15 THE EVIDENCE OF THE PASSENGERS’ LUGGAGE
15 向旅客的行李求证
Having delivered himself of various polite insincerities, and having told Mrs. Hubbard that he would order coffee to be brought to her, Poirot was able to take his leave accompanied by his two friends.
白罗对侯伯太太百般虚与委蛇，又告诉她有人会送咖啡给她之后，才由两个朋友陪同离开了房间。
“Well, we have made a start and drawn, a blank,” observed M. Bouc. “Whom shall we attack next?”
“我们刚起了个头，却又落个一片空白。”波克先生发表意见说：“下面该查谁了？”
“It would be simplest, I think, just to proceed along the train, carriage by carriage. That means that we start with No. 16—the amiable Mr. Hardman.”
“我看最简单的方法是顺着房间，一间一间地查。这样，我们就从第十六房那位挺和气的哈德曼先生开始吧。”
Mr. Hardman, who was smoking a cigar, welcomed them affably.
哈德曼先生口叼雪茄，很亲切地欢迎他们进房。
“Come right in, gentlemen. That is, if it’s humanly possible. It’s just a mite cramped in here for a party.”
“请进，各位，要是挤得进来的话。这房里空间实在太小了。”
M. Bouc explained the object of their visit, and the big detective nodded comprehendingly.
波克先生向他说明了查访的目的，这位硕大的侦探点头表示他了解。
“That’s O.K. To tell the truth I’ve been wondering you didn’t get down to it sooner. Here are my keys, gentlemen, and if you like to search my pockets too, why, you’re welcome. Shall I reach the grips down for you?”
“没问题。说老实话，我还盘算着你们早就该过来的呢，各位，这是我的钥匙，要是搜我身上口袋的话，也请便。要不要我把旅行袋拿下来给你们？”
“The conductor will do that. Michel!”
“列车长会拿的。麦寇！”
The contents of Mr. Hardman’s two “grips” were soon examined and passed. They contained, perhaps, an undue proportion of spirituous liquor. Mr. Hardman winked.
哈德曼先生的两只旅行袋很快就查完了。里头藏了不少私酒。哈德曼先生挤了挤眼睛。
“It’s not often they search your grips at the frontiers—not if you fix the conductor. I handed out a wad of Turkish notes right away, and there’s been no trouble so far.”
“只要跟列车长打个招呼，通常在边境是不查行李的。我只要塞给他们一叠土耳其钞票，一切都没问题了。”
“And at Paris?”
“那么到了巴黎呢？”
Mr. Hardman winked again. “By the time I get to Paris,” he said, “what’s left over of this little lot will go into a bottle labelled hairwash.”
哈德曼先生又挤了挤眼睛。“等我到了巴黎，”他说：“这几瓶中剩下的，我就全灌在一只标了洗发水的瓶子里了。”
“You are not a believer in Prohibition, Monsieur Hardman,” said M. Bouc with a smile.
“哈德曼先生，你是不赞成禁酒的了？”波克先生笑着说。
“Well,” said Hardman, “I can’t say Prohibition has ever worried me any.”
“呃，”哈德曼说：“我只能说我是不会为禁酒而烦心的。”
“Ah!” said M. Bouc. “The speakeasy.”
“啊！”波克先生说：“有‘悄悄话’（地下酒吧）的地方，是吧？”
He pronounced the word with care, savouring it. “Your American terms are so quaint, so expressive,” he said.
他谨慎且玩味地用了这个字眼。“你们美国人的流行话真花妙，有画龙点睛之妙。”他说。
“Me, I would much like to go to America,” said Poirot.
“我，是很想去美国的。”白罗说。
“You’d learn a few go-ahead methods over there,” said Hardman. “Europeneeds waking up. She’s half asleep.”
“在敝国，的确是可以学到些创业的方法的，”哈德曼说：“欧洲真该醒醒了，不能老是半睡着。”
“It is true that America is the country of progress,” agreed Poirot. “There is much that I admire about Americans. Only—I am perhaps old-fashioned—but me, I find the American women less charming than my own countrywomen. The French or the Belgian girl, coquettish, charming—I think there is no one to touch her.”
“美国的确是个进步的国家，”白罗附和着说：“我有很多佩服美国的地方。只是——也许我太老派了——我认为美国女人总没有其他国家的可爱。法国或比利时的女孩子，要妖娆迷人得多——我想没有别的国家比得过。”
Hardman turned away to peer out at the snow for a minute.
哈德曼转头向窗外的大雪看了一下。
“Perhaps you’re right, M. Poirot,” he said. “But I guess every nation likes its own girls best.” He blinked as though the snow hurt his eyes.
“也许你说得不错，白罗先生，”他说：“不过，我想每个国家都会认定她的女人是天下最棒的。”他眨了眨眼，好像外头晶莹的积雪太刺眼了。
“Kind of dazzling, isn’t it?” he remarked. “Say, gentlemen, this business is getting on my nerves. Murder and the snow and all. And nothing doing. Just hanging about and killing time. I’d like to get busy after someone or something.”
“真刺眼，是不？”他解释说：“哎，各位，这情形真叫我烦心了。又是命案，又是风雪。成天无所事事，闲着打发时间。我真想找个人或找点差事忙一忙。”
“The true Western spirit of hustle,” said Poirot with a smile.
