Загадочное происшествие в Стайлзе
Chapter X. The Arrest
”
BeforeIcouldreply,oneoftheotherBelgiansopenedthedoorandstuckhisheadin.
“Thereisaladybelow,askingforMrHastings.”
“Alady?”
Ijumpedup.Poirotfollowedmedownthenarrowstairs.MaryCavendishwasstandinginthedoorway.
“Ihavebeenvisitinganoldwomaninthevillage,”sheexplained,“andasLawrencetoldmeyouwerewithMonsieurPoirotIthoughtIwouldcallforyou.”
“Alas,madame,”saidPoirot,“Ithoughtyouhadcometohonourmewithavisit!”
“Iwillsomeday,ifyouaskme,”shepromisedhim,smiling.
“Thatiswell.Ifyoushouldneedafatherconfessor,madame”—shestartedeversoslightly—“remember,PapaPoirotisalwaysatyourservice.”
Shestaredathimforafewminutes,asthoughseekingtoreadsomedeepermeaningintohiswords.Thensheturnedabruptlyaway.
“Come,willyounotwalkbackwithustoo,MonsieurPoirot?”
“Enchanted,madame.”
AllthewaytoStyles,Marytalkedfastandfeverishly.ItstruckmethatinsomewayshewasnervousofPoirot’seyes.
Theweatherhadbroken,andthesharpwindwasalmostautumnalinitsshrewishness.Maryshiveredalittle,andbuttonedherblacksportscoatcloser.Thewindthroughthetreesmadeamournfulnoise,likesomegreatgiantsighing.
WewalkeduptothegreatdoorofStyles,andatoncetheknowledgecametousthatsomethingwaswrong.
Dorcascamerunningouttomeetus.Shewascryingandwringingherhands.Iwasawareofotherservantshuddledtogetherinthebackground,alleyesandears
