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

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Caroline pushed her spectacles up and looked at me.

‘You seem very grumpy, James. It must be your liver. A blue pill, I think, tonight.’

To see me in my own home, you would never imagine that I was a doctor of medicine. Caroline does the home prescribing both for herself and me.

‘Damn my liver,’ I said irritably. ‘Did you talk about the murder at all?’

‘Well, naturally, James. What else is there to talk about locally? I was able to set M. Poirot straight upon several points. he was very grateful to me. he said I had the makings of a born detective in me – and a wonderful psychological insight into human nature.’

Caroline was exactly like a cat that is full to over-flowing with rich cream. She was positively purring.

‘He talked a lot about the little grey cells of the brain, and of their functions. His own, he says, are of the first quality.’

‘He would say so,’ I remarked bitterly. ‘Modesty is certainly not his middle name.’

‘I wish you wouldn’t be so horribly American, James. he thought it very important that ralph should be found as soon as possible, and induced to come forward and give an account of himself. he says that his disappearance will produce a very unfortunate impression at the inquest.’