“地道美国西部奔忙的精神。”白罗笑着说。
The conductor replaced the bags and they moved on to the next compartment. Colonel Arbuthnot was sitting in a corner smoking a pipe and reading a magazine.
列车长将旅行袋举了上去之后，他们就来到下一间房里，阿伯斯诺上校坐在一个角落里抽着烟斗看杂志。
Poirot explained their errand. The Colonel made no demur. He had two heavy leather suitcases.
白罗说明了来意，上校没有表示异议。他有两只沉重的大皮箱。
“The rest of my kit has gone by long sea,” he explained.
“我其他的行李都交给水运了。”他向他们解释说。
Like most Army men the Colonel was a neat packer. The examination of his baggage took only a few minutes. Poirot noted a packet of pipe-cleaners.
一如多半的军人，这位上校的行李装得也非常整齐。不一会，行李就查完了。白罗注意到一包清理烟斗的通条。
“You always use the same kind?” he asked.
“你一直用这种型号吗？”他问。
“Usually. If I can get ’em.”
“经常用，只要能弄得到。”
“Ah!” Poirot nodded. These pipe-cleaners corresponded exactly with the one he had found on the floor of the dead man’s compartment.
“啊！”白罗点了点头。这些烟斗捻子跟他在死者房里地板上拣到的那根是一样了。
Dr. Constantine remarked as much when they were out in the corridor again.
出来，在过道上，康斯丹丁也谈起了这点。
“Tout de même,” murmured Poirot, “I can hardly believe it. It is not dans son caractère, and when you have said that, you have said everything.”
“真怪了，”白罗自言自语道：“简直难以置信，这与他的性格不符呀。人多少是可以貌相的呀。”
The door of the next compartment was closed. It was that occupied by Princess Dragomiroff. They knocked on the door and the Princess’s deep voice called “Entrez!”
下头一间卧铺房的门是关着的，这是德瑞格米罗夫郡主的房间。他们敲了敲门，郡主低沉的声音应了一声：”进来！“
M. Bouc was spokesman. He was very deferential and polite as he explained their errand.
波克先生这次担任发言人。他极尽廉恭礼貌地说明了他们的来意。
The Princess listened to him in silence, her small toad-like face quite impassive.
郡主沉默地听着，她那张蛤蟆般的小脸毫无表情。
“If it is necessary, Messieurs,” she said quietly when he had finished, “that is all there is to it. My maid has the keys. She will attend to it with you.”
波克先生说完之后，她平静地说：“我了解这是必要的，各位先生。都在这里，钥匙在我女仆那儿，她会为各位服务的。”
“Does your maid always carry your keys, Madame?” asked Poirot.
“您的钥匙总是放在您女仆那里吗，夫人？”白罗问。
“Certainly, Monsieur.”
“当然了，先生。”
“And if, during the night at one of the frontiers, the customs officials should
“要是在半夜里，过境时海关人员要检查行李呢？”
require a piece of luggage to be opened?” The old lady shrugged her shoulders. “It is very unlikely. But in such a case, the conductor would fetch her.”
老夫人轻耸了一下肩膀说：“很少发生。果若有，列车长会去叫她。”
“You trust her, then, implicitly, Madame?”
“那么，您是完全信任她了，夫人？”
“I have told you so already,” said the Princess quietly. “I do not employ people whom I do not trust.”
“我已经告诉过你了，”郡主平静地说：“我从不雇自己不信赖的人。”
“Yes,” said Poirot thoughtfully. “Trust is indeed something in these days. It is perhaps better to have a homely woman whom one can trust than a more chic maid—for example, some smart Parisienne.”
“是的，”白罗若有所思地说：“这年头，信任是很稀见的了。也许找个老实相的乡下妇人要比找个俏丽的丫头——比方说法国姑娘——好得多。”
He saw the dark intelligent eyes come slowly round and fasten themselves upon his face. “What exactly are you implying, M. Poirot?”
他发觉她那对炯黑、智慧的眼睛，渐渐睁圆了盯在他的脸上。“你在暗指些什么，白罗先生？”
“Nothing, Madame. I? Nothing.”
“没什么，夫人。我？没什么呀。”
“But yes. You think, do you not, that I should have a smart Frenchwoman to attend to my toilet?”
“有的。你不是在想我应该雇一个体面的法国女人来照料我梳洗吗？”
“It would be perhaps more usual, Madame.”
“这倒或许更常见一些，夫人。”
She shook her head. “Schmidt is devoted to me.” Her voice dwelt lingeringly on the words. “Devotion—c’est impayable.”
她摇了摇头。“施密德对我很忠心。”她的语调刻意在这字眼上拖长了些：“忠心——是买不到的。”
The German woman had arrived with the keys. The Princess spoke to her in her own language, telling her to open the valises and help the gentlemen in their search. She herself remained in the corridor looking out at the snow, and Poirot remained with her, leaving M. Bouc to the task of searching the luggage.
那名德国女仆带着钥匙来到屋里。郡主用自己的语言嘱咐她替这三位先生把她的行李打开以便检查。她本人站在过道上看外面的雪景，白罗陪在她身边，让另外两人照管搜查行李的事。
She regarded him with a grim smile.
