按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃The address？〃 asked the other sharply。
Poirot nodded his head。
〃Might have told us something； but unfortunately it does not。 The package was addressed to one of these little newspaper shops in Paris where letters and parcels are kept until called for on payment of a small mission。〃
〃Yes； but what is inside？〃 demanded Van Aldin impatiently。
Poirot unwrapped the brown paper and disclosed a square cardboard box。 He looked round him。
〃It is a good moment；〃 he said quietly。 〃All eyes are on the tennis。 Look； Monsieur！〃
He lifted the lid of the box for the fraction of a second。 An exclamation of utter astonishment came from the millionaire。 His face turned as white as chalk。
〃My God！〃 he breathed； 〃the rubies。〃
He sat for a minute as though dazed。 Poirot restored the box to his pocket。 Then suddenly the millionaire seemed to e out of his trance； he leaned across to Poirot and wrung his hand so heartily that the little man winced with pain。
〃This is great；〃 said Van Aldin。 〃Great！ You are the goods； M。 Poirot。 Once and for all； you are the goods。〃
〃It is nothing；〃 said Poirot modestly。 〃Order； method； being prepared for eventualities beforehand … that is all there is to it。〃
〃And now； I suppose； the te de la Roche has been arrested？〃 continued Van Aldin eagerly。
〃No；〃 said Poirot。
A look of utter astonishment came over Van Aldin's face。
〃But why？ What more do you want？〃
〃The te's alibi is still unshaken。〃
〃But that is nonsense。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Poirot； 〃I rather think it is nonsense； but unfortunately we have to prove it so。〃
〃In the meantime he will slip through your fingers。〃
Poirot shook his head very energetically。
〃No；〃 he said； 〃he will not do that。 The one thing the te cannot afford to sacrifice is his social position。 At all costs he must stop and brazen it out。〃
Van Aldin was still dissatisfied。
〃But I don't see …〃
Poirot raised a hand。 〃Grant me a little moment； Monsieur。 Me； I have a little idea。 Many have mocked themselves at the little ideas of Hercule Poirot … and they have been wrong。〃
〃Well；〃 said Van Aldin； 〃go ahead。 What is this little idea？〃
Poirot paused for a moment and then he said：
〃I will call upon you at your hotel at eleven o'clock tomorrow morning。 Until then； say nothing to anyone。〃
Chapter 22
M。 PAPOPOULOS AT BREAKFAST
M。 Papopolous was at breakfast。 Opposite him sat his daughter； Zia。
There was a knock at the sitting…room door； and a chasseur entered with a card which he brought to Mr Papopolous。 The latter scrutinized it； raised his eyebrows； and passed it over to his daughter。
〃Ah！〃 said M。 Papopolous； scratching his left ear thoughtfully； 〃Hercule Poirot。 I wonder now。〃
Father and daughter looked at each other。
〃I saw him yesterday at the tennis；〃 said M。 Papopolous。 〃Zia； I hardly like this。〃
〃He was very useful to you once；〃 his daughter reminded him。
〃That is true；〃 acknowledged M。 Papopolous； 〃also he has retired from active work； so I hear。〃
These interchanges between father and daughter had passed in their own language。 Now M。 Papopolous turned to the chasseur and said in French：
〃Faites monter ce monsieur。〃
A few minutes later Hercule Poirot； exquisitely attired； and swinging a cane with a jaunty air； entered the room。
〃My dear M。 Papopolous。〃
〃My dear M。 Poirot。〃
〃And Mademoiselle Zia。〃 Poirot swept her a low bow。
〃You will excuse us going on with our breakfast；〃 said M。 Papopolous； pouring himself out another cup of coffee。 〃Your call is … ahem！ … a little early。〃
〃It is scandalous；〃 said Poirot； 〃but see you； I am pressed。〃
〃Ah！〃 murmured M。 Papopolous； 〃you are on an affair then？〃
〃A very serious affair；〃 said Poirot； 〃the death of Madame Kettering。〃
〃Let me see；〃 M。 Papopolous looked innocently up at the ceiling； 〃that was the lady who died on the Blue Train； was it not？ I saw a mention of it in the papers； but there's no suggestion of foul play。〃
〃In the interests of justice；〃 said Poirot； 〃it was thought best to suppress that fact。〃
There was a pause。
〃And in what way can I assist you； Mr Poirot？〃 asked the dealer politely。
〃Voilà；〃 said Poirot； 〃I shall e to the point。〃 He took from his pocket the same box that he had displayed at Cannes； and opening it； he took out the rubies and pushed them across the table to Papopolous。
Although Poirot was watching him narrowly； not a muscle of the old man's face moved。 He took up the jewels and examined them with a kind of detached interest； then he looked across at the detective inquiringly：
