"Ah, Satan, mon cher." "You are late ce soir." "Still looking for your girlfriend, huh?" "Mademoiselle Dandelo has found another." "You will never see her again." "But don*t you worry." "There will be others." "Y en a toujours." "Ne t*en fais pas." "Madame?" "Yes?" "Yes, who is this?" "This is Francois Delambre speaking." "Helene?" "How are you, Helene dear?" "What can I do for you?" "Francois... I*ve killed Andre. I need your help." "Oh, now look, Helene." "It*s past midnight. I*ve had a hard day." "I love you both dearly, but this sort ofjoke... lt*s true. I*ve killed Andre." "You killed...?" "But..." "Please help me." "Call the police and..." "Come quickly!" "I just can*t..." "Helene!" "Helene?" " Yes?" " Monsieur Francois?" "Gaston." "I tried to call you." "Something terrible has happened!" "A man is dead." "His head is under the press!" "And I saw a woman running... running away!" " Yes, Gaston. - lt looked..." "I think it was Madame Delambre!" "You stay there, Gaston." "I*ll get the police immediately." "Atheneum Club?" "is Inspector Charas still there?" "Yes, thank you." "Yes, I*ll wait." "Check." "Sorry to interrupt, sir." "There is a call for you." "Thank you." " Hello." " Inspector?" "This is Francois Delambre." "You may remember we met a few times at the club." "It*s just..." "I*m sorry to call you so late, but..." " Well, I*m in terrible trouble." " Trouble, monsieur?" "My sister-in-law just phoned." "She killed her husband, my brother, my brother Andre." "What?" "At our factory, Delambre Freres." "And our night watchman called too." "There is a body." "Where are you, Mr Delambre?" "I*ll pick you up in a few minutes." "Goodbye." "You*ll have to excuse me." " Helene lives..." " No, we ought to look here first." " But I*ve got to talk to her." " l*ve sent a man." "She*ll be all right." "It*s Andre." "How can we raise the press?" " l*ll do it for you." " Would you like us to get one of your men?" "I*ll be all right." "Whenever you*re ready, monsieur." "Dead about 30 minutes." " ls the downstroke fast?" " No." "About the same." " No danger of it coming down again?" " No." "It*s been set for 50 tons." "lmpact zero." " Zero?" " Yes." "That means level with the bed." "It*s never been set that way." "Never." "But that would squeeze the metal to nothing." "It*s been set for single strokes, too." "She didn*t know how to operate the press." " Are you sure this is your brother?" " Well, he..." "There was a long scar on his left leg, a war wound. I*ll..." " Would you mind?" " Doctor." "I can*t believe it." "Can you think of a reason why she would do this?" "None." "Absolutely none." "They were completely happy together." "They have a wondertul little boy, Philippe, whom they both adore." "Helene was always so gentle." "It just doesn*t make sense." "Andre loved two things:" "his family and his work." "It*s impossible!" " What is it, monsieur?" " The stroke count." "That*s the stroke count." " l don*t understand." " Whoever did this to Andre... lt reads two." "They did it twice!" " Twice?" " Oui, monsieur." "I heard the press come down two times." " Evening, Monsieur Francois." " Francois, mon ami. ls it true?" " Yes." " Mais c*est impossible." " Did Helene...?" " Listen, I can*t believe it." "Inspector, this is our family physician, Dr Ejoute. Inspector Charas." "Your man called me." "Helene told him, so I came." " How is she?" " Quite calm now." "Almost in a state of euphoria, of relief, as though she*s happy about it." " ls she insane, Doctor?" " Helene could never have killed her husband." "It*s impossible, unless she is or was insane." " Did she tell you anything?" " Nothing, except she killed him and how." "No, nothing in her could make her do that." "Nothing." "Why, Inspector, I*ve known her all her life." "I even delivered her." " She and Andre were devoted to each other." " Where is Madame Delambre?" "In the living room." "Francois, I*m sorry I called you." "As you see, I could have called the police myself." " l*m all right now." " Helene, if there*s anything I can do..." "You are the police?" "Inspector Charas, madame." "Helene, what*s going on?" " Why do you say you killed Andre?" "Why?" " lt*s all right, Francois." " Everything*s all right now." " Madame, would you tell us what happened?" "Of course, monsieur." "I killed my husband Andre Delambre about half an hour ago in the hydraulic press shed." "You understand the gravity of the crime." "You say you killed him." "That means you murdered him." "I killed Andre, yes." " Why?" " l cannot answer