Chapter 26 Chapter 26 I Received a Letter

"my friend: You will understand everything when you get the letter.Bella couldn't be moved by anything I said.She has surrendered herself.I was powerless to argue with her any longer. You now know that I lied to you before.For your trust in me, I have responded with a series of lies.It may seem incontrovertible to you, but before I disappear from your life, I want to tell you what it is all about.Life would be easier for me if I knew I could have your forgiveness.What I did was not for myself—that was the only point I could make in my own defense. Let's start with the day I met you on the train from Paris to connect passengers with the ship on time.I felt uneasy for Bella at the time. She was so desperate for Jack Reynolds that she would even lie on the ground and let him step on her.When he started to change his mind and write to her less often, her emotions were not right.She guessed that he was in love with other girls, and she was right, as it later turned out.She made up her mind to visit Jack at Melanville's family's villa.She knew I disapproved, so she managed to slip away when I wasn't looking.At Calais, I found that she was not on the train, and I made up my mind not to go back to England until I found her.I have an uneasy feeling that if I don't stop something will happen.

I am waiting for a train from Paris.She was in the car, and she insisted on going to Melanville immediately.I argued with her like hell, but it didn't help.She was so nervous that she had to do what she wanted.Well, I let it go.I have done my best.It was getting late, I went to find a hotel, and Bella set off for Melanville.I can't get rid of the feeling of 'something is at hand' - according to some books. The next day, Bella didn't come.She had made an appointment to meet me at the hotel, but she didn't keep the appointment.I haven't seen her figure all day, and I feel more and more anxious.Then came the news in the evening papers.

Terrible! Of course, I'm not sure, but I'm terribly afraid. I reckon Bella ran into old Raynor and told him about herself and Jack, and the old man said something insulting or something. We sisters are both hot tempered. Then came the scene of the two masked foreigners, and I started to feel a little lighter.But Bella's absence still worries me. The next morning, I was restless and had to come and see.From the very beginning, I met you.You know what happened after that... When I saw the dead man, who looked so much like Jack, and wore Jack's fancy coat, I understood! And there was the paper knife that Jack gave her--the evil gadgets.Eight out of ten had her fingerprints on them.I can't explain to you my fear and helplessness.Only one thing is clear - I must get the dagger and get out with it before anyone finds out.I pretended to be unconscious, and took a dagger and hid it under my clothes while you went to fetch water.

I tell you, I stayed at the Lighthouse Hotel, but actually I went straight back to Calais, and then took the first ferry back to England. Halfway across the strait, I dropped the sinister chin into the sea.That's when I felt relieved. Bella at our flat in London, she's pretending she's okay. I told her what I did and told her not to worry about it for now. She stared at me and started laughing... Laughing... Laughing, it was horrible to hear her laugh! I figured I'd better get busy.She would go crazy if she had time to think about what she had done.Fittingly, we were hired immediately.

Then, that night, I saw you and your friend watching us... I panicked.You must be suspicious, otherwise you wouldn't have tracked us down.I need to know even the worst news, so I follow you.I was simply desperate.Then, before I could say anything, I stumbled across that you suspected me, not Bella: or at least you took me for Bella, because I stole the dagger. I hope, darling, you can understand how I felt... Then maybe you'll forgive me... I'm frightened, I'm dazed, I don't care about anything... Only one thing is clear to me, and that's you Willing to try to save me - I didn't know at the time if you were willing to save her... I thought maybe not - it's two different things after all! But I can't take the risk: Bella is my twin sister, I must try to rescue her .So I continue to lie.I felt mean - and I still feel mean... that's the whole situation.I think you might say enough.I should have trusted you... If I had... waited until the papers said that Jack Raynor had been arrested, it would have been over, and Bella couldn't even wait to see what was going on... I was so tired.I can't write anymore. "

She had signed Cinderella's name, but crossed it out and changed it to "Dulce Duveen." The letter was very ill-formed and messed up on the paper, but I have kept it till now. Poirot was with me when I read the letter.The letter fell from my hand, and I looked at him across the table. "All this time you knew it was the other?" "Yes, my friend." "Then why didn't you tell me?" "First of all, I almost didn't expect you to make such a mistake. You have seen the photo. The two sisters are very similar, but not to the point of being indistinguishable."

"But the flaxen hair." "That's a wig, and it's put on to create an amusing contrast on stage. Could there be such a thing as twin sisters, one with black hair and the other with blond hair?" "Why didn't you tell me that night at the hotel in Coventry?" "You've used strong methods, mon ami," said Poirot coldly. "I don't even have a chance to speak." "But then?" "Ah, later! Well. First, I was sad that you didn't trust me. Later. I want to see if your relationship will stand the test of time.In fact, it is to see whether you are in love or just a flash of emotion.I shouldn't let you go wrong for a long time. "

I nodded.His tone was so kind that I couldn't hate it.I look at the letter paper.I suddenly picked them up from the floor and pushed them across the table to Poirot. "Read it," I said, "I want you to read this letter." He read the letter silently, then looked up at me. ①French: My friend, - Annotation. "What disturbs you so much, Hastings?" Poirot was in a different mood than usual, and his mocking attitude was put aside. It didn't take me long to say what I wanted to say. "She didn't say...she didn't say...well, didn't say whether she liked me at all?"

Poirot returned the letter to me. "I think you are mistaken, Hastings." "What's wrong?" I cried, leaning forward hastily. Poirot smiled. "She's telling you this feeling between the lines, monami." "But where shall I find her? There is no address on the letter, only a French postage stamp." "Don't get excited! Leave it to Papa Poirot. Just give me five short minutes, and I'll find her for you." ①French: my friend. ——Annotation.