S05 E06. The Chocolate Box.

deaddogsdam

First broadcast 21st February 1993.  While in Belgium, Poirot recounts to Chief Inspector Japp a case from twenty years prior.  David Suchet as Hercule Poirot Philip Jackson as Chief Inspector Japp Rosalie Crutchley as Madame Déroulard Anna Chancellor as Virginie Mesnard David de Keyser as Gaston Beaujeu Jonathan Hackett as Claude Chantalier Geoffrey Whitehead as Xavier, Comte de St. Alard Mark Eden as Superintendent Boucher Jonathan Barlow as Jean-Louis Ferraud James Coombes as Paul Déroulard Preston Lockwood as Francois Linda Broughton as Denise Kirsten Clark as Jeannette Michael Beint as Coroner Lucy Cohu as Marianne Deroulard Richard Derrington as Henri Jill Goldston as Restaurant Patron Reg Thomason as Wine Drinker

Transcript

00:00Can't you understand? It's our future and Belgium's future that I'm thinking of.

00:17The Catholic Church has narrowed your mind, Marianne, just as it has my mother's.

00:22But don't you see, Paul? You keep asking me to choose between you and my faith.

00:30I can't believe what you're saying, Marianne. You mean fresh ideas have no place in your mind.

00:37My God, we're into a new century but you are stuck in the last, just like your damned clergy.

00:43Attacking the church won't help Belgium, Paul. It'll turn the people against you.

00:47I don't attack it. I want it to open its eyes.

00:51And as my wife, the wife of a government minister, you should support me in that.

00:55I married you for love, Paul, not to advance your political career.

01:01Marianne! Come back here! Marianne!

01:21Well, Poirot, how does it feel being back in Brussels again after so many years?

01:50In the eye of my mind, Chief Inspector, I have never left.

01:55The place is bound to have changed, though.

01:57That's right.

01:59But we are not here for the memory lane of Poirot, mon ami, no.

02:01We come for the paying of the tributes to your good self.

02:06To be made a Companion de la Branche d'Or, it is the highest honor my country can bestow.

02:11Very kind of Belgium, yes. But all I've done over the years is my job.

02:15Not at all, Chief Inspector.

02:17Time and again, ever since the Abercrombie forgery case,

02:20you have helped the Belgian police, and my country, it is grateful.

02:23Pity Emily couldn't come. Still, I think she's right.

02:27Brussels is a far cry from Izalith.

02:29Her loss is my gain.

02:32It is an honor to deputize for Madame Charbonneau.

02:36Poirot.

02:46Twenty years and you look the same.

02:49Is this fair, mon ami?

02:53You know the Chief Inspector Jappe, of course?

02:55We've worked together often.

02:56Congratulations on your new appointment, sir.

02:58Commissaire de police.

03:00However, did you manage, sir, when he went off to England?

03:03He wasn't always so clever, Chief Inspector.

03:07You remember Paul Derula?

03:11I remember that it was not I who made the mistakes in that case.

03:16It was everyone else.

03:18The old modesty lives on.

03:21Paul Derula died of natural causes, Hercule.

03:24The verdict of the court is there for all time.

03:31And it is wrong.

03:35Tell me what?

03:36I'm a disinterested party.

03:38Let me be the judge of this.

03:46It was just before the war, Chief Inspector.

03:49His death was reported to the police in the...

03:53That was the first mistake.

03:55The Derula case began two years earlier

03:57when his wife, Marianne, fell down the stairs to her death.

04:01An accident, Poirot.

04:03The Belgian philosopher himself, Georges Thévenot, once said to me,

04:06he said, Poirot,

04:09there is no such thing as an accident.

04:14However, we shall let that pass.

04:18On the night of his death,

04:19Paul Derula was entertaining some friends.

04:22Seated around the table were Virginie Menard.

04:25Next to her, the distinguished friend of Paul,

04:28Le Comte de Saint-Halard.

04:30At the head of the table, the mother to Paul, Madame Derula.

04:35And at her side, her confidante and advisor,

04:38an old family friend, Gaston Bourgeux.

