All language subtitles for The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes S02E03 - The Norwood Builder

Thank you, George.

From the point of view
of the criminal expert,

London has become
a singularly uninteresting city.

I hardly think you'll find
many decent citizens to agree with you.

Well, one must not be selfish.

The community is the gainer
and no one the loser,

save the poor, unfortunate specialist
whose occupation has gone.

The last few months
haven't been totally uneventful, surely?

There was the case of the papers
of ex-President Murillo.

And the most shocking affair
of the Dutch steamship, Friesland,

which very nearly cost us both our lives.

Both of them, great successes.

- I am sorry, Mr Holmes is not at home.
- If I fail to see him now, it will be too late.

- But I am sorry, I cannot help.
- But it is a matter of the utmost urgency!

I have already told you...

Mr Holmes, I must see you!

- I told the young man you weren't here.
- I'm sorry but I'm nearly out of my mind.

I am the unhappy
John Hector McFarlane.

Now, tell us quietly and slowly
who you are and what it is that you want.

You mentioned your name

but beyond your being a bachelor, a
solicitor, a freemason and an asthmatic,

I know nothing about you whatever.

Your... untidy clothes,
sheaf of legal papers, watch chain

and your somewhat irregular breathing.

Why, yes, Mr Holmes,
I am all these things.

And in addition, I am at this moment
the most unfortunate man in London.

- Have you not read your newspaper?
- Not yet.

Then, if you would allow me.

"At 12 o'clock,
an incident occurred at Lower Norwood

"which points, it is feared,
to a serious crime.

"A small timber yard caught fire
at the back of a house

"belonging to Mr Jonas Oldacre,
a builder.

"Surprise was expressed
at Mr Oldacre's absence

"and it became apparent
he had disappeared.

"Examination of his room
revealed a safe which was open,

"signs of a murderous struggle,

"and a heavy walking stick
with stains of blood upon the handle."

All I ask is that you don't abandon me.

A man followed me
from London Bridge station.

If they arrest me before I've finished,

make them give me time
so that I may tell you the truth.

I could go to jail happy
if I knew you were working for me.

Arrest you?
This is really most gratifying.

On what charge?

Murdering Mr Jonas Oldacre
of Lower Norwood.

Dear me.

"As we go to press, sensational
developments have been reported.

"Charred remains have been found
among the ashes of the fire.

"The police theory is that the victim was
clubbed to death and the body ignited.

"It is known that
Mr Oldacre received a visitor last night,

"and the stick has been identified
as belonging to that person,

"a young London solicitor
by the name of John Hector McFarlane."

May I ask why you are still at liberty,
Mr McFarlane?

As there seems to be
enough evidence to justify your arrest?

I live with my mother in Blackheath.

But last night, having late business
with Mr Oldacre,

I stayed at an hotel in Norwood.

Mr Holmes, I knew nothing of this affair

until I was on the train to my office
this morning

and read what you have just heard.

I saw at once
the terrible danger of my position

and hurried to put the case
in your hands.

Ah! Inspector Lestrade!

We have been expecting you.

Mr Holmes, Dr Watson.

- Mr John Hector McFarlane?
- Yes.

I arrest you for the murder
of Mr Jonas Oldacre of Lower Norwood.

One moment, Lestrade.
Half an hour can make little difference,

and the gentleman was about to give an
account which might clear up this affair.

There will be no difficulty
in clearing it up.

Nevertheless, with your permission,

I would be much interested
in hearing his account.

Mr Holmes, there's no denying

that you have been of use to the force
once or twice in the past.

But I must insist...

All I ask is that you should hear
and recognise the absolute truth.

I'll give you half an hour.

Sit down, McFarlane.

Thank you, Lestrade.

We must warn you that what you say
now will appear in evidence against you.

Pray, continue.

I must first explain
that I knew nothing of Mr Jonas Oldacre,

although his name was familiar to me.

Years ago, my parents were acquainted
with him but they drifted apart.

So it came as a surprise when yesterday
afternoon, at about three o'clock,

he walked into my office in the City.

Mr Oldacre? Good afternoon.

I'm Mr McFarlane.

Would you care to come through?

Please, won't you sit down?

How can I help you?

This is a draft of my will.

I want you, Mr McFarlane,
to cast it into proper legal shape.

I shall sit here while you do so.

