M. Hercule Poirot was a little late in entering the luncheon-car on the following day. He had risen early, breakfasted almost alone, and had spent the morning going over the notes of the case that was recalling him to London. He had seen little of his travelling companion.
查看中文翻译
It was not till they were eating a delicate cream cheese that M. Bouc allowed his attention to wander to matters other than nourishment. He was at the stage of a meal when one becomes philosophic.
查看中文翻译
M. Bouc, who was already seated, gesticulated a greeting and summoned his friend to the empty place opposite him. Poirot sat down and soon found himself in the favoured position of the table which was served first and with the choicest morsels. The food, too, was unusually good.
查看中文翻译
"It is an idea, that," said Poirot.
查看中文翻译
"Ah!" he sighed. "If I had but the pen of a Balzac! I would depict this scene." He waved his hand.
查看中文翻译
"Ah, you agree? It has not been done, I think? And yet -- it lends itself to romance, my friend. All around us are people, of all classes, of all nationalities, of all ages. For three days these people, these strangers to one another, are brought together. They sleep and eat under one roof, they cannot get away from each other. At the end of three days they part, they go their several ways, never, perhaps, to see each other again."
查看中文翻译
"Some more wine," said M. Bouc, hastily pouring it out. "You are morbid, mon cher. It is, perhaps, the digestion."
查看中文翻译
"And yet," said Poirot, "suppose an accident --"
查看中文翻译
"Ah no, my friend --"
查看中文翻译
"It is true," agreed Poirot, "that the food in Syria was not, perhaps, quite suited to my stomach."
查看中文翻译
"From your point of view it would be regrettable, I agree. But nevertheless let us just for one moment suppose it. Then, perhaps, all these here are linked together -- by death."
查看中文翻译
At the table opposite them were three men. They were, he guessed, single travellers graded and placed there by the unerring judgment of the restaurant attendants. A big, swarthy Italian was picking his teeth with gusto. Opposite him a spare, neat Englishman had the expressionless disapproving face of the well-trained servant. Next to the Englishman was a big American in a loud suit -- possibly a commercial traveller.
查看中文翻译
He sipped his wine. Then, leaning back, he ran his eye thoughtfully round the dining car. There were thirteen people seated there and, as M. Bouc had said, of all classes and nationalities. He began to study them.
查看中文翻译
The Italian removed his toothpick to gesticulate with it freely.
查看中文翻译
"You've got to put it over big," he was saying in a loud nasal voice.
查看中文翻译
The Englishman looked out of the window and coughed.
查看中文翻译
Poirot's eye passed on.
查看中文翻译
"Sure," he said. "That whatta I say alla de time."
查看中文翻译
At a small table, sitting very upright, was one of the ugliest old ladies he had ever seen. It was an ugliness of distinction -- it fascinated rather than repelled. She sat very upright. Round her neck was a collar of very large pearls which, improbable though it seemed, were real. Her hands were covered with rings. Her sable coat was pushed back on her shoulders. A very small expensive black toque was hideously unbecoming to the yellow, toad-like face beneath it.
查看中文翻译
She was speaking now to the restaurant attendant in a clear, courteous but completely autocratic tone.
查看中文翻译
"You will be sufficiently amiable to place in my compartment a bottle of mineral water and a large glass of orange juice. You will arrange that I shall have chicken cooked without sauces for dinner this evening -- also some boiled fish."
查看中文翻译
The attendant replied respectfully that it should be done.
查看中文翻译
She gave a slight gracious nod of the head and rose. Her glance caught Poirot's and swept over him with the nonchalance of the uninterested aristocrat.
查看中文翻译
"That is Princess Dragomiroff," said M. Bouc in a low tone. "She is a Russian. Her husband realized all this money before the Revolution and invested it abroad. She is extremely rich. A cosmopolitan."
查看中文翻译
Poirot agreed.
查看中文翻译
Poirot nodded. He had heard of Princess Dragomiroff.
