Agatha Christie's Poirot (1989–2013): Season 3, Episode 1 - The Mysterious Affair at Styles - full transcript

[ Man shouting commands ]

[ Man coughing ]

You go straight up to the ward.
They'll see you there.

The idea.

I'd like to see
Lieutenant Hastings, please.

- Hastings.
- When's the next ambulance --

Just a moment, nurse.
I'll be with you in a moment.

Royal Fusiliers.
The new film has arrived.

You'll probably find him
upstairs, watching.

Thank you.

Excuse me, Lieutenant Hastings.
There's a gentleman to see you.



- Right. Thank you.
- [ Man coughs ]

Don't you recognize
your old friends?

- Good Lord! John Cavendish!
- [ Laughs ]

How wonderful to see you.

[ Indistinct talking ]

I tried to join up,
but they said I was too ancient.

[ Laughs ]

What about
your brother Lawrence?

- Is he practicing medicine yet?
- Well, he wasn't until the war.

I don't know why
he bothered to qualify.

Then they made him go to work
at the local hospital.

He's still writing, though.

Anything published?

Stories, poems.
Bits and pieces in magazines.



I suppose you heard
Mother married again.

Good heavens!
No, I didn't know that.

Some fellow turned up
on the pretext

of being Evie's second cousin
or something.

You remember Evie.

- Evie?
- Evie Howard.

She's Mother's factotum,
companion, jack-of-all-trades.

Great sport, old Evie.

Must have been after my time.

Well, anyway, this fellow
lnglethorp turned up,

and about a month later
the mater suddenly announced

that she and Alfred
were engaged.

I mean, he must be
20 years younger than she is.

Good Lord.

Difficult situation
for all of you.

Difficult?

It's damnable.

[ Telephone rings ]

Can you get away
from this place?

Well, I'm not a prisoner here,
you know.

But you're up to traveling,
aren't you?

I mean, I was going to suggest
you come down for a few days.

I'd love to.

I could do with a break
from the army.

I could come down on Saturday
if that's all right.

JOHN:
That's marvelous.

[ Train whistle blows ]

MAN: Styles St. Mary!
Styles St. Mary!

- Hastings.
- John. Good of you to meet me.

Come on.

[ Train whistle blows ]

Still got a drop or two
of petrol, you see.

Thanks to
the Minister of Agriculture.

Do you have to do
a lot of driving?

Quite a bit.

I have to visit every farm

within a 20-mile radius
once a month.

I wonder if we've got time
to pick up Cynthia and Lawrence.

No, they'll have started
from the hospital by now.

Is Cynthia your wife?

No, no. Cynthia's a protégée
of my mother's.

Daughter of an old schoolfellow.

She was left penniless, and my
mother came to the rescue.

She works at the same hospital
as Lawrence in Malmesbury.

Come on.

I'm afraid you'll find it
very quiet down here.

My dear fellow,
after the joys of France,

that's just what I want.

- Is that one of your neighbors?
- Hmm?

Girl on the horse.
Beautiful girl.

Yes, I suppose she is.

No, that's Mrs. Raikes, widow of
one of the farmers hereabouts.

Hello, Evie.

Here's our wounded hero.

Lieutenant Hastings,
Miss Howard.

How do you do?

Better be careful,
Lieutenant Hastings,

or I'll recruit you
for the weeding.

Oh, only too delighted.

Don't be polite.
You'll regret it later.

[ Chuckles ]

In case of refusal,

Lady Tadminster might open
the fete on the first day

and Mrs. Crosbie on the second.

But what about the duchess?

Lieutenant Hastings has arrived,
Mother.

Why, Mr. Hastings!

After all these years.

Are you quite recovered
from your wound?

Oh, yes, pretty well, you know,
Mrs. lnglethorp.

Just a scratch.

Alfred, darling,
this is Mr. Hastings.

Mr. Hastings, my husband.

I'm delighted to meet you,
Lieutenant Hastings.

How do you do?

[ Birds chirping ]

Mary.
Lieutenant Hastings.

Lieutenant Hastings,
I've heard so much about you.

And I you, Mrs. Cavendish.
John's a lucky man.

Ahh. Seedcake.

[ Chuckles ]

- WOMAN: Bye, Cynthia.
- Bye.

Bye, Lawrence. Bye!

We're late.

Your mother hates us
being late for tea.

She just likes to get us
all on parade.

Emily.

Oh, well.
One keeps busy, you know.

Comforts for the troops.
Armament drives.

How many events
have we got arranged

over the next three months,
Alfred?

Three bazaars and two fetes.

Yes, and of course
the sale of work.

You know, my dear,
I'm sure that cushion is damp.

- Oh.
- Allow me.

[ Chuckles ]

There.

That's better, dearest.

Can't have you sitting
on damp cushions, can't we?

You're so thoughtful, Alfred.

- Dashed good seedcake.
- Thank you, Dorcas.

JOHN:
Ah. Here's Cynthia.

You're very late today, Cynthia.

Oh, I know. I'm sorry.
The bus was late.

This is Mr. Hastings.
Miss Murdoch.

How do you do?

- JOHN: Where's Lawrence?
- Oh, he's just gone upstairs.

He'll be down in a minute.

JOHN: He'd better hurry up.
There won't be any cake left.

I've got a cousin who's nursing.

She seems to spend most of
her time placating the sister.

Oh, they're terrifying.
You've no idea.

But I'm not a nurse,
thank heaven.

I work in the dispensary.

Oh. How many people
have you poisoned?

Oh, hundreds.

[ Both laugh ]

Don't talk such nonsense,
Cynthia, please.

What will you do after the war,
Lieutenant Hastings?

Well, you may laugh at me,

but I've always had a secret
hankering to be a detective.

I was in Belgium before the war,

and I ran across
a very famous detective there.

What were you doing in Belgium?

Duck shooting, actually.

This detective
was down from Brussels,

investigating a murder
in the village.

I think I was a suspect
for a time

because the victim was shot with
the same sort of gun as I had.

How frightful.

Oh, no.
Not really.

My system's based on his.

Though, of course,
I've progressed rather further.

He was a funny little man.

A great dandy
but wonderfully clever.

I love a good detective story.

Dr. Wilkins was saying yesterday

that owing to the ignorance
of the more uncommon poisons

among the medical profession,

there are probably
countless cases of murder

that went quite unsuspected.

Can we talk about
something else?

My brother's a bit sensitive
about this,

being a medical man himself.

[ Laughter ]

[ Birds chirping ]

- [ Men shouting ]
- [ Gunfire ]

MAN:
Hold your fire!

Another example
of the English bucolic beliefs.

Anagallis arvensis.

In English,
the scarlet pimpernel.

It is believed that when
this flower is open,

it is a sign of a prolonged
spell of the fine weather.

It is seldom seen open
in this country.

[ Speaking French ]

Something the matter,
M. van der Stadt?

He wants to know why we have to
speak English all the time.

He finds it tiring.

Hmm.

Because, M. van der Stadt, in
this country, we are the guests.

If we are to gain the confidence
of the natives,

we must learn their ways.

You men -- Where are
the rest of your platoon?

They're -- They're dead, sir.

Least, they said they wasn't,

but the umpire said
they had to be.

OFFICER: Well, get rid
of these civilians anyway.

Styles Court really is
a glorious old place.

