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hat¡¡she¡¡had¡¡only¡¡been¡¡with¡¡her¡¡mistress¡¡for¡¡two¡¡months¡£¡¡Certainly¡¡it¡¡did¡¡not¡¡seem¡¡as¡¡if¡¡she¡¡could¡¡have¡¡had¡¡anything¡¡to¡¡do¡¡with¡¡the¡¡crime¡¡since¡¡she¡¡had¡¡been¡¡left¡¡behind¡¡in¡¡Paris¡¡and¡¡Mrs¡¡Kettering¡¡had¡¡been¡¡seen¡¡alive¡¡by¡¡several¡¡people¡¡afterwards£»¡¡but¡¡¡­¡¨¡¡

Poirot¡¡leant¡¡forward¡£¡¡He¡¡raised¡¡an¡¡emphatic¡¡forefinger¡¡and¡¡wagged¡¡it¡¡with¡¡intense¡¡emphasis¡¡at¡¡Van¡¡Aldin¡£¡¡

¡¨But¡¡I¡¡am¡¡a¡¡good¡¡detective¡£¡¡I¡¡suspect¡£¡¡There¡¡is¡¡nobody¡¡and¡¡nothing¡¡that¡¡I¡¡do¡¡not¡¡suspect¡£¡¡I¡¡believe¡¡nothing¡¡that¡¡I¡¡am¡¡told¡£¡¡I¡¡say¡¡to¡¡myself£º¡¡how¡¡do¡¡we¡¡know¡¡that¡¡Ada¡¡Mason¡¡was¡¡left¡¡behind¡¡in¡¡Paris£¿¡¡And¡¡at¡¡first¡¡the¡¡anspletely¡¡satisfactory¡£¡¡There¡¡was¡¡the¡¡evidence¡¡of¡¡your¡¡secretary£»¡¡Major¡¡Knighton£»¡¡a¡¡plete¡¡outsider¡¡whose¡¡testimony¡¡might¡¡be¡¡supposed¡¡to¡¡be¡¡entirely¡¡impartial£»¡¡and¡¡there¡¡was¡¡the¡¡dead¡¡woman's¡¡own¡¡words¡¡to¡¡the¡¡conductor¡¡on¡¡the¡¡train¡£¡¡But¡¡I¡¡put¡¡the¡¡latter¡¡point¡¡aside¡¡for¡¡the¡¡moment£»¡¡because¡¡a¡¡very¡¡curious¡¡idea¡¡¡­¡¡an¡¡idea¡¡perhaps¡¡fantastic¡¡and¡¡impossible¡¡¡­¡¡was¡¡growing¡¡up¡¡in¡¡my¡¡mind¡£¡¡If¡¡by¡¡any¡¡outside¡¡chance¡¡it¡¡happened¡¡to¡¡be¡¡true£»¡¡that¡¡particular¡¡piece¡¡of¡¡testimony¡¡was¡¡worthless¡£¡¡

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¡¨But¡¡there¡¡is¡¡one¡¡thing¡¡I¡¡do¡¡not¡¡understand£»¡¡Monsieur¡¡Poirot¡£¡¡I¡¡guess¡¡I¡¡must¡¡be¡¡dense¡¡or¡¡I¡¡would¡¡have¡¡seen¡¡it¡¡before¡¡now¡£¡¡Who¡¡was¡¡the¡¡man¡¡in¡¡the¡¡train¡¡at¡¡Paris£¿¡¡Derek¡¡Kettering¡¡or¡¡the¡¡te¡¡de¡¡la¡¡Roche£¿¡¨¡¡

