死亡约会 Part II Chapter 14（1）（在线收听）

Chapter 14

Poirot met two people on his way home. The first was Mr Jefferson Cope.

‘M. Hercule Poirot? My name’s Jefferson Cope.’

The two men shook hands ceremoniously.

Then, falling into step beside Poirot, Mr Cope explained: ‘It’s just got round to me that you’remaking a kind of routine inquiry into the death of my old friend Mrs Boynton. That certainly wasa shocking business. Of course, mind you, the old lady ought never to have undertaken such afatiguing journey. But she was headstrong, M. Poirot. Her family could do nothing with her. Shewas by way of being a household tyrant—had had her own way too long, I guess. It certainly istrue what she said went. Yes, sir, that certainly was true.’

There was a momentary pause.

‘I’d just like to tell you, M. Poirot, that I’m an old friend of the Boynton family. Naturallythey’re all a good deal upset over this business; they’re a trifle nervous and highly strung, too, youknow, so if there are any arrangements to be made—necessary formalities, arrangements for thefuneral—transport of the body to Jerusalem, why, I’ll take as much trouble as I can off their hands.

Just call upon me for anything that needs doing.’

‘I am sure the family will appreciate your offer,’ said Poirot. He added, ‘You are, I think, aspecial friend of young Mrs Boynton’s.’

Mr Jefferson Cope went a little pink.

‘Well, we won’t say much about that, M. Poirot. I hear you had an interview with Mrs LennoxBoynton this morning, and she may have given you a hint how things were between us, but that’sall over now. Mrs Boynton is a very fine woman and she feels that her first duty is to her husbandin his sad bereavement.’

There was a pause. Poirot received the information by a delicate gesture of the head. Then hemurmured:

‘It is the desire of Colonel Carbury to have a clear statement concerning the afternoon of MrsBoynton’s death. Can you give me an account of that afternoon?’

‘Why, certainly. After our luncheon and a brief rest we set out for a kind of informal tour round.

We escaped, I’m glad to say, without that pestilential dragoman. That man’s just crazy on thesubject of the Jews. I don’t think he’s quite sane on that point. Anyway, as I was saying, we setout. It was then that I had my interview with Nadine. Afterwards she wished to be alone with herhusband to discuss matters with him. I went off on my own, working gradually back towards thecamp. About half-way there I met the two English ladies who had been on the morning expedition—one of them’s an English peeress, I understand?’

Poirot said that such was the case.

‘Ah, she’s a fine woman, a very powerful intellect and very well informed. The other seemed tome rather a weak sister—and she looked about dead with fatigue. That expedition in the morningwas very strenuous for an elderly lady, especially when she doesn’t like heights. Well, as I wassaying, I met these two ladies and was able to give them some information on the subject of theNabateans. We went around a bit and got back to the camp about six. Lady Westholme insisted onhaving tea and I had the pleasure of having a cup with her—the tea was kind of weak, but it had aninteresting flavour. Then the boys laid the table for supper and sent out to the old lady only to findthat she was sitting there dead in her chair.’