Убийство Роджера Экройда

           "Iseethatyoudonot,"saidPoirotdrily."NotyetdoyouappreciateHerculePoirotathistrueworth."AtthatminuteUrsulacamedownthestaircase.

           "Youareready,mychild?"saidPoirot."Thatisgood.Wewillgotomyhousetogether.MademoiselleCaroline,believeme,Idoeverythingpossibletorenderyouservice.Good-evening."Wewentoff,leavingCarolineratherlikeadogwhohasbeenrefusedawalk,standingonthefrontdoorstepgazingafterus.

           Thesitting-roomatTheLarcheshadbeengotready.Onthetablewerevarioussiropesandglasses.Alsoaplateofbiscuits.

           Severalchairshadbeenbroughtinfromtheotherroom.

           Poirotrantoandfrorearrangingthings.Pullingoutachairhere,alteringthepositionofalampthere,occasionallystoopingtostraightenoneofthematsthatcoveredthefloor.Hewasspeciallyfussingoverthelighting.Thelampswerearrangedinsuchawayastothrowaclearlightonthesideoftheroomwherethechairsweregrouped,atthesametimeleavingtheotherendoftheroom,whereIpresumedPoirothimselfwouldsit,inadimtwilight.

           UrsulaandIwatchedhim.Presentlyabellwasheard.

           "Theyarrive,"saidPoirot."Good,allisinreadiness."ThedooropenedandthepartyfromFernlyfiledin.PoirotwentforwardandgreetedMrs.AckroydandFlora.

           "Itismostgoodofyoutocome,"hesaid."AndMajorBluntandMr.Raymond."Thesecretarywasdebonairasever.