chapter 21 ronald’s story

i found it hard to understand poirot’s attitude. surely this was what he had predicted all along?

all the way to regent gate, he sat perplexed and frowning, paying no attention to japp’s self-congratulations.

he came out of his reverie at last with a sigh.

‘at all events,’ he murmured, ‘we can see what he has to say.’

‘next to nothing if he’s wise,’ said japp. ‘there’s any amount of men that have hanged themselves by being too eager to make a statement. well, no one can say as we don’t warn them! it’s all fair and above board. and the more guilty they are, the more anxious they are to pipe up and tell you the lies they’ve thought out to meet the case. they don’t know that you should always submit your lies to a solicitor first.’

he sighed and said:

‘solicitors and coroners are the worst enemies of the police. again and again i’ve had a perfectly clear case messed up by the coroner fooling about and letting the guilty party get away with it. lawyers you can’t object to so much, i suppose. they’re paid for their artfulness and twisting things this way and that.’

on arrival at regent gate we found that our quarry was at home. the family were still at the luncheon table. japp proffered a request to speak to lord edgware privately. we were shown into the library.

in a minute or two the young man came to us. there was an easy smile on his face which changed a little as he cast a quick glance over us. his lips tightened.

‘hello, inspector,’ he said. ‘what’s all this about?’

japp said his little piece in the classic fashion.

‘so that’s it, is it?’ said ronald.

he drew a chair towards him and sat down. he pulled out a cigarette case.

‘i think, inspector, i’d like to make a statement.’

‘that’s as you please, my lord.’

‘meaning that it’s damned foolish on my part. all the same, i think i will. “having no reason to fear the truth,” as the heroes in books always say.’

japp said nothing. his face remained expressionless.

‘there’s a nice handy table and chair,’ went on the young man. ‘your minion can sit down and take it all down in shorthand.’

i don’t think that japp was used to having his arrangements made for him so thoughtfully. lord edgware’s suggestion was adopted.

‘to begin with,’ said the young man. ‘having some grains of intelligence, i strongly suspect that my beautiful alibi has bust. gone up in smoke. exit the useful dortheimers. taxi-driver, i suppose?’

‘we know all about your movements on that night,’ said japp woodenly.

‘i have the greatest admiration for scotland yard. all the same, you know, if i had really been planning a deed of violence i shouldn’t have hired a taxi and driven straight to the place and kept the fellow waiting. have you thought of that? ah! i see m. poirot has.’

‘it had occurred to me, yes,’ said poirot.

‘such is not the manner of premeditated crime,’ said ronald. ‘put on a red moustache and horn-rimmed glasses and drive to the next street and pay the man off. take the tube – well – well, i won’t go into it all. my counsel, at a fee of several thousand guineas, will do it better than i can. of course, i see the answer. crime was a sudden impulse. there was i, waiting in the cab, etc., etc. it occurs to me, ‘now, my boy, up and doing.’

‘well, i’m going to tell you the truth. i was in a hole for money. that’s been pretty clear, i think. it was rather a desperate business. i had to get it by the next day or drop out of things. i tried my uncle. he’d no love for me, but i thought he might care for the honour of his name. middle-aged men sometimes do. my uncle proved to be lamentably modern in his cynical indifference.

‘well – it looked like just having to grin and bear it. i was going to try and have a shot at borrowing from dortheimer, but i knew there wasn’t a hope. and marry his daughter i couldn’t. she’s much too sensible a girl to take me, anyway. then, by chance, i met my cousin at the opera. i don’t often come across her, but she was always a decent kid when i lived in the house. i found myself telling her all about it. she’d heard something from her father anyway. then she showed her mettle. she suggested i should take her pearls. they’d belonged to her mother.’

he paused. there was something like real emotion, i think, in his voice. or else he suggested it better than i could have believed possible.

‘well – i accepted the blessed child’s offer. i could raise the money i wanted on them, and i swore i’d turn to and redeem them even if it meant working to manage it. but the pearls were at home in regent gate. we decided that the best thing to do would be to go and fetch them at once. we jumped in a taxi and off we went.

‘we made the fellow stop on the opposite side of the street in case anyone should hear the taxi draw up at the door. geraldine got out and went across the road. she had her latchkey with her. she would go in quietly, get the pearls and bring them out to me. she didn’t expect to meet anyone except, possibly, a servant. miss carroll, my uncle’s secretary, usually went to bed at half past nine. he, himself, would probably be in the library.

