Убийство Роджера Экройда

           "Bluntmadeaslightmotionwithhishead.

           "Therearesomelettersonthefloorhere,"hesaid.

           Ilookeddown.ThreeorfourlettersstilllaywhereAckroydhaddroppedthemearlierintheevening.

           ButtheblueenvelopecontainingMrs.Ferrars’sletterhaddisappeared.Ihalfopenedmymouthtospeak,butatthatmomentthesoundofabellpealedthroughthehouse.Therewasaconfusedmurmurofvoicesinthehall,andthenParkerappearedwithourlocalinspectorandapoliceconstable.

           "Goodevening,gentlemen,"saidtheinspector."I’mterriblysorryforthis!AgoodkindgentlemanlikeMr.Ackroyd.Thebutlersaysit’smurder.Nopossibilityofaccidentorsuicide,doctor?""Nonewhatever,"Isaid.

           "Ah!Abadbusiness."Hecameandstoodoverthebody.

           "Beenmovedatall?"heaskedsharply.

           "Beyondmakingcertainthatlifewasextinct–aneasymatter–Ihavenotdisturbedthebodyinanyway.""Ah!Andeverythingpointstothemurdererhavinggotclearaway–forthemoment,thatis.Nowthen,letmehearallaboutit.Whofoundthebody?"Iexplainedthecircumstancescarefully.

           "Atelephonemessage,yousay?Fromthebutler?""AmessagethatIneversent,"declaredParkerearnestly.

           "I’venotbeennearthetelephonethewholeevening.TheotherscanbearmeoutthatIhaven’t.""Veryodd,that.DiditsoundlikeParker’svoice,doctor?""Well–Ican’tsayInoticed.