"aah!" "Man: "dimitrios makropoulos."" "The case of dimitrios makropoulos is now officially closed." "That is all, gentlemen." "Colonel haki, could you tell me- i'm sorry." "Gentlemen, there is nothing i can add to what you've heard here." "I've known of this dimitrios makropoulos for years, and yet have known so little about him, so very little." "We'll probably never know who killed him." "But whoever it was did us all a favor." "Good night." "Good evening, colonel haki." "Good evening." "Ooh, colonel haki, how nice to see you." "Madame chavez." "This is such a wonderful party, so many beautiful women." "But none more beautiful than yourself." "You flatterer." "I've got a surprise for you." "The dutch writer cornelius leyden." "Cornelius latimer leyden here?" "Wonderful." "You invited him for me?" "You expressed such a desire to meet him." "I must say i expected a different sort." "Writers are writers." "Yes, but mr." "Leyden tells me he was professor of economics at the university of amsterdam before he became a writer." "He looks like it." "Ha ha." "Ah, there you are, mr." "Leyden." "I want you to meet my good friend colonel haki, who's an ardent reader of your books." "How do you do?" "Mr. Leyden, i long wanted to talk to the writer whose work i so much admire." "Thank you very much." "Well, i'll leave you gentlemen to discuss literature." "It would bore you, perhaps, but long have i admired mr." "Leyden, and you understand, madame." "But of course." "You'll excuse me, please?" "Madame." "I read nothing but detective stories." "I get them sent from paris." "All the best are translated into french." "To you, mr." "Leyden." "Thank you." "I've just added your une pelle ensanglantee to my library." "Formidable." "But i cannot quite understand the significance of the title." "Well, "bloody shovel."" "Exactly." "It is my ambition to write a good detective story of my own." "I have often thought i could do so, if i had only the time." "Oh, madame, such a pleasure." "Colonel haki." "I've got to play the fool like this." "It is expected of me." "But don't think i like it." "A cigarette?" "Yes, please." "Please follow me." "I should like very much to talk to you, but these women... come, let us go to the veranda where we will not be disturbed." "This is better." "Mm-hmm." "Thank you." "You must excuse me if i am a little nervous." "All day i've been involved in the affairs of a murderer." "Are you interested in real murderers, mr." "Leyden?" "Maybe." "Why?" "I find a murderer in a detective story much more sympathetic than a real murderer." "Have you ever heard of dimitrios makropoulos?" "I don't think so." "I've known of his existence for nearly 20 years." "A dirty, cowardly type." "Murder, espionage, assassination." "Assas-well, that argues a certain courage, doesn't it?" "My dear leyden, dimitrios would have nothing to do with the actual shooting." "Their kind never risk their skins for that." "They stay on the fringe of the blood." "But to me the most important thing to know about an assassination is not who fired the shot, but who paid for the bullet." "That's true." "As far as i know, no government ever caught dimitrios, and there is no photograph in his dossier." "But we knew him, all right- and so did athens, sofia, belgrade, paris." "He was a great traveler, this dimitrios." "Was?" "Sounds as if he were dead." "Yes, he's dead." "His bloated body was washed ashore this morning." "It is believed he had been knifed and thrown in the bosporus." "But then he died by violence." "That's very much like justice, isn't it?" "There's the writer speaking." "Everything must be tight, artistic, like a detective story." "The case of dimitrios has loose ends- dozens of them." "In just one hour his body will be disposed of, and the loose ends will still be loose ends." "You see?" "It is not artistic." "Now tell me, mr." "Leyden, is there anything in this story that could be of the slightest interest to a writer?" "L-i've always liked police work." "Colonel haki, i have a rather strange request to make." "Anything." "I would very much like to see the body of that dimitrios, if it's possible." "By all means, but- you know, i've never seen a dead man." "Not even in a mortuary... ugly devil, isn't he?" "These eyes have seen things i should like to see." "It is a pity that the mouth can never speak about them." "For 20 years it was my hope to get him." "Now- not very prepossessing, is he, mr." "Leyden?" "L-it isn't quite what a thought it would be." "Would you like to see the wound?" "No, uh... see?" "It's getting warm in here." "Well, do you still want to hear more of dimitrios?" "If you have the time." "The evening is young." "Shall we go to my hotel?" "It's a little better there." "Splendid." "Well, all we know of dimitrios is that he was born in 1889." "He was found abandoned, parents unknown." "A poor family adopted him." "A good deed they had cause to regret." "1889... you have an exceptional memory." "That is my business." "The first time we heard of him was in smyrna, in 1922." "The city was under martial law, and i was the head of the military police." "At that time, dimitrios worked as a fig-packer who already had a criminal record... abdul." "Abdul dhris." "Dimitrios." "Are you in trouble?" "I must flee the country." "But i have no money, and the shipmasters are asking 1,000 piasters for passage." "Well, i'm a poor man, you know." "But if you could wait till saturday- oh, i can't." "But, abdul, i know where i can get the money." "1,000 piasters- 2,000, and 2,000 for you." "What would i have to do?" "Very little." "It's dimitrios, konrad." "Open up." "I got the plate, konrad." "I told you to come alone." "Abdul's my partner." "He shares with me." "Let me see the plate." "If it isn't gold, i'm not interested." "It's gold." "I'll show you in back." "Come on." "Let me see it now." "They shoot looters." "I risked my life for this plate." "Come on." "Now let me have the plate." "First we'll see what's in your safe." "Robber!" "Now i'll show you the plate." "You said we wouldn't kill him." "He'd tell the police." "He's better dead." "I was willing to rob him, but murder... they'd hang us for robbery alone, you fool." "There's martial law here now." "But you killed him before you opened his safe." "His safe's full of worthless junk." "Oh, he was a clever one, that konrad." "But not clever enough for dimitrios." "Here it is!" "That's where i saw him hide it." "His money?" "Naturally." "Ali!" "Wine!" "Fill them up again for everybody!" "Ali, bring the wine!" "Ali, where- we was only having a little drink." "Would you have a drink with us?" "I do not drink." "You seem to have a lot of money." "Perhaps you could tell me where you got it." "Why, i... dimitrios?" "Wait, dimitrios!" "I was only having a little drink... i did not kill konrad, i tell you i did not kill him." "He stabbed himself?" "He robbed his own money?" "1,200 piasters were found in your possession." "A fig-packer, you affirm only to the winds." "I will give you one more chance." "Did you or did you not rob konrad?" "Rob him?" "Yes, yes, i robbed him." "But i did not kill him." "It was dimitrios, dimitrios who did it." "And who is dimitrios?" "He is a fig-packer, and a bad one." "He is always in trouble." "And he has fled the country, no doubt?" "Yes, that's why he wanted the money." "I am a man who loves other men as brothers." "I would not speak- enough!" "Hold your tongue, imbecile." "You've admitted that you robbed konrad." "That is sufficient." "Even if there was 6 dimitrioses, you would still be guilty." "The sentence is death." "Take him out." "No!" "No, no!" "Oh, no, no, no!" "I did not kill konrad!" "I tell you, i did not kill him!" "It was dimitrios!" "Dimitrios!" "Dimitrios!" "That beggar was right." "But we had no definite proof till later." "What a despicable