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  • 12/05/2025
First broadcast 28th January 1990.

An ordinary middle-aged woman, Mrs Pengelley, visits Poirot and tells him of her horrid suspicion: her husband is trying to poison her.

David Suchet as Hercule Poirot
Hugh Fraser as Captain Hastings
Philip Jackson as Chief Inspector Japp
Pauline Moran as Miss Lemon
Chloe Salaman as Freda Stanton
John Bowler as Jacob Radnor
Jerome Willis as Edward Pengelley
Amanda Walker as Mrs Pengelley
Tilly Vosburgh as Jessie Dawlish
Derek Benfield as Dr Adams
Laura Girling as Edwina Marks
John Rowe as Prosecutor
Hugh Munro as Judge
Graham Callan as Solicitor
Edwina Day as Landlady
Richard Braine as Shop Assistant (as Richard Brain)
Hugh Sullivan as Vicar
Jonathan Whaley as Policeman
Nick Ryall as Policeman at Gate

Category

📺
TV
Transcript
00:00Are you feeling better, Hastings?
00:30Yes. Yes, I am, as a matter of fact. Takes the pressure off the pancreas, you see.
00:39The pancreas is nothing. Of the digestive organs, the liver is the king. Look after the liver and life will take care of itself.
00:47Get yourself, Mr Poirot.
00:49Thank you, Miss Lemmon. This is what you need, Hastings?
00:53No fear. I've tested it.
00:55Mr Poirot.
00:56Yes, Miss Lemmon.
00:57There's a lady outside.
00:58A client?
00:59I don't know. When I say outside, I mean outside in the street. I've been watching her from my window.
01:05She keeps on backwards and forwards, then stops and looks up at the building. I'm sure she wants to come in.
01:11Go and intercept her, Miss Lemmon. Inform her that Hercule Poirot is not devouring the strange ladies this season.
01:17Mr Poirot.
01:19To leave the pancreas alone, Hastings, is the best advice I can give you. And look to your diet. What did you eat last night, huh?
01:34Do not tell me. You went to that Indian restaurant you keep on telling me about, n'est-ce pas?
01:38The Orient has much to teach us, Poirot.
01:41Uh-huh.
01:42You have been warned, Hastings.
01:44Do you know what is the most heavily taxed import in Belgium?
01:48Rice!
01:49The government of my country is determined to stamp it out.
01:52Look, I was brought up on rice. Rice pudding.
01:55And how are you feeling, Hastings?
01:57Well, I...
02:00Yes, Hastings, but we happen to be leaving in the corner of the country.
02:03The Indian philosopher Rabindranath Tadour specifically recommends rice as a cure for all known ill.
02:09She won't come in, Mr Poirot.
02:11She denied wanting to see you at all at first.
02:14Then she said she'd meet you.
02:18Where?
02:25Don't be nervous, madame. You are among friends.
02:45I may be wickedly wronging poor Edward, though.
02:49It's a terrible thought for a wife to have. I've got this dreadful idea.
02:53You suspect your husband, love?
02:57Oh, Mr Poirot, I'm dreadfully afraid. I'm being poisoned.
03:03I see.
03:05What makes you think so, madame?
03:07I'm sick after nearly every meal.
03:10And I get this burning pain all down here.
03:13The doctor says it's gastritis.
03:15But it's very odd.
03:17Whenever Edward's away for the weekend, I'm quite all right again.
03:20Even Frieda noticed that.
03:21Frieda?
03:22My niece.
03:24And then there's that tin of weed killer.
03:27The gardener says he's never used it.
03:29But it's half empty.
03:31You and your husband reside where, madame?
03:34Paul Garwood.
03:35It's in Cornwall.
03:37Do you have any children?
03:39No.
03:40But a niece, I think you said, yes?
03:42Yes, Frieda Stanton.
03:44My husband's only sister's child.
03:46She's lived with us for the last eight years.
03:48That is, until a week ago.
03:50Aha.
03:51And what happened a week ago?
03:53I don't know.
