Смерть на Ниле / Death on the Nile

A grande amoureuse – that’s what I might have been – a grande amoureuse – sacrificed everything – everything… And nobody cares! But I’ll tell everyone – I’ll tell them now – how she neglects me – how hard she is – making me come on this journey – bored to death… I’ll go and tell them now-’

She surged forward. Poirot gently repressed the action.

‘I will send her to you, Madame. Re-enter your cabin. It is best that way-’

‘No. I want to tell everyone – everyone on the boat-’

‘It is too dangerous, Madame.

The sea is too rough. You might be swept overboard.’

Mrs Otterbourne looked at him doubtfully.

‘You think so. You really think so?’

‘I do.’

He was successful. Mrs Otterbourne wavered, faltered and re-entered her cabin.

Poirot’s nostrils twitched once or twice. Then he nodded and walked on to where Rosalie Otterbourne was sitting between Mrs Allerton and Tim.

‘Your mother wants you, Mademoiselle.’

She had been laughing quite happily.

Now her face clouded over. She shot a quick suspicious look at him and hurried along the deck.

‘I can’t make that child out,’ said Mrs Allerton. ‘She varies so. One day she’s friendly – the next day, she’s positively rude.’

‘Thoroughly spoilt and bad-tempered,’ said Tim.

Mrs Allerton shook her head.

‘No. I don’t think it’s that. I think she’s unhappy.’

Tim shrugged his shoulders.

‘Oh, well, I suppose we’ve all got our private troubles.’ His voice sounded hard and curt.

A booming noise was heard.

‘Lunch,’ cried Mrs Allerton delightedly. ‘I’m starving.’

That evening, Poirot noticed that Mrs Allerton was sitting talking to Miss Van Schuyler. As he passed, Mrs Allerton closed one eye and opened it again.

She was saying, ‘Of course at Calfries Castle – the dear Duke-’

Cornelia, released from attendance, was out on the deck. She was listening to Dr Bessner, who was instructing her somewhat ponderously in Egyptology as culled from the pages of Baedeker.

Cornelia listened with rapt attention.

Leaning over the rail Tim Allerton was saying:

‘Anyhow, it’s a rotten world…’

Rosalie Otterbourne answered:

‘It’s unfair… some people have everything.’

Poirot sighed. He was glad that he was no longer young.

Chapter 9

On the Monday morning various expressions of delight and appreciation were heard on the deck of the Karnak.