Читать книгу The Murder of Roger Ackroyd / Убийство Роджера Экройда онлайн

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Inspector Raglan stared at the little man. Poirot, with an air of great unconcern, flecked a speck of dust from his coat sleeve.

‘Well,’ said the inspector. ‘It’s an idea. I’ll look into it all right, but don’t you be disappointed if nothing comes of it.’

He endeavoured to make his tone kindly and patronizing. Poirot watched him go off. Then he turned to me with twinkling eyes.

‘Another time,’ he observed, ‘I must be more careful of his amour propre. And now that we are left to our own devices, what do you think, my good friend, of a little reunion of the family?’

The ‘little reunion’, as Poirot called it, took place about half an hour later. We sat round the table in the dining-room at fernly. Poirot at the head of the table, like the chairman of some ghastly board meeting. The servants were not present, so we were six in all. Mrs Ackroyd, flora, Major Blunt, young Raymond, Poirot and myself.

When everyone was assembled, Poirot rose and bowed.

‘Messieurs, mesdames, I have called you together for a certain purpose.’ he paused. ‘To begin with, I want to make a very special plea to mademoiselle.’