03:54One day last week, she just flared up and walked out.
03:57She's taken rooms of her own in the town.
04:00Leave with account to her senses, so Mr Radnor says.
04:03Mr Radnor?
04:04Oh, he's just a friend.
04:06A very pleasant young fellow.
04:07Anything, er, you know, between him and your niece?
04:11Nothing.
04:12Absolutely nothing.
04:13Madame.
04:14We must be brutal.
04:15Do you know of any reason why your husband should wish you out of the way?
04:22Yes, I do.
04:24There's a yellow-haired hussy that works for him.
04:29My husband's a dentist, Mr Poirot, and nothing would do but he must have a smart girl, as he put it, to make his appointments and mix his fillings for him.
04:38Go on, madame.
04:40Well, there's talk round the town.
04:42I mean, her with her bobbed hair and her white overall.
04:46Of course, he swears it's all right.
04:48But then he would, wouldn't he?
04:52It makes me cold, talking like this.
04:54Alors, let us then be practical.
04:56You return to Paul Garwith today, yes?
04:59Yes.
05:00There's a train at five.
05:02Eh bien.
05:03Tomorrow, Captain Hastings and I will follow you there.
05:06I don't want there to be any talk.
05:08Courage, madame.
05:09We will be discretion itself.
05:11You see, he was one of the Wilshire Hastings on his father's side.
05:24So it was Herbert who moved the family to Cornwall.
05:27Yes, Herbert was my father.
05:29Who was your mother then?
05:30Maud Hastings.
05:31At least she wasn't Hastings till she got married.
05:33She was Maud Willoughby.
05:34What are you doing, Hastings?
05:36Well, I'm trying to get these relationships sorted out.
05:39If I'm going to pretend I'm the son of Mrs. Pengeli's second cousin...
05:43What do you think of this case, Hastings?
05:47Nasty business, I'd say.
05:48Nasty business, I'd say.
05:49Unless Mrs. Pengeli's making the whole thing up.
05:52Well, madame Pengeli did not strike me as being the hysterical woman, Hastings.
05:57No.
05:58No, if I'm mistaken not.
06:00We have here a very poignant human drama.
06:04You see, it's very simple Hastings.
06:26Ordinarily, a woman will accuse anyone in the world except her husband.
06:31She will stick to her belief in him through thick and thin.
06:34Well, this other woman complicates matters.
06:36But you mean affection may turn to hate under the stimulus of jealousy?
06:40Exactly.
06:41Why then, come to me.
06:43To have our suspicions proved wrong, or to have them proved right.
06:55In a town like this, Hastings,
06:57Well, betide any husband who buys a tin of wheat killer.
07:00Probably only one place to buy something like that.
07:03And then if his wife suffers from gastritis,
07:06and is inclined to be imaginative,
07:08the fat is in her flames, I think.
07:10If Monsieur Pengeli chooses for dalliance his receptionist Hastings,
07:20he chooses unwisely.
07:21It is a little too close to home.
07:23Domestic quarters on one side and surgery on the other.
07:26What is that, Poirot?
07:27Sounds like someone crying.
07:28No!
07:29No!
07:30No!
07:31No!
07:32No!
07:33No!
07:34No!
07:35No!
07:36No!
07:37No!
07:38No!
07:39No!
07:40No!
07:41No!
07:42No!
07:43No!
07:44No!
07:45No!
07:46No!
07:47No!
07:48No!
07:49No!
07:50No!
07:51No!
07:52No!
07:53No!
07:54No!
07:55No!
07:56Yes.
07:57Yes?
07:58We wish to see Mrs. Pengeli.
07:59You can't.
08:00She's dead.
08:01Dead?
08:02Not an hour ago.
08:03Upstairs.
08:04Cold.
08:05Of what did she die?
