12 THE EVIDENCE OF THE GERMAN LADY’S-MAID

12德国女仆的证词

M. Bouc was looking at his friend curiously.

波克先生好生不解地看着他的朋友。

“I do not quite understand you, mon vieux. You were trying to do—what?”

“我真不懂你，老兄。你这到底是在做什么？”

“I was searching for a flaw, my friend.”

“我在找漏洞，朋友。”

“A flaw?”

“漏洞？”

“Yes—in the armour of a young lady’s self-possession. I wished to shake her sang-froid. Did I succeed? I do not know. But I know this: she did not expect me to tackle the matter as I did.”

“是的——在一位年轻小姐冷静的外表上寻找，我想要动摇她的镇静。我做到了吗？我不知道。不过，至少我知道：“她并未料到我曾用这种方式问讯她。”

“You suspect her,” said M. Bow slowly. “But why? She seems a very charming young lady—the last person in the world to be mixed up in a crime of this kind.”

“你在怀疑她，”波克先生缓声地说：“可是为什么？她是那么一位美丽动人的年轻小姐——该是全世界最不可能牵涉到这个案子中的人了。”

“I agree,” said Constantine. “She is cold. She has not emotions. She would not stab a man—she would sue him in the law courts.”

“我也同意，”康斯丹丁医师说：“她很冷漠，不是一个激动的人。她不会动刀杀人，上法院打官司倒是可能。”

Poirot sighed.

白罗叹了一口气。

“You must, both of you, get rid of your obsession that this is an unpremeditated and sudden crime. As for the reasons why I suspect Miss Debenham, there are two. One is because of something that I overheard, and that you do not as yet know.”

“你们二位，脑子里最好不要总认定这是一桩不经预谋、骤然发生的命案。我所以怀疑戴本瀚小姐，基于两点理由，其一是我曾偶然听见的一点事，这你们两位还不知道。”他将自阿勒颇搭车途中听见戴本瀚与阿伯斯诺上校交换过悄悄话的经过，告诉了他们。

He retailed to them the curious interchange of phrases he had overheard on the journey from Aleppo.

“这的确是相当奇怪的，”波克先生听完之后说：“这可需要解释了。

“That is curious, certainly,” said M. Bouc when he had finished. “It needs explaining. If it means what you suspect it means, then they are both of them in it together—she and the stiff Englishman.”

果若此中含有你所怀疑的因素，那么，他们两个是一伙涉嫌了——她跟那位一脸凛然的英国人。“

Poirot nodded.

白罗点了点头。

“And that is just what is not borne out by the facts,” he said. “See you, if they were both in this together, what should we expect to find? That each of them would provide an alibi for the other. Is not that so? But no—that does not happen. Miss Debenham’s alibi is provided by a Swedish woman whom she has never seen before, and Colonel Arbuthnot’s alibi is vouched for by MacQueen, the dead mans secretary. No, that solution of the puzzle is too easy.”

“而这却绝非事实可以求证的，”他说：“你们想，果若是他们两个合谋，我们又能发现什么呢？难道他们两人可以彼此提供案发时不在现场的证据吗？不是吗？就不是，这是不可能的。戴本瀚小姐不在现场的证据，只能由那位她从不认识的瑞典女人提出，而阿伯斯诺上校却只有死者的秘书麦昆可以提供证据。不成，这种解迷的方法太过简易了。”

“You said there was another reason for your suspicions of her,” M. Bouc, reminded him.

“你说你怀疑她尚有另一个原因呢。”波克先生提醒他说。

Poirot smiled.

白罗笑了笑。

“Ah! but that is only psychological. I ask myself, is it possible for Miss Debenham to have planned this crime? Behind this business, I am convinced, there is a cool, intelligent, resourceful brain. Miss Debenham answers to that description.”

“喔！是的，不过那仅是一个心理学的因素。我自问：可不可能是戴本瀚小姐策划的这桩谋杀？因为我相信：这桩命案背后，一定有一个冷静而机智的头脑在主使，而只有戴本瀚小姐具备此一资格。”

M. Bouc shook his head. “I think you are wrong, my friend. I do not see that young English girl as a criminal.”

波克先生摇着头说：“我看，这你就错了，老兄。我看不出这位年轻的英国小姐会像个罪犯。”

“Ah! Well,” said Poirot, picking up the last passport.

