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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　Madames　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　tes　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　Madames　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。〃

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