蓝色特快上的秘密-蓝色列车之谜-蓝色列车(英文版)-第49部分

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ly　that　time　that　the　first　rumours　were　going　round　of　your　being　in　treaty　for　the　famous　rubies。〃　

〃But　why　murder？〃　murmured　Van　Aldin　brokenly。　〃Surely　a　clever　thief　could　have　stolen　the　jewels　without　running　his　head　into　a　noose。〃　

Poirot　shook　his　head。　〃This　is　not　the　first　murder　that　lies　to　the　Marquis's　charge。　He　is　a　killer　by　instinct；　he　believes；　too；　in　leaving　no　evidence　behind　him。　Dead　men　and　women　tell　no　tales。　

〃The　Marquis　had　an　intense　passion　for　famous　and　historical　jewels。　He　laid　his　plans　far　beforehand　by　installing　himself　as　your　secretary　and　getting　his　acplice　to　obtain　the　situation　of　maid　with　your　daughter；　for　whom　he　guessed　the　jewels　were　destined。　And；　though　this　was　his　matured　and　carefully　thought…out　plan；　he　did　not　scruple　to　attempt　a　short…cut　by　hiring　a　couple　of　Apaches　to　waylay　you　in　Paris　on　the　night　you　bought　the　jewels。　That　plan　failed；　which　hardly　surprised　him；　I　think。　This　plan　was；　so　he　thought；　pletely　safe。　No　possible　suspicion　could　attach　to　Richard　Knighton。　But　like　all　great　men　…　and　the　Marquis　was　a　great　man　…　he　had　his　weaknesses。　He　fell　genuinely　in　love　with　Miss　Grey；　and　suspecting　her　liking　for　Derek　Kettering；　he　could　not　resist　the　temptation　to　saddle　him　with　the　crime　when　the　opportunity　presented　itself。　And　now；　Monsieur　Van　Aldin；　I　am　going　to　tell　you　something　very　curious。　Miss　Grey　is　not　a　fanciful　woman　by　any　means；　yet　she　firmly　believes　that　she　felt　your　daughter's　presence　beside　her　one　day　in　the　Casino　Gardens　at　Monte　Carlo；　just　after　she　had　been　having　a　long　talk　with　Knighton。　She　was　convinced；　she　says；　that　the　dead　woman　was　urgently　trying　to　tell　her　something；　and　it　suddenly　came　to　her　that　what　the　dead　woman　was　trying　to　say　was　that　Knighton　was　her　murderer！　The　idea　seemed　so　fantastic　at　the　time　that　Miss　Grey　spoke　of　it　to　no　one。　But　she　was　so　convinced　of　its　truth　that　she　acted　on　it　…　wild　as　it　seemed。　She　did　not　discourage　Knighton's　advances；　and　she　pretended　to　him　that　she　was　convinced　of　Derek　Kettering's　guilt。〃　

〃Extraordinary；〃　said　Van　Aldin。　

〃Yes；　it　is　very　strange。　One　cannot　explain　these　things。　Oh；　by　the　way；　there　is　one　little　point　that　baffled　me　considerably。　Your　secretary　has　a　decided　limp　…　the　result　of　a　wound　that　he　received　in　the　ost　decidedly　did　not　limp。　That　was　a　stumbling…block。　But　Miss　Lenox　Tamplin　happened　to　mention　one　day　that　Knighton's　limp　had　been　a　surprise　to　the　surgeons　who　had　been　in　charge　of　the　case　in　her　mother's　hospital。　That　suggested　camouflage。　When　I　was　in　London　I　went　to　the　surgeon　in　question；　and　I　got　several　technical　details　from　him　which　confirmed　me　in　that　belief。　I　mentioned　the　name　of　that　surgeon　in　Knighton's　hearing　the　day　before　yesterday。　The　natural　thing　would　have　been　for　Knighton　to　mention　that　he　had　been　attended　by　him　during　the　war；　but　he　said　nothing　…　and　that　little　point；　if　nothing　else；　gave　me　the　last　final　assurance　that　my　theory　of　the　crime　was　correct。　Miss　Grey；　too；　provided　me　with　a　cutting；　showing　that　there　had　been　a　robbery　at　Lady　Tamplin's　hospital　during　the　time　that　Knighton　had　been　there。　She　realized　that　I　was　on　the　same　track　as　herself　when　I　wrote　to　her　from　the　Ritz　in　Paris。　

〃I　had　some　trouble　in　my　inquiries　there；　but　I　got　what　I　wanted　…　evidence　that　Ada　Mason　arrived　on　the　morning　after　the　crime　and　not　on　the　evening　of　the　day　before。〃　

There　was　a　long　silence；　then　the　millionaire　stretched　out　a　hand　to　Poirot　across　the　table。　

〃I　guess　you　know　what　this　means　to　me；　Monsieur　Poirot；〃　he　said　huskily。　〃I　am　sending　you　round　a　cheque　in　the　morning；　but　no　cheque　in　the　world　will　express　what　I　feel　about　what　you　have　done　for　me。　You　are　the　goods；　Monsieur　Poirot。　Every　time；　you　are　the　goods。〃　

Poirot　rose　to　his　feet；　his　chest　swelled。　

〃I　am　only　Hercule　Poirot；〃　he　said　modestly；　〃yet；　as　you　say；　in　my　own　way　I　am　a　big　man；　even　as　you　also　are　a　big　man。　I　am　glad　and　happy　to　have　been　of　service　to　you。　Now　I　go　to　repair　the　damages　caused　by　travel。　Alas！　my　excellent　Georges　is　not　with　me。〃　

