蓝色特快上的秘密-蓝色列车之谜-蓝色列车(英文版)-第14章

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〃And　yet；〃　said　the　missary　sharply；　〃you　returned　to　her　partment　with　her　after　lunch　and　sat　talking　for　some　time？〃　

〃Yes；〃　said　Katherine；　〃that　is　true。〃　

The　missary　seemed　to　expect　her　to　say　something　more。　He　looked　at　her　encouragingly。　

〃Yes；　Madame？〃　

〃Well；　Monsieur？〃　said　Katherine。　

〃You　can；　perhaps；　give　me　some　kind　of　idea　of　that　conversation？〃　

〃I　could；〃　said　Katherine；　〃but　at　the　moment　I　see　no　reason　to　do　so。〃　

In　somewhat　British　fashion　she　felt　annoyed。　

This　foreign　official　seemed　to　her　impertinent。　

〃No　reason？〃　cried　the　missary。　〃Oh　yes；　Madame；　I　can　assure　you　that　there　is　a　reason。〃　

〃Then　perhaps　you　will　give　it　to　me。〃　

The　missary　rubbed　his　chin　thoughtfully　for　a　minute　or　two　without　speaking。　

〃Madame；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃the　reason　is　very　simple。　The　lady　in　question　was　found　dead　in　her　partment　this　morning。〃　

〃Dead！〃　gasped　Katherine。　〃What　was　it　…　heart　failure？〃　

〃No；〃　said　the　missary　in　a　reflective　voice。　〃No　…　she　was　murdered。〃　

〃Murdered！〃　cried　Katherine。　

〃So　you　see；　Madame；　why　we　are　anxious　for　any　information　we　can　possibly　get。〃　

〃But　surely　her　maid　…〃　

〃The　maid　has　disappeared。〃　

〃Oh！〃　Katherine　paused　to　assemble　her　thoughts。　

〃Since　the　conductor　had　seen　you　talking　with　her　in　her　partment；　he　quite　naturally　reported　the　fact　to　the　police；　and　that　is　why；　Madame；　we　have　detained　you；　in　the　hope　of　gaining　some　information。〃　

〃I　am　very　sorry；〃　said　Katherine；　〃I　don't　even　know　her　name。〃　

〃Her　name　is　Kettering。　That　we　know　from　her　passport　and　from　the　labels　on　her　luggage。　If　we　…〃　

There　was　a　knock　on　the　partment　door。　M。　Caux　frowned。　He　opened　it　about　six　inches。　

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　he　said　peremptorily。　〃I　cannot　be　disturbed。〃　

The　egg…shaped　head　of　Katherine's　dinner　acquaintance　showed　itself　in　the　aperture。　On　his　face　was　a　beaming　smile。　

〃My　name；〃　he　said；　〃is　Hercule　Poirot。〃　

〃Not；〃　the　missary　stammered；　〃not　the　Hercule　Poirot？〃　

〃The　same；〃　said　Mr　Poirot。　〃I　remember　meeting　you　once；　M。　Caux；　at　the　S？reté　in　Paris；　though　doubtless　you　have　forgotten　me？〃　

〃Not　at　all；　Monsieur；　not　at　all；〃　declared　the　missary　heartily。　〃But　enter；　I　pray　of　you。　You　know　of　this　…〃　

〃Yes；　I　know；〃　said　Hercule　Poirot。　〃I　came　to　see　if　I　might　be　of　any　assistance？〃　

〃We　should　be　flattered；〃　replied　the　missary　promptly。　〃Let　me　present　you；　Mr　Poirot；　to　…〃　he　consulted　the　passport　he　still　held　in　his　hand　…　〃to　Madame　…　er　…　Mademoiselle　Grey。〃　

Poirot　smiled　across　at　Katherine。　

〃It　is　strange；　is　it　not；〃　he　murmured；　〃that　my　words　should　have　e　true　so　quickly？〃　

〃Mademoiselle；　alas！　can　tell　us　very　little；〃　said　the　missary。　

〃I　have　been　explaining；〃　said　Katherine；　〃that　this　poor　lady　was　a　plete　stranger　to　me。〃　

Poirot　nodded。　

〃But　she　talked　to　you；　did　she　not？〃　he　said　gently。　〃You　formed　an　impression　…　is　it　not　so？〃　

