Radio for the time now. 3:05 afternoon theater.
When my rich Aunt Katherine, someone do to see her, you had
to obey. She turn iced over her entire
family from the highest as represented by Terrence her
beloved brother to the lowest as represented by her second
husband Hannibal and myself. So when I got a telegram that
Friday morning in the summer of 1929, ordering me to set off
that very night to spend the weekend with her.
I canceled my other plans and caught the 817 from Paddington
after all having failed at almost everything.
I had attempted in my 26 years of life.
I had no wish to fail at the important, task of being the
favorite, nephew of an aren't worth.
What a conservative estimate at least, half a million as the
train got closer and closer to masonry.
I prepared myself. A long weekend of business and
pleasure. An ingredient.
I was not prepared for was murdered.
We present death of my aunt, a play for radio by Frances King.
Adapted from the novel by chb kitchen with David Griffin as
Malcolm and John shrapnel as Uncle Hannibal.
Death of my aunt. Hello, Malcolm.
Hello, Uncle Hannibal. Jolly decent of you to come at
such short notice. Oh days, it take.
Mr. Warren's bag upstairs. Will you and unpack it?
Right? Oh, we won't be meeting in the
car again. This evening.
Very good, sir. A new face, isn't it?
Who days? Hmm?
Oh, he's been with us for some months.
But of course, it's a long time since you last paid us a visit.
Yes, a new face under not particularly amiable one.
But you're on thinks the world of him.
It's all, you know, that's how she and I first met each other.
I used to drive her myself. When I hadn't a man free at the
garage. That was just after your uncle.
Morris is death. Of course.
Now sit down and let me get you a spot of whiskey before we turn
in. Thanks.
Curry's on Catherine. Oh, she's really very well.
They're not about right for you. It looks awfully strong since
you're a big boy now. Cheers, Cheers.
Yes, I'm sorry about asking you to come at such short notice,
but when you're on gets some idea into her head.
Well, I don't have to tell you. It's about her Investments.
Of course her Investments. Oh, was that it?
Well, I'm only well. I'm not a partner in The Firm.
You are from it. Boy.
She was struck by that paper, you Center.
She said it showed you, the inherited, the family Flair for
money. She doesn't think very much of
my money making abilities. I'm sure she's wrong.
Well, when something has to be done.
She likes it done and once, you know, that quite what it is, if
anything that she wants done. Now.
I just do not know. You'd be surprised how little I
know about her Affairs. Well, maybe she's going in for a
big gamble of some kind. Well, it won't matter whether
she wants me to do anything or not.
I'm very glad to be here. I'll leave it to her to start
the subject. Shall I?
Oh, as a matter of fact, Malcolm.
She thinks you're going to look at the investment book.
Straight away tonight, tonight. Well, we expected you a bit
earlier. You seen.
She got quite worked. Up.
Do you think he'll be here by dinner time?
She kept asking me so I knew the answer in the end.
I got her off to bed, but she was so sure you'd want to work
just as soon as you got here, and she asked me to hand you
this letter. Where is it?
Oh, yes, I put it in this pocket.
It's sealed. Yes.
She sealed it. She often does seal letters.
She asks me to deliver for her. I've no idea.
No idea at all. What's in it.
It feels like a key is probably the key to her Bureau.
The fact is Malcolm that I'm not exactly in that confidence.
I haven't been for a long long time.
I don't like admitting that but it's not surprising after all.
No, use blinking at matters. I am a bit of an intruder here
and your relations aren't all too eager to see me settling
down at first. I thought we'd all be good pals,
but just lately. Well, I don't know.
I'm sure you're mistaken, Uncle Hannibal.
Well, you've always treated me very well and your mother too,
but your uncle Terrance. Never took to me.
Did he? I don't blame him.
Mind you cultured man. Let's go.
Said, you could Asian boss of an importance firm of solicitors.
Ann's different. But then she only married him.
She's not one of the high and mighty Carville family by birth.
As for that. Son of this, don't you?
And Bob hit it off. He used to see the way he looks
at me as though. I were some unsavory criminal,
who's Kacey had to handle, even though he knew that he was
guilty. He's always looked like that at
me too. It's just his solicitors manner.
I suppose I'll have to go over and see them tomorrow where he
went. Find your uncle Terrence there.
He's been away fishing for the last week in Wales and aren't an
o. She's at home, poor woman, poor
woman. Ah, yes.
I suppose you haven't heard that son-in-law of hers James.
He's got himself into some kind of financial scrape again and
got a wire for more gas. Stay in Rome yesterday and
they've been to, perhaps even three telegrams before that.
She seems to want her mother to go over.
But of course, that's out of the question things being as they
are why well, firstly Terrence is against it and then Ann's
been far from. Well, you know, It's a matter of
fact, she went to town today to see some Harley Street quack.
She's always worrying about her health or aren't an, you know.
Well, I expect you want to take a deco at your aunt's letter and
I dare say that at any case, your fact after the week's work
and the journey. Do you like to go up?
Yes, I suppose it is getting late.
Damn how it's a ring. Hello.
Oh, hello. Yes, she's fine.
Thanks. Fine.
Had dinner in her boudoir. I've got Malcolm here with me,
Malcolm. Yes.
Yes, yes. I'll tell her.
Thank you and good night. Who was that?
Go that old busybody Mariah whole her.
I'll whole who she like, you know that the Vicar's wife.
You've met her. I'm sure.
What does she want bringing up with this Earth?
Well, she had tea with your aunt yesterday and she seems to have
her. Well the robots cared about her
health. Don't ask me why.
Well, there you are. The Bachelors room, not too
uncomfortable. I hope if you need anything in
the nighttime, in the end room of all and room but I thought,
oh, your arms. Turn me out of there.
Made the dressing room into her Boudoir now.
Well, that's how it goes. My first act as soon as I shut
the door behind me was to tear open my aunts letter to see what
you had to say. My dear.
Nephew Malcolm. I've decided to wait up no
longer for you. Here is the key of my Bureau in
the Boudoir, the room next to yours, so that you can look at
my investment book before you go to sleep.
You will find the book lying on top of the blotter.
Come and see me after breakfast without fail.
Your affectionate, Aunt, Katherine PS.
You will, of course, understand that I do not wish my investment
book shown to anyone or its contents discussed.
I took the key open the door between my room and the boudoirs
quickly, as I could went to the bureau and unlocked, it.
The book was lying on top of a leather blotter.
I lifted it out reverently. Shut the bureau locked.
It tiptoed, back to my room and shut the door.
I remember how I then sat on my bed with my shirt half off.
Calculating on the back of my arms letter, the rough value of
her Securities. I couldn't also help calculating
the commission, I should receive on the order that I was already
planning to recommend to her. When I finally went to bed,
perhaps, because I'd been sitting there so long in a state
of half and dress, my teeth began to chatter.
There was nothing for it. I should have to go downstairs
and fetch my coats next recover unless I can find a rug to put
on my bed. There were no drugs to be seen
in the hall. But at least my Overcoat was
thick in the hall. I noticed an ashtray and took
that to there was none in my room since Aunt, Katherine
disapproved of smoking. And I crept upstairs again.
I remember noticing that the light was on in my uncle's room
at the end of the passage. After that, I slept soundly.
You are Malcolm. I was wondering what on Earth
would happen to you. I suppose you managed to
oversleep. No.
Catherine. I've been up for hours.
In fact, Uncle Hannibal and I have just returned from a trip
to the Village. You never asked me.
If he could have the car, we didn't go in the car.
