Загадочное происшествие в Стайлзе
Chapter X. The Arrest
”
“Oh!”Whatdidhemean?Inspiteofmyself,anagreeablewarmthspreadoverme.Iamnotavainmanwherewomenareconcerned,butIrememberedcertainevidences,toolightlythoughtofatthetime,perhaps,butwhichcertainlyseemedtoindicate——
MypleasingthoughtswereinterruptedbythesuddenentranceofMissHoward.Sheglancedroundhastilytomakesuretherewasnooneelseintheroom,andquicklyproducedanoldsheetofbrownpaper.ThisshehandedtoPoirot,murmuringasshedidsothecrypticwords:
“Ontopofthewardrobe.”Thenshehurriedlylefttheroom.
Poirotunfoldedthesheetofpapereagerly,andutteredanexclamationofsatisfaction.Hespreaditoutonthetable.
“Comehere,Hastings.Nowtellme,whatisthatinitial—J.orL.?”
Itwasamediumsizedsheetofpaper,ratherdusty,asthoughithadlainbyforsometime.ButitwasthelabelthatwasattractingPoirot’sattention.Atthetop,itboretheprintedstampofMessrs.Parkson’s,thewell-knowntheatricalcostumiers,anditwasaddressedto“—(thedebatableinitial)Cavendish,Esq.,StylesCourt,StylesSt.Mary,Essex.”
“ItmightbeT.,oritmightbeL.,”Isaid,afterstudyingthethingforaminuteortwo.“Itcertainlyisn’taJ.”
“Good,”repliedPoirot,foldingupthepaperagain.“I,also,amofyourwayofthinking.ItisanL.,dependuponit!”
“Wherediditcomefrom?”Iaskedcuriously.“Isitimportant?”
“Moderatelyso.Itconfirmsasurmiseofmine.
