蓝色特快上的秘密-蓝色列车之谜-蓝色列车(英文版)-第26部分

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〃Do　you　think　that　real　life　is　like　that？〃　asked　Katherine；　smiling。　

〃Why　not？　Fiction　is　founded　on　fact。〃　

〃But　is　rather　superior　to　it；〃　suggested　Katherine。　

〃Perhaps。　Anyway；　if　I　was　a　criminal　I　should　not　like　to　have　Hercule　Poirot　on　my　track。〃　

〃No　more　should　I；〃　said　Katherine；　and　laughed。　

They　were　met　on　arrival　by　Poirot。　As　the　day　was　warm　he　was　attired　in　a　white　duck　suit；　with　a　white　camellia　in　his　buttonhole。　

〃Bonjour；　Mademoiselle；〃　said　Poirot。　〃I　look　very　English；　do　I　not？〃　

〃You　look　wonderful；〃　said　Katherine　tactfully。　

〃You　mock　yourself　at　me；〃　said　Poirot　genially；　〃but　no　matter。　Papa　Poirot；　he　always　laughs　the　last。〃　

〃Where　is　Mr　Van　Aldin？〃　asked　Knighton。　

〃He　will　meet　us　at　our　seats。　To　tell　you　the　truth；　my　friend；　he　is　not　too　well　pleased　with　me。　Oh；　those　Americans　…　the　repose；　the　calm；　they　know　it　not！　Mr　Van　Aldin；　he　would　that　I　fly　myself　in　the　pursuit　of　criminals　through　all　the　byways　of　Nice。〃　

〃I　should　have　thought　myself　that　it　would　not　have　been　a　bad　plan；〃　observed　Knighton。　

〃You　are　wrong；〃　said　Poirot；　〃in　these　matters　one　needs　not　energy　but　finesse。　At　the　tennis　one　meets　everyone。　That　is　so　important。　Ah；　there　is　Mr　Kettering。〃　

Derek　came　abruptly　up　to　them。　He　looked　reckless　and　angry；　as　though　something　had　arisen　to　upset　him。　He　and　Knighton　greeted　each　other　with　some　frigidity。　

Poirot　alone　seemed　unconscious　of　a　sense　of　strain；　and　chatted　pleasantly　in　a　laudable　attempt　to　put　everyone　at　their　ease。　He　paid　little　pliments。　

〃It　is　amazing；　M。　Kettering；　how　well　you　speak　the　French；〃　he　observed　…　〃so　well　that　you　could　be　taken　for　a　Frenchman　if　you　chose。　That　is　a　very　rare　acplishment　among　Englishmen。〃　

〃I　wish　I　did；〃　said　Katherine。　〃I　am　only　too　well　aware　that　my　French　is　of　a　painfully　British　order。〃　

They　reached　their　seats　and　sat　down；　and　almost　immediately　Knighton　perceived　his　employer　signalling　to　him　from　the　other　end　of　the　court；　and　went　off　to　speak　to　him。　

〃Me；　I　approve　of　that　young　man；〃　said　Poirot；　sending　a　beaming　smile　after　the　departing　secretary；　〃and　you；　Mademoiselle？〃　

〃I　like　him　very　much。〃　

〃And　you；　M。　Kettering？〃　

Some　quick　rejoinder　was　springing　to　Derek's　lips；　but　he　checked　it　as　though　something　in　the　little　Belgian's　twinkling　eyes　had　made　him　suddenly　alert。　He　spoke　carefully；　choosing　his　words。　

〃Knighton　is　a　very　good　fellow；〃　he　said。　Just　for　a　moment　Katherine　fancied　that　Poirot　looked　disappointed。　

〃He　is　a　great　admirer　of　yours；　M。　Poirot；〃　she　said；　and　she　related　some　of　the　things　that　Knighton　had　said。　It　amused　her　to　see　the　little　man　plume　himself　like　a　bird；　thrusting　out　his　chest；　and　assuming　an　air　of　mock　modesty　that　would　have　deceived　no　one。　

〃That　reminds　me；　Mademoiselle；〃　he　said　suddenly；　〃I　have　a　little　matter　of　business　I　have　to　speak　to　you　about。　When　you　were　sitting　talking　to　that　poor　lady　in　the　train；　I　think　you　must　have　dropped　a　cigarette　case。〃　

