Пуаро веде слідство
IX. The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim
“Butcertainlytheyare!Theyfallintothreecategories:First,andmostcommon,thevoluntarydisappearance.Second,themuchabused‘lossofmemory’case—rare,butoccasionallygenuine.Third,murder,andamoreorlesssuccessfuldisposalofthebody.Doyourefertoallthreeasimpossibleofexecution?”
“Verynearlyso,Ishouldthink.Youmightloseyourownmemory,butsomeonewouldbesuretorecognizeyou—especiallyinthecaseofawell-knownmanlikeDavenheim.Then‘bodies’can’tbemadetovanishintothinair.Soonerorlatertheyturnup,concealedinlonelyplaces,orintrunks.Murderwillout.Inthesameway,theabscondingclerk,orthedomesticdefaulter,isboundtoberundowninthesedaysofwirelesstelegraphy.Hecanbeheadedofffromforeigncountries;portsandrailwaystationsarewatched;and,asforconcealmentinthiscountry,hisfeaturesandappearancewillbeknowntoeveryonewhoreadsadailynewspaper.He’supagainstcivilization.”
“Monami,”saidPoirot,“youmakeoneerror.Youdonotallowforthefactthatamanwhohaddecidedtomakeawaywithanotherman—orwithhimselfinafigurativesense—mightbethatraremachine,amanofmethod.Hemightbringintelligence,talent,acarefulcalculationofdetailtothetask;andthenIdonotseewhyheshouldnotbesuccessfulinbafflingthepoliceforce.”
“Butnotyou,Isuppose?”saidJappgood-humouredly,winkingatme.“Hecouldn’tbaffleyou,eh,MonsieurPoirot?”
Poirotendeavoured,withamarkedlackofsuccess,tolookmodest.