¡¨That¡¡is¡¡the¡¡simplicity¡¡of¡¡the¡¡whole¡¡thing¡£¡¡There¡¡was¡¡no¡¡man¡£¡¡Ah¡¡¡­¡¡mille¡¡tonnerres£¡¡¡¡­¡¡do¡¡you¡¡not¡¡see¡¡the¡¡cleverness¡¡of¡¡it¡¡all£¿¡¡Whose¡¡word¡¡have¡¡we¡¡for¡¡it¡¡that¡¡there¡¡ever¡¡was¡¡a¡¡man¡¡there£¿¡¡Only¡¡Ada¡¡Mason's¡£¡¡And¡¡we¡¡believe¡¡in¡¡Ada¡¡Mason¡¡because¡¡of¡¡Knighton's¡¡evidence¡¡that¡¡she¡¡was¡¡left¡¡behind¡¡in¡¡Paris¡£¡¨¡¡

¡¨But¡¡Ruth¡¡herself¡¡told¡¡the¡¡conductor¡¡that¡¡she¡¡had¡¡left¡¡her¡¡maid¡¡behind¡¡there£»¡¨¡¡demurred¡¡Van¡¡Aldin¡£¡¡

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¡¨So¡¡you¡¡think¡¡the¡¡man¡¡was¡¡lying£¿¡¨¡¡

¡¨No£»¡¡no£»¡¡not¡¡at¡¡all¡£¡¡He¡¡spoke¡¡what¡¡he¡¡thought¡¡to¡¡be¡¡the¡¡truth¡£¡¡But¡¡the¡¡woman¡¡who¡¡told¡¡him¡¡that¡¡she¡¡had¡¡left¡¡her¡¡maid¡¡in¡¡Paris¡¡was¡¡not¡¡Mrs¡¡Kettering¡£¡¨¡¡

Van¡¡Aldin¡¡stared¡¡at¡¡him¡£¡¡

¡¨Monsieur¡¡Van¡¡Aldin£»¡¡Ruth¡¡Kettering¡¡was¡¡dead¡¡before¡¡the¡¡train¡¡arrived¡¡at¡¡the¡¡Gare¡¡de¡¡Lyon¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡Ada¡¡Mason£»¡¡dressed¡¡in¡¡her¡¡mistress's¡¡very¡¡distinctive¡¡clothing£»¡¡who¡¡purchased¡¡a¡¡dinner¡¡basket¡¡and¡¡who¡¡made¡¡that¡¡very¡¡necessary¡¡statement¡¡to¡¡the¡¡conductor¡£¡¨¡¡

