Chapter 2 The Tokatlian Hotel

2 图卡德兰大饭店

At the Tokatlian, Hercule Poirot asked for a room with bath. Then he stepped over to the concierge’s desk and inquired for letters.

在图卡德兰大饭店，赫邱里·白罗要了一间带浴室的房间。然后向柜台询问有没有他的信件。

There were three waiting for him and a telegram. His eyebrows rose a little at the sight of the telegram. It was unexpected.

共有三封信函一封电报。他看见电报，眉毛扬了起来，这却没料到。

He opened it in his usual neat, unhurried fashion. The printed words stood out clearly.

他一如往常有条不紊、慢吞吞地拆开了电报，电文清晰打着：

‘Development you predicted in Kassner Case has come unexpectedly please return immediately.’

“你推测的卡斯纳案情有了转机。请速返回。”

‘Voilàce qui est embêtant,’ murmured Poirot vexedly. He glanced up at the clock.‘I shall have to go on tonight,’ he said to the concierge. ‘At what time does the Simplon Orient leave?’

“真倒霉，”白罗气愤地抱怨了一句。他看了一眼墙上的挂钟，“我今晚得赶路，”他对柜台人员说：“辛浦伦东方特快车什么时候开？”

‘At nine o’clock, Monsieur.’

“九点正，先生。”

‘Can you get me a sleeper?’

“能给我买到一张卧车票吗？”

‘Assuredly, Monsieur. There is no difficulty this time of year. The trains are almost empty. First-class or second?’

“没问题，先生。在这种月份是不愁买不到票的，列车几乎是空着的。头等还是二等？“

‘First.’

“头等。”

‘Trés bien, Monsieur. How far are you going?’

“好的，先生。您到哪里？”

‘To London.’

“伦敦。”

‘Bien, Monsieur. I will get you a ticket to London and reserve your sleeping-car accommodation in the Stamboul-Calais coach.’

“是，先生。我会给您买一张去伦敦的车票，也会在伊斯坦堡——卡莱车厢中为您安排一个卧铺。”

Poirot glanced at the clock again. It was ten minutes to eight.

白罗又看了一眼挂钟，差十分八点。

‘I have time to dine?’

“我还的时间用晚餐吗？”

‘But assuredly, Monsieur.’

“当然，先生。”

The little Belgian nodded. He went over and cancelled his room order and crossed the hall to the restaurant.

这位矮小的比利时人点了点头。他退了房间之后，越过大厅信步来到了餐厅。

As he was giving his order to the waiter a hand was placed on his shoulder.

他在向侍者点菜的时候，有一只手搭在了他的肩膀上。

‘Ah! mon vieux, but this is an unexpected pleasure,’ said a voice behind him.

“啊，老朋友，真想不到在这儿碰见了你！”有人在他身后说。

The speaker was a short, stout elderly man, his hair cut en brosse. He was smiling delightedly.

说话的人是个矮胖的老人，一头蓬乱的灰发，欢愉异常地笑着。

Poirot sprang up.

‘M. Bouc.’

“波克先生！”

‘M. Poirot.’

“白罗先生！”

M. Bouc was a Belgian, a director of the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons Lits, and his acquaintance with the former star of the Belgian Police Force dated back many years.

身任国际铁路卧车事务主任的波克先生是比利时人，他与这位一度是比利时警方探长的白罗，相交已有多年。

‘You find yourself far from home, mon cher,’ said M. Bouc.

“怎么样，离国远行了，老兄？”波克先生说。

‘A little affair in Syria.’

“在叙利亚办了些公务。”

‘Ah! And you return home—when?’

“喔！那么你是要回家了——什么时候？”

‘Tonight.’

“今天晚上。”

‘Splendid! I, too. That is to say, I go as far as Lausanne, where I have affairs. You travel on the Simplon-Orient, I presume?’

“好极了！我也是。不过，我得先到洛桑办点事。我相信你是搭辛浦伦东方特快车吧？”

‘Yes. I have just asked them to get me a sleeper. It was my intention to remain here some days, but I have received a telegram recalling me to England on important business.’

“是的。我刚请他们替我订了一张卧车票。我本来打算在此地呆几天的。结果有电报来说有急事，要我赶回伦敦去。”

‘Ah!’ sighed M. Bouc. ‘Les affaires—les affaires! But you—you are at the top of the tree nowadays, mon vieux!’

