“Well, we have made a start and drawn a blank,” observed M. Bouc. “Whom shall we tackle next?”
“唉，刚开了个头却又扑空了，”布克先生说，“我们下一个要检查谁？”
“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 M. Hardman.”
“很简单，只需要沿着车厢挨个房间查就行了。就是说，我们先从十六号房，平易近人的哈德曼先生开始。”
M. Bouc explained the object of their visit, and the big detective nodded comprehendingly.
布克先生解释了他们来访的目的，大块头侦探会意地点点头。
Mr. Hardman, who was smoking a cigar, welcomed them affably.
正在抽雪茄的哈德曼先生热情地欢迎了他们。
“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?”
“没关系。说实话我还一直在想你们怎么不早点过来。这是我的钥匙，先生们，而且要是你们也想检查我的口袋，那么没问题。要我把旅行箱拿下来吗？”
“Come right in, gentlemen — that is, if it’s humanly possible. It’s just a mite cramped in here for a party.”
“请进，先生们，如果可能的话。在这儿聚会真是有点拥挤了。”
“The conductor will do that. Michel!”
“列车员会做这些的。米歇尔！”
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.
哈德曼先生的两个旅行箱很快就检查完了，里面有几瓶烈性酒。哈德曼先生眨眨眼睛。
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.
波洛耗尽口舌说了很多好话，还告诉哈巴特太太会给她送咖啡来，才得以脱身，跟两个朋友一起离开了房间。
“And at Paris?”
“那么在巴黎呢？”
“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.”
“在国境线上他们通常不怎么检查旅行箱——如果贿赂列车员就不用检查了。我马上拿出一沓土耳其钞票，就再也没有麻烦了。”
“By the time I get to Paris,” he said, “what’s left over of this little lot will go into a bottle labelled hairwash.”
“我一到巴黎，”他说，“剩下的这一点就会全部倒进贴有洗发水标签的瓶子里。”
Mr. Hardman winked again.
哈德曼又眨眨眼。
“Ah!” said M. Bouc. “The speakeasy.” He pronounced the word with care, savouring it. “Your American terms are so quaint, so expressive,” he said.
“啊！”布克先生说，“是地下酒吧。”他小心翼翼地说出了这个词，像是在品味它，“你们美国的语言真是离奇有趣，富有表现力。”
“You are not a believer in Prohibition, Monsieur Hardman,” said M. Bouc with a smile.
“你不赞成禁酒，哈德曼先生。”布克先生笑着说。
“Well,” said Hardman. “I can’t say Prohibition has ever worried me any.”
“是的，”哈德曼说，“我只能说我从不担心禁酒令。”
“Me, I would much like to go to America,” said Poirot.
“我倒是很想去美国。”波洛说。
“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 woman less charming than my own countrywomen. The French or Belgian girl, coquettish, charming — I think there is no one to touch her.”
“美国是个先进的国家，这是事实，”波洛同意道，“很多地方我都十分钦佩，只是——也许我是个守旧的人——但是我觉得美国的女性不如我们国家的迷人。法国或者比利时女孩，风情万种，我想没人能赶得上。”
“You’d learn a few go-ahead methods over there,” said Hardman. “Europe wants waking up. She’s half asleep.”
“你可得学学那边的进取精神。”哈德曼说，“欧洲需要觉醒了。她整天半睡半醒的。”
“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.
“也许你说得对，波洛先生，”他说，“不过我猜各个国家的人还是最喜欢他们本国的姑娘。”他眨眨眼，好像雪太刺眼了。
Hardman turned away to peer out at the snow for a minute.
哈德曼转过身，凝视着窗外的雪。
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.
像大多数军人一样，上校的东西整洁有序，几分钟就检查完了。波洛注意到一包烟斗通条。
“The true Western spirit of hustle,” said Poirot with a smile.
“典型的西方忙碌精神。”波洛笑着说。
Poirot explained their errand. The Colonel made no demur. He had two heavy leather suitcases.
波洛说明了来意，上校没有反对。他有两只很重的皮箱子。
“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.”