04:43Virginie was cousin to Marianne, the dead wife of Paul.

04:47That new language, Lord Paul, what exactly does it say?

04:50From now on, all commands in the army must be given in Flemish,

04:54as well as French.

04:55Well, it's a bit of a stretch, isn't it?

04:57In Flemish, as well as French.

04:59All I pray is that you and your friends in government

05:02have no plans for the mass to be said in Flemish, Paul.

05:08Now I see it.

05:11This law is just the tip of the iceberg.

05:19Your late wife always said that one day

05:21you'd get your claws into the church.

05:23Absurd.

05:25Sit down, Saint-Halard, before you make a fool of yourself.

05:27The press knows you're against the Catholic Church, Paul.

05:33For your own sake, I forbid you to say any more.

05:37And given half the chance, he would appease the Kaiser as well.

05:42Then I suppose we'd all be speaking German.

05:45Another chocolate, Monsieur Beaujeu.

05:51After dinner, it was left to Gaston Beaujeu

05:54in his customary role as mediator

05:57to soothe the troubled waters.

06:02You and Saint-Halard have been friends too long

06:05to fall out of the politics.

06:06I'm afraid so.

06:07I'm afraid so.

06:08I'm afraid so.

06:09I'm afraid so.

06:10I'm afraid so.

06:11I'm afraid so.

06:12I'm afraid so.

06:13I believe you're not making a fool out of the politics.

06:14He lives in the past.

06:16A divided Belgium, Gaston.

06:18Flemings to the north, Walloons to the south.

06:21That's our history, not our future.

06:24But if Germany attacks, where will he stand, then?

06:28In the frontline, my friend.

06:29Have no fear.

06:30He would take them on single-handed.

06:34At around midnight, the guests departed.

06:37Madame retired to her nightly devotions

06:41and the Derola household slept.

06:43All except Paul, a slave to insomnia, who returned to his study in order to work.

06:53Paul had a reputation for his austerity and discipline. He did, however, have two vices,

07:17the pursuit of his career and chocolates.

07:47My duties as a junior police officer involved my regular attendance at the court of the coroner.

08:09The death of Paul Derola was treated by all those concerned as a matter of routine.

08:15Indeed not, your honour.

08:17Those giving evidence saw no reason to question the death of Paul, and at first, neither did I.

08:25The principal witness in the case was my superior, Superintendent Boucher.

08:31Nothing whatsoever, monsieur. We searched the house and found nothing under water.

08:39You may step down.

08:45Ladies and gentlemen, I am more than satisfied that Paul Derola's death, though a tragedy of course, was due to heart failure.

08:54And I give my verdict accordingly.

08:56That can't be right.

09:00You have further evidence, mademoiselle Mina?

09:03I tell you he can't just have died. But why do you take everyone at their word?

09:07I would advise you, mademoiselle, to guard your remarks when addressing me.

09:12Forgive her, monsieur, but she is much affected by the death. We will look after her.

09:19My colleague, Chantalier, and I felt that the case was being dismissed too readily.

09:24And although we were only there as observers, we decided it was our duty to raise the matter with Superintendent Boucher.

09:31Superintendent Boucher, one moment if you please. Chantalier and myself, we would be very happy to investigate further the Derola case.

09:41What for, may I ask?

09:43The outburst of the young lady in court. Can we ignore that? And also the victim, he was a government minister.

09:50That is precisely why you will put it out of your mind, Poirot. The case is closed, gentlemen.

10:01But it was an invitation most unexpected, which ensured that the case was not closed.

10:17Ah, Hercule!

10:19Henri, bonjour, ça va?

10:21Why have you kept it a secret from me?

10:24What are you talking about, Henri?

10:26The young lady I spoke to you about, she's at table five.

10:31Merci.

10:32She asked for you, specially.

10:35By name?

10:36By moustache.

10:47Hercule Poirot?

10:48At your service, mademoiselle.

10:50Virginie Mainard.

10:51Mademoiselle Mainard.

10:54Would you take a seat, please?

