Ten Little Niggers / Десять негритят. Агата Кристи

said:

      “You gentlemen have got me wrong,” he said. “I’m an ex-C. I. D.[19] man. I run a detective agency in Plymouth. I was put on this job.”

      Mr. Justice Wargrave asked: “By whom?”

      “This man Owen. I was to join the house-party as a guest.

      I was given all your names. I was to watch you all.”

      “What reasons?”

      Blore said bitterly:

      “Mrs. Owen’s jewels. Mrs. Owen! I don’t think there’s any such person.”

      Again the judge stroked his upper lip, this time approvingly.

      “I think you are right,” he said. “Ulick Norman Owen! In Miss Brent’s letter the Christian names are clear – Una Nancy – you notice, the same initials. Ulick Norman Owen – Una Nancy Owen – each time, that is to say, U. N. Owen. Or by a slight stretch of fancy, UNKNOWN!”

      Vera cried:

      “But this is mad!”

      The judge nodded.

      He said:

      “Oh, yes. I’ve no doubt that we have been invited here by a madman – probably a dangerous homicidal lunatic.”

      Chapter 4

      I

      After a moment of puzzled silence the judge spoke again.

      “We will now go on with our investigation. First, however, I will just add my own information to the list.”

      He took a letter from his pocket.

      “This is from an old friend of mine, Lady Constance Culmington. I have not seen her for some years. She went to the East. It is exactly the kind of vague letter she would write, asking me to join her here and mentioning her host and hostess in the vaguest of terms. It shows that the person, that invited us here, knows a good deal about us all. He knows of my friendship for Lady Constance – and is familiar with her epistolary style. He knows something about Dr. Armstrong’s colleagues and their present whereabouts. He knows the nickname of Mr. Marston’s friend and the kind of telegrams he sends. He knows exactly where Miss Brent was two years ago for her holiday and the kind of people she met there. He knows all about General Macarthur’s old cronies.”

      He paused. Then he added:

      “He knows a good deal. And out of his knowledge about us, he has made certain definite accusations.”

      They all cried out at once.

      General Macarthur shouted:

      “Damn lies!”

      Vera cried out:

      “It’s wicked!”

      Rogers said:

      “A lie – a wicked lie… we never did…”

      Anthony Marston growled:

      “Don’t know what the damned fool was meaning!” Mr. Justice Wargrave raised his hand.

      He said:

      “I wish to say this. Our unknown friend accuses me of the murder of Edward Seton. I remember Seton perfectly well. He was charged with the murder of an elderly woman. He was very well defended and made a good impression on the jury in the witness box. But on the evidence, he was guilty. I summed up accordingly, and the jury brought in a verdict of Guilty. In passing sentence of death I agreed with the verdict.[20] An appeal was made on the grounds of misdirection. The appeal was rejected and the man was executed. I wish to say before you all that my conscience is absolutely clear on the matter. I did my duty and nothing more. I passed sentence on a rightly convicted murderer.”

      Now Armstrong remembered the Seton case! The verdict had come as a great surprise. He had met Matthews, King’s Councel, at a restaurant. Matthews had been sure that Edward Seton would be found not guilty. And then afterwards he had heard comments: “Judge was dead against Seton. Made the jury charge him as guilty. Quite legal, though. Old Wargrave knows his law.” “It was almost as though he had a personal down[21] on the fellow.”

      The doctor asked impulsively:

      “Did you know Seton at all? I mean before the case.”

      In a clear cold voice the judge said:

      “I knew nothing of Seton before the case.”

      Armstrong said to himself:

      “The man’s lying.”

      II

      Vera Claythorne, in a trembling voice, told them her version of the death of Cyril Hamilton. She said the boy had swum out to the rock without permission when her attention had been distracted. Of course, she swam after him but failed to get there in time…

      “…It was awful. But it wasn’t my fault. At the inquest the Coroner acquitted me. And his mother didn’t blame me; she was so kind. Why should this awful thing be said now? It’s not fair – not fair…”

      General Macarthur said soothingly:

      “Of course it’s not true, my dear. The man’s a madman. A madman! Got a bee in his bonnet!”[22]

      In his opinion the best way would be to leave those accusations unanswered.

      However, he stood up and started to explain:

      “But feel I ought to say – no truth in what he said about – er – young Arthur Richmond. He was one of my officers. I sent him on a reconnaissance. He was killed. Natural course of events in war time. Wish to say I resent very much – slur on my wife. Best woman in the world. Absolutely – Caesar’s wife!”[23]

      General Macarthur sat down. His shaking hand pulled at his moustache. That explanation had cost him a good deal.

      Lombard spoke, too. His eyes were merry. He grinned and said:

      “About those natives. Story’s quite true! I left ’em! Matter of self-preservation. We were lost in the bush. I and a couple of other fellows took what food there was and left.”

      General Macarthur said sternly:

      “You left your men to starve?”

      Lombard said:

      “Not quite the act of a real gentleman, I’m afraid. But self-preservation’s a man’s first duty. And natives don’t mind dying, you know. They don’t feel about it as Europeans do.”

      Vera looked into his merry eyes with her horrified ones.

      “You left them – to die?”

      Lombard answered:

      “I left them to die.”

      Anthony Marston said in a puzzled voice:

      “I’ve just been thinking – John and Lucy Combes. Must have been a couple of kids I ran over near Cambridge. Beastly bad luck.”

      Mr. Justice Wargrave said acidly:

      “For them, or for you?”

      Anthony said:

      “Well, I was thinking – for me – but of course, you’re right, sir, it was damned bad luck on them. Of course it was just an accident. They rushed out of some cottage or other. My licence was endorsed for a year. Beastly nuisance.”

      Dr. Armstrong said angrily:

      “This speeding’s all wrong – all wrong! Young men like you are a danger to the community.”

      Anthony shrugged his shoulders.

      “Speed’s come to stay. English roads are hopeless, of course. Can’t drive with a decent speed on them.”

      He

19

C.I.D. = Criminal Investigation Department

20

Ошибка судьи в инструктировании присяжных.

21

он сводил счёты

22

У него не все дома!

23

Обыгрывается древнеримская пословица «Жена Цезаря должна быть вне подозрений».