Yes.
Yes, it is.

It will be mine someday.

And our house in London, too.

I managed to persuade Mother

that lnglethorp's
got no right to them.

No moral right, anyway.

As it stands at the moment,
I get the houses,

but Inglethorp
gets all the money.

Can't your brother help out?

Lawrence? No.

We're an impecunious lot.

My mother's always been awfully
good to us, I must say.

That is, up to now.

Since her marriage, of course.

Come on.
Let's go back to the house.

POIROT:
Do you remember the song

that the British soldiers
taught us?

Why don't we try
and sing it together?

♪ It's a long way to Tipperary ♪

♪ It's a long way to go ♪

♪ It's a long way to Tipperary ♪

Keep in tune!

♪ To the sweetest girl I know ♪

♪ Goodbye, Piccadilly ♪

Ohh!

- Good afternoon, M. Poirot.
- Good afternoon, Dr. Wilkins.

Good afternoon, messieurs.

I see you have
joined the cavalry, eh?

Yes. I'm on my way home.

It's the second time
I've been killed in a month.

Ah.

I say, do you fancy a pint
of beer, if there's any left?

Non, merci.

I cannot yet bring myself to
enjoy the English public house.

All those bottles
of the different size,

all in the wrong order.

Eh!

Doesn't seem to bother
your compatriots.

Oh, what is the use?

I try to instill in them
a sense of order, method, but...

always they disappear
into the public house.

Jolly good horse.

I thought they'd
commandeered anything decent

for military service.

Agricultural use is one of
the exemptions, fortunately.

I hack 'round the estate
nearly every day.

There's really so little to do
'round here.

You work on the land, though,
don't you?

Yes. Though it's frightfully
early in the morning.

I'm usually finished at the farm
by midday.

HASTINGS: I wouldn't have
thought it was woman's work.

MARY: There's a war on.
We've all got to do what we can.

Well, the uniform
looks jolly nice anyway.

That cream-colored overall.

There. Good boy.

Thank you.

Lieutenant Hastings, your leg.

I didn't think.
Are you all right?

No, no, no.
It's fine now, really.

I don't think
I need this anymore.

Here you are.
Compliments of the British Army.

I've never known it so hot
in June before.

What we need
is a cool glass of lemonade.

Lemonade?

I haven't seen a lemon
since 1914.

- Game of tennis later?
- Love to.

Mary, Hastings, come into my
study for a moment, will you?

What's the matter?

There's a deuce of a mess.

Evie's had a row
with Inglethorp, and she's off.

- Off?
- She's leaving.

Given in her notice.

You see, she went to see
the mater, and they had --

Well, I've spoken my mind,
anyway.

- Evie, this can't be true.
- True enough.

I'm afraid
I said some things to Emily

she won't forget or forgive
in a hurry.

Oh, Evie.

"You're an old woman, Emily,"
I said.

"And there's no fool
like an old fool.

The man's 20 years younger
than you."

Oh, no.

Well, I'm sorry.
I had to do it.

I had to tell her.

I said,
"I'm going to warn you, Emily,

whether you like it
or whether you don't.

That man would as soon as murder
you in your bed as look at you.

He's a bad lot."

Good God.
What did she say?

Oh, "Wicked calumnies.

Wicked lies. Wicked woman.

Darling Alfred."

Et cetera, et cetera.

Ended up by saying the sooner
I left her house, the better.

So I'm off.

Mr. Hastings, you're honest.
I can trust you.

Well, I, uh...

Look after her, Mr. Hastings.
My poor Emily.

They're a lot of sharks.
All of them.

Of course I'll do everything
I can, Miss Howard.

I only ask you
to keep your eyes open.

Above all, Mr. Hastings,
watch that devil.

It's almost too hot, isn't it?

Too hot?

I shouldn't be surprised
if we had a thunderstorm.

That'll be 2 and threepence,
please, sir.

And don't you go telling anyone
about that, sir.

There's them 'round here
who'd do more than murder

for that much cocoa in one week.

I am very grateful to you,
Mme. Dainty.

And I give you my word

that I will be
the soul of discretion.

- Thank you, sir.
- Thank you.

Mme. Dainty, has it
ever occurred to you

to organize the goods
by the country of origin?

Well, no, I-I can't say it has.

Ah, you would be amazed, madame.

Now, let me see.

North, south, east, west.

Yes.

The spices which come
from the Orient

we could place over there
by the door,

which represents the East, eh?

Voilà.

All you would need to remember
is from where came each article

to lay your hand on it
quickly and with efficiency.

I can do that already, sir.

And, anyway,
as far as I'm concerned,

everything comes
from the wholesaler.

In Malmesbury.

Ah, yes, Mme. Dainty, but --

- Half a dozen stamps, please.
- Very good, sir.

Hastings?

Good Lord!
M. Poirot!

It is indeed mon ami Hastings!

[ Both laugh ]

I was talking about you
only the other day.

Oh, mon ami, mon ami!

[ Laughs ]

This is my old friend M. Poirot.
We haven't met for --

We know M. Poirot.

I didn't know
he was a friend of yours.

Oh, well, it is only by
the charity of Mme. Inglethorp,

the mother to M. Lawrence,
that I am here.

She has kindly extended
her hospitality to, what,

seven of my countrypeople

who are refugees
from our native land.

En effet, she has provided us

with a delightful house
over there.

You must come to the house.
Oh, no, no, no, no. Pardon.

You must come to tea.

Now, that is the proper
English expression, no?

[ Laughs ]
Yes, very proper.

[ Laughs ] Bon.
I improve, eh?

Excuse me.

- Oh, M. Poirot.
- Oh!

Mme. Raikes.

EMILY:
I told you before!

MAN:
None of your own business.

EMILY:
It is my business!

Not content with carrying on
a sordid affair with this woman,

I now find you are squandering
large sums of money on her!

MAN:
It's not a large sum of money.

And it was a loan, anyway!

EMILY: No, no!
My mind is made up!

And you need not think
that any fear of scandal

between husband and wife
will deter me!

I have fed you and clothed you.

I've given you a roof
over your head,

and this is the way
you repay me!

He's such a dear little man.

You've been entertaining
a celebrity unawares.

Oh, it's you.

Is there anything the matter,
Aunt Emily?

Of course not!

Oh, uh, Dorcas,
bring me some stamps, will you?

Yes'm. You're looking
awfully tired, ma'am.

Didn't you ought to be resting?

Yes. No! Not now!

I've some letters I must finish
before post time.

Have you lighted the fire
in my bedroom?

Yes'm.

I'll go to bed
directly after supper.

MARY:
Then you won't show it to me?

EMILY: My dear Mary, this has
nothing to do with the matter.

MARY:
Show it to me, then!

EMILY: I tell you,
it is not what you imagine!

It does not concern you
in the least.

I say, there's been
a most frightful row.

I got it all out of Dorcas.

Yes, I know. I just overheard
Mary and Mrs. Inglethorp.

No!
Between Aunt Emily and him.

Oh, I do hope
she's found him out at last.

I'm sure he's a fortune-hunter.

Well, Dorcas happened to be
near the door.

Apparently, it was
a real old bust-up.

Oh, I wish I knew
what it was all about.

- Where are you going?
- Just down to the village.

You're going to see

your precious Mrs. Raikes,
aren't you?

For God's sake, Mary!