她朝着他微笑了一下。
“Well, Monsieur, do you not wish to see what my valises contain?”
“怎么，先生，你不想看看我箱子里装了什么吗？”
He shook his head. “Madame, it is a formality, that is all.”
他摇了摇头。“夫人，这是例行的，如此而已。”
“Are you so sure?”
“你真这么想吗？”
“In your case, yes.”
“在您的情况，是如此的。”
“And yet I knew and loved Sonia Armstrong. What do you think, then? That I would not soil my hands with killing such canaille as that man Cassetti? Well, perhaps you are right.”
“但是我认识也深爱苏妮亚·阿姆斯壮的。这，你有何等的想法？你以为我不会动手杀掉像卡赛提这种流氓吗？唉，也许你的看法是正确的。”
She was silent a minute or two. Then she said:
她沉默了半晌。然后又说：
“With such a man as that, do you know what I should have liked to do? I should have liked to call to my servants: ‘Flog this man to death and fling him out on the rubbish heap!’ That is the way things were done when I was young, Monsieur.”
“像这样的人，你知道我但愿能怎么处置他吗？我要命令我的仆人：‘把这人活活打死，然后扔到拉圾堆上去！’我年轻的时候，这种事情就是这么处置的，先生。“
Still he did not speak, just listened attentively.
他仍是没有答腔，只专心地听着。
She looked at him with a sudden impetuosity. “You do not say anything, M. Poirot. What is it that you are thinking, I wonder?”
她突然百般不耐地看着他说：“你是不说话的，白罗先生。我在想：不知你心里到底在想什么？”
He looked at her with a very direct glance. “I think, Madame, that your strength is in your will—not in your arm.”
他目无旁视地盯了她一眼。“我认为，夫人，您的威力是在您的意志，而不在您的手臂上。”
She glanced down at her thin, black-clad arms ending in those claw-like yellow hands with the rings on the fingers.
她顺着裹在黑衣里的瘦弱手臂往下瞧，直看到那只枯黄瓜子般缀满戒指的手上。
“It is true,” she said. “I have no strength in these—none. I do not know whether I am sorry or glad.”
“一点不错，”她说：“我这上面——一点力量也没有。我不知道我该难过还是高兴。”
Then she turned abruptly back towards her carriage where the maid was busily packing up the cases.
倏地，她猛转身回到房里，女仆正在忙着把东西装回箱里。
The Princess cut short M. Bouc’s apologies.
郡主打住了波克先生道歉的话。
“There is no need for you to apologise, Monsieur,” she said. “A murder has been committed. Certain actions have to be performed. That is all there is to it.”
“你是不必表示歉意的，先生，”她说：“出了人命案，当然要采取一些行动，仅此而已。”
“Vous êtes bien aimable, Madame.”
“您真太客气了，夫人。”
She inclined her head slightly as they departed.
他们离去时，她只微微低了一下头。
The doors of the next two carriages were shut. M. Bouc paused and scratched his head.
下面两间房门也是关着。波克先生停下脚步抓了抓头。
“Diable!” he said. “This may be awkward. These are diplomatic passports. Their luggage is exempt.”
“该死！”他说：“这就麻烦了，这两位用的是外交护照，按理行李是不能检查的。”
“From customs examination, yes. But a murder is different.”
“从验关的立场说是不错的。但是事关命案，就得另当别论了。”
“I know. All the same—we do not want to have complications.”
“我知道。但是我还是不愿意惹麻烦。”
“Do not distress yourself, my friend. The Count and Countess will be reasonable. See how amiable Princess Dragomiroff was about it.”
“不要发愁，老朋友，伯爵夫妇是很明理的人。你看德瑞格米罗夫郡主不是很和蔼的吗？”
“She is truly grande dame. These two are also of the same position, but the Count impressed me as a man of somewhat truculent disposition. He was not pleased when you insisted on questioning his wife. And this will annoy him still further. Suppose—eh?—we omit them. After all, they can have nothing to do with the matter. Why should I stir up needless trouble for myself?”
“她的确是位贵夫人。这两位地位也很显要，不过我觉得伯爵这个人个性有些蛮横。你坚持要见他的夫人时，他好像很不高兴。如今我们再要检查他们的行李，我看他更要光火了。也许——我们就放过他们吧，呃？反正，他们也不会涉入这种事体的，我们何必自找麻烦呢？”
“I do not agree with you,” said Poirot. “I feel sure that Count Andrenyi will be reasonable. At any rate let us make the attempt.”
“我不同意你的想法，”白罗说：“我敢保证安君业伯爵会很讲理的。
And before M. Bouc could reply, he rapped sharply on the door of No. 13.
无论如何，我们总可以试试看呵。“不等波克先生回答，他就在第十三号房门上猛敲了两下。
A voice from within cried “Entrez!”
里头有人应道：“进来！”
The Count was sitting in the corner near the door reading a newspaper. The Countess was curled up in the opposite corner near the window. There was a pillow behind her head and she seemed to have been asleep.
伯爵坐在靠门的角落上看报纸。伯爵夫人蜷卧在对面靠车窗的角落上，她脑后垫着一只枕头，看着像是睡着了的样子。
“Pardon, Monsieur le Comte,” began Poirot. “pray forgive this intrusion. It is that we are making a search of all the baggage on the train. In most cases a mere formality. But it has to be done. M. Bouc suggests that, as you have a diplomatic passport, you might reasonably claim to be exempt from such a search.”
