蓝色特快上的秘密-蓝色列车之谜-蓝色列车(英文版)-第13部分

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〃Yes；　Mademoiselle　…〃　the　missary　jerked　himself　forward　…　〃let　us　by　all　means　have　your　impressions。〃　

Katherine　sat　turning　the　whole　thing　over　in　her　mind。　She　felt　in　a　way　as　if　she　were　betraying　a　confidence；　but　with　that　ugly　word　'Murder'　ringing　in　her　ears　she　dared　not　keep　anything　back。　Too　much　might　hang　upon　it。　So；　as　nearly　as　she　could；　she　repeated　word　for　word　the　conversation　she　had　had　with　the　dead　woman。　

〃That　is　interesting；〃　said　the　missary；　glancing　at　the　other。　〃Eh；　M。　Poirot；　that　is　interesting？　Whether　it　has　anything　to　do　with　the　crime　…〃　He　left　the　sentence　unfinished。　

〃I　suppose　it　could　not　be　suicide；〃　said　Katherine；　rather　doubtfully。　

〃No；〃　said　the　missary；　〃it　could　not　be　suicide。　She　was　strangled　with　a　length　of　black　cord。〃　

〃Oh！〃　Katherine　shivered。　M。　Caux　spread　out　his　hands　apologetically。　〃It　is　not　nice　…　no。　I　think　that　our　train　robbers　are　more　brutal　than　they　are　in　your　country。〃　

〃It　is　horrible。〃　

〃Yes；　yes　…〃　he　was　soothing　and　apologetic　…　〃but　you　have　great　courage；　Mademoiselle。　At　once；　as　soon　as　I　saw　you；　I　said　to　myself；　'Mademoiselle　has　great　courage。'　That　is　why　I　am　going　to　ask　you　to　do　something　more　…　something　distressing；　but　I　assure　you　very　necessary。〃　

Katherine　looked　at　him　apprehensively。　

He　spread　out　his　hands　apologetically。　

〃I　am　going　to　ask　you；　Mademoiselle；　to　be　so　good　as　to　acpany　me　to　the　next　partment。〃　

〃Must　I？〃　asked　Katherine　in　a　low　voice。　

〃Someone　must　identify　her；〃　said　the　missary；　〃and　since　the　maid　has　disappeared　…〃　he　coughed　significantly　…　〃you　appear　to　be　the　person　who　has　seen　most　of　her　since　she　joined　the　train。〃　

〃Very　well；〃　said　Katherine　quietly；　〃if　it　is　necessary　…〃　

She　rose。　Poirot　gave　her　a　little　nod　of　approval。　

〃Mademoiselle　is　sensible；〃　he　said。　〃May　I　acpany　you；　M。　Caux？〃　

〃Enchanted；　my　dear　M。　Poirot。〃　

They　went　out　into　the　corridor；　and　M。　Caux　unlocked　the　door　of　the　dead　woman's　partment。　The　blinds　on　the　far　side　had　been　drawn　half…way　up　to　admit　light。　The　dead　woman　lay　on　the　berth　to　their　left；　in　so　natural　a　posture　that　one　could　have　thought　her　asleep。　The　bedclothes　were　drawn　up　over　her；　and　her　head　was　turned　to　the　wall；　so　that　only　the　red　auburn　curls　showed。　Very　gently　M。　Caux　laid　a　hand　on　her　shoulder　and　turned　the　body　back　so　that　the　face　came　into　view。　Katherine　flinched　a　little　and　dug　her　nails　into　her　palms。　A　heavy　blow　had　disfigured　the　features　almost　beyond　recognition。　Poirot　gave　a　sharp　exclamation。　

〃When　was　that　done；　I　wonder？〃　he　demanded。　〃Before　death　or　after？〃　

〃The　doctor　says　after；〃　said　M。　Caux。　

〃Strange；〃　said　Poirot；　drawing　his　brows　together。　

He　turned　to　Katherine。　〃Be　brave；　Mademoiselle；　look　at　her　well。　Are　you　sure　that　this　is　the　woman　you　talked　to　in　the　train　yesterday？〃　

Katherine　had　good　nerves。　She　steeled　herself　to　look　long　and　earnestly　at　the　recumbent　figure。　Then　she　leaned　forward　and　took　up　the　dead　woman's　hand。　

〃I　am　quite　sure；〃　she　replied　at　length。　〃The　face　is　too　disfigured　to　recognize；　but　the　build　and　carriage　and　hair　are　exact；　and　besides　I　noticed　this　…〃　she　pointed　to　a　tiny　mole　on　the　dead　woman's　wrist　…　〃while　I　was　talking　to　her。〃　