He ran me down there on his motorbike.
Noisy thing. It's undignified for a man of
his age and position. And why did you go down to the
Village? Instead of coming in to see me?
As I asked, I didn't want to disturb you until you had your
breakfast. And well, I'm besides I wanted
to by the financial times and the investors Chronicle before
we had our chat. Also, I needed a nail brush.
Dale brush. Well in the rush, I forgot to
pack mine last night. Well said that one sit down.
No not on my bed on that chair throw that book somewhere else
anywhere. It's by that man Lawrence and
lend it to me quite revolting on Tans far from.
Well, I hear. Well, you know, how she worries
about her health People always come to me with their troubles,
but I have troubles, I deal with them myself that'll times
Malcolm and I find myself longing.
Just longing to get away from here.
And from everyone who knows me, I suppose that will never be You
got my letter. Yes, I have it here.
Did you find the book? Yes, I have it here, too.
Oh, and here's your key. I'm so excited.
You know, I'm Katherine that I lay awake for hours.
I hope you haven't excited yourself for nothing.
The majority of my investments. I want to leave, just as they
are. Well, of course, aren't
Katherine. All your important holding seem.
Well, absolutely safe. There are many calls on my
income of which, you know, nothing.
Well in that case, obviously security of income must come
first. Yes.
Yes, of course. You realize, don't you Malcolm
the truncal modest left me a very rich woman.
Well, I always imagined now Malcolm.
I've taken a completely into my carpet and sever my Affairs on
no account. Do I want you blabbing about
them to anyone else? Your uncle Hannibal?
Least of all, you're such a little gossip.
I know how to behave professionally on Catherine.
You are my only relative to know what is in that investment book.
Now, now, tell me Malcolm, what would you do?
What Prospect should I have? If I decided to entrust?
Still with well say 100,000 pounds on my behalf.
Well, I do I'd like to give the matter a lot of thought.
Of course. I have some ideas already.
Good Heavens. Is it gonna love them?
I'ma send off a letter before the midday post be an angel and
give me that pad on the table over there, iPad.
I can't see any pad. Are you sure?
Quite sure at that. Girl.
She must have tied it away. Where would you put it?
God knows but there's another pattern of your do.
I expect him. I would one have a look.
Yeah, take the key. I found a pet in the bureau and
lying on top of it. There was a flat bottle of pink
glass, but unlike a large cent bottle wrapped around with a
pamphlet. Curiously, I couldn't remember
it. Having been there, when I fetch
the investment book from the same place the night before.
The wide neck born on 8 label with the words, Le Sacre du Vin
use in Gold letters. What could it be?
Rashly, I decided to ask my aunt.
What have you been doing Malcolm?
I found a pad and something else.
Look. Rippling outcome, doesn't that
expensive education for which I paid ever teach you?
That it is extremely rude to ramage among other people's
Treasures. I give me that one.
What is it? It's a tonic, very special tonic
from France, contains vitamins and all kinds of other things,
too. I meant to take a desk this
morning. Give me that glass over there.
You aren't And the job please. The thank you.
I suppose that's about a teaspoon, isn't it?
Looks like Epsom salts. You can read what it says on
that pamphlet wrapped around it while I dash of my note and not
sure they're that is really suitable for a boy of tender.
Yes. Oh, what a horrible taste.
That was the French say, you'll for sufrir preferable.
What do you think of day? Sir?
Great Improvement on that slack old fool Paige.
Davis was in the Coldstream guards.
I didn't think it was so bitter. Horrible.
Will you, please sit down? Mr. Walden?
Thank you. Inspector.
I'm sorry to have to ask you to go over certain details of your
story against her. But well, there's no harm in my
telling you. In fact, it's my duty to tell
you that tests have now confirmed that as dr.
Matthews suspected. Mrs. Cartwright met her death.
Through poison poison. Yes, poison.
Mr. Wallen suspected by the medical gentlemen, have been
oxalic acid and having been Field in a preparation known as
Le secret. Davina's.
Haha terrible. Yeah, I was afraid that the news
might come as a bit of a shock to you.
That was the one you told us before that when you mentioned
your arms and mrs. Carville, the deceased referred
to Troubles of our own. Have you any idea what they
were? None would nothing to do with
money. Oh, no.
No, my aunt Katherine was a very wealthy woman, but she said she
had many calls on it. That's right.
What did you take that to mean? Mr. Wallen?
I suppose she was alluding to her poor relatives.
Did mrs. Cartwright make you an
allowance. No, but you had presents from
her money presents. Yes, at Christmas.
And on my birthday, not at other times.
Excuse me, if I asked for what amount usually, for 100 pounds.
Suppose these troubles of which all art spoke were not money,
troubles. What could they be?
I've no idea. I want you now to tell me what
opinion, you formed of the relations between your aunt and
your uncle, your uncle Hannibal. I'm not sure that I formed any
opinion are come. Come.
Mr. Wallen. You do want to help us, don't
you? Do you think that in recent
months they were getting on, as well as before?
Hmm, perhaps not quite as well. One can't imagine that husbands
and wives live in a Perpetual state of bliss.
I see you. Take a rather cynical view of
marriage. Now, then let's go on to this
question of the bottle. Now, you say that you did not
see it last night when you open the bureau and that's right, but
that doesn't mean it wasn't there.
I may just have failed to notice it and when you saw it this
morning, was it full? Well, I can't be certain.
I didn't look that careful well-to-do took out the stopper.
No, my aunt actually, any difficulty in doing so none that
I saw. Very well, then.
Mr. Walton. I think that's all for the
present. Thank you.
Oh, by the way as a matter of form, would you oblige Me by
letting me? Take your fingerprint, sir?
After I had been interrogated, it was the turn of my uncle
Hannibal. Tell me, mr.
Cartwright was this Bureau of your wife's generally kept
locked? I think so.
Yes. How do you mean you think so?
Don't you know, well, it was my wife's private Bureau.
I never tampered with it. I see where did your wife, keep
the key to it in her bag vaps? I really don't know.
Where did she take it from? When she put it in the envelope?
Addressed your nephew. I don't know.
I wasn't there. I wasn't even sure that it was
the key of the bureau. How did you know I was a kid all
by the feel of it. Besides she told me she'd
arranged for my nephew to get at the book.
Weren't you surprised that your wife didn't give you the book
straight out and ask you to pass it on to him and not altogether.
Why not? Well, my wife was always rather
secretive I suppose I might call it about money matters.
She didn't want people to know how much she had not even her
husband. No.
When did you first see the bottle containing?
The preparation. When I went into my wife's
bedroom with the doctor, that least, that's when I might have
seen it first. Now, do you mean?
Well, I might have seen it when I rushed upstairs on first,
being told a news. I don't remember seeing it very
clearly. I was naturally very much taken
aback and well, shocked by what I found.
Can you describe the bottle? Oh, yes.
Was a pink glass with a rubber like a fancy scent bottle with a
wide neck and a label with gold writing on it.
How come you can describe it? So well, if you don't remember
seeing it very clearly. I suppose I must have taken in
the details. All my nephew may have told me
what it was like. Or yes.
Well, I did. In fact see another bottle with
the same label this morning. Oh you did well at Bales the
Chemists in this button. What were you doing at the
chemist this morning? Well, I ran my nephew into the
channel, my motorbike. He wanted to buy some papers,
the financial papers, and then he saw the chemists shop and
said that he wanted a nail brush.
He went inside. And I hung about outside.
There were two or three of those bottles in the window though.
