7 THE EVIDENCE OF COUNT AND COUNTESS ANDRENYI
7 安君业伯爵夫妇的证词
Count and Countess Andrenyi were next summoned. The Count, however, entered the dining-car alone.
下面轮到要问的是安君业伯爵夫妇。然而，伯爵却一个人来到了餐车。
There was no doubt that he was a fine-looking man seen face to face. He was at least six feet in height, with broad shoulders and slender hips. He was dressed in very well-cut English tweeds and might have been taken for an Englishman had it not been for the length of his moustache and something in the line of the cheekbone.
面对面近看，他的确是个俊逸非凡的男人。身高起码有六呎，宽肩窄臀。穿一身剪裁高雅的英国人字呢西服，若非胡须的长度与颊骨的线条，很容易被误认为英国青年绅士。
“Well, Messieurs,” he said, “what can I do for you?”
“如何，先生，”他说：“我有什么可效劳的吗？”
“You understand, Monsieur,” said Poirot, “that in view of what has occurred I am obliged to put certain questions to all the passengers.”
“我想你了解，先生，”白罗说：“鉴于这次发生的事故，我有责任要询问车上所有的旅客。”
“Perfectly, perfectly,” said the Count easily. “I quite understand your position. Not, I fear, that my wife and I can do much to assist you. We were asleep and heard nothing at all.”
“当然，当然”伯爵泰然应道：“我很了解你的立场。只是，我怕我与内人都帮不上阁下什么忙。我们睡着了，什么也没听见。”
“Are you aware of the identity of the deceased, Monsieur?”
“你知道死者是谁吗，先生？”
“I understood it was the big American—a man with a decidedly unpleasant face. He sat at that table at meal times.” He indicated with a nod of his head the table at which Ratchett and MacQueen had sat.
“我知道是那个高大的美国人——有一副绝对令人可憎相貌的那个人。他用餐时就坐在那张桌子那儿。“说着，用头指了指罗嘉德与麦昆常坐的座位。
“Yes, yes, Monsieur, you are perfectly correct. I meant—did you know the name of the man?”
“是的，是的，先生，你说的一点不错。不过我是指——你知道那人的姓名吗？”
“No.” The Count looked thoroughly puzzled by Poirot’s queries.
“不知道。”伯爵似乎被白罗问得整个人都糊涂了。
“If you want to know his name,” he said, “surely it is on his passport?”
“如果你们想知道他的姓名，”他说：“何不查阅他的护照呢？”
“The name on his passport is Ratchett,” said Poirot. “But that, Monsieur, is not his real name. He is the man Cassetti, who was responsible for a celebrated kidnapping outrage in America.”
“他护照上的姓是罗嘉德，”白罗说：“可是，先生，那却不是他的真姓。他是骇人听闻、恶名昭彰的美国一桩绑票案的主使人卡赛提。”
He watched the Count closely as he spoke, but the latter seemed quite unaffected by this piece of news. He merely opened his eyes a little.
他说话的时候，眼睛注视着伯爵，但是后者对他所提供的这项资料似乎并没有什么反应。他仅睁大了些眼睛。
“Ah!” he said. “That certainly should throw light upon the matter. An extraordinary country, America.”
“呵！”他说：“这么说，这案子该有些头绪了。美国，真是个了不起的国家。”
“You have been there, perhaps, Monsieur le Comte?”
“你大概去过吧，伯爵先生？”
“I was in Washington for a year.”
“我在华盛顿住过一年。”
“You knew, perhaps, the Armstrong family?”
“也许，你认识阿姆斯壮这家人吧？”
“Armstrong—Armstrong—it is difficult to recall. One met so many.” He smiled, shrugged his shoulders. “But to come back to the matter in hand, gentlemen,” he said. “What more can I do to assist you?”
“阿姆斯壮——阿姆斯壮？一时还真想不起来。那么多同姓的人。”他笑着耸了耸肩膀。“不过，各位先生，我们还是言归正传，”他说：“我还有什么可效劳的吗？”
“You retired to rest—when, Monsieur le Comte?”
“你是什么时候就寝的，伯爵先生？”
Hercule Poirot’s eyes stole to his plan. Count and Countess Andrenyi occupied compartment Nos. 12 and 13 adjoining.
赫邱里·白罗眼睛偷瞄了一下面前的列车平面图。伯爵夫妇的房间是相连的十二号与十三号两间。
“We had one compartment made up for the night whilst we were in the diningcar. On returning we sat in the other for a while—”
“我们用晚餐时，一间卧铺房已经铺好了。回去时，我们在另一间坐了一会儿——”
“Which number would that be?”
