TANNOY: 'The train now arriving on Platform 1 is the five thirty 'from Ilfracombe, Barnstaple, Exeter and Yeovil.

'The train now arriving on Platform 1 is the five thirty 'from Ilfracombe, Barnstaple, Exeter and Yeovil.'

Good evening, Countess.

It's an honour to have you with us again.

Your usual suite is ready.

- Thank you.

- Thank you, Countess.

RAIN PATTERING HASTINGS: Doesn't the town look good at this time of year, Poirot?

Yes, one can always tell when the summer, it is arrived.

- It's in the air, eh?

- No, Hastings, it is in the speed of your driving.

Come on, Poirot.

We're only pushing 30.

MOTOR VEHICLE APPROACHING TYRES SCREECH Sorry, old chap.

Red light.

CHURCH BELLS TOLLING I prefer the winter.

It is safer.

HASTINGS: Now, there's a pleasant sight for you on a summer's day.

Have you ever thought about it?

POIROT: In my experience, I have known of five cases of women murdered by their devoted husbands.

Yes?

And 22 husbands murdered by their devoted wives.

So, thank you... non.

The marriage, it is not for me.

Ah.

And now I think the light, it is green.

We can proceed... gently.

Right-o.

HASTINGS SIGHS But I'm not going to have a crash.

Anyway, we saw a bride.

That's supposed to be good luck.

MISS LEMON WHISPERS: Mr Poirot, you're back.

The Chief Inspector's waiting inside.

Chief Inspector Japp?

Here?

That must be the luck of which you speak, Hastings.

I think he's worried about something.

He hasn't said a word.

Chief Inspector.

Afternoon, Poirot.

Captain Hastings.

Chief Inspector.

Please, seat yourself.

What matter is it that brings you here today?

A matter of my job, if you want the honest truth.

They'd never dismiss you, would they, Chief Inspector?

They will if I don't get results soon, Captain Hastings.

Three robberies in as many weeks.

Jewellery each time.

The Atterton diamonds were the first to go.

Lady Atterton?

In the West Country?

Happened during dinner.

Two dukes, a duchess and some Russian countess round the table.

Not your usual run of witnesses.

- The high society?

- Can't get much higher.

That's the trouble.

The Commissioner's come down on me.

He wants action.

If not, he's gonna to have to give them a scapegoat.

A goat?

- Me.

- Ah.

When was this last robbery?

JAPP: Three days ago.

- Three days?

But it is too late.

It is better to strike while the metal is warm, yes?

So, what can we do?

We wait.

Already the thief, he is planning his next crime.

And the next crime... ..it will be his last.

WOMEN LAUGHING INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS VALET: This way, Countess.

INAUDIBLE CONVERSATION MARCUS: Lady Runcorn!

How good of you to come!

And how exquisite you look.

Your parties are always an experience, Marcus.

HE CHUCKLES And tonight is no exception.

We have Nacora, the pianist, playing for us.

And you know Katherine Bird.

The contralto!

My dear Marcus, one can't get tickets to hear her for love or money!

HE CHUCKLES No need for either.

Oh, let me introduce you to a colleague of mine from South Africa.

Martin Johnstone, Lady Runcorn.

- How do you do?

- Excuse me.

Are you also a collector, Mr Johnstone?

- What?

- Jewellery.

Mr Hardman has one of the finest collections in England.

Lady Runcorn here?

Yes, I was just talking to her.

Oh, good.

She's quite attractive, really.

I wonder if she misses the late Lord Runcorn.

For heaven's sake, do try to be discreet.

HE SCOFFS You know me, Marcus.

Yes.

Who's that?

MARCUS: Countess Vera Rossakoff.

She came over from Russia quite recently.

Yes.

I suggest you keep your hands off her, dear boy.

Why?

You're not in her league.

I wonder.

LEAVES RUSTLING.