You didn't actually go into the shop yourself know, as I told
you. So you don't actually know that
your nephew did by a nail brush. Well, he came out with a with a
white paper parcel, but couldn't this parcel of contained a
bottle of the mixture. Well, yes, I suppose it's just
possible. It.
Doesn't it seem to you rather extravagant Pine a nail brush
when you ran away for a weekend. I don't know.
Perhaps Is your love you? Well off.
It depends what you mean. Considering he lives in a smart
part of London and has some smartish friends.
Well, perhaps he isn't good. The extravagant.
I don't know. I suppose he spends pretty well.
All he has most young fellows do has he ever asked you for money?
Never, he knows I have intended this bed or your wife and I
don't think so, but you're not sure what she never told me.
He had. I shouldn't think he would, my
wife never like to lend money. She resented it of people asked
did your wife? A mrs.
Cartwright care for your nephew. Yes very much.
I should say and what he devoted to her.
Well not devoted perhaps but I never saw them getting on badly
together. Well, I think that's about
everything for the moment. As a matter of form.
Do you mind if I just take your fingerprints, sir?
After tea that same day, the inspector summoned me again to
my aunt's room. First, he made me go through
exactly the same movements that I had made when looking for the
pad. How at the bottom will be lying
in the bureau. How would I picked it up?
Next. He was making me use a bottle of
scent as a dummy. I had to re-enact hard given the
bottle to my aunt. Had she touched my hand at all.
Had she taken the bottle by its neck or lower down in which
hand, she held it. Had she difficulty and pulling
out the stopper. I couldn't understand why you
should be so eager to get all these details.
Exactly? Right.
It seemed pretty unimportant to me.
And eventually, my impatience proved too much for me, you
know, inspector. I honestly think I'd be able to
help you better. If you told me exactly what
you're getting at. All right.
Then. Mr. Wallen, I'll be quite Frank
with you. What we are puzzled about.
Is this, when you handle the bottle just now, you made finger
marks all over it except perhaps within an inch or two of the
neck now is the snag on the actual bottle on the bottle.
Containing the mixture. There's no trace of your finger
marks at all. Oh, we found mrs.
Cartwright. Prints on the stopper and the
neck and lower down, but not one, not a single one of yours.
It's a little problem that has puzzled.
Perhaps you can explain it. Well, of course, I've got it.
I never touched the bottle containing the mixture at all.
You never touched it. What do you mean?
Mr. Warren? Well, there was this paper wrap
around the bottle, covering the lower part.
I should think it went to with an inch and a half of the neck.
It was wrapped tightly around and of course it was that that I
touched good Lord. What became of this wrapper on.
My aunt took the bottle by its neck, it slipped out of the
wrapper, which remained in my hand.
Why didn't you tell us this before?
It seems A trivial detail and I suppose I was so upset that what
I forgot about it or what did you do with the rapper?
Can you remember I must have stuffed it in my pocket because
I pulled it out in the drawing room while waiting for dr.
Matthews. Yes, and I put it on the coffee
table. On the coffee table.
Yes. I'm almost sure that it.
Did. You mention the rapid to dr.
Matthews? Oh, I don't think so.
No, it didn't seem important. Did you mention it to to whom?
Well, never mind that now. So for all you know, the rapper
is still on that coffee table. Yes.
Well, let's go and find it. But when we arrived in the
drawing room, it was obvious that the rapper had gone.
The inspector nodded at me curtly, that'll do for the
moment. Thank you.
Mr. Warren through the window of the sitting room had already
glimpsed aren't am always a favorite of mine walking with
Uncle Hannibal in the garden. I hurried out to join them.
For Malcolm. This must all be dreadful for
you. Yes, I do feel rather shattered.
I've just had my third interrogation.
Did you think they want me again to the didn't say, Sir, that
conducting a kind of search party a search party?
What for a rapper that was around that bottle and has now
disappeared, a rapper. Well, perhaps I'd better go and
see them one. Never knows.
Well, goodbye, Ann and thank you for coming to cheer us up.
Goodbye Hannibal and try not to worry.
Pulpit. It's all very well to say that
to him but he's always been the worrying.
Kind under that car manner of his.
I sometimes think it would have been far better for him.
If he never met Kathryn and got mixed up with us at all.
I'm Catherine was never very nice to him.
Was she accepted the beginning? Sometimes I used to feel quite
embarrassed, just to hear her turn.
I've Telegraph deterrence. As you probably heard.
He's away fishing in Wales. You'll be glad to have somebody
who knows about the Practical side of these terrible.
As in many ways, poor Hannibal is so, utterly innocent.
Oh, I've wired to Bob to. I should think he'll catch the
train tonight. I'm lucky.
I supposed to have such an extremely efficient, husband,
and son. I can always leave them to cope
with things. I'm not a Koper at all and
neither is poor Hannibal. On time.
Hmm. Have you any idea when Catherine
could have brought that bottle of hers?
Oh yes. On Friday morning.
How can you be so certain? Well, I went to see her that
day, very early before I set off for London and she was full of
this quite mixture. Some friends of hers are told
her about it. It eliminated wrinkles and
brought color to the hair and oh did wonders for one's sex life.
She'd seen a bottle at Bales and was going into mace burrito by
it that very morning. So you knew the stuff was in the
house last night. Do you realize that you may be
the only person who knew that hardly, at least one other
person must have known it to the person who used his, or her
knowledge to do this. Ghastly thing.
I supposed a strobe anime spree that revolting creature.
Yes, I suppose he did. So he would have known.
Yes. Tell me, Malcolm honestly, how
far do you think that the police suspect poor Hannibal about as
much as they suspect me. We both had Splendid chances of
doing it and we both had motives.
Oh Malcolm long as there are two of us equally under a cloud.
I don't think we'd be in a hurry to arrest either when one is
cleared and see how either of us can be cleared until the real
murderer is caught but that's terrible.
The consciousness of innocence is a great comfort, you know.
I suppose it couldn't have been suicide.
Side, well, it's physically possible that I'm Catherine, put
the poison in the bottle itself, but everything else points the
other way, do you think I ought to go to the police and tell
them what I know sooner or later, they'll certainly asked
to see you and they be questions endless questions.
Like the ones I've had to put up with such as well.
Did you buy the medicine for on Catherine?
Did you visit the house again after your day in London?
What do you know about my relationship with Uncle?
Hannibal and Uncle Hannibal's relationship with Aunt
Katherine? Yes, it will be tedious.
I see. And what am I to say about
Hannibal and Catherine? I suppose, they imagine that all
proper husbands and wives dote on each other.
Well, I should just say that as far as, you know, Uncle Hannibal
and Aunt, Katherine always got on very well together.
I tried to give them a more truthful answer than that.
With the result of the inspector accused me of taking a cynical
view of marriage. Tell me.
Aunt, Anne. Do you think that Uncle Hannibal
suspect me? Of course not?
Do you suspect him? I can understand the police.
Suspecting him? Yes, but you will in some ways.
I don't see how I can help suspecting him unto him.
Please don't do that. Forgive me Malcolm like I don't
know why I suppose I'm more affected than I thought I was
Anton, is everything. All right with you.
All right. Well, I gather you had to see
some Holly Street man on Friday. Yes.
That's right. I get very nervous about myself
at times. You know that, but well, I was
reassured, nothing serious. I'm awfully glad to hear that.
I've also been worrying about all gusta or gustan, which is
Nadia. Has she no not him pregnant.
Well, it's nothing to get worked up about, is it what do you
dread becoming a grandmother for the first time?