'You can understand my astonishment,
Mr Holmes,

'when I found that,
with some minor reservations,

'his entire estate had been left to me.'

But I... I simply don't understand.

Oh, well, then let me explain.

I am a bachelor, Mr McFarlane,
with few relatives,

and none who deserve my consideration.

- That may well be so but...
- Let me finish.

I beg your pardon.

For many years now
I have withdrawn from my business.

I was a builder and, though I say it
myself, an extremely successful one.

Successful enough
to have gained considerable wealth

and thus live out my life
in complete, if solitary, comfort.

Many years ago, I knew your mother.

Knew her and hoped to marry her.

Then she met and married your father.

- I had no idea.
- Why should you?

Three months ago, I read of your father's
death in the Daily Telegraph.

My mind was turned to your mother

and to the son
who might very well have been my own.

This is my way of securing your future.

I know that whatever I leave
will be in worthy hands.

What can I say? But thank you.

There are documents you should see -

building leases, title deeds,
mortgages and so on.

I shan't rest easy
until the whole thing's settled.

- Of course.
- I beg you to come to my house tonight.

- What shall we say? Nine o'clock?
- Why, yes, I...

Bring the finalised will
and we can settle the matter.

- Of course.
- Thank you, my boy.

Oh, one last thing.

Not a word to your dear mother
until everything is settled.

I want it to be a little surprise.

- Little?
- You promise?

You have my word.

I left in good time for my appointment
but had difficulty in finding the house,

so that it was nearly half past
before I reached it.

Good evening.
I have an appointment with Mr Oldacre.

- Mr McFarlane?
- Yes, that's right.

'It was not the warmest of receptions

'and the house itself had
a peculiar, unloved feeling.'

- Sorry to keep you waiting.
- Not at all, sir. I'm a little late.

- You've brought the papers?
- Yes, indeed.

'The bedroom was on the ground floor,
where there was a large safe.'

Bring the rest of those papers, my boy.

Now... to business.

- All done?
- Yes, sir, all done.

I've just seen the time.
You must get home.

Oh, thank you.

- I had a stick.
- I wonder where she put it?

A heavy stick. It belonged to my father.

I'll take care of it until we meet again.

After all, I shall be seeing
a great deal of you, I hope.

Indeed you shall, sir.

I left him there.

The safe was open
and the documents were on his desk.

It was too late to go back to Blackheath
and so I stayed at an hotel in Norwood.

I knew nothing more of this affair
until this morning.

Do you have the original draft of the will
that Oldacre brought to you?

Why, yes. I have it here.

- May I retain this for 24 hours?
- If it would amuse you.

Well, anything more you'd like to ask,
Mr Holmes?

- Not until I've been to Blackheath.
- You mean Norwood.

No doubt that is what I must have meant.

Now, Mr McFarlane,

my constable's at the door
and there is a four-wheeler waiting.

- Good morning, gentlemen.
- Good morning.

There are certain points about
this document, are there not, Watson?

Well, I can read the first two lines.

And these in the middle of the second
page, and one or two at the end.

But the writing in between is very bad,
and there are parts I can't read it at all.

What do you make of that?

Well, what do you make of it?

That it was written on a train.

The good writing represents stations,

the bad writing, movement.

- And the very bad writing...
- Passing over the points.

A scientific expert would pronounce
that it was drawn up on a suburban line,

since nowhere save in the vicinity
of a great city

could there be
so quick a succession of points.

Granting that his whole journey
was occupied in drawing up the will,

then the train must have been
an express,

stopping only once
between Norwood and London Bridge.

But it's curious, is it not,

that a man should draw up so important
a document in so haphazard a fashion?

It suggests that he thought it was
going to be of no practical importance.

Well, he drew up his death warrant
at the same time.

This case is not clear to me.

Come, Watson!

- Where are we going? Norwood?
- No. Blackheath!

Cab!

My son is the gentlest creature
on God's earth.

It is inconceivable he could even
contemplate such a terrible crime.

He didn't even know the man,
Mr Holmes.

But you did, Mrs McFarlane.

Years ago.
I'd forgotten that he ever existed.

Tried to forget.

It is impossible to quite forget
a man like Jonas Oldacre.

Yes, I knew him well. At one time
we were engaged to be married.

Thank heaven I had the sense to turn
away and marry a better, if poorer, man.

