第28部分(第2/8 頁)

that　you　have　a　good　knowledge　of　the　English　aristocracy？〃　murmured　Poirot。

George　smiled　apologetically。

〃I　think　that　I　might　say　that　I　have；　sir；〃　he　replied。

〃I　suppose　that　it　is　your　opinion；　Georges；　that　criminals　are　invariably　drawn　from　the　lower　orders。〃

〃Not　always；　sir。　There　was　great　trouble　with　one　of　the　Duke　of　Devize's　younger　sons。　He　left　Eton　under　a　cloud；　and　after　that　he　caused　great　anxiety　on　several　occasions。　The　police　would　not　accept　the　view　that　it　was　kleptomania。　A　very　clever　young　gentleman；　sir；　but　vicious　through　and　through；　if　you　take　my　meaning。　His　Grace　shipped　him　to　Australia；　and　I　hear　he　was　convicted　out　there　under　another　name。　Very　odd；　sir；　but　there　it　is。　The　young　gentleman；　I　need　hardly　say；　was　not　in　want　financially。〃

Poirot　nodded　his　head　slowly。

〃Love　of　excitement；〃　he　murmured；　〃and　a　little　kink　in　the　brain　somewhere。　I　wonder　now　…〃

He　drew　out　the　telegram　from　his　pocket　and　read　it　again。

〃Then　there　was　Lady　Mary　Fox's　daughter；〃　continued　the　valet　in　a　mood　of　reminiscence。　〃Swindled　trades…people　something　shocking；　she　did。　Very　worrying　to　the　best　families；　if　I　may　say　so；　and　there　are　many　other　queer　cases　I　could　mention。〃

〃You　have　a　wide　experience；　Georges；〃　murmured　Poirot。　〃I　often　wonder　having　lived　so　exclusively　with　titled　families　that　you　demean　yourself　by　ing　as　a　valet　to　me。　I　put　it　down　to　love　of　excitem