Пуаро веде слідство
V. The Million Dollar Bond Robbery
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Thecardboretheinscription:MissEsméeFarquhar,andPoirot,afterdivingunderthetabletoretrieveastraycrumb,andputtingitcarefullyinthewaste-paper-basket,noddedtothelandladytoadmither.
InanotherminuteoneofthemostcharminggirlsIhaveeverseenwasusheredintotheroom.Shewasperhapsaboutfive-and-twenty,withbigbrowneyesandaperfectfigure.Shewaswell-dressedandperfectlycomposedinmanner.
“Sitdown,Ibegofyou,mademoiselle.Thisismyfriend,CaptainHastings,whoaidsmeinmylittleproblems.”
“IamafraiditisabigproblemIhavebroughtyouto-day,MonsieurPoirot,”saidthegirl,givingmeapleasantbowassheseatedherself.“Idaresayyouhavereadaboutitinthepapers.IamreferringtothetheftofLibertyBondsontheOlympia.”SomeastonishmentmusthaveshownitselfinPoirot’sface,forshecontinuedquickly:“YouaredoubtlessaskingyourselfwhatIhavetodowithagraveinstitutionliketheLondonandScottishBank.Inonesensenothing,inanothersenseeverything.Yousee,MonsieurPoirot,IamengagedtoMr.PhilipRidgeway.”
“Aha!andMr.PhilipRidgeway——”
“Wasinchargeofthebondswhentheywerestolen.Ofcoursenoactualblamecanattachtohim,itwasnothisfaultinanyway.Nevertheless,heishalfdistraughtoverthematter,andhisuncle,Iknow,insiststhathemustcarelesslyhavementionedhavingtheminhispossession.Itisaterribleset-backinhiscareer.”
“Whoishisuncle?”
“Mr.Vavasour,jointgeneralmanageroftheLondonandScottishBank.