“呵！好吧。”白罗说着，拿起桌上最后一本护照。

“To the final name on our list. Hildegarde Schmidt, lady’s-maid.”

“我们名单上最后一人是希尔格·施密德，那名女仆。”

Summoned by the attendant, Hildegarde Schmidt came into the restaurant car and stood waiting respectfully.

经服务人员召唤之后，希尔格·施密德进入餐车，毕恭毕敬地站着等候问话。

Poirot motioned her to sit down.

白罗示意让她坐下。

She did so, folding her hands and waiting placidly till he questioned her. She seemed a placid creature altogether—eminently respectable, perhaps not overintelligent.

她坐下后，合起两手平放在膝上，稳如泰山般地等候讯问。她简直是太平稳了——一副至尊的老实相，好像没什么脑子的样子。

Poirot’s methods with Hildegarde Schmidt were a complete contrast to his handling of Mary Debenham.

白罗讯问她的方法与问戴本瀚小姐截然不同。

He was at his kindest and most genial, setting the woman at her ease. Then, having got her to write down her name and address, he slid gently into his questions.

他竭尽温婉和气，尽量使这妇人放松下来。等她写下姓名与住址之后，才委婉地问起了问题。

The interview took place in German.

他们对话用的是德语。

“We want to know as much as possible about what happened last night,” he said. “We know that you cannot give us much information bearing on the crime itself, but you may have seen or heard something that, while conveying nothing to you, may be valuable to us. You understand?”She did not seem to. Her broad, kindly face remained set in its expression of placid stupidity as she answered:

“我们希望尽量了解一下昨夜发生的事情，”他说：“我们了解，也许你对罪案本身可能无法提供什么资料，但是或许你曾看见或听到某些事情，对你本人可能不具什么意义，但却可能对我们很有价值。你了解吗？”

“I do not know anything, Monsieur.”

“我什么事也不知道，先生”

“Well, for instance you know that your mistress sent for you last night.”

“比方说，昨晚你女主人召唤过你，你总知道吧？”

“That, yes.”

“那我知道。”

“Do you remember the time?”

“你记得那是什么时刻吗？”

“I do not, Monsieur. I was asleep, you see, when the attendant came and told me.”

“我不知道，先生，服务人员来叫我的时候，我睡着了。”

“Yes, yes. Was it usual for you to be sent for in this way?”

“好的，好的。你经常是这样被召唤的吗？”

“It was not unusual, Monsieur. The gracious lady often required attention at night. She did not sleep well.”

“这没什么不寻常，先生。您知道，我们夫人夜间经常需要照应，她睡得不好。”

“Eh bien, then, you received the summons and you got up. Did you put on a dressing-gown?”

“好的。有人来唤你，你起床后，穿了睡袍了吗？”

“No, Monsieur, I put on a few clothes. I would not like to go in to her Excellency in my dressing-gown.”

“没有，先生。我只加了些衣裳，我去伺候郡主时是不敢穿睡袍的。”

“And yet it is a very nice dressing-gown—scarlet, is it not?”

“反正是一件很好的睡袍——鲜红色的，对吧？”

She stared at him. “It is a dark blue flannel dressing-gown, Monsieur.”

她瞪着他说：“是深蓝色法兰绒的睡袍，先生。”

“Ah! continue. A little pleasantry on my part, that is all. So you went along toMadame la Princesse. And what did you do when you got there?”

“喔，继续说你的，我只是开个小玩笑。你到郡主夫人房里去了，你到那里做什么事了呢？”

“I gave her massage, Monsieur, and then I read aloud. I do not read aloud very well, but her Excellency says that is all the better—so it sends her better to sleep. When she became sleepy, Monsieur, she told me to go, so I closed the book and I returned to my own compartment.”

“我给她按摩，先生。然后念书给她听。我念得不好，可是郡主说那样更好，使她容易入睡。她想睡的时候，就叫我走，我合上书就回自己房里去了。”

“Do you know what time that was?”

