4 THE GREASE SPOT ON A HUNGARIAN PASSPORT
4 护照上的油渍
Poirot shared a table with M. Bouc and the doctor.
白罗与波克先生及康斯丹丁医师共坐一张餐桌。
The company assembled in the restaurant car was a very subdued one. They spoke little. Even the loquacious Mrs. Hubbard was unnaturally quiet. She murmured as she sat:
聚集在餐车里的这一小撮人都很沉寂。他们很少交谈。即令一向喧噪的侯伯太太也显得极不自然地安静了下来。她坐下身来时，口中只咕哝了一句：
“I don’t feel as though I had the heart to eat anything,” and then partook of everything offered her, encouraged by the Swedish lady who seemed to regard her as a special charge.
“我哪有心情吃东西。”之后，经过此时已把她认作靠山的瑞典妇人的劝慰，她就把送到她面前的餐饮都吃光了。
Before the meal was served, Poirot had caught the chief attendant by the sleeve and murmured something to him. Constantine made a pretty good guess as to what the instructions had been when he noticed that the Count and Countess Andrenyi were always served last and that at the end of the meat there was a delay in making out their bill. It therefore came about that the Count and Countess were the last left in the restaurant car.
在上餐之前，白罗拉住了服务生大班的衣袖，跟他低语了一番。康斯丹丁注意到安君业伯爵夫妇的餐饮总是最后才上桌，而且饭后在算帐时又耽误了一些时候，他就猜着了白罗下的指示是什么了，如此这般，最后留在餐车中的旅客就剩下这对伯爵夫妇了。
When they rose at length and moved in the direction of the door, Poirot sprang up and followed them.
待他们夫妇终于离座朝餐车门口走去的时候，白罗急忙立起身来跟了上去。
“Pardon, Madame, you have dropped your handkerchief.”
“对不起，夫人，你的手帕丢了。”
He was holding out to her the tiny monogrammed square.
他向她送上了一块精致的小手绢。
She took it, glanced at it, then handed it back to him.
她接过来，看了看，又交还给他。
“You are mistaken, Monsieur, that is not my handkerchief.”
“你弄错了，先生，这不是我的。”
“Not your handkerchief? Are you sure?”
不是你的手帕？你敢说没错吗？“
“Perfectly sure, Monsieur.”
“一点没错，先生。”
“And yet, Madame, it has your initial—the initial H.”
“但是上头绣了你的名字缩写字母——H。”
The Count made a sudden movement. Poirot ignored him. His eyes were fixed on the Countess’s face.
伯爵突然要抢了上来，白罗没有理他。他的眼光盯住了伯爵夫人的脸。
Looking steadily at him she replied:
她目不转睛地看着他，回答说：
“I do not understand, Monsieur. My initials are E. A.”
“我不懂你这是什么用意，先生。我的名字缩写是E. A.”
“I think not. Your name is Helena—not Elena. Helena Goldenberg, the younger daughter of Linda Arden—Helena Goldenberg, the sister of Mrs. Armstrong.”
“我想不是吧。你的名字是海莲娜——不是伊莲娜。你是海莲娜·高登博，琳达·艾登的小女儿，阿姆斯壮夫人的妹妹——海莲娜·高登博。”
There was a dead silence for a minute or two. Both the Count and the Countess had gone deadly white.
霎时间，一片死寂。伯爵夫妇两人都是一脸死般的惨白。
Poirot said in a gentler tone: “It is of no use denying. That is the truth, is it not?”
白罗放柔了声调说：“你否认也是没用的。这是事实，是不是？”
The Count burst out furiously, “I demand, Monsieur, by what right you—”
伯爵愤怒地咆哮道：“先生，我要求你解释，你有什么权利——”
She interrupted him, putting up a small hand towards his mouth.
她伸出纤细的小手挡住了他的嘴。
“No, Rudolph. Let me speak. It is useless to deny what this gentleman says. We had better sit down and talk the matter out.”
“不必了，鲁道夫。让我来说，否认这位先生所说的也是无济于事。我们还是坐下来，把事情谈清楚吧。”
Her voice had changed. It still had the southern richness of tone, but it had become suddenly more clear cut and incisive. It was, for the first time, a definitely American voice.
她的语调有了转变。虽然仍保有南欧的腔调，但却突然变得得清晰锐利得多了。而且，第一次流露了地道的美国口音。
The Count was silenced. He obeyed the gesture of her hand and they both sat down opposite Poirot.
伯爵听从了夫人的劝阻，噤下声来，两人都在白罗对面坐了下来。
“Your statement, Monsieur, is quite true,” said the Countess. “I am Helena Goldenberg, the younger sister of Mrs. Armstrong.”
