日期：2025-06-30 III Going out of the gate I almost cannoned into Mrs. McNaughton. She wascarrying a shopping bag and seemed very wobbly on her feet. Let me, I said and took it from her. She was inclined to clutch it fromme at first, then she leaned her head forward... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 Twenty-five COLIN LAMBS NARRATIVE I had to wait just a minute or two, then the door opened. A big blonde Nordic girl with a flushed face and wearing gaycolouredclothing looked at me inquiringly. Her hands had been hastily wiped butthere were traces... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 II It was a quarter past twelve when I rang the bell at 62, Wilbraham Cres-cent. Mrs. Ramsay opened the door. She hardly raised her eyes to look atme. What is it? she said. Can I speak to you for a moment? I was here about ten days ago. Youmay not r... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 Twenty-four COLIN LAMBS NARRATIVE IWhen Sheila had gone, I went across to the Clarendon, packed my bag andleft it ready with the porter. It was the kind of hotel where they are partic-ular about your checking out before noon. Then I set out. My rout... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 II I was sitting on the front step of Hardcastles house, and rose out of thegloom to greet him when he got home on the following evening. Hallo, Colin? Is that you? So youve appeared out of the blue again,have you? If you called it out of the red, i... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 Twenty-three COLIN LAMBS NARRATIVE The hotel I was staying in was a poky little place by the station. It served adecent grill but that was all that could be said for it. Except, of course, thatit was cheap. At ten oclock the following morning I rang... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 Twenty-two COLIN LAMBS NARRATIVE ISo you have returned, said Hercule Poirot. He placed a bookmarker carefully to mark his place in the book he wasreading. This time a cup of hot chocolate stood on the table by his elbow. Poirot certainly has the mos... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 Twenty-one Detective Inspector Hardcastle looked at the calendar on his desk. 20thSeptember. Just over ten days. They hadnt been able to make as muchprogress as he would have liked because they were held up with that ini-tial difficulty: the identif... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 Twenty COLIN LAMBS NARRATIVE I reported to Beck as soon as I got to London. He waved his cigar at me. There might have been something in that idiotic crescent idea of yoursafter all, he allowed. Ive turned up something at last, have I? I wont go as... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 Nineteen Professor Purdy sounded irritated as he broke off dictating and answeredthe telephone. Who? What? You mean he is here now? Well, ask him if tomorrow willdo?Oh, very wellvery wellTell him to come up. Always something, he said with vexation.... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 III One of the girls rose at once as he entered the office. Its Detective Inspector Hardcastle, isnt it? she said. Miss Martindaleis expecting you. She ushered him into the inner office. Miss Martindale did not wait amoment before attacking him. Its... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 II Miss Waterhouse was also at home. She was also true to type, openingthe door with a suddenness which displayed a desire to trap someone do-ing what they should not do. Oh, its you! she said. Really, Ive told your people all I know. Im sure youve... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 Eighteen IHardcastle arrived at No. 19, Wilbraham Crescent just as Miss Pebmarshwas coming out of the house. Excuse me a minute, Miss Pebmarsh. Oh. Is itDetective Inspector Hardcastle? Yes. Can I have a word with you? I dont want to be late at the I... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 Seventeen It was an hour and a half later and Detective Inspector Hardcastle satdown behind his desk and accepted with relief an official cup of tea. Hisface still held its bleak, angry look. Excuse me, sir, Pierce would like a word with you. Hardca... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 II It was just after two oclock that I walked into the station and asked forDick. I found him at his desk leafing over a pile of stuff. He looked up andasked me what I had thought of the inquest. I told him I thought it had been a very nicely manage... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 Sixteen COLIN LAMBS NARRATIVE II noticed when Sheila Webb slipped quietly out of the Coroners Court. Shed given her evidence very well. She had looked nervous but not un-duly nervous. Just natural, in fact. (What would Beck say? Quite a goodperforma... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 Fifteen The inquest was well attended by the general public. Thrilled by a murderin their midst, Crowdean turned out with eager hopes of sensational dis-closures. The proceedings, however, were as dry as they could be. SheilaWebb need not have dread... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 Thirteen COLIN LAMBS NARRATIVE I walked up Charing Cross Road and turned into the maze of streets thattwist their way between New Oxford Street and Covent Garden. All sortsof unsuspected shops did business there, antique shops, a dolls hospital,ball... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 Fourteen COLIN LAMBS NARRATIVE It had been quite a long time since I had visited Whitehaven Mansions. Some years ago it had been an outstanding building of modern flats. Nowthere were many other more imposing and even more modern blocks ofbuildings... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 Twelve Having dismissed Colin, Inspector Hardcastle looked at the address neatlywritten in his notebook and nodded his head. Then he slipped the bookback in his pocket and started to deal with the routine matters that hadpiled up on his desk. It was... 阅读全文>>