TWIGS SNAPPING SHE SINGS OPERA IN ITALIAN DISTANT THUD DOOR SHUTS SHE CONTINUES SINGING MUSIC STOPS KATHERINE RESUMES SINGING WOMAN COUGHS KATHERINE CONTINUES SINGING SIZZLING And where have you been?

Busy.

Have you seen my gloves?

No, I haven't.

JAPP: You couldn't ask for the trail to be much fresher this time, Poirot.

I only heard myself this morning.

I've been chasing all over the country on the other three robberies.

This is the first one that's been close to London.

Tell me about this Monsieur Marcus Hardman.

He's a jewellery collector.

Something of a celebrity, in his own way.

Throws a lot of parties.

That sort of thing.

A collector, do you say?

JAPP: Yes.

Natural target, I suppose.

And yet, in other circumstances, perhaps, also the natural suspect.

JAPP: They were in the garden when it happened.

Some sort of concert.

HASTINGS: In the garden?

JAPP: There was a marquee.

- Sir.

JAPP: You were the constable on duty last night?

- Yes, sir.

- Tell us what happened, then.

I was on my beat, sir.

I walked past Mr Hardman's house about half-past ten.

And?

CONSTABLE SIGHS Well, sir, I did see something.

A vagrant.

He was going the other way.

Down there.

That vagrant could have had a £10,000 necklace in his pocket.

I wasn't to know, sir.

Indeed not.

Thank you, Officer.

You have been most assiduous in your duties.

MARCUS: It's a ghastly thing, just ghastly!

I mean, the publicity will destroy me.

When did you notice that the jewellery was absent Monsieur Hardman?

It was this morning.

I got up late after last night's concert.

We had Nacora playing, and Katherine Bird.

I came into the room... ..my beautiful emerald necklace!

But it is insured, Mr Hardman?

- Insured?

HASTINGS: Is it?

Well, of course it's insured!

That's not the point.

It's irreplaceable.

It used to belong to Catherine de' Medici, you know.

It's through here.

Monsieur Hardman... ..this window... it is kept locked, yes?

Of course.

I'll show you the safe.

What's different about this window?

Looks just like all the others.

But there is one significant difference, mon ami.

It is at this point, the climbing plant outside almost reaches the sill.

And Monsieur Hardman is, I think, a little overconfident about the latches.

JAPP: Has anything been touched?

MARCUS: No, Chief Inspector.

This is just how it was when I came in.

The safe was open and the emeralds were gone.

So, what's this, then?

Is this yours, Mr Hardman?

MARCUS: No.

What do you make of this, Poirot?

It is a glove of a man.

A man with small hands.

What have we here?

Cigarette case.

Empty.

The initials BP.

JAPP: BP.

Is that of any significance to you, Monsieur Hardman?

Well, yes.

I suppose it could belong to... Bernard... Parker.

- And who is he, sir?

- A young friend of mine.

Er... A business associate.

The glove could be his, too.

What makes you say that?

Well, he'd lost it.

He'd lost both his gloves.

At least, that's what he said.

BELL RINGING Excuse me.

So, what do you think, Poirot?

I think that it is strange.

The glove and the cigarette case... it is, as you might say, the double clue.

FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING Twice as much for us to work on.

It is too much, Hastings, too much.

To leave the glove inside the safe.

JAPP: Perhaps he was in a hurry.

Someone could have disturbed him.

- Poirot?

MARCUS: May I introduce you?

This is the Countess Vera Rossakoff.

She was here at the party last night.

Enchante, Madame.

Et moi aussi, monsieur.

Hercule Poirot... at your service, Madame.

VERA: What beautiful gardens, Monsieur Poirot.

It is so good of you to escort me.

POIROT: I wanted to bring you somewhere that was worthy of you.

You mustn't flatter me, Monsieur Poirot.

You will make me cry.

I've been so lonely since I arrived, and it's been a lovely day.

POIROT: Yes.

I also know what it is to come to a new country, and to know no-one.

Of course.

You yourself are a refugee.

Yes.

I was head of the police in Belgium.

