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第26章

蓝色特快上的秘密-蓝色列车之谜-蓝色列车(英文版)-第26章


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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

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