〃Bon；〃　approved　Poirot。　〃You　are　an　excellent　witness；　Mademoiselle。　There　is　then　no　question　as　to　the　identity；　but　it　is　strange；　all　the　same。〃　He　frowned　down　on　the　dead　woman　in　perplexity。　

M。　Caux　shrugged　his　shoulders。　

〃The　murderer　was　carried　away　by　rage；　doubtless；〃　he　suggested。　

〃If　she　had　been　struck　down；　it　would　have　been　prehensible；〃　mused　Poirot；　〃but　the　man　who　strangled　her　slipped　up　behind　and　caught　her　unawares。　A　little　choke　…　a　little　gurgle　…　that　is　all　that　would　be　heard；　and　then　afterwards　…　that　smashing　blow　on　her　face。　Now　why？　Did　he　hope　that　if　the　face　were　unrecognizable　she　might　not　be　identified？　Or　did　he　hate　her　so　much　that　he　could　not　resist　striking　that　blow　even　after　she　was　dead？〃　

Katherine　shuddered；　and　he　turned　at　once　to　her　kindly。　

〃You　must　not　let　me　distress　you；　Mademoiselle；〃　he　said。　〃To　you　this　is　all　very　terrible。　To　me；　alas！　it　is　an　old　story。　One　moment；　I　pray　of　you　both。〃　

They　stood　against　the　door　watching　him　as　he　partment。　He　noted　the　dead　woman's　clothes　neatly　folded　on　the　end　of　the　berth；　the　big　fur　coat　that　hung　from　a　hook；　and　the　little　red　lacquer　hat　tossed　up　on　the　rack。　Then　he　passed　through　into　the　adjoining　partment；　that　in　which　Katherine　had　seen　the　maid　sitting。　Here　the　berth　had　not　been　made　up。　Three　or　four　rugs　were　piled　loosely　on　the　seat；　there　was　a　hat…box　and　a　couple　of　suitcases。　He　turned　suddenly　to　Katherine。　

〃You　were　in　here　yesterday；〃　he　said。　〃Do　you　see　anything　changed；　anything　missing？〃　

Katherine　looked　carefully　round　both　partments。　

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃there　is　something　missing　…　a　scarlet　morocco　case。　It　had　the　initials　'R。V。K。'　on　it。　It　might　have　been　a　small　dressing…case　or　a　big　jewel…case。　When　I　saw　it；　the　maid　was　holding　it。〃　

〃Ah！〃　said　Poirot。　

〃But；　surely；〃　said　Katherine。　〃I　…　of　course；　I　don't　know　anything　about　such　things；　but　surely　it　is　plain　enough；　if　the　maid　and　the　jewel…case　are　missing？〃　

〃You　mean　that　it　was　the　maid　who　was　the　thief？　No；　Mademoiselle；　there　is　a　very　good　reason　against　that；〃　said　the　missary。

〃What？〃　

〃The　maid　was　left　behind　in　Paris。〃　

He　turned　to　Poirot。　

〃I　should　like　you　to　hear　the　conductor's　story　yourself；〃　he　murmured　confidentially。　〃It　is　very　suggestive。〃　

〃Mademoiselle　would　doubtless　like　to　hear　it　also；〃　said　Poirot。　〃You　do　not　object；　Monsieur　le　missaire？〃　

〃No；〃　said　the　missary；　who　clearly　did　object　very　much。　〃No；　certainly；　M。　Poirot；　if　you　say　so。　You　have　finished　here？〃　

〃I　think　so。　One　little　minute。〃　

He　had　been　turning　over　the　rugs；　and　now　he　took　one　to　the　window　and　looked　at　it；　picking　something　off　it　with　his　fingers。　

〃What　is　it？〃　demanded　M。　Caux　sharply。　

〃Four　auburn　hairs。〃　He　bent　over　the　dead　woman。　〃Yes；　they　are　from　the　head　of　Madame。〃　

〃And　what　of　it？　Do　you　attach　importance　to　them？〃　

Poirot　let　the　rug　drop　back　on　the　seat。　

〃What　is　important？　What　is　not？　One　cannot　say　at　this　stage。　But　we　must　note　each　little　fact　carefully。〃　

They　went　back　again　into　the　first　partment；　and　in　a　minute　or　two　the　conductor　of　the　carriage　arrived　to　be　questioned。　

〃Your　name　is　Pierre　Michel？〃　said　the　missary。　

〃Yes；　Monsieur　le　missaire。〃　

〃I　should　like　you　to　repeat　to　this　gentleman　…〃　he　indicated　Poirot　…　〃the　story　that　you　told　me　as　to　what　happened　in　Paris。〃　

