Writer 1879: Solitary Journey in France

Chapter 606 He also gave France a detective!
Upon hearing Lionel say that he had died from twelve stab wounds, a gasp of alarm erupted in the Sharon carriage.

Madame Rothschild covered her mouth, the painter Louis Bertin's eyes widened, and even the usually composed Charles de Frésiné raised his eyebrows.

Lionel remained unfazed, his tone as calm as if he were discussing the weather: "I, or rather Le Chaté, was undoubtedly murdered—and that is the story I'm going to tell today, 'Murder on the Orient Express'."

Everyone's interest was piqued.

“A murder? In this car?” archaeologist Paul Moreau asked.

Lionel nodded: "Yes, on this 'Orient Express,' but it was winter. And the murderer—"

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone present: "They're among the passengers. The people on the cards in your hands."

Everyone immediately looked at their cards. The cards only contained their names, identities, and brief background information, with no other details.

No one knows whether they will draw the murderer's card or not.

Everyone was in high spirits, except for Georges Nagelmarx, the owner of the Orient Express, who was sullen.

He said to Lionel, "Mr. Sorel, this is the maiden voyage of the Orient Express, and you're saying there's a murder here? Isn't that a bit too much..."

Lionel smiled: "Mr. Nagelmarx, you mean we should continue talking about Istanbul..."

Before he could finish speaking, Charles Fressine interrupted impatiently, "Hey, George, don't spoil the fun. Tell me, what card did you draw?"

George Nagelmarx wanted to say something more, but in the end he could only shut his mouth.

Charles Frésiné wielded immense power in French public works, and anyone who wanted to continue developing the railway industry absolutely could not afford to offend him.

He looked down at the card, his brow furrowed: "But I drew Hercule Poirot, a French detective? Is he also a murderer?"

Lionel said, "Of course not. I said in 'The Rules of Detectives' that the detective himself cannot be the murderer. So Poirot is not the murderer, but the one who is trying to solve the murder case."

Upon hearing this, James Rothschild held up his card: "I am also Poirot."

Henry Browitz of The Times also showed off his card: "Me too, I'm Poirot."

Lionel nodded: "That's right, there are three Poirots in this game. You will form a detective team and work together to deduce the truth."

"Three people acting as detectives together?" Charles Fressine asked, somewhat puzzled.

Lionel explained with a smile, "Hercules Poirot has a powerful reasoning ability, and only three people playing him can provide enough perspectives and wisdom."

"Wait a minute!" Georges Boiser immediately seized on the key point. "You mean this Poirot is also a detective with strong deductive reasoning skills?"

Lionel nodded: "Of course. His reasoning ability is no less than Sherlock Holmes'. And he is French, a true Frenchman."

As a journalist for Le Figaro, Boisier stood up excitedly: "Léon! You've finally given France a detective!"

Lionel patted him on the shoulder: "How good this detective is depends on everyone's performance today."

The others then announced the roles they were playing.

Mrs. Rothschild read softly, "Mrs. Hubbard, the widow of an American tycoon."

Georges Bois scratched his head: "McQueen, the secretary. I'm the deceased's secretary?"

Lionel nodded: "Exactly. You serve Le Chaté—which is the role I play."

Paul Moreau looked at the card: "Colonel Abbasnot, French Army Colonel".

Louis Bertin read out: "Foscarari, a carriage salesman from Italy."

Orientalist Émile Durand reads: “I am Miss Deberham, a governess. Ha, I have become a lady.”

Everyone laughed. It was quite amusing to see Emil Duran, with his large beard, playing a lady.

Belgian diplomat Jean-Baptiste Nodon looked at the card: "Count André, Hungarian diplomat."

His wife—a Belgian noblewoman in the same carriage—smiled and said, “What a coincidence, I am Countess André.”

The purser, Ferdinand Dubois, also participated in the game, but he didn't have a card: "I am still me, Ferdinand Dubois, the train conductor. But in this story, I should play the role of the train conductor."

The other passengers were assigned the roles of typewriter salesman Hartman, Mrs. Olson, Duchess Dragomilov, Schmidt, and Masterman, respectively.

Lionel looked around at everyone: "Now, please remember yourselves and everyone else's identities. The game begins—today, on this train."

Sophie then came over with a stack of new cards and distributed them according to each person's identity. These cards were more detailed, containing the character's background and initial information.

Lionel tightened his tie, turned to the three "Poirots," and gave them a sinister smile:
[Le Chat (Lionel): "Mr. Poirot, I've heard you're a detective. I need a bodyguard to ensure my safe arrival in Istanbul. I can offer a large sum of money. Would you like to take the job?"]

The three "Poirots" looked at each other.

[Poirot (George Nagelmarques): "Sir, I'm a detective, not a bodyguard."]

