蓝色特快上的秘密-蓝色列车之谜-蓝色列车(英文版)- 第43部分

〃At　present；　no；　Mademoiselle。〃　

〃And　Dereek　will　be　arrested？〃　

〃At　once；　Mademoiselle。〃　

Mirelle　laughed　cruelly　and　drew　her　fur　draperies　closer　about　her。　

〃He　should　have　thought　of　this　before　he　insulted　me；〃　she　cried。　

〃There　is　one　little　matter　…〃　Poirot　coughed　apologetically　…　〃just　a　matter　of　detail。〃　

〃Yes？〃　

〃What　makes　you　think　Madame　Kettering　was　dead　when　the　train　left　Lyons？〃　

Mirelle　stared。　

〃But　she　was　dead。〃　

〃Was　she？〃　

〃Yes；　of　course。　I　…〃　

She　came　to　an　abrupt　stop。　Poirot　was　regarding　her　intently；　and　he　saw　the　wary　look　that　came　into　her　eyes。　

〃I　have　been　told　so。　Everybody　says　so。〃　

〃Oh；〃　said　Poirot；　〃I　was　not　aware　that　the　fact　had　been　mentioned　outside　the　Examining　Magistrate's　office。〃　

Mirelle　appeared　somewhat　disposed。　

〃One　hears　those　things；〃　she　said　vaguely；　〃they　get　about。　Somebody　told　me。　I　can't　remember　who　it　was。〃　

She　moved　to　the　door。　M。　Caux　sprang　forward　to　open　it　for　her；　and　as　he　did　so；　Poirot's　voice　rose　gently　once　more。　

〃And　the　jewels？　Pardon；　Mademoiselle。　Can　you　tell　me　anything　about　those？〃　

〃The　jewels？　What　jewels？〃　

〃The　rubies　of　Katherine　the　Great。　Since　you　hear　so　much；　you　must　have　heard　of　them。〃　

〃I　know　nothing　about　any　jewels；〃　said　Mirelle　sharply。　

She　went　out；　closing　the　door　behind　her。　M。　Caux　came　back　to　his　chair；　the　Examining　Magistrate　sighed。　

〃What　a　fury！〃　he　said；　〃but　diablement　chic。　I　wonder　if　she　is　telling　the　truth？　I　think　so。〃　

〃There　is　some　truth　in　her　story；　certainly；〃　said　Poirot。　〃We　have　confirmation　of　it　from　Miss　Grey。　She　was　looking　down　the　corridor　a　short　time　before　the　train　reached　Lyons　and　she　saw　M。　Kettering　go　into　his　wife's　partment。〃　

〃The　case　against　him　seems　quite　clear；〃　said　the　missary；　sighing；　〃it　is　a　thousand　pities；〃　he　murmured。　

〃How　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Poirot。　

〃It　has　been　the　ambition　of　my　life　to　lay　the　te　de　la　Roche　by　the　heels。　This　time；　ma　foi；　I　thought　we　had　got　him。　This　other　…　it　is　not　nearly　so　satisfactory。〃　

M。　Carrege　rubbed　his　nose。　

〃If　anything　goes　wrong；〃　he　observed　cautiously；　〃it　will　be　most　awkward。　M。　Kettering　is　of　the　aristocracy。　It　will　get　into　the　newspapers。　If　we　have　made　a　mistake　…〃　He　shrugged　his　shoulders　forebodingly。　

〃The　jewels　now；〃　said　the　missary；　〃what　do　you　think　he　has　done　with　them？〃　

〃He　took　them　for　a　plant；　of　course；〃　said　M。　Carrege；　〃they　must　have　been　a　great　inconvenience　to　him　and　very　awkward　to　dispose　of。〃　

Poirot　smiled。　

〃I　have　an　idea　of　my　own　about　the　jewels。　Tell　me；　Messieurs；　what　do　you　know　of　a　man　called　the　Marquis？〃　

The　missary　leant　forward　excitedly。　

〃The　Marquis；〃　he　said；　〃the　Marquis？　Do　you　think　he　is　mixed　up　in　this　affair；　M。　Poirot？〃　

〃I　ask　you　what　you　know　of　him。〃　

The　missary　made　an　expressive　grimace。　

〃Not　as　much　as　we　should　like　to；〃　he　observed　ruefully。　〃He　works　behind　the　scenes；　you　understand。　He　has　underlings　who　do　his　dirty　work　for　him。　But　he　is　someone　high　up。　That　we　are　sure　of。　He　does　not　e　from　the　criminal　classes。〃　

〃A　Frenchman？〃　

〃Yes。　At　least　we　believe　so。　But　we　are　not　sure。　He　has　worked　in　France；　in　England；　in　America。　There　was　a　series　of　robberies　in　Switzerland　last　autumn　which　were　laid　at　his　door。　By　all　accounts　he　is　a　grand　seigneur；　speaking　French　and　English　with　equal　perfection　and　his　origin　is　a　mystery。〃　

