第27部分(第2/7 页)

；　of　course；　Mademoiselle　would　prefer　to　wait　a　fortnight　or　so。〃

If　there　was　one　thing　of　which　Poirot　was　tolerably　certain；　it　was　that　to　a　temperament　such　as　Mirelle's　the　mere　word　〃wait〃　was　anathema。

〃Eh　bien；　I　will　speak；　Messieurs；〃　she　cried。　〃I　have　been　patient。　I　have　held　my　hand。　And　for　what？　That　I　should　be　insulted！　Yes；　insulted！　Ah！　Does　he　think　to　treat　Mirelle　like　that？　To　throw　her　off　like　an　old　glove。　I　tell　you　never　has　a　man　tired　of　me。　Always　it　is　I　who　tire　of　them。〃

She　paced　up　and　down　the　room；　her　slender　body　trembling　with　rage。　A　small　table　impeded　her　free　passage　and　she　flung　it　from　her　into　a　corner；　where　it　splintered　against　the　wall。

〃That　is　what　I　will　do　to　him；〃　she　cried；　〃and　that！〃

Picking　up　a　glass　bowl　filled　with　lilies　she　flung　it　into　the　grate；　where　it　smashed　into　a　hundred　pieces。

Knighton　was　looking　at　her　with　cold　British　disapproval。　He　felt　embarrassed　and　ill　at　ease。　Poirot；　on　the　other　hand；　with　twinkling　eyes　was　thoroughly　enjoying　the　scene。

〃Ah；　it　is　magnificent！〃　he　cried。　〃It　can　be　seen　…　Madame　has　a　temperament。〃

〃I　am　an　artist；〃　said　Mirelle；　〃every　artist　has　a　temperament。　I　told　Dereek　to　beware；　and　he　would　not　listen。〃　She　whirled　round　on　Poirot　suddenly。　〃It　is　true；　is　it　not；　that　he　wants　to　marry　that　English　miss？〃

Poirot　coughed。

〃On　m'a　dit；〃　he　murmured；　〃that　he　adores　her　passionately。〃

Mirelle　came　towards　them。

〃He　murdered　his　wife；〃　she　screamed。　〃There　…　now　you　have　it！　He　told　me　beforehand　that　he　meant　to　do　it。　He　had　got　to　an　impasse　…　zut！　he　took　the　easiest　way　out。〃

〃You　say　that　M。　Kettering　murdered　his　wife。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　yes。　Have　I　not　tol