“你所说的相当正确，先生，”伯爵夫人说：“我是海莲娜·高登博，阿姆斯壮夫人的妹妹。”
“You did not acquaint me with that fact this morning, Madame la Comtesse.”
“那么，今天早上你并没有告诉我此一事实，伯爵夫人。”
“No.”
“没有。”
“In fact, all that your husband and you told me was a tissue of lies.”
“事实上，你与你先生对我说的都是谎言。”
“Monsieur!” cried the Count angrily.
“先生！”伯爵怒声喊道。
“Do not be angry, Rudolph. M. Poirot puts the fact rather brutally, but what he says is undeniable.”
“别生气，鲁道夫。白罗先生揭穿事实的方式的确很不留情，但是他说的，我们没法子否认。”
“I am glad you admit the fact so freely, Madame. Will you now tell me your reasons for that, and also for altering your Christian name on your passport?”
“你能如此轻易地承认，我很高兴，夫人。那么，可否请你说明你何以不说真话，而且又涂改了护照上的名字呢？”
“That was my doing entirely,” put in the Count.
“那全是我做的。”伯爵抢着答道。
Helena said quietly: “Surely, M. Poirot, you can guess my reason—our reason. This man who was killed is the man who murdered my baby niece, who killed my sister, who broke my brother-in-law’s heart. Three of the people I loved best and who made up my home—my world!”
海莲娜平静地说：“当然可以，白罗先生，你应该可以猜出我的理由——我们夫妇的理由。这个被杀的人谋杀了我的小外甥女，逼死了我的姊姊，也伤透了我姊夫的心。三个我最深爱的人，是他们给了我一个家——我整个的人生！”
Her voice rang out passionately. She was a true daughter of that mother the emotional force of whose acting had moved huge audiences to tears.
她的语声激情地迸裂了出来。她不愧是以丰富情感感动得全球观众落泪的伟大女演员的女儿。
She went on more quietly.
她平静了一些，又说：
“Of all the people on the train I alone had probably the best motive for killing him.”
“整个列车上所有的旅客，大概只有我有最强的动机要杀掉他了。”
“And you did not kill him, Madame?”
“你没有刺杀他吗，夫人？”
“I swear to you, M. Poirot—and my husband knows—and will swear also—that much as I may have been tempted to do so, I never lifted a hand against that man.”
“我可以向你发誓，白罗先生——而且我先生知情，他也可以发誓——尽管我一直禁不住想那么做，但是我从没有碰过那个人的身体。”
“I, too, gentlemen.” said the Count. “I give you my word of honour that last night Helena never left her compartment. She took a sleeping draught exactly as I said. She is utterly and entirely innocent.”
“我，也一样，先生，”伯爵说：“我可以向你发誓，昨晚海莲娜从没有离开过她的房间。她正如我说过的，服用了安眠药的。她绝对是无辜的。”
Poirot looked from one to the other of them.
白罗朝他们夫妇来回看了看。
“On my word of honour,” repeated the Count.
“我可以以人格发誓。”伯爵又重复了一句。
Poirot shook his head slightly.
白罗轻轻摇了摇头。
“And yet you took it upon yourself to alter the name in the passport?”
“然而你却承认了自己涂改了护照上的名字。”
“Monsieur Poirot,” the Count said earnestly and passionately, “consider my position. Do you think I could stand the thought of my wife dragged through a sordid police case? She was innocent, I knew it, but what she said was true—because of her connection with the Armstrong family she would have been immediately suspected. She would have been questioned—attested, perhaps. Since some evil chance had taken us on the same train as this man Ratchett, there was, I felt sure, but one thing for it. I admit, Monsieur, that I lied to you—all, that is, save in one thing. My wife never left her compartment last night.”
“白罗先生，”伯爵急切而激动地说：“请为我的处境想想。你想我能眼看着我太太卷入这种可卑的刑事案件中吗？她是清白的。但是她说的也是实情——因为她与阿姆斯壮家的关系，她当然是最容易被人怀疑的人。她会被讯问，甚至可能被捕。由于碰上了恶运，我们正好跟罗嘉德这个人搭同一班火车，我们只有一条路可走。我承认，先生，我是向你说了谎。但有一件事则是千真万确的，我太太昨晚绝对没有离开过她的房间。”
He spoke with an earnestness that it was hard to gainsay.