“眼花了是吗？”他说，“我说，先生们，这事儿真让我紧张——谋杀和大雪。而且什么也做不了，就是四处闲逛消磨时间。真想跟着什么人找点事情忙起来。”
“Usually. If I can get ’em.”
“经常用，只要能弄得到。”
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.
列车员放好行李之后他们去了隔壁的房间。阿巴思诺特上校正坐在角落里抽着烟斗看杂志。
“You always use the same kind?” he asked.
“你一直用这种型号的吗？”他问。
“The rest of my kit has gone by long sea,” he explained.
“剩下的箱子都从船上托运走了。”他解释说。
“Ah!” Poirot nodded.
“啊！”波洛点点头。
These pipe cleaners were identical with the one he had found on the floor of the dead man’s compartment.
这些烟斗通条跟他在死者房间地板上发现的完全相符。
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.”
下一个房间的门是关着的，是德拉戈米罗夫公主的房间。他们敲了敲门，里面传来公主低沉的声音：“进来。”
“Certainly, Monsieur.”
“当然，先生。”
The Princess listened to him in silence, her small toad-like face quite impassive.
公主一言不发地听他说着，小小的蛤蟆脸上一点表情也没有。
“And if during the night at one of the frontiers the Customs officials should require a piece of luggage to be opened?”
“那么假如在某个晚上，边境的海关人员要求打开箱子检查呢？”
“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.”
“尽管如此，”波洛嘟囔着，“我简直不能相信。这不像他的性格。如果能弄清楚这一点，就能解释清楚每件事了。”
M. Bouc was spokesman. He was very deferential and polite as he explained their errand.
布克先生代表大家说话，解释来意的时候毕恭毕敬、礼貌文雅。
“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.”
“如果有必要的话，先生们，”布克先生说完之后她平静地说，“东西都在这里。我仆人那里有钥匙，会帮你们打开的。”
“Does your maid always carry your keys, Madame?” asked Poirot.
“您的钥匙一向是女仆拿着吗，夫人？”波洛问道。
Dr. Constantine remarked as much when they were out in the corridor again.
他们又回到过道上时，康斯坦汀医生也说到了这件事。
The old lady shrugged her shoulders. “It is very unlikely. But in such a case this conductor would fetch her.”
老妇人耸了耸肩。“不可能。不过要是这样的话，列车员会找她过来的。”
“You trust her, then, implicitly, Madame?”
“这么说，您非常信任她，是吗？”
“I have told you so already,” said the Princess quietly. “I do not employ people whom I do not trust.”
“我已经跟你说过了，”公主平静地说，“我从来不用我不信任的人。”
“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.”
“没错，”波洛若有所思地说，“这年头信任确实很重要。也许雇用一个可以信赖的朴实的女人比雇一个时髦的——比如机灵的巴黎女人——要好得多。”
He saw the dark intelligent eyes come slowly round and fasten themselves upon his face. “What exactly are you implying, M. Poirot?”
他看到那双智慧的黑眼睛缓缓地转了转，然后牢牢地盯着他。“你这话到底在暗示什么，波洛先生？”
“But yes. You think, do you not, that I should have a smart Frenchwoman to attend to my toilet?”
“但是你有。你认为我得雇一个聪明的巴黎女人伺候我上厕所，不是吗？”
“It would be, perhaps, more usual, Madame.”
“也许这很常见，夫人。”
“Nothing, Madame. I? Nothing.”
“没什么，夫人。我？没什么。”
She shook her head. “Schmidt is devoted to me.” Her voice dwelt lingeringly on the words. “Devotion — c’est impayable.”
她摇摇头。“施密特对我很忠诚。”她故意拖长声音一字一顿地说，“忠诚——是无价的。”
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.
德国女仆带着钥匙到了。公主用施密特的母语告诉她打开旅行袋，帮着先生们检查，自己则待在过道里看着外面的大雪。波洛留下来陪着她，留下布克先生检查行李。
He looked at her with a very direct glance. “I think, Madame, that your strength is in your will — not in your arm.”
