- 4 months ago
First broadcast 24th March/1st April 1987.
Lord Peter Wimsey investigates after the novelist Harriet Vane is accused of poisoning her former lover.
Harriet Walter - Harriet Vane
Edward Petherbridge - Lord Peter Wimsey
Richard Morant - Bunter
Paul Hastings - Philip Boyes
Derek Royle - The Rev. Arthur Boyes
Geoffrey Beevers - Ryland Vaughan
Preston Lockwood - Judge
Ronald Leigh-Hunt - Sir Impey Biggs
Derek Ensor - Crofts
Christopher Scoular - Freddy Arbuthnot
David Quilter - Chief Inspector Parker
Clive Francis - Norman Urquhart
Timothy Bateson - Pond
Shirley Cain - Miss Climpson
Norma Streader - Miss Murchison
Patsy Byrne - Mrs, Pettican
Tilly Vosburgh - Hannah Westlock
Carol Frazer - Sylvia Marriott
Alwyne Taylor - Eiluned Price
Amanda Murray - Marjorie Phelps
Bernard Martin - 1st Court Reporter
Roger Davidson - 2nd Court Reporter
Michael Fleming - Clerk of the Court
Peter Stockbridge - Foreman of the Jury
Patrick Carter - Usher
Andrea Kealy - Girl in Court
Peter Waddington - Young Man in Court
Stewart Bevan - Police Sergeant
David McEwan - Prison Warder
Margaretta Scott - The Dowager Duchess of Denver
Jo Rowbottom - Mrs. Bullfinch
Jean Campbell-Dallas - Mrs. Wrayburn
Judy Cornwell - Miss Booth
Michael Robbins - Bill Rumm
Margaret Flint - Ella Rumm (as Maggie Flint)
Paul Hastings - Philip Boyes
Yvonne Bonnamy - Prison Wardress
Karen Hodson - House Guest
Amanda Orton - House Guest
Peter Czajowski - House Guest
Nicholas Pritchard - House Guest
Alex Hood - Congregation Member
David Crosse - Lawyer
Brigid Mackay - Blowzy Lady
Kate Somerby - Waitress
Lord Peter Wimsey investigates after the novelist Harriet Vane is accused of poisoning her former lover.
Harriet Walter - Harriet Vane
Edward Petherbridge - Lord Peter Wimsey
Richard Morant - Bunter
Paul Hastings - Philip Boyes
Derek Royle - The Rev. Arthur Boyes
Geoffrey Beevers - Ryland Vaughan
Preston Lockwood - Judge
Ronald Leigh-Hunt - Sir Impey Biggs
Derek Ensor - Crofts
Christopher Scoular - Freddy Arbuthnot
David Quilter - Chief Inspector Parker
Clive Francis - Norman Urquhart
Timothy Bateson - Pond
Shirley Cain - Miss Climpson
Norma Streader - Miss Murchison
Patsy Byrne - Mrs, Pettican
Tilly Vosburgh - Hannah Westlock
Carol Frazer - Sylvia Marriott
Alwyne Taylor - Eiluned Price
Amanda Murray - Marjorie Phelps
Bernard Martin - 1st Court Reporter
Roger Davidson - 2nd Court Reporter
Michael Fleming - Clerk of the Court
Peter Stockbridge - Foreman of the Jury
Patrick Carter - Usher
Andrea Kealy - Girl in Court
Peter Waddington - Young Man in Court
Stewart Bevan - Police Sergeant
David McEwan - Prison Warder
Margaretta Scott - The Dowager Duchess of Denver
Jo Rowbottom - Mrs. Bullfinch
Jean Campbell-Dallas - Mrs. Wrayburn
Judy Cornwell - Miss Booth
Michael Robbins - Bill Rumm
Margaret Flint - Ella Rumm (as Maggie Flint)
Paul Hastings - Philip Boyes
Yvonne Bonnamy - Prison Wardress
Karen Hodson - House Guest
Amanda Orton - House Guest
Peter Czajowski - House Guest
Nicholas Pritchard - House Guest
Alex Hood - Congregation Member
David Crosse - Lawyer
Brigid Mackay - Blowzy Lady
Kate Somerby - Waitress
Category
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TVTranscript
00:00:00For more information, visit www.fema.org
00:00:30A moment squared, Abby.
00:00:41Quick as you can.
00:01:00Paper, paper.
00:01:05Miss Harry's main charge of murder.
00:01:09Star's under the news.
00:01:11Showing the races.
00:01:12Paper, paper.
00:01:30A striking face.
00:01:44Not just conventionally pretty, much more than that.
00:01:49Damned attractive.
00:01:51More coffee, my lord?
00:01:54My lord.
00:01:55Can that really be the face of a poisoner?
00:01:58Well, my lord, I...
00:01:59Bunter, launch the Luganda.
00:02:18Don't wait, Bunter.
00:02:19I'll get a cab back.
00:02:21Very good, my lord.
00:02:36Sorry, sir.
00:02:37Public gallery's full.
00:02:38I'm looking for Chief Inspector Parker.
00:02:40So you're expecting you, sir?
00:02:41I believe so.
00:02:43Right you are, sir.
00:02:44Court number one, the usher will show you the way.
00:02:45I'm obliged.
00:02:46Come along, please.
00:02:47There's no more room inside of you.
00:02:48You're obstructing the entrance.
00:02:50The case for the Crown is that Harriet Bain murdered Philip Boyes with arsenic.
00:02:57The defence do not dispute that death was due to arsenical poisoning, and that you must accept.
00:03:04The only question that remains for you is whether, in fact, that arsenic was deliberately administered by the prisoner with intent to murder.
00:03:13The deceased Philip Boyes was, as you've heard, a writer.
00:03:20He was 36 years old, and he'd published five novels and other literary works.
00:03:25Works sometimes described as of an advanced type.
00:03:31They preached doctrines which may seem to some of us immoral or seditious, such as atheism and anarchy and what is known as free love.
00:03:52What are you doing here, Peter?
00:03:53I've been following the case in the newspapers.
00:03:55I know you've come for the kill.
00:03:58Charles, I think you've made a mistake.
00:04:02I'm sure I've made many.
00:04:04No, Charles.
00:04:04I'll catch up with you.
00:04:05Shall I leave the gentleman with you, sir?
00:04:07Yes, yes, I'll look after him.
00:04:09This young woman, Harriet Bain, she didn't do it.
00:04:13Will you tell me why?
00:04:14It's a hunch, as yet.
00:04:16Ah, a hunch.
00:04:17Um, could you squeeze me in?
00:04:20Yes, come with me. I'll get you in the back way.
00:04:22Your mother's here, and your friend, Mr. Arbuthner.
00:04:25Well, my own Freddie, what are they doing here?
00:04:28Oh, I think all of London's here.
00:04:30The prisoner is also a novelist by profession.
00:04:34And it is very important to remember that she is a writer of so-called mystery or detective stories.
00:04:41Stories that deal with various ingenious methods of committing murder and other crimes.
00:04:49His honour's just started his summing up, Sue.
00:04:51I understood how I've been like a mouse.
00:04:53I don't give much of her chances.
00:04:59But there's life, there's hope.
00:05:00We've not had much time.
00:05:02The prisoner herself has told us with great candour how she became attached to Philip Boyes,
00:05:28and how, for a considerable time, she held out against his persuasions to live with him in an irregular manner.
00:05:36There was, in fact, no reason at all why he should not have married her honourably.
00:05:40But, apparently, he represented himself as being conscientiously opposed to any formal marriage.
00:05:46You have the evidence of Sylvia Marriott and Olinic Price that the prisoner was made very unhappy by the attitude which he chose to take up.
00:05:58At any rate, in November of 1927, the prisoner, worn out, as she tells us, by his unceasing importunities,
00:06:08gave him...
00:06:08...he consented to live on terms of intimacy with him outside the problems of marriage.
00:06:14Now, you may feel, and quite popularly, that this was a very wrong thing to do.
00:06:21However, various friends have testified that they apparently continued to live on terms of the greatest mutual affection
00:06:30for nearly a year, until, in October of 1928, Boyes finally offered her a legal marriage.
00:06:40Now, you may find this surprising, but this offer caused the prisoner to become angry with boys.