10:56Merci.

11:02I was in court, mademoiselle, when you expressed a certain doubt concerning the death of Monsieur Paul Derola.

11:08How can he have died of heart failure? He was such a robust man.

11:13And that is all upon which you base your doubt? His apparent good health?

11:19And some feminine instinct, monsieur.

11:23You believe in such a thing?

11:26You believe in such a thing?

11:30Perhaps.

11:36Why is it that you come to me?

11:38A friend of mine is a secretary at the local paper. The editor mentions your name often.

11:42A spark in the otherwise dull embers of the police force, he says.

11:50He is a man of perception?

11:56Will you help me, monsieur?

12:00Eh bien, mademoiselle, I have been told that the case is disclosed.

12:09But I am due some leave, which I shall take.

12:18A difficult smile to resist, eh, Hercule?

12:21Yes, indeed.

12:26Oh, if you think that the young lady and not the case attracted me, you do me a wrong, Claude.

12:32Yet you still wear the trinket she gave you.

12:34What, this?

12:40Bien sûr.

12:43If you think the Poirot could not see beyond that smile most bewitching,

12:46and that her charm was such that...

12:50Toujours la femme, chief inspector.

12:52Are you of a phrase in English which means the same?

12:55Nothing as crisp as yours, sir.

12:57We just tend to say something like,

12:59mark my words, there'll be a woman at the bottom of it somewhere.

13:04Hercule, it's the Comte de Saint-Hilaire.

13:09Monsieur le Comte.

13:10Bonsoir.

13:11Will you join us?

13:15Have you come to interfere in yet more business that doesn't concern you?

13:19To ruin a few more reputations?

13:22As mayor of this city, Saint-Hilaire, your reputation has never been better.

13:27No thanks to this meddling upstart.

13:36I swore to myself, Poirot,

13:39the next time I saw you,

13:42no matter when it was, the very next time I would...

13:44Monsieur le Comte.

13:52If that's the Belgian aristocracy, it's about time you had a revolution.

13:56He was not entirely unprovoked, chief inspector.

13:58I was there, Poirot. You didn't do anything.

14:00But you were not there all those years ago, mon ami,

14:03when I gave him cause to resent me.

14:22This Compagnon de la Branche d'Or they're awarding me, Poirot.

14:26Oui?

14:27I mean, what exactly is a branch d'or?

14:29It is the golden branch of an olive tree, mon ami.

14:31In Greek mythology, he who carried it became invincible.

14:34Very useful in our line of work, yes, aren't you, inspector?

14:38Do we know who's presenting it yet?

14:40By tradition, it must be a fellow Compagnon,

14:42but who it will be is yet undecided.

14:45The wife wanted royalty, of course, but I'm not fussing.

14:48Ah.

14:49The Deroula House.

14:52It has changed very little.

14:58The refusal of Superintendent Boucher to further investigate the death

15:02had angered me.

15:04So it was that in the company of Virginie, I began my own inquiries.

15:09On arriving at the Deroula House, I met for the first time Madame Deroula.

15:14You must introduce the young man, Virginie.

15:16She doesn't bring home many friends, monsieur.

15:19Hercule Poirot, madame. I am a policeman.

15:22I've seen too much of the police lately, monsieur Poirot.

15:26And all have believed that your son, he died of heart failure, madame.

15:31I see the work of your hand in this, Virginie.

15:36Forgive me, madame, but for Paul's sake, I couldn't live with my doubts.

15:41Perhaps I might be able to put her mind at rest, madame,

15:43when perhaps I have seen the study and spoken with your servants.

15:50Who is this lady? The wife of monsieur Deroula?

15:53Yes, Marianne, my cousin.

15:56She died two years ago.

15:59An accident here in the house.

16:02Paul never really got over it.

16:05So he kept her in the desk?

16:08Out of sight, out of mind, perhaps?

16:10Paul and his mother had a...

16:13a very good relationship.

16:15Out of sight, out of mind, perhaps?

16:17Paul and his mother had a permanent tussle.

16:20I never really quite understood.

