Загадочное происшествие в Стайлзе
Chapter IX. Dr. Bauerstein
BauersteinhadbeenatStylesonthefatalnight,andadded:
“Hesaidtwice:‘Thatalterseverything.’AndI’vebeenthinking.YouknowInglethorpsaidhehadputdownthecoffeeinthehall?Well,itwasjustthenthatBauersteinarrived.Isn’titpossiblethat,asInglethorpbroughthimthroughthehall,thedoctordroppedsomethingintothecoffeeinpassing?”
“H’m,”saidJohn.“Itwouldhavebeenveryrisky.”
“Yes,butitwaspossible.”
“Andthen,howcouldheknowitwashercoffee?No,oldfellow,Idon’tthinkthatwillwash.”
ButIhadrememberedsomethingelse.
“You’requiteright.Thatwasn’thowitwasdone.Listen.”AndIthentoldhimofthecocoasamplewhichPoirothadtakentobeanalysed.
JohninterruptedjustasIhaddone.
“But,lookhere,Bauersteinhadhaditanalysedalready?”
“Yes,yes,that’sthepoint.Ididn’tseeiteitheruntilnow.Don’tyouunderstand?Bauersteinhaditanalysed—that’sjustit!IfBauerstein’sthemurderer,nothingcouldbesimplerthanforhimtosubstitutesomeordinarycocoaforhissample,andsendthattobetested.Andofcoursetheywouldfindnostrychnine!ButnoonewoulddreamofsuspectingBauerstein,orthinkoftakinganothersample—exceptPoirot,”Iadded,withbelatedrecognition.
“Yes,butwhataboutthebittertastethatcocoawon’tdisguise?”
“Well,we’veonlyhiswordforthat.Andthereareotherpossibilities.He’sadmittedlyoneoftheworld’sgreatesttoxicologists——”
“Oneoftheworld’sgreatestwhat?Sayitagain.