00:06:49Angry with him because, after persuading her against her will to adopt his principles of conduct,
00:06:56he had then renounced these principles, and, as she says, made a fool of her.
00:07:01And, as a result, there was a quarrel, and the couple separated.
00:07:06Miss Vane seeking temporary refuge with her friend Sylvia Marriott.
00:07:11After a short while, Harriet Vane leaves the sanctuary of Miss Marriott's establishment,
00:07:18and takes a small flat in Doughty Street,
00:07:20while Philip Boyes accepts the invitation of his cousin, Mr. Norman Urquhart,
00:07:26to stay at his house in Woburn Square.
00:07:29Although living in the same quarter of London,
00:07:32Boyes and the accused do not seem to have met very often after the separation,
00:07:36but there's some evidence of a meeting towards the end of November,
00:07:40and another in the second week of December,
00:07:44and a third in January of this year.
00:07:46These times are worth noting.
00:07:52We now come to a date of the very greatest importance.
00:07:59On Monday, December the 10th, 1928,
00:08:03a young woman who has been identified as Harriet Vane
00:08:07entered a chemist's shop kept by Mr. Brown in Southampton Road,
00:08:12and purchased two ounces of commercial arsenic,
00:08:17saying she needed it to destroy rats.
00:08:21She signed the poison book in the name of Mary Slater.
00:08:27And on Saturday, January the 5th,
00:08:29we have another purchase of arsenic.
00:08:32This time, she gave the name of Edith Waters.
00:08:35The prisoner has given an explanation of these purchases,
00:08:42which you might consider for what it's worth.
00:08:45She says that she was engaged at that time in writing a novel about poisoning,
00:08:49and that she bought the drugs in order to prove by experiment
00:08:52how easy it was for an ordinary person to get hold of deadly poisons.
00:08:56Now, these dates, the 10th of December last, and the 5th of January.
00:09:05There is a coincidence here which may be of significance.
00:09:08Three sets of coincidences.
00:09:11Harriet Vane and Philip Boyes met towards the end of November,
00:09:15and he has an attack of gastritis on November the 30th.
00:09:20On December the 10th, Harriet Vane purchases two ounces of arsenic.
00:09:25They meet again in the second week of December.
00:09:29And on December the 15th, he has another attack.
00:09:33On January the 5th, there is the purchase of weed killer.
00:09:38They meet again soon after that.
00:09:41And on January the 12th,
00:09:44he is taken ill for the third time.
00:09:47On his doctor's advice,
00:09:53he goes to visit his friend, Mr. Ryland Vaughan,
00:09:56and stays with him for a while in Wales.
00:10:12This ought to blow the cobwebs away.
00:10:15Yes.
00:10:15What do you say?
00:10:19Are you all right?
00:10:21It's just a twinch.
00:10:23Oh, dash it.
00:10:24I should never have brought you up here.
00:10:26No.
00:10:27No, tummy's all right.
00:10:31More the heart.
00:10:34You have heard Mr. Bourne testify
00:10:35that Philip Boyes was not happy.
00:10:38In fact, Mr. Bourne formed the opinion he was fretting after Harriet Vane.
00:10:42And on February the 16th, we find him writing a letter to Miss Vane,
00:10:47an important letter.
00:10:49I will refresh your memory.
00:10:50No, no, no, no, not this one.
00:11:03Dear Harriet,
00:11:04life is an utter mess-up.
00:11:06I can't stick it out here any longer.
00:11:08I've decided to cut adrift and take a trip out west.
00:11:12But before I go, I want to see you once again
00:11:15and find out if it isn't possible to put things straight between us.
00:11:20You must do as you like, of course,
00:11:21but I still cannot understand the attitude you take up.
00:11:25If I can't make you see the thing in the right perspective this time,
00:11:30I'll chuck it in for good.
00:11:31Now, that is a most ambiguous letter.
00:11:35You've heard learned counsel for the defence
00:11:38suggest that certain phrases indicate an intention
00:11:41by the deceased to do away with himself
00:11:44if he could not affect a reconciliation with the accused.
00:11:47Be that as it may,
00:11:51we now come to the accused's letter in reply.
00:11:58Dear Phil,
00:11:59you can come round at 9.30 on the 20th if you like,
00:12:03but you certainly will not make me change my mind.
00:12:06And it is simply signed H.
00:12:09We now come to that day, February the 20th.
00:12:13The deceased had dinner with his cousin,
00:12:16Mr. Norman Erkett.
00:12:17Nothing at all unusual in his manner or appearance
00:12:21was noticed either by Mr. Erkett
00:12:23or by the maid who waited at table.
00:12:26Dinner was served at 8 o'clock exactly,
00:12:29and I think it would be a good thing if you'd note down that time,
00:12:32and also the list of things eaten and drunk.
00:12:35The two cousins dined alone together,
00:12:38and first, by way of cocktails,
00:12:41each had a glass of sherry.
00:12:43The wine was a fine oloroso, 1847,
00:12:49and the maid decanted it from a fresh bottle.
00:12:51We have here two witnesses,
00:12:54the maid, Hannah Westlock,
00:12:56and, of course, the cook, Mrs. Pettican,
00:12:59both of whom have given the impression
00:13:01of being sensible and observant witnesses.
00:13:04Well, there was the sherry.
00:13:06Then came a cup of cold bouillon
00:13:08served by Hannah Westlock
00:13:10from the terrine on the sideboard.
00:13:11Both men had some,
00:13:16and after dinner,
00:13:17the bouillon was finished by Miss Westlock
00:13:19and the cook in the kitchen.
00:13:23After the soup came a piece of turbot with sauce.
00:13:27The portions were again served from the sideboard,
00:13:30and the dish then sent to be finished in the kitchen.
00:13:36Then came a poulet au casserole,
00:13:39that is, chicken cut up and stewed slowly
00:13:42with vegetables in a fireproof cooking utensil.
00:13:46Both men had some of this,
00:13:48and the maids finished the dish later.
00:13:52The final course was a sweet omelet made at the table.
00:13:57The four eggs that were brought to the table
00:13:58in their shells were broken one by one into a bowl.
00:14:02Sugar was added from a sifter.
00:14:06Then Mr. Urquhart handed the bowl
00:14:08to Mr. Boyes,
00:14:10observing that he, Mr. Boyes,
00:14:11was the real dab-handed omelets.
00:14:14Philip Boyes then beat the eggs and sugar together,
00:14:17cooked the omelet,
00:14:18and filled it with hot jam
00:14:19which was brought in by Hannah Westlock.
00:14:23He then divided it into two portions,
00:14:25giving one to Mr. Urquhart
00:14:27and taking the remainder for himself.
00:14:30I have been a little careful
00:14:32to remind you of all these things
00:14:34to show that we have good proof
00:14:35that every dish served at dinner
00:14:38was partaken of by two people at least,
00:14:40and in most cases four.
00:14:43That omelet,
00:14:44the only dish that did not go out to the kitchen,
00:14:47was prepared by Philip Boyes himself
00:14:49and shared by his cousin.
00:14:52Neither Mr. Urquhart,
00:14:55Miss Westlock,
00:14:56nor the cook, Mrs. Pettikin,
00:14:58felt any ill effects from this meal.
00:15:01This brings us to nine o'clock.
00:15:04After dinner,
00:15:06coffee is ordered,
00:15:07but Boyes excuses himself,
00:15:09saying he's calling upon Miss Vane,
00:15:11who will probably give him coffee.
00:15:14And here indeed,
00:15:15according to the accused,
00:15:17Boyes did take coffee
00:15:19without milk or sugar.
00:15:22Was poison placed
00:15:23into one of the cups beforehand?
00:15:26Or introduced, perhaps,
00:15:29when the deceased's attention
00:15:30was momentarily distracted?
00:15:34The question, of course,
00:15:35is pure conjecture,
00:15:36but it has to be asked
00:15:38and considered a possibility.
00:15:41According to the prisoner's evidence,
00:15:43the interview was not a satisfactory one.
00:15:47Reproaches were uttered on both sides,
00:15:49and at ten o'clock or thereabouts,
00:15:51the deceased expressed his intention
00:15:53of leaving her.