〃Yes；〃　said　Katherine　thoughtfully。　〃I　suppose　I　did。　And　that　impression　was　…〃　

〃Yes；　Mademoiselle　…〃　the　missary　jerked　himself　forward　…　〃let　us　by　all　means　have　your　impressions。〃　

Katherine　sat　turning　the　whole　thing　over　in　her　mind。　She　felt　in　a　way　as　if　she　were　betraying　a　confidence；　but　with　that　ugly　word　'Murder'　ringing　in　her　ears　she　dared　not　keep　anything　back。　Too　much　might　hang　upon　it。　So；　as　nearly　as　she　could；　she　repeated　word　for　word　the　conversation　she　had　had　with　the　dead　woman。　

〃That　is　interesting；〃　said　the　missary；　glancing　at　the　other。　〃Eh；　M。　Poirot；　that　is　interesting？　Whether　it　has　anything　to　do　with　the　crime　…〃　He　left　the　sentence　unfinished。　

〃I　suppose　it　could　not　be　suicide；〃　said　Katherine；　rather　doubtfully。　

〃No；〃　said　the　missary；　〃it　could　not　be　suicide。　She　was　strangled　with　a　length　of　black　cord。〃　

〃Oh！〃　Katherine　shivered。　M。　Caux　spread　out　his　hands　apologetically。　〃It　is　not　nice　…　no。　I　think　that　our　train　robbers　are　more　brutal　than　they　are　in　your　country。〃　

〃It　is　horrible。〃　

〃Yes；　yes　…〃　he　was　soothing　and　apologetic　…　〃but　you　have　great　courage；　Mademoiselle。　At　once；　as　soon　as　I　saw　you；　I　said　to　myself；　'Mademoiselle　has　great　courage。'　That　is　why　I　am　going　to　ask　you　to　do　something　more　…　something　distressing；　but　I　assure　you　very　necessary。〃　

Katherine　looked　at　him　apprehensively。　

He　spread　out　his　hands　apologetically。　

〃I　am　going　to　ask　you；　Mademoiselle；　to　be　so　good　as　to　acpany　me　to　the　next　partment。〃　

〃Must　I？〃　asked　Katherine　in　a　low　voice。　

〃Someone　must　identify　her；〃　said　the　missary；　〃and　since　the　maid　has　disappeared　…〃　he　coughed　significantly　…　〃you　appear　to　be　the　person　who　has　seen　most　of　her　since　she　joined　the　train。〃　

〃Very　well；〃　said　Katherine　quietly；　〃if　it　is　necessary　…〃　

She　rose。　Poirot　gave　her　a　little　nod　of　approval。　

〃Mademoiselle　is　sensible；〃　he　said。　〃May　I　acpany　you；　M。　Caux？〃　

〃Enchanted；　my　dear　M。　Poirot。〃　

They　went　out　into　the　corridor；　and　M。　Caux　unlocked　the　door　of　the　dead　woman's　partment。　The　blinds　on　the　far　side　had　been　drawn　half…way　up　to　admit　light。　The　dead　woman　lay　on　the　berth　to　their　left；　in　so　natural　a　posture　that　one　could　have　thought　her　asleep。　The　bedclothes　were　drawn　up　over　her；　and　her　head　was　turned　to　the　wall；　so　that　only　the　red　auburn　curls　showed。　Very　gently　M。　Caux　laid　a　hand　on　her　shoulder　and　turned　the　body　back　so　that　the　face　came　into　view。　Katherine　flinched　a　little　and　dug　her　nails　into　her　palms。　A　heavy　blow　had　disfigured　the　features　almost　beyond　recognition。　Poirot　gave　a　sharp　exclamation。　

〃When　was　that　done；　I　wonder？〃　he　demanded。　〃Before　death　or　after？〃　

〃The　doctor　says　after；〃　said　M。　Caux。　

〃Strange；〃　said　Poirot；　drawing　his　brows　together。　

He　turned　to　Katherine。　〃Be　brave；　Mademoiselle；　look　at　her　well。　Are　you　sure　that　this　is　the　woman　you　talked　to　in　the　train　yesterday？〃　

Katherine　had　good　nerves。　She　steeled　herself　to　look　long　and　earnestly　at　the　recumbent　figure。　Then　she　leaned　forward　and　took　up　the　dead　woman's　hand。　

