Убийство Роджера Экройда
The Man Who Grew Vegetable Marrows
Youleaveittome,anddon’tworry."Thosewerehisexactwords.Irememberthemperfectly.Unfortunately,justthenIsteppedonadrytwigorsomething,andtheyloweredtheirvoicesandmovedaway.Icouldn’t,ofcourse,gorushingafterthem,sowasn’tabletoseewhothegirlwas.""Thatmusthavebeenmostvexing,"Isaid."Isuppose,though,youhurriedontotheThreeBoars,feltfaint,andwentintothebarforaglassofbrandy,andsowereabletoseeifboththebarmaidswereonduty?""Itwasn’tabarmaid,"saidCarolineunhesitatingly."Infact,I’malmostsurethatitwasFloraAckroyd,only""Onlyitdoesn’tseemtomakesense,"Iagreed.
"Butifitwasn’tFlora,whocouldithavebeen?"Rapidlymysisterranoveralistofmaidenslivingintheneighbourhood,withprofusereasonsforandagainst.
Whenshepausedforbreath,Imurmuredsomethingaboutapatient,andslippedout.
IproposedtomakemywaytotheThreeBoars.ItseemedlikelythatRalphPatonwouldhavereturnedtherebynow.
IknewRalphverywell–better,perhaps,thananyoneelseinKing’sAbbot,forIhadknownhismotherbeforehim,andthereforeIunderstoodmuchinhimthatpuzzledothers.Hewas,toacertainextent,thevictimofheredity.
Hehadnotinheritedhismother’sfatalpropensityfordrink,butneverthelesshehadinhimastrainofweakness.
Asmynewfriendofthismorninghaddeclared,hewasextraordinarilyhandsome.