I warn you, John --

I'm not gonna stand for this
much longer.

[ Clock ticking ]

I'll have my coffee in my room.

I still have some papers
to see to.

I read in the newspaper

the first American divisions
are due in France next week.

Will you take Mrs. Inglethorp
her coffee, Cynthia?

Shall we have our coffee
in the drawing room?

[ Knock on door ]

Come in.

Put it by the bed, dear.

I'm turning in soon, too.
I'm exhausted.

I'll take some sleeping powders,
I think.

Just light the lamp
before you go.

Yes.

It will be dark soon.

Oh, no.

Oh.

Thank you, Dorcas.

I have to go down
to the village.

To see our agent
about those estate accounts.

And no one need sit up for me.

I'll take the latchkey.

Dashed funny time of night
to go and see Denby.

[ Bird squawks ]

MARY: Mother!

Mother!

JOHN: Mother!

- Mother!
- [ Knocking on door ]

- Mother!
- [ Knocking continues ]

Open the door!

- EMILY: [ Crying ]
- Mother!

Mother!

Open the door!

- What are we gonna do?
- What's the matter?

Mother seems to be having
some kind of fit.

She's locked herself in, though.

Try going through
Mr. Inglethorp's room, sir.

EMILY:
Oh, Alfred.

Alfred.

Alfred!

Locked.

DORCAS:
Oh, the poor mistress.

JOHN: Let's try
and break the door down.

Beth, go and get Dr. Wilkins
at once.

There's a door on the other side
from Cynthia's room.

DORCAS:
But it'll be bolted, sir.

HASTINGS:
Worth a try.

- Mary!
- Have you got the door open yet?

No.

That one's locked, too.

- Damn!
- I can't wake Cynthia.

She must have taken
a sleeping powder.

Cynthia!

- EMILY: [ Screaming ]
- Try again. 1, 2, 3.

- Once more. 1, 2, 3.
- Help me!

[ Panting ]

Annie, get some brandy
from the dining room.

MARY: Let us in.
I've managed to wake Cynthia.

- Are you all right?
- I took a sleeping powder.

- What's the matter?
- [ Whimpers ]

Oh, better now.

Very sudden.

Stupid of me.

Stupid of me to lock myself in.

JOHN:
It's all right.

It's all right.

Feeling a little better now.

[ Moaning ]

[ Breathing heavily ]

[ Footsteps ]

Out of my way.
Out of my way.

Alfred.

[ Breathing heavily ]

[ Exhales slowly ]

DR. WILKINS: No.

Is she dead?

Oh, God.

Where is Mr. Inglethorp?

He's not in the house.

Where is he?

Mr. Cavendish, I would like your
consent to a postmortem, then.

But that's not necessary.
Surely it was a heart attack.

Oh, no.
I'm sorry.

Mrs. lnglethorp
showed classic symptoms

of strychnine poisoning.

That can't be.

Do whatever you think necessary,
Dr. Wilkins.

These are your mother's keys.

I've locked both the rooms.

I suggest they remain locked
for the time being.

You remember my speaking
of my friend Poirot --

the Belgian in the village?

Oh, the one
who used to be a detective?

Yes.

I want you to let me call him in
to investigate this business.

This is all rubbish, you know.

Wilkins has got a bee
in his bonnet about poisons.

Poisons are his hobby, so of
course he sees them everywhere.

I'm inclined to give Hastings
a free hand, Lawrence.

Though I should prefer
to wait a bit.

We don't want
unnecessary scandal.

No, no, no, no, no.

You need have no worry
about that.

Poirot is discretion itself.

All right.

No, John!

I'm sorry, Lawrence.

Dear God. This is terrible.
My poor wife.

Well, where have you been?

Denby kept me late last night.

Then I discovered
that I'd forgotten the latchkey.

Denby gave me a bed

so that I wouldn't have to
arouse the household.

Oh, my poor Emily.

She was so self-sacrificing.

She overtaxed herself.

Now I'd better get on my way.

Yes.
Yes, of course.

Oui?

M. Poirot.
Good morning.

Ah, Hastings!
You rise early.

Mrs. Inglethorp is dead.

One moment.

I am pleased with you, Hastings.

You have a good memory

and have given to me faithfully
the facts.

But of the order in which you
present them, I say nothing.

Truly, it is deplorable.

Oh, but I make allowances.
You are upset.

Later, when you are calmer,

we will
arrange the facts neatly,

each in his proper place.

And those of importance,
we will place on one side,

and those of no importance...

[ Blows ]

...we blow them away.

But whatever allowances I make,

I cannot escape the fact

that you have omitted
one piece of evidence

of the paramount importance.

And what's that?

You did not say to me

if Mme. Inglethorp
ate well last night.

Ah, well, as far as I can
remember, she hardly ate at all.

She was obviously upset, and it
had taken away her appetite.

I see.

Bien.

Uh, Hastings,
you dressed in haste.

Your tie is to one side.

One must not let oneself go,
Hastings.

Why did you want to know

if Mrs. Inglethorp ate well
last night?

The contention at the present

is that Mme. lnglethorp died
of the strychnine poisoning, no?

It looked like it to me.

Bon.

At what time did Mme. Inglethorp
retire for the night?

Oh, very early.
About 8:00.

And yet the symptoms
did not manifest themselves

until 5:00 in the morning.

Nine hours.

Now, a heavy meal taken at about
the same time as the poison

might retard its effect,
but hardly to that extent.

And you say to me
that Mme. Inglethorp

ate very little for supper.

Yes.

Hmm.

One of those
curious little facts, mon ami.

We put it here.

JOHN: This is a very dreadful
business, M. Poirot.

Hastings has explained

that we're anxious
to avoid publicity.

I comprehend perfectly.

You know Inglethorp's back?

Yes, I met him.

It's damn difficult
to know how to treat him.

That difficulty
will not exist for long.

The key to the room,
if you please, monsieur.

Oh, of course.

Merci.

Hastings, we must leave this

until the lawyer
of Mme. Inglethorp is present.

HASTINGS: This goes through
to Cynthia's room.

What is it?

We shall see.

I think that this is cocoa,
mon ami,

but we will now send it
for analysis.

Ah.

Regardes, mon ami.

The chimney piece of the lamp
is broken in two places only,

and yet the coffee cup
next to it

is ground almost to the powder.

HASTINGS: I suppose somebody
must have stepped on it.

Yes, mon ami.

Somebody must have stepped
on that coffee cup

and ground it
almost to the powder.

And the reason that they did so

was either because
it contained the strychnine

or -- which is
far more serious --

because it did not contain
the strychnine.

I wonder what is that.

[ Sniffs ]

Hmm. This, I think, is a coffee
stain that is quite fresh.

Eh bien, Hastings,

we have in this room
now six points of interest.

Shall I catalog them
or will you?

Oh.

Uh... well, um, you.

Very well.

Number one, a coffee cup that is
ground almost to the powder.

Number two, the dispatch case
with the key in the lock.

Number three, the coffee stain
on the carpet.

Number four, a thread or two
of dark-green material

caught on the bolt of that door.

Ah, that's what you put
in the envelope.

Oui. D'accord.

And number five, this.

What is it?

Candle grease, my friend.

It must have dropped
to the floor since yesterday.

Otherwise, the good housemaid
would have removed it.

