S03 E04. The Plymouth Express.

deaddogsdam

First broadcast 20th January 1991.  Australian mining entrepreneur Gordon Halliday hires Poirot to look into the activities of one of his daughter's suitors.  David Suchet as Hercule Poirot Hugh Fraser as Captain Hastings Philip Jackson as Chief Inspector Japp Pauline Moran as Miss Lemon John Stone as Halliday Kenneth Haigh as McKenzie Julian Wadham as Rupert Carrington Alfredo Michelson as Comte de la Rochefour Marion Bailey as Jane Mason Shelagh McLeod as Florence Carrington Steven Mackintosh as Newsboy Leon Eagles as Bank Manager John Abbott as Detective Stephen Riddle as Barman (as Steven Riddle) Adrian McLoughlin as Station Official Nigel Makin as Reception Clerk Richard Vanstone as Sergeant Robert Locke as Naval Officer Duncan Faber as Porter Reg Thomason as Doorman

Transcript

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00:53Yes, sir?

00:54Hello there.

00:55You're new, aren't you?

00:58Is there someone you wanted to see, sir?

01:00Well, yes, there was, as a matter of fact.

01:03♪♪

01:08I'd rather like a few quick words with my wife.

01:11♪♪

01:20Bye-bye.

01:22Bye-bye.

01:26Bye-bye.

01:28Good morning, sir.

01:41Good morning.

01:42Have your sweet.

01:44Excuse me.

01:59And how long will we be having the pleasure of your patronage,

02:01Monsieur Lecomte?

02:03Difficult to say.

02:04I have a business in London of an indefinite nature.

02:08Have your florists attached to the hotel?

02:11But of course, monsieur.

02:13Excellent.

02:15Suite 37.

02:18♪♪

02:29Flossie, darling.

02:31Ah.

02:32What the hell are you doing here, Carrington?

02:36Florence doesn't want to see you.

02:38I'd have thought the letter from the lawyer made that perfectly clear.

02:42Well, I'm sure we both want to spare Flossie the embarrassment

02:45of sharing all our little family secrets.

02:47Get out of here.

02:52Rupert.

02:53I thought it was your voice.

02:55There's no need for you to talk to him, Florence.

02:57There's no need for you to even see him.

02:59But I want to talk to him, father.

03:01Just for a moment, please.

03:03Fine.

03:05One minute.

03:07And I want him out of this house.

03:15He never liked me.

03:17Good heavens.

03:20I can't imagine why.

03:23Look, Flossie.

03:25This legal separation,

03:28it isn't what you want, is it?

03:31Rupert.

03:33The only reason I wanted to be alone with you

03:36was to be absolutely certain I got you out of my system.

03:41I have.

03:44Goodbye, Rupert.

03:46Flossie, wait.

03:49Look, all right, if that's what you really want.

03:52But look, you couldn't, um...

03:55I'm in a spot of difficulty.

03:57You mean money.

03:59Not a penny of it.

04:01You've had a good run for my money, but now it's over.

04:06I think you should help me out, Flossie.

04:12Oh, but they're standing out at the close yesterday in Sydney.

04:16Listen, the geologist's report is fine.

04:20Couldn't be better.

04:22Where did the rumours start, do you know?

04:25Paris?

04:27Who in Paris?

04:29Look, Tommy, hold the bank off.

04:32When the real report's published, those shares are going to rocket.

04:35Yeah. Right.

04:45I say.

04:47Remember those shares Sandy Hackett tipped me to buy?

04:50Shares, Hastings?

04:51The Australian mining company, Yellow Creek.

04:53He said they were about to make some spectacular discovery.

04:56Do not tell me, Hastings. They are down to five shillings.

04:59Three and six, actually.

05:02I thought you didn't study the stock market.

05:05I do not, Hastings. I study the psychology.

05:08Monsieur Hackett is what we call the congenital optimist.

05:11The only occasion on which we met, he assured me with utmost certainty

05:15that it would not rain that afternoon because he was going to the garden party.

05:19Yes, I remember. It bucketed down.

05:23KNOCK ON DOOR

05:27Mr Gordon Halliday's here to see you, Mr Poirot.

05:30Monsieur Gordon Halliday.

05:33Show him in by all means, Miss Lemon.

05:35Was that the Australian, Gordon Halliday?

05:37Oui, oui. The self-made millionaire par excellence.

05:41But he's the chairman of Yellow Creek Mines. Do you think he'd advise me?

