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〃I am older。〃
〃Yes； you are older。 And by that I do not mean that the wrinkles and the crows' feet are ing。 When I first saw you； Mademoiselle； you were a looker…on at life。 You had the quiet； amused look of one who sits back in the stalls and watches the play。〃
〃And now？〃
〃Now； you no longer watch。 It is an absurd thing； perhaps； that I say here； but you have the wary look of a fighter who is playing a difficult game。〃
〃My old lady is difficult sometimes；〃 said Katherine； with a smile； 〃but I can assure you that I don't engage in deadly contests with her。 You must go down and see her some day； Monsieur Poirot。 I think you are one of the people who would appreciate her pluck and her spirit。〃
There was a silence while the waiter deftly served them with chicken en casserole。 When he had departed； Poirot said：
〃You have heard me speak of my friend Hastings？ … he who said that I was a human oyster。 Eh bien； Mademoiselle； I have met my match in you。 You； far more than I； play a lone hand。〃
〃Nonsense；〃 said Katherine lightly。
〃Never does Hercule Poirot talk nonsense。 It is as I say。〃
Again there was a silence。 Poirot broke it by inquiring：
〃Have you seen any of our Riviera friends since you have been back； Mademoiselle？〃
〃I have seen something of Major Knighton。〃
〃A…ha！ Is that so？〃
Something in Poirot's twinkling eyes made Katherine lower hers。
〃So Mr Van Aldin remains in London？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃I must try to see him tomorrow or the next day。〃
〃You have news for him？〃
〃What makes you think that？〃
〃I … wondered； that is all。〃
Poirot looked across at her with twinkling eyes。
〃And now； Mademoiselle； there is much that you wish to ask me； I can see that。 And why not？ Is not the affair of the Blue Train our own 'Roman Policier'？〃
〃Yes； there are things I should like to ask you。〃
〃Eh bien？〃
Katherine looked up with a sudden air of resolution。
〃What were you doing in Paris； Monsieur Poirot？〃
Poirot smiled slightly。
〃I made a call at the Russian Embassy。〃
〃Oh。〃
〃I see that that tells you nothing。 But I will not be a human oyster。 No； I will lay my cards on the table； which is assuredly a thing that oysters do not do。 You suspect； do you not； that I am not satisfied with the case against Derek Kettering？〃
〃That is what I have been wondering。 I thought； in Nice； that you had finished with the case。〃
〃You do not say all that you mean； Mademoiselle。 But I admit everything。 It was I … my researches … which placed Derek Kettering where he is now。 But for me the Examining Magistrate would still be vainly trying to fasten the crime on the te de la Roche。 Eh bien； Mademoiselle； what I have done I do not regret。 I have only one duty … to discover the truth； and that way led straight to Mr Kettering。 But did it end there？ The police say yes； but I； Hercule Poirot； am not satisfied。〃
He broke off suddenly。 〃Tell me； Mademoiselle； have you heard from Mademoiselle Lenox lately？〃
〃One very short； scrappy letter。 She is； I think； annoyed with me for ing back to England。〃
Poirot nodded。
〃I had an interview with her the night that Monsieur Kettering was arrested。 It was an interesting interview in more ways than one。〃
Again he fell silent； and Katherine did not interrupt his train of thought。
〃Mademoiselle；〃 he said at last； 〃I am now on delicate ground； yet I will say this to you。 There is； I think； someone who loves Monsieur Kettering … correct me if I am wrong … and for her sake … well … for her sake I hope that I am right and the police are wrong。 You know who that someone is？〃
There was a pause； then Katherine said： 〃Yes … I think I know。〃
Poirot leant across the table towards her。
〃I am not satisfied； Mademoiselle； no； I am not satisfied。 The facts； the main facts； led straight to Monsieur Kettering。 But there is one thing that has been left out of account。〃
〃And what is that？〃
〃The disfigured face of the victim。 I have asked myself； Mademoiselle； a hundred times； 'Was Derek Kettering the kind of man who would deal that smashing blow after having mitted murder？' What end would it serve？ What purpose would it acplish？ Was it a likely action for one of Monsieur Kettering's temperament？ And； Mademoiselle； the answer to these questions is profoundly unsatisfactory。 Again and again I go back to that one point … 'why？' And the only things I have to help me to a solution of the problem are these。〃
He whipped out his pocket…book and extracted something from it which he held between his finger and thumb。
〃Do you remember； Mademoiselle？ You saw me take these hairs from the rug in the railway carriage。〃
Katherine leant forward； scrutinizing the hairs keenly。
Poirot nodded his head slowly several times。
〃They suggest nothing to you； I see that； Mademoiselle。 And yet … I think somehow that you see a good deal。〃
〃I have had ideas；〃 said Katherine slowly； 〃curious ideas。 That is why I ask you what you were doing in Paris； Monsieur Poirot。〃
〃When I wrote to you …〃
〃From the Ritz？〃
A curious smile came over Poirot's face。
〃Yes； as you say； from the Ritz。 I am a luxurious person sometimes … when a millionaire pays。〃
〃The Russian Embassy；〃 said Katherine； frowning。 〃No； I don't see where that es in。〃
〃It does not e in directly； Mademoiselle。 I went there to get certain information。 I saw a particular personage and I threatened him … yes； Mademoiselle； I； Hercule Poirot； threatened him。〃
〃With the police？〃
〃No；〃 said Poirot drily； 〃with the Press … a much more deadly weapon。〃
