蓝色特快上的秘密-蓝色列车之谜-蓝色列车(英文版)- 第31部分

〃Ah〃　said　the　te；　〃doubtless　at　that　hour　Marie　was　out　doing　her　afternoon　marketing？〃　

〃That　is　so；　Monsieur　le　te。〃　

〃Ah；　well；〃　said　the　te；　〃it　is　of　no　importance。　A　mistake。〃　

He　went　upstairs；　smiling　to　himself。　

Once　within　his　own　room；　he　bolted　his　door　and　looked　sharply　round。　Everything　seemed　as　usual。　He　opened　various　drawers　and　cupboards。　Then　he　nodded　to　himself。　

Things　had　been　replaced　almost　exactly　as　he　had　left　them；　but　not　quite。　It　was　evident　that　a　very　thorough　search　had　been　made。　

He　went　over　to　the　bureau　and　pressed　the　hidden　spring。　The　drawer　flew　open；　but　the　hair　was　no　longer　where　he　had　placed　it。　He　nodded　his　head　several　times。　

〃They　are　excellent；　our　French　police；〃　he　murmured　to　himself　…　〃excellent。　Nothing　escapes　them。〃

Chapter　20　

KATHERINE　MAKES　A　FRIEND

On　the　following　morning　Katherine　and　Lenox　were　sitting　on　the　terrace　of　the　Villa　Marguerite。　Something　in　the　nature　of　a　friendship　was　springing　up　between　them；　despite　the　difference　in　age。　But　for　Lenox；　Katherine　would　have　found　life　at　the　Villa　Marguerite　quite　intolerable。　The　Kettering　case　was　the　topic　of　the　moment。　Lady　Tamplin　frankly　exploited　her　guest's　connection　with　the　affair　for　all　it　was　worth。　

The　most　persistent　rebuffs　that　Katherine　could　administer　quite　failed　to　pierce　Lady　Tamplin's　self…esteem。　Lenox　adopted　a　detached　attitude；　seemingly　amused　at　her　mother's　manoeuvres；　and　yet　with　a　sympathetic　understanding　of　Katherine's　feelings。　

The　situation　was　not　helped　by　Chubby；　whose　naive　delight　was　unquenchable；　and　who　introduced　Katherine　to　all　and　sundry　as：　

〃This　is　Miss　Grey。　You　know　that　Blue　Train　business？　She　was　in　it　up　to　the　ears！　Had　a　long　talk　with　Ruth　Kettering　a　few　hours　before　the　murder！　Bit　of　luck　for　her；　eh？〃　

A　few　remarks　of　this　kind　had　provoked　Katherine　that　morning　to　an　unusually　tart　rejoinder；　and　when　they　were　alone　together　Lenox　observed　in　her　slow　drawl：　

〃Not　used　to　exploitation；　are　you？　You　have　a　lot　to　learn；　Katherine。〃　

〃I　am　sorry　I　lost　my　temper。　I　don't；　as　a　rule。〃　

〃It　is　about　time　you　learnt　to　blow　off　steam。　Chubby　is　only　an　ass；　there　is　no　harm　in　him。　Mother；　of　course；　is　trying；　but　you　can　lose　your　temper　with　her　until　Kingdom　e；　and　it　won't　make　any　impression。　She　will　open　large；　sad　blue　eyes　at　you　and　not　care　a　bit。〃　

Katherine　made　no　reply　to　this　filial　observation；　and　Lenox　presently　went　on：　

〃I　am　rather　like　Chubby。　I　delight　in　a　good　murder；　and　besides　…　well；　knowing　Derek　makes　a　difference。〃　

Katherine　nodded。　

〃So　you　lunched　with　him　yesterday；〃　pursued　Lenox　reflectively。　〃Do　you　like　him；　Katherine？〃　

Katherine　considered　for　a　minute　or　two。　

〃I　don't　know；〃　she　said　very　slowly。　

〃He　is　very　attractive。〃　

〃Yes；　he　is　attractive。〃　

〃What　don't　you　like　about　him？〃　

Katherine　did　not　reply　to　the　question　or　at　any　rate　not　directly。　〃He　spoke　of　his　wife's　death；〃　she　said。　〃He　said　he　would　not　pretend　that　it　had　been　anything　but　a　bit　of　most　marvellous　luck　for　him。〃　

〃And　that　shocked　you；　I　suppose；〃　said　Lenox。　She　paused；　and　then　added　in　rather　a　queer　tone　of　voice：　〃He　likes　you；　Katherine。〃　

〃He　gave　me　a　very　good　lunch；〃　said　Katherine；　smiling。　

Lenox　refused　to　be　sidetracked。　

〃I　saw　it　the　night　he　came　here；〃　she　said　thoughtfully。　〃The　way　he　looked　at　you；　and　you　are　not　his　usual　type　…　just　the　opposite。　Well；　I　suppose　it　is　like　religion　…　you　get　it　at　a　certain　age。〃　

