《蓝色特快上的秘密-蓝色列车之谜-蓝色列车(英文版)》蓝色列车之谜-蓝色列车(英文版)-第20章

the　train　came　to　rest　at　the　station；　when　he　started　handing　her　belongings　down　from　the　window。　
Katherine　stood　for　a　moment　or　two　on　the　platform　rather　at　a　loss；　but　a　fair　young　man　with　an　ingenuous　face　came　up　to　her　and　said　rather　hesitatingly：　
〃Miss　Grey；　is　it　not？〃　
Katherine　said　that　it　was；　and　the　young　man　beamed　upon　her　seraphically　and　murmured：　
〃I　am　Chubby；　you　know　…　Lady　Tamplin"s　husband。　I　expect　she　mentioned　me；　but　perhaps　she　forgot。　Have　you　got　your　billet　de　bagages？　I　lost　mine　when　I　came　out　this　year；　and　you　would　not　believe　the　fuss　they　made　about　it。　Regular　French　red　tape！〃　
Katherine　produced　it；　and　was　just　about　to　move　off　beside　him　when　a　very　gentle　and　insidious　voice　murmured　in　her　ear：　
〃A　little　moment；　Madame；　if　you　please。〃　
Katherine　turned　to　behold　an　individual　who　made　up　for　insignificance　of　stature　by　a　large　quantity　of　gold　lace　and　uniform。　
The　individual　explained。　〃There　were　certain　formalities。　Madame　would　perhaps　be　so　kind　as　to　acpany　him。　The　regulations　of　the　police　…〃　He　threw　up　his　arms。　〃Absurd；　doubtless；　but　there　it　was。〃　
Mr　Chubby　Evans　listened　with　a　very　imperfect　prehension；　his　French　being　of　a　limited　order。　
〃So　like　the　French；〃　murmured　Mr　Evans。　He　was　one　of　those　staunch　patriotic　Britons　who；　having　made　a　portion　of　a　foreign　country　their　own；　strongly　resent　the　original　inhabitants　of　it。　〃Always　up　to　some　silly　dodge　or　other。　They"ve　never　tackled　people　on　the　station　before；　though。　This　is　something　quite　new。　I　suppose　you"ll　have　to　go。〃　
Katherine　departed　with　her　guide。　Somewhat　to　her　surprise；　he　led　her　towards　a　siding　where　a　coach　of　the　departed　train　had　been　shunted。　He　invited　her　to　mount　into　this；　and；　preceding　her　down　the　corridor；　held　aside　the　door　of　one　of　the　partments。　
In　it　was　a　pompous…looking　official　personage；　and　with　him　a　nondescript　being　who　appeared　to　be　a　clerk。　The　pompous…looking　personage　rose　politely；　bowed　to　Katherine；　and　said：　
〃You　will　excuse　me；　Madame；　but　there　are　certain　formalities　to　be　plied　with。　Madame　speaks　French；　I　trust？〃　
〃Sufficiently；　I　think；　Monsieur；〃　replied　Katherine　in　that　language。　
〃That　is　good。　Pray　be　seated；　Madame。　I　am　M。　Caux；　the　missary　of　Police。〃　
He　blew　out　his　chest　importantly；　and　Katherine　tried　to　look　sufficiently　impressed。　
〃You　wish　to　see　my　passport？〃　she　inquired。　〃Here　it　is。〃　
The　missary　eyed　her　keenly　and　gave　a　little　grunt。　
〃Thank　you；　Madame；〃　he　said；　taking　the　passport　from　her。　He　cleared　his　throat。　
〃But　what　I　really　desire　is　a　little　information。〃　
〃Information？〃　
The　missary　nodded　his　head　slowly。　
〃About　a　lady　who　has　been　a　fellow…passenger　of　yours。　You　lunched　with　her　yesterday。〃　
〃I　am　afraid　I　can"t　tell　you　anything　about　her。　We　fell　into　conversation　over　our　meal；　but　she　is　a　plete　stranger　to　me。　I　have　never　seen　her　before。〃　
〃And　yet；〃　said　the　missary　sharply；　〃you　returned　to　her　partment　with　her　after　lunch　and　sat　talking　for　some　time？〃　