“你知道那是什么时刻吗？”

“No, Monsieur.”

“不知道，先生。”

“Well, how long had you been with Madame la Princesse?”

“那么，你那时伺候郡主夫人有多久呢？”

“About half an hour, Monsieur.”

“大约半小时，先生。”

“Good, continue.”

“好，继续说。”

“First, I fetched her Excellency an extra rug from my compartment. It was very cold in spite of the heating. I arranged the rug over her, and she wished me good night. I poured her out some mineral water. Then I turned out the light and left her.

“我先去我房中替她另取了一条毯子。虽然有暖气，还是冷得很。我替她盖好，她跟我说了晚安。我为她倒好了矿泉水，就熄了灯离开了。”

“And then?”

“后来呢？”

“There is nothing more, Monsieur. I returned to my carriage and went to sleep.”

“没有什么了，先生。我回到房里就睡觉了。”

“And you met no one in the corridor?”

“在过道上没碰见什么人吗？”

“No, Monsieur.”

“没有，先生。”

“You did not, for instance, see a lady in a scarlet kimono with dragons on it?”

“你没看见，一位太太穿一件鲜红色睡袍还绣了龙的吗？”

Her mild eyes bulged at him. “No, indeed, Monsieur. There was nobody about except the attendant. Everyone was asleep.”

她温驯的眼睛朝着他鼓得大大地说：“没有，真的没有，先生。除了服务人员之外，什么人也没看到。大家都睡了。”

“But you did see the conductor?”

“可是你是看到列车长的了。”

“Yes, Monsieur.”

“是的，先生。”

“What was he doing!”

“他在干什么？”

“He came out of one of the compartments, Monsieur.”

“他从一间卧铺房里走了出来，先生。”

“What?” M. Bouc leaned forward. “Which one?”

“什么？”波克先生倾身向前问道：“哪间？”

Hildegarde Schmidt looked frightened again, and Poirot cast a reproachful glance at his friend.

希尔格·施密德又被吓得一脸惧色，白罗朝他朋友责怪地扫了一眼。

“Naturally,” he said. “The conductor often has to answer bells at night. Do you remember which compartment it was?”

“当然了，”他说：“列车长经常在夜间要应旅客的按铃的。你记得是哪一间房间吗？”

“It was about the middle of the coach, Monsieur. Two or three doors from Madame la Princesse.”

“是在车厢中间的，先生。离郡主夫人的房间隔了二三个房门。”

“Ah! tell us, if you please, exactly where this was and what happened?”

“啊！请告诉我们到底是在哪间，又是怎么回事？”

“He nearly ran into me, Monsieur. It was when I was returning from my compartment to that of the Princess with the rug.”

“他差一点撞上了我，先生。那时，我正从自己房里取了毯子去拿给夫人。”

“And he came out of a compartment and almost collided with you. In which direction was he going?”

“他从一间房里走出来，差点跟你撞个满怀。他是朝哪个方向走的？”

“Towards me, Monsieur. He apologised and passed on down the corridor towards the dining-car. A bell began ringing, but I do not think he answered it.” She paused and then said: “I do not understand. How is it—”

“朝我走来的，先生。他跟我道了声歉，就往餐车那头的过道上走去了。有铃声响了起来，可是我想他没去应。“她停了停又说：”我不懂，他怎么可以——”

Poirot spoke reassuringly.

白罗劝慰她说：

“It is just a question of time,” he said. “All a matter of routine. This poor conductor, he seems to have had a busy night—first waking you and then answering bells.”

“这只是时间上的问题，通常都会这样的。这位可怜的列车长，这一晚上也真够忙的——先得去叫你，又得应铃。”

“It was not the same conductor who woke me, Monsieur. It was another one.”

“叫醒我的不是这个列车长，先生。是另外一个。”

“Ah! another one! Had you seen him before?”

“呵！另外一个！你以前见过他吗？“

“No, Monsieur.”

“没有，先生。”

“Ah!—do you think you would recognise him if you saw him?”

“啊！——你要是再见到他，你看你还会认识他吗？”

“I think so, Monsieur.”

