All language subtitles for Maigret S04E02 The Fontenay Murders_Track03-eng

{door opens)

- My father sends his
excuses, Uncle Robert,

oh, and, um, and this

You'll find it for the usual amount.

- His excuses are unnecessary

I was prepared for him to send the butler

I've been going through some
of the de Courcon papers,

and it appears that
your great-grandfather,

Honore Vernoux, was once
called to this house

to attend to the drains.

The bill was never paid.

- [Alain] Oh, it was honour enough

- [agree

However, payment was eventually exacted

in the third generation

when my sister married
the plumber's grandson

From time to time, I amuse myself

by looking at your father's
house from this window.

I see your father sitting
in my father's chair

give orders to my father's servants,

assume the de Courcon arms,

and I feel, perhaps,
that we were overcharged

Tell me, Alain, what
is it to be a Vernoux?

- Well, it is a disease

- I watch you all,

and I wonder what would happen, perhaps,

if the walls were torn down,

and the truth rushed in.

What would I see then?

- My father drunk

My mother playing Solitaire.

My wife, my wife lost in
a haze of self-admiration.

- [Robert] And you?

- Me?

- [Robert] I've heard of a
woman called Louise Sabati.

Tell your father ta
bring my pension himself.

It's time he choked on the truth.

{mirror clangs)

{dramatic orchestral music)

{match strikes)

{lively string music)

{suspenseful music)

(boy coughs and cries)

{woman coughs)

(woman pants)

{woman coughs)

- Madame.

(Maigret sighs)

Excuse me.

{door scrapes)

(person coughs)

{wind blows)

{window scrapes)

- Maigret, isn't it?

I've seen your photograph somevrhere

So my old friend Judge Chabot
got you into this, did he?

- Judge Chabot?

- Excuse me, please.
- Yes, he's the, excuse me.

- Excuse-moi.

- He's the examining
magistrate of Fontenay

I suppose he got in touch with you

about this case, eh?

- What case?

(dog barks)

- So do you mean that you're

Do you mean that you're not
going to visit Judge Chabot?

- As it happens, I am,

but I don't know anything about a case

- Oh, I see, it's a mere coincidence

that you're visiting a
little place like Fontenay

just when the authorities
are at their wits end

about this de Courcon case, eh?

- Julien Chabot and I were
students together at Nant

This visit was arranged last year

Who are you, monsieur?

- Hm? Ch.

- Hubert Vernoux?

- Yes, Judge Chabot will
put you in the picture

I shall be very interested to see

how you set about solving this mystery

- What is the mystery?

- Who killed my brother-in-law,
Robert de Courcon?

Oh, in case you're
thinking of getting off,

this is Fontenay

(train whistle blows)

{train chugs)

(train rattles)

(dogs bark)

- Monsieur Maigret, I thought it was you

You're here on the de Courcon case.

- I'm here on a visit.

{car whirs)

- Of course, sir, unofficial.

- Taxi.

- It's time they got
somebody from outside

Our local police, they're
great lads, they're trying,

but are they trying?

{camera click)

Picture for my paper, please

{Madame Chabot laughs)

- Did your wife go with you to Bordeaux?

- No, my wife doesn't
like police congresses

Would any woman?

- (laughs) No, no

Did it go off well?

- Oh, we all drank too
much, and talked too much,

ate too much.
- We often talk

about you, Jules

We wondered if you were
ever coming to see us again

(Maigret sighs)

- I suppose you've heard
about the de Courcon case.

- Not in the newspapers.

I talked to & man on the train.

- Who?

- Uh, Monsieur Vernoux

- A young man?

- No, about 65

- Ah, yes, that would be Hubert.

Hubert Vernoux, yes,
he's the brother-in-law

of the dead man, Robert de Courcon

- Jules, do you remember the dark girl

with the lisp?

- The head of the de Courcon family

- [Madame Chabot] And knees, huh?

- I can't say that I-

- Ah, I wouldn't have thought
you'd have forgotten her

- Last bearer of the name with us.

