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第29部分（第3页）

And　he　proceeded　to　chat　gaily。　The　girl　was　distrait；　however；　and　her　answers　were　mechanical　and　not　always　to　the　point。　It　was　when　they　were　approaching　the　Casino　once　more　that　she　seemed　to　e　to　a　decision。

〃M。　Poirot？〃

〃Yes；　Mademoiselle？〃

〃I　…　I　should　like　to　help　you　if　I　could。〃

〃You　are　very　amiable；　Mademoiselle　…　very　amiable。〃

Again　there　was　a　pause。　Poirot　did　not　press　her。　He　was　quite　content　to　wait　and　let　her　take　her　own　time。

〃Ah　bah；〃　said　Zia；　〃after　all；　why　should　I　not　tell　you？　My　father　is　cautious　…　very　cautious　in　everything　he　says。　But　I　know　that　with　you　it　is　not　necessary。　You　have　told　us　it　is　only　the　murderer　you　seek；　and　that　you　are　not　concerned　over　the　jewels。　I　believe　you。　You　were　quite　right　when　you　guessed　that　we　were　in　Nice　because　of　the　rubies。　They　have　been　handed　over　here　according　to　plan。　My　father　has　them　now。　He　gave　you　a　hint　the　other　day　as　to　who　our　mysterious　client　was。〃

〃The　Marquis？〃　murmured　Poirot　softly。

〃Yes；　the　Marquis。〃

〃Have　you　ever　seen　the　Marquis；　Mademoiselle　Zia？〃

〃Once；〃　said　the　girl。　〃But　not　very　well；〃　she　added。　〃It　was　through　a　keyhole。〃

〃That　always　presents　difficulties；〃　said　Poirot　sympathetically；　〃but　all　the　same　you　saw　him。　You　would　know　him　again？〃

Zia　shook　her　head。

〃He　wore　a　mask；〃　she　explained。

〃Young　or　old？〃

〃He　had　white　hair。　It　may　have　been　a　wig；　it　may　not。　It　fitted　very　well。　But　I　do　not　think　he　was　old。　His　walk　was　young；　and　so　was　his　voice。〃

〃His　voice？〃　said　Poirot　thoughtfully。　〃Ah；　his　voice！　Would　you　know　it　again；　Mademoiselle　Zia？〃

〃I　might；〃　said　the　girl。

〃You　were　interested　in　him；　eh？　It　was　that　that　took　you　to　the　keyhole。〃

Zia　nodded。

〃Yes；　yes。　I　was　curious。　One　had　heard　so　much　…　he　is　not　the　ordinary　thief　…　he　is　more　like　a　figure　of　history　or　romance。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Poirot　thoughtfully；　〃yes；　perhaps　so。〃

〃But　it　is　not　this　that　I　meant　to　tell　you；〃　said　Zia。　〃It　was　just　one　other　little　fact　that　I　thought　might　be　…　well　…　useful　to　you。〃

〃Yes？〃　said　Poirot　encouragingly。

〃The　rubies；　as　I　say；　were　handed　over　to　my　father　here　at　Nice。　I　did　not　see　the　person　who　handed　them　over；　but　…〃

〃Yes？〃

〃I　know　one　thing。　It　was　a　woman。〃

Chapter　29

A　LETTER　FROM　HOME

〃Dear　Katherine；

〃Living　among　grand　friends　as　you　are　doing　now；　I　dont　suppose　you　will　care　to　hear　any　of　our　news；　but　as　I　always　thought　you　were　a　sensible　girl；　perhaps　you　are　a　trifle　less　swollen…headed　than　I　suppose。　Everything　goes　on　much　the　same　here。　There　was　great　trouble　about　the　new　curate；　who　is　scandalously　high。　In　my　view；　he　is　neither　more　nor　less　than　a　Roman。　Everybody　has　spoken　to　the　Vicar　about　it；　but　you　know　what　the　Vicar　is　…　all　Christian　charity　and　no　proper　spirit。　I　have　had　a　lot　of　trouble　with　maids　lately。　That　girl　Annie　was　no　good　…　skirts　up　to　her　knees　and　wouldnt　wear　sensible　woollen　stockings。　Not　one　of　them　can　bear　being　spoken　to。　I　have　had　a　lot　of　pain　with　my　rheumatism　one　way　and　another；　and　Dr　Harris　persuaded　me　to　go　and　see　a　London　specialist　…　a　waste　of　three　guineas　and　a　railway　fare；　as　I　told　him；　but　by　waiting　until　Wednesday　I　managed　to　get　a　cheap　return。　The　London　doctor　pulled　a　long　face　and　talked　all　round　about　and　never　straight　out；　until　I　said　to　him；　Im　a　plain　woman；　Doctor；　and　I　like　things　to　be　plainly　stated。　Is　it　cancer；　or　is　it　not？　And　then；　of　course；　he　had　to　say　it　was。　They　say　a　year　with　care；　and　not　too　much　pain；　though　I　am　sure　I　can　bear　pain　as　well　as　any　other　Christian　woman。　Life　seems　rather　lonely　at　times；　with　most　of　my　friends　dead　or　gone　before。　I　wish　you　were