Убийство Роджера Экройда
The Goose Quill
ButIhadnotedthemomentaryhesitation,andIknewthattherewasstillsomethingshewaskeepingback.ItwasnothinglessthanaflashofsheergeniusthatpromptedmetoaskthequestionIdid.
"Mrs.Ackroyd,"Isaid,"wasityouwholeftthesilvertableopen?"Ihadmyanswerintheblushofguiltthatevenrougeandpowdercouldnotconceal.
"Howdidyouknow?"shewhispered.
"Itwasyou,then?""Yes–I–yousee–therewereoneortwopiecesofoldsilver–veryinteresting.IhadbeenreadingupthesubjectandtherewasanillustrationofquiteasmallpiecewhichhadfetchedanimmensesumatChristy’s.Itlookedtobejustthesameastheoneinthesilvertable.IthoughtIwouldtakeituptoLondonwithmewhenIwent–and–andhaveitvalued.Thenifitreallywasavaluablepiece,justthinkwhatacharmingsurpriseitwouldhavebeenforRoger."Irefrainedfromcomments,acceptingMrs.Ackroyd’sstoryonitsmerits.Ievenforboretoaskherwhyitwasnecessarytoabstractwhatshewantedinsuchasurreptitiousmanner.
"Whydidyouleavethelidopen?"Iasked."Didyouforget?""Iwasstartled,"saidMrs.Ackroyd."Iheardfootstepscoiningalongtheterraceoutside.IhastenedoutoftheroomandjustgotupthestairsbeforeParkeropenedthefrontdoortoyou."ThatmusthavebeenMissRussell,"Isaidthoughtfully.
Mrs.Ackroydhadrevealedtomeonefactthatwasextremelyinteresting.
