Death on the Nile / Смерть на Ниле. Агата Кристи

deny that Jackie was passionately in love with Simon, but I don't think you take into account[101] that he may not have been equally devoted to her. He was very fond of her, but I think that even before he met me he was beginning to feel that he had made a mistake. Look at it clearly, Monsieur Poirot. Simon discovers that it is I he loves, not Jackie. What should he do? Be heroically noble and marry a woman he does not care for and thereby probably ruin three lives? If he were actually married to her when he met me I agree that it might be his duty to stick to her. If one person is unhappy the other suffers too. But an engagement is not really binding. If a mistake has been made, then surely it is better to face the fact before it is too late. I admit that it was very hard on Jackie, and I'm terribly sorry about it – but there it is. It was inevitable.”

      “I wonder.”[102]

      She stared at him.

      “What do you mean?”

      “It is very sensible, very logical – all that you say! But it does not explain one thing.”

      “What is that?”

      “Your own attitude, Madame. You say this persecution is intolerable – and why? It can be for one reason only – that you feel a sense of guilt.”

      Linnet sprang to her feet.[103]

      “How dare you? Really, Monsieur Poirot, this is going too far.”[104]

      “But I do dare, Madame! I am going to speak to you quite frankly. I suggest that you felt strongly attracted to him at once. But I suggest that there was a moment when you hesitated, when you realized that there was a choice – that you could stop or go on. I suggest that the initiative rested with you – not with Monsieur Doyle. You are beautiful, Madame; you are rich; you are clever, intelligent – and you have charm. You had everything, Madame, that life can offer. Your friend's life was tied to one person. You knew that, but, though you hesitated, you did not hold your hand[105]. And like the rich man in the Bible, you took the poor man's one ewe lamb.”

      There was a silence. Linnet controlled herself with an effort and said in a cold voice, “All this is quite beside the point!”[106]

      “No, it is not beside the point. I am explaining to you just why the unexpected appearances of Mademoiselle de Bellefort have upset you so much. It is because you feel that she has right on her side.”

      “That's not true!”

      Poirot shrugged his shoulders.

      “You refuse to be honest with yourself.”

      “Not at all.”

      Poirot said gently, “I should say, Madame, that you have had a happy life, that you have been generous and kindly in your attitude toward others.”

      “I have tried to be,” said Linnet. The anger left her.

      “And that is why the feeling that you have deliberately injured someone upsets you so much. Pardon me if I have been impertinent, but the psychology is the most important fact in a case.”

      Linnet said slowly: “Even supposing what you say were true, what can be done about it now? One can't alter the past; one must deal with things as they are.”

      Poirot nodded.

      “You have the clear brain. Yes, one cannot go back over the past. One must accept things as they are and accept the consequences of one's past deeds.”

      “You mean,” asked Linnet incredulously, “that I can do nothing – nothing?”

      “You must have courage, Madame; that is what it seems like to me.”

      Linnet said slowly:

      “Couldn't you – talk to Jackie – to Miss de Bellefort? Reason with her?”

      “Yes, I could do that. I will do that if you would like me to do so. But do not expect much result. And by the way, what is your husband's attitude in this?”

      “He's furious – simply furious.”

      Poirot nodded thoughtfully.

      Linnet said appealingly, “You will – talk to her?”

      “Yes, I will do that. But it is my opinion that I shall not be able to achieve anything.”

      Linnet said violently: “Jackie is extraordinary! One can't tell what she will do!”

      “You spoke just now of certain threats she had made. Would you tell me what those threats were?”

      Linnet shrugged her shoulders.

      “She threatened to – well – kill us both. Jackie can be rather – dangerous sometimes.”

      “I see.”

      Poirot's tone was grave.

      Linnet turned to him appealingly.

      “You will act for me?”[107]

      “No, Madame.” His tone was firm. “I will do what I can in the interests of humanity. That, yes. The situation is full of difficulty and danger. I will do what I can to clear it up – but I am not very sure as to my chance of success.”

      Chapter 4

      Hercule Poirot found Jacqueline de Bellefort sitting on the rocks directly overlooking the Nile. She did not turn her head or look round at the sound of his approach.

      “Mademoiselle de Bellefort?” asked Poirot. “You permit that I speak to you for a little moment?”

      Jacqueline turned her head slightly. A faint smile played round her lips.[108]

      “Certainly,” she said. “You are Monsieur Hercule Poirot, I think? Shall I make a guess? You are acting for Mrs Doyle, who has promised you a large fee if you succeed in your mission.”

      Poirot sat down on the bench near her.

      “You're partially right,” he said, smiling. “I have just come from Madame Doyle, but I am not getting any fee from her and I am not acting for her.”

      “Oh!”

      Jacqueline studied him attentively.

      “Then why have you come?” she asked abruptly.

      Hercule Poirot's reply was in the form of another question.

      “Have you ever seen me before, Mademoiselle?”

      She shook her head.

      “No, I do not think so.”

      “Yet I have seen you. I sat next to you once at Chez Ma Tante. You were there with Monsieur Simon Doyle.”

      A strange mask-like expression came over the girl's face. She said, “I remember that evening.”

      “Since then,” said Poirot, “many things have occurred.”

      “As you say, many things have occurred.”

      “Mademoiselle, I speak as a friend. Bury your dead![109]”

      She looked startled.

      “What do you mean?”

      “Give up the past! Turn to the future! What is done is done. Bitterness will not undo it.”

      “I'm sure that that would suit dear Linnet admirably.”

      Poirot made a gesture.

      “I am not thinking of her at this moment! I am thinking of you. You have suffered – yes – but what you are doing now will only prolong that suffering.”

      She shook her head.

      “You're wrong. There are times when I almost enjoy

101

Вы принимаете во внимание

102

Не ув ерен.

103

Линнет вскочила с места.

104

Вы слишком далеко заходите.

105

это вас не остановило

106

Всё это к делу не относится!

107

Вы будете действовать в моих интересах?

108

Лёгкая улыбка тронула её губы.

109

Не ворошите прошлое!