Katherine　looked　rather　astonished。　〃I　don't　think　so；〃　she　said。　Poirot　drew　from　his　pocket　a　cigarette　case　of　soft　blue　leather；　with　the　initial　〃K〃　on　it　in　gold。　

〃No；　that　is　not　mine；〃　Katherine　said。　

〃Ah；　a　thousand　apologies。　It　was　doubtless　Madame's　own。　'K'　of　course；　stands　for　Kettering。　We　were　doubtful；　because　she　had　another　cigarette　case　in　her　bag；　and　it　seemed　odd　that　she　should　have　two。〃　

He　turned　to　Derek　suddenly。　〃You　do　not　know；　I　suppose；　whether　this　was　your　wife's　case　or　not？〃　

Derek　seemed　momentarily　taken　aback。　He　stammered　a　little　in　his　reply：　〃I　…　I　don't　know。　I　suppose　so。〃　

〃It　is　not　yours　by　any　chance？〃　

〃Certainly　not。　If　it　were　mine　it　would　hardly　have　been　in　my　wife's　possession。〃　

Poirot　looked　more　ingenuous　and　childlike　than　ever。　

〃I　thought　perhaps　you　might　have　dropped　it　when　you　were　in　your　wife's　partment；〃　he　explained　guilelessly。　

〃I　never　was　there。　I　have　already　told　the　police　that　a　dozen　times。〃　

〃A　thousand　pardons；〃　said　Poirot；　with　his　most　apologetic　air。　〃It　was　Mademoiselle　here　who　mentioned　having　seen　you　going　in。〃　

He　stopped　with　an　air　of　embarrassment。　

Katherine　looked　at　Derek。　His　face　had　gone　rather　white；　but　perhaps　that　was　her　fancy。　His　laugh；　when　it　came；　was　natural　enough。　

〃You　made　a　mistake；　Miss　Grey；〃　he　said　easily。　〃From　what　the　police　have　told　me；　I　gather　that　my　own　partment　was　only　a　door　or　two　away　from　that　of　my　wife's　…　though　I　never　suspected　the　fact　at　the　time。　You　must　have　seen　me　going　into　my　own　partment。〃　He　got　up　quickly　as　he　saw　Van　Aldin　and　Knighton　approaching。　

〃I'm　going　to　leave　you　now；〃　he　announced。　〃I　can't　stand　my　father…in…law　at　any　price。〃　

Van　Aldin　greeted　Katherine　very　courteously；　but　was　clearly　in　a　bad　humour。　

〃You　seem　fond　of　watching　tennis；　M。　Poirot；〃　he　growled。　

〃It　is　a　pleasure　to　me；　yes；〃　cried　Poirot　placidly。　

〃It　is　as　well　you　are　in　France；〃　said　Van　Aldin。　〃We　are　made　of　sterner　stuff　in　the　States。　Business　es　before　pleasure　there。〃　

Poirot　did　not　take　offence；　indeed；　he　smiled　gently　and　confidingly　at　the　irate　millionaire。　

〃Do　not　enrage　yourself；　I　beg　of　you。　Everyone　has　his　own　methods。　Me；　I　have　always　found　it　a　delightful　and　pleasing　idea　to　bine　business　and　pleasure　together。〃　

He　glanced　at　the　other　two。　They　were　deep　in　conversation；　absorbed　in　each　other。　Poirot　nodded　his　head　in　satisfaction；　and　then　leant　towards　the　millionaire；　lowering　his　voice　as　he　did　so。　

〃It　is　not　only　for　pleasure　that　I　am　here；　M。　Van　Aldin。　Observe　just　opposite　us　that　ill　old　man　…　the　one　with　the　yellow　face　and　the　venerable　beard。〃　

〃Well；　what　of　him？〃　

〃That；〃　Poirot　said；　〃is　M。　Papopolous。〃　

〃A　Greek；　eh？〃　

〃As　you　say　…　a　Greek。　He　is　a　dealer　in　antiques　of　world…wide　reputation。　He　has　a　small　shop　in　Paris；　and　he　is　suspected　by　the　police　of　being　something　more。〃　

