re。'　I　ask　you；　Monsieur　Van　Aldin；　whether　you　would　be　glad　or　sorry　if　what　I　tell　you　should　be　the　case？〃

Van　Aldin　stared　at　him。　〃Naturally　I　should　be　glad；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃Is　this　an　exercise　in　suppositions；　Monsieur　Poirot；　or　are　there　any　facts　behind　it？〃

Poirot　looked　at　the　ceiling。

〃There　is　an　off…chance；〃　he　said　quietly；　〃that　it　might　be　the　te　de　la　Roche　after　all。　At　least　I　have　succeeded　in　upsetting　his　alibi。〃

〃How　did　you　manage　that？〃

Poirot　shrugged　his　shoulders　modestly。

〃I　have　my　own　methods。　The　exercise　of　a　little　tact；　a　little　cleverness　…　and　the　thing　is　done。〃

〃But　the　rubies；〃　said　Van　Aldin；　〃these　rubies　that　the　Count　had　in　his　possession　were　false。〃

〃And　clearly　he　would　not　have　mitted　the　crime　except　for　the　rubies。　But　you　are　overlooking　one　point；　Monsieur　Van　Aldin。　Where　the　rubies　were　concerned；　someone　might　have　been　before　him。〃

〃But　this　is　an　entirely　new　theory；〃　cried　Knighton。

〃Do　you　really　believe　all　this　rigmarole；　Monsieur　Poirot？〃　demanded　the　millionaire。

〃The　thing　is　not　proved；〃　said　Poirot　quietly。　〃It　is　as　yet　only　a　theory；　but　I　tell　you　this；　Monsieur　Van　Aldin；　the　facts　are　worth　investigating。　You　must　e　out　with　me　to　the　south　of　France　and　go　into　the　case　on　the　spot。〃

〃You　really　think　this　is　necessary　…　that　I　should　go；　I　mean。〃

〃I　thought　it　would　be　what　you　yourself　would　wish；〃　said　Poirot。

There　was　a　hint　of　reproach　in　his　tone　which　was　not　lost　upon　the　other。

〃Yes；　yes；　of　course；〃　he　said。　〃When　do　you　wish　to　start；　Monsieur　Poirot？〃

〃You　are　very　busy　at　present；　sir；〃　murmured　Knighton。

But　the　millionaire　had　now　made　up　his　mind；　and　he