16:22Paul would hide the photograph in the drawer.

16:25His mother would bring it out again.

16:29Oh, monsieur Bergeon.

16:31I'd like you to meet Hercule Poirot.

16:34Gaston is our neighbour.

16:36Monsieur?

16:37Monsieur.

16:40I would urge you to be mindful of madame Deroula's feelings.

16:44She has lost her son.

16:46I shall be discretionary, sir.

16:50But if a crime has been committed,

16:52you will agree that justice must be served.

17:00These were made by a guest at your table the other night.

17:02Lecomte de Saint-Halard.

17:04Yes, he always brings a box when he visits.

17:07And the night of the death of Paul Deroula?

17:10Yes.

17:11We had some with our coffee.

17:14What colour was the box at the table?

17:20I can't remember.

17:21Pink.

17:23Are you certain, monsieur?

17:24It was not of the two colours, the pink and the green, comme ça?

17:29Oh, how curious. I wonder...

17:31I just told you.

17:32Both halves were pink.

17:36Then I suggest that there is somewhere a second box.

17:44One with a green lid and a pink nest.

17:50If anyone knew the whereabouts of the missing chocolate box,

17:53it would be the Deroula's servants.

17:55Virginie took me to meet them.

17:57This is Denise the cook and Jeanette the maid.

18:00Mademoiselle.

18:02Where's Francois, Denise?

18:03I think he's taken the afternoon off, mademoiselle.

18:07The chocolate box comprising the other two halves

18:09had been removed by the 80-year-old butler, Francois.

18:12That's the trouble with going back over crimes.

18:14The evidence gets lost.

18:16I agree, that is usually the case,

18:18but not this time, Chief Inspector.

18:21The servant, Francois,

18:22had taken the box of chocolates to give to a lady friend.

18:26Over here, please, Chief Inspector.

18:28Between these two pillars.

18:30If we must.

18:31Indeed we must.

18:32I have promised most faithfully to Madame Gert

18:34to bring her back the photographs.

18:35Is this all right to take now?

18:42That should do the trick for her.

18:51Lady friend?

18:53This Francois, you said he was nearly 80.

18:58Only an Englishman would see the contradiction there, mon ami.

19:01I found them seated at a cafe playing chess,

19:04eating what was left of the chocolates.

19:08And the fact they were still alive

19:10I told you their box wasn't poisoned.

19:21But this is the same box of chocolates

19:23that you handed around on the night of our tragedy.

19:26The same box, but with a different lid, n'est-ce pas?

19:30I don't know.

19:32Help yourself.

19:33Ah non, merci.

19:39Tell me, monsieur,

19:40have you ever had any disagreements with your employer?

19:44Over what?

19:46His easy ideas about religion,

19:48his accommodation of the Flemish language.

19:51I am too old to quarrel over trivial matters, monsieur.

19:56And yet there was an argument over dinner,

19:58was there not, between Le Comte de Saint-Hilaire and his host?

20:03Check.

20:06Saint-Hilaire attacked my employer for being a liberal.

20:10And Madame Terola, his mother, she's also a liberal?

20:14Sadly, no.

20:16A good Catholic, monsieur, devout like Saint-Hilaire.

20:21Tell me, Francois, does any of the household use poisons?

20:26I do battle with the rats from time to time,

20:28but not in the last three months.

20:30And does anyone take the medications, perhaps?

20:33There are madame's eye drops, but would they be poisonous?

20:40Your move.

20:52Checkmate.

21:00Bonjour, Hélène. Monsieur Ferrault, s'il vous plaît.

21:03Merci.

21:09Jean-Louis, bonjour, ça va?

21:11Tell me this minute, what is between you and this Virginie Mainard?

21:14Jean-Louis, your long nose will be the death of you.

21:16Your safety is all that concerns me.

21:19Jean-Louis, inside this envelope are crumbs of chocolate.

21:22I want you to tell me by your analysis exactly what they contain

21:25and whether or not they contain poison.

21:28Now, you're filling a regular prescription for madame Darola,

21:32for the eye drops?