〃Superb； are they not？〃 asked Poirot。
〃Quite excellent；〃 said M。 Papopolous。
〃How much should you say they are worth？〃
The Greek's face quivered a little。
〃Is it really necessary to tell you； M。 Poirot？〃 he asked。
〃You are shrewd； M。 Papopolous。 No； it is not。 They are not； for instance； worth five hundred thousand dollars。〃
Papopolous laughed； and Poirot joined with him。
〃As an imitation；〃 said Papopolous； handing them back to Poirot； 〃they are； as I said； quite excellent。 Would it be indiscreet to ask； M。 Poirot； where you came across them？〃
〃Not at all；〃 said Poirot； 〃I have no objection to telling an old friend like yourself。 They were in the possession of the te de la Roche。〃
M。 Papopolous' eyebrows lifted themselves eloquently。
〃In…deed；〃 he murmured。
Poirot leant forward and assumed his most innocent and beguiling air。
〃M。 Papopolous；〃 he said； 〃I am going to lay my cards upon the table。 The original of these jewels was stolen from Madame Kettering on the Blue Train。 Now I will say to you first this： I am not concerned with the recovery of these jewels。 That is the affair of the police。 I am working not for the police but for M。 Van Aldin。 I want to lay hands on the man who killed Madame Kettering。 I am interested in the jewels only in so far as they may lead me to the man。 You understand？〃
The last two words were uttered with great magnificence。 M。 Papopolous； his face quite unmoved； said quietly： 〃Go on。〃
〃It seems to me probable； Monsieur； that the jewels will change hands in Nice … maybe they have done so。〃
〃Ah！〃 said M。 Papopolous。
He sipped his coffee reflectively； and looked a shade more noble and patriarchal than usual。
〃I say to myself；〃 continued Poirot； with animation； 〃what good fortune！ My old friend； M。 Papopolous； is in Nice。 He will aid me。〃
〃And how do you think I can aid you？〃 inquired M。 Papopolous coldly。
〃I said to myself； without doubt M。 Papopolous is in Nice on business。〃
〃Not at all；〃 said M。 Papopolous； 〃I am here for my health … by the doctor's orders。〃
He coughed hollowly。
〃I am desolated to hear it；〃 replied Poirot； with somewhat insincere sympathy。 〃But to continue。 When a Russian Grand Duke； an Austrian Archduchess； or an Italian Prince wish to dispose of their family jewels … to whom do they go？ To M。 Papopolous； is it not？ He who is famous all over the world for the discretion with which he arranges these things。〃
The other bowed。
〃You flatter me。〃
〃It is a great thing； discretion；〃 mused Poirot； and was rewarded by the fleeting smile which passed across the Greek's face。 〃I； too； can be discreet。〃
The eyes of the two men met。
Then Poirot went on speaking very slowly； and obviously picking his words with care。
〃I say to myself； this： if these jewels have changed hands in Nice； M。 Papopolous would have heard of it。 He has knowledge of all that passes in the jewel world。〃
〃Ah！〃 said M。 Papopolous； and helped himself to a croissant。
〃The police； you understand；〃 said M。 Poirot； 〃do not enter into the matter。 It is a personal affair。〃
〃One hears rumours；〃 admitted M。 Papopolous cautiously。
〃Such as？〃 prompted Poirot。
〃Is there any reason why I should pass them on？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Poirot； 〃I think there is。 You may remember； M。 Papopolous； that seventeen years ago there was a certain article in your hands； left there as security by a very … er … Prominent Person。 It was in your keeping and it unaccountably disappeared。 You were； if I may use the English expression； in the soup。〃
His eyes came gently round to the girl。 She had pushed her cup and plate aside； and with both elbows on the table and her chin resting on her hands was listening eagerly。 Still keeping an eye on her he went on：
〃I am in Paris at the time。 You send for me。 You place yourself in my hands。 If I restore to you that … article； you say I shall earn your undying gratitude。 Eh bien！ I did restore it to you。〃
A long sigh came from M。 Papopolous。
〃It was the most unpleasant moment of my career；〃 he murmured。
〃Seventeen years is a long time；〃 said Poirot thoughtfully； 〃but I believe that I am right in saying； Monsieur； that your race does not forget。〃
〃A Greek？〃 murmured Papopolous； with an ironical smile。
〃It was not as a Greek I meant；〃 said Poirot。
There was a silence； and then the old man drew himself up proudly。
〃You are right； M。 Poirot；〃 he said quietly。 〃I am a Jew。 And； as you say； our race does not forget。〃
〃You will aid me then？〃
〃As regards the jewels； Monsieur； I can do nothing。〃