PART III HERCULE POIROT SITS BACK AND THINKS
第三部 白罗坐下来思考
1 WHICH OF THEM?
1 凶手是哪一个？
M. Bouc. and Dr. Constantine were talking together when Poirot entered the dining-car. M. Bouc was looking depressed.
白罗踱入餐车时，波克先生与康斯丹丁医师正在谈话。波克先生仍是一脸的沮丧。
“Le voilà,” said the latter when he saw Poirot. Then he added, as his friend sat down, “If you solve this case, mon cher, I shall indeed believe in miracles!”
“来啦！”后者看见白罗说。等他坐定之后，他又说：“要是这个案子你破得了，老兄，那我可真相信奇迹了。”
“It worries you, this case?”
“这案子的确令你很担心，是吧？”
“Naturally it worries me. I cannot make head or tail of it.”
“当然担心啦。我一点头绪也没理不出来了。”
“I agree,” said the doctor. He looked at Poirot with interest.
“我也是这么看法，”医师说。他颇有所感地看了白罗一眼。
“To be frank,” he said, “I cannot see what you are going to do next.”
“坦白说，”他说：“我看不出你的下一步棋可怎么走。”
“No!” said Poirot thoughtfully.
“看不出吗？”白罗心中玩味地问道。
He took out his cigarette case and lit one of his tiny cigarettes. His eyes were dreamy.
他取出了香烟盒，点燃了一支他那种细短的香烟，眼神是梦般地迷茫。
“That, to me, is the interest of this case,” he said. “We are cut off from all the normal routes of procedure. Are these people whose evidence we have taken speaking the truth, or lying? We have no means of finding out—except such means as we can devise ourselves. It is an exercise, this, of the brain.”
“这，对我来说，正是本案最引人入胜的所在。”他说：“一切惯常的作业程序都行不通了。我们采取的这些人的证词，到底是真的还是一派谎言？我们没有别的方法可以证实——除非我们创作一套。这正是一种头脑运动的训练。”
“That is all very fine,” said M. Bouc. “But what have you to go upon?”
“听起来确实很美，“波克先生说：”可是你根据什么去创作呢？“
“I told you just now. We have the evidence of the passengers and the evidence of our own eyes.”
“我刚才说过。我们有旅客的证词与自己眼见的证据。”
“Pretty evidence—that of the passengers! It told us just nothing at all.”
“旅客的证词可真是太棒了！几乎甚么都没告诉我们。”
Poirot shook his head.
白罗摇了摇头。
“I do not agree, my friend. The evidence of the passengers gave us several points of interest.”
“这我无法同意，老朋友。旅客们的证词给了我们几点相当耐人寻味的线索。”
“Indeed,” said M. Bouc sceptically. “I did not observe it.”
“真的？”波克先生一脸不信地说：“我倒没看出来。”
“That is because you did not listen.”
“那是因为你根本不用耳朵听。”
“Well, tell me, what did I miss?”
“好，那么请告诉我，我漏了什么？”
“I will just take one instance—the first evidence we heard, that of the youngMacQueen. He uttered, to my mind, one very significant phrase.”
“我只给你一个例子——我们首先听取的是年轻的麦昆所作的证词，我记得他说过一句很重要的话。”
“About the letters?”
“有关恐吓信的？”
“No, not about the letters. As far as I can remember, his words were: ‘We travelled about. Mr. Ratchett wanted to see the world. He was hampered by knowing no languages. I acted more as a courier than a secretary.’ ”
“不，不是恐吓信的事。按我所记得的，他说的是：”我们各处旅行，罗嘉德先生要环游世界。可惜他在语言能力上受到了限制，我作他的秘书倒不如说是当他的翻译。’”
He looked from the doctor’s face to that of M. Bouc.
他的眼光自医师的脸上转射到波克先生的脸上。
“What? You still do not see? That is inexcusable—for you had a second chance again just now when he said, ‘You’re likely to be out of luck if you don’t speak anything but good American.’ ”
“怎么？你们还不懂吗？这真是不可原谅了——因为就在刚才，你们又有机会听他说过的呀：‘如果你只会说一口很好的美国话，有时候不一定会走运的。’”
“You mean—?” M. Bouc still looked puzzled.
