博炮作文网

第15部分（第3页）

〃It　began　eleven　or　twelve　years　ago　…　in　Paris。　My　daughter　was　a　young　girl　then；　and　of　foolish；　romantic　notions；　like　all　young　girls　are。　Unknown　to　me；　she　made　the　acquaintance　of　this　te　de　la　Roche。　You　have　heard　of　him；　perhaps？〃

The　missary　and　Poirot　nodded　in　assent。

〃He　calls　himself　the　te　de　la　Roche；〃　continued　Van　Aldin；　〃but　I　doubt　if　he　has　any　right　to　the　title。〃

〃You　would　not　have　found　his　name　in　the　Almanac　de　Gotha；〃　agreed　the　missary。

〃I　discovered　as　much；〃　said　Van　Aldin。　〃The　man　was　a　good…looking；　plausible　scoundrel；　with　a　fatal　fascination　for　women。　Ruth　was　infatuated　with　him；　but　I　soon　put　a　stop　to　the　whole　affair。　The　man　was　no　better　than　a　mon　swindler。〃

〃You　are　quite　right；〃　said　the　missary。　〃The　te　de　la　Roche　is　well　known　to　us。　If　it　were　possible；　we　should　have　laid　him　by　the　heels　before　now；　but　to　foil　…　it　is　not　easy；　the　fellow　is　cunning；　his　affairs　are　always　conducted　with　ladies　of　high　social　position。　If　he　obtains　money　from　them　under　false　pretences　or　as　the　fruit　of　blackmail；　eh　bien！　naturally　they　will　not　prosecute。　To　look　foolish　in　the　eyes　of　the　world；　oh　no；　that　would　never　do；　and　he　has　an　extraordinary　power　over　women。〃

〃That　is　so；〃　said　the　millionaire　heavily。　〃Well；　as　I　told　you；　I　broke　the　affair　up　pretty　sharply。　I　told　Ruth　exactly　what　he　was；　and　she　had；　perforce；　to　believe　me。　About　a　year　afterwards；　she　met　her　present　husband　and　married　him。　As　far　as　I　knew；　that　was　the　end　of　the　matter；　but　only　a　week　ago；　I　discovered；　to　my　amazement；　that　my　daughter　had　resumed　her　acquaintance　with　the　te　de　la　Roche。　She　had　been　meeting　him　frequently　in　London　and　Paris。　I　remonstrated　with　her　on　her　imprudence；　for　I　may　tell　you；　gentlemen；　that；　on　my　insistence；　she　was　preparing　to　bring　a　suit　for　divorce　against　her　husband。〃

〃That　is　interesting；〃　murmured　Poirot　softly；　his　eyes　on　the　ceiling。

Van　Aldin　looked　at　him　sharply；　and　then　went　on。

〃I　pointed　out　to　her　the　folly　of　continuing　to　see　the　te　under　the　circumstances。　I　thought　she　agreed　with　me。〃

The　Examining　Magistrate　coughed　delicately。

〃But　according　to　this　letter　…〃　he　began　and　then　stopped。

Van　Aldins　jaw　set　itself　squarely。

〃I　know。　Its　no　good　mincing　matters。　However　unpleasant；　we　have　got　to　face　facts。　It　seems　clear　that　Ruth　had　arranged　to　go　to　Paris　and　meet　de　la　Roche　there。　After　my　warnings　to　her；　however；　she　must　have　written　to　the　Count　suggesting　a　change　of　rendezvous。〃

〃The　Isles　dOr；〃　said　the　missary　thoughtfully；　〃are　situated　just　opposite　Hyeres；　a　remote　and　idyllic　spot。〃

Van　Aldin　nodded。

〃My　God！　How　could　Ruth　be　such　a　fool？〃　he　exclaimed　bitterly。　〃All　this　talk　about　writing　a　book　on　jewels！　Why；　he　must　have　been　after　the　rubies　from　the　first。〃

〃There　are　some　very　famous　rubies；〃　said　Poirot；　〃originally　part　of　the　Crown　jewels　of　Russia；　they　are　unique　in　character；　and　their　value　is　almost　fabulous。　There　has　been　a　rumour　that　they　have　lately　passed　into　the　possession　of　an　American。　Are　we　right　in　concluding；　Monsieur；　that　you　were　the　purchaser？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Van　Aldin。　〃They　came　into　my　possession　in　Paris　about　ten　days　ago。〃

〃Pardon　me；　Monsieur；　but　you　have　been　negotiating　for　their　purchase　for　some　time？〃

〃A　little　over　two　months。　Why？〃

〃These　things　bee　known；〃　said　Poirot。　〃There　is　always　a　pretty　formidable　crowd　on　the　track　of　jewels　such　as　these。〃

A　spasm　distorted　the　others　face。

〃I　remember；〃　he　said　brokenly；　〃a　joke　I　made　to　Ruth　when　I　gave　them　to　her。　I　told　her　not　to　take　them　to　the　Riviera　with　her；　as　I　could　not　afford　to　have　her　robbed　and　murdered　for　the　sake　of　the　jewels。　My　God！　the　things　one　says　…　never　dreaming　or　knowing　they　will　e　true。〃

There　was　a　sympathetic　silence；　and　then　Poirot　spoke　in　a　detached　manner。

〃Let　us　arrange　our　facts　with　order　and　precision。　According　to　our　present　theory；　this　is　how　they　run。　The　te　de　la　Roche　knows　of　your　purchase　of　these　jewels。　By　an　easy　stratagem　he　induces　Madame　Kettering　to　bring　the　stones　with　her。　He；　then；　is　the　man　Mason　saw　in　the　train　at　Paris。〃

The　other　three　nodded　in　agreement。

〃Madame　is　surprised　to　see　him；　but　she　deals　with　the　situation　promptly。　Mason　is　got　out　of　the　way；　a　dinner　basket　is　ordered。

We　know　from　the　conductor　that　he　made　up　the　berth　for