that question." " How did you kill him?" " With the hydraulic press." "How do you operate it?" "First you put on the main switch, then you set the stroke to whatever tonnage you want." "You set the stroke to maximum, that is level with the table, or zero." "Then you press the release button." "It*s the red one." "You mean you put your husband under the press?" "No, Inspector." "He did that himself." "He put his head and his arm under the press?" "Yes." "Why?" "I cannot answer that question." " Coffee, Inspector?" " Yes, please." " Gentlemen, would you wait for me outside?" " Yes, of course." "No, thank you." "Now, madame." "You were happy with your husband." "There were no mistresses. I had no lovers." "We were both very happy." "That is the truth." " Then why did you kill him?" " l wish to help you all I can, Inspector." "But I cannot answer that question." " You pressed the button and it was all over." " Yes." " Why did you press it twice?" " Oh, it was only once." "The stroke count read two." "A machine cannot lie." "Oh, yes." "Yes, it was twice." "I was wrong. I did it twice." "Why?" " Perhaps you will wait, madame." " Of course, Inspector." " What would you advise medically, Doctor?" " Rest." "Maybe in a day or two her state of mind will improve." "Very well." "You understand the lady is under surveillance." "I*ll arrange for one of our nurses to take charge of her." "Thank you very much, Inspector." "You can rely on me." "What do you think?" "Would you show me your brother*s laboratory?" "Yes, of course." "This way." "This is the work of a madman!" "There was over $200,000 worth of special equipment here." "Andre was always so careful of everything." " Special equipment?" "What was all this for?" " Well, I don*t know." "It could have been anything, any one of a dozen ideas." "Well, when he*d develop something, then he would show it to me." "He was working on an idea for the air ministry." "Perhaps they*d know." "I imagine electronics is a profitable field these days." "Yes, very." "We own the business jointly." "We both have more money than we know what to do with." "They had no outside interests, none, I*m sure of it." "That*s why it doesn*t make sense." "You*re very attached to both of them, aren*t you?" "Yes. Inspector, what does all this mean?" "I*ve no idea." "She would tell me nothing except that she*d killed him." "There appears to be no motive, no reason, except insanity." "And even that leaves several important questions unanswered." "Perhaps he committed suicide." "If he did, why does she say she killed him?" "And why such a clumsy method?" "And why involve your wife?" "And she was there." "She could hang for this." "Poor Philippe." "What will I tell him?" "How does one tell a child?" "Well, if I may suggest, you could look after the boy for a while." " What*s going to happen to her?" " We*ll keep her under observation." "There*s plenty of time." "Did your brother ever experiment with animals?" " Never." " Or insects?" "Insects?" "No." "Though that would be funny, if..." "No." "Helene and Andre believed in the sacredness of life." "They wouldn*t harm anything." "Not even a fly." "Lunch, madame." "Oh, I*m eating much too much." "At this rate I*ll gain pounds." " Can I get up today?" " Ask Dr Ejoute, madame." "Every time I ask him, he says tomorrow." "You*re coming along nicely." "The rest will do you good." "is Inspector Charas coming today?" "He did not say, madame." "I like him." "He*s been very gentle." "I hope Francois brings that nice little boy today." "What is his name?" "Philippe?" "Yes, Philippe." "A nice boy." "They think I*m mad, don*t they?" "They never tell me what they think about." "Go away." "Go away!" " ls it bothering you?" " No." "No, it doesn*t bother me." " l*ll soon rid you of the pest." " lt*s all right." "Please leave it alone!" "But, Nurse...!" "Stop it, Nurse." "Stop it!" "Leave it alone!" "Leave it alone!" "No!" "No!" "Whatever...?" "Now you get back into bed." " Let me look at the fly!" " Back into bed, madame." "Get out of my way!" "Where is it?" "Oh, there." "Come on." "Come on, madame." " lt*s just a common housefly." " Yes." "Perhaps it symbolises something deep in her subconscious, as the psychiatrist believes." " Mr Delambre, do you think she*s mad?" " lt*s obvious, isn*t it?" "In spite of what the doctors think, I believe Mrs Delambre*s mind is quite clear." " Even when catching flies." " How can you say that?" "She must be mad." "What about Philippe?" "She acts as if the boy were mine and not hers." "She may