No, good gracious in there. But, well, it will, this is the
worst possible moment for something like that to happen.
Why? She and James are in a bad way.
Financially. I thought he had a lot of money
and in dog, us to get that Legacy from her.
Father who they both had quite a bit once.
But he put it into some Travel Agency in Rome that promptly
went and failed. No, I'm afraid.
Terrence is right about poor James.
He has the reverse of the Midas touch.
Are they still in Italy? Yes, I'd like to go out to them.
That Terrence is against it. He thinks I'm far too,
possessive a mother and ought to leave them to get on with
things, but it's difficult when you keep getting these
anguished, please from your daughter.
Oh, I do wish Terrence like James more, but you know how
important it is to him? That people should be sound.
I don't think Uncle Terrence thinks me Orpheus.
And in many ways his view of life is often narrow, and
conventional Hannibal is different.
I suppose if you've served in the Merchant Navy, you acquire a
wider view, you know, Uncle Hannibal, never ceases to
surprise me. How do you mean when I first met
him? I I told him so ugly ordinary as
most people do but bit by bit. I've come to see that.
In fact, he has all kinds of hidden complexities and deaths
to his character. Oh, you're so right about that.
So right and as you say most people never see them and I
wonder if Aunt Katherine did, of course not she never appreciated
him Not For a Moment fancy preferring the company of that
awful. Des Des is very handsome.
Well, so is Hannibal if it comes to that Catherine would never
have married. A man who wasn't handsome.
Well, I suppose I'd better be setting off for home.
But perhaps you be a dear and tell the inspector that, if he
wants a word with me, I'll be in for the rest of the day.
I don't feel. I can face him just for a
moment. I'll tell him.
I'm good. Oh, oh, your belated birthday
present is at last almost ready. When you come over.
I'll give it to you. What is it?
Should I tell you? Or do you want it to be a
surprise? Oh, no, tell me I hate
surprises. Well, I've been binding and
rashid's novel epithet W. It's a great favorite of mine.
I thought you might like it. And I've used this really rather
beautiful pale gray Morocco. It sounds marvelous.
You are clever. Well, wait until you see it.
The next day was Sunday. I was wondering in the garden
after breakfast when I saw my cousin Bob aren't and sun coming
through the gates. I can't tell you how glad I am
to see you? I was only saying drunkle
Hannibal at breakfast that it was essential for us to have a
solicitor you and Uncle turns active for on Catherine.
Didn't you in most things? Yes, but when she wanted to keep
something secret from the family.
Well, you know how she was. Presumably you drop.
The will know that was done by a little man pulled smote the
quite nabal fellow in a way. They're hardly out of the
handkerchief draw. As a matter of fact, I've just
come on from his office after a little chat.
He told me a good deal about the will.
You mean? Yes.
What Katherine apparently made her first will or other her
first will after Hannibal came on the scene a few days before
her marriage. I gather that in it, almost all
her money was left to him, that Will was revoked some eight
months ago and Catherine then made a second will, in which she
was far, less generous to her beloved husband.
Two months ago. She made yet another will.
And what were the terms of that far more satisfactory from our
point of view you, and I are the executives and, for our trouble,
we each get a thousand. Out of this, after a host of
little legacies, you know, the kind of thing the estate is then
divided into ten Parts 3/10 to your mother three tenths to my,
father 2/10 to charity and 1/10 each to Hannibal and Augusta
1/10 to Hannibal, but that's, that's disgraceful.
I mean, when death duties in the legacies of been paying, no
idea, you were so attached to the carthaginian.
Well, after all, it's only fair that one should pay for one's
pleasures and there's no doubt that the carthaginian as you and
Uncle Terrence chose. To call him was a it was a great
pleasure to Aunt Katherine for 18 months after a marriage and
for several months before it. The days.
Get anything 400. He's The Unlucky One.
I'm Catherine. Evidently thought she was not
being generous enough to him and too generous to Hannibal and on
Friday, route to smell to ask him to prepare a new will for
her. According to that will Des was
to get that one tenth of the estate and Hannibal, nothing
whatsoever. She was going to call and sign
this new will sometime next week.
Oh look, there's Hannibal now. I don't care to speak to that
Bounder. Oh Bob.
You must? Hello Bob.
Your mother said you'd be over sometime this morning.
Undo, my professional capacity as representative of Aunt,
Katherine's solicitor. I see, I see.
I don't know if all her private papers and money are locked up.
If not, they ought to be. Well, most of her private things
were in the bureau in the Boudoir.
The police have the key of that and of the Boudoir itself, the
may also be papers in the drawers of her desk in the
sitting room locked. I can't.
Yes. Where's the key?
I think, the police must have it.
I should like to be sure that no unauthorized person can gain
access to those drawers. Why the hell are you taking?
In it on yourself to make these Arrangements.
I should have thought the job was either mine or the police is
after all I wasn't married to your aunt.
I am here as a matter of fact, as the executor of my aunts.
Will, are you the only executor? No, Malcolm's the other.
But I'm sure he'll appreciate it.
If I say that he has no professional status.
I'm not used to this kind of ill-bred.
All right, but he's a bloody runt.
Bobby you hurt my jaw feels stiff.
I hope he hasn't broken it. Where is he?
I take him to his heels. I see.
You shouldn't have baited him like that.
He's naturally very upset at the moment.
Baited him as merely attempting to carry out my legal Duty.
I really think this is a matter to report to the police.
We can't have him tampering with Justice tampering with Justice.
How's he doing that by not letting me ensure that Aunt
Katherine's effects are in safe keeping.
He's done. Nothing to prevent you.
We can go in now if you like, I think I've done all I am called
upon I do. As I passed through the hole
after saying goodbye to Bob. I met Des.
They've just said me. And again, I don't seem to
remember the questions. They've asked once already.
I'll feel like telling them that their memories were so bad.
They want to take some notes. Rum dudes Nets are what sort of
questions of they've been asking.
Well. I suppose it's all right to tell
her third party on, don't if you feel, you shouldn't this bottle
of the Mistresses. If it asked me once, they've
asked me 100 times of I'd ever seen it before or seen a buy it.
But I took it up Dale's last Friday, but I was sitting in the
car waiting for us. How was, I don't know what she
bought herself. There was this parcel.
That's all I know lumpy like and what else did they ask you?
Well, they wanted to know of the master and mistress got on
together. He asked me that too.
What did you tell them? Well, I thought it better not to
mention that they had so many Rouse.
I mean, it might have given the wrong idea.
Martin it. So I just said that I thought
they got tired of each other from time to time, like most
married couples. Well, I don't know if most
married couples go at each other hammer and tongs that I've heard
them doing and then the inspector asked me if mr.
Cartwright ever gave his wife, any cause for jealousy.
And what did you say to that? What I said?
Not that I knew of I almost said why should she be jealous seeing
as our? She seemed to have lost her
interest in him? Yes.
Well, I'd better rejoin us to cartridge, you know, so I have
the feeling they're onto something.
And ask me why but I just had that feeling.
The first time that question me and the time after that, it was
different, this time. Yes, they know something.
Something's turned up. Late that afternoon, my uncle
Terrence aren't and husband and Bob's father arrived.
I asked him if he wished me to call Uncle Hannibal, but he said
that he would like to put some questions to me first, this he
did making me feel as if the inspector were yet.
Again, interrogating me. And with his usual ponderous
man, he delivered his judgment. Those are my mind Malcolm.
The case is a simple one simple, Uncle Terrence.
Yes. Simple.
