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

‘Oh!’ Pilar caught her breath.

Poirot said: ‘You were somewhere very much nearer [400] somewhere very much nearer – ( разг. ) где-то гораздо ближе his room. I will tell you where I think you were, mademoiselle. You were in the recess with the statues quite close to your grandfather’s door.’

Pilar said, startled: ‘Oh… How did you know?’

Poirot said with a faint smile: ‘Mr Farr saw you there.’

Stephen said sharply: ‘I did not. That’s an absolute lie!’

Poirot said: ‘I ask your pardon, Mr Farr, but you did see her. Remember your impression that there were three statues in that recess, not two. Only one person wore a white dress that night, Mademoiselle Estravados. She was the third white figure you saw. That is so, is it not, mademoiselle?’

Pilar said, after a moment’s hesitation: ‘Yes, it is true.’

Poirot said gently: ‘Now tell us, mademoiselle, the whole truth. Why were you there?’

Pilar said: ‘I left the drawing-room after dinner and I thought I would go and see my grandfather. I thought he would be pleased. But when I turned into the passage I saw someone else was there at his door. I did not want to be seen because I knew my grandfather had said he did not want to see anyone that night. I slipped into the recess in case the person at the door turned round.

‘Then, all at once, I heard the most horrible sounds, tables – chairs’ – she waved her hands – ‘everything falling and crashing. I did not move. I do not know why. I was frightened. And then there was a terrible scream’ – she crossed herself – ‘and my heart it stopped beating, and I said, “Someone is dead…” ’

‘And then?’

‘And then people began coming running along the passage and I came out at the end and joined them.’

Superintendent Sugden said sharply: ‘You said nothing of all this when we first questioned you. Why not?’

Pilar shook her head. She said, with an air of wisdom:‘It is not good to tell too much to the police. I thought, you see, that if I said I was near there you might think that I had killed him. So I said I was in my room.’

Sugden said sharply: ‘If you tell deliberate lies all that it ends in is that you’re bound to come under suspicion [401] all that it ends in is that you’re bound to come under suspicion – ( уст. ) дело кончится тем, что вы сами окажетесь под подозрением .’

Stephen Farr said: ‘Pilar?’

‘Yes?’

‘Who did you see standing at the door when you turned into the passage? Tell us.’

Sugden said: ‘Yes, tell us.’

For a moment the girl hesitated. Her eyes opened, then narrowed. She said slowly: ‘I don’t know who it was. It was too dimly lit to see. But it was a woman… ’

Superintendent Sugden looked round at the circle of faces. He said, with something as near irritation as he had yet shown: ‘This is very irregular, Mr Poirot.’

Poirot said: ‘It is a little idea of mine. I wish to share with everyone the knowledge that I have acquired. I shall then invite their co-operation, and so we shall get at the truth.’

Sugden murmured under his breath: ‘Monkey tricks. [402] Monkey tricks. – ( разг. ) Ох уж эти фокусы (штучки). ’ He leaned back in his chair.

Poirot said:

‘To begin with, you have, I think, an explanation to ask of Mr Farr.’

Sugden’s mouth tightened. ‘I should have chosen a less public moment,’ he said. ‘However, I’ve no objection.’ He handed the cable to Stephen Farr. ‘Now, Mr Farr, as you call yourself, perhaps you can explain this?’

Stephen Farr took it. Raising his eyebrows, he read it slowly out loud. Then, with a bow, he handed it back to the superintendent.

‘Yes,’ he said. ‘It’s pretty damning, isn’t it?’

Sugden said: ‘Is that all you’ve got to say about it? You quite understand there is no obligation on you to make a statement [403] there is no obligation on you to make a statement – ( юр. ) вы не обязаны делать заявления (признаваться) – ’

Stephen Farr interrupted. He said: ‘You needn’t caution me, Superintendent. I can see it trembling on your tongue! Yes, I’ll give you an explanation. It’s not a very good one, but it’s the truth.’

He paused. Then he began: ‘I’m not Ebenezer Farr’s son. But I knew both father and son quite well. Now try and put yourself in my place. (My name is Stephen Grant, by the way.) I arrived in this country for the first time in my life. I was disappointed. Everything and everybody seemed drab and lifeless. Then I was travelling by train and I saw a girl. I’ve got to say it straight out: I fell for that girl [404] fell for that girl – ( разг. ) влюбился в эту девушку ! She was the loveliest and most unlikely creature in the world! I talked to her for a while in the train and I made up my mind then and there [405] then and there – ( разг. ) тотчас же; тут же not to lose sight of her. As I was leaving the compartment I caught sight of the label on her suitcase. Her name meant nothing to me, but the address to which she was travelling did. I’d heard of Gorston Hall, and I knew all about its owner. He was Ebenezer Farr’s one-time partner and old Eb often talked about him and said what a personality he was.

‘Well, the idea came to me to go to Gorston Hall and pretend I was Eb’s son. He had died, as this cable says, two years ago, but I remembered old Eb saying that he had not heard from Simeon Lee now for many years, and I judged that Lee would not know of the death of Eb’s son. Anyway, I felt it was worth trying.’

Sugden said: ‘You didn’t try it on at once, though. You stayed in the King’s Arms at Addlesfield for two days.’

Stephen said: ‘I was thinking it over – whether to try it or not. At last I made up my mind I would. It appealed to me as a bit of an adventure. Well, it worked like a charm [406] it worked like a charm – ( разг. ) все прошло как по маслу ! The old man greeted me in the friendliest manner and at once asked me to come and stay in the house. I accepted. There you are, Superintendent, there’s my explanation. If you don’t fancy it, cast your mind back to your courting days and see if you don’t remember some bit of foolishness you indulged in then. As for my real name, as I say, it’s Stephen Grant. You can cable to South Africa and check up on me, but I’ll tell you this: you’ll find I’m a perfectly respectable citizen. I’m not a crook or a jewel thief.’

Poirot said softly: ‘I never believed you were.’

Superintendent Sugden stroked his jaw cautiously. He said: ‘I’ll have to check up on that story. What I’d like to know is this: Why didn’t you come clean after the murder instead of telling us a pack of lies [407] instead of telling us a pack of lies – ( разг. ) вместо того, чтобы громоздить одну ложь на другую ?’

Stephen said disarmingly: ‘Because I was a fool! I thought I could get away with it [408] thought I could get away with it – ( разг. ) думал, что мне это сойдет с рук ! I thought it would look fishy if I admitted to being here under a false name. If I hadn’t been a complete idiot I would have realized you were bound to cable to Jo’burg.’

Sugden said: ‘Well, Mr Farr – er – Grant – I’m not saying I disbelieve your story. It will be proved or disproved soon enough.’