〃Yes；〃　said　Katherine；　〃that　is　true。〃　
The　missary　seemed　to　expect　her　to　say　something　more。　He　looked　at　her　encouragingly。　
〃Yes；　Madame？〃　
〃Well；　Monsieur？〃　said　Katherine。　
〃You　can；　perhaps；　give　me　some　kind　of　idea　of　that　conversation？〃　
〃I　could；〃　said　Katherine；　〃but　at　the　moment　I　see　no　reason　to　do　so。〃　
In　somewhat　British　fashion　she　felt　annoyed。　
This　foreign　official　seemed　to　her　impertinent。　
〃No　reason？〃　cried　the　missary。　〃Oh　yes；　Madame；　I　can　assure　you　that　there　is　a　reason。〃　
〃Then　perhaps　you　will　give　it　to　me。〃　
The　missary　rubbed　his　chin　thoughtfully　for　a　minute　or　two　without　speaking。　
〃Madame；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃the　reason　is　very　simple。　The　lady　in　question　was　found　dead　in　her　partment　this　morning。〃　
〃Dead！〃　gasped　Katherine。　〃What　was　it　…　heart　failure？〃　
〃No；〃　said　the　missary　in　a　reflective　voice。　〃No　…　she　was　murdered。〃　
〃Murdered！〃　cried　Katherine。　
〃So　you　see；　Madame；　why　we　are　anxious　for　any　information　we　can　possibly　get。〃　
〃But　surely　her　maid　…〃　
〃The　maid　has　disappeared。〃　
〃Oh！〃　Katherine　paused　to　assemble　her　thoughts。　
〃Since　the　conductor　had　seen　you　talking　with　her　in　her　partment；　he　quite　naturally　reported　the　fact　to　the　police；　and　that　is　why；　Madame；　we　have　detained　you；　in　the　hope　of　gaining　some　information。〃　
〃I　am　very　sorry；〃　said　Katherine；　〃I　don"t　even　know　her　name。〃　
〃Her　name　is　Kettering。　That　we　know　from　her　passport　and　from　the　labels　on　her　luggage。　If　we　…〃　
There　was　a　knock　on　the　partment　door。　M。　Caux　frowned。　He　opened　it　about　six　inches。　
〃What　is　the　matter？〃　he　said　peremptorily。　〃I　cannot　be　disturbed。〃　
The　egg…shaped　head　of　Katherine"s　dinner　acquaintance　showed　itself　in　the　aperture。　On　his　face　was　a　beaming　smile。　
〃My　name；〃　he　said；　〃is　Hercule　Poirot。〃　
〃Not；〃　the　missary　stammered；　〃not　the　Hercule　Poirot？〃　
〃The　same；〃　said　Mr　Poirot。　〃I　remember　meeting　you　once；　M。　Caux；　at　the　S？reté　in　Paris；　though　doubtless　you　have　forgotten　me？〃　
〃Not　at　all；　Monsieur；　not　at　all；〃　declared　the　missary　heartily。　〃But　enter；　I　pray　of　you。　You　know　of　this　…〃　
〃Yes；　I　know；〃　said　Hercule　Poirot。　〃I　came　to　see　if　I　might　be　of　any　assistance？〃　
〃We　should　be　flattered；〃　replied　the　missary　promptly。　〃Let　me　present　you；　Mr　Poirot；　to　…〃　he　consulted　the　passport　he　still　held　in　his　hand　…　〃to　Madame　…　er　…　Mademoiselle　Grey。〃　
Poirot　smiled　across　at　Katherine。　
〃It　is　strange；　is　it　not；〃　he　murmured；　〃that　my　words　should　have　e　true　so　quickly？〃　
〃Mademoiselle；　alas！　can　tell　us　very　little；〃　said　the　missary。　
〃I　have　been　explaining；〃　said　Katherine；　〃that　this　poor　lady　was　a　plete　stranger　to　me。〃　
Poirot　nodded。　
〃But　she　talked　to　you；　did　she　not？〃　he　said　gently。　〃You　formed　an　impression　…　is　it　not　so？〃　
〃Yes；〃　said　Katherine　thoughtfully。　〃I　suppose　I　did。　And　that　impression　was　…〃　
〃Yes；　Mademoiselle　…〃　the　missary　jerked　himself　forward　…　〃let　us　by　all　means　have　your　impressions。〃　
Katherine　sat　turning　t