“唉！”波克先生叹了口气：”公事，办不完的公事！不过，老朋友，你如今真是红透半边天了！“

‘Some little success I have had, perhaps.’ Hercule Poirot tried to look modest but failed signally.

“也只是靠了一点小运气，”赫邱里·白罗尽量作出谦虚的模样，却显然并未成功。

Bouc laughed.

波克先生笑了起来。

‘We will meet later,’ he said.

“回头见。”他说。

Hercule Poirot addressed himself to the task of keeping his moustaches out of the soup.

赫邱里·白罗小心翼翼地抒自己那撮仁丹胡子整理了一番，以防蘸在汤汁里。

That difficult task accomplished, he glanced round him whilst waiting for the next course. There were only about half a dozen people in the restaurant, and of those half-dozen there were only two that interested Hercule Poirot.

一番十分困难的进汤工作完成之后，一面等候下一道菜的到来，一面环视餐厅里其他的客人。餐厅里总共不过六七个客人，而其中只有两名引起了他的兴趣。

These two sat at a table not far away. The younger was a likeable-looking man of thirty, clearly an American. It was, however, not he but his companion who had attracted the little detective’s attention.

这两个人坐得离他不远，年轻的一个是个卅岁上下，相当可亲的典型美国人。但真正引起这位矮小侦探注意的则是他的同伴。

He was a man of between sixty and seventy. From a little distance he had the bland aspect of a philanthropist. His slightly bald head, his domed forehead, the smiling mouth that displayed a very white set of false teeth, all seemed to speak of a benevolent personality. Only the eyes belied this assumption. They were small, deep set and crafty. Not only that. As the man, making some remark to his young companion, glanced across the room, his gaze stopped on Poirot for a moment, and just for that second there was a strange malevolence, and unnatural tensity in the glance.

他大约是个六七十岁的老人，远远看上去，俨然像一副慈善家的相貌，头发微秃，圆圆的额头，笑起来露出一排洁白的假牙。遗憾的是他那对眼睛却露出了马脚：细小、深陷且充满了诡奇。这还不说，当他与那位年轻的同伴交谈时，眼光扫过餐厅，又停在白罗身上片刻。就在那一瞬间，白罗感到了一阵异样狠毒且极不自然的严峻寒意。

Then he rose.

那老人立起身来。

‘Pay the bill, Hector,’ he said.

“付帐吧，海洛特。”

His voice was slightly husky in tone. It had a queer, soft, dangerous quality.

他的声音略带嘶哑，轻软中透着怪诞的阴险意味。

When Poirot rejoined his friend in the lounge, the other two men were just leaving the hotel. Their luggage was being brought down. The younger was supervising the process. Presently he opened the glass door and said:

当白罗与他老友又在大厅中会面时，那两个个正动身离开旅店。他们的行李已经派人提到楼下，年轻的那个清点查看了一番之后，为那老人推开玻璃大门。

‘Quite ready now, Mr Ratchett.’

“一切都准备妥当了，罗嘉德先生。”

The elder man grunted an assent and passed out.

那老人点头咕哝了一声就走出去了。

‘Eh bien,’ said Poirot. ‘What do you think of those two?’

“怎么样，”白罗说：“你觉得那两个人如何？”

‘They are Americans,’ said M. Bouc.

“美国人，”波克先生说。

‘Assuredly they are Americans. I meant what did you think of their personalities?’

“这还用说吗，我是说你看他们的人品如何？”

‘The young man seemed quite agreeable.’

“那个年轻的倒蛮顺眼的。”

‘And the other?’

“另外那个呢？”

‘To tell you the truth, my friend, I did not care for him. He produced on me an unpleasant impression. And you?’

“说老实话，老兄，我不喜欢，他给我的印象很不好。你看呢？”

Hercule Poirot was a moment before replying.

赫邱里·白罗沉默了半响。

‘When he passed me in the restaurant,’ he said at last, ‘I had a curious impression. It was as though a wild animal—an animal savage, but savage! you understand—had passed me by.’

“在餐奇里，他走进我身边时，”他终于回答了：“我有一种很奇特的感觉，就像有只野兽，凶猛残暴的野兽自我身边蹭了过去。残暴！你懂吧？”

‘And yet he looked altogether of the most respectable.’

