Death on the Nile / Смерть на Ниле. Агата КристиЧитать онлайн книгу.
that moved in a perfect rhythm of happiness.
The dance stopped abruptly. Hands clapped and it started again. After a second encore the couple returned to their table close by Poirot. The girl was flushed, laughing. As she sat, he could study her face, laughing to her companion. There was something else beside laughter in her eyes.
Hercule Poirot shook his head doubtfully.
“She cares too much, that little one,” he said to himself.
“It is not safe. No, it is not safe.”
And then a word caught his ear, “Egypt.”
Their voices came to him clearly – the girl's young, fresh, arrogant, with just a trace of foreign R's[30], and the man's pleasant, low-toned, well-bred English.
“I'm not counting my chickens before they're hatched[31], Simon. I tell you Linnet won't let us down!”
“I might let her down.”
“Nonsense – it's just the right job for you.”
“As a matter of fact I think it is… I haven't really any doubts as to my capability. And I want to make good – for your sake!”
The girl laughed softly, a laugh of pure happiness.
“We'll wait three months – to make sure you don't get the sack – and then we'll go to Egypt for our honeymoon. I've always wanted to go to Egypt all my life. The Nile and the pyramids and the sand.”
He said, his voice slightly indistinct: “We'll see it together, Jackie… together. Won't it be marvellous?”
“I wonder.[32] Will it be as marvellous to you as it is to me? Do you really care – as much as I do?”
Her voice was suddenly sharp – almost with fear.
The man's answer came quickly, “Don't be absurd, Jackie.”
Then she shrugged her shoulders.
“Let's dance.”
Hercule Poirot murmured to himself:
“Un qui aime et un qui se laisse aimer.[33] Yes, I wonder too.”
Chapter 6
Joanna Southwood said, “And suppose he's a terrible tough?”[34]
Linnet shook her head. “Oh, he won't be. I can trust Jacqueline's taste.”
Then she changed the subject. “I must go and see Mr Pierce about those plans!”
“Plans?”
“Yes, some dreadful insanitary old cottages. I'm having them pulled down and the people moved.[35]”
“Do the people who lived in them like going?”
“Most of them are delighted. One or two are being rather stupid about it. They don't seem to realize how vastly improved their living conditions will be!”
Joanna laughed.
“You are a tyrant, admit it. A beneficent tyrant if you like!”
“I'm not the least bit a tyrant.”
“But you like your own way!”
Linnet said sharply, “You think I'm selfish?”
“No – just irresistible. The combined effect of money and charm. Everything goes down before you. What you can't buy with cash you buy with a smile. Result: Linnet Ridgeway, the Girl Who Has Everything.”
“Don't be ridiculous, Joanna!”
As Lord Windlesham joined them, Linnet said, turning to him, “Joanna is saying the nastiest things to me.”
Joanna got up from her seat. She made no apology for leaving them.
He was silent for a minute or two. Then he went straight to the point.[36]
“Have you come to a decision, Linnet?”
Linnet said slowly: “Am I being a brute? I suppose, if I'm not sure, I ought to say 'No' – ”
He interrupted her.
“Don't say it. You shall have time – as much time as you want. But I think, you know, we should be happy together.”
“You see,” Linnet's tone was apologetic, almost childish, “I'm enjoying myself so much – especially with all this.” She waved a hand. “I wanted to make Wode Hall into my real ideal of a country house, and I do think I've got it nice, don't you?”
“It's beautiful. Beautifully planned. Everything perfect. You're very clever, Linnet.”
He paused a minute and went on: “And you like Charltonbury, don't you? Of course it wants modernizing and all that – but you're so clever at that sort of thing. You'd enjoy it.”
“Why, of course, Charltonbury's divine.”
She spoke with enthusiasm, but inwardly she felt a sudden chill. But why? Charltonbury was modestly famous. Windlesham's ancestors had held it since the time of Elizabeth[37]. To be mistress of Charltonbury was a position in society. Windlesham was one of the most desirable parties in England.
Naturally he couldn't take Wode seriously… It was not in any way to be compared with Charltonbury.
Ah, but Wode was hers! She had seen it, acquired it, rebuilt and re-dressed it, lavished money on it. It was her own possession – her kingdom.
If she married Windlesham, Wode Hall would be given up.
She, Linnet Ridgeway, wouldn't exist any longer. She would be Countess of Windlesham, not queen any longer.
“I'm being ridiculous,” said Linnet to herself.
But it was curious how she did hate the idea of abandoning Wode.
And wasn't there something else nagging at her?
Jackie's voice with that note in it saying: “I shall die if I can't marry him! I shall die. I shall die.”
So positive, so earnest. Did she, Linnet, feel like that about Windlesham?
Assuredly she didn't. Perhaps she could never feel like that about anyone. It must be – rather wonderful – to feel like that.
The sound of a car came through the open window.
That must be Jackie and her young man. She'd go out and meet them.
She was standing in the open doorway as Jacqueline and Simon Doyle got out of the car.
“Linnet!” Jackie ran to her. “This is Simon. Simon, here's Linnet. She's just the most wonderful person in the world.”
Linnet saw a tall, broad-shouldered young man, with very dark blue eyes, curling brown hair, a square chin and a boyish, simple smile.
She stretched out a hand. The hand that clasped hers was firm and warm. She liked the way he looked at her, the genuine admiration.
Jackie had told him she was wonderful, and he clearly thought that she was wonderful.
A warm sweet feeling of intoxication ran through her veins.
“Isn't this all lovely?” she said. “Come in, Simon, and let me welcome my new land agent properly.”
And as she turned to lead the way she thought: “I'm frightfully – frightfully happy. I like Jackie's young man. I like him enormously. ”
And then with a sudden pang, “Lucky Jackie.”
Chapter 7
Tim Allerton leant back in his wicker chair and yawned as he looked out over the sea.
с едва трассированным «р»
Я не забегаю вперёд
Интересно.
Один любит, а другой позволяет себя любить
А что, если он неотёсанный грубиян?
Мы их сносим, а людей переселяем.
Затем приступил к делу, задав вопрос напрямик.
со времён Елизаветы