- Hm.

(Maigret grunts)

All the same,

she married quite a nice
young man, didn't she?

- One of the most ancient names in France.

- Hm, you think it's a case of murder?

- Two murders, yes

Robert de Courcon was killed four...

Jules, cognac?

- Oh, please.

- Started a cheese factory

- Cheese factory?

- He was killed four days ago,

and then, the day before yesterday,

old Madame Gibon.

- Oh, who's she?

- Oh, just a poor old widow living alone,

but they were both killed in the same way.

Spanner or something

- I see.

- And Elise had three
beautiful children, too.

- Oh, yeah?

- Two boys and a girl

- Really?

- If anybody asks you about the case,

what will you tell them?

- I'm here on holiday

- They won't believe you, of course

- Well, perhaps it would be much better

if I just caught the
next train back to Paris.

- No, no, no, no, no, I wouldn't
hear of such a thing, no

It's just that this is a small town,

and two murders in four days,

people are getting excited, you know.

They're, well, the artisan
class, you understand

- Oh, is the town very left-wing?

- It's not that.

There was a strong
resistance movement here

during the German occupation

This was one of the
headquarters of the Marquis

- Julien, fire's getting low

- The German commandant, well, naturally,

he billeted himself with the Vernoux.

Personally, I believe
he was quite charming

But, when some of the boys were caught

down in the town.

{Madame Chabot laughs)

- Such a nice family, too.

- [Maigret] So the Vernoux family

are looked on as collaborators, huh?

- No, no, no, no, how could they be”

No, it was just pure prejudice,

just because the houses
were opposite each other,

and it was known that
de Courcon did not care

for his brother-in-law.

- Have you questioned Vernoux?

- Well, you see, I meet
the family every day

I'm invited to their home.

Well, you must realise my position

- Well, do the townspeople think

that the Vernoux family
are in some way connected

with the death of Robert de Courcon?

- No, that would be absurd

Well, the second murder proves it.

What possible motive
could link the murders

of Robert de Courcon with the widow Gibon?

Unless, of course, they were
both the acts of a lunatic.

{Louise groans)

- Louise, please, spare me

- I swear, I swear, I swear, I swear

- Swear, Louise, please

- How can I make you believe me?

Oh.

- I've got to believe you, haven't 1?

What else is there for
me to believe in, hm?

{Alain mumbles)

- Oh, Alain.

(bells ring)

(footsteps crunch)

(water gurgles)

(cup clatters)

(eerie chime music)

(suspenseful orchestral music)

{flesh thuds)

(phone rings)

- Chabot, examining magistrate

Jules, there's been another.

Gobillard, an old tramp.

I must go there, and I wondered if you

Could I ask you to come with me?

- Nowy, would that be wise?

- Well, since you're here,

it would look odd if I didn't bring you.

Frankly, with the feeling in the town,

it might be very helpful

- Ah, well, if you wish
it, of course, sir

- Thank you, thank you

Not, of course, that I want Feron to feel

that I am in any way
superseding his authority

I'm sure you understand.

- I hope he will

- Julien.

{dramatic orchestral music)

- He's dead.

{people gasp)

- [Man] That's the thing.

Where's the ambulance”?

- [Doctor] We sent for it 10 minutes ago

- Dead?

- [Chabot] Was he dead when
you found him, Vernoux?

- [Man] Poor old chap,
he didn't do anybody

(people chatter)

- Monsieur, too late, I'm afraid

- Was he able to say anything”?

- No.

- Who found him?

- Monsieur Vernoux.

- Alain?

But you didn't say

This is Alain Vernoux.

You met his father on the train, remember?

- Chief Inspector Maigret

Well, I heard you were here, but-

- This is Inspector Feron
of our local police

- Monsieur.

- Didn't tell me we sent for Paris.

- Alain.

- [Man] Mr. Maigret from Paris,

Mr. Maigret from Paris.

- I was walking across the square,

and I saw him lying on the steps

I ran to the cafe to get help.

