Смерть на Ниле / Death on the Nile

‘We’ll wait three months – to make sure you don’t get the sack – and then-’

‘And then I’ll endow thee with my worldly goods – that’s the hang of it, isn’t it?’

‘And, as I say, we’ll go to Egypt for our honeymoon. Damn the expense! 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. 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 – her eyes dilated – almost with fear.

The man’s answer came with an equal sharpness:

‘Don’t be absurd, Jackie.’

But the girl repeated: ‘I wonder…’ Then she shrugged her shoulders: ‘Let’s dance.’

Hercule Poirot murmured to himself:

‘Une qui aime et un qui se laisse aimer. Yes, I wonder too.’

Chapter 7

Joanna Southwood said: ‘And suppose he’s a terrible tough?’

Linnet shook her head.

‘Oh, he won’t be.

Joanna murmured:

‘Ah, but people don’t run true to form in love affairs.’

Linnet shook her head impatiently. 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.’

‘How sanitary and public-spirited of you, darling!’

‘They’d have had to go anyway. Those cottages would have overlooked my new swimming pool.

‘Do the people who live in them like going?’

‘Most of them are delighted. One or two are being rather stupid about it – really tiresome in fact. They don’t seem to realize how vastly improved their living conditions will be!’

‘But you’re being quite high-handed about it, I presume.’

‘My dear Joanna, it’s to their advantage really.’

‘Yes, dear. I’m sure it is. Compulsory benefit.’

Linnet frowned. Joanna laughed.

‘Come now, you are a tyrant, admit it. A beneficent tyrant if you like!’

‘I’m not the least bit of a tyrant.

‘But you like your own way!’

‘Not especially.’

‘Linnet Ridgeway, can you look me in the face and tell me of any one occasion on which you’ve failed to do exactly as you wanted?’

‘Heaps of times.’

‘Oh, yes, “heaps of times”-just like that – but no concrete example. And you simply can’t think up one, darling, however hard you try! The triumphal progress of Linnet Ridgeway in her golden car.