebleandineffective,andIwilldropthishandkerchiefwherenoonecanmissit.’Thatisonepossibility.Thenthereisanother.Didawomankillhimanddidshedeliberatelydropapipecleanertomakeitlooklikeaman’swork?Orareweseriouslytosupposethattwopeople—amanandawoman—wereseparatelyconcerned,andthateachwassocarelessastodropacluetotheiridentity?Itisalittletoomuchofacoincidence,that!”
“Butwheredoesthehatboxcomein?”askedthedoctor,stillpuzzled.
“Ah!I’mcomingtothat.AsIsay,theseclues,thewatchstoppedataquarterpastone,thehandkerchief,thepipecleaner,theymaybegenuine,ortheymaybefake.AstothatIcannotyettell.