- [Man] How'd you do
it this time, Vernoux?

- There was nothing I could do

- No, of course not

- [Man] Let's have an answer, Yernoux

- [Man] Let's have the truth

(people chatter)

- They're afraid to touch any of that lot.

- They have so much money,

they can pay them off anyway

- It's about time you turned up, Maigret.

My father remembers you from Paris

He was telling me about one
of your cases the other day

Quite a peculiar case

- [Man] And there's one law for the rich,

and another for the poor.

- [Woman] Exactly

(people chatter)

- [Feron] All right, all right.

- The same wvay as the others,

a violent blow on the top of the skull,

again, from the front,

and no apparent attempt at self defence

- Monsieur Maigret.

Thanks very much

I understand you're taking charge

of this case, Chief Inspector

- You understand wrong

- [Chabot] Monsieur Maigret
is here on a private visit

- Isn't he even interested?

- No even interested.

- [Man] Well, we'll take
it into our own hands

(siren wails)

- Alain.

{car doors close)

You better go home

- All right, let's have some room.

I want, I want this place cleared

Now, come on, you don't
wanna make trouble.

- It's time we did something

- My mother will be in bed

I must say, I'm grateful to you, Jules

You saw for yourself
the feeling in the town

- May I use your telephone?

I generally call my wife
at this time, if I'm awake.

- Yes, yes, yes, of course.

You dial zero.

- Ah oui

- Are you enjoying yourself at Fontenay?

- [Maigret] No, I'm not

I've ran out of tobacco.

What are you up to?

- Oh, a wild night

I've had a bath, and now
I'm warming some milk

Um, well, I'm going to bed

- Nowy, there's something I want
you to do for me right away

I'want you to get in
touch with Lucas, right?

- Jules, Jules

- Oh, yes, please

- Just a minute, it's boiling over

(pot rattles)

- I must have an excuse
for getting away from here

I'm getting mixed up in something,

and I don't want to.

Now, tell Lucas to send me a telegram

so that I can show it to Chabot.

Otherwise, he won't believe me

- Lucas, yes, and what shall I say?

- Oh, your presence here urgently needed

Drop everything, come at once

Something like that.

- [Madame Maigret] lll
tell him right away,

but why can't you?

- Right, then, that's fine

See you soon, au revoir

- I wanted to ask you

to give my regards to Madame Maigret

- Oh, I did that for you

- Oh, well thank you

Well, come in, come in,

come and get warm

(sighs) I'm sorry, Jules

I'm afraid you've had a very poor welcome.

- No, not at all

- Well, we must do what we can

to make the rest of
your stay more pleasant

- Mm-hm.

(Chabot laughs)

Okay, it will be

(Maigret sighs)

It will be.

{dramatic orchestral music)

Ah.

(suspenseful orchestral music)

(people shout)
(horn honks)

(man spits)

{dramatic orchestral music)

- I'm sorry, Hubert

- Oh, that pack of pigs

Oh, I came in principally, Chabot,

to remind you that we are
expecting you for bridge tonight

- Oh, yes, thank you, yes,

I shall be delighted.

- And, of course, your guest,

or are we still keeping up
the fiction, Chief Inspector?

- Fiction, monsieur?

{Hubert chuckles)

- You know, I'm rather
disappointed in you

I fully expected you to
have our murderer trussed up

and ready for the night within 24 hours

(Chabot laughs)

But then, of course, the man's a lunatic

- Oh, yes, yes, I agree, I think-

- You think so”?

- Well, why else were all the
blows struck from the front?

Ay. it was because the man wanted to kill

He just didn't care.

- Ah, but why?

- Why?

As I've said, he's mad

- Well, even a madman must have a reason.

{door knocks)

It doesn't have to be a good one.

- For the Chief Inspector

- Ah, telegram?

- [Secretary] No
Monsieur, a letter by hand

- Oh.

- Inspector, in all your experience,

have you ever known a case like this?

- No.