08:06we wish to see mrs. pengelly you can't she's dead dead not an hour ago upstairs
08:18cold of what did she die are you foreign Belgian the whole world's gone mad today
08:27what happened it's not my place to say anything and I'm not going to but
08:34everybody knows indeed didn't I see the master with me own eyes standing just
08:40near the shelf with a weed killer this very evening and didn't he jump when he
08:45turned around and saw me a watching of him and the mrs. gruel there on the table
08:50ready a bite more food passes my lips while I'm in this house not if I dies
08:57for it oh my god it's him you'll have to go where does the doctor who attended
09:06your mistress live dr. Adams at the other end of the high street who is it Jessie it's
09:13nobody sir it's just some men I'm very sorry to hear of your tragic loss
09:21thank you we should have come with our yesterday Hastings an imbecile a criminal imbecile that's what I have been
09:48oh I post about my little grey cells and now I have lost a human life a life that
09:54came to me to be saved
10:04damned nonsense damned nonsense every word of it was I or was I not in attendance in
10:12this case indeed did I or did I not say the first day I went to see mrs.
10:16pengeli gastritis yes did I ever waver from that diagnosis no I did not but he's
10:24undoubted town is a hotbed of gossip scandal mongering old women get together and
10:30invent god knows what but the fact remains they read these scurrilous rags of
10:34newspapers and nothing will suit them better but that someone from their town
10:38should be poisoned too but madame pengeli why should anyone want to poison her
10:42dr. Adams will you please listen to me why I'm telling you it was yesterday that
10:50madame pengeli came to London in order to consult me she believed she was being
10:54poisoned never Hastings do you hear that now I am a liar huh dr. Adams please
10:59allow me madame pengeli believed that her husband was the poisoner rubbish I know
11:05edward pengeli wouldn't poison his grandmother's dog but it is not the dog
11:09of madame pengeli's grandmother that is being poisoned
11:16madame pengeli believed that her husband had fallen in love with his
11:21receptionist fallen in love yes edward pengeli isn't the sort of man to fall in
11:27love we played golf together never been in love in his life damn fine dentist too
11:33I'll be blunt with you mr. Poirot we in poor Garwith don't need you
11:39outsiders coming in spreading your tittle-tattle all I am trying to tell you
11:44monsieur the daughter is what madame pengeli thought if she thought that she
11:49must have gone mad she should have come to see me might have told her and had all
11:54her fears ridiculed ridiculed certainly not I've got an open mind I hope
12:24so
12:36falling love Edward pengeli is not the sort of man to fall in love he is as obstinate as a pig that one
12:45he says it he's castritis therefore it is castritis did I waver from that diagnosis never
12:54A doctor who lacks doubt is not a doctor, he's an executioner.
13:02Poor Madame Pengeli, surrounded by such closed minds.
13:08We owe it to her, Hastings, to unmask her murderer.
13:24Well, let's meet the yellow-haired hussy, eh?
13:37What is this hussy, Hastings?
13:40It means the sort of girl who's sort of...
13:45know better than she ought to be kind of thing.
13:49Know better than...? That's it.
13:55To be continued.
13:59To be continued.
14:04To be continued...
14:15To be continued...
14:20Oh, I'm sorry.
14:29Yes, sir.
14:32Oh, right.
14:35Look, I'm the second cousin of...
14:39No.
14:41Good morning.
14:42Look here, I've got a toothache.
14:44Ow, it really...
14:45There's been a bereavement.
14:46Mr Pengeli isn't in the surgery today.
14:50Ah, right.
14:52Well, I'd better come back some other time, shall I?
14:54It is all right.
14:56I will look after him.
14:58Come along, Hastings.
14:59What?
15:00Oh, right.
15:02I'll come back next week, then.
15:20What a stunner, Poirot.
15:23You must not excite yourself, Hastings.
15:35Good morning.
15:36And what do you think of our little town?
15:51It is charming, madame.
15:52I hope you find us interesting enough.
15:54Indeed I do.
15:56Miss Stanton, dear.
15:57Gentleman to see you.
15:58Who are you?
16:01Who are you?
16:02Ercubal.
16:04And you?
16:05Jacob Radner.
16:09Oh, poor auntie.
16:12Of course it was all nonsense, her thinking Uncle Edward was poisoning her.
