Убийство на поле для гольфа
27. Jack Renauld’s Story
“LetusallgotoMerlinvilleatonce!”
Ahurrieddeparturewasmadeforthwith.Stonor,atJack’sinstance,agreedtostaybehindanddoallthatcouldbedoneforBellaDuveen.Poirot,JackRenauldandIsetoffintheRenauldcar.
Theruntookjustoverfortyminutes.AsweapproachedthedoorwayoftheVillaMarguerite,JackRenauldshotaquestioningglanceatPoirot.
“Howwoulditbeifyouwentonfirst—tobreakthenewstomymotherthatIamfree—”
“WhileyoubreakitinpersontoMademoiselleMarthe,eh?”finishedPoirot,withatwinkle.“Butyes,byallmeans,Iwasabouttoproposesuchanarrangementmyself.”
JackRenaulddidnotwaitformore.Stoppingthecar,heswunghimselfout,andranupthepathtothefrontdoor.WewentoninthecartotheVillaGeneviève.
“Poirot,”Isaid,“doyourememberhowwearrivedherethatfirstday?AndweremetbythenewsofM.Renauld’smurder?”
“Ah!yes,truly.Notsolongago,either.Butwhatalotofthingshavehappenedsincethen—especiallyforyou,monami!”
“Poirot,whathaveyoudoneaboutfindingBel—ImeanDulcie?”
“Calmyourself,Hastings.Iarrangeeverything.”
“You’rebeingapreciouslongtimeaboutit,”Igrumbled.
Poirotchangedthesubject.
“Thenthebeginning,nowtheend,”hemoralized,aswerangthebell.“And,consideredasacase,theendisprofoundlyunsatisfactory.”
“Yes,indeed,”Isighed.
“Youareregardingitfromthesentimentalstandpoint,Hastings.Thatwasnotmymeaning.