Oh... Please.

Your husband died recently?

He was a kind man.

A gentle man.

He was everything
Jonas Oldacre was not.

Yet at one time
you were prepared to marry him.

I said that I knew him well.

But the more I knew of him, the more I
came to realise that I knew him not at all.

He would change... suddenly,

and what I saw frightened me.

There was a dark side to his character,
Mr Holmes, a desire to cause pain.

My own photograph.

It was my first present to him.

Good heavens!

That was how it was returned to me
on my wedding day.

With a vile note
urging a curse upon my house,

and saying he'd never forgive me.

And yet he does seem
to have forgiven you.

After all,
to leave his entire estate to your son...

Neither my son nor I want anything
from that wicked man, dead or alive.

Ah, Mrs McFarlane.

The fact remains that the will was made.

I simply can't understand it.

Why?

Have you ever spoken of Oldacre
to your son?

Perhaps told him
what you've just told me?

- No, never.
- Never?

He found the photograph.

My husband tried to make light of it
but he insisted.

My husband told him
something of the truth.

That's all.

And the boy was...

disturbed?

He was upset. Naturally.

You see, Mrs McFarlane,
what the police might say is...

that if he had heard
of Oldacre's behaviour toward you,

it would predispose him
toward hatred and violence.

Their case against him
will be strengthened.

No!

There is a God in heaven, Mr Holmes.

God, who has punished that wicked
man, will show in His own good time

my son's hands
are guiltless of his blood.

Come on, boy, come on!

Wait here, please.

Ah, Mr Holmes,

Dr Watson.

We are just clearing up.

The will, as promised.

Look.

Buttons - trouser buttons.

No doubt you've brought your glass
with you?

The name is Hyams. According to
Mrs Lexington, the housekeeper,

Hyams was the name
of Mr Oldacre's tailor.

Presumably the organic remains
have been removed to the laboratory.

They have, Doctor.
Though they'll be of little use, I suspect.

The poor devil was
no more than bone and cinder.

How very convenient for the murderer.

Not, I might venture, for Mr Oldacre.

Nevertheless, Inspector,
bone and cinder!

Thank heavens
he was wearing his trousers.

The stick belongs to the accused.
He's never denied it.

He says he could not find it when he left.

Says, Mr Holmes, says!

My experts made out footmarks
of both men on the carpet.

Too much subsequent traffic to make
any examination on my part worthwhile.

Two sets of footmarks, Mr Holmes.
None of any third person.

Another trick for your side.

- All these papers are from the safe?
- Correct.

- Absolutely nothing has been removed?
- Nothing whatsoever.

We have opened one or two,
as you can see, to check the contents.

May I check them?

By all means.

I myself have business at the Yard.

I would like to see the housekeeper.
Mrs Lexington?

She'll add nothing more
to what you already know.

- Nevertheless...
- I'll send her in.

Could it be that for once
Lestrade is on the right track?

All my instincts are one way
and all the facts are the other.

- You wish to see me, sir?
- Yes.

Mrs Lexington, this is my friend
and colleague, Doctor Watson.

- Erm... do sit down.
- I'll stand, if I may.

This room has no comfort for me.

You let young Mr McFarlane
into this house at 9:30.

Yes, and I wish that my hand
had withered before I had done so.

- And you retired to bed at?
- Twenty minutes past eleven.

Twenty past eleven.

And you heard nothing?

My room is at the far end of the house.
I heard nothing until the alarm sounded.

It was then, only then, that I realised
my poor master had been murdered.

Mrs Lexington, to your knowledge,
did your master have any enemies?

Every man has his enemies.

And a businessman like Mr Oldacre
more than most, perhaps?

He was a well-respected gentleman
who kept himself very much to himself.

Do you know about these papers?

I know nothing
of Mr Oldacre's private affairs.

The buttons the police found in the fire?

My master had three suits
made by Mr Hyams.

Two are in that wardrobe.
The third he was wearing that night.

Thank you, Mrs Lexington.
You have been most cooperative.

What do you make of her?

Tight as wax, if you ask me. But then,
perhaps that's her usual manner.

It's all wrong.

I feel it in my bones. Something...

Something has not come out
and that woman knows it.

Holmes, would you like me
to have a look at these papers?

Well, a man's bank account
can tell us as much as his diary.

Correct.

