第29部分(第4/7 頁)

young　are　foolish　and　credulous；　it　was　easy　to　believe　him　and　to　give　him　a　sight　of　that　particular　thing；　to　show　him　where　it　was　kept。　And　afterwards　when　it　is　gone　…　when　the　unbelievable　catastrophe　has　happened。　Alas！　the　poor　little　pensionnaire。　What　a　terrible　position　she　is　in。　She　is　frightened；　the　poor　little　one。　To　speak　or　not　to　speak？　And　then　there　es　along　that　excellent　fellow；　Hercule　Poirot。　Almost　a　miracle　it　must　have　been；　the　way　things　arranged　themselves。　The　priceless　heirlooms　are　restored　and　there　are　no　awkward　questions。〃

Zia　turned　on　him　fiercely。

〃You　have　known　all　the　time？　Who　told　you？　Was　it　…　was　it　Antonio？〃

Poirot　shook　his　head。

〃No　one　told　me；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃I　guessed。　It　was　a　good　guess；　was　it　not；　Mademoiselle？　You　see；　unless　you　are　good　at　guessing；　it　is　not　much　use　being　a　detective。〃

The　girl　walked　along　beside　him　for　some　minutes　in　silence。　Then　she　said　in　a　hard　voice：

〃Well；　what　are　you　going　to　do　about　it；　are　you　going　to　tell　my　father？〃

〃No；〃　said　Poirot　sharply。　〃Certainly　not。〃

She　looked　at　him　curiously。

〃You　want　something　from　me？〃

〃I　want　your　help；　Mademoiselle。〃

〃What　makes　you　think　that　I　can　help　you？〃

〃I　do　not　think　so。　I　only　hope　so。〃

〃And　if　I　do　not　help　you；　then　…　you　will　tell　my　father？〃

〃But　no；　but　no！　Disembarrass　yourself　of　that　idea；　Mademoiselle。　I　am　not　a　blackmailer。　I　do　not　hold　your　secret　over　your　head　and　threaten　you　with　it。〃

〃If　I　refuse　to　help　you　…〃　began　the　girl　slowly。

〃Then　you　refuse；　and　that　is　that。〃

〃Then　why　…〃　she　stopped。

〃Listen；　and　I　will　tell　you　why。　Women；　Mademoiselle；　are　generous。　If　they　can　render　a