他用率直的目光看着她。“我想，夫人，您的力量在您的意志而非手臂。”
“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.”
“然而我了解也深爱索妮亚·阿姆斯特朗。那么你怎么想？难道我不会杀死卡塞蒂这种流氓来弄脏自己的手吗？唉，也许你是对的。”
She looked at him with a sudden impetuosity. “You do not say anything, M. Poirot. What is it that you are thinking, I wonder?”
她忽然急躁地看着他。“你什么也不说，波洛先生，不知道你心里在想些什么？”
She glanced down at her thin, black-clad arms ending in those claw-like yellow hands with the rings on the fingers.
她低头看了看自己那瘦小、裹在黑衣服里的手臂，还有鸡爪般枯黄的、满是戒指的手指头。
“Well, Monsieur, do you not wish to see what my valises contain?”
“那么，先生，你不想看看我的旅行袋里都装了些什么吗？”
“Are you so sure?”
“你是这么想的吗？”
Still he did not speak, just listened attentively.
他仍旧没说话，只是专注地听着。
“In your case, yes.”
“对您是这么想的。”
She regarded him with a grim smile.
她对他冷冷一笑。
She was silent a minute or two, then she said: “With such a man as that, do you know what I should have liked to have done? 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.”
她沉默了一两分钟，接着又说：“像这种人，你知不知道我更想怎么处置？我要召集所有的仆人，对他们说：‘打死这个人，把他扔到垃圾堆上去！’这是我年轻时的做事方式，先生。”
He shook his head. “Madame, it is a formality, that is all.”
他摇摇头。“夫人，只是例行公事，仅此而已。”
“From Customs examination, yes. But a murder is different.”
“海关检查可以免，但谋杀是另外一回事。”
Then she turned abruptly back towards her carriage, where the maid was busily packing up the cases.
然后她迅速转身回房，女仆正忙着收拾箱子。
“I know. All the same — we do not want to have complications –“
“我知道。可我还是不想惹麻烦。”
The doors of the next two carriages were shut. M. Bouc paused and scratched his head.
下面两个房间的门是关着的。布克先生停下来挠挠头。
“There is not need for you to apologize, Monsieur,” she said. “A murder has been committed. Certain actions have to be performed. That is all there is to it.”
“不需要道歉，先生，”她说，“发生了凶杀案，就得采取行动。就是这么回事。”
“It is true,” she said. “I have no strength in these — none. I do not know if I am sorry or glad.”
“说得没错，”她说，“我没有力气——一点也没有。真不知道该高兴还是难过。”
The Princess cut short M. Bouc’s apologies.
公主打断了布克先生的道歉。
She inclined her head slightly as they departed.
他们离开时，她微微歪了歪头。
“Diable!” he said. “This may be awkward. These are diplomatic passports. Their baggage is exempt.”
“见鬼！”他说，“真麻烦，他们拿的是外交护照，行李免检。”
“Vous êtes bien amiable, Madame.”
“您真是太好了，夫人。”
“Do not distress yourself, my friend. The Count and Countess will be reasonable. See how amiable Princess Dragomiroff was about it.”
“别烦恼，我的朋友。伯爵夫妇都是明白事理的人，瞧瞧亲切的德拉戈米罗夫公主是怎么对待这事的？”
“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.”
“她真是一位贵妇人。这两位也是身份高贵的人，可是我觉得伯爵的性格有些蛮横无理。你坚持要询问他妻子时，他可是很不高兴。这回更得发火了。假如——嗯？——别检查他们了。毕竟他们跟这案子没关系。我们干吗自找麻烦呢？”
“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.”
“我不同意你的说法，”波洛说，“我肯定安德雷尼伯爵会讲道理的。无论如何我们都得试试。”
A voice from within cried, “Entrez.”
里面传来“进来”的声音。
And, before M. Bouc could reply, he rapped sharply on the door of No. 13.
没等布克先生张嘴，他就对着十三号房门猛敲一通。
“Thank you,” he said. “But I do not think that I care for an exception to be made in my case. I should prefer that our baggage should be examined like that of the other passengers.”