But then came the Great War.

I was forced to leave.

I came to England, to the village of Styles St Mary.

But it was a sad and painful time for me, so far from my family and my home.

Poor Monsieur Poirot.

Oh, no.

I have had a good fortune.

My talent, it has been recognised.

It is reported that I am the most famous detective in England.

- Poirot here?

- No, I'm afraid not.

- Hastings?

- Yes.

Excuse me.

Where is he?

Are you all right, Chief Inspector?

No, I'm not all right.

And I'll be lucky to be Chief Inspector by the end of the week.

As bad as that, eh?

It's been three days, Captain Hastings.

Three days, and nothing.

Well, Poirot is on the case, you know.

Then why aren't you with him?

Well, I don't know.

I suppose he wanted to pursue his own line of enquiry.

This jewellery business is going to be the end of me.

Don't worry, old chap.

You know Poirot.

He really is getting somewhere?

Oh, yes.

I'm sure he's on the right track.

And so, you are investigating the case of the stolen jewellery?

It seems a simple matter, Madame.

To England's most famous detective, of course.

Do you suspect me?

- Ha!

Should I?

- I was there.

That is true.

HE CHUCKLES So, tell me, Madame, why did you return the following day?

I had an appointment with Mr Hardman.

I was considering selling some of my own jewellery.

I had a house like this once in Petrograd.

First the house.

Then a wing in the house.

Then a room in the wing.

And now nothing.

But that does not make you the thief, Madame.

No.

Life itself is the thief.

It has taken everything I have.

Well, I suppose it had to happen one day.

He's really quite taken, you know.

Are you sure, Captain Hastings?

You should have seen him.

Well, anyway, we haven't seen him.

Not for three days.

It's not like him.

What about poor old Japp?

Looks like he could be for the chop.

If only we could help.

- Maybe we can.

- How?

Look, according to Marcus Hardman, only four people went into the house during the concert.

That's when the jewels were taken.

Bernard Parker, Martin Johnstone, Lady Runcorn and the Countess.

Suppose it was her.

No, it can't have been her.

I mean, I hope to God it wasn't.

So, what can we do?

Well, we can talk to the other three and solve the case ourselves.

HASTINGS: I know old Japp suspects that tramp the constable spotted, but I think we should speak to them all, starting with Mr Johnstone.

JOHNSTONE: How dare you, sir!

If I want a jewel necklace, I can afford to go into a shop and BUY one!

In fact, I can afford to buy the shop.

So, why did you go back into the house, Mr Johnstone?

A call of nature, if you must know.

Were there any witnesses?

So, Lady Runcorn, you don't deny that you went back into the house?

But I just told you that, Captain Hastings.

Hmm.

Did you see anyone else inside?

Yes.

There was someone coming out of the downstairs bathroom.

But I didn't see who it was.

Why were you in the house, Lady Runcorn?

I went to fetch my handbag.

I'd left it inside.

POIROT: Eh bien, Countess.

Tomorrow I will take you to the Tate Gallery, to see their collection of the Turners.

VERA: But I find these expressionist painters so exciting.

Don't you, Hercule?

In part, yes.

Do you know, I do not believe that there is anyone of my acquaintance who calls me by that name.

Oh, I'm so sorry.

Excuse me.

Madame.

Now, this I find most pleasing.

Marc Chagall.

Another Russian.

An exile.

He lives in Paris, I believe.

A constructivist, they call him.

But one only has to look at his work to see... Yes?

..he's still in Russia.

He never left.

Like you, Countess?

Oh, no.

It's another world now.

Stalin, Hitler.

Everywhere you look, it's all changing.

SHE SIGHS Goodbye, Lady Runcorn.

Goodbye, Captain Hastings.

Captain Hastings, look.

BP.

Bernard Parker!

Yes, I do some work for Marcus, Mr Hardman.

I arrange his more... insalubrious deals.

What do you mean by that?

When the client doesn't want his or her name dragged through the mud, I act as a sort of go-between.

