Chapter 24 Chapter XXIV Poirot's Advice

The millionaire looked at Poirot in bewilderment.It was a long time before he returned to normal.The detective looked at him slyly. "Well, things are showing another look, right?" "Is that a replica?" The millionaire bent over. "Did you have this idea at first? Did you never believe that Earl Roger was the murderer?" "I doubt it, at least," replied Poirot calmly. "I never thought of the Earl as a robber-murderer. It didn't fit his character." "So he's only for the gems?" "It goes without saying. I think it goes like this: the earl knew where the gems were, and he made a plan accordingly. He made up a romantic story about the gems so that your Daughter kept the gem with her. He made a very similar replica himself in an attempt to steal the original at just the right time. If so, your daughter would not have discovered the deception much later, and only by Only then would she be able to sue him. But I myself don't quite believe that she will. There must be a lot of letters from your daughter at the count, yes, he did everything very well, and it is possible that he did it more than once. through this deceit."

"All that you say is certainly true," von Alding had to admit. "In the first place, such conduct is consistent with the count's character." "But what actually happened, M. Poirot? Please tell me!" Poirot shrugged his shoulders. "Someone got there before the count." There was a long silence.Von Alden's mind was racing furiously.Then he asked in a discussing tone: "Mr. Poirot, when did you begin to suspect my son-in-law?" "From the beginning. The motives and the conditions were there. Everyone naturally thought that the man in your daughter's box was the Comte de Rocher. At first, I thought so too. Once you mentioned by chance that you put the The earl is your son-in-law. This shows that the two men are somewhat similar in figure and hair color. This provides me with a very noteworthy clue. The maid came to your daughter not long ago, and Mr. Caitlin's appearance is almost Can't tell because he doesn't live with his wife and doesn't see her very often. Besides, the guy on the train tries not to let his face be seen."

"Do you believe he did it?" asked Von Alding mournfully. Poirot stood up and waved. "No, no, I never said that. It's just a possibility - nothing else. He's on the brink right now because of financial reasons. This move is his way out. " "But why did he take the gem?" "It was to create the illusion that it was just a general theft. If he hadn't taken the jewel, people would have suspected him in the first place." "What did he do with the gems?" "There is one man in Niza, whom we already know a little about, the antique dealer I pointed out to you at the tennis court yesterday."

He got up, and von Arden got up at the same time.Von Alden put his hands on the little old man's shoulders, and said with a trembling voice, "I hope you can find out who killed Ruth." "Please leave the matter to Hercule Poirot," replied the detective with pride.However, when he walked into the hall, his self-confidence was a little slim again. "Everything is going very well, but, after all, we haven't found the murderer yet," he said to himself. He stopped suddenly at the hotel gate.A car pulls close.Inside sat Katerina Gray.Derek Kettering approached the car, seemingly eager to strike up a conversation with the lady.A minute later, the car drove away.Derek sighed deeply, turned around and met Poirot face to face.He paused involuntarily.The two gazed at each other, Poirot calm and confident, Derek troubled and irritable.

"Lovely girl, isn't she?" Derek said nonchalantly. Poirot was composed. "Exactly," said Poirot slowly. "Lovely, even a very lovely woman." "There are not many women like this now." Derek said this in a low voice, as if speaking to himself.Poirot nodded.Then he walked up to Derek and said in a tone Derek had never been familiar with: "Forgive me, old man, Mr. Kettering, if I've been offhand. There's an English proverb that says, 'A love affair never ends.'" Kaitlyn looked at him angrily. "What the hell do you mean by that?"

"My words sound harsh to you," said Poirot calmly. "That's what I expected. To understand what I'm saying, turn around, Mr. Kettering, and you'll see a lady in another car." Derek turned around abruptly.His face immediately flushed with anger. "Damn Miret," he cursed. "Sometimes I really want to..." Poirot interrupted him. "Is that wise for you?" he asked gravely.There was a green light in his eyes.But Derek didn't see the warning signs in the look.If he was angry, he would not hesitate to lose his head. "I'm done with her, she knows that."

"But is she done with you, too?" Derek giggled. "She's on guard now, don't let those two million pounds go to waste," he pointed out sharply. "You go rely on Mi Lei!" "You are a mocker, my dear friend," said Poirot in a low voice. "Can I really mock people?" Derek said with a wry smile. "I've had enough of this world, M. Poirot. I think women are the same kind." A look of resignation suddenly appeared on his face. "It's all the same, except for one person, and that's her." He turned his gaze to the direction of Caterina's car.

"Oh, you mean her." Poirot spoke in an unusually calm tone, which only aggravated the young man's rage. "I know what you want to say!" His voice was a little hoarse. "You mean to say that it is a sin to live a life like this, and to have my eyes fixed on such a woman. You mean to say that my wife was murdered a few days ago and is now lying in the ground, and I Should be ashamed." "But I haven't said a single word of those words." "You think so." "Oh?" "If you tell me the truth, can I no longer call Caterina my lover?"

"I cannot say that," said Poirot solemnly. "Of course you have a bad reputation, but that's what makes you attractive to women. On the contrary, if you were highly cultivated and never took a wrong step in the path of fidelity in your life, you wouldn't have this Here's the chance." However, Derek didn't listen to him any more.He hurriedly blew the dust off his hat, and walked quickly towards Mi Lei's car.Detectives also saw how the dancing girl handed out a bouquet of exotic flowers through the window. When he got home, he saw his imposing servant busy ironing clothes.

"It's been a good day, George, a bit tired but by no means dull," he said. "Yes, sir." "Who the hell is the murderer? It's still an interesting subject, George. Some murderers are very educated." "I have, sir, I have heard that Dr. Crippin was a respectable gentleman, and yet he chopped up his wife for all that." "Your examples are always so apt." George said nothing.The telephone rang and Poirot picked up the receiver. "Hello! Yes, I am Hercule Poirot." "I'm Knighton. Herr von Alden would like to speak to you." Then the millionaire's voice was heard.

"You are M. Poirot? I just want to tell you one thing. Masson, the maid, came to me again. She told me that she was now almost certain that the man who got on the train in Paris was Derek. Kaitlyn. She said she could have recognized Derek straight away. But she didn't expect that at first. Now she's sure of it." "Thank you," said Poirot. "This will take us a step further." He put the phone down and stood by the phone for a moment, smiling thoughtfully.George called him twice, but he didn't hear. "Oh, oh," he muttered absently. "What are you trying to do?" "Are you having lunch at home, or are you going out?" "Neither at home nor out," said Poirot. "I want to lie on the bed for a while and drink a cup of chrysanthemum tea. The moment I've been looking forward to has come, and if it does, then I'm a little excited."