Original subtitles

[Jolly, whimsical music]

[Crows cawing]

[Cow mooing]

[Sombre, tense music]

More coffee, Lois?

Thank you, miss Logan.

Mary?

No, thanks.

[Clock chiming]

Dennis is rather late this morning.

[Lois] Perhaps he's already gone out.

Without his breakfast?

[Lois] He may have needed

to see someone in the village.

I wonder where he can be.

He's probably still in his room, sleeping it off.

Mary.

He didn't get in till nearly four.

Didn't you hear him?

No.

That's surprising.

He made enough noise.

That remark was uncalled for, Mary.

What?

About the noise he made or the condition he was in?

Both.

[Mary] Didn't you hear him?

I did not.

Then I beg your pardon.

Yours too, Lois.

There's no need.

I'm sure there's a perfectly simple explanation.

Doubtless.

[Crows cawing]

Actually, have any of you seen the paper,

I've been looking all over,

not a sign of it, very strange.

Is this what you're after?

Oh, well done.

No, I was beginning to think

one of the servants had snaffled it.

Dennis, you know none of the staff

would ever do such a thing.

- Just a joke. - I'm sorry

to have put you to so much trouble.

That's all right.

Sure you're finished with it?

- Quite sure. - Jolly good.

The racing results are at the back.

Oh.

Hello, honeybunch.

Kippers, Dennis?

Or scrambled eggs?

Yeah, neither, thanks.

Or there's some of Mrs. Holloway's excellent porridge.

No, nothing for me, really.

Perhaps I'll just have a cup of coffee.

Only coffee?

[Dennis] Black, please.

Are you not feeling well?

No, I'm fine.

Maybe a bit off colour.

Perhaps you've got a touch of flu.

Perhaps.

Oh, I hope not.

There's a lot of it about.

[Dennis] Thanks.

Parcel just come for you, miss hargreaves.

Thank you, Esther.

[Dishes clattering]

- Goodness. - What's up?

Chocolates!

- Look. - I say.

Who sent them, dear?

There's no name.

And there doesn't seem to be a card.

[Mary] That's odd.

[Dennis] Perhaps you have an unknown admirer, hm?

Dennis!

Apart from me, that is.

[Lois gasps]

Thank you, Esther.

Well, whoever they're from, they look lovely.

Here Mary, try one.

- No, thanks. - Oh, do.

[Mary] No really.

Worried about your figure, Mary?

Well, just one.

Miss Logan.

Oh! Thank you, dear.

Dennis?

Not for me, thanks.

Oh really?

No, no, I must run.

The fact is I have to go and see-

a man about a horse?

Something like that, yes.

Save a few for me.

Shall we expect you for lunch, Dennis?

Why not?

Shan't be long now.

Bye.

Now, which shall I choose, hard or soft?

They're absolutely delicious.

I think soft.

Mm, scrumptious.

[Dishes clattering]

Rose, do you think this powder's the right shade?

Oh yes.

You've got to be careful

when you've got particular colouring like mine.

Oh, it's gorgeous.

Think so?

Yeah, it's not bad.

It's depraved and disgusting.

[Esther] I wasn't talking to you.

You're a painted woman, my girl.

Mark my words, you'll come to no good.

What do you think, Mrs. Holloway?

Don't bother me now, Esther.

I've got too much to do.

- Oh, mother. - You'll be careful

the young mistress doesn't catch you

with all that harlot's muck on your face.

What, miss hargreaves?

She don't know what day it is.

Mr. Radcliffe does, though.

He said I looked peachy.

[Older maid] Oh dear.

- You're just jealous. - [Bell dinging]

You ought to use makeup, Rose.

- Oh, no. - I mean it.

Why don't you try it sometime?

I don't think so.

I tell you what, I'll lend ya some of mine.

-Real- -leave the girl alone.

What's it got to do with you?

It's unseemly, and against the will of god.

- [Esther scoffs] - [Bell dings]

They're ringing for you, Esther.

I'm not deaf.

Give you a tip.

