蓝色特快上的秘密-蓝色列车之谜-蓝色列车(英文版)-第20部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃He　tells　us；〃　continued　the　missary；　〃that　he　had　no　idea　his　wife　was　travelling　on　the　train。〃　

〃I　bet　he　hadn't；〃　said　Van　Aldin　grimly。　〃It　would　have　been　rather　a　nasty　shock　to　him　if　he'd　e　across　her　on　it。〃　

The　three　men　looked　at　him　questioningly。　

〃I'm　not　going　to　mince　matters；〃　said　Van　Aldin　savagely。　〃No　one　knows　what　my　poor　girl　has　had　to　put　up　with。　Derek　Kettering　wasn't　alone。　He　had　a　lady　with　him。〃　

〃Ah？〃　

〃Mirelle　…　the　dancer。〃　

M。　Carrege　and　the　missary　looked　at　each　other　and　nodded　as　though　confirming　some　previous　conversation。　M。　Carrege　leaned　back　in　his　chair；　joined　his　hands；　and　fixed　his　eyes　on　the　ceiling。　

〃Ah！〃　he　murmured　again。　〃One　wondered。〃　

He　coughed。　〃One　has　heard　rumours。〃　

〃The　lady；〃　said　M。　Caux；　〃is　very　notorious。〃　

〃And　also；〃　murmured　Poirot　softly；　〃very　expensive。〃　

Van　Aldin　had　gone　very　red　in　the　face。　

He　leant　forward　and　hit　the　table　a　bang　with　his　fist。　

〃See　here；〃　he　cried；　〃my　son…in…law　is　a　damned　scoundrel！〃　

He　glared　at　them；　looking　from　one　face　to　another。　

〃Oh；　I　know；〃　he　went　on。　〃Good　looks　and　a　charming；　easy　manner。　It　took　me　in　once　upon　a　time。　I　suppose　he　pretended　to　be　broken…hearted　when　you　broke　the　news　to　him　…　that　is；　if　he　didn't　know　it　already。〃　

〃Oh；　it　came　as　a　plete　surprise　to　him。　He　was　overwhelmed。〃　

〃Darned　young　hypocrite；〃　said　Van　Aldin。　〃Simulated　great　grief；　I　suppose？〃　

〃N…no；〃　said　the　missary　cautiously。　〃I　。　Carrege？〃　

The　Magistrate　brought　the　tips　of　his　fingers　together；　and　half　closed　his　eyes。　

〃Shock；　bewilderment；　horror　…　these　things；　yes；〃　he　declared　judicially。　〃Great　sorrow　…　no　…　I　should　not　say　that。〃　

Hercule　Poirot　spoke　once　more。　

〃Permit　me　to　ask；　M。　Van　Aldin；　does　M。　Kettering　benefit　by　the　death　of　his　wife？〃　

〃He　benefits　to　the　tune　of　a　couple　of　millions；〃　said　Van　Aldin。　

〃Dollars？〃　

〃Pounds。　I　settled　that　sum　on　Ruth　absolutely　on　her　marriage。　She　made　no　will　and　leaves　no　children；　so　the　money　will　go　to　her　husband。〃　

〃Whom　she　was　on　the　point　of　divorcing；〃　murmured　Poirot。　〃Ah；　yes　…　précisément。〃　

The　missary　turned　and　looked　sharply　at　him。　

〃Do　you　mean　…〃　he　began。　

〃I　mean　nothing；〃　said　Poirot。　〃I　arrange　the　facts；　that　is　all。〃　

Van　Aldin　stared　at　him　with　awakening　interest。　

The　little　man　rose　to　his　feet。　

〃I　do　not　think　I　can　be　of　any　further　service　to　you；　M。　le　Juge；〃　he　said　politely；　bowing　to　M。　Carrege。　〃You　will　keep　me　informed　of　the　course　of　events？　It　will　be　a　kindness。〃　

〃But　certainly　…　most　certainly。〃　

Van　Aldin　rose　also。　

〃You　don't　want　me　any　more　at　present？〃　

〃No；　Monsieur；　we　have　all　the　information　we　need　for　the　moment。〃　

〃Then　I　will　walk　a　little　way　with　M。　Poirot。　That　is；　if　he　does　not　object？〃　

〃Enchanted；　Monsieur；〃　said　the　little　man；　with　a　bow。　

Van　Aldin　lighted　a　large　cigar；　having　offered　one　to　Poirot；　who　declined　it；　and　lit　one　of　his　own　tiny　cigarettes。　A　man　of　great　strength　of　character；　Van　Aldin　already　appeared　to　be　his　everyday；　normal　self　once　more。　After　strolling　along　for　a　minute　or　two　in　silence；　the　millionaire　spoke：　