‘so off dina went. i stood on the pavement smoking a cigarette. every now and then i looked over towards the house to see if she was coming. and now i come to that part of the story that you may believe or not as you like. a man passed me on the sidewalk. i turned to look after him. to my surprise he went up the steps and let himself in to no. 17. at least i thought it was no. 17, but, of course, i was some distance away. that surprised me very much for two reasons. one was that the man had let himself in with a key, and the second was that i thought i recognized in him a certain well-known actor.

‘i was so surprised that i determined to look into matters. i happened to have my own key of no. 17 in my pocket. i’d lost it or thought i’d lost it three years ago, had come across it unexpectedly a day or two ago and had been meaning to give it back to my uncle this morning. however, in the heat of our discussion, it had slipped my memory. i had transferred it with the other contents of my pockets when i changed.

‘telling the taxi man to wait, i strode hurriedly along the pavement, crossed the road, went up the steps of no. 17, and opened the door with my key. the hall was empty. there was no sign of any visitor having just entered. i stood for a minute looking about me. then i went towards the library door. perhaps the man was in with my uncle. if so, i should hear the murmur of voices. i stood outside the library door, but i heard nothing.

‘i suddenly felt i had made the most abject fool of myself. of course the man must have gone into some other house – the house beyond, probably. regent gate is rather dimly lighted at night. i felt an absolute idiot. what on earth had possessed me to follow the fellow, i could not think. it had landed me here, and a pretty fool i should look if my uncle were to come suddenly out of the library and find me. i should get geraldine into trouble and altogether the fat would be in the fire. all because something in the man’s manner had made me imagine that he was doing something that he didn’t want known. luckily no one caught me. i must get out of it as soon as i could.

‘i tiptoed back towards the front door and at the same moment geraldine came down the stairs with the pearls in her hand.

‘she was very startled at seeing me, of course. i got her out of the house, and then explained.’

he paused.

‘we hurried back to the opera. got there just as the curtain was going up. no one suspected that we’d left it. it was a hot night and several people went outside to get a breath of air.’

he paused.

‘i know what you’ll say: why didn’t i tell you this right away? and now i put it to you: would you, with a motive for murder sticking out a yard, admit light-heartedly that you’d actually been at the place the murder was committed on the night in question?

‘frankly, i funked it! even if we were believed, it was going to be a lot of worry for me and for geraldine. we’d nothing to do with the murder, we’d seen nothing, we’d heard nothing. obviously, i thought, aunt jane had done it. well, why bring myself in? i told you about the quarrel and my lack of money because i knew you’d ferret it out, and if i’d tried to conceal all that you’d be much more suspicious and you’d probably examine that alibi much more closely. as it was, i thought that if i bucked enough about it it would almost hypnotize you into thinking it all right. the dortheimers were, i know, honestly convinced that i’d been at covent garden all the time. that i spent one interval with my cousin wouldn’t strike them as suspicious. and she could always say she’d been with me there and that we hadn’t left the place.’

‘miss marsh agreed to this – concealment?’

‘yes. soon as i got the news, i got on to her and cautioned her for her life not to say anything about her excursion here last night. she’d been with me and i’d been with her during the last interval at covent garden. we’d talked in the street a little, that was all. she understood and she quite agreed.’

he paused.

‘i know it looks bad – coming out with this afterwards. but the story’s true enough. i can give you the name and address of the man who let me have the cash on geraldine’s pearls this morning. and if you ask her, she’ll confirm every word i’ve told you.’

he sat back in his chair and looked at japp.

japp continued to look expressionless.

‘you say you thought jane wilkinson had committed the murder, lord edgware?’ he said.

‘well, wouldn’t you have thought so? after the butler’s story?’

‘what about your wager with miss adams?’

‘wager with miss adams? with carlotta adams, do you mean? what has she got to do with it?’

‘do you deny that you offered her the sum of ten thousand dollars to impersonate miss jane wilkinson at the house that night?’

ronald stared.

‘offered her ten thousand dollars? nonsense. some-one’s been pulling your leg. i haven’t got ten thousand dollars to offer. you’ve got hold of a mare’s nest. does she say so? oh! dash it all – i forgot, she’s dead, isn’t she?’

‘yes,’ said poirot quietly. ‘she is dead.’

ronald turned his eyes from one to the other of us. he had been debonair before. now his face had whitened. his eyes looked frightened.

‘i don’t understand all this,’ he said. ‘it’s true what i told you. i suppose you don’t believe me – any of you.’

and then, to my amazement, poirot stepped forward.

‘yes,’ he said. ‘i believe you.’

