第27部分(第6/7 页)

ing　her　intently；　and　he　saw　the　wary　look　that　came　into　her　eyes。

〃I　have　been　told　so。　Everybody　says　so。〃

〃Oh；〃　said　Poirot；　〃I　was　not　aware　that　the　fact　had　been　mentioned　outside　the　Examining　Magistrate's　office。〃

Mirelle　appeared　somewhat　disposed。

〃One　hears　those　things；〃　she　said　vaguely；　〃they　get　about。　Somebody　told　me。　I　can't　remember　who　it　was。〃

She　moved　to　the　door。　M。　Caux　sprang　forward　to　open　it　for　her；　and　as　he　did　so；　Poirot's　voice　rose　gently　once　more。

〃And　the　jewels？　Pardon；　Mademoiselle。　Can　you　tell　me　anything　about　those？〃

〃The　jewels？　What　jewels？〃

〃The　rubies　of　Katherine　the　Great。　Since　you　hear　so　much；　you　must　have　heard　of　them。〃

〃I　know　nothing　about　any　jewels；〃　said　Mirelle　sharply。

She　went　out；　closing　the　door　behind　her。　M。　Caux　came　back　to　his　chair；　the　Examining　Magistrate　sighed。

〃What　a　fury！〃　he　said；　〃but　diablement　chic。　I　wonder　if　she　is　telling　the　truth？　I　think　so。〃

〃There　is　some　truth　in　her　story；　certainly；〃　said　Poirot。　〃We　have　confirmation　of　it　from　Miss　Grey。　She　was　looking　down　the　corridor　a　short　time　before　the　train　reached　Lyons　and　she　saw　M。　Kettering　go　into　his　wife's　partment。〃

〃The　case　against　him　seems　quite　clear；〃　said　the　missary；　sighing；　〃it　is　a　thousand　pities；〃　he　murmured。

〃How　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Poirot。

〃It　has　been　the　ambition　of　my　life　to　lay　the　te　de　la　Roche　by　the　heels。　This　time；　ma　foi；　I　thought　we　had　got　him。　This　other　…　it　is　not　nearly　so　satisfactory。〃

M。　Carrege　rubbed　his　nose。

〃If　anything　goes　wrong；〃　he　observed　cautiously；　〃it　will　be　most　awkward。　M。　Kettering　is　of　the　aristocracy。　It　will　get　into　the　newspapers。　If　we　have　m