第30部分(第5/7 頁)

ay。

Chancing　to　look　out　of　the　window；　Hippolyte　espied　a　visitor　walking　briskly　up　to　the　hall　door；　a　visitor　of　so　unmon　a　type　that　Hippolyte；　experienced　as　he　was；　had　some　difficulty　in　placing　him。　Calling　to　his　wife；　Marie；　who　was　busy　in　the　kitchen；　he　drew　her　attention　to　what　he　called　ce　type　là。

〃It　is　not　the　police　again？〃　said　Marie　anxiously。

〃Look　for　yourself；〃　said　Hippolyte。

Marie　looked。

〃Certainly　not　the　police；〃　she　declared。　〃I　am　glad。〃

〃They　have　not　really　worried　us　much；〃　said　Hippolyte。　〃In　fact；　but　for　Monsieur　le　te's　warning；　I　should　never　have　guessed　that　stranger　at　the　wine…shop　to　be　what　he　was。〃

The　hall　bell　pealed　and　Hippolyte；　in　a　grave　and　decorous　manner；　went　to　open　the　door。

〃M。　le　te；　I　regret　to　say；　is　not　at　home。〃

The　little　man　with　the　large　moustaches　beamed　placidly。

〃I　know　that；〃　he　replied。　〃You　are　Hippolyte　Flavelle；　are　you　not？〃

〃Yes；　Monsieur；　that　is　my　name。〃

〃And　you　have　a　wife；　Marie　Flavelle？〃

〃Yes；　Monsieur；　but　…〃

〃I　desire　to　see　you　both；〃　said　the　stranger；　and　he　stepped　nimbly　past　Hippolyte　into　the　hall。

〃Your　wife　is　doubtless　in　the　kitchen；〃　he　said。　〃I　will　go　there。〃

Before　Hippolyte　could　recover　his　breath；　the　other　had　selected　the　right　door　at　the　back　of　the　hall　and　passed　along　the　passage　and　into　the　kitchen；　where　Marie　paused　open…mouthed　to　stare　at　him。

〃Voilà；〃　said　the　stranger；　and　sank　into　a　wooden　armchair；　〃I　am　Hercule　Poirot。〃

〃Yes；　Monsieur？〃

〃You　do　not　know　the　name？〃

〃I　have　never　heard　it；〃　said　Hippolyte。

〃Permit　me　to　say　that　you　have　been　badly　educated。　It　is　the　name　of　one　of　the　great　ones　of