Загадочное происшествие в Стайлзе
Chapter IV. Poirot Investigates
Weshallsee.Five,this!”Withadramaticgesture,hepointedtoalargesplashofcandlegreaseonthefloorbythewriting-table.“Itmusthavebeendonesinceyesterday,otherwiseagoodhousemaidwouldhaveatonceremoveditwithblotting-paperandahotiron.Oneofmybesthatsonce—butthatisnottothepoint.”
“Itwasverylikelydonelastnight.Wewereveryagitated.OrperhapsMrs.Inglethorpherselfdroppedhercandle.”
“Youbroughtonlyonecandleintotheroom?”
“Yes.LawrenceCavendishwascarryingit.Buthewasveryupset.Heseemedtoseesomethingoverhere”—Iindicatedthemantelpiece—“thatabsolutelyparalysedhim.”
“Thatisinteresting,”saidPoirotquickly.“Yes,itissuggestive”—hiseyesweepingthewholelengthofthewall—“butitwasnothiscandlethatmadethisgreatpatch,foryouperceivethatthisiswhitegrease;whereasMonsieurLawrence’scandle,whichisstillonthedressing-table,ispink.Ontheotherhand,Mrs.Inglethorphadnocandlestickintheroom,onlyareading-lamp.”
“Then,”Isaid,“whatdoyoudeduce?”
Towhichmyfriendonlymadearatherirritatingreply,urgingmetousemyownnaturalfaculties.
“Andthesixthpoint?”Iasked.“Isupposeitisthesampleofcocoa.”
“No,”saidPoirotthoughtfully.“Imighthaveincludedthatinthesix,butIdidnot.No,thesixthpointIwillkeeptomyselfforthepresent.”
Helookedquicklyroundtheroom.
