西班牙箱子之谜7

"And the telegram was sent by one or the other of them?""It wouldn't surprise me.""Major Rich and Mrs. Clayton were having an affair together you think?""Let's say I shouldn't be surprised if they were. I don't know it for a fact.""Did Mr. Clayton suspect?""Arnold was an extraordinary person. He was all bottled up, if you know what I mean. I think hedid know. But he was the kind of man who would never have let on. Anyone would think he was adry stick with no feelings at all. But I'm pretty sure he wasn't like that underneath¹. The queer thingis that I should have been much less surprised if Arnold had stabbed Charles than the other wayabout. I've an idea Arnold was really an insanely jealous person.""That is interesting.""Though it's more likely, really, that he'd have done in Margharita. Othello - that sort of thing.

Margharita, you know, has an extraordinary effect on men.""She is a good-looking woman," said Poirot with judicious² understatement.

"It was more than that. She had something. She would get men all het up - mad about her - andturn round and look at them with a sort of wide-eyed surprise that drove them barmy.""Une femme fatale.""That's probably the foreign name for it."

"You know her well?"

"My dear, she's one of my best friends - and I wouldn't trust her an inch.""Ah," said Poirot and shifted the subject to Commander McLaren.

"Jock? Old faithful? He's a pet. Born to be the friend of the family. He and Arnold were reallyclose friends. I think Arnold unbent to him more than to anyone else. And of course he wasMargharita's tame cat. He'd been devoted³ to her for years.""And was Mr. Clayton jealous of him, too?""Jealous of Jock? What an idea! Margharita's genuinely fond of Jock, but she's never given him athought of that kind. I don't think, really, that one ever would... I don't know why... It seems ashame. He's so nice."Poirot switched to consideration of the valet. But beyond saying vaguely⁴ that he mixed a verygood side car, Linda Spence seemed to have no ideas about Burgess, and indeed seemed barely tohave noticed him.

But she was quite quick in the uptake.

"You're thinking, I suppose, that he could have killed Arnold just as easily as Charles could? Itseems to me madly unlikely.""That remark depresses me, madame. But then, it seems to me (though you will probably notagree) that it is madly unlikely - not that Major Rich should kill Arnold Clayton - but that heshould kill him in just the way he did.""Stiletto stuff? Yes, definitely not in character. More likely the blunt instrument. Or he might havestrangled him, perhaps?"Poirot sighed.

"We are back at Othello. Yes, Othello... you have given me there a little idea ""Have I? What -" There was the sound of a latchkey and an opening door. "Oh, here's Jeremy. Doyou want to talk to him, too?"Jeremy Spence was a pleasant looking man of thirty-odd, well groomed⁵, and almost ostentatiouslydiscreet. Mrs. Spence said that she had better go and have a look at a casserole in the kitchen andwent off, leaving the two men together.

Jeremy Spence displayed none of the engaging candor⁶ of his wife. He was clearly disliking verymuch being mixed up in the case at all, and his remarks were carefully noninformative. They hadknown the Claytons some time, Rich not so well. Had seemed a pleasant fellow. As far as he couldremember, Rich had seemed absolutely as usual on the evening in question. Clayton and Richalways seemed on good terms. The whole thing seemed quite unaccountable.

Throughout the conversation Jeremy Spence was making it clear that he expected Poirot to takehis departure. He was civil, but only just so.

"I am afraid," said Poirot, "that you do not like these questions?""Well, we've had quite a session of this with the police. I rather feel that's enough. We've told allwe know or saw. Now - I'd like to forget it.""You have my sympathy. It is most unpleasant to be mixed up in this. To be asked not only whatyou know or what you saw but perhaps even what you think?""Best not to think.""But can one avoid it? Do you think, for instance, that Mrs. Clayton was in it, too? Did she planthe death of her husband with Rich?""Good lord, no." Spence sounded shocked and dismayed. "I'd no idea that there was any questionof such a thing?""Has your wife not suggested such a possibility?""Oh Linda! You know what women are - always got their knife into each other. Margharita nevergets much of a show from her own sex - a darned sight too attractive. But surely this theory aboutRich and Margharita planning murder - that's fantastic!""Such things have been known. The weapon, for instance. It is the kind of weapon a woman mightpossess, rather than a man.""Do you mean the police have traced it to her… they can't have! I mean -""I know nothing," said Poirot truthfully, and escaped hastily.

From the consternation⁷ on Spence's face, he judged that he had left that gentleman something tothink about!

"You will forgive my saying, M. Poirot, that I cannot see how you can be of assistance to me inany way."Poirot did not answer. He was looking thoughtfully at the man who had been charged with themurder of his friend Arnold Clayton.

He was looking at the firm jaw⁸, the narrow head. A lean brown man, athletic⁹ and sinewy¹⁰.

Something of the greyhound about him. A man whose face gave nothing away, and who wasreceiving his visitor with a marked lack of cordiality.

"I quite understand that Mrs. Clayton sent you to see me with the best intentions. But quitefrankly, I think she was unwise. Unwise both for her own sake and mine.""You mean?"Rich gave a nervous glance over his shoulder. But the attendant warder was the regulation distanceaway. Rich lowered his voice.

"They've got to find a motive¹¹ for this ridiculous accusation¹². They'll try to bring that there was an -association between Mrs. Clayton and myself. That, as I know Mrs. Clayton will have told you, isquite untrue. We are friends, nothing more. But surely it is advisable that she should make nomove on my behalf."Hercule Poirot ignored the point. Instead he picked out a word.

 

分享到：