《蓝色特快上的秘密-蓝色列车之谜-蓝色列车(英文版)》蓝色列车之谜-蓝色列车(英文版)-第46章

〃I　suppose；〃　said　Derek　contemptuously；　〃that　it　was　this　conversation　that　you　repeated　to　the　te　de　la　Roche。〃　
Mirelle　laughed。　
〃Am　I　a　fool？　Could　the　police　do　anything　with　a　vague　story　like　that？　See　…　I　will　give　you　a　last　chance。　You　shall　give　up　this　Englishwoman。　You　shall　return　to　me。　And　then；　cheri；　never；　never　will　I　breathe　…〃　
〃Breathe　what？〃　
She　laughed　softly。　〃You　thought　no　one　saw　you　…〃　
〃What　do　you　mean？〃　
〃As　I　say；　you　thought　no　one　saw　you　…　but　I　saw　you；　Dereek；　mon　ami；　I　saw　you　ing　out　of　the　partment　of　Madame　your　wife　just　before　the　train　got　into　Lyons　that　night。　And　I　know　more　than　that。　I　know　that　when　you　came　out　of　her　partment　she　was　dead。〃　
He　stared　at　her。　Then；　like　a　man　in　a　dream　he　turned　very　slowly　and　went　out　of　the　room；　swaying　slightly　as　he　walked。　
Chapter　26　
A　WARNING
〃And　so　it　is；〃　said　Poirot；　〃that　we　are　the　good　friends　and　have　no　secrets　from　each　other。〃　
Katherine　turned　her　head　to　look　at　him。　There　was　something　in　his　voice；　some　undercurrent　of　seriousness；　which　she　had　not　heard　before。　
They　were　sitting　in　the　gardens　of　Monte　Carlo。　Katherine　had　e　over　with　her　friends；　and　they　had　run　into　Knighton　and　Poirot　almost　immediately　on　arrival。　Lady　Tamplin　had　seized　upon　Knighton　and　had　overwhelmed　him　with　reminiscences；　most　of　which　Katherine　had　a　faint　suspicion　were　invented。　They　had　moved　away　together；　Lady　Tamplin　with　her　hand　on　the　young　man"s　arm。　Knighton　had　thrown　a　couple　of　glances　back　over　his　shoulder；　and　Poirot"s　eyes　twinkled　a　little　as　he　saw　them。　
〃Of　course　we　are　friends；〃　said　Katherine。
〃From　the　beginning　we　have　been　sympathetic　to　each　other；〃　mused　Poirot。
〃When　you　told　me　that　a　"roman　policier"　occurs　in　real　life。〃
〃And　I　was　right；　was　I　not？〃　he　challenged　her；　with　an　emphatic　forefinger。　〃Here　we　are；　plunged　in　the　middle　of　one。　That　is　natural　for　me　…　it　is　my　métier　…　but　for　you　it　is　different。　Yes；〃　he　added　in　a　reflective　tone；　〃for　you　it　is　different。〃
She　looked　sharply　at　him。　It　was　as　though　he　were　warning　her；　pointing　out　to　her　some　menace　that　she　had　not　seen。
〃Why　do　you　say　that　I　am　in　the　middle　of　it？　It　is　true　that　I　had　that　conversation　with　Mrs。　Kettering　just　before　she　died；　but　now　…　now　all　that　is　over。　I　am　not　connected　with　the　case　any　more。〃
〃Ah；　Mademoiselle；　Mademoiselle；　can　we　ever　say；　"I　have　finished　with　this　or　that"？〃
Katherine　turned　defiantly　round　to　face　him。
〃What　is　it？〃　she　asked。　〃You　are　trying　to　tell　me　something　…　to　convey　it　to　me　rather。　But　I　am　not　clever　at　taking　hints。　I　would　much　rather　that　you　said　anything　you　have　to　say　straight　out。〃
Poirot　looked　at　her　sadly。　〃Ah；　mais　c"est　anglais　？a；〃　he　murmured；　〃everything　in　black　and　white；　everything　clear　cut　and　well　defined。　But　life；　it　is　not　like　that；　Mademoiselle。　There　are　the　things　that　are　not　yet；　but　which　cast　their　shadow　before。〃
