Part Three: Hercule Poirot Sits Back and Thinks
1. Which of Them?
M.BoucandDr.ConstantineweretalkingtogetherwhenPoirotenteredthediningcar.M.Boucwaslookingdepressed.
“Levoilà,”saidthelatterwhenhesawPoirot.
Thenheaddedashisfriendsatdown:
“Ifyousolvethiscase,moncher,Ishallindeedbelieveinmiracles!”
“Itworriesyou,thiscase?”
“Naturallyitworriesme.Icannotmakeheadortailofit.”
“Iagree,”saidthedoctor.
HelookedatPoirotwithinterest.
“Tobefrank,”hesaid,“Icannotseewhatyouaregoingtodonext.”
“No?”saidPoirotthoughtfully.
Hetookouthiscigarettecaseandlitoneofhistinycigarettes.Hiseyesweredreamy.
“That,tome,istheinterestofthiscase,”hesaid.“Wearecutofffromallthenormalroutesofprocedure.Arethesepeoplewhoseevidencewehavetakenspeakingthetruthorlying?Wehavenomeansoffindingout—exceptsuchmeansaswecandeviseourselves.Itisanexercise,this,ofthebrain.”
“Thatisallveryfine,”saidM.Bouc.“Butwhathaveyoutogoupon?”
“Itoldyoujustnow.Wehavetheevidenceofthepassengersandtheevidenceofourowneyes.”
“Prettyevidence—thatofthepassengers!Ittoldusjustnothingatall.”
Poirotshookhishead.
“Idonotagree,myfriend.Theevidenceofthepassengersgaveusseveralpointsofinterest.”
“Indeed,”saidM.Boucsceptically.“Ididnotobserveit.”
“Thatisbecauseyoudidnotlisten.”
“Well,tellme—whatdidImiss?”
“Iwilljusttakeoneinstance—thefirstevidenceweheard—thatoftheyoungMacQueen.Heuttered,tomymind,oneverysignificantphrase.