21:33Atropine.

21:34Atropine. Now, could this atropine kill a man?

21:37If drunk by the liter, perhaps.

21:40Ah, the death of monsieur Darola.

21:42Oui. And the servant, Francois, brings you this prescription once a month?

21:46That's right. Although last week their neighbour brought it.

21:51Gaston Beaujeu?

21:53Yes.

21:55He required medication of his own.

22:01I waited eagerly for the results of the analysis of Jean-Louis.

22:05This was my first investigation as a private detective,

22:09but my good friend Chantalier was about to remind me

22:12that the day when Poirot could rule his own destiny was yet to come.

22:16Hercule!

22:18I've been looking everywhere for you.

22:21Why, there is a problem?

22:23I gave you my word, Hercule. You didn't hear it from me.

22:26But superintendent Beaujeu wants to see you.

22:30Will I need earplugs?

22:36I've had madame Darola here.

22:39She has friends in high places, Poirot.

22:42Xavier Saint-Honoré,

22:44He's likely to be the next mayor of Brussels,

22:46and as such could make my life extremely difficult.

22:51Whereupon, I will make yours even more so.

23:02And what exactly have you found out, hmm?

23:06Just so that we know.

23:08It is my belief that monsieur Darola

23:11Just so that we know.

23:13It is my belief that monsieur Darola was poisoned,

23:16and poisoned by a chocolate made by the next mayor of this city.

23:23God in heaven, man.

23:25You don't just harass his friends.

23:28You accuse him of murder.

23:30I accuse no one, yet.

23:41Tell us, what did Boucher say?

23:43Oh, about my findings? He was impressed.

23:46Never.

23:47I did not say favorably impressed.

23:49Hercule, for your own sake, you've got to drop this.

23:53Please, Virginie, make him see sense.

23:58I hope I haven't made things awkward for you, Hercule.

24:04Not at all.

24:06Not at all.

24:09Virginie.

24:12Eh bien, at six o'clock I have coming to my apartment a friend of mine who is a chemist,

24:16and he is going to tell me exactly what those chocolates contain.

24:20If you have finished, would you come and meet him?

24:23Yes?

25:01Hercule?

25:03Oui?

25:06I haven't told you how grateful I am for your help.

25:09I did nothing.

25:11But perhaps, perhaps this will say it for me.

25:23Virginie.

25:36Oh.

25:39Oh.

25:42Virginie, you should not have.

25:47You see, some people might have thought me mad.

25:52Perhaps you did.

25:53No.

25:55But at least you gave me the benefit of the doubt.

26:06Merci beaucoup.

26:14Hercule.

26:15Ah?

26:16Hercule.

26:17This is exactly as we thought.

26:18Uh-huh.

26:19The crumbs you gave me is...

26:20Yes.

26:21Oh.

26:22Ah.

26:23Pardon, Jean-Louis Ferrault.

26:24Allow me to introduce you to Mademoiselle Virginie, madame.

26:27Enchanté.

26:28Thank you so much for everything you're doing to help me.

26:36Diable.

26:39Wait!

26:41Wait, I have the police, wait!

26:48Stop!

26:49Monsieur Beaujeu, what's happening?

27:06Explain yourself.

27:07My heart's worn off.

27:09Put pills in the waistcoat pocket.

27:19Do not worry, monsieur.

27:20We will get you to a hospital.

27:28What was he after in your flat?

27:30The envelope containing the crumbs of chocolate.

27:32Which weren't there anyway.

27:34Had your chemist friend done his analysis?

27:37Oh, yeah.

27:46The crumbs contained a substance called trinitrin.

27:48It is taken for the high blood pressure.

27:50And Jean-Louis had made up an urgent prescription for Gaston Beaujeu two days before the murder.

27:55So you'd got him.

27:56And what is more, chief inspector, the taste of those pills is so vile that they were made of chocolate.

28:01Wait a minute.

28:03Why did Chantalier say that you'd made a pig's ear of this one?

28:07Because that is what I allowed him to believe.

28:13Perhaps the time has now come to straighten the record.