他语调中的恳切的确很难反驳。
“I do not say that I disbelieve you, Monsieur,” said Poirot slowly. “Your family is, I know, a proud and ancient one. It would be bitter indeed for you to have your wife dragged into an unpleasant police case. With that I can sympathise. But how then do you explain the presence of your wife’s handkerchief actually in the dead man’s compartment?”
“我不是说我不相信你的话，先生，”白罗慢下声来说：“我知道，你的家世渊远且显要。如果让你夫人涉入这种扰人的罪案中，实在是很懊恼的事。这我很同情。不过，你又怎么解释，你夫人的手帕的确是出现在死者的房间里呢？”
“That handkerchief is not mine, Monsieur,” said the Countess.
“那块手帕不是我的，先生。”伯爵夫人说。
“In spite of the initial H?”
“即使上面绣了你名字的缩写H？”
“In spite of the initial. I have handkerchiefs not unlike that, but not one that is exactly of that pattern. I know, of course, that I cannot hope to make you believe me, but I assure you that it is so. That handkerchief is not mine.”
“是的，即使上头绣了H。我的手帕跟那种差不多，但是花样却不一样。我知道，当然我不敢奢望你会相信我的话，但是我可以保证，那块手帕不是我的。”
“It may have been placed there by someone in order to incriminate you?”
“会是有人故意放在那里嫁祸于你吗？“
She smiled a little. “You are enticing me to admit that, after all, it is mine? But indeed, M. Poirot, it isn’t.” She spoke with great earnestness.
她挤出一丝浅笑。“你这是在引我落入你的圈套，承认手帕是我的吧？但是，白罗先生，的确不是我的。“她的话说得万分诚恳。
“Then why, if the handkerchief was not yours, did you alter the name in the passport?”
“那么，手帕既然不是你的，你又何必涂改护照上的名字呢？”
The Count answered this.
伯爵回答了这个问题。
“Because we heard that a handkerchief had been found with the initial H on it. We talked the matter over together before we came to be interviewed. I pointed out to Helena that if it were seen that her Christian name began with an H she would immediately be subjected to much more rigorous questioning. And the thing was so simple—to alter Helena to Elena, was easily done.”
“因为我们听说有人发现了一块绣有H字母的手帕。我们俩在被讯问之前，把事情商量了一下。我向海莲娜指出，如果有人知道她名字的第一个字母是H，她被讯问的问题一定会更复杂尖锐。而将海莲娜改为伊莲娜又是轻而易举的事。”
“You have, M. le Comte, the makings of a very fine criminal,” remarked Poirot dryly. “A great natural ingenuity, and an apparently remorseless determination to mislead justice.”
“伯爵先生，你倒是挺有犯罪天才的，”白罗冷冷地说：“真是天赋的才华，而且显然是毫无顾忌地决心要破损公道。”
“Oh, no, no.” The girl leaned forward. “M. Poirot, he’s explained to you how it was.” She broke from French into English. “I was scared—absolutely dead scared, you understand. It had been so awful—that time—and to have it all raked up again. And to be suspected and perhaps thrown into prison. I was just scared stiff, M. Poirot. Can’t you understand at all?”
“呵，不，不是的，”这女郎倾身向前说道：“白罗先生，他已经跟你解释过的。”她说了一半法文，又改用英语说：“我怕死了——简直害怕死了，你该能体谅的。那次惨剧已经够人忍受的了，如今又要再掀了出来！还有被人怀疑，甚至要坐监牢。我只是太害怕了，白罗先生。你难道一点也不能体会吗？”
Her voice was lovely—deep—rich—pleading, the voice of the daughter of Linda Arden the actress.
她的声音非常动听——低沉、浑厚——有如在呼吁，完全是女演员琳达·艾登女儿的口吻。
Poirot looked gravely at her.
白罗非常严肃地看着她。
“If I am to believe you, Madame—and I do not say that I will not believe you— then you must help me.”
“如果我相信你所说的话，夫人——我这并不表示我不相信你——那么你必须帮我一个忙。”
“Help you?”
“帮你忙？”
“Yes. The reason for the murder lies in the past—in that tragedy which broke up your home and saddened your young life. Take me back into the past, Mademoiselle, that I may find there the link that explains the whole thing.”
“是的。这次谋杀案发生的原因深植在过去——也就是隐伏在摧毁了你家庭、令你在幼年时就饱尝苦痛的那桩悲剧。小姐，请你带领我回到过去，也许我能够因而找到可以说明这一切的关键性的环节。”
“What can there be to tell you? They are all dead.” She repeated mournfully: “All dead—all dead—Robert, Sonia—darling, darling Daisy. She was so sweet— so happy—she had such lovely curls. We were all just crazy about her.”