be trying to protect him." "Perhaps she fears him, or even hates him." "That*s impossible." "Helene couldn*t hate anyone." "You must be out of your mind." "You*re in love with her, aren*t you?" "Yes." " Why didn*t you marry her?" " Because she loved my brother." "I don*t think she ever noticed me." "I*m glad you*re being honest with me." "You see, at first I suspected you." "Me?" "Why should I do such a thing?" "Motive one, for his wife." "Motive two, to control Delambre Electronics." "What do I care about motives?" "Helene is in trouble and Andre*s dead. lt*s a nightmare." "I know now you had nothing to do with it, but I had to check, for her sake." "I*m sorry, lnspector. I*m a fool." "You*ve been so patient." "Forgive me. lt*s just... I understand, monsieur." "Perhaps it*s i who should apologise." "I have to pry into all sorts of personal things." "It*s..." "Well, it*s necessary, unfortunately." "Thank you for coming. lf there*s anything I can do to help, I will." "Did you discover what Andre was working on?" "No." "The air ministry scientists have been through all his papers." "They didn*t mean a thing to them." "We couldn*t decipher the ashes." "Nothing there either." "Well, I*ve delayed all I can." "We*ve been quite patient with the lady." "I*m afraid I shall have to ask for a warrant tomorrow." "The courts can decide." "Tomorrow?" "The charge can only be murder." "I*m sorry for you and the boy." "But I cannot conceive of any verdict except guilty, or guilty but insane." "Thank you, Yvette." " Uncle?" " Yes, Philippe?" " When*s Daddy coming home?" " Soon." " Can I see Mummy again tomorrow?" " Yes." "She*s very sick, isn*t she?" "Yes, Philippe, she*s very sick." "Do flies live a long time?" "I don*t know." "Why?" "Because I saw that fly Mummy was looking for again." " l didn*t know she was looking for one." " Oh, yes, she was." "It*s grown quite a lot." "But I recognised it all right." " Mm, this is good." " How did you recognise it, Philippe?" "Its head is white instead of black and it has a funny sort of leg." " lt was on your desk this morning." " Oh?" "I didn*t notice it." "When did you first see that fly, Philippe?" "The day Daddy went away. I had caught it, but Mummy made me let it go." "And then later, she wanted me to find it again." "She*d changed her mind." "You know how women are." "Excuse me, Philippe. I won*t be a moment." "Inspector Charas." "Inspector Charas." " Good evening, Nurse." " Why, Mr Delambre." "Inspector Charas told me about her relapse." " How is she now?" " Resting quietly, poor lady." "But, monsieur..." "The inspector told me that I might speak to her for a few moments alone." " He knows I*m here." " But he didn*t say you were coming." "But he has so much on his mind." "I won*t be long." "Francois, I didn*t hear you." " You look tired." " lt*s just the office." "You know." " You shouldn*t work so hard." " How are you?" "I*m fine. I feel all right." "I*m glad you came." "I wanted to ask you something." "Of course, Helene." "Anything at all." "How long do flies live?" "I don*t know. I think a month, two months." "The fly you were looking for was in my study." "Today." "Did you kill it?" " No." " Well, you have it with you." " Give it to me." "Please, give it to me!" " Helene, I haven*t got it here." "You know now." "What is this all about?" " You haven*t got it or you wouldn*t ask." " Yes, I have it." "It*s locked in my desk." "Now tell me what happened." " No, never." "Andre wouldn*t want me to." " l know you*re not mad. I want the truth." "Either you tell me or I*m going to give it to Charas." "You swear you have it?" "Yes." "If I tell you, will you promise to destroy it?" " l can*t do that until I know." " Then I can*t tell you anything." "For your own sake you*ve got to tell me." "You*re all right or you can be all right, perhaps." "As soon as they examine it, they*ll know." " And they*ll know that you*re not insane." " No!" "For Philippe*s sake, Francois, I beg you." "Don*t you see?" "I was pretending to be mad, for Philippe*s sake." "Better I should be declared insane than he be the son of a woman hanged for murder." "I want to know." "Either you tell me now, or I give the fly to Charas." "If I tell you, will you tell them?" "I only want to help you." "I can only do that through them." "Yes. I would tell them." "Poor Francois." "Call Charas then. I can*t tell it twice." "So long as you kill the fly." "You promise?" "Yes." "This is not a confession." "Although I killed my husband, I*m not a murderess." "I simply carried