“那是哪一间？”
“No. 13. We played piquet together. At about eleven o’clock my wife retired for the night. The conductor made up my compartment and I also went to bed. I slept soundly until morning.”
“十三号那间。我们玩了一会儿纸牌，大约十一点钟的时候，我太太返房休息。列车长将我的房间铺位铺好，我也上床入寝。一直睡到天明。”
“Did you notice the stopping of the train?”
“你注意到车停下来了吗？”
“I was not aware of it till this morning.”
“我直到早晨才发觉。”
“And your wife?”
“你夫人呢？”
The Count smiled. “My wife always takes a sleeping draught when travelling by train. She took her usual dose of trional.”
伯爵露出笑容说：“我内人通常乘火车旅行，总要服安眠药才睡得着的。
He paused. “I am sorry I am not able to assist you in any way.”
她昨晚也服用了。“他停了一下，又说：”很抱歉，我实在帮不上你们什么忙。“
Poirot passed him a sheet of paper and a pen.
白罗递给了他一张纸和一枝笔。
“Thank you, Monsieur le Comte. It is a formality, but will you just let me have your name and address?”
“谢谢你，伯爵先生。这只是例行的手续，可否将你的大名与地址留下？”
The Count wrote slowly and carefully.
伯爵缓慢而谨慎地写了下来。
“It is just as well that I should write this for you,” he said pleasantly. “The spelling of my country estate is a little difficult for those unacquainted with the language.”
“也正好说由我自己来写，”他欣然地说：“对我国语文不熟的人是很难拼写我田庄的住址的。”
He passed the paper across to Poirot and rose.
他将纸、笔交回给白罗之后，就立起身来。
“It will be quite unnecessary for my wife to come here,” he said. “She can tell you nothing more than I have.”
“我觉得我内人没有必要来了，”他说：“她不会比我知道的更多。”
A little gleam came into Poirot’s eye.
白罗的眼睛闪了一下。
“Doubtless, doubtless,” he said. “But all the same I think I should like to have just one little word with Madame la Comtesse.”
“自然，自然，”他说：“不过，我还是想与伯爵夫人谈几名话。”
“I assure you it is quite unnecessary.” The Count’s voice rang out authoritatively.
“我看是全然不必要的。”伯爵语气中显然有命令的成份存在。
Poirot blinked gently at him.
白罗向他善意地眨了眨眼。
“It will be a mere formality,” he said. “But, you understand, it is necessary for my report.”
“只不过是例行公事，”他说：“你也了解，这对我作报告是很需要的。”
“As you please.”
“那么就悉听尊便吧。”
The Count gave way grudgingly. He made a short foreign bow and left the dining-car.
伯爵满脸不悦地让步了。他依欧洲礼节浅施一礼，就走出了餐车。
Poirot reached out a hand to a passport. It set out the Count’s names and titles. He passed on to the further information. “Accompanied by, wife; Christian name, Elena Maria; maiden name, Goldenberg; age, twenty.”
白罗伸手抽出一本护照，上面有伯爵的名字与头衔。他又见备注上写着：“由夫人陪同；名字，伊莲娜·玛丽亚；娘家本姓高登堡；年龄，廿岁。”
A spot of grease had been dropped on it at some time by a careless official.
上面还有不知何时发照官员不小心沾上的一块油墨痕渍。
“A diplomatic passport,” said M. Bouc. “We must be careful, my friend, to give no offence. These people can have nothing to do with the murder.”
“外交护照，”波克先生说：“老兄，这，我们可不能大意，得罪不起。这种人可不能把他们卷入谋杀案中。”
“Be easy, mon vieux, I will be most tactful. A mere formality.”
“别紧张，老朋友。我会很技巧的。这只是例行公事。“
His voice dropped as the Countess Andrenyi entered the dining-car. She looked timid and extremely charming.
他的声音突然停缓了下来，但见安君业伯爵夫人已进了餐车。她一副羞怯中透着无比的娇媚。
“You wish to see me, Messieurs?”
“你们要见我吗？”
“A mere formality, Madam la Comtesse.” Poirot rose gallantly, bowed her into the seat opposite him. “It is only to ask you if you saw or heard anything last night that may throw light upon this matter.”
“只是例行的，伯爵夫人。”白罗全副绅士模样站起身来，鞠了一躬，请她在对面坐下。“只是想问问您，昨晚可曾听到任何异动，也许会对我们手头这桩事体有所助益。”
“Nothing at all, Monsieur. I was asleep.”
“什么也没听见，先生。我睡熟了。”
“You did not hear, for instance, a commotion going on in the compartment next to yours? The American lady who occupies it had quite an attack of hysterics and rang for the conductor.”
