Пуаро ведёт следствие
I. The Adventure of “The Western Star”
Ipickeditup.Itwasapieceofsilk,andtheembroiderywasunmistakable.IthadbeentornfromaChinaman’srobe.
“Inhishasteitcaughtinthedoor,”Iexplained.“Come,hurry.Hecannothavegonefarasyet.”
Butinvainwehuntedandsearched.Inthepitchdarknessofthenight,thethiefhadfounditeasytomakehisgetaway.Wereturnedreluctantly,andLordYardlysentoffoneofthefootmenpost-hastetofetchthepolice.
LadyYardly,aptlyministeredtobyPoirot,whoisasgoodasawomaninthesematters,wassufficientlyrecoveredtobeabletotellherstory.
“Iwasjustgoingtoturnontheotherlight,”shesaid,“whenamansprangonmefrombehind.HetoremynecklacefrommyneckwithsuchforcethatIfellheadlongtothefloor.AsIfellIsawhimdisappearingthroughthesidedoor.ThenIrealizedbythepig-tailandtheembroideredrobethathewasaChinaman.”Shestoppedwithashudder.
Thebutlerreappeared.HespokeinalowvoicetoLordYardly.
“AgentlemanfromMr.Hoffberg’s,m’lord.Hesaysyouexpecthim.”
“Goodheavens!”criedthedistractednobleman.“Imustseehim,Isuppose.No,nothere,Mullings,inthelibrary.”
IdrewPoirotaside.
“Lookhere,mydearfellow,hadn’twebettergetbacktoLondon?”
“Youthinkso,Hastings?Why?”
“Well”—Icougheddelicately—“thingshaven’tgoneverywell,havethey?Imean,youtellLordYardlytoplacehimselfinyourhandsandallwillbewell—andthenthediamondvanishesfromunderyourverynose!”
“True,”saidPoirot,rathercrestfallen.