“然而，他却是全然一副令人尊敬的相貌。”

‘Précisément! The body—the cage—is everything of the most respectable—but through the bars, the wild animal looks out.’

“一点不错！他的外表——那座兽栏——的确令人起敬。但是铁栏后面，那只猛兽却在虎视眈眈地瞪着你。”

‘You are fanciful, mon vieux,’ said M. Bouc.

“你也太过幻想了，老兄。”波克先生说。

‘It may be so. But I could not rid myself of the impression that evil had passed me by very close.’

“也许是的，但是我怎么也甩不掉打我身边散过去的那股邪气。”

‘That respectable American gentleman?’

“那位可敬的美国绅士？”

‘That respectable American gentleman.’

“就是那位可敬的美国绅士。”

‘Well,’ said M. Bouc cheerfully. ‘It may be so. There is much evil in the world.’

“也说不定，”波克先生挺看得开地说：“这世界邪恶的事的确是不少的。”

At that moment the door opened and the concierge came towards them. He looked concerned and apologetic.

这时，大门推开，柜台的那名人员朝他们走了过来。他满脸的不安与歉意。

‘It is extraordinary, Monsieur,’ he said to Poirot. ‘There is not one first-class sleeping berth to be had on the train.’

“太怪了，先生，”他对白罗说：“车上连一个头等卧铺都没有空着的了。”

‘Comment?’ cried M. Bouc. ‘At this time of year? Ah, without doubt there is some party of journalists—of politicians—?’

“什么？”波克先生喊了出来：“在这种季节？呵，一定是什么记者团或是政客人物们订的了——？”

‘I don’t know, sir,’ said the concierge, turning to him respectfully. ‘But that’s how it is.’

“我不清楚，先生，”那名旅馆人员敬畏地对他说：“但是，的确是没有空铺了。”

‘Well, well,’ M. Bouc turned to Poirot. ‘Have no fear, my friend. We will arrange something. There is always one compartment—the No. 16, which is not engaged. The conductor sees to that!’ He smiled, then glanced up at the clock. ‘Come,’ he said, ‘it is time we started.’

“好了，好了。”波克又对白罗说：“别着慌，老兄，我会想法子的。第十六号卧铺房总是留着的，我会叫列车长为你办妥的！“他笑着看了看挂钟。”来吧，“他说：“我们也该启程了。”

At the station M. Bouc was greeted with respectful empressement by the brown-uniformed Wagon Lit conductor.

在车站，身穿土黄制服的卧车列车长向波克先生致敬恭迎地说：

‘Good-evening, Monsieur. Your compartment is the No. 1.’

“晚安，先生。您的卧铺房间是第一号。”

He called to the porters and they wheeled their load half-way along the carriage on which the tin plates proclaimed its destination:

他唤了脚夫来推送他们的行李，一行人沿着列车缓步走着，列车上挂着标明起讫站的铁牌子：

ISTANBUL TRIESTE CALAIS

伊斯坦堡——卡莱。

‘You are full up tonight, I hear?’

“我听说今天卧铺都满了？”

‘It is incredible, Monsieur. All the world elects to travel tonight!’

“真没想到，先生，好像全世界的人都在今天晚上驿马星动了！”

‘All the same, you must find room for this gentleman here. He is a friend of mine. He can have the No. 16.’

“无论如何你得替这位先生找一间卧铺房，他是我的朋友。他可以用第十六号卧铺房。”

‘It is taken, Monsieur.’

“也有人占了，先生。”

‘What? The No. 16?’

“什么？连第十六号也——？”

A glance of understanding passed between them, and the conductor smiled. He was a tall, sallow man of middle age.

两人心照不宣地交换了一个眼神，列车长挤出一丝苦笑。他是个面容憔悴的中年人。

‘But yes, Monsieur. As I told you, we are full—full—everywhere.’

“是呵，先生。正如我向您报告的，全客满了，一间卧铺房也没剩下。”

‘But what passes itself?’ demanded M. Bouc angrily. ‘There is a conference somewhere? It is a party?’

“可是这是怎么回事呢？”波克先生怒气难消地质问道：“有什么地方召开大会吗？还是有旅行团？”

‘No, Monsieur. It is only chance. It just happens that many people have elected to travel tonight.’