Malcolm. I'm afraid, there are many
homes. It seems superficially
harmonious and United. But if one looks deeply, all
manner of a vile complications at one strike the eye, I don't
think I follow you. Oh, come now Malcolm, but not as
naive as all that. I should hope in households
where an imprudent and foolish marriage has been made.
You know, I'm sure what I mean. One may almost always assume
that Beneath The Superficial semblance of agreement that are
bound to be murky patches. I'm sure that aren't Catherine
and Uncle Hannibal must have had their differences from time to
time. But but at the same, I like your
little to Malcolm. It's a quality.
I've always liked in you. One does not wish.
Of course one doesn't wish to say anything unfeeling about
your aunt at a moment like this. But at the same time I have no
doubt, no doubt at all that. She began to regret her
miserable marriage. I don't know what reason you
have for saying that a reason I happen to know that she was
preparing to revoke a will. She was not one to whom the
admission of error came easily. You must have noticed that
yourself but at long last should come to see that those nearest
to her. Your mother included had been.
Right all along. Mother and Hannibal, I've always
gone rather. Well, we all get on well with a
number of people whom he would hardly consider suitable
Marriage Partners for our nearest and Dearest.
Well, all we can do now is to avenge her death.
It will give me the greatest satisfaction.
I am not speaking vindictively here, when the guilty person has
been brought to Justice. I don't much care for the idea
of Vengeance, Uncle Terrence, but I agree with you completely
and hoping that everything will soon be cleared up.
If no one we know is involved so much.
The better. No one.
We know I'm afraid Malcolm. You're simply branding yourself
to the face, the facts. What are they?
That's what I'm continually asking myself, and what the
police are. No doubt.
Continually asking themselves to use the words.
Fetch rather Loosely. I concede, I was referring to a
three important things. In a crime of this nature motive
opportunity, probability by probability.
Do you mean? Well, murderous disposition.
And that is not the expression. I might myself have chosen but
by and large, yes. Now, it's quite clear to me that
no member of your family or mind would commit a murder that
wouldn't count for much in a court of law.
Would it? No, I agree with you girl.
But when we look at the case rationally, unhampered by The
Rules of Evidence, we can, I think Venture certain
conclusions and we are justified in looking for evidence to fit
those conclusions. What conclusions do you mean?
Oh come come Malcolm. If you don't know what
conclusions I mean that I'm afraid that this whole
conversation of us have been wasted.
Well, I suppose I'd better total along and have a word with the
inspector. I have one idea of, I hope to
follow up. I hope they expected to yield
any results at this late stage, but no, stone must be left
unturned. As I lay in bed that night my
mind began to weave improbable plots, improbable but not
impossible. Suppose that by some
extraordinary means, Uncle Terrence had contrived to enter
the house on Friday. Suppose that he had some
Confederate days was the most likely person.
Of course, you would have to have known that aren't Catherine
intended to buy that box at the chemist and then he would had to
have substituted a poison one for the one that she had bought.
Yes, is it was improbable? But it wasn't impossible.
Case against Hannibal, on the other hand was less far-fetched.
It was greatly to his interest that aren't Katherine should die
before she had cut him entirely out of her will.
She had told him about purchase of the tonic.
And the arrival of his nephew had provided him with the
perfect opportunity to shift the guilt under someone else.
Eventually, I could stand the uncertainty, no longer.
I threw back. The bedclothes hurried into my
dressing gown and slippers and made from my uncle's room.
Uncle Hannibal. I'm go Hannibal.
I'll go Hannibal, Iowa. Sleep.
What the devil? What's going on?
I'll put on the light.
Malcolm. What time is it?
Good God. It's 3:40.
Sorry, Uncle Hannibal, but I simply have to thrash this whole
thing out. Freshwater out this whole
business of on Katherine's murder.
You realize don't you that the police must have to Chief
suspects, myself and you ass, but who else?
It never struck me for one moment.
That anyone could possibly suppose that you might have.
Look at the facts or rather. Look at how they might appear to
one of those unsympathetic. The least.
I really think you're getting yourself needlessly.
Worked up. Just imagine how they see me.
And since living in London. I found my expenses, increase
with my opportunities for spending.
No, I'm not a present in debt. I've been eager for some time to
live on a different scale. We all know that stosh.
You're just not the kind of character.
We may know Uncle, we may know, but they don't so much for
motive now opportunity. Supposing.
I had managed to obtain some oxalic acid crystals.
There's not much difficulty in that, and when I came down this
weekend, I brought them with me just in case I had the
opportunity of using them. And then, on the evening of my
arrival, a magnificent opportunity was presented to me,
magnificent opportunity. What do you mean?
When I went to The Bureau for the investment book, there was
the bottle containing Lista creative in.
Use the bottle had already been opened.
I was easy to take out the stopper, or out a little of the
preparation into an envelope since destroyed and substitute
the poison. I had little difficulty the next
morning in persuading my on to take the dose the risk of being
discovered with slight as I could have MIT to handling the
bottle and Unlocking The Bureau. I really Malcolm now.
Let's look at the case against you.
You'll admit won't you that it was greatly to your interest
that aren't Katherine should die.
It's the last thing I wanted to die in such a horrible Vision,
hadn't died. Just then, as far as the police
are concerned. You had plenty of motive.
I don't care a damn, about your aunt's Legacy to me.
The police might not credit that you knew about Aunt Katherine's
purchase of the bottle. She told you over to self and
you knew the bottle was in the Bureau of her bedroom.
Am I right? Yes.
You counted on my leaving the bureau key on the dressing table
in my room and decided to take it from there while I was
asleep. I made this unnecessary for you
by going down into the hole to fetch my Overcoat on an ashtray.
During this period, it was easy enough for you to slip into my
bedroom and take the key. I must say you have a very
fertile imagination. And what did I do?
Next, do tell me you went into the Boudoir soon as you were
sure. I was asleep, you put the boys
in in the bottle and then left it in a conspicuous position, on
top of the blotter so that it should not be overlooked by Aunt
Katherine or by myself. And what about the key?
How did I get that back into your position, easy?
You came into my room early, the next morning.
Remember to ask me about the time of my bath, and I thought
that a bit odd. I expected days to concern
himself with something like that.
You then drop the key when I wasn't looking onto the
handkerchief or I distinctly remember, having left it the
night before. Position of the handkerchief of
goes was quite lucky for you. It means you could put down the
key without making any sound. You make me sound far, more
efficient and far cooler, a customer than I am in real life.
And then what you could drive to be away from the house on
Saturday morning. So as to avoid being at hand
during the administration of the poison, yes, I seem to have been
very clever. Not at all.
The bungler that your aunt always accused me of being very
clever except for one important thing.
One important thing. And what was that?
Your fingerprints? You managed to destroy the
wrapper of the bottle, when he saw it, lying on the coffee
table, in the drawing-room where I'd thrown it, but what you
don't know. And what you can't know, until
the police tell you, is whether you left any prints on the neck,
you make me look as guilty as hell.
The way you tell me, the facts are pretty damaging, Uncle
Hannibal. Uncle Hannibal.
Please. Please tell me the truth.
You are innocent, aren't you? It's hardly likely that I'd say
no. If I weren't.
But as a matter of fact, I am. Don't you believe me?
Yes. Yes, I do.
I do. I just can't imagine what?
You're not the kind of person you must admit a lot of the
evidence. It looks as though someone had
forged it. I mean to put the blame on you.
I see a good deals got to come out that I had preferred to have
kept secret. I suppose there's a woman in it.
Yeah. Yes.
You know, all about my marriage to Catherine.
