Пуаро веде слідство
X. The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman
”
“Ah!”saidPoirot,andseemedsatisfiedwiththefact.
Aswedescendedtotheflatagainheremarkedinalowtone:
“Wehavedecidedlytodowithamanofmethod.”
“Doyoumeanthemurderer,orCountFoscatini?”
“Thelatterwasundoubtedlyanorderlygentleman.Afterimploringhelpandannouncinghisapproachingdemise,hecarefullyhungupthetelephonereceiver.”
IstaredatPoirot.Hiswordsnowandhisrecentinquiriesgavemetheglimmeringofanidea.
“Yoususpectpoison?”Ibreathed.“Theblowontheheadwasablind.”
Poirotmerelysmiled.
Were-enteredtheflattofindthelocalinspectorofpolicehadarrivedwithtwoconstables.Hewasinclinedtoresentourappearance,butPoirotcalmedhimwiththementionofourScotlandYardfriend,InspectorJapp,andwewereaccordedagrudgingpermissiontoremain.Itwasaluckythingwewere,forwehadnotbeenbackfiveminutesbeforeanagitatedmiddle-agedmancamerushingintotheroomwitheveryappearanceofgriefandagitation.
ThiswasGraves,valet-butlertothelateCountFoscatini.Thestoryhehadtotellwasasensationalone.
Onthepreviousmorning,twogentlemenhadcalledtoseehismaster.TheywereItalians,andtheelderofthetwo,amanofaboutforty,gavehisnameasSignorAscanio.Theyoungerwasawell-dressedladofabouttwenty-four.
CountFoscatiniwasevidentlypreparedfortheirvisitandimmediatelysentGravesoutuponsometrivialerrand.Herethemanpausedandhesitatedinhisstory.