Suck your lips a bit.

What?

Suck your lips, like this.

What for?

Makes them look redder, more desirable, see?

[Bell dings]

- Esther! - All right, all right.

You can all say your prayers now.

[Esther giggles]

[Bell dings]

[Jolly music]

[Knocking on door]

[Moves into tense music]

[Mary gasps]

[Lois sobs]

Esther!

[Chocolates clattering]

[Esther screams]

You must send for the police.

- No. - In heaven's name, why not?

I just don't feel justified.

[Dr. Burton] Not justified after what happened?

- Dr. Burton. - Listen to me,

miss hargreaves.

Lois, this isn't the first time.

- I know. - Something has to be done.

- But the police? - You owe it to everyone.

Most of all to yourself.

I'm sorry, I can't.

Then I'll not be responsible.

- You don't have to be. - My dear girl,

you're my patient, and a very dear friend.

Perhaps there's another way.

[Dr. Burton] Another way?

Yes.

One equally as good and much safer.

I've thought of something that doesn't involve the police.

[Jolly music]

[Giggling] Gotcha.

[Tuppence giggles]

- Oh, Tommy! - [Tommy clears throat]

- Who is it? - The girl.

[Tuppence] Oh, let me see.

- Rather a nice girl. - Oh, please!

In fact she looks to me a frightfully nice girl.

Let me see!

Oh, all right.

Albert's giving her the usual tosh.

[Albert] The truth is, madam, we've never been so busy.

You could say we're up to our eyes.

Oh.

Yeah, Scotland yard on the telephone every minute,

and the surete, that's the French police, you know?

Well, they've been pestering us something rotten.

Oh dear.

Yeah, the boss is just about rushed off his pins.

Well, perhaps I'd better go.

No, I didn't say it was impossible.

We might be able to squeeze you in.

Oh, I'd be most awfully grateful.

She's not bad.

- Not bad? - And her clothes are

- simply the latest style. - She's perfectly lovely,

and obviously frightfully sympathetic, and beautiful.

And distinctly intelligent without being too saucy.

Your powers of observation

are distinctly keen this morning.

This case is going to require very careful handling.

Is it?

I shall be sophisticated, suave, [speaks in French].

What, all at once?

Oh, I know this, tuppence.

I am captain of this ship and don't you forget it.

Let's have her in.

- [Door buzzes] - [Knocking on door]

Entree.

Miss Lois hargreaves, sir.

How do you do, miss hargreaves?

- [Lips smacking] - [Bell ringing]

That will be all, Albert.

May I present miss Robinson?

- How do you do? - How do you do?

Miss Robinson is my [Speaks in French].

Thank you, Albert.

Won't you take a seat?

Thank you.

Get out, Albert.

Now, we shall not be serious or formal.

You will simply tell me all about it

and we shall then discuss the best way

to help you out of your present,

little, [speaks in French].

You're very kind, Mr. Blunt.

[Speaks in French]

Excuse me, but are you a foreigner?

[Tuppence snorts]

Not exactly, but my investigations

carry me abroad a good deal.

My methods are those of the French [speaks in French].

[Lois] Oh.

[Tommy chuckles]

Now.

Your name is Lois hargreaves.

Yes.

I live in a great, rambling old-fashioned house

called thurnly grange.

Thurnly grange.

It is in the heart of the country and extremely isolated,

although the little village of thurnly is close by.

I've never felt lonely there.

Indeed, I much prefer country to town life.

Ah, how wise.

If only I, oh but let that pass.

Please continue, miss hargreaves.

About a week ago,

I got a box of chocolates sent through the post.

There was nothing to indicate who they were from.

Naturally, I passed them 'round.

Everyone who'd eaten the chocolates was taken seriously ill.

Indeed?

My doctor, Dr. Burton,

had the remaining chocolates analysed.

Mr. Blunt, those chocolates contained arsenic.

Well, not enough to kill anyone,

but quite enough to make them ill.

How extraordinary.

Dr. Burton was most concerned.

