蓝色特快上的秘密-蓝色列车之谜-蓝色列车(英文版)- 第36部分

Chapter　23　

A　NEW　THEORY

It　was　exactly　eleven　o'clock　when　Poirot　presented　himself　at　Van　Aldin's　hotel。　He　found　the　millionaire　alone。　

〃You　are　punctual；　M。　Poirot；〃　he　said；　with　a　smile；　as　he　rose　to　greet　the　detective。　

〃I　am　always　punctual；〃　said　Poirot。　〃The　exactitude　…　always　do　I　observe　it。　Without　order　and　method　…〃　

He　broke　off。　〃Ah；　but　it　is　possible　that　I　have　said　these　things　to　you　before。　Let　us　e　at　once　to　the　object　of　my　visit。〃　

〃Your　little　idea？〃　

〃Yes；　my　little　idea。〃　Poirot　smiled。　〃First　of　all；　Monsieur；　I　should　like　to　interview　once　more　the　maid；　Ada　Mason。　She　is　here？〃　

〃Yes；　she's　here。〃　

〃Ah！〃　

Van　Aldin　looked　at　him　curiously。　He　rang　the　bell；　and　a　messenger　was　dispatched　to　find　Mason。　

Poirot　greeted　her　with　his　usual　politeness；　which　was　never　without　effect　on　that　particular　class。　

〃Good　afternoon；　Mademoiselle；〃　he　said　cheerfully。　〃Be　seated；　will　you　not；　if　Monsieur　permits。〃　

〃Yes；　yes；　sit　down；　my　girl；〃　said　Van　Aldin。　

〃Thank　you；　sir；〃　said　Mason　primly；　and　she　sat　down　on　the　extreme　edge　of　a　chair。　She　looked　bonier　and　more　acid　than　ever。　

〃I　have　e　to　ask　you　yet　more　questions；〃　said　Poirot。　〃We　must　get　to　the　bottom　of　this　affair。　Alan　in　the　train。　You　have　been　shown　the　te　de　la　Roche。　You　say　that　it　is　possible　he　was　the　man；　but　you　are　not　sure。〃　

〃As　I　told　you；　sir；　I　never　saw　the　gentleman's　face。　That　is　what　makes　it　so　difficult。〃　

Poirot　beamed　and　nodded。　

〃Precisely；　exactly。　I　prehend　well　the　difficulty。　Now；　Mademoiselle；　you　have　been　in　the　service　of　Madame　Kettering　two　months；　you　say。　During　that　time；　how　often　did　you　see　your　master？〃　

Mason　reflected　a　minute　or　two；　and　then　said：　

〃Only　twice；　sir。〃　

〃And　was　that　near　to；　or　far　away？〃　

〃Well　once；　sir；　he　came　to　Curzon　Street。　I　was　upstairs；　and　I　looked　over　the　banisters　and　saw　him　in　the　hall　below。　I　was　a　bit　curious　like；　you　understand；　knowing　the　way　things　…　er　…　were。〃　Mason　finished　up　with　her　discreet　cough。　

〃And　the　other　time？〃　

〃I　was　in　the　Park；　sir；　with　Annie　…　one　of　the　housemaids；　sir；　and　she　pointed　out　the　master　to　me　walking　with　a　foreign　lady。〃　

Again　Poirot　nodded。　

〃Now　listen；　Mason；　this　man　whom　you　saw　in　the　carriage　talking　to　your　mistress　at　the　Gare　de　Lyon；　how　do　you　know　it　was　not　your　master？〃　

〃The　master；　sir？　Oh；　I　don't　think　it　would　have　been。〃　

〃But　you　are　not　sure；〃　Poirot　persisted。　

〃Well　…　I　never　thought　of　it；　sir。〃　

Mason　was　clearly　upset　at　the　idea。　

〃You　have　heard　that　your　master　was　also　on　the　train。　What　more　natural　than　that　it　should　be　he　who　came　along　the　corridor。〃　

〃But　the　gentleman　who　was　talking　to　the　mistress　must　have　e　from　outside；　sir。　He　was　dressed　for　the　street。　In　an　overcoat　and　soft　hat。〃　

〃Just　so；　Mademoiselle；　but　reflect　a　minute。　The　train　has　just　arrived　at　the　Gare　de　Lyon。　Many　of　the　passengers　promenade　themselves　upon　the　quay。　Your　mistress　was　about　to　do　so；　and　for　that　purpose　had　doubtless　put　on　her　fur　coat；　eh？〃　

〃Yes；　sir；〃　agreed　Mason。　

〃Your　master；　then；　does　the　same。　The　train　is　heated；　but　outside　in　the　station　it　is　cold。　He　puts　on　his　overcoat　and　his　hat　and　he　walks　along　beside　the　train；　and　looking　up　at　the　lighted　windows　he　suddenly　sees　Madame　Kettering。　Until　then　he　has　had　no　idea　that　she　was　on　the　train。　Naturally；　he　mounts　the　carriage　and　goes　to　her　partment。　She　gives　an　exclamation　of　surprise　at　seeing　him　and　quickly　shuts　the　door　between　the　two　partments　since　it　is　possible　that　their　conversation　may　be　of　a　private　nature。〃　