00:15:54She says that he appeared uneasy
00:15:57and remarked that he was feeling unwell,
00:16:00adding that her behaviour
00:16:01had greatly upset him.
00:16:03At ten past ten,
00:16:05and I want you to note these times
00:16:06very carefully,
00:16:08the taxi driver Burke,
00:16:10who was standing at the rank
00:16:11in Guildford Street,
00:16:12was approached by Boyes,
00:16:15who told him to take him
00:16:16to Woburn Square.
00:16:18Woburn Square, Cappy.
00:16:20Quick as you can.
00:16:22When the taxi stopped
00:16:23before Mr. Urquhart's residence,
00:16:26Boyes required the assistance
00:16:28of the cabbie and Hannah Westlock
00:16:30to get him into the house,
00:16:31where he became increasingly ill.
00:16:34He was taken upstairs to bed,
00:16:37and Mr. Urquhart summoned
00:16:38Dr. Granger by phone.
00:16:41The patient was vomiting persistently,
00:16:44and Dr. Granger diagnosed the trouble
00:16:46as acute gastritis.
00:16:48Well, time is getting on,
00:16:52and as the medical evidence
00:16:54has still to be passed in review,
00:16:57I shall adjourn the court for lunch.
00:17:00Be upstanding.
00:17:00He would,
00:17:10just at the beastliest moment
00:17:11when everybody's appetite
00:17:12is thoroughly taken away.
00:17:17Come on, Wimsy.
00:17:19I have a spot of refreshment.
00:17:23Um,
00:17:24I must go and see him,
00:17:25if he begs.
00:17:27Slap one up next door
00:17:28for me,
00:17:28there's a good fellow.
00:17:34What do you make of it, Duchess?
00:17:36Most interesting.
00:17:38Isn't that Peter's Miss Clemson
00:17:40on the jury?
00:17:41How did she get there,
00:17:42I wonder?
00:17:43Best not to inquire,
00:17:45I imagine.
00:17:46Peter says she's wonderfully good
00:17:48at running his typing bureau
00:17:50and charity affairs and things.
00:17:52Popping next door
00:17:53with old Wimsy.
00:17:55Where do you find
00:17:55a G&T timely, Duchess?
00:17:57Most timely, Freddie.
00:17:59What an ingenious boy you are.
00:18:01Cheers.
00:18:02Cheers.
00:18:03Ah, I say I needed that.
00:18:09Yeah.
00:18:10A crime reporter's lot
00:18:11is not a happy one.
00:18:12Well, not until the lunch
00:18:13adjournment, anyway.
00:18:14First he worked.
00:18:16Attractive little thing.
00:18:17Think she did it?
00:18:18Judge evidently does.
00:18:19Yes, hostile.
00:18:21It's a bit rum,
00:18:22her living with boys like that
00:18:23and then chucking him over
00:18:24when he tries to do
00:18:25the decent thing.
00:18:26Ah, it's the ladies.
00:18:28No accounting for the ladies.
00:18:30Oh, my Joe.
00:18:32Hello.
00:18:33Eh?
00:18:34See what's just come in?
00:18:36The Dowager Duchess of Denver.
00:18:38Isn't she the mother of...
00:18:39Wimsy, the noble criminologist,
00:18:41of course.
00:18:42That's not him with her, though.
00:18:44No, that's the Honourable Freddie.
00:18:46Freddie Arbuthnot,
00:18:46a city gentleman.
00:18:47Two G&Ts and a B&S.
00:18:50These are large ones.
00:18:51Oh, Freddie.
00:18:52Well, Duchess,
00:18:53guilty or not guilty?
00:18:56I honestly don't know.
00:18:58It's old Wimsy's interest.
00:19:00Well, it's one of his friends,
00:19:02Chief Inspector Parker's cases, sir.
00:19:04Naturally, he's interested.
00:19:06He's that all right.
00:19:08Oh, thank you.
00:19:10Um, keep the change.
00:19:12An hour?
00:19:13At the most, I'd say.
00:19:15From the verdict,
00:19:17this judge is summing up.
00:19:18Oh, guilt.
00:19:20Time for another?
00:19:21Some more gin and tolics, please.
00:19:26After you.
00:19:29That's fine.
00:19:31Well,
00:19:32fung-ha, Duchess?
00:19:33Oh,
00:19:34cheers.
00:19:41Freddie,
00:19:42what did you mean
00:19:43when you said that you thought
00:19:44Peter?
00:19:45Sorry, Lomba.
00:19:46Might be.
00:19:47Here you are, L. Bean.
00:19:48Oh, thanks, Freddie.
00:19:51Brandy and Serta.
00:19:52Just the thing.
00:19:55Had to have a word
00:19:56with the defence.
00:19:58Poor Biggs,
00:19:59quite rattled
00:20:00by that old Judge Jeffreys,
00:20:01who is even now
00:20:03rehearsing
00:20:03to pronounce
00:20:04the death sentence.
00:20:05Oh, how dreadful.
00:20:06That bad?
00:20:07And it mustn't happen.
00:20:08Absolutely not.
00:20:16Now,
00:20:17it is suggested
00:20:18that Philip Boyes
00:20:19may have taken arsenic himself
00:20:21at some time
00:20:23between leaving
00:20:23Harriet Vane's flat
00:20:25and hailing the taxi
00:20:27in Guildford Street.
00:20:29Now,
00:20:30the prisoner's statement
00:20:31is that
00:20:31Philip Boyes
00:20:32left her
00:20:33at ten o'clock
00:20:34and we know
00:20:35that at ten past
00:20:36he was in Guildford Street.
00:20:38But Guildford Street
00:20:39is only a short way
00:20:40from Doughty Street,
00:20:42perhaps three minutes' walk.
00:20:44And you may ask yourselves,
00:20:46what was Boyes doing
00:20:47in the intervening
00:20:48ten minutes?
00:20:50Did he take a dose of...
00:20:51Not a just beast.
00:20:53Badger.
00:20:54Definitely bad
00:20:55for our lady.
00:20:56Oh, shut up, pretty.
00:20:57An unfavourable interview
00:20:58with the prisoner?
00:21:00Or,
00:21:01as is also possible,
00:21:03did he feel unwell
00:21:04and sit down somewhere
00:21:06to recover himself
00:21:08in those missing
00:21:09ten minutes?
00:21:10Those missing ten minutes
00:21:12must be the key.
00:21:13You will consider
00:21:13what importance
00:21:13is to be attached
00:21:15to the prisoner's
00:21:16purchases of arsenic
00:21:17in December
00:21:19of last year
00:21:20and January this year,
00:21:23and of the deceased's
00:21:24attacks of sickness
00:21:25in November,
00:21:26December,
00:21:27and January.
00:21:29The quarrel
00:21:30with the prisoner
00:21:31took place
00:21:32in October
00:21:33of 1928.
00:21:36Boyes was finally
00:21:37taken ill
00:21:38on the evening
00:21:39of February the 20th,
00:21:40dying three days later.
00:21:43There are four months
00:21:44between the quarrel
00:21:45and the death
00:21:46and three months
00:21:47between the first illness
00:21:48and the death.
00:21:51You may find
00:21:52some significance
00:21:54in those dates.
00:21:56veritable fulcher.
00:21:59She's innocent,
00:22:00my pessimistic chum.
00:22:03I'm going to prove it.
00:22:04I wish you luck,
00:22:05old chap.
00:22:06Well,
00:22:10I think that is the case
00:22:12as presented to you.
00:22:16The case for the Crown,
00:22:17members of the jury,
00:22:19is that the prisoner,
00:22:20Harriet Vane,
00:22:21murdered her former lover,
00:22:22Philip Boyes,
00:22:23with arsenic.
00:22:25He undoubtedly
00:22:26did take arsenic,
00:22:28and if you are satisfied
00:22:29that he died of it
00:22:30and she administered it
00:22:32with that intent,
00:22:34then it is your duty
00:22:35to find her guilty
00:22:37of murder.
00:22:54They won't be long,
00:22:55shouldn't they?
00:22:56Pretty damned obvious.
00:22:57Yes.
00:22:59We'll miss the 6.30 edition
00:23:00unless the jury
00:23:01gets a move on.
00:23:03The old man's careful,
00:23:04but he's very slow.