Poirot　nodded　and　rose　to　take　his　departure。　

〃Can　you　tell　us　nothing　more；　M。　Poirot？〃　urged　the　missary。　

〃At　present；　no；〃　said　Poirot；　〃but　I　may　have　news　awaiting　me　at　my　hotel。〃　

M。　Carrege　looked　unfortable。　〃If　the　Marquis　is　concerned　in　this　…〃　he　began；　and　then　stopped。　

〃It　upsets　our　ideas；〃　plained　M。　Caux。　

〃It　does　not　upset　mine；〃　said　Poirot。　〃On　the　contrary；　I　think　it　agrees　with　them　very　well。　Au　revoir；　Messieurs；　if　news　of　any　importance　es　to　me　I　will　municate　it　to　you　immediately。〃　

He　walked　back　to　his　hotel　with　a　grave　face。　In　his　absence　a　telegram　had　e　to　him。　Taking　a　paper…cutter　from　his　pocket；　he　slit　it　open。　It　was　a　long　telegram；　and　he　read　it　over　twice　before　slowly　putting　it　in　his　pocket。　Upstairs；　George　was　awaiting　his　master。　

〃I　am　fatigued；　Georges；　much　fatigued。　Will　you　order　for　me　a　small　pot　of　chocolate？〃　

The　chocolate　was　duly　ordered　and　brought；　and　George　set　it　at　the　little　table　at　his　master's　elbow。　As　he　was　preparing　to　retire；　Poirot　spoke：　

〃I　believe；　Georges；　that　you　have　a　good　knowledge　of　the　English　aristocracy？〃　murmured　Poirot。　

George　smiled　apologetically。　

〃I　think　that　I　might　say　that　I　have；　sir；〃　he　replied。　

〃I　suppose　that　it　is　your　opinion；　Georges；　that　criminals　are　invariably　drawn　from　the　lower　orders。〃　

〃Not　always；　sir。　There　was　great　trouble　with　one　of　the　Duke　of　Devize's　younger　sons。　He　left　Eton　under　a　cloud；　and　after　that　he　caused　great　anxiety　on　several　occasions。　The　police　would　not　accept　the　view　that　it　was　kleptomania。　A　very　clever　young　gentleman；　sir；　but　vicious　through　and　through；　if　you　take　my　meaning。　His　Grace　shipped　him　to　Australia；　and　I　hear　he　was　convicted　out　there　under　another　name。　Very　odd；　sir；　but　there　it　is。　The　young　gentleman；　I　need　hardly　say；　was　not　in　want　financially。〃　

Poirot　nodded　his　head　slowly。　

〃Love　of　excitement；〃　he　murmured；　〃and　a　little　kink　in　the　brain　somewhere。　I　wonder　now　…〃　

He　drew　out　the　telegram　from　his　pocket　and　read　it　again。　

〃Then　there　was　Lady　Mary　Fox's　daughter；〃　continued　the　valet　in　a　mood　of　reminiscence。　〃Swindled　trades…people　something　shocking；　she　did。　Very　worrying　to　the　best　families；　if　I　may　say　so；　and　there　are　many　other　queer　cases　I　could　mention。〃　

〃You　have　a　wide　experience；　Georges；〃　murmured　Poirot。　〃I　often　wonder　having　lived　so　exclusively　with　titled　families　that　you　demean　yourself　by　ing　as　a　valet　to　me。　I　put　it　down　to　love　of　excitement　on　your　part。〃　

〃Not　exactly；　sir；〃　said　George。　〃I　happened　to　see　in　Society　Snippets　that　you　had　been　received　at　Buckingham　Palace。　That　was　just　when　I　was　looking　for　a　new　situation。　His　Majesty；　so　it　said；　had　been　most　gracious　and　friendly　and　thought　very　highly　of　your　abilities。〃　

〃Ah；〃　said　Poirot；　〃one　always　likes　to　know　the　reason　for　things。〃　

He　remained　in　thought　for　a　few　moments　and　then　said：　

〃You　rang　up　Mademoiselle　Papopolous？〃　

〃Yes；　sir；　she　and　her　father　will　be　pleased　to　dine　with　you　tonight。〃　

〃Ah；〃　said　Poirot　thoughtfully。　He　drank　off　his　chocolate；　set　the　cup　and　saucer　neatly　in　the　middle　of　the　tray；　and　spoke　gently；　more　to　himself　than　to　the　valet。　

〃The　squirrel；　my　good　Georges；　collects　nuts。　He　stores　them　up　in　the　autumn　so　that　they　may　be　of　advantage　to　him　later。　To　make　a　success　of　humanity；　Georges；　we　must　profit　by　the　lessons　of　those　below　us　in　the　animal　kingdom。　I　have　always　done　so。　I　have　been　the　cat；　watching　at　the　mouse　hole。　I　have　been　the　good　dog　following　up　the　scent；　and　not　taking　my　nose　from　the　trail。　And　also；　my　good　Georges；　I　have　been　the　squi