All language subtitles for 24 - The Avon Emeralds

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

I decided quite suddenly to go abroad.

It seems a very rich but distant
aunt has disappeared.

I decided to console
myself on the Riviera,

until the matter is cleared up and
the insurance policy paid off.

Ketchup.

It's perfect for travel.

I find a bottle or two will make
any dish taste like home cooking.

I've already told him
I have nothing to declare.

The up-turned palm,
the symbol of travel.

However, I'm afraid he wants
the key to my trunk.

I think this would be the perfect moment
for you to look the other way.

Those of you who know
of no other way to look

will have to endure the following.

- Ah, Benson.
- Good morning, Hopkins.

Sir Charles.

I hope you'll forgive me, sir,
for having borrowed your scissors.

I was a great one for clipping
the Times in my own day, Benson.

Anything of special interest?

Oh, yes, sir.

Oddly enough, a Benedictine friar,

a member of the Canons Regular
in Cornwall, sir,

has had the most
remarkable success with Cypripediums.

Cypripedium, sir?

It's an orchid, more commonly known

as "Lady's Slipper" or
the Moccasin flower.

Why, it's not a variety
I favor especially,

but what this friar has accomplished,
under the most obstinate conditions...

With all due respect to the Cannons
Regular in Cornwall, Benson,

I'm afraid we'll have
to defer the Lady's Slipper

until another time.

- Yes, sir.
- Sit down, Benson.

Thank you, sir.

I'm sure you'll recall a case
we had some months ago,

when a Lady Avon
tried to sell some jewelry,

and, shall we say,

overlooked the share of
the proceeds due to the Treasury.

I remember it very well, sir.
I was on the case.

It escapes me now, but wasn't it
a couple of rings she tried to sell?

Oh, no, sir. It was
a rather dainty brooch,

lightly salted with diamonds,

to use the trade expression.

I remember she referred
to it as a bauble,

because it fetched
her no more than 5,000 pounds.

Oh, and what then?

Well, very little beyond that, sir,

except that her ladyship
was a trifle abusive.

She disliked paying death duties.

She claimed it left her
with hardly the price of a hat.

Of course, I'm not familiar
with her ladyship's taste in hats.

But what does seem apparent
is that she was widowed too early

to have acquired a proper
sense of responsibility.

Yes, sir.

Lord Avon was of my generation,
I knew him well.

At the time of his
second marriage, he...

Well, as a horticulturist, Benson,
you'll understand better than I

the perils of a late autumnal bloom.

Yes, sir.

The reason I called you in was to tell
you that the famous Avon necklace,

20 perfectly matched cabochon emeralds
with a cluster in the center,

the last major item of her
ladyship's inheritance,

is up for sale.

I expected as much, sir.

Death duties took the bulk
of Lord Avon's estate,

and there simply
wasn't the cash to meet them.

The proceeds of the sale of the country
house proved insufficient.

This left the jewelry.

For the purposes of probate,
the emeralds were valued at 100,000 pounds.

But what they'd fetch in the open
market, and especially abroad,

could be very much more.

The Treasury is
having a new appraisal made.

I see, sir.

Now,

her ladyship has already received
an offer for an undisclosed amount

from an American source.

But the Treasury has, very wisely, refused
to grant her an export permit.

Has she received any bids in England, sir?

Several. The most generous
was an offer of 125,000 pounds,

which she turned down.

Now, this only
serves to confirm my belief

that her ladyship intends to live
abroad, outside the sterling area,

and to dispose of the emeralds in
defiance of the Treasury claim.

This, of course,
we're determined to prevent.

If I may ask, sir, exactly
where are the emeralds now?

Reputedly in her hotel, here
in London. In the safe.

And, while legally she is entitled
to keep them in a shoebox

or a napkin, if she so desires,

I should like you to confirm
their whereabouts.

- Is that all, sir?
- Eh... no.

Lady Avon has booked a plane
passage for the French Riviera

the day after tomorrow.

And, while we'll
take every precaution to

make sure that the emeralds
are not with her,

one never can be sure.

