蓝色特快上的秘密-蓝色列车之谜-蓝色列车(英文版)- 第35部分

There　was　a　pause。　

〃And　in　what　way　can　I　assist　you；　Mr　Poirot？〃　asked　the　dealer　politely。　

〃Voilà；〃　said　Poirot；　〃I　shall　e　to　the　point。〃　He　took　from　his　pocket　the　same　box　that　he　had　displayed　at　Cannes；　and　opening　it；　he　took　out　the　rubies　and　pushed　them　across　the　table　to　Papopolous。　

Although　Poirot　was　watching　him　narrowly；　not　a　muscle　of　the　old　man's　face　moved。　He　took　up　the　jewels　and　examined　them　with　a　kind　of　detached　interest；　then　he　looked　across　at　the　detective　inquiringly：　

〃Superb；　are　they　not？〃　asked　Poirot。　

〃Quite　excellent；〃　said　M。　Papopolous。　

〃How　much　should　you　say　they　are　worth？〃　

The　Greek's　face　quivered　a　little。　

〃Is　it　really　necessary　to　tell　you；　M。　Poirot？〃　he　asked。　

〃You　are　shrewd；　M。　Papopolous。　No；　it　is　not。　They　are　not；　for　instance；　worth　five　hundred　thousand　dollars。〃　

Papopolous　laughed；　and　Poirot　joined　with　him。　

〃As　an　imitation；〃　said　Papopolous；　handing　them　back　to　Poirot；　〃they　are；　as　I　said；　quite　excellent。　Would　it　be　indiscreet　to　ask；　M。　Poirot；　where　you　came　across　them？〃　

〃Not　at　all；〃　said　Poirot；　〃I　have　no　objection　to　telling　an　old　friend　like　yourself。　They　were　in　the　possession　of　the　te　de　la　Roche。〃　

M。　Papopolous'　eyebrows　lifted　themselves　eloquently。　

〃In…deed；〃　he　murmured。　

Poirot　leant　forward　and　assumed　his　most　innocent　and　beguiling　air。　

〃M。　Papopolous；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　going　to　lay　my　cards　upon　the　table。　The　original　of　these　jewels　was　stolen　from　Madame　Kettering　on　the　Blue　Train。　Now　I　will　say　to　you　first　this：　I　am　not　concerned　with　the　recovery　of　these　jewels。　That　is　the　affair　of　the　police。　I　am　working　not　for　the　police　but　for　M。　Van　Aldin。　I　want　to　lay　hands　on　the　man　who　killed　Madame　Kettering。　I　am　interested　in　the　jewels　only　in　so　far　as　they　may　lead　me　to　the　man。　You　understand？〃　

The　last　two　words　were　uttered　with　great　magnificence。　M。　Papopolous；　his　face　quite　unmoved；　said　quietly：　〃Go　on。〃　

〃It　seems　to　me　probable；　Monsieur；　that　the　jewels　will　change　hands　in　Nice　…　maybe　they　have　done　so。〃　

〃Ah！〃　said　M。　Papopolous。　

He　sipped　his　coffee　reflectively；　and　looked　a　shade　more　noble　and　patriarchal　than　usual。　

〃I　say　to　myself；〃　continued　Poirot；　with　animation；　〃what　good　fortune！　My　old　friend；　M。　Papopolous；　is　in　Nice。　He　will　aid　me。〃　

〃And　how　do　you　think　I　can　aid　you？〃　inquired　M。　Papopolous　coldly。　

〃I　said　to　myself；　without　doubt　M。　Papopolous　is　in　Nice　on　business。〃　

〃Not　at　all；〃　said　M。　Papopolous；　〃I　am　here　for　my　health　…　by　the　doctor's　orders。〃　

He　coughed　hollowly。　

〃I　am　desolated　to　hear　it；〃　replied　Poirot；　with　somewhat　insincere　sympathy。　〃But　to　continue。　When　a　Russian　Grand　Duke；　an　Austrian　Archduchess；　or　an　Italian　Prince　wish　to　dispose　of　their　family　jewels　…　to　whom　do　they　go？　To　M。　Papopolous；　is　it　not？　He　who　is　famous　all　over　the　world　for　the　discretion　with　which　he　arranges　these　things。〃　

The　other　bowed。　

〃You　flatter　me。〃　

〃It　is　a　great　thing；　discretion；〃　mused　Poirot；　and　was　rewarded　by　the　fleeting　smile　which　passed　across　the　Greek's　face。　〃I；　too；　can　be　discreet。〃　

The　eyes　of　the　two　men　met。　

Then　Poirot　went　on　speaking　very　slowly；　and　obviously　picking　his　words　with　care。　

〃I　say　to　myself；　this：　if　these　jewels　have　changed　hands　in　Nice；　M。　Papopolous　would　have　heard　of　it。　He　has　knowledge　of　all　that　passes　in　the　jewel　world。〃　

〃Ah！〃　said　M。　Papopolous；　and　helped　himself　to　a　croissant。　

〃The　police；　you　understand；〃　said　M。　Poirot；　〃do　not　enter　into　the　matter。　It　is　a　personal　affair。〃　

