Загадочное происшествие в Стайлзе
Chapter IX. Dr. Bauerstein
”
“He’dbetteraskDorcas,oroneofthemaids,ifhewantstoknowaboutcoffee-cups.It’stheirbusiness,notmine.Idon’tknowanythingaboutthecoffee-cups,exceptthatwe’vegotsomethatareneverused,whichareaperfectdream!OldWorcester.You’renotaconnoisseur,areyou,Hastings?”
Ishookmyhead.
“Youmissalot.Areallyperfectbitofoldchina—it’spuredelighttohandleit,oreventolookatit.”
“Well,whatamItotellPoirot?”
“TellhimIdon’tknowwhathe’stalkingabout.It’sdoubleDutchtome.”
“Allright.”
Iwasmovingofftowardsthehouseagainwhenhesuddenlycalledmeback.
“Isay,whatwastheendofthatmessage?Sayitoveragain,willyou?”
“‘Findtheextracoffee-cup,andyoucanrestinpeace.’Areyousureyoudon’tknowwhatitmeans?”Iaskedhimearnestly.
Heshookhishead.
“No,”hesaidmusingly,“Idon’t.I—IwishIdid.”
Theboomofthegongsoundedfromthehouse,andwewentintogether.PoirothadbeenaskedbyJohntoremaintolunch,andwasalreadyseatedatthetable.
Bytacitconsent,allmentionofthetragedywasbarred.Weconversedonthewar,andotheroutsidetopics.Butafterthecheeseandbiscuitshadbeenhandedround,andDorcashadlefttheroom,PoirotsuddenlyleantforwardtoMrs.Cavendish.
“Pardonme,madame,forrecallingunpleasantmemories,butIhavealittleidea”—Poirot’s“littleideas”werebecomingaperfectbyword—“andwouldliketoaskoneortwoquestions.”
“Ofme?Certainly.
