The Murder of Roger Ackroyd / Убийство Роджера Экройда

‘Oh!’ said Caroline. ‘So you did inquire about that, did you? I believe, James, that in your heart of hearts, you think very much as I do. you’re a precious old humbug.’

‘One always has to take the possibility of suicide into consideration,’ I said impressively.

‘Will there be an inquest?’

‘There may be. It all depends. If I am able to declare myself absolutely satisfied that the overdose was taken accidentally, an inquest might be dispensed with.’

‘And are you absolutely satisfied?’ asked my sister shrewdly.

I did not answer, but got up from the table.

Before I proceed further with what I said to Caroline and what Caroline said to me, it might be as well to give some idea of what I should describe as our local geography. Our village, king’s Abbot, is, I imagine, very much like any other village. our big town is Cranchester, nine miles away. We have a large railway station, a small post office, and two rival ‘general Stores’. Able-bodied men are apt to leave the place early in life, but we are rich in unmarried ladies and retired military officers. our hobbies and recreations can be summed up in the one word, ‘gossip’.