“没有呵，先生。我看也只是凑巧，好像大家都选定今天晚上旅行了。”

M. Bouc made a clicking sound of annoyance.

波克先生懊恼地咋了咋舌头。

‘At Belgrade,’ he said, ‘there will be the slip coach from Athens. There will also be the Bucharest-Paris coach—but we do not reach Belgrade until tomorrow evening. The problem is for tonight. There is no second-class berth free?’

“在贝尔格莱德，”他说：“会再挂一节自雅典开来的车厢，还有一节布加勒斯特到巴黎的车厢。但是我们要明天晚上才到达贝尔格莱德。问题是今天晚上怎么解决，二等车厢也没空位了吧？”

‘There is a second-class berth, Monsieur—’

“二等车厢倒是有个空房，先生——”

‘Well, then—’

“那就——”

‘But it is a lady’s berth. There is already a German woman in the compartment—a lady’s-maid.’

“但那是女客用的。而且已经有一个德国妇人占了一个铺位了，是个贵妇人的随身女侍。”

‘Là, là, that is awkward,’ said M. Bouc.

“唉呀，真糟。”波克先生说。

‘Do not distress yourself, my friend,’ said Poirot. ‘I must travel in an ordinary carriage.’

“别太费神了，老朋友，”白罗说：“我就坐普通车厢吧。”

‘Not at all. Not at all.’ He turned once more to the conductor. ‘Everyone has arrived?’

“那怎么行，那怎么行。”他又问列车长说：“旅客都到齐了吗？”

‘It is true,’ said the man, ‘that there is one passenger who has not yet arrived.’

“是的，”那人说：“只有一位还没到。”

He spoke slowly with hesitation.

他缓缓地迟疑着说。

‘But speak then?’

“你说呀！”

‘No. 7 berth—a second-class. The gentleman has not yet come, and it is four minutes to nine.’

“二等车厢的第七号卧铺。那位先生还没到，现在已经差四分九点了。”

‘Who is it?’

“是谁？”

‘An Englishman,’ the conductor consulted his list. ‘A M. Harris.’

“一名英国旅客，”列车长查了查旅客名单说：“一位姓哈瑞斯的先生。”

‘A name of good omen,’ said Poirot. ‘I read my Dickens. M. Harris, he will not arrive.’

“这名字倒挺吉祥的。”白罗说：“狄更斯的小说我熟得很。看情形这位哈瑞斯先生是赶不来了。”

‘Put Monsieur’s luggage in No. 7,’ said M. Bouc. ‘If this M. Harris arrives we will tell him that he is too late—that berths cannot be retained so long—we will arrange the matter one way or another. What do I care for a M. Harris?’

“把这位先生的行李先放到第七号卧铺去。”波克先生说：“如果哈瑞斯先生赶来了，我们就告诉他，他来得太晚，卧铺无法为他留得太久，反正我们那时候再另替他安排。哈瑞斯先生有什么了不起的？”

‘As Monsieur pleases,’ said the conductor.

“听您的吩咐，”列车长说。

He spoke to Poirot’s porter, directing him where to go.

他又向白罗的脚夫作了一番指点，然后他在车厢台阶上让开路，请白罗上了车。

Then he stood aside the steps to let Poirot enter the train. ‘Tout à fait au bout, Monsieur,’ he called. ‘The end compartment but one.’

“最后倒数第二间卧车房。”他提高了嗓子说。

Poirot passed along the corridor, a somewhat slow progress, as most of the people travelling were standing outside their carriages.

白罗磨磨蹭蹭地通过列车走廊，因为多半的乘客都还站在自己卧铺车房的外边。

His polite ‘Pardons’ were uttered with the regularity of clockwork. At last he reached the compartment indicated. Inside it, reaching up to a suitcase, was the tall young American of the Tokatlian.

他那斯文有礼的“对不起”，像钟摆声似地自他口角很规则地流出。最后终于来到了自己的卧车房。房内，一位正伸手上去拿行李的，正是图卡德兰大饭店内的那名高大的美国青年人。

He frowned as Poirot entered.

他见白罗进来，眉头就皱了起来。

‘Excuse me,’ he said. ‘I think you’ve made a mistake.’ Then, laboriously in French, ‘Je crois que vous avez un erreur.’

