第33部分(第5/7 頁)

ted　her　head。　Her　eyes　were　shining。

〃I　am　not　clever　like　you；　Monsieur　Poirot。　Half　the　things　that　you　have　been　telling　me　don't　seem　to　me　to　point　anywhere　at　all。　The　ideas　that　came　to　me　came　from　such　an　entirely　different　angle　…〃

〃Ah；　but　that　is　always　so；〃　said　Poirot　quietly。　〃A　mirror　shows　the　truth；　but　everyone　stands　in　a　different　place　for　looking　into　the　mirror。〃

〃My　ideas　may　be　absurd　…　they　may　be　entirely　different　from　yours；　but　…〃

〃Yes？〃

〃Tell　me；　does　this　help　you　at　all？〃

He　took　a　newspaper　cutting　from　her　outstretched　hand。　He　read　it　and；　looking　up；　he　nodded　gravely。

〃As　I　told　you；　Mademoiselle；　one　stands　at　a　different　angle　for　looking　into　the　mirror；　but　it　is　the　same　mirror　and　the　same　things　are　reflected　there。〃

Katherine　got　up。　〃I　must　rush；〃　she　said。　〃I　have　only　just　time　to　catch　my　train；　Monsieur　Poirot　…〃

〃Yes；　Mademoiselle。〃

〃It　…　it　mustn't　be　much　longer；　you　understand。　I　…　I　can't　go　on　much　longer。〃

There　was　a　break　in　her　voice。

He　patted　her　hand　reassuringly。

〃Courage；　Mademoiselle；　you　must　not　fail　now；　the　end　is　very　near。〃

Chapter　33

A　NEW　THEORY

〃Monsieur　Poirot　wants　to　see　you；　sir。〃

〃Damn　the　fellow！〃　said　Van　Aldin。

Knighton　remained　sympathetically　silent。　Van　Aldin　got　up　from　his　chair　and　paced　up　and　down。

〃I　suppose　you　have　seen　the　cursed　newspapers　this　morning？〃

〃I　have　glanced　at　them；　sir。〃

〃Still　at　it　hammer　and　tongs？〃

〃I　am　afraid　so；　sir。〃

The　millionaire　sat　down　again　and　pressed　his　hand　to　his　forehead。

〃If　I　had　had　an　idea　of　this；〃　he　groaned。　〃I　wish　to　God　I　had　never　got　that　little　Belgian　to　ferret