Agatha Christie
02.01.2025
Tady se musím pochlubit. Toto je první kniha v angličtině, kterou jsem kdy přečetla (nepočítám-li různé IB pedagogické dokumenty a marný pokus o dočtení Deníku Anny Frankové, který vzhledem k archaizujícímu stylu a upovídanosti autorky deníku nebyl napoprvé zcela šťastnou volbou).
Styl Agathy Christie také není zrovna nejmodernější angličtinou, ale zato zcela uspokojoval moji libůstku v konzervativním, až aristokratickém vyjadřování Britů. Zajímavou zkušeností byla naopak mluva "dělného lidu", tedy jakýsi kolokviální jazyk, s nímž jsem se takto setkala prvně. Např.: "But missing they are and who took them nobody knows [...]" / "Cut up rough about it, he did, the Capting. My Rebecca is a fine girl, sir, and a very good cook. And I hoped we might have been able to do for the Capting together, but he - he wouldn't hear of it. Said he wouldn't have women servants about his house."
Celá detektivka se odehrává na blatech (moor) v zapadlé osadě Sittaford uprostřed zimy, což dodává románu lezavou, nepřívětivou a potemnělou atmosféru. Z vraždy vysloužilého kapitána Trevelyana byl neprávem obviněn snoubenec bystré mladé dámy, Emily Trefusis, která se rozhodne pátrat po vrahovi na vlastní pěst, aby vysvobodila svého milého z vazby. Vzhledem k pronikavému intelektu a odhodlání jí to jde mnohdy lépe než policii. K ruce je jí mladý novinář Charles Enderby, který má na celé věci svůj profesní zájem.
Zajímavou postavičkou je např. upovídaná stará dáma, Mrs. Curtis, s níž se Charles při svém průzkumu dává do řeči:
"As for Mrs. Willet and Miss Willet, that's what no one can make out. Plenty of money there. Amos Parker at Exhampton they deal with, and he tells me their weekly book comes to well over eight pounds or nine pounds. You wouldn't believe the eggs that goes into that house! Brought their maid servants from Exeter with them, they did, but they don't like it and want to leave, and I'm sure I don't blame them. Mrs. Willet, she sends them into Exeter twice a week in her car, and what with that and the living being so good, they agreed to stop on, but if you ask me it's a queer business, vurying yourself in the country like this, a smart lady like that. Well, well, I suppose I had better be clearing away these tea things."
She drew a deep breath and so did Charles and Emily. The flow of information loosened with so little difficulty had almost overwhelmed them.
Charles ventured to put a question.
"Has Major Burnaby got back yet?" he asked.
Mrs. Curtis paused at once, tray in hand. "Yes, indeed, sir, came tramping in just the same as ever about half an hour before you arrived. 'Why, sir,' I cried to him. 'You've never walked all the way from Exhampton?' And he says in his stern way, 'Why not? If a man has got two legs he doesn't need four wheels. I do it once a week anyway as you know, Mrs. Curtis.' 'Oh, yes, sir,' I says, 'but this is different. What with the shock and the murder and the inquest it's wonderful you've got the strength to do it.' But he only grunted like and walked on. He looks bad though. It's a miracle he ever got though on Friday night. Brave I call it at his age. Tramping off like that and three miled of it in a snowstorm. You may say what you like, but nowadays the young gentlemen aren't a patch on the old ones. [...]"