character, but as much as i hate to admit it, very brilliant." "Oh, yes." "I don't deny it." "I see it intrigues your fancy." "You want to know more?" "Certainly i want to know more." "I learned he had fled to athens." "I issued a warrant for his arrest, but he escaped me." "Later i found out that he sometimes used the name of talat." "Talat?" "T-a-l-a-t?" "But again too late, huh?" "Yes." "From athens we traced him to sofia, where in '23 a man named dimitrios was connected with the stambulisky affair." "No?" "Then he turned up in belgrade." "That was..." "let me see- oh, yes, in 1926." "This time stealing military secrets." "Military secrets?" "Nothing was too big for him, huh?" "No." "And the last time i heard of him was in paris in connection with an international smuggling gang." "When was that?" "Between '29 and '31, about that time." "The gang was eventually broken up." "Dimitrios had betrayed them." "That's logical." "Murder, treason, and betrayal." "That's the finishing touch." "What an evil genius that man was, but fascinating." "Wonderful character for a novel." "You really think so?" "There's so much i don't know." "For instance, what is it about a man like that?" "Why does anybody trust him in the first place?" "Details." "If i could only know more details." "You will need patience, mr." "Leyden." "Yes." "You see, colonel haki, i'd love real characters for my stories." "And that man, well... he obsesses me, and i admit it, and i have to go on." "I don't know whether i should like you for introducing me to that mr." "Dimitrios or whether i should hate you for it." "It's true." "I come to istanbul for a little rest." "Well, tracing the life of dimitrios, i don't think that will be a very peaceful occupation, do you?" "No." "Ha ha!" "Where did you say he went from smyrna?" "Oh, athens." "I want a ticket for athens, please." "Tomorrow morning." "One ticket." "Leyden on phone:" "What is the earliest train?" "7:00." "Thank you very much." "Yes, sir." "I beg your pardon." "Is there a man named konstantin gollos staying in this hotel?" "No one by that name is registered, sir." "Could you tell me if a mr." "Gollos has been registered here any time during, say, the last 30 days or has he made any reservation?" "Just a moment, please." "I'm sorry, sir." "I don't find any record of that name." "Thank you, sir." "I beg your pardon, but would it be possible for me to view the remains of a man you have here?" "He may be a relative." "The place is empty." "Clean." "The paper said a man named dimitrios makropoulos- oh, him." "He's been disposed of an hour ago." "Disposed of... come." "It's a question of patience and organization." "Organization is the secret of modern statecraft, but patience is necessary." "You say the surname was makropoulos?" "That's right- makropoulos." "Dimitrios makropoulos." "That would be drawer number 13." "Why?" "Because "m" is the 13th letter of the alphabet." "Oh." "This is organization." "That's very good." "Makropoulos, makropoulos, makropoulos... makropoulos, but no dimitrios." "Gone." "Who is gone?" "Didn't you see that stout gentleman?" "I have no assistants in my work of organization here." "The whole burden falls on my shoulders, and people have no patience." "I'm engaged for a moment, they cannot wait." "A man can only do his duty, no more, no less." "But patience... pardon me, sir, could we try under the name of talat?" "Talat?" "That is a turkish name." "I know, but could we try?" "Talat. "t" that is the 20th letter of the alphabet." "That will be drawer number- 20." "Very clever." "Talat!" "Dimitrios talat." "Yes?" "A fig-packer?" "That's right." "Mm-hmm... name-dimitrios talat;" "born-salonika, 1889;" "occupation-fig-packer;" "identity card lost... said to have been issued at smyrna;" "warrant for arrest on charge of robbery and attempted murder." "That's dimitrios, all right." "You see?" "That is organization." "Here you are, my man." "Porter:" "Thank you." "Hd i must apologize for intruding on your privacy." "Oh, please." "You're not intruding." "This berth was not occupied." "How good of you to say so." "How little kindness there is in the world today, how little thought for others." "May i ask how far you are going?" "I'm going to sofia." "Oh, beautiful city." "Beautiful." "I am continuing to bucharest." "Oh?" "I trust that we shall have a pleasant journey together." "I hope so." "Will you allow me to smoke, please?" "Please, go right ahead." "You know, the moment the attendant told me that there was a hollander on the train, i knew that i should have a pleasant journey." "That's very kind of you to say so." "I'm english by birth." "But actually i'm a citizen of the world." "To me, all languages are beautiful." "If only men would live as brothers without hatred, seeing only the beautiful things." "But no, there are always people who look on the black side." "Well... i think i'm going to sleep now." "Sleep- a great mercy vouchsafed to us poor humans." "My name is mr." "Peters." "How do you do?" "If you'll forgive me, i think we're getting to sofia very early." "Good night, sir." "We are coming into sofia, sir." "Thank you, i'm all ready." "Good morning, sir." "Good morning." "I'm sorry, i tried not to awaken you." "I was not really asleep." "I want to tell you that the best hotel to stay in sofia is the slelyanska posada." "Oh, really?" "Thank you, that's very kind of you." "That's the trouble with this world." "There's not enough kindness." "Good-bye, mr." "Leyden." "Happy journey, sir." "How did he know my name?" "I didn't tell him." "I'm very happy to repay you for the kindness you showed me in amsterdam, professor." "You are very clever people, you journalists." "I just talked to you this morning, and already you have discovered the only person here who knew dimitrios." "How did you do this?" "It was very easy the moment you mentioned the fact that dimitrios was one of the foreign agents in the stambulisky affair." "This is her establishment." "She's the proprietress." "She does not get up until about 10:00 in the evening, so we'll probably have to wait awhile before we can talk to her." "Oh, that's all right." "You wished to see me, messieurs?" "Reporter:" "We should be honored if you would sit at our table for a moment." "Of course." "Leyden:" "Thank you, madame." "Champagne." "Waiter:" "Yes, madame." "I've not seen you before, monsieur." "I've seen you, but not here." "You going to write about me for the paris newspapers?" "So you'll stay and see the rest of my entertainment?" "We are trespassing on your hospitality to ask for some information." "Information?" "I know nothing of interest to anyone." "Your discretion is famous, madame." "This, however, concerns a man, now dead and buried, whom you knew over 15 years ago." "You pay me the most delicate compliments, monsieur." "15 years?" "You can't expect me to remember a man that long." "Me hardly dared to hope that you'd remember, but if a name means anything to you, it was dimitrios." "Dimitrios makropoulos." "Get out." "Both of you." "I don't like you in here." "But, madame- get out!" "Sit down." "You think i want a scene in here?" "If you will explain how we can leave without standing up, i shall be grateful." "Are you a policeman?" "Oh, no, he's not with the police." "He's a writer of books." "He seeks information." "Why?" "He saw the dead body of dimitrios in istanbul and he's curious about him." "He's dead." "You're sure he's dead?" "You actually saw his body?" "It was found in the bosporus." "He'd been stabbed." "Did he have any money on him?" "Now i shall never get it back." "Wait... come with me." "Madame?" "Bring it to my room." "Dimitrios... july the 15, 1923." "That's when the money became due to me." "He promised faithfully he'd pay me." "You're sure there was no money?" "No." "Even his clothes were cheap and