蓝色特快上的秘密-蓝色列车之谜-蓝色列车(英文版)-第32部分

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　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　do　not　think　she　would　prosecute　the　te。　Too　much　would　e　out。　He　would　have　in　his　possession　various　letters　of　hers。　Oh　yes；　a　very　safe　scheme　from　the　te's　point　of　view　…　one　that　he　has　probably　carried　out　before。〃　

〃It　seems　clear　enough；　yes；〃　said　Van　Aldin　musingly。　

〃It　accords　with　the　personality　of　the　te　de　la　Roche；〃　said　Poirot。　

〃Yes；　but　now　…〃　Van　Aldin　looked　searchingly　at　the　other。　〃What　actually　happened？　Tell　me　that；　M。　Poirot。〃　

Poirot　shrugged　his　shoulders。　

〃It　is　quite　simple；〃　he　said；　〃someone　stepped　in　ahead　of　the　te。〃　

There　was　a　long　pause。　

Van　Aldin　seemed　to　be　turning　things　over　in　his　mind。　When　he　spoke　it　was　without　beating　about　the　bush。　

〃How　long　have　you　suspected　my　son…in…law；　M。　Poirot？〃　

〃From　the　very　first。　He　had　the　motive　and　the　opportunity。　Everyone　took　for　granted　that　the　man　in　Madame's　partment　in　Paris　was　the　te　de　la　Roche。　I　thought　so；　too。　Then　you　happened　to　mention　that　you　had　once　mistaken　the　te　for　your　son…in…law。　That　told　me　that　they　were　of　the　same　height　and　build；　and　alike　in　colouring。　It　put　some　curious　ideas　in　my　head。　The　maid　had　only　been　with　your　daughter　a　short　time。　It　was　unlikely　that　she　would　know　Mr　Kettering　well　by　sight；　since　he　had　not　been　living　in　Curzon　Street；　also　the　man　was　careful　to　keep　his　face　turned　away。〃　

〃You　believe　he　…　murdered　her；〃　said　Van　Aldin　hoarsely。　

Poirot　raised　a　hand　quickly。　

〃No；　no；　I　did　not　say　that　…　but　it　is　a　possibility　…　a　very　strong　possibility。　He　was　in　a　tight　corner；　a　very　tight　corner；　threatened　with　ruin。　This　was　the　one　way　out。〃　

〃But　why　take　the　jewels？〃　

〃To　make　the　crime　appear　an　ordinary　one　mitted　by　train　robbers。　Otherwise　suspicion　might　have　fallen　on　him　straight　away。〃　

〃If　that　is　so；　what　has　he　done　with　the　rubies？〃　

〃That　remains　to　be　seen。　There　are　several　possibilities。　There　is　a　man　in　Nice　who　may　be　able　to　help；　the　man　I　pointed　out　at　the　tennis。〃　

He　rose　to　his　feet　and　Van　Aldin　rose　also　and　laid　his　hand　on　the　little　man's　shoulder。　

His　voice　when　he　spoke　was　harsh　with　emotion。　

〃Find　Ruth's　murderer　for　me；〃　he　said；　〃that　is　all　I　ask。〃　

Poirot　drew　himself　up。　

〃Leave　it　in　the　hands　of　Hercule　Poirot；〃　he　said　superbly；　〃have　no　fears。　I　will　discover　the　truth。〃　

He　brushed　a　speck　of　fluff　from　his　hat；　smiled　reassuringly　at　the　millionaire；　and　left　the　room。　Nevertheless；　as　he　went　down　the　stairs　some　of　the　confidence　faded　from　his　face。　

〃It　is　all　very　well；〃　he　murmured　to　himself；　〃but　there　are　difficulties。　Yes；　there　are　great　difficulties。〃　As　he　was　passing　out　of　the　hotel　he　came　to　a　sudden　halt。　A　car　had　drawn　up　in　front　of　the　door。　In　it　was　Katherine　Grey；　and　Derek　Kettering　was　standing　beside　it　talking　to　her　earnestly。　

A　minute　or　two　later　the　car　drove　off　and　Derek　remained　standing　on　the　pavement　looking　after　it。　The　expression　on　his　face　was　an　odd　one。　He　gave　a　sudden　impatient　gesture　of　the　shoulders；　sighed　deeply；　and　turned　to　find　Hercule　Poirot　standing　at　his　elbow。　In　spite　of　himself　he　started。　The　two　men　looked　at　each　other。　Poirot　steadily　and　unwaveringly　and　Derek　with　a　kind　of　light…hearted　defiance。　There　was　a　sneer　behind　the　easy　mockery　of　his　tone　when　he　spoke；　raising　his　eyebrows　slightly　as　he　did　so。　

〃Rather　a　dear；　isn't　she？〃　he　asked　easily。　

His　manner　was　perfectly　natural。　

〃Yes；〃　said　Poirot　thoughtfully；　〃that　describes　Mademoiselle　Katherine　very　well。　It　is　very　English；　that　phrase　there；　and　Mademoiselle　Katherine；　she　also　is　very　English。〃　

Derek　remained　perfectly　still　without　answering。　

〃And　yet　she　is　sympathique；　is　it　not　so？〃　

〃Yes；〃　said　Derek；　〃there　are　not　many　like　her。〃　

He　spoke　softly；　almost　as　though　to　himself。　Poirot　nodded　significantly。　Then　he　leant　towards　the　other　and　spoke　in　a　different　tone；　a　quiet；　grave　tone　that　was　new　to　Derek　Kettering。　

〃You　will　pardon　an　old　man；　Monsieur；　if　he　says　to　you　something　that　you　may　consider　impert