Lawrence Cavendish
brought a candle

into the room this morning.

He seemed very agitated.

He seemed
to see something over there

that absolutely paralyzed him.

POIROT:
At the door, do you think?

HASTINGS:
No, at the fireplace.

That is most interesting,
mon ami.

But his candle, it is pink.

And that candle grease
over there, it is white.

And the sixth point?

No, the sixth point I prefer to
keep to myself at the present.

Alors, there is nothing more
to do here, I think.

Unless...

A bedroom fire in midsummer,
Hastings?

The fire warms,
but it also destroys.

There might be...

Ah!

Voilà!

What do you think of that,
mon ami?

HASTINGS:
Very thick paper.

Much thicker
than ordinary writing paper.

POIROT: And?

A will.

This could be a fragment
of a will.

That could be
"will and testament."

POIROT: Exactement.

Just as I expected.

Tell me, mademoiselle,

did your mistress
have in her wardrobe

a dress that is dark green?

No, sir.

Does anyone in the house possess
a dress that is dark green?

No, sir.
Not that I know of.

Very well.

We will leave that and pass on.

I would like to ask you,
if I may,

one or two questions about
the afternoon of yesterday.

Yes, sir.

Your mistress --
She had a quarrel?

I don't know that I ought --

My good Dorcas,
Mme. Inglethorp lies dead,

and it is necessary
that we must know all

if we are to avenge her.

Amen to that, sir.

Uh, naming no names,

there's one in this house
none of us could ever abide.

Ah.

Now, as to this quarrel...

It was about 4:00.

I happened to be passing
the study, and I heard voices --

loud, angry ones --
coming from there.

I didn't mean to listen.

Continue, mademoiselle.
What happened next?

At 5:00,
Mrs. Inglethorp rang the bell

and told me to bring her
a cup of tea.

She looked dreadful, sir.

Your tea, mum.

[ Sighs ]

I've had a great shock, Dorcas.

I'm sorry for that, mum.

I don't know what to do.

Scandal between a husband
and wife is a dreadful thing.

These few words
and everything's changed.

Never trust a man, Dorcas.
They're not worth it.

Tell me, mademoiselle,

this paper
that she had in her hand --

What would she likely do with it
afterwards, do you think?

I expect she'd lock it up
in that purple case of hers.

If it was important.

I see.

Tell me, mademoiselle,
do you think it likely

that your mistress
would have taken

a sleeping powder last night?

Not last night, sir.
I know she didn't.

She took the last dose
of her tonic,

but she never took
a sleeping powder.

How is that you're so positive?

The box was empty, sir.

She took the last one
two days ago.

And she didn't have
any more made up.

Oh, Miss Howard.
It's so good to see you again.

Terrible time
to come back, Dorcas.

Evie.

[ Sniffles ]

Started the moment
I got the wire.

- [ Sighs ]
- Dorcas will make us some tea.

- I don't want tea.
- [ Knock on door ]

Ah, here's Mr. Poirot.

Mr. Poirot's helping us
with our investigation.

Nothing to investigate!

Have they taken him
to prison yet?

Taken who to prison?

Alfred Inglethorp, of course.

Poor Emily was never murdered
till he came along!

Evie, don't shout so.

Whatever we may think
or suspect,

it's better to say as little
as possible for the present.

The inquest isn't until Friday.

Inquest? Fiddlesticks.

The man will be
out of the country by then!

He won't stay here
tamely waiting to be hanged.

Mademoiselle...

It's no good trying all that.

Mr. Alfred Inglethorp
is going to hang!

Even if I have to drag him
to the gallows myself!

How did you know
that Mrs. Inglethorp

took sleeping powders?

Ah, because, Hastings,

I found this in the drawer of
the wash stand in her bedroom.

It was this that was
the number six of my catalog.

But if the last powder
was taken two days ago,

it can't be that important.

Probably not.

[ Footsteps ]

Mr. Poirot,
my mother's lawyer is here.

I don't know
if you'd like to talk to him.

He's also the coroner,
you understand?

Yes.

Yes.
Thank you, M. Cavendish.

M. Wells, there is one thing
that I should like to ask you --

that is, if it is not against
the professional etiquette.

In the event of the death
of Mme. lnglethorp,

who would inherit her money?

It's all right.

By her last will,
dated two months ago,

she left this
and her house in London

to her eldest son,
Mr. John Cavendish.

The remainder of her fortune
goes to Mr. lnglethorp.

And suppose that, unknown to
you, she made a new will?

It's always possible, of course.

There was a new will.

- What?
- Where is it now?

Burned.

JOHN: What an
extraordinary coincidence

that my mother
should have made a will

on the very day of her death.

Are you so sure
it's a coincidence?

JOHN:
What do you mean?

Your mother, you tell me,
had a violent quarrel

with someone
yesterday afternoon.

And the consequence
of that quarrel?

She very suddenly and hurriedly
makes a new will.

She told no one
of its provisions.

The will disappears, and she
takes its secret to her grave.

I fear there is
no coincidence here.

What do you mean?

You've got the keys still,
haven't you, Mr. Poirot?

Oui. Voilà.

My mother kept some things
in this.

You will need the key because
I locked it this morning.

It's not locked now.

Mais c'est impossible.

But I have had the key
in my pocket for all of the day.

En Voilà une affaire.

This lock, it has been forced.

This door, it is unbolted.

Why?

When?

There must have been something

of great importance
in that case.

Something that connected
the murderer with the crime.

- What?
- Ach!

That I do not know.

An intriguing case, this,
mon ami, do you not think?

It seems quite straightforward,
really.

Everything seems to be tied up
with Mrs. lnglethorp's money.

And her two houses, Hastings.

Well, yes.

They go to John, and everything
else goes to her husband.

But then they had
that dreadful row --

the one that Dorcas overhead --

and Mrs. Inglethorp
changes her will.

And what about her two sons,
Hastings?

Oh, no. I don't imagine
they're involved.

No, what happens is,

Inglethorp finds out
that the will has been changed,

leaving everything to her son
rather than him,

and poisons her.

- And the new will she has made?
- He burns it.

That was the scrap of paper
we found in her bedroom grate.

Ah. You have a good grip
on this affair, Hastings.

- Grasp.
- Yes?

You know, Hastings,
there are in this case

only two points
of any significance.

Oh, really?
What are they?

The first is the state
of the weather on Tuesday.

But it was a beautiful day.

Must have been
80 degrees in the shade.

Not a cloud in the sky.

POIROT:
Do not forget that, mon ami.

It is the key
to the whole riddle.

HASTINGS:
I don't see why.

All right, then.
What's the second point?

The second point
is the important fact

that M. lnglethorp
wore the peculiar clothes,

wears the black beard,
and uses the spectacles.

That's ridiculous.

No, mon ami.
It is momentous.

WELLS:
Dr. Wilkins, can you tell us

exactly how much poison
Mrs. Inglethorp had consumed?

Judging from
the amount recovered,

Mrs. Inglethorp had ingested

about three-quarters
of a grain of strychnine,

possibly a grain.

I took a sample of the cocoa
remaining in the cup

in Mrs. Inglethorp's room.

There was no strychnine in it.

Then you consider it more likely

that the drug was administered
in her after-dinner coffee

and that,
for some reason unknown,

its action was delayed?

Yes.

