按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃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 Aldin's face。
〃But why？ What more do you want？〃
〃The te's alibi is still unshaken。〃
〃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 don't 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 o'clock 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 there's 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 man's 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。
〃Quite excellent；〃 said M。 Papopolous。
〃How much should you say they are worth？〃
The Greek's face quivered a little。
〃Is it really necessary to tell you； M。 Poirot？〃 he asked。
〃You are shrewd； M。 Papopolous。 No； it is not。 They are not； for instance； worth five hundred thousand dollars。〃
Papopolous laughed； and Poirot joined with him。
〃As an imitation；〃 said Papopolous； handing them back to Poirot； 〃they are； as I said； quite excellent。 Would it be indiscreet to ask； M。 Poirot； where you came across them？〃
〃Not at all；〃 said Poirot； 〃I have no objection to telling an old friend like yourself。 They were in the possession of the te de la Roche。〃
M。 Papopolous' eyebrows lifted themselves eloquently。
〃In…deed；〃 he murmured。
Poirot leant forward and assumed his most innocent and beguiling air。
〃M。 Papopolous；〃 he said； 〃I am going to lay my cards upon the table。 The original of these jewels was stolen from Madame Kettering on the Blue Train。 Now I will say to you first this： I am not concerned with the recovery of these jewels。 That is the affair of the police。 I am working not for the police but for M。 Van Aldin。 I want to lay hands on the man who killed Madame Kettering。 I am interested in the jewels only in so far as they may lead me to the man。 You understand？〃
The last two words were uttered with great magnificence。 M。 Papopolous； his face quite unmoved； said quietly： 〃Go on。〃
〃It seems to me probable； Monsieur； that the jewels will change hands in Nice … maybe the