As I was returning from visiting my patients the following morning, I met Inspector Raglan.»
«Good morning, Dr. Sheppard,» he said. «Well, that alibi is all right.»
«Charles Kent’s?»
«Charles Kent’s. The barmaid at the Dog and Whistle remembers him very well. I showed her five different photographs, and she pointed to him at once. He came into the bar at a quarter to ten, and the distance from Fernly to the Dog and Whistle is about a mile. He had a lot of money. So now we know who took the money.»
«Does he still refuse to say why he came to Fernly?»
«Yes.»
«Hercule Poirot says he knows why the man went there,» I said.
«Does he?» said the inspector.
«Yes,» I said. «He says he went there because he was born in Kent.» I was glad to see that Inspector Raglan was as surprised as I had been when Poirot had told me that. Raglan looked at me for a moment, then smiled and touched his forehead. «A little bit gone here1, he said. «I have thought so for some time. Poor thing, so that’s why he had to retire. It’s in the family, I think2. He has a nephew here who is insane.»
1 A little bit gone here — Немножко не в своем уме («тронулся»)
2 It’s in the family, I think — Это у них семейное, я думаю
«Who told you that?»
«Your sister, Miss Sheppard.» He smiled again. «She has told me all about it.»
«Let’s go to Poirot’s house, inspector,» I said, «and tell him the latest news about Kent.»
Poirot received us with pleasure. He listened attentively to the information which we had brought him.
«Are you going to set Kent free1 now?» he asked the inspector.
«We cannot do anything else,» said the inspector.
«If I were you,» said Poirot after a little silence, «I should not set Charles Kent free2.»
«Why? You don’t think that he killed Mr. Ackroyd?»
«I think not, but I cannot be sure yet.»
«But haven’t I just told you — »
«Yes, yes, you have, I am not stupid, thank God! But you see, you look upon this matter from the wrong side.»
The inspector was surprised. «I don’t understand you. Look here, we know that Mr. Ackroyd was alive at a quarter to ten. You admit it, don’t you?»
Poirot smiled. «I admit nothing that is not — proved!»
«Well, we have proved that. We have Miss Flora’s evidence.»
«What evidence? That she said good-night to her uncle? But you see, she said it, yes. But I don’t always believe what a young lady tells me — even if she is beautiful.»
1 to set Kent free — освободить Кента
2 If I were you, I should not set Charles Kent free — На вашем месте я бы не освобождал Кента
«But Parker saw that she was coming out of the door.»
«No. That is just what he did not see. I especially made a little experiment the other day1 — you remember, doctor? Parker saw her outside the door, with her hand on the door handle. He did not see that she came out of the room.»
«But where was she if she wasn’t in the room?»
«Perhaps on the stairs.»
«The stairs?»
«That is my little idea — yes.»
«But those stairs lead only to Mr. Ackroyd’s bedroom.»
«That’s right.»
«What did she do in her uncle’s bedroom?»
«Ah! That’s just the question. What did she do there?»
«You think — about the money?» said the inspector. «You think that Miss Ackroyd took those forty pounds?»
«Remember this,» said Poirot. «The life of Mademoiselle Flora and her mother was very difficult in this house. Of course they ate and drank and had bedrooms to sleep in — but they had no money at all. Maybe Mademoiselle Flora had a debt — some small debt. Now imagine what happened. She has taken the money, she is going down the stairs. Suddenly she hears Parker’s steps in the large hall, approaching the little lobby. She knows Parker must not see her on the stairs — he will not forget it, he will find it strange. She has just time to run to the study door and put her hand on the handle to show that she has just come out, when Parker enters the lobby. She says the first thing that she can think of — that her uncle does not want to be disturbed — and goes to her own room.»
1 the other day — на днях
«I can’t believe it,» said Raglan. «Did you know it from the very beginning?»
«I thought of it,» said Poirot. «I was always sure that Mademoiselle Flora, like everybody else, was hiding something from us. To satisfy myself, I made the little experiment which I have told you about. Dr. Sheppard was with me.»
«You said it was a test for Parker,» I said.
Poirot did not answer.
