JК
Five Little Pigs :: Christie Agatha
Страница: 21 из 147But Amyas was like all the Crales, a ruthless egoist. He loved Caroline but he never once considered her in any way. He did as he pleased. It’s my opinion that he was as fond of her as he could be of anybody-but she came a long way behind his art. That came first. And I should say at no time did his art give place to a woman. He had affairs with women-they stimulated him-but he left them high and dry when he’d finished with them. He wasn’t a sentimental man, nor a romantic one. And he wasn’t entirely a sensualist either. The only woman he cared a button for was his own wife. And because she knew that she put up with a lot. He was a very fine painter, you know. She realized that, and respected it. He chased off in his amorous pursuits and came back again-usually with a picture to show for it.
‘It might have gone on like that if it hadn’t come to Elsa Greer. Elsa Greer-’
Mr Jonathan shook his head.
Poirot said: ‘What of Elsa Greer?’
Mr Jonathan said unexpectedly:
‘Poor child. Poor child.’
Poirot said: ‘So you feel like that about her?’
Jonathan said:
‘Maybe it is because I am an old man, but I find, M. Poirot, that there is something about the defencelessness of youth that moves me to tears. Youth is so vulnerable. It is so ruthless-so sure. So generous and so demanding.’
Getting up, he crossed to the bookcase. Taking out a volume he opened it, turned the pages, and then read out:
‘ “If that thy bent of love be honourable,
The purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow
By one that I’ll procure to come to thee,
Where and what time thou wilt perform the rite,
And all my fortunes at thy foot I’ll lay,
And follow thee my lord throughout the world.” ’
‘There speaks love allied to youth, in Juliet’s words. No reticence, no holding back, no so-called maiden modesty. It is the courage, the insistence, the ruthless force of youth. Shakespeare knew youth. Juliet singles out Romeo. Desdemona claims Othello. They have no doubts, the young, no fear, no pride.’
Poirot said thoughtfully:
‘So to you Elsa Greer spoke in the words of Juliet?’
‘Yes. She was a spoiled child of fortune-young, lovely, rich. She found her mate and claimed him-no young Romeo, a married, middle-aged painter. Elsa Greer had no code to restrain her, she had the code of modernity. “Take what you want-we shall only live once!’
He sighed, leaned back, and again tapped gently on the arm of his chair.
‘A predatory Juliet.
‘It might have gone on like that if it hadn’t come to Elsa Greer. Elsa Greer-’
Mr Jonathan shook his head.
Poirot said: ‘What of Elsa Greer?’
Mr Jonathan said unexpectedly:
‘Poor child. Poor child.’
Poirot said: ‘So you feel like that about her?’
Jonathan said:
‘Maybe it is because I am an old man, but I find, M. Poirot, that there is something about the defencelessness of youth that moves me to tears. Youth is so vulnerable. It is so ruthless-so sure. So generous and so demanding.’
Getting up, he crossed to the bookcase. Taking out a volume he opened it, turned the pages, and then read out:
‘ “If that thy bent of love be honourable,
The purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow
By one that I’ll procure to come to thee,
Where and what time thou wilt perform the rite,
And all my fortunes at thy foot I’ll lay,
And follow thee my lord throughout the world.” ’
‘There speaks love allied to youth, in Juliet’s words. No reticence, no holding back, no so-called maiden modesty. It is the courage, the insistence, the ruthless force of youth. Shakespeare knew youth. Juliet singles out Romeo. Desdemona claims Othello. They have no doubts, the young, no fear, no pride.’
Poirot said thoughtfully:
‘So to you Elsa Greer spoke in the words of Juliet?’
‘Yes. She was a spoiled child of fortune-young, lovely, rich. She found her mate and claimed him-no young Romeo, a married, middle-aged painter. Elsa Greer had no code to restrain her, she had the code of modernity. “Take what you want-we shall only live once!’
He sighed, leaned back, and again tapped gently on the arm of his chair.
‘A predatory Juliet.