00:23:06They've got to make
00:23:06some show of considering
00:23:07their verdict.
00:23:09Give them 20 minutes.
00:23:10They'll want to smoke.
00:23:11So do I.
00:23:12Fancy one?
00:23:13Let's go.
00:23:14Excuse me, ma'am.
00:23:19It's as open and shut
00:23:20as it can possibly be.
00:23:22It's all perfectly
00:23:23convincing and mortal type,
00:23:25but it's all wrong.
00:23:26You can't really believe that.
00:23:28But I do.
00:23:29My dear old man,
00:23:30where's the flaw in it?
00:23:31There isn't one.
00:23:32There's absolutely
00:23:33nothing wrong with it at all.
00:23:35Except that the girl
00:23:35is innocent.
00:23:37Yes, of course.
00:23:39Your hunch.
00:23:42What do you say, Duchess?
00:23:43I wish I'd known the girl.
00:23:46An interesting face.
00:23:48I've been reading
00:23:49one of her books.
00:23:50Well written.
00:23:51And I didn't guess
00:23:52who did it till the end.
00:23:55Curious to write about murder
00:23:57and be accused
00:23:58of murder oneself.
00:23:59Well, you'll soon know
00:24:00what the jolly jury
00:24:01has made of it.
00:24:02I expect Miss Clemson
00:24:03is telling them all about it.
00:24:05Might take some while.
00:24:09They must have gone to sleep.
00:24:11There'll have to be
00:24:12a special edition.
00:24:14What happens
00:24:14if they take all night?
00:24:16Then we sit here
00:24:17all night.
00:24:18Well, the pubs are open.
00:24:19I'm going over
00:24:20for a quick one.
00:24:22Here's a shower
00:24:23and the other side.
00:24:25Right.
00:24:27What can they be up to?
00:24:40Perhaps they don't think
00:24:41she did it after all.
00:24:42Nonsense.
00:24:43Of course she did.
00:24:45You could tell by her face.
00:24:47Hard.
00:24:48And she never cried
00:24:49or anything.
00:24:50I don't know.
00:24:50I say,
00:25:07feral crowd connected.
00:25:09Are they pro or con?
00:25:10The gal?
00:25:11Um,
00:25:12mixed, I'd say.
00:25:14Men pro,
00:25:15women con.
00:25:16I'm amazed
00:25:17it's taking so long.
00:25:18Ah,
00:25:19looks as if they're ready.
00:25:40We have a verdict,
00:25:42mid-library.
00:25:42Oh.
00:25:43Mm-hmm.
00:26:43Look at their faces.
00:26:47They say if it's going to be guilty, they never look at the prisoner.
00:26:59Let the defendant be upstanding.
00:27:06Members of the jury, who shall speak as your foreman?
00:27:10I shall.
00:27:11Mr. Foreman, are you all agreed upon a verdict?
00:27:14I'm sorry to say that we find it impossible to come to an agreement.
00:27:25Do you think with a little more time you may be able to reach an agreement?
00:27:29I'm afraid not, my lord.
00:27:31Well, this is very unfortunate.
00:27:39In that case, there's nothing for it but to thank the jury for their services, and to discharge you, and to order a fresh trial.
00:27:50Be upstanding.
00:27:52Let's do it.
00:27:56Oh, good shot, Whimsy. Good shot.
00:28:03Not bad.
00:28:05Not bad.
00:28:05Well, Whimsy, I must say you're Miss Clemson.
00:28:10Definitely saved the day.
00:28:12A lady of strong convictions, our Miss Clemson.
00:28:15Certainly given us another chance.
00:28:17What's the form about that, by the way?
00:28:18Pretty soon, I'd say.
00:28:20Wouldn't you, Crofts?
00:28:21Well, they won't want to keep the girl in custody longer than necessary.
00:28:23I spoke to the listing officer this morning.
00:28:26He's putting the retrial in for Wednesday, the 17th of July.
00:28:29God, that's only 30 days.
00:28:32Yeah, the thing is, can we do anything to improve our case?
00:28:37Well, there must be some evidence somewhere, and I do believe in the girl's innocence.
00:28:41Damn it, Whimsy, so do I.
00:28:43Well, now, let's see what we can do with that.
00:28:47Quants, you must do something for me.
00:28:50I must see Miss Vane.
00:28:51Can you get me in as part of your outfit?
00:28:54I'd like to hear her version of the story.
00:28:56Oh, I think it can be a wreck.
00:29:00This way, too.
00:29:04You know the regulations, sir, I'm sure.
00:29:06You sit to one end and the prisoner at the other.
00:29:08And you must be careful not to move from your seat or pass it in your particular table.
00:29:19I'll be there to see you through the glass.
00:29:21The rules, my lord.
00:29:23But I shan't be able to overhear nothing.
00:29:25If you don't mind, sir, I shall have to take these.
00:29:29Thank you, sir.
00:29:30She won't be a tick.
00:29:31I'll be there to see you through the other.
00:29:40I'll be there.
00:29:41I'll be there.
00:29:47we're supposed to stay seated you know
00:30:04lord peter whimsy come from mr crofts yes i um heard the case and all that and i thought
00:30:17there might be something i could do to help don't you know that's very good of you not at all i
00:30:23rather enjoy investigating things if you see what i mean i know being a writer of detective stories
00:30:30i've naturally followed your career with interest that's good because you'll understand i'm not such
00:30:35an ass as i'm appearing at present well you don't appear an ass though this background doesn't
00:30:41altogether suit your style nor yours maybe
00:30:45i'm afraid i'm rather a hopeless case oh don't say that it can't be hopeless unless you actually did
00:30:55it and i know you didn't and i didn't as a matter of fact you don't happen to know who did i suppose
00:31:03i really believe philip took the stuff himself he was finally a defeatist sort of person
00:31:11i suppose he took your departure rather hard i think it was rather he didn't feel sufficiently
00:31:19appreciated he was apt to think people were in league to spoil his chances
00:31:25and uh were they i don't think so but i do think he offended people he'd demand things as a right and
00:31:32that annoys people you know did he get on with his cousin oh yes though of course philip said it
00:31:40was no more than mr urquhart's duty to look after him his idea was that great artists deserve to be
00:31:46taken care of by the ordinary man great artists forgive me but um forgive you what you were very
00:31:58fond of philip boys i must have been mustn't i not necessarily you might have been sorry for him
00:32:04or um bewitched by him or simply badger to death by him all those things
00:32:10were you friends no philip wasn't the sort of man to make a friend of a woman
00:32:17he wanted devotion i certainly gave him that
00:32:21i couldn't stand being put on probation like some office boy to see if i was good enough to be
00:32:27condescended to i thought he was honest and he said he didn't believe in marriage
00:32:31and it turned out to be some sort of test to see whether my devotion was abject enough
00:32:36well there you have it i thought philip had made both himself and me ridiculous
00:32:44and the moment i saw that that was it the end i quite see that such a victorian attitude
00:32:51for a man with advanced ideas
00:32:53but um you're not opposed to matrimony on principle
00:32:59i mean if offered on terms not already compromised and by the right person naturally
00:33:04oh no no no that's good
00:33:07might i ask why makes it easier for me you see
00:33:12have i got this right
00:33:18you are proposing marriage to me
00:33:22absolutely right
00:33:24do you do this all the time lord peter
00:33:27only when i'm serious
00:33:30and you're serious now
00:33:31oh
00:33:33i know i've got a silly face
00:33:36but i can't help that
00:33:38and i am
00:33:39serious
00:33:40i mean
00:33:41i don't positively repel you or anything like that i suppose
00:33:48no you don't positively repel me
00:33:50oh
00:33:51that's good
00:33:52any uh any um minor alterations
00:33:58i mean uh changing my tailor
00:34:02no i couldn't in all conscience offer that
00:34:04but uh part in the main on the other side
00:34:06growing a toothbrush and cashier in the eyeglass
00:34:09don't please don't alter yourself in any particular
00:34:12do you really mean that
00:34:14i i i'm not um trying to blackmail you into matrimony
00:34:18i mean i would investigate this case for the fun of the thing
00:34:20that's very good of you
00:34:22no no no not at all it's my helping
00:34:24i mean investigating things not proposing it to people
00:34:28well
00:34:31cheerily frightfully ho
00:34:34and um
00:34:36i'll uh
00:34:38i'll call again if i may
00:34:40well i'll give the footman orders to admit you
00:34:43you'll always find me at home
00:34:46has a sense of humor
00:34:51and brains
00:34:53life wouldn't be dull
00:34:55one would wake up and there would be a whole day of jolly things to do
00:34:59and then one would come home
00:35:01and go to bed
00:35:02and
00:35:03that would be jolly too
00:35:05good afternoon
00:35:08oh god
00:35:13july the 17th
00:35:15one month
00:35:16four weeks
00:35:17twenty eight days
00:35:18and i don't know where to begin
00:35:21you
00:35:23go home
00:35:24and
00:35:24that would become
00:35:25you
00:35:27good
00:35:28to be
00:35:30oh
00:35:31really
00:35:32that would be
00:35:33truly
00:35:35to be
00:35:37that would be
00:35:38relevant
00:35:39and
