Пуаро ведёт следствие
IV. The Mystery of Hunter’s Lodge
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“ButRogerHaveringisprovedtohavejourneyedstraightuptoLondon.”
“Précisément—andtherefore,asMr.HaveringleftElmer’sDaleat6.15,andsinceMr.Pacecannothavebeenkilledbeforeheleft,orthedoctorwouldhavespottedthetimeofthecrimeasbeinggivenwronglywhenheexaminedthebody,weconcludequiterightly,thatMr.Haveringdidnotshoothisuncle.ButthereisaMrs.Havering,Hastings.”
“Impossible!Thehousekeeperwaswithherwhentheshotwasfired.”
“Ah,yes,thehousekeeper.Butshehasdisappeared.”
“Shewillbefound.”
“Ithinknot.Thereissomethingpeculiarlyelusiveaboutthathousekeeper,don’tyouthinkso,Hastings?Itstruckmeatonce.”
“Sheplayedherpart,Isuppose,andthengotoutinthenickoftime.”
“Andwhatwasherpart?”
“Well,presumablytoadmitherconfederate,theblack-beardedman.”
“Oh,no,thatwasnotherpart!Herpartwaswhatyouhavejustmentioned,toprovideanalibiforMrs.Haveringatthemomenttheshotwasfired.Andnoonewilleverfindher,monami,becauseshedoesnotexist!‘There’snosechperson,’asyoursogreatShakespearesays.”
“ItwasDickens,”Imurmured,unabletosuppressasmile.“Butwhatdoyoumean,Poirot?”
“ImeanthatZoeHaveringwasanactressbeforehermarriage,thatyouandJapponlysawthehousekeeperinadarkhall,adimmiddle-agedfigureinblackwithafaintsubduedvoice,andfinallythatneitheryounorJapp,northelocalpolicewhomthehousekeeperfetched,eversawMrs.Middletonandhermistressatoneandthesametime.