“谢谢，”他说，“不过我不希望自己是个例外。我更愿意像其他旅客一样，让你们检查我的行李。”
“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.”
“请原谅，伯爵先生，”波洛先说道，“请原谅打扰您了。我们正在检查车上所有旅客的行李，大多数情况下只是例行公事，可是又不能不做。布克先生提议说，因为您持有外交护照，有理由拒绝接受检查。”
He turned to his wife. “You do not object, I hope, Elena?”
他转向他妻子。“我想你不反对吧，埃伦娜？”
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.
伯爵坐在门边的角落里看报纸，伯爵夫人在对面靠窗的角落里蜷缩着，头下面靠着一个枕头，像是睡着了。
The Count considered for a moment.
伯爵考虑了一会儿。
Then, with polite remarks on either side, the search party withdrew.
然后双方很有礼貌地说了几句话，搜查小队就撤退了。
“Not at all,” said the Countess without hesitation.
“一点也不。”伯爵夫人毫不犹豫地说。
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.
检查结束之前，波洛打开盥洗池上的一个小橱柜，快速地扫了一眼里面的东西——一块海绵、面霜、香水，还有一个贴着台俄那标签的小瓶子。
The Countess did not reply to this observation. She seemed, indeed, rather bored by the whole proceeding, remaining curled up in her corner, staring dreamily out through the window whilst the men searched her luggage in the compartment next door.
伯爵夫人没有回应这个话题。看起来她确实被整个搜查搞得心烦意乱。她仍旧蜷缩在角落里，做梦一般地盯着窗外。这时波洛在检查隔壁房间的行李。
A rapid and somewhat perfunctory search followed. Poirot seemed to be trying to mask an embarrassment in making various small pointless remarks, such as: “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.
随后进行了一番快速、敷衍了事的检查。波洛似乎是想通过问一些无关紧要的小问题来掩饰自己的尴尬，比如：“您箱子上的标签都湿了，夫人。”他拿下一个蓝色的、上面有首字母简写和皇冠图样的摩洛哥箱子。
They now came to the second-class carriages. The first one, Nos. 10, 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.
他们来到二等车厢，第一个是十号和十一号，里面住着正在看书的德贝纳姆小姐和格丽塔·奥尔松，后者正在睡觉，可他们一进来就醒了。
Mrs. Hubbard’s compartment, that of the dead man, and Poirot’s own came next.
接下来是哈巴特太太、死者以及波洛自己的房间。
Poirot repeated his formula. The Swedish lady seemed agitated, Mary Debenham calmly indifferent.
波洛重复了一遍例行的开场白。瑞典太太看上去焦虑不安，而玛丽·德贝纳姆小姐则是冷静又冷漠。
Poirot addressed himself to the Swedish lady.
波洛向这位瑞典女士致辞。
“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 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 water.”
“如果您同意，小姐，我们会先检查你的行李，然后还得麻烦你过去看看那位美国太太怎么样了。我们帮她搬到隔壁车厢的一个房间里了，但是发现包里的刀之后，她还是很烦乱。我已经吩咐给她送去了咖啡，不过我觉得最好还是找个人跟她聊聊天。”
She bustled off. Her possessions were soon examined. They were meagre in the extreme. She had evidently not noticed the missing wires from the hat box.
她匆忙离开了。她的财物很快就检查完了。她的东西就那么一丁点儿。显然，她还没有注意到帽盒中已然不见了一些铁丝。
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.
好心的太太的同情心马上被激起来了，当即就想过去。她的神经一定受到了很大的刺激，这位可怜的太太已经被这次旅行还有远离女儿弄得心烦意乱。啊，是的，她要马上过去——她的行李没上锁——而且还要给她带点氯化铵。
“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.”
“不，我可没胡思乱想，在我看来，很多时间都浪费在了不说真话上——拐弯抹角而不是有话直说。”
“An excellent pretext — but a pretext all the same.”
