Убийство на поле для гольфа
2. An Appeal for Help
Thetrainedobserver,theexpert,withoutdoubtheisuseful!Buttheothers,theHerculesPoirots,theyareabovetheexperts!Tothemtheexpertsbringthefacts,theirbusinessisthemethodofthecrime,itslogicaldeduction,thepropersequenceandorderofthefacts;aboveall,thetruepsychologyofthecase.Youhavehuntedthefox,yes?”
“Ihavehuntedabit,nowandagain,”Isaid,ratherbewilderedbythisabruptchangeofsubject.“Why?”
“Ehbien,thishuntingofthefox,youneedthedogs,no?”
“Hounds,”Icorrectedgently.“Yes,ofcourse.”
“Butyet,”Poirotwaggedhisfingeratme.“YoudidnotdescendfromyourhorseandrunalongthegroundsmellingwithyournoseandutteringloudOwOws?”
InspiteofmyselfIlaughedimmoderately.Poirotnoddedinasatisfiedmanner.
“So.Youleavetheworkofthed—houndstothehounds.YetyoudemandthatI,HerculePoirot,shouldmakemyselfridiculousbylyingdown(possiblyondampgrass)tostudyhypotheticalfootprints,andshouldscoopupcigaretteashwhenIdonotknowonekindfromtheother.RememberthePlymouthExpressmystery.ThegoodJappdepartedtomakeasurveyoftherailwayline.Whenhereturned,I,withouthavingmovedfrommyapartments,wasabletotellhimexactlywhathehadfound.”
“SoyouareoftheopinionthatJappwastedhistime.”
“Notatall,sincehisevidenceconfirmedmytheory.ButIshouldhavewastedmytimeifIhadgone.Itisthesamewithsocalled‘experts.’RememberthehandwritingtestimonyintheCavendishCase.
