死亡约会 Part II Chapter 12（1）（在线收听）

Chapter 12

In another minute the girl had reached them.

Dr Gerard performed the introduction.

‘Miss Boynton, this is M. Hercule Poirot.’

‘Oh.’ She looked at him uncertainly. Her fingers joined together, twined themselves uneasily inand out. The enchanted nymph had come back from the country of enchantment. She was now justan ordinary awkward girl, slightly nervous and ill at ease.

Poirot said: ‘It is a piece of good fortune meeting you here, mademoiselle. I tried to see you inthe hotel.’

‘Did you?’

Her smile was vacant. Her fingers began plucking at the belt of her dress. He said gently:

‘Will you walk with me a little way?’

She moved docilely enough, obedient to his whim.

Presently she said, rather unexpectedly, in a queer, hurried voice:

‘You are—you are a detective, aren’t you?’

‘Yes, mademoiselle.’

‘A very well-known detective?’

‘The best detective in the world,’ said Poirot, stating it as a simple truth, no more, no less.

Ginevra Boynton breathed very softly:

‘You have come here to protect me?’

Poirot stroked his moustaches thoughtfully. He said:

‘Are you, then, in danger, mademoiselle?’

‘Yes, yes.’ She looked round with a quick, suspicious glance. ‘I told Dr Gerard about it inJerusalem. He was very clever. He gave no sign at the time. But he followed me—to that terribleplace with the red rocks.’ She shivered. ‘They meant to kill me there. I have to be continually onmy guard.’

Poirot nodded gently and indulgently.

Ginevra Boynton said: ‘He is kind—and good. He is in love with me!’

‘Yes?’

‘Oh, yes. He says my name in his sleep…’ Her voice softened—again a kind of trembling,unearthly beauty hovered there. ‘I saw him—lying there turning and tossing—and saying myname…I stole away quietly.’ She paused. ‘I thought, perhaps, he had sent for you? I have aterrible lot of enemies, you know. They are all round me. Sometimes they are disguised.’

‘Yes, yes,’ said Poirot gently. ‘But you are safe here—with all your family round you.’

She drew herself up proudly.

‘They are not my family! I have nothing to do with them. I cannot tell you who I really am—that is a great secret. It would surprise you if you knew.’

He said gently: ‘Was your mother’s death a great shock to you, mademoiselle?’

Ginevra stamped her feet.

‘I tell you—she wasn’t my mother! My enemies paid her to pretend she was and to see I did notescape!’

‘Where were you on the afternoon of her death?’

‘I was in the tent…It was hot in there, but I didn’t dare come out…They might have got me…’

She gave a little quiver. ‘One of them—looked into my tent. He was disguised but I knew him. Ipretended to be asleep. The Sheikh had sent him. The Sheikh wanted to kidnap me, of course.’