“对不起，伯爵先生，”白罗先开了口：“请原谅我们打扰阁下。我们正在搜查旅客们的行李。这只是例行的程序，不能不进行。波克先生认为，阁下伉俪持用外交护照，是有理由拒绝被查的。”
The Count considered for a moment.
伯爵思量了片晌。
“Thank you,” he said. “But I do not think that I care to have an exception made in my case. I should prefer that our baggage should be examined like that of the other passengers.”
“谢谢，”他说：“但是我觉得不必把我们当作例外。我愿意与其他旅客一样，行李接受搜查。”
He turned to his wife. “You do not object, I hope, Elena?”
他对他夫人说：“你不反对吧，伊莲娜？”
“Not at all,” said the Countess without hesitation.
“当然不。”伯爵夫人毫不迟疑地说。
A rapid and somewhat perfunctory search followed. Poirot seemed to be trying to mask an embarrassment by making various small pointless remarks, such as:
随即他们进行了一番快速、敷衍了事的搜查。白罗似乎有意在制造困窘，说了一些无关宏旨的话，像什么：
“Here is a label all wet on your suitcase, Madame,” as he lifted down a blue morocco case with initials on it and a coronet.
“你箱子上的标笺纸都湿了，夫人。”他自架上拿下一只羊皮箱子时，指着上头姓名缩写与一个冠冕徽帜时这么说。
The Countess did not reply to this observation. She seemed, indeed, rather bored by the whole proceeding, remaining curled up in her corner and staring dreamily out through the window whilst the men searched her luggage in the compartment next door.
伯爵夫人对他此项观察并没有反应。事实上，她似乎对眼前进行的事情倍感无聊，仍蜷卧在角落里，梦般的眼神凝视着窗外，任凭他们在隔室搜查她的行李。
Poirot finished his search by opening the little cupboard above the washbasin and taking a rapid glance at its contents—a sponge, face cream, powder and a small bottle labelled trional.
白罗在检查终了前，打开了盥洗缸上头挂着的小橱子，看了看里头放的东西——一块海绵、面霜脂粉，还有一小瓶镇静剂。
Then with polite remarks on either side, the search party withdrew.
之后，双方客套了一番；这三个搜查小组就离去了。
Mrs. Hubbard’s compartment, that of the dead man, and Poirot’s own came next.
下头要查的是侯伯太太、死者与白罗自己的房间。
They now came to the second-class carriages. The first one, Nos. 10 and 11, was occupied by Mary Debenham, who was reading a book, and Greta Ohlsson, who was fast asleep but woke with a start at their entrance.
他们一行这时来到二等车厢。第一间房，第十号与第十一号卧铺，也就是玛丽·戴本瀚与葛丽泰·奥尔森同室的房间。前者在看书，后者正在熟睡，他们进来之后，她吓了一跳醒了过来。
Poirot repeated his formula. The Swedish lady seemed agitated, Mary Debenham calmly indifferent. He addressed himself to the Swedish lady.
白罗重施故伎。那瑞典妇人似乎焦虑不安，玛丽·戴本瀚则是镇定而冷漠。他先向那瑞典妇人发话。
“If you permit, Mademoiselle, we will examine your baggage first, and then perhaps you would be so good as to see how the American lady is getting on. We have moved her into one of the carriages in the next coach, but she is still very much upset as the result of her discovery. I have ordered coffee to be sent to her, but I think she is of those to whom someone to talk to is a necessity of the first order.”
“如果能得到你的许可，我们想先查你的行李。然后，也许你不介意去照顾一下那位美国太太，看看她现在怎么样了。我们把她搬到下头一节车厢的一间房间去了，但是因为她的手提袋中发现了东西，到现在仍是惊怕得很。我已经叫人去送咖啡给她了，不过，我觉得要是有个人去陪她谈谈，会更好的。”
The good lady was instantly sympathetic. She would go immediately. It must have been indeed a terrible shock to the nerves, and already the poor lady was upset by the journey and leaving her daughter. Ah, yes, certainly she would go at once—her case was not locked—and she would take with her some sal ammoniac.
这位好心的妇人，立刻仁心大动。她想立刻就去。她一定吓破了胆子了，那位太太这次旅行离开了女儿，又碰上了这种事情，真够受的。当然，她应该立刻就去陪她。她的箱子没有锁，她会带一点嗅盐过去的。
She bustled off. Her possessions were soon examined. They were meagre in the extreme. She had evidently not yet noticed the missing wires from the hat-box.
她匆匆离去，她的行李也立刻检查完毕。她的东西少得可怜；显然，她也未曾觉察到自己帽子盒中少了些铁丝。
Miss Debenham had put her book down. She was watching Poirot. When he asked her, she handed over her keys. Then, as he lifted down a case and opened it, she said:
戴本瀚小姐将书本放了下来，她在注意着白罗。他跟她要过来钥匙，便自行李架上取了一只箱子下来。正在开锁的时候，她问他：“
“Why did you send her away, M. Poirot?”