查看中文翻译
"She is a personality," said M. Bouc. "Ugly as sin, but she makes herself felt. You agree?"
查看中文翻译
At another of the large tables Mary Debenham was sitting with two other women. One of them was a tall middle-aged woman in a plaid blouse and tweed skirt. She had a mass of faded yellow hair unbecomingly arranged in a large bun, wore glasses, and had a long, mild, amiable face rather like a sheep. She was listening to the third woman, a stout, pleasant-faced, elderly woman who was talking in a slow clear monotone which showed no signs of pausing for breath or coming to a stop.
查看中文翻译
Perhaps, Poirot thought, Mary Debenham had demurred. A governess learns to be careful. Appearances are important. A girl with her living to get has to be discreet.
查看中文翻译
The train plunged into a tunnel. The calm monotonous voice was drowned.
查看中文翻译
"… And so my daughter said, 'Why,' she said 'you just can't apply Amurrican methods in this country. It's just natural to the folks here to be indolent,' she said. 'They just haven't got any hustle in them.' But all the same you'd be surprised to know what our college there is doing. They've gotten a fine staff of teachers. I guess there's nothing like education. We've got to apply our Western ideals and teach the East to recognize them. My daughter says --"
查看中文翻译
At the next table, a small one, sat Colonel Arbuthnot -- alone. His gaze was fixed upon the back of Mary Debenham's head. They were not sitting together. Yet it could easily have been managed. Why?
查看中文翻译
His glance shifted to the other side of the carriage. At the far end, against the wall, was a middle-aged woman dressed in black with a broad expressionless face. German or Scandinavian, he thought. Probably a German lady's maid.
查看中文翻译
The woman opposite him was a mere girl -- twenty at a guess. A tight-fitting little black coat and skirt, white satin blouse, small chic black toque perched at the fashionable outrageous angle. She had a beautiful foreign-looking face, dead white skin, large brown eyes, jet-black hair. She was smoking a cigarette in a long holder. Her manicured hands had deep red nails. She wore one large emerald set in platinum. There was coquetry in her glance and voice.
查看中文翻译
There were only two more lunchers -- Poirot's fellow traveller MacQueen and his employer Mr. Ratchett. The latter sat facing Poirot, and for the second time Poirot studied that unprepossessing face, noting the false benevolence of the brow and the small, cruel eyes.
查看中文翻译
"Elle est jolie -- et chic," murmured Poirot. "Husband and wife -- eh?"
查看中文翻译
M. Bouc nodded.
查看中文翻译
"Hungarian Embassy, I believe," he said. "A handsome couple."
查看中文翻译
After her came a couple leaning forward and talking animatedly together. The man wore English clothes of loose tweed -- but he was not English. Though only the back of his head was visible to Poirot, the shape of it and the set of the shoulders betrayed him. A big man, well made. He turned his head suddenly and Poirot saw his profile. A very handsome man of thirty odd with a big fair moustache.
查看中文翻译
"It is at your wild animal you look?" he asked.
查看中文翻译
Poirot nodded.
查看中文翻译
Doubtless M. Bouc saw a change in his friend's expression.
查看中文翻译
"My daughter said, 'Take a book of food tickets and you'll have no trouble -- no trouble at all.' Now, that isn't so. Seems they have to have a ten per cent tip, and then there's that bottle of mineral water -- and a queer sort of water too. They hadn't got any Evian or Vichy, which seems queer to me."
查看中文翻译
"I return to my compartment," he said. "Come along presently and converse with me."
查看中文翻译
"With pleasure."
查看中文翻译
Poirot sipped his coffee and ordered a liqueur. The attendant was passing from table to table with his box of money, accepting payment for bills. The elderly American lady's voice rose shrill and plaintive.
查看中文翻译
"It is -- they must -- how you say -- serve the water of the country," explained the sheep-faced lady.
查看中文翻译
As his coffee was brought to him, M. Bouc rose to his feet. Having started before Poirot, he had finished some time ago.