“比方说，您隔壁房里的骚动，您也没听见吗？隔壁房里那位美国太太相当慌乱，她按了半天铃叫列车长呢。”
“I heard nothing, Monsieur. You see, I had taken a sleeping draught.”
“我是没听见什么，先生。你知道，我是服了安眠药的。”
“Ah! I comprehend. Well, I need not detain you further.” Then, as she rose swiftly—“Just one little minute. These particulars—your maiden name, age and so on—they are correct?”
“喔！我懂。那么就不久留您了。”就在她迅速站起身时，他又说：“请稍停一下。这些资料——您的姓名、年龄等等——都正确的吧？”
“Quite correct, Monsieur.”
“没错，先生。”
“Perhaps you will sign this memorandum to that effect, then.”
“那么就请您签一下字吧。”
She signed quickly, in a graceful slanting hand-writing—Elena Andrenyi.
她匆匆用秀丽的斜体字签下了——伊莲娜·安君业。
“Did you accompany your husband to America, Madame?”
“您陪您先生去过美国吗？”
“No, Monsieur.” She smiled, flushed a little. “We were not married then; we have been married only a year.”
“没有，先生。”她笑容中露出一丝娇羞。“我们那时还没结婚；我们结婚才一年。”
“Ah, yes, thank you, Madame. By the way, does your husband smoke?”
“是这样的，谢谢您，夫人。呃，请问您先生抽烟吗？”
She stared at him as she stood poised for departure.
她优雅地移步正要离去，听了这话，凝视了白罗一眼。
“Yes.”
“他抽的。”
“A pipe?”
“烟斗？”
“No. Cigarettes and cigars.”
“不是。他抽香烟与雪茄。”
“Ah! Thank you.”
“呵！谢谢您。”
She lingered, her eyes watching him curiously. Lovely eyes they were, dark and almond-shaped with very long black lashes that swept the exquisite pallor of her cheeks. Her lips, very scarlet in the foreign fashion, were parted just a little. She looked exotic and beautiful.
她迟疑了半响，双眼好奇地注视着他。好一对可爱的杏眼，深黑澄亮，黑长的睫毛轻轻拂过双颊极美的白晰弧线。微启的小嘴，涂成鲜红的欧洲流行唇型，真是美得出奇。
“Why did you ask me that?”
“你问这个为什么？”
“Madame,” Poirot waved an airy hand, “detectives have to ask all sorts of questions. For instance, perhaps you will tell me the colour of your dressinggown?”
“夫人，”白罗轻轻在空中挥了挥手：“当侦探的是什么细微小节都得问的。譬如说，您可以告诉我您的睡袍是什么颜色吗？”
She stared at him. Then she laughed. “it is corn-coloured chiffon. Is that really important?”
她瞪了他一眼，然后笑了出来。“是玉米色的纱袍。这有什么紧要吗？”
“Very important, Madame.”
“非常重要，夫人。”
She asked curiously: “Are you really a detective, then?”
她好奇地问：“那么你真是侦探喽？”
“At your service, Madame.”
“请指教，夫人。”
“I thought there were no detectives on the train when it passed through JugoSlavia—not until one got to Italy.”
“我以为一过了南斯拉夫，火车上就没有警探了，一直到意大利才会有的。”
“I am not a Jugo-Slavian detective, Madame. I am an international detective.”
“我不是南斯拉夫的警探，夫人。我是一名国际侦探。”
“You belong to the League of Nations?”
“你属于国际联盟吗？”
“I belong to the world, Madame,” said Poirot dramatically. He went on: “I workmainly in London. You speak English?” he added in that language.
“我属于这个世界，夫人，”白罗刻意套了一句台词，又说：“我主要在伦敦工作。您说英语吗？”他用英语问了最后一句话。
“I speak a leetle, yes.” Her accent was charming.
“会一点。”她的口音很迷人。
Poirot bowed once more.
白罗又施了一礼。
“We will not detain you further, Madame. You see, it was not so very terrible.”
“不多打扰了，夫人。您看，这没什么严重吧？”
She smiled, inclined her head and departed.
她嫣然一笑，低了一下头，就出去了。
“Elle est jolie femme,” said M. Bouc appreciatively. He sighed. “Well, that did not advance us much.”
“真是位迷人的美女，”波克先生颇表欣慕地说。他接着叹了口气：“可也对我们没多大帮助。”
“No,” said Poirot. “Two people who saw nothing and heard nothing.”
“没什么。”白罗说：“两个人什么都没看见也没听到。”
“Shall we now see the Italian?”
“现在该问那名意大利人了吧？”
Poirot did not reply for a moment. He was studying a grease spot on a Hungarian diplomatic passport.
白罗没有立即回答。他正在专心查看那本匈牙利外交护照上的那块油渍。