Убийство Роджера Экройда

           "Thehiltofthedaggerwasplainlyvisiblefromthedoorthen.BothyouandParkercouldseeitatonce?""Yes."Poirotwentnexttothewindow.

           "Theelectriclightwason,ofcourse,whenyoudiscoveredthebody?"heaskedoverhisshoulder.

           Iassented,andjoinedhimwherehewasstudyingthemarksonthewindowsill.

           "TherubberstudsarethesamepatternasthoseinCaptainPaton’sshoes,"hesaidquietly.

           Thenhecamebackoncemoretothemiddleoftheroom.Hiseyetravelledround,searchingeverythingintheroomwithaquick,trainedglance.

           "Areyouamanofgoodobservation.DoctorSheppard?"heaskedatlast.

           "Ithinkso,"Isaid,surprised.

           "Therewasafireinthegrate,Isee.WhenyoubrokethedoordownandfoundMr.Ackroyddead,howwasthefire?Wasitlow?"Igaveavexedlaugh.

           "I–Ireallycan’tsay.Ididn’tnotice.PerhapsMr.RaymondorMajorBlunt"Thelittlemanoppositemeshookhisheadwithafaintsmile.

           "Onemustalwaysproceedwithmethod.Imadeanerrorofjudgmentinaskingyouthatquestion.Toeachmanhisownknowledge.Youcouldtellmethedetailsofthepatient’sappearance–nothingtherewouldescapeyou.IfIwantedinformationaboutthepapersonthatdesk,Mr.Raymondwouldhavenoticedanythingtherewastosee.Tofindoutaboutthefire,Imustaskthemanwhosebusinessitistoobservesuchthings.