博炮作文网

第17部分（第3页）

〃By　peaceful　or　by　forcible　methods？〃

George　looked　shocked。

〃You　will　excuse　me；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃but　a　gentleman　of　the　aristocracy　would　not　behave　like　a　Whitechapel　coster。　He　would　not　do　anything　low。〃

〃Would　he　not；　Georges？　I　wonder　now？　Perhaps　you　are　right。〃

There　was　a　knock　on　the　door。　George　went　to　it　and　opened　it　a　discreet　inch　or　two。　A　low　murmured　colloquy　went　on；　and　then　the　valet　returned　to　Poirot。　〃A　note；　sir。〃

Poirot　took　it。　It　was　from　M。　Caux；　the　missary　of　Police。

〃We　are　about　to　interrogate　the　te　de　la　Roche。　The　Juge　dInstruction　begs　that　you　will　be　present。〃

〃Quickly；　my　suit；　Georges。　I　must　hasten　myself。〃

A　quarter　of　an　hour　later；　spick　and　span　in　his　brown　suit；　Poirot　entered　the　Examining　Magistrates　room。　M。　Caux　was　already　there；　and　both　he　and　M。　Carrege　greeted　Poirot　with　polite　empressement。

〃The　affair　is　somewhat　discouraging；〃　murmured　M。　Caux。

〃It　appears　that　the　te　arrived　in　Nice　the　day　before　the　murder。〃

〃If　that　is　true；　it　will　settle　your　affair　nicely　for　you；〃　responded　Poirot。

M。　Carrege　cleared　his　throat。

〃We　must　not　accept　this　alibi　without　very　cautious　inquiry；〃　he　declared。　He　struck　the　bell　upon　the　table　with　his　hand。　In　another　minute　a　tall　dark　man；　exquisitely　dressed；　with　a　somewhat　haughty　cast　of　countenance；　entered　the　room。　So　very　aristocratic…looking　was　the　Count；　that　it　would　have　seemed　sheer　heresy　even　to　whisper　that　his　father　had　been　an　obscure　corn…chandler　in　Nantes　…　which；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　was　the　case。　Looking　at　him；　one　would　have　been　prepared　to　swear　that　innumerable　ancestors　of　his　must　have　perished　by　the　guillotine　in　the　French　Revolution。〃

〃I　am　here；　gentlemen；〃　said　the　Count　haughtily。　〃May　I　ask　why　you　wish　to　see　me？〃

〃Pray　be　seated；　Monsieur　le　te；〃　said　the　Examining　Magistrate　politely。　〃It　is　the　affair　of　the　death　of　Madame　Kettering　that　we　are　investigating。〃

〃The　death　of　Madame　Kettering？　I　do　not　understand。〃

〃You　were　…　ahem！　…　acquainted　with　the　lady；　I　believe；　Monsieur　le　te？〃

〃Certainly　I　was　acquainted　with　her。　What　has　that　to　do　with　the　matter？〃

Sticking　an　eyeglass　in　his　eye；　he　looked　coldly　round　the　room；　his　glance　resting　longest　on　Poirot；　who　was　gazing　at　him　with　a　kind　of　simple；　innocent　admiration　which　was　most　pleasing　to　the　Counts　vanity。　M。　Carrege　leaned　back　in　his　chair　and　cleared　his　throat。

〃You　do　not　perhaps　know；　Monsieur　le　te　…〃　he　paused　…　〃that　Madame　Kettering　was　murdered？〃

〃Murdered？　Mon　Dieu；　how　terrible！〃

The　surprise　and　the　sorrow　were　excellently　done　…　so　well　done；　indeed；　as　to　seem　wholly　natural。

〃Madame　Kettering　was　strangled　between　Paris　and　Lyons；〃　continued　M。　Carrege；　〃and　her　jewels　were　stolen。〃

〃It　is　iniquitous！〃　cried　the　Count　warmly；　〃the　police　should　do　something　about　these　train　bandits。　Nowadays　no　one　is　safe。〃

〃In　Madames　handbag；〃　continued　the　Judge；　〃we　found　a　letter　to　her　from　you。　She　had；　it　seemed；　arranged　to　meet　you？〃

The　Count　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　spread　out　his　hands。

〃Of　what　use　are　concealments；〃　he　said　frankly。　〃We　are　all　men　of　the　world。　Privately　and　between　ourselves；　I　admit　the　affair。〃

〃You　met　her　in　Paris　and　travelled　down　with　her；　I　believe？〃　said　M。　Carrege。

〃That　was　the　original　arrangement；　but　by　Madames　wish　it　was　changed。　I　was　to　meet　her　at　Hyeres。〃

〃You　did　not　meet　her　on　the　train　at　the　Gare　de　Lyon　on　the　evening　of　the　14th？〃

〃On　the　contrary；　I　arrived　in　Nice　on　the　morning　of　that　day；　so　what　you　suggest　is　impossible。〃

〃Quite　so；　quite　so；〃　said　M。　Carrege。　〃As　a　matter　of　fact；　you　would　perhaps　give　me　an　account　of　your　movements　during　the　evening　and　night　of　the　14th。〃

The　Count　reflected　for　a　minute。