16:16It's terribly sad.
16:19I've been wishing all morning I'd been kinder and more patient.
16:25These regrets are a little too common, mademoiselle.
16:28But one must move on.
16:30I know, but I've got a sharp temper.
16:33After all, it was only silliness on auntie's part.
16:37You stood a great deal, Frieda.
16:42What was the actual cause of your disagreement, mademoiselle?
16:48Look, I'll be running along.
16:50I'll see you this evening, eh?
16:53Goodbye, gentlemen.
17:03You are affianced to Monsieur Radnor.
17:09Is that not so?
17:11As a matter of fact, yes.
17:14How did you know?
17:15Well, one does not have to be the greatest detective in the world to notice him.
17:19Oh, I see.
17:23That was the whole trouble, actually.
17:25With auntie.
17:27She did not approve of the match for you.
17:30It wasn't that so much.
17:31But you see...
17:34Yes.
17:42It seems rather a horrid thing to say about her now.
17:47Now she's dead.
17:50But you'll never understand unless I tell you.
17:53Well, auntie was...
17:59She was absolutely infatuated with Jacob.
18:07Jacob?
18:08Jacob Radnor, you mean?
18:10Yes.
18:11Yes, I know.
18:13I mean, she was over 50.
18:15And he's not 30 yet.
18:18But there it was.
18:20She was silly about him.
18:21I can see it would have made things dash difficult.
18:24Well, I just had to tell her in the end.
18:27I had to say.
18:28It was me Jacob was after.
18:32She carried on most dreadfully.
18:35She wouldn't believe a word of it.
18:36And was so rude and insulting.
18:39I lost my temper, I'm afraid.
18:41I wish I hadn't.
18:44And so you left?
18:46Yes.
18:47So I should jolly well think.
18:52Why, thank you very much, Miss Stampton.
18:53You've been most helpful.
18:54I hope I've put your mind at rest, that's all.
18:56Indeed.
18:58Mind at rest tastings.
19:00I thought it all seemed quite, you know.
19:02You know.
19:04Well, I wasn't surprised she had gastritis.
19:06Gone?
19:07Well, she's going to run around after chaps half her age.
19:10Mr. Poirot.
19:12Ah, hello again, Mr. Radnor.
19:14I wonder if I might have a word with you.
19:18I can pretty well guess what Frieda has been telling you.
19:21Indeed.
19:22It was all really unfortunate.
19:25At first, I was quite pleased.
19:27I imagined the old woman was helping things along with Frieda.
19:29And then it turned out, well, the whole thing was absurd.
19:34And extremely unpleasant.
19:37This is my little place.
19:39Oh, is this your shop?
19:40It's not bad, is it?
19:42After you, gentlemen.
19:49Oh, good morning, gentlemen.
19:50Good morning.
19:51Oh, good morning, Mr. Radnor.
19:53It's all right, Mr. Newsome.
19:54These gentlemen are with me.
19:55You can go and have your dinner if you like.
19:57Thank you, sir.
19:57Well, this is most impressive, Mr. Radnor.
20:01We'll try to liven Paul Garwith up a bit.
20:04In fashions, better quality.
20:08When are you and Mlle Stanton going to get married?
20:11Soon, I hope.
20:13Look, Mr. Poirot, can I speak freely?
20:15Of course.
20:17I'm going to be candid with you.
20:19Excellent.
20:20I know a bit more than Frieda does, you see.
20:23Indeed.
20:25She believes her uncle to be innocent.
20:27And you don't?
20:28I'm not so sure as all that.
20:30I can tell you one thing, though.
20:35I'm going to keep my mouth shut about what I do now.
20:38Let sleeping dogs lie.
20:40I don't want my wife's uncle tried and hanged for murder.
20:45Why do you tell me this, monsieur?
20:48Because I've heard of you.
20:50And I know you're a clever man.
20:52It's quite possible you might ferret out a case against him.
20:56But I put it to you.
20:58What good is that?
21:00The poor woman is past help, isn't she?
21:02And she'd be the last person to want a scandal.