05:45Hastings, I forbid you to mention it.

05:48Mr Halliday is here to ask for advice, not to give it.

05:56Mr Poirot, very good of you to see me without an appointment.

06:00Not at all, Monsieur Halliday, not at all.

06:02How may I be of service to you?

06:05Well, actually, it's a little awkward.

06:12Flowers from Monsieur Lecomte again, madame.

06:16Not more of them.

06:18What does he say this time?

06:23I'm desolated not to have heard from you.

06:26Can it possibly be that I am condemned to take tea alone?

06:31Have pity, my lovely Florence, have pity.

06:37He hasn't changed one bit.

06:39Well, I could deal with a bit of cheering out.

06:48Look, Mr Poirot, money's no object. I want him got rid of.

06:52Poirot is not in the business of getting rid of people, Monsieur Halliday.

06:56He's not only European, Monsieur Poirot, he's a Frenchman.

07:00And he's not only a Frenchman, he's a wronger.

07:03You see, it's hard for poor Florence.

07:07It's hard for poor Florence.

07:09Everybody knows she's my only heir.

07:12That scares off all the decent blokes and brings the buzzards flocking.

07:16And this Comte de Rochefort is one of the buzzards?

07:18Yeah, knew it as soon as I heard his wings flapping towards us in Paris.

07:22Of course, Florence thought he was the bee's knees.

07:25I had hell of a job getting her away from him.

07:28I thought I might find her someone more suitable in English society.

07:31The Honourable Rupert Carrington?

07:33Yeah, well, that was out of the frying pan into the fire with a vengeance.

07:37And now just as she gets him out of her hair, back out of nowhere comes this so-called count.

07:42Staying at the Adelphi Hotel, spending a fortune on roses.

07:46Poirot is not in the business of vetting the potential husbands, Monsieur Halliday.

07:50I cannot help you.

07:52You keep telling me what business you're not in, Mr Poirot.

07:56Can't you just run your eye over the pipsqueak for me?

08:01You're not a father, Poirot.

08:04You don't know what it's like trying to bring up a daughter all on your own.

08:07No wife to talk it over with.

08:09No one to ask advice.

08:16Very well.

08:18I will run my eye over him for you.

08:23I could tell you where he'll be in half an hour from now.

08:26Unless I'm very pleasantly mistaken, Florence will be there too.

08:47Will you go to Crufts?

08:49Crufts is about the most exciting thing in London this month.

08:52No, that is not so.

08:56I was devastated when you left Paris, Florence.

08:59I was utterly destroyed.

09:02Well, I'm sorry about Paris.

09:05My father...

09:06Ah.

09:08Your father.

09:12Perhaps he will look at me in a better light this time.

09:17Why? What's different this time?

09:20I have a job.

09:22I think the First National Bank of Paris will carry weight.

09:30Even with him.

09:37Well, Hastings, what do your instincts tell you about our so elegant count?

09:42Well, not a lot, really.

09:45Just looks like a typical frog.

09:48A typical Frenchman.

09:50I mean, typical Frenchman of his time.

09:53A Frenchman.

09:55Quite so. Quite so.

09:57Typical of his type.

10:07Bearer bonds.

10:09Worth 20,000 of your English pounds.

10:12If the bank can trust me to such an extent, so can your father.

10:16So can you.

10:19Perhaps.

10:21Is this something to do with some financial masterstroke?

10:26I will tell you all about it when we meet tomorrow.

10:29Oh, not tomorrow, I'm afraid.

10:31Tomorrow I'm going away for the weekend.

10:33I accepted an invitation months ago.

10:36Florence, how can I possibly be without you for another three days?

10:40Now that we have found each other again.

10:43Well, you can always come and see me off if it'll make you feel better.

10:49I'm catching the 12.14 from Paddington, the Plymouth Express,

10:53and then changing at Bristol.

10:56Come and wave goodbye to me.

11:00It is only for three days.

11:10Which of the jewels shall I pack, madam?

11:13Oh, I can't decide.

11:16I'll take the jewel case with everything.

11:19Do you think that's wise, Miss Florence?

11:30Florence, I just...

11:32Oh, do you have to wear those?

11:34With this? Don't be silly, father.

11:37Pack these, Jane.

11:39Do you have to take them all?

11:41Daddy.

11:43You really do have to stop worrying about me.

11:50Be a dear. Help Jane with the cases.

11:57150,000 shares caught.