Thank you, Watson.

Go on, get out!

It's all right, Constable. I'm just
stretching my legs. I'll watch them.

Ah! Constable!

- Are you a local man?
- Born and bred, sir.

Excellent.

- I need some local knowledge.
- I'll do my best, sir, certainly I will.

Holmes!

Lestrade did say
no documents had been removed?

- Yes.
- That's what I thought.

- You've found something.
- It's what I haven't found.

There are certain cross-references
to various deeds, valuable deeds,

none of which I can find.

But one thing is clear.

Oldacre was hardly
in affluent circumstances.

His account was practically empty,

because he had made several payments
in the past year to a certain Mr Cornelius.

- McFarlane would inherit nothing.
- This is of interest.

Why should a retired builder have such
large transactions with a Mr Cornelius?

Well, let's take our cab and see
what we can find out from his City bank.

- You coming?
- I'll stay here for a while.

Norwood station.

- So, you are not going back to London?
- No. Not yet, anyway.

I do hope my presence
doesn't inconvenience you.

I should warn you, I found an
undesirable lurking about by the gates.

- I saw him off.
- Undesirable?

A tramp, Mrs Lexington.
A gentleman of the road.

They'll get nothing here.

Ah. You don't believe in supporting
our less fortunate brethren?

I work. So can they.

Quite so.

I'm on my way to Folkestone.

I've done enough walking,
I have.

I finds a place and I stays put.

I was to meet
a friend of mine here.

Oh, you might know him.
He's a seafaring man.

Aye, I know him.

Shared my billet for the last four nights,
he does.

And then off he goes,
without even a word.

You take my tip.

Steer clear of him.

He's a... He's a liar.

Didn't strike me as such.

He goes up to that big house, he does.

He comes back here, tells some yarn
about them putting out with open hands,

telling him to come back tomorrow when
they'll give him some grub and cast-offs.

How is that lying?

Because, my friend,
I'd already paid my call,

and nearly got the law on my back
for my insolence.

Perhaps he told 'em a pleasing tale.

Are you saying
that a drunken sailor has more to offer

than a sergeant in the 22nd?

No, no.

He's a liar!

He says...

"Whatever I gets," he says,

"I'll share with you, shipmate," he says.

And off he goes.

And not a sight of him since.

Holmes...

You must permit yourself some food.
You must eat.

At present I cannot afford
energy and nerve force for digestion.

Well, you must,
if you intend to pursue this case.

I fear, my dear fellow,
that our case will end ingloriously

by Lestrade hanging our client,

which will certainly be a triumph
for Scotland Yard.

There is a telegram.

"Important fresh evidence to hand.
McFarlane's guilt definitely established.

"Advise you to abandon case. Lestrade."

It is Lestrade's
little cock-a-doodle of victory.

Let's have some breakfast

and then go out together
and see what we can do.

I feel as if I shall need your company
and moral support today.

Ah, Mr Holmes, Dr Watson!

I think you will acknowledge that we are
just a little in front of you this time.

Step this way, if you please, gentlemen,

and I will convince you that it was John
McFarlane who committed this crime.

You don't like being wrong.

Still, a man can't always expect
to have it his own way.

Can he, Dr Watson?

This is where the housekeeper
left McFarlane's hat and stick.

This is also where he would have come
to collect his hat after the crime.

Now, look at this.

- A thumb mark.
- So I observe.

A thumb mark in blood. You are aware
that no two thumb marks are alike?

I have heard something of the kind.

Identical!

And that was taken from McFarlane
this morning.

Definitely the same thumb mark.

And that is final.

- Quite final.
- Who made this discovery?

It was Mrs Lexington here
who drew my constable's attention to it.

I suppose there is no doubt
that the mark was there yesterday?

Well, McFarlane could have
crept out of jail in the night,

to strengthen the evidence
against himself.

Have you any objection
if I take a stroll upstairs?

No, none at all.

There's nothing up there, though.

I'm sorry things look so bad, Holmes.

But there is a serious flaw
in this new evidence.

What's that?

That thumbprint was not there
when I examined the hall yesterday.

Inspector Lestrade, I cannot help
thinking your evidence is incomplete.

What do you mean?

There is an important witness
you have not yet seen.

- Can you produce this witness?
- I think I can.

- Then do so.
- I'll do my best.

How many constables have you?

