Пуаро веде слідство
III. The Adventure of the Cheap Flat
Itwistedadaggerfromhishand,andasPoirotbroughtdownthescarffromhiseyes,whilstkeepingitwoundtightlyroundhismouth,Ijerkedupmyrevolverwherehecouldseeitandunderstandthatresistancewasuseless.AsheceasedtostrugglePoirotputhismouthclosetohisearandbegantowhisperrapidly.Afteraminutethemannodded.Thenenjoiningsilencewithamovementofthehand,Poirotledthewayoutoftheflatanddownthestairs.Ourcaptivefollowed,andIbroughtuptherearwiththerevolver.Whenwewereoutinthestreet,Poirotturnedtome.
“Thereisataxiwaitingjustroundthecorner.Givemetherevolver.Weshallnotneeditnow.”
“Butifthisfellowtriestoescape?”
Poirotsmiled.
“Hewillnot.”
Ireturnedinaminutewiththewaitingtaxi.Thescarfhadbeenunwoundfromthestranger’sface,andIgaveastartofsurprise.
“He’snotaJap,”IejaculatedinawhispertoPoirot.
“Observationwasalwaysyourstrongpoint,Hastings!Nothingescapesyou.No,themanisnotaJap.HeisanItalian.”
Wegotintothetaxi,andPoirotgavethedriveranaddressinSt.John’sWood.Iwasbynowcompletelyfogged.IdidnotliketoaskPoirotwhereweweregoinginfrontofourcaptive,andstroveinvaintoobtainsomelightupontheproceedings.
Wealightedatthedoorofasmallhousestandingbackfromtheroad.Areturningwayfarer,slightlydrunk,waslurchingalongthepavementandalmostcollidedwithPoirot,whosaidsomethingsharplytohimwhichIdidnotcatch.Allthreeofuswentupthestepsofthehouse.