You'll be on the same plane, Benson,

and prepare to stay in
France for a few days.

Yes, sir.

Oh, I realize that this interferes
with your holiday plans.

Oh, that's all right, sir.

Where were you going?

I had thought of Cornwall, sir.

Ah, the Canons Regular
and the Lady's Slipper.

Well, I had thought of looking in
on the friar's experiments.

Well, I must say I admire your full
devotion for everything you do.

Tramping the countryside on every holiday,
sort of pollinating as you go.

I beg your pardon, sir?

That's probably what makes
you a good policeman.

Ah, tea.

Now, getting back to the case.

I think we must assume that Lady
Avon may have a confederate

who might try and smuggle
the emeralds past the customs

and deliver them to her in Cannes.

I see, sir.

The important thing is that the emeralds
should not leave the country.

But if by any mischance they do,

you will have to bring them back,
with or without Lady Avon.

I understand.

Oh, and, sir?

Yes, Benson?

Well, considering the attention
that Lady Avon and her jewels

have received from the press,

don't you think we can expect that
half the thieves of England,

and some of the continent's
sharpest talent,

will take this opportunity
to try to nab them?

Point well taken, Inspector.

How many men do you want?

Just a couple, sir.

Oh, do you think that will be enough?

You know, there's always a grim possibility
that before this thing's over,

someone may have tried to
slit her ladyship's lovely throat.

Oh, good morning, Inspector Benson.

Hello, Ives.

Can I help you, Inspector?

Ives, let's eliminate the "Inspector"
just for now, hmm?

Oh, yes.

Ives, I understand you have
Lady Avon's emeralds in safe-keeping.

I'd like to see them
if you don't mind.

I'm afraid, sir, that's up to Mr. Saunders.
It is his responsibility.

I've already spoken to Mr. Saunders.

Oh, in that case, of course.
Won't you come in?

There it is, sir.

You know, this safe has been
with us for 80 years.

Oh, how long have the emeralds
been with you, Ives?

Only five days, sir.

You see, Mr. Saunders
warned her ladyship

that we could not
accept the responsibility.

But she insisted
upon keeping them here.

There we are, sir.

Oh, excuse me, sir.
Can I help you?

I doubt it extremely.

Hulbert, Morgan and Lennit.

I'm here to appraise the
Avon necklace for the Treasury.

I'm afraid your suspicions
were misplaced, Inspector.

These are the Avon emeralds.

Mmm, delicious!

I don't know why everyone doesn't
have caviar for breakfast.

Don't you, dear?

Absolutely jammed with vitamins.

Would you care for anything else, milady?

- Some more caviar, please.
- Certainly, milady.

I do hope you're going to have enough
money to pay the hotel bill.

Oh, I expect so.

After all, after tomorrow I
won't need any more pounds, will I?

Tell me, Aunt Catherine, how
many seasons have you spent in Cannes?

Well, it's rather hard to remember, dear.

I shall have to
work it out by husbands.

Let me see, the last one
loathed the sunshine,

the one before that soaked
it up like a fig.

Your Uncle Alfred, though, of course,
that was much, much earlier,

Alfred could take the sun
or leave it alone.

Let me see, after him,
there was Michael.

Oh, no, I wasn't married to him.

Well, all in all, dear,
I should say about a dozen.

Husbands or seasons, darling?

Gwendolyn!

I wonder if I shall like it there.

Well, it's a charming villa, dear,

and the agent says
the servants are very good.

I shall know how true that is tomorrow.

But I promise you, if
they are not perfect treasures,

I'll have them all changed
before you come.

Really!

I'm a respectable, hard-working man,
and a teetotaler as well.

What's going on here?

What are you doing to poor Boles?

His name isn't Boles,
milady, it's Fletcher.

And he's a convict on license.

Oh, it's you.

Persecution, milady.

I'm sure Mr. Saunders wouldn't
employ any servant

without the very best of references.

Four convictions for robbery,

two for breaking and entering,

three for loitering with
intent to commit a felony.

That's a lie! It was only two!

Give him half a chance and he'd steal
the gold leaf off the cross of St. Paul's.

