All language subtitles for Perry.Mason.S09E12.The.Case.of.the.Fugitive.Fraulein.DVDRip.x264

Your passes, please.

Thank you.

- All right. You may proceed.
- Thank you.

One moment, please.

Will you step from
the car, please?

- Ah, yes, Gerta Pommer.
- Yes.

The young man with you?

Uh, my nephew, Thomas Pommer,
as you can see from other passport.

Yes, I see.

Well, Hoffer, could it
be you are mistaken?

Mistaken, Herr Stromm?

For what you have
attempted, fräulein,

people have spent
years in prison.

Understand, Mr. Mason,

I know you have come
here as a kindness,

as so many have shown
me kindness in this country.

But you cannot change my mind.

I will do as they ask.

I will go back to East Germany.

You risked your life escaping
from the Russians after the war.

You now trust them
to keep their word?

You believe that once
you're in their hands

they'll free your granddaughter?

Yes. They want me.

They do not need
a 6-year-old child.

Six? Then you've never seen her.

We would not even have
known that she existed.

Our letters to our
daughter went unanswered.

Then two months ago, we
heard of our daughter's death

and of her child in an
orphanage in East Berlin.

How did you receive
this information?

Could you come
in, please, Gerta?

Through my assistant.

Miss Pommer, Mr. Mason.

- How do you do, sir?
- How do you do, Miss Pommer.

I want to show Mr. Mason the
photograph of my grandchild.

Yes.

Are you certain this is
your daughter's child?

Gerta has seen her.

And the picture of my
grandchild is identical

with the picture of my little mouse,
my daughter, when she was a child.

We all went to West Berlin.

And then Gerta, she
should be blessed,

she went across beyond the
wall to bring Elke back to us.

Miss Pommer, weren't
you arrested at the border?

- Yes.
- Who negotiated your release?

The East German government
questioned her and threatened her

and then allowed her
to return with a proposal.

I was to take word to
Herr Professor Ritter

that if he would return to
East Germany to do his work,

Elke would be released to join
her grandmother in the West.

At least they're
offering a solution.

Not a solution, Doctor.

Blackmail.

Well, it is clear
what I must do.

Oh, but it isn't clear.

You have no positive
identification of the child

they claim is your
granddaughter.

You've no guarantee they'll keep
their agreement should you go over.

An American citizen has no right
to negotiate with a foreign power.

I love this country, Mr. Mason.

I would do nothing to hurt it.

But you exaggerate
my importance.

The trade is simple.
My life is nearly over.

But the child's life stretches
out beyond this century.

By trading my few
years for her many,

I can assure her a good
life, a meaningful and free life.

Tell him, Mr. Mason.

Make him realize

that he cannot trade
himself as animals are traded.

- But there is no alternative.
- There is.

Mr. Mason can go to East
Berlin and negotiate for you.

Negotiate what, Mrs. Ritter?

Elke's release in return
for the Fermi Prize money,

$50,000 that we never touched.

The law makes this a matter
for the State Department,

but Professor Ritter thinks

that the department's first move
would be to rescind his passport.

I see. To keep him from
going back, no matter what.

Well, can't you alert the
department on the QT?

That would entail betraying
the confidence of a client.

However, I did plant a seed
that may bring in the department.

Why do the communists
want the professor?

Think what it would have meant

if Einstein had decided he
preferred the East to the West.

And in scientific circles, Paul,

Professor Ritter has
the respect of the world.

Perry Mason's office.

I think it's the call you're
waiting for. Washington D.C.

Perry Mason speaking.

Oh, yes, of course I remember.

At the reception following your address
before the American Bar Association.

I had hoped Mrs.
Ritter would call you.

Only the reason that I gave her.

I have no right to negotiate.

In that case, sir, I'd be
more than happy to proceed.

Goodbye.

Della, call Professor Ritter's
home, would you please?

Who was that?

That, Paul, you'll
learn from my memoirs.

Hello, this is Mr. Mason's
office. Is Dr. Ritter there?

Yes, of course,
Mrs. Ritter. Perry?

Hello?

He's what?

He is on his way to East
Germany, Mr. Mason.

I found a note he left
for me on his desk.

Yeah. Bitte.