12:01150,000.

12:04The Yellow Creek Mining Corporation.

12:07To be sold when they reach one pound.

12:14Jane?

12:19It's my security.

12:29Be careful with that heavy one.

12:43Be careful.

13:13The train now standing for Platform 1

13:16is the 12.14 Plymouth Express via Bristol.

13:21The 12.14 Plymouth Express via Bristol.

13:25We'll depart from Platform 1.

13:30Are you sure you wouldn't rather I stayed with you?

13:33I'd rather you stayed with me.

13:35I'd rather you stayed with me.

13:39Are you sure you wouldn't rather I stayed with you, madame?

13:42Quite sure. You go and find your own seat.

13:46Are you expecting company, madame?

13:49Of course not. Why on earth should I be?

14:08Platform 1.

14:38Platform 1.

15:08Platform 1.

15:39Excuse me.

15:41Do you know if that clock is correct?

15:44No idea, I'm afraid, my dear.

15:47Is Poirot in? I want to see him right now.

15:50Right this minute. Poirot.

15:52Florence has disappeared. You've got to do something.

15:55Poirot, she just disappeared in the thin air.

15:57Now, I don't want to see her.

15:59I don't want to see her.

16:01I don't want to see her.

16:03I don't want to see her.

16:05You've got to do something, Poirot.

16:07She just disappeared in the thin air.

16:09Now, calm yourself, Monsieur Halliday.

16:11How can I? I knew something like this would happen.

16:13Tell me.

16:14She was going away for the weekend.

16:16Her mates just called from Bristol station.

16:18They were supposed to change there.

16:20Only, apparently, Florence stayed on the train

16:22since she had some business further on.

16:24Now, did she specify what business?

16:26No, no. She just said that she'd get the first train back to Bristol

16:29and then they'd go on together.

16:31That is not necessarily to worry, my friend.

16:33There's still no sign of her.

16:35I see.

16:37What really worries me is that when the maid went along

16:40to Florence's compartment at Bristol,

16:42there was a man in it with her.

16:52Train now arriving on Platform 1 is the 12.14 from Paddington.

16:57This is Plymouth, Plymouth station.

17:00The train now arriving on Platform 1 is the 12.14 from Paddington.

17:18We know the pens answer you, sir.

17:30Hmm.

17:40Paper! Paper! Extra! Extra!

17:47Paper! Paper! Extra! Extra!

18:00Extra!

18:09What's it all for, Poirot?

18:13You're a clever man. You tell me that.

18:17My dear friend, I'm so very, very sorry.

18:22You found a murderer, Poirot.

18:24What make you richer than you ever dreamed?

18:27Aladin, my friend, it is not a question of money.

18:31Believe me, I also shall not rest until the murderer is brought to justice.

18:37Now, it is essential that I speak with the maid at the earliest possible moment.

18:41She's in the breakfast room.

18:43The police are questioning her right this minute.

18:49I tell you, I never saw his face.

18:52That's a bit hard to credit.

18:54Well, she made sure that I didn't.

18:57Mrs Carrington.

18:59She was standing in the doorway when we got to Bristol,

19:02with the luggage already out in the corridor.

19:04I just caught a glimpse of him over her shoulder.

19:07He had his back to me.

19:09Well, you must have noticed something.

19:11I told you he was tall.

19:13He had on a dark suit.

19:15And I think...

19:18I'm almost positive that his hair was dark too,

19:21but that's all I remember.

19:23Well, Poirot, Hastings, I heard you were here.

19:27Nasty businesses.

19:29Oui, d'accord. A genuine tragedy.

19:33If I may ask you, mademoiselle,

19:37did he seem to you in any way familiar?

19:41No, I don't...

19:43I don't think he did.

19:45Could it have been Mrs Carrington's husband?

19:49Well, I only saw him once.

19:52I suppose it could have been.

19:55Have you ever met a man who calls himself Le Comte de Rochefort?

20:00No, sir.

20:02Bien. Thank you very much, mademoiselle.

20:09So...

20:11after you'd caught a glimpse of this man you might or might not have seen before,

20:16then what happened?

20:18I told you Mrs Carrington said she had business on the train

20:22and that I was to take the luggage and wait for her.

20:25Mr Halliday tells me that Mrs Carrington had a lot of jewellery with her

20:29in a blue Morocco travelling case.

20:31That wasn't with the stuff he took off the train?

