天锡小说网

第31部分（第1页）

〃You　will　be　arrested　and　held　as　acplices　concerned　in　the　murder　of　Mrs　Kettering；　the　English　lady　who　was　killed。〃

〃Murder！〃

The　mans　face　had　gone　chalk　white；　his　knees　knocked　together。　Marie　dropped　the　rolling…pin　and　began　to　weep。

〃But　it　is　impossible　…　impossible。　I　thought　…〃

〃Since　you　stick　to　your　story；　there　is　nothing　to　be　said。　I　think　you　are　both　foolish。〃

He　was　turning　towards　the　door　when　an　agitated　voice　arrested　him。

〃Monsieur；　Monsieur；　just　a　little　moment。　I　…　I　had　no　idea　that　it　was　anything　of　this　kind。　I　…　I　thought　it　was　just　a　matter　concerning　a　lady。　There　have　been　little　awkwardnesses　with　the　police　over　ladies　before。　But　murder　…　that　is　very　different。〃

〃I　have　no　patience　with　you；〃　cried　Poirot。　He　turned　round　on　them　and　angrily　shook　his　fist　in　Hippolytes　face。　〃Am　I　to　stop　here　all　day；　arguing　with　a　couple　of　imbeciles　thus？　It　is　the　truth　I　want。　If　you　will　not　give　it　to　me；　that　is　your　look　out。　For　the　last　time；　when　did　Monsieur　le　te　arrive　at　the　Villa　Marina　…　Tuesday　morning　or　Wednesday　morning？〃

〃Wednesday；〃　gasped　the　man；　and　behind　him　Marie　nodded　confirmation。

Poirot　regarded　them　for　a　minute　or　two；　then　inclined　his　head　gravely。

〃You　are　wise；　my　children；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃Very　nearly　you　were　in　serious　trouble。〃

He　left　the　Villa　Marina；　smiling　to　himself。

〃One　guess　confirmed；〃　he　murmured　to　himself。　〃Shall　I　take　a　chance　on　the　other？〃

It　was　six　oclock　when　the　card　of　Monsieur　Hercule　Poirot　was　brought　up　to　Mirelle。

She　stared　at　it　for　a　moment　or　two；　and　then　nodded。　When　Poirot　entered；　he　found　her　walking　up　and　down　the　room　feverishly。　She　turned　on　him　furiously。

〃Well？〃　she　cried。　〃Well？　What　is　it　now？　Have　you　not　tortured　me　enough；　all　of　you？　Have　you　not　made　me　betray　my　poor　Dereek？　What　more　do　you　want？〃

〃Just　one　little　question；　Mademoiselle。　After　the　train　left　Lyons；　when　you　entered　Mrs　Ketterings　partment　…〃

〃What　is　that？〃

Poirot　looked　at　her　with　an　air　of　mild　reproach　and　began　again。

〃I　say　when　you　entered　Mrs　Ketterings　partment　…〃

〃I　never　did。〃

〃And　found　her　…〃

〃I　never　did。〃

〃Ah；　sacré！〃

He　turned　on　her　in　a　rage　and　shouted　at　her；　so　that　she　cowered　back　before　him。

〃Will　you　lie　to　me？　I　tell　you　I　know　what　happened　as　well　as　though　I　had　been　there。　You　went　into　her　partment　and　you　found　her　dead。　I　tell　you　I　know　it。　To　lie　to　me　is　dangerous。　Be　careful；　Mademoiselle　Mirelle。〃

Her　eyes　wavered　beneath　his　gaze　and　fell。

〃I　…　I　didnt　…〃　she　began　uncertainly　and　stopped。

〃There　is　only　one　thing　about　which　I　wonder；〃　said　Poirot。　〃I　wonder；　Mademoiselle；　if　you　found　what　you　were　looking　for　or　whether　…〃

〃Whether　what？〃

〃Or　whether　someone　else　had　been　before　you。〃

〃I　ed　the　dancer。　She　tore　herself　away　from　Poirots　restraining　hand；　and　flinging　herself　down　on　the　floor　in　a　frenzy；　she　screamed　and　sobbed。　A　frightened　maid　came　rushing　in。

Hercule　Poirot　shrugged　his　shoulders；　raised　his　eyebro。

But　he　seemed　satisfied。

Chapter　30

MISS　VINER　GIVES　JUDGMENT

Katherine　looked　out　of　Miss　Viners　bedroom　window。　It　was　raining；　not　violently；　but　with　a　quiet；　well…bred　persistence。　The　window　looked　out　on　a　strip　of　front　garden　with　a　path　down　to　the　gate　and　neat　little　flower…beds　on　either　side；　where　later　roses　and　pinks　and　blue　hyacinths　would　bloom。　Miss　Viner　was　lying　in　a　large　Victorian　bedstead。　A　tray　with　the　remains　of　breakfast　had　been　pushed　to　one　side　and　she　was　busy　opening　her　correspondence　and　making　various　caustic　ments　upon　it。

Katherine　had　an　open　letter　in　her　hand　and　was　reading　it　through　for　the　second　time。　It　was　dated　from　the　Ritz　Hotel；　Paris。