Агата Кристи - The A B C Murders / Убийство по алфавиту. Книга для чтения на английском языке

I shivered.

‘It’s rather horrible…’

‘Yes. I felt from the first, when I read the original letter, that there was something wrong—misshapen…’

He made an impatient gesture.

‘One must not give way to the nerves… This is no worse than any ordinary crime…’

‘It is… It is…’

‘Is it worse to take the life or lives of strangers than to take the life of someone near and dear to you—someone who trusts and believes in you, perhaps?’

‘It’s worse because it’s mad…’

‘No, Hastings. It is not worse. It is only more difficult .’

‘No, no, I do not agree with you. It’s infinitely more frightening.’

Hercule Poirot said thoughtfully:

‘It should be easier to discover because it is mad. A crime committed by someone shrewd and sane would be far more complicated. Here, if one could but hit on the idea… This alphabetical business, it has discrepancies. If I could once see the idea —then everything would be clear and simple…’

He sighed and shook his head.

‘These crimes must not go on. Soon, soon, I must see the truth… Go, Hastings. Get some sleep. There will be much to do tomorrow.’

Churston, lying as it does between Brixham on the one side and Paignton and Torquay on the other, occupies a position about halfway round the curve of Torbay. Until about ten years ago it was merely a golf links [178] golf links – площадка для игры в гольф and below the links a green sweep of countryside dropping down to the sea with only a farmhouse or two in the way of human occupation. But of late years there had been big building developments between Churston and Paignton and the coastline is now dotted with small houses and bungalows, new roads, etc.

Sir Carmichael Clarke had purchased a site of some two acres [179] two acres = 80 соток commanding an uninterrupted view of the sea. The house he had built was of modern design—a white rectangle that was not unpleasing to the eye. Apart from two big galleries that housed his collection it was not a large house.

Our arrival there took place about 8 a.m. A local police officer had met us at the station and had put us au courant [180] au courant (фр.) – в курс ( дела ) of the situation.

Sir Carmichael Clarke, it seemed, had been in the habit of taking a stroll after dinner every evening. When the police rang up—at some time after eleven—it was ascertained that he had not returned. Since his stroll usually followed the same course, it was not long before a search-party discovered his body. Death was due to a crashing blow with some heavy instrument on the back of the head. An open ABC bad been placed face downwards on the dead body.

We arrived at Combeside (as the house was called) at about eight o’clock. The door was opened by an elderly butler whose shaking hands and disturbed face showed how much the tragedy had affected him.

‘Good morning, Deveril,’ said the police officer.

‘Good morning, Mr Wells.’

‘These are the gentlemen from London, Deveril.’

‘This way, gentlemen.’ He ushered us into a long dining-room where breakfast was laid. ‘I’ll get Mr Franklin.’

A minute or two later a big fair-haired man with a sunburnt face entered the room.

This was Franklin Clarke, the dead man’s only brother.

He had the resolute competent manner of a man accustomed to meeting with emergencies.

‘Good morning, gentlemen.’

Inspector Wells made the introductions.

‘This is Inspector Crome of the CID, Mr Hercule Poirot and—er—Captain Hayter.’

‘Hastings,’ I corrected coldly.

Franklin Clarke shook hands with each of us in turn and in each case the handshake was accompanied by a piercing look.

‘Let me offer you some breakfast,’ he said. ‘We can discuss the position as we eat.’

There were no dissentient voices and we were soon doing justice to excellent eggs and bacon and coffee.

‘Now for it,’ said Franklin Clarke. ‘Inspector Wells gave me a rough idea of the position last night—though I may say it seemed one of the wildest tales I have ever heard. Am I really to believe, Inspector Crome, that my poor brother is the victim of a homicidal maniac, that this is the third murder that has occurred and that in each case an А В C railway guide has been deposited beside the body ?’

‘That is substantially the position, Mr Clarke.’

‘But why ? What earthly benefit can accrue from such a crime—even in the most diseased imagination?’

Poirot nodded his head in approval.

‘You go straight to the point, Mr Franklin,’ he said.

‘It’s not much good looking for motives at this stage, Mr Clarke,’ said Inspector Crome. ‘That’s a matter for an alienist—though I may say that I’ve had a certain experience of criminal lunacy and that the motives are usually grossly inadequate. There is a desire to assert one’s personality, to make a splash in the public eye—in fact, to be a somebody instead of a nonentity.’

‘Is that true, M. Poirot?’

Clarke seemed incredulous. His appeal to the older man was not too well received by Inspector Crome, who frowned.

‘Absolutely true,’ replied my friend.

‘At any rate such a man cannot escape detection long,’ said Clarke thoughtfully.

‘Vous croyez ? [181] Vous croyez? (фр.) – Вы так думаете? Ah, but they are cunning— ces gens là [182] ces gens là (фр.) – эти люди ! And you must remember such a type has usually all the outer signs of insignificance— he belongs to the class of person who is usually passed over and ignored or even laughed at!’

‘Will you let me have a few facts, please, Mr Clarke,’ said Crome, breaking in on the conversation.

‘Certainly.’

‘Your brother, I take it, was in his usual health and spirits yesterday? He received no unexpected letters? Nothing to upset him?’

‘No. I should say he was quite his usual self.’

‘Not upset and worried in any way.’

‘Excuse me, inspector. I didn’t say that. To be upset and worried was my poor brother’s normal condition.’

‘Why was that?’

‘You may not know that my sister-in-law, Lady Clarke, is in very bad health. Frankly, between ourselves, she is suffering from an incurable cancer, and cannot live very much longer. Her illness has preyed terribly on my brother’s mind [183] to prey on one’s mind – терзать . I myself returned from the East not long ago and I was shocked at the change in him.’

Poirot interpolated a question.

‘Supposing, Mr Clarke, that your brother had been found shot at the foot of a cliff—or shot with a revolver beside him. What would have been your first thought?’

‘Quite frankly, I should have jumped to the conclusion that it was suicide,’ said Clarke.

‘Encore [184] Encore (фр.) – Снова !’ said Poirot.

‘What is that?’

‘A fact that repeats itself. It is of no matter.’

‘Anyway, it wasn’t suicide,’ said Crome with a touch of curtness. ‘Now I believe, Mr Clarke, that it was your brother’s habit to go for a stroll every evening?’

‘Quite right. He always did.’

‘Every night?’

‘Well, not if it was pouring with rain, naturally.’

‘And everyone in the house knew of this habit?’

‘Of course.’

‘And outside?’

‘I don’t quite know what you mean by outside. The gardener may have been aware of it or not, I don’t know.’