“对不起，我想你恐怕走错了房间。”之后，又用法语吃力地重复了一遍。

Poirot replied in English.

白罗用英语回答说：

‘You are Mr Harris?’

“你是哈瑞斯先生吗？”

‘No, my name is MacQueen. I—’

“不是，我姓麦昆。我……”

But at that moment the voice of the Wagon Lit conductor spoke from over Poirot’s shoulder. An apologetic, rather breathless voice.

这时，卧铺车列车长的声音已自白罗的肩头传了过来——一种颇带歉意的急促声调。

‘There is no other berth on the train, Monsieur. The gentleman has to come in here.’

“车上没有别的卧铺了，先生。这位先生只好睡在这里了。”

He was hauling up the corridor window as he spoke and began to lift in Poirot’s luggage.

他一边说，一边拉起了走廊上的车窗，并把白罗的行李带了进来。

Poirot noticed the apology in his tone with some amusement. Doubtless the man had been promised a good tip if he could keep the compartment for the sole use of the other traveller. However, even the most munificent of tips lose their effect when a director of the company is on board and issues his orders.

白罗心照不宣地了解到这人话语中所带的歉意。无疑地，那另外一名旅客必定向他施了小费，叫他把这间卧铺房间整个留给他自己用。可惜，最慷慨的小费也抵不过本人在列车上的铁路公司主任的命令。

The conductor emerged from the compartment, having swung the suit-cases up on to the racks.

列车长进了卧车房，将白罗的行李举到了上头的行李架上。

‘Voilà Monsieur,’ he said. ‘All is arranged. Yours is the upper berth, the number 7. We start in one minute.’

“一切都安排妥当了，先生，”他说：“您是上铺，第七号。还有一分钟车就要开了。”

He hurried off down the corridor. Poirot re-entered the compartment.

他说完沿着走廊溜掉了。白罗这才又进入了卧车房内。

‘A phenomenon I have seldom seen,’ he said cheerfully. ‘A Wagon Lit conductor himself puts up the luggage! It is unheard of!’

“这我还很少碰到过，”他欣喜地说：“卧铺列车长亲自替旅客放好行李！真没听过！”

His fellow traveller smiled. He had evidently got over his annoyance—had probably decided that it was no good to take the matter other than philosophically.

他的同房旅伴也笑了。显然，他的不痛快也已经过去，大概他晓得把事情吵大也于事无补，还是看开点吧。

‘The train’s remarkably full,’ he said.

“今晚火车怎么会这么满？”他说。

A whistle blew, there was a long, melancholy cry from the engine. Both men stepped out into the corridor.

一声笛鸣，跟着火车头也凄然地呜咽了一声。这两名乘客都踱入了过道上。

Outside a voice shouted.

车外有人在喊：

‘En voiture.’

“上车了！”

‘We’re off,’ said MacQueen.

“车开了。”麦昆说。

But they were not quite off. The whistle blew again.

但是车却仍未开动：笛声仍在叫呢。

‘I say, sir,’ said the young man suddenly, ‘if you’d rather have the lower berth—easier, and all that—well, that’s all right by me.’

“呃，先生，”年轻人突然开口说：“如果你喜欢下铺，方便点的话，我可以睡上铺。别客气。”蛮客气的青年人嘛。

‘No, no,’ protested Poirot. ‘I would not deprive you—’

“不，不。”白罗婉谢说：“那怎么使得——”

‘That’s all right—’

“不要紧的——”

‘You are too amiable—’

“你太客气了——”

Polite protests on both sides.

两人彼此谦让个不停。

‘It is for one night only,’ explained Poirot. ‘At Belgrade—’

“反正只有一夜，”白罗解释说：“到了贝尔格莱德——”

‘Oh, I see. You’re getting out at Belgrade—’

“喔！你是到贝尔格莱德呀——”

‘Not exactly. You see—’

“也不是这样的，是——”

There was a sudden jerk. Both men swung round to the window, looking out at the long, lighted platform as it slid slowly past them.

车身一阵剧烈晁动，两人都被摇向了车窗，他们朝着灯火通明缓缓远离的月台望了过去。

The Orient Express had started on its three-days’ journey across Europe.

东方特快车开始了为时三日横跨欧洲的漫长旅程。