第22部分(第1/7 頁)

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　d'Instruction。　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　didn't。〃

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；