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〃Madame is surprised to see him； but she deals with the situation promptly。 Mason is got out of the way； a dinner basket is ordered。
We know from the conductor that he made up the berth for the first partment； that he did not go into the second partment； and that a man could quite well have been concealed from him。 So far the te would have been hidden to a marvel。 No one knows of his presence on the train except Madame； he has been careful that the maid did not see his face。 All that she could say is that he was tall and dark。 It is all most conveniently vague。 They are alone … and the train rushes through the night。 There would be no outcry； no struggle； for the man is； so she thinks； her lover。〃
He turned gently to Van Aldin。
〃Death； Monsieur； must have been almost instantaneous。 We te takes the jewel…case which lies ready to his hand。 Shortly afterwards the train draws into Lyons。〃
M。 Carrege nodded his approval。
〃Precisely。 The conductor descends。 It would be easy for our man to leave the train unseen； it would be easy to catch a train back to Paris or anywhere he pleases。 And the crime would be put down as an ordinary train robbery。 But for the letter found in Madame's bag； the te would not have been mentioned。〃
〃It was an oversight on his part not to search that bag；〃 declared the missary。
〃Without doubt he thought she had destroyed that letter。 It was … pardon me； Monsieur … it was an indiscretion of the first water to keep it。〃
〃And yet；〃 murmured Poirot； 〃it was an indiscretion the te might have foreseen。〃
〃You mean？〃
〃I mean we are all agreed on one point； and that is that the te de la Roche knows one subject à fond： Women。 How was it that； knowing women as he does； he did not foresee that Madame would have kept that letter？〃
〃Yes … yes；〃 said the Examining Magistrate doubtfully； 〃there is something in what you say。 But at such times； you understand； a man is not master of himself。 He does not reason calmly。 Mon Dieu！〃 he added； with feeling； 〃if our criminals kept their heads and acted with intelligence； how should we capture them？〃
Poirot smiled to himself。
〃It seems to me a clear case；〃 said the other； 〃but a difficult one to prove。 He is a slippery customer； and unless the maid can identify him …〃
〃Which is most unlikely；〃 said Poirot。
〃True； true。〃 The Examining Magistrate rubbed his chin。 〃It is going to be difficult。〃
〃If he did indeed mit the crime …〃 began Poirot。 M。 Caux interrupted。
〃If … you say if？〃
〃Yes； Monsieur le Juge； I say if。〃
The other looked at him sharply。 〃You are right；〃 he said at last； 〃we go too fast。 It is possible that the te may have an alibi。 Then we should look foolish。〃
〃Ah； ？a par exemple；〃 replied Poirot； 〃that is of no importance whatever。 Naturally； if he mitted the crime he will have an alibi。 A man with the te's experience does not neglect to take precautions。 No； I said if for a very different reason。〃
〃And what was that？〃
Poirot wagged an emphatic forefinger。
〃The psychology。〃
〃Eh？〃 said the missary。
〃The psychology is at fault。 The te is a scoundrel … yes。 The te is a swindler … yes。 The te preys upon women … yes。 He proposes to steal Madame's jewels … again yes。 Is he the kind of man to mit murder？ I say no！ A man of the type of the te is always a coward； he takes no risks。 He plays the safe； the mean； what the English call the lowdown game； but murder； a hundred times no！〃 He shook his head in a dissatisfied manner。
The Examining Magistrate； however； did not seem disposed to agree with him。
〃The day always es when such gentry lose their heads and go too far；〃 he observed sagely。 〃Doubtless that is the case here。 Without wishing to disagree with you； M。 Poirot …〃
〃It was only an opinion；〃 Poirot hastened to explain。 〃The case is； of course； in your hands； and you will do what seems fit to you。〃
〃I am satisfied in my own mind that the te de la Roche is the man we need to get hold of；〃 said M。 Carrege。 〃You agree with me； Monsieur le missaire？〃
〃Perfectly。〃
〃And you； M。 Van Aldin？〃
〃Yes；〃 said the millionaire。 〃Yes； the man is a thorough…paced villain； no doubt about it。〃
〃It will be difficult to lay hands on him； I am afraid；〃 said the Magistrate； 〃but we shall do our best。 Telegraphed instructions shall go out at once。〃
〃Permit me to assist you；〃 said Poirot。 〃There need be no difficulty。〃
〃Eh？〃
The others stared at him。 The little man smiled beamingly back at them。
〃It is my business to know things。〃 he explained。 〃The te is a man of intelligence。 He is at present at a villa he has leased； the Villa Marina at Antibes。〃
Chapter 16
POIROT DISCUSSES THE CASE
Everybody looked respectfully at Poirot。
Undoubtedly the little man had scored heavily。 The missary laughed … on a rather hollow note。
〃You teach us all our business；〃 he cried。 〃M。 Poirot knows more than the police。〃
Poirot gazed placently at the ceiling； adopting a mock…modest air。
〃What will you； it is my little hobby；〃 he murmured； 〃to know things。 Naturally I have the time to indulge it。 I am not overburdened with affairs。〃
〃Ah！〃 said the missary shaking his head portentously。 〃As for me …〃
He made an exaggerated gesture to represent the cares that lay on his shoulders。
Poirot turned suddenly to Van Aldin。
〃You agree； Monsieur； with this view？ You feel certain that the te de la Roche is the murderer？〃
〃Why； it would seem so … yes； certain。〃