He says that when
he reaches East Berlin

he will have Elke sent
to the American zone.

I am to wait for her there.

- So we are too late.
- I'll be in touch with you, Mrs. Ritter.

Paul, check the overseas
airlines and travel agencies.

And then?

Professor Ritter is on
his way to East Berlin.

Chances are, he'll take an indirect
route to disguise his destination.

You want me to catch up with him
and keep him from crossing over.

That's right. Della,
I'll need my passport.

Mr. Mason, over here.

The name's Carleton.
Sam Carleton.

Uh, porter, just put
those bags in the car.

I'm sorry, Mr. Carleton, I
don't believe we've met.

Oh, of course. I recognized
you immediately, so I figured...

Well, I'm Carleton
Tours, Mr. Mason.

Your travel agent in Los Angeles
told me to take good care of you

- while you're in Berlin.
- Oh, this is indeed rare service.

It's only the beginning.

Uh, Mrs. Ritter, Miss
Pommer. Mr. Carleton.

Ladies. Well, since we're going
to be seeing a lot of one another,

I want you to start by
calling me Sam, okay?

Right. Now the first order of
business is to get you to your hotel.

I am sorry, fräulein. I should
watch where I am going.

- Coming, Miss Pommer?
- Yes, I'm coming.

- But, Frau Zimmer, please.
- No.

- Uh, I promise.
- No, Herr Hoffer, no more promises.

- You are late.
- I had trouble getting away.

Is that the matron
from the orphanage?

Frau Zimmer, an
old and valued friend.

And the elderly woman at the
train station is Frau Ritter, of course,

- but where is the professor?
- He will he here soon.

- And the American, who is he?
- Perry Mason, an attorney.

- He will represent the Ritters.
- Represent.

What is there to represent?

The professor defects or he
does not. It is as simple as that.

- There are complications.
- Such as what?

- Beer, fräulein?
- Yeah, danke.

Nein, nein, nein.

These, uh, complications...

I would prefer Mr. Mason
told you about it.

You will tell me and now.

You forget, Hoffer, this
is West, not East, Berlin,

and here I do what I please.

Ah, I concede defeat, fräulein.

But just what is it
you please to do?

First, I give you instructions
concerning the child Elke,

and, uh, your valued
friend over there.

Elka, come with me.

- You are Mr. Mason?
- Yes.

This is Elke. She speaks
quite good English.

- Good morning, Elke.
- Hello, sir.

If you don't mind, I'd like
to speak with her alone.

I was not instructed
to allow that.

You are being so instructed now.

Sit down, Elke.

- Could I ask you some questions?
- Yeah.

When was it they took
you away from your mother?

It has been almost one year.

They say she is too
ill to take care of me.

They take her to
the Krankenhaus.

The hospital?

Did your mother ever tell
you what her mother called her

when she was a little girl?

A funny name, Klein Maus,
because she was so quiet.

That's right, Little Mouse.

If you know, how
come you ask me?

To make sure you're the Elke
your grandparents are looking for.

Oh, I am. I am Elke.

Here is someone your grandmother
sent to you so you won't be alone.

Wunderbar!

Such things are not permitted
to children, Mr. Mason.

Elke, join the others at once.

One think we're certain of now,

Elke is really your granddaughter
and not some child being used as bait

to lure your husband
into East Germany.

I've never doubted that
she was my granddaughter.

You must admit there
was some cause for doubt.

I thought the child might be
an invention, a part of their plan.

Don't underestimate the East
German Peoples' Republic.

I'm not underestimating them.

I'm giving them credit
for all the deviousness

they've proved
themselves capable of.

Oh, I'm sorry to overhear,

but I came in through
the bedroom door.

You are probably wondering

why I would try such a
thing, so impossible a task.

- Here, liebchen.
- Danke.

I question not the act
itself, but the wisdom of it.

What made you believe
you could manage it?

Oh, I have friends, Mr. Mason,

friends who help many people
to escape from behind the wall.

And they help me. They
have found Franz Hoffer for me.

You know Franz Hoffer?

I never saw or heard of him until
Elke and I were stopped at the border.

And I didn't see him
again until, uh, yesterday

when he gave me the
note at the train station.

