Пуаро веде слідство
III. The Adventure of the Cheap Flat
NowforsometimepastLuigiValdarnohadbeengoingaboutwithaMissElsaHardt,ayoungconcertsingerwhohadrecentlyappearedandwholivedwithabrotherinanapartmentinWashington.NothingwasknownoftheantecedentsofMissElsaHardt,andshedisappearedsuddenlyaboutthetimeofValdarno’sdeath.Therearereasonsforbelievingthatshewasinrealityanaccomplishedinternationalspywhohasdonemuchnefariousworkundervariousaliases.TheAmericanSecretService,whilstdoingtheirbesttotraceher,alsokeptaneyeuponcertaininsignificantJapanesegentlemenlivinginWashington.Theyfeltprettycertainthat,whenElsaHardthadcoveredhertrackssufficiently,shewouldapproachthegentlemeninquestion.OneofthemleftsuddenlyforEnglandafortnightago.Onthefaceofit,therefore,itwouldseemthatElsaHardtisinEngland.”Poirotpaused,andthenaddedsoftly:“TheofficialdescriptionofElsaHardtis:Height5ft.7,eyesblue,hairauburn,faircomplexion,nosestraight,nospecialdistinguishingmarks.”
“Mrs.Robinson!”Igasped.
“Well,thereisachanceofit,anyhow,”amendedPoirot.“Also,Ilearnthataswarthyman,aforeignerofsomekind,wasinquiringabouttheoccupantsofNo.4onlythismorning.Therefore,monami,Ifearthatyoumustforswearyourbeautysleepto-night,andjoinmeinmyall-nightvigilintheflatbelow—armedwiththatexcellentrevolverofyours,bienentendu!”
“Rather,”Icriedwithenthusiasm.“Whenshallwestart?”
“Thehourofmidnightisbothsolemnandsuitable,Ifancy.Nothingislikelytooccurbeforethen.