But the coffee cup
was so completely smashed,

there was no possibility
of analyzing its contents.

It seems to me
that my mother's death

may be accounted for
by natural means.

Really?

Well, my mother was,
for some time before her death,

taking a tonic
containing strychnine.

That was dealt with
in previous evidence.

But is it not possible
that she may have taken

an overdose of the medicine
by accident?

WELLS:
I think not, Mr. Cavendish.

The maid, Dorcas,
has already told us

she had only one dose left
on the day before her death.

I should be obliged
if you would tell us

all you overheard of the quarrel

the day before
Mrs. Inglethorp's death.

I overheard?

Yes.

I understand you were sitting,

reading on a bench outside
the open window of the study.

Is that not so?

Yes.

Will you repeat what
you overheard of the quarrel?

I really don't remember
hearing anything.

You mean to say
you did not hear voices?

W-Well, yes.

I heard the voices.

But I didn't hear
what they said.

Not one stray word or phrase?

Yes. I remember.

Mrs. Inglethorp said something.

Something about
causing a scandal

between husband and wife.

She sounds as if
she's trying to hide something.

- That is true, Hastings...
- WELLS: Call Mr. Mace.

...and is of some interest.

I swear by almighty God
that the evidence I shall give

shall be the truth,
the whole truth,

and nothing but the truth.

Mr. Mace, as a qualified
dispensing chemist

with a shop in the village
of Styles St. Mary,

have you lately sold strychnine
to any unauthorized person?

Yes, sir.

WELLS:
When was this?

M-Monday, the 18th of June.

At about 6:00.

Would you tell us to whom
you sold it?

Yes, sir.

It was Mr. Inglethorp.

He -- He said
it was to poison a dog.

He signed the poison book
and everything.

[ Spectators murmur ]

Very well.

Thank you, Mr. Mace.

[ Spectators murmur ]

Call Mr. Alfred Inglethorp.

I swear by almighty God
that the evidence I shall give

shall be the truth,
the whole truth,

and nothing but the truth.

- Are you Alfred Inglethorp?
- Yes.

On Monday evening last,

did you purchase strychnine for
the purpose of poisoning a dog?

No.
I did not.

There is no dog at Styles Court.

Do you also deny
that you signed this register?

Yes.

Hmm.
That is not my signature.

I see.

Would you mind telling us,
Mr. Inglethorp, where you were

on the evening
of Monday, June the 18th?

I don't recall.

Were you in company with anyone?

No.

I am to take it, then, that you
decline to say where you were

at the time that Mr. Mace
positively recognized you

as entering the shop
to purchase strychnine?

If you'd like to take it
that way, yes.

Does he want to be arrested?

You had a discussion with
your wife on Tuesday afternoon.

Pardon me.
You are misinformed.

I had no quarrel
with my dear wife.

I was absent from the house
the entire afternoon.

Have you anyone
who can testify to that?

You have my word.

WELLS: There are two witnesses
who have sworn

to having overheard
your disagreement

with Mrs. Inglethorp.

Then those witnesses
are mistaken.

[ Spectators murmur ]

Very well.
Thank you, Mr. Inglethorp.

That will be all for now.

Members of the jury...

He's put a noose
right 'round his neck.

Perhaps.

Hastings, do you know
who is that man by the door?

WELLS: ...of Dr. Wilkins that
the deceased, Mrs. Inglethorp...

That is Detective Inspector
James Japp from Scotland Yard.

And if I am not mistaken,

the man next to him
is also from Scotland Yard.

Things are moving quickly,
my friend.

Perhaps too quickly.

Gentlemen of the jury...

How do you find?

Willful murder by some person
or persons unknown.

[ Spectators murmur ]

WELLS: And is that the verdict
of you all?

MAN: It is.

[ Indistinct talking ]

Mon Dieu. I had some warm
moments in the court, Hastings.

I did not figure to myself that
the man would be so pigheaded

as to refuse to say
anything at all.

I can't understand why the jury
didn't name Inglethorp.

You surely can't still believe
he's innocent.

Why not, mon ami?
Nothing has changed.

Ah.

I see you do not remember me,
inspector Japp.

Well, if it isn't M. Poirot.

This is
Superintendent Summerhaye.

You've heard me speak
of M. Poirot, sir.

Yes, the Abercrombie
forgery case, wasn't it?

- Just before the war.
- That's right, sir.

M. Poirot caught our villain
for us in Antwerp.

What are you doing
in England, Poirot?

The Boche has made my own
country temporarily unhabitable

by their presence, Inspector.

But I would like you to meet
my friend Lieutenant Hastings.

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

Excuse us.

Well, one need
hardly ask the reason

for your presence here,
Inspector.

No.
Pretty clear case, I should say.

There I differ from you.

From the evidence I heard
at the inquest,

Mr. Inglethorp murdered his wife
as sure as I'm standing here.

I don't know, sir.

Me and M. Poirot
have met before,

and there's no man's judgment
I'd sooner take than his.

If I'm not greatly mistaken,

he's got something
up his sleeve.

Well, I will tell you this --

If you arrest
M. Alfred Inglethorp,

it will bring you no kudos.

The case against him
will be dismissed comme ça.

I'd take your word, but there's
others above me might not.

Me, for one.

Alfred lnglethorp must not
be arrested, Superintendent.

That I have sworn.

Have you ever been
to New York, Hastings?

New York? No.

It is a beautiful city.

Beautiful.

There each street is
at right angles to each avenue,

and each avenue is numbered
nicely -- 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th.

Man is in command there.

But here, how does one live
with the fact that, au fond,

nature is untidy, uncontrolled,
anarchic, inefficient?

But that's what I like about it.

Hastings, did it not strike you
as peculiar

that M. Lawrence Cavendish
has suggested

that his mother might have
been poisoned by accident?

Oh, it seemed quite a natural
suggestion for a layman to make.

But he is not a layman.

You have told me yourself that
he has a degree in medicine.

Yes, that's true.
I'd forgotten about that.

And then there is
also Mme. Cavendish.

What did you make
of her attitude?

Well, it seems inconceivable

that she should be
shielding Inglethorp,

but that's what it looked like.

Oui. D'accord.

A great deal that was peculiar
showed itself today.

Where are we going, Poirot?

To see the beautiful
Mme. Raikes, Hastings.

She's an absolute corker,
you know.

Thank you.

No, no, no, no, no, Hastings.

I am going to see
the beautiful Mme. Raikes.

You, I fear,
are far too impressionable

for this particular task.

[ Cow moos ]

- Who's that?
- I don't know.

I'll go out the back way.

Bonjour, Mme. Raikes.

JAPP: We'd like you
to come into Malmesbury

with us, Mr. Inglethorp.

Malmesbury?

JAPP:
To the station.

You're arresting him, are you?
About time to.

We'd just like Mr. Inglethorp to
answer a few questions, madame.

Madame.

One moment, if you please,
inspector Japp.

Now, you just leave well alone,
Mr. Poirot.

Sorry, M. Poirot.

I understand.

Superintendent, I beg of you to
allow me to ask to M. Inglethorp

just one question.

Go on, then.

Thank you, Superintendent.

M. Inglethorp, do you still
refuse to say where you were

at 6:00 on Monday afternoon?

Speak.

Very well.
Then I must speak for you.

You? How can you?

I speak.

Listen!

