Пуаро ведёт следствие
X. The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman
Intheend,however,headmittedthat,curiousastothepurportoftheinterview,hehadnotobeyedimmediately,buthadlingeredaboutendeavouringtohearsomethingofwhatwasgoingon.
Theconversationwascarriedoninsolowatonethathewasnotassuccessfulashehadhoped;buthegatheredenoughtomakeitclearthatsomekindofmonetarypropositionwasbeingdiscussed,andthatthebasisofitwasathreat.Thediscussionwasanythingbutamicable.Intheend,CountFoscatiniraisedhisvoiceslightly,andthelistenerheardthesewordsclearly:
“Ihavenotimetoarguefurthernow,gentlemen.Ifyouwilldinewithmeto-morrownightateighto’clock,wewillresumethediscussion.”
Afraidofbeingdiscoveredlistening,Graveshadthenhurriedouttodohismaster’serrand.Thiseveningthetwomenhadarrivedpunctuallyateight.Duringdinnertheyhadtalkedofindifferentmatters—politics,theweather,andthetheatricalworld.WhenGraveshadplacedtheportuponthetableandbroughtinthecoffeehismastertoldhimthathemighthavetheeveningoff.
“Wasthatausualproceedingofhiswhenhehadguests?”askedtheinspector.
“No,sir;itwasn’t.That’swhatmademethinkitmustbesomebusinessofaveryunusualkindthathewasgoingtodiscusswiththesegentlemen.”
ThatfinishedGraves’sstory.Hehadgoneoutabout8.30,and,meetingafriend,hadaccompaniedhimtotheMetropolitanMusicHallinEdgwareRoad.
Nobodyhadseenthetwomenleave,butthetimeofthemurderwasfixedclearlyenoughat8.47.
