Пуаро ведёт следствие
VI. The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb
Anotherthing,hescrapedupenoughmoneytotakehimtoEgypt,hisunclerefusedoutrighttoadvancehimapenny,yethewasabletopaythereturnpassagetoNewYork.Someonemusthavelenthimthemoney.”
“Allthatwasverythin,”Iobjected.
“Buttherewasmore.Hastings,thereoccuroftenenoughwordsspokenmetaphoricallywhicharetakenliterally.Theoppositecanhappentoo.Inthiscase,wordswhichweremeantliterallyweretakenmetaphorically.YoungBleibnerwroteplainlyenough:‘Iamaleper,’butnobodyrealizedthatheshothimselfbecausehebelievedthathehadcontractedthedreaddiseaseofleprosy.”
“What?”Iejaculated.
“Itwasthecleverinventionofadiabolicalmind.YoungBleibnerwassufferingfromsomeminorskintrouble,hehadlivedintheSouthSeaIslands,wherethediseaseiscommonenough.Ameswasaformerfriendofhis,andawell-knownmedicalman,hewouldneverdreamofdoubtinghisword.WhenIarrivedhere,mysuspicionsweredividedbetweenHarperandDr.Ames,butIsoonrealizedthatonlythedoctorcouldhaveperpetratedandconcealedthecrimes,andIlearntfromHarperthathewaspreviouslyacquaintedwithyoungBleibner.Doubtlessthelatteratsometimeoranotherhadmadeawillorhadinsuredhislifeinfavourofthedoctor.Thelattersawhischanceofacquiringwealth.ItwaseasyforhimtoinoculateMr.Bleibnerwiththedeadlygerms.Thenthenephew,overcomewithdespairatthedreadnewshisfriendhadconveyedtohim,shothimself.Mr.Bleibner,whateverhisintentions,hadmadenowill.
