Убийство Роджера Экройда
The Whole Truth
Thereforeyourwordswereintendedtoforceaconfessionfromtheunknownmurderer?"Poirotnoddedapprovingly.
"Acleveridea,butnotthetruth.""Ithought,perhaps,thatbymakinghimbelieveyouknew,youmightforcehimoutintotheopen–notnecessarilybyconfession.HemighttrytosilenceyouasheformerlysilencedMr.Ackroyd–beforeyoucouldacttomorrowmorning.""Atrapwithmyselfasthebait!Merci,manami,butIamnotsufficientlyheroicforthat.""ThenIfailtounderstandyou.Surelyyouarerunningtheriskoflettingthemurdererescapebythusputtinghimonhisguard?"Poirotshookhishead.
"Hecannotescape,"hesaidgravely."Thereisonlyonewayout–andthatwaydoesnotleadtofreedom.""Youreallybelievethatoneofthosepeopleheretonightcommittedthemurder?"Iaskedincredulously.
"Yes,myfriend.""Whichone?"Therewasasilenceforsomeminutes.ThenPoirottossedthestumpofhiscigaretteintothegrateandbegantospeakinaquiet,reflectivetone.
"IwilltakeyouthewaythatIhavetravelledmyself.Stepbystepyoushallaccompanyme,andseeforyourselfthatallthefactspointindisputablytooneperson.Now,tobeginwith,thereweretwofactsandalittlediscrepancyintimewhichespeciallyattractedmyattention.Thefirstfactwasthetelephonecall.IfRalphPatonwereindeedthemurderer,thetelephonecallbecamemeaninglessandabsurd.Therefore,Isaidtomyself,RalphPatonisnotthemurderer.