“很好的借口——可惜也只是个借口。”
“You are imagining things, Mademoiselle.”
“这都是你的臆测，小姐。”
“I think you understand me very well.” She smiled. “You wanted to get me alone. Wasn’t that it?”
“我认为你清楚得很。”她笑了，“你想让我一个人留在这儿，是吗？”
“Que 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.”
“谁辩解谁就承认了——你是想说这个吗？你应该相信我的观察力和判断力。出于某些原因，你脑子里认为我知道关于这个卑鄙事件的一些内情——一个我从未见过的被谋杀了的人。”
“And ideas into your head? No, I don’t think so. The ideas are already there. That is right, isn’t it?”
“还把想法也强加给你了吗？不，我可不这么想。你早有打算，是吧？”
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: “Why did you send her away, M. Poirot?”
德贝纳姆小姐放下手中的书，观察着波洛。他开口请求，她才交出了钥匙。他拿下箱子打开的时候，她问：“你为什么把她支开了，波洛先生？”
“You are putting words into my mouth, Mademoiselle.”
“别把这话强加给我，小姐。”
“I don’t understand you, Mademoiselle.”
“我不明白，小姐。”
“Mademoiselle, we have a proverb –“
“小姐，俗话说——”
“I, Mademoiselle? Why, to minister to the American lady.”
“我？小姐，哦，去照顾美国太太。”
“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?”
“那么你不喜欢浪费时间，是的，你喜欢直接说重点，你喜欢直来直去的方式。那好，我就照你说的做：直来直去。我要问问你，在叙利亚的车上我无意中听见的几句话是什么意思。在科尼亚车站，我下了车，你们英国人叫‘活动手脚’。大晚上的，你和阿巴思诺特上校的声音传进了我耳朵里。你对他说：‘不是现在，不是现在。等一切都结束了，等事情过去了。’你说这些话是什么意思呢，小姐？”
“It is I who am asking you, Mademoiselle.”
“是我在问你，小姐。”
“And — you refuse to explain those words?”
“那么，你拒绝解释这些话的意思吗？”
She said very quietly: “Do you think I meant — murder?”
她极为平静地问道：“你认为我说的是——谋杀？”
She sighed — was lost a minute in thought. Then, as though rousing herself, she said: “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.”
她叹了一口气，沉思了一分钟。然后，她仿佛在唤醒自己，说：“这些话是有含义的，先生，但我不能告诉你，我只能以我的名誉向你保证，在上火车之前，我从来没见过这个雷切特。”
“Yes — if you like to put it that way — I refuse. They had to do with — with a task I had undertaken.”
“是的，如果你这么想的话，我拒绝。这跟我…跟我承担的一项任务有关。”
“What is curious?”
“有什么好奇怪的？”
“It is ended, is it not?”
“任务完成了，是吗？”
“Why should you think so?”
“你为什么这么想？”
“You do not seem to realize 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.”
“你好像没有意识到，有人可能有朋友在伦敦等着她，晚到一天就会打乱安排，产生很多麻烦。”
“And yet — it is curious –“
“可是，奇怪的是——”
“A task that is now ended?”
“那这项任务已经完成了？”
Miss Debenham for the first time showed signs of losing her temper.
第一次，德贝纳姆小姐一副要发脾气的样子。
“Naturally.”
“当然。”
“What do you mean?”
“你是什么意思？”
“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.”
“你是这么说的。但是小姐，东方快车每个星期每天都有从斯坦布尔开出的车次，就算你耽误了转车，也不过是晚了二十四小时。”
“I did not want to miss my connection.”
“我不想错过转车。”
“Ah, it is like that? There are friends awaiting your arrival? You do not want to cause them inconvenience?”
“啊，是这样吗？有朋友在等着你？你不想给他们带来不方便？”
“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.”
“听着，小姐，我要提醒你另外一件事。我们到斯坦布尔那天，火车因为一点小事故耽搁了，你很是不安，小姐。你现在这么镇定自信，可那时你却没了冷静。”
“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 –“
“这列火车——我们又延误了。而且这次更为严重，因为根本不可能给你朋友发电报，或者打个长…长…”
“I am sorry. I did not know that there was anything to answer.”
