His unerring eye picked out M. Hautet.
“The examining magistrate3 in charge of the case? Pleased to meet you, M. le juge. This is a terrible business. How’s Mrs. Renauld? Is she bearing up fairly well? It must have been an awful shock to her.”
“Terrible, terrible,” said M. Hautet. “Permit me to introduce M. Bex—our commissary of police, M. Giraud of the Sûreté. This gentleman is M. Hercule Poirot. M. Renauld sent for him, but he arrived too late to do anything to avert4 the tragedy. A friend of M. Poirot’s, Captain Hastings.”
Stonor looked at Poirot with some interest.
“Sent for you, did he?”
“You did not know, then, that M. Renauld contemplated5 calling in a detective?” interposed M. Bex.
“No, I didn’t. But it doesn’t surprise me a bit.”
“Why?”
“Because the old man was rattled6! I don’t know what it was all about. He didn’t confide7 in me. We weren’t on those terms. But rattled he was—and badly!”
“H’m!” said M. Hautet. “But you have no notion of the cause?”
“That’s what I said, sir.”
“You will pardon me, M. Stonor, but we must begin with a few formalities. Your name?”
“Gabriel Stonor.”
“How long ago was it that you became secretary to M. Renauld?”
“About two years ago, when he first arrived from South America. I met him through a mutual8 friend, and he offered me the post. A thundering good boss he was too.”
“Did he talk to you much about his life in South America?”
“Yes, a good bit.”
“Do you know if he was ever in Santiago?”
“Several times, I believe.”
“He never mentioned any special incident that occurred there—anything that might have provoked some vendetta9 against him?”
“Never.”
“Did he speak of any secret that he had acquired whilst sojourning there?”
“No.”
“Did he ever say anything at all about a secret?”
“Not that I can remember. But, for all that, there was a mystery about him. I’ve never heard him speak of his boyhood for instance, or of any incident prior to his arrival in South America. He was a French Canadian by birth, I believe, but I’ve never heard him speak of his life in Canada. He could shut up like a clam10 if he liked.”
“So, as far as you know, he had no enemies, and you can give us no clue as to any secret to obtain possession of which he might have been murdered?”
“That’s so.”
“M. Stonor, have you ever heard the name of Duveen in connection with M. Renauld?”
“Duveen. Duveen.” He tried the name over thoughtfully. “I don’t think I have. And yet it seems familiar.”
Again Mr. Stonor shook his head.
“Bella Duveen? Is that the full name? It’s curious! I’m sure I know it. But for the moment I can’t remember in what connection.”
The magistrate coughed.
“You understand, M. Stonor—the case is like this. There must be no reservations. You might, perhaps, through a feeling of consideration for Madame Renauld—for whom, I gather, you have a great esteem12 and affection, you might—enfin!” said M. Hautet getting rather tied up in his sentence, “there must absolutely be no reservations.”
Stonor stared at him, a dawning light of comprehension in his eyes.
“I don’t quite get you,” he said gently. “Where does Mrs. Renauld come in? I’ve an immense respect and affection for that lady; she’s a very wonderful and unusual type, but I don’t quite see how my reservations, or otherwise, could affect her?”
“Not if this Bella Duveen should prove to have been something more than a friend to her husband?”
“Ah!” said Stonor. “I get you now. But I’ll bet my bottom dollar that you’re wrong. The old man never so much as looked at a petticoat. He just adored his own wife. They were the most devoted13 couple I know.”
M. Hautet shook his head gently.
“M. Stonor, we hold absolute proof—a love letter written by this Bella to M. Renauld, accusing him of having tired of her. Moreover, we have further proof that, at the time of his death, he was carrying on an intrigue14 with a Frenchwoman, a Madame Daubreuil, who rents the adjoining Villa15. And this is the man who, according to you, never looked at a petticoat!”
The secretary’s eyes narrowed.
“Hold on, M. le juge. You’re barking up the wrong tree. I knew Paul Renauld. What you’ve just been saying is utterly16 impossible. There’s some other explanation.”
“What other explanation could there be?”
“What leads you to think it was a love affair?”
“Madame Daubreuil was in the habit of visiting him here in the evenings. Also, since M. Renauld came to the Villa Geneviève, Madame Daubreuil has paid large sums of money into the bank in notes. In all, the amount totals four thousand pounds of your English money.”
“I guess that’s right,” said Stonor quietly. “I transmitted him those sums at his request. But it wasn’t an intrigue.”
“Eh! mon Dieu! What else could it be?”
“Blackmail18,” said Stonor sharply, bringing down his hand with a slam on the table. “That’s what it was.”
“Ah! Voilà une idée!” cried the magistrate, shaken in spite of himself.
“Blackmail,” repeated Stonor. “The old man was being bled—and at a good rate too. Four thousand in a couple of months. Whew! I told you just now there was a mystery about Renauld. Evidently this Madame Daubreuil knew enough of it to put the screws on.”
“It is possible,” the commissary cried excitedly. “Decidedly, it is possible.”
“Possible?” roared Stonor. “It’s certain! Tell me, have you asked Mrs. Renauld about this love affair stunt19 of yours?”
“Distress? Why, she’d laugh in your face. I tell you, she and Renauld were a couple in a hundred.”
“Ah, that reminds me of another point,” said M. Hautet. “Did M. Renauld take you into his confidence at all as to the dispositions21 of his will?”
