Убийство Роджера Экройда

           Poirot!"shesaid."Now,whatdoyouthinkofthat?"Ithoughtagoodmanythingsofit,butIwascarefulnottosaythemtoCaroline.

           "Whydidhecome?"Iasked.

           "Toseeme,ofcourse.Hesaidthat,knowingmybrothersowell,hehopedhemightbepermittedtomaketheacquaintanceofhischarmingsister–yourcharmingsister,I’vegotmixedup–butyouknowwhatImean.""Whatdidhetalkabout?"Iasked.

           "Hetoldmealotabouthimselfandhiscases.YouknowthatPrincePaulofMauretania–theonewho’sjustmarriedadancer?""Yes?""IsawamostintriguingparagraphaboutherinSocietySnippetstheotherday,hintingthatshewasreallyaRussianGrandDuchess–oneoftheCzar’sdaughterswhomanagedtoescapefromtheBolsheviks.Well,itseemsthatM.Poirotsolvedabafflingmurdermysterythatthreatenedtoinvolvethemboth.PrincePaulwasbesidehimselfwithgratitude.""Didhegivehimanemeraldtiepinthesizeofaplover’segg?"Iinquiredsarcastically.

           "Hedidn’tmentionit.Why?""Nothing,"Isaid."Ithoughtitwasalwaysdone.Itisindetectivefictionanyway.Thesuper-detectivealwayshashisroomslitteredwithrubiesandpearlsandemeraldsfromgratefulRoyalclients.""It’sveryinterestingtohearaboutthesethingsfromtheinside,"saidmysistercomplacently.

           Itwouldbe–toCaroline.IcouldnotbutadmiretheingenuityofM.