- I mean, a man like my brother-in-law,

Robert de Courcon, of one
of the highest families,

one of us, and then two wretched nobodies.

What connection could there possibly be?

- Perhaps that's the reason

Excuse me.

{door closes)

- Ah, thank you

Well, til tonight then

- Thank you, thank you

- Monsieur.

- Yes, thank you.

- Here, allow me

My regards to Madame.

- [Hubert] Yes, of course

{door closes)

(Chabot sighs)

- Charming family, charming.

Most affable.

- Another ancient name, hm?

- Well, Vernoux?

Oh, no, no, no

No, by no means

The grandfather was a builder,

very wealthy, very wealthy,

and allied to the de
Courcon, of course, allied

This man's son, Alain Vernoux,

married a Montalbert.

- Oh.

And was Robert de Courcon wealthy, too?

- Oh, by no means, quite the contrary.

No, sadly impoverished

As a matter of fact,

he was entirely dependent
on his brother-in-law.

- I wonder how he liked that.

- Monsieur.

- [Chabot] Ah, Feron

- Well, Chief Inspector,

we may find your journey
vsasn't really necessary

I got a witness to last night

who may clinch the whole thing

- Well, bring him in.

- Roget.

This is Mensieur Roget

He teaches history in the boys" school.

- Sit down, Roget, sit down

- His house his only 30 metres

from the spot where Gobillard was killed

Tell them what you heard

- It was just after 10 o'clock.

I was in bed.

I heard footsteps on the hard snow,

and then, suddenly, they stopped

There was a noise like a body falling,

and then one pair of footsteps went on

in the direction of the
Place de la Resistance.

- [Feron] Alain Vernoux gone
to fetch help from the cafe

- And then,

a few minutes later-
- You see,

if Alain's story's true,

Roget should've heard the
first lot of footsteps

running away, and then Alain coming

and finding the body, but he didn't

- If Monsieur Roget's story is true

Did your wife also hear
this sequence of sounds?

- She was asleep

- But you were not

- Ne, I sleep badly

- But if you heard the
sound of a body falling,

why didn't you get up and go out

to see what had happened”?

- We live near the cafe.

Falling bodies are not
uncommon at that time of night

- You hate the Vernoux, don't you”

- Yes.

- [Chabot] And you've attacked
them in your speeches

- They allied themselves to
Nazi thugs and murderers

They're traitors

- [Chabot] Have you ever
been in prison for slander?

- You know I have, due
to speaking the truth

Think we're all like you,

ready to lick their boots

- That's enough,

that's enough
- And let them

get away with murder just because-

- Monsieur Chabot,

do we get Alain Vermnoux
in for questioning?

- I'l think about it.

- Monsieur Roget, you
say that you sleep badly?

- Yes.

- Do you take anything for it?

- Yes, I take sleeping tablets.

Is that a crime?

- [Maigret] When do you take them”

- Before I go to bed, why?

- When did you go to bed last night?

- Half past 9:00

- Well then, at 10 o'clock,

the pills would be beginning to work

- [Roget] They don't always work at once

- Well, you would've been
drowsy at least, half drugged

- [Roget] I wasn't.

- How can you possibly swear

that, after hearing the
sound of the body falling,

you didn't drift off to sleep,

and wake up again later, much later?

- I thought you were on our side

- [Feron] Well, I'll get it
in writing just the same

(Chabot sighs)

- Thank you, Jules.

You see now why I'm so
glad of your support

If I give way to Feron now,

the feeling in the town as it is

- Look, if you don't mind,

I think I'll just take a short walk

It's possible I may not be in for lunch.

- You won't forget the bridge tonight

at Hubert's, will you?

He is expecting you

- Yes, I'll be there

(Chabot sighs)

(people shout)

- Why are you here”?

- I made it night train.

They said at Chabot's house you'd be here

You been annoying them, that's all?

- Did you get my message”

- Well, yes, stop
everything, come at once

Oh, with Madame's love, your tobacco.

- Oh, I see what happened

Go on, let's get out of here.