〃One　hears　rumours；〃　admitted　M。　Papopolous　cautiously。　

〃Such　as？〃　prompted　Poirot。　

〃Is　there　any　reason　why　I　should　pass　them　on？〃　

〃Yes；〃　said　Poirot；　〃I　think　there　is。　You　may　remember；　M。　Papopolous；　that　seventeen　years　ago　there　was　a　certain　article　in　your　hands；　left　there　as　security　by　a　very　…　er　…　Prominent　Person。　It　was　in　your　keeping　and　it　unaccountably　disappeared。　You　were；　if　I　may　use　the　English　expression；　in　the　soup。〃　

His　eyes　came　gently　round　to　the　girl。　She　had　pushed　her　cup　and　plate　aside；　and　with　both　elbows　on　the　table　and　her　chin　resting　on　her　hands　was　listening　eagerly。　Still　keeping　an　eye　on　her　he　went　on：　

〃I　am　in　Paris　at　the　time。　You　send　for　me。　You　place　yourself　in　my　hands。　If　I　restore　to　you　that　…　article；　you　say　I　shall　earn　your　undying　gratitude。　Eh　bien！　I　did　restore　it　to　you。〃　

A　long　sigh　came　from　M。　Papopolous。　

〃It　was　the　most　unpleasant　moment　of　my　career；〃　he　murmured。　

〃Seventeen　years　is　a　long　time；〃　said　Poirot　thoughtfully；　〃but　I　believe　that　I　am　right　in　saying；　Monsieur；　that　your　race　does　not　forget。〃　

〃A　Greek？〃　murmured　Papopolous；　with　an　ironical　smile。　

〃It　was　not　as　a　Greek　I　meant；〃　said　Poirot。　

There　was　a　silence；　and　then　the　old　man　drew　himself　up　proudly。　

〃You　are　right；　M。　Poirot；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃I　am　a　Jew。　And；　as　you　say；　our　race　does　not　forget。〃　

〃You　will　aid　me　then？〃　

〃As　regards　the　jewels；　Monsieur；　I　can　do　nothing。〃　

The　old　man；　as　Poirot　had　done　just　now；　picked　his　words　carefully。　

〃I　know　nothing。　I　have　heard　nothing；　but　I　can　perhaps　do　you　a　good　turn　…　that　is　if　you　are　interested　in　racing。〃　

〃Under　certain　circumstances　I　might　be；〃　said　Poirot；　eyeing　him　steadily。　

〃There　is　a　horse　running　at　Longchamps　that　would；　I　think；　repay　attention。　I　cannot　say　for　certain；　you　understand；　this　news　passed　through　so　many　hands。〃　

He　stopped；　fixing　Poirot　with　his　eye；　as　though　to　make　sure　that　the　latter　was　prehending　him。　

〃Perfectly；　perfectly；〃　said　Poirot；　nodding。　

〃The　name　of　the　horse；〃　said　M。　Papopolous；　leaning　back　and　joining　the　tips　of　his　fingers　together；　〃is　the　Marquis。　I　think；　but　I　am　not　sure；　that　it　is　an　English　horse；　eh；　Zia？〃　

〃I　think　so　too；〃　said　the　girl。　

Poirot　got　up　briskly。　

〃I　thank　you；　Monsieur；〃　he　said。　〃It　is　a　great　thing　to　have　what　the　English　call　a　tip　from　the　stable。　Au　revoir；　Monsieur；　and　many　thanks。〃　

He　turned　to　the　girl。　

〃Au　revoir；　Mademoiselle　Zia。　It　seems　to　me　but　yesterday　that　I　saw　you　in　Paris。　One　would　say　that　two　years　had　passed　at　most。〃　

〃There　is　a　difference　between　sixteen　and　thirty…three；〃　said　Zia　ruefully。　

〃Not　in　your　case；〃　declared　Poirot　gallantly。　〃You　and　your　father　will　perhaps　dine　with　me　one　night。〃　

〃We　shall　be　delighted；〃　replied　Zia。　

〃Then　we　will　arrange　it；〃　declared　Poirot；　〃and　now　…　je　me　sauve。〃　

Poirot　walked　along　the　street　humming　a　little　tune　to　himself。　He　twirled　his　stick　with　a　jaunty　air；　once　or　twice　he　smiled　to　himself　quietly。　He　turned　into　the　first　Bureau　de　Poste　he　came　to　and　sent　off　a　telegram。　

He　took　some　time　in　wording　it；　but　it　was　in　code　and　he　had　to　call　upon　his　memory。　It　purported　to　deal　with　a　missing　scarf…pin；　and　was　addressed　to　Inspector　Japp；　Scotland　Yard。　

Decoded；　it　was　short　and　to　the　point。　〃Wire　me　everything　known　about　man　arquis。〃　

Chapter　23　

A　NEW　THEORY

It　was　exactly　eleven　o'clock　when　Poirot　presented　himself　at　Van　Ald