Убийство Роджера Экройда
The Man Who Grew Vegetable Marrows
FloraAckroydis,ofcourse,norelationwhateverreallytoRalphPatonbutRalphhasbeenlookeduponforsolongasifpracticallyAckroyd’sownson,thatcousinshipistakenforgranted.
"FloraAckroyd,"saidmysister.
"ButwhynotgotoFernlyifhewantedtoseeher?""Secretlyengaged,"saidCaroline,withimmenseenjoyment.
"OldAckroydwon’thearofit,andtheyhavetomeetthisway."IsawagoodmanyflawsinCaroline’stheory,butIforeboretopointthemouttoher.Aninnocentremarkaboutournewneighbourcreatedadiversion.
Thehousenextdoor,TheLarches,hasrecentlybeentakenbyastranger.ToCaroline’sextremeannoyance,shehasnotbeenabletofindoutanythingabouthim,exceptthatheisaforeigner.TheIntelligenceCorpshasprovedabrokenreed.Presumablythemanhasmilkandvegetablesandjointsofmeatandoccasionalwhitingsjustlikeeverybodyelse,butnoneofthepeoplewhomakeittheirbusinesstosupplythesethingsseemtohaveacquiredanyinformation.
Hisname,apparently,isMr.Porrott~anamewhichconveysanoddfeelingofunreality.Theonethingwedoknowabouthimisthatheisinterestedinthegrowingofvegetablemarrows.
ButthatiscertainlynotthesortofinformationthatCarolineisafter.Shewantstoknowwherehecomesfrom,whathedoes,whetherheismarried,whathiswifewas,oris,like,whetherhehaschildren,whathismother’smaidennamewas–andsoon.