The inspector stood up. «We must speak to the young lady at once.» he said. «Will you come to Fernly with me, M. Poirot?»
«Certainly. Dr. Sheppard will drive us there in his car, won’t you, doctor?»
I agreed.
Flora was in the billiard room with Major Blunt. They were sitting on the sofa.
«Good morning, Miss Ackroyd,» said the inspector. «Can we speak with you alone?»
Blunt got up at once and walked to the door.
«What is it?» said Flora. «Don’t go, Major Blunt. He can stay, can’t he?» she asked, turning to the inspector.
«As you like,» said the inspector. «It is my duty, miss, to ask you a question or two.»
Flora’s face became white. «Please,» she said, turning to Blunt, «I want you to stay. I don’t know what the inspector has to ask me, but I want you to hear it.»
«Miss Ackroyd,» said the inspector, «M. Poirot thinks that you weren’t in your uncle’s study that night, that you did not see your uncle and did not say good-night to him. He thinks that you were on the stairs leading from your uncle’s bedroom.»
Flora looked at Poirot. «Mademoiselle,» he said, «when we were sitting round the table the other day, I asked you to tell me all the truth. Remember! What people don’t tell Papa Poirot, he finds out himself. It is true that you were not in the study, but on the stairs, isn’t it? I will make it easy for you to say. You took the money, didn’t you?»
There was a silence which lasted for at least a minute.
Then Flora spoke. «M. Poirot is right: I took that money. I stole. I am a thief. Now you know! I am glad I have told you. It was terrible, these last days!» She covered her face with her hands. «You don’t know what my life has been since I came here. Always in need of money — I had not a penny of my own. That’s what brought us together1, Ralph and me. We were both weak! I understood him and I was sorry for him, because I was in the same situation.» She looked at Blunt. «Why do you look at me like that — you can’t believe your ears? Yes, I am a thief, but I am not lying any more. I am not pretending to be the kind of girl you like, young and innocent and simple. Perhaps, you will never want to see me again. I hate myself. But you must believe one thing: I would have told the truth if it had helped Ralph2. But it doesn’t help him: it makes the case against him blacker than before.»
1 That’s what brought us together — это сблизило нас
2 I would have told the truth if it had helped Ralph — Я бы сказала правду, если бы это помогло Ральфу
«Ralph,» said Blunt. «I see — always Ralph.»
«You don’t understand,» said Flora. «You never will understand.» She turned to the inspector. «I admit everything: I was in need of money. I never saw my uncle that evening after dinner. As to the money, you can take any steps which you think necessary. Nothing can be worse, than it is now.» With these words she ran out of the room.
Blunt stood up. «Inspector Raglan,» he said quietly, «that money was given to me by Mr. Ackroyd. Miss Ackroyd did not touch it. When she says that she took it, she is lying, trying to help Captain Paton.» He turned and left the room.
Poirot went out after him. «Just a moment, major,» he said.
Blunt stopped. «Well, sir?» he said.
«I want to say this,» said Poirot. «You have not deceived me by your little fantasy. The money was taken by Mademoiselle Flora. But it is very good what you have done. You are a noble man.»
«Thank you,» said Blunt coldly. He wanted to go, but Poirot put his hand on the man’s arm.
«But please listen to me. I have something else to say. The other day I said that everybody was hiding something from me. Now I know what you are hiding. Mademoiselle Flora — you love her with all your heart. You are trying to hide this fact from the world. All right, but take the advice of Hercule Poirot — do not hide it from mademoiselle herself!»
«What do you mean?» said Blunt.
«I mean this: you think that she loves Captain Ralph Paton — but I, Hercule Poirot, tell you that this is not so. Mademoiselle Flora likes him, and there is much sympathy and understanding between them. But love — no! It is not Captain Ralph Paton whom Mademoiselle Flora loves.»
«What the devil do you mean?»
«You are blind. Blind!»
«Do you really think — » began Blunt, and stopped.
«If you don’t believe me, ask her yourself. I think Mademoiselle Flora went into the garden.»
«I have been a fool,» said Blunt. «But you are a good fellow, M. Poirot. Thank you.» He shook Poirot’s hand and went into the garden.
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