28:18Mm-hmm.

28:48So this lot, they're all compagnon to Lebron's door, are they?

28:58Each and every one a hero.

29:02Not what you'd call young, are they?

29:07Young at heart, man.

29:08Stand up.

29:09Stand up.

29:39I did not know the Gaston Bourgeois had been made a compagnon.

29:58Oh, yes.

29:59I look around this hall today and I see nothing but heroes.

30:04Men who have made great sacrifices.

30:15Today we honor an English policeman for services beyond the call of duty.

30:21And as he joins the ranks of the invincible few, I proclaim James Harold Jap a compagnon

30:31de la branche d'or.

30:33Vive le compagnon!

30:36Vive le compagnon!

30:40Vive le compagnon!

30:42Vive le compagnon!

31:04Ah, congratulations, Chief Inspector.

31:07It's an honor to be one of your select company, sir.

31:09Oh, don't forget, our reunion dinner is quite something.

31:13And you must tell Madame Jap we expect her here next time.

31:17Non, merci.

31:20Congratulations, Chief Inspector Jap.

31:22Vous êtes très élégant.

31:25Come, let us have some food.

31:27I think it's help-yourself time, Poirot.

31:31Oui.

31:32Merci.

31:34Not a bad chap, that Berger, once you start talking.

31:37No, I am sure of it.

31:39Yeah, but you had him down as a suspect at one stage.

31:41Well, even the good chaps can sometimes kill their fellow men, Chief Inspector.

31:46I believe Paul de Roulade was poisoned with trinitrine.

31:51Pills that you take for high blood pressure.

31:54Someone stole mine, Poirot, from the house, from my coat.

31:58I can't be sure.

31:59I would like to think that you are innocent, monsieur.

32:01But you told to no one that the pills were missing.

32:04And then you broke into my apartment, presumably to steal the crumbs of chocolate,

32:09evidence which might incriminate you.

32:12I'm going to take you into my confidence, Poirot, which you must promise to respect.

32:27I give you my word, monsieur.

32:31I work for Belgian intelligence.

32:35And my present job is to find out just who in the government would collaborate with Germany if she wedges war.

32:45So Paul de Roulade was not so much a friend as a mine of information.

32:49Unwittingly, yes.

32:52Then let us hope that for his indiscretions, he did not pay with his life.

33:01He tells me he is a member of the Secret Service,

33:05and then he makes me promise to keep secret this whole affair.

33:08You see how he ties my hands?

33:11How do I verify his story without breaking the confidence?

33:14Well, at least he agrees with us that Paul was murdered.

33:17Yes.

33:18Whether or not by him is another matter.

33:20He had the means, but not the motive.

33:22That is why we must dig deeper.

33:25You know I would like to visit the chateau of Saint-Alain, but there is a problem.

33:29Monsieur Lecomte is always there.

33:31There is one thing he will always venture out for.

33:34What?

33:35The opera.

34:00Ah, there's your knee.

34:10Take care of her, monsieur.

34:59Ah.

35:30Trin, trin.

35:32Three times a day, Monsieur Gaston Bourgeau.

35:35Found in the pocket of Xavier Saint-Alain.

35:38Hercule, you're a genius.

35:40Maybe so.

35:42But to reopen the case, Superintendent Boucher will need a confession from Saint-Alain himself.

35:47Hercule, I'm not sure you'd allow me to do that.

35:50I'm afraid I can't.

35:52I'm afraid I can't.

35:54I'm afraid I can't.

35:57Hercule, I'm not sure you'd allow me to do this, but...

36:01Saint-Alain holds me in high regard.

36:05In fact, I...

36:07You mean he's in love with you?

36:09Oh, please don't think I would turn his affection, Hercule.

36:11Far, far from it.

36:13I believe you, Virginie.

36:14Then why don't I persuade him to talk?

36:17Oh, no.

36:18No, Virginie, this man, he could be a murderer.

36:20If you were there...

36:23Oh.

36:25The audacity of the plan of Virginie appealed to me very much.