20:34Oh, no, sir. She kept that with her.

20:40What do you think, Poirot?

20:42I presume that the travelling case of blue Morocco was not discovered with the body.

20:46You presume 100% correct.

20:48Mind you, that doesn't necessarily signify...

20:52Whatever reason the murderer had for killing her,

20:54he'd be a fool to let a bag full of valuable jewellery go begging.

20:57Or perhaps he took it to distract us for his real motive.

21:00Taxi!

21:02Taxi!

21:19How long had she been dead when the body was discovered at Plymouth?

21:22About three hours, the doctor says.

21:25After Bristol, the train stops at Weston, then on again till Taunton.

21:32Taunton.

21:48According to the pathologist,

21:50she was killed soon after the train left Weston, at the very latest.

21:53Possibly before.

21:54Before the train reached Weston?

21:56Could be.

21:57The train for Plymouth departs from Paddington station

22:00How old is it now?

22:0112, 14 years.

22:05Hastings, what do you say to an invigorating ride into the West Country?

22:10It's time for a ride.

22:29Weston station. Dead on time.

22:32Exactly 25 past three.

22:36Excellent.

22:39At which time yesterday, Madame Carrington was alive and well.

22:44The question is, Hastings,

22:46was Madame Carrington still alive and well at this moment?

22:50And if she was alive and well, did she remain in the carriage?

22:55Or did she descend from the train onto the platform?

22:59Perhaps to stretch the legs, take in the fresh air?

23:03And did anybody see her doing it?

23:05I see someone.

23:09Perhaps we should ask a porter.

23:11Yes, we could.

23:14Possibly.

23:19Fight! Fight!

23:26Excuse me.

23:28No, no, no, no, no. No, thank you.

23:31You have the appearance of a bright, observant young lad.

23:34That's what my mum says.

23:37Tell me, I want you to try to remember,

23:39at precisely this time yesterday,

23:41did you see, descending from the train,

23:44a woman, a handsome young woman in a blue...

23:48a blue hat and coat, perhaps?

23:50She bought a newspaper of you, eh?

23:52You mean the Australian lady?

23:54So you remember her?

23:56I couldn't forget her. God, what a fuss she was making.

23:58Fuss? Yeah.

24:00She kept going on about wanting a late edition of the paper, any paper.

24:04Well, I told her I only had the early edition,

24:06but she wouldn't believe me.

24:08Kept going on saying I must have one as her life were at stake.

24:11I see. Pardon.

24:13And, er...

24:15Did she give to you any reason

24:18why she was so desperate to acquire this late edition?

24:21No, she just kept saying,

24:23it'll be so angry and looking back at the train

24:25like someone was on it waiting for her.

24:27And then? Well, nothing.

24:29She just kept going on and on until she nearly missed her train.

24:31She only just managed to jump back on it as it was moving.

24:36Thank you very much.

24:51Early edition, late edition, early edition, late edition.

24:55Superb, Miss Lemon.

24:57I knew that you could arrange it.

24:59Difficulties are made to be overcome, Mr Poirot.

25:02Difficulties are made to be overcome.

25:05What a truly magnificent attitude.

25:11So, Hastings,

25:13let us divide these between us

25:16and examine them manually.

25:26Inspector Jack.

25:28Chief Inspector. Poirot.

25:31Now, what's this? You looking for a job?

25:37No, I know you've had a chat with that newsboy.

25:40You think there's something in it?

25:42That is what we are trying to discover, Chief Inspector.

25:45Hmm.

25:47Well, I just thought I'd come and tell you

25:49you could be on the right track with that French gent.

25:52Apparently, he left the Adelphia at 11 o'clock yesterday morning,

25:56an hour before the express left Paddington,

25:58and didn't get back till gone ten in the evening.

26:01And nobody has any idea where he spent the day.

26:07However, we picked him up trying to catch the boat train this morning.

26:10We just stopped him requesting and he made a run for it.

26:14He's down at the station now.

26:16These papers have probably got nothing to do with it.

26:19Oh, no, no, no, Chief Inspector.

26:21When we shall discover why Madam Carrington

26:23was so anxious to acquire a late edition,

26:27then we shall know why she was killed

26:30and who is responsible.

26:33I'm not sure I'm going to believe this.

26:35I'm sure I'm not going to believe it.

26:37I'm not sure I'm going to believe it.

26:39I'm not sure I'm going to believe it.

26:41And who is responsible?

26:55Another one.