- Three within call.
- Excellent.

I assume they are able-bodied large men,
with powerful voices?

I have no doubt that they are, yes.

In the outhouse there is a quantity
of straw. I need two bundles brought in.

Straw?

And two buckets of water.

- Water?
- Ask them to bring it to the top landing.

Place the straw in the fireplace,
a little in front.

Two buckets of water to that side,
please.

Mr Holmes, I don't know
whether you are playing a game with us,

but surely you can tell us
without this tomfoolery?

Lestrade, I have
an excellent reason for everything I do.

Watson, would you put a match
to that straw?

And, Constable,
will you sprinkle it with water?

Now, we must see if we can find
this witness for you, Lestrade.

Gentlemen.

Would you please join me
in the call of "Fire"?

One... two... three...

Fire!

We can do better than that.

Full voice, and together.

Fire!

- Good heavens!
- Capital!

Constable, a bucket of water
on that straw.

Lestrade, allow me to present
your missing principle witness.

Mr Jonas Oldacre!

What's this, then?

What have you been doing all this time?

- I've done no harm.
- No harm?

You've only done your best
to get an innocent man hanged.

If it wasn't for this gentleman, I'm not
sure you wouldn't have succeeded.

Take him.

Let us see where this rat
has been lurking.

The advantage of being a builder.
He was able to fix up his hiding place

without any confederate,
save for that precious housekeeper.

Whom I should lose no time
in adding to your bag, Inspector.

And these... are the missing papers,
no doubt!

No doubt whatsoever.

Constable!
Find the housekeeper.

How did you know about that place?

I compared the proportions of this room
with those of the room below

and deduced that this fireplace wall...
was false.

Oldacre clearly had a great deal of nerve.

But not enough, I fancy,
to lie quiet before an alarm of fire.

How did you know he was in the house?

The thumb mark. When I examined
the hall yesterday, it was clear.

- It was put there during the night.
- But how?

After McFarlane had examined the
papers that night, he resealed them.

To do so, he used his thumb
upon the wax.

Brooding in that den of his,
it suddenly struck Oldacre

what use he could make
of that thumbprint.

Smearing the wax with a little blood,

he made what appeared to be absolutely
damning evidence against McFarlane.

'What was the object of his deception? '

Ah well, Inspector, in order to swindle
his creditors, who were pressing him,

Oldacre emptied his bank account

by paying out large sums
to a Mr Cornelius.

I have no doubt that Messrs Oldacre
and Cornelius are the same person,

the object being to change his name,
draw on the money

and then vanish.

We see before us a very deep,
malicious and vindictive man.

Did you know that he was once refused
by McFarlane's mother?

All his life he has longed for vengeance.

If he was murdered by the only child
of his former sweetheart,

what more bitter revenge?

I would never have allowed
any real harm to befall Mr McFarlane.

That's for the jury to decide.

You're charging me? For a joke?

- It was nothing more than a joke.
- It was nothing less than murder.

The body in the fire.

But whose body was it?

An old sailor, Lestrade,
who had fallen upon hard times.

When I examined the ashes of that fire,

I discovered that your experts
had missed this.

It is a tooth of the great white shark.

And you see
that it has been lightly carved.

It is typical of the work
carried out by seamen.

This isn't evidence enough
to show who died in the fire.

'I know that on Monday,
the day before the murder,

'a tramp called at this house.

'When I questioned the housekeeper, she
assured me no tramp would be welcome.

'Not only was his reception welcoming

'but the man received
some of Oldacre's clothing.

'Yesterday, near the front gate,
I found the calling card that he left,

'a coded sign advising his
fellow travellers of a charitable welcome.

'Last night, with the help
of your local constable,

'I talked to one of these travellers,

'who said that the seaman had been
asked to call back the following day,

'with the assurance
of further hospitality.'

And so, the next morning,

wearing his new clothes,
or at least his new trousers,

he returned,

and was never seen again.

You've saved an innocent man's life,
Mr Holmes.

And you have also saved me
some embarrassment.

Ah, my good chap!

You'll find that your reputation
has been enormously enhanced.

Just make a few alterations
to that report,

and they will see how hard it is to throw
dust in the eyes of Inspector Lestrade.

You don't want your name to appear?

Not at all.

His work is its own reward.

I'll see you hang for this!

That privilege must surely be mine.