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第24部分（第2页）

〃Have　I？〃　There　was　no　mirth　in　his　sudden　wide　smile。　〃I　have　lived　in　the　world　long　enough；　M。　Poirot；　to　know　that　all　women　are　pretty　much　alike。〃　His　face　softened　suddenly。　〃All　save　one。〃

He　met　Poirots　gaze　defiantly。　A　look　of　alertness　crept　into　his　eyes；　then　faded　again。　〃That　one；〃　he　said；　and　jerked　his　head　in　the　direction　of　Cap　Martin。

〃Ah！〃　said　Poirot。

This　quiescence　was　well　calculated　to　provoke　the　impetuous　temperament　of　the　other。

〃I　know　what　you　are　going　to　say；〃　said　Derek　rapidly；　〃the　kind　of　life　I　have　led；　the　fact　that　I　am　not　worthy　of　her。　You　will　say　that　I　have　no　right　to　think　even　of　such　a　thing。　You　will　say　that　it　is　not　a　case　of　giving　a　dog　a　bad　name　…　I　know　that　it　is　not　decent　to　be　speaking　like　this　with　my　wife　dead　only　a　few　days；　and　murdered　at　that。〃

He　paused　for　breath；　and　Poirot　took　advantage　of　the　pause　to　remark　in　his　plaintive　tone。

〃But；　indeed；　I　have　not　said　anything　at　all。〃

〃But　you　will。〃

〃Eh？〃　said　Poirot。

〃You　will　say　that　I　have　no　earthly　chance　of　marrying　Katherine。〃

〃No；〃　said　Poirot；　〃I　would　not　say　that。　Your　reputation　is　bad；　yes；　but　with　women　…　never　does　that　deter　them。　If　you　were　a　man　of　excellent　character；　of　strict　morality　who　had　done　nothing　that　he　should　not　do；　and　…　possibly　everything　that　he　should　do　…　eh　bien！　then　I　should　have　grave　doubts　of　your　success。　Moral　worth；　you　understand；　it　is　not　romantic。　It　is　appreciated；　however；　by　widows。〃

Derek　Kettering　stared　at　him；　then　he　swung　round　on　his　heel　and　went　up　to　the　waiting　car。

Poirot　looked　after　him　with　some　interest。　He　saw　the　lovely　vision　lean　out　of　the　car　and　speak。

Derek　Kettering　did　not　stop。　He　lifted　his　hat　and　passed　straight　on。

〃？a　y　est；〃　said　M。　Hercule　Poirot；　〃it　is　time；　I　think；　that　I　return　chez　moi。〃

He　found　the　imperturbable　George　pressing　trousers。

〃A　pleasant　day；　Georges；　somewhat　fatiguing；　but　not　without　interest；〃　he　said。

George　received　these　remarks　in　his　usual　wooden　fashion。

〃Indeed；　sir。〃

〃The　personality　of　a　criminal；　Georges；　is　an　interesting　matter。　Many　murderers　are　men　of　great　personal　charm。〃

〃I　always　heard；　sir；　that　Dr　Crippen　was　a　pleasant…spoken　gentleman。　And　yet　he　cut　up　his　wife　like　so　much　mincemeat。〃

〃Your　instances　are　always　apt；　Georges。〃

The　valet　did　not　reply；　and　at　that　moment　the　telephone　rang。　Poirot　took　up　the　receiver。

〃Allo　…　allo　…　yes；　yes；　it　is　Hercule　Poirot　who　speaks。〃

〃This　is　Knighton。　Will　you　hold　the　line　a　minute；　M。　Poirot？　Mr　Van　Aldin　would　like　to　speak　to　you。〃

There　was　a　moments　pause；　then　the　millionaires　voice　came　through。

〃Is　that　you；　M。　Poirot？　I　just　wanted　to　tell　you；　Mason　came　to　me　now　of　her　own　accord。　She　has　been　thinking　it　over；　and　she　says　that　she　is　almost　certain　that　the　man　at　Paris　was　Derek　Kettering。　There　was　something　familiar　about　him　at　the　time；　she　says；　but　at　the　minute　she　could　not　place　it。　She　seems　pretty　certain　now。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　Poirot；　〃thank　you；　M。　Van　Aldin。　That　advances　us。〃

He　replaced　the　receiver；　and　stood　for　a　minute　or　two　with　a　very　curious　smile　on　his　face。　George　had　to　speak　to　him　twice　before　obtaining　an　answer。

〃Eh？〃　said　Poirot。　〃What　is　that　that　you　say　to　me？〃

〃Are　you　lunching　here；　sir；　or　are　you　going　out？〃

〃Neither；〃　said　Poirot；　〃I　shall　go　to　bed　and　take　a　tisane。　The　expected　has　happened；　and　when　the　expected　happens；　it　always　causes　me　emotion。〃

Chapter　25

DEFIANCE

As　Derek　Kettering　passed　the　car；　Mirelle　leant　out。

〃Dereek　…　I　must　speak　to　you　for　a　moment　…〃

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