shabby." "I would've sworn he'd become rich." "Dimitrios was not a man one forgets easily." "I've known many men but i've been afraid of only one dimitrios." "Voiceover:" "I will remember the first time i ever saw him." "I'd just returned from a drive with a friend." "Until tomorrow then." "Where to now, monsieur bostoff?" "Home." " Hello." " Hello." "You have kept me waiting long enough." "I want my money." "I want it right away." "I haven't got it." "I'll have it for you in a day or two." "And i who have been a hotel keeper for 17 years should believe a story about a check?" "It's coming." "I don't know what's held it up." "Tonight i'll send a telegram." "With what?" "I thought you'd lend me 10 leva." "I would as soon throw the money into the street!" "There are things about this hotel the police would like to know." "The fire hazards, the broken stairs- you think you can intimidate me?" "My place is open to the police at all times." "They are my friends!" "You cheap crook." "It is i who will call the police." "I'll have you arrested for fraud." "120 leva by tomorrow morning, or the police will come." "Understand?" "Irana:" "Who is it?" "What do you want?" "You've got the wrong place." "I live in the room next door." "I've seen you around, but- how dare you!" "You got any food?" "What?" "Something to eat." "You really are hungry?" "Would i ask a woman for food if i weren't starving?" "Irana, voice-over:" "He was hungry and homeless." "I fed him and gave him money." "He paid me back in his own peculiar way." "Yes?" "It's me- dimitrios." "Oh, go away." "Open up, it's important." "No, i've done all i'm going to do for you." "Yeah." "But i want to pay you back." "I've got 2,500 leva to give you." "2,500 leva?" "Are you crazy?" "Look under the door." "Got 1,500 more to give you if you let me in." "1,000 you have, another 1,000, and 500, and 2,500 for me." "You were starving, and now- now i'm paying you back for that crust of bread you gave me- a very good payment." "Where did you get this money?" "There's plenty more where this came from." "I called on monsieur bostoff this morning." "You didn't." "I asked him for the money, and he gave it to me." "I only had to mention your name." "You blackmailed him." "How could you?" "He loved me." "He was a funny, fat little man, but he loved me." "I'm not fat or funny, but i love you." "You love me." "You blackmailed bostoff to show your love." "It costs money to love." "If he loved you, why didn't he take you out of this hole?" "A girl as beautiful as you should have the best." "Jewels, furs, a fine apartment." "I'll get them for you." "By blackmail?" "What are you thinking about?" "Wine." "What about the wine?" "I like it." "I must be crazy." "Why?" "To love you." "What's wrong with that?" "Everybody stay where you are." "Have your papers ready." "Your passport." "Dimitrios makropoulos." "Your name is familiar." "You're a member of the c.m.u." "There's no law against that." "No, not yet." "But we do not like foreigners who belong to so-called "bulgarian patriotic societies."" "Come along." "You're wasting your time." "I've a great deal of time." "Come along." "Irana, voice-over:" "Dimitrios stayed in jail only long enough to get in touch with a man he knew, someone to whom he would not introduce me." "Man:" "You understand that i have watched for you." "Yes, i understand." "The moment i withdraw my guarantee, you will be deported to greece." "All right, all right." "I said i'd do the job, monsieur vaxoff." "But it's difficult work, and the price is- the price is quite high enough." "Irana, voice-over:" "I knew that this important friend of dimitrios had secured his release for a purpose." "But what that purpose was i did not know until a few days later, when all bulgaria heard of it." "Dimitrios!" "What's the matter?" "The police will be here at any moment." "You must tell them i've been here all day." "What have you done?" "There's no time for that now." "Who is it?" "Yes?" "How long has he been here?" "All afternoon, but i don't see that that's any business of yours." "You'd swear to that in court?" "Naturally." "What do they mean?" "I'm a greek subject, but my passport is in order." "I don't understand." "I'm not without friends in sofia." "Perhaps you know monsieur vaxoff?" "Mr. Vaxoff?" "Of the eurasian credit trust?" "I see." "Dimitrios, what happened?" "It'll be in all the papers." "An attempt was made to assassinate the premier- stambulisky." "Not you." "Of course not." "However, i'll have to leave town for a while." "How much money have you got?" "Money?" "But i thought you- i'll need 1,000 french francs." "I know you've got it." "I've given you plenty." "Why don't you get it from your important monsieur vaxoff?" "Because they'll be watching him for a while." "I'll send you the money back in a week... with interest." "That's the last time i saw dimitrios." "If you will excuse me, messieurs, it's time i returned to my guests." "You see, i know nothing about dimitrios of any interest." "It was of great interest, madame." "I'm very thankful." "Won't you allow me to pay you for the drinks, madame?" "If you like." "No." "I have a superstition about money being shown in my private room." "You can pay the waiter at your table." "Thank you." "Good night, madame." "Utterly without scruple." "Completely unmoral." "But fascinating." "That's funny... would you be so good as to shut the door behind you?" "I think if you stretched out your left hand, you could do it without moving your feet." "What is the meaning of all this?" "This is most awkward." "I didn't expect you back so soon." "I can see that." "I had hoped to get things tidied up." "Such vandalism." "A book is a lovely thing." "A garden stocked with beautiful flowers." "A magic carpet on which to fly away to unknown climes." "What are you talking about?" "A little frankness, mr." "Leyden, please." "There could only be one reason why your room should be searched, and you know that as well as i do." "Of course i can understand your difficulty." "You're wondering exactly where i stand." "If it's any consolation to you, however, i may say my difficulty is wondering exactly where you stand." "I'm tired." "I'll go to bed." "Say, what on earth are you doing here?" "Last night i met you on a train." "You said you were going to bucharest." "Now i find you here waving this silly pistol in my face." "I can only conclude you're a thief or you're drunk." "Are you drunk, sir?" "Maybe you're mad." "Well, in that case, i can only humor you and hope for the best." "Perfect." "No, no." "Keep away from that telephone, please." "Since you have returned so unexpectedly, since i can no longer meet you on a basis of, may i say, disinterested friendship, let us be frank with one another." "Why are you so interested in dimitrios?" "Dimitrios?" "Yes, dear mr." "Leyden, dimitrios." "You've come from the levant." "Dimitrios came from there." "In athens, you were very energetically seeking his record in the relief commission archives." "Why?" "Well- wait before you answer." "I have no animosity towards you." "I bear you no ill will, let that be clear." "But as it happens, i, too, am interested in dimitrios." "And because of that i am interested in you." "Now, mr." "Leyden, tell me frankly where you stand." "What-forgive the expression, please- is your game?" "My game, huh?" "Well, i'll tell you what my game is if you tell me yours." "I have nothing to hide." "Would you mind telling me what you hope to find in the bindings of my books or in the tube of my toothpaste?" "Would you mind telling me that?" "I was looking for an answer to my question." "But all i found was this." "You see, i felt that if you hid papers between the leaves of books, you might also hide more interesting papers in the bindings." "It was never intended to be hidden." "And is this