21:07You are probably right.
21:09So you want me to hush it up?
21:12Well, I admit I'm being selfish about it.
21:16I'm building up a good little business here.
21:18You don't know what these small towns are like.
21:22Most of us are selfish, monsieur Radnor.
21:24Not all of us admit it so freely.
21:28Yes, I will do what you ask.
21:29But I tell you frankly, you will not succeed in hushing it up.
21:34Why not?
21:35Vox populi, monsieur Radnor.
21:37That is why.
21:39The voice of the people.
21:47Earth to earth.
21:50Ashes to ashes.
21:52Dust to dust.
21:53Ensure uncertain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ.
22:00Who shall change our vile body.
22:03That it may be like unto his glorious body.
22:06According to the mighty working.
22:07I suppose we can accept this rather extraordinary story about Radnor and Mrs. Pangeli.
22:12But yes.
22:14Must have been dashed embarrassing for him.
22:17Perhaps.
22:17Or perhaps he found it a little flattering, huh?
22:23Flattering?
22:24She was old enough to be his mother.
22:27Well, almost.
22:31And we forgive them that trespass against us.
22:35And lead us not into temptation.
22:36Madame Pangeli was an estimable and charming lady.
22:49Thank you, Mr. Poirot.
22:52If only I'd listened to her.
22:54I assumed it was a minor digestive disorder.
22:57Terrible business.
22:59Sandwich, Captain Hastings.
23:00Terrible business.
23:02Gastritis.
23:03Gastritis pure and simple.
23:05Oh.
23:06If you don't mind, Mr. Pangeli, I'd like to read the will.
23:09I have to get back to the office before midday.
23:12Yes, yes.
23:13By all means.
23:15There are no secrets.
23:16It's quite straightforward, really.
23:24After the usual preamble, Mrs. Pangeli leaves £2,000 in trust for her niece, Miss Frieda Stanton, until she's 40.
23:35The residue of her estate, which amounts to some £20,000 in government bonds,
23:41she leaves to her husband, Edward Pangeli.
23:51That's all.
24:02If you'll excuse us.
24:09I think I should take her home.
24:11It is all very interesting, is it not, Hastings?
24:27Interesting?
24:28Seems to be rather sordid and unpleasant.
24:30Hardly seems any mystery about it.
24:32I agree.
24:33There is no mystery whatever.
24:34Pangeli had three motives for murder.
24:37Money.
24:38He was in love with his assistant.
24:39Mrs. Pangeli was apparently in love with Radnor.
24:42Though I must say, I find that pretty hard to believe.
24:45Ah, Hastings, you admire Lefant, man.
24:47You prostrate yourself before all who are good-looking.
24:50Look how you are struck all over pile by that yellow-haired Hussie.
24:53Quite untrue.
24:55But psychologically, you know nothing whatever about them.
24:57Oh, well, there you are.
24:57You see, that just shows.
24:59Women are always saying I understand them rather too well.
25:02Really, Hastings?
25:03I should like to hear them say so myself.
25:04No, no, no, mon ami.
25:05You listen to Poirot and you shall learn.
25:07In the autumn of a woman's life, Hastings, there comes always one mad moment
25:26when she longs for romance, for adventure, before it is too late.
25:31Even if she is the wife of a respectable dentist in a country town.
25:34And you think that...
25:35That a clever man might take advantage of such a moment?
25:38I'd hardly call Pangeli so clever.
25:40He seems to have got the whole town talking.
25:42You know, Hastings, what I find curious is that the only two men who know anything about
25:49the case, they both want to hush it up.
25:52What, rattled him to the doctor, you mean?
25:54I don't see what that's got to do with it.
25:59Well, before your bank holiday in August, Hastings, we shall see Monsieur Pangeli in the
26:05dock.
26:06Good thing, too.
26:08And it will be our job to save him from the gallows.
26:12All right, lads, pick them up.
26:36One, two, three, E!
26:39One, two, three, E!
26:42One, two, three, E!
26:46One, two, three, E!
26:48Two, three, E!