¡¨Impossible£¡¡¨¡¡

¡¨No£»¡¡no£»¡¡Monsieur¡¡Van¡¡Aldin£»¡¡not¡¡impossible¡£¡¡Les¡¡femmes£»¡¡they¡¡look¡¡so¡¡much¡¡alike¡¡nowadays¡¡that¡¡one¡¡identifies¡¡them¡¡more¡¡by¡¡their¡¡clothing¡¡than¡¡by¡¡their¡¡faces¡£¡¡Ada¡¡Mason¡¡was¡¡the¡¡same¡¡height¡¡as¡¡your¡¡daughter¡£¡¡Dressed¡¡in¡¡that¡¡very¡¡sumptuous¡¡fur¡¡coat¡¡and¡¡the¡¡little¡¡red¡¡lacquer¡¡hat¡¡jammed¡¡down¡¡over¡¡her¡¡eyes£»¡¡with¡¡just¡¡a¡¡bunch¡¡of¡¡auburn¡¡curls¡¡showing¡¡over¡¡each¡¡ear£»¡¡it¡¡was¡¡no¡¡wonder¡¡that¡¡the¡¡conductor¡¡was¡¡deceived¡£¡¡He¡¡had¡¡not¡¡previously¡¡spoken¡¡to¡¡Mrs¡¡Kettering£»¡¡you¡¡remember¡£¡¡True£»¡¡he¡¡had¡¡seen¡¡the¡¡maid¡¡just¡¡for¡¡a¡¡moment¡¡when¡¡she¡¡handed¡¡him¡¡the¡¡tickets£»¡¡but¡¡his¡¡impression¡¡had¡¡been¡¡merely¡¡that¡¡of¡¡a¡¡gaunt£»¡¡black¡­clad¡¡female¡£¡¡If¡¡he¡¡had¡¡been¡¡an¡¡unusually¡¡intelligent¡¡man£»¡¡he¡¡might¡¡have¡¡gone¡¡so¡¡far¡¡as¡¡to¡¡say¡¡that¡¡mistress¡¡and¡¡maid¡¡were¡¡not¡¡unlike£»¡¡but¡¡it¡¡is¡¡extremely¡¡unlikely¡¡that¡¡he¡¡would¡¡even¡¡think¡¡that¡£¡¡And¡¡remember£»¡¡Ada¡¡Mason£»¡¡or¡¡Kitty¡¡Kidd£»¡¡was¡¡an¡¡actress£»¡¡able¡¡to¡¡change¡¡her¡¡appearance¡¡and¡¡tone¡¡of¡¡voice¡¡at¡¡a¡¡moment's¡¡notice¡£¡¡No£»¡¡no£»¡¡there¡¡was¡¡no¡¡danger¡¡of¡¡his¡¡recognizing¡¡the¡¡maid¡¡in¡¡the¡¡mistress's¡¡clothing£»¡¡but¡¡there¡¡was¡¡the¡¡danger¡¡that¡¡when¡¡he¡¡came¡¡to¡¡discover¡¡the¡¡body¡¡he¡¡might¡¡realize¡¡it¡¡was¡¡not¡¡the¡¡woman¡¡he¡¡had¡¡talked¡¡to¡¡the¡¡night¡¡before¡£¡¡And¡¡now¡¡we¡¡see¡¡the¡¡reason¡¡for¡¡the¡¡disfigured¡¡face¡£¡¡The¡¡chief¡¡danger¡¡that¡¡Ada¡¡Mason¡¡ran¡¡was¡¡that¡¡Katherine¡¡Grey¡¡might¡¡visit¡¡her¡¡partment¡¡after¡¡the¡¡train¡¡left¡¡Paris£»¡¡and¡¡she¡¡provided¡¡against¡¡that¡¡difficulty¡¡by¡¡ordering¡¡a¡¡dinner¡¡basket¡¡and¡¡by¡¡locking¡¡herself¡¡in¡¡her¡¡partment¡£¡¨¡¡

¡¨But¡¡who¡¡killed¡¡Ruth¡¡¡­¡¡and¡¡when£¿¡¨¡¡

¡¨First£»¡¡bear¡¡it¡¡in¡¡mind¡¡that¡¡the¡¡crime¡¡was¡¡planned¡¡and¡¡undertaken¡¡by¡¡the¡¡two¡¡of¡¡them¡¡¡­¡¡Knighton¡¡and¡¡Ada¡¡Mason£»¡¡working¡¡together¡£¡¡Knighton¡¡was¡¡in¡¡Paris¡¡that¡¡day¡¡on¡¡your¡¡business¡£¡¡He¡¡boarded¡¡the¡¡train¡¡somewhere¡¡on¡¡its¡¡way¡¡round¡¡the¡¡ceinture¡£¡¡Mrs¡¡Kettering¡¡would¡¡be¡¡surprised£»¡¡but¡¡she¡¡would¡¡be¡¡quite¡¡unsuspicious¡£¡¡Perhaps¡¡he¡¡draws¡¡her¡¡attention¡¡to¡¡something¡¡out¡¡the¡¡window£»¡¡and¡¡as¡¡she¡¡turns¡¡to¡¡look¡¡he¡¡slips¡¡the¡¡cord¡¡round¡¡her¡¡neck¡¡¡­¡¡and¡¡the¡¡whole¡¡thing¡¡is¡¡over¡¡in¡¡a¡¡second¡¡or¡¡two¡£¡¡The¡¡door¡¡of¡¡the¡¡partment¡¡is¡¡locked£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡and¡¡Ada¡¡Mason¡¡set¡¡to¡¡work¡£¡¡They¡¡strip¡¡off¡¡the¡¡dead¡¡woman's¡¡outer¡¡clothes¡£¡¡Mason¡¡and¡¡Knighton¡¡roll¡¡the¡¡body¡¡up¡¡in¡¡a¡¡rug¡¡and¡¡put¡¡it¡¡on¡¡the¡¡seat¡¡in¡¡the¡¡adjoining¡¡partment¡¡amongst¡¡the¡¡bags¡¡and¡¡suitcases¡£¡¡Knighton¡¡drops¡¡off¡¡the¡¡train£»¡¡taking¡¡the¡¡jewel¡­case¡¡containing¡¡the¡¡rubies¡¡with¡¡him¡£¡¡Since¡¡the¡¡crime¡¡is¡¡not¡¡supposed¡¡to¡¡have¡¡been¡¡mitted¡¡until¡¡nearly¡¡twelve¡¡hours¡¡later¡¡he¡¡is¡¡perfectly¡¡safe£»¡¡and¡¡his¡¡evidence¡¡and¡¡the¡¡supposed¡¡Mrs¡¡Kettering's¡¡words¡¡to¡¡the¡¡conductor¡¡will¡¡provide¡¡a¡¡perfect¡¡alibi¡¡for¡¡his¡¡acplice¡£¡¡

