小说园

第29部分（第2页）

〃No？〃

〃When　he　asked　me　for　details；　for　explanations；　I　said　to　him　thus：　Without　scandal；　I　have　got　back　for　you　that　which　was　lost。　You　must　ask　no　questions。　Do　you　know；　Mademoiselle；　why　I　said　these　things？〃

〃I　have　no　idea；〃　said　the　girl　coldly。

〃It　was　because　I　had　a　soft　spot　in　my　heart　for　a　little　pensionnaire；　so　pale；　so　thin；　so　serious。〃

〃I　dont　understand　what　you　are　talking　about；〃　cried　Zia　angrily。

〃Do　you　not；　Mademoiselle？　Have　you　forgotten　Antonio　Pirezzio？〃

He　heard　the　quick　intake　of　her　breath　…　almost　a　gasp。

〃He　came　to　work　as　an　assistant　in　the　shop；　but　not　thus　could　he　have　got　hold　of　what　he　wanted。　An　assistant　can　lift　his　eyes　to　his　masters　daughter；　can　he　not？　If　he　is　young　and　handsome　with　a　glib　tongue。　And　since　they　cannot　make　love　all　the　time；　they　must　occasionally　talk　of　things　that　interest　them　both　…　such　as　that　very　interesting　thing　which　was　temporarily　in　M。　Papopolous　possession。　And　since；　as　you　say；　Mademoiselle；　the　young　are　foolish　and　credulous；　it　was　easy　to　believe　him　and　to　give　him　a　sight　of　that　particular　thing；　to　show　him　where　it　was　kept。　And　afterwards　when　it　is　gone　…　when　the　unbelievable　catastrophe　has　happened。　Alas！　the　poor　little　pensionnaire。　What　a　terrible　position　she　is　in。　She　is　frightened；　the　poor　little　one。　To　speak　or　not　to　speak？　And　then　there　es　along　that　excellent　fellow；　Hercule　Poirot。　Almost　a　miracle　it　must　have　been；　the　way　things　arranged　themselves。　The　priceless　heirlooms　are　restored　and　there　are　no　awkward　questions。〃

Zia　turned　on　him　fiercely。

〃You　have　known　all　the　time？　Who　told　you？　Was　it　…　was　it　Antonio？〃

Poirot　shook　his　head。

〃No　one　told　me；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃I　guessed。　It　was　a　good　guess；　was　it　not；　Mademoiselle？　You　see；　unless　you　are　good　at　guessing；　it　is　not　much　use　being　a　detective。〃

The　girl　walked　along　beside　him　for　some　minutes　in　silence。　Then　she　said　in　a　hard　voice：

〃Well；　what　are　you　going　to　do　about　it；　are　you　going　to　tell　my　father？〃

〃No；〃　said　Poirot　sharply。　〃Certainly　not。〃

She　looked　at　him　curiously。

〃You　want　something　from　me？〃

〃I　want　your　help；　Mademoiselle。〃

〃What　makes　you　think　that　I　can　help　you？〃

〃I　do　not　think　so。　I　only　hope　so。〃

〃And　if　I　do　not　help　you；　then　…　you　will　tell　my　father？〃

〃But　no；　but　no！　Disembarrass　yourself　of　that　idea；　Mademoiselle。　I　am　not　a　blackmailer。　I　do　not　hold　your　secret　over　your　head　and　threaten　you　with　it。〃

〃If　I　refuse　to　help　you　…〃　began　the　girl　slowly。

〃Then　you　refuse；　and　that　is　that。〃

〃Then　why　…〃　she　stopped。

〃Listen；　and　I　will　tell　you　why。　Women；　Mademoiselle；　are　generous。　If　they　can　render　a　service　to　one　who　has　rendered　a　service　to　them；　they　will　do　it。　I　was　generous　once　to　you；　Mademoiselle。　When　I　might　have　spoken；　I　held　my　tongue。〃

There　was　another　silence；　then　the　girl　said；　〃My　father　gave　you　a　hint　the　other　day。〃

〃It　was　very　kind　of　him。〃

〃I　do　not　think；〃　said　Zia　slowly；　〃that　there　is　anything　that　I　can　add　to　that。〃

If　Poirot　was　disappointed　he　did　not　show　it。　Not　a　muscle　of　his　face　changed。

〃Eh　bien！〃　he　said　cheerfully；　〃then　we　must　talk　of　other　things。〃