I, Hercule Poirot, affirm

that the man who bought
the strychnine poison

on Monday afternoon at 6:00
was not Alfred Inglethorp.

For at 6:00 on that day,

M. Alfred Inglethorp
was at Tadminster.

I can produce
no less than five witnesses

who swear to have seen him
and to have spoken to him there

at 6:00 or just after.

And, as you may know,

Tadminster is at least
eight miles from the village.

My word, Poirot.
You're the goods.

Didn't I tell you, sir?

These witnesses of yours
are all right, I suppose?

Voilà.

I have made a catalog of them.
Names and addresses.

You will find them all
perfectly genuine.

They even include
the charming Mme. Raikes.

Didn't I tell you, sir?

So we're back
to square one, then.

Well, not quite, mon ami.

We now know there is one person
who did not buy the poison.

Eh bien, we have cleared away
the clues manufactured.

Now for the real ones.

[ Horse snorts ]

"...is cut down, like a flower;

he fleeth as it were a shadow,

and never continueth
in one stay.

In the midst of life
we are in death:

of whom may we seek for succor,
but of thee, O Lord,

who for our sins
art justly displeased?

Yet, O Lord God most holy,
O Lord most mighty,

O holy
and most merciful Savior,

deliver us not into the bitter
pains of eternal death."

- Lieutenant Hastings, sir?
- Yes, Dorcas?

I know this is hardly
the time or the place,

but you remember
this foreign gentleman

particularly asked
if my mistress

or anyone else in the house
had got a green dress?

Yes. Go on.

I've just remembered --

what the young gentleman
used to call a dressing-up box.

It's up in the front attic.

This is green.

No, it is too dark.

Good Lord.

POIROT: Aha.

Hold it up to your face,
Hastings.

Do you think it's the one?

I do.

It is trimmed
exactly to the same shape

as the beard of M. Inglethorp.

The question is,
who put it there?

[ Sighs ]

Someone with a great deal
of intelligence, Hastings.

He chose to hide it
in the one place

where its presence
would not be remarked.

But we must be
even more intelligent.

We must be so intelligent

that he does not suspect us
of being intelligent at all.

Absolutely.

And there you will be
invaluable, mon ami.

Come.

Well, he took the hint at last.

Comment?

He's moved out.

Gone to the hotel at Malmesbury.

[ Door opens, closes ]

- Oh, Lieutenant Hastings.
- Hello, Cynthia.

Just the man I was looking for.
I want to talk to you.

Can I steal him away from you,
Mr. Poirot?

Steal him away?

Ah! Pardon. Yes.

By all means, Mlle. Murdoch.

Hastings, how I envy you, eh?

To be stealed away
by such a charming young lady.

Excuse me.

What do you want to talk about?

Let's sit down first, shall we?

Oh. Right.

Lieutenant Hastings...

You've always been so kind.

And you know such a lot.

Oh. Well.

You know.

I want to ask your advice.

You see, Aunt Emily always said
I should be provided for.

Well, I suppose she forgot.

Or didn't think
she was likely to die.

Anyway, I'm not provided for.

I don't know what to do.

Do you think I ought to
go away from here?

Oh, good heavens, no.

They don't want to part
with you, I'm sure.

Mary does.
She hates me.

- Hates you?
- I don't know why.

And he can't bear me, either.

Oh, well, now,
there I know you're wrong.

John's very fond of you.

Oh, yes, not John.

I meant Lawrence.

Not that I care whether Lawrence
hates me or not.

Still...

It's rather horrid when no one
loves you, isn't it?

But they do, Cynthia.

I'm sure you're mistaken.

There's John and Miss Howard.

Lawrence never speaks to me
if he can help it.

And Mary
can hardly bring herself

to be civil to me, and...

[ Sobbing ] I don't know
what to do.

Marry me, Cynthia.

Oh! [ Sniffles ]

Oh, don't be silly.

I'm not being silly.

I'm asking you to do me
the honor of becoming my wife.

Oh, that's perfectly sweet
of you.

[ Chuckles ]

I don't think
there's anything to laugh at.

There's nothing funny
about a proposal of marriage.

No, there isn't.

And you ought to be careful.
[ Chuckles ]

Because somebody might
accept you next time.

Goodbye, Lieutenant Hastings.

You've cheered me up no end.

I don't know.

Perhaps I just don't
understand women or something.

No.
I'm just joking, of course.

[ Car door closes ]

It's Inspector Japp.

Hastings, who is that with him
in the back of the car?

Looks like Lawrence Cavendish.

[ Crying ]

HASTINGS:
What's the matter, Dorcas?

Those wicked detectives.

They've arrested Mr. Cavendish!

Arrested Lawrence?

No, not Mr. Lawrence.

Mr. John!

YOUNG MAN:
Old Bailey murder trial!

Read all about it!

Cavendish in dock!

Old Bailey murder trial!

CLERK:
John Wendover Cavendish,

you are charged
with murder of your mother,

Mrs. Emily Rose Inglethorp,

on Tuesday,
the 19th day of June, 1917.

How do you plead?

Not guilty.

[ Spectators murmur ]

Members of the jury,
as you all know,

willful murder
is a hanging matter,

and the murder
which you will hear described

is a most horrible,
premeditated,

and cold-blooded one.

The poisoning of a fond and
trusting woman by her own son.

The accused and his wife
lived in some luxury

at his mother's house,
Styles Court.

Entirely supported by her,

Mrs. Inglethorp had been their
kind and generous benefactress.

I will call witnesses
to show how the prisoner

was at the end
of his financial tether.

You will also hear
how the accused

had been carrying on an intrigue

with a certain Mrs. Raikes,
a local farmer's widow,

and how he had plotted
to get his mother

to make a will in his favor
and how,

when he believed
that she had changed that will,

he murdered her
and destroyed the new one.

You will hear...

I cannot bring myself to listen
to any more of this, Hastings.

It sounds very bad,
n'est-ce pas?

It'll probably sound better
when the defense gets going.

I don't know how Mary Cavendish
can bear to sit there.

Ah, well,
she is one of those women

who show at their best
in adversity.

Her jealousy
and her pride have --

- Jealousy?
- Yes.

Have you not yet realized,
Hastings,

that Mme. Cavendish is a woman
of unusual jealousy?

You overheard the fragment
of conversation

that she had
with her mother-in-law

when she demanded
that Mme. lnglethorp

show to her something?

Yes.

Mme. Cavendish believed

that the letter
her mother-in-law was concealing

was proof of the infidelity
of her husband, John.

But she was wrong, Hastings.
There was no such letter.

What Mme. Inglethorp
had discovered...

...was that her son John
had loaned to Mme. Raikes --

and I heard this from
Mme. Raikes herself, Hastings --

had loaned her
a large sum of money

in order that Mme. Raikes
might purchase

the freehold of her cottage.

You deny that there was
anything improper

in your relationship
with John Cavendish.

Yes.

I see.

Did you receive money
from Mr. Cavendish?

No.

You also deny, then, that
Mr. Cavendish gave you a check

for £200
on the 21st of June last?

That was a loan.

Thank you, Mrs. Raikes.

I have no further questions,
my lord.

JUDGE:
Very well, Mr. Philips.

That seems a convenient time
to adjourn.

CLERK:
The court will rise.

HASTINGS: Is this your first
time in London, Poirot?

