Пуаро веде слідство
X. The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman
Musthavebeenalmostinstantaneous.Iwonderheevenmanagedtotelephone.Itwillbebetternottomovehimuntilthepolicearrive.”
Onthemanager’ssuggestionwesearchedtheflat,buttheresultwasaforegoneconclusion.Itwasnotlikelythatthemurdererswouldbeconcealedtherewhenalltheyhadtodowastowalkout.
Wecamebacktothedining-room.Poirothadnotaccompaniedusinourtour.Ifoundhimstudyingthecentretablewithcloseattention.Ijoinedhim.Itwasawell-polishedroundmahoganytable.Abowlofrosesdecoratedthecentre,andwhitelacematsreposedonthegleamingsurface.Therewasadishoffruit,butthethreedessertplateswereuntouched.Therewerethreecoffee-cupswithremainsofcoffeeinthem—twoblack,onewithmilk.Allthreemenhadtakenport,andthedecanter,half-full,stoodbeforethecentreplate.Oneofthemenhadsmokedacigar,theothertwocigarettes.Atortoiseshell-and-silverbox,holdingcigarsandcigarettes,stoodopenuponthetable.
Ienumeratedallthesefactstomyself,butIwasforcedtoadmitthattheydidnotshedanybrilliantlightonthesituation.IwonderedwhatPoirotsawinthemtomakehimsointent.Iaskedhim.
“Monami,”hereplied,“youmissthepoint.IamlookingforsomethingthatIdonotsee.”
“Whatisthat?”
“Amistake—evenalittlemistake—onthepartofthemurderer.”
Hesteppedswiftlytothesmalladjoiningkitchen,lookedin,andshookhishead.
“Monsieur,”hesaidtothemanager,“explaintome,Ipray,yoursystemofservingmealshere.”
Themanagersteppedtoasmallhatchinthewall.
