第34部分(第2/7 頁)

waved　the　other's　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　millionaire's　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。　Poirot's　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　Aldin's　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