You see, this was the third occurrence of the kind

in our neighbourhood.

In each case, a large house was selected

and the inmates taken ill

after eating the mysterious chocolates.

It looked as though someone

was playing a particularly fiendish practical joke.

Is that Dr. Burton's opinion?

He puts it down to socialist agitation.

There are one or two malcontents in the village.

Do you agree with him?

It seems to me rather absurd.

Quite.

Miss hargreaves,

why haven't you gone to the police about this?

I hate the idea of the fuss, and you know the publicity.

Anyway, I know our local inspector.

Oh?

[Lois] I can't imagine him ever finding out anything.

[Chuckles] I see.

Mr. Blunt, miss Robinson?

In your advertisements,

you say a great deal about discretion.

I take that to mean that you would not, well,

you would not make anything public without my consent.

Miss hargreaves,

I think you do as well to tell us everything.

-You'll not- -and everything

will be kept in the strictest confidence.

Very well.

I have a reason for not going to the police.

The box of chocolates were sent by someone

living in my own house.

How do you know?

It's very simple.

I have a habit, it's foolish really, of drawing something,

a sort of doodle whenever I have a pencil in my hand.

It's a little design, like three fish intertwined.

Well, sometime ago I received a parcel

of silk stockings from London.

I had been marking something in the newspaper at the time,

and without thinking, I began to draw on the parcel

before I opened it.

I thought no more about it, but when I examined the paper

in which the chocolates had been wrapped,

I found, I, I found.

You found what, miss hargreaves?

This.

[Paper crinkling]

Oh.

This is most serious.

I know.

I ask you again, miss hargreaves,

why didn't you go to the police?

Because I may want the whole thing hushed up.

Whom do you suspect,

- miss hargreaves? - No one.

But there are possibilities.

Quite.

Please describe the household to us.

First, I must tell you

that I was brought up by my aunt, lady Radcliffe,

who was very wealthy.

Her husband made a big fortune and was knighted,

but he died some years ago.

That's when I went to live with my aunt Lucy.

I was her only living relative,

apart from Dennis Radcliffe, her husband's nephew.

I've always called him cousin.

But of course, he's nothing of the kind.

[Tommy] Go on.

Aunt Lucy always said she intended

to leave her fortune to Dennis.

"It was Radcliffe money," she said,

"and ought to go to a Radcliffe."

However, sometime ago they quarrelled over some

silly debts he'd run up, I think.

And when my aunt died,

I was astonished to find she left everything to me.

How it was a terrible blow to Dennis

and I felt badly about it.

I wanted to give him the money

but I knew he wouldn't take it.

However, as soon as I was 21,

I made a will leaving it all to him.

So if, if anything should happen,

at least Dennis will come into his own.

And when, may I ask, were you 21?

[Lois] Just three weeks ago.

Hmm.

Miss hargreaves?

The members of your household.

Servants or others?

Everyone.

Well, most of the servants

have been with us for ages.

There's Mrs. Holloway, the cook,

but she's rather quiet and works very hard.

And then there's Rose, her daughter.

She's very shy and keeps mostly to herself.

Hannah was my aunt's maid.

She's quite old and rather religious.

The parlour maid is Esther quant.

I don't know much about her, she's only just joined us,

but she seems very nice.

As for us, miss Logan was auntie Lucy's companion.

She runs the house for me.

And then there's captain Radcliffe, Dennis, you know,

whom I told you about,

and a girl called Mary chilcott, who is staying with us.

We were at school together,

she's my oldest and dearest friend.

And that's all.

Hmm.

So I take it you're not suspicious of anyone in particular?

You are only afraid it may turn out to be, well,

not a servant, shall we say?

Yes.

It's clear what's to be done.

We must be on the spot.

Oh, when will you come down?

Tomorrow.

There's no time to lose.

One thing more, miss hargreaves.

Not a word to anyone of what you have just told me.

- I promise. - [Door buzzes]

Thank you.

Oh Albert, show miss hargreaves out, would you?

