Убийство в Восточном экспрессе
1. An Important Passenger on the Taurus Express
Helikedtheburnishedblackheadwithitsneatwavesofhair,andhereyes,cool,impersonalandgrey.Butshewas,hedecided,justalittletooefficienttobewhathecalled“joliefemme.”
Presentlyanotherpersonenteredtherestaurantcar.Thiswasatallmanofbetweenfortyandfifty,leanoffigure,brownofskin,withhairslightlygrizzledroundthetemples.
“ThecolonelfromIndia,”saidPoirottohimself.
Thenewcomergavealittlebowtothegirl.
“Morning,MissDebenham.”
“Goodmorning,ColonelArbuthnot.”
TheColonelwasstandingwithahandonthechairoppositeher.
“Anyobjection?”heasked.
“Ofcoursenot.Sitdown.”
“Well,youknow,breakfastisn’talwaysachattymeal.”
“Ishouldhopenot.ButIdon’tbite.”
TheColonelsatdown.
“Boy,”hecalledinperemptoryfashion.
Hegaveanorderforeggsandcoffee.
HiseyesrestedforamomentonHerculePoirot,buttheypassedonindifferently.Poirot,readingtheEnglishmindcorrectly,knewthathehadsaidtohimself,“Onlysomedamnedforeigner.”
Truetotheirnationality,thetwoEnglishpeoplewerenotchatty.Theyexchangedafewbriefremarks,andpresentlythegirlroseandwentbacktohercompartment.
Atlunchtimetheothertwoagainsharedatableandagaintheybothcompletelyignoredthethirdpassenger.Theirconversationwasmoreanimatedthanatbreakfast.ColonelArbuthnottalkedofthePunjab,andoccasionallyaskedthegirlafewquestionsaboutBaghdadwhereitbecameclearthatshehadbeeninapostasgoverness.