00:35:39you
00:35:44that would
00:35:45it would a
00:35:46quer
00:35:47that would
00:35:48be
00:35:49good
00:35:50ladies good afternoon good afternoon lord peter a force for good at 60 words a minute
00:36:00my dear lord peter miss clemson admirable miss clemson i haven't had an opportunity of thanking
00:36:12you for your sterling performance at the trial i simply couldn't in all conscience have done
00:36:17other than i did miss clemson why do people kill people i really don't know it's so dangerous as
00:36:25well as so terribly wicked one wonders how anybody has the affront of it or undertake it
00:36:30and very often they gain so little by it miss vane is innocent i firmly believe so the key must be
00:36:38what did boys do after he left miss vane there were 10 minutes unaccounted for might he not have
00:36:44entered some public house for refreshment and there met an enemy by joe that's an idea worth
00:36:50looking into place public house next motive do have a buttered tea cake thank you insurance was
00:36:58boys insured it doesn't seem to have occurred to anyone to find out if so who would have an
00:37:03insurable interest his father cousin and i suppose miss vane if the policy was taken out
00:37:10whilst they were living together hmm some possibilities there um inheritance did boys have anything to
00:37:21leave his father's a parson so that has a thread there look but i'd better go and see him and his
00:37:27publisher oh thank you very much who was this fellow boys anyway i don't know anything about him
00:37:34he might have been a blaggard of the deepest dye knew unmentionable things about his friends
00:37:39probably writing a book to show somebody up hmm has been suppressed at all costs dash it his cousin
00:37:46solicitor that's uh thank you he's been embezzling trust deeds or something and boys was going to
00:37:52split on him urquhart put some arsenic in his soup ah then he drinks it himself now i'm afraid
00:37:59hannah westlock's evidence rather knocks that on the head we shall have to fall back on the
00:38:04mysterious stranger of the pub yes missing 10 minutes or suicide which i'm rather inclined to
00:38:11believe in only what happened to the empty bottle or paper if he took it in powdered form
00:38:17where would they look for it yes if it wasn't on him it could be anywhere around ounty street
00:38:21it's going to be pretty difficult trying to find a bottle or a piece of paper that was chucked away
00:38:25six months ago did you say something about buttered tea cakes miss kims all right boys query arsenic
00:38:41anything else yes find out if boys visited any pub in the neighborhood of dowager street between say
00:38:479 50 and 10 past 10 on the evening of february the 20th whether he met anyone and what he took to drink
00:38:54query pub yes thirdly whether any paper or bottle that might have contained arsenic was picked up in
00:39:04the district oh is that all i mean perhaps you'd like me to trace the bus ticket dropped by miss brown
00:39:12outside selfridges during the last christmas rush my dear parker i would not dream of patronizing an
00:39:17officer of your caliber by setting him such a simple problem and now you must excuse me i have to go and
00:39:23see a man about a dog or rather a clergyman about his son you don't know of anybody who might have
00:39:32had an interest in his death did he for example make a will yes he did not that he had must leave poor
00:39:39boy his books were very cleverly written he had a fine intellect but they did not bring any good sums of
00:39:48money he left his copyrights to someone i suppose yes oh yes he wished to leave them to me
00:39:59but his opinion you see not uh compatible no he left them to his good friend uh mr vaughan mr vaughan
00:40:08yes might i ask when this uh will was made uh dated at the time visited wales
00:40:14uh before that i believe he made one leaving everything to miss vain uh to miss vain i thought
00:40:21she'd know about that not in any case uh an important son oh no no if my son made 50 pounds
00:40:27a year from his books that would be the utmost uh but they tell me that uh after this his new book
00:40:35will do better yes the public will always respond to a sensation i'm afraid yes would you care
00:40:45thanks you care to risk one of these oh how very kind thank you i say um he uh he had no private money
00:40:54to leave i don't want it to leave i don't suppose oh no nothing whatever there was never any money in
00:41:02our family proverbial church mice except that is for cremorna garden for i beg your pardon my wife's
00:41:10aunt the notorious cremorna garden of the 60s good lord yes the actress yes she uh was never mentioned of
00:41:19course one did not inquire into the way she got her money no different to anybody else i expect but
00:41:27uh in those days one was easily shocked we hadn't seen her for over 50 years i believe she's getting
00:41:34very childlike now i had no idea she was still alive oh she must be over 90. certainly philip never had
00:41:42any money from her oh my dear chap a glass of madeira what must you think of me been buzzing like a bee
00:41:52seen the reverend boys your publisher boys his publisher and uh i've come up with a plot for a
00:41:59detective story a good plot a very good plot you tell well you see it's about this gown and
00:42:12uh who writes books detective stories actually and um she has a friend who who also writes books
00:42:26i bet she's a sweetie at home um neither of them are best sellers you see just just novelists
00:42:32that's the kind of thing that might happen
00:42:34um and um the friend makes a will leaving all his money receipts from his books and so forth
00:42:43uh to the girl i see now the girl who's got rather fed up with him don't you know comes up with a grand
00:42:49scoop to turn them both into best sellers yes she polishes him off by the very method she's used in her
00:42:55latest crime thriller a daring stroke and of course his books immediately become bestsellers and she grabs
00:43:01the pool most ingenious it's an entirely new motive for murder it's the thing i've been looking for
00:43:07for years don't you think it'd be a little dangerous she might be accused of the murder oh
00:43:12well then her books would become bestsellers too true but possibly she wouldn't live to enjoy the profits
00:43:18because unless she were suspected and arrested and tried the scoop would only have come off
00:43:24yes but then you as an experienced mystery monger you could come up with something to get around
00:43:30bad if she were very wicked she could push the blame onto someone else or lead people to suppose
00:43:37that her friend had done away with himself hmm too vague i think how would she do that i can't say
00:43:43i'll give it careful thought and let you know
00:43:48here's an idea she's a person with monomania there's somebody she wishes to benefit who's badly in need of
00:43:56money father mother sister lover she makes out a will in his or her favor allows herself to be
00:44:04condemned for the crime knowing that the beloved object will then inherit how's that very very
00:44:09good but there's a snack they wouldn't give her the friend's money would they they're not allowed to
00:44:14profit by crime oh hang i know she could make over a deed of gift yes look if she did that immediately
00:44:28after the murder a deed of gift of everything she possessed that would include everything she came
00:44:33into under the friend's will it would then all go to the beloved object and i don't believe the law
00:44:38could stop it you're too clever by half shall we write it let's only you know i'm sure we won't get
00:44:46the chance you're not to say that you're to keep smiling it suits you
00:44:56she's as innocent as the day is long she'd never have come up with such a motive as she'd really done
00:45:01it it'd be put in a noose around her own neck
00:45:09i think it's high time i paid a visit on his cousin urquhart
00:45:14this is mr urquhart's temporary address my lord care of mrs rayburn appleford windle westmore
00:45:19hmm windle westmoreland has a prettier ring to it yeah
00:45:25i do not think though that mr urquhart will be away for very long in the meantime is there anything
00:45:28that we can do to help no thanks rather wanted to see myself personally as a matter of fact
00:45:33concerns the very sad death of his cousin philip boys a shocking business then yes a fine young
00:45:38man mr boys he and mr urquhart were very great friends and mr urquhart took it very much to heart
00:45:43were you present at the trial my lord yes what did you think of the verdict oh very surprised
00:45:48surprised indeed seemed a clear enough case but then juries are so unreliable especially nowadays my lord
00:45:54with women on them we see a good deal of the fair sex in the profession and very few of them are
00:45:59remarkable for possessing the legal mind how very true that is still without them there'd be much