Very good, Mr. Blunt.

Thank you.

I'm most grateful.

We'll see you tomorrow.

Goodbye.

Au revoir, Mr. Blunt.

Oh, bon voyage, miss hargreaves.

Well, what do you think?

I don't like it.

Especially the chocolates having so little arsenic in them.

What do you mean?

Well, don't you see?

Those sent 'round the neighbourhood

were just a sort of blind

to establish the idea of a local maniac,

so when this poor girl is poisoned

it was seem as though it was the same thing.

But for this wrapping paper,

no one would ever have guessed

that they were actually sent by someone in the same house.

So you think it's a deliberate plot

- against Lois hargreaves then? - I'm certain of it.

I remember reading about about lady Radcliffe's will.

That girl's come into a terrific amount of money.

Which makes it look bad for Dennis Radcliffe.

He gains most by her death.

She must love him an awful lot.

Oh darling, it's obvious.

That's why she's determined not to go to the police.

Well in that case, why doesn't he marry her?

I don't know.

Much safer and simpler than trying to kill her.

Unless, of course,

he's already involved with somebody else.

[Dishes clinking]

[Tuppence moans]

[Dog barking]

[Tommy] Show a leg.

[Both chuckle]

Oh, darling.

Now I brought your breakfast and the morning paper,

hot off the press.

I've been up for ages.

- So energetic. - Right.

[Lips smacking]

And we've a journey to make, remember?

I suppose this is all a deep plot

- to deny me my rest. - It's past eight, you know.

Oh, so early.

Now I've run your bath.

Let's be on the road as soon as possible.

There probably won't be much traffic, but you never know.

Besides, I'm rather concerned about-

Tommy!

[Tommy] What is it?

[Sombre music]

[Paper rustling]

Sudden outbreak of ptomaine poisoning.

Those dead so far,

miss Lois hargreaves, the owner of the house,

her parlour maid, Esther quant.

Seriously ill, a miss Rachel Logan.

[Tense music]

Lois hargreaves, dead?

[Sombre music]

Oh, damn it.

That girl.

That perfectly ripping girl.

- [Sombre music] - [Engine rumbling]

[Crows cawing]

There's something about this house even in daylight.

Don't you feel it?

I feel only the need to confront

that dirty blaggard, Radcliffe.

Come on.

[Crows cawing]

[Tapping on door]

[Bell ringing]

- [Door clattering] - [Crows cawing]

You must be Rose holloway.

Sir?

Look here, I'm not a reporter or anything.

Miss hargreaves came to see me yesterday

and asked me to come down here.

Who else is in the house?

Dr. Burton and miss chilcott.

She's making all the arrangements.

I should like to see Dr. Burton at once.

Thank you.

- [Door shuts] - [Sombre music]

[Rose] This way, please, sir.

[Sombre music continues]

If you wouldn't mind waiting?

Thank you.

- [Sombre music continues] - [Tuppence sighs]

How nasty.

[Tommy] More like a jungle than a conservatory.

So dank and oppressive.

It's as though the whole place is rotting.

I wonder who looks after it?

[Tense music]

Can I help you?

- Dr. Burton? - Yes?

- [Water trickling] - [Crows cawing]

My card.

Are you Mr. Blunt?

This is my assistant, miss Robinson.

How do you do?

Miss hargreaves called on me yesterday

about the poisoned chocolates.

At her request, I came down to investigate.

Alas, too late.

Under the circumstances, there is no need for reticence.

But for the episode of the chocolates,

I might have believed these deaths

had been caused by severe ptomaine poisoning,

although an unusual and virulent kind.

There was gastrointestinal inflammation and haemorrhage.

As it is, I'm taking the fig paste to be analysed.

Ooh, a fig paste?

Did you not know?

The cause of the outbreak was some fig paste sandwiches,

eaten at tea yesterday.

They poisoned, if poison it is,

with something potent and swift.

Arsenic?

No, something much more virulent.

It looks like a powerful vegetable toxin.

Oh, a vegetable toxin?