out his last wish." "Who*s a ticklish boy?" " Why not pick on somebody your own size?" " Andre!" "What a pleasant surprise." " Hi, Daddy." "Are you gonna play with us?" " Later, Philippe." "I*ve got to borrow your mother for a moment." "I won*t be long, I promise." "I tell you what." "Before you go to bed, I*ll play with you." " Promise?" " Promise." " All right, then. I*ll play with Dandelo." " Good." "Be gentle with her, Philippe." " Come on. I*ve got to show you something." " Andre!" "We don*t see you for days on end..." " Now don*t argue with me." "Come on." " But... I*d no idea you*d made so many changes." " A completely new line of research." " Let me guess." "The permanent battery." "Not the portable reactor?" "I*ll show you." "But there must be no mention of this made to anyone." " Of course." " lt*s much too important." "Helene, you*re the first to see a miracle." " Remember this?" " Of course." "Our wedding present from my devoted and very rich Aunt Bess." "The family heirloom." "Hurry." "Put them on." "Now watch the box." "You can take your goggles off now, darling." "It*s gone." "Come on." "It*s the same one." " Have you turned magician?" " ln a way." "For a split second, an infinitesimal part of a second, this was disintegrated." "For one little moment it no longer existed." "Only atoms travelling through space at the speed of light." "Then a moment later integrated again into the shape of an ashtray." "Oh, you*re joking!" "Doesn*t sound possible, does it?" " But it is true." " lt is impossible." " You*re playing some joke on me." " Take television." "What happens?" "A stream of electrons - sound and picture impulses - are transmitted through the air." "The TV camera is the disintegrator." "Your set unscrambles or integrates the electrons back into pictures and sound." "Yes, but this is different." " Why?" " Well, because it*s impossible." "Fifty years ago, if my father were told he could sit in Montreal and watch a World Series in New York as it happened, he*d say it was impossible." " This is the same principle exactly." " But it*s not the same." " This is solid." " No, it*s not." "To your touch maybe it is." "But in reality it*s billions of atoms, which we believe are only a series of electrical impulses." "You actually did this?" "It*s no trick?" "No. I can transport matter - anything - at the speed of light, pertectly." "Of course this is only a crude beginning." "But I*ve stumbled on the most important discovery since man sawed off the end of a tree trunk and found the wheel." "The disintegrator-integrator will change life as we know it." "Think what it means." "Anything, even humans, will go through one of these devices." "No need for cars or railways or airplanes, even spaceships." "We*ll set up matter-receiving stations throughout the world, and later the universe." "There*ll never be famine." "Surpluses can be sent instantaneously at almost no cost, anywhere." "Humanity need never want or fear again." "I*m a very fortunate man, Helene." "I*m a very fortunate woman." "Don*t ever transmit me." "I wouldn*t want to come out like this." "What do you mean?" "Well, it doesn*t matter, does it, Andre?" "Andre... lt*s pertect." "Everything checks." "It*s pertect." "Pertect." "Dandelo!" "What*s the matter?" "Are you hungry?" "There we are." "That*s it." "You won*t feel a thing, Dandelo." "And tomorrow you*ll be the most famous cat in all the world." "Dandelo!" "Dandelo..." "Hello?" "Francois, how nice to hear you." "Important?" "You*re getting married." "No." "No, not yet." "No, I think I like it this way." "No, it*s just that..." "Well, there*s no hurry." " ls Andre there?" " Andre?" "I*ve seen him about two hours in the last two weeks." "He eats and sleeps in his lab." "He won*t even answer the telephone." " l don*t want to eat!" " l don*t want to hear one more word." " You*re going to eat your dinner right now!" " l don*t want to eat!" "Philippe*s delinquent," "Dandelo*s disappeared, I*ve got to go to Professor Augier*s alone." "You know how he is, Helene. lt*s just until he solves his problem, whatever it is." " Be patient." " How you men stick together." "Anything I can do?" "All right, Francois. I*ll tell him if I see him. I*ve got to run now, Francois." "Bye." "Well!" "Where have you been?" "Listen, darling." "I*m sorry about the last couple of weeks." "I had a little setback, but it*s all right now." "I didn*t mind." "Well, maybe just a little." "Call Augier and cancel." "We*ll celebrate by ourselves." "Wondertul!" "I didn*t want to go