第29部分(第3/7 頁)

much　as　you　are　now；　Mademoiselle；　a　little　thinner；　a　little　paler；　a　little　more　serious。　Sixteen　years　old　and　fresh　from　your　pension。　Not　quite　the　petite　pensionnaire；　not　quite　a　woman。　You　were　very　delicious；　very　charming；　Mademoiselle　Zia；　others　thought　so　too；　without　doubt。〃

〃At　sixteen；〃　said　Zia；　〃one　is　simple　and　a　little　fool。〃

〃That　may　be；〃　said　Poirot；　〃yes；　that　well　may　be。　At　sixteen　one　is　credulous；　is　one　not？　One　believes　what　one　is　told。〃

If　he　saw　the　quick　sideways　glance　that　the　girl　shot　at　him；　he　pretended　not　to　have　done　so。　He　continued　dreamily：　〃It　was　a　curious　affair　that；　altogether。　Your　father；　Mademoiselle；　has　never　understood　the　true　inwardness　of　it。〃

〃No？〃

〃When　he　asked　me　for　details；　for　explanations；　I　said　to　him　thus：　'Without　scandal；　I　have　got　back　for　you　that　which　was　lost。　You　must　ask　no　questions。'　Do　you　know；　Mademoiselle；　why　I　said　these　things？〃

〃I　have　no　idea；〃　said　the　girl　coldly。

〃It　was　because　I　had　a　soft　spot　in　my　heart　for　a　little　pensionnaire；　so　pale；　so　thin；　so　serious。〃

〃I　don't　understand　what　you　are　talking　about；〃　cried　Zia　angrily。

〃Do　you　not；　Mademoiselle？　Have　you　forgotten　Antonio　Pirezzio？〃

He　heard　the　quick　intake　of　her　breath　…　almost　a　gasp。

〃He　came　to　work　as　an　assistant　in　the　shop；　but　not　thus　could　he　have　got　hold　of　what　he　wanted。　An　assistant　can　lift　his　eyes　to　his　master's　daughter；　can　he　not？　If　he　is　young　and　handsome　with　a　glib　tongue。　And　since　they　cannot　make　love　all　the　time；　they　must　occasionally　talk　of　things　that　interest　them　both　…　such　as　that　very　interesting　thing　which　was　temporarily　in　M。　Papopolous'　possession。　And　since；　as　you　say；　Mademoiselle；　the