第27部分(第7/7 頁)

ade　a　mistake　…〃　He　shrugged　his　shoulders　forebodingly。

〃The　jewels　now；〃　said　the　missary；　〃what　do　you　think　he　has　done　with　them？〃

〃He　took　them　for　a　plant；　of　course；〃　said　M。　Carrege；　〃they　must　have　been　a　great　inconvenience　to　him　and　very　awkward　to　dispose　of。〃

Poirot　smiled。

〃I　have　an　idea　of　my　own　about　the　jewels。　Tell　me；　Messieurs；　what　do　you　know　of　a　man　called　the　Marquis？〃

The　missary　leant　forward　excitedly。

〃The　Marquis；〃　he　said；　〃the　Marquis？　Do　you　think　he　is　mixed　up　in　this　affair；　M。　Poirot？〃

〃I　ask　you　what　you　know　of　him。〃

The　missary　made　an　expressive　grimace。

〃Not　as　much　as　we　should　like　to；〃　he　observed　ruefully。　〃He　works　behind　the　scenes；　you　understand。　He　has　underlings　who　do　his　dirty　work　for　him。　But　he　is　someone　high　up。　That　we　are　sure　of。　He　does　not　e　from　the　criminal　clas