I suppose she was well infatuated with me and I though
I was never really in love with her.
Not really. Well, I thought she was fun to
be with and I wanted to settle down after being a rolling stone
for so many years and well seen that it all might work out but
it didn't. It just didn't and them to cut a
long story short. There was this house.
Maid Jesse told her. You may remember her.
No, I can't say I do she was a rather pretty little thing
silly, but but pretty but when you're on dismissed her the
January before last there was nothing almost nothing between
US. Just well human companionship.
You know, she was lonely. I was lonely.
It's bloody embarrassing to have to tell you all this Malcolm
how? There's no need to be
embarrassed Uncle well after her dismissal.
She got a job with those business people who bought that
large house about the golf course.
One day, I saw her walking back to them from the station.
Must have been her day off. I think on an Impulse.
I I stopped and I gave her a lift in my side car.
I was sorry for the poor little thing as she talked about being
overworked and her mother being healed, and Well, the, the
upshot was that I arranged to see her again.
And again until she became your mistress.
Yes. We used to walk out on the
links, but it couldn't happen more than six or or seven times
and then suddenly she changed overnight as it were.
She refused my lift talked a lot about the danger of not keeping
to one station in life. I never saw her again.
It was four or five days later, but the first letter arrived
blackmail. Yes, from her brother name of
Alfred. He said, the Jesse was going to
have a baby and demanded 200 pounds for nursing expenses and
compensation. I could hardly believe it.
I've always been so careful. What was the address?
Oh, a little tobacconists near the golf club.
The old woman in charge of the place are the couldn't or
wouldn't tell me anything. But I learned that this brother,
this is Alfred. He'd been a caddy at the golf
club until about three months before he'd been sacked before.
Pinching something from someone's Locker.
No one knew what had become of him.
Since you didn't send him the money.
I hope? No no.
I even wondered whether to go to the police aren't Catherine,
wouldn't have like that. That's what I thought.
So. I did nothing until about 10
days later. Another letter came.
And what did that say? I had exactly one week to pay
up. Otherwise Catherine would be.
Old. It was two days after the
arrival of that letter. But both the letters vanished
vanished. Yes.
From the attache case in which I kept them locked up?
Anyone could have forced the case open with a suitable key or
with no key at all to think that aren't Catherine.
That it was unlike her to do her own dirty work.
So I decided that probably days had done it for her.
He'd suddenly become much more insulin than usual to me.
Well, I searched Catherine's bedroom.
Drawers of her desk in the drawing room with no success at
all. So, I decided that probably the
letters were in the bureau, in the Boudoir.
And that means you did take the key from my room.
Yes. You were right about that.
Absolutely, right? I heard you make your way down
stairs. And at once I nipped in and
found the key and shot at again. And did you find the letters?
Yes, they would. In one of the pigeon holes of
the desk. I remember seeing the bottle one
could hardly help seeing the bloody thing, but I never did
any more than just move. It a fraction out of my way.
When I was searching. I never opened it or tampered
with it at all. And the rapper, I never thought
about the rapper. My fingers may have touched it
or, or they may have touched the neck or they may have touched
both her. I honestly can't remember.
I put the wrap around the coffee table in the drawing room.
It's disappeared. Did you?
Well, if it was lying there, I was so days that I didn't take
it in. You didn't remove it.
And the question is who did? I don't know Malcolm.
I just don't know who had the opportunity of taking it.
Obviously, I had, but I didn't you had but unfortunately, or
maybe fortunately you didn't. Who else?
Any of the indoor staff? At first, it looks as if the
person who took the rapper must have been the murderer.
I suppose that anyone who left prints on the rapper must have
left prints on the bureau. Yes, I should think so except of
course, for the assistant of the chemist and are Catherine
herself. So if as I imagined the murderer
is somehow destroyed the wrapper and the police will have at
least three sets of prints on the bureau Yours Mine.
And those of someone still unknown, with, no rapid rule,
any of them out by negative evidence.
Well, you've accounted for your prints and probably they
believed you. Whereas I, I lied to them.
Well, you had a good reason for your lies and when they come
out, well they ought to weigh much against you Malcolm.
Do you think I should make a clean breast of the Jesse?
Right away. No better to wait until you've
seen a solicitor. My own inclination is to suspect
days of having taken the rapper just as we're also pretty
certain. He stole her letters.
But do we suspect him of having poisoned our Catherine?
I should like to so should I why should he do it?
Does he get a legacy? Yes, but I happen to know that
if Aunt Katherine had lived he would have got a far bigger one
and me much less. Yes, that looks bad.
It would be one of life's little ironies it days knew nothing
about the increased Legacy and killed on Catherine before she
had time to make it legal. But it seems more likely that he
did know about it. Why do you think that?
Well, if he stole the letters for on Catherine, they were
obviously in League together and she probably told him of her
intention to cut you out of her will and reward him handsomely.
In which case, I can't for the life of me.
See, why should murder her. But if he didn't murder her,
then why do you suspect that? He took the rapper.
Why should he want it? If he was innocent after all by
taking it. He probably put his own
fingerprints on it. And that would be awkward for
him. If the police got hold of it.
Is it possible that he'd been searching a Bureau for something
else? And so touch the bottle, I can't
imagine. What?
Oh, I don't know. I think that's as far as we can
go tonight. Perhaps you should try and get
some sleep. What did you hear something?
No outside the door. Wait here.
What Des what are you doing here?
At CERN that voices, are I wanted?
Everything was. All right.
So quite. All right.
Thank you days are. Well, in that case.
I'll go back to bed. Goodnight, mr.
Cartwright. Good night.
Uncle Hannibal. And I went to bed soon after,
but it was a long time before I slept.
How much a des heard? Had he taken the letters and he
also murdered on Catherine? If so, what was his motive?
I finally fell asleep towards Dawn and it was after 10:00,
when Des came into my room. I thought it best to let you
live as long as you wish to sir. Should I draw the curtains?
Or would you prefer? No?
No, please draw them days. Hey, good, sir.
That's fine. Unless he's had his breakfast.
What do you mean respected guy is called about half an hour
ago, and they went away together.
The inspector asked me to ask you to call at the police
station at your convenience sometime this morning.
Give me mr. Cartwright went away with the
inspector, was he? Did he take any luggage?
Yes, they went to mr. Cartwright through and came down
with a suitcase and set off in the inspectors car.
I see, right. Well, I'll have my bath now and
after that, but you bring up my breakfast for me.
And then I'd like to be driven down to the police station.
Very good, sir. Good morning.
Mr. Walton. Good morning inspector.
I hope. I haven't put you out by asking
you to come here. No, not at all.
Mr. Got light. Tell me that you've gone to bed
very late. And so I thought you'd rather
sleep on than have me disturb you.
That's very thoughtful of you is mr.
Carter. I'm afraid that mr.
Cartwright is now under arrest under arrest.
I'm afraid. So but I didn't bring you all
the way here. Just to tell you that though.
What I wanted to say is that you're now at Liberty to go
anywhere. You wish provided that you leave
a note of your whereabouts. Me and provided also that you
attend the inquest on mrs. Cartwright at 2:00 tomorrow
afternoon. Am I to take it then that you no
longer suspect me. Isn't that rather like, asking
me whether I've stopped beating my wife, sir?
Well, I was a suspect, wasn't I now?
You must remember? Mr. Wallen that the police
always examine a case of this nature from the side effects,
not persons the first facts. We stroke.
Well, yes, they did seem to involve you after all, you were
the only person present when mrs.
