第26部分(第3/7 頁)

I　knew　you　were　the　only　woman　in　the　world　for　me。　I　was　…　afraid　of　you。　I　thought　you　might　bring　me　bad　luck。〃

〃Bad　luck？〃　said　Katherine　sharply。

He　stared　at　her。　〃Why　do　you　repeat　it　like　that？　What　have　you　got　in　your　mind？〃

〃I　was　thinking　of　things　that　people　have　said　to　me。〃

Derek　grinned　suddenly。　〃They　will　say　a　lot　to　you　about　me；　my　dear；　and　most　of　it　will　be　true。　Yes；　and　worse　things　too　…　things　that　I　shall　never　tell　you。　I　have　been　a　gambler　always　…　and　I　have　taken　some　long　odds。　I　shan't　confess　to　you　now　or　at　any　other　time。　The　past　is　done　with。　There　is　one　thing　I　do　wish　you　to　believe。　I　swear　to　you　solemnly　that　I　did　not　kill　my　wife。〃

He　said　the　words　earnestly　enough；　yet　there　was　somehow　a　theatrical　touch　about　them。　He　met　her　troubled　gaze　and　went　on：

〃I　know。　I　lied　the　other　day。　It　was　my　wife's　partment　I　went　into。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　Katherine。

〃It's　difficult　to　explain　just　why　I　went　in；　but　I'll　try。　I　did　it　on　an　impulse。　You　see；　I　was　more　or　less　spying　on　my　wife。　I　kept　out　of　sight　on　the　train。　Mirelle　had　told　me　that　my　wife　was　meeting　the　te　de　la　Roche　in　Paris。　Well；　as　far　as　I　had　seen；　that　was　not　so。　I　felt　ashamed；　and　I　thought　suddenly　that　it　would　be　a　good　thing　to　have　it　out　with　her　once　and　for　all；　so　I　pushed　open　the　door　and　went　in。〃

He　paused。

〃Yes；〃　said　Katherine　gently。

〃Ruth　was　lying　on　the　bunk　asleep　…　her　face　was　turned　away　from　me　…　I　could　only　see　the　back　of　her　head。　I　could　have　waked　her　up；　of　course。　But　suddenly　I　felt　a　reaction。　What；　after　all；　was　there　to　say　that　we　hadn't　both　of　us　said　a　hundred　times　before？　She　looked　so　peaceful　lying　there。　I　left　the　partment　as　quietl