〃I　take　it；　M。　Poirot；　that　you　no　longer　exercise　your　profession？〃　

〃That　is　so；　Monsieur。　I　enjoy　the　world。〃　

〃Yet　you　are　assisting　the　police　in　this　affair？〃　

〃Monsieur；　if　a　doctor　walks　along　the　street　and　an　accident　happens；　does　he　say；　'I　have　retired　from　my　profession；　I　will　continue　my　walk；'　when　there　is　someone　bleeding　to　death　at　his　feet？　If　I　had　been　already　in　Nice；　and　the　police　had　sent　to　me　and　asked　me　to　assist　them；　I　should　have　refused。　But　this　affair；　the　good　God　thrust　it　upon　me。〃　

〃You　were　on　the　spot；〃　said　Van　Aldin　thoughtfully。　〃You　examined　the　partment；　did　you　not？〃　

Poirot　nodded。　

〃Doubtless　you　found　things　that　were；　shall　we　say；　suggestive　to　you？〃　

〃Perhaps；〃　said　Poirot。　

〃I　hope　you　see　what　I　am　leading　up　to？〃　said　Van　Aldin。　〃It　seems　to　me　that　the　case　against　this　te　de　la　Roche　is　perfectly　clear；　but　I　am　not　a　fool。　I　have　been　watching　you　for　this　last　hour　or　so；　and　I　realise　that　for　some　reason　of　your　own　you　don't　agree　with　that　theory？〃　

Poirot　shrugged　his　shoulders。　

〃I　may　be　wrong。〃　

〃So　we　e　to　the　favour　I　want　to　ask　you。　Will　you　act　in　this　matter　for　me？〃　

〃For　you　personally？〃　

〃That　was　my　meaning。〃　

Poirot　was　silent　for　a　moment　or　two。　

Then　he　said：　

〃You　realize　what　you　are　asking？〃　

〃I　guess　so；〃　said　Van　Aldin。　

〃Very　well；〃　said　Poirot。　〃I　accept。　But　in　that　case；　I　must　have　frank　answers　to　my　questions。〃　

〃Why；　certainly。　That　is　understood。〃　

Poirot's　manner　changed。　He　became　suddenly　brusque　and　businesslike。　

〃This　question　of　a　divorce；〃　he　said。　〃It　was　you　who　advised　your　daughter　to　bring　the　suit？〃　

〃Yes。〃　

〃When？〃　

〃About　ten　days　ago。　I　had　had　a　letter　from　her　plaining　of　her　husband's　behaviour；　and　I　put　it　to　her　very　strongly　that　divorce　was　the　only　remedy。〃　

〃In　what　way　did　she　plain　of　his　behaviour？〃　

〃He　was　being　seen　about　with　a　very　notorious　lady　…　the　one　we　have　been　speaking　of　…　Mirelle。〃　

〃The　dancer。　Ah…ha！　And　Madame　Kettering　objected？　Was　she　very　devoted　to　her　husband？〃　

〃I　would　not　say　that；〃　said　Van　Aldin　hesitating　a　little。　

〃It　was　not　her　heart　that　suffered；　it　was　her　pride　…　is　that　what　you　would　say？〃　

〃Yes；　I　suppose　you　might　put　it　like　that。〃　

〃I　gather　that　the　marriage　had　not　been　a　happy　one　from　the　beginning？〃　

〃Derek　Kettering　is　rotten　to　the　core；〃　said　Van　Aldin。　〃He　is　incapable　of　making　any　woman　happy。〃　

〃He　is；　as　you　say　in　England；　a　bad　lot。　That　is　right；　is　it　not？〃　

Van　Aldin　nodded。　

〃Très　bien！　You　advise　Madame　to　seek　a　divorce；　she　agrees；　you　consult　your　solicitors。　When　does　M。　Kettering　get　news　of　what　is　in　the　wind？〃　