“你是说——？“波克先生仍是一脸的不解。
“Ah, it is that you want it given to you in words of one syllable. Well, here it is!M. Ratchett spoke no French. Yet, when the conductor came in answer to his bell last night, it was a voice speaking in French that told him that it was a mistake and that he was not wanted. It was, moreover, a perfectly idiomatic phrase that was used, not one that a man knowing only a few words of French would have selected. ‘Ce n’est rien Je me suis trompé.’ ”
“哎，你是叫我一个字一个字说给你听了。好吧，我就告诉你吧！罗嘉德先生是不会说法文的。然而，昨晚列车长去应他的铃声时，房里的音声说的却是法文，说搞错了，他没有事叫他。而且，他说的是一句惯用语，绝不是一个只会几句法文就说得出来的。‘没什么，我按错了。’”
“It is true,” cried Constantine excitedly. “We should have seen that! I remember your laying stress on the words when you repeated them to us. Now I understand your reluctance to rely upon the evidence of the dented watch. Already, at twentythree minutes to one, Ratchett was dead—”
“可不是嘛，”康斯丹丁兴奋地说：“我们早就该想到的！我还记得你第一次重复那句话时，还特别强调过语气的。我现在才了解你何以那么不太接受被砸碎的那只手表上的证据了。在差廿三分一点的时刻，罗嘉德已经死了……”
“And it was his murderer speaking!” finished M. Bouc impressively.
“那说话的一定是刺杀他的人了！”波克先生很得意地为他接下了这句话。
Poirot raised a deprecating hand.
白罗轻蔑地挥了挥手。
“Let us not go too fast. And do not let us assume more than we actually know. It is safe, I think, to say that at that time—twenty-three minutes to one—some other person was in Ratchett’s compartment, and that that person either was French or could speak the French language fluently.”
“我们还是不要赶得太快吧。除了我们真正知道的之外，我们也别作出太多的假设。我认为，保险一点，我们也许可以这么说：那个时刻——差廿三分一点的时候——有另外的人在罗嘉德的房间里，而那个人或是个法国人，或是能说一口流利法语的人。”
“You are very cautious, mon vieux—”
“你也未免太谨慎了，老兄。”
“One should advance only a step at a time. We have no actual evidence that Ratchett was dead at that time.”
“我们总应该一步一步地来。我们没有实证可以指出罗嘉德是在那个时刻死的。”
“There is the cry that awakened you.”
“有叫喊声惊醒过你的。”
“Yes, that is true.”
“是的，不错。”
“In one way,” said M. Bouc thoughtfully, “this discovery does not affect things very much. You heard someone moving about next door. That someone was not Ratchett, but the other man. Doubtless he is washing blood from his hands, clearing up after the crime, burning the incriminating letter. Then he waits till all is still, and, when he thinks it is safe and the coast is clear, he locks and chains Ratchett’s door on the inside, unlocks the communicating door through into Mrs. Hubbard’s compartment and slips out that way. In fact, it is exactly as we thought, with the difference that Ratchett was killed about half an hour earlier and the watch put on to a quarter past one to create an alibi.”
“在另方面来说，”波克先生费尽心思地说：“此一发现对情况并无什么影响。你听见了隔壁房间有走动声。那个人该不是罗嘉德，是另外一个人。不用说，他一定是在杀人之后，在那儿洗手、清理呢，也烧了可以作为罪证的信函。然后，他等一切都静寂下来，认为安全了，过道上没人了，他就在里头将罗嘉德的房门反锁，上了栓链，打开穿往侯伯太太房间的通门，从隔室溜到了过道上。事实上，跟我们所想的正好一样，不同之处，在于罗嘉德是早了半小时被杀的，而手表时针被拨到一点过一刻，只是为了混乱现场的证据。”
“Not such a famous alibi,” said Poirot. “The hands of the watch pointed to 1.15—the exact time when the intruder actually left the scene of the crime.”
“这现场证据作得并不漂亮，“白罗说”时针指的一点一刻——正是那人离开现场的时刻。“
“True,” said M. Bouc, a little confused. “What then does the watch convey to you?”
“不错，”波克先生仍是有点糊涂地说：“那么那只手表又提供了你什么资料呢？”
“If the hands were altered—I say if—then the time at which they were set must have a significance. The natural reaction would be to suspect anyone who had a reliable alibi for the time indicated—in this case, 1.15.”
“如果时针的确被人拨过的——我只是说如果——那么他拨的那个时刻一定有特别的意义。主要的目的必定是使在时针所指的一点一刻的当儿，举不出在现场的人的证据并使之受到怀疑。”
“Yes, yes,” said the doctor. “That reasoning is good.”
“对的，对的，”医师说：“这个解释很有道理。”
“We must also pay a little attention to the time the intruder entered the compartment. When had he an opportunity of doing so? Unless we are to assume the complicity of the real conductor, there was only one time when he could have done so—during the time the train stopped at Vincovci. After the train left Vincovci the conductor was sitting facing the corridor, and whereas any one of the passengers would pay little attention to a Wagon Lit attendant, the one person who would notice an impostor is the real conductor. But during the halt at Vincovci the conductor is out on the platform. The coast is clear.”