Yes.

I see.

Where is Dennis Radcliffe?

Upstairs.

I should like to see him.

- Mr. Blunt. - At once, at once!

Very well.

- [Footsteps clattering] - [Crows cawing]

[Tense music]

Mr. Blunt, I really should tell you.

[Suspenseful music]

Captain Radcliffe died at five o'clock this morning.

You must be Mr. Blunt and miss Robinson.

Lois told me, you see.

May we talk somewhere else?

I'm so glad you're here.

It's all too terrible.

Please sit down.

Thank you.

Is there anything I can tell you?

Yes.

The fig paste that you had for tea yesterday,

where did it come from?

From London. We often have it.

No one suspected anything.

Personally, I dislike the flavour,

which is why I ate none of the sandwiches,

but Lois did and miss Logan.

And what about the maid, Esther quant?

She must have filched some later.

She was a greedy girl.

How is miss Logan?

Dr. Burton seems to think she'll recover.

He says that because she's older,

the poison has had less effect.

She's still very weak though.

What I can't understand is how Dennis,

captain Radcliffe, was affected.

He wasn't with you for tea, then?

No, he was out.

What time did he return?

At about a quarter to seven.

Did you see him?

Yes.

Miss chilcott, were you in love with captain Radcliffe?

In love with him?

Yes, yes, that's what I said.

Please, miss chilcott, this is very important.

He was rather wild and impulsive

and, I suppose, not very trustworthy.

[Tuppence] But?

He could be awfully amusing sometimes.

He was like a little boy, very generous and kind.

[Tuppence] Thank you.

Now tell us, miss chilcott.

What exactly happened last night?

Dennis had been out for a walk.

He usually did just before dinner.

It was getting dark.

I was in the conservatory.

[Dramatic music]

[Dennis] Keeping up the good work?

Well I have to do something to keep myself occupied.

Oh, not as bad as all that, is it?

- Sometimes. - Shame.

- Like a drink? - No thanks.

But don't let me stop you.

[Dennis] I won't.

- Dennis? - Hmm?

[Mary] When are you going to tell Lois?

Tell her what?

[Mary] About us?

Nothing really to tell, is there?

If you say not.

Probably not as much as about you and the parlour maid.

Esther?

Don't say you're jealous?

- I think I am. - Well, there's no need.

Oh, Dennis.

You know, you really are a bit of a rotter.

Oh, I say.

[Birds tweeting]

You sure you won't have one?

Quite sure.

Look, ol' girl, don't you worry.

Everything will turn out for the best.

- Will it? - Bound to.

Happy days.

[Sombre music]

He went upstairs.

Not long after, he fell ill.

Thank you, miss chilcott.

-You've been- -most helpful.

We'll continue our talk later.

Yes, thanks so much.

What was all that about?

The kitchen, quick!

Stop!

[Dish shattering]

Are those yesterday's things?

Oh, I'm sorry, madam,

but what with all the horrible business, I haven't had time.

Now listen, Rose.

There was a glass in the conservatory.

Have you washed it?

Well, where is it?

- Well, there. - No, no!

- [Tuppence exhales] - [Handkerchief whooshing]

[Dishes clinking]

Thank you.

Come on.

[Dishes clattering]

Carry on, Rose.

[Pensive music]

There are still some dregs in it.

- What luck. - Well done, darling.

We must get Dr. Burton to analyse it later.

Yes, it won't tell us

who put the poison in though, will it?

What next?

Hannah.

[Tense music]

[Muffled speaking]

[Knocking on door]

Miss mcpherson?

[Muffled speaking]

"Burning coals fall upon them.

Let them be cast into the fire on the pit,

that they never rise up again."

May we speak to you, please?

There is no time.

No time.

Time is running short as it.

[Hannah gasps]

"I will fall upon mine enemies and overtake them.

Yay, neither will I turn again till I have destroyed them.

So it is written."

[Hannah gasps]

I am the scourge of the lord.

Oh, mad as a hatter.

Go out from here!

The time is at hand!

