死亡约会 Part II Chapter 5（3）

（单词翻译）

 

For once Miss Pierce managed to get in first before Lady Westholme could speak.

‘He went right up to his mother, but he didn’t stay long with her.’

‘How long?’

‘Just a minute or two.’

‘I should put it at just over a minute myself,’ said Lady Westholme. ‘Then he went on into hiscave and after that he went down to the marquee.’

‘And his wife?’

‘She came along about a quarter of an hour later. She stopped a minute and spoke¹ to us—quitecivilly.’

‘I think she’s very nice,’ said Miss Pierce. ‘Very nice indeed.’

‘She is not so impossible as the rest of the family,’ allowed Lady Westholme.

‘You watched her return to the camp?’

‘Yes. She went up and spoke to her mother-in-law. Then she went into her cave and brought outa chair, and sat by her talking for some time—about ten minutes, I should say.’

‘And then?’

‘Then she took the chair back to the cave and went down to the marquee where her husbandwas.’

‘What happened next?’

‘That very peculiar² American came along,’ said Lady Westholme. ‘Cope, I think his name is.

He told us that there was a very good example of the debased architecture of the period just roundthe bend of the valley. He said we ought not to miss it. Accordingly, we walked there. Mr Copehad with him quite an interesting article on Petra and the Nabateans.’

‘It was all most interesting,’ declared Miss Pierce.

Lady Westholme continued:

‘We strolled back to the camp, it being then about twenty minutes to six. It was growing quitechilly.’

‘Mrs Boynton was still sitting where you had left her?’

‘Yes.’

‘Did you speak to her?’

‘No. As a matter of fact I hardly noticed her.’

‘What did you do next?’

‘I went to my tent, changed my shoes and got out my own packet of China tea. I then went tothe marquee. The dragoman was there and I directed him to make some tea for Miss Pierce andmyself with the tea I had brought and to make quite sure that the water with which it was madewas boiling. He said that dinner would be ready in about half an hour—the boys were laying thetable at the time—but I said that made no difference.’

‘I always say a cup of tea makes all the difference,’ murmured Miss Pierce vaguely³.

‘Was there anyone in the marquee?’

‘Oh, yes. Mr and Mrs Lennox Boynton were sitting at one end reading. And Carol Boynton wasthere too.’

‘And Mr Cope?’

‘He joined us at our tea,’ said Miss Pierce. ‘Though he said tea-drinking wasn’t an Americanhabit.’

Lady Westholme coughed.

‘I became just a little afraid that Mr Cope was going to be a nuisance—that he might fastenhimself upon me. It is a little difficult sometimes to keep people at arm’s length when one istravelling. I find they are inclined to presume. Americans, especially, are sometimes rather dense⁴.’

Poirot murmured suavely⁵:

‘I am sure, Lady Westholme, that you are quite capable of dealing⁶ with situations of that kind.

When travelling acquaintances are no longer of any use to you, I am sure you are an adept⁷ atdropping them.’

‘I think I am capable of dealing with most situations,’ said Lady Westholme complacently⁸.

The twinkle in Poirot’s eye was quite lost upon her.

‘If you will just conclude your recital⁹ of the day’s happenings?’ murmured Poirot.

‘Certainly. As far as I can remember, Raymond Boynton and the red-haired Boynton girl camein shortly afterwards. Miss King arrived last. Dinner was then ready to be served. One of theservants was dispatched by the dragoman to announce the fact to old Mrs Boynton. The man camerunning back with one of his comrades in a state of some agitation¹⁰ and spoke to the dragoman inArabic. There was some mention of Mrs Boynton being taken ill. Miss King offered her services.

She went out with the dragoman. She came back and broke the news to the members of MrsBoynton’s family.’

‘She did it very abruptly,’ put in Miss Pierce. ‘Just blurted¹¹ it out. I think myself it ought to havebeen done more gradually.’

‘And how did Mrs Boynton’s family take the news?’ asked Poirot.

For once both Lady Westholme and Miss Pierce seemed a little at a loss. The former said at lastin a voice lacking its usual self-assurance:

‘Well—really—it is difficult to say. They—they were very quiet about it.’

‘Stunned,’ said Miss Pierce.

She offered the word more as a suggestion than as a fact.

‘They all went out with Miss King,’ said Lady Westholme. ‘Miss Pierce and I very sensiblyremained where we were.’

A faintly wistful look was observable in Miss Pierce’s eye at this point.

‘I detest¹² vulgar curiosity!’ continued Lady Westholme.

The wistful look became more pronounced. It was clear that Miss Pierce had had perforce tohate vulgar curiosity, too!

‘Later,’ concluded Lady Westholme, ‘the dragoman and Miss King returned. I suggested thatdinner should be served immediately to the four of us, so that the Boynton family could dine laterin the marquee without the embarrassment¹³ of strangers being present. My suggestion was adoptedand immediately after the meal I retired¹⁴ to my tent. Miss King and Miss Pierce did the same. MrCope, I believe, remained in the marquee as he was a friend of the family and thought he might beof some assistance to them. That is all I know, M. Poirot.’