26:52One, two, three, E!
26:52One, two, three, E!
26:52Two, three, E!
26:54two heads and a tail two yins and a yang right it's number 15
27:24I don't understand this you sure you're thinking about Poirot his hexagrams
27:30come out as Chien what's that mean modesty superior man carries things
27:36through without vanity doesn't sound like mr. Poirot what are you doing
27:44Hastings the ee-ching actually the ee-e-ching it's an ancient Chinese
27:50Oracle we were foretelling your future most amusing your hexagram comes out as
27:55modesty oh that he's most apt very well yes but it's the lines that are
28:01important you see your second line says ten pairs of tortoises cannot oppose him
28:06the man in the scarlet knee bands is coming tortoises knee bands oh you see
28:12the tortoise was considered a magical animal it means you're going to be so
28:16successful that not even magic can stop you Hastings I have had enough of this
28:20nonsense I can foretell the future better than any Chinese Oracle as you will see
28:24if you look in this newspaper hey Hitler's speech full text further down the page
28:29the Cornish mystery mrs. Pengeli exhumed how long did I say Hastings say I said did
28:37I not that we should see monsieur Pengeli in the dock before August bank
28:41holiday and when is the august bank holiday Hastings two weeks on Monday
28:45where see someone
28:48he's done nothing now now you're wrong people tell lies they do terrible lies
29:02he's done nothing now now you're wrong people tell lies they do terrible lies
29:06he's innocent I tell you
29:19he's innocent
29:20body
29:32God
29:34God
29:35god became intense when Edward Pengeli announced his engagement to his 25 year old receptionist
29:42Mr. Edwin and marks three weeks ago what did I tell you Hastings the voice of the people
29:49Hastings? Have you finished your meditation?
29:56Hastings?
30:08And what was the reason for your visit?
30:11No particular reason. I often dropped in to see them.
30:14We were friends.
30:16Did you see Mrs. Pengeli on this occasion?
30:20No. She was in bed, I was told.
30:23She had her digestive trouble again.
30:26She had this digestive trouble quite regularly.
30:31Not regularly, no.
30:32But she'd been suffering for some time with it.
30:36You saw the accused?
30:38Yes.
30:40What was he doing?
30:42He was in the kitchen preparing some gruel to take up to his wife.
30:49Now, what I want you to tell the court is exactly what met your eyes when you went through that door into the kitchen.
30:58Well, I saw Mr. Pengeli.
31:01He had his back to me.
31:04He was putting a tin up on a shelf.
31:07There was a tray with a bowl of gruel on it on the kitchen table.
31:10One moment, Mr. Radnor.
31:12This tin that Mr. Pengeli was replacing,
31:16can you tell us what was in it?
31:17No.
31:20Can you describe it to us?
31:23It was a bit bigger than a cocoa tin.
31:25It was yellow with black printing on it.
31:28Or perhaps dark blue.
31:29Could we see exhibit D, please?
31:31This tin, Mr. Radnor.
31:49Yes.
32:01No, no.
32:26Can't I have just one little murder case to myself?
32:29Bonjour, Chief Inspector.
32:30We were on this case long before you were.
32:33Good hand.
32:34I am glad.
32:36Madame Pengeli came to me because she thought she was being poisoned.
32:39She was right.
32:41Poirot said Pengeli would be in the dark before August Man Comedy.
32:45So what are you here for?
32:48To rescue him.
32:53Oh, no.
32:53He had the means to do it, the weed killer.
32:59He had the opportunity to do it.
33:01He lived in the same house and prepared some of her meals.
33:04He had the motive to do it.
33:05The yellow-haired hussy who has to be no better than she was, huh?
33:09And yet, Inspector, he did not do it.
33:12I can name six people who had the motive to kill Madame Pengeli.
33:17What about Monsa Stanton, for instance?
33:19She inherits under her aunt's will.
33:22Don't spoil it, Poirot.
33:24This is a little holiday for me.
33:25It's an open and shut case.
33:27Everyone knows Pengeli did it.