〃Very　good；　Monsieur　le　missaire。　It　was　after　we　had　left　the　Gare　de　Lyon。　I　came　along　to　make　the　beds；　thinking　that　Madame　would　be　at　dinner；　but　she　had　a　dinner…basket　in　her　partment。　She　said　to　me　that　she　had　been　obliged　to　leave　her　maid　behind　in　Paris；　so　that　I　only　need　make　up　one　berth。　She　took　her　dinner…basket　into　the　adjoining　partment；　and　sat　there　while　I　made　up　the　bed；　then　she　told　me　that　she　did　not　wish　to　be　wakened　early　in　the　morning；　that　she　liked　to　sleep　on。　I　told　her　I　quite　understood；　and　she　wished　me　'goodnight。'〃　

〃You　yourself　did　not　go　into　the　adjoining　partment？〃　

〃No；　Monsieur。〃　

〃Then　you　did　not　happen　to　notice　if　a　scarlet　morocco　case　was　amongst　the　luggage　there？〃　

〃No；　Monsieur；　I　did　not。〃　

〃Would　it　have　been　possible　for　a　man　to　have　been　concealed　in　the　adjoining　partment？〃　

The　conductor　reflected。　

〃The　door　was　half　open；〃　he　said。　〃If　a　man　had　stood　behind　that　door　I　should　not　have　been　able　to　see　him；　but　he　would；　of　course；　have　been　perfectly　visible　to　Madame　when　she　went　in　there。〃　

〃Quite　so；〃　said　Poirot；　〃Is　there　anything　more　you　have　to　tell　us？〃　

〃I　think　that　is　all；　Monsieur。　I　can　remember　nothing　else。〃　

〃And　now　this　morning？〃　prompted　Poirot。　

〃As　Madame　had　ordered；　I　did　not　disturb　her。　It　was　not　until　just　before　Cannes　that　I　ventured　to　knock　at　the　door。　Getting　no　reply；　I　opened　it。　The　lady　appeared　to　be　in　her　bed　asleep。　I　took　her　by　the　shoulder　to　rouse　her；　and　then　…〃　

〃And　then　you　saw　what　had　happened；〃　volunteered　Poirot。　〃Très　bien。　I　think　I　know　all　I　want　to　know。〃　

〃I　hope；　Monsieur　le　missaire；　it　is　not　that　I　have　been　guilty　of　any　negligence；〃　said　the　man　piteously。　〃Such　an　affair　to　happen　on　the　Blue　Train！　It　is　horrible。〃　

〃Console　yourself；〃　said　the　missary。　〃Everything　will　be　done　to　keep　the　affair　as　quiet　as　possible；　if　only　in　the　interests　of　justice。　I　cannot　think　you　have　been　guilty　of　any　negligence。〃　

〃And　Monsieur　le　missaire　will　report　as　much　to　the　pany？〃　

〃But　certainly；　but　certainly；〃　said　M。　Caux　impatiently。　〃That　will　do　now。〃　

The　conductor　withdrew。　

〃According　to　the　medical　evidence；〃　said　the　missary；　〃the　lady　was　probably　dead　before　the　train　reached　Lyons。　Who　then　was　the　murderer？　From　Mademoiselle's　story；　it　seems　clear　that　somewhere　on　her　journey　she　was　to　meet　this　man　of　whom　she　spoke。　Her　action　in　getting　rid　of　the　maid　seems　significant。　Did　the　man　join　the　train　at　Paris；　and　did　she　conceal　him　in　the　adjoining　partment？　If　so；　they　may　have　quarrelled；　and　he　may　have　killed　her　in　a　fit　of　rage。　That　is　one　possibility。　The　other；　and　the　more　likely　to　my　mind；　is　that　her　assailant　was　a　train　robber　travelling　on　the　train；　that　he　stole　along　the　corridor　unseen　by　the　conductor；　killed　her；　and　went　off　with　the　red　morocco　case　which　doubtless　contained　jewels　of　some　value。　In　all　probability　he　left　the　train　at　Lyons；　and　we　have　already　telegraphed　to　the　station　there　for　full　particulars　of　anyone　seen　leaving　the　train。〃　

〃Or　he　might　have　e　on　to　Nice；〃　suggested　Poirot。　

〃He　might；〃　agreed　the　missary；　〃but　that　would　be　a　very　bold　course。〃　

Poirot　let　a　minute　or　two　go　by　before　speaking；　and　then　he　said：　

〃In　the　latter　case　you　think　the　man　was　an　ordinary　train　robber？〃　

The　missary　shrugged　his　shoulders。　

〃It　depends。　We　must　get　hold　of　the　maid。　It　i