第33部分(第2/7 頁)

；　I　can　see　that。　And　why　not？　Is　not　the　affair　of　the　Blue　Train　our　own　'Roman　Policier'？〃

〃Yes；　there　are　things　I　should　like　to　ask　you。〃

〃Eh　bien？〃

Katherine　looked　up　with　a　sudden　air　of　resolution。

〃What　were　you　doing　in　Paris；　Monsieur　Poirot？〃

Poirot　smiled　slightly。

〃I　made　a　call　at　the　Russian　Embassy。〃

〃Oh。〃

〃I　see　that　that　tells　you　nothing。　But　I　will　not　be　a　human　oyster。　No；　I　will　lay　my　cards　on　the　table；　which　is　assuredly　a　thing　that　oysters　do　not　do。　You　suspect；　do　you　not；　that　I　am　not　satisfied　with　the　case　against　Derek　Kettering？〃

〃That　is　what　I　have　been　wondering。　I　thought；　in　Nice；　that　you　had　finished　with　the　case。〃

〃You　do　not　say　all　that　you　mean；　Mademoiselle。　But　I　admit　everything。　It　was　I　…　my　researches　…　which　placed　Derek　Kettering　where　he　is　now。　But　for　me　the　Examining　Magistrate　would　still　be　vainly　trying　to　fasten　the　crime　on　the　te　de　la　Roche。　Eh　bien；　Mademoiselle；　what　I　have　done　I　do　not　regret。　I　have　only　one　duty　…　to　discover　the　truth；　and　that　way　led　straight　to　Mr　Kettering。　But　did　it　end　there？　The　police　say　yes；　but　I；　Hercule　Poirot；　am　not　satisfied。〃

He　broke　off　suddenly。　〃Tell　me；　Mademoiselle；　have　you　heard　from　Mademoiselle　Lenox　lately？〃

〃One　very　short；　scrappy　letter。　She　is；　I　think；　annoyed　with　me　for　ing　back　to　England。〃

Poirot　nodded。

〃I　had　an　interview　with　her　the　night　that　Monsieur　Kettering　was　arrested。　It　was　an　interesting　interview　in　more　ways　than　one。〃

Again　he　fell　silent；　and　Katherine　did　not　interrupt　his　train　of　thought。

〃Mademoiselle；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃I　am　now　on　delicate　ground；　yet　I　will　say　this　to　you。　There　is；　I　think；　someone　who　l