Poirot (James Rothschild): "I only take on work that interests me."

Lionel turned to Georges Bois: "Mr. McQueen, did your boss sleep well last night?"

Bois looked at the new card in his hand, which contained information that he, as McQueen's secretary, should know.

[Mr. McQueen (Georges Bois): "Mr. Le Chaté seemed very uneasy last night. He had me check the locks and asked the conductor if he could change rooms."]

[Train conductor (Ferdinand Dubois): "Yes, sir. But the train is full, there are no empty compartments."] And so the game begins.

Under Lionel's guidance, the passengers quickly got into the swing of things. The salon carriage transformed into a game area, and everyone began interacting according to the card prompts.

The first part is the introduction of the characters.

Mrs. Hubbard (Mrs. Rothschild): "This carriage is freezing! Conductor, could you turn the heating up a bit? I'm freezing!"

Miss Deberham (Émile Durand): "Madam, I have an extra shawl. Would you like it?"

Mrs. Hubbard (Mrs. Rothschild): "Oh, my dear, you are an angel!"

Emil Durand, a scholar in his forties, looks somewhat comical playing a young governess, but he is fully immersed in the role.

[Colonel Abathnott (Paul Morrow): "This weather is really bad. I heard there might be a blizzard ahead."]

[Foscarari (Louis Bertin): "A blizzard? Now? That's not how it is in Italy!"]

Italian painter Bertan waved his hand, imitating the exaggerated gestures of southerners.

Count André (Jean-Baptiste Nodon): "Snow doesn't come in Hungary this early. The train's heating is definitely inadequate."

Countess Andrei (Madame Nodon): "My dear, my feet are numb with cold."

Lionel fully embraced the role of Le Chaté, sitting alone in a corner, his face somber, and refusing to speak to anyone.

The three Poirots began to observe. They huddled together and discussed in hushed tones.

Game time gradually shifted into the evening.

Lionel announced: "It is now 10 p.m. Most passengers have returned to their compartments. The train had to stop near Strasbourg due to the blizzard."

He paused for a moment, then said, "I'm going back to my box." He then walked to one end of the salon carriage.

The carriage fell silent.

Something happened that night. First, Mrs. Hubbard—”

Mrs. Rothschild looked at the newly received card.

Mrs. Hubbard (Mrs. Rothschild): "Oh! I hear something next door! Like someone moving around! Train conductor! Train conductor!"

[Train conductor (Ferdinand Dubois): "Madam, what's wrong?"]

Mrs. Hubbard (Mrs. Rothschild): "There's someone in the next room! I heard it! Go check it out!"

Dubois, who plays the train conductor, appears tired but patient.

[Train conductor (Ferdinand Dubois): "Madam, next door is Monsieur Le Chaté's compartment. Perhaps he's just gotten up for a drink of water."]

Mrs. Hubbard (Mrs. Rothschild): "No! The voice is off! Go and check!"

The train conductor (Ferdinand Dubois) knocked on the door: "Mr. Le Chaté? Is everything alright?"

After a moment of silence, Lionel said in a muffled voice:
[Leonard: "It's okay. I made a mistake."]

“Then,” Lionel continued, “the conductor left. Mrs. Hubbard managed to quiet down.”

Time continued to pass, and it was around one in the morning. Sophie recited a new scene—

Poirot had just fallen asleep when something startled him awake again. This time, it sounded like something very heavy slamming against the door with a loud bang.

He jumped up, opened the door, and looked outside. There was nothing there.

But not far to his right in the passageway, a woman, wrapped in a bright red kimono-style nightgown, disappeared from his sight.

At the other end, the train conductor was sitting on his small chair, recording accounts on several large sheets of paper.

Lionel suddenly opened his eyes: "Just then, I—Le Chaté—was stabbed to death. I was stabbed twelve times."

He made an exaggerated falling motion, then stood up, dusted himself off, and said, "Okay, I'm dead. It's the next morning now."

Everyone laughed, but quickly returned to the game-like atmosphere.

“The next morning,” Lionel said, “the train conductor discovered that Le Chaté hadn’t come for breakfast, so he knocked on the door. It was locked, and there was no response from inside. He called the purser, and together they broke down the door.”

Dubois and another passenger playing the role of the flight attendant performed the breaking-in process.

[Flight attendant: "My God! He's dead! He was stabbed to death!"]

[Train conductor (Ferdinand Dubois): "Quickly, fetch Mr. Poirot! He's the detective!"]

The three "Poirots" stood up at the same time.

Lionel turned to everyone: “Now, the murder has occurred. Poirot will begin the investigation. First, he needs to examine the body and the scene.”

Lionel walked to the "box" area: "This is the scene. Poirots, what do you see?"

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(End of this chapter)