Mrs. Inglethorp must have
been very wealthy,

with this beautiful house
and Styles Court.

Are you gonna be doing this
all day?

I steady my nerves.
That is all.

This employment...

...requires precision
of the fingers.

And with precision
of the fingers

goes precision of the brain.

And never have I needed that
more than now.

Absolutely.

I can build a house of cards
seven stories high

by placing one card
on top of another

with a mathematical precision,
eh?

But I cannot find the last link
in this so-mysterious case.

Well, you've got a steady hand,
Poirot, I must say.

I think I've only ever seen
your hand shake once.

On an occasion when
I was enraged, no doubt.

It was
in Mrs. Inglethorp's room.

Just after we discovered

that the locks on the dispatch
case had been forced.

Ah, yes.

You stood by the mantelpiece --

rearranging the ornaments,
as you always do --

and your hand shook like a leaf.

Because I was enraged.

I was enraged at...

- Oh, mon Dieu!
- What is it?

I have an idea.
That is all. But...

Mon Dieu!

Garage! garage!

For the love of heaven, madame,
direct me to the garage!

Someone must drive me!

I must hire a car immediatement!

Can you go no faster, driver?

Not unless you want us
to have an accident, sir.

No, no, no.
No. No.

Just as you please.
You know best.

The correct position for your
hands on the steering wheel

is 10 minutes to 2:00,
is it not?

Mlle. Dorcas!

Tell me, mademoiselle,

has anyone been in the bedroom
of Mme. Inglethorp

since we left the house?

No, sir, it's locked. And we all
kept a good lookout on it.

- Good.
- Mr. Poirot?

- Yes?
- The keys.

Ah.

Thank you.

There. You see?

Already the strychnine
is beginning to precipitate

and fall to the bottom.

In a few hours, it'll form
colorless crystals...

Which remain at the bottom
of the liquid?

Which remain at the bottom
of the liquid.

Inspector Japp, when, in the
course of your investigations,

you searched the bedroom
of the accused at Styles Court,

did you find anything?

I did.

Will you tell the court
what you found?

In the chest of drawers
in Mr. Cavendish's room,

underneath some clothing,
I found a small poison bottle.

It was empty.

PHILIPS:
Will you introduce Exhibit D?

Is this the bottle?

Yes, sir.

Did you have
the bottle examined?

I did.

It was examined by
the laboratory at Scotland Yard

and was found to contain
traces of strychnine.

Ah.

HASTINGS:
[ Sighs ] Where is he?

He telephoned earlier

to say he'd be back in London
this evening.

He asked me to arrange
for everyone to be here.

- [ Sighs ]
- What did he mean?

I don't know.

Oh, it really is too bad of him.

[ Vehicle approaches ]

Here he is now.

- No.
- Oh, that's Inspector Japp.

Evening.

Where's Poirot?

We don't know.
He ran off this afternoon.

Well, I got a phone message
saying I should be here at 7:00.

You better go up, then.

Haven't had my tea yet,
you know.

Oh. Good evening.

May I ask what's going on?

You may ask, madame.

If you get any reply,
you might let me know.

[ Vehicle approaches ]

Here he is.

What on earth is he doing?

He seems to be giving the driver
a driving lesson.

[ Horn honks ]

Where on earth
have you been, Poirot?

Good evening, Hastings.

Good evening, Mme. Cavendish.

We are assembled, yes?

Bon.

Please.

We are all assembled, yes?

With one exception.

Pardon, but I must ask you all
to wait a few moments longer

for the arrival
of M. Inglethorp.

If that man comes
into the house, I leave it.

Oh, no, no, no, no, no,
Mile. Howard.

You must not do this.

Remember, mademoiselle,
that this is for the sake

of your dear friend,
the late Mme. Inglethorp.

[ Vehicle approaches ]

[ Car door opens, closes ]

[ Doorbell rings ]

[ Door opens ]

[ Footsteps ]

ALFRED:
Why have I been summoned?

- What's going on?
- Wish I knew, old boy.

Ah, voilà, M. Inglethorp.

Asseyez-Vous, monsieur.

Mesdames et messieurs,
good evening.

As you all know, I was invited
to investigate this case

by M. John Cavendish,

who, tonight,
in his prison cell,

awaits the verdict of the jury.

I at once examined
the bedroom of the deceased,

and I found
several things indicative.

To take first, a fragment
of dark green material.

I found it caught on the bolt
of he communicating door

between that room
and the room of Mlle. Cynthia.

Now, for a long time,

I did not recognize it
for what it was, this material.

It was a piece torn
from a green land armlet.

At Styles, there was only one
person who worked on the land.

Mme. Cavendish.

Therefore, it had to be
Mme. Cavendish

who entered the room
by that door.

But that door was bolted
on the inside.

When I examined the room,
Hastings, yes.

But in the first place,

we only have the word
of Mme. Cavendish

to say that the door was locked.

And in the confusion
that followed,

there was ample time
for her to bolt it again.

No, I am convinced

that Mme. Cavendish
was actually in the room

when the deceased was taken ill.

Her reasons for entering
the bedroom of Mme. Inglethorp

are to do with
her terrible jealousy,

for she had learned of
the existence of a letter.

But it was this letter

that she had confronted
Mme. Inglethorp about

and which she believed
would show the proof

of the infidelity of her husband
with Mme. Raikes.

At that moment, she was quite
literally mad with her jealousy.

Mad enough to creep into the
bedroom of her mother-in-law

in order to retrieve that paper.

[ Screaming ]

[ Breathing heavily ]

Alfred!

POIROT:
Am I not right, madame?

LAWRENCE: So it was you
who destroyed the will!

No, no, no, no, no, M. Lawrence.

There was only one person

who could have possibly
destroyed that will.

Mme. Inglethorp herself.

But she only made it out
that very afternoon.

Nevertheless, mon ami.

The temperature that day was
80 degrees in the shade, hmm?

Oh, yes.
It was very hot.

And yet Mme. Inglethorp
ordered a fire

to be lighted in her room.

Why?

Because she wanted
to burn something.

Précisément, Inspector Japp.

Now...

At 4:00, Mme. Inglethorp
quarrels with her son

and threatens to denounce him
to his wife.

...large sums of money on her.

It's not a large sum of money!
And, anyway, it's a loan.

No!
My mind is made up!

And you need not think
that any fear of scandal

between husband and wife
will deter me!

POIROT: It was this argument
which Dorcas overheard,

but she mistook John Cavendish
for M. Inglethorp.

At 4:30, she makes a new will

eliminating John Cavendish
from his inheritance.

Now I must conjecture.

But I believe my conjecture
to be correct.

She writes a letter
to her lawyer, M. Wells,

asking him to call on her
to finalize the new will.

She finds she has no stamps
in her desk.

So she goes to the desk
of her husband

to see if he has any stamps.

It is locked, so she opens it
using her own key.

She discovers a paper --

that very paper
that Mme. Cavendish

believed to be a written proof

of the infidelity
of her husband, John,

but was in fact
far more serious.

Is this really necessary?

All we need to know is who put
the poison in my mother's coffee

and why the poison
took so long to act!

Yes, that is very true,
M. Lawrence,

but here we have
the little problem, you see,

because Mme. Inglethorp,
she did not drink the coffee.

What?

No.

The stain on the carpet
was the coffee.