¡¨At¡¡the¡¡Gare¡¡de¡¡Lyon¡¡Ada¡¡Mason¡¡gets¡¡a¡¡dinner¡¡basket£»¡¡and¡¡shutting¡¡herself¡¡into¡¡the¡¡toilet¡¡partment¡¡she¡¡quickly¡¡changes¡¡into¡¡her¡¡mistress's¡¡clothes£»¡¡adjusts¡¡two¡¡false¡¡bunches¡¡of¡¡auburn¡¡curls£»¡¡and¡¡generally¡¡makes¡¡up¡¡to¡¡resemble¡¡her¡¡as¡¡closely¡¡as¡¡possible¡£¡¡When¡¡the¡¡conductor¡¡es¡¡to¡¡make¡¡up¡¡the¡¡bed£»¡¡she¡¡tells¡¡him¡¡the¡¡prepared¡¡story¡¡about¡¡having¡¡left¡¡her¡¡maid¡¡behind¡¡in¡¡Paris£»¡¡and¡¡whilst¡¡he¡¡is¡¡making¡¡up¡¡the¡¡berth£»¡¡she¡¡stands¡¡looking¡¡out¡¡of¡¡the¡¡window£»¡¡so¡¡that¡¡her¡¡back¡¡is¡¡towards¡¡the¡¡corridor¡¡and¡¡people¡¡passing¡¡along¡¡there¡£¡¡That¡¡was¡¡a¡¡wise¡¡precaution£»¡¡because£»¡¡as¡¡we¡¡know£»¡¡Miss¡¡Grey¡¡was¡¡one¡¡of¡¡those¡¡passing£»¡¡and¡¡she¡¡among¡¡others£»¡¡was¡¡willing¡¡to¡¡swear¡¡that¡¡Mrs¡¡Kettering¡¡was¡¡still¡¡alive¡¡at¡¡that¡¡hour¡£¡¨¡¡

¡¨Go¡¡on£»¡¨¡¡said¡¡Van¡¡Aldin¡£¡¡

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¡¨And¡¡you¡¡honestly¡¡mean¡¡that¡¡Richard¡¡Knighton¡¡is¡¡a¡¡well¡­known¡¡criminal£»¡¡who¡¡has¡¡been¡¡at¡¡this¡¡business¡¡for¡¡years£¿¡¨¡¡