“我想我认得的，先生。”

Poirot murmured something in M. Bouc’s ear. The latter got up and went to the door to give an order.

白罗朝波克先生的耳边低语了几句。后者起身走到餐车门口吩咐了命令。

Poirot was continuing his questions in an easy, friendly manner.

白罗继续以和蔼、温婉的语气问话。

“Have you ever been to America, Fr.ulein Schmidt?”

“你去过美国吗，希尔格·施密德？”

“Never, Monsieur. It must be a fine country.”

“从没去过，先生。一定是个很好的国家。”

“You have heard, perhaps, who this man who was killed really was—that he was responsible for the death of a little child?”

“你或许已听说了这被杀的人真正是谁了吧——他主使加害过一个小女孩。”

“Yes, I have heard, Monsieur. It was abominable—wicked. The good God should not allow such things. We are not so wicked as that in Germany.”

“是的，我听说了，先生。真可怕——险恶。上帝是不该饶恕这种事的。在德国可没这种恶事。”

Tears had come into the woman’s eyes. Her strong, motherly soul was moved.

泪水盈满了这妇人的泪眶。她强烈母性的灵魂受到了震撼。

“It was an abominable crime,” said Poirot gravely.

“的确是极恶毒的罪行。”白罗凄然地应着。

He drew a scrap of cambric from his pocket and handed it to her.

他自口袋中取出一块麻纱手帕，递给了她。

“Is this your handkerchief, Fr.ulein Schmidt?”

“这是你的手帕吗，希尔格·施密德？”

There was a moment’s silence as the woman examined it. She looked up after a minute. The colour had mounted a little in her face.

这妇人翻着手帕时，沉寂了半晌，才抬起头来。她的脸色也回复了一些。

“Ah! no, indeed. It is not mine, Monsieur.”

“喔！不是的，不是我的，先生。”

“It has the initial H, you see. That is why I thought it was yours.”

“因为上头绣了名字缩写字母H，我还以为是你的呢。”

“Ah! Monsieur, it is a lady’s handkerchief, that. A very expensive handkerchief. Embroidered by hand. It comes from Paris, I should say.”

“呵！先生，这是贵夫人用的手绢。很贵的手帕呵，用手绣的，我敢说是巴黎做的。”

“It is not yours and you do not know whose it is?”

“不是你的，你也不知道会是谁的吗？”

“I? Oh! no, Monsieur.”

“我？喔！不，我不知道，先生。”

Of the three listening, only Poirot caught the nuance of hesitation in the reply.

三人中，只有白罗察觉到她回答时语气犹豫的意味。

M. Bouc whispered in his ear. Poirot nodded and said to the woman: “The three sleeping-car attendants are coming in. Will you be so kind as to tell me which is the one you met last night as you were going with the rug to the Princess?”

波克先生在白罗耳边说了一句，白罗点点头对妇人说：“卧车上的三名服务人员就要来到，可否请你告诉我们昨晚你去送毯子给郡主时碰上的是哪一个？”

The three men entered. Pierre Michel, the big blond conductor of the Athens-Paris coach, and the stout burly conductor of the Bucharest one.

三个人进来了。皮耶·麦寇、雅典至巴黎车厢上的高大金发列车长，还有一名是布加勒斯特车厢中的肥硕列车长。

Hildegarde Schmidt looked at them and immediately shook her head.

希尔格·施密德朝他们看了看，立刻摇了摇头。

“No, Monsieur,” she said. “None of these is the man I saw last night.”

“没有，先生，”她说：“这三个人都不是我昨晚看见的那个。”

“But these are the only conductors on the train. You must be mistaken.”

“可是，车上就只有这么三个列车长啊。你一定没搞清楚。”

“I am quite sure, Monsieur. These are all tall, big men. The one I saw was small and dark. He had a little moustache. His voice when he said ‘Pardon’ was weak, like a woman’s. Indeed, I remember him very well, Monsieur.”

“我没弄错，先生。这三个人都是又高、又大的。我看见的是一个瘦小、深色皮肤的，还留了一撮小胡子。他向我说‘对不起’时，声音很细，像个女人的声音。是真的，我记得很清楚，先生。”