Убийство Роджера Экройда
An Evening at Mah Jong
"Chow.""Ibelieve,"saidMissGannett,temporarilydiverted,"thatit’stherightthingnowadaystosay"Chee"not"Chow."""Nonsense,"saidCaroline."Ihavealwayssaid"Chow."""IntheShanghaiClub,"saidColonelCarter,"theysay"Chow;"MissGannettretired,crushed.
"WhatwereyousayingaboutFloraAckroyd?"askedCaroline,afteramomentortwodevotedtothegame."Wasshewithanyone?""Verymuchso,"saidMissGannett.
Theeyesofthetwoladiesmet,andseemedtoexchangeinformation.
"Really,"saidCarolineinterestedly."Isthatit?Well,itdoesn’tsurprisemeintheleast.""We’rewaitingforyoutodiscard.MissCaroline,"saidthecolonel.Hesometimesaffectstheposeofthebluffmale,intentonthegameandindifferenttogossip.Butnobodyisdeceived.
"Ifyouaskme,"saidMissGannett.("WasthataBambooyoudiscarded,dear?Oh!no,Iseenow–itwasaCircle.)AsIwassaying,ifyouaskme.Flora’sbeenexceedinglylucky.
Exceedinglyluckyshe’sbeen.""How’sthat.MissGannett?"askedthecolonel."I’llPungthatGreenDragon.HowdoyoumakeoutthatMissFlora’sbeenlucky?Verycharminggirlandallthat,Iknow.""Imayn’tknowverymuchaboutcrime,"saidMissGannett,withtheairofonewhoknowseverythingthereistoknow,"butIcantellyouonething.Thefirstquestionthat’salwaysaskedis"Wholastsawthedeceasedalive?"Andthepersonwhodidisregardedwithsuspicion.
