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第17部分（第2页）

〃I　think　you　do。　You　may　rest　assured；　M。　Van　Aldin；　that　I　know　how　to　be　discreet。〃

〃Very　well；　then；〃　said　the　millionaire。　〃Ill　admit　that　I　was　not　speaking　the　truth　just　now。　I　did　have　further　munication　with　my　son…in…law。〃

〃Yes？〃

〃To　be　exact；　I　sent　my　secretary；　Major　Knighton；　to　see　him；　with　instructions　to　offer　him　the　sum　of　one　hundred　thousand　pounds　in　cash　if　the　divorce　went　through　undefended。〃

〃A　pretty　sum　of　money；〃　said　Poirot　appreciatively；　〃and　the　answer　of　Monsieur；　your　son…in…law？〃

〃He　sent　back　word　that　I　could　go　to　hell；〃　replied　the　millionaire　succinctly。

〃Ah！〃　said　Poirot。

He　betrayed　no　emotion　of　any　kind。　At　the　moment　he　was　engaged　in　methodically　recording　facts。

〃Monsieur　Kettering　has　told　the　police　that　he　neither　saw　nor　spoke　to　his　wife　on　the　journey　from　England。　Are　you　inclined　to　believe　that　statement；　Monsieur？〃

〃Yes；　I　am；〃　said　Van　Aldin。　〃He　would　take　particular　pains　to　keep　out　of　her　way；　I　should　say。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because　he　had　got　that　woman　with　him。〃

〃Mirelle？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃How　did　you　e　to　know　that　fact？〃

〃A　man　of　mine；　whom　I　had　put　on　to　watch　him；　reported　to　me　that　they　had　both　left　by　that　train。〃

〃I　see；〃　said　Poirot。　〃In　that　case；　as　you　said　before；　he　would　not　be　likely　to　attempt　to　hold　any　munication　with　Madame　Kettering。〃

The　little　man　fell　silent　for　some　time。

Van　Aldin　did　not　interrupt　his　meditation。

Chapter　17

AN　ARISTOCRATIC　GENTLEMAN

〃You　have　been　to　the　Riviera　before；　Georges？〃　said　Poirot　to　his　valet　the　following　morning。

George　was　an　intensely　English；　rather　wooden…faced　individual。

〃Yes；　sir。　I　was　here　two　years　ago　when　I　was　in　the　service　of　Lord　Edward　Frampton。〃

〃And　today；〃　murmured　his　master；　〃you　are　here　with　Hercule　Poirot。　How　one　mounts　in　the　world！〃

The　valet　made　no　reply　to　this　observation。　After　a　suitable　pause　he　asked：

〃The　brown　lounge　suit；　sir？　The　wind　is　somewhat　chilly　today。〃

〃There　is　a　grease　spot　on　the　waistcoat；〃　objected　Poirot。　〃A　morceau　of　Filet　de　sole　a　la　Jeate　alighted　there　when　I　was　lunching　at　the　Ritz　last　Tuesday。〃

〃There　is　no　spot　there　now；　sir；〃　said　George　reproachfully。　〃I　have　removed　it。〃

〃Très　bien！〃　said　Poirot。　〃I　am　pleased　with　you；　Georges。〃

〃Thank　you；　sir。〃

There　was　a　pause；　and　then　Poirot　murmured　dreamily：

〃Supposing；　my　good　Georges；　that　you　had　been　born　in　the　same　social　sphere　as　your　late　master；　Lord　Edward　Frampton　…　that；　penniless　yourself；　you　had　married　an　extremely　wealthy　wife；　but　that　that　wife　proposed　to　divorce　you；　with　excellent　reasons；　what　would　you　do　about　it？〃

〃I　should　endeavour；　sir；〃　replied　George；　〃to　make　her　change　her　mind。〃