Пуаро ведёт следствие
I. The Adventure of “The Western Star”
InthemorningPoirotseemedstrangelydisinclinedtostirout.Ibegantosuspectthat,havingmadeamistaketostartwith,hewassingularlyloathtoproceedwiththecase.Inanswertomypersuasions,hepointedout,withadmirablecommonsense,thatasthedetailsoftheaffairatYardlyChasewerealreadyinthemorningpaperstheRolfswouldknowquiteasmuchaswecouldtellthem.Igavewayunwillingly.
Eventsprovedmyforebodingstobejustified.Abouttwoo’clock,thetelephonerang.Poirotansweredit.Helistenedforsomemoments,thenwithabrief“Bien,j’yserai”herangoff,andturnedtome.
“Whatdoyouthink,monami?”Helookedhalfashamed,halfexcited.“ThediamondofMissMarvell,ithasbeenstolen.”
“What?”Icried,springingup.“Andwhataboutthe‘fullofthemoon’now?”Poirothunghishead.“Whendidthishappen?”
“Thismorning,Iunderstand.”
Ishookmyheadsadly.“Ifonlyyouhadlistenedtome.YouseeIwasright.”
“Itappearsso,monami,”saidPoirotcautiously.“Appearancesaredeceptive,theysay,butitcertainlyappearsso.”
AswehurriedinataxitotheMagnificent,Ipuzzledoutthetrueinwardnessofthescheme.
“That‘fullofthemoon’ideawasclever.ThewholepointofitwastogetustoconcentrateontheFriday,andsobeoffourguardbeforehand.Itisapityyoudidnotrealizethat.”
“Mafoi!”saidPoirotairily,hisnonchalancequiterestoredafteritsbriefeclipse.“Onecannotthinkofeverything!”
Ifeltsorryforhim.Hedidsohatefailureofanykind.
“Cheerup,”Isaidconsolingly.