- I don't mind if I do.

- [Man] Go home, go home

{men shout)

{dramatic orchestral music)

- Quite a situation you got here.

- This used to be a
surgery, local marquis

- Oh.

- They've been trotting
out armbands and passwords

- Thank you

- Sante.

- Sante.

- Ah.

Ah.

How are you fixed in Paris?

Will they miss you?

- No, no, no. the office was dead

I had 4 days leave coming anyway.

- Good.

The last thing I wanna do
is get mixed up in a case

in a place like this

This case just came out and grabbed me.

- What can I do?

- Well, somebody has sent me a letter.

I'd like to know who.

{soft orchestral music)

- Why don't they question the servants”

And what about Alain
Vernoux and the Sabati girl?

- Yeah, the servants could
be the Vernoux household,

or they could be the old
servants of de Courcon.

He had the house opposite.

- And the girl?

- I'll see her.

- Address looks as if it's been cut out.

Probably a local printer,
shouldn't be too hard to trace.

Where will you be?

- If the marquis don't get
me first, at the Vernoux

And remember, we're unofficial.

(people chatter)

- 8h, sh, sh, sh

{men chatter)

- Do you know a woman called Sabati?

- No.

- Are you sure”?

- We don't need the police

We can handle this ourselves.

- Are you looking for Louise”

- You know her?

- Yeah, I was round there last week

Well, you know

She...

She had the door locked.

Well, she never did that before,

so I reckon she's given it up

- Where was she before she gave it up?

- Down at the barracks.

Anyone there will tell you.

(glass bangs)

- Thanks.

{soft orchestral music)

{door knocks)

Present.

Is she in?

{door knocks)

Mademoiselle Sabati.

I've got a message for
you from Alain Vernoux

- Alain?

{door opens)

- May I come in”?

Chief Inspector Maigret.

- I might've known it was a dirty trick

- I'm here unofficially
as a friend of Alain.

Will you believe that?

- I've got to, haven't I?

- Hows long have you known him?

- Eight months

- Mm-hm.

- And a week.

- How'd it start?

- I was working in a cafe

Used to come in sometimes.

He'd just sit and watch me

- Did he do that to you”

- He's a jealous man, he loves me

I suppose you think that's funny.

- [Maigret] No

- He's stuck up there in that house

with his father and those women,

they treat him like dirt, even his wife.

- [Maigret] Hm, what does he do?

- Huh?

- What does he do?

- Nothing.

- What does he live on?

- His father, of course, who else?

- Why is he jealous?

Did you love him?

- Would I live like this
if I didn't? Locked up?

It was different at first.

I didn't think it mattered
about the other men

but it did to him.

I don't let anybody come here now.

I thought he was gonna kill me

- Do you think he had anything
to do with the murders?

- No, no.

- Do you think he's mad”?

- He's jealous, that's all, he's jealous

- You were heard quarrelling

- Leave me alone.

Like all the rest, trying to trick me.

Get out, leave me alone

{door closes)

{soft orchestral music)

- Monsieur.

- Ah.

Where is madame?

Where is my son, Madame Jeanne?

- I think they're wraiting to
see if any guests will arrive

- Well, you tell them that
I'm waiting, will you?

{car whirs)

Ah, that'll be the Baron Doumord.

- I have no doubt.

{dramatic orchestral music)

- Monsieur Chabot, Monsieur Maigret

- Oh.

Ah, my good Julien, welcome as usual

And you, Monsieur Maigret,
welcome to my house

Come and have a drink, won't you?

- Thank you, yes

- There we are.

- Who's coming tonight?

Henri de Virgin?

- Eh, no, I'm afraid he's had
a little trouble with his car.

- Oh, Baron, I suppose?

- Well, no, why don't
you help yourselves, eh?

I can't think what's
happened to these women

Excuse me a moment, would you?

But please do

- Oh, what are you gonna have, a cognac”?

- Please.

- Think I'l have the same.

There we are.

- Thanks.

How many of them usually turn up?

