Убийство Роджера Экройда

           "Hepausedaminute,andthenquotedsoftly:"…thecalbonmypursehavebeensofrequentoflatethatIfearitisimpossibleformetoaccedetoyourrequest.Doesnothingstrikeyouasoddaboutthat?""Idon’tthinkso,"saidRaymond."Hehasfrequentlydictatedletterstome,usingalmostexactlythosesamewords.""Exactly,"criedPoirot."ThatiswhatIseektoarriveat.

           Wouldanymanusesuchapraseintalkingtoanother?

           Impossiblethatthatshouldbepartofarealconversation.

           Now,ifhehadbeendictatingaletter""Youmeanhewasreadingaletteraloud,"saidRaymondslowly."Evenso,hemusthavebeenreadingtosomeone.""Butwhy?Wehavenoevidencethattherewasanyoneelseintheroom.NoothervoicebutMr.Ackroyd’swasheard,remember.""Surelyamanwouldn’treadlettersofthattypealoudtohimself-notunlesshewas–well–goingbalmy.""Youhaveallforgottenonething,"saidPoirotsoftly:"thestrangerwhocalledatthehousetheprecedingWednesday."Theyallstaredathim.

           "Butyes,"saidPoirot,noddingencouragingly,"onWednesday.Theyoungmanwasnotofhimselfimportant.

           Butthefirmherepresentedinterestedmeverymuch.""TheDictaphoneCompany,"gaspedRaymond."Iseeitnow.Adictaphone.That’swhatyouthink?"Poirotnodded.

           "Mr.Ackroydhadpromisedtoinvestinadictaphone,youremember.Me,Ihadthecuriositytoinquireofthecompanyinquestion.TheirreplyisthatMr.