Something guarded in the answer made the Examining Magistrate look at the American curiously。 Van Aldin seemed aware of his scrutiny and made an effort as though to shake off some preoccupation。
〃What about my son…in…law？〃 he asked。 〃You have acquainted him with the news？ He is in Nice； I understand。〃
〃Certainly； Monsieur。〃 The missary hesitated； and then murmured very discreetly：
〃You are doubtless aware； M。 Van Aldin； that M。 Kettering was also one of the passengers on the Blue Train that night？〃
The millionaire nodded。
〃Heard it just before I left London；〃 he vouchsafed laconically。
〃He tells us；〃 continued the missary； 〃that he had no idea his wife was travelling on the train。〃
〃I bet he hadn't；〃 said Van Aldin grimly。 〃It would have been rather a nasty shock to him if he'd e across her on it。〃
The three men looked at him questioningly。
〃I'm not going to mince matters；〃 said Van Aldin savagely。 〃No one knows what my poor girl has had to put up with。 Derek Kettering wasn't alone。 He had a lady with him。〃
〃Ah？〃
〃Mirelle … the dancer。〃
M。 Carrege and the missary looked at each other and nodded as though confirming some previous conversation。 M。 Carrege leaned back in his chair； joined his hands； and fixed his eyes on the ceiling。
〃Ah！〃 he murmured again。 〃One wondered。〃
He coughed。 〃One has heard rumours。〃
〃The lady；〃 said M。 Caux； 〃is very notorious。〃
〃And also；〃 murmured Poirot softly； 〃very expensive。〃
Van Aldin had gone very red in the face。
He leant forward and hit the table a bang with his fist。
〃See here；〃 he cried； 〃my son…in…law is a damned scoundrel！〃
He glared at them； looking from one face to another。
〃Oh； I know；〃 he went on。 〃Good looks and a charming； easy manner。 It took me in once upon a time。 I suppose he pretended to be broken…hearted when you broke the news to him … that is； if he didn't know it already。〃
〃Oh； it came as a plete surprise to him。 He was overwhelmed。〃
〃Darned young hypocrite；〃 said Van Aldin。 〃Simulated great grief； I suppose？〃
〃N…no；〃 said the missary cautiously。 〃I 。 Carrege？〃
The Magistrate brought the tips of his fingers together； and half closed his eyes。
〃Shock； bewilderment； horror … these things； yes；〃 he declared judicially。 〃Great sorrow … no … I should not say that。〃
Hercule Poirot spoke once more。
〃Permit me to ask； M。 Van Aldin； does M。 Kettering benefit by the death of his wife？〃
〃He benefits to the tune of a couple of millions；〃 said Van Aldin。
〃Dollars？〃
〃Pounds。 I settled that sum on Ruth absolutely on her marriage。 She made no will and leaves no children； so the money will go to her husband。〃
〃Whom she was on the point of divorcing；〃 murmured Poirot。 〃Ah； yes … précisément。〃
The missary turned and looked sharply at him。
〃Do you mean …〃 he began。
〃I mean nothing；〃 said Poirot。 〃I arrange the facts； that is all。〃
Van Aldin stared at him with awakening interest。
The little man rose to his feet。
〃I do not think I can be of any further service to you； M。 le Juge；〃 he said politely； bowing to M。 Carrege。 〃You will keep me informed of the course of events？ It will be a kindness。〃
〃But certainly … most certainly。〃
Van Aldin rose also。
〃You don't want me any more at present？〃
〃No； Monsieur； we have all the information we need for the moment。〃
〃Then I will walk a little way with M。 Poirot。 That is； if he does not object？〃
〃Enchanted； Monsieur；〃 said the little man； with a bow。
Van Aldin lighted a large cigar； having offered one to Poirot； who declined it； and lit one of his own tiny cigarettes。 A man of great strength of character； Van Aldin already appeared to be his everyday； normal self once more。 After strolling along for a minute or two in silence； the millionaire spoke：
〃I take it； M。 Poirot； that you no longer exercise your profession？〃
〃That is so； Monsieur。 I enjoy the world。〃
〃Yet you are assisting the police in this affair？〃
〃Monsieur； if a doctor walks along the street and an accident happens； does he say； 'I have retired from my profession； I will continue my walk；' when there is someone bleeding to death at his feet？ If I had been already in Nice； and the police had sent to me and asked me to assist them； I should have refused。 But this affair； the good God thrust it upon me。〃
〃You were on the spot；〃 said Van Aldin thoughtfully。 〃You examined the partment； did you not？〃
Poirot nodded。
〃Doubtless you found things that were； shall we say； suggestive to you？〃
〃Perhaps；〃 said Poirot。
〃I hope you see what I am leading up to？〃 said Van Aldin。 〃It seems to me that the case against this te de la Roche is perfectly clear； but I am not a fool。 I have been watching you for this last hour or so； and I realise that for some reason of your own you don't agree with that theory？〃
Poirot shrugged his shoulders。
〃I may be wrong。〃
〃So we e to the favour I want to ask you。 Will you act in this matter for me？〃
〃For you personally？〃
〃That was my meaning。〃
Poirot was silent for a moment or two。
Then he said：
〃You realize what you are asking？〃
〃I guess so；〃 said Van Aldin。
〃Very well；〃 said Poirot。 〃I accept。 But in that case； I must have frank answers to my questions。〃
〃Why； certainly。 That is understood。〃
Poirot's manner changed。 He became suddenly brusque and businesslike。
〃This question of a divorce；〃 he said。 〃It was you who advised your daughter to bring the suit？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃When？〃
〃About ten days ago。 I had had a letter from her plaining of her husband's behaviour； and I put it to her very strongly that divorce was the only remedy。〃
〃In what way did she plain of his behaviour？〃
〃