“我们也必须要注意一下，那人闯入房间的时刻。他什么时候有机会进去呢？除非我们假设真正的列车长有共犯的嫌疑，那么此人只有在列车靠温可齐站的时候才能进房。列车离开温可齐站之后，列车长是面对过道而坐的。虽然一般旅客或许不会注意到有个卧车服务人员，可是有个人会注意到一个假冒的人，那就是这位真正的列车长。可是车在温可齐靠站时，列车长却是下了车站在月台上的。过道上可就没人看着了。”
“And by our former reasoning, it must be one of the passengers,” said M. Bouc. “We come back to where we were. Which of them?”
“按我们早先的分析，那人一定是车上的旅客了，“波克先生说：”我们又绕回来了。可又该是哪位呢？“
Poirot smiled.
白罗笑了笑。
“I have made a list,” he said. “If you like to see it, it will perhaps refresh your memory.”
“我写了一张表，”他说：“要是你们想看看，也许可以澄清一下你们的记忆。”
The doctor and M. Bouc pored over the list together. It was written out neatly in a methodical manner in the order in which the passengers had been interviewed.
医师与波克先生两人一起细看这张表格。这是问讯车上旅客的顺序，有条不紊很整齐地书写的一张名单。
HECTOR MACQUEEN, American subject, Berth No. 6, Second Class.
海洛特·麦昆，美国公民，二等车厢，第六号卧铺。
Motive—Possibly arising out of association with dead man?
动机——可能因结交死者所引起的？
Alibi—From midnight to 2 A.M. (Midnight to 1.30 vouched for by Col.Arbuthnot, and 1. 15 to 2 vouched for by conductor.)
自午夜至凌晨二时不在现场证据：午夜至凌晨一时卅分有阿伯斯诺上校证明，一时一刻至二时有列车长证明。
Evidence against him—None.
对他不利的证据——无。
Suspicious circumstances—None.
可疑情况——无。
CONDUCTOR PIERRE MICHEL, French subject.
列车长皮耶·麦寇，法国公民。
Motive—None.
动机——无。
Alibi—From midnight to 2 A.M. (Seen by H. P. in corridor at same time asvoice spoke from Ratchett’s compartment at 12.37. From 1 A.M. to 1.16vouched for by other two conductors.)
自午夜至凌晨二时不在现场证据：十二时卅七分罗嘉德房中有人说话时，白罗看见他在过道上。一时至一时十六分有另外两名列车长可作证明。
Evidence against him—None.
不利证据——无。
Suspicious circumstances—The Wagon Lit uniform found is a point in his favor since it seems to have been intended to throw suspicion on him.
可疑情况——卧车列车长制服的发现对他有利，因为显然有人故意栽赃于他。
EDWARD MASTERMAN, English subject, Berth No. 4, Second Class.
艾德华·马斯德曼，英国人，二等车厢，第四号卧铺。
Motive—Possibly arising out of connection with deceased, whose valet he was.
动机——可能由于身任死者男仆，而有所关连。
Alibi—From midnight to 2 A.M. (Vouched for by Antonio Foscarelli.)
自午夜至凌晨二时不在现场证据：同室安东尼奥·佛斯卡瑞里可以证明。
Evidence against him of suspicious circumstances—None, except that he is the only man of the right height or size to have worn the Wagon Lit uniform. On the other hand, it is unlikely that he speaks French well.
对他不利证据或可疑情况——无。但他的身高与尺寸是唯一适合穿列车长制服的人。但他似乎法语说得不好。
MRS. HUBBARD, American subject, Berth No. 3, First Class.
侯伯太太，美国公民，头等车厢，第三号卧铺。
Motive—None.
动机——无。
Alibi—From midnight to 2 A.M.—None.
自午夜至凌晨二时不在现场证据：无。
Evidence against her or suspicious circumstances—Story of man in her compartment is substantiated by the evidence of Hardman and that of the woman Schmidt.
不利证据或可疑情况——在她房里出现一名男人，可由哈德曼及施密德的证词佐证。
GRETA OHLSSON, Swedish subject, Berth No. 10, Second Class.
葛丽泰·奥尔森，瑞典籍，二等车厢，第十号卧铺。
Motive—None.
动机——无。
Alibi—From midnight to 2 A.M. (Vouched for by Mary Debenham.)
自午夜至凌晨二时不在现场证据：玛丽·戴本瀚可以证明。
Note: Was last to see Ratchett alive.
注——最后一个见到罗嘉德活着的人。
PRINCESS DRAGOMIROFF, Naturalised French subject, Berth No. 14, First Class.
德瑞格米罗夫郡主，入籍的法国人，头等车厢，第十四号卧铺。
Motive—Was intimately acquainted with Armstrong family, and godmother toSonia Armstrong. Alibi—from midnight to 2 A.M. (Vouched for by conductor and maid.)
动机——与阿姆斯壮家有深厚友谊，也是苏尼亚·阿姆斯壮的义母。自午夜至凌晨二时不在现场证据：可由列车长与女仆提出佐证。
Evidence against her or suspicious circumstances—None.
