Пуаро ведёт следствие
VI. The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb
Thenewsofhisuncle’sdeathreacheshim.Herealizeshowunnecessaryhiscrimehasbeen,andstrickenwithremorsetakeshisownlife.
IoutlinedmysolutiontoPoirot.Hewasinterested.
“Itisingeniouswhatyouhavethoughtofthere—decidedlyitisingenious.Itmayevenbetrue.ButyouleaveoutofcountthefatalinfluenceoftheTomb.”
Ishruggedmyshoulders.
“Youstillthinkthathassomethingtodowithit?”
“Somuchso,monami,thatwestartforEgyptto-morrow.”
“What?”Icried,astonished.
“Ihavesaidit.”AnexpressionofconsciousheroismspreadoverPoirot’sface.Thenhegroaned.“But,oh,”helamented,“thesea!Thehatefulsea!”
•••••••
Itwasaweeklater.Beneathourfeetwasthegoldensandofthedesert.Thehotsunpoureddownoverhead.Poirot,thepictureofmisery,wiltedbymyside.Thelittlemanwasnotagoodtraveller.Ourfourdays’voyagefromMarseilleshadbeenonelongagonytohim.HehadlandedatAlexandriathewraithofhisformerself,evenhisusualneatnesshaddesertedhim.WehadarrivedinCairoandhaddrivenoutatoncetotheMenaHouseHotel,rightintheshadowofthePyramids.
ThecharmofEgypthadlaidholdofme.NotsoPoirot.DressedpreciselythesameasinLondon,hecarriedasmallclothes-brushinhispocketandwagedanunceasingwaronthedustwhichaccumulatedonhisdarkapparel.
“Andmyboots,”hewailed.“Regardthem,Hastings.Myboots,oftheneatpatentleather,usuallysosmartandshining.See,thesandisinsidethem,whichispainful,andoutsidethem,whichoutragestheeyesight.
