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第21部分（第2页）

〃The　jewels　were　never　recovered；〃　said　Knighton　drily。

〃You　really　do　believe　in　him？〃

〃I　do　indeed。　The　te　de　la　Roche　is　a　pretty　wily　customer。　He　has　wriggled　out　of　most　things。　But　I　think　he　has　met　his　match　in　Hercule　Poirot。〃

〃The　te　de　la　Roche；〃　said　Katherine　thoughtfully；　〃so　you　really　think　he　did　it？〃

〃Of　course。〃　Knighton　looked　at　her　in　astonishment。　〃Dont　you？〃

〃Oh　yes；〃　said　Katherine　hastily；　〃that　is；　I　mean；　if　it　was　not　just　an　ordinary　train　robbery。〃

〃It　might　be；　of　course；〃　agreed　the　other；　〃but　it　seems　to　me　that　the　te　de　la　Roche　fits　into　this　business　particularly　well。〃

〃And　yet　he　has　an　alibi。〃

〃Oh；　alibis！〃　Knighton　laughed；　his　face　broke　into　his　attractive　boyish　smile。

〃You　confess　that　you　read　detective　stories；　Miss　Grey。　You　must　know　that　anyone　who　has　a　perfect　alibi　is　always　open　to　grave　suspicion。〃

〃Do　you　think　that　real　life　is　like　that？〃　asked　Katherine；　smiling。

〃Why　not？　Fiction　is　founded　on　fact。〃

〃But　is　rather　superior　to　it；〃　suggested　Katherine。

〃Perhaps。　Anyway；　if　I　was　a　criminal　I　should　not　like　to　have　Hercule　Poirot　on　my　track。〃

〃No　more　should　I；〃　said　Katherine；　and　laughed。

They　were　met　on　arrival　by　Poirot。　As　the　day　was　warm　he　was　attired　in　a　white　duck　suit；　with　a　white　camellia　in　his　buttonhole。

〃Bonjour；　Mademoiselle；〃　said　Poirot。　〃I　look　very　English；　do　I　not？〃

〃You　look　wonderful；〃　said　Katherine　tactfully。

〃You　mock　yourself　at　me；〃　said　Poirot　genially；　〃but　no　matter。　Papa　Poirot；　he　always　laughs　the　last。〃

〃Where　is　Mr　Van　Aldin？〃　asked　Knighton。

〃He　will　meet　us　at　our　seats。　To　tell　you　the　truth；　my　friend；　he　is　not　too　well　pleased　with　me。　Oh；　those　Americans　…　the　repose；　the　calm；　they　know　it　not！　Mr　Van　Aldin；　he　would　that　I　fly　myself　in　the　pursuit　of　criminals　through　all　the　byways　of　Nice。〃

〃I　should　have　thought　myself　that　it　would　not　have　been　a　bad　plan；〃　observed　Knighton。

〃You　are　wrong；〃　said　Poirot；　〃in　these　matters　one　needs　not　energy　but　finesse。　At　the　tennis　one　meets　everyone。　That　is　so　important。　Ah；　there　is　Mr　Kettering。〃

Derek　came　abruptly　up　to　them。　He　looked　reckless　and　angry；　as　though　something　had　arisen　to　upset　him。　He　and　Knighton　greeted　each　other　with　some　frigidity。

Poirot　alone　seemed　unconscious　of　a　sense　of　strain；　and　chatted　pleasantly　in　a　laudable　attempt　to　put　everyone　at　their　ease。　He　paid　little　pliments。

〃It　is　amazing；　M。　Kettering；　how　well　you　speak　the　French；〃　he　observed　…　〃so　well　that　you　could　be　taken　for　a　Frenchman　if　you　chose。　That　is　a　very　rare　acplishment　among　Englishmen。〃

〃I　wish　I　did；〃　said　Katherine。　〃I　am　only　too　well　aware　that　my　French　is　of　a　painfully　British　order。〃

They　reached　their　seats　and　sat　down；　and　almost　immediately　Knighton　perceived　his　employer　signalling　to　him　from　the　other　end　of　the　court；　and　went　off　to　speak　to　him。

〃Me；　I　approve　of　that　young　man；〃　said　Poirot；　sending　a　beaming　smile　after　the　departing　secretary；　〃and　you；　Mademoiselle？〃

〃I　like　him　very　much。〃

〃And　you；　M。　Kettering？〃

Some　quick　rejoinder　was　springing　to　Dereks　lips；　but　he　checked　it　as　though　something　in　the　little　Belgians　twinkling　eyes　had　made　him　suddenly　alert。　He　spoke　carefully；　choosing　his　words。