Вбивство на поле для гольфу
28. Journey’s End
Butif,byanychance,itwasnothersister’s,buttheonegivenbyJacktoMartheDaubreuil—whythen,BellaDuveen’sdaggerwouldbestillintact!Isaidnowordtoyou,Hastings(itwasnotimeforromance)butIsoughtoutMademoiselleDulcie,toldherasmuchasIdeemedneedful,andsethertosearchamongsttheeffectsofhersister.Imaginemyelation,whenshesoughtmeout(accordingtomyinstructions)asMissRobinsonwiththeprecioussouvenirinherpossession!
“InthemeantimeIhadtakenstepstoforceMademoiselleMartheintotheopen.Bymyorders,Mrs.Renauldrepulsedherson,anddeclaredherintentionofmakingawillonthemorrowwhichshouldcuthimofffromeverenjoyingevenaportionofhisfather’sfortune.Itwasadesperatestep,butanecessaryone,andMadameRenauldwasfullypreparedtotaketherisk—thoughunfortunatelyshealsoneverthoughtofmentioningherchangeofroom.IsupposeshetookitforgrantedthatIknew.AllhappenedasIthought.MartheDaubreuilmadealastboldbidfortheRenauldmillions—andfailed!”
“Whatabsolutelybewildersme,”Isaid,“ishowsheevergotintothehousewithoutourseeingher.Itseemsanabsolutemiracle.WeleftherbehindattheVillaMarguerite,wegostraighttotheVillaGeneviève—andyetsheistherebeforeus!”
“Ah,butwedidnotleaveherbehind.ShewasoutoftheVillaMargueritebythebackwaywhilstweweretalkingtohermotherinthehall.Thatiswhere,astheAmericanssay,she‘putitover’onHerculePoirot!”
“Buttheshadowontheblind?Wesawitfromtheroad.