Milady, it does appear that
I was unaware of certain facts.

Take him downstairs and
search him, Hodges.

Come on.

Milady, I wonder if Mr. Saunders
and I might have a few words with you?

Oh, very well. Come in.

This is my aunt, Mrs. Sedley.

Darling, this is that Detective Inspector

that was so irksome about my brooch.

How do you do, madam?

I'm afraid it is I, milady, who
is going to be irksome now.

In the matter of your emeralds, milady...

What about them?

The management would so much prefer

not to have the responsibility
of their safekeeping.

Would you not consider putting
them in a bank vault?

I suppose this is your idea, Inspector.

I assure you, milady...

I will not put my emeralds
in a bank vault.

But milady...

It's much more convenient
for me to have them in the hotel.

An armed guard could always be supplied
to escort them from the bank

when you wish to wear them, milady.

How do I know when I want to wear them?

No. No, it's absolutely absurd.

But, milady...

I have every confidence
in the hotel safe,

and every confidence
in you, Mr. Saunders.

Hodges searched the waiter, sir,
but he was clean.

A pity. He looked a likely candidate.

One of those people must
be a confederate.

The trouble is, sir, there are
too many suspicious characters around.

Now, tell me, Benson,
what was Lady Avon's attitude?

How would you assess that?

Willful, perverse, determined, extravagant.

Everything the Treasury is against.

Oh, she eats caviar for breakfast, sir.

Does she now?
Prefer kippers myself.

Caviar is 30 shillings an ounce, sir!

Well, we shall just have
to take double precautions

to make certain that
necklace doesn't leave the country.

You can put on another couple
of men, if you like.

Yes, sir.

Hello? Who?

Oh, yes, put him through.

Yes, Mr. Saunders. Yes, he's here.

What's that? Hold on!

The Avon emeralds were
stolen from the safe last night.

Lady Avon, if the Treasury
appraiser hadn't come back this morning

to check on the size
of one of the stones,

this robbery might not
have been discovered for days.

Obviously.

But the fact that
it has been discovered

enables us to narrow
down the time during which

the robbery could have been committed.

Is that a good thing?

Lady Avon, where were you last night?

I went to a charity ball at the Dorchester
and I wore the necklace.

And I don't know why you're
asking me all this,

because there was one of your men watching
me like a hawk all evening.

Lady Avon, you don't seem to be
taking this loss very seriously.

What would you like me to do? Scream?

I understand the emeralds
were not insured.

Why was that?

Oh, I couldn't afford the premiums.

The death duties on my husband's
estate were absolutely crippling.

I'm sure they were.
Now, after the ball...

I got back at 2:00 am. And I
put the emeralds in the safe.

Ask him, he was there, lurking
behind the potted palm.

And afterwards?

You know very well.
I went straight to my room.

I saw you peeping out
of the linen cupboard.

Lady Avon, did you leave your...

Your suite again, last night?

I'm sure you had somebody watching
me to see that I didn't.

Anyway, my aunt, Mrs. Sedley,
was staying the night with me.

Why, I wonder if I might
have a few words with Mrs. Sedley.

That might be a little difficult.

Indeed?

She left on a plane for Nice at 9:00.

That's in France, you know.

I'm well aware of that, Lady Avon.

May I ask if you
intend to join her there?

Come in.

Oh, I'm sorry, Lady Avon, I...

Mr. Geist.

Come in. These gentlemen
are just going.

Mr. Geist is going to
show me a picture.

Lady Avon, I...

Oh, yes, you wanted to know if
I was going to France, didn't you?

Well, I am.

And to save you the bother
of finding out,

I'll even tell you
the time of the plane.

9:00 tomorrow. Goodbye, Inspector.
Goodbye, Sergeant.

Bye.

Now, Mr. Geist, show me the picture.

Be careful with that. It's fragile.

Yes, madam.

Got her dog with her, sir.

That means she won't
be back for quite a while.

Oh, why?

The dog would have to be quarantined for
six months. She wouldn't like that.

Pretty nice set-up, if you ask me.