all you know about dimitrios, mr." "Leyden?" "No." "Now, who, i wonder, is this colonel haki who seems so well-informed and so indiscreet?" "The name is turkish." "And poor dimitrios was taken from us in istanbul, was he not?" "And you have come from istanbul, haven't you?" "Mm-hmm." "You know, it almost looks as if you'd been reading a turkish police dossier, now, doesn't it, eh?" "For every question you ask, you'll have to answer one." "Had you ever met him?" "I mean, actually met him?" "I don't think you're very sure of yourself, mr." "Leyden." "I have an idea that i can tell you much more than you can tell me." "I think i must be going." "Good night." "I thought you were going." "Good night." "Istanbul, istanbul, smyrna, 1922, sofia." "Now, i wonder... i wonder if it would be very stupid of me to imagine that you were thinking of going to belgrade in the near future, would it, mr." "Leyden?" "You'll like belgrade." "Such a beautiful city." "The views from the turrets- you can't imagine." "Magnificent." "See here." "Mr. Peters, a moment ago you mentioned a bureau of records in athens." "Weren't you there while i was there?" "The stout gentleman!" "Then it was no accident that you were on the same train, in the same compartment, no accident that you recommended the hotel." "I've known everything you've done since you left the record bureau in athens." "I've already told you i'm interested in anyone that's interested in dimitrios." "But what on earth is your great interest in dimitrios?" "Money?" "He had none." "I saw his body at the mortuary, but you're certain- what's the matter?" "Did i understand you to say that you actually saw the body of dimitrios in the mortuary?" "I said i did." "What do you want?" "Take your hands off me!" "Say, you are insane." "Mr. Leyden, we must reach an understanding." "We must stop this quarreling." "It's absolutely essential that i know what you're after." "And i want to know- no, no, no." "Please don't interrupt me." "I admit i probably need your answers more than you need mine, but i cannot give you mine at present." "Then you won't get mine." "Yes, yes, i heard what you said, but i'm talking seriously." "Listen, please." "If you go to belgrade, you will not discover a single trace of dimitrios." "Furthermore, you may find yourself in trouble with the authorities if you pursue the matter." "There's only one man who could and would, under certain circumstances, tell you what you want to know." "He lives near geneva." "Now, then, i will give you his name, and i will give you a letter to him, but first i must know why you want this information." "Your passport describes you as a writer, but that is a very elastic term." "Who are you, mr." "Leyden?" "And what is your game?" "I have no game." "Naturally when i ask what your game is, i use the phrase in a specific sense." "Your game is of course to get money." "But that is not the answer i mean." "Are you rich, mr." "Leyden?" "Ha." "No." "Then what i have to say may be simplified." "I am proposing an alliance, mr." "Leyden." "A pooling of resources." "I am aware of certain facts which i cannot at the moment tell you about." "You, on the other hand, possess an important piece of information." "You may not know that it is important, but nevertheless it is." "Now, my facts alone are not worth a great deal." "Your piece of information is quite valueless without my facts." "The two together, however, are worth at the very least- at the very least- a million french francs." "One million?" "What do you say to that?" "You'll forgive me, mr." "Peters, but i don't understand what you're talking about, not that it makes any difference what i do or not, but... oh, i think i'm tired." "I'm very tired, and i want to go to bed." "One million, huh?" "No, mr." "Peters." "Well, i suppose there's no reason why i shouldn't tell you what my interest in dimitrios is, but it certainly isn't money." "I make a decent living." "As you know, detective stories sell very well." "Detective stories... mr." "Leyden, may i use your paper?" "Oh, go right ahead." "You used everything else." "Detective stories." "Now, that's most interesting to me, mr." "Leyden." "I'm so fond of them." "I'm glad you like them." "Well, the first time i heard about dimitrios was in istanbul, from colonel haki." "I don't know exactly how it happened, but somehow i found myself trying to trace his strange career." "Why?" "Partly for my amusement, i suppose." "I had nothing better to do." "Maybe that was why i was interested in such a colorful character." "I don't expect you to believe me, but it's the truth." "If you don't like it, too bad." "Here, mr." "Leyden, are 3 pieces of paper." "On the first is written the name of the man of whom i spoke to you." "The name is grodek." "He lives just outside geneva." "The second is a letter to him." "If you will present that letter, he will know that you are a friend of mine and that he can be frank with you." "And incidentally, it was he who employed dimitrios in 1926." "Oh, really?" "Uh, what about this one?" "I think you said you were not rich?" "No, i'm not rich." "Half a million francs... would be useful to you?" "Well, it wouldn't make me sad." "Well, then, mr." "Leyden, when you have tired of geneva, i want you to, how do you say, to kill two birds with one stone." "Ahem." "Here on this list of yours are other dates besides 1926 still to be accounted for." "If you are to know what there is to know about dimitrios, the place to account for them is paris." "That is the first thing." "The second is if you will come to paris, if you will consider then the pooling of resources, the alliance that i have already proposed to you, i can definitely guarantee that in a very few days you will have at least a half a million french francs." "At the moment i cannot say more." "But if you will believe in and trust me, if you will come to paris, then here on this piece of paper is an address." "When you arrive send a pneumatique to me." "Do not call, for it is the address of a friend." "I have put you to so much trouble." "Oh, no trouble at all." "I wish to make restitution in a practical way." "Half a million francs is worth considering, eh?" "And i would guarantee it." "But, uh, we must trust one another, that is most important." "Au revoir, mr." "Leyden." "I won't say good-bye." "Half a million francs, mr." "Leyden, will buy a lot of good things." "I do hope we shall meet in paris." "Good night." "Ohh... mr." "Leyden." "Excuse me, monsieur." "I did not hear the car arrive." "I was playing my favorite bach." "Oh, i see that you have introduced yourself to eloise and abelard." "Do you like cats?" "Very much." "I love them, monsieur." "This is eloise." "Isn't she beautiful?" "Oh, beautiful." "And so inscrutable, like a woman." "Ravissante." "Go back to your lover now." "Won't you sit down, please?" "Yes, thank you." "Very kind of you to receive me, sir." "Well, i don't know exactly what mr." "Peters said in his letter." "Mr. Peters was very frank about you." "Oh, was he?" "He said that you were writing a book." "I, too, am writing a book." "Oh, really?" "Your memoirs?" "Oh, no, monsieur." "I am writing the life of saint francis." "Pardon me?" "Yes, indeed." "But i confidently expect to be dead before it is finished." "Do you care for english whiskey?" "Yes, i do, very much." "Good." "I, too, prefer it as an aperitif." "Oh, yes." "May i have a cigarette, please?" "Please, help yourself." "Thank you." "Have you known mr." "Peters long?" "No, i... i met him once in a train and then again in my hotel in sofia." "Thank you." "Monsieur, i wonder what your attitude would be if i were to ask an impertinent question." "Please, go right ahead." "If i were, for instance, to ask you to tell me seriously, if a literary interest in human frailty were your only reason for