Убийство на поле для гольфа
1. A Fellow Traveller
He’saBelgian—anex-detective.He’ssetupasaprivatedetectiveinLondon,andhe’sdoingextraordinarilywell.He’sreallyaverymarvellouslittleman.Timeandagainhehasprovedtoberightwheretheofficialpolicehavefailed.”
Mycompanionlistenedwithwideningeyes.
“Isn’tthatinteresting,now?Ijustadorecrime.Igotoallthemysteriesonthemovies.Andwhenthere’samurderonIjustdevourthepapers.”
“DoyouremembertheStylesCase?”Iasked.
“Letmesee,wasthattheoldladywhowaspoisoned?SomewheredowninEssex?”
Inodded.
“ThatwasPoirot’sfirstbigcase.Undoubtedly,butforhim,themurdererwouldhaveescapedscot-free.Itwasamostwonderfulbitofdetectivework.”
Warmingtomysubject,Iranovertheheadsoftheaffair,workinguptothetriumphantandunexpecteddénouement.Thegirllistenedspellbound.Infact,weweresoabsorbedthatthetraindrewintoCalaisstationbeforewerealizedit.
“Mygoodnessgraciousme!”criedmycompanion.“Where’smypowder-puff?”
Sheproceededtobedaubherfaceliberally,andthenappliedastickoflipsalvetoherlips,observingtheeffectinasmallpocketglass,andbetrayingnotthefaintestsignofself-consciousness.
“Isay,”Ihesitated.“Idaresayit’scheekonmypart,butwhydoallthatsortofthing?”
Thegirlpausedinheroperations,andstaredatmewithundisguisedsurprise.
“Itisn’tasthoughyouweren’tsoprettythatyoucanaffordtodowithoutit,”Isaidstammeringly.
“Mydearboy!I’vegottodoit.Allthegirlsdo.
