第30部分(第2/7 頁)

　friend；　M。　Poirot；　and　asked　him　to　lunch　with　us　in　Nice。　I　said　you　wanted　to　see　him；　as　I　thought　he　might　not　e　for　me。〃

〃Did　you　want　to　see　him　then？〃　asked　Katherine。

〃Yes；〃　said　Lenox。　〃I　have　rather　lost　my　heart　to　him。　I　never　met　a　man　before　whose　eyes　were　really　green　like　a　cat's。〃

〃All　right；〃　said　Katherine。　She　spoke　listlessly。　The　last　few　days　had　been　trying。　Derek　Kettering's　arrest　had　been　the　topic　of　the　hour；　and　the　Blue　Train　Mystery　had　been　thrashed　out　from　every　conceivable　standpoint。

〃I　have　ordered　the　car；〃　said　Lenox；　〃and　I　have　told　Mother　some　lie　or　other　…　unfortunately　I　can't　remember　exactly　what；　but　it　won't　matter；　as　she　never　remembers。　If　she　knew　where　we　were　going；　she　would　want　to　e　too；　to　pump　M。　Poirot。〃

The　two　girls　arrived　at　the　Negresco　to　find　Poirot　waiting。

He　was　full　of　Gallic　politeness；　and　showered　so　many　pliments　upon　the　two　girls　that　they　were　soon　helpless　with　laughter；　yet　for　all　that　the　meal　was　not　a　gay　one。　Katherine　was　dreamy　and　distracted；　and　Lenox　made　bursts　of　conversation；　interspersed　by　silences。　As　they　were　sitting　on　the　terrace　sipping　their　coffee　she　suddenly　attacked　Poirot　bluntly。

〃How　are　things　going？　You　know　what　I　mean？〃

Poirot　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃They　take　their　course；〃　he　said。

〃And　you　are　just　letting　them　take　their　course？〃

He　looked　at　Lenox　a　little　sadly。

〃You　are　young；　Mademoiselle；　but　there　are　three　things　that　cannot　be　hurried　…　le　bon　Dieu；　Nature；　and　old　people。〃

〃Nonsense！〃　said　Lenox。　〃You　are　not　old。〃

〃Ah；　it　is　pretty　what　you　say　there。〃

〃Here　is　Major　Knighton；〃　said　Lenox。　Katherine　looked　round　quickly　and　then　turned　back　aga