Part Two: The Evidence
1. The Evidence of the Wagon Lit Conductor
Intherestaurantcarallwasinreadiness.
PoirotandM.Boucsattogetherononesideofatable.Thedoctorsatacrosstheaisle.
OnthetableinfrontofPoirotwasaplanoftheIstanbul-Calaiscoachwiththenamesofthepassengersmarkedininredink.
Thepassportsandticketswereinapileatoneside.Therewaswritingpaper,ink,penandpencils.
“Excellent,”saidPoirot.“WecanopenourCourtofInquirywithoutmoreado.First,Ithink,weshouldtaketheevidenceoftheWagonLitconductor.Youprobablyknowsomethingabouttheman.Whatcharacterhashe?Isheamaninwhosewordyouwouldplacereliance?”
“Ishouldsaysomostassuredly.PierreMichelhasbeenemployedbythecompanyforoverfifteenyears.HeisaFrenchman—livesnearCalais.Thoroughlyrespectableandhonest.Not,perhaps,remarkableforbrains.”
Poirotnoddedcomprehendingly.
“Good,”hesaid.“Letusseehim.”
PierreMichelhadrecoveredsomeofhisassurance,buthewasstillextremelynervous.
“IhopeMonsieurwillnotthinkthattherehasbeenanynegligenceonmypart,”hesaidanxiously,hiseyesgoingfromPoirottoM.Bouc.“Itisaterriblethingthathashappened.IhopeMonsieurdoesnotthinkthatitreflectsonmeinanyway?”
Havingsoothedtheman’sfears,Poirotbeganhisquestions.HefirstelicitedMichel’snameandaddress,hislengthofservice,andthelengthoftimehehadbeenonthisparticularroute.Theseparticularshealreadyknew,buttheroutinequestionsservedtoputthemanathisease.
“Andnow,”wentonPoirot,“letuscometotheeventsoflastnight.M.