“很抱歉，我不知道有什么可回答的。”
“You know Colonel Arbuthnot well, Mademoiselle?”
“你跟阿巴思诺特上校很熟吗，小姐？”
Mary Debenham flushed and bit her lip. She no longer felt inclined to smile.
玛丽·德贝纳姆一脸通红，她咬着嘴唇，收起了笑容。
Mary Debenham made no reply.
玛丽·德贝纳姆没有做声。
“You do not answer, Mademoiselle?”
“你不回答我的问题吗，小姐？”
“The explanation of your change of attitude, Mademoiselle.”
“你态度的变化，小姐。”
Mary Debenham smiled a little in spite of herself. “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 telegraph.”
玛丽·德贝纳姆不禁微微一笑。“长途电话。”她纠正道，“是的，正如你所说，不能打电话，也不能拍电报，确实令人非常烦恼。”
“And yet, mademoiselle, this time your manner is quite different. You no longer betray the impatience. You are calm and philosophical.”
“可是，小姐，这次你的态度大不一样。你没有显得不耐烦，而是沉着冷静。”
Poirot spread out his hands in an apologetic gesture.
波洛抱歉地摊开手。
“Don’t you think that you are making rather a fuss about nothing, M. Poirot?”
“你不觉得自己有点大惊小怪吗，波洛先生？”
“Ah, yes, the portmanteau call, as you say in England.”
“啊，是的，你们管它叫多用电话。”
“It is perhaps a fault with us detectives. We expect the behaviour to be always consistent. We do not allow for changes of mood.”
“这可能是我们侦探的一个缺点，我们总是希望人们表里如一，不允许情绪无端变化。”
“The long distance? The telephone, you mean.”
“你是说长途电话吗？”
He said very gently: “You still refuse to tell me the meaning of those words –‘When it’s behind us?'”
他说得很温和：“你仍然拒绝告诉我那些话的意思吗，‘等事情过去了’？”
She shook her head decisively. “I am quite sure he didn’t.”
她果断地摇摇头。“我确定他不认识他。”
“Why are you sure?”
“你为什么这么肯定？”
He watched her narrowly, but she displayed neither surprise nor emotion, merely said: “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.”
他严密地注视着她，可她表现得既不惊讶也不激动，只是说：“荒谬，没有道理。阿巴思诺特上校是这个世界上最不可能犯罪的人——尤其是这么戏剧化的谋杀案。”
“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，我们在死者房间的地板上发现了一根烟斗通条，而阿巴思诺特先生是火车上唯一抽烟斗的人。”
He fancied that she was relieved by the change of subject.
他觉得转移话题能让她放松点。
“Have you any reason to suspect that he may have known this man Ratchett?”
“有没有理由让你怀疑他可能认识这个雷切特？”
“I met him for the first time on this journey.”
“这次旅行我是第一次见到他。”
“By the way he spoke.”
“从他的话里。”
It was so much what Poirot himself thought that he found himself on the point of agreeing with her. He said instead: “I must remind you that you do not know him very well, Mademoiselle.”
这跟波洛的想法如此符合，他觉得自己都快要同意她的看法了。可是他说道：“我必须提醒你，小姐，你跟他并不熟。”
She shrugged her shoulders. “I know the type well enough.”
她耸耸肩。“我很了解这种类型的人。”
“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.”
“我的朋友，要想抓到兔子，就得在洞口放只貂；如果里面有兔子——它就会跑。这就是我所做的。”
The stolidity of the German woman underwent a sudden change.
这个迟钝的女人忽然间变了脸色。
“It does not matter,” said Hercule Poirot. “I shall find out.”
“没关系，”赫尔克里·波洛说，“我会查出来的。”
He bowed and left the compartment, closing the door after him.
他鞠了一躬，离开了房间，关上门。
“It is not locked, Monsieur.”
“没锁，先生。”
She said coldly: “I have nothing more to say.”
