Original subtitles

Send her to a lunatic asylum?

Criminal lunatic asylum?

George, did you learn any medicine at all

before they threw you out as hopeless?

I had two years of it.

They drive anything into your head.

Could you guess what a competent doctor might

say about such a wound?

Well, it's a knock or a blow.

Yes, we're aware of that.

But if a tile had fallen from the

roof when he was bending over, it could

have hit him?

Yes, well, it's...

Is it possible?

Come on.

No!

Why not?

She said she hit him several times.

I can't stand it!

I can't stand it!

You have got to stand it, my dear.

Get that hysterical mood out of your voice.

The servants might hear you.

We are talking of weather.

If he had fallen down the cellar steps,

they're made of stone?

Several times in the same place.

No, no, I'm afraid not.

Let's go over it all again.

Millicent?

No, please!

Millicent, we must go over it all again.

Perhaps you forgot something.

One little detail may save us or ruin

us.

You don't want to be put in a

lunatic asylum, do you?

Or to be hanged?

They may hang you.

So stop shaking.

Keep your voice quiet.

We're talking of weather.

Now...

I can't.

I can't!

You said that one moment ago.

Was it known, do you think, that you

were in love with this wretched preacher?

No, I didn't tell anybody.

Except...

Don't worry, the whole town knows.

It's been the joke at the Oak Creek

Inn for months.

No doubt.

Like that ranch hand she fell for and

all the others.

No doubt?

Oh, what?

Well, we continue.

You were in the harness room.

Yes.

Putting a croquet set in the box.

Yes.

You heard someone crossing the yard.

Yes.

It was Withers.

Yes.

Coming in by the back way.

Yes.

You called him.

Yes.

Loudly.

Did you call loudly?

Could anybody have heard?

No, nobody heard.

I didn't call.

You said you did.

I waved.

And he saw me and he came over.

You both stepped into the stable.

It started to rain harder.

He wanted to talk to me.

And what did he say?

Every word.

He said, hello, Millie.

He said that he came to the yard

because he was on his way to Oak

Creek.

And he saw the house and he thought

of me and he wanted to talk to

me.

Yes.

Because he was so happy.

He said he wanted to share it.

He was going to have his own church

in Willow Springs.

And that meant he could get married.

And I thought he meant me.

I thought he meant me.

Will you keep your voice down?

Ella Davis.

He said he was sorry.

So sorry.

Ella Davis.

He said the things he said to me

were just funny.

Just friendly.

But I looked at him.

He was frightened.

And then?

He turned to go away from me.

To go to her.

Yes.

Go on.

I had the croquet mallet in my hand.

In my hand.

Did you say?

Did you shout?

Did you scream?

Say anything as you were hitting him?

No.

No, I'm sure I didn't.

Did he?

No.

He fell down.

You hit him again?

And you threw it down?

And I came straight here.

No one saw you?

No.

I wish I was dead.

I wish I was dead.

I wish that may be granted.

Don't cry.

It's a luxury you can't afford.

No one goes into the stables.

He was walking over to Oak Creek.

Came here on the spur of the moment.

When we told people he was going to

Oak Creek, nobody knows he came here.

He would have gone through the woods.

He might have been attacked in the woods.

George?

Hmm?

Seems possible.

Now, let's consider every detail.

A preacher and his head battered in.

Oh, don't bother.

He wanted to be hanged.

His head battered in.

Found in the woods.

But who'd want to kill withers?

Who would want to kill withers?

I would, for one, gladly, with pleasure, relish,

and delight.

How do you do, Mrs. Princey?

I walk right in.

I'm afraid my raincoat is dripping abominably in

your hallway.

Father, he heard you.

Well, my dear, we all have our little

joke.

Why put on such a face?

A little theoretical preacher killing Lowry.

These days we think of nothing but thrillers,

detectives, homicide.

Preacher side?

Preacher side.

Justifiable preacher side, eh?

Well, have you heard about Ella Davis?

I shall be laughed at.

Laughed at?

She's engaged to withers.

Almost engaged for myself.

Now, don't say you didn't know.

Everybody knew.

She almost said yes.

I'm telling you.

I've told others.