〃I　sent　for　him　myself；　and　explained　the　course　of　action　I　proposed　to　take。〃　

〃And　what　did　he　say？〃　murmured　Poirot　softly。　

Van　Aldin's　face　darkened　at　the　remembrance。　

〃He　was　infernally　impudent。〃　

〃Excuse　the　question；　Monsieur；　but　did　he　refer　himself　to　le　te　de　la　Roche？〃　

〃Not　by　name；〃　growled　the　other　unwillingly；　〃but　he　showed　himself　cognizant　of　the　affair。〃　

〃What；　if　I　may　ask；　was　M。　Kettering's　financial　position　at　the　time？〃　

〃How　do　you　suppose　I　should　know　that？〃　asked　Van　Aldin；　after　a　very　brief　hesitation。　

〃It　seemed　likely　to　me　that　you　would　inform　yourself　on　that　point。〃　

〃Well　…　you　are　quite　right；　I　did。　I　discovered　that　Kettering　was　on　the　rocks。〃　

〃And　now　he　has　inherited　two　million　pounds！　Ma　foi　…　it　is　a　strange　thing；　is　it　not？〃　

Van　Aldin　looked　at　him　sharply。　

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　

〃I　moralize；〃　said　Poirot。　〃I　reflect；　I　speak　the　philosophy。　But　to　return　to　where　we　were。　Surely　M。　Kettering　did　not　propose　to　allow　himself　to　be　divorced　without　making　a　fight　for　it？〃　

Van　Aldin　did　not　answer　for　a　minute　or　two；　then　he　said：　

〃I　don't　exactly　know　what　his　intentions　were。〃　

〃Did　you　hold　any　further　munications　with　him？〃　

Again　a　slight　pause；　then　Van　Aldin　said：　〃No。〃　

Poirot　stopped　dead；　took　off　his　hat；　and　held　out　his　hand。　

〃I　must　wish　you　good…day；　Monsieur。　I　can　do　nothing　for　you。〃　

〃What　are　you　getting　at？〃　demanded　Van　Aldin　angrily。　

〃If　you　do　not　tell　me　the　truth；　I　can　do　nothing。〃　

〃I　don't　know　what　you　mean。〃　

〃I　think　you　do。　You　may　rest　assured；　M。　Van　Aldin；　that　I　know　how　to　be　discreet。〃　

〃Very　well；　then；〃　said　the　millionaire。　〃I'll　admit　that　I　was　not　speaking　the　truth　just　now。　I　did　have　further　munication　with　my　son…in…law。〃　

〃Yes？〃　

〃To　be　exact；　I　sent　my　secretary；　Major　Knighton；　to　see　him；　with　instructions　to　offer　him　the　sum　of　one　hundred　thousand　pounds　in　cash　if　the　divorce　went　through　undefended。〃　

〃A　pretty　sum　of　money；〃　said　Poirot　appreciatively；　〃and　the　answer　of　Monsieur；　your　son…in…law？〃　

〃He　sent　back　word　that　I　could　go　to　hell；〃　replied　the　millionaire　succinctly。　

〃Ah！〃　said　Poirot。　

He　betrayed　no　emotion　of　any　kind。　At　the　moment　he　was　engaged　in　methodically　recording　facts。　

〃Monsieur　Kettering　has　told　the　police　that　he　neither　saw　nor　spoke　to　his　wife　on　the　journey　from　England。　Are　you　inclined　to　believe　that　statement；　Monsieur？〃　

〃Yes；　I　am；〃　said　Van　Aldin。　〃He　would　take　particular　pains　to　keep　out　of　her　way；　I　should　say。〃　

〃Why？〃　

〃Because　he　had　got　that　woman　with　him。〃　

〃Mirelle？〃　

〃Yes。〃　

〃How　did　you　e　to　know　that　fact？〃　

〃A　man　of　mine；　whom　I　had　put　on　to　watch　him；　reported　to　me　that　they　had　both　left　by　that　train。〃　

〃I　see；〃　said　Poirot。　〃In　that　case；　as　you　said　before；　he　would　not　be　likely　to　attempt　to　hold　any　munication　with　Madame　Kettering。〃　

The　little　man　fell　silent　for　some　time。　

Van　Aldin　did　not　interrupt　his　meditation。

Chapter　17　

AN　ARISTOCRATIC　GENTLEMAN

〃You　have　been　to　the　Riviera　before；　Georges？〃　said　Poirot　to　his　valet　the　following　morning。　

George　was　an　intensely　English；　rather　wooden…faced　individua