Убийство Роджера Экройда
Who’s Who in King’s Abbot
RogerAckroyd.Itwasfelt,indeed,thattherewasacertainfitnessinthething.RogerAckroyd’swifehadadmittedlydiedofdrink.AshleyFerrarshadbeenadrunkardformanyyearsbeforehisdeath.Itwasonlyfittingthatthesetwovictimsofalcoholicexcessshouldmakeuptoeachotherforallthattheyhadpreviouslyenduredatthehandsoftheirformerspouses.
TheFerrarsonlycametoliveherejustoverayearago,butahaloofgossiphassurroundedAckroydformanyyearspast.AllthetimethatRalphPatonwasgrowinguptomanhoodaseriesofladyhousekeeperspresidedoverAckroyd’sestablishment,andeachinturnwasregardedwithlivelysuspicionbyCarolineandhercronies.ItisnottoomuchtosaythatforatleastfifteenyearsthewholevillagehasconfidentlyexpectedAckroydtomarryoneofhishousekeepers.Thelastofthem,aredoubtableladycalledMissRussell,hasreignedundisputedforfiveyears,twiceaslongasanyofherpredecessors.ItisfeltthatbutfortheadventofMrs.Ferrars,Ackroydcouldhardlyhaveescaped.That–andoneotherfactor–theunexpectedarrivalofawidowedsister-in-lawwithherdaughterfromCanada.Mrs.CecilAckroyd,widowofAckroyd’sne’er-do-wellyoungerbrother,hastakenupherresidenceatFernleyPark,andhassucceeded,accordingtoCaroline,inputtingMissRussellinherproperplace.