你为什么把她打发走了，白罗先生？”
“I, Mademoiselle! Why, to minister to the American lady.”
“我，小姐？呵，去照应那位美国太太呀。”
“An excellent pretext—but a pretext all the same.”
“非常好的借口——但总归是个借口。”
“I don’t understand you, Mademoiselle.”
“我不懂你的意思，小姐。”
“I think you understand me very well.” She smiled. “You wanted to get me alone. Wasn’t that it?”
“我想你懂得很。”她露出一丝冷笑说：“你要留我一个人下来。是不？”
“You are putting words into my mouth, Mademoiselle.”
“你这是把话硬往我嘴里塞了，小姐。”
“And ideas into your head? No, I don’t think so. The ideas are already there. That is right, isn’t it?”
“也把鬼主意塞进你头里了吗？不会的，我想我没有，你早就有这主意了，对不对？”
“Mademoiselle, we have a proverb—”
“小姐，我们有句俗话说——”
“Qui s’excuse s’accuse—is that what you were going to say? You must give me the credit for a certain amount of observation and common sense. For some reason or other you have got it into your head that I know something about this sordid business—this murder of a man I never saw before.”
“恶人先告状——是不是这句？你可别小看了我也有点观察力与普通常识的，不论是什么理由了，反正你总认为我在这桩可鄙的事体上知道些什么——我告诉你，我从没见过这个卑鄙的流氓。”
“You are imagining things, Mademoiselle.”
“你想得太玄了，小姐。”
“No, I am not imagining things at all. But it seems to me that a lot of time is wasted by not speaking the truth—by beating about the bush instead of coming straight out with things.”
“没有，我没有胡思乱想。可是我认为有话不直说出来，简直是浪费时间——不直截了当地说，却如此转弯抹角的。”
“And you do not like the waste of time. No, you like to come straight to the point. You like the direct method. Eh bien, I will give it to you, the direct method. I will ask you the meaning of certain words that I overheard on the journey from Syria. I had got out of the train to do what the English call ‘stretch the legs’ at the station of Konya. Your voice and the Colonel’s, Mademoiselle, they came to me out of the night. You said to him, ‘Not now. Not now. When it’s all over. When it’s behind us.’ What did you mean by those words, Mademoiselle?”
“你是不喜欢浪费时间的了。不错，你喜欢抓住重点、直截了当的方式。那好，我们就来直接的方法，我想问你我在叙利亚动身途中，偶尔听到的一些谈话的含意。我在孔雅站上，下车在月台上作你们英国人常说的‘伸腿活动’。深夜里，传来小姐你的、还有上校的谈话声。你对他说：“现在不行。等事完了再说，等一切都过去了再说。‘小姐，你那些话的意思是什么？“
She asked very quietly, “Do you think I meant—murder?”
她很冷静地问道：“你以为我说的是——谋杀吗？”
“It is I who am asking you, Mademoiselle.”
“是我在问你，小姐。”
She sighed—was lost a minute in thought. Then, as though rousing herself, she said:
她叹了口气——片刻中坠入了沉思。然后，似要立起身来，她说道：
“Those words had a meaning, Monsieur, but not one that I can tell you. I can only give you my solemn word of honour that I had never set eyes on this man Ratchett in my life until I saw him on this train.”
“那些话确有些含意，先生，但却不是我可以告诉你的。我只能向你发誓保证：我在上车之前，从来没有看见过这个姓罗嘉德的人。”
“And—you refuse to explain those words?”
“然而，你仍是拒绝解释那些话？”
“Yes, if you like to put it that way—I refuse. They had to do with—with a task I had undertaken.”
“是的，如果你一定要这么说，我是拒绝。那是——与我从事的一项任务有关。”
“A task that is now ended?”
“那项任务如今已经完结了？”
“What do you mean?”
“你这是什么意思？”
“It is ended, is it not?”
“完结了，不是吗？”
“Why should you think so?”
“你为什么这么认为？”
“Listen, Mademoiselle, I will recall to you another incident. There was a delay to the train on the day we were to reach Stamboul. You were very agitated, Mademoiselle. You, so calm, so self-controlled. You lost that calm.”
“我告诉你，小姐，我可以再提醒你另一件事。我们到伊斯坦堡的那天，途中耽误了一下。你好像很焦急，小姐。你，原是镇定且很有自制力的。然而，那天你却失去了那份冷静。”
“I did not want to miss my connection.”
“那是我不想耽误转车。”
“So you said. But, Mademoiselle, the Orient Express leaves Stamboul every day of the week. Even if you had missed the connection it would only have been a matter of twenty-four hours’ delay.”
“你说过的。不过，小姐，东方号特快车每周除了星期天之外，每天都有车的。即令你错过班车，也顶多耽误廿四小时而已。”
Miss Debenham for the first time showed signs of losing her temper.
戴本瀚小姐首次露出了光火的迹象。
“You do not seem to realise that one may have friends awaiting one’s arrival in London, and that a day’s delay upsets arrangements and causes a lot of annoyance.”
“你好像没想到，有人有朋友在伦敦等着接她，耽误一天就扰乱了一切的安排，惹出许多麻烦。”
“Ah, it is like that? There are friends awaiting your arrival? You do not want to cause them inconvenience?”