〃Mademoiselle　is　wanted　at　the　telephone；〃　said　Marie；　appearing　at　the　window　of　the　salon。　〃M。　Hercule　Poirot　desires　to　speak　with　her。〃　

〃More　blood　and　thunder。　Go　on；　Katherine；　go　and　dally　with　your　detective。〃　

M。　Hercule　Poirot's　voice　came　neat　and　precise　in　its　intonation　to　Katherine's　ear。　

〃That　is　Mademoiselle　Grey　who　speaks？　Mademoiselle；　I　have　a　word　for　you　from　M。　Van　Aldin；　the　father　of　Madame　Kettering。　He　wishes　very　much　to　speak　with　you；　either　at　the　Villa　Marguerite　or　at　his　hotel；　whichever　you　prefer。〃　

Katherine　reflected　for　a　moment；　but　she　decided　that　for　Van　Aldin　to　e　to　the　Villa　Marguerite　would　be　both　painful　and　unnecessary。　Lady　Tamplin　would　have　hailed　his　advent　with　far　too　much　delight。　She　never　lost　a　chance　of　cultivating　millionaires。　She　told　Poirot　that　she　would　much　rather　e　to　Nice。　

〃Excellent；　Mademoiselle。　I　will　call　for　you　myself　in　an　auto。　Shall　we　say　in　about　three…quarters　of　an　hour？〃　

Punctually　to　the　moment　Poirot　appeared。　Katherine　was　waiting　for　him；　and　they　drove　off　at　once。　

〃Well；　Mademoiselle；　how　goes　it？〃　

She　looked　at　his　twinkling　eyes；　and　was　confirmed　in　her　first　impression　that　there　was　something　very　attractive　about　M。　Hercule　Poirot。　

〃This　is　our　own　Roman　Policier；　is　it　not？〃　said　Poirot。　〃I　made　you　the　promise　that　we　should　study　it　together。　And　me　…　I　always　keep　my　promises。〃　

〃You　are　too　kind；〃　murmured　Katherine。　

〃Ah；　you　mock　yourself　at　me；　but　do　you　want　to　hear　the　developments　of　the　case　or　do　you　not？〃　

Katherine　admitted　that　she　did；　and　Poirot　proceeded　to　sketch　for　her　a　thumbnail　portrait　of　the　te　de　la　Roche。　

〃You　think　he　killed　her；〃　said　Katherine　thoughtfully。　

〃That　is　the　theory；〃　said　Poirot　guardedly。　

〃Do　you　yourself　believe　that？〃　

〃I　did　not　say　so。　And　you；　Mademoiselle；　what　do　you　think？〃　

Katherine　shook　her　head。　

〃How　should　I　know？　I　don't　know　anything　about　those　things；　but　I　should　say　that　…〃　

〃Yes；〃　said　Poirot　encouragingly。　

〃Well　…　from　what　you　say　the　Count　does　not　sound　the　kind　of　man　who　would　actually　kill　anybody。〃　

〃Ah！　Very　good；〃　cried　Poirot；　〃you　agree　with　me；　that　is　just　what　I　have　said。〃　

He　looked　at　her　sharply。　〃But　tell　me；　you　have　met　Mr　Derek　Kettering？〃　

〃I　met　him　at　Lady　Tamplin's；　and　I　lunched　with　him　yesterday。〃　

〃A　mauvais　sujet；〃　said　Poirot；　shaking　his　head；　〃but　les　femmes　…　they　like　that；　eh？〃　

He　twinkled　at　Katherine　and　she　laughed。　

〃He　is　the　kind　of　man　one　would　notice　anywhere；〃　continued　Poirot。　〃Doubtless　you　observed　him　on　the　Blue　Train？〃　

〃Yes；　I　noticed　him。〃　

〃In　the　restaurant　car？〃　

〃No。　I　didn't　notice　him　at　meals　at　all。　I　only　saw　him　once　…　going　into　his　wife's　partment。〃　

Poirot　nodded。　〃A　strange　business；〃　he　murmured。　〃I　believe　you　said　you　were　awake；　Mademoiselle；　and　looked　out　of　your　window　at　Lyons？　You　saw　no　tall　dark　man　such　as　the　te　de　la　Roche　leave　the　train？〃　

Katherine　shook　her　head。　〃I　don't　think　I　saw　anyone　at　all；〃　she　said。　〃There　was　a　youngish　lad　in　a　cap　and　overcoat　who　got　out；　but　I　don't　think　he　was　leaving　the　train；　only　walking　up　and　down　the　platform。　There　was　a　fat　Frenchman　with　a　beard；　in　pyjamas　and　an　overcoat；　who　wanted　a　cup　of　coffee。　Otherwise；　I　think　there　were　only　the　train　attendants。〃　

Poirot　nodded　his　head　several　times。　〃It　is　like　this；　you　see；〃　he　confided；　〃the　te　de　la　Roche　has　an　alibi。　An　alibi；　it　is　a　very　pestilential　thing；　and　always　open　to　the　gravest　suspicion。　But　here　we　are！〃　

They　went　stra