不利证据与可疑情况——无。
COUNT ANDRENYI, Hungarian subject, Diplomatic passport, Berth No. 13, First Class.
安君业伯爵，匈牙利人，持外交护照，头等车厢，第十三号卧铺。
Motive—None.
动机——无。
Alibi—Midnight to 2 A.M. (Vouched for by conductor—this does not cover period from 1 to 1.15.)
午夜至凌晨二时不在现场证据：由列车长证明——但不包含一时至一时十五分的一段时间。
COUNTESS ANDRENYI, As above, Berth 12.
安君业伯爵夫人，同上，卧铺十二号。
Motive—None.
动机——无。
Alibi—Midnight to 2 A.M Took trional and slept. (Vouched for by husband. Trional bottle in her cupboard.)
午夜至凌晨二时不在现场证据：服镇静剂后入睡（由其夫君及房内小橱中之镇静剂药瓶佐证。
COLONEL ARBUTHNOT, British subject, Berth No. 15, First Class.
阿伯斯诺上校，英国籍，头等车厢，第十五号卧铺。
Motive—None.
动机——无。
Alibi—Midnight to 2 A.M. Talked with MacQueen till 1.30. Went to own compartment and did not leave it. (Substantiated by MacQueen and conductor.)
午夜至凌晨二时不在现场证据：与麦昆谈天至一时半。返回自己房间，其后未曾离房（可由麦昆及列车长佐证。）
Evidence against him or suspicious circumstances—Pipe-cleaner.
不利证据及可疑情况——通烟斗的捻子。
CYRUS HARDMAN, American subject, Berth No. 16.
赛洛斯·哈德曼，美籍，卧铺号码第十六号。
Motive—None known.
动机——不详。
Alibi—Midnight to 2 A.M. Did not leave compartment. (Substantiated by conductor except for period 1 to 1.15.)
午夜至凌晨二时不在现场证据：不曾离开自己房间（除一时至一时十五分之间外，可由列车长证明）。
Evidence against him or suspicious circumstances—None.
不利证据或可疑情况——无。
ANTONIO FOSCARELLI, American subject (Italian by birth), Berth No. 5, Second Class.
安东尼奥·佛斯卡瑞里，美国公民（生于意大利），二等车厢，第五号卧铺。
Motive—None known.
动机——不详。
Alibi—Midnight to 2 A.M. (Vouched for by Edward Masterman.)
午夜至凌晨二时不在现场证据：由艾德华·马斯德曼证明。
Evidence against him or suspicious circumstances—None, except that weapon used might be said to suit his temperament (Vide M. Bouc.)
不利证据或可疑情况——无，命案所用凶器似乎符合他的性格（波克先生的看法）。
MARY DEBENHAM, British subject, Berth No. 11, Second Class.
玛丽·戴本瀚，英籍人，二等车厢，第十一号卧铺。
Motive—None
动机——无。
Alibi—Midnight to 2 A.M. (Vouched for by Greta Ohlsson.)
午夜至凌晨二时不在现场证据：可由葛丽泰·奥尔森证明。
Evidence against him or suspicious circumstances—conversation overheard byH. P., and her refusal to explain it.
不利证据或可疑情况——白罗偶尔听见的谈话与她的拒绝说明。
HILDEGARDE SCHMIDT, German subject, Berth No. 8, Second Class.
希尔格·施密德，德国人，二等车厢，第八号卧铺。
Motive—None.
动机——无。
Alibi—Midnight to 2 A.M. (Vouched for by conductor and her mistress.) Wentto bed. Was aroused by conductor at 12.38 approx. and went to mistress.
午夜至凌晨二时不在现场证据：由列车长与她的女主人证明（大约十二时卅八分经列车长唤醒，去侍奉女主人）。
NOTE:—The evidence of the passengers is supported by the statement of the conductor that no one entered or left Mr. Ratchett’s compartment from midnight to 1 o’clock (when he himself went into the next coach) and from 1.15 to 2 o’clock.
附注：旅客的证明，由列车长关于自午夜至凌晨一时（那时他本人在下一节车厢）以及凌晨一时十五分至二时的两段时间内，无人进入罗嘉德房间的证明，获得了支持。
“That document, you understand,” said Poirot, “is a mere précis of the evidence
“这份文件”，白罗说：“两位自然了解，为了方便，仅是依照我们所听的证词摘要而拟写的。”
we heard, arranged in that way for convenience.” With a grimace, M. Bouc handed it back. “It is not illuminating,” he said.
波克先生作了个苦脸，把表格还给了他。“对我来说，还是没有什么启发。”他说。
“Perhaps you may find this more to your taste,” said Poirot, with a slight smileas he handed him a second sheet of paper.
“也许你会觉得这个更对你的口味，”白罗说着，露出一丝浅笑，又交给了他第二张单子。