And now I'm turned down.

Oh, too bad.

Fortunes of war.

Didn't come here to bore you with my

troubles, however.

Oh, Theda Borison, at least sit down, my

dear fellow.

Mother Millicent, console Mr. Lowry with your feminine

wisdom.

Would you like a drink?

Uh, I've had enough.

I plan to go up to my cousin's

place for a couple of weeks in the

mountains, lick my wounds.

Good idea.

Get in a little hunting and fishing.

I plan to drive up in the morning.

Yes, excellent idea.

So, I, um, just dropped by to let

you know.

Keep an eye on my place, won't you?

Of course, of course.

Um, I'll be back in a few minutes,

George.

Come with me, will you?

Oh, now, don't look so concerned, Mrs. Princey.

This isn't the first time I've made a

fool of myself.

We all have our little weaknesses, haven't we,

Millie?

I don't know what you mean, Mr. Lowry.

Well, Millie thinks that she can beat me

at croquet.

You know it's true.

Do I?

Oh, no, indeed.

I may not be good at tennis, and

I don't like horses, but when it comes

to croquet, I can beat anybody, can't I,

Mother?

Who won on Saturday?

I did.

Who won when the Higgsons were here?

I did.

You know it's true.

I could beat you any day of the

week.

Any rainy day.

I had the hoops out and everything.

Then the rain came on.

I had to put everything all back again.

That's why I was in the harness room.

That's why I was there.

I didn't make him come through the yard.

Millicent!

Don't say I did it!

No, of course you didn't make it rain.

Of course you didn't.

They're not gonna send me to one of

those places.

Not if you don't talk and excite yourself.

He looked frightened.

He looked frightened.

That's what made me do it.

Jack, I wonder if you could help us

with something out here?

Oh, yes, of course.

I'll be back in a few minutes.

I'll have some tea, coffee.

There's something in the stable I could have

a look.

Oh, good, good.

Nothing I like better than taking a look

at things.

Well, I hope for your sake it's not

roof trouble.

I've had that place of mine two years.

I've had the roofers in four times.

The rain still gets in.

No, it's not roof trouble.

Darling, we've come out here to shoot a

rat...

which George heard squeaking under that tub.

Now, you must listen to me very carefully...

or you will be shot by accident.

I mean that.

Very well.

Go on.

There's been tragedy here this afternoon.

It'll be even more tragic unless we can

smooth it over.

Oh?

You walked in in your informal way...

and you heard George ask me who would

kill Withers.

Millicent made an unguarded remark.

Yes, but what of it?

Nothing except that you will hear...

if you survive the next few minutes...

that Withers has met a violent end...

this very afternoon.

You killed him?

No, no, no, no.

Of course not.

Millicent.

Oh.

Oh.

I see.

You must also see that you constitute a

problem.

But Millicent, why did she do it?

You know her weakness?

She deluded herself that she...

Well, she thought that he was in love

with her.

Oh, yes.

Of course.

He came to the house and told her

about the Davis girl.

She struck him...

with that thing.

Now, I have no wish...

that she should be proved a lunatic or

a murderess.

You could hardly live here after that.

No, I suppose not.

This is my place.

I propose to continue to live here.

Well.

So, you're a problem.

You want me to keep quiet?

I can make you keep quiet...

with this.

Mr. Lowry, you can either join me...

or you can join Mr. Withers.

You want me to promise not to...

Promise?

Made at the point of a gun.

Well, if I give my word, I'll keep

it.

I'm sure you would.

Everything went well.

But there was questioning, there was suspicion.

The fear of being an accessory.

There must be an accident.

Listen.

We can't.

You wouldn't be mad enough.

I assure you, I would.

Unless...

What?

You gave me the idea yourself.

You said that you would kill Withers.

And you have the motive.

I was joking.

You're always joking.

People wonder what's behind it.

No, I can't trust you, Mr. Lowry, so...

you must trust me...

or I'll kill you...

within the next few minutes.

Trust you?

How?

You must give me proof.

But I told you, I...

Proof that you did it.

Then you will keep your mouth shut.

What kind of proof?

Now, George.

Hit him in the face.

Very hard.

Sorry about this.

