Crooked House / Скрюченный домишко. Книга для чтения на английском языке

I was faintly reminded of Athene Seyler[65 - Athene Seyler – Афина Сейлер; более известна как актриса театра; в кино прославилась в качестве исполнительницы ролей растерянных старушек]—and it seemed quite impossible to believe that this was the tempestuous creature in the peach négligé.

�Inspector Taverner?’ she said. ’Do come in and sit down. Will you smoke? This is a most terrible business. I simply feel at the moment that I just can’t take it in[66 - to take it – переносить несчастье, не падая духом].

’

Her voice was low and emotionless, the voice of a person determined at all costs to display self-control. She went on:

�Please tell me if I can help you in any way.’

�Thank you, Mrs Leonides. Where were you at the time of the tragedy?’

�I suppose I must have been driving down from London. I’d lunched that day at the Ivy with a friend.

Then we’d gone to a dress show. We had a drink with some other friends at the Berkeley. Then I started home. When I got here everything was in commotion. It seemed my father-in-law had had a sudden seizure. He was—dead.’ Her voice trembled just a little.

�You were fond of your father-in-law?’

�I was devoted—’

Her voice rose. Sophia adjusted, very slightly, the angle of the Degas picture. Magda’s voice dropped to its former subdued tone.

�I was very fond of him,’ she said in a quiet voice.

�We all were. He was—very good to us.’

�Did you get on well with Mrs Leonides?’

We didn’t see very much of Brenda.’

Why was that?’

Well, we hadn’t much in common. Poor dear Brenda. Life must have been hard for her sometimes.’

Again Sophia fiddled with the Degas.

�Indeed? In what way?’

�Oh, I don’t know.’ Magda shook her head, with a sad little smile.

Was Mrs Leonides happy with her husband?’

�Oh, I think so.

’

�No quarrels?’

Again the slight smiling shake of the head.

�I really don’t know, Inspector. Their part of the house is quite separate.’

�She and Mr Laurence Brown were very friendly, were they not?’

Magda Leonides stiffened. Her eyes opened reproachfully at Taverner.

�I don’t think,’ she said with dignity, �that you ought to ask me things like that. Brenda was quite friendly to everyone.