Hercule Poirot looked admiringly at the young lady who had just been ushered into the office. There was nothing special in the letter she wrote to him, she only asked to see him and didn't mention anything else.The letter was very short, and the tone was very serious. Only the firm and powerful handwriting showed that this Kara Li Maqian was a young and lively woman. Now, at last, he saw her in person—tall, slender, in her early twenties.She was the kind of woman anyone could resist taking a second look at, in expensive and well-cut clothes.Her eyebrows are quite square, her nose bridge is straight and individual, and her chin is firm and decisive.

But what attracts the most attention is not her beauty, but her liveliness. Before she came, Hercule Poirot felt lifeless and lifeless, but now he seemed much younger, full of vigor and energy! He stepped forward to meet her, and at the same time, he noticed that her dark gray eyes were staring at him closely, as if she wanted to weigh his weight carefully. She sat down, took the cigarette he handed over, and after lighting it, she smoked for a minute or two, still looking at him with that eager, thoughtful look. Polo said gently: "Yes, you have to make up your mind first, right?"

She said, "Sorry, I don't quite understand what you mean." Her voice is captivating, with a pleasant, slightly husky accent. "You are thinking, am I a quack doctor, or the person you need, aren't you?" She smiled and said, "That's right—almost, you know, Mr. Poirot, you—are not quite what I imagined." "And older than you think, too, right?" "Yes," she said again, after a moment's hesitation, "I'm telling the truth, I need—definitely the best." "Don't worry!" said Hercule Poirot, "I am the best candidate!"

Carla said, "You're not a humble man...but I'll take your word for it." Polo said calmly: "You know, a person does not have to be physically strong. I don't have to bend down to measure footprints, pick up cigarette butts or check grass stalks, just sit down and think, that's it" ── he pointed out Pointing to his own egg-shaped head──"It played the greatest role." Carla Limaqian said: "I know, that's why I came to you. I'm going to make you do something very unbelievable!" "That would be interesting," said Hercule Poirot, looking at her encouragingly.

Kara Li Maqian took a deep breath. "My name," she said, "isn't Kara, it's Caroline, like my mother's." She paused, and then said, "Although my current surname is Li Maqian, my real surname should be Currel." Hercule Poirot frowned in confusion for a while, and murmured: "Curel—I seem to remember..." She said: "My late father was a painter—quite famous, some people said he was a great painter , and I do believe it." Polo said, "Anja, Currel?" "Yes." She paused, "My late mother, Caroline Currell, is on trial for murdering him."

"Ah—ha," said Poirot, "I remember now—but not very much, because I was in a foreign country at the time, and it was so long ago." "Sixteen years," she said. At this moment, her face was already very pale, and her eyes were like two clusters of burning torches. "You know what? She was tried and sentenced--but not hanged, because the judge found her extenuating circumstances and gave her a life sentence. But she died a year later. You know Is it? It's all over—it's over..." "What are you going to do now?" The girl named Kara Li Maqian clasped her hands tightly and murmured slowly, but said in a strange but firm tone: "You must fully understand what happened. I was only five years old when it happened. Left and right, don't know anything about it. Of course, I remember my father and mother, and I also remember that I suddenly left home and was sent to the country. I remember there were a lot of pigs, and a kind fat peasant woman--everyone They were all very nice to me, and I remember it all the more clearly, and it was kind of funny how everyone looked at me in a strange, almost sly way. Of course, like all kids, I knew something was wrong, but I didn't What is it? Later, after many days of boating, I finally arrived in Canada. Uncle Simon picked me up and I lived with him and Aunt Louise in Montreal. Every time I asked about Mom and Dad, they Just say they will come to see me soon. Gradually, although no one told me, I seem to know that my parents are dead. At that time, I don't think about them anymore, just live happily. Uncle Simon And Aunt Louise is very kind to me. I also went to school and made many friends. I completely forgot that I have another surname besides Li Maqian. Aunt Louise told me that I use this surname in Canada. , I also thought it was reasonable at the time-it was just my surname in Canada, but I said it, and then I completely forgot that I had another surname."

She suddenly raised her chin and said provocatively: "Look at me, if you see me on the road, you will think, that girl is really blessed and carefree! I am rich, in good health, and very good-looking. Looks good, should be able to enjoy life. When I was twenty, I thought I was the happiest person in the world, and I would never trade places with any other girl." "However, I have already had doubts about my parents. Who are my parents? Where are they? What are they doing? I must find out..." "Finally, they told me the truth when I was twenty-one years old. Partly because I inherited my own property, partly because of the letter - the letter my mother left me before she died. That letter." Her expression darkened, and her eyes no longer looked like two clusters of bright torches, but two pools of dark and deep lake water.