anyway." "Oh, Francois called about some equipment." " He*s sending it over." " Good." " By the time you*ve changed, I*ll be ready." " Changed?" " l*ve got tickets for the ballet." " The ballet?" " And we*ll eat at Tour d*Eiffel." " Wondertul!" "Now hurry." "We*ll finish a delighftul evening with reintegrated champagne." " Finish?" " Well, not quite." "Oh?" "What, then?" "Well, what do you suggest?" " You*re in an unscientific mood." " You don*t approve?" "I didn*t say that." "Will the champagne be as good as ever?" "Exactly the same, bubble for bubble." "Here." " The label*s pertect!" " Of course." "And it*s still cold." "And it*ll stay that way, until I show you something else." "No, Andre, don*t." "It might not work. I won*t allow it!" " lt*ll be all right." " Andre, please!" "Put your goggles on, darling." " lt*s astounding!" "It works!" " l test-ran it this morning." " lt*s all right." " You*ve succeeded completely!" " lt*s unbelievable!" " We*ll have to wait and see." " l*ll know in a few weeks." " l don*t understand." "I have to see if it suffers from any ill effects. lf it*s alive in, say, a month, we*ll pronounce the experiment successful." " May I look after him?" " lt*s still a her." "But you can." "For one whole month she*s mine." "Now don*t kill her with overteeding." "It*s a little frightening, isn*t it?" "Yes." "The first live experiment was disastrous." " Dandelo." " Dandelo!" "Andre, how could you!" "She disintegrated pertectly but never reappeared. I don*t know why, even now." "I redesigned the projecting device, and now it*s pertect." "Well, where*s she gone?" "into space." "A stream of cat atoms." " lt would be funny if life weren*t so sacred." " Andre, promise me one thing." "No more experiments with animals." "I promise you." "No more experiments with animals." "It*s frightening. lt*s like playing God." "God gives us intelligence to uncover the wonders of nature." " Without the gift, nothing is possible." " Andre, I get so scared sometimes." "The suddenness of our age." "Electronics, rockets, earth satellites, supersonic flight, and now this." "It*s not so much who invents them." "It*s the fact they exist." "But you*re not frightened of TV, or radio, or X-rays, or electricity, or that the earth is round." "No, but everything*s going so fast." "I*m just not ready to take it all in." "It*s all so quick." "Just do like Philippe does." "Accept them as part of our normal life." "They*re facts." "Wondertul facts." "Which brings me back to the champagne." "I love you so much, Andre." "It*s wondertul being married to you." "And to you, my love." "You*re the healthiest guinea pig in the whole world." "Andre!" " You*ll catch cold." " Not today." " What are you doing?" " Oh, just looking at the sky." " Looking at God, perhaps." " You*re a strange man, Andre." "So precise and practical, and yet so... I don*t quite know how to put it." "So aware of the infinite?" "The more I know, the more sure I am I know so little." "The eternal paradox." "You said you were frightened by progress." "I*m filled with the wonder of it." " Spring will soon be here." " l like spring the best." "All life growing, renewing itself." " lt*s fantastic to be alive." " How do you mean?" "I don*t know. lt*s just... I*m just so happy to be alive, that*s all." "So am I." "Would you marry me again if you had your time over?" "I think so." "Well, I*ve got a lot to do." "Francois is coming to lunch." "Bring him to the lab." "We*ll show him now." "Shall I call Professor Augier and the air ministry?" "No." "There*s no hurry. I don*t even know how or why parts of it work yet." "It*s too important. lt*s too impossible." "Poor Francois." "He*ll never believe it." "Don*t stay out too long, darling." "You look tired." "The last thing I am is tired." " And we*re finishing with crepes suzette." " What*s all the celebration about?" " Andre wants to show you something." " ln the lab?" " Well, what is it?" "Flat screen?" " lt*s better." "No more questions." "Come on." "I*ve only been into the laboratory three times." "Each time I came out with a potential fortune." "Oh, dear." "We won*t see him for lunch." "I see what you mean." "His writing gets worse and worse." "Mummy!" "Mummy!" " Where are you?" " Coming, Philippe." "Yes, darling?" " l got something to show you." " l have something to show you." "I caught such a funny-looking fly." "You want to see it?" "You know how your father disapproves of you catching insects." "But this isn*t like any other fly I*ve ever seen." "It has a funny white head and sort of white leg." "Now you let it go at once." "Now go along, do as you*re told." "Go on." "Look at all that dirt you*ve brought in." "Best fly I ever caught." " Anything else, madame?" " No, thank you, Emma." "Good night." "Shall I leave something for the master?" "He didn*t touch a bite of his dinner." "I fetched up his tray about an hour ago." "It was still outside the door." "Had his favourite pastry on it too." "He probably didn*t hear you knock." "I*ll see if he wants anything." " Thank you." "Good night, madame." " Good night, Emma." "Andre?" "Andre, I*m going to bed now." "is there anything you want?" "Andre." "**Helene, I*ve had some trouble.