I am the flame of the lord.

The wind bloweth where it blisters, so shall I destroy!

Thank you very much.

I wonder how long she's been like that?

I don't know.

Look at this.

That's funny reading for a dotty old housemaid,

wouldn't you say?

"Materia medica," by Edward Logan.

Logan, Logan.

Logan, do you think it's a relative?

Let's find out.

Yes, it was one of my father's books.

He was a great doctor.

One of the pioneers of serum therapeutics.

You must've been very proud of him.

I was.

Miss Logan, the maid, Hannah,

is she quite, I mean, quite right in the head?

Oh yes.

She's very religious but there's nothing wrong with her.

[Rachel coughs]

And that book, did you lend it to Hannah?

[Rachel] To Hannah? No, indeed.

[Tuppence] Oh, Dr. Burton injected you.

I'm afraid he insisted.

I seem to have been very ill.

And yet we found this book in Hannah's room.

Disgraceful.

I'll not have the servants touching my things.

Where ought it to be, miss Logan?

On the bookshelf in my sitting room.

Stay, I lent it to Mary.

[Tuppence] To Mary?

The dear girl is very interested in plants of all kinds.

She's taken over the care of the conservatory.

I believe she's made one or two little experiments.

Oh?

Some herbal teas can be very restorative

and quite wonderful for a cold in the head.

I'm prone to them, so is Dennis.

Poor Dennis.

His father was my first cousin, you know.

The conservatory.

Who else looks after it apart from Mary chilcott?

Hannah does occasionally, I believe.

I see.

Well, thank you, miss Logan.

Forgive us for tiring you.

Yes, thank you.

And just rest.

Get well quickly.

Thank you, my dear.

[Tense, dramatic music]

I hate this house.

Well, let's hope the drive to Dr. Burton's

will clear our heads.

And our minds.

[Sombre music]

[Dog growling]

So many possibilities,

and yet the obvious one's dead.

Dennis Radcliffe.

He must've had something

for those girls to fall in love with him.

You know, the more I hear,

the more I'm convinced he was a swine.

- [Suspenseful music] - [Engine rumbling]

The worst of it is I can't help feeling responsible.

I mean that somehow I could have prevented it.

That's foolish.

And morbid.

Lois hargreaves refused to get to the police

and if she hadn't come to us,

she would have done nothing at all.

And the result would have been the same.

Yes, you're right.

I swear to you, we're going to solve this case.

I don't know how but we will, even if it kills us.

[Engine rumbling]

For that poor girl's sake.

It's not going to be easy.

I know.

- [Sombre music] - [Engine rumbling]

Dr. Burton's still working on the fig paste analysis.

He'll let us have the results as soon as he can.

Oh good.

[Can clattering]

What puzzles me most is the timing of the death.

Timing?

Dennis Radcliffe was murdered after the others.

Why?

Well that's easy, he wasn't there.

Soon as he returned he was poisoned.

Maybe.

[Tommy] You don't sound very convinced.

Just that somehow I feel the timing

is the key to the whole thing,

and if only I could get it in the right perspective.

[Engine rumbling]

What if Lois hargreaves wasn't the real target?

What on earth do you mean?

Supposing her death was a blind, like the chocolates,

and Dennis Radcliffe was the intended victim all along?

Is that possible?

It's possible but not very probable.

You're forgetting the money.

Yes, that's true.

And Lois's fortune is the obvious motive.

The obvious is so often right.

- Tuppence? - Hmm?

Did you like Mary chilcott?

Yes, I think so, why?

Don't you think it odd that she didn't see more upset?

- Mm. - I mean,

she was supposed to be Lois hargreaves' best friend.

But then, of course, that would be in her favour.

I mean if she is the murderer,

wouldn't she make a point of being upset?

You know, lay it on rather thick?

I suppose so.

Oh dear.

Not getting very far, are we?

No.

I wonder what Esther quant was really like.

Young, good-looking.

What was it Mary chilcott called her?

Greedy.

Obviously flirting with Dennis Radcliffe.