approaching me?" "Monsieur, i can assure you- i'm quite certain that you can, but forgive me, monsieur." "What are your assurances worth?" "All i can do is give you my word that any information you give me i'll treat as confidential." "I don't think i have made myself quite clear." "The information itself is nothing." "What happened in belgrade in 1926 if of little importance now." "It's my own position of which i am thinking." "You see my point?" "I'm a little suspicious, monsieur." "I still have enemies in this world." "Supposing, therefore, if you tell me just what your relations with our friend peters are." "Would you like to do that?" "I would, but i can't... for the simple reason that i don't know what our relations are myself." "I was not joking, mr." "Leyden." "Nor i." "As you know, sir, i was investigating the life of dimitrios, and while doing so i met this mr." "Peters." "Well, for some reason, i don't know why, he seemed to be interested in dimitrios, too." "He followed me to sofia, and there he approached me- behind a pistol." "Behind a pistol?" "He made me an offer." "Ah." "If i would meet him in paris and collaborate in some sort of a scheme he had in mind, we should each profit to the extent of half a million francs." "I see." "He said that i had some piece of information in my possession which, when used in conjunction with some information that he possessed, should prove of great value." "And what may i ask is this so valuable piece of information in your possession?" "That's what i don't know." "Come now, monsieur." "You ask for my confidences." "The least you can do is to give me yours." "But it's true." "I don't know." "Well... well, yes, at one point in our conversation, he became very excited." "At what point?" "When i explained to him how i knew that dimitrios had no money when he died." "And how did you know?" "Well, it's very simple." "Because i saw the body." "You saw the body?" "Yes, everything taken from it was right there on the mortuary table, but there was no money, none." "Not a single penny." "Another drink, monsieur?" "Oh, yes, please." "You see?" "I don't know what my relations to mr." "Peters are myself." "Mm-hmm." "Straight?" "Yes, please." "A toast, monsieur leyden... to the detective story." "Thank you, sir." "To your book." "Forgive me, monsieur." "A thought crossed my mind that made me laugh." "It was a thought of our friend peters confronting you with a pistol." "You know, he's quite terrified of firearms." "With me, he kept his fears to himself very successfully." "A clever man, peters." "May i be permitted as a friend to give you a word of advice, mr." "Leyden?" " Please do." " Then, if i were in your place i should be inclined to take our friend peters at his word." " And go to paris." " Really?" "I think i shall tell you about dimitrios." "My friend peters has probably reffered to me as a master spy." "The term is ambiguous." "Actually it means that i was an employer of spy labor that's how i came to employ dimitrios." "He was well recommended for this particular job." "Which i don't mind telling you was on behalf of italy." "Relations between italy and yugoslavia in 1926 were a bit strained." "My assignment was to get a copy of the yugoslav minefield chart." "And for that job i employed dimitrios." "I was in belgrade myself, and had ample opportunity to watch him in action." "I left the whole matter entirely up to dimitrios, but i was interested to see how he started." "At the time, he was using the name of wagner- even herr wagner." "Can you direct me to the department of supply?" "Yes, sir." "Second floor, to your left." "Thank you." "Woman:" "Yes?" "Oh, i beg your pardon." "I seem to be lost." "Could you direct me to the department of supply?" "It's down the hall to your right." "Thank you." "Thank you very much." "Man:" "You may part again, bulic." "I hope you'll be luckier this time." "If i have the cards, i am lucky, if i don't have the cards, i'm unlucky." "Go away." "Why?" "Last night, every time you whistled a love song, he led a heart." "Go away, please." "But i only" "oh, excuse me- i'm a stranger in belgrade, but i played bezique in germany, and i'm wondering if you play it the same way in this country." "Bezique is bezique." "I like it better than the german pinochle." "Oh, i, too." "My patriotism doesn't go as far as the cards." "May i buy you a drink..." "all of you gentlemen?" "Man:" "A free drink?" "Why not?" "Of course." "Come join us." "Thank you." "Waiter, a drink for all of us." "Yes, sir." "Dimitrios:" "My firm, the dresden optical company, has a bid in for the sale of 10,000 pairs of binoculars." "Binoculars." "The order would mean a great deal." "I understand that, but surely you don't expect me- for 20,000 dinar?" "That's a lot of money." "But i'm afraid you overestimate my importance in the government." "In any event, i have no influence with the department of supply, who pass this on to people." "But you probably know the right official." "You fellows stick together." "True, true... 20,000 dinar... yes?" "Do you think i could see mr." "Druhar for a moment?" "You work down the hall, don't you?" "I'm afraid i don't know your name." "Bulic." "Karel bulic." "Oh, i suppose it's all right." "Go on in." "Well, what is it?" "Mr. Druhar, i was wondering if, uh... i mean... about these optical bids." "What about them?" "What about them." "I just-i have a friend of mine... i just wondered if you would tell me when the announcement of the awards would be made." "I don't know why you should be interested, but if it does you any good to know, the list will be posted this afternoon." "Oh, thank you very much, i... hey, bulic, you are late." "A packet of pachas." "Bulic." "Bulic my friend." "Oh, herr wagner, i am so sorry." "I have very bad news." "I have very good news for you." "My firm was awarded the contract for the binoculars." "I owe it all to you." "The award was made to nanovic  company of czechoslovakia." "Our czech subsidiary." "Subsidiary?" "Yes." "We put in two bids:" "One for our parent company in germany and the other for our subsidiary much lower." "Much lower." "Here's the money i promised you:" "20,000 dinar." "20,000 dinar." "My wife... now i can buy her all those things i wanted." "Of course you can." "We must have a celebration." "You and your wife will be my guests this evening." "Oh, herr bulic." "Who is it?" "Karel." "Oh, it's you." "Well, come in." "I can't open the door." "Hello, anna, darling." "Look what i brought for you." "The most wonderful thing has happened to me." "Come here." "Look." "Ooh!" "Look." "But that's nothing." "Look." "Oh, karel, it's beautiful." "That's nothing." "Look." "No, no." "That's for me." "Karel, they gave you a raise in salary." "No, something much more wonderful has happened to me." "Where did you get that money?" "You didn't steal it?" "No." "I did a slight service for a friend of mine." "I helped him to get a government contract, and he paid me 20,000 dinar." "20,000 dinar." "You see, i'm not the little unimportant nobody whom you always thought i were." "From now on, there'll be no more of this because your husband will get the best for you... because i love you." "I love you so much." "Now, see how fast you can get ready." "We go out for dinner." "Oh, where?" "A very expensive place." "A friend of mine, herr wagner." "Darling, it won't take me a minute." "To madame." "Thank you." "I've lived in belgrade all my life, but i've never been to a place like this." "Madame, you should come here more often." "You're the most beautiful woman in the place." "Oh, you lucky fellow, every man in the place is looking at madame." "Me, too." "That distinguished-looking gentleman over there is the freiherr von kissling." "Terribly rich." "Controls as many as 27 companies." "Excuse me, gentlemen." "Of course." "Herr