蓝色特快上的秘密-蓝色列车之谜-蓝色列车(英文版)- 第47部分

〃How　are　things　going？　You　know　what　I　mean？〃　

Poirot　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃They　take　their　course；〃　he　said。　

〃And　you　are　just　letting　them　take　their　course？〃　

He　looked　at　Lenox　a　little　sadly。　

〃You　are　young；　Mademoiselle；　but　there　are　three　things　that　cannot　be　hurried　…　le　bon　Dieu；　Nature；　and　old　people。〃　

〃Nonsense！〃　said　Lenox。　〃You　are　not　old。〃　

〃Ah；　it　is　pretty　what　you　say　there。〃　

〃Here　is　Major　Knighton；〃　said　Lenox。　Katherine　looked　round　quickly　and　then　turned　back　again。　

〃He　is　with　Mr　Van　Aldin；〃　continued　Lenox。　〃There　is　something　I　want　to　ask　Major　Knighton　about。　I　won't　be　a　minute。〃　

Left　alone　together；　Poirot　bent　forward　and　murmured　to　Katherine：　

〃You　are　distraite；　Mademoiselle；　your　thoughts；　they　are　far　away；　are　they　not？〃　

〃Just　as　far　as　England；　no　farther。〃　

Guided　by　a　sudden　impulse；　she　took　the　letter　she　had　received　that　morning　and　handed　it　across　to　him　to　read。　

〃That　is　the　first　word　that　has　e　to　me　from　my　old　life；　somehow　or　other　…　it　hurts。〃　

He　read　it　through　and　then　handed　it　back　to　her。　〃So　you　are　going　back　to　St　Mary　Mead？〃　he　said　slowly。　

〃No；　I　am　not；〃　said　Katherine；　〃why　should　I？〃　

〃Ah；〃　said　Poirot；　〃it　is　my　mistake。　You　will　excuse　me　one　little　minute。〃　

He　strolled　across　to　where　Lenox　Tamplin　was　talking　to　Van　Aldin　and　Knighton。　

The　American　looked　old　and　haggard。　He　greeted　Poirot　with　a　curt　nod　but　without　any　other　sign　of　animation。　

As　he　turned　to　reply　to　some　observation　made　by　Lenox；　Poirot　drew　Knighton　aside。　

〃M。　Van　Aldin　looks　ill；〃　he　said。　

〃Do　you　wonder？〃　asked　Knighton。　〃The　scandal　of　Derek　Kettering's　arrest　has　about　put　the　lid　on　things；　as　far　as　he　is　concerned。　He　is　even　regretting　that　he　asked　you　to　find　out　the　truth。〃　

〃He　should　go　back　to　England；〃　said　Poirot。　

〃We　are　going　the　day　after　tomorrow。〃　

〃That　is　good　news；〃　said　Poirot。　

He　hesitated；　and　looked　across　the　terrace　to　where　Katherine　was　sitting。　

〃I　wish；〃　he　murmured；　〃that　you　could　tell　Miss　Grey　that。〃　

〃Tell　her　what？〃　

〃That　you　…　I　mean　that　M。　Van　Aldin　is　I　returning　to　England。〃　

Knighton　looked　a　little　puzzled；　but　he　readily　crossed　the　terrace　and　joined　Katherine。　

Poirot　saw　him　go　with　a　satisfied　nod　of　the　head；　and　then　joined　Lenox　and　the　American。　After　a　minute　or　two　they　joined　the　others。　Conversation　was　general　for　a　few　minutes；　then　the　millionaire　and　his　secretary　departed。　Poirot　also　prepared　to　take　his　departure。　

〃A　thousand　thanks　for　your　hospitality；　Mesdemoiselles；〃　he　cried；　〃it　has　been　a　most　charming　luncheon。　Ma　foi；　I　needed　it！〃　He　swelled　out　his　chest　and　thumped　it。　〃I　am　now　a　lion　…　a　giant。　Ah；　Mademoiselle　Katherine；　you　have　not　seen　me　as　I　can　be。　You　have　seen　the　gentle；　the　calm　Hercule　Poirot；　but　there　is　another　Hercule　Poirot。　I　go　now　to　bully；　to　threaten；　to　strike　terror　into　the　hearts　of　those　who　listen　to　me。〃　

He　looked　at　them　in　a　self…satisfied　way；　and　they　both　appeared　to　be　duly　impressed；　though　Lenox　was　biting　her　under　lip；　and　the　corners　of　Katherine's　mouth　had　a　suspicious　twitch。　

〃And　I　shall　do　it；〃　he　said　gravely。　〃Oh　yes；　I　shall　succeed。〃　

He　had　gone　but　a　few　steps　when　Katherine's　voice　made　him　turn。　

〃M。　Poirot；　I　…　I　want　to　tell　you。　I　think　you　were　right　in　what　you　said。　I　am　going　back　to　England　almost　immediately。〃　

Poirot　stared　at　her　very　hard；　and　under　the　directness　of　his　scrutiny　she　blushed。　

