Зло под солнцем / Evil Under the Sun

I don’t really know what we’d have done without him!) Well, as I say, when I mentioned it to him, Mr Kelso said that we couldn’t do better than come here. A most picturesque spot, he said, quite out of the world, and at the same time very comfortable and most exclusive in every way. And of course Mr Gardener, he chipped in there and said what about the sanitary arrangements? Because, if you’ll believe me, Mr Poirot, a sister of Mr Gardener’s went to stay at a guesthouse once, very exclusive they said it was, and in the heart of the moors, but would you believe me, nothing but an earth closet! So naturally that made Mr Gardener suspicious of those out-of-the-world places, didn’t it, Odell?”

“Why, yes, darling,” said Mr Gardener.

“But Mr Kelso reassured us at once. The sanitation, he said, was absolutely the latest word, and the cooking was excellent. And I’m sure that’s so. And what I like about it is, it’s intime if you know what I mean. Being a small place we all talk to each other and everybody knows everybody.

If there is a fault about the British it is that they’re inclined to be a bit stand-offish until they’ve known you a couple of years. After that nobody could be nicer. Mr Kelso said that interesting people came here and I see he was right. There’s you, Mr Poirot and Miss Darnley. Oh! I was just tickled to death when I found out who you were, wasn’t I, Odell?”

“You were, darling.”

“Ha!” said Miss Brewster, breaking in explosively. “What a thrill, eh, M. Poirot?”

Hercule Poirot raised his hands in deprecation.

But it was no more than a polite gesture. Mrs Gardener flowed smoothly on.

“You see, M. Poirot, I’d heard a lot about you from Cornelia Robson. Mr Gardener and I were at Badenhof in May. And of course Cornelia told us all about that business in Egypt when Linnet Ridgeway was killed. She said you were wonderful and I’ve always been simply crazy to meet you, haven’t I, Odell?”

“Yes, darling.”

“And then Miss Darnley, too. I get a lot of my things at Rose Mond’s and of course she is Rose Mond, isn’t she? I think her clothes are ever so clever.

Such a marvellous line. That dress I had on last night was one of hers. She’s just a lovely woman in every way, I think.”

From beyond Miss Brewster, Major Barry who had been sitting with protuberant eyes glued to the bathers granted out:

“Distinguished-lookin’ gal!”

Mrs Gardener clacked her needles.

“I’ve just got to confess one thing, M. Poirot.