Death of an Englishman

殺人には都合の悪い時期だった。フロレンスの町はクリスマスの買物客でいっぱいで、警官の半分はすでに休暇に入っていた。最初はごく単純な殺人事件のように思えた。もちろん、殺人事件には謎が付き物だ。この事件では、被害者には午前3時に家具を移動するという習慣があった。当然、警察はその理由を知りたがる。事件は複雑になった。だが、答えはずっと目の前にあったのだ。警察がそれに気が付かなかっただけのことで、結局のところ、この事件もごく単純な殺人事件だった。

It was a very inconvenient time for murder. Florence was full of Christmas shoppers and half the police force was already on holiday. At first it seemed quite an ordinary murder. Of course, there are always a few mysteries. In this case, the dead man had been in the habit of moving his furniture at three o'clock in the morning. Naturally, the police wanted to know why. The case became more complicated. But all the time, the answer was right under their noses. They just couldn't see it. It was, after all, a very ordinary murder.