“喔，是这样的吗？有朋友在等你呀？你怕带给他们不方便？”
“Naturally.”
“那当然了。”
“And yet—it is curious—”
“可是，这就怪了——”
“What is curious?”
“有什么好奇怪的？”
“On this train—again we have a delay. And this time a more serious delay, since there is no possibility of sending a telegram to your friends or of getting them on the long—the long—”
“在这班车上——我们也耽误了，而且这次误点更严重，因为根本不可能打电报告诉你的朋友，或是打长——长——”
“Long distance? The telephone, you mean.”
“长途电话，对吧？”
“Ah, yes, the portmanteau call, as you say in England.”
“呵，是的，你们在英国叫旅行皮包电话。”
Mary Debenham smiled a little in spite of herself.
玛丽·戴本瀚不禁住也笑了。
“Trunk call,” she corrected. “Yes, as you say, it is extremely annoying not to be able to get any word through, either by telephone or by telegraph.”
“旅行箱电话。”她改正他说：“不错，正如你所说，不能打长途电话，又不能打电报，的确非常令人着急。”
“And yet, Mademoiselle, this time your manner is quite different. You no longer betray the impatience. You are calm and philosophical.”
“但是，小姐，这一次，你的态度却不同了，你并没有显得不耐烦。你却变得冷静且随遇而安了。”
Mary Debenham flushed and bit her lip. She no longer felt inclined to smile.
玛丽·戴本瀚一阵脸红，咬紧了下唇，笑容也收敛了起来。
“You do not answer, Mademoiselle?”
“你怎么不答话呀，小姐？”
“I am sorry. I did not know that there was anything to answer.”
“抱歉，我不知道有什么需要回答的。”
“Your change of attitude, Mademoiselle.”
“你态度的改变，小姐。”
“Don’t you think that you are making rather a fuss about nothing, M. Poirot?”
“你不觉得你有点小题大作吗，白罗先生？”
Poirot spread out his hands in an apologetic gesture.
白罗伸出手臂，做了一个歉然的姿态。
“It is perhaps a fault with us detectives. We expect the behaviour to be always consistent. We do not allow for changes of mood.”
“这恐怕是我们当侦探的通病，我们总认为人的行为应该是一致的。我们是不容许情绪的改变的。”
Mary Debenham made no reply.
玛丽·戴本瀚没有作声。
“You know Colonel Arbuthnot well, Mademoiselle?”
“你与阿伯斯诺上校很熟吗，小姐？”
He fancied that she was relieved by the change of subject.
他心想他这一改变话题，或许会使她轻松下来。
“I met him for the first time on this journey.”
“我是这次行程中才认识他的。”
“Have you any reason to suspect that he may have known this man Ratchett?”
“你有没有任何理由怀疑他可能认识罗嘉德？”
She shook her head decisively. “I am quite sure he didn’t.”
她断然地摇头说：“我可以肯定他绝不认识。”
“Why are you sure?”
“你何以如此肯定？”
“By the way he spoke.”
“听他谈话就知道了。”
“And yet, Mademoiselle, we found a pipe-cleaner on the floor of the dead man’s compartment. And Colonel Arbuthnot is the only man on the train who smokes a pipe.”
“可是，小姐，我们在死者房间地板上拣到了一枚烟斗捻子。而阿伯斯诺上校是车上唯一抽烟斗的人。”
He watched her narrowly, but she displayed neither surprise nor emotion, merely said:
他严谨地注视着她，但是她没表惊呀，更没有激动，仅说：
“Nonsense. It’s absurd. Colonel Arbuthnot is the last man in the world to be mixed up in a crime—especially a theatrical kind of crime like this.”
“荒谬，无稽。阿伯斯诺上校是世上最不可能卷入这个命案中的人了——特别像如此充满戏剧意味的一桩罪案。”
It was so much what Poirot himself thought that he found himself on the point of agreeing with her. He said instead:
白罗心里也是这么想，他真不能不同意她的看法。但是他却说：
“I must remind you that you do not know him very well, Mademoiselle.”
“我得提醒你，小姐，你似乎对他的认识并不很够。”
She shrugged her shoulders. “I know the type well enough.”
她耸了耸肩膀说：“他这类型的人我很了解。”
He said very gently:
他柔声地说：
“You still refuse to tell me the meaning of those words: ‘When it’s behind us’?”
“你还是拒绝告诉我那些话的含意：‘等这一切都过去’？”
She replied coldly, “I have nothing more to say.”
她冷冷地答道：“没什么可说的了。”
“It does not matter,” said Hercule Poirot. “I shall find out.”
“不要紧，”赫邱里·白罗说：“我总会查出来的。”
He bowed and left the compartment, closing the door after him.
他躬身一礼，走出房间时，顺手将房门掩上了。
“Was that wise, my friend?” asked M. Bouc. “You have put her on her guard— and through her, you have put the Colonel on his guard also.”
“你这么做好吗，老兄？”波克先生问：“你使她有了戒心——而经由她，也会使上校有了防备了。”
“Mon ami, if you wish to catch a rabbit you put a ferret into the hole, and if the rabbit is there—he runs. That is all I have done.”
“老朋友，你要是想猎得一只兔子，就放一只白鼬在洞穴里，要是洞里有兔子——那它就会跑出来的。我此时正是这么做的。”
They entered the compartment of Hildegarde Schmidt.
