Убийство Роджера Экройда

           InaminuteortwoRaymondreturned,accompaniedbyBlunt.

           "Iwasright,"saidRaymondexcitedly."ItistheTunisiandagger.""MajorBlunthasn’tlookedatityet,"objectedtheinspector.

           "SawitthemomentIcameintothestudy,"saidthequietman.

           "Yourecognizedit,then?"Bluntnodded.

           "Yousaidnothingaboutit,"saidtheinspectorsuspiciously.

           "Wrongmoment,"saidBlunt."Lotofharmdonebyblurtingoutthingsatthewrongtime."Hereturnedtheinspector’sstareplacidlyenough.

           Thelattergruntedatlastandturnedaway.HebroughtthedaggerovertoBlunt.

           "You’requitesureaboutit,sir.Youidentifyitpositively?’

           "Absolutely.Nodoubtwhatever.""Wherewasthis–er–curiousuallykept?Canyoutellmethat,sir?"Itwasthesecretarywhoanswered.

           "Inthesilvertableinthedrawing-room.""What?"Iexclaimed.

           Theotherslookedatme.

           "Yes,doctor?"saidtheinspectorencouragingly.

           "It’snothing,"saidtheinspectoragain,stillencouragingly.

           "It’ssotrivial,"Iexplainedapologetically."OnlythatwhenIarrivedlastnightfordinnerIheardthelidofthesilvertablebeingshutdowninthedrawing-room."Isawprofoundscepticismandatraceofsuspicionontheinspector’scountenance.