The ABC Murders
Chapter Twenty-Six (Not from Captain Hastings'Personal Narrative)
Inspector Crome was listening to the excited utterances of Mr Leadbetter.
"I assure you£¬inspector£¬my heart misses a beat when I think of it.He
must actually have been sitting beside me all through the programme!"
Inspector Crome£¬completely indifferent to the behaviour of Mr
Leadbetter's heart£¬said:
"Just let me have it quite clear?This man went out towards the close of
the big picture-""Not a Sparrow-Katherine Royal£¬"murmured Mr Leadbetter
automatically.
"He passed you and in doing so stumbled-""He pretended to stumble£¬I see
it now.Then he leaned over the seat in front to pick up his hat.He must have
stabbed the poor fellow then."
"You didn't hear anything?A cry?Or a groan?"
Mr Leadbetter had heard nothing but the loud£¬hoarse accents of
Katherine Royal£¬but in the vividness of his imagination he invented a groan.
Inspector Crome took the groan at its face value and bade him proceed.
"And then he went out-""Can you describe him?"
"He was a very big man.Six foot at least.A giant."
"Fair or dark?"
"I-well-I'm not exactly sure.I think he was bald.A sinister-looking
fellow."
"He didn't limp£¬did he?"asked Inspector Crome.
"Yes-yes£¬now you come to speak of it I think he did limp.Very dark£¬he
might have been some kind of half-caste."
"Was he in his seat the last time the lights came up?"
"No.He came in after the big picture began."
Inspector Crome nodded£¬handed Mr Leadbetter a statement to sign and got
rid of him.
"That's about as bad a witness as you'll find£¬"he remarked
pessimistically."He'd say anything with a little leading.It's perfectly
clear that he hasn't the faintest idea what our man looks like.Let's have
the commissionaire back."
The commissionaire£¬very stiff and military£¬came in and stood to
attention£¬his eyes fixed on Colonel Anderson.
"Now£¬then£¬Jameson£¬let's hear your story."
Jameson saluted.
"Yes sir.Close of the performance£¬sir.I was told there was a gentleman
taken ill£¬sir.Gentleman was in the two and fourpennies£¬slumped down in his
seat like.Other gentlemen standing around.
Gentleman looked bad to me£¬sir.One of the gentlemen standing by put his
hand to the ill gentleman's coat and drew my attention.Blood£¬sir.It was
clear the gentleman was dead-stabbed£¬sir.My attention was drawn to an A B C
railway guide£¬sir£¬under the seat.Wishing to act correctly£¬I did not touch
same£¬but reported to the police immediately that a tragedy had occurred."
"Very good.Jameson£¬you acted very properly."
"Thank you£¬sir."
"Did you notice a man leaving the two and fourpennies about five minutes
earlier?"
"There were several£¬sir."
"Could you describe them?"
"Afraid not£¬sir.One was Mr Geoffery Parnell.
And there was a young fellow£¬Sam Baker£¬with his young lady.I didn't
notice anybody else particular."
"A pity.That'll do£¬Jameson."
"Yes sir."
The commissionaire saluted and departed.
"The medical details we've got£¬"said Colonel Anderson."We'd better have
the fellow that found him next."
A police constable came in and saluted.
"Mr Hercule Poirot's here£¬sir£¬and another gentleman."
Inspector Crome frowned.
"Oh£¬well£¬"he said."Better have'em in£¬I suppose."
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