他们进入了希尔格·施密德的房里。
The woman was standing in readiness, her face respectful but unemotional.
这妇人早有准备地恭立着，面带敬色，情绪却很稳定。
Poirot took a quick glance through the contents of the small case on the seat. Then he motioned to the attendant to get down the bigger suitcase from the rack.
白罗迅速地看了看放在座位上的小箱子里的物件。然后，他示意服务人员把行李架上的大箱子取下来。
“The keys?” he said.
“钥匙呢？”他问。
“It is not locked, Monsieur.”
“箱子没有锁。”
Poirot undid the hasps and lifted the lid.
白罗打开铁扣，将箱子盖揭开。
“Aha!” he said, and turning to M. Bouc, “You remember what I said? Look here a little moment!”
“啊！”他转头对波克先生说：“还记得我说的吗？来看看！”
On the top of the suitcase was a hastily rolled-up brown Wagon Lit uniform.
在箱内的最上层放着一件匆忙中摺起来的卧车长制服。
The stolidity of the German woman underwent a sudden change.
这德国妇人无动于衷的迟钝模样，突然有了剧烈的转变。
“Ach!” she cried. “That is not mine. I did not put it there. I have never looked in that case since we left Stamboul. Indeed, indeed, it is true!” She looked from one to another of the men pleadingly.
“啊呀！”她喊了出来。“这不是我的，不是我放的。”我们离开伊斯坦堡之后，就没有打开箱子看过。真的，真的，我说的是实话！“她恳求般地来回看着这三个人。
Poirot took her gently by the arm and soothed her.
白罗扶着她的手臂安慰她说：
“No, no, all is well. We believe you. Do not be agitated. I am sure you did not hide the uniform there as I am sure that you are a good cook. See. You are a good cook, are you not?”
“别着急，没有事的。我们相信你的话，别烦恼。我绝对相信这件制服不是你藏的，正如我相信你是个最佳的厨子是一样的。你饭做的好极了，不是吗？”
Bewildered, the woman smiled in spite of herself, “Yes, indeed, all my ladies have said so. I—”
这妇人糊里糊涂地自己也莫名其妙地笑了。“是的。我侍奉过的夫人们都这么说的。我——”
She stopped, her mouth open, looking frightened again.
她停住了，嘴巴张着，脸上又浮起了恐惧的神色。
“No, no,” said Poirot. “I assure you all is well. See, I will tell you how this happened. This man, the man you saw in Wagon Lit uniform, comes out of the dead man’s compartment. He collides with you. That is bad luck for him. He has hoped that no one will see him. What to do next? He must get rid of his uniform. It is now not a safeguard, but a danger.”
“不要紧，别担心，”白罗说：“我担保你一切没问题的，听我告诉你这是怎么回事。你看，那个人，你看见的那个穿列车制服的男人，是从死者房间里出来的，他跟你撞上了。他的运气也真差，他本来盼望没有人会看见他的。那该怎么办呢？他非得把穿的制服藏起来不可，本来是用来防身的，如今却惹出了危险。”他的眼光扫向了在一旁聆听的波克先生与康斯丹丁医师。
His glance went to M. Bow and Dr. Constantine, who were listening attentively. “There is the snow, you see. The snow which confuses all his plans. Where can he hide these clothes? All the compartments are full. No, he passes one whose dooris open, showing it to be unoccupied. It must be the one belonging to the woman with whom he has just collided. He slips in, removes the uniform and jams it hurriedly into a suitcase on the rack. It may be some time before it is discovered.”
“外头雪很大，你是晓得的。这场雪把他的计划全搅乱了。他可往哪里藏这件制服呢？所有的卧房都住满了。不过，他经过了一间房间，门是开的，显示里头没有人，一定是他刚才撞个满怀的那个女人的房间。他溜了进去，把制服脱下，匆忙地塞进了行李架上的箱子里。他想藏在那里大概不会被人发现的。”
“And then?” said M. Bouc.
“后来呢？”波克先生问。
“That we must discuss,” Poirot said with a warning glance.
“这，我们就得好好讨论了。”白罗说着，警告性地瞪了他一眼。
He held up the tunic. A button, the third down, was missing. Poirot slipped his hand into the pocket and took out a conductor’s pass-key, used to unlock the doors of the compartments.
他拎起了那件制服，上头的第三个银扣不见了。白罗将手伸入制服口袋里，掏出了列车长用来开所有卧铺房间的总钥匙。
“Here is the explanation of how one man was able to pass through locked doors,” said M. Bouc. “Your questions to Mrs. Hubbard were unnecessary. Locked or not locked, the man could easily get through the communicating door. After all, if a Wagon Lit uniform, why not a Wagon Lit key?”
“这就说明了这人为何可以进入锁住的房门了，”波克先生说：“你问侯伯太太的问题，其实是没有必要的。不论锁了没有，这人都可穿过两房之间的通门的。再说，能弄到一件卧车列车长制服，弄一个卧车房门的钥匙又有什么困难？”
“Why not indeed?” returned Poirot.
“真是有什么不可？”白罗应和着说。
“We might have known it, really. You remember that Michel said that the door into the corridor of Mrs. Hubbard’s compartment was locked when he came in answer to her bell.”