Cartwright. Follow that fatal dose, but now
well, I may say that now, the facts don't point to you at all.
I'm very relieved to hear that, but of course, we're always on
the lookout for new facts. We're never above owning up to a
mistake. I can't say where they may lead.
But for the present your well, outside the picture, can I see?
Mr. Cartwright? I don't see why not.
Yeah. I'll get somebody to take you
down. Hello, Malcolm.
How good of you to come? Hello Uncle.
As soon as I get out of here, I'm going to telephone to my
mother solicitors to send someone down.
I didn't really think we want. Uncle Terrence handling your
defense. Oh, God forbid.
Oh, I'm sure we'll be able to straighten things out in no time
at all. I hope you're not worrying too
much. Well, it's damn hard not to
worry. You probably like something to
read and about cigarettes have enough of those for the present
but Malcolm, I don't want to drag you or anyone else into
this mess. If you that have been Dragged
In, they haven't turned you out of the house.
Oh heavens. No, but your rooms been locked
up and I wanted to go and see if it contained all.
All that, it contained last night, but I couldn't get in.
I suppose if there was something you really needed.
They'd let me and under escort Miss.
Perhaps I'd rather you didn't shovel.
I feel I don't want to see the place again and I'm sure you
don't either, by the way. Yes.
Have you heard anything more from the Vicar's wife, Mariah
whole, why on Earth? Should I?
I've been a little puzzled by that telephone call.
When did she telephone? Don't you remember?
You can't have forgotten the night.
I arrived on Friday just as we were going up to bed.
Oh, yes. Yes, of course.
No, that was nothing important. Just to ask how your arms was
getting on. But why don't you want to know
as late as that? It's been puzzling, knives and
idea. Was there any reason for her to
suspect that aren't Catherine might not be well known.
But as I think I told you she'd been to T the day before and
where I suppose she might have. Thought your answer was not
looking entirely herself, but aren't Catherine was quite well
on the Thursday wasn't yes as far as one could judge.
But there's no accounting for the ideas that get into their
heads of these old women. Mariah has known to be a faster
and a busybody. I don't think I've met.
Well, you haven't missed anything very well officer.
Sorry, Uncle Hannibal. It seems to be that.
Anyway, it's been a comfort to have this little chat with you
try and take things calmly. Everything that we can do will
be done. Oh and we'll get you out of here
in no time at all. I hope to God you're right.
As I was a sculptured away from the cell.
I was still thinking about Mariah Hall.
Why did you telephone? And I did in fact being heard
called The Bell had rung and my uncle had spoken.
I had not been in a position to hear the voice of the other end.
When Hannibal had sworn his innocence to me, he had gotten
those why at once convinced me, but when he had said refusing to
meet my gaze that yes, of course, he remembered a call
from her. I'll haul somehow.
I knew that he was lying. I was filled with a sudden
excitement. Clearly, he had a clue in which
I did not share. Des was waiting for me by the
car. And how was mr.
Cartwright, as well as could be expected in the circumstances.
It's all very odd, isn't it? I've never thought inspected.
Just had me in there for questioning again.
When now, yes, I'll be done with you sir.
What did he want to know? What are the new really that's
going over the same old ground. What about my driving the
mistress down to the chemists on Friday?
And for that I could be absolutely 100% certain that you
came out with a parcel. You said?
Yes, yes. Are so aware the possum there.
What was in the parcel world is all wrapped up, you see?
Then the inspector asked me again, about the quarrels
between the master and mistress. Is it, is it home now, sir?
Yes. No, no, hang on a moment.
Is there a public librarian May Spring Public Library?
Well, no, sir. Well, where would be the nearest
in Rothbury sir? Well, let's go to Rothbury.
Well, it's nearly 1:00, sir. Well, I was thinking about your
luncheon sir. That'll have to wait.
Very good, sir. Even when I've been talking to
days it had suddenly come to me that Hannibal must be shielding
someone and I thought I had a pretty good idea who that
someone was. But first, I had to do a little
research in the public library of Rothbury.
I wonder if you could, would you be so good as to lower your
voice. This is a reading room.
I'm sorry. I wonder if you could show me
where the medical reference section is something.
I want to look up over there in the far left-hand Corner second
and third shelves. It's quite clearly marked.
Thank you. I found the shelves and ran my
eyes along them until I found the book.
I wanted here. We are forensic medicine.
Let's see. Hmm.
Oh Alex, oxalic acid. One of the oldest known organic
acids. Exotic acid is very poisonous.
And by reason of its great similarity in appearance to
Epsom salt. It's been very frequently
mistaken for this substance with in many cases.
Fatal results. Here we are.
It is frequently used as a photographic developer. and in
leatherwork, What I discovered there took me straight round to
aren't hands and straight into some advice from Uncle Terrence.
Frankly. Malcolm without of course
wishing in any way to criticize your motives.
I must say, I think you've taken up rather a misguided attitude
in this affair. Misguided.
How do you mean Uncle turns it was?
I have no doubt a generous motive that led you to LEAP to
Cartwright's defense visiting him this morning and getting
Malloy on so forth. But I may tell you speaking as a
lawyer myself, the case seems to me to be conclusive.
You deserve conclusive. I really can't agree with you.
I daresay you're unaware. That one little piece of
evidence. Either to wanting has now been
supplied, what piece of evidence Hannibal's, fingerprints have
been found on your ants Bureau and on the neck of the bottle
from which she drank the Fatal poison.
There's a reason for that. A reason that has nothing to do
with murder. He went to the bureau and may
have touched the bottle while he is.
For the moment. I'd rather not say anything
further without Uncle Hannibal permission.
It strikes me as rather odd Malcolm that you should prefer
to take sides with this this Intruder against your own flesh
and blood. I'm sure your mother would agree
with me. You realize don't you that when
the sentence is eventually pronounced, you'll be seen in a
very ugly Light. If you persist it, aiding
Hannibal's defense, I happen to believe that.
Uncle Hannibal is innocent a somewhat eccentric, belief.
Well, look at the facts there by just look at them.
Let me give you some idea of how Tomatoes inquest will go.
First. You will be called and fully
examined as to your story from some little hints that have been
dropped. I gather that your evidence to
the police is by no means entirely favorable to Hannibal.
Mixed. The two doctors will give their
testimony death by poisoning, oxalic acid, the family.
And perhaps this will give evidence of Catherine state of
mind. So making suicide, most
unlikely, the shop assistant will next testify to the
purchase of the bottle on Friday and the inspector and the
fingerprint men will say how they found Hannibal's prints on
the bureau inside the bureau on the blotter and on the neck of
the bottle. They may also call Smoke to
prove that he had instructions to alter her.
Will thus supplying Hannibal with his motive?
Now, what is your reply to all that?
Uncle Terrence, may. I please speak to Aunt Ann alone
as soon as possible? She's lying down.
Well then may I go up to her, won't it?
Wait. I hardly think she'd welcome an
intrusion. She has a migraine.
I'd prefer to speak to her at once, too.
To get it over. Malcolm, I heard that you were
here. I was just coming down to ask
you for news of Hannibal. I feel so desperately worried
about him. You don't think?
I think I mean it is inconceivable.
Is it? I just don't believe that
neither. Do.
I Aunt an uncle? Hannibal is shielding?
Someone, shielding someone, I'm sure of it.
Someone else's fingerprints are on the wrapper of that bottle.
Uncle Hannah boat took the rapper, probably destroyed it.
And without that wrapper. Well all the rest of the
evidence points to him. Except that.
Yes. Tell me on Jen.
