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第34部分（第1页）

re。　I　ask　you；　Monsieur　Van　Aldin；　whether　you　would　be　glad　or　sorry　if　what　I　tell　you　should　be　the　case？〃

Van　Aldin　stared　at　him。　〃Naturally　I　should　be　glad；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃Is　this　an　exercise　in　suppositions；　Monsieur　Poirot；　or　are　there　any　facts　behind　it？〃

Poirot　looked　at　the　ceiling。

〃There　is　an　off…chance；〃　he　said　quietly；　〃that　it　might　be　the　te　de　la　Roche　after　all。　At　least　I　have　succeeded　in　upsetting　his　alibi。〃

〃How　did　you　manage　that？〃

Poirot　shrugged　his　shoulders　modestly。

〃I　have　my　own　methods。　The　exercise　of　a　little　tact；　a　little　cleverness　…　and　the　thing　is　done。〃

〃But　the　rubies；〃　said　Van　Aldin；　〃these　rubies　that　the　Count　had　in　his　possession　were　false。〃

〃And　clearly　he　would　not　have　mitted　the　crime　except　for　the　rubies。　But　you　are　overlooking　one　point；　Monsieur　Van　Aldin。　Where　the　rubies　were　concerned；　someone　might　have　been　before　him。〃

〃But　this　is　an　entirely　new　theory；〃　cried　Knighton。

〃Do　you　really　believe　all　this　rigmarole；　Monsieur　Poirot？〃　demanded　the　millionaire。

〃The　thing　is　not　proved；〃　said　Poirot　quietly。　〃It　is　as　yet　only　a　theory；　but　I　tell　you　this；　Monsieur　Van　Aldin；　the　facts　are　worth　investigating。　You　must　e　out　with　me　to　the　south　of　France　and　go　into　the　case　on　the　spot。〃

〃You　really　think　this　is　necessary　…　that　I　should　go；　I　mean。〃

〃I　thought　it　would　be　what　you　yourself　would　wish；〃　said　Poirot。

There　was　a　hint　of　reproach　in　his　tone　which　was　not　lost　upon　the　other。

〃Yes；　yes；　of　course；〃　he　said。　〃When　do　you　wish　to　start；　Monsieur　Poirot？〃

〃You　are　very　busy　at　present；　sir；〃　murmured　Knighton。

But　the　millionaire　had　now　made　up　his　mind；　and　he　waved　the　others　objections　aside。

〃I　guess　this　business　es　first；〃　he　said。　〃All　right；　Monsieur　Poirot；　tomorrow。　What　train？〃

〃We　will　go；　I　think；　by　the　Blue　Train；〃　said　Poirot；　and　he　smiled。

Chapter　34

THE　BLUE　TRAIN　AGAIN

The　millionaires　train；　as　it　is　sometimes　called；　swung　round　a　curve　of　line　at　what　seemed　a　dangerous　speed。　Van　Aldin；　Knighton　and　Poirot　sat　together　in　silence。

Knighton　and　Van　Aldin　had　two　partments　connecting　with　each　other；　as　Ruth　Kettering　and　her　maid　had　had　on　the　fateful　journey。　Poirots　own　partment　was　further　along　the　coach。

The　journey　was　a　painful　one　for　Van　Aldin；　recalling　as　it　did　the　most　agonizing　memories。　Poirot　and　Knighton　conversed　occasionally　in　low　tones　without　disturbing　him。

When；　however；　the　train　had　pleted　its　slow　journey　round　the　ceinture　and　reached　the　Gare　de　Lyon；　Poirot　became　suddenly　galvanized　into　activity。　Van　Aldin　realized　that　part　of　his　object　in　travelling　by　the　train　had　been　to　attempt　to　reconstruct　the　crime。　Poirot　himself　acted　every　part。　He　was　in　turn　the　maid；　hurriedly　shut　into　her　own　partment；　Mrs　Kettering；　recognizing　her　husband　with　surprise　and　a　trace　of　anxiety；　and　Derek　Kettering　discovering　that　his　wife　was　travelling　on　the　train。　He　tested　various　possibilities；　such　as　the　best　way　for　a　person　to　conceal　himself　in　the　second　partment。

Then　suddenly　an　idea　seemed　to　strike　him。　He　clutched　at　Van　Aldins　arm。

〃Mon　Dieu；　but　that　is　something　I　have　not　thought　of！　We　must　break　our　journey　in　Paris。　Quick；　quick；　let　us　alight　at　once。〃

Seizing　suitcases　he　hurried　from　the　train。　Van　Aldin　and　Knighton；　bewildered　but　obedient；　followed　him。　Van　Aldin　having　once　formed　his　opinion　of　Poirots　ability　was　slow　to　part　from　it。　At　the　barrier　they　were　held　up。　Their　tickets　were　in　charge　of　the　conductor　of　the　train；　a　fact　which　all　three　of　them　had　forgotten。

Poirots　explanations　were　rapid；　fluent；　and　impassioned；　but　they　produced　no　effect　upon　the　stolid…faced　official。