I don't, er... In high society, Captain, nobody is ever hard up.

At least, they don't admit to it.

So, when they are hard up, they come to me, and I go to Marcus.

Have you lost a glove, Mr Parker?

Oh, the glove!

That simply loathsome Inspector Snap has already been onto me about the glove.

Pfft.

You know, he wanted to arrest me!

- Was it yours?

- Yes.

But I told him, I had both my gloves when the concert began, and that was the last time I saw them.

And as for the cigarette case, I've never seen it before in my life.

- It had your initials.

- Oh, my dear!

I'm sure you'll find plenty of people in London with the initials BP.

By the way, have you ever done any embroidery?

Embroidery?

You know, needlework.

That sort of thing.

Well, no.

HE LAUGHS No!

And what of the perfect crime?

It is an illusion, Countess.

Maybe.

But let me tell you something I heard.

It was a robbery, like the one at Mr Hardman's.

But this time it was diamonds.

Please go on.

Twelve people sat down to dinner.

The safe was in the next room.

The hostess herself checked the diamonds were in place before the meal had begun.

And after?

The safe was open, and empty.

- And there were no clues?

- No.

It is strange that you should choose to relate this to me, Countess.

I also have read of it.

- Yes?

Oh, yes, the Atterton diamonds.

And it is true that the police were confounded, but that is because they look with the eyes that are too, er... English.

I don't understand.

They see the dukes and duchesses, the lords and the ladies, but they fail to ask themselves the one simple question.

Which is?

What person was at that dinner, who was also at the soiree of Monsieur Hardman's, and on two other occasions when some jewels were stolen?

So, you're saying the police cannot solve it because they are too English?

Or because the culprit, he is not English enough.

Thank you for a really lovely day.

Countess.

Will I see you tomorrow?

Pour le dejeuner?

Oui.

The Carlton Hotel.

Bernard Parker must have been in love with Lady Runcorn.

He gave her the embroidery, but lied about it to us.

I think Johnstone was lying as well.

I'm sure it was him.

POIROT: Veh, ye, yo... Ah, buh, vuh... I say, Poirot!

Learning Russian?

I wonder why!

It has been an invaluable aid, mon ami.

Yes.

I couldn't get past the alphabet, myself.

No, it is indeed complicated.

- Yes, like this case.

- The stolen jewels?

We've been investigating, Mr Poirot.

You're not the only private detective in London, you know.

This is true, mon ami.

Eh bien, tell me all that you have discovered.

So, we think Bernard Parker is blackmailing Lady Runcorn.

MISS LEMON: We've discovered she has huge debts, and she's sent four paintings to auction.

She must have sold them to pay him off.

So, you say Lady Runcorn requires money?

Yes.

So, is it not more likely that Lady Runcorn would meet with Monsieur Bernard Parker to discuss the selling of her jewels?

That is his occupation, is it not?

But what about the embroidery?

He signed it BP.

But then... I wonder what Lady Runcorn was called before she became Lady Runcorn.

- Oh... - Oh, I hadn't thought of that.

If you are to be Hercule Poirot, you must think of everything.

"Lady Runcorn, born Beatrice Palmeston."

BP.

He's right.

So, all right, then, Poirot.

What do you think?

I think, Hastings, you must ask yourself one question.

HASTINGS: Yes?

- The tramp.

What was he doing there?

And the answer... ..you will find only by returning to the home of Monsieur Marcus Hardman.

I suggest that you go tomorrow.

What about you?

This case does not interest Poirot.

I have no enthusiasm for it.

And it is as you yourself say, Hastings, there are other private detectives.

Oh, yes, I'm sure.

What about poor old Japp?

Mm.

JAPP: No, sir, nothing as yet, sir.

But I am following up a few leads.

Er... well, no, sir.

They haven't actually led anywhere yet.

But if you could just give me a little bit more time... Forty-eight hours?

Well, I was hoping for a little bit more time than that, sir.