I wonder if her interest was returned.

We shall probably never know.

What a devilish tangle it all is.

Well, we've talked and talked

and we're no nearer a solution now than when we started.

[Engine rumbling]

[Tommy] Come on.

[Tuppence] Oh, must we?

Yes we must.

You know, there's one person we mustn't forget.

- Hannah. - Hannah?

People do all sorts of things

when they suffer from religious mania.

Hmm, must come on awfully rapidly.

I believe it does.

You know, you go on muttering bits from the Bible

in your bedroom for years,

and then suddenly you go right over the line

- and become violent. - Hmm.

Well, you saw.

Oh, she wasn't exactly violent.

Near enough.

I suppose there is more evidence

against her than anyone else.

Yet, perspective doesn't seem right.

Tuppence, we're getting nowhere.

Unless...

I have an idea.

[Footsteps clattering]

Ah, Rose.

Ask your mother if she can spare us a moment,

would you, please?

My mother?

And you come with her too.

- Very good, sir. - We shall be

in the conservatory.

[Door clatters]

Sorry if we startled you.

You didn't.

I thought you'd gone down to the village.

We're back.

I gather you're fond of plants, miss chilcott.

Not really.

Oh?

And yet you look after all these.

Well, someone has to, otherwise they'd run wild.

Mr. Blunt, are you any nearer

to solving this terrible business?

I believe so.

Are you quite certain

that it really is a question of foul play?

What else could it be?

Well, a genuine case of food poisoning.

That hardly explains

the death of captain Radcliffe, though.

Does it, miss chilcott?

No.

You wanted us, sir?

Ah yes Mrs. Holloway, thank you.

We shan't keep you long.

No stay, please, miss chilcott.

We should like you to hear.

Mrs. Holloway, what was your opinion of Esther quant?

Esther?

Well, she wasn't with us for long, so.

Was she a good girl?

Oh, come along, Mrs. Holloway.

It's a perfectly simple question.

That's not for me to say.

What about you, Rose?

Did you like her?

Yes.

You weren't, perhaps, a little jealous of her, I suppose?

Jealous?

Why should I be?

She was pretty thick with captain Radcliffe, wasn't she?

Well, wasn't she?

What are you saying, Mr. Blunt?

That Rose, like every other young female in this house,

might well have been in love with captain Radcliffe

and might well have become unbearably jealous.

- That's not true. - Isn't it?

Are you accusing

- my daughter? - Oh, not accusing,

Mrs. Holloway.

Merely suggesting.

And you must admit that it is a possibility.

Well, Rose?

I did like captain Radcliffe and Esther was a bit fast.

There was nothing more to it.

Are you sure?

[Rose] Captain Radcliffe was a gentleman.

I see.

You ought to be ashamed

even to think such a thing, sir, that my Rose would,

-could do- -you seem

very concerned, Mrs. Holloway.

Concerned? Of course I'm concerned.

Rose is all I've got in the world.

I'd do everything for her.

Even murder.

Oh, come now, Mrs. Holloway.

[Glass clinking]

If your only daughter is being trifled with by a blaggard,

wouldn't you do anything to protect her, even kill?

- Mr. Blunt, that's insane! - Is it?

What do you say, Mrs. Holloway?

Nothing.

I'm saying nothing.

Very well.

That will be all for the moment.

Thank you both.

[Mary] That was a bit brutal, wasn't it?

So is murder, miss chilcott.

- Wouldn't you say? - Yes,

but accusing them like that.

It's ridiculous.

Possibly,

especially when there's a more obvious suspect at hand.

You mean me, I suppose.

[Knocking on door]

Come in.

A messenger brought this from Dr. Burton.

[Tommy] Thank you, Rose.

I trust it's good news.

If you have any further flights of fancy,

I shall be in my room.

That girl's a cool one.

She gave nothing away.

You were a bit hard on the others, weren't you?

It had to be done, darling.

Now, let's see what Dr. Burton has to say.