We need traces of a struggle.

Once more, George.

Don't lose your knuckles.

I'm telling you, you can take my word.

Yes, I will, as soon as we're finished.

Now, George, take your handkerchief.

Pick up that croquet mallet.

Wipe that wretched girl's fingerprints off the end

of it.

Hold it by the middle.

Now, Mr. Lowry, I want you to grasp

the end of this mallet.

Very firmly.

Don't try to snatch it, or I'll shoot.

Squeeze it.

That's right.

Throw the mallet down in the corner, George.

Now, claw at his head a little.

Get two or three hairs.

Make a slight scratch.

Keep still, Mr. Lowry.

It'll be much easier.

Now, under the fingernails of the right hand...

Take your knife.

Split the nail a little.

Wet the hair in.

It's a very distinctive colour.

Great help.

Is that where he is?

It's for the moment.

Now, I want you to take this bar.

Don't make any sudden movement.

That flagstone covers the stable sewers.

Lift it off.

Go on.

Now...

Drag him over.

I won't touch him.

Go on.

No.

For a while.

George, hold it!

It throws the topics of trash.

All right.

Go on.

Or I'll kill you.

Put it back.

Lowry, I'm sorry about all this.

Don't talk to me.

I want you to realise that everything is

safe.

It's perfectly safe.

He told Millicent he'd set out for Oak

Creek.

He only came here on the spur of

the moment.

He's five miles to Oak Creek.

It's thick woods, half the way.

Besides, preachers, when they find themselves engaged to

be married, they sometimes react very strangely.

I mean, if woods would be searched, they'll

ask here, among other places.

But no one here has seen him.

They'll conclude he couldn't face it.

After all, Millicent.

They'll think he ran away.

Lowry.

Let me go now.

Come into the house for a minute.

You have to be...

normal, Lowry.

We'll, uh, have coffee.

Roses, cookies.

My dear, we have a visitor.

I looked into the stables as we passed,

and there was Lowry inspecting our stalls.

Do you came by the shortcut?

Yes.

Yes, that's it.

Rosa, bring another cup for Mr. Lowry.

Your hands are shaking, Jack.

Is there a cut on your face?

What's wrong?

Have you had a fall?

Yes, I, uh...

I...

I slipped on some wet stones.

It's nothing.

Do you want to go up to the

bathroom?

I can tell Rosa to get the iodine.

No, no, thank you.

It's nothing.

Nothing at all.

Very well, Rosa, that's all.

Mr. Lowry is very kind.

He knows our trouble.

We can rely on him.

I have his word.

Oh?

Thank him.

Oh, Mr. Lowry, how very kind.

How very good you are.

How can we ever thank you?

It's all right.

I'd like to leave now, if you don't

mind.

You mustn't worry.

Leave him the lease, Jack.

I assure you, everything will be all right.

There's blood in that stable.

I'll clean it up now.

Well, I'm sorry you won't stay.

I, uh...

Hope you have a good time in the

mountains.

Think all will be well, my dear.

This little visit is all you've seen of

Lowry.

Do you understand that?

Millicent.

Let's make her understand that.

Millicent.

Millicent.

You're getting a cold.

A bad cold.

I think you'd be better off in bed

for the next few days.

Where's my coffee?

Oh, you're too late, Rosa.

I'm afraid Mr. Lowry couldn't stay.

Oh, no.

I've never seen Lowry behave so strangely.

The fall must have shaken him up when

he came out of the stables.

He looked absolutely stunned, you see.

Rosa.

These cookies are better than ever.

Best yet.

Yes, sir.

Sheriff's office, please.

Who is this, Bob?

Joshua Princey out at the ranch.

Bob, I hope I'm not being alarmist here,

but there's something very peculiar out in my

stables.

Well...

There are certain things out there.

Blood.

I'm sure it's blood and other things.

I tell you the truth, Bob, I'm terribly

worried.

Could you come over and maybe send one

of your deputies?

Well, uh...

Jack Lowry was here a short while ago.

He seems to be in a terrible state.

Oh, excellent.

If you come yourself, I shall know the

matters in the best possible hands.

Thank you, Bob.

Thank you.

Thank you.