Убийство Роджера Экройда
The Man Who Grew Vegetable Marrows
SomebodyverylikeCarolinemusthaveinventedthequestionsonpassports,Ithink.
"MydearCaroline,"Isaid."There’snodoubtatallaboutwhattheman’sprofessionhasbeen.He’saretiredhairdresser.Lookatthatmoustacheofhis."Carolinedissented.Shesaidthatifthemanwasahairdresser,hewouldhavewavyhair–notstraight.Allhairdressersdid.
Icitedseveralhairdresserspersonallyknowntomewhohadstraighthair,butCarolinerefusedtobeconvinced.
"Ican’tmakehimoutatall,"shesaidinanaggrievedvoice."Iborrowedsomegardentoolstheotherday,andhewasmostpolite,butIcouldn’tgetanythingoutofhim.IaskedhimpointblankatlastwhetherhewasaFrenchman,andhesaidhewasn’t–and,somehow,Ididn’tliketoaskhimanymore."Ibegantobemoreinterestedinourmysteriousneighbour.AmanwhoiscapableofshuttingupCarolineandsendingher,liketheQueenofSheba,emptyaway,mustbesomethingofapersonality.
"Ibelieve,"saidCaroline,"thathe’sgotoneofthosenewvacuumcleaners"Isawameditatedloanandtheopportunityoffurtherquestioninggleamingfromhereye.Isawthechancetoescapeintothegarden.Iamratherfondofgardening.Iwasbusilyexterminatingdandelionrootswhenashoutofwarningsoundedfromclosebyandaheavybodywhizzedbymyearsandfellatmyfeetwitharepellentsquelch.Itwasavegetablemarrow!
Ilookedupangrily.