**" "Trouble?" "Andre, what*s the matter?" "Answer me." "**l*m counting on you not to lose your nerve, for only you can help me.** **l*ve had a serious accident, but I*m not in danger at the moment," "although it*s a matter of life or death.**" "Andre!" "**lt*s no good calling to me or saying anything.** **l can*t answer. I can*t speak.**" "**You*ve got to do exactly and very carefully what I tell you.**" "**Knock three times to show you understand, then fetch me a bowl of milk laced with rum.**" "Bowl of milk?" "Andre!" " Anything I can do, madame?" " No, I can manage." "Go back to bed, Emma." "Good night, madame." "**When you knock, I*ll open the door.**" "**Walk over to my desk and put the milk on it.**" "**Then go into the other lab and try to find a fly.**" "A fly." "**You will easily recognise it." "Its head is white.**" "Philippe." "Oh, Andre." "**Don*t hurt it, just give it to me.**" "**Before you come in, you must promise to obey me implicitly.**" "**Do not look at me." "Talking is useless. I cannot answer.**" "**Knock three times to show I have your promise." "My life is in your hands.**" "You can depend on me, darling." "It*s not in here." "If you can*t talk, knock." "Knock once for yes and twice for no." "Do you understand?" "We*ll find the fly tomorrow, I promise." "Just as soon as it*s light I*ll start looking." "Now why don*t you go to bed?" "I*ll help you." "No one will see you, I promise." "Philippe caught a fly this morning." "He said its head was white." "I didn*t see it." "I made him let it go." "**Come back in morning." "Will type explanation.**" "**Need you fresh and strong tomorrow." "Poor darling." "Sorry.**" "I*m all right now, darling." "Don*t worry." "I*ll find that fly." "Do you need anything tonight?" "Darling, please try and get some sleep." "Good night, darling." "Andre?" "Remember the ashtray?" "I*ve had a similar accident." "I transmitted myself successfully yesterday." "But in a second experiment, a fly which I did not notice was in the disintegrator with me." "When we reintegrated our atoms were mixed." "Now my only hope is to find the fly, go through the machine once more with it, and pray our atoms untangle." "If you can*t find it, I*ll have to destroy myself." "Can I come back in?" "Don*t worry, Andre." "I*ll find that fly. lt can*t be far away." "But you mustn*t talk about destroying yourself." "You mustn*t!" "I*ll call Professor Augier and other scientists." "They can help you." "Don*t be angry, Andre. I only thought that..." "Promise me that you won*t do anything." "Let me see your face. I won*t be afraid." "All right." "All right, Andre." "All right." " Flies, madame?" " Yes." "Close the windows." " Catch flies?" " l told you, Emma." "A fly escaped from the lab." "We*ve got to find it. lt*s got a white head." "Mummy!" "I don*t know what*s gotten into this house." "Mummy!" " Look!" "Caught lots of *em." " Where is it?" " Are you sure you caught it?" " Oh, the white one." " No, I haven*t caught it yet." " l told you to find that fly!" "I*m sorry, Philippe darling." "But you*ve got to find it." "The white one." "Only the white one." " Gotcha!" " You fool!" "I said catch them." "Don*t kill them." "I*m sorry, Emma." "Please, just catch them." "Madame!" "There*s one in the hall." "Where?" "Where is it?" "Oh, it*s no good, Emma." "We*ll never find it." "Philippe?" "Make some supper, Emma, would you?" "I*m sorry. lt*s just that..." "Come on, Philippe." " Go and wash for dinner, there*s a good boy." " All right, Mummy." "Oh, Philippe." "I see it!" "Don*t move." "Go and get some sugar, quick!" "Give me the sugar." "And close those doors." "Now stay back." " Caught him!" " Good boy, Philippe!" "Careful now." "Oh, no." "It*s in back of the curtain!" "Don*t harm it." "Don*t hurt it." "Oh, God, don*t let it get out." "You try and keep it behind the curtain." "I*ll get