- Oh, seven or eight, seven or eight,

but it's early yet.

- They won't come.

Nobody's going to come while
that crowd's out there.

You've seen them.

They're watching the, um, entrances

Some of them are wearing armbands

- [Chabot] Unfortunately,
there's no legal way

of preventing them.

- Well, I'm glad, at least,

if there's another murder tonight,

they won't be able to pin it on us

- Will there be?

- Why should @ madman stop at three?

- Ah, Julien, good evening

- [Chabot] Madame.

- Mensieur Maigret, this is my wife

- Monsieur, I hope you play bridge.

We're going to be two tables short.

- Unfortunately.

- Some of our friends seem
to have heard the tumbles

of the revolution.

That need not disturb you, Hubert

Your proletarian origins are impeccable

- Well, we'll just enjoy
a nice family game, eh?

Have a cigar. Maigret

- No, thank you

- Ah, there you are at last.

I thought you were gonna
spend the rest of the evening

in front of that mirror of yours.

Monsieur Maigret, this is
my daughter-in-law Jeanne

- Jeanne.

- Does he play?

- I'm afraid not.

- What are we waiting for?

There's no one else
coming, that's obvious

- All right, how shall we play,

you and I, Julien, against the ladies,

or with the ladies?

Oh, there you are, Alain

Perhaps you'd entertain Monsieur Maigret.

I'm sure he'll be most interested

in the portraits of our family.

- Our family.

Ancestry never was your
strong suit, was it, Hubert?

What are we playing, cut for partners?

- Monsieur.

Let me present you to the ancestors.

Where would you like to begin®

Hermi de Courcon?

He was constable of France
in the 15th century

They say that there's a marked
resemblance to my father

Oh, you're going to say that
there's no relationship,

but you forget the power
of mimicry, Inspector

and the power of money.

Fortunately, fortunately,
my mother never forgets,

as you heard

While there's one de Courcon still living,

the dead de Courcons
are safe from imposture

- Are you going to the
barracks district tonight?

{soft orchestral music)

- Drink?

You know.

- A man must find kindness where he can.

- There's little enough of it here.

I wonder if you know what
it's like to be nothing,

to be neither de Courcon or Vernoux,

to be despised by one
and despise the other.

- Monsieur Maigret, the telephone.

- Oh, ne, you can take it in the study

- Here, Monsieur

- Thank you

Maigret.

{Lucas mumbles)

Ah, Lucas

- About that letter, I found the firm

that printed the note paper

Do you know the address that was torn off?

- This one.

- Right, the Vernoux must have
a traitor inside the gates

- Very likely

- Things are harding up in the town.

If I were Alain Vernoux or his father,

I wouldn't go out tonight

- I don't think they'll
need any persuading.

Thank you, Lucas

(phone clicks)

- 1 will inform Monsieur Vernoux.

- Give him my excuses,

it's Monsieur Chabot I wish to see.

Well, Chief Inspector, I've got good news

We found the murder weapon

Oh, you can handle it, we've taken tests

Only traces of blood and a few hairs

- Gobillard's?

- Yes.

- What is this, Feron?

You shouldn't have come here.

- It's urgent, Monsieur

We found the murder weapon

- Where?

- Oh, no sudden flashes of brilliance

We simply searched
every inch of the street

in our old-fashioned plodding way.

It had been thrown over a wall
into a horse dealer's yard

- Well, what do you make of this, Jules”?

- Inspector Feron will tell you

- It's obvious.

If the murderer had run
away after the crime

he'd have taken this with him,

but if he'd gone straight off

in a pretence to get help,

he'd have had to throw it away first

- That certainly supports the evidence

of the schoolteacher against Alain.

- It's not the only thing that does

I visited Louise Sabati.

I think you were there before me

- Did she tell you that”?

- Not right away, but down
at the station she did,

after I'd threatened her
with an immorality charge,

she came out with the lot

about his getting into blind
rages, and beating her up

- Oh my god

- Alain.

