Chapter 4: Three

“Pardon, Monsieur Cath, s’il vous plaît.” Alphand’s head poked out of the toilet door. “You wouldn’t mind if I rearrange your toiletries to one side to make some space for my own?” 

Theo nodded his head ever so slightly while he gazed idly out of the window, watching the dark silhouettes of passengers and crew flit past along the dreary platform outside the stationary train. From the reflection on the glass, he could see Alphand giving him a thumbs-up before closing the toilet door shut. 

Exhaling deeply, he lay down on his bed and rested his head on the soft pillow, wondering how lovely it would be to have a smoke right now. Xavier hated the smell of smoke, so he had made a promise not to touch a cigarette shortly after their first meeting—and even though that bastard partner wasn’t around anymore, Maria’s presence made it difficult to smoke freely inside the inn. Alphand, on the other hand, owned a pipe and didn’t mind smoking indoors; hence, it was quite the tempting thought to smoke just this one time with a newfound friend. 

A knock on the door broke his reverie. “Monsieur Alphand? Your tobacco is ready, compliments of the Wagon Lit.” 

Theo hesitated briefly before getting out of bed and opening the compartment door to greet the Conductor. “He’s currently occupied in the toilet, I can pass it to him on your behalf.”

“You have my gratitude, Mister Cath,” Machel replied earnestly, handing him a small tin labelled Special Smoking Mixture No. 24. 

He hesitated again. “Before you leave, can I make a request for a pack of cigarettes and a lighter?”

“Bien sûr.” Machel smiled and bowed his head slightly. “Anything else, Mister Cath?”

Shaking his head, Theo thanked the Conductor and closed the compartment door. Alphand was still occupying the toilet, so he simply left the tobacco tin on the nightstand and poured himself a glass of eau pétillante while waiting.

Another knock interrupted him just as he was about to pour a second glass. “The items that you requested, Mister Cath.” 

He eagerly slid the cardboard box and lighter in the breast pocket of his coat. “Many thanks, Machel.” 

“I have to inform you as well, Mister Cath, that smoking is only allowed in the lounge car for our second-class passengers,” Machel said. “You can also smoke outside on the platform, should you wish not to walk all the way to the lounge car.” 

Theo let out a small hum of annoyance. “I’ll just take my smoke outside first, then join Alphand in the lounge car once he is finished.” 

“Il n’y a pas de problème, I’ll call for you when it’s time for departure. I can prepare a table for you two gentlemen in the meantime.”

The wind whistled in his ears as soon as he unlatched the carriage door and descended onto the rickety platform. Old, splintered wooden floorboards creaked noisily under his boots as he walked in the near-darkness. Though snow had yet to fall, the nights were beginning to get chilly; this particular night was cold enough to make him draw near to the hot engine steam billowing from the locomotive’s vents.

A waiting shelter stood at the end of the platform, its thin timber walls barely keeping the wind out. Under the dim glow of kerosene lamps hanging from the eaves, a man was already smoking a cigarette. His hunched-up position, coupled with the wrinkles on his face and unkempt grey hair, made him look like a grumpy old turtle. They exchanged glances with each other before the man quietly shifted to the side.

“Merci.” Theo stood beside him in the shelter and took out the lighter; he carefully protected the flame from the wind as he lit his cigarette. 

“You came by the Orient Express?” 

It took him a moment to register that the man was asking him a question. Exhaling a plume of grey smoke into the night air, he nodded his head. “Are you not a passenger?” 

“I live in the town with my mother,” the man replied, taking another drag from his cigarette. “I heard that the Saintess Rasputina who performed the miracle cure on Her Highness is taking the Orient Express tonight, so I wanted to meet her in person…alas, no matter what I say, they won’t let me see her.” 

“Of course not, they won’t allow someone without a ticket on board.” Theo paused and frowned. “Who told you that the Saintess is accompanying Her Highness on this particular train? I’m pretty sure the newspapers only mention Princess Anastasia…”

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“Oh, I worked in the palace up till recently, and I still maintain a close relationship with the servants in the palace. They’re fond of gossip, if you know what I mean.”

“Ah, I see…if you do not mind entertaining my curiosity, what was your appointment in the palace?”

“Ben, I was the physician serving the royal family before my resignation.” The man paused, then let out a heavy sigh. “Not only did Her Highness collapse on the night of Her Highness’ coronation, some thieves broke into the palace to steal the Crown Jewels and nearly killed two men in the process. Acré vinguiou, can you believe that? I was so stressed out I could hardly sleep a wink.” 

Theo raised his eyebrow in response, but decided not to say anything in response and let the doctor continue. 

“Things just got worse from there.”  A self-deprecating chuckle escaped him as he chuntered, “ I, the best doctor in the whole Empire, couldn’t even figure out the cause behind Her Highness’ malaise for three days straight—and some étrangère just appeared suddenly and beat me at my own game. The humiliation I felt then—it’s indescribable, you know? How can I possibly still have the face to remain in the palace after the fact…”

Theo merely listened to the man’s rant as he smoked the cigarette to the filter and stubbed it out. “So, Doctor, you want to know what’s the secret behind the Saintess’ cure?” 

“Naturellement! If the answer eludes me any longer, I swear that I’ll never rest in peace.” He took the half-burnt cigarette out of his mouth and exhaled the last puff of smoke. “I have to meet the Saintess at all costs, so please, can you render me some assistance?” 

“No, there’s really no need for that,” Theo said with a wry smile. “I can tell you the answer right here and now—even the Saintess herself does not know exactly how she cured Her Highness.” 

He flicked his cigarette butt onto the platform and kicked it away. “What do you mean?” 

“Well, she only kissed Her Highness on the lips like this—” he pressed a finger to his own lips “—and by sheer luck, the princess was roused from her eternal slumber. That is the truth, and only the truth, Doctor.” 

The man was so stunned that he froze on the spot. “C-C’est pas vrai! No medicine was administered by the Saintess at all??”

“Medicine can’t cure an illness that isn’t grounded in reality,” Theo said, shaking his head. “I heard from Her Grace personally that Princess Anastasia is suffering from a ‘transmigration disease’. It doesn’t exist in any medical book, am I right to say that, Doctor?” 

“Transmigration disease…n-no, this is the first time I’ve come across it.” The man grabbed his hands frantically. “Sir, can you please tell me more about this peculiar illness?” 

“I don’t know anything about it either, other than that it seems to be a malady plaguing the soul of an individual.” He shrugged helplessly. “That’s precisely the reason I’m taking the Orient Express, Doctor. I’m searching for a person who may possibly know about this illness better than us two.”

“So that’s how it is…forgive me, Sir, but can I trouble you to share your findings with me as soon as you return?” The man produced a notepad and pen from the inner pocket of his coat and scribbled something down on a page before tearing it out. “This is my name and address, please keep it for your perusal.”

“I’ll consider,” Theo said hesitantly, glancing at the note. “Your name is Albert?” 

“Indeed, Sir. I owe you my utmost thanks and gratitude.” With a sweeping bow, Albert excused himself and hurried out of the train station. 

“It wouldn’t hurt to have a doctor owe me a favour, I suppose…” he murmured. Just then, the piercing blast of a whistle punctuated the air. 

“The Orient Express is departing shortly!” Machel hollered from the carriage door. “All passengers, please board the train now!”

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