00:46:05less litigation so it's all good for business very good my lord very good i am an old-fashioned man
00:46:11the ladies when they adorned and inspired did not take any active part in affairs you take our young
00:46:18lady clark i do not say she was not a good worker but all of a sudden a whim comes upon her and away
00:46:24she goes to get married leaving us in the lurch just when mr urquhart is away yes lord peter everything
00:46:32is quite bright and beautiful what can we do for you simply this there's a vacancy for a confidential
00:46:38clerk mr norman urquhart's you remember him from the trial the solicitor in bedford row have you got
00:46:43any one just one moment lord peter yes i think miss murchison is becoming available shall we send her
00:47:06along right away miss clinton and see that her skirts the regulation four inches below the knee
00:47:12the head clerk's in charge and the last girl left to get married so he's feeling anti-sex appeal
00:47:16so get her in and i'll give her instructions bless you and may your shadow never grow bulkier
00:47:24you're to go to solicitor's urquhart's in bedford row and see the head clerk mr pond
00:47:30there's a vacancy for a confidential clerk is this job for lord peter
00:47:35miss phelps i have lord peter for you
00:47:48marjorie dear marjorie i trust i do not interrupt some inspired work of sculpture
00:47:54no dear me the muses are so fickle look here i need an entree into bohemia
00:48:03the mrs marriott and price i believe you know them
00:48:05this evening i think it'd be most convenient
00:48:17oh peter are you onto that gorgeous and which side are you taking defense oh hooray why hooray well
00:48:25it's much more exciting and difficult isn't it i'm afraid so uh where about there
00:48:41us is
00:48:47thank you so this is bohemia oh chelsea sw3
00:48:54yes thank you
00:48:56i hope this isn't exploiting our old acquaintance well i did ask you not to go away forever didn't
00:49:01yes you did bless you do you well know harriet bane by the way um yes and no i've i've seen her
00:49:10with the the boys vaughn crowd do you like her so so and um philip boys oh never stirred a heartbeat
00:49:18but did you like him well one didn't like exactly one either fell for him or not as the case might
00:49:24be and um and the friend vaughn it was just to hang her on i hope these dear ladies won't mind the
00:49:37intrusion oh no good heavens no they're they're harriet's friends and it was they who took her
00:49:42in after the bust up the philip boys and sylvia's a dear lunnid is rather anti-man but she's a good
00:49:48sort just in time for coffee sorry lunnid about the short notice nonsense come in
00:49:54um this is lord peter whimsy hello i'm a friend of harriet bane's i'm so sorry why be sorry
00:50:02she needs friends
00:50:04the case to the crown members of the jury is that the prison
00:50:24harriet bane murdered her former lover philip boys with arsenic he undoubtedly did take arsenic
00:50:32if you were satisfied that he died of it and she administered it with that intent then it is
00:50:39it is your duty quick as you can to find her guilty of murder
00:50:43paper paper
00:50:46we saw it thing to face retro
00:50:49date fix for new hearing
00:50:52oh don't talk whilst i work i'm afraid imogen can only sit for me in the evening she's a civil servant
00:51:14a civil servant by day and cersei by night cersei the enchantress
00:51:21peter wants to know about harriet bane and philip boys why does he imogen hold your head up because he's trying to help
00:51:33harriet is a very sweet and vulnerable creature and what she saw in that self-centered individual none of us could understand
00:51:41um after his death did you see much of her
00:51:45well by then she'd moved out and gone to doughty street of course but she used to pop back and see us
00:51:50how was she after he died
00:51:52well she was upset of course
00:51:54in my opinion she was thankful to be rid of him
00:51:56no wonder selfish brute
00:51:59he made use of her
00:52:01nagged her to death for a year
00:52:03and finally insulted her
00:52:04dearest
00:52:05she was glad so
00:52:06what's the use of denying it
00:52:08yes perhaps
00:52:10it was a relief to know it was all finished with
00:52:12but she'd no idea that he'd been murdered
00:52:14if it was murder which i don't believe
00:52:16sugar
00:52:17no thanks
00:52:18i thought all men like to make their coffee into syrup
00:52:20but i'm rather unusual haven't you noticed
00:52:23i've not had time to observe you but i'll take the coffee as a point in your favor
00:52:29philip boys was always determined to be a victim
00:52:34it was very irritating of him to succeed in the end
00:52:37poison himself out of vanity
00:52:39people do do that sort of thing of course
00:52:41but juries are much more inclined to believe in something more tangible and prosaic
00:52:45like money
00:52:46not that i can find any in this case
00:52:48there never was much money
00:52:50except what harriet made
00:52:52his books never sold you know
00:52:53some people thought him rather good
00:52:55only the odious ryland vaughan
00:52:58although it is awfully severe about men
00:53:00you know vaughan's going around saying harriet killed philip boys because she was jealous of his genius
00:53:04and could only write tripe herself
00:53:06you hear sylvia
00:53:07you're altogether too nice about everybody
00:53:10the truth is philip boys resented her success
00:53:13he reckons she ought to be ministering to his work
00:53:16not making money for them both with their own independent trash
00:53:19but that's men all over
00:53:21you don't have much opinion of us do you
00:53:24have a biscuit
00:53:26no thanks not really a sweet tooth
00:53:28the thing is the retrial comes up in just less than 30 days
00:53:32oh the poor thing
00:53:33and one can't depend on the jury disagreeing for a second time
00:53:36well what's to be done
00:53:38well i'm trying to find out as much as i can about harriet's recent life
00:53:42i am i do have one line of inquiry that might prove fruitful but it doesn't come to anything
00:53:49i'm afraid i'm rather up against it
00:53:51blacksmith 9424
00:53:52yes he's here i'll tell him
00:53:57yes he's here i'll tell him
00:53:59it's for you lord peter
00:54:00it's your manservant
00:54:01you're wanted at scotland yard
00:54:03thank you so much
00:54:04i must apply
00:54:06come in
00:54:11charles what have you found
00:54:14what have you found
00:54:15ah look peter i don't want you to become too optimistic
00:54:18damn it man you get prompted to track me halfway across london
00:54:20you must have found something
00:54:21philip boys the missing ten minutes
00:54:23ah
00:54:24we found the pub
00:54:25and it seems that there was a man there who fits a description
00:54:28a man who answers the description of boys
00:54:30what's more feeling ill and producing a packet of white powder
00:54:33the arsenic
00:54:34could have been arsenic
00:54:35wonderful excellent news
00:54:37i knew you'd react like this
00:54:38why not my own
00:54:39because i am convinced that this suicide theory you have about boys
00:54:43is rubbish
00:54:45rubbish
00:54:46your vision's clouded because of her
00:54:48harriet vane
00:54:50peter
00:54:51can you tell me in all honesty
00:54:53that you're not allowing your
00:54:55your judgment to be affected by your emotions
00:54:58yes i can
00:55:00peter
00:55:01good evening sir
00:55:11lord peter whimsy please
00:55:12my card
00:55:13i'm afraid his lordship is out at the moment but if you would care to wait
00:55:17i would
00:55:18his lordship will not be long
00:55:21may i offer you a glass of sherry sir
00:55:23all right
00:55:24we had investigated this pub of course but as luck would have it the barmaid who served him was away on her honeymoon when we made the inquiry so the connection with boys was never made
00:55:30was she the only one there and the publican what about him he was also away on the honeymoon
00:55:37oh no sir this is on me oh not another word it's my pleasure
00:55:44now
00:55:45now where was i oh yes i remember a gentleman comes in almost falls in you could say and calls out give me a double brandy quick
00:55:46oh
00:55:47i didn't like to serve him at once
00:55:48i didn't like to serve him at once i mean he looks so white and queer i thought he'd had one or two over the eight
00:55:54and the boss
00:55:55my hubby now
00:55:56pozy uncovered
00:56:03he's most particular about serving drunk
00:56:06but still
00:56:09he spoke
00:56:12all right you know quite clear
00:56:13i thought it was and the boys
00:56:18my hubby now
00:56:20most particular about serving drugs. Still, he spoke all right, you know, quite clear,
00:56:26not repeating himself nor nothing, and his eyes, well, although they did look a bit funny,
00:56:32they weren't fixed, if you understand. Well, here's to you too, gentlemen.