- Take your filthy hands of her, Louise

- Alain.

Alain.
- Brilliant.

- Alain.

Alain.

{dramatic orchestral music)

(people shout)

- [Feron] Look, we knows
Alain's given to violence,

we know he could've killed Gobillard,

he could've killed Robert de Courcon, too.

The house is just out across the street

from the Vernoux.

- [Chabot] But how could
we possibly be sure that-

- [Feron] If you leave it any longer,

somebody's going to lynch him.

- Where is he now?

- With her, the Sabati woman,

barricaded in since last night

There's a crowd outside
his place like this one

Will you sign the warrant”?

- What am I to do, Jules?

You see, my problem is, I-

- You may net have a problem anymore

(window bangs)

- [Chabot] What do you mean”?

- Well, here's a man eaten hollow

by the contempt and hatred of his parents.

He finds someone, a girl who can love him.

While he's with her, well,

he can believe in himself.

Then he finds that she's been dragged off

by the police and insulted,

and bullied into betraying him.

- Will you sign the warrant”?

(window bangs)

{paper rustles)

- Going to see that he doesn't overstep

It's the wrong way to

I can't see anyone.

Feron, Feron.

{door closes)

- They're fighting the battle
of France again down there

- Well?

- Didn't get into the house

I spoke to one of the maids

on the way back from mass.

- Any help?

- Butler's name is Arsene.

Now, he used to work
for Robert de Courcon.

In fact, most of the old servants did

- Mm.

Servants and ancestors.

Hubert's trying to become a
de Courcon with a vengeance,

and it won't work.

Too many living memories,
including his own wife

What became of the old servants

who stayed with the de Courcons?

- The place has been locked
up since he was killed

There was a housemaid,
but they dismissed her

- Did they?

- Mm.

- Where is she now?

- She got a cottage
somewhere in the country,

just outside the village

- See If you can find her

- Right.

- Lucas.

See if that means anything to her

If you're quick, they won't miss it.

(people chatter)
{dramatic orchestral music)

- Vernoux.

Open up.

- He won't open it

Break it down.

- Vernoux.

All right

{door bangs)

- Leave that.

(footsteps bang)

Or do you want to be arrested”?

Monsieur Vemoux, Mademoiselle Sabati

- [Police Officer] Downstairs

- Vernoux, open up

We know you're there.

- Let me, Feron

Alain, it's Julien Chabot.

Alain.

- [Feron] Stand aside, Monsieur

{door opens)

- ls, is, is

- She's alive.

She's been sick.

A doctor, quick.

At least this is gonna
satisfy that mob outside

- [Chabot] With all he had, he chose this

{dramatic orchestral music)

- You don't think Julien
is in danger, Jules?

The town has never been like this since,

I can't remember.

{door opens)

Since the war.

Oh, there.

- Mama.

(Chabot sighs)

They think they can save the woman

Perhaps this was the best way,

the brave way.

It was brave of Alain, you know

It will avoid a lot of
unpleasantness for the family,

and at least it's over for us.

- sit?

- Allow me, madame.

It must be pretty heavy

It is heavy, too

There we are.

- What do you want”?

- Ha, only a few words, madame.

Police.

- We had the police here.

- I understand you were
housekeepers of Rabert de Courcon.

- For 30 years, she was

- What was he like, de Courcon?

- Mad like the rest of them,

all that way inclined

- And to work for him?

- [Maid] All right.

- When she got paid

- [Maid] Wasn't his fault

He only had what they gave
him from the house opposite

- What, the Vernoux?

- [Maid] Monsieur Vernoux
used to bring him his money

by the month

- He brought it here himself?

- Well, he'd send it over by the boy

That used to rile the old man.

He had some words for Monsieur Hubert.

He had a tongue, all right.

- Have you ever seen that before?

- Yes.

{dramatic orchestral music)

- May I speak with Monsieur Vernoux?

- Monsieur can see no one.

You will understand, Monsieur,

the family is in mourning

- Tell me, do the windows of
your room face the street?

