博炮作文网

第17部分（第4页）

〃I　dined　in　Monte　Carlo　at　the　Café　de　Paris。　Afterwards　I　went　to　the　Le　Sporting。　I　won　a　few　thousand　francs；〃　he　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃I　returned　home　at　perhaps　one　oclock。〃

〃Pardon　me；　Monsieur；　but　how　did　you　return　home？〃

〃In　my　own　two…seater　car。〃

〃No　one　was　with　you？〃

〃No　one。〃

〃You　could　produce　witnesses　in　support　of　this　statement？〃

〃Doubtless　many　of　my　friends　saw　me　there　that　evening。　I　dined　alone。〃

〃Your　servant　admitted　you　on　your　return　to　your　villa？〃

〃I　let　myself　in　with　my　own　latchkey。〃

〃Ah！〃　murmured　the　Magistrate。

Again　he　struck　the　bell　on　the　table　with　his　hand。　The　door　opened；　and　a　messenger　appeared。

〃Bring　in　the　maid；　Mason；〃　said　M。　Carrege。

〃Very　good；　Monsieur　le　Juge。〃

Ada　Mason　was　brought　in。

〃Will　you　be　so　good；　Mademoiselle；　as　to　look　at　this　gentleman。　To　the　best　of　your　ability　was　it　he　who　entered　your　mistresss　partment　in　Paris？〃

The　woman　looked　long　and　searchingly　at　the　Count；　who　was；　Poirot　fancied；　rather　uneasy　under　this　scrutiny。

〃I　could　not　say；　sir；　I　am　sure；〃　said　Mason　at　last。　〃It　might　be　and　again　it　might　not。　Seeing　as　how　I　only　saw　his　back；　its　hard　to　say。　I　rather　think　it　was　the　gentleman。〃

〃But　you　are　not　sure？〃

〃No…o；〃　said　Mason　unwillingly；　〃n…no；　I　am　not　sure。〃

〃You　have　seen　this　gentleman　before　in　Curzon　Street？〃

Mason　shook　her　head。

〃I　should　not　be　likely　to　see　any　visitors　that　e　to　Curzon　Street；〃　she　explained；　〃unless　they　were　staying　in　the　house。〃

〃Very　well；　that　will　do；〃　said　the　Examining　Magistrate　sharply。

Evidently　he　was　disappointed。

〃One　moment；〃　said　Poirot。　〃There　is　a　question　I　would　like　to　put　to　Mademoiselle；　if　I　may？〃

〃Certainly；　M。　Poirot　…　certainly；　by　all　means。〃

Poirot　addressed　himself　to　the　maid。

〃What　happened　to　the　tickets？〃

〃The　tickets；　sir？〃

〃Yes；　the　tickets　from　London　to　Nice。　Did　you　or　your　mistress　have　them？〃

〃The　mistress　had　her　own　Pullman　ticket；　sir；　the　others　were　in　my　charge。〃

〃What　happened　to　them？〃

〃I　gave　them　to　the　conductor　on　the　French　t