〃I　see；〃　he　said　gravely。　

〃I　don't　believe　you　do；〃　said　Katherine。　

〃I　know　more　than　you　think；　Mademoiselle；〃　he　said　quietly。　

He　left　her；　with　an　odd　little　smile　upon　his　lips。　Entering　a　waiting　car；　he　drove　to　Antibes。　

Hippolyte；　the　te　de　la　Roche's　wooden…faced　man…servant；　was　busy　at　the　Villa　Marina　polishing　his　master's　beautiful　cut…glass　table。　The　te　de　la　Roche　himself　had　gone　to　Monte　Carlo　for　the　day。　

Chancing　to　look　out　of　the　window；　Hippolyte　espied　a　visitor　walking　briskly　up　to　the　hall　door；　a　visitor　of　so　unmon　a　type　that　Hippolyte；　experienced　as　he　was；　had　some　difficulty　in　placing　him。　Calling　to　his　wife；　Marie；　who　was　busy　in　the　kitchen；　he　drew　her　attention　to　what　he　called　ce　type　là。　

〃It　is　not　the　police　again？〃　said　Marie　anxiously。　

〃Look　for　yourself；〃　said　Hippolyte。　

Marie　looked。　

〃Certainly　not　the　police；〃　she　declared。　〃I　am　glad。〃　

〃They　have　not　really　worried　us　much；〃　said　Hippolyte。　〃In　fact；　but　for　Monsieur　le　te's　warning；　I　should　never　have　guessed　that　stranger　at　the　wine…shop　to　be　what　he　was。〃　

The　hall　bell　pealed　and　Hippolyte；　in　a　grave　and　decorous　manner；　went　to　open　the　door。　

〃M。　le　te；　I　regret　to　say；　is　not　at　home。〃　

The　little　man　with　the　large　moustaches　beamed　placidly。　

〃I　know　that；〃　he　replied。　〃You　are　Hippolyte　Flavelle；　are　you　not？〃　

〃Yes；　Monsieur；　that　is　my　name。〃　

〃And　you　have　a　wife；　Marie　Flavelle？〃　

〃Yes；　Monsieur；　but　…〃　

〃I　desire　to　see　you　both；〃　said　the　stranger；　and　he　stepped　nimbly　past　Hippolyte　into　the　hall。　

〃Your　wife　is　doubtless　in　the　kitchen；〃　he　said。　〃I　will　go　there。〃　

Before　Hippolyte　could　recover　his　breath；　the　other　had　selected　the　right　door　at　the　back　of　the　hall　and　passed　along　the　passage　and　into　the　kitchen；　where　Marie　paused　open…mouthed　to　stare　at　him。　

〃Voilà；〃　said　the　stranger；　and　sank　into　a　wooden　armchair；　〃I　am　Hercule　Poirot。〃　

〃Yes；　Monsieur？〃　

〃You　do　not　know　the　name？〃　

〃I　have　never　heard　it；〃　said　Hippolyte。　

〃Permit　me　to　say　that　you　have　been　badly　educated。　It　is　the　name　of　one　of　the　great　ones　of　this　world。〃　

He　sighed　and　folded　his　hands　across　his　chest。　

Hippolyte　and　Marie　were　staring　at　him　uneasily。　They　were　at　a　loss　what　to　make　of　this　unexpected　and　extremely　strange　visitor。　

〃Monsieur　desires　…〃　murmured　Hippolyte　mechanically。　

〃I　desire　to　know　why　you　have　lied　to　the　police。〃　

〃Monsieur！〃　cried　Hippolyte；　〃I　…　lied　to　the　police？　Never　have　I　done　such　a　thing。〃　

M。　Poirot　shook　his　head。　

〃You　are　wrong；〃　he　said；　〃you　have　done　on　several　occasions。　Let　me　see。〃　He　took　small　notebook　from　his　pocket　and　consulted　it。　〃Ah；　yes；　on　seven　occasions　at　least。　I　will　recite　them　to　you。〃　

In　a　gentle　unemotional　voice　he　proceeded　to　outline　the　seven　occasions。　

Hippolyte　was　taken　aback。　

〃But　it　is　not　of　these　past　lapses　that　I　wish　to　speak；〃　continued　Poirot；　〃only；　my　dear　friend；　do　not　get　into　the　habit　of　thinking　yourself　too　clever。　I　e　now　to　the　particular　lie　in　which　I　am　concerned　…　your　statement　that　the　te　de　la　Roche　arrived　at　this　villa　on　the　morning　of　14th　January。〃　

〃But　that　was　no　lie；　Monsieur；　that　was　the　truth。　Monsieur　le　te　arrived　here　on　the　morning　of　Tuesday；　the　14th。　That　is　so；　Marie；　is　it　not？〃　

Marie　assented　eagerly。　

〃Ah；　yes；　that　is　quite　right。　I　remember　it　perfectly。〃　

〃Ah；〃　said　Poirot；　〃and　what　did　you　give　your　good　master　for　déjeuner　that　day？〃　

〃I　…〃　Marie　paused；　trying　to　collect　herself。　

〃Odd；〃　said　Poirot；　〃how　one　remembers　some　things　…　and　fo