第二十一章 罗纳德的说法

我觉得很难理解波洛的态度。这一切确实如他所预料的啊。

在去摄政门的路上，他皱着眉，满脸迷惑不解的样子，丝毫不理睬贾普的自我恭维。

他最后长叹一声，从思绪中走出来。

“不论怎样。”他低声道，“我们可以听听他讲些什么。”

“要是他聪明的话，一定说一些等于不说的话。”贾普说，“有很多人因为太急于表白自己而将自己送上绞刑架。晤，可没人敢说我们没警告过他们！一切都是正大光明的。他们越是有罪，就越想唱高调，编出一些谎话来骗你。他们没想过该将自己的谎话先讲给律师听。”

他长叹一声说，

“律师和法医是警察的死对头。一次又一次的，我本来弄得明明白白的案子，让法医搞得一团糟，因为他们总想蒙骗我们，达到他们为凶手开脱的目的。不过关于律师，我们无可非议。他们诡计多端，想方设法歪曲事实，因为是有人付钱的。”

我们到达摄政门，发现我们要找的人在家。一家人正在进午餐。贾普对管家说要与男爵单独谈话，管家便将我们让进书房。

等了一两分钟后，年轻人来见我们。他脸上挂着轻松的笑容。但扫了我们一眼后，他的表情略微变了一点。他的嘴唇绷得紧紧的。

“你好，警督先生”，他说道，“这是怎么回事？”

贾普用一种正统的警察口吻说明来意。

“是那样，怎么了？”罗纳德说道。

他拉过一把椅子坐下，又拿出香烟盒。

“警督，我想，我要说明一下。”

“爵爷，悉听尊便。”

“我是说，我太傻了。都是一回事，我想我要说。正如书中主人公总爱说的一句话，。没有理由害怕真理。，”

贾普一言不发。他的脸仍毫无表情。

“请坐下来吧”，年轻人继续说，“你手下的警官可以坐下来，速记我的话。”

我想贾普一定不习惯这种一切都为他周到地考虑好了的安排。但埃奇韦尔的建议还是被采纳了。

“说起来，”年轻人说道，“我认为自己有一点小聪明，我猜我那套漂亮的不在现场的辩词失策了，烟消云散。有用的多赛默一家没用了。我猜，出租车司机该上场了吧。”

“我们知道你那天晚上的一切行动。”贾普毫无表情地说。

“我对伦敦警察厅实在佩服得五体投地。不过，你要知道，我要是真正计划去行凶，我就不会雇一辆出租车，一直开到目的地，然后叫那家伙等着，你有没有想过这个？我想波洛先生一定会想到的。”

“是的，我想过的。”波洛回答道。

“这样并不会是预谋杀人。带上红色的小胡子，一副角框眼镜，坐车到底下一条街，去干掉一个人，或者乘地铁——得了，得了，我不想细说了。要是我花上几千几尼，可以让我的律师比我说得还好。当然，我可以想到回答。犯罪是一种突然的冲动。比如说。我在那车里等着，等等，等等。突然我有了这个想法，‘现在，伙计，去干吧。’

“晤，我要告诉你实情。我迫切需要钱用。我想，这一点，你们应该明白。我必须在第二天前弄点钱，否则就完了。我试着求我的叔叔。他丝毫不爱我，但我想他该顾及他的名誉。中年男人有时是这样的。可是，我的叔叔却很现代派地对他的名誉毫不在意。

“那么——似乎只有笑笑，忍了。我又打算试着向多赛默借，但我知道那没希望。我也不能和他的女儿结婚。她太敏感了，也不会要我的。后来”在剧院偶遇我的堂妹。我并不总能遇到她，住在叔叔家时，待我很好。我忍不住将我的事告诉了她。而她也从她父亲那听到了一些。于是她向我显示了她的勇气。她建议我拿走她的首饰。那是她母亲给她的。”

他停了卞来，我觉得他的声音里带着一种真挚的感情。要不然就是他那花言巧语的本领是我所难以估计的。

“那么——我就接受了这个好心肠女孩的建议。我可以用她的首饰弄我需要的钱。我发誓，一定会赎还给她的，就是做苦工，我也在所不惜。但是首饰在摄政门的家中。我们决定，最好是立刻去取。于是我们就坐上出租车去了。

“我们让司机停在马路对面，恐怕有人听见汽车停在门口的声音。杰拉尔丁下车以后，穿过马路，她身上带着大门的钥匙，本打算悄悄地进去，拿到首饰便马上出来给我。她没想到会遇到什么人，除了仆人。卡罗尔小姐，我叔叔的秘书九点半就去睡了。我叔叔，他本人，很可能在书房里。