00:56:43I could see that you weren't drunk, so I mixed him a gub of brandy with a splash of soda,
00:56:49just like yourself, sir. Down it goes, and that's better, he says.
00:56:54And then, Mrs. Wilkinson. And then? Well, he slumps down in that seat over there, sir.
00:57:01Look, I'll show you, just here. Like this. Oh. And then after a while, he asked me for a glass of water.
00:57:12Water? Water. Oh, sorry if I frightened you, he said, but I've just had a bad shock.
00:57:19And any shock or worry always affects my stomach. However, he says, perhaps this will stop him.
00:57:25And he takes out a white paper packet with some powder in him, drops it into the water,
00:57:31stirs it up with his fountain pen, then he drinks it.
00:57:33Did it fizz or anything?
00:57:35No, just plain powder. Took a while to mix up, though, before he drank it. Then after he drank it,
00:57:44he said, that settles it. That settles it? Were those his exact words?
00:57:50Well, that settles it, or that'll settle it, something of that sort. Can't be absolutely exact.
00:57:57Well, then, he raises his hat. Oh, quite the gentleman. And off he goes.
00:58:04Did you see exactly how much powder was put into the glass?
00:58:07Oh, a good dollop. He didn't measure it, but, well, most of the packet, I'd say.
00:58:14About, about a dessert spoonful.
00:58:17And we do know what you did with the packet, Mrs. Bulfidge.
00:58:20Well, Inspector, I swear I tucked her behind the spirits here. But, you know, it was six months ago, right?
00:58:28Well, it ain't there now.
00:58:32There's Mr. Vaughan waiting to see you, Malone.
00:58:35Thank you, Bunter.
00:58:37I'm sorry to have kept you, Mr. Vaughan.
00:58:40How can I help you?
00:58:41I think it's I who can help you, sir.
00:58:43Really?
00:58:44I'd be obliged to know how.
00:58:46Philip Boyes.
00:58:51I was his only real friend.
00:58:54All the rest only cared to pick his brains.
00:59:00Parrots.
00:59:01All the bloody lot of them.
00:59:06I've read his books.
00:59:07I found them, uh, interesting.
00:59:11Interesting, eh?
00:59:12Let me tell you, he was a good deal more than interesting.
00:59:16He had real talent.
00:59:18Those damn thieves of publishers took every blasted coin they could lay their hands on.
00:59:21Forgive me, but I don't quite see how this is supposed to help me.
00:59:29Harriet Vane.
00:59:31Don't waste your time.
00:59:33It was that bitch of a woman that poisoned him.
00:59:36Mr. Vaughan is leaving.
00:59:49Thank you for your help.
00:59:58Thank you, sir.
00:59:59Damn everything.
01:00:13Care for more coffee, my lord?
01:00:17The emotions, Bunter.
01:00:19What a terrible thing.
01:00:21I believe they are, my lord.
01:00:22You're being flippant, Bunter, and I'm not in a flippant mood.
01:00:29Just over two weeks to go.
01:00:31Miss Vane, my lord.
01:00:32Miss Vane.
01:00:34Exactly so.
01:00:36Your lordship has been involved in more hopeless cases.
01:00:39And triumphed.
01:00:40You're absolutely right.
01:00:45I've been wallowing, and the only course is action.
01:00:48Much better thinking, my lord.
01:00:52Philip Boyce's cousin, Urquhart.
01:00:55The account of that meal.
01:00:58Such detail.
01:01:02Bunter.
01:01:02I want you to play the Don Juan.
01:01:06Don Juan, my lord.
01:01:07Yes, indeed.
01:01:09You cut an impressive figure, if I may say so.
01:01:12You have a bold and roving eye.
01:01:15Off duty.
01:01:17A ready wit.
01:01:19And I'm persuaded that you have a way with you.
01:01:22What more could any cook or parlour mate want?
01:01:25Ah, the ladies in Mr. Urquhart's service.
01:01:28I want you to deliver this to Mr. Urquhart of Woburn Square.
01:01:31And in the short space of time at your disposal,
01:01:35To insinuate yourself into the bosom
01:01:37Of Mr. Urquhart's household.
01:01:42And pump the ladies about the said Urquhart.
01:01:46I shall endeavour to insinuate myself
01:01:48To your lordship's satisfaction.
01:01:52I've seen poor Mr. Boyce.
01:01:55And they said for me to bring up the hot bottles.
01:01:58Three they had.
01:01:59One to his feet, one to his back.
01:02:01The big rubber went to his stomach.
01:02:04Horrible white he was.
01:02:05Oh, green he looked to me, cook.
01:02:08Well, let's say green is yellow.
01:02:11I thought it was a jaundice for coming on.
01:02:13More like them attacks he had in the spring.
01:02:15And you never saw such cramps.
01:02:16Cramps?
01:02:17Regular feature of these arsenical cases.
01:02:20Very distressing symptoms.
01:02:23Had he, er, ever had anything of the sort before?
01:02:26I don't know what you call cramps.
01:02:28When he was ill.
01:02:29In the spring.
01:02:30He complained of visits in his hands and feet.
01:02:32Something like pins and needles, he said.
01:02:35Dreadful, wicked woman, this Harriet Vane must be.
01:02:38Now, I do have a crumpet, Mr. Bunter.
01:02:43Butter's melted nicely through.
01:02:45We'll have a little drop more against the damp, I'm sure.
01:02:50After you, ladies.
01:02:52Oh.
01:02:56Now, a bashing on the head,
01:02:59or the ace use of a carving knife when roused,
01:03:01I can understand.
01:03:03But the horrors of slow poisoning,
01:03:05it's the work of a fiend.
01:03:09Fiend?
01:03:09It's the only word, Mrs. Pettigan.
01:03:11When Mr. Urquhart told us about the
01:03:13digging up of Mr. Boy's
01:03:15and finding him full of nasty arsenic,
01:03:17gave me such a turn.
01:03:19I'm in our house.
01:03:21But, of course, you had no difficulty
01:03:22in proving that the noxious substance
01:03:24had not been given to him in this house.
01:03:26Oh.
01:03:27Mr. Urquhart put me through it so carefully
01:03:29about the questions I'd be asked.
01:03:31Yes.
01:03:31The very next morning,
01:03:33after Mr. Boy's was took ill,
01:03:34the master came down to us,
01:03:36and he says...
01:03:36Sitting in that chair is a friendly.
01:03:38Just as you would be yourself, Mr. Bunter.
01:03:41I'm afraid Mr. Boy's is very ill, he says.
01:03:43So I want you and Cook to run through
01:03:44everything we had for dinner last night.
01:03:46To see if we can think what it could have been.
01:03:48I don't see that Mr. Boy's
01:03:49could have had anything unhorsome here,
01:03:50I says.
01:03:51Because Cook and me had just the same
01:03:52and all the sweets could be.
01:03:54Except for the omelette, of course.
01:03:55Oh, except for the omelette.
01:03:56They finished that off between them.
01:03:58And I remember asking Cook
01:03:59if they were the last four eggs in the house,
01:04:01because one was cracked.
01:04:04Very far seeing it, Mr. Urquhart,
01:04:06to take such precautions.
01:04:08When there was no thought at the time
01:04:09but that the poor man had died natural.
01:04:11Menace the case's lordship scene
01:04:16when an innocent man was brought near to the gallows
01:04:19for lack of such precautions.
01:04:20And when I think of how near Mr. Urquhart was
01:04:22to being away from home at the time.
01:04:24Oh, yes, Cook.
01:04:25Well, it fair gave me palpitations.
01:04:28I called away whilst that tarsome old woman
01:04:30saw as a dying.
01:04:32Never dies.
01:04:33Oh, he's there now.
01:04:34Mrs. Rayburn up in Wyndle.