“还有什么可告诉你的呢？”她哀伤地重复着这句话：“都过世了——都死去了——罗勃、苏妮亚——还有最可爱、最叫人心疼的小黛西。她太可爱了，那么快乐——一头美丽的卷发。我们大家都钟爱她，爱得要命。”
“There was another victim, Madame. An indirect victim, you might say.”
“另外还有一名牺牲者呢，夫人。也许可以说是间接的被害人。”
“Poor Susanne? Yes, I had forgotten about her. The police questioned her. They were convinced that she had something to do with it. Perhaps she had—but if so only innocently. She had, I believe, chatted idly with someone, giving information as to the time of Daisy’s outings. The poor thing got terribly wrought up—she thought she was being held responsible.” She shuddered. “She threw herself out of the window. Oh! it was horrible.”
“你是指可怜的苏姗妮？是的，我倒把她忘怀了。警察讯问过她。他们坚信她与那个案子有些关连。也许有的——但即令有，她也是无辜的。我想，她可能不经心地跟某些人闲聊过，她透露过黛西出去玩的时刻。这可怜的女孩子给吓傻了——她认为一切责任都该她来负的。”她打了个寒噤说：“她跳楼自杀了。啊！太可怕了。”
She buried her face in her hands.
她一下子将头埋入了手里。
“What nationality was she, Madame?”
“她是哪国人，夫人？”
“She was French.”
“她是法国人。”
“What was her last name?”
“她姓什么？”
“It’s absurd, but I can’t remember—we all called her Susanne. A pretty, laughing girl. She was devoted to Daisy.”
“说起来你会不信，但是我真记不起了——我们都叫她苏姗妮。一个长得挺美、很可爱的女孩子，她对黛西真是忠心极了。”
“She was the nursery-maid, was she not?”
“她是负责照管黛西的婢女，是不？”
“Yes.”
“是的。”
“Who was the nurse?”
“谁是照管小黛西的护士？”
“She was a trained hospital nurse. Stengelberg her name was. She too was devoted to Daisy—and to my sister.”
“是一名有专业训练的医院护士，她姓史坦格博。她对黛西也极尽心——对我姊姊也一样。”
“Now, Madame, I want you to think carefully before you answer this question. Have you, since you were on this train, seen anyone that you recognised?”
“夫人，现在，我请你在回答我之前，先仔细地想想。你这次上车之后，可曾看到自己认识的人。”
She stared at him. “I? No, no one at all.”
她瞪了他一下，“我？没有，一个也不认识。”
“What about Princess Dragomiroff?”
“那么德瑞格米罗夫郡主呢？”
“Oh! her. I know her, of course. I thought you meant anyone—anyone from— from that time.”
“喔！她呀，我当然认识她。我还以为你指的是那次事件发生时的人呢。”
“So I did, Madame. Now think carefully. Some years have passed, remember. The person might have altered his or her appearance.”
“我的确指的是那时候的人。许多年头过去了，夫人，这你该记得。那时你见过的人可能如今容貌已经改变了。”
Helena pondered deeply. Then she said: “No—I am sure—there is no one.”
海莲娜尽心地思考了半天，然后说：“没有——我确信一个也没有。”
“You yourself—you were a young girl at the time—did you have no one to superintend your studies or to look after you?”
“你本人——那时还只是一个小孩子——难道没有人照顾并教导你作功课吗？”
“Oh! yes, I had a dragon—a sort of governess to me and secretary to Sonia combined. She was English—or rather Scotch; a big red-haired woman.”
“啊！对了，我有个监管我的人——算是我的家庭教师，也是苏妮亚的秘书。她是个英国人——实际上该说是苏格兰人，一个高大的红头发的女人。”
“What was her name?”
“她姓什么？”
“Miss Freebody.”
“傅利波迪小姐。”
“Young or old?”
“年轻或是年长？”
“She seemed frightfully old to me. I suppose she couldn’t have been more than forty. Susanne, of course, used to look after my clothes and maid me.”
“在我印象里，她好像老得要命。但是现在想想当时她该不到四十岁吧。当然，那时都是由苏姗妮照顾我的穿着与琐事的。”
“And there were no other inmates of the house?”
“家中就没有其他的人住了吗？“
“Only servants.”
“只有佣人们。”
“And you are certain, quite certain, Madame, that you have recognised no one on the train?”
“你真的敢确定，夫人，非常肯定，你在这火车上一个人也认不出来了吗？”
She replied earnestly: “No one, Monsieur. No one at all.”
她诚挚地回答：“没有，先生，一个人也不认识。”