“真是的，我们早该想到的。你记得，麦寇说过，他去应侯伯太太的铃时，她通往过道的门是上了锁的。”
“That is so, Monsieur,” said the conductor. “That is why I thought the lady must have been dreaming.”
“是呀，先生。”列车长说：“所以我才认为这位太太一定是做梦的了。”
“But now it is easy,” continued M. Bouc. “Doubtless he meant to relock the communicating door, also, but perhaps he heard some movement from the bed and it startled him.”
“现在事情明朗得多了！”波克先生还在说：“无疑地，他一定本想再把通门锁上的，但是也许听见床铺上有了动静，他一下子惊慌了。”
“We have now,” said Poirot, “only to find the scarlet kimono.”
“现在我们要找的，”白罗说：“就只剩下那件鲜红色的睡袍了。”
“True. And these last two compartments are occupied by men.”
“是的。最后两间卧铺房住的都是男客。”
“We will search all the same.”
“全都要搜的。”
“Oh! assuredly. Besides, I remember what you said.”
“呵，当然了。而且，我也没忘记你说的话。”
Hector MacQueen acquiesced willingly in the search.
海洛特·麦昆在搜查时，表现得极为合作。
“I’d just as soon you did,” he said with a rueful smile. “I feel I’m definitely the most suspicious character on the train. You’ve only got to find a will in which the old man left me all his money, and that’ll just about fix things.”
“真希望你们会早点来，”他露出一丝惨笑说：“我看我是这车上嫌疑最大的人了。你们只要找出他遗嘱上写明他把财产都遗留给我，事情大概就可以解决了。”波克先生起疑地瞄了他一眼。
M. Bouc bent a suspicious glance upon him. “That’s only my fun,” added MacQueen hastily. “He’d never have left me a cent, really. I was just useful to him—languages and so on. You’re likely to be out of luck, you know, if you don’t speak anything but good American. I’m no linguist myself, but I know what I call Shopping and Hotel—snappy bits in French and German and Italian.”
“我这是说笑的，”麦昆立刻解释说：“事实上，他连一分钱也没留给我。我只是在翻译等工作上，对他有些用处而已。往往，只会说一口好听的美国话，不一定会走运的。我自己虽不是语言专家，但是买东西，住旅馆，该用的法语、德文和意大利话我还都灵光。”
His voice was a little louder than usual. It was as though he were slightly uneasyover the search in spite of his expressed willingness.
他的声调有点嫌高了一点。好像尽管他挺合作的，但是对于这次搜查他还是显得有点紧张。
Poirot emerged. “Nothing,” he said. “Not even a compromising bequest!”
白罗出来了。“没有，”他说：“这儿都没有！”
MacQueen sighed. “Well, that’s a load off my mind,” he said humorously.
麦昆舒了一口气。“我总算能喘口气了。”他自我解嘲地说了一句。
They moved on to the last compartment. The examination of the luggage of the big Italian and of the valet yielded no result.
他们来到了最后一间卧铺房间，检查那名意大利大汉与英国男仆行李的结果，也是空无所有。
The three men stood at the end of the coach looking at each other.
三个人站在车厢的尽头，彼此面面相觑。
“What next?” said M. Bouc.
“现在该怎么办呢？”
“We will go back to the dining-car,” said Poirot.
“我们回餐车去。”白罗说。
“We know now all that we can know. We have the evidence of the passengers, the evidence of their baggage, the evidence of our eyes. ... We can expect no further help. It must be our part now to use our brains.”
“该知道的我们全知道了。我们有了旅客的证词，行李中也求了证，还有我们眼睛看见的各种证据……我看，我们也没什么可求助于他人的了。现在是该我们自己运用头脑的时候了。”
He felt in his pocket for his cigarette case. It was empty.
他伸手掏出了香烟盒，里头却是空的。
“I will join you in a moment,” he said. “I shall need the cigarettes. This is a very difficult, a very curious, affair. Who wore that scarlet kimono? Where is it now? I wish I knew. There is something in this case—some factor—that escapes me! It is difficult because it has been made difficult. But we will discuss it. Pardon me a moment.”
“我一会儿就来，”他说：“我去拿香烟。这事情又奇怪又棘手，是谁穿的那件鲜红睡袍呢？现在又在何处呢？我可真是摸不清了。这案子里，有些东西——某种因素——我到现在还没抓着！这案子之所以奇难，是因为难处是有人制造出来的。我们等会再详谈。对不起，我失陪了。”
He went hurriedly along the corridor to his own compartment. He had, he knew, a further supply of cigarettes in one of his valises.
他沿着过道，匆匆赶回到自己的房里。他知道，自己箱子里还放着有香烟。
He got it down and snapped back the lock.
他取下箱子，打开了箱子。
Then he sat back on his heels and stared.
他一屁股坐了下来，眼睛瞪得大大的。
Neatly folded on the top of the case was a thin scarlet silk kimono embroidered with dragons.
箱子上层摺得整整齐齐的，是一件绣了龙的鲜红色丝质睡袍。
“So,” he murmured. “It is like that. A defiance. Very well, I take it up.”
“那么，”他喃喃地说：“是这样。一个挑战，很好，我接受了。”