He　dabbed　his　brow　with　a　very　large　silk　pocket…handkerchief　and　murmured：　〃Ah；　but　it　is　that　I　bee　poetical。　Let　us；　as　you　say；　speak　only　of　facts。　And；　speaking　of　facts；　tell　me　what　you　think　of　Major　Knighton。〃
〃I　like　him　very　much　indeed；〃　said　Katherine　warmly；　〃he　is　quite　delightful。〃
Poirot　sighed。
〃What　is　the　matter？〃　asked　Katherine。
〃You　reply　so　heartily；〃　said　Poirot。　〃If　you　had　said　in　an　indifferent　voice；　"Oh；　quite　nice；"　eh　bien；　do　you　know　I　should　have　been　better　pleased。〃
Katharine　did　not　answer。　She　felt　slightly　unfortable。　Poirot　went　on　dreamily：　〃And　yet；　who　knows？　With　les　femmes；　they　have　so　many　ways　of　concealing　what　they　feel　…　and　heartiness　is　perhaps　as　good　a　way　as　any　other。〃
He　sighed。
〃I　don"t　see　…〃　began　Katherine。　
He　interrupted　her。　
〃You　do　not　see　why　I　am　being　so　impertinent；　Mademoiselle？　I　am　an　old　man　and　now　and　then　…　not　very　often　…　I　e　across　someone　whose　welfare　is　dear　to　me。　We　are　friends；　Mademoiselle。　You　have　said　so　yourself。　And　it　is　just　this　…　I　should　like　to　see　you　happy。〃　
Katherine　stared　very　straight　in　front　of　her。　She　had　a　cretonne　sunshade　with　her；　and　with　its　point　she　traced　little　designs　in　the　gravel　at　her　feet。　
〃I　have　asked　you　a　question　about　Major　Knighton；　now　I　will　ask　you　another。　Do　you　like　Mr　Derek　Kettering？〃　
〃I　hardly　know　him；〃　said　Katherine。　
〃That　is　not　an　answer；　that。〃　
〃I　think　it　is。〃　
He　looked　at　her；　struck　by　something　in　her　tone。　Then　he　nodded　his　head　gravely　and　slowly。　
〃Perhaps　you　are　right；　Mademoiselle。　See　you；　I　who　speak　to　you　have　seen　much　of　the　world；　and　I　know　that　there　are　two　things　which　are　true。　A　good　man　may　be　ruined　by　his　love　for　a　bad　woman　…　but　the　other　way　holds　good　also。　A　bad　man　may　equally　be　ruined　by　his　love　for　a　good　woman。〃　
Katherine　looked　up　sharply。　
〃When　you　say　ruined　…〃　
〃I　mean　from　his　point　of　view。　One　must　be　wholehearted　in　crime　as　in　everything　else。〃　
〃You　are　trying　to　warn　me；〃　said　Katherine　in　a　low　voice。　〃Against　whom？〃　
〃I　cannot　look　into　your　heart；　Mademoiselle；　I　do　not　think　you　would　let　me　if　I　could。　I　will　just　say　this。　There　are　men　who　have　a　strange　fascination　for　women。〃　
〃The　te　de　la　Roche；〃　said　Katherine；　with　a　smile。　
〃There　are　others　…　more　dangerous　than　the　te　de　la　Roche。　They　have　qualities　that　appeal　…　recklessness；　daring；　audacity。　You　are　fascinated；　Mademoiselle；　I　see　that；　but　I　think　that　it　is　no　more　than　that。　I　hope　so。　This　man　of　whom　I　speak；　the　emotion　he　feels　is　genuine　enough；　but　all　the　same　…〃　
〃Yes？〃　
He　got　up　and　stood　looking　down　at　her。　Then　he　spoke　in　a　low；　distinct　voice：　
〃You　could；　perhaps；　love　a　thief；　Mademoiselle；　but　not　a　murderer。〃　
He　wheeled　sharply　away　on　that　and　left　her　sitting　there。　
He　heard　the　little　gasp　she　gave　and　paid　no　attention。　He　had　said　what　he　meant　to　say。　He　left　her　there　to　digest　that　last　unmistakable　phrase。　
Derek　Kettering；　ing　out　of　the　Casino　into　the　sunshine；　saw　her　sitting　alone　on　the　bench　and　joined　her。　
〃I　have　been　gambling；〃　he　said；　with　a　light