that the gentlemen who were speaking to her were of the same nationality as the trains。
〃Now let us talk this affair over；〃 said M。 Carrege。 〃There was； I understand； no question of your staying in Paris when you started from London？〃
〃Oh no； sir。 We were to go straight through to Nice。〃
〃Have you ever been abroad with your mistress before？〃
〃No； sir。 I had only been with her two months； you see。〃
〃Did she seem quite as usual when starting on this journey？〃
〃She was worried like and a bit upset； and she was rather irritable and difficult to please。〃
M。 Carrege nodded。
〃Now then； Mason； what was the first you heard of your stopping in Paris？〃
〃It was at the place they call the Gare de Lyon； sir。 My mistress was thinking of getting out and walking up and down the platform。 She was just going out into the corridor when she gave a sudden exclamation； and came back into her partment with a gentleman。 She shut the door between her carriage and mine； so that I didn't see or hear anything； till she suddenly opened it again and told me that she had changed her plans。 She gave me some money and told me to get out and go to the Ritz。 They knew her well there； she said； and would give me a room。 I was to wait there until I heard from her； she would wire me what she wanted me to do。 I had just time to get my things together and jump out of the train before it started off。 It was a rush。〃
〃While Mrs Kettering was telling you this； where was the gentleman？〃
〃He was standing in the other partment； sir； looking out of the window。〃
〃Can you describe him to us？〃
〃Well； you see； sir； I hardly saw him。 He had his back to me most of the time。 He was a tall gentleman and dark； that's all I can say。 He was dressed very like any other gentleman in a dark blue overcoat and a grey hat。〃
〃Was he one of the passengers on the train？〃
〃I don't think so； sir； I took it that he had e to the station to see Mrs Kettering in passing through。 Of course he might have been one of the passengers； I never thought of that。〃
Mason seemed a little flurried by the suggestion。
〃Ah！〃 M。 Carrege passed lightly to another subject。 〃Your mistress later requested the conductor not to rouse her early in the morning。 Was that a likely thing for her to do； do you think？〃
〃Oh yes； sir。 The mistress never ate any breakfast and she didn't sleep well at nights； so that she liked sleeping on in the morning。〃
Again M。 Carrege passed to another subject。
〃Amongst the luggage there was a scarlet morocco case； was there not？〃 he asked。 〃Your mistress's jewel…case？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Did you take that case to the Ritz？〃
〃Me take the mistress's jewel…case to the Ritz？ Oh no； indeed； sir。〃 Mason's tones were horrified。
〃You left it behind you in the carriage？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Had your mistress many jewels with her； do you know？〃
〃A fair amount； sir； made me a bit uneasy sometimes； I can tell you； with those nasty tales you hear of being robbed in foreign countries。 They were insured； I know； but all the same it seemed a frightful risk。 Why； the rubies alone； the mistress told me； were worth several hundred thousand pounds。〃
〃The rubies！ What rubies？〃 barked Van Aldin suddenly。
Mason turned to him。
〃I think it was you who gave them to her； sir； not very long ago。〃
〃My God！〃 cried Van Aldin。 〃You don't imply she had those rubies with her？ I told her to leave them at the Bank。〃
Mason gave once more the discreet cough which was apparently part of her stock…in…trade as a lady's maid。 This time it expressed a good deal。 It expressed far more clearly than words could have done； that Mason's mistress had been a lady who took her own way。
〃Ruth must have been mad；〃 muttered Van Aldin。 〃What on earth could have possessed her？〃
M。 Carrege in turn gave vent to a cough； again a cough of significance。 It riveted Van Aldin's attention on him。
〃For the moment；〃 said M。 Carrege； addressing Mason； 〃I think that is all。 If you will go into the next room； Mademoiselle； they will read over to you the questions and answers； and you will sign accordingly。〃
Mason went out escorted by the clerk； and Van Aldin said immediately to the Magistrate：
〃Well？〃
M。 Carrege opened a drawer in his desk； took out a letter； and handed it across to Van Aldin。
〃This was found in Madame's handbag。〃
〃Chère amie〃 （the letter ran）；
〃I will obey you； I will be prudent； discreet … all those things that a lover most hates。 Paris would perhaps have been unwise； but the Isles d'Or are far away from the world； and you may be assured that nothing will leak out。 It is like you and your divine sympathy to be so interested in the work on famous jewels that I am writing。 It will； indeed； be an extraordinary privilege to actually see and handle these historic rubies。 I am devoting a special passage to 'Heart of Fire。' My wonderful one！ Soon I will make up to you for all those sad years of separation and emptiness。
〃Your ever…adoring；
〃Armand。〃
Chapter 15
THE TE DE LA ROCHE
Van Aldin read the letter through in silence。 His face turned a dull angry crimson。 The men watching him saw the veins start out on his forehead； and his big hands clench themselves unconsciously。 He handed back the letter without a word。 M。 Carrege was looking with close attention at his desk； M。 Caux's eyes were fixed upon the ceiling； and M。 Hercule Poirot was tenderly brushing a speck of dust from his coat sleeve。 With the greatest tact they none of them looked at Van Aldin。
