第21部分(第5/7 頁)

ployer　signalling　to　him　from　the　other　end　of　the　court；　and　went　off　to　speak　to　him。

〃Me；　I　approve　of　that　young　man；〃　said　Poirot；　sending　a　beaming　smile　after　the　departing　secretary；　〃and　you；　Mademoiselle？〃

〃I　like　him　very　much。〃

〃And　you；　M。　Kettering？〃

Some　quick　rejoinder　was　springing　to　Derek's　lips；　but　he　checked　it　as　though　something　in　the　little　Belgian's　twinkling　eyes　had　made　him　suddenly　alert。　He　spoke　carefully；　choosing　his　words。

〃Knighton　is　a　very　good　fellow；〃　he　said。　Just　for　a　moment　Katherine　fancied　that　Poirot　looked　disappointed。

〃He　is　a　great　admirer　of　yours；　M。　Poirot；〃　she　said；　and　she　related　some　of　the　things　that　Knighton　had　said。　It　amused　her　to　see　the　little　man　plume　himself　like　a　bird；　thrusting　out　his　chest；　and　assuming　an　air　of　mock　modesty　that　would　have　deceived　no　one。

〃That　reminds　me；　Mademoiselle；〃　he　said　suddenly；　〃I　have　a　little　matter　of　business　I　have　to　speak　to　you　about。　When　you　were　sitting　talking　to　that　poor　lady　in　the　train；　I　think　you　must　have　dropped　a　cigarette　case。〃

Katherine　looked　rather　astonished。　〃I　don't　think　so；〃　she　said。　Poirot　drew　from　his　pocket　a　cigarette　case　of　soft　blue　leather；　with　the　initial　〃K〃　on　it　in　gold。

〃No；　that　is　not　mine；〃　Katherine　said。

〃Ah；　a　thousand　apologies。　It　was　doubtless　Madame's　own。　'K'　of　course；　stands　for　Kettering。　We　were　doubtful；　because　she　had　another　cigarette　case　in　her　bag；　and　it　seemed　odd　that　she　should　have　two。〃

He　turned　to　Derek　suddenly。　〃You　do　not　know；　I　suppose；　whether　this　was　your　wife's　case　or　not？〃

Derek　seemed　momentarily　taken　aback。　He　stammered　a　little　in　his　reply：　〃I　…　I　don't　know。　I　suppose　so。〃

〃It　is　n