I wonder how he
knew we were arriving.

I have no idea.

Uh, I only know that when
the East Germans released me

to take the offer
to Professor Ritter,

uh, I was told that
Hoffer is to be my contact.

Do you know him, Mr. Carleton?

Now, you promised
to call me Sam.

- Do you know him, Sam?
- No.

But I know of him.

I mean, I've never actually run
into him going back and forth,

but I know his name.

If you want to deal
in the black market,

get a forged passport,
you see Franz Hoffer.

Somehow, he is at home
on both sides of the wall.

That doesn't surprise
me about Hoffer.

He seems a very
cold and cruel man.

You've seen him
again this morning?

Yes, and he's agreed to take you to
a highly placed official in East Berlin

with whom you can
discuss your offer for Elke.

Who is this highly
placed official?

Hoffer wouldn't tell me.

My advice to you, Mr. Mason,

is not to go until this highly
placed contact is revealed.

But that's exactly why I'm here.

It's another long-distance
call from Mr. Drake.

Hello? You're where?

Well, that was quick.

Then you'd better get moving.

Is Hans still in New York
where Mr. Drake found him?

No, Mrs. Ritter, your
husband's at the London Airport,

about to board a
non-stop plane to Frankfurt.

Frankfurt?

- Then he'll be here this afternoon.
- Unfortunately, yes.

And the appointment
for tonight...

It will be too late.

Professor Ritter.

Mr. Mason, what are you doing
here, and how did you find me?

- Your wife will explain.
- Emma?

She is here too?

Yeah, Hans,

- I am here. I am here.
- Emma. Emma.

Please, Emma, I
have made up my mind.

I am going there now.

Professor, go back to
the hotel with Emma.

I'm meeting the East
Germans tonight to negotiate.

If we're successful there'll be no
need for you to cross that border.

Forgive me, Mr. Mason, but I
do not believe what you tell me.

If I go with Emma, for
my own good, you will say,

you will not allow me to cross.

Professor Ritter, your
wife has been terrified

that you'd manage to cross
over before we could stop you.

Gerta has risked
her life to prevent it.

Mr. Drake has followed
you for 6,000 miles

to be certain of your safety.

I apologize, Mr. Mason, but a
man must do what he must do.

I don't want your apologies.

I want your promise that
you will wait one more day.

Hans, please.

Perry, I hate to do this, but
should I just put him in the car?

No, Paul, if Professor Ritter
is so intent on martyrdom,

so naive he's willing to turn
himself over before the child is freed,

so arrogant as to believe
that he and only he

has a solution to this
dilemma, then he should go.

One more day I will wait.

That was close.

Too close.

And if we fail tonight, we
won't have another chance.

In the middle of the next
block, there is a very small hotel.

The Middlestadt. He
will wait in the lobby.

Mr. Mason, I am Franz
Hoffer, and, uh, who is this?

- A friend, Mr. Paul Drake.
- Wait here.

There will be
passes for both of you

waiting at the point
where we will cross.

- We're going into East Germany?
- Yes, but not far, Mr. Drake.

Only to a small chalet a few
hundred yards from the border.

Franz Hoffer, with the two men
for whom you are to provide passes.

You are doing a good
business tonight, eh, Hoffer?

This is government
business. The passes, please.

Perry Mason. And Paul Drake.

Good until morning.

I will now show you what is known
in the Eastern Sector as a safe house.

May I present
Mr. Mason and Mr. Drake.

This is Herr Wolfgang Stromm.

Be seated, gentlemen.

I would offer you some vodka,

but since it is Russian, I
assume you would not care for it.

- You may leave us now, Hoffer.
- As you say, Herr Stromm.

I've here a small dossier
on you, Herr Mason.

It seems you are a most
important man in your own country.

Relatively unimportant.

No, I say it merely to point out
that you're not important here.

Thanks.

As for you, Herr Drake, it
appears you arrived in West Berlin

a few hours ago on the same plane
that brought Professor Ritter here.

That's right.

Shortly after your arrival, you
and Herr Mason and Frau Ritter

prevented the professor
from crossing into East Berlin.

Why did you do that?

To give us time to
present a counter-proposal,

an offer of something
other than the professor

for Elke Dietrich's release.

