蓝色特快上的秘密-蓝色列车之谜-蓝色列车(英文版)-第15章

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

〃Four　auburn　hairs。〃　He　bent　over　the　dead　woman。　〃Yes；　they　are　from　the　head　of　Madame。〃　

〃And　what　of　it？　Do　you　attach　importance　to　them？〃　

Poirot　let　the　rug　drop　back　on　the　seat。　

〃What　is　important？　What　is　not？　One　cannot　say　at　this　stage。　But　we　must　note　each　little　fact　carefully。〃　

They　went　back　again　into　the　first　partment；　and　in　a　minute　or　two　the　conductor　of　the　carriage　arrived　to　be　questioned。　

〃Your　name　is　Pierre　Michel？〃　said　the　missary。　

〃Yes；　Monsieur　le　missaire。〃　

〃I　should　like　you　to　repeat　to　this　gentleman　…〃　he　indicated　Poirot　…　〃the　story　that　you　told　me　as　to　what　happened　in　Paris。〃　

〃Very　good；　Monsieur　le　missaire。　It　was　after　we　had　left　the　Gare　de　Lyon。　I　came　along　to　make　the　beds；　thinking　that　Madame　would　be　at　dinner；　but　she　had　a　dinner…basket　in　her　partment。　She　said　to　me　that　she　had　been　obliged　to　leave　her　maid　behind　in　Paris；　so　that　I　only　need　make　up　one　berth。　She　took　her　dinner…basket　into　the　adjoining　partment；　and　sat　there　while　I　made　up　the　bed；　then　she　told　me　that　she　did　not　wish　to　be　wakened　early　in　the　morning；　that　she　liked　to　sleep　on。　I　told　her　I　quite　understood；　and　she　wished　me　'goodnight。'〃　

〃You　yourself　did　not　go　into　the　adjoining　partment？〃　

〃No；　Monsieur。〃　

〃Then　you　did　not　happen　to　notice　if　a　scarlet　morocco　case　was　amongst　the　luggage　there？〃　

〃No；　Monsieur；　I　did　not。〃　

〃Would　it　have　been　possible　for　a　man　to　have　been　concealed　in　the　adjoining　partment？〃　

The　conductor　reflected。　

〃The　door　was　half　open；〃　he　said。　〃If　a　man　had　stood　behind　that　door　I　should　not　have　been　able　to　see　him；　but　he　would；　of　course；　have　been　perfectly　visible　to　Madame　when　she　went　in　there。〃　

〃Quite　so；〃　said　Poirot；　〃Is　there　anything　more　you　have　to　tell　us？〃　

〃I　think　that　is　all；　Monsieur。　I　can　remember　nothing　else。〃　

〃And　now　this　morning？〃　prompted　Poirot。　

〃As　Madame　had　ordered；　I　did　not　disturb　her。　It　was　not　until　just　before　Cannes　that　I　ventured　to　knock　at　the　door。　Getting　no　reply；　I　opened　it。　The　lady　appeared　to　be　in　her　bed　asleep。　I　took　her　by　the　shoulder　to　rouse　her；　and　then　…〃　

〃And　then　you　saw　what　had　happened；〃　volunteered　Poirot。　〃Très　bien。　I　think　I　know　all　I　want　to　know。〃　

〃I　hope；　Monsieur　le　missaire；　it　is　not　that　I　have　been　guilty　of　any　negligence；〃　said　the　man　piteously。　〃Such　an　affair　to　happen　on　the　Blue　Train！　It　is　horrible。〃　

〃Console　yourself；〃　said　the　missary。　〃Everything　will　be　done　to　keep　the　affair　as　quiet　as　possible；　if　only　in　the　interests　of　justice。　I　cannot　think　you　have　been　guilty　of　any　negligence。〃　

