Смерть на Ниле / Death on the Nile

‘I thought they’d get tired of me,’ said Mrs Allerton sadly. ‘They’ve been watching me for over two hours now – and they close in on me little by little; and then I yell “Imshi” and brandish my sunshade at them and they scatter for a minute or two. And then they come back and stare and stare, and I don’t believe I really like children – not unless they’re more or less washed and have the rudiments of manners.’

She laughed ruefully.

Poirot gallantly attempted to disperse the mob for her, but without avail.

‘If there were only any peace in Egypt, I should like it better,’ said Mrs Allerton. ‘But you can never be alone anywhere – someone is always pestering you for money, or offering you donkeys, or beads, or expeditions to local villages, or duck shooting.’

‘It is the great disadvantage, that is true,’ said Poirot.

He spread his handkerchief cautiously on the rock and sat somewhat gingerly upon it.

‘Your son is not with you this morning?’ he went on.

‘No, Tim had some letters to get off before we leave. We’re doing the trip to the Second Cataract, you know.’

‘I, too.’

‘I’m so glad. I want to tell you that I’m quite thrilled to meet you. When we were in Majorca, there was a Mrs Leech there, and she was telling us the most wonderful things about you. She’d lost a ruby ring bathing, and she was just lamenting that you weren’t there to find it for her.

‘Ah, parbleu, but I am not the diving seal!’

They both laughed.

Mrs Allerton went on.

‘I saw you from my window walking down the drive with Simon Doyle this morning. Do tell me what you make of him! We’re so excited about him.’

‘Ah? Truly?’

‘Yes. You know his marriage to Linnet Ridgeway was the greatest surprise. She was supposed to be going to marry Lord Windlesham and then suddenly she gets engaged to this man no one had ever heard of!’

‘You know her well, Madame?’

‘No, but a cousin of mine, Joanna Southwood, is one of her best friends.

‘Ah, yes, I have read that name in the papers.’ He was silent a moment and then went on, ‘She is a young lady very much in the news, Mademoiselle Joanna Southwood.’

‘Oh, she knows how to advertise herself all right,’ snapped Mrs Allerton.

‘You do not like her, Madame?’

‘That was a nasty remark of mine.’ Mrs Allerton looked penitent. ‘You see, I’m old-fashioned. I don’t like her much. Tim and she are the greatest of friends, though.