"That's when I learned the truth, that my mother had committed murder — it was horrible," she said. She paused for a while, then said, "I'll tell you one more thing: I'm engaged and I'm getting married soon, and they want me to wait until I'm twenty-one. I won't understand until I know this. For what." Polo moved his body and asked for the first time, "What does your fiancé think about this matter?" "John? He didn't care. He said it didn't matter to him, he and I, or John and Carla, it didn't change, it was a long time ago." She leaned forward.

"Our marriage contract still exists, but you know, in fact, it does have an impact, not only on me, but also on John... It's not that the past will change, but the future." She clenched her fists, "Both of us want children, and we don't want to worry about watching our children grow up." Poirot said, "Don't you know that the ancestors of every human being were once violent?" "You don't understand, of course you are right. The problem is that not everyone knows it, but we do, and the time is very close. Sometimes—I find that John is looking at me so quietly, although it's just A short glance, but—in case we quarreled after we were married, and I caught him looking at me that way, and—” said Poirot, “how did your father die?”

Carla said in a clear and positive voice: "Poisoned." Polo said: "I understand." The two were silent for a while.Then, in a calm, practical voice, she said, "Thank God, you are sensible enough to know that this matter does have an effect, and you don't try to comfort me with frivolous words like other people do." "I understand this very well," said Polo, "but I don't understand why you came to me?" Carla said simply: "I want to marry John, I really want to marry him! And at least two boys and two girls for him. I want you to help me make this wish come true!"

"You mean, you want me to talk to your fiancé? No, that shouldn't be the case! You must mean something else. Tell me, what are you going to do?" "Listen, Mr. Poirot, I You're hired to investigate a murder!" "You mean...?" "Yes, a murder! Whether it happened yesterday or sixteen years ago, it was undoubtedly a murder..." "But, miss..." "Wait a minute, Mr. Poirot, I haven't finished my sentence yet, there is one very important thing." "Oh?" "The late mother was innocent," Carla said. Polo rubbed his nose and murmured: "Of course──I understand..." "No, I'm not being sentimental. She left me a letter before she died, asking them to give it to me when I was twenty-one. She left that letter for one reason—to make me trust her, she Didn't do that - she's innocent." Poirot looked thoughtfully at the young, lively face gazing eagerly at him.He said slowly, "A white lie." Carla smiled slightly and said, "No, Mom isn't that kind of person! You think she might lie because she didn't want to make me sad?" She leaned forward eagerly, and added: "Mr. Poirot, the child already knows certain things very well. I remember my mother--my impression of her is incomplete, of course, but I know her very well. She Doesn't lie - she doesn't lie for the sake of good intentions, if something hurts you, she will tell the truth, such as the pain of going to the dentist, etc. She likes to tell the truth. I don't particularly like her, but I believe that She. I still believe her now! If she said she didn’t kill my late father, she definitely didn’t kill him! She’s not the kind of person who would seriously lie before dying.” Polo said slowly, almost a little Nodding reluctantly. Carla said again: "So, it doesn't matter at all that I marry John. I know this, but he doesn't know it! He thinks that of course I think my mother is innocent. Mr. Poirot, I must clarify this matter, This job is for you!" Polo said slowly, "Even if what you said is true, miss, sixteen years have passed!" Carla said, "Oh! Of course it's not easy! And only you can!" Poirot blinked slightly and said: "You think highly of me—huh?" Carla said, "I've heard of your name before, and know that you've done a lot of great cases, and that you don't approach them in the same way as other people. You're most interested in Criminal Minds, aren't you? Criminal Minds doesn't Changed because of time. The tangible things have disappeared - cigarette butts, footprints, etc. I'm afraid you will never find them again, but you can investigate what happened again and talk to those who were there at the time - those who are now They are all alive, and then—as you said just now, you can sit on a chair, think about it, and you will understand the truth of the matter..." Polo stood up, stroked his beard with one hand and said, "Miss, I feel very honored. I will prove to you that your vision is right. I took over this murder case, and I will investigate sixteen years ago. to find out the truth of the matter.” Carla stood up, her eyes sparkling, but all she said was, "Very well." Polo shook his index finger and said: "Wait a minute, I said I want to find out the truth of the matter, but you know, I don't have any preconceived notions, and I can't accept your confidence in guaranteeing your innocence. In case, she really It’s the murderer—what should I do?” Cara raised her head bravely and said, “I am her daughter, and I must know the truth!” Polo said, "Okay, it's a deal."