博炮作文网

第12部分（第1页）

〃It　is　horrible。〃

〃Yes；　yes　…〃　he　was　soothing　and　apologetic　…　〃but　you　have　great　courage；　Mademoiselle。　At　once；　as　soon　as　I　saw　you；　I　said　to　myself；　Mademoiselle　has　great　courage。　That　is　why　I　am　going　to　ask　you　to　do　something　more　…　something　distressing；　but　I　assure　you　very　necessary。〃

Katherine　looked　at　him　apprehensively。

He　spread　out　his　hands　apologetically。

〃I　am　going　to　ask　you；　Mademoiselle；　to　be　so　good　as　to　acpany　me　to　the　next　partment。〃

〃Must　I？〃　asked　Katherine　in　a　low　voice。

〃Someone　must　identify　her；〃　said　the　missary；　〃and　since　the　maid　has　disappeared　…〃　he　coughed　significantly　…　〃you　appear　to　be　the　person　who　has　seen　most　of　her　since　she　joined　the　train。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　Katherine　quietly；　〃if　it　is　necessary　…〃

She　rose。　Poirot　gave　her　a　little　nod　of　approval。

〃Mademoiselle　is　sensible；〃　he　said。　〃May　I　acpany　you；　M。　Caux？〃

〃Enchanted；　my　dear　M。　Poirot。〃

They　went　out　into　the　corridor；　and　M。　Caux　unlocked　the　door　of　the　dead　womans　partment。　The　blinds　on　the　far　side　had　been　drawn　half…way　up　to　admit　light。　The　dead　woman　lay　on　the　berth　to　their　left；　in　so　natural　a　posture　that　one　could　have　thought　her　asleep。　The　bedclothes　were　drawn　up　over　her；　and　her　head　was　turned　to　the　wall；　so　that　only　the　red　auburn　curls　showed。　Very　gently　M。　Caux　laid　a　hand　on　her　shoulder　and　turned　the　body　back　so　that　the　face　came　into　view。　Katherine　flinched　a　little　and　dug　her　nails　into　her　palms。　A　heavy　blow　had　disfigured　the　features　almost　beyond　recognition。　Poirot　gave　a　sharp　exclamation。

〃When　was　that　done；　I　wonder？〃　he　demanded。　〃Before　death　or　after？〃

〃The　doctor　says　after；〃　said　M。　Caux。

〃Strange；〃　said　Poirot；　drawing　his　brows　together。

He　turned　to　Katherine。　〃Be　brave；　Mademoiselle；　look　at　her　well。　Are　you　sure　that　this　is　the　woman　you　talked　to　in　the　train　yesterday？〃

Katherine　had　good　nerves。　She　steeled　herself　to　look　long　and　earnestly　at　the　recumbent　figure。　Then　she　leaned　forward　and　took　up　the　dead　womans　hand。

〃I　am　quite　sure；〃　she　replied　at　length。　〃The　face　is　too　disfigured　to　recognize；　but　the　build　and　carriage　and　hair　are　exact；　and　besides　I　noticed　this　…〃　she　pointed　to　a　tiny　mole　on　the　dead　womans　wrist　…　〃while　I　was　talking　to　her。〃

〃Bon；〃　approved　Poirot。　〃You　are　an　excellent　witness；　Mademoiselle。　There　is　then　no　question　as　to　the　identity；　but　it　is　strange；　all　the　same。〃　He　frowned　down　on　the　dead　woman　in　perplexity。

M。　Caux　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃The　murderer　was　carried　away　by　rage；　doubtless；〃　he　suggested。

〃If　she　had　been　struck　down；　it　would　have　been　prehensible；〃　mused　Poirot；　〃but　the　man　who　strangled　her　slipped　up　behind　and　caught　her　unawares。　A　little　choke　…　a　little　gurgle　…　that　is　all　that　would　be　heard；　and　then　afterwards　…　that　smashing　blow　on　her　face。　Now　why？　Did　he　hope　that　if　the　face　were　unrecognizable　she　might　not　be　identified？　Or　did　he　hate　her　so　much　that　he　could　not　resist　striking　that　blow　even　after　she　was　dead？〃

Katherine　shuddered；　and　he　turned　at　once　to　her　kindly。

〃You　must　not　let　me　distress　you；　Mademoiselle；〃　he　said。　〃To　you　this　is　all　very　terrible。　To　me；　alas！　it　is　an　old　story。　One　moment；　I　pray　of　you　both。〃

They　stood　against　the　door　watching　him　as　he　partment。　He　noted　the　dead　womans　clothes　neatly　folded　on　the　end　of　the　berth；　the　big　fur　coat　that　hung　from　a　hook；　and　the　little　red　lacquer　hat　tossed　up　on　the　rack。　Then　he　passed　through　into　the　adjoining　partment；　that　in　which　Katherine　had　seen　the　maid　sitting。　Here　the　berth　had　not　been　made　up。　Three　or　four　rugs　were　piled　loosely　on　the　seat；　there　was　a　hat…box　and　a　couple　of　suitcases。　He　turned　suddenly　to　Katherine。

〃You　were　in　here　yesterday；〃　he　said。　〃Do　you　see　anything　changed；　anything　missing？〃

Katherine　looked　carefully　round　both　partments。

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃there　is　something　missing　…　a　scarlet　morocco　case。　It　had　the　initials　R。V。K。　on　it。　It　might　have　been　a　small　dressing…case　or　a　big　jewel…case。　When　I　saw　it；　the　maid　was　holding　it。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Poirot。

〃But；　surely；〃　said　Katherine。　〃I　…　of　course；　I　dont　know　anything　about　such　things；　but　surely　it　is　plain　enough；　if　the　maid　and　the　jewel…case　are　missing？〃

〃You　mean　that　it　was　the　maid　who　was　the　thief？　No；　Mademoiselle；　there　is　a　very　good　reason　against　that；〃　said　the　missary。