〃What？〃　

〃A　receiver　of　stolen　goods；　especially　jewels。　There　is　nothing　as　to　the　re…cutting　and　re…setting　of　gems　that　he　does　not　know。　He　deals　with　the　highest　in　Europe　and　with　the　lowest　of　the　riff…raff　of　the　underworld。〃　

Van　Aldin　was　looking　at　Poirot　with　suddenly　awakened　attention。　

〃Well？〃　he　demanded；　a　new　note　in　his　voice。　

〃I　ask　myself；〃　said　Poirot；　〃I；　Hercule　Poirot　…〃　he　thumped　himself　dramatically　on　the　chest　…　〃ask　myself　why　is　M。　Papopolous　suddenly　e　to　Nice？〃　

Van　Aldin　was　impressed。　For　a　moment　he　had　doubted　Poirot　and　suspected　the　little　man　of　being　past　his　job；　a　poseur　only　…　now；　in　a　moment；　he　switched　back　to　his　original　opinion。　He　looked　straight　at　the　little　detective。　

〃I　must　apologize　to　you；　M。　Poirot。〃　

Poirot　waved　the　apology　aside　with　an　extravagant　gesture。　

〃Bah！〃　he　cried；　〃all　that　is　of　no　importance。　Now　listen；　M。　Van　Aldin；　I　have　news　for　you。〃　

The　millionaire　looked　sharply　at　him；　all　his　interest　aroused。　

Poirot　nodded。　

〃It　is　as　I　say。　You　will　be　interested。　As　you　know；　M。　Van　Aldin；　the　te　de　la　Roche　has　been　under　surveillance　ever　since　his　interview　with　the　Juge　d'Instruction。　The　day　after　that；　during　his　absence；　the　Villa　Marina　was　searched　by　the　police。〃　

〃Well；〃　said　Van　Aldin；　〃did　they　find　anything？　I　bet　they　didn't。〃　

Poirot　made　him　a　little　bow。　

〃Your　acumen　is　not　at　fault；　M。　Van　Aldin。　They　found　nothing　of　an　incriminating　nature。　It　was　not　to　be　expected　that　they　would。　The　te　de　la　Roche；　as　your　expressive　idiom　has　it；　was　not　born　on　the　preceding　day。　He　is　an　astute　gentleman　with　great　experience。〃　

〃Well；　go　on；〃　growled　Van　Aldin。　

〃It　may　be；　of　course；　that　the　te　had　nothing　of　a　promising　nature　to　conceal。　But　we　must　not　neglect　the　possibility。　If　then；　he　has　something　to　conceal；　where　is　it？　Not　in　his　house　…　the　police　searched　thoroughly。　Not　on　his　person；　for　he　knows　that　he　is　liable　to　arrest　at　any　minute。　There　remains　…　his　car。　As　I　say；　he　was　under　surveillance。　He　was　followed　on　that　day　to　Monte　Carlo。　From　there　he　went　by　road　to　Mentone；　driving　himself。　His　car　is　a　very　powerful　one；　it　outdistanced　his　pursuers　and　for　about　a　quarter　of　an　hour　they　pletely　lost　sight　of　him。〃　

〃And　during　that　time　you　think　he　concealed　something　by　the　roadside？〃　asked　Van　Aldin；　keenly　interested。　

〃By　the　roadside；　no。　？a　n'est　pas　pratique。　But　listen　now　…　me；　I　have　made　a　little　suggestion　to　M。　Carrege。　He　is　graciously　pleased　to　approve　of　it。　In　each　Bureau　de　Poste　in　the　neighbourhood　it　has　been　seen　to　that　there　is　someone　who　knows　the　te　de　la　Roche　by　sight。　Because；　you　see；　Messieurs；　the　best　way　of　hiding　a　thing　is　by　sending　it　away　by　the　post。〃　

〃Well？〃　demanded　Van　Aldin；　his　face　was　keenly　alight　with　interest　and　expectation。　

〃Well　…〃　With　a　dramatic　flourish　Poirot　drew　out　from　his　pocket　a　loosely　wrapped　brown　paper　package　from　which　the　string　had　been　removed。　

〃During　that　quarter　of　an　hour's　interval；　our　good　gentleman　mailed　this。〃　

〃The　address？〃　asked　the　other　sharply。　

Poirot　nodded　his　head。　

〃M