Агата Кристи - Hercule Poirot's Christmas / Рождество Эркюля Пуаро. Книга для чтения на английском языке

Pilar said: ‘Yes, my father. He is very beautiful, is he not?’

‘Yes, indeed. Few Spaniards have blue eyes, have they, señorita?’

‘Sometimes, in the North. Besides, my father’s mother was Irish.’

Poirot said thoughtfully: ‘So you have Spanish blood, and Irish and English, and a touch of gipsy too. Do you know what I think, mademoiselle? With that inheritance, you should make a bad enemy.’

Stephen said, laughing: ‘Remember what you said in the train, Pilar? That your way of dealing with your enemies would be to cut their throats. Oh!’

He stopped – suddenly realizing the import of his words.

Hercule Poirot was quick to lead the conversation away [349] was quick to lead the conversation away – ( разг. ) поспешил сменить тему разговора . He said: ‘Ah, yes, there was something, señorita, I had to ask you. Your passport. It is needed by my friend the superintendent. There are, you know, police regulations – very stupid, very tiresome, but necessary [350] police regulations – very stupid, very tiresome, but necessary – ( разг. ) полицейские правила (инструкции) – очень глупые, очень утомительные, но их надо соблюдать – for a foreigner in this country. And of course, by law, you are a foreigner.’

Pilar’s eyebrows rose. ‘My passport? Yes, I will get it. It is in my room.’

Poirot said apologetically as he walked by her side: ‘I am most sorry to trouble you. I am indeed.’

They had reached the end of the long gallery. Here was a flight of stairs. Pilar ran up and Poirot followed. Stephen came too. Pilar’s bedroom was just at the head of the stairs.

She said as she reached the door: ‘I will get it for you.’

She went in. Poirot and Stephen Farr remained waiting outside.

Stephen said remorsefully: ‘Damn’ silly of me to say a thing like that. I don’t think she noticed, though, do you?’

Poirot did not answer. He held his head a little on one side as though listening. He said: ‘The English are extraordinarily fond of fresh air. Miss Estravados must have inherited that characteristic.’

Stephen said staring: ‘Why?’

Poirot said softly: ‘Because though it is today extremely cold – the black frost [351] the black frost – ( разг. ) мороз без инея you call it (not like yesterday so mild and sunny) Miss Estravados has just flung up her lower window-sash. Amazing to love so much the fresh air.’

Suddenly there was an exclamation in Spanish from inside the room and Pilar reappeared laughingly dismayed.

‘Ah!’ she cried. ‘But I am stupid – and clumsy. My little case it was on the window-sill, and I was sorting through it so quickly and very stupidly I knock my passport out of the window. It is down on the flower-bed below. I will get it.’

‘I’ll get it,’ said Stephen, but Pilar had flown past him and cried back over her shoulder: ‘No, it was my stupidity. You go to the drawing-room with M. Poirot and I will bring it to you there.’

Stephen Farr seemed inclined to go after her [352] seemed inclined to go after her – ( разг. ) собирался последовать за ней , but Poirot’s hand fell gently on his arm and Poirot’s voice said: ‘Let us go this way.’

They went along the first-floor corridor towards the other end of the house until they got to the head of the main staircase. Here Poirot said: ‘Let us not go down for a minute. If you will come with me to the room of the crime there is something I want to ask you.’

They went along the corridor which led to Simeon Lee’s room. On their left they passed an alcove which contained two marble statues, stalwart nymphs clasping their draperies in an agony of Victorian propriety.

Stephen Farr glanced at them and murmured: ‘Pretty frightful by daylight. I thought there were three of them when I came along the other night, but thank goodness there are only two!’

‘They are not what is admired nowadays,’ admitted Poirot. ‘But no doubt they cost much money in their time. They look better by night, I think.’

‘Yes, one sees only a white glimmering figure.’

Poirot murmured: ‘All cats are grey in the dark!’

They found Superintendent Sugden in the room. He was kneeling by the safe and examining it with a magnifying glass. He looked up as they entered.

‘This was opened with the key all right,’ he said. ‘By someone who knew the combination. No sign of anything else.’

Poirot went up to him, drew him aside, and whispered something. The superintendent nodded and left the room.

Poirot turned to Stephen Farr, who was standing staring at the armchair in which Simeon Lee always sat. His brows were drawn together and the veins showed in his forehead. Poirot looked at him for a minute or two in silence, then he said: ‘You have the memories [353] You have the memories – ( искаж. ) Вы что-то вспомнили – yes?’

Stephen said slowly: ‘Two days ago he sat there alive – and now…’

Then, shaking off his absorption, he said: ‘Yes, M. Poirot, you brought me here to ask me something?’

‘Ah, yes. You were, I think, the first person to arrive on the scene that night?’

‘Was I? I don’t remember. No, I think one of the ladies was here before me.’

‘Which lady?’

‘One of the wives – George’s wife or David’s – I know they were both here pretty soon.’

‘You did not hear the scream, I think you said?’

‘I don’t think I did. I can’t quite remember. Somebody did cry out but that may have been someone downstairs.’

Poirot said:‘You did not hear a noise like this?’ He threw his head back and suddenly gave vent to a piercing yell.

It was so unexpected that Stephen started backwards and nearly fell over. He said angrily: ‘For the Lord’s sake, do you want to scare the whole house? No, I didn’t hear anything in the least like that [354] anything in the least like that – ( разг. ) ничего подобного ! You’ll have the whole place by the ears again! [355] You’ll have the whole place by the ears again! – ( разг. ) Вы снова напугаете всех до смерти! They’ll think another murder has happened!’

Poirot looked crestfallen. He murmured: ‘True… it was foolish… We must go at once.’

He hurried out of the room. Lydia and Alfred were at the foot of the stairs peering up – George came out of the library to join them, and Pilar came running, a passport held in her hand.

Poirot cried: ‘It is nothing – nothing. Do not be alarmed. A little experiment that I make. That was all.’

Alfred looked annoyed and George indignant. Poirot left Stephen to explain and he hurriedly slipped away along the passage to the other end of the house.

At the end of the passage Superintendent Sugden came quietly out of Pilar’s door and met Poirot.

‘ Eh bien? ’ asked Poirot.

The superintendent shook his head. ‘Not a sound.’

His eyes met Poirot’s appreciatively and he nodded.

Alfred Lee said: ‘Then you accept, M. Poirot?’

His hand, as it went to his mouth, shook slightly. His mild brown eyes were alight with a new and feverish expression. He stammered slightly in his speech. Lydia, standing silently by, looked at him with some anxiety.

Alfred said: ‘You don’t know – you c-c-can’t imagine – what it m-m-means to me… My father’s murderer must be f-f-found.’

Poirot said: ‘Since you have assured me that you have reflected long and carefully – yes, I accept. But you comprehend, Mr Lee, there can be no drawing back [356] there can be no drawing back – ( разг. ) назад пути уже не будет . I am not the dog one sets on to hunt and then recalls because you do not like the game he puts up [357] because you do not like the game he puts up – ( разг. ) потому что вам не нравится дичь, которую он поднимает !’