Knowing the capitalist mentality, I
am sure that something is money.

- Am I not correct, Herr Mason?
- Why, yes.

- How much money, Herr Mason.
- Fifty thousand dollars.

Do you have the money
with you, Herr Mason?

- Hardly.
- I will listen to no more promises.

I want what was agreed
upon now, not later.

And you actually believe that
the East German Peoples' Republic

would so demean itself
as to accept such a sum?

Hasn't the Peoples' Republic
already demeaned itself,

using a child to blackmail
a scientist into defecting?

Merely a move in a chess game.

And besides, my country
is not involved, officially.

That's what I was
given to understand.

Herr Mason, you are
offering me a bribe?

Well, no matter. It
is not acceptable.

Professor Ritter

or nothing.

Mr. Mason.

But where are Emma and Elke?

Emma and Elke?

- You did not send for Emma?
- No.

About a half hour ago,

Franz Hoffer
telephoned for Mrs. Ritter.

He said the offer for the
child had been accepted.

What else did he tell her?

Oh, he did not speak directly
to her. Emma was downstairs.

Mr. Carleton took the message.

Yes, well, uh, Hoffer said,

you wanted Mrs. Ritter
to bring the money

to where you and
Elke were waiting.

He said there'd be a
car outside the hotel.

How did she know where to go?

Hoffer said, uh, you
were in the Eastern Sector,

at somewhere
called a safe house.

Gerta said she
knew where that was.

Good luck.

Mr. Mason, I saw you
crossing the bridge ahead of me.

- Have you heard what happened?
- Yes.

I tried to stop her at the border,
but I had trouble finding a taxi.

What do you plan to do now?

Make certain that
Hoffer delivers Elke.

Mr. Mason, I was told you were
going to meet us at the border.

Where is Hoffer?

He's in the next room making
arrangements for us to cross.

Is something wrong?

You shouldn't have come
here alone, Mrs. Ritter.

But he told me if I
did not come at once,

we would never get Elke.

This was our plan, was it not?

No, Emma, it was not our plan.

But I gave him the check.

Hoffer.

Dead?

Yes, Paul. Very dead.

Well,

I seem to have arrived at a most
inopportune time, Herr Mason.

I have listened to
you for the last time.

If it weren't for you, all of
this would not have happened.

Negotiate. Offer
the money, you said.

"You are naive,
arrogant," you told me.

No, Mr. Mason, it is you
who are naive and arrogant.

The American authorities
have been alerted.

Emma will have every
protection her citizenship affords.

And that is no protection.
They hold her for murder.

But she's not guilty. She'll be acquitted.
The State Department will act on it.

They will do nothing because
there is nothing to be done.

I wish to have your
forgiveness, Mr. Mason,

because I have spoken
to you in such a way.

I know whatever you did,
it was with an open heart.

You just don't understand that
you're fighting on the other side.

It's time.

Stromm agreed on the phone that
Elke would cross over to our side

as the professor
crosses over to the east.

At least I will see
her, as we pass.

You'll take care
of her, Mr. Mason,

until Emma is freed
or until Gerta returns.

Liebchen. Liebchen.

They lied, Paul.

They had no intention
of returning Elke.

They gave their word.

What good is their word?

You've betrayed an old man.

You involved an innocent
child in a cruel hoax.

You harassed an old lady

and subjected her to the
torture of a murder charge.

And you've made me feel like a
fool for believing you could be trusted

to keep your word.

What I have done has
been done for the best cause.

Of course. The end
justifies the means.

You know your
Lenin, Herr Stromm,

but apparently you don't
know the meaning of honor.

And you do? You hypocrite.

Was it honorable when
you tried to bribe me, failed,

and then bribed Franz
Hoffer, a thief and a renegade?

Was it honorable
when your client,

to avoid payment of
the money, killed him?

I offered no bribe.

I made a counter-proposal
reducing your blackmail demand

to dollars instead
of human flesh.

- And Mrs. Ritter did not kill Hoffer.
- That is not for me to decide.

It is a decision for
the Peoples' Court.

Then let me see the Ritters.
Mrs. Ritter is an American citizen.

She is entitled to
proper representation

and as soon as my government
arranges for my credentials...

