Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Take the "Blue Express" Again

The train carrying millionaires gallops forward like a giant panting reptile.Von Arden, Knighton, and Poirot sat in the carriage, each thinking of his own thoughts.Knighton and von Arden lived in two communicating compartments, just as Ruth Kettering and her maid used to travel.Poirot's box was at the other end of the carriage. The trip brought back painful memories for von Arden.Poirot and Knighton sometimes chatted for a while without disturbing the millionaire. The train arrived at the Gare du Nord, and then drove slowly around Paris.When the train arrived at Gare de Lyon, Poirot suddenly became excited.

Now von Arden realized that Poirot had suggested a second trip in order to reenact the crime.The detective plays all the parts.For a while he played the maid who was busy going back and forth in his box; I know that my wife also took the same car.He explored every possibility that there was someone else hiding in another box. Suddenly, a new idea popped into his mind.He grabbed von Arden's hand. "Oh, my God, it hadn't occurred to me that we should cut off our trip in Paris, quick, quick get off." He grabbed the travel bag beside him and jumped off the train immediately.The other two also got out of the car as quickly as possible.They were blocked by the railing of the station platform because they had left their tickets in the hands of the conductor, but no one thought of that at the time.Poirot hurriedly issued a series of statements and explanations to the officials on the railway, but the officials were indifferent.

"Don't make a fuss!" Von Alding couldn't bear it any longer. "My God, just make up for a ticket from Cal to Paris, and don't let such trifles disturb your plans! Although until now I don't know what your plans are." But Poirot's eloquent speech suddenly stopped, and he stood motionless like a stone statue.His arm, which was still making various gestures just now, stopped in mid-air. "I'm quite an ass," he said. "God, I'm just dizzy. Hurry up, gentlemen, we've got to continue our journey. If we're lucky, the train may not be moving yet."

They got into the car immediately.No sooner had Knighton, the last of the three, staggered aboard, the signal to move was given and the train moved. The flight attendant had to shake his head silently at the actions of the three passengers.It seemed that they were used to the strange behavior of these passengers. They were sitting in the carriage again.When von Alden was with Knighton, he said: "What a ludicrous hunt! The man is just out of his wits. Sometimes he appears capable, but now he behaves like a frightened man." rabbit." Poirot returned to his box in a bad mood, and the millionaire's accusations were inappropriate.It seemed that he was trying to restrain himself from a thought.

After the three passengers had finished their dinner in the dining car, Poirot suggested that they spend the night in von Arden's box. The millionaire looked at Poirot in bewilderment. "What are you trying to do? Are you fooling us, M. Poirot?" "Me?" said Poirot innocently. "Never." Von Alding fell silent, but he was very dissatisfied.They told the flight attendants not to make their beds.For this reason, a considerable tip was stuffed in the hands of the flight attendant.The flight attendant got the impression that this is a group of weird passengers.

All three sat there again.Poirot seemed a little nervous, unable to be quiet, and finally he said to the secretary: "Is the door to your box locked, Major Knighton? Is the door to the corridor locked, I mean?" "Yes, I closed it casually." "Is it guaranteed to be closed?" "If you want, I can go and have a look." "No, no, don't go. I'll go myself." After a while, he came back nodding. "Yes, you are right. Please forgive my nervousness." He closed the door between the boxes and sat down in the corner again. Hours passed.All three sat there dozing off.Perhaps in history, no one on this high-end sleeping car in Europe has ever spent the night like these three passengers.Poirot looked at his watch from time to time, dozed off, and moved his seat for a while, trying to close his eyes comfortably.Once, he stood up abruptly, opened the door connecting the boxes, glanced into the box next door, shook his head and sat down again.

"What are you doing?" said Knighton in a low voice. "Are you waiting for something to happen?" "I'm a little nervous!" admitted Poirot. "I feel as if I'm sitting on a needle felt, and the slightest movement will make me feel overwhelmed." Knighton yawned. "What a damned, nasty trip," he muttered. "Of course, you may have experienced the pleasure of this journey yourself, Monsieur Poirot." After speaking, he sat in his corner again, huddled up like von Alding, and closed his eyes to doze off.When Poirot looked at his watch for the fourteenth time, he tapped the millionaire lightly on the shoulder.

"What are you doing?" "We'll be at Lyons in a minute or two." "My God!" Under the dim light, Von Arden's complexion was extremely pale. "It was about this time that my poor Ruth was murdered." He stared straight ahead, biting his upper lip to keep from moaning.The tragedy that had eclipsed his life came again with force and suddenness before him. The train screeched and slowed down.We have arrived at Lyon Station.Von Alden opened the window. "According to your hypothesis, if Derek is not the murderer, then did that strange man get off from here?" he asked.

To his surprise, Poirot shook his head. "No," he said thoughtfully, "it was not a man who got out of the car, but a woman." Knighton woke up with a start. "A woman?" exclaimed von Arden. "Yes, it's a woman! You may recall that Mr. von Alden, Miss Grey, mentioned that there was a gentleman walking up and down the platform in a hat and coat at this time. My opinion is that, This person is a woman." "Then who is she?" Von Alden looked utterly incredulous.But Poirot said emphatically: "Her name . Knighton jumped up and yelled, "What?"

Poirot turned immediately. "Yes, I almost forgot." He quickly took out something from his pocket and held it out in front of Knighton. "Please smoke a cigarette from your own pack. It was your negligence that you lost the pack when you jumped on the Paris ring railway." Knighton looked at him in bewilderment, and suddenly he made a quick movement, and at that moment Poirot seized his arm and held it high in the air. "Please don't be like this," he said kindly. "The door to the next box is open, and my friends from the police station are hiding inside, and everyone has their guns pointed at you. When we were in When I got off the train in Paris, I opened the door to the corridor in the next box, and my friends walked into the box. You don't know it, but the French police have had enough trouble finding you, Knighton Major, or as we better call you: 'Monsieur Marquis'."