查看中文翻译
"Well, it seems queer to me." She looked distastefully at the heap of small change on the table in front of her. "Look at all this peculiar stuff he's given me. Dinars or something. Just a lot of rubbish, it looks. My daughter said --"
查看中文翻译
"I think," he went on, "that I have the pleasure of speaking to M. Hercule Poirot. Is that so?"
查看中文翻译
Ratchett spoke to his companion, who got up and left the car. Then he rose himself, but instead of following MacQueen he dropped unexpectedly into the seat opposite Poirot.
查看中文翻译
Mary Debenham pushed back her chair and left with a slight bow to the other two. Colonel Arbuthnot got up and followed her. Gathering up her despised money, the American lady followed suit, followed by the lady like a sheep. The Hungarians had already departed. The restaurant car was empty save for Poirot and Ratchett and MacQueen.
查看中文翻译
"Can you oblige me with a light?" he said. His voice was soft -- faintly nasal. "My name is Ratchett."
查看中文翻译
Poirot bowed slightly. He slipped his hand into his pocket and produced a matchbox which he handed to the other man, who took it but did not strike a light.
查看中文翻译
Poirot bowed again. "You have been correctly informed, Monsieur."
查看中文翻译
The detective was conscious of those strange shrewd eyes summing him up before the other spoke again.
查看中文翻译
"Monsieur, in my experience when a man is in a position to have, as you say, enemies, then it does not usually resolve itself into one enemy only."
查看中文翻译
"My life has been threatened, Mr. Poirot. Now, I'm a man who can take pretty good care of himself." From the pocket of his coat his hand brought a small automatic into sight for a moment. He continued grimly. "I don't think I'm the kind of man to be caught napping. But as I look at it I might as well make assurance doubly sure. I fancy you're the man for my money, Mr. Poirot. And remember -- big money."
查看中文翻译
"My clientèle, Monsieur, is limited nowadays. I undertake very few cases."
查看中文翻译
Hercule Poirot was silent a minute or two, then he said: "What is it you wish me to do for you, M.-- er -- Ratchett?"
查看中文翻译
"Only one enemy?"
查看中文翻译
"Safety?"
查看中文翻译
"Why, naturally, I understand that. But this, Mr. Poirot, means big money." He repeated again in his soft, persuasive voice, "Big money."
查看中文翻译
Hercule Poirot's eyebrows went up a trifle.
查看中文翻译
"Mr. Poirot, I am a rich man -- a very rich man. Men in that position have enemies. I have an enemy."
查看中文翻译
"Just what do you mean by that question?" asked Ratchett sharply.
查看中文翻译
Ratchett seemed relieved by Poirot's answer. He said quickly: "Why, yes, I appreciate that point. Enemy or enemies -- it doesn't matter. What does matter is my safety."
查看中文翻译
"In my country," he said, "we come to the point quickly. Mr. Poirot, I want you to take on a job for me."
查看中文翻译
"It will not."
查看中文翻译
"What's wrong with my proposition?"
查看中文翻译
Poirot shook his head.
查看中文翻译
"I also -- M. Ratchett."
查看中文翻译
"You've got a pretty good nerve," said Ratchett. "Will twenty thousand dollars tempt you?"
查看中文翻译
The other looked at him shrewdly.
查看中文翻译
"If you're holding out for more, you won't get it. I know what a thing's worth to me."
查看中文翻译
"I regret, Monsieur," he said at length. "I cannot oblige you."
查看中文翻译
"If you will forgive me for being personal -- I do not like your face, M. Ratchett," he said.
查看中文翻译
"Name your figure, then," he said.
查看中文翻译
Poirot rose.
查看中文翻译
And with that he left the restaurant car.
查看中文翻译
"You do not understand, Monsieur. I have been very fortunate in my profession. I have made enough money to satisfy both my needs and my caprices. I take now only such cases as -- interest me."
查看中文翻译
Poirot looked at him thoughtfully for some minutes. His face was completely expressionless. The other could have had no clue as to what thoughts were passing in that mind.
查看中文翻译