Do you use much of salic acid for your book binding?
So you've guessed. Yes, I've guessed and I've
guessed right. Haven't I how did you possibly?
Well as I said, I realized that if Uncle Hannibal were innocent
as I was certain he was then obviously he was shielding
someone. And it seemed to me that the
most likely person for him to wish to shield with me.
Yes. You've been having an affair,
haven't you do? I have to answer that?
Well, it's not really necessary. I think I knew from the first
moment that I saw the two of you together on the morning of Aunt,
Katherine's death. And then after Uncle, Hannibal
had left us both together, but there was something about the
way that you spoke about. Yes, Malcolm, you're right.
We became lovers. About five months ago and you
killed on Catherine so that he could be free and have some
money of his own. Oh no.
Because of all Gaston, James, I was desperate about them.
You mean James his financial troubles.
Yes. I had to lay hands on 300,000
francs. If he wasn't to go to jail to
jail. I had no idea.
It was as bad as that. Yes.
He has committed some kind of fraud.
Oh, I'm sure it no idea what he was doing, poor boy.
You know how thickness he is. And Uncle Terrence refused to
help. I don't have to tell you how he
disapproved of the marriage and their decision to live out of
England. I'm James never made any secret
of finding poor. Oh Terrance, pompous and City.
So when I approached Terrence, well Augusta was too terrified
to do so herself. His only reaction was to tell me
to let James do in his own juice.
So you then approached on Catherine?
Yes. As, you know, I have no money of
my own but though she was full of advice, most of it highly
critical of James. She wouldn't lift a finger
either. It was good.
She said for that young man to learn a list, 300,000 francs.
Let me see it. It's about 2,500 pounds is
naked. Oh God.
How mean of her? She must have about a hundred
times. That some in the bank.
I couldn't have poor August exposed to that kind of Scandal.
Particularly at a time when she was pregnant.
James was given four weeks in which to raise the cash.
When did you decide that murder was the only way out?
On Thursday the day before it happened.
I'd been to tea with Katherine, Mariah Hall.
Was there after Mariah left eye. Again, beg for a loan, Catherine
was adamant. I'm sick and tired of beggar's.
She said. When she said that, I know I
wasted far too much money on seeing doctors about imaginary
ailments and advised me to take this, tonic this new tonic that
have been doing such wonders for her.
You mean she already had a bottle on the Thursday?
Yes. She told me to take a look at it
in the bureau and and then promised to buy me a bottle the
following day. That was the bottle.
She got from the chemists here. The other bottle had come from
London and you put the Exotic acid in the bottle on the
Friday. Yes.
I went to see Katherine again, and asked if I could have a dose
of this mixture to try, she was in bed.
I said, I put some of the crystals in an envelope and take
them home with me. She gave me the key to the
bureau and Up to that room. It was all plain sailing, you'd
brought the oxalic acid crystals with you.
That's right. I emptied out some of the
crystals in the bottle and then I replaced them with those that
I brought and yours was the telephone call That was supposed
to have come from the vicarage from Mariah Hall.
Yes, by Friday night. I expected to hear news of
Katherine's. Death when no word came II
couldn't resist bringing up the house.
Animal must have removed the other bottle.
The one on Catherine bought for you on Friday from the chemist
in the village. Yes.
And that gave me an alibi. The police assumed that bottle
the second bottle was the one in which the poison had been
placed. And of course, I'd not been near
the house since its purchase and Hannibal also destroyed the
wrapper with your prints on it. So, he knew this he knew he must
have known Master guests. And he decided to take the
blame. But I can't let him.
I can't let him it's so so brave of him.
So unselfish, but I can't I can't let him do it.
Do you want to come to the inspector with me?
I've not slept a wink since I realized that he Was now they
say they've actually arrested him and everything looks so
black. I've written out a confession.
How come? It's here in my desk.
I've written it all out. Everything.
I've told you and I've signed it.
I can't allow Hannibal to do this for my sake of it.
It's such a such a fine man. And you were clever enough to
see that. Where is Terrence and bulb
without that, silly snobbery and Prejudice?
Here, let me give it to you. It's here in the bureau.
It's just here. I'm town.
Don't do that. Don't.
At the inquest on aren't and a few days later, Uncle Terrence
had to go into the witness box and give evidence about his
son-in-law James, his business affairs.
It was all very painful. Mr. Carville was the deceased,
your wife, right in thinking that you intended to turn your
daughter, a drift. If your son-in-law fail to
extricate himself from his financial difficulties.
Oh, no, good God. No, but you had sharing yourself
unsympathetic to your daughter trouble.
I'm afraid, I must have done. I had no sympathy with my
daughter's husband. If she left him, of course, if
she'd been thrown on her own resources.
Well, then I might have stepped in but I forgive me.
At this point Uncle Terrence broke down and his pale green
eyes filled with tears like glass beads.
I must say I couldn't feel much sympathy for him in a very real
sense. He was the villain of the piece.
As for Hannibal, a touch-and-go that the police didn't charge
him with complicity, but he never admitted to them that he
had destroyed both the second bottle and the wrapper on the
first and they lack the necessary evidence.
I suppose that if they'd known that he'd been aren't hands
lover things might have gone worse for him.
As it was, he had to explain how his fingerprints are got on the
bureau and the neck of the bottle.
And so the whole story of Jesse and a blackmail attempt came
out, you know, I always had a hunch that those letters that
were supposed to come from. Jessie's brother were really
from Des, they had a double purpose.
They were intended to extract money from me and of the same
time to make trouble between me and Katherine.
I suppose you'll get a pretty stiff sentence.
So the inspector seems to think so, it's pretty Brazen to get a
go with child and then to attempt to Blackmail someone
else for having been responsible.
It's how outraged Catherine would be if she were alive and
you the truth. She could forgive in the
blackmail, I daresay but not an affair with Jesse under her nose
and all the time. She was convinced that he had
eyes for no one but her, it's rather pathetic.
When you come to think of it, Catherine was never pathetic,
never for a moment. No, she certainly was Tell me,
Uncle Hannibal. If on tanith, let you take the
blame, would you? Well, could you have seen it
through? I don't know.
I just don't know. I suppose I might have produced
the wrapper and the bottle to get myself off the hook.
I don't know, Malcolm. I love Dan very much.
I think you'd have gone through with it.
You're that kind of man. Well, at least August and James
are safe and would like to know that a Terrence has lent,
Augustus. A Until her Legacy comes through
and that's bailed James out of his present.
Miss Uncle Hannibal. Yes.
What are you going to do with your money when it gets to you?
Well, the first thing will be to get away from this place and all
the gossip. I have a pal retired from the
Navy out in Biarritz. We thought we might buy a garage
together. And what are you going to do
with your money? Well, I've got this red.
Hot tip Australian Minds. There's a packet to be made.
Why don't you come in with me? No, Malcolm know.
I'd always rather be safe than sorry.
Well, I lost Mister then investment made much success of
being my aunt's favorite, nephew and I haven't made any success
at all of my career as a broker so far.
Perhaps I ought to be a detective.
I might be rather more successful at that.
In death of my aunt by Frances King adapted from the novel by
CHP kitchen. You heard David Griffin as
Malcolm and John shrapnel as Uncle Hannibal, Aunt Katherine
was played by Betty Huntley, right?
And aren't an by Eva hadn't. This was played by Michael
MacLean, the inspector by Stephen Thorn, Bob Carville by
Jeffrey beavers, and Terrence Carville by Ralph, Lefever
production was by a plow, right?