Убийство в Восточном экспрессе
2. The Evidence of the Secretary
MacQueen,ifyoudisplayedaninordinatesorrowatyouremployer’sdecease.”
“Idon’tthinkIcoulddothat,eventosavemyselffromthechair,”saidMacQueengrimly.
Thenheadded:
“IfI’mnotbeingundulycurious,justhowdidyoufigurethisout?Cassetti’sidentity,Imean.”
“Byafragmentofaletterfoundinhiscompartment.”
“Butsurely—Imean—thatwasrathercarelessoftheoldman?”
“Thatdepends,”saidPoirot,“onthepointofview.”
Theyoungmanseemedtofindthisremarkratherbaffling.HestaredatPoirotasthoughtryingtomakehimout.
“Thetaskbeforeme,”saidPoirot,“istomakesureofthemovementsofeveryoneonthetrain.Nooffenceneedbetaken,youunderstand?Itisonlyamatterofroutine.”
“Sure.GetrightonwithitandletmeclearmycharacterifIcan.”
“Ineedhardlyaskyouthenumberofyourcompartment,”saidPoirot,smiling,“sinceIshareditwithyouforanight.Itisthesecond-classcompartmentNos.6and7,andaftermydepartureyouhadittoyourself.”
“That’sright.”
“Now,M.MacQueen,Iwantyoutodescribeyourmovementslastnightfromthetimeofleavingthediningcar.”
“That’squiteeasy.Iwentbacktomycompartment,readabit,gotoutontheplatformatBelgrade,decideditwastoocold,andgotinagain.ItalkedforawhiletoayoungEnglishladywhoisinthecompartmentnexttomine.ThenIfellintoconversationwiththatEnglishman,ColonelArbuthnot—asamatteroffactIthinkyoupassedusasweweretalking.ThenIwentintoMr.
