天锡小说网

第30部分（第1页）

re　in　St　Mary　Mead；　my　dear；　and　that　is　a　fact。　If　you　hadnt　e　into　this　money　and　gone　off　into　grand　society；　I　would　have　offered　you　double　the　salary　poor　Jane　gave　you　to　e　and　look　after　me；　but　there　…　theres　no　good　wanting　what　we　cant　get。　However；　if　things　should　go　ill　with　you　…　and　that　is　always　possible。　I　have　heard　no　end　of　tales　of　bogus　noblemen　marrying　girls　and　getting　hold　of　their　money　and　then　leaving　them　at　the　church　door。　I　dare　say　you　are　too　sensible　for　anything　of　the　kind　to　happen　to　you；　but　one　never　knows；　and　never　having　had　much　attention　of　any　kind　it　might　easily　go　to　your　head　now。　So　just　in　case；　my　dear；　remember　there　is　always　a　home　for　you　here；　and　though　a　plain…spoken　woman　I　am　a　warm…hearted　one　too。

〃Your　affectionate　old　friend；

〃Amelia　Viner。

〃P。S。　…　I　saw　a　mention　of　you　in　the　paper　with　your　cousin；　Viscountess　Tamplin；　and　I　cut　it　out　and　put　it　with　my　cuttings。　I　prayed　for　you　on　Sunday　that　you　might　be　kept　from　pride　and　vain　glory。〃

Katherine　read　this　characteristic　epistle　through　twice；　then　she　laid　it　down　and　stared　out　of　her　bedroom　window　across　the　blue　waters　of　the　Mediterranean。　She　felt　a　curious　lump　in　her　throat。　A　sudden　wave　of　longing　for　St　Mary　Mead　swept　over　her。　So　full　of　familiar；　everyday；　stupid　little　things　…　and　yet　…　home。　She　felt　very　inclined　to　lay　her　head　down　on　her　arms　and　indulge　in　a　real　good　cry。

Lenox；　ing　in　at　the　moment；　saved　her。

〃Hello；　Katherine；〃　said　Lenox。　〃I　say　…　what　is　the　matter？〃

〃Nothing；〃　said　Katherine；　grabbing　up　Miss　Viners　letter　and　thrusting　it　into　her　handbag。

〃You　looked　rather　queer；〃　said　Lenox。　〃I　say　…　I　hope　you　dont　mind　…　I　rang　up　your　detective　friend；　M。　Poirot；　and　asked　him　to　lunch　with　us　in　Nice。　I　said　you　wanted　to　see　him；　as　I　thought　he　might　not　e　for　me。〃

〃Did　you　want　to　see　him　then？〃　asked　Katherine。

〃Yes；〃　said　Lenox。　〃I　have　rather　lost　my　heart　to　him。　I　never　met　a　man　before　whose　eyes　were　really　green　like　a　cats。〃

〃All　right；〃　said　Katherine。　She　spoke　listlessly。　The　last　few　days　had　been　trying。　Derek　Ketterings　arrest　had　been　the　topic　of　the　hour；　and　the　Blue　Train　Mystery　had　been　thrashed　out　from　every　conceivable　standpoint。

〃I　have　ordered　the　car；〃　said　Lenox；　〃and　I　have　told　Mother　some　lie　or　other　…　unfortunately　I　cant　remember　exactly　what；　but　it　wont　matter；　as　she　never　remembers。　If　she　knew　where　we　were　going；　she　would　want　to　e　too；　to　pump　M。　Poirot。〃

The　two　girls　arrived　at　the　Negresco　to　find　Poirot　waiting。

He　was　full　of　Gallic　politeness；　and　showered　so　many　pliments　upon　the　two　girls　that　they　were　soon　helpless　with　laughter；　yet　for　all　that　the　meal　was　not　a　gay　one。　Katherine　was　dreamy　and　distracted；　and　Lenox　made　bursts　of　conversation；　interspersed　by　silences。　As　they　were　sitting　on　the　terrace　sipping　their　coffee　she　suddenly　attacked　Poirot　bluntly。

〃How　are　things　going？　You　know　what　I　mean？〃

Poirot　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃They　take　their　course；〃　he　said。

〃And　you　are　just　letting　them　take　their　course？〃

He　looked　at　Lenox　a　little　sadly。

〃You　are　young；　Mademoiselle；　but　there　are　three　things　that　cannot　be　hurried　…　le　bon　Dieu；　Nature；　and　old　people。〃

〃Nonsense！〃　said　Lenox。　〃You　are　not　old。〃

〃Ah；　it　is　pretty　what　you　say　there。〃

〃Here　is　Major　Knighton；〃　said　Lenox。　Katherine　looked　round　quickly　and　then　turned　back　again。

〃He　is　with　Mr　Van　Aldin；〃　continued　Lenox。　〃There　is　something　I　want　to　ask　Major　Knighton　about。　I　wont　be　a　minute。〃

Left　alone　together；　Poirot　bent　forward　and　murmured　to　Katherine：

〃You　are　distraite；　Mademoiselle；　your　thoughts；　they　are　far　away；　are　they　not？〃

〃Just　as　far　as　England；　no　farther。〃

Guided　by　a　sudden　impulse；　she　took　the　letter　she　had　received　that　morning　and　handed　it　across　to　him　to　read。

〃That　is　the　first　word　that　has　e　to　me　from　my　old　life；　somehow　or　other　…　it　hurts。〃

He　read　it　through　and　then　handed　it　back　to　her。　〃So　you　are　going　back　to　St　Mary　Mead？〃　he　said　slowly。

〃No；　I　am　not；〃　said　Katherine；　〃why　should　I？〃

〃Ah；〃　said　Poirot；　〃it　is　my　mistake。　You　will　excuse　me　one　little　minute。〃

He　strolled　across　to　where　Lenox　Tamplin　was　talking　to　Van　Aldin　and　Knighton。

The　American　looked　old　and　haggard。　He　greeted　Poirot　with　a　curt　nod　but　without　any　other　sign　of　animation。

As　he　turned　to　reply　to　some　observation　made　by　Lenox；　Poirot　drew　Knighton　aside。

〃M。　Van　Aldin　looks　ill；〃　he　said。