第17部分(第2/8 頁)

on。

〃It　seemed　likely　to　me　that　you　would　inform　yourself　on　that　point。〃

〃Well　…　you　are　quite　right；　I　did。　I　discovered　that　Kettering　was　on　the　rocks。〃

〃And　now　he　has　inherited　two　million　pounds！　Ma　foi　…　it　is　a　strange　thing；　is　it　not？〃

Van　Aldin　looked　at　him　sharply。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃I　moralize；〃　said　Poirot。　〃I　reflect；　I　speak　the　philosophy。　But　to　return　to　where　we　were。　Surely　M。　Kettering　did　not　propose　to　allow　himself　to　be　divorced　without　making　a　fight　for　it？〃

Van　Aldin　did　not　answer　for　a　minute　or　two；　then　he　said：

〃I　don't　exactly　know　what　his　intentions　were。〃

〃Did　you　hold　any　further　munications　with　him？〃

Again　a　slight　pause；　then　Van　Aldin　said：　〃No。〃

Poirot　stopped　dead；　took　off　his　hat；　and　held　out　his　hand。

〃I　must　wish　you　good…day；　Monsieur。　I　can　do　nothing　for　you。〃

〃What　are　you　getting　at？〃　demanded　Van　Aldin　angrily。

〃If　you　do　not　tell　me　the　truth；　I　can　do　nothing。〃

〃I　don't　know　what　you　mean。〃

〃I　think　you　do。　You　may　rest　assured；　M。　Van　Aldin；　that　I　know　how　to　be　discreet。〃

〃Very　well；　then；〃　said　the　millionaire。　〃I'll　admit　that　I　was　not　speaking　the　truth　just　now。　I　did　have　further　munication　with　my　son…in…law。〃

〃Yes？〃

〃To　be　exact；　I　sent　my　secretary；　Major　Knighton；　to　see　him；　with　instructions　to　offer　him　the　sum　of　one　hundred　thousand　pounds　in　cash　if　the　divorce　wen