Убийство Роджера Экройда
Who’s Who in King’s Abbot
Hadshetakenherownlife?Surely,ifshehaddoneso,shewouldhaveleftsomewordbehindtosaywhatshecontemplateddoing?Women,inmyexperience,iftheyoncereachthedeterminationtocommitsuicide,usuallywishtorevealthestateofmindthatledtothefatalaction.Theycovetthelimelight.
WhenhadIlastseenher?Notforoveraweek.Hermannerthenhadbeennormalenoughconsidering–wellconsideringeverything.
ThenIsuddenlyrememberedthatIhadseenher,thoughnottospeakto,onlyyesterday.ShehadbeenwalkingwithRalphPaton,andIhadbeensurprisedbecauseIhadhadnoideathathewaslikelytobeinKing’sAbbot.Ithought,indeed,thathehadquarrelledfinallywithhisstepfather.
Nothinghadbeenseenofhimdownherefornearlysixmonths.Theyhadbeenwalkingalong,sidebyside,theirheadsclosetogether,andshehadbeentalkingveryearnestly.
IthinkIcansafelysaythatitwasatthismomentthataforebodingofthefuturefirstsweptoverme.Nothingtangibleasyet–butavaguepremonitionofthewaythingsweresetting.Thatearnesttete-a-tetebetweenRalphPatonandMrs.Ferrarsthedaybeforestruckmedisagreeably.
IwasstillthinkingofitwhenIcamefacetofacewithRogerAckroyd.
"Sheppard!"heexclaimed."JustthemanIwantedtogetholdof.Thisisaterriblebusiness.""You’veheardthen?"Henodded.Hehadfelttheblowkeenly,Icouldsee.