01:04:52Rich as sneezes she is by all accounts.
01:04:54Well, so they say.
01:04:56And a wicked old woman she was too in her day.
01:05:00Her other relations wouldn't have nothing to do with her.
01:05:02Only Mr. Urquhart.
01:05:04And I don't suppose he wouldn't, neither.
01:05:07Only he's a solicitor.
01:05:08And it's his duty so to do.
01:05:11Duty does not always lie in pleasant places.
01:05:13As you and I well know, Mrs. Pettigan.
01:05:15I pass no comments.
01:05:17But you and me, Mr. Bunter,
01:05:19know how the world goes.
01:05:22I suppose Mr. Urquhart stands to gain something
01:05:25when the old woman does peg out.
01:05:27That's as may be.
01:05:28Stands to reason, doesn't it?
01:05:30I mean, he wouldn't be always giving up his time
01:05:31and tearing off to Westmoreland for nothing.
01:05:33And the deceased, Mr. Boyes.
01:05:35Did he know all about the old girl?
01:05:37Oh, yes.
01:05:38It's all in the family, you see.
01:05:40And no doubt Mr. Urquhart would have told him
01:05:42more than he'd say to us.
01:05:43So that's Cremorna Garden.
01:05:47Now the very ancient Mrs. Rayburn.
01:05:50Sick transit, Gloria Mundi.
01:05:53When earth did you dig it up?
01:05:55Oh, there's a small establishment
01:05:56off St. Martin's Lane, my lord.
01:05:58Dealing with ephemera and that sort of thing.
01:06:00They've got boxes and boxes of matinee idols,
01:06:03theatrical luminaries.
01:06:05Lily Langtree, the Divine Sarah,
01:06:07La Bella Tero.
01:06:09I must say I was rather fortunate
01:06:10to find Cremorna Garden.
01:06:12You really are a marvel, Bunter.
01:06:14I was curious about the lady, my lord,
01:06:16because of her connection with Mr. Urquhart
01:06:19and the deceased, Mr. Boyes.
01:06:21According to Mrs. Pettican,
01:06:23she's a very wealthy lady indeed.
01:06:25And as you've so often said, my lord,
01:06:27where there's money, there's a motive for crime.
01:06:57And as you've so often said, my lord,
01:07:27So that she has a story, my lord.
01:07:33So that she might have spent 9-0 years
01:07:38when they progress on the night.
01:07:39I joined the night.
01:07:41She wants to meet you.
01:07:46Sherry and S,
01:07:47How do I know?
01:07:49How do I know?
01:07:52How do I know?
01:07:55Who do I know?
01:07:55you obviously insinuated yourself rather well into the Erkut household.
01:08:04apparently Queen Victoria would never allow Cremorna Garden to perform before
01:08:08the royal family as she knew too much about her as mrs. Pettican phrased it
01:08:12goings-on. ah yes my lord there are families that hold their heads high that
01:08:18wouldn't have existed but for some king or rather dignitary taking his amusement
01:08:22on the wrong side of the blanket. I say Bunter are you casting doubt on my
01:08:27lineage? would I presume my lord. but all jesting apart I think your visit to mr.
01:08:35Erkut might prove profitable. I hope you're right. my dear Lord Peter I'm only too
01:08:42delighted to help you in any way I can. naturally I was rather taken aback by the
01:08:47result of the autopsy. naturally? but I must admit rather relieved to find that no
01:08:51suspicions were likely to be thrown on me. but you seem to have taken the most
01:08:55admirable precautions at the time. well you know I suppose we lawyers get into a
01:08:59habit of taking precautions. not that I had any idea of poison.
01:09:03naturally one doesn't jump to the idea that people have been murdered all the
01:09:07time. though I dare say it happens more often than we're apt to suppose. yes it
01:09:11probably does and I suppose if I ever handled criminal cases the suspicion
01:09:15might have occurred. but but my work is almost entirely conveyancing and probate
01:09:21and divorce and so forth. oh do forgive me this is a silly little weakness of mine.
01:09:26Turkish delight. would you would you care for a bit? not really a sweet tooth.
01:09:32talking of probate did Philip boys have any financial expectations? none that I know of
01:09:38and certainly not from his father who is by no means well off. I had an idea there
01:09:44was a rich aunt somewhere. oh no. oh well unless you're talking of old Cremorna
01:09:50garden. her great aunt of his on his mother's side but she hadn't had anything
01:09:54to do with him in a great many years. isn't that mrs. Rayburn of Wendland? yes.
01:09:59I was up there yesterday as a matter of fact. oh she's over 90 or so. it's quite
01:10:05amazing the amount of vitality and some of these ancient ladies. now I suppose
01:10:09you're her only living relative. yes I'm also her man of business too so it's just
01:10:13as well that I should be on the spot if anything should happen. naturally. and being
01:10:18her man of business you'll know how she's left her money. but I don't see what
01:10:22that has to do with the present problem. no well Philip boys might have got
01:10:27himself into some sort of a financial mess up and taken the easy way out. oh you're
01:10:32making out a case for suicide. but of course we could forget that idea if he'd
01:10:37had financial expectations from an elderly relative you follow. hmm indeed I
01:10:41do. no no she left nothing to Philip and as far as I know he hadn't the smallest
01:10:46reason to believe that she had. in fact he asked me if there was any possibility. he
01:10:52asked? yes indeed he did and I felt obliged to tell him. how long ago would this be?
01:10:5818 months ago. and now that Mrs. Rayburn is shall we say childish. childish certainly. he
01:11:08obviously wouldn't expect that she would ever change her will. look Lord Peter I know that this
01:11:15is unethical but as we've gone so far I think it well it would simplify things enormously if I
01:11:21were to show you the old lady's will. it was made ten years ago but I do keep a copy on file if you
01:11:27would excuse me. ah Miss Murchison would you please get me the deed of box labelled
01:11:33Rayburn. Mr. Pond will show it to you. this is most obliging. I know I'm being the most awful.
01:11:39yes but it is most irregular of course but I always feel that too much discretion can
01:11:43be as bad as too little and I would like you to see why I was forced to take up an
01:11:46uncompromising attitude towards my cousin. Miss Murchison. thank you Miss Murchison.
01:11:58oh I'm sorry no I it's in my safe at home. I took it out for reference a few weeks ago and I
01:12:09completely forgot to bring it back. no matter perhaps if I were to call it your house tomorrow I could see it then.
01:12:14well by all means in fact join me for breakfast. I would be so glad at the company.
01:12:18oh it's Lord Peter Wincy. the master said to expect him for breakfast.
01:12:25can I get you anything sir? no thanks I've had my morning nose bag. there's a copy of the will Lord Peter. do
01:12:37cast an eye over it when I finish my breakfast. very good of you. oh only too
01:12:43pleased to help you all I can in this most unpleasant business. I note that to
01:12:48you are the sole beneficiary. yes and you will see why when you read on.
01:12:55and I make this disposition of my property in token of gratitude for the
01:12:59consideration shown to me by my said great-nephew Norman Urquhart and his
01:13:04father the late Charles Urquhart throughout their lives and to ensure
01:13:08that no part of the property shall come into the hands of my great-nephew Philip
01:13:11Boyes or his descendants. that's pretty forthright. I'm afraid it is. the old lady
01:13:17just refused to listen to reason. and to this end and to mark my sense of the
01:13:22inhuman treatment meted out to me by the family of the said Philip Boyes I enjoin
01:13:25upon the said Norman Urquhart as my dying wish. that he neither gives, lends, nor
01:13:29conveys to the said Philip Boyes any part of income derived from the said
01:13:33property enjoyed by him the said Norman Urquhart during his lifetime. nor
01:13:37employs the same to assist the said Philip Boyes in any manner whatsoever.
01:13:42that's pretty clear and pretty vindictive. I can remember that she looked at it
01:13:47pretty sharply to see that I got the wording fierce enough before she put her name
01:13:50to it. must have depressed Philip Boyes no end. I understood you to say that you
01:13:55indicated the contents. no I did and he was most despondent. thank you I'm glad I've
01:14:03seen that. it makes the suicide theory more probable. but if I can assist you in
01:14:07any way further Lord Peter you only have to ask. I'm most obliged. may I? ah thank you.
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