He looked at Katherine and she smiled at him； just shaking her head。
〃Are you not just turning back into an oyster again； Monsieur Poirot？〃
〃No； no！ I do not wish to make mysteries。 See； I will tell you everything。 I suspect this man of being the active party in the sale of the jewels of Monsieur Van Aldin。 I tax him with it； and in the end I get the whole story out of him。 I learn where the jewels were handed over； and I learn； too； of the man who paced up and down outside in the street … a man with a venerable head of white hair； but who walked with the light； springy step of a young man … and I give that man a name in my own mind … the name of 'Monsieur le Marquis。'〃
〃And now you have e to London to see Mr Van Aldin？〃
〃Not entirely for that reason。 I had other work to do。 Since I have been in London I have seen two more people … a theatrical agent and a Harley Street doctor。 From each of them I have got certain information。 Put these things together； Mademoiselle； and see if you can make of them the same as I do。〃
〃I？〃
〃Yes； you。 I will tell you one thing； Mademoiselle。 There has been a doubt all along in my mind as to whether the robbery and the murder were done by the same person。 For a long time I was not sure …〃
〃And now？〃
〃And now I know。〃
There was a silence。 Then Katherine lifted her head。 Her eyes were shining。
〃I am not clever like you； Monsieur Poirot。 Half the things that you have been telling me don't seem to me to point anywhere at all。 The ideas that came to me came from such an entirely different angle …〃
〃Ah； but that is always so；〃 said Poirot quietly。 〃A mirror shows the truth； but everyone stands in a different place for looking into the mirror。〃
〃My ideas may be absurd … they may be entirely different from yours； but …〃
〃Yes？〃
〃Tell me； does this help you at all？〃
He took a newspaper cutting from her outstretched hand。 He read it and； looking up； he nodded gravely。
〃As I told you； Mademoiselle； one stands at a different angle for looking into the mirror； but it is the same mirror and the same things are reflected there。〃
Katherine got up。 〃I must rush；〃 she said。 〃I have only just time to catch my train； Monsieur Poirot …〃
〃Yes； Mademoiselle。〃
〃It … it mustn't be much longer； you understand。 I … I can't go on much longer。〃
There was a break in her voice。
He patted her hand reassuringly。
〃Courage； Mademoiselle； you must not fail now； the end is very near。〃
Chapter 33
A NEW THEORY
〃Monsieur Poirot wants to see you； sir。〃
〃Damn the fellow！〃 said Van Aldin。
Knighton remained sympathetically silent。 Van Aldin got up from his chair and paced up and down。
〃I suppose you have seen the cursed newspapers this morning？〃
〃I have glanced at them； sir。〃
〃Still at it hammer and tongs？〃
〃I am afraid so； sir。〃
The millionaire sat down again and pressed his hand to his forehead。
〃If I had had an idea of this；〃 he groaned。 〃I wish to God I had never got that little Belgian to ferret out the truth。 Find Ruth's murderer … that was all I thought about。〃
〃You wouldn't have liked your son…in…law to go scot free？〃
Van Aldin sighed。
〃I would have preferred to take the law into my own hands。〃
〃I don't think that would have been a very wise proceeding； sir。〃
〃All the same … are you sure the fellow wants to see me？〃
〃Yes； Mr Van Aldin。 He is very urgent about it。〃
〃Then I suppose he will have to。 He can e along this morning if he likes。〃
It was a very fresh and debonair Poirot who was ushered in。 He did not seem to see any lack of cordiality in the millionaire's manner； and chatted pleasantly about various trifles。 He was in London； he explained； to see his doctor。 He mentioned the name of an eminent surgeon。
〃No； no； pas la guerre … a memory of my days in the police force； a bullet of a rascally Apache。〃
He touched his left shoulder and winced realistically。
〃I always consider you a lucky man； Monsieur Van Aldin； you are not like our popular idea of American millionaires； martyrs to the dyspepsia。〃
〃I am pretty tough；〃 said Van Aldin。 〃I lead a very simple life； you know； plain fare and not too much of it。〃
〃You have seen something of Miss Grey； have you not？〃 inquired Poirot； innocently turning to the secretary。
〃I … yes； once or twice；〃 said Knighton。
He blushed slightly and Van Aldin exclaimed in surprise：
〃Funny you never mentioned to me that you had seen her； Knighton？〃
〃I didn't think you would be interested； sir。〃
〃I like that girl very much；〃 said Van Aldin。
〃It is a thousand pities that she should have buried herself once more in St Mary Mead；〃 said Poirot。
〃It is very fine of her；〃 said Knighton hotly。 〃There are very few people who would bury themselves down there to look after a cantankerous old woman who has no earthly claim on her。〃
〃I am silent；〃 said Poirot； his eyes twinkling a little； 〃but all the same I say it is a pity。 And now； Messieurs； let us e to business。〃
Both the other men looked at him in some surprise。
〃You must not be shocked or alarmed at what I am about to say。 Supposing； Monsieur Van Aldin； that； after all； Monsieur Derek Kettering did not murder his wife？〃
〃What？〃
Both men stared at him in blank surprise。
〃Supposing； I say； that Monsieur Derek Kettering did not murder his wife？〃
〃Are you mad； Monsieur Poirot？〃
It was Van Aldin who spoke。
〃No；〃 said Poirot； 〃I am not mad。 I am eccentric； perhaps … at least certain people say so； but as regards my profession； I am very much； as one says； 'all there。' I ask you； Monsieur Van Aldin；