Пуаро ведёт следствие
IX. The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim
Apencil,Iprayyou,andaform.Voilà!‘Adviseyoutowithdrawanymoneydepositedwithfirminquestion.’Thatwillintriguehim,thegoodJapp!Hiseyeswillopenwide—wide!Hewillnotcomprehendintheslightest—untilto-morrow,orthenextday!”
Iremainedsceptical,butthemorrowforcedmetorendertributetomyfriend’sremarkablepowers.IneverypaperwasahugeheadlinetellingofthesensationalfailureoftheDavenheimbank.Thedisappearanceofthefamousfinanciertookonatotallydifferentaspectinthelightoftherevelationofthefinancialaffairsofthebank.
Beforewewerehalf-waythroughbreakfast,thedoorflewopenandJapprushedin.Inhislefthandwasapaper;inhisrightwasPoirot’stelegram,whichhebangeddownonthetableinfrontofmyfriend.
“Howdidyouknow,MonsieurPoirot?Howtheblazescouldyouknow?”
Poirotsmiledplacidlyathim.“Ah,monami,afteryourwire,itwasacertainty!Fromthecommencement,seeyou,itstruckmethatthesafeburglarywassomewhatremarkable.Jewels,readymoney,bearerbonds—allsoconvenientlyarrangedfor—whom?Well,thegoodMonsieurDavenheimwasofthosewho‘lookafterNumberOne’asyoursayinggoes!Itseemedalmostcertainthatitwasarrangedfor—himself!Thenhispassionoflateyearsforbuyingjewellery!Howsimple!Thefundsheembezzled,heconvertedintojewels,verylikelyreplacingtheminturnwithpasteduplicates,andsoheputawayinasafeplace,underanothername,aconsiderablefortunetobeenjoyedallingoodtimewheneveryonehasbeenthrownoffthetrack.
