The paragraph about finding Ralph Paton which Poirot had shown me appeared in our daily newspaper the next morning.
«Poor boy,» said Caroline, «so they have caught him. I think, James, you must do something.»
«What can I do?»
«Well, you are a doctor, and you have known him since he was a child. Say that there is something wrong with his brains, that he is not responsible for what he does — something like that.»
But Caroline’s words reminded me of something else.
«How do you know that Poirot has a nephew who is insane?» I asked.
«Oh, he told me about it. Poor boy. It is very bad for the whole family.»
«I think, Caroline,» I said, «that you ask too many questions of people. I don’t think Poirot likes it that you always ask him something.»
«I don’t ask too many questions,» said Caroline. «And to prove that to you — when M. Poirot comes here this afternoon, as he promised, I shall not ask him who came to his house early this morning.»
«Early this morning?» I said.
«Very early,» said Caroline. «Before the milkman. I was looking out of the window. It was a man. He came in a closed car. He had a big coat on and I could not see his face, so I don’t know who he is.»
Poirot came in the afternoon, and indeed Caroline did not ask him about his visitor. After some conversation Poirot said that he would like to go out and take a little walk. He invited me to come with him. «And after that,» he said, «perhaps Miss Caroline will give us some tea.»
«With pleasure,» said Caroline. «Will your — er — guest come too?»
«Thank you,» said Poirot, «you are very kind. No, my friend won’t come. He is resting. Soon you will make his acquaintance.»
We walked in the direction of Fernly.
«I want to ask you something,» said Poirot to me. «Tonight I want to have a little conference at my house. Will you come?»
«Certainly,» I said.
«Good. I want to invite to this conference everybody from Fernly — that is: Mrs. Ackroyd, Mademoiselle Flora, Major Blunt and Mr. Raymond. I want them to come at nine o’clock. Will you ask them?»
«Why don’t you do it yourself?» I said.
«Because if I do it myself, they will ask me, «What for?» They will want to know what my idea is. And you know, my friend, that I don’t like to explain my little ideas until the time comes.»
I smiled a little. «When do you want me to do it?» I asked.
«Now. We are near the house. I will walk here and wait for you.»
Only Mrs. Ackroyd was at home. She was drinking a cup of tea. She smiled at me. «Have you heard the news about Flora?» she said.
«What news?»
«She and Major Blunt are engaged. I am glad. They love each other, and Hector is a very good man. Did you see the news about Ralph’s arrest in the newspaper this morning?»
«Yes,» I said, «I did.»
«Horrible, isn’t it? Geoffrey Raymond was terribly upset. He rang up Liverpool. But they did not tell him anything at the police station there — in fact, they said that they hadn’t arrested Ralph at all. Mr. Raymond is sure that it is a mistake.»
I told Mrs. Ackroyd about Poirot’s invitation.
«Certainly,» said Mrs. Ackroyd, «I will tell the others, and we will be there at nine o’clock.»
Leaving Fernly Park, I joined Poirot, and we went to my house again. When Caroline opened the door to us, she put her fingers to her lips and looked very important. «Ursula Bourne,» she said, «the maid from Fernly. She is here! She is in the dining-room. She is very upset, poor thing. She says she must see M. Poirot at once.»
«In the dining-room?» asked Poirot.
«This way,» I said and opened the door.
Ursula Bourne was sitting by the table. Her eyes were red.
«Ursula Bourne,» I said.
Poirot quickly went up to the girl. «No,» he said, «this is not quite right, I think. It is not Ursula Bourne, but Ursula Paton. Is it so, my child? Mrs. Ralph Paton.»
Загрузка ...