When I see your credentials,

then you may see
the Ritters, not before.

Are you the public
prosecutor, or aren't you?

If a woman's life doesn't
concern you, then what does?

Herr Mason, I despair discussing
subtleties with Americans,

but consider, Herr Mason,
what is the only real,

irreplaceable
treasure in our world?

A mind like Professor Ritter's.

If you can swallow your
prejudices for just a moment,

you will recognize what I
have already accomplished.

The opportunity to work with a
man of Professor Ritter's eminence

will undoubtedly attract
many other similar brains

from all over the world.

But, again, by what means?

By any means, Herr Mason.

And that is all the time I have
to waste with you, Herr Mason.

If your credentials arrive properly
authenticated by my government,

you may represent Frau
Ritter at her trial, if not...

She must take her
chances without you.

Well, Herr Mason.

Still no word from your government?
Perhaps they are ignoring you.

Herr Stromm, if this is
in truth a court of law,

if you make any
pretenses to justice,

you will allow me
to see my client.

Client? You have no client.

You have no legal
standing whatsoever.

Perry, got them. All
properly signed and sealed.

Well, Herr Stromm?

Court will convene
in 15 minutes.

You may have ten
minutes with your client.

Ten minutes? That's
hardly time to discuss...

Ten minutes, Herr
Mason. Take it or leave it.

Mr. Mason.

Ten minutes, no longer.

Herr Prosecutor, state your
case against this woman.

In the matter of the
death of Franz Hoffer,

a citizen of the Peoples'
Republic, we have irrefutable proof

that Frau Emma Ritter and only
Frau Emma Ritter had both the motive

and the opportunity
to kill the deceased.

Then proceed with your
case, Herr Prosecutor.

You were present when Herr
Mason first visited the chalet

and made an offer of $50,000
for the child, were you not?

Jawohl, mein herr.

And where did he
say this money was?

With, uh, Frau Ritter.

And where were you when
this was being discussed?

With Herr Hoffer
in his inner office.

Yes, in his inner office, listening
as Herr Mason knew he would be,

because the money was
not being offered to me,

it was cleverly being offered
to a man without loyalties,

to a man who would do anything
for such a sum. To Franz Hoffer.

A most ingenious scheme
that almost bore fruit.

What did Hoffer do when
he heard the offer of money?

He became quite excited

and told me to bring the
child to the chalet at once.

Ah, what did you do after you
delivered the child to the chalet?

I waited outside with the child.

- Who was with Hoffer at that time?
- Only Frau Ritter.

Frau Magistrate, I request
permission to offer objections

to testimony presented without
regard for the rules of evidence.

The weighing of evidence
is the function of this court.

Permission denied.
Proceed, Herr Prosecutor.

And it was
approximately one hour

after the two Americans
crossed the border for the first time

- that Frau Ritter crossed?
- Yeah.

And she came before
the two Americans,

along with Fräulein Pommer,
crossed a second time.

Yes, uh, approximately
five minutes before.

- You are positive of that?
- I have it here in my log book.

Read it into the record.

First the two Americans
accompanied by Hoffer at 1:40.

Then Frau Ritter at 2:41,

and then Fräulein
Pommer at 2:46,

and then the two
Americans again at 2:55.

A five-minute head start.

Five minutes alone
with Hoffer and the child

ample time for Frau
Ritter to commit murder.

I went to the chalet
as has been said.

And what then?

Herr Hoffer went into the inner room
to make arrangements for Elke and me

to cross back to West Germany.

What did you do at that time?

Elke and I waited
in the outer room

and then

Herr Mason and the others
came and they found the body.

No, no, Frau Ritter.
That is not what you did.

As Franz Hoffer
was arranging for you

and your grandchild to
return to West Germany,

you went into the inner room,

waited until the
arrangements were completed,

- then stabbed him to death.
- No!

Then you took back
the cashier's check,

which you there upon destroyed.

Surely the court will
not allow Herr Stromm

to state conclusions based
on facts not in evidence?

Herr Mason, you will
please not prompt the court.

Proceed, Herr Stromm.

Frau Ritter, how do
you account for the fact

that a search of the
body and of the premises

revealed no cashier's check?

