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！
〃I wish；〃 he murmured； 〃that you could tell Miss Grey that。〃
〃Tell her what？〃
〃That you … I mean that M。 Van Aldin is I returning to England。〃
Knighton looked a little puzzled； but he readily crossed the terrace and joined Katherine。
Poirot saw him go with a satisfied nod of the head； and then joined Lenox and the American。 After a minute or two they joined the others。 Conversation was general for a few minutes； then the millionaire and his secretary departed。 Poirot also prepared to take his departure。
〃A thousand thanks for your hospitality； Mesdemoiselles；〃 he cried； 〃it has been a most charming luncheon。 Ma foi； I needed it！〃 He swelled out his chest and thumped it。 〃I am now a lion … a giant。 Ah； Mademoiselle Katherine； you have not seen me as I can be。 You have seen the gentle； the calm Hercule Poirot； but there is another Hercule Poirot。 I go now to bully； to threaten； to strike terror into the hearts of those who listen to me。〃
He looked at them in a self…satisfied way； and they both appeared to be duly impressed； though Lenox was biting her under lip； and the corners of Katherine's mouth had a suspicious twitch。
〃And I shall do it；〃 he said gravely。 〃Oh yes； I shall succeed。〃
He had gone but a few steps when Katherine's voice made him turn。
〃M。 Poirot； I … I want to tell you。 I think you were right in what you said。 I am going back to England almost immediately。〃
Poirot stared at her very hard； and under the directness of his scrutiny she blushed。
〃I see；〃 he said gravely。
〃I don't believe you do；〃 said Katherine。
〃I know more than you think； Mademoiselle；〃 he said quietly。
He left her； with an odd little smile upon his lips。 Entering a waiting car； he drove to Antibes。
Hippolyte； the te de la Roche's wooden…faced man…servant； was busy at the Villa Marina polishing his master's beautiful cut…glass table。 The te de la Roche himself had gone to Monte Carlo for the day。
Chancing to look out of the window； Hippolyte espied a visitor walking briskly up to the hall door； a visitor of so unmon a type that Hippolyte； experienced as he was； had some difficulty in placing him。 Calling to his wife； Marie； who was busy in the kitchen； he drew her attention to what he called ce type là。
〃It is not the police again？〃 said Marie anxiously。
〃Look for yourself；〃 said Hippolyte。
Marie looked。
〃Certainly not the police；〃 she declared。 〃I am glad。〃
〃They have not really worried us much；〃 said Hippolyte。 〃In fact； but for Monsieur le te's warning； I should never have guessed that stranger at the wine…shop to be what he was。〃
The hall bell pealed and Hippolyte； in a grave and decorous manner； went to open the door。
〃M。 le te； I regret to say； is not at home。〃
The little man with the large moustaches beamed placidly。
〃I know that；〃 he replied。 〃You are Hippolyte Flavelle； are you not？〃
〃Yes； Monsieur； that is my name。〃
〃And you have a wife； Marie Flavelle？〃
〃Yes； Monsieur； but …〃
〃I desire to see you both；〃 said the stranger； and he stepped nimbly past Hippolyte into the hall。
〃Your wife is doubtless in the kitchen；〃 he said。 〃I will go there。〃
Before Hippolyte could recover his breath； the other had selected the right door at the back of the hall and passed along the passage and into the kitchen； where Marie paused open…mouthed to stare at him。
〃Voilà；〃 said the stranger； and sank into a wooden armchair； 〃I am Hercule Poirot。〃
〃Yes； Monsieur？〃
〃You do not know the name？〃
〃I have never heard it；〃 said Hippolyte。
〃Permit me to say that you have been badly educated。 It is the name of one of the great ones of this world。〃
He sighed and folded his hands across his chest。
Hippolyte and Marie were staring at him uneasily。 They were at a loss what to make of this unexpected and extremely strange visitor。
〃Monsieur desires …〃 murmured Hippolyte mechanically。
〃I desire to know why you have lied to the police。〃
〃Monsieur！〃 cried Hippolyte； 〃I … lied to the police？ Never have I done such a thing。〃
M。 Poirot shook his head。
〃You are wrong；〃 he said； 〃you have done on several occasions。 Let me see。〃 He took small notebook from his pocket and consulted it。 〃Ah； yes； on seven occasions at least。 I will recite them to you。〃
In a gentle unemotional voice he proceeded to outline the seven occasions。
Hippolyte was taken aback。
〃But it is not of these past lapses that I wish to speak；〃 continued Poirot； 〃only； my dear friend； do not get into the habit of thinking yourself too clever。 I e now to the particular lie in which I am concerned … your statement that the te de la Roche arrived at this villa on the morning of 14th January。〃
〃But that was no lie； Monsieur； that was the truth。 Monsieur le te arrived here on the morning of Tuesday； the 14th。 That is so； Marie； is it not？〃
Marie assented eagerly。
〃Ah； yes； that is quite right。 I remember it perfectly。〃
〃Ah；〃 said Poirot； 〃and what did you give your good master for déjeuner that day？〃
〃I …〃 Marie paused； trying to collect herself。
〃Odd；〃 said Poirot； 〃how one remembers some things … and forgets others。〃
He leant forward and struck the table a blow with his fist； his eyes flashed with anger。
〃Yes； yes； it is as I say。 You tell your lies and you think nobody knows。 But there are two people who know。 Yes … two people。 One is le bon Dieu …〃
He raised a hand to heaven； and then settling himself back in his chair and shutting his eyelids； he murmured fortably：
〃And the other is Hercule Poirot。〃
〃I assure you； Monsieur； you are pletely mistaken。 Monsieur le te left Paris on Monday night …〃
〃True；〃 said Poirot； 〃by the Rapide。 I do not know where he broke his journey。 Perhaps you do not know that。 What I do know is that he arrived here on Wednesday morning； and not on Tuesday morning。〃
〃Monsieur is mistaken；〃 said Marie stolidly。
Poirot rose to his feet。
〃Then the law must take its course；〃 he murmured。 〃A pity。〃
〃What do you mean； Monsieur？〃 asked Marie； with a shade of uneasiness。
〃You will be arrested and held as acplices concerned in the murder of Mrs Kettering； the English lady who was killed。〃
〃Murder！〃
The man's 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 Hippolyte's 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 o'clock 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 Kettering's partment …〃
〃What is that？〃
Poirot looked at her with an air of mild reproach and began again。
〃I say when you entered Mrs Kettering's 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 didn't …〃 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 Poirot's 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 s