26:56I don't think I can, Mr Carrington. I'm sorry.

27:00What do you mean, don't think you can?

27:03Well, for one thing, sir, I think you've had enough.

27:06And for another, there is the question of your bill.

27:11Who are you?

27:12Arthur Hastings.

27:14No, this fellow won't give me a drink, Arthur Hastings.

27:17Really? Well, perhaps I'll have more like two large scotches, please.

27:21Had a bit of luck at Ascot yesterday.

27:23Don't talk to me about Ascot.

27:25Horses.

27:27What were you on in the 3.30?

27:29I bet you were on Highland Laddie.

27:31Yes, I was, a matter of fact.

27:32I hate people like you.

27:3433 to 1.

27:37I'd put my shirt on Rising Star.

27:40Rising Star.

27:43Every penny I had on the world on that nag.

27:47I lost chance.

27:49Must have given you a nasty shock when you read the result of the paper.

27:52Shock?

27:55Do you know why I'm here?

27:57This is the only place I know where my bookmaker can't get at me.

28:02I mean, I don't want to sit here drinking.

28:06I actually dislike drink. Do you know that?

28:09Why did you back Highland Laddie?

28:11Oh, I had a tip.

28:12I really dislike people who get tips.

28:17You're a good chap, though. You've got to be fair.

28:25How did you know I read about it in the paper?

28:27Oh, you said. You said you wanted the cause.

28:30Did I say that?

28:31You are a good chap.

28:35Every penny I had.

28:37I looked at that newspaper.

28:42I could be a success, you know, if I just had the capital.

28:46And tips.

28:47Isn't there anyone you could go to for capital?

28:52Not a soul in the world. Not now.

28:58I don't want to talk about that.

29:08I demand to see the French consulate.

29:11All in good time, Monsieur Lecompte.

29:15This is a serious business.

29:18I know nothing of the death of Mrs. Carrington, I tell you.

29:23I am devastated by it.

29:25I'm rather more interested in these things for the moment.

29:29Mr. Halliday.

29:30I'm sorry, Chairman.

29:31Very little.

29:35Mr. Halliday.

29:39Monsieur Halliday, I am devastated for you.

29:44Now, the Count says he last saw your daughter when he had tea with you.

29:49I was so happy to see her.

29:52You know, I don't think you're the only one.

29:54You have a friend who's been with me, too.

29:57when he had tea with her at the Adelphi on Wednesday.

30:00Yeah, he did have tea with her.

30:01One interesting thing, though, Mr Halliday,

30:04is that he had these with him.

30:06Bearer bonds.

30:07And what the Count can't tell us, you see,

30:09is what sort of financial dealings would require him

30:12to bring 20,000 pounds' worth of these bonds into England

30:14and then take them back again to Paris three days later.

30:18He was obviously using them as security.

30:20Security for what?

30:22That is my bank's business.

30:25Not according to them, it isn't, sir.

30:29I rang them up, you see.

30:31They're quite anxious to have a word with you.

30:33What bank are we talking about?

30:35The International Bank of Paris.

30:38Wait a minute.

30:40I know what he wanted the security for.

30:43Ten days ago, somebody started a rumour

30:46that a geologist's report on one of my mines

30:49was going to be unfavourable.

30:51The shares plummeted.

30:55He must have made a real killing.

30:58He'd bought the shares at about three shillings

30:59and sold them the day after the real report came out.

31:03And they went back up again to about 20,000,

31:07making about 100,000 pounds.

31:10This sounds like something for the fraud department.

31:12Fraud?

31:16Of what fraud?

31:20It's normal business practice.

31:24No wonder you were so anxious to get hold of a late edition.

31:32He went down to Ascot, put everything he had on rising start.

31:35As soon as he knew the horse had lost, he asked Florence for a loan.

31:38She refused to...

31:40The frog's cracked. I knew it.

31:42What he was reckoning was he'd used Mrs Carrington as a backup

31:44in case his deal went wrong.

31:46No, no, no. He'd lost every penny he had at the races.

31:48Races? Who had? What races?

31:49Rupert Carrington.

31:51No, no, it's got nothing to do with Carrington.

31:52Please, please, my friends, if you please.

31:55How can I possibly arbitrate between your two ingenious theories

31:58if I can hardly distinguish one word of them?

32:03Now, Chief Inspector,

32:05your theory, as I understand it,

32:08is that the Count de Rochefort

32:09intended to use Madame Carrington as a fallback count.