- Yes.

- Mm.

Do they overlook the room

in which Monsieur Robert
de Courcon was murdered?

- You want me to show you”?

- What is it, Arsene?

- I was just telling Monsieur
that Monsieur can see no one.

- Take him to Monsieur.

- Madame?

- You won't get much out of him

- Is he, uh, ill?

- He's become what he always was,

a Vernoux.

Take the Chief Inspector in.

- You wanted to ask me
something, Monsieur?

- No, nothing else.

- In here, Monsieur.

- Who let you in?

I told them not...

Oh, you don't know what it's like

When a man finds that his only son...

Why should he do a thing like this?

A young bay with a lovely home,

and all the advantages

What have you come here for?

- How often did you visit your
brother-in-law, de Courcon?

- Once a month to take him his money. Why?

- You will have seen this.

- Yes.

- [Maigret] This is the weapon
that committed three murders.

- Indeed.

- [Maigret] The police took that to mean

that the crimes were all of the same kind.

- And weren't they?

- [Maigret] No

The second two were committed by a man

who set out from his house carrying this

with a deliberate intention of killing,

but not the first.

That was done on impulse

- My son, why should he
do a thing like that?

- I don't think it was your son.

- What?

Then who?

- Robert de Courcon was penniless.

He was forced to agree

that his sister should marry you

To him, that was an
insult he never forgave

- My good man, I-

- He got his revenge

He had a tongue as sharp as a knife

He could strip a man bare
with his fine clothing

his borrowed manners,
his aping the gentleman

He could take a man down to bedrock,

to the Vernoux, a man not fit

to mend the de Courcon drains,

to amount a frenzy,

and, if he were drunk
enough, he would do murder

(wood bangs)

- What are you trying to say”?

- Afterwards, he'd be sober again

He'd want to cover his tracks,

so he'd go out and murder
two innocent people

so that the whole thing
might be blamed on some-

- No.

- Unknown madman.

- Quiet, quiet.

- Case isn't closed yet

Police still had some inquiries to make

Among your servants, for instance

Your butler, whose bedroom
faces the de Courcon's house.

(glass clatters)

You might even call in the psychiatrist.

- Maigret, Maigret, no, you
don't know what it means.

You don't, nobody knows,

they speak to me, they
cheapen me, nobody knows, no

Hm.

You wouldn't dare touch a de Courcon.

Come on, come on

Who the hell do you think you are?

You get away with this?

Isabelle.

Isabelle.

Where's my wife?

Come on, the lot of you.

Talk to me, talk to me like this

Now, come on, you pack of leeches

- Get him.

- You pack of pigs, I, I'll...

No, no, it's all right, it's all right.

It's my house, my butler will...

I tell you, don't do this.

Don't do this, please.

My butler will...

My wife will be here.

Good day.

No, please, let me

I can show...

(soft trumpet music)

My good man, will you

No, let, let me go

No, no

{Hubert mumbles)

{door closes)

- You came to Fontenay
at a bad time, Jules.

You mustn't think

that there isn't a lot
of kindness here, too

It's quite a pleasant town, really

- How's the Sabati girl?

- Hm?

Oh, well, better, better, much better.

My mother wants to take her in as a maid

to help Rose

- It's very kind.

- Well, I must get back to my office

You're catching the 4.30
to Paris, aren't you?

- [Maigret] Yes, I must
say goodbye to your mother

{soft orchestral music)

- You still haven't told me

why you sent for Lucas

- Oh, yes, about Lucas

- Well, you weren't on the
job down there, were you?

- No, no, nothing like that

- Oh, still, it must've been a nice change

for you both

- Yes.

- How have the Chabots been getting on”?

- Chabots?

Oh, you know, Julien's aged considerably

He's actually only about
two months older than me.

- Should've got married

(Maigret laughs)

What's the other news?

- News?

(Maigret laughs)

Nothing.

- [Madame Maigret] Well
he must have some news

after 20 years.

- Oh, yes, they're getting a new maid.