死亡约会 Part II Chapter 5（4）

（单词翻译）

‘When Miss King had broken the news, all the Boynton family accompanied her out of themarquee?’

‘Yes—no, I believe, now that you come to mention it, that the red-haired girl stayed behind.

Perhaps you can remember, Miss Pierce?’

‘Yes, I think—I am quite sure she did.’

Poirot asked: ‘What did she do?’

Lady Westholme stared at him.

‘What did she do, M. Poirot? She did not do anything as far as I can remember.’

‘I mean was she sewing—or reading—did she look anxious—did she say anything?’

‘Well, really —’ Lady Westholme frowned. ‘She — er — she just sat there as far as I canremember.’

‘She twiddled her fingers,’ said Miss Pierce suddenly. ‘I remember noticing—poor thing, Ithought, it shows what she’s feeling! Not that there was anything to show in her face, you know—just her hands turning and twisting.’

‘Once,’ went on Miss Pierce conversationally¹, ‘I remember tearing up a pound note that way—not thinking of what I was doing. “Shall I catch the first train and go to her?” I thought (it was agreat-aunt of mine—taken suddenly ill). “Or shall I not?” And I couldn’t make up my mind oneway or the other and there, I looked down, and instead of the telegram I was tearing up a poundnote—a pound note—into tiny pieces!’

Miss Pierce paused dramatically.

Not entirely² approving of this sudden bid for the limelight on the part of her satellite, LadyWestholme said coldly: ‘Is there anything else, M. Poirot?’

With a start, Poirot seemed to come out of a brown study. ‘Nothing—nothing—you have beenmost clear—most definite.’

‘I have an excellent memory,’ said Lady Westholme with satisfaction.

‘One last little demand, Lady Westholme,’ said Poirot. ‘Please continue to sit as you are sitting—without looking round. Now would you be so kind as to describe to me just what Miss Pierce iswearing today—that is if Miss Pierce does not object?’

‘Oh, no! not in the least!’ twittered Miss Pierce.

‘Really, M. Poirot, is there any object—’

‘Please be so kind as to do as I ask, madame.’

Lady Westholme shrugged³ her shoulders and then said with a rather bad grace:

‘Miss Pierce has on a striped brown and white cotton dress, and is wearing with it a Sudanesebelt of red, blue and beige leather. She is wearing beige silk stockings and brown glacé strapshoes. There is a ladder in her left stocking. She has a necklace of cornelian beads⁴ and one ofbright royal blue beads—and is wearing a brooch with a pearl butterfly on it. She has an imitationscarab ring on the third finger of her right hand. On her head she has a double terai of pink andbrown felt.’

She paused—a pause of quiet competence⁵. Then:

‘Is there anything further?’ she asked coldly.

Poirot spread out his hands in a wild gesture.

‘You have my entire admiration⁶, madame. Your observation is of the highest order.’

‘Details rarely escape me.’

Lady Westholme rose, made a slight inclination⁷ of her head, and left the room. As Miss Piercewas following her, gazing down ruefully at her left leg, Poirot said:

‘A little moment, please, mademoiselle?’

‘Yes?’ Miss Pierce looked up, a slightly apprehensive⁸ look upon her face.

Poirot leaned forward confidentially⁹.

‘You see this bunch of wild flowers on the table here?’

‘Yes,’ said Miss Pierce—staring.

‘And you noticed that when you first came into the room I sneezed once or twice?’

‘Yes?’

‘Did you notice if I had just been sniffing¹⁰ those flowers?’

‘Well—really—no—I couldn’t say.’

‘But you remember my sneezing?’

‘Oh yes, I remember that!’

Ah, well—no matter. I wondered, you see, if these flowers might induce the hay fever. Nomatter!’

‘Hay fever?’ cried Miss Pierce. ‘I remember a cousin of mine was a martyr¹¹ to it! She alwayssaid that if you sprayed your nose daily with a solution of boracic—’

With some difficulty Poirot shelved the cousin’s nasal treatment and got rid of Miss Pierce. Heshut the door and came back into the room with his eyebrows¹² raised.

‘But I did not sneeze,’ he murmured. ‘So much for that. No, I did not sneeze.’