32:12If the take of the deal went wrong,

32:14he would then demand of her the money in order to redeem the horse.

32:16He's admitted as much.

32:18But the deal, he did not go wrong, did he?

32:19So why should the Count kill for the jewels of Madame Carrington?

32:23Perhaps, Hastings, your theory

32:25is that when Monsieur Carrington discovered

32:28that he sat a minute fell at the last fence,

32:30he then demanded from his wife the money

32:32in order to remove the threat of the bookmakers.

32:34And when she refused, he killed her for her jewellery.

32:36Exactly.

32:37Then you tell me, Hastings,

32:38why does Monsieur Carrington still lurk about his club,

32:41drinking himself into oblivion

32:43and shaking with fear of what that might do to him,

32:46these very same bookmakers?

32:50These thievery speculations, they will not do.

32:53Order and method will be our guides.

32:56Now, I have been consulting the admirable files of Miss Lemo.

33:01So, Chief Inspector, get four of your best men

33:04and meet us at this address at nine o'clock.

33:09Find the jewels and you find the killer.

33:50What's happening?

33:52Nothing.

33:57He's knocking at the door.

34:01Hold on, someone's answering.

34:10He's gone in.

34:12He's gone in.

34:15He's gone in.

34:20I wish I knew what he was up to.

34:29I'm not quite clear what this is about.

34:32Mr...

34:32A friend advised me to get in touch with you.

34:34A friend? What friend?

34:36He prefers to remain anonymous.

34:39Oh, yes.

34:41I don't think I care for anonymous friends.

34:45My friend is anxious to buy some jewellery.

34:49Plenty of shops around.

34:54You look like a jeweller.

34:56You're very acute, monsieur.

35:04Very well.

35:06Perhaps you read of the jewellery robbery

35:08the day before yesterday on the Plymouth Express?

35:11I don't read that sort of trash.

35:13You are very wise, monsieur.

35:15There is blood on those jewels.

35:17It will make them very hard to sell.

35:19You're a funny little fellow, aren't you?

35:23What are you?

35:25Montenegrin? Polish?

35:28Belgian, monsieur McKenzie.

35:32You see, those jewels will have to be broken up,

35:35removed from their setting,

35:37and whoever tries to sell them

35:39will be lucky to receive one-sixth of their true value.

35:45I don't know what your game is, monsieur.

35:48I really don't.

35:50My friend is a truly private collector.

35:53He would not be so fussy.

35:58He would not care if the jewellery

36:00were left in its original condition.

36:03He would not care if the jewellery

36:05were left in its original condition.

36:09In fact, he would prefer it.

36:15Let's hope it stays fine for him.

36:18You got the wrong shop.

36:20None of this means anything to me.

36:22I see.

36:35Sorry, I couldn't be of any help.

36:39We all have false hopes, monsieur McKenzie.

37:05Come on.

37:27How did it go, Poirot?

37:29It is him. He denied his own knowledge, of course,

37:32but there he is on the coat rack,

37:34the same character he was wearing at the time of her death.

37:37Why did he need a duplicate?

37:39For his accomplice to wear his things.

37:41I didn't know he had an accomplice.

37:43But of course he did. That is how I was able to locate him.

37:46Right. Come on, lads.

38:00This is the place! Open this door!

38:05Go on, break the door down.

38:26Mr Haddix, darling.

38:29Jean-Nancy.

38:33I want a word with you, Mr Haddix.

38:37You weren't welcome when my daughter was alive.

38:40You're even less welcome now.

38:42I don't care if I'm welcome or not.

38:44Why should you have an easy conscience?

38:47This horror would never have happened if you hadn't come between Flossie and me.

38:51The only thing that came between you and Florence was your character.

38:56She saw you for what you were.

38:58No, she saw what you wanted her to see.

39:01You could never let her go, could you?

39:04Yeah. What is it, Meisen?

39:06It's the inspector from Scotland Yard, sir.

39:09And a lot of other people.

39:26Do we have to talk about this?

39:28I am afraid that we do, Mr Halliday.

39:30That's not good.

39:33Okay, go on.

39:35I still don't understand the business about the newspapers.

39:39Neither did I at first, my friend.

39:42Why should Florence be so desperate to procure this newspaper?

39:46Please, mademoiselle, allow me.

39:49Perhaps her companion was a man

39:53who was desperate to know the results of a particular race.