"Dear Mr. Blunt,

there is reason to believe

that the poison employed was ricin."

Ricin?

"A vegetable toxalbumin of tremendous potency.

Please keep this to yourselves."

Ricin?

Do you know anything about this, tuppence?

You used to be pretty well up

- in these things. - I think you get it

from the caster oil plant.

Yech, I never did take kindly to castor oil

and now I hate it more than ever.

Oh, the oil's all right.

You get ricin from the seeds of the castor oil plant.

Yes, it's not too difficult to extract.

And pretty deadly, Dr. Burton says.

Oh!

Look!

Is that a castor oil plant?

You say anyone could extract the poison?

Well, providing they knew how.

Could Hannah have done it?

I wouldn't have thought so.

Unless...

The book.

It was open on the table with a page turned down.

Ah, here we are.

Now then, let's see.

Ricin.

Yes, I thought so.

I think we better have another word with miss mcpherson.

Now.

Tommy.

Would you leave this to me, just this once?

Fair enough, tuppence.

You shall be captain of the ship.

Just for change.

Where are you going?

[Tuppence] I want to ask miss Logan a question.

Only one.

[Tense music]

Miss Logan?

Miss Logan?

- Is that you, my dear? - Yes.

Have you slept well?

As well as can be expected.

We are truly sorry to disturb you.

Nevermind.

Thank you, Mr. Blunt.

Not at all.

Well now, tell me.

Have you been able to find anything out?

Yes, yes. I think we have.

My dear, you're much too attractive to be a detective,

and so young.

And being young, I happened to work in a hospital

- during the war. - A cruel time.

Yes.

But they taught me something about serum therapeutics,

poisons and antidotes, how they save lives,

and how they can kill.

- Mr. Blunt, would you mind? - Course.

You're most kind.

Please go on, my dear.

I also happened to know something about ricin.

For example, when it's taken in small doses,

anti-ricin is formed and immunity is produced.

- Is that really so? - Yes, indeed.

Its discovery paved the way

for the whole science of serum therapeutics,

your father's work, in fact.

My father?

You knew that miss Logan.

You knew that very well.

And that's why you systematically

injected yourself with ricin.

What?

- Let go of my hand. - Not yet.

You did this, miss Logan, not Dr. Burton.

[Tense music]

You helped your father with his work.

You knew all about ricin.

You injected yourself to build up anti-ricin

and that's how you came to let yourself

- be poisoned with the rest. - No.

You chose a day when Dennis Radcliffe would be out.

It would never do for him to be poisoned at the same time

or he might die before Lois hargreaves.

- You're mad! - The timing was crucial,

wasn't it?

So long as she died first, he would inherit her fortune,

but at his death, the money would pass to you.

- Mr. Blunt, help me! - His next of kin!

- It's not true! - Oh yes, it is.

You told us yourself,

his father was your first cousin, remember?

[Suspenseful music]

The real truth is you gave yourself away.

You're mad, I tell you!

[Suspenseful music]

The truth is spoken.

The lord's truth.

The almighty's.

There is the wicked one!

I saw her reading the book and smiling to herself,

and I knew!

I found the book from the page,

but it meant nothing to me,

but the voice of the lord spake onto me.

And it was good.

Take her away!

- Take her away! - Hated my mistress,

her ladyship.

She was always a viper, jealous and envious.

She hated my own dear, sweet miss Lois.

But the wicked shall perish.

The fire of the lord shall consume!

- Tommy! - [Rachel screams]

The lamp!

- [Suspenseful music] - [Hannah yells incoherently]

[Suspenseful music continues]

[Speaking drowned out by music]

[Tense music]

[Hannah murmurs]

[Mary] Is she dead?

The shock must have been too much for her.

[Hannah murmurs incoherently]

I'm sorry.

We'll notify the police.

[Hannah murmurs incoherently]

[Sombre music]

[Dog growling]

- [Sombre music continues] - [Birds singing]

- [Engine rumbling] - [Sombre music]

[Owl hooting]

[Jolly, upbeat music]