Jewels officially reported stolen,
so she doesn't have to account for them.

Just turns up with them in France and
sells them to some rich American.

Well, she's not
going to get away with it.

Do you think the French
police will be able to help, sir?

Well, they're having her aunt,
Mrs. Sedley, watched in Cannes,

and they've arranged
for an officer of the S?et?

to meet me when we land in Nice.

I hope it won't come to that.

I don't...

I'm sorry, Lady Avon, it will be
necessary for you to be searched.

Oh, really, this is too much!

- What about the dog?
- Search the dog, too.

It's not a dog.
Her name is Juliet.

I take it she can come with me?

Please, the plane's
gonna leave any minute now.

Would you mind unwrapping the painting, sir?

But, that's not necessary.

I'm sorry, sir.

Well, I'm an honest man.

I'm a member of the Society
of Fine Art Dealers

in London, in Paris, in Amsterdam.

I'm an accredited dealer.
I have letters here.

Please, look at them.

I have never been insulted
like this before.

I haven't even been accused
of selling fakes.

I am highly reputable
and well-established.

Ah.

Girl With a Milk Churn...

Lovely, isn't it?

Inspector Benson?

Yes?

Commissaire-Adjoint Clement, S?et?

How do you do? You had
the report from London?

We had a report
from Interpol in Paris.

The subject, Madame Sedley, has
been under surveillance since she arrive.

The other subject was
with you in this plane?

Oh, yes. She's over
there now, in the white hat.

Here.

Quite.

Do you wish to have her searched?

She was searched
quite thoroughly in London.

No result. But she must
have the jewels with her.

Ah, now watch!

Oh, hi, Catherine.

Darling!

Oh, darling, you're not quite
your immaculate self.

Have you had a ghastly trip?

If she does not have the stolen jewels,
what are we watching for?

I said we didn't find them on her,

but she's got them all right.

So chic, too.

Who did she steal them from?

From herself.

Ah! To cheat the insurance.

No, they weren't insured.

Then what is the charge?

Defrauding the Treasury.

Those emeralds were supposed
to go towards paying death duties.

You know, taxes.

Oh, she's leaving now.

Oh, I...

What is it? Oh, glasses.

But, monsieur, you cannot do this.

What do you mean?
What are you talking about?

The lady does not
pay government taxes.

This is not an offense for
her to be extradited.

The report say the jewels were stolen.

Well, so they are.

From herself.

Monsieur, if we arrested
everybody in France

who avoided to pay taxes,
there should not be anyone left.

But, monsieur, I mustn't
lose sight of them for a moment.

The surveillance!

That, monsieur, is your affair.

Yours and the British government's.

I cannot waste my men
for such a purpose.

- But, monsieur...
- I regret, monsieur.

It is impossible.

Taxi!

$230,000.

$231,000 two, three, four,

five, six, seven, eight, nine.

Forty-one, two, three,
forty-four, forty-five,

forty-six, 47, 48, 49...

$250,000!

Oh, isn't that wonderful?

Oh, aren't they pretty?

Yeah.

And now the emeralds, Lady Avon.

Oh, yes.

Here they are.

Beautiful!

Just beautiful!

Beautiful.

I don't see how you
can bear to part with them.

Well, if I'm going to
catch that plane for Paris, I...

Oh, my aunt can drive you
to the airport, can't you, darling?

I should be delighted to.

- Goodbye, Lady Avon.
- Goodbye.

It's a pleasure to do
business with you.

Goodbye, sir.

Oh, allow me.

Darling, I did everything
just as you told me.

But was it absolutely necessary to
have that horrible woman search me?

She was so thorough.

You know, darling, I didn't
get anything to eat on the plane.

Is there any caviar in the house?

My difficulty with the customs official

turned out to be rather serious.

He found my aunt in the trunk.
Quite dead, of course.

But it was a peculiar place
for her to be.

He was terribly upset.

You see, she had no passport, and
they're very strict, you know.

I'm very much afraid I shall have to change
my plans and continue without her.

But my trip is a short one.
I shall be back in a week.

Until then, au revoir.