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Agatha Christie MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS
6
A SECOND INTERVIEW WITH COLONEL ARBUTHNOT
Colonel Arbuthnot was clearly annoyed at being summoned to the dining-car for a second interview. His face wore a most forbidding expression as he sat down and said:
“Well?”
“All my apologies for troubling you a second time,” said Poirot. “But there is still some information that I think you might be able to give us.”
“Indeed? I hardly think so.”
“To begin with, you see this pipe-cleaner?”
“Y es.”
“Is it one of yours?”
“Don’t know. I don’t put a private mark on them, you know.”
“Are you aware, Colonel Arbuthnot, that you are the only man amongst the passengers in the
Stamboul-Calais carriage who smokes a pipe?” “In that case it probably is one of mine.” “Do you know where it was found?”
“Not the least idea.”
“It was found by the body of the murdered man.”
Colonel Arbuthnot raised his eyebrows.
“Can you tell us, Colonel Arbuthnot, how it is likely to have got there?”
“If you mean, did I drop it there myself, no, I didn’t.”
“Did you go into Mr. Ratchett’s compartment at any time?”
“I never even spoke to the man.”
“You never spoke to him and you did not murder him?”
The colonel’s eyebrows went up again sardonically.
“If I had, I should hardly be likely to acquaint you with the fact. As a matter of fact I didn’t
murder the fellow.”
“Ah, well,” murmured Poirot. “It is of no consequence.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“I said that it was of no consequence.”
“Oh!” Arbuthnot looked taken aback. He eyed Poirot uneasily.
“Because, you see,” continued the little man, “the pipe-cleaner, it is of no importance. I can
myself think of eleven other excellent explanations of its presence.”
Arbuthnot stared at him.
“What I really wished to see you about was quite another matter,” went on Poirot. “Miss
Debenham may have told you, perhaps, that I overheard some words spoken to you at the station of Konya?”
Arbuthnot did not reply.
“She said, ‘Not now. When it’s all over. When it’s behind us!’ Do you know to what those words referred?”
“I am sorry, M. Poirot, but I must refuse to answer that question.” “Pourquoi?”
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