Poirot¡¡nodded¡£¡¡

¡¨One¡¡of¡¡the¡¡chief¡¡assets¡¡of¡¡the¡¡gentleman¡¡called¡¡the¡¡Marquis¡¡was¡¡his¡¡plausible£»¡¡ingratiating¡¡manner¡£¡¡You¡¡fell¡¡a¡¡victim¡¡to¡¡his¡¡charm£»¡¡Monsieur¡¡Van¡¡Aldin£»¡¡when¡¡you¡¡engaged¡¡him¡¡as¡¡a¡¡secretary¡¡on¡¡such¡¡a¡¡slight¡¡acquaintanceship£¿¡¨¡¡

¡¨I¡¡could¡¡have¡¡sworn¡¡that¡¡he¡¡never¡¡angled¡¡for¡¡the¡¡post£»¡¨¡¡cried¡¡the¡¡millionaire¡£¡¡

¡¨It¡¡was¡¡very¡¡astutely¡¡done¡¡¡­¡¡so¡¡astutely¡¡done¡¡that¡¡it¡¡deceived¡¡a¡¡man¡¡whose¡¡knowledge¡¡of¡¡other¡¡men¡¡is¡¡as¡¡great¡¡as¡¡yours¡¡is¡£¡¨¡¡

¡¨I¡¡looked¡¡up¡¡his¡¡antecedents¡¡too¡£¡¡The¡¡fellow's¡¡record¡¡was¡¡excellent¡£¡¨¡¡

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¡¨But¡¡why¡¡murder£¿¡¨¡¡murmured¡¡Van¡¡Aldin¡¡brokenly¡£¡¡¡¨Surely¡¡a¡¡clever¡¡thief¡¡could¡¡have¡¡stolen¡¡the¡¡jewels¡¡without¡¡running¡¡his¡¡head¡¡into¡¡a¡¡noose¡£¡¨¡¡

Poirot¡¡shook¡¡his¡¡head¡£¡¡¡¨This¡¡is¡¡not¡¡the¡¡first¡¡murder¡¡that¡¡lies¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Marquis's¡¡charge¡£¡¡He¡¡is¡¡a¡¡killer¡¡by¡¡instinct£»¡¡he¡¡believes£»¡¡too£»¡¡in¡¡leaving¡¡no¡¡evidence¡¡behind¡¡him¡£¡¡Dead¡¡men¡¡and¡¡women¡¡tell¡¡no¡¡tales¡£¡¡

¡¨The¡¡Marquis¡¡had¡¡an¡¡intense¡¡passion¡¡for¡¡famous¡¡and¡¡historical¡¡jewels¡£¡¡He¡¡laid¡¡his¡¡plans¡¡far¡¡beforehand¡¡by¡¡installing¡¡himself¡¡as¡¡your¡¡secretary¡¡and¡¡getting¡¡his¡¡acplice¡¡to¡¡obtain¡¡the¡¡situation¡¡of¡¡maid¡¡with¡¡your¡¡daughter£»¡¡for¡¡whom¡¡he¡¡guessed¡¡the¡¡jewels¡¡were¡¡destined¡£¡¡And£»¡¡though¡¡this¡¡was¡¡his¡¡matured¡¡and¡¡carefully¡¡thought¡­out¡¡plan£»¡¡he¡¡did¡¡not¡¡scruple¡¡to¡¡attempt¡¡a¡¡short¡­cut¡¡by¡¡hiring¡¡a¡¡couple¡¡of¡¡Apaches¡¡to¡¡waylay¡¡you¡¡in¡¡Paris¡¡on¡¡the¡¡night¡¡you¡¡bought¡¡the¡¡jewels¡£¡¡That¡¡plan¡¡failed£»¡¡which¡¡hardly¡¡surprised¡¡him£»¡¡I¡¡think¡£¡¡This¡¡plan¡¡was£»¡¡so¡¡he¡¡thought£»¡¡pletely¡¡safe¡£¡¡No¡¡possible¡¡suspicion¡¡could¡¡attach¡¡to¡¡Richard¡¡Knighton¡£¡¡But¡¡like¡¡all¡¡great¡¡men¡¡¡­¡¡and¡¡the¡¡Marquis¡¡was¡¡a¡¡great¡¡
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