Death on the Nile

‘But surely we can do something to extricate ourselves?’

‘You could, of course, return to England and establish yourselves in your own house.’

‘Even then, I suppose, Jacqueline is capable of planting herself in the village, so that I should see her every time I went out of the grounds.’

‘True.’

‘Besides,’ said Linnet slowly, ‘I don’t think that Simon would agree to run away.’

‘What is his 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 accomplish 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–Latin sometimes.’

‘I see.’ Poirot’s tone was grave.

Linnet turned to him appealingly.

‘You will act for me?’

‘No, Madame.’ His tone was firm. ‘I will not accept a commission from you. I will do what I can in the interests of humanity. That, yes. There is here a situation that is full of difficulty and danger. I will do what I can to clear it up–but I am not very sanguine as to my chance of success.’

Linnet Doyle said slowly: ‘But you will not act for me?’

‘No, Madame,’ said Hercule Poirot.

Chapter 5 (#ulink_1468e50d-cb2b-5871-84d3-5defa9a9491d)

Hercule Poirot found Jacqueline de Bellefort sitting on the rocks directly overlooking the Nile. He had felt fairly certain that she had not retired for the night and that he would find her somewhere about the grounds of the hotel.

She was sitting with her chin cupped in the palms of her hands, and she did not turn her head or look around 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.

‘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.

‘Your assumption is partially correct,’ he said, smiling. ‘I have just come from Madame Doyle, but I am not accepting any fee from her and, strictly speaking, 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.’

Her voice was hard with an undertone of desperate bitterness.

‘Mademoiselle, I speak as a friend. Bury your dead!’

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 the suffering.’

She shook her head.

‘You’re wrong. There are times when I almost enjoy myself.’

‘And that, Mademoiselle, is the worst of all.’