wagner, is it not?" "Why, herr von kissling, this is indeed a pleasure." "Madame bulic, may i present the freiherr von kissling?" "How do you do?" "And my very good friend, herr bulic." "How do you do, herr bulic?" "Herr bulic is an important official in the yugoslav government, a pleasure, herr bulic." "I beg your pardon." "It is indeed a great pleasure, sir." "Anna:" "Why, herr von kissling, why don't you join us?" "May i?" "Of course." "Thank you." "Waiter, another bottle of champagne." "Please sit down." "Bulic:" "Thank you." "Herr bulic, you must forgive me for forcing myself upon your company." "From my own table, i could not resist admiring madame." "I presumed that on my acquaintance with herr wagner... i consider it a compliment." "Madame, i wonder if you would be so kind as to dance with an old man." "Oh, i haven't danced in so long." "And i am old and clumsy." "The freiherr is taken with your wife, and i must say i can't blame him." "You should take her to these places more often." "Isn't she beautiful?" "I can't afford it." "Well, my dear bulic, you forget you've just earned 20,000 dinar, and that's only the beginning." "Regardless, the freiherr likes you." "I can tell by his expression." "He's famous for associating with in-men whom he likes." "He doubtless has a company or two right here in yugoslavia." "Madame is a divine dancer." "Karel, i'm having so much fun tonight." "Freiherr:" "Miss." "Will you permit me?" "Orchid." "The first i've ever had." "It's so beautiful." "It's hardly beautiful enough for you." "Oh, may i?" "Wagner:" "That's rather a large amount of money to carry with you, freiherr." "Isn't it a little dangerous?" "Perhaps." "I don't usually carry so much with me." "As a matter of fact, i won this money in werner's room." "Do you know about werner?" "He has the back room." "He's quite the most reliable gambler in belgrade." "In werner's, it's your own luck and not the croupier's skill that counts." "From the look of that, you've been very lucky." "Quite, in every way." "Since you've never been in werner's, i shall be delighted if you would accompany me there." "But we've never gambled... you may enjoy watching me win." "Perhaps you will bring me more luck." "Herr bulic, i have been thinking." "I wonder if you could have luncheon with me one day this week." "Yes!" "Ahem." "Oh, yes it is possible that we can discuss something to our mutual advantage." "Mutual-yes." "Yes." "Now, shall we try our luck?" "Herr wagner, i've never gambled for money." "Oh, my dear bulic, suppose you lose a few hundred dinar." "There's really no need to concern yourself over so paltry a sum." "The freiherr has already expressed an interest in you, and that means your fortune is made." "But, herr wagner... please don't disappoint him by showing yourself less important than you seem to be now." "Important..." "i see... croupier:" "Rouge et pair." "We have won." "Let's leave it there." "Should we risk it all?" "Of course." "Herr bulic, play red with us." "I rather play black." "We have won again." "Oh, but karel has lost." "Herr bulic is an individualist." "Let's take a big chance." "Let's leave it all red." "All right." "That's mine, 3 blues on red." "Oh, we shouldn't have played it all." "We cannot win every time." "Yes, but karel hasn't won yet." "5,000 please." "40,000 dinar." "I must have been mad." "It's nothing, herr bulic." "You'll win another time." "Freiherr, will you take madame back to our table while herr bulic and i settle things with the management?" "Of course." "We shall have a good dinner now... and then some more champagne." "Yes?" "Man on intercom:" "Bulic lost 40. owe 20,000." "All right." "Herr wagner." "Herr werner." "I see you have given us back a little of the money you won the other night, both you and the freiherr von kissling." "Don't worry, werner." "We'll win it again and more another time." "Very likely." "You are herr bulic." "Very unfortunate that you should lose so heavily your first time here." "Herr bulic is a very dear friend of mine, werner." "At the moment he is unable to make good the notes he signed during the excitement of play." "Oh?" "When, may i ask, can you pay?" "I don't know." "Never." "Oh, come now." "You don't look like the sort who'd gamble in a casino and not pay his losses." "I am not." "I had 20,000 dinar." "It's all gone." "I haven't any money." "I don't know how to get it." "I would help herr bulic if i could, but unfortunately, i have exceeded my expense account." "Perhaps the freiherr could help you out." "Oh, no, no." "Well, it seems that i shall be compelled to take steps." "Who's your employer?" "No, please." "That won't due, werner." "Herr bulic is an official of the government." "It would mean dismissal." "Well, i'm not interested- well, now wait." "Perhaps i can help herr bulic after all." "Can you give us 24 hours?" "24 hours." "Very well." "If you say so, herr wagner." "24 hours." "Herr bulic." "Thank you very much." "Herr wagner... my wife... oh, we'll say nothing of this to madame." "We'll let her believe that everything's agreeable." "Tomorrow we'll talk this all over." "It won't be so difficult." "You will help me, won't you?" "Trust me, my friend." "Yes?" "Thank you." "Bulic?" "Yes." "He has taken our little hint." "Why, herr bulic." "Werner telephoned me at the office." "Why would he do that?" "He said he wanted to check up on me." "I have no privacy at the ministry." "He must not telephone me there again." "Of course." "He shouldn't embarrass you." "A drink?" "No, thank you." "Well, herr bulic, i think i can help you." "You can?" "Oh, if you could get me out of this frightful situation, i'll be in your debt forever." "I'll never gamble another dinar." "I spoke by telephone to my principles." "They're very grateful to you for your assistance with the binocular contract." "They gave me permission to make another arrangement with you." "Any assistance i can give." "But it won't be time." "Werner said tonight." "Well, let's see." "You owe werner 20,000 dinar." "What would you say to 50,000 dinar by this evening?" "By this evening?" "I can get the money for you from the eurasian credit trust, provided you fulfill your part of the bargain." "Herr wagner, i'd do anything, anything." "In your office is a chart, a chart of the proposed minefields of the otranto straits." "You'll bring it to me this evening." "You dirty spy." "The only risk you take is in not doing as you're told." "You're quite sure he'll come?" "I'm positive of it." "The only thing i'm not positive of is the 50,000 francs you're to pay me for this job." "You'll see the money the moment i get the chart." "And here, my friend, are your 50,000 francs." "Thank you, grodek." "Now you'll lay your camera on the table and place your hands behind your head." "You, too, werner." "Turn around." "I know you're ambitious, but you certainly cannot expect to get away with this." "Why not?" "The chart's worth 50,000 francs to you." "It's probably worth twice that amount to the italian government." "Besides, werner's getting your money back from bulic." "Dimitrios, you can't." "I can." "I can do anything." "No, no, werner." "The scoundrel." "Incredible." "And then did you let him get away with the chart?" "He sold it to another government." "But it didn't do them any good." "The yugoslavs learned that the chart had been stolen." "Naturally, they made an entire new plat immediately, and dimitrios' buyers paid out their money for nothing." "But so did you." "Not exactly." "I gave italy her money's worth." "There was no difficulty obtaining the new yugoslav chart, without bulic's assistance, of course." "Poor, confused little man." "He put a bullet through his head." "Oh, terrible." "My dear leyden, bulic was a traitor." "One cannot sentimentalize over traitors." "I know, he was an honest man fundamentally, but