36:29That night, Francois had taken Madame de Roulat to visit some friends.

36:33The maid and the cook were there for free for the evening.

36:36Virginie had left the door at the back of the house unlocked,

36:39and the trap, it was ready to be sprung.

36:53In spite of our differences, Paul could be such an amusing man.

37:05Well, that was thoughtless of me.

37:07I haven't mentioned his death since it happened,

37:09and now it was too early to do so. Forgive me.

37:11No, no, Xavier, you misunderstand.

37:15You see, I don't know what I'm talking about.

37:20You see, I can't help thinking that his death was a just punishment.

37:26Virginie, I know the cause of his death troubles you,

37:31but he died of heart failure, nothing else.

37:34Some people do anything for their faith, Xavier.

37:38I admire that.

37:40Suppose someone knew that Paul had plans to limit the church's power in Belgium.

37:46Would it be a sin to remove him?

37:49To murder him?

37:51Of such people would never be seen as common murderers, though.

37:55But as saviours.

37:57Well, at least by the church, don't you agree?

38:02Virginie, you say all this to comfort me, I know.

38:08I had no right to expect such understanding.

38:12Least of all from a member of his family.

38:15What do you mean?

38:19I'm the one responsible for his death, Virginie.

38:24You killed him?

38:28Surely as if I'd fired a pistol at his heart.

38:42Monsieur Poirot.

38:45What in God's name are you doing here?

38:49You break into his private apartment.

38:52Now, for most men, that would be enough.

38:55But not Poirot.

38:57Poirot then goes on to try to trick him into a confession.

39:00His last words, Superintendent, before the return of Madame de Roulard were,

39:04as surely as if I had fired a pistol at his heart.

39:07Yes, Poirot.

39:09Yes, Poirot. As if!

39:12As if! As if!

39:20On the night Paul de Roulard died,

39:23there was an argument at the table.

39:25Saint-Hilaire believes that argument led to the seizure that carried Paul off.

39:30I believe that you yourself should question him further.

39:33I do not need your advice on how to proceed, Poirot.

39:37On the contrary, you need mine.

39:39And you will begin by visiting Madame de Roulard

39:43and apologising to her for all the distress you have caused.

39:47I am pleased.

40:06Madame de Roulard,

40:08I have come to apologise to you.

40:11I should like you to stay, Virginie.

40:18So, you think my son was murdered?

40:23I believe that your son was poisoned, Madame,

40:26by Javier Saint-Hilaire.

40:29Poisoned? Would Saint-Hilaire use his own chocolate?

40:32It's our people so stupid.

40:34Oh, yes, Madame. You would be surprised.

40:37The stonemason he murders with his hammer,

40:39the cutler with his knife,

40:41the sweetmaker with his soft scenters.

40:48I took some crumbs of chocolate from this box, Madame.

40:54May I?

40:59They contained a substance called trinitrin,

41:02a drug prescribed to your neighbour, Gaston Bourgeois.

41:05And you questioned him?

41:07Oui, Madame, and he told me that the pills, they had been stolen.

41:10And when I searched the Chateau of Saint-Hilaire,

41:12I found there the pill bottle which was empty.

41:15A finding is one thing.

41:17Can you prove all this?

41:21Tomorrow I have an appointment with the Minister of Justice,

41:25and he cannot argue with the scientific analysis of Jean-Louis Faroult.

41:30And all from one little mistake.

41:32Francois told me, to do with chocolate boxes, I believe.

41:36Oui, Madame.

41:37Having taken a few of the chocolates from one box,

41:40poisoned them and then put them back into another box,

41:43the murderer replaced the lid incorrectly.

41:51The green lid on the pink box.

42:01Such details are always at the heart of a case, Madame.

42:05You said the green lid to the pink box.

42:09Quite so.

42:12Madame de Roulin,

42:14in order that the wrong person does not go to the guillotine,

42:17I beg of you, tell me once again,

42:19what is the colour of the lid and what is the colour of the box?

42:23My eyesight is not what it was, monsieur.