It was M。 Carrege； mindful of his status and his duties； who tackled the unpleasant subject。
〃Perhaps； Monsieur；〃 he murmured； 〃you are aware by whom … er … this letter was written？〃
〃Yes； I know；〃 said Van Aldin heavily。
〃Ah？〃 said the Magistrate inquiringly。
〃A scoundrel who calls himself the te de la Roche。〃
There was a pause； then M。 Poirot leaned forward； straightened a ruler on the judge's desk； and addressed the millionaire directly。
〃M。 Van Aldin； we are all sensible； deeply sensible； of the pain it must give you to speak of these matters； but believe me； Monsieur； it is not the time for concealments。 If justice is to be done； we must know everything。 If you will reflect a little minute you will realize the truth of that clearly for yourself。〃
Van Aldin was silent for a moment or two； then almost reluctantly he nodded his head in agreement。
〃You are quite right； M。 Poirot；〃 he said。 〃Painful as it is； I have no right to keep anything back。〃
The missary gave a sigh of relief； and the Examining Magistrate leaned back in his chair and adjusted a pince…nez on his long thin nose。
〃Perhaps you will tell us in your own words； M。 Van Aldin；〃 he said； 〃all that you know of this gentleman。〃
〃It began eleven or twelve years ago … in Paris。 My daughter was a young girl then； and of foolish； romantic notions； like all young girls are。 Unknown to me； she made the acquaintance of this te de la Roche。 You have heard of him； perhaps？〃
The missary and Poirot nodded in assent。
〃He calls himself the te de la Roche；〃 continued Van Aldin； 〃but I doubt if he has any right to the title。〃
〃You would not have found his name in the Almanac de Gotha；〃 agreed the missary。
〃I discovered as much；〃 said Van Aldin。 〃The man was a good…looking； plausible scoundrel； with a fatal fascination for women。 Ruth was infatuated with him； but I soon put a stop to the whole affair。 The man was no better than a mon swindler。〃
〃You are quite right；〃 said the missary。 〃The te de la Roche is well known to us。 If it were possible； we should have laid him by the heels before now； but to foil … it is not easy； the fellow is cunning； his affairs are always conducted with ladies of high social position。 If he obtains money from them under false pretences or as the fruit of blackmail； eh bien！ naturally they will not prosecute。 To look foolish in the eyes of the world； oh no； that would never do； and he has an extraordinary power over women。〃
〃That is so；〃 said the millionaire heavily。 〃Well； as I told you； I broke the affair up pretty sharply。 I told Ruth exactly what he was； and she had； perforce； to believe me。 About a year afterwards； she met her present husband and married him。 As far as I knew； that was the end of the matter； but only a week ago； I discovered； to my amazement； that my daughter had resumed her acquaintance with the te de la Roche。 She had been meeting him frequently in London and Paris。 I remonstrated with her on her imprudence； for I may tell you； gentlemen； that； on my insistence； she was preparing to bring a suit for divorce against her husband。〃
〃That is interesting；〃 murmured Poirot softly； his eyes on the ceiling。
Van Aldin looked at him sharply； and then went on。
〃I pointed out to her the folly of continuing to see the te under the circumstances。 I thought she agreed with me。〃
The Examining Magistrate coughed delicately。
〃But according to this letter …〃 he began and then stopped。
Van Aldin's jaw set itself squarely。
〃I know。 It's no good mincing matters。 However unpleasant； we have got to face facts。 It seems clear that Ruth had arranged to go to Paris and meet de la Roche there。 After my warnings to her； however； she must have written to the Count suggesting a change of rendezvous。〃
〃The Isles d'Or；〃 said the missary thoughtfully； 〃are situated just opposite Hyeres； a remote and idyllic spot。〃
Van Aldin nodded。
〃My God！ How could Ruth be such a fool？〃 he exclaimed bitterly。 〃All this talk about writing a book on jewels！ Why； he must have been after the rubies from the first。〃
〃There are some very famous rubies；〃 said Poirot； 〃originally part of the Crown jewels of Russia； they are unique in character； and their value is almost fabulous。 There has been a rumour that they have lately passed into the possession of an American。 Are we right in concluding； Monsieur； that you were the purchaser？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Van Aldin。 〃They came into my possession in Paris about ten days ago。〃
〃Pardon me； Monsieur； but you have been negotiating for their purchase for some time？〃
〃A little over two months。 Why？〃
〃These things bee known；〃 said Poirot。 〃There is always a pretty formidable crowd on the track of jewels such as these。〃
A spasm distorted the other's face。
〃I remember；〃 he said brokenly； 〃a joke I made to Ruth when I gave them to her。 I told her not to take them to the Riviera with her； as I could not afford to have her robbed and murdered for the sake of the jewels。 My God！ the things one says … never dreaming or knowing they will e true。〃
There was a sympathetic silence； and then Poirot spoke in a detached manner。
〃Let us arrange our facts with order and precision。 According to our present theory； this is how they run。 The te de la Roche knows of your purchase of these jewels。 By an easy stratagem he induces Madame Kettering to bring the stones with her。 He； then； is the man Mason saw in the train at Paris。〃
The other three nodded in agreement。
〃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