〃And　Monsieur　le　missaire　will　report　as　much　to　the　pany？〃　

〃But　certainly；　but　certainly；〃　said　M。　Caux　impatiently。　〃That　will　do　now。〃　

The　conductor　withdrew。　

〃According　to　the　medical　evidence；〃　said　the　missary；　〃the　lady　was　probably　dead　before　the　train　reached　Lyons。　Who　then　was　the　murderer？　From　Mademoiselle's　story；　it　seems　clear　that　somewhere　on　her　journey　she　was　to　meet　this　man　of　whom　she　spoke。　Her　action　in　getting　rid　of　the　maid　seems　significant。　Did　the　man　join　the　train　at　Paris；　and　did　she　conceal　him　in　the　adjoining　partment？　If　so；　they　may　have　quarrelled；　and　he　may　have　killed　her　in　a　fit　of　rage。　That　is　one　possibility。　The　other；　and　the　more　likely　to　my　mind；　is　that　her　assailant　was　a　train　robber　travelling　on　the　train；　that　he　stole　along　the　corridor　unseen　by　the　conductor；　killed　her；　and　went　off　with　the　red　morocco　case　which　doubtless　contained　jewels　of　some　value。　In　all　probability　he　left　the　train　at　Lyons；　and　we　have　already　telegraphed　to　the　station　there　for　full　particulars　of　anyone　seen　leaving　the　train。〃　

〃Or　he　might　have　e　on　to　Nice；〃　suggested　Poirot。　

〃He　might；〃　agreed　the　missary；　〃but　that　would　be　a　very　bold　course。〃　

Poirot　let　a　minute　or　two　go　by　before　speaking；　and　then　he　said：　

〃In　the　latter　case　you　think　the　man　was　an　ordinary　train　robber？〃　

The　missary　shrugged　his　shoulders。　

〃It　depends。　We　must　get　hold　of　the　maid。　It　is　possible　that　she　has　the　red　morocco　case　with　her。　If　so；　then　the　man　of　whom　she　spoke　to　Mademoiselle　may　be　concerned　in　the　case；　and　the　affair　is　a　crime　of　passion。　I　myself　think　the　solution　of　a　train　robber　is　the　more　probable。　These　bandits　have　bee　very　bold　of　late。〃　

Poirot　looked　suddenly　across　to　Katherine。　

〃And　you；　Mademoiselle；〃　he　said；　〃you　heard　and　saw　nothing　during　the　night？〃　

〃Nothing；〃　said　Katherine。　

Poirot　turned　to　the　missary。　

〃We　need　detain　Mademoiselle　no　longer；　I　think；〃　he　suggested。　

The　latter　nodded。　

〃She　will　leave　us　her　address？〃　he　said。　

Katherine　gave　him　the　name　of　Lady　Tamplin's　villa。　Poirot　made　her　a　little　bow。　

〃You　permit　that　I　see　you　again；　Mademoiselle？〃　he　said。　〃Or　have　you　so　many　friends　that　your　time　will　be　all　taken　up？〃　

〃On　the　contrary；〃　said　Katherine；　〃I　shall　have　plenty　of　leisure；　and　I　shall　be　very　pleased　to　see　you　again。〃　

〃Excellent；〃　said　Poirot；　and　gave　her　a　little　friendly　nod。　〃This　shall　be　a　'Roman　Policier'　a　nous。　We　will　investigate　this　affair　together。〃　

Chapter　12　

AT　THE　VILLA　MARGUERITE

〃Then　you　were　really　in　the　thick　of　it　all！〃　said　Lady　Tamplin　enviously。　〃My　dear；　how　thrilling！〃　She　opened　her　china　blue　eyes　very　wide　and　gave　a　little　sigh。　

〃A　real　murder；〃　said　Mr　Evans　gloatingly。　

〃Of　course　Chubby　had　no　idea　of　anything　of　the　kind；〃　went　on　Lady　Tamplin；　〃he　simply　could　not　imagine　why　the　police　wanted　you。　My　dear；　what　an　opportunity！　I　think；　you　know　…　yes；　I　certainly　think　something　might　be　made　out　of　this。〃　

A　calculating　look　rather　marred　the　ingenuousness　of　the　blue　eyes。　

Katherine　felt　slightly　unfortable。　They　were　just　finishing　lunch；　and　she　looked　in　turn　at　the　three　people　sitting　round　the　table。　Lady　Tamplin；　full　of　practical　schemes；　Mr　Evans；　beaming　with　naive　appreciation；　and　Lenox　ile　on　her　dark　face。　

〃Marvellous　luck；〃　murmured　Chubby。　〃I　wish　I　could　have　gone　along　with　you　…　and　seen　…　all　the　exhibits。〃　

