死亡约会 Part II Chapter 5（1）

（单词翻译）

 

Chapter 5

Lady Westholme entered the room with the assurance of a transatlantic liner coming into dock.

Miss Amabel Pierce, an indeterminate craft, followed in the liner’s wake and sat down in aninferior make of chair slightly in the background.

‘Certainly, M. Poirot,’ boomed Lady Westholme. ‘I shall be delighted to assist you by anymeans in my power. I have always considered that in matters of this kind one has a public duty toperform—’

When Lady Westholme’s public duty had held the stage for some minutes, Poirot was adroitenough to get in a question.

‘I have a perfect recollection of the afternoon in question,’ replied Lady Westholme. ‘MissPierce and I will do all we can to assist you.’

‘Oh, yes,’ sighed Miss Pierce, almost ecstatically. ‘So tragic², was it not? Dead—just like that—in the twinkle of an eye!’

‘If you will tell me exactly what occurred on the afternoon in question?’

‘Certainly,’ said Lady Westholme. ‘After we had finished lunch I decided³ to take a brief siesta⁴.

The morning excursion had been somewhat fatiguing⁵. Not that I was really tired—I seldom am. Ido not really know what fatigue⁶ is. One has so often, on public occasions, no matter what onereally feels—’

Again an adroit¹ murmur⁷ from Poirot.

‘As I say, I was in favour of a siesta. Miss Pierce agreed with me.’

‘Oh, yes,’ sighed Miss Pierce. ‘And I was terribly tired after the morning. Such a dangerousclimb—and although interesting, most exhausting. I’m afraid I’m not quite as strong as LadyWestholme.’

‘Fatigue,’ said Lady Westholme, ‘can be conquered like everything else. I make a point ofnever giving in to my bodily needs.’

Poirot said:

‘After lunch, then, you two ladies went to your tents?’

‘Yes.’

‘Mrs Boynton was then sitting at the mouth of her cave?’

‘Her daughter-in-law assisted her there before she herself went off.’

‘You could both see her?’

‘Oh, yes,’ said Miss Pierce. ‘She was opposite, you know—only, of course, a little way alongand up above.’

Lady Westholme elucidated⁸ the statement.

‘The caves opened on to a ledge⁹. Below that ledge were some tents. Then there was a smallstream and across that stream was the big marquee and some other tents. Miss Pierce and I hadtents near the marquee. She was on the right side of the marquee and I was on the left. Theopening of our tents faced the ledge, but of course it was some distance away.’

‘Nearly two hundred yards, I understand.’

‘Possibly.’

‘I have here a plan,’ said Poirot, ‘concocted with the help of the dragoman, Mahmoud.’

Lady Westholme remarked that in that case it was probably wrong!

‘That man is grossly inaccurate¹⁰. I have checked his statements from my Baedeker. Several timeshis information was definitely misleading.’

‘According to my plan,’ said Poirot, ‘the cave next to Mrs Boynton’s was occupied by her son,Lennox, and his wife. Raymond, Carol and Ginevra Boynton had tents just below but more to theright—in fact, almost opposite the marquee. On the right of Ginevra Boynton’s was Dr Gerard’stent and next to that again that of Miss King. On the other side of the stream—next to the marqueeon the left—you and Mr Cope had tents. Miss Pierce’s, as you mentioned, was on the right of themarquee. Is that correct?’

Lady Westholme admitted grudgingly¹¹ that as far as she knew it was.

‘I thank you. That is perfectly¹² clear. Pray continue, Lady Westholme.’

Lady Westholme smiled graciously on him and went on:

‘At about quarter to four I strolled along to Miss Pierce’s tent to see if she were awake yet andfelt like a stroll. She was sitting in the doorway¹³ of the tent reading. We agreed to start in about halfan hour when the sun was less hot. I went back to my tent and read for about twenty-five minutes.

Then I went along and joined Miss Pierce. She was ready and we started out. Everyone in thecamp seemed asleep—there was no one about, and seeing Mrs Boynton sitting up there alone, Isuggested to Miss Pierce that we should ask her if she wanted anything before we left.’

‘Yes, you did. Most thoughtful of you, I considered,’ murmured Miss Pierce.

‘I felt it to be my duty,’ said Lady Westholme with a rich complacency.

‘And then for her to be so rude about it!’ exclaimed Miss Pierce.

Poirot looked inquiring.

‘Our path passed just under the ledge,’ explained Lady Westholme, ‘and I called up to her,saying that we were going for a stroll and could we do anything for her before we went. Do youknow, M. Poirot, absolutely the only answer she gave us was a grunt¹⁴! A grunt! She just looked atus as though we were—as though we were dirt!’

‘Disgraceful it was!’ said Miss Pierce, flushing.

‘I must confess,’ said Lady Westholme, reddening a little, ‘that I made then a somewhatuncharitable remark.’

‘I think you were quite justified,’ said Miss Pierce. ‘Quite—under the circumstances.’

‘What was this remark?’ asked Poirot.

‘I said to Miss Pierce that perhaps she drank! Really her manner was most peculiar¹⁵. It had beenall along. I thought it possible that drink might account for it. The evils of alcoholic indulgence, asI very well know—’