第30部分(第3/7 頁)

in。

〃He　is　with　Mr　Van　Aldin；〃　continued　Lenox。　〃There　is　something　I　want　to　ask　Major　Knighton　about。　I　won't　be　a　minute。〃

Left　alone　together；　Poirot　bent　forward　and　murmured　to　Katherine：

〃You　are　distraite；　Mademoiselle；　your　thoughts；　they　are　far　away；　are　they　not？〃

〃Just　as　far　as　England；　no　farther。〃

Guided　by　a　sudden　impulse；　she　took　the　letter　she　had　received　that　morning　and　handed　it　across　to　him　to　read。

〃That　is　the　first　word　that　has　e　to　me　from　my　old　life；　somehow　or　other　…　it　hurts。〃

He　read　it　through　and　then　handed　it　back　to　her。　〃So　you　are　going　back　to　St　Mary　Mead？〃　he　said　slowly。

〃No；　I　am　not；〃　said　Katherine；　〃why　should　I？〃

〃Ah；〃　said　Poirot；　〃it　is　my　mistake。　You　will　excuse　me　one　little　minute。〃

He　strolled　across　to　where　Lenox　Tamplin　was　talking　to　Van　Aldin　and　Knighton。

The　American　looked　old　and　haggard。　He　greeted　Poirot　with　a　curt　nod　but　without　any　other　sign　of　animation。

As　he　turned　to　reply　to　some　observation　made　by　Lenox；　Poirot　drew　Knighton　aside。

〃M。　Van　Aldin　looks　ill；〃　he　said。

〃Do　you　wonder？〃　asked　Knighton。　〃The　scandal　of　Derek　Kettering's　arrest　has　about　put　the　lid　on　things；　as　far　as　he　is　concerned。　He　is　even　regretting　that　he　asked　you　to　find　out　the　truth。〃

〃He　should　go　back　to　England；〃　said　Poirot。

〃We　are　going　the　day　after　tomorrow。〃

〃That　is　good　news；〃　said　Poirot。

He　hesitated；　and　looked　across　the　terrace　to　where　Katherine　was　sitting。

〃I　wish；〃　he　murmured；　〃that　you　could　tell　Miss　Grey　that。〃

〃Tell　her　what？〃

〃That　you　…　I　mean　that　M。　Van　Aldin　is　I　returning　to　England。〃

Knighton　looked　a　little　puzzled；　but　he　readi