I only know

I did not go into
that inner room.

I did not kill him.

Herr Professor Ritter,

I regret exceedingly the
necessity of subjecting a man

such as yourself to this ordeal.

We only desire confirmation from
you of certain matters of, uh, date,

place and so on.

The procedure requested
by your wife's counsel.

Now, sir,

you first learned of the
existence of your granddaughter...

I'm hungry.

What's that, sir?

How can I study if I am hungry?

Who took my books away?

Quiet.

How is a man to sleep?

Professor Ritter,
are you all right?

My things. Where are my things?

This is not my razor.

Emma,

you should know I
cannot abide pajamas.

Only a nightgown.

Old fashioned, I
suppose, but so am I...

Try to get a hold of
yourself, herr doctor.

There it is, the bells.

I can't get it out of my
mind. Such a tragedy.

What did those people expect?

It's a wonder that poor old man
was able to endure as much as he did.

Well, they outsmarted
themselves.

Now he's no good to
them or anyone else.

Mr. Mason, do you think
that he might recover?

Perhaps by having his old
familiar things around him...

I don't know, Gerta.

Well, what are you doing here?

The chambermaid let me in.

I thought there might be some
arrangements I could make,

some way I might be of service.

You might help Gerta
with the luggage.

She's going to pack
the professor's things.

Sure, I'd be glad to.

Would you excuse us? Paul.

It's hard to believe, isn't it?

I mean, that Dr. Ritter
had a breakdown?

He won't talk to
anyone about it.

It's not certain.
He could just be ill.

How did you know about that?

Well, Mr. Mason
mentioned it, didn't he?

On his way in.

Well, what do you think?

For a travel agency
representative,

our Mr. Carleton
has been very busy.

I'm sorry. I seem to have
picked this up by mistake.

Oh, thank you, Drake.

Just some notes I
had for a travel book.

Let me know when you
publish it. I'd like to buy a copy.

You'll be the first to know.

I can imagine what it must
have been like in the courtroom

when the professor
lost all sense of reality

and slipped into some
dream world of his own.

I'm convinced
he's lost his mind.

I've been thinking, Paul.

Before coming to Germany,

when I worked out the
agreement with that editor,

it was with the understanding that if
the East Germans dealt fairly with us,

there would be no story.

Well, they haven't dealt fairly,

and though the story will have
a slant we hadn't anticipated,

I think now is the
time to release it.

You, uh, think the communists
will be embarrassed by the publicity?

Paul, men are
shot down every day

trying to escape to the West.

The whole world watches and
the communists couldn't care less.

They're not as sensitive
to public opinion as we are.

Then, uh, what's to be gained?

Well, according to Herr Stromm,

they're recruiting other eminent
scientists from around the world,

using whatever
persuasion they can.

So?

How many scientists do you think
would even consider going over,

no matter what the persuasion,

after they read what was done
to one of the greatest of them all?

I'm going to call that editor.

By midnight, the
story will be in print.

And by morning it will be picked
up by newspapers everywhere.

Where are you going?

To take this to the old man
and to be with Mrs. Ritter.

That suitcase is too heavy for you.
Here, let me carry it down for you.

Oh, that's very kind,
but it's not necessary.

I'll tell you what. My car is
downstairs. I'll drive you over.

Well, if you're
sure it's no trouble?

I won't have to change
taxis at the border.

No trouble at all.

Well, so far so good.

The trap's baited, and
midnight's the deadline.

Yes, if the word gets
back to Stromm in time,

and Stromm does the right thing.

Doggone, I forgot something.

Gerta, why don't you go on down
and have my car ordered around?

- I'll meet you in front, okay?
- All right.

Right.

Julius.

Well, I checked with the
hotel again. Not a word.

Ten o'clock. They must have
cleared the checkpoint hours ago.

Surely Stromm has
the word by now.

Gerta's pass, like ours, is good
through tomorrow when court closes.

But Carleton's?

Carleton hasn't had any trouble
crossing back and forth before.

What happens if we don't
hear from Stromm by midnight?

The story is released,
and our advantage is gone.

- This, I believe, you are waiting for.
- Thank you.

- Is it...?
- From Stromm.