33:29Everyone does not use the greysers, I think.
33:31Do you think I should talk to the niece again?
33:51Certainly.
33:52The symptoms of gastritis are identical to the symptoms of arsenic poisoning.
33:57That is not what the pathologist from the home office said, Dr. Adams.
34:01No, no, no. I'm telling you.
34:03The symptoms of gastritis are identical to the symptoms of arsenic poisoning.
34:07That's why I made the diagnosis that I did.
34:14Well, I don't see what's going to save him.
34:15Poirot will save him.
34:21With the help of the Vox Populi, of course.
34:23Well, the Vox Populi seems quite certain Pengeli did it, if you ask me.
34:26Precisement, you have now grasped the nab of the nab.
34:30Oh, Mr. Radnor.
34:31Oh, Mr. Radnor.
34:33Hello.
34:35Captain Hastings.
34:36This is a sad business.
34:37Ah.
34:38A trial, yes.
34:39I just think it is.
34:40Do you see any chance of him getting off?
34:42Well, he has reserved his defence and he may have something up his sleeve, as you English say.
34:47Mr. Radnor, would you care to join Captain Hastings and me for a drink at the hotel?
34:51Well, thank you.
34:52Same place to join us, huh?
34:54We can go to my room, Mr. Radnor, where we can discuss the intricacies of this case, no?
34:59Very good.
34:59Ah, please, sit down, Mr. Radnor.
35:08Hastings, please be so kind as to offer our friends something to drink.
35:11Cherry, please.
35:17Business is good, Mr. Radnor?
35:19Excellent, thank you, yes.
35:20I've taken over the shop next door to add to mine.
35:23Ah.
35:24Well, it is Jacob, n'est-ce pas?
35:30I'm sorry?
35:32Jacob Radnor?
35:34Yes.
35:37Jacob Radnor.
35:48Of 21 4th Street, yes?
35:52What are you doing?
35:55Captain Hastings and I are very experienced, Mr. Radnor, in matters of this kind.
36:01And we both feel that our friend, Mr. Pengeli, has one loophole of escape.
36:11A loophole?
36:12What loophole has he got?
36:17That you should sign
36:21this little piece of paper.
36:24What is it?
36:29The confession that you murdered Madame Pengeli.
36:31You must be mad.
36:36No, no, no, my friend.
36:37I am not mad.
36:39Madame Pengeli was a lady very well to do, but the small allowance she made to her niece was
36:45not sufficient for your ambitious schemes.
36:47Now, you must get rid of both her and her husband.
36:53And then all the money would go to Mademoiselle Stanton, no?
36:56You yourself decide to murder Madame Pengeli and let her husband hang for the crime.
37:03I'm not going to stay here and listen to this.
37:08You've got no right to keep me here.
37:20Nevertheless, you will stay.
37:21You set about your task very cleverly, Monsieur Radnor.
37:32You made love to that plain middle-aged woman.
37:37You implanted into her mind doubts about the fidelity of her husband.
37:40You introduced arsenic into her food, being very careful never to do so while her husband was away.
37:45You were in the house while her husband was preparing the gruel for his wife, and you introduced the fatal dose.
37:53The rest is easy.
37:56Very interesting.
37:57Very ingenious.
37:59But why do you tell me this?
38:02Because, Monsieur Radnor, I represent...
38:06No, not the law.
38:10I represent...
38:11Madame Pengeli.
38:19And it is for her sake that I'm going to give you the chance to escape.
38:25Now, look.
38:25You sign that piece of paper and I will give you 24 hours start, Monsieur Radnor.
38:3324 hours before I place this matter into the hands of the police.
38:41You can't get away, Radnor.
38:43Look out of that window.
38:52Those two men have orders not to lose sight of you.
38:58Damn you!
39:01You've only got one chance, Radnor.
39:03What guarantee have I got?
39:07None.
39:08But you will surely hang if you do not sign.
39:18All right.
39:18Daniel.
39:34Shall I give them the signal, Poirot, to let him pass?
39:39Certainement.
