Убийство Роджера Экройда

           Buthowtediousisretirement!Youcannotimaginetoyourselfthemonotonywithwhichdaycomesafterday.""Verylikely.Soyou’vecometohavealookatourownparticularfind?IsthisDrSheppard?Thinkyou’llbeabletoidentifyhim,sir?""I’mnotverysure,"Isaiddoubtfully.

           "Howdidyougetholdofhim?"inquiredPoirot.

           "Descriptionwascirculated,asyouknow.Inthepressandprivately.Notmuchtogoon,Iadmit.ThisfellowhasanAmericanaccentallright,andhedoesn’tdenythathewasnearKing’sAbbotthatnight.Justaskswhatthehellitistodowithus,andthathe’llseeusin–beforeheanswersanyquestions.""IsitpermittedthatI,too,seehim?"askedPoirot.

           Thesuperintendentclosedoneeyeknowingly.

           "Verygladtohaveyou,sir.You’vegotpermissiontodoanythingyouplease.InspectorJappofScotlandYardwasaskingafteryoutheotherday.Saidhe’dheardyouwereconnectedunofficiallywiththiscase.Where’sCaptainPatonhiding,sir,canyoutellmethat?""Idoubtifitwouldbewiseatthepresentjuncture,"saidPoirotprimly,andIbitmylipstopreventasmile.

           Thelittlemanreallydiditverywell.

           Aftersomefurtherparley,weweretakentointerviewtheprisoner.

           Hewasayoungfellow,Ishouldsaynotmorethantwenty-twoorthree.Tall,thin,withslightlyshakinghands,andtheevidencesofconsiderablephysicalstrengthsomewhatruntoseed.