I can assure you, sir, your wife is perfectly safe.

Well, if you'd like to put her on, I can assure her myself, sir.

No, sir, I didn't mean that, sir.

Right, sir.

Yes, sir.

I am working on it, sir.

I'll do that, sir.

Thank you.

Good evening.

DOOR SHUTS Er, please, allow me to introduce myself.

Poirot?

Not the Hercule Poirot?

The very same.

- Please, sit down, sir.

- No, thank you.

What can we do for you?

I have a friend who requires my immediate help, but I cannot help, and so I turn to you.

You mean you want us to sort of deputise for you?

Oui, c'est ca.

You must act on my behalf.

It must be something important for you to ask for our help, Monsieur Poirot.

It is a matter of the utmost importance, Monsieur.

There is a reputation... No, there is a life that is at stake.

But Hercule Poirot is not involved.

HASTINGS: The tramp.

What was the tramp doing here?

I can't see how wandering around the grounds is gonna give us the answer.

MISS LEMON: Let's be methodical, Captain Hastings.

Mr Poirot must have a reason for sending us here.

Four people went into that house.

You'd have thought one of them must have done it.

How about Lady Runcorn?

If her name was Beatrice Palmeston once, the cigarette case could have belonged to her.

BP.

Maybe she was working with Bernard Parker.

They were in the house at the same time.

What about that wretched tramp?

I just don't see where he fits in.

LEAVES RUSTLING Miss Lemon!

Look.

Over there.

MISS LEMON: It's him.

Wait here.

Hey, you!

Stop!

Captain Hastings, he's got a gun!

MISS LEMON GRUNTS Are you all right?

I think so.

CAR ENGINE TURNS OVER Listen.

Well, that's the first tramp I've seen behind the wheel of an MG.

HASTINGS: Ow!

It's iodine, Captain Hastings.

I said it'd sting.

It is me who suffers, my friend.

To think that I sent you!

Oh, it's not your fault, Poirot.

But yes, Hastings.

It was me who sent you to the house, and but for your speed and agility... He fired FOUR times, Mr Poirot!

I know, Miss Lemon.

Did you know the tramp would come back?

No.

But I am an imbecile.

I see only half of the picture.

I don't even see that.

Miss Lemon, would you be so good as to telephone Chief Inspector Japp?

Ask him to meet us at the home of Marcus Hardman.

What about your lunch with the Countess?

Ah... Er... We will meet after lunch, at three o'clock.

Where are you taking her?

It is the Countess who takes me.

You astonish me, Madame.

I am lost in admiration.

It's just a picnic.

SHE SIGHS Ah, we used to have such picnics!

Suppose he, er... Poirot and the Countess... He wouldn't.

Would he?

I don't know.

I've never seen him like this before.

And now, a toast.

I shall propose one, if I may.

To crime.

That is a strange toast, coming from a detective.

And yet it is my raison d'etre.

My life is ruled by it.

And it is crime that has brought us together.

Then... to crime.

MISS LEMON: 'He couldn't.

He just couldn't.'

You'd be out of a situation.

MISS LEMON: And what about you?

Oh, I could travel.

I've always had a dream about South America, you know.

Farming.

You'd miss him, though, wouldn't you?

Of course I would.

What about you?

I don't want to talk about it.

And now, I think... Yes.

I have an investigation, with a Chief Inspector Japp.

And it must be resolved.

Is there anything I can do?

This time I feel the culprit may escape, or this time... ..the culprit may never be named.

That depends entirely upon you.

- Me?

- I think so.

VERA: Could this help?

Only four people came into the house during the concert.

The Countess, Monsieur Johnstone, Lady Runcorn and Monsieur Bernard Parker.

The thorough investigation of my colleagues eliminated Monsieur Johnstone and Lady Runcorn.

Monsieur Johnstone, because he's a wealthy man... JAPP: And Lady Runcorn?

- Lady Runcorn because... ..she came to the house in order to meet with Monsieur Bernard Parker.

