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第22部分（第2页）

〃But　that　is　nonsense。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Poirot；　〃I　rather　think　it　is　nonsense；　but　unfortunately　we　have　to　prove　it　so。〃

〃In　the　meantime　he　will　slip　through　your　fingers。〃

Poirot　shook　his　head　very　energetically。

〃No；〃　he　said；　〃he　will　not　do　that。　The　one　thing　the　te　cannot　afford　to　sacrifice　is　his　social　position。　At　all　costs　he　must　stop　and　brazen　it　out。〃

Van　Aldin　was　still　dissatisfied。

〃But　I　dont　see　…〃

Poirot　raised　a　hand。　〃Grant　me　a　little　moment；　Monsieur。　Me；　I　have　a　little　idea。　Many　have　mocked　themselves　at　the　little　ideas　of　Hercule　Poirot　…　and　they　have　been　wrong。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Van　Aldin；　〃go　ahead。　What　is　this　little　idea？〃

Poirot　paused　for　a　moment　and　then　he　said：

〃I　will　call　upon　you　at　your　hotel　at　eleven　oclock　tomorrow　morning。　Until　then；　say　nothing　to　anyone。〃

Chapter　22

M。　PAPOPOULOS　AT　BREAKFAST

M。　Papopolous　was　at　breakfast。　Opposite　him　sat　his　daughter；　Zia。

There　was　a　knock　at　the　sitting…room　door；　and　a　chasseur　entered　with　a　card　which　he　brought　to　Mr　Papopolous。　The　latter　scrutinized　it；　raised　his　eyebrows；　and　passed　it　over　to　his　daughter。

〃Ah！〃　said　M。　Papopolous；　scratching　his　left　ear　thoughtfully；　〃Hercule　Poirot。　I　wonder　now。〃

Father　and　daughter　looked　at　each　other。

〃I　saw　him　yesterday　at　the　tennis；〃　said　M。　Papopolous。　〃Zia；　I　hardly　like　this。〃

〃He　was　very　useful　to　you　once；〃　his　daughter　reminded　him。

〃That　is　true；〃　acknowledged　M。　Papopolous；　〃also　he　has　retired　from　active　work；　so　I　hear。〃

These　interchanges　between　father　and　daughter　had　passed　in　their　own　language。　Now　M。　Papopolous　turned　to　the　chasseur　and　said　in　French：

〃Faites　monter　ce　monsieur。〃

A　few　minutes　later　Hercule　Poirot；　exquisitely　attired；　and　swinging　a　cane　with　a　jaunty　air；　entered　the　room。

〃My　dear　M。　Papopolous。〃

〃My　dear　M。　Poirot。〃

〃And　Mademoiselle　Zia。〃　Poirot　swept　her　a　low　bow。

〃You　will　excuse　us　going　on　with　our　breakfast；〃　said　M。　Papopolous；　pouring　himself　out　another　cup　of　coffee。　〃Your　call　is　…　ahem！　…　a　little　early。〃

〃It　is　scandalous；〃　said　Poirot；　〃but　see　you；　I　am　pressed。〃

〃Ah！〃　murmured　M。　Papopolous；　〃you　are　on　an　affair　then？〃

〃A　very　serious　affair；〃　said　Poirot；　〃the　death　of　Madame　Kettering。〃

〃Let　me　see；〃　M。　Papopolous　looked　innocently　up　at　the　ceiling；　〃that　was　the　lady　who　died　on　the　Blue　Train；　was　it　not？　I　saw　a　mention　of　it　in　the　papers；　but　theres　no　suggestion　of　foul　play。〃

〃In　the　interests　of　justice；〃　said　Poirot；　〃it　was　thought　best　to　suppress　that　fact。〃

There　was　a　pause。

〃And　in　what　way　can　I　assist　you；　Mr　Poirot？〃　asked　the　dealer　politely。

〃Voilà；〃　said　Poirot；　〃I　shall　e　to　the　point。〃　He　took　from　his　pocket　the　same　box　that　he　had　displayed　at　Cannes；　and　opening　it；　he　took　out　the　rubies　and　pushed　them　across　the　table　to　Papopolous。

Although　Poirot　was　watching　him　narrowly；　not　a　muscle　of　the　old　mans　face　moved。　He　took　up　the　jewels　and　examined　them　with　a　kind　of　detached　interest；　then　he　looked　across　at　the　detective　inquiringly：

〃Superb；　are　they　not？〃　asked　Poirot。

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