〃I　am　quite　sure；〃　she　replied　at　length。　〃The　face　is　too　disfigured　to　recognize；　but　the　build　and　carriage　and　hair　are　exact；　and　besides　I　noticed　this　…〃　she　pointed　to　a　tiny　mole　on　the　dead　woman's　wrist　…　〃while　I　was　talking　to　her。〃　

〃Bon；〃　approved　Poirot。　〃You　are　an　excellent　witness；　Mademoiselle。　There　is　then　no　question　as　to　the　identity；　but　it　is　strange；　all　the　same。〃　He　frowned　down　on　the　dead　woman　in　perplexity。　

M。　Caux　shrugged　his　shoulders。　

〃The　murderer　was　carried　away　by　rage；　doubtless；〃　he　suggested。　

〃If　she　had　been　struck　down；　it　would　have　been　prehensible；〃　mused　Poirot；　〃but　the　man　who　strangled　her　slipped　up　behind　and　caught　her　unawares。　A　little　choke　…　a　little　gurgle　…　that　is　all　that　would　be　heard；　and　then　afterwards　…　that　smashing　blow　on　her　face。　Now　why？　Did　he　hope　that　if　the　face　were　unrecognizable　she　might　not　be　identified？　Or　did　he　hate　her　so　much　that　he　could　not　resist　striking　that　blow　even　after　she　was　dead？〃　

Katherine　shuddered；　and　he　turned　at　once　to　her　kindly。　

〃You　must　not　let　me　distress　you；　Mademoiselle；〃　he　said。　〃To　you　this　is　all　very　terrible。　To　me；　alas！　it　is　an　old　story。　One　moment；　I　pray　of　you　both。〃　

They　stood　against　the　door　watching　him　as　he　partment。　He　noted　the　dead　woman's　clothes　neatly　folded　on　the　end　of　the　berth；　the　big　fur　coat　that　hung　from　a　hook；　and　the　little　red　lacquer　hat　tossed　up　on　the　rack。　Then　he　passed　through　into　the　adjoining　partment；　that　in　which　Katherine　had　seen　the　maid　sitting。　Here　the　berth　had　not　been　made　up。　Three　or　four　rugs　were　piled　loosely　on　the　seat；　there　was　a　hat…box　and　a　couple　of　suitcases。　He　turned　suddenly　to　Katherine。　

〃You　were　in　here　yesterday；〃　he　said。　〃Do　you　see　anything　changed；　anything　missing？〃　

Katherine　looked　carefully　round　both　partments。　

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃there　is　something　missing　…　a　scarlet　morocco　case。　It　had　the　initials　'R。V。K。'　on　it。　It　might　have　been　a　small　dressing…case　or　a　big　jewel…case。　When　I　saw　it；　the　maid　was　holding　it。〃　

〃Ah！〃　said　Poirot。　

〃But；　surely；〃　said　Katherine。　〃I　…　of　course；　I　don't　know　anything　about　such　things；　but　surely　it　is　plain　enough；　if　the　maid　and　the　jewel…case　are　missing？〃　

〃You　mean　that　it　was　the　maid　who　was　the　thief？　No；　Mademoiselle；　there　is　a　very　good　reason　against　that；〃　said　the　missary。

〃What？〃　

〃The　maid　was　left　behind　in　Paris。〃　

He　turned　to　Poirot。　

〃I　should　like　you　to　hear　the　conductor's　story　yourself；〃　he　murmured　confidentially。　〃It　is　very　suggestive。〃　

〃Mademoiselle　would　doubtless　like　to　hear　it　also；〃　said　Poirot。　〃You　do　not　object；　Monsieur　le　missaire？〃　

〃No；〃　said　the　missary；　who　clearly　did　object　very　much。　〃No；　certainly；　M。　Poirot；　if　you　say　so。　You　have　finished　here？〃　

〃I　think　so。　One　little　minute。〃　

He　had　been　turning　over　the　rugs；　and　now　he　took　one　to　the　window　and　looked　at　it；　picking　something　off　it　with　his　fingers。　

〃What　is　it？〃　demanded　M。　Caux　sharply。　

〃Four　auburn　hairs。〃　He　bent　over　the　de