“所以戴娜就去了。我站在人行道上抽着烟。我不时地朝房里看，看她是不是出来了。这时我要说的部分，你们可能不信，信不信由你们。有个人在人行道上从我身边走过。我转过身去看他。令我惊讶的是他走上台阶，进了17号门。至少我认为是17号门。但是，当然我离那房子还有一段距离。我很惊讶有两个原因。一个是那人手中拿着钥匙，另一个原因是我觉得认识他，好像是某位著名的影星。

“我很惊讶，于是决定进去看个究竟。我兜里碰巧有17

号门的钥匙。我本来以为三年前就已经丢了。可是两三天前，又意外地找到了。本来打算还给我叔叔，但两人一激烈地争吵我就忘了。当我换衣服时，又把它连同别的东西一块

放到新衣服的口袋里了。

“告诉了司机等着，我快步走过马路，定上17号台阶，用我的钥匙开了门。大厅里空无一人，并无客人刚刚进人的迹象。我站在那四周打量片刻。然后我走近书房的门。我想那个人也许在书房与我叔叔在一起，那么就会有隐约的说话声，可我站在书房门口，什么也没听见。

“我突然觉得自己实在做了件傻事。那个人一定是进了另一家，也许是隔壁的一家。摄政门夜里灯很昏暗。我觉得自己真是一个傻瓜。我也不清楚。究竟为什么要跟着那个人。结果我却站在这里。要是我叔叔突然从书房里出来，看见我怎么办？那就给杰拉尔丁找麻烦了。一切都不好办了。就是因为那个人的态度让人疑心他在做一件不愿让人知道的事。幸好没人捉到我，我愈早脱身愈好。

“我蹑手蹑脚走回前门，这时，杰拉尔丁手里拿着首饰从楼梯上走下来。

“当然，她看到我很惊讶。我将她拽由门，向她解释了。”

他顿了顿。

“我们赶紧回到剧院。到的时候，幕刚刚拉起。没人疑心我们曾离开过。那是一个闷热的夜晚，好多人都出去透透气。“

他停了停。

“我知道你们要说什么：‘你为什么不立刻告诉我们？’我现在告诉你们：‘如果你有很明显的杀人嫌疑，你会很轻松地承认，出人命案的那天晚上，你就在那座房子里吗？’

“坦率地讲，我很怕！就是有人相信我们，我和杰拉尔丁也会有很多麻烦。我们没谋杀，没看见任何事，也没听见什么，很显然。我觉得是简婶子干的。那么为什么要把自己拖进去呢？我给你讲了吵架和我缺钱，我想你们会查出来的。如果我隐瞒一切，你们可能会更疑心，可能更仔细查询我不在现场的证据。既然如此，我不妨再装得像一点，也许会将你们蒙混过去，让你们信以为真。我知道，多赛默一家确信我一直在科文特加登。我有一段时间与我的堂妹在一起，他们绝对不会感到奇怪。而我堂妹会说我一直与她呆在戏院里，没有离开过那地方。”

“马什小姐同意这样——隐瞒吗？”

“同意的。我不久就得到消息，我就去找她，握醒她为安全，千万不要说我们昨晚来过这里。在戏院里，剧中间歇时我们一直呆在一起的。我们在街上转了转，就这些。她明白，也同意。”

他又停了停。

“我知道这说不好。但我讲的是实话。我可以给你们看我那天早上去找的我用堂妹的首饰押现款的那个人的地址、姓名。如果你们去问她，她会证明我说的话的。”

他往椅背上靠靠，望着贾普。贾普仍然面无表情。

“埃奇韦尔男爵，你说你认为是简·威尔金森杀的人？′

“是啊。听到管家的话后，你们没这么想吗？”

“那么，你与亚当斯小姐打赌，又是怎么回事？”

“与亚当斯小姐打赌？卡洛塔·亚当斯？她与这事有何一关系呢？”

“你否认曾让她在一个晚上去你叔叔那扮演筒。威尔金森小姐，并给她一万美元吗？”

罗纳德很惊讶地瞪着眼睛。

“答应给她一万美元？真是乱讲！一定是有人在戏弄你呢。我出不起一万美元。你以为得到好证据了？其实是一场空欢喜。她这样说的吗？噢，他妈的——我忘了，她已经死了。′

罗纳德呆呆地望着我们。他以前倒满快乐的。但现在，他的脸发白。眼里闪着恐惧。

“我不明白这些”，他说，“我对你们说的是实话。我想你们不相信我一你们所有人。”

这时，令我惊讶的是，波洛走上前去。

“不”，他说，“我相信你。”