it was all too much for him." "In the end, his innate honesty got the best of him." "He gave the 50,000 dinar to his wife, then he went to the ministry and told them what he had done." "After that, there was nothing left except to kill himself." "It is at times like those, monsieur, that one needs one's sense of humor." "Well, mr." "Leyden, don't you think you should go to paris?" "How could i resist... now?" "Entree." "Mr. Leyden, i was so glad to get your letter." "Oh, you're knocking at doors now." "Quite an improvement, sir." "Quite an improvement." "My dear mr." "Leyden, i cannot tell you how pleased i am to see you." "Welcome to paris." "Have you had a good journey?" "You're looking well." "Grodek wrote, telling me how charming and sympathetic you were." "Good fellow, isn't he?" "Those cats of his he worships." "Yes." "They are beautiful, and his whiskey's excellent." "Oh, he wanted to know what business i had with you." "As i don't know, i felt i safely could confide in him." "By the way, do you have your pistol with you?" "Dear me, no, mr." "Leyden." "Why should i bring such a thing on a friendly visit to you?" "Well, you've been known to do it." "Look here, mr." "Peters." "I'd hate to be impolite with a professional gentleman like yourself, but there is a limit even to my patience." "I've traveled a long way to see you, and i want to know why." "So you shall." "I've heard that before." "Before you start beating about the bush again, there are one or two things that you should know." "I'm not a violent man, mr." "Peters." "As a matter of fact, i hate violence, but there are times when the most peace-loving simply must do it," "and this may be one of them." "I know who you are." "Your name is not peters." "It's peterson-eric peterson." "I also know that you were a member of a smuggling gang organized by dimitrios." "I know you were arrested in december 1931 and fined 2,000 francs." "You were sentenced to prison for one month, correct?" "Did grodek tell you this?" "No." "I took the liberty of going to the library yesterday, and what do i find in our newspaper files?" "This little picture." "Ah, yes." "A newspaper." "I could not believe my friend grodek- well, then you don't deny it?" "Oh no, it is the truth." "Well, then mr." "Peterson... peters, mr." "Leyden." "I decided to change the name." "All right, peters." "I agree with you, sir." "Peters is a much nicer name." "When i was in istanbul, i heard some very interesting things about the end of those smugglers." "Somebody there said that dimitrios betrayed all of you." "Sent a dossier to the police, i think, anonymously." "Is that true?" "Dimitrios behaved very badly to us all." "I was also told that there was talk of vengeance." "That all of you threatened to kill dimitrios, as soon as you were free." " Is that true?" " I did not threaten." "Some of the others did so." "Constantine gullus, for example was always a hothead." "Oh, i see." "You didn't threaten." "You preferred to act." "I don't understand you, mr." "Leyden." "No... let me put it to you this way." "I'm just wondering... wouldn't it be reasonable to suppose that you killed dimitrios for his money?" "I think you are very indiscreet... am i?" "And very fortunate." "Just suppose i had, as you suggest, killed dimitrios." "Think what i should be forced to do." "I should be forced to kill you also, now, shouldn't i?" "There it is." "I knew it." "I knew it." "You see, i lied to you a moment ago." "I admit it." "I was so curious to know what you were going to do if you thought i was unarmed." "You understand my feelings a little?" "So anxious to have your confidence." "All of which is as clever a reply to an accusation of murder as one could wish for." "Mr. Leyden, this is not a detective story." "Even if you cannot be discreet, at least use your imagination." "Is it likely that dimitrios would make a will in my favor?" "No." "Then how do you suppose i could kill him for his money?" "People in these days do not keep their wealth in treasure chests." "Come now, mr." "Leyden." "Let us please be sensible." "Let us have dinner together, and after, talk business." "You probably disapprove of me." "I really cannot blame you." "But let us at least cultivate an illusion of friendship." "I could think of a lot of reasons why i shouldn't have dinner with you." "Just the same, i will, but let me warn you, unless i have this evening a satisfactory explanation for your asking me to come to paris, i shall, half a million francs or no half a million francs," "leave by the first available train." "Is that clear?" "Couldn't be clearer, mr." "Leyden." "And may i say how much i appreciate your frankness." "All right." "Where shall we dine?" "There's a romanian place near here." "And afterwards, we'll go to my apartment for coffee." "Thank you." "Excellent dinner." "Now for coffee." "What about mr." "Godfrey?" "He's away." "At the moment, i'm in sole possession." "I see." "Peters:" "You conclude, i suppose, that i am godfrey?" "Mm-hmm." "Thank you." "Peters:" "Do you like it?" "Well, it's rather unusual." "Actually, just another uncomfortable french house." "Immanently an oasis in a desert of discomfort." "Leyden:" "Heh heh." "Dimitrios furnished it." "Dimitrios?" "Yes." "He bought this house and the two adjoining." "There are secret doors leading from one house to another." "In case of police raids, you know?" "Thank you." "Leyden:" "Aren't you, uh, a little indiscreet living here?" "Oh, no." "You see, dimitrios bought the houses originally in my name." "After my incarceration, i sold them quite legally to a monsieur godfrey." "Uh-huh." "Do you like algerian coffee, mr." "Leyden?" "Pardon me?" "Yes." "It takes a little longer to prepare it, but i prefer it." "Oh, by the way, do you recognize him, mr." "Leyden?" "Why yes, certainly, it's dimitrios." "What about it?" "You recognize him." "Good." "That, mr." "Leyden, is a photograph of constantine gullus." "Gullus?" "Gullus... what on earth do you mean?" "What you saw on the mortuary slab in istanbul, mr." "Leyden, was gullus after he tried to put certain ideas about dimitrios into practice." "I saw the body of dimitrios with my own eyes." "You saw the body of gullus, mr." "Leyden, after dimitrios had killed him." "Dimitrios himself, i am glad to say, is alive and in good health." "Dimitrios alive." "No, no." "It isn't possible." "I saw his name inside the coat:" "Dimitrios makropoulos." "It was a french identification card." "French identification card." "Ha ha ha!" "That i find amusing." "Ha ha ha!" "I could get you a dozen genuine identification cards, mr." "Leyden, and each in the name of dimitrios makropoulos." "I guess you could." "He's alive..." "but where is he?" "Here, in paris." "You've been very reasonable, mr." "Leyden, i shall tell you everything." "As you may imagine, we were all very angry with dimitrios." "Some of us threatened revenge." "I became a wanderer, mr." "Leyden." "A little business here, a little business there, travel and meditation, that was my life." "I met gullus in rome." "He told me that he was on the track of dimitrios." "Asked me to lend him 3,000 francs to conclude his search." "I gave it to him." "With that money, gullus went to paris." "Well, sir, he found dimitrios living in a big home under an assumed name, a rich man." "Gullus intended to kill dimitrios, but his nerve failed him." "He settled for blackmail." "That was his mistake." "Dimitrios took him on a cruise to istanbul." "There, he stabbed him, put a false identification card in his clothing, and tossed him into the bosporus." "A bloated corpse washed up by the sea." "I think you're guessing." "How could you know?" "You weren't there." "Ha!" "But you forget the 3,000 francs i loaned gullus." "He sent it to me in paris with a note saying he was going on an aegean cruise with