40:07Thank you, mademoiselle.

40:09Or perhaps her companion was a man

40:13who desperately needed to know the close-of-day figures

40:16on the stock market.

40:18Absurd.

40:22I tormented my brain.

40:25I agitated the little gray cells without mercy.

40:30Why did Florence Carrington

40:33so desperately want that newspaper?

40:36And what was the answer?

40:38The answer? The answer, my friend, was that she did not.

40:42Now, once this idea had presented itself to me,

40:45the truth soon became very clear.

40:47You see, I knew Florence was murdered because of her jewels,

40:50but I also knew something about the man who killed her.

40:53Knew what?

40:55The man I was looking for had to be a thief of the most steel-hearted,

40:59one capable of committing the senseless murder of an innocent young woman.

41:03So I looked in the files of Miss Lemon,

41:06and what do I find?

41:08I find a jewel thief

41:11by the name of Mackenzie.

41:14A plan is devised

41:18which will suggest that the theft of the jewel

41:21is another principle cause of the crime that is to take place.

41:27That color really suits you.

41:45Florence Carrington is traveling with the jewels alone

41:49and unprotected on the Plymouth Express.

41:52Monsieur Mackenzie has also boarded the train at Paddington.

41:57Just as the train reaches Bristol station,

42:01he advances towards a carriage.

42:11Florence!

42:14No!

42:45The train arrives at Bristol.

42:49Monsieur Mackenzie descends from the train,

42:52carrying with him not only the jewels,

42:54but also the baggage of Madame Carrington.

42:57Now, if anybody had looked at the carriage

43:00as the train left Bristol station,

43:02they would have noticed Madame Carrington alive and well.

43:05Indeed, at Weston,

43:07she apparently descended from the train onto the platform

43:10where she made her grand entrance.

43:12This was to ensure that the newspaper boy would remember her.

43:16Hang on a minute.

43:18The pathologist said she was dead before the train reached Weston.

43:21Maybe even before Bristol.

43:23Precisement, mon ami.

43:25So how is this possible?

43:27Do we believe in ghosts?

43:29No.

43:32No, we do not.

43:42It was not poor Mademoiselle Florence

43:44who was seen traveling on the train to Weston.

43:47It was not Mademoiselle Florence

43:49who made at Weston station a fracas.

43:52It was the accomplice of Monsieur Mackenzie,

43:55wearing the duplicate blue coat.

44:02To kill a fellow human being is vile, my friends.

44:06But I wonder if to kill a fellow human being with a knife

44:10is not the most vile.

44:12You look a proper lady.

44:14To see the eyes of the victim staring into yours,

44:18to feel the breath upon her face,

44:21the scrape of the knife point between her ribs.

44:27You see, the ruthless accomplice of Monsieur Mackenzie

44:30was a woman called Grace Kidd,

44:33who was employed by Madame Carrington

44:35under the name of Jane Mason.

44:40Tell me, Mademoiselle,

44:42was it absolutely necessary

44:45for a poor, wretched woman

44:47who had never done to you one moment's harm to die?

44:50Was there no other way?

45:01Those jewels would have set us up for the rest of our lives.

45:07Why take chances?

45:10Right, that'll be enough of that. Take her away, lads.

45:18Poor Florence.

45:22Poor dear Florence.

45:29Well, you found the jewel case in Mackenzie's house, Mr Hathaway.

45:35They're not mine.

45:37I know the contents of my daughter's will.

45:40They belong to that creature there.

45:46No.

45:49No, I don't want them.

45:52I'm not going to profit by Flossie's death.

46:11Most sad.

46:16Most sad.

46:20I shall go now, I think.

46:22Oh, you think so, do you?

46:24You may not be a murderer, Monsieur Lecomte,

46:27but you're still a swindler.

46:29You're coming back to Scotland Yard.

46:40Yes.

46:49Dear Mr Poirot,

46:51I would like to express my gratitude for your help in this tragic business.

46:55Your logical and businesslike approach

46:58was something I could cling to in the depths of my despair.

47:02I hope sometime in the future

47:04to be able to find a measure of such quiet strength.

47:08Then, perhaps, I can start again.

47:12I'm returning home to the memory of happier times.

47:16Old friends may help me live with the past.

47:24For Monsieur Halliday.

47:26He says in his letter that he will return to Australia,

47:29immerse himself in his work,

47:31and try to forget.

47:34He has been most excessive in his generosity.

47:38Poor man.

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