她冷冷地回答道：“我没什么可说的了。”
“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.”
“那样做明智吗，我的朋友？”布克先生问，“你引起了她的警觉，而且通过她——阿巴思诺特上校也会对我们有所提防。”
They entered the compartment of Hildegarde Schmidt.
他们走进希尔德嘉德·施密特的房间。
The woman was standing in readiness, her face respectful but unemotional.
这个女人一切都准备妥当，她站在那儿，一脸恭敬却冷漠的表情。
“The keys?” he said.
“钥匙？”他问。
Poirot undid the hasps and lifted the lid.
波洛打开搭扣，掀起箱盖。
“Aha!” he said, and turning to M. Bouc, “You remember what I said? Look here a little moment!”
“啊哈！”他说，转向布克先生，“还记得我说的吗？看这儿！”
On the top of the suitcase was a hastily rolled up brown Wagon Lit uniform.
在箱子的上面一层是一件匆忙卷起来的褐色的列车员制服。
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.
波洛匆匆扫了一眼放在座位上的小箱子里的东西，然后他示意列车员把一个稍大一点的箱子从行李架上取下来。
Bewildered, the woman smiled in spite of herself. “Yes, indeed, all my ladies have said so. I –“
这女人听得云里雾里，不由自主地笑了。“真的，没错，我的女主人们都这么说。我…”
“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 pleadingly.
“啊呀！”她大喊，“不是我的！不是我放的！自从我们离开斯坦布尔，我就没打开过这箱子。真的，真的，是真的！”她轮番看着这三个人，眼神里充满恳求。
His glance went to M. Bouc and Dr. Constantine, who were listening attentively.
他看了看布克先生和康斯坦汀医生，他们正在全神贯注地听着。
Poirot took her gently by the arm and soothed her.
波洛温和地扶着她的胳膊，安慰着她。
“No, no all is well. We believe you. Do not be agitated. I am as 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?”
“不，不，没事的。我们相信你。别紧张，我相信你没有把制服藏在这儿，就像我相信你是个好厨娘。瞧，你是个好厨娘，对不对？”
“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 where the door is open and shows 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.”
“你瞧，外面下着大雪，大雪打乱了他的全盘计划。他能把这些衣服藏在哪儿呢？所有的房间都住满了人。终于，他经过一个房间，门没锁，看上去里面没人。这肯定是他刚刚撞到的那个女人的房间。他溜了进去，脱下制服，急急忙忙塞进行李架上的一个箱子里。这衣服大概需要过一阵子才会被发现。”
She stopped, her mouth open, looking frightened again.
她不说话了，只是张着嘴，又是一副惊恐的样子。
“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，不，”波洛说，“我向你保证没事的。听着，我会告诉你是怎么一回事。这个人，就是你看到的穿列车员制服的人，从死者的房间里出来，差点撞到你。他运气可真不好。他希望没人看见他。下一步该怎么办？他必须扔掉制服，因为现在它已经不是个保护装备了，而是一个危险。”
“And then?” said M. Bouc.
“然后呢？”布克先生问。
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.
他拿起衣服，上面第三个纽扣不见了。波洛把手伸进口袋里，掏出一把列车员用的可以打开所有房间的万能钥匙。
“Here is the explanation of how our 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?”
“这就可以解释这个人为什么能进入上了锁的门了。”布克先生说，“你问哈巴特太太的问题，没有必要了。不管锁不锁，这个人都能轻易地穿过连通门。毕竟，如果弄到了列车员制服，为什么不能弄到万能钥匙？”
“That we must discuss,” said Poirot with a warning glance.
“那我们必须得研究一下了。”波洛警告地看了他一眼。
“Why not, indeed,” said Poirot.
“确实。”波洛说。
“That is so, Monsieur,” said the conductor. “That is why I thought the lady must have been dreaming.”
“是这样的，先生，”列车员说，“所以我以为这位太太肯定是在做梦。”
“We might have known it, really. You remember Michel said that the door into the corridor of Mrs. Hubbard’s compartment was locked when he came in answer to her bell.”