dimitrios." "I decided to meet him in istanbul, but when i got there, it was too late." "The only thing left for me was to try and find out those things about dimitrios that gullus had known." "Then, mr." "Leyden, our paths began to cross." "Mmm." "Well, now that you've found him, what next?" "Come now, mr." "Leyden, surely you are not as obtuse as all this." "You alone can prove that the man buried in istanbul is not dimitrios., * if necessary, you can identify gullus' photographs on the police files." "I, on the other hand, know where to find dimitrios." "Our joint silence will be worth a lot of money to him." "With gullus' fate in mind, we should know, too, how to deal with the matter." "We should demand a million francs." "Dimitrios would pay, believing we would come back for more, but we shall not be as foolish as to endanger our lives in that way." "We'll rest content with half a million each, mr." "Leyden, and quietly disappear." "Blackmail on a cash basis." "You really expect me to agree to this plan of yours, mr." "Peters?" "I don't think i quite understand, mr." "Leyden." "If this is a clumsy trick... it is no trick, clumsy or otherwise." "You see, i'm quite prepared in assisting blackmailing a person if that person is dimitrios, but i'm not prepared to share in the profits." "So much the better for you, isn't it?" "Mr. Leyden, you are kind." "There's not enough kindness in the world." "Not that again!" "Not that "kindness in the world"!" "It's coming out of my ears." "But you are kind." "I prepared a letter for dimitrios, asking him to meet with us." ""Dear sir, the undersigned has just learned that he is an old acquaintance of yours dating back to 1929..."" ""and would appreciate having a little chat with you."" ""I'm sure that you will find the talk immensely interesting."" ""Kindly come to the ledru hotel, avenue ledru," ""tomorrow evening at 8:00." ""Looking forward to seeing you." "I remain your old friend and associate, eric peterson."" "P.s." "Oh, yes." ""I have just learned of the passing" ""of our mutual friend, constantine gullus." "Regrettable."" "Do you think he'll come?" "Most certainly." "How much?" "4." "I have it." "All right." "My name is mr." "Peterson." "I made reservation by telephone." "Oh, yes." "It will be 15 francs for one, 20 for two." "This gentlemen is not staying with me." "15 francs." "Thank you." "Up the stairs, down the hall, to your right." "I don't like this, mr." "Peters, i don't like it." "What's to prevent dimitrios from coming up here and shooting us both?" "Please, do not let your imagination run away with you." "Dimitrios would not do that." "It would be too noisy and dangerous for him." "Besides, that is not his way." "Leyden:" "It isn't?" "Well, what is his way?" "He's a very cautious man." "He thinks carefully before he acts." "Well, he got the letter this morning." "He had all day to think carefully." "I had weeks." "I tell you i know dimitrios." "I know how his mind works." "I am asking a million francs, that is not an exorbitant amount for dimitrios." "He will pay." "I will take the money and go instantly to the indies, where dimitrios will never find me." "That's fine for you." "What about me?" "I don't feel like instantly going to the indies." "You have glasses?" "Put them on." "Put on your hat, too." "Oh, i see." "Yes." "Turn up the collar of your coat." "Yeah, that's a good idea." "Sit in that corner where it will not be too light." "Yeah, that's better." "Good." "That'll do it." "My good friend, how are you?" "How are you?" "That is mr." "Smith." "Mr. Smith." "He knew gullus?" "That is what we wanted to talk to you about, dimitrios." "Then talk." "I've an appointment to keep." "You haven't changed at all, dimitrios, always impetuous, always a little unkind." "After all these years, no word of greeting, no word of regret for all the unhappiness you've caused me." "I have an appointment to keep." "Since you want to make this a purely business matter, we want money." "What do you have to give me in exchange?" "Silence, dimitrios, very valuable." "How valuable?" "One million francs." "What do you think you know that's worth one million francs?" "So difficult to know where to begin." "There are so many things the police would like to know." "For instance, the identity of the man who tipped them off in 1931 to the smuggling ring." "I'm sure they'd be interested to know that it is the same man who today is a director of the eurasian credit trust." "You haven't told me anything yet that's worth one million francs." "It's childish." "You were always inclined to despise my simple approach to the problems of this life, but our silence on the matter would be worth something, would it not?" "Not one million francs." "There's yugoslavia." "Police of that country would be glad to know the whereabouts of dimitrios talat." "So grodek's been talking." "Any more?" "Then let us go to smyrna." "In 1922, a moneylender named conrad- the murderer of conrad was hanged." "Can that be true?" "Perhaps mr." "Smith has something to add to that." "Abdul dhris was hanged, but he made a confession implicating a man named dimitrios makropoulos." "Mr. Smith saw the body of gullus and had no difficulty in identifying it with a photograph of gullus." "Do you really think a million is exorbitant?" "I'm wondering why you ask so little." "I do not like to be greedy." "I like to be fair..." "always." "You'll have it ready in" mille notes tomorrow." "If the instructions are not followed out exactly, you'll not be given a second chance." "Do you understand?" "Mr. Smith?" "Yes?" "How is this man whom you took to be gullus dressed when he was found?" "Oh, in a cheap blue suit, and inside the coat there was an identification card." "And how was he killed?" "He was stabbed in the side and thrown into the water." "Peters:" "Are you satisfied, dimitrios?" "What did you think of him?" "It's dimitrios, all right." "Ruthless and primitive." "I was frightened." "Dimitrios has that effect on people." "You frighten me." "I always knew you hated dimitrios, but i didn't know you hated him so much." "Not until i saw him in this room." "Then i knew i hated him enough to kill him." "I knew it!" "What?" "Listen, the trains." "I spent an hour in here this morning listening to them." "The ballard rail." "Be ready." "Come." "One million francs." "Did you ever see so much money at one time before?" "One million- beautiful thing, oh!" "Leyden:" "Is there a match somewhere?" "Dimitrios:" "Little surprised, peterson?" "I'm glad your friend smith is here, too." "It saves me the trouble of persuading you to give me his name and address." "Peterson was always too ingenious, and ingenuity is never a substitute for intelligence." "He was my friend." "No, he wasn't my friend, but he was a nice man." "Compared to you he was- you rotten, insane brute!" "Leyden:" "You think you can go on murdering people like that?" "!" "You murderer, you!" "You get up!" "Leyden:" "Let me go, you!" "So help me!" "Aah!" "Peters:" "Not him!" "Leave him alone!" "Peters:" "Go, leyden." "Go." "You go!" "But i better- something has to be done." "I'll call the police or something." "Dimitrios:" "Wait!" "Wait!" "Don't go!" "Don't go!" "Come back!" "Or do you want this carrion to kill me?" "Come back!" "I am very happy it is you!" "Are you all right?" "Put that money away!" "That's all you ever wanted, isn't it?" "I don't want it now." "I don't want it somehow." "I've done what i had to do." "But-but what's going to happen?" "Something's going to happen." "You'll be glad to know i killed dimitrios makropoulos." "You wanted to write a book." "Write it." "Send me a copy." "I'll have a lot of time to read it where i'm going." "Good-bye, mr." "Peters." "Au revoir." "Sorry you won't be able to go to the indies now." "You see, there's not enough kindness in the world."