Загадочное происшествие в Стайлзе
Chapter V. “It Isn’t Strychnine, Is It?”
“Therewassomethinginthatcase—somepieceofevidence,slightinitselfperhaps,butstillenoughofacluetoconnectthemurdererwiththecrime.Itwasvitaltohimthatitshouldbedestroyedbeforeitwasdiscoveredanditssignificanceappreciated.Therefore,hetooktherisk,thegreatrisk,ofcominginhere.Findingthecaselocked,hewasobligedtoforceit,thusbetrayinghispresence.Forhimtotakethatrisk,itmusthavebeensomethingofgreatimportance.”
“Butwhatwasit?”
“Ah!”criedPoirot,withagestureofanger.“That,Idonotknow!Adocumentofsomekind,withoutdoubt,possiblythescrapofpaperDorcassawinherhandyesterdayafternoon.AndI—”hisangerburstforthfreely—“miserableanimalthatIam!Iguessednothing!Ihavebehavedlikeanimbecile!Ishouldneverhaveleftthatcasehere.Ishouldhavecarrieditawaywithme.Ah,triplepig!Andnowitisgone.Itisdestroyed—butisitdestroyed?Istherenotyetachance—wemustleavenostoneunturned—”
Herushedlikeamadmanfromtheroom,andIfollowedhimassoonasIhadsufficientlyrecoveredmywits.But,bythetimeIhadreachedthetopofthestairs,hewasoutofsight.
MaryCavendishwasstandingwherethestaircasebranched,staringdownintothehallinthedirectioninwhichhehaddisappeared.
“Whathashappenedtoyourextraordinarylittlefriend,Mr.Hastings?Hehasjustrushedpastmelikeamadbull.”
“He’sratherupsetaboutsomething,”Iremarkedfeebly.IreallydidnotknowhowmuchPoirotwouldwishmetodisclose.
