Убийство на поле для гольфа
2. An Appeal for Help
”
“Yes,Ifeelabsolutelyassuredofsuccess.AreyounottheoneandonlyHerculePoirot?”
Butmylittlefrienddidnotrisetothebait.Hewasobservingmegravely.
“YouarewhattheScotchpeoplecall‘fey,’Hastings.Itpresagesdisaster.”
“Nonsense.Atanyrate,youdonotsharemyfeelings.”
“No,butIamafraid.”
“Afraidofwhat?”
“Idonotknow.ButIhaveapremonition—ajenesaisquoi!”
Hespokesogravely,thatIwasimpressedinspiteofmyself.
“Ihaveafeeling,”hesaidslowly,“thatthisisgoingtobeabigaffair—along,troublesomeproblemthatwillnotbeeasytoworkout.”
Iwouldhavequestionedhimfurther,butwewerejustcomingintothelittletownofMerlinville,andwesloweduptoinquirethewaytotheVillaGeneviève.
“Straighton,monsieur,throughthetown.TheVillaGenevièveisabouthalfamiletheotherside.Youcannotmissit.AbigVilla,overlookingthesea.”
Wethankedourinformant,anddroveon,leavingthetownbehind.Aforkintheroadbroughtustoasecondhalt.Apeasantwastrudgingtowardsus,andwewaitedforhimtocomeuptousinordertoaskthewayagain.TherewasatinyVillastandingrightbytheroad,butitwastoosmallanddilapidatedtobetheonewewanted.Aswewaited,thegateofitswungopenandagirlcameout.
Thepeasantwaspassingusnow,andthedriverleanedforwardfromhisseatandaskedfordirection.
“TheVillaGeneviève?Justafewstepsupthisroadtotheright,monsieur.Youcouldseeitifitwerenotforthecurve.”
Thechauffeurthankedhim,andstartedthecaragain
