博炮作文网

第22部分（第1页）

ot　know。　He　deals　with　the　highest　in　Europe　and　with　the　lowest　of　the　riff…raff　of　the　underworld。〃

Van　Aldin　was　looking　at　Poirot　with　suddenly　awakened　attention。

〃Well？〃　he　demanded；　a　new　note　in　his　voice。

〃I　ask　myself；〃　said　Poirot；　〃I；　Hercule　Poirot　…〃　he　thumped　himself　dramatically　on　the　chest　…　〃ask　myself　why　is　M。　Papopolous　suddenly　e　to　Nice？〃

Van　Aldin　was　impressed。　For　a　moment　he　had　doubted　Poirot　and　suspected　the　little　man　of　being　past　his　job；　a　poseur　only　…　now；　in　a　moment；　he　switched　back　to　his　original　opinion。　He　looked　straight　at　the　little　detective。

〃I　must　apologize　to　you；　M。　Poirot。〃

Poirot　waved　the　apology　aside　with　an　extravagant　gesture。

〃Bah！〃　he　cried；　〃all　that　is　of　no　importance。　Now　listen；　M。　Van　Aldin；　I　have　news　for　you。〃

The　millionaire　looked　sharply　at　him；　all　his　interest　aroused。

Poirot　nodded。

〃It　is　as　I　say。　You　will　be　interested。　As　you　know；　M。　Van　Aldin；　the　te　de　la　Roche　has　been　under　surveillance　ever　since　his　interview　with　the　Juge　dInstruction。　The　day　after　that；　during　his　absence；　the　Villa　Marina　was　searched　by　the　police。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Van　Aldin；　〃did　they　find　anything？　I　bet　they　didnt。〃

Poirot　made　him　a　little　bow。

〃Your　acumen　is　not　at　fault；　M。　Van　Aldin。　They　found　nothing　of　an　incriminating　nature。　It　was　not　to　be　expected　that　they　would。　The　te　de　la　Roche；　as　your　expressive　idiom　has　it；　was　not　born　on　the　preceding　day。　He　is　an　astute　gentleman　with　great　experience。〃

〃Well；　go　on；〃　growled　Van　Aldin。

〃It　may　be；　of　course；　that　the　te　had　nothing　of　a　promising　nature　to　conceal。　But　we　must　not　neglect　the　possibility。　If　then；　he　has　something　to　conceal；　where　is　it？　Not　in　his　house　…　the　police　searched　thoroughly。　Not　on　his　person；　for　he　knows　that　he　is　liable　to　arrest　at　any　minute。　There　remains　…　his　car。　As　I　say；　he　was　under　surveillance。　He　was　followed　on　that　day　to　Monte　Carlo。　From　there　he　went　by　road　to　Mentone；　driving　himself。　His　car　is　a　very　powerful　one；　it　outdistanced　his　pursuers　and　for　about　a　quarter　of　an　hour　they　pletely　lost　sight　of　him。〃

〃And　during　that　time　you　think　he　concealed　something　by　the　roadside？〃　asked　Van　Aldin；　keenly　interested。

〃By　the　roadside；　no。　？a　nest　pas　pratique。　But　listen　now　…　me；　I　have　made　a　little　suggestion　to　M。　Carrege。　He　is　graciously　pleased　to　approve　of　it。　In　each　Bureau　de　Poste　in　the　neighbourhood　it　has　been　seen　to　that　there　is　someone　who　knows　the　te　de　la　Roche　by　sight。　Because；　you　see；　Messieurs；　the　best　way　of　hiding　a　thing　is　by　sending　it　away　by　the　post。〃

〃Well？〃　demanded　Van　Aldin；　his　face　was　keenly　alight　with　interest　and　expectation。

〃Well　…〃　With　a　dramatic　flourish　Poirot　drew　out　from　his　pocket　a　loosely　wrapped　brown　paper　package　from　which　the　string　had　been　removed。

〃During　that　quarter　of　an　hours　interval；　our　good　gentleman　mailed　this。〃

〃The　address？〃　asked　the　other　sharply。

Poirot　nodded　his　head。

〃Might　have　told　us　something；　but　unfortunately　it　does　not。　The　package　was　addressed　to　one　of　these　little　newspaper　shops　in　Paris　where　letters　and　parcels　are　kept　until　called　for　on　payment　of　a　small　mission。〃

〃Yes；　but　what　is　inside？〃　demanded　Van　Aldin　impatiently。

Poirot　unwrapped　the　brown　paper　and　disclosed　a　square　cardboard　box。　He　looked　round　him。

〃It　is　a　good　moment；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃All　eyes　are　on　the　tennis。　Look；　Monsieur！〃

He　lifted　the　lid　of　the　box　for　the　fraction　of　a　second。　An　exclamation　of　utter　astonishment　came　from　the　millionaire。　His　face　turned　as　white　as　chalk。

〃My　God！〃　he　breathed；　〃the　rubies。〃

He　sat　for　a　minute　as　though　dazed。　Poirot　restored　the　box　to　his　pocket。　Then　suddenly　the　millionaire　seemed　to　e　out　of　his　trance；　he　leaned　across　to　Poirot　and　wrung　his　hand　so　heartily　that　the　little　man　winced　with　pain。

〃This　is　great；〃　said　Van　Aldin。　〃Great！　You　are　the　goods；　M。　Poirot。　Once　and　for　all；　you　are　the　goods。〃

〃It　is　nothing；〃　said　Poirot　modestly。　〃Order；　method；　being　prepared　for　eventualities　beforehand　…　that　is　all　there　is　to　it。〃

〃And　now；　I　suppose；　the　te　de　la　Roche　has　been　arrested？〃　continued　Van　Aldin　eagerly。

〃No；〃　said　Poirot。

A　look　of　utter　astonishment　came　over　Van　Aldins　face。

〃But　why？　What　more　do　you　want？〃

〃The　tes　alibi　is　still　unshaken。〃