His　tone　was　wistful　and　childlike。　

Katherine　said　nothing。　The　police　had　laid　no　injunctions　of　secrecy　upon　her；　and　it　was　clearly　impossible　to　suppress　the　bare　facts　or　try　to　keep　them　from　her　hostess。　

But　she　did　rather　wish　it　had　been　possible　to　do　so。　

〃Yes；〃　said　Lady　Tamplin；　ing　suddenly　out　of　her　reverie；　〃I　do　think　something　might　be　done。　A　little　account；　you　know；　cleverly　written　up。　An　eyewitness；　a　feminine　touch：　'How　I　chatted　with　the　dead　woman；　little　thinking　…'　that　sort　of　thing；　you　know。〃　

〃Rot！〃　said　Lenox。　

〃You　have　no　idea；〃　said　Lady　Tamplin　in　a　soft；　wistful　voice；　〃what　newspapers　will　pay　for　a　little　tit…bit！　Written；　of　course；　by　someone　of　really　unimpeachable　social　position。　You　would　not　like　to　do　it　yourself；　I　dare　say；　Katherine　dear；　but　just　give　me　the　bare　bones　of　it；　and　I　will　manage　the　whole　thing　for　you。　Mr　de　Haviland　is　a　special　friend　of　mine。　We　have　a　little　understanding　together。　A　most　delightful　man　…　not　at　all　reporterish。　How　does　the　idea　strike　you；　Katherine？〃　

〃I　would　much　prefer　to　do　nothing　of　the　kind；〃　said　Katherine　bluntly。　

Lady　Tamplin　was　rather　disconcerted　at　this　unpromising　refusal。　She　sighed　and　turned　to　the　elucidation　of　further　details。　

〃A　very　striking…looking　woman；　you　said？　I　wonder　now　who　she　could　have　been。　You　didn't　hear　her　name？〃　

〃It　was　mentioned；〃　Katherine　admitted；　〃but　I　can't　remember　it。　You　see；　I　was　rather　upset。〃　

〃I　should　think　so；〃　said　Mr　Evans；　〃it　must　have　been　a　beastly　shock。〃　

It　is　to　be　doubted　whether；　even　if　Katherine　had　remembered　the　name；　she　would　have　admitted　the　fact。　Lady　Tamplin's　remorseless　cross…examination　was　making　her　restive。　Lenox；　who　was　observant　in　her　own　way；　noticed　this；　and　offered　to　take　Katherine　upstairs　to　see　her　room。　She　left　her　there；　remarking　kindly　before　she　went；　〃You　mustn't　mind　Mother；　she　would　make　a　few　pennies'　profit　out　of　her　dying　grandmother　if　she　could。〃　

Lenox　went　down　again　to　find　her　mother　and　her　stepfather　discussing　the　newer。　

〃Presentable；〃　said　Lady　Tamplin；　〃quite　presentable。　Her　clothes　are　all　right。　That　grey　thing　is　the　same　model　that　Gladys　Cooper　wore　in　Palm　Trees　in　Egypt　…〃　

〃Have　you　noticed　her　eyes　…　what？〃　interposed　Mr　Evans。　

〃Never　mind　her　eyes；　Chubby；〃　said　Lady　Tamplin　tartly；　〃we　are　discussing　the　things　that　really　matter。〃　

〃Oh；　quite；〃　said　Mr　Evans；　and　retired　into　his　shell。　

〃She　doesn't　seem　to　me　very　…　malleable；〃　said　Lady　Tamplin；　rather　hesitating　to　choose　the　right　word。　

〃She　has　all　the　instincts　of　a　lady；　as　they　say　in　books；〃　said　Lenox；　with　a　grin。　

〃Narrow…minded；〃　murmured　Lady　Tamplin。　〃Inevitable　under　the　circumstances；　I　suppose。〃　

〃I　expect　you　will　do　your　best　to　broaden　her；〃　said　Lenox；　with　a　grin；　〃but　you　will　have　your　work　cut　out。　Just　now；　you　noticed；　she　stuck　down　her　forefeet　and　laid　back　her　ears　and　refused　to　budge。〃　

〃Anyway；〃　said　Lady　Tampl