博炮作文网

第20部分（第2页）

〃He　is　very　attractive。〃

〃Yes；　he　is　attractive。〃

〃What　dont　you　like　about　him？〃

Katherine　did　not　reply　to　the　question　or　at　any　rate　not　directly。　〃He　spoke　of　his　wifes　death；〃　she　said。　〃He　said　he　would　not　pretend　that　it　had　been　anything　but　a　bit　of　most　marvellous　luck　for　him。〃

〃And　that　shocked　you；　I　suppose；〃　said　Lenox。　She　paused；　and　then　added　in　rather　a　queer　tone　of　voice：　〃He　likes　you；　Katherine。〃

〃He　gave　me　a　very　good　lunch；〃　said　Katherine；　smiling。

Lenox　refused　to　be　sidetracked。

〃I　saw　it　the　night　he　came　here；〃　she　said　thoughtfully。　〃The　way　he　looked　at　you；　and　you　are　not　his　usual　type　…　just　the　opposite。　Well；　I　suppose　it　is　like　religion　…　you　get　it　at　a　certain　age。〃

〃Mademoiselle　is　wanted　at　the　telephone；〃　said　Marie；　appearing　at　the　window　of　the　salon。　〃M。　Hercule　Poirot　desires　to　speak　with　her。〃

〃More　blood　and　thunder。　Go　on；　Katherine；　go　and　dally　with　your　detective。〃

M。　Hercule　Poirots　voice　came　neat　and　precise　in　its　intonation　to　Katherines　ear。

〃That　is　Mademoiselle　Grey　who　speaks？　Mademoiselle；　I　have　a　word　for　you　from　M。　Van　Aldin；　the　father　of　Madame　Kettering。　He　wishes　very　much　to　speak　with　you；　either　at　the　Villa　Marguerite　or　at　his　hotel；　whichever　you　prefer。〃

Katherine　reflected　for　a　moment；　but　she　decided　that　for　Van　Aldin　to　e　to　the　Villa　Marguerite　would　be　both　painful　and　unnecessary。　Lady　Tamplin　would　have　hailed　his　advent　with　far　too　much　delight。　She　never　lost　a　chance　of　cultivating　millionaires。　She　told　Poirot　that　she　would　much　rather　e　to　Nice。

〃Excellent；　Mademoiselle。　I　will　call　for　you　myself　in　an　auto。　Shall　we　say　in　about　three…quarters　of　an　hour？〃

Punctually　to　the　moment　Poirot　appeared。　Katherine　was　waiting　for　him；　and　they　drove　off　at　once。

〃Well；　Mademoiselle；　how　goes　it？〃

She　looked　at　his　twinkling　eyes；　and　was　confirmed　in　her　first　impression　that　there　was　something　very　attractive　about　M。　Hercule　Poirot。

〃This　is　our　own　Roman　Policier；　is　it　not？〃　said　Poirot。　〃I　made　you　the　promise　that　we　should　study　it　together。　And　me　…　I　always　keep　my　promises。〃

〃You　are　too　kind；〃　murmured　Katherine。

〃Ah；　you　mock　yourself　at　me；　but　do　you　want　to　hear　the　developments　of　the　case　or　do　you　not？〃

Katherine　admitted　that　she　did；　and　Poirot　proceeded　to　sketch　for　her　a　thumbnail　portrait　of　the　te　de　la　Roche。

〃You　think　he　killed　her；〃　said　Katherine　thoughtfully。

〃That　is　the　theory；〃　said　Poirot　guardedly。

〃Do　you　yourself　believe　that？〃

〃I　did　not　say　so。　And　you；　Mademoiselle；　what　do　you　think？〃

Katherine　shook　her　head。

〃How　should　I　know？　I　dont　know　anything　about　those　things；　but　I　should　say　that　…〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Poirot　encouragingly。

〃Well　…　from　what　you　say　the　Count　does　not　sound　the　kind　of　man　who　would　actually　kill　anybody。〃

〃Ah！　Very　good；〃　cried　Poirot；　〃you　agree　with　me；　that　is　just　what　I　have　said。〃

He　looked　at　her　sharply。　〃But　tell　me；　you　have　met　Mr　Derek　Kettering？〃