死亡约会 Part II Chapter 3（1）

（单词翻译）

Chapter 3

‘Raymond Boynton said that!’

The exclamation¹ broke from the Frenchman.

‘You think it unlikely—psychologically speaking?’ Poirot inquired placidly².

Gerard shook his head.

‘No, I should not say that. I was surprised, yes. If you follow me, I was surprised just becauseRaymond Boynton was so eminently³ fitted to be a suspect.’

Colonel Carbury sighed. ‘These psychological fellers!’ the sigh seemed to say.

‘Question is,’ he murmured, ‘what are we going to do about it?’

Gerard shrugged⁴ his shoulders.

‘I do not see what you can do,’ he confessed. ‘The evidence is bound to be inconclusive. Youmay know that murder has been done but it will be difficult to prove it.’

‘I see,’ said Colonel Carbury. ‘We suspect that murder’s been done and we just sit back andtwiddle our fingers! Don’t like it!’ He added, as if in extenuation⁵, his former odd plea, ‘I’m a tidyman.’

‘I know. I know.’ Poirot nodded his head sympathetically. ‘You would like to clear this up. Youwould like to know definitely, exactly what occurred and how it occurred. And you, Dr Gerard?

You have said that there is nothing to be done—that the evidence is bound to be inconclusive?

That is probably true. But are you satisfied that the matter should rest so?’

‘She was a bad life,’ said Gerard slowly. ‘In any case, she might have died very shortly—aweek—a month—a year.’

‘So you are satisfied?’ persisted Poirot.

Gerard went on:

‘There is no doubt that her death was—how shall we put it?—beneficial to the community. Ithas brought freedom to her family. They will have scope to develop—they are all, I think, peopleof good character and intelligence. They will be—now—useful members of society! The death ofMrs Boynton, as I see it, has resulted in nothing but good.’

Poirot repeated for the third time: ‘So you are satisfied?’

‘No.’ Gerard pounded a fist suddenly on the table. ‘I am not “satisfied”, as you put it! It is myinstinct to preserve life—not to hasten death. Therefore, though my conscious mind may repeatthat this woman’s death was a good thing, my unconscious mind rebels against it! It is not well,gentlemen, that a human being should die before her time has come.’

Poirot smiled. He leaned back contented⁶ with the answer he had probed for so patiently.

Colonel Carbury said unemotionally: ‘He don’t like murder! Quite right! No more do I.’

He rose and poured himself out a stiff whisky and soda⁷. His guests’ glasses were still full.

‘And now,’ he said, returning to the subject, ‘let’s get down to brass⁸ tacks⁹. Is there anything tobe done about it? We don’t like it—no! But we may have to lump it! No good making a fuss ifyou can’t deliver the goods.’

Gerard leaned forward. ‘What is your professional opinion, M. Poirot? You are the expert.’

Poirot took a little time to speak. Methodically he arranged an ash-tray or two and made a littleheap of used matches. Then he said:

‘You desire to know, do you not, Colonel Carbury, who killed Mrs Boynton? (That is if she waskilled and did not die a natural death.) Exactly how and when she was killed—and in fact thewhole truth of the matter?’

‘I should like to know that, yes.’ Carbury spoke¹⁰ unemotionally.

Hercule Poirot said slowly: ‘I see no reason why you should not know it!’

Dr Gerard looked incredulous. Colonel Carbury looked mildly interested.

‘Oh,’ he said. ‘So you don’t, don’t you? That’s interestin’. How d’you propose to set about it?’

‘By methodical sifting¹¹ of the evidence, by a process of reasoning.’

‘Suits me,’ said Colonel Carbury.

‘And by a study of the psychological possibilities.’

‘Suits Dr Gerard, I expect,’ said Carbury. ‘And after that—after you’ve sifted¹² the evidence anddone some reasoning and paddled in psychology—hey presto¹³!—you think you can produce therabbit out of the hat?’

‘I should be extremely surprised if I could not do so,’ said Poirot calmly.