日期：2024-12-31 Twenty-seven I The coroner cleared his throat and looked expectantly at the foreman of the jury. The latter looked down at the piece of paper he held in his hand. His Adams apple wagged up and down excitedly. He read out in a careful voice: We find... 阅读全文>>

日期：2024-12-31 Twenty-six Grange came in to Resthaven to drink a cup of tea with Hercule Poirot. The tea was exactly what he had had apprehensions it might beextremely weak and China tea at that. These foreigners, thought Grange, dont know how to make tea. You can... 阅读全文>>

日期：2024-12-31 Twenty-five But, darling, I am so delighted! Lady Angkatell stretched out a fragile hand to Edward and touched Midge softly with the other. You did quite right, Edward, to make her leave that horrid shop and bring her right down here. Shell stay her... 阅读全文>>

日期：2024-12-31 Twenty-four Edward Angkatell stood hesitantly in the swirl of foot traffic in Shaftesbury Avenue. He was nerving himself to enter the establishment which bore the gold-lettered sign: Madame Alfrege. Some obscure instinct had prevented him from merel... 阅读全文>>

日期：2024-12-31 Twenty-three The inquest was over. It had been the merest formality of an affair, and though warned of this beforehand, yet nearly everyone had a resentful sense of anticlimax. Adjourned for a fortnight at the request of the police. Gerda had driven... 阅读全文>>

日期：2024-12-31 Twenty-two The latch of the gate clicked and Poirot looked out of the window in time to see the visitor who was coming up the path to the front door. He knew at once who she was. He wondered very much what brought Veronica Cray to see him. She broug... 阅读全文>>

日期：2024-12-31 Twenty-one In the study Lady Angkatell flitted about touching things here and there with a vague forefinger. Sir Henry sat back in his chair watching her. He said at last: Why did you take the pistol, Lucy? Lady Angkatell came back and sank down gra... 阅读全文>>

日期：2024-12-31 Twenty Sitting once more in Sir Henrys study, Inspector Grange stared at the impassive face of the man in front of him. So far, the honours lay with Gudgeon. I am very sorry, sir, he repeated. I suppose I ought to have mentioned the occurrence, but... 阅读全文>>

日期：2024-12-31 III Hercule Poirot stared at the inspector in the utmost surprise. He repeated incredulously: The revolver that Gerda Christow was holding and which was subsequently dropped into the pool was not the revolver that fired the fatal shot? But that is e... 阅读全文>>

日期：2024-12-31 II But of course, Inspector, said Veronica. Im only too anxious to help you. Thank you, Miss Cray. Veronica Cray was not, somehow, at all what the inspector had imagined. He had been prepared for glamour, for artificiality, even possibly for heroics... 阅读全文>>

日期：2024-12-31 Nineteen I When Henrietta had left him, Poirot sat on until he saw below him Inspector Grange walk past the pool with a resolute, easy stride and take the path on past the pavilion. The inspector was walking in a purposeful way. He must be going, th... 阅读全文>>

日期：2024-12-31 Eighteen Hercule Poirot looked out of his window and saw Henrietta Savernake walking up the path to the front door. She was wearing the same green tweeds that she had worn on the day of the tragedy. There was a spaniel with her. He hastened to the f... 阅读全文>>

日期：2024-12-31 Seventeen Sir Henry stared curiously at Inspector Grange. He said slowly: Im not quite sure that I understand you, Inspector. Its quite simple, Sir Henry. Im asking you to check over your collection of firearms. I presume they are catalogued and ind... 阅读全文>>

日期：2024-12-31 Sixteen Gerda Christow pulled the black dress up over her head and let it fall on a chair. Her eyes were piteous with uncertainty. She said: I dont knowI really dont know. Nothing seems to matter. I know, dear, I know. Mrs. Patterson was kind but fi... 阅读全文>>

日期：2024-12-31 Fifteen Hercule Poirot, enjoying a mid-morning cup of chocolate, was interrupted by the ringing of the telephone. He got up and lifted the receiver. Allo? M. Poirot? Lady Angkatell? How nice of you to know my voice! Am I disturbing you? But not at a... 阅读全文>>

日期：2024-12-31 Fourteen Midge woke up abruptly on Monday morning. For a moment she lay there bemused, her eyes going confusedly towards the door, for she half- expected Lady Angkatell to appear. What was it Lucy had said when she came drifting in that first mornin... 阅读全文>>

日期：2024-12-31 Thirteen They had the cold ducks for supper. After the ducks there was a caramel custard which, Lady Angkatell said, showed just the right feeling on the part of Mrs. Medway. Cooking, she said, really gave great scope to delicacy of feeling. We are... 阅读全文>>

日期：2024-12-31 II You recognize this, Sir Henry? Inspector Grange laid the revolver on the desk in front of Sir Henry and looked at him expectantly. I can handle it? Sir Henrys hand hesitated over the revolver as he asked the question. Grange nodded. Its been in t... 阅读全文>>

日期：2024-12-31 Twelve I Half past two, said Lady Angkatell. She was in the drawing room, with Midge and Edward. From behind the closed door of Sir Henrys study came the murmur of voices. Hercule Poirot, Sir Henry and Inspector Grange were in there. Lady Angkatell... 阅读全文>>

日期：2024-12-31 II The picture broke up, wavered, refocused itself. There were individual reactions nowtrivial happenings. Poirot was conscious of himself as a kind of magnified eyes and earsrecording. Just that, recording. He was aware of Lady Angkatells hand rela... 阅读全文>>