第36部分(第4/7 頁)

　Monsieur　Papopolous。

〃Not　at　all；　not　at　all。　I　have　just　succeeded　in　laying　the　Marquis　by　the　heels。〃

A　far…away　look　came　over　Monsieur　Papopolous'　noble　countenance。

〃The　Marquis？〃　he　murmured；　〃now　why　does　that　seem　familiar　to　me？　No　…　I　cannot　recall　it。〃

〃You　would　not；　I　am　sure；〃　said　Poirot。　〃I　refer　to　a　very　notable　criminal　and　jewel　robber。　He　has　just　been　arrested　for　the　murder　of　the　English　lady；　Madame　Kettering。〃

〃Indeed？　How　interesting　these　things　are！〃

A　polite　exchange　of　farewells　followed；　and　when　Poirot　was　out　of　earshot。　Monsieur　Papopolous　turned　to　his　daughter。

〃Zia；〃　he　said；　with　feeling；　〃that　man　is　the　devil！〃

〃I　like　him。〃

〃I　like　him　myself；〃　admitted　Monsieur　Papopolous。　〃But　he　is　the　devil；　all　the　same。〃

Chapter　36

BY　THE　SEA

The　mimosa　was　nearly　over。　The　scent　of　it　in　the　air　was　faintly　unpleasant。　There　were　pink　geraniums　twining　along　the　balustrade　of　Lady　Tamplin's　villa；　and　masses　of　carnations　below　sent　up　a　sweet；　heavy　perfume。　The　Mediterranean　was　at　its　bluest。　Poirot　sat　on　the　terrace　with　Lenox　Tamplin。　He　had　just　finished　telling　her　the　same　story　he　had　told　to　Van　Aldin　two　days　before。　Lenox　had　listened　to　him　with　absorbed　attention；　her　brows　knitted　and　her　eyes　sombre。

When　he　had　finished　she　said　simply：　〃And　Derek？〃

〃He　was　released　yesterday。〃

〃And　he　has　gone　…　where？〃

〃He　left　N