Is that not so, Monsieur Hardman?

Yes.

But no-one must know.

My whole business... ..it thrives on nobody knowing.

POIROT: D'accord.

And finally, there is the Countess, who entered the house in order to get her coat.

Her coat?

I thought it was a warm evening.

Yes, it was, Chief Inspector.

But I had been outside for more than an hour.

- Well, yes, but... - Forgive me, but if that Japanese contralto had sung one more high note, my head would have shattered!

And while you were inside, Countess, you caught sight of a figure, no?

And you disturbed him, n'est-ce pas?

Yes, but I only glimpsed him.

- Going where?

- From this room to the window.

Ah, yes.

The window with a climbing plant.

That brings us to the tramp, and one very important question.

Why did he come back?

Yes, and how could he afford an MG, for that matter?

The tramp who was no tramp used the climbing plant in order to enter the house.

Now, for him, the window was no obstacle.

The safe, also, he opened with ease.

JAPP: So, what about the clues?

The glove belonged to Monsieur Bernard Parker.

It was put there to incriminate him.

The case belonged to Lady Runcorn, or Beatrice Palmeston, as once she was called.

But always, I think, she will deny it.

- Why?

- Because she brought it here in order to sell it.

She'll never admit that.

She's too proud.

That is quite true, Miss Lemon.

So, the tramp took the jewels.

What did he do then?

He returned to the window, where he was disturbed by the Countess.

He slipped and he fell.

And the necklace?

The necklace, he dropped.

Which is why he had to come back.

Wait a minute.

I've got it!

- Voila.

- Green against green.

My necklace!

MARCUS SIGHS JAPP: What about the tramp?

I'd still like to collar him, you know, Poirot.

Oh, oui, d'accord, but... I fear it is too late.

What's the matter?

Just... something she said.

- Who?

- The Countess.

She said the singer was Japanese.

It was the pianist, who was Japanese.

What of it?

Well, if she really had been in the garden for an hour, surely she would have known.

Good night.

Miss Lemon, I thought you had already gone.

No.

I had some letters to finish.

You're working late, Mr Poirot?

Yes, I have from the Chief Inspector Japp, the reports of the jewellery thefts.

This work, Miss Lemon, sometimes it is not so straightforward.

You do work so hard, Mr Poirot.

Sometimes I think really you ought... Yes, Miss Lemon?

Nothing, Mr Poirot.

- Good night, Miss Lemon.

- Good night.

DOOR CLOSES POIROT: Ten minutes until your train.

VERA: Yes.

And then your ship to America.

Yes.

Thank you.

Madame... You are the most remarkable, the most unique woman that I have ever met.

- But also... - Opposites.

C'est ca.

You must continue your work, and I must continue mine.

But not in the same country.

TRAIN WHISTLES Countess, please allow me to introduce two colleagues of mine.

Messieurs Redfern and Blake.

Good evening, ma'am.

They are, like myself, private detectives.

Do you really think I need an escort?

No, no, no.

They are for your protection.

During your short visit in England, there have been four very clever robberies.

I would not wish you to be involved in a fifth.

Of course.

TRAIN WHISTLES Are they armed?

I believe that Monsieur Redfern does carry a gun.

Yes.

Loaded with blanks, of course.

Ah, yes.

Monsieur Redfern played the tramp more convincingly than I had expected.

That pauvre Hastings.

I'm afraid that it was necessary to lead him off the scent.

GUARD BLOWS WHISTLE But I forget.

I have something for you.

A parting present?

A souvenir.

The cigarette case?

The double clue.

It's of no use to me.

It's inscribed BP.

Yes.

And yet, in the Russian alphabet... ..a B is a V, and a P is an R, is it not... Vera Rossakoff?

You've been studying.

Oui.

You will keep it, I hope?

Something to remember me by?

Oh... I won't forget you... ..Hercule.

Nor I you... ..Countess.

GUARD BLOWS WHISTLE Au revoir.

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