Убийство Роджера Экройда

           "Thisisveryweakandsillyofme,"shesaid.

           "No,no,mychild,"saidPoirotkindly."Wecanallrealizethestrainofthislastweek.""Itmusthavebeenaterribleordeal,"Isaid.

           "Andthentofindthatyouknew,"continuedUrsula.

           "Howdidyouknow?WasitRalphwhotoldyou?"Poirotshookhishead.

           "Youknowwhatbroughtmetoyoutonight,"wentonthegirl."This-"Sheheldoutacrumpledpieceofnewspaper,andIrecognizedtheparagraphthatPoirothadhadinserted.

           "ItsaysthatRalphhasbeenarrested.Soeverythingisuseless.Ineednotpretendanylonger.""Newspaperparagraphsarenotalwaystrue,mademoiselle,"murmuredPoirot,havingthegracetolookashamedofhimself."Allthesame,Ithinkyouwilldowelltomakeacleanbreastofthings.Thetruthiswhatweneednow."Thegirlhesitated,lookingathimdoubtfully.

           "Youdonottrustme,"saidPoirotgently."Yetallthesameyoucameheretofindme,didyounot?Whywasthat?""BecauseIdon’tbelievethatRalphdidit,"saidthegirlinaverylowvoice."AndIthinkthatyouareclever,andwillfindoutthetruth.Andalso""Yes?""Ithinkyouarekind."Poirotnoddedhisheadseveraltimes.

           "Itisverygoodthat–yes,itisverygood.Listen,Idoinveritybelievethatthishusbandofyoursisinnocent–buttheaffairmarchesbadly.