“其实我们应该知道的。你记不记得，米歇尔说他去应哈巴特太太的铃声时，她房间里通向过道的那扇门是锁着的。”
“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.”
“但是没这么简单，”布克先生继续说道，“无疑他想锁上连通门，但是可能他听到床上有动静，吓了一跳。”
“We have now,” said Poirot, “only to find the scarlet kimono.”
“现在，”波洛说，“我们只需要找到那件猩红色的睡衣了。”
Hector MacQueen acquiesced willingly in the search. “I’d just as soon you did,” he said with a rueful smile. “I feel I’m just 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.”
赫克托·麦奎因很乐意配合检查。“我希望你们早点过来，”他苦笑着说，“我觉得我是火车上嫌疑最大的人，你们只要找到一份上面写着老头儿把全部财产都留给我的遗嘱，那么事情就搞定了。”
“True. And these last two compartments are occupied by men.”
“没错。可最后两个房间里住的都是男人。”
“Oh! assuredly. Besides, I remember what you said.”
“哦，这是肯定的！另外，我记得你说过什么。”
“We will search all the same.”
“照样检查。”
Poirot emerged. “Nothing,” he said. “Not even a compromising bequest!”
波洛出来了。“什么也没有，”他说，“连能沾上边儿的遗赠品都没有！”
His voice was a little louder than usual. It was as though he was slightly uneasy at the search in spite of his willingness.
他的声音比平时稍大了一点，似乎虽然他看上去很乐意接受检查，但仍然有些紧张不安。
M. Bouc bent a suspicious glance upon him.
布克先生怀疑地看了他一眼。
“That’s just my fun,” said MacQueen hastily. “He’d never have left me a cent, really. I was just useful to him — languages and so on. You’re apt to be done down, 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.”
“我只是在说笑，”麦奎因急忙补充道，“他一分钱也没留给我，真的。我只是对他有用——语言翻译什么的。你知道，只会说一口流利的美国话而不会别的语言，不一定能走运。我虽然不是那种通晓数国语言的人，但是购物、住宿——还可以用法语、德语和意大利语多少说一点。”
The three men stood at the end of the coach looking at each other.
三个人站在车厢尽头，面面相觑。
He felt in his pocket for his cigarette case. It was empty.
他把手伸进口袋里摸烟盒，里面是空的。
“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.”
“我一会儿就过来，”他说，“我需要烟。这是一件非常复杂、非常奇特的案子。是谁穿着那件猩红色睡衣？现在它在哪儿？真希望我知道。这案子之中有些东西——一些事实——我一时想不起来。这案子复杂，是因为有人把它弄复杂了。但是我们会讨论这一点的。稍等片刻。”
He got it down and snapped back the lock.
他拿下箱子，打开锁。
He went hurriedly along the corridor to his own compartment. He had, he knew, a further supply of cigarettes in one of his valises.
他沿过道匆匆地向自己的房间走去。他记得自己的旅行袋里还有一些香烟。
“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。”
They moved on to the last compartment. The examination of the luggage of the big Italian and of the valet yielded no result.
他们朝最后一间房走去，对大块头意大利人和男仆的行李的检查没有任何结果。
Neatly folded on the top of the case was a thin scarlet silk kimono embroidered with dragons.
箱子的最上一层整齐地叠着一件猩红色的薄丝绸睡衣，上面绣着龙。
“We will go back to the dining car,” said Poirot. “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.”
“我们回餐车去，”波洛说，“现在，我们能了解的全都了解到了。我们有了旅客的证词，行李的证据，我们看到的证据…不能指望再获得什么帮助了。现在，轮到我们动脑子了。”
Then he sat back on his heels and stared.
接着，他倒退了几步，目不转睛地看着。
“What next?” asked M. Bouc.
“接下来怎么办？”布克先生问。
MacQueen sighed. “Well, that’s a load off my mind,” he said humorously.
麦奎因叹口气。“啊，总算卸下了心头的重担。”他幽默地说。
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