死亡约会 Part II Chapter 11（2）（在线收听）

‘I came to consult Dr Gerard—his opinion should be of value to me—andyours, too, mademoiselle—you are young and up to date in your psychology. I want to know, yousee, all that you can tell me of Mrs Boynton.’

‘Don’t you know all that by heart now?’ asked Sarah.

‘No. I have a feeling—more than a feeling—a certainty that the mental equipment of MrsBoynton is very important in this case. Such types as hers are no doubt familiar to Dr Gerard.’

‘From my point of view she was certainly an interesting study,’ said the doctor.

‘Tell me.’

Dr Gerard was nothing loath. He described his own interest in the family group, hisconversation with Jefferson Cope, and the latter’s complete misreading of the situation.

‘He is a sentimentalist, then,’ said Poirot.

‘Oh, essentially! He has ideals—based, really, on a deep instinct of laziness. To take humannature at its best, and the world as a pleasant place is undoubtedly the easiest course in life!

Jefferson Cope has, consequently, not the least idea what people are really like.’

‘That might be dangerous sometimes,’ said Poirot.

Dr Gerard went on: ‘He persisted in regarding what I may describe as “the Boynton situation”

as a case of mistaken devotion. Of the underlying hate, rebellion, slavery and misery he had onlythe faintest notion.’

‘It is stupid, that,’ Poirot commented.

‘All the same,’ went on Dr Gerard, ‘even the most willfully obtuse of sentimental optimistscannot be quite blind. I think, on the journey to Petra, Mr Jefferson Cope’s eyes were beingopened.’

And he described the conversation he had had with the American on the morning of MrsBoynton’s death.

‘That is an interesting story, that story of a servant girl,’ said Poirot thoughtfully. ‘It throwslight on the old woman’s methods.’

Gerard said: ‘It was altogether an odd strange morning, that! You have not been to Petra, M.

Poirot. If you go you must certainly climb to the Place of Sacrifice. It has an—how shall I say?—an atmosphere!’ He described the scene in detail, adding: ‘Mademoiselle here sat like a youngjudge, speaking of the sacrifice of one to save many. You remember, Miss King?’

Sarah shivered. ‘Don’t! Don’t let’s talk of that day.’

‘No, no,’ said Poirot. ‘Let us talk of events further back in the past. I am interested, Dr Gerard,in your sketch of Mrs Boynton’s mentality. What I do not quite understand is this, having broughther family into absolute subjection, why did she then arrange this trip abroad where surely therewas danger of outside contacts and of her authority being weakened?’