He　leaned　back　in　his　chair　and　watched　the　suggestion　slowly　take　effect。　No　one　knew　better　than　Hercule　Poirot　that　the　class　to　which　Mason　belongs　cannot　be　hurried。　

He　must　give　her　time　to　get　rid　of　her　own　preconceived　ideas。　At　the　end　of　three　minutes　she　spoke：　

〃Well；　of　course；　sir；　it　might　be　so。　I　never　thought　of　it　that　way。　The　master　is　tall　and　dark；　and　just　about　that　build。　It　was　seeing　the　hat　and　coat　that　made　me　say　it　was　a　gentleman　from　outside。　Yes；　it　might　have　been　the　master。　I　would　not　like　to　say　either　way；　I　am　sure。〃　

〃Thank　you　very　much；　Mademoiselle。　I　shall　not　require　you　any　further。　Ah；　just　one　thing　more。〃　He　took　from　his　pocket　the　cigarette　case　he　had　already　shown　to　Katherine。　〃Is　that　your　mistress's　case？〃　he　said　to　Mason。　

〃No；　sir；　it　is　not　the　mistress's　…　at　least　…〃　

She　looked　suddenly　startled。　An　idea　was　clearly　working　its　way　to　the　forefront　of　her　mind。　

〃Yes；〃　said　Poirot　encouragingly。　

〃I　think；　sir　…　I　can't　be　sure；　but　I　think　…　it　is　a　case　that　the　mistress　bought　to　give　to　the　master。〃　

〃Ah；〃　said　Poirot　in　a　nonmittal　manner。　

〃But　whether　she　ever　did　give　it　to　him　or　not；　I　can't　say；　of　course。〃　

〃Precisely；〃　said　Poirot；　〃precisely。　That　is　all；　I　think；　Mademoiselle。　I　wish　you　good　afternoon。〃　

Ada　Mason　retired　discreetly；　closing　the　door　noiselessly　behind　her。　

Poirot　looked　across　at　Van　Aldin；　a　faint　smile　upon　his　face。　The　millionaire　looked　thunderstruck。　

〃You　think　…　you　think　it　was　Derek？〃　he　queried；　〃but　…　everything　points　the　other　way。　Why；　the　Count　has　actually　been　caught　red…handed　with　the　jewels　on　him。〃　

〃No。〃　

〃But　you　told　me　…〃　

〃What　did　I　tell　you？〃　

〃That　story　about　the　jewels。　You　showed　them　to　me。〃　

〃No。〃　

Van　Aldin　stared　at　him。　

〃You　mean　to　say　you　didn't　show　them　to　me。〃　

〃No。〃　

〃Yesterday　…　at　the　tennis？〃　

〃No。〃　

〃Are　you　crazy；　M。　Poirot；　or　am　I？〃　

〃Neither　of　us　is　crazy；〃　said　the　detective。　〃You　ask　me　a　question；　I　answer　it。　You　say　have　I　not　shown　you　the　jewels　that　day？　I　reply　…　no。　What　I　showed　you；　Van　Aldin；　was　a　first…class　imitation；　not　to　be　distinguished　except　by　an　expert　from　the　real　ones。〃　

Chapter　24　

POIROT　GIVES　ADVICE

It　took　the　millionaire　some　few　minutes　to　take　the　thing　in。　He　stared　at　Poirot　as　though　dumbfounded。　The　little　Belgian　nodded　at　him　gently。　

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃it　alters　the　position；　does　it　not？〃　

〃Imitation！〃　

He　leaned　forward。　

〃All　along；　M。　Poirot；　you　have　had　this　idea？　All　along　this　is　what　you　have　been　driving　at？　You　never　believed　that　the　te　de　la　Roche　was　the　murderer？〃　

〃I　have　had　doubts；〃　said　Poirot　quietly。　〃I　said　as　much　to　you。　Robbery　with　violence　and　murder　…〃　he　shook　his　head　energetically　…　〃no；　it　is　difficult　to　picture。　It　does　not　harmonize　with　the　personality　of　the　te　de　la　Roche。〃　

〃But　you　believe　that　he　meant　to　steal　the　rubies？〃　

〃Certainly。　There　is　no　doubt　as　to　that。　See；　I　will　recount　to　you　the　affair　as　I　see　it。　The　te　knew　of　the　rubies　and　he　laid　his　plans　accordingly。　He　made　up　a　romantic　story　of　a　book　he　was　writing；　so　as　to　induce　your　daughter　to　bring　them　with　her。　He　provided　himself　with　an　exact　duplicate。　It　is　clear；　is　it　not；　that　substitution　is　what　he　was　after。　Madame；　your　daughter；　was　not　an　expert　on　jewels。　It　would　probably　be　a　long　time　before　she　discovered　what　had　occurred。　When　she　did　so　…　well　…　I