Nein. Nein.

What you propose
is out of the question.

Impossible!

Perhaps it's just as well.

After what you've done to him,

Dr. Ritter is of no
use to us in our hands,

but in yours,

there could be no better argument
for living and working in freedom

than Professor Ritter's case.

We did not destroy his
mind. We had no idea.

The old man must have
been unstable all along.

- There is no doubt of his breakdown?
- Unfortunately, no.

A board of eminent psychiatrists
has been examining him,

they've only just finished.

What a frightening
story this will make, Paul,

for the entire world to read.

I sent for you to make
you a proposition.

Suppose I was to release
Professor Ritter in your charge

in exchange for your silence.

- With his wife and the child?
- Only the professor.

The child is my guarantee that you
would keep your pledge of silence.

I can make one telephone
call in your presence,

and not one word concerning,

Dr. Ritter's mental
condition will be printed,

but if I don't make that call,
then promptly at midnight...

The child is actually of no
importance to us if you keep your word.

And neither is Frau Ritter.

A feeble-minded old
man, a harmless child,

these we may give up.

But Dr. Ritter can't manage without
her now, don't you understand that?

Nein, nein. I do not
have the authority.

My superior has arrived.

They kept me
waiting for two hours

while Professor Ritter
was being questioned.

I'm a patient man, fräulein.

I'm used to waiting.

You may discuss your
request, Herr Mason,

but I will recommend that
under no circumstances

will the Peoples'
Government free a murderess.

I told Herr Mason that in
exchange for his silence,

concerning Professor Ritter's
illness, we will release both the old man

and the child, but we
will not free a murderess.

Is that your only
objection, Herr Stromm,

Frau Ritter is no more guilty
of murder than I am or you are.

So you say. MASON: Not I.

The testimony of your own
witnesses in your own Peoples' Court.

I know that if your mind had not
been filled with other concerns,

you would have seen it immediately
in the testimony of the border sentry.

Fräulein Pommer crossed the border
9 minutes before Mr. Drake and I did.

What are you trying
to tell me, Herr Mason?

Fräulein Pommer told us she
crossed the border after we did.

In effect, she lied.

Just as she lied to the
immigration authorities

when she applied
for a U.S. visa,

just as she lied when she told
her story to Professor Ritter,

as she lied about the carefully
rehearsed attempt to escape with Elke.

Gerta,

you killed Franz Hoffer.

Sit down, all of you.

If you search her
belongings carefully,

I imagine you'll find the
stolen cashier's check.

Heh, no, you won't.

I didn't want the money.
I destroyed the check.

Fräulein, not only
have you killed this man,

you have made it impossible for
us to refuse Frau Ritter's release.

I fear I shall have to
report this to our superiors.

Report to them what you like,

I shall explain that
I worked, planned,

and waited for so
long to get Ritter back,

and then when we were
at the point of success,

Franz Hoffer was going to give
them our weapon, the child, for money.

Ha, I am proud I killed him.

I would do it again
and again for the cause.

Herr Stromm, there is only one
way to absolve yourself of any blame

for what has happened.

Gerta, you cannot mask
murder with false patriotism.

The future of the state cannot
be entrusted to such as you.

No, you don't dare. You don't
dare. You can't take my place.

Now, fräulein,
you have no place.

Don't you touch me. Wait,
they are going to use you.

Don't let them, you
idiot. You... You fool!

Sam, have you
talked to your editor?

Julius is all clued in.

To stop the story, I just
have to call my office,

before midnight.

Well, Herr Stromm?

Very well, Herr Mason,
make your telephone call.

Well, Sam, maybe you'd
like the first interview

with Professor and Mrs. Ritter and
their granddaughter in Free Berlin.

Great. Are you
all right, Dr. Ritter?

I am lucid, young man, in
possession of my faculties.

At least I think so.

Mr. Mason,

you were right when you accused
me of not using my analytical mind.

I did not realize exactly
how you wished me to use it

until you whispered to me
in the anteroom of the court.

That was an inspiration
of the moment, doctor.

And he sure did use it.

He fooled a whole
roomful of psychiatrists.

Well, isn't it time for that
young lady to be in bed?

Yeah.

Oh, mein Klein Maus.