She must have spilled it
before she could drink it.

But feeling in need
of a hot drink,

she heated up her cocoa
and drank that.

If the strychnine
wasn't in the coffee,

and we know it wasn't
in the cocoa, where was it?

Ah.

Now I will pose to you all
the little question, eh?

What third medium
was there readily to hand,

a medium so suitable for the
disguising of the strychnine

that it is
absolutely extraordinary

that no one has thought of it?

Hastings?

I've no idea.

No?

Inspector Japp?

Her medicine.

Somebody put strychnine
in her tonic?

No, there was no need, Hastings.
It was already there.

The strychnine
that poisoned Mme. Inglethorp

was the same strychnine
prescribed quite legitimately

by Dr. Wilkins.

The addition of bromide to a
solution containing strychnine

precipitates all
the strychnine

into colorless crystals

which fall to the bottom
of the mixture.

It is likely that the last dose
is fatal.

Someone added her sleeping
powders to her tonic?

Yes, Inspector.

But the last link in the chain
was a paper one, eh?

But it was not her will.

You see,
our murderer wrote a letter.

And that letter excepted,

there was nothing to connect
the murderer with the crime.

But Mme. Inglethorp
found the letter,

locked it in her dispatch case,
and took it to her room.

It became essential that
that letter should be retrieved.

Without it, certain doom
faced our murderer.

But I had already locked
the briefcase of Mme. Inglethorp

on the morning of her death.

At the very moment of trying
to retrieve the letter,

I was approaching the room
with M. John Cavendish

and M. Wells, the lawyer.

Desperately, the murderer looks
for somewhere to conceal it.

But there is no way in the room
of destroying the letter.

In a moment, the letter is torn
into three long strips...

...got the keys still...

POIROT:
...rolled into the spills,

and placed amongst the other
spills on the mantelpiece.

The murderer then unbolts
the door

to the room of Mme. Cynthia
and gets away.

JOHN: My mother kept some things
in this.

And there, mes amis,
they remained

until they were found...
by Poirot.

Oh, yes.

The little gray cells
have done well today.

Un...

...deux...

...trois.

"Tonight is the night.

There is a good time coming

once the old woman is dead
and out of the way.

No one can possibly bring home
the crime to me.

That idea of yours about the
bromide was a stroke of genius.

We must..."

And here the writer breaks off.

It must warm your heart

to know that your lover
thought so fondly of you

that he could not bear but to
bring himself to write to you

at this so important moment...

Mlle. Howard.

Me?

Nothing to do with me.

Oh, but it is everything
to do with you, mademoiselle.

Did I omit to read
the greeting on this letter?

Forgive me.

"My dearest Evelyn."

You fool!
You bloody fool!

Be quiet, Evie.

No, it is too late for silence,
M. Inglethorp.

The handwriting on this letter
shouts your guilt.

You are a heartless murderer.

How dare you?

How dare you make
such an accusation?!

Oh, M. lnglethorp.
You do disappoint me.

All right!

We love each other.

Take them away, Inspector Japp.

Did you think we were
going to sit and wait

for the old bitch to die?

We deserve the money anyway.

And I'm not sorry.

I'm not
the least little bit sorry.

Mr. Inglethorp?

Madame?

MARY:
How horrible.

How horrible.

But why did he keep the letter?

Ah.

He never finished writing it,
you see, mon ami.

Possibly Mme. Inglethorp
returned early,

interrupted him,
and, caught in the act,

he hastily shuts
and locks his desk.

The rest we know.

Mme. Inglethorp
finds the letter,

decides to say nothing about it
to her husband,

but determines
to destroy the will

she had just made in his favor.

Probably the next day
she intends to make a will

in favor of her son John again,
but...

...death intervened.

I can't tell you how awful
it's been M. Poirot.

I've had
the worst six weeks of my life.

I never for one moment believed
you did it.

Inspector Japp
and the whole of Scotland Yard

believed it, Hastings.

- Poor Mother.
- It's all over now.

T's a good thing we have
M. Poirot.

I really don't know
how to thank you, M. Poirot.

- It was nothing, monsieur.
- I thought I was done for.

You must learn
to have faith in Poirot.

- M. Poirot.
- Madame.

Come on, John.

I want to hear
everything about it.

Do you know, Hastings,

I owe the final discovery
of the spills entirely to you.

- Really?
- Oh, yes.

Do you remember telling me
that my hands shook

when I straightened the
ornaments on the mantelpiece?

Oh, that's right.
You jumped up and rushed off.

Exactement.

I remembered that when
you and I were together

in the room of Mme. Inglethorp

that I already straightened
the ornaments.

When?

Now, if they were
already straightened,

there would be no reason

for me to have to
straighten them again...

...that would have connected
the murderer with the crime.

...unless someone in
the meantime had touched them.

Good Lord.

You know,
one thing I don't understand

is why Inglethorp seemed so keen
to get himself arrested.

Because, mon ami,
it is the law of your country

that once acquitted,

a man cannot be tried
for the same offense again.

No, he wished to be tried.

He would then produce
his irreproachable alibi

and be safe
for the rest of his life.

So it was him
who bought the strychnine

from the chemist's shop?

No, no, no, no, no, Hastings.

Have you not yet realized
that it was Mile. Howard

who went to the chemist's shop?

Miss Howard?

Mais oui.

Of course
she was heavily disguised.

The clever devils.

It is good to see them reunited,
is it not?

That silly entanglement
with Mme. Raikes forgotten.

HASTINGS: The things
men and women do for love.

POIROT: Ah, oui.

One thing you haven't explained

is the peculiar behavior
of Lawrence Cavendish.

I'll never forget
the way he looked

when we went
into Mrs. Inglethorp's room.

POIROT:
That is because you thought

he was staring at
the mantelpiece, yes, Hastings?

Whereas, in effect,
he was staring at the door

to the room of Mlle. Cynthia...

right next to the mantelpiece.

He saw that that door,
it was unbolted.

But he swore it was bolted.

Exactement.
He was shielding her.

When M. Lawrence saw

that the door to the room of
Mlle. Cynthia, it was unbolted,

he jumped to the conclusion

that she knew something
about the murder.

But why? Why would
he want to protect her?

Because he's in love with her,
of course.

Well, now, that's just
where I know you're wrong.

I happen to know for a fact
that he positively dislikes her.

Indeed?

Then let me enlighten you,
mon ami.

He succeeded in crushing
the coffee cup beneath his feet

because, Hastings, he remembered
that it was in fact

Mlle. Cynthia who took up
the coffee for Mme. Inglethorp

on the previous night.

Now, from that moment, he quite
uselessly and quite strenuously

upheld a theory of death
by natural causes.

Well, I know you're wrong
about this, Poirot --

Mr. Poirot!
Lieutenant Hastings!

[ Laughing ] Oh!

Oh, you're both such dear men.

Well, we want to
tell you something.

We?

You are both
to be offered congratulations.

- Is that not so?
- Congratulations?

Well, Cynthia and I
are to be married.

Where are Mary and John?

Oh, uh, they're, um...

Come on.

Hastings.

HASTINGS:
What a wonderful girl.

I shall never understand women.

Ah.
Console yourself, mon ami.

Perhaps one day, when this
terrible war has ended,

we shall
work again together, huh?

And Poirot
will explain all to you.

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