In　the　lounge　of　the　hotel　he　encountered　a　friend　…　the　venerable　Monsieur　Papopolous；　his　daughter　Zia　beside　him。　

〃I　thought　you　had　left　Nice；　Monsieur　Poirot；〃　murmured　the　Greek　as　he　took　the　detective's　affectionately　proffered　hand。　

〃Business　pelled　me　to　return；　my　dear　Monsieur　Papopolous。〃　

〃Business？〃　

〃Yes；　business。　And　talking　of　business；　I　hope　your　health　is　better；　my　dear　friend？〃　

〃Much　better。　In　fact；　we　are　returning　to　Paris　tomorrow。〃　

〃I　am　enchanted　to　hear　such　good　news。　You　have　not　pletely　ruined　the　Greek　ex…Minister；　I　hope。〃　

〃I？〃　

〃I　understand　you　sold　him　a　very　wonderful　ruby　which　…　strictly　entre　nous　…　is　being　worn　by　Mademoiselle　Mirelle；　the　dancer？〃　

〃Yes；〃　murmured　Monsieur　Papopolous；　〃yes；　that　is　so。〃　

〃A　ruby　not　unlike　the　famous　'Heart　of　Fire'？〃　

〃It　has　points　of　resemblance；　certainly；〃　said　the　Greek　casually。　

〃You　have　a　wonderful　hand　with　jewels；　Monsieur　Papopolous。　I　congratulate　you。　Mademoiselle　Zia；　I　am　desolate　that　you　are　returning　to　Paris　so　speedily。　I　had　hoped　to　see　some　more　of　you　now　that　my　business　is　acplished。〃　

〃Would　one　be　indiscreet　if　one　asked　what　that　business　was？〃　asked　Monsieur　Papopolous。　

〃Not　at　all；　not　at　all。　I　have　just　succeeded　in　laying　the　Marquis　by　the　heels。〃　

A　far…away　look　came　over　Monsieur　Papopolous'　noble　countenance。　

〃The　Marquis？〃　he　murmured；　〃now　why　does　that　seem　familiar　to　me？　No　…　I　cannot　recall　it。〃　

〃You　would　not；　I　am　sure；〃　said　Poirot。　〃I　refer　to　a　very　notable　criminal　and　jewel　robber。　He　has　just　been　arrested　for　the　murder　of　the　English　lady；　Madame　Kettering。〃　

〃Indeed？　How　interesting　these　things　are！〃　

A　polite　exchange　of　farewells　followed；　and　when　Poirot　was　out　of　earshot。　Monsieur　Papopolous　turned　to　his　daughter。　

〃Zia；〃　he　said；　with　feeling；　〃that　man　is　the　devil！〃　

〃I　like　him。〃　

〃I　like　him　myself；〃　admitted　Monsieur　Papopolous。　〃But　he　is　the　devil；　all　the　same。〃　

Chapter　36　

BY　THE　SEA

The　mimosa　was　nearly　over。　The　scent　of　it　in　the　air　was　faintly　unpleasant。　There　were　pink　geraniums　twining　along　the　balustrade　of　Lady　Tamplin's　villa；　and　masses　of　carnations　below　sent　up　a　sweet；　heavy　perfume。　The　Mediterranean　was　at　its　bluest。　Poirot　sat　on　the　terrace　with　Lenox　Tamplin。　He　had　just　finished　telling　her　the　same　story　he　had　told　to　Van　Aldin　two　days　before。　Lenox　had　listened　to　him　with　absorbed　attention；　her　brows　knitted　and　her　eyes　sombre。　

When　he　had　finished　she　said　simply：　〃And　Derek？〃　

〃He　was　released　yesterday。〃　

〃And　he　has　gone　…　where？〃　

〃He　left　Nice　last　night。〃　

〃For　St　Mary　Mead？〃　

〃Yes；　for　St　Mary　Mead。〃　

There　was　a　pause。　

〃I　was　wrong　about　Katherine；〃　said　Lenox。　〃I　thought　she　did　not　care。〃　

〃She　is　very　reserved。　She　trusts　no　one。〃　

〃She　might　have　trusted　me；〃　said　Lenox；　with　a　shade　of　bitterness。　

〃Yes；〃　said　Poirot　gravely；　〃she　might　have　trusted　you。　But　Mademoiselle　Katherine　has　spent　a　great　deal　of　her　life　listening；　and　those　who　have　listened　do　not　find　it　easy　to　talk；　they　keep　their　sorrows　and　joys　to　themselves　and　tell　no　one。〃　

〃I　was　a　fool；〃　said　Lenox；　〃I　thought　she　really　cared　for　Knighton。　I　ought　to　have　known　better。　I　suppose　I　thought　so　because　…　well；　I　hoped　so。〃　

Poirot　took　her　hand　and　gave　it　a　little　friendly　squeeze。　〃Courage；　Mademoiselle；〃　he　said　gently。　

Lenox　looked　very　straight　out　across　the　sea；　and　her　face；　in　its　ugly　rigidity；　had　for　the　moment　a　tragic　beauty。　

〃Oh；　well；〃　she　said　at　last；　〃it　would　not　have　done。　I　am　too　young　for　Derek；　he　is　like　a　kid　that　has　never　grown　up。　He　wants　the　Madonna　touch。〃　

There　was　a　long　silence；　then　Lenox　turned　to　him　quickly　and　impulsively。　〃But　I　did　help；　Monsieur　Poirot　…　at　any　rate　I　did　help。〃　

〃Yes；　Mademoiselle。　It　was　you　who　gave　me　the　first　inkling　of　the　truth　when　you　said　that　the　person　who　mitted　the　crime　need　not　have　been　on　the　tra