39:48You have 24 hours, Monsieur Radnor.
39:54I'll get back at you, Poirot, one day.
39:58I think not, my friend.
40:00In two days, you will be in the prison cell.
40:02I'm not sure we should have let him go, you know, Poirot.
40:15You're letting a dangerous criminal escape out of sheer sentiment.
40:19No, Hastings.
40:21That was not sentiment.
40:24That was realism.
40:25We have no shadow of proof against him.
40:30The only chance was to frighten him into confession.
40:42Hastings, those two men of yours, who are they?
40:47I haven't the foggiest idea.
40:48I just noticed them standing there when we came in.
40:51But that is sheer brilliance.
40:53Oh.
40:54Well.
40:55Your peculiar oriental practices, which I tease you about,
40:58are obviously working wonders on your grass cells.
41:01Maybe it's the rice.
41:04I hope not, Hastings.
41:12Where are we going?
41:13To place this into the house of the proper authorities.
41:16But that's not for 24 hours.
41:17Hastings, did you really believe that I would let a cold-blooded murderer get off Scottish free?
41:21Oh, no.
41:21But Hastings, I do not understand you.
41:24You object if I let him off.
41:25You object if I do not let him off.
41:35That very day I see it, sir.
41:38I see his hand hovering over the Mrs. Gruul, sir.
41:42Whose hand?
41:44Well, his, sir.
41:45The master's, sir.
41:47And was there something in that hand, Miss Dawlish?
41:55Yes, sir.
41:56There was, sir.
42:01Weed killer, sir.
42:02When you say weed killer, Miss Dawlish, this is most extraordinary.
42:18Have you notified the police?
42:20No, we thought it would come better from you.
42:23Good.
42:24Meanwhile, I'll ask that the trial is at least adjourned.
42:27There is just one thing.
42:30We did promise Mr. Radnor that we'd give him a 24-hour start.
42:34My lord, I put it to the court that not only him can nearly have had him.
42:47But I cannot.
42:48Don't get any of that in, Peckham.
43:00I cannot.
43:01I cannot.
43:01I cannot.
43:10I cannot.
43:10If Edward Bengali had really murdered his wife Hastings, guilt would have made him sensitive
43:12to what people would say.
43:13If he announced his engagement to Mademoiselle Marks, no, no, no, Hastings, the guilty person
43:18would have waited and quietly slipped out of Cornwall forever before doing such a thing.
43:22Well, there's Jab.
43:26I don't know what you're going to tell him.
43:29Nothing at all, Hastings.
43:30I hate to be the bearer of bad news.
43:33He will learn soon enough that his open and shut case has the broken hinges.
43:40Hey, Poirot, come and try one of these.
43:42My dear Jab.
43:43Poirot, Hastings.
43:46I shall not miss these when I get back to London.
43:50Are you still poking about in my murder?
43:52Ah, no, no, no, no, no, no, Chief Inspector.
43:54Captain Hastings and I are retiring from the field.
43:57Oh?
43:58Why?
44:00Well, sometimes it is braver to admit defeat,
44:04than to battle on with no hope of success against the superior forces.
44:08Ah, yes.
44:09So Pangali's going to swing in spite of all your efforts.
44:15If we are to catch the next train, we must tear ourselves away.
44:18Captain Hastings is going to treat me to dinner at the most excellent restaurant
44:21he has discovered, which serves the Indian food.
44:24It is to this food that Captain Hastings attributes the improvement to his grass cells.
44:28Indian?
44:30What, these hot curries and things?
44:31Yes.
44:32Rather you than me, Poirot.
44:35Au revoir, Inspector.
44:36I do not wish to be visible when Inspector Jap discovers he has to chase after Mr. Ravnall.
44:57Too late.
45:01Sir, the inspector says, can you come, please, sir?
45:03The trial's been adjourned.
45:05Adjourned?
45:05What for?
45:06Mr. Radnor's confessed, sir.
45:08Confessed?
45:09To the murder.
45:09He confessed to that French gent.
45:12In writing.
45:14Poirot!