42:28Your prescription for eye drops should have told me

42:30of the great burden you carried.

42:33For it was you, Madame de Roulin,

42:36who put the lid on the pink box.

42:39Madame, who killed your son.

42:45Despite your failing eyesight,

42:47you added the liquid trinitrine from Beaujeu's pills

42:50to a sweet filling.

42:52You then put this mixture into the chocolates

42:54from the study of Paul.

42:56You replaced the glassy fruit

42:59to conceal the lethal concoction within.

43:03Having poisoned the chocolates, which were to kill him,

43:06you then made your only mistake.

43:12The wrong lid

43:15to the wrong box.

43:18Having used the pills of Beaujeu,

43:21you then placed the pill bottle, which was empty,

43:24into the coat pocket of Lecomte de Saint-Halard.

43:27Why, Madame?

43:30Why, Madame?

43:32To get it away from the house?

43:34Don't worry.

43:36I wouldn't let him die for my crime,

43:38much as I dislike the man.

43:40Why, Madame?

43:42Why kill your own son?

43:45Because of what he was doing to our country, Virginie,

43:48and our church.

43:52I pray, monsieur,

43:55that no woman in the world need ever choose again

43:58the love of God and the love of her child.

44:01But to take a life is a mortal sin, Madame.

44:04How can a woman of such convictions so deny her faith?

44:08Paul was a murderer, monsieur.

44:12She did not die from an accident.

44:19Can't you understand?

44:21It's our future and Belgium's future that I'm thinking of.

44:24I married you for love, Paul,

44:27to advance your political career.

44:30Marianne! Come back here!

44:33Marianne!

44:44He knew I'd seen him do it.

44:47But we never spoke of it.

44:49Each of us afraid to admit he was capable of doing such a thing.

44:54Ah, so instead you taunt him by displaying the photograph.

45:02Before I died,

45:05I had to see justice done.

45:08My doctors tell me I have no more than six months left in this world.

45:14Will the truth wait six months, monsieur?

45:23Perhaps longer, madame.

45:26You must tell it.

45:28Tell all when I've gone.

45:35Why didn't you?

45:38Why leave it till now?

45:45And why did Virginie say nothing?

45:49She and I agreed that it would be my decision.

45:53Paul Derola, he was a murderer.

45:55His mother acted for the greater good of the country.

45:58I admired her sacrifice, her...

46:01moral courage.

46:04Who does anything these days for the greater good?

46:07At least I understand why St Allard bears a grudge.

46:10You trying to trap him like that?

46:12Did you never make your peace with him?

46:15Did you never make your peace with him?

46:18Well, had I told him the reason why I suspected...

46:20Monsieur.

46:22Ah, merci.

46:25No. Had I told him the reason why I suspected him,

46:28that I found the bottle of Trinitrin in his coat pocket,

46:31he might then have asked me who put it there.

46:33Madame Derola.

46:34I could not risk his curiosity.

46:36I wrote to him, of course, apologising for my behaviour,

46:38which was foolhardy, irresponsible.

46:41And no doubt he agrees with that to this very day.

46:43Claude, would you sit there, please, Chief Inspector?

46:45One of those things we have to live with in our profession.

46:47Oui, bien sûr.

46:49Ah!

46:53Jean-Louis.

46:55Hercule.

46:59To see you is to be young again.

47:02I have thought about you often down the years.

47:04Ah, merci, merci.

47:06Mon ami.

47:07Hercule, Hercule, I would like you to meet my two sons.

47:10Your two sons?

47:12This is Henri.

47:14Henri.

47:15And this brave fellow is Hercule.

47:19Hercule!

47:21You are indeed fortunate to have such fine sons.

47:25Henri, he has the look of someone, yes?

47:28No, perhaps I am wrong.

47:30No, I am right. Hercule also.

47:32There is a definite resemblance to someone I know.

47:35My wife, perhaps?

47:39Virginie.

47:53Hello, Hercule.

47:55Bonsoir, Madame Faraud.

48:03I was just saying to Jean-Louis...

48:06...that he was always the most fortunate of men.

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