死亡约会 Part II Chapter 7（1）

（单词翻译）

Chapter 7

Poirot looked with interest at the tall, dignified¹ young woman who entered the room. He rose andbowed to her politely. ‘Mrs Lennox Boynton? Hercule Poirot, at your service.’

Nadine Boynton sat down. Her thoughtful eyes were on Poirot’s face.

‘I hope you do not mind, madame, my intruding² on your sorrow in this way?’

Her eyes did not waver. She did not reply at once. Her eyes remained steady and grave. At lastshe gave a sigh and said: ‘I think it is best for me to be quite frank with you, M. Poirot.’

‘I agree with you, madame.’

‘You apologized for intruding upon my sorrow. That sorrow, M. Poirot, does not exist and it isidle to pretend that it does. I had no love for my mother-in-law and I cannot honestly say that Iregret her death.’

‘Thank you, madame, for your plain speaking.’

Nadine went on: ‘Still, although I cannot pretend sorrow, I can admit to another feeling—remorse.’

‘Remorse?’ Poirot’s eyebrows³ went up.

‘Yes. Because, you see, it was I who brought about her death. For that I blame myself bitterly.’

‘What is this you are saying, madame?’

‘I am saying that I was the cause of my mother-in-law’s death. I was acting⁴, as I thought,honestly—but the result was unfortunate. To all intents and purposes, I killed her.’

Poirot leaned back in his chair. ‘Will you be so kind as to elucidate⁵ this statement, madame?’

Nadine bent⁶ her head.

‘Yes, that is what I wish to do. My first reaction, naturally, was to keep my private affairs tomyself, but I see that the time has come when it would be better to speak out. I have no doubt, M.

Poirot, that you have often received confidences of a somewhat intimate nature?’

‘That, yes.’

‘Then I will tell you quite simply what occurred. My married life, M. Poirot, has not beenparticularly happy. My husband is not entirely⁷ to blame for that—his mother’s influence over himhas been unfortunate — but I have been feeling for some time that my life was becomingintolerable.’

She paused and then went on:

‘On the afternoon of my mother-in-law’s death I came to a decision. I have a friend—a verygood friend. He has suggested more than once that I should throw in my lot with him. On thatafternoon I accepted his proposal.’

‘You decided⁸ to leave your husband?’

‘Yes.’

‘Continue, madame.’

Nadine said in a lower voice:

‘Having once made my decision, I wanted to—to establish it as soon as possible. I walked hometo the camp by myself. My mother-in-law was sitting alone, there was no one about, and I decidedto break the news to her there and then. I got a chair—sat down by her and told her abruptly⁹ what Ihad decided.’

‘She was surprised?’

‘Yes, I am afraid it was a great shock to her. She was both surprised and angry—very angry.

She—she worked herself into quite a state about it! Presently I refused to discuss the matter anylonger. I got up and walked away.’ Her voice dropped. ‘I—I never saw her again alive.’