“I know all about it—took it to the lawyer for him after he’d drawn22 it out. I can give you the name of his solicitors23 if you want to see it. They’ve got it there. Quite simple. Half in trust to his wife for her lifetime, the other half to his son. A few legacies24. I rather think he left me a thousand.”
“When was this will drawn up?”
“Oh, about a year and a half ago.”
“Would it surprise you very much, M. Stonor, to hear that M. Renauld had made another will, less than a fortnight ago?”
Stonor was obviously very much surprised.
“I’d no idea of it. What’s it like?”
“The whole of his vast fortune is left unreservedly to his wife. There is no mention of his son.”
“I call that rather rough on the lad. His mother adores him, of course, but to the world at large it looks rather like a want of confidence on his father’s part. It will be rather galling26 to his pride. Still, it all goes to prove what I told you, that Renauld and his wife were on first rate terms.”
“Quite so, quite so,” said M. Hautet. “It is possible we shall have to revise our ideas on several points. We have, of course, cabled to Santiago, and are expecting a reply from there any minute. In all possibility, everything will then be perfectly27 clear and straightforward28. On the other hand, if your suggestion of blackmail is true, Madame Daubreuil ought to be able to give us valuable information.”
Poirot interjected a remark:
“Over a year?”
“Have you any idea whether he has ever been in South America?”
“I’m quite sure he hasn’t. Before coming to Mr. Renauld, he had been for many years with some people in Gloucestershire whom I know well.”
“In fact, you can answer for him as being above suspicion?”
“Absolutely.”
Poirot seemed somewhat crest-fallen.
Meanwhile the magistrate had summoned Marchaud.
“My compliments to Madame Renauld, and I should be glad to speak to her for a few minutes. Beg her not to disturb herself. I will wait upon her upstairs.”
We waited some minutes, and then, to our surprise, the door opened, and Mrs. Renauld, deathly pale in her heavy mourning, entered the room.
M. Hautet brought forward a chair, uttering vigorous protestations, and she thanked him with a smile. Stonor was holding one hand of hers in his with an eloquent31 sympathy. Words evidently failed him. Mrs. Renauld turned to M. Hautet.
“You wished to ask me something, M. le juge.”
“With your permission, madame. I understand your husband was a French Canadian by birth. Can you tell me anything of his youth, or upbringing?”
She shook her head.
“My husband was always very reticent32 about himself, monsieur. He came from the North West, I know, but I fancy that he had an unhappy childhood, for he never cared to speak of that time. Our life was lived entirely33 in the present and the future.”
“Was there any mystery in his past life?”
Mrs. Renauld smiled a little, and shook her head.
“Nothing so romantic, I am sure, M. le juge.”
M. Hautet also smiled.
“True, we must not permit ourselves to get melodramatic. There is one thing more—” he hesitated.
Stonor broke in impetuously:
“They’ve got an extraordinary idea into their heads Mrs. Renauld. They actually fancy that Mr. Renauld was carrying on an intrigue with a Madame Daubreuil who, it seems, lives next door.”
The scarlet34 colour flamed into Mrs. Renauld’s cheeks. She flung her head up, then bit her lip, her face quivering. Stonor stood looking at her in astonishment35, but M. Bex leaned forward and said gently: “We regret to cause you pain, madame, but have you any reason to believe that Madame Daubreuil was your husband’s mistress?”
With a sob36 of anguish37, Mrs. Renauld buried her face in her hands. Her shoulders heaved convulsively. At last she lifted her head, and said brokenly:
“She may have been.”
Never, in all my life, have I seen anything to equal the blank amazement38 on Stonor’s face. He was thoroughly39 taken aback.
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收听单词发音
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1
athletic
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| adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的 | |
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2
ranched
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| 经营牧场（ranch的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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3
magistrate
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| n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官 | |
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avert
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| v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等) | |
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5
contemplated
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| adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式 | |
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rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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7
confide
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| v.向某人吐露秘密 | |
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8
mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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9
vendetta
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| n.世仇，宿怨 | |
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10
clam
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| n.蛤，蛤肉 | |
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11
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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12
esteem
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| n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作 | |
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13
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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14
intrigue
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| vt.激起兴趣，迷住；vi.耍阴谋；n.阴谋，密谋 | |
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15
villa
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| n.别墅，城郊小屋 | |
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16
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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17
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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18
blackmail
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| n.讹诈，敲诈，勒索，胁迫，恫吓 | |
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19
stunt
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| n.惊人表演，绝技，特技；vt.阻碍...发育，妨碍...生长 | |
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20
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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21
dispositions
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| 安排( disposition的名词复数 )； 倾向； （财产、金钱的）处置； 气质 | |
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22
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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23
solicitors
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| 初级律师( solicitor的名词复数 ) | |
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24
legacies
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| n.遗产( legacy的名词复数 )；遗留之物；遗留问题；后遗症 | |
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vent
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| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
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galling
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| adj.难堪的,使烦恼的,使焦躁的 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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28
straightforward
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| adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的 | |
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29
chauffeur
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| n.(受雇于私人或公司的)司机；v.为…开车 | |
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30
saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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31
eloquent
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| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
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32
reticent
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| adj.沉默寡言的；言不如意的 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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34
scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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35
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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36
sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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37
anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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38
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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