it from outside." "Oh, no." "Oh, God!" "Please, God, don*t let it..." "Don*t cry, Mummy." "Please don*t cry." "We*ll catch it tomorrow." "Don*t worry." "Please don*t worry." "Andre?" "We caught the fly today, but it escaped out into the garden." "I*ll look for it again tomorrow." "You eat. I*ll read this here." "If you had caught the fly, you would not be reading this." "I know you will never catch it now." "It*s hopeless." "There are things man should never experiment with." "Now I must destroy everything, all evidence, even myself." "No one must ever know what I discovered." "It*s too dangerous." "I*ve thought of a way." "It*s not easy, but I need your help." "Andre!" "You can still reason, Andre." "You*ve got no right to destroy yourself." "You mustn*t think about it." "You*ve still got your intelligence." "You*re still a man with a soul." "You*ve no right to destroy yourself!" "We*ll find that fly tomorrow. I know we will." "Think easy." "But you*ve got to give me more time." "Why?" "Why won*t you wait?" "Then see Augier and the other scientists." "They*ll do anything to help you!" "I*ve another idea." "Remember the ashtray experiment?" "Go through again. lt worked before." "Why?" "Please try it." "You*ve got to try it." "Please, Andre." "For my sake." "Maybe it will work. I beg you!" "Darling, I love you and I want you so much." "Please, please let this come out right." "Hurry, darling. lt will work." "It has worked, hasn*t it?" "You*ll be all right now. I know it*s worked!" "No!" "No!" "No!" "A strange story, Mrs Delambre." "It*s almost impossible to believe, isn*t it?" " Where are his notes?" " He destroyed them." " And the writing on the blackboard?" " l rubbed it out." "I see." "Well, I must be going." "Thank you for telling me." "Inspector, it wasn*t wrong to destroy the thing." "A fly-headed human?" "No." "It wasn*t Andre. I couldn*t have hurt Andre." "But I*m glad. I*m glad the thing is dead." "I*ll see you out, Inspector." " Inspector..." " l*ll be with you in a moment." " Inspector." " Do you believe the story?" "Well, it explains all the facts." "The reason for the press, the fly, everything." "True." "But I asked you if you believed it." "Oh, I*m only a policeman, I*m not a science fiction enthusiast." "But I do not believe what she said." "It can*t happen." "But you don*t..." "Well, I mean, you didn*t know Andre." "He was a genius in some ways." "Possibly." "But matter cannot be transmitted." "The story is impossible!" "I*ll be back at ten with a warrant for her arrest on the charge of murder." "The nurse is under strict instructions not to leave her for any reason." "But, Inspector, it might be the truth." "It is the truth to her." "I*m satisfied now she*s insane." "Don*t worry." "She won*t hang." " Well, I*m not satisfied." " l wish I could help you." "The lady*s in need of a doctor*s care, permanently." "There*s no telling whom she might attack next." "Perhaps the boy." "But there must be something we can do to prove..." "There is." "Show me the fly." " Good morning, monsieur." " Good morning, Emma." " How*s the mistress, sir?" " As well as can be expected." " Such a lovely lady." " Yes." "Emma, when you had that mad search for a fly, did you see it?" " Oh, yes. I saw it." " What did it look like?" "Oh, just a fly. I*d say it was a bluebottle." "You know, quite a large one." " But did it look any different?" " Not to me it didn*t." "She and Philippe were saying its head was white." "But it was just a fly." " Thank you." " May I fix you breakfast, sir?" " A nice cup of tea?" "Some coffee?" " No, thank you." "Help!" "Help me!" "Help me!" "Help!" "Help me!" "Please help me!" "Help me!" " We can manage, thank you, Mr Delambre." " Well, I thought I ought to be here." "You wish to check the warrant?" "As next of kin you have the right." "No, I*m sure it must be all right." "Madame?" "Time to get up now." "I slept so well." "Wondertully. ls it a nice day?" "Yes." " l think I*ll have the silk one." " Take this one." " You must be warm." " But I*m not going out." "Come in." "Good morning, Mrs Delambre." "Inspector." "But I don*t understand." "I have a warrant for your arrest for murder." "And I must caution you, anything you say can be taken down and used in evidence." " But, Inspector, I told you everything." " lt is for the court to decide." "But you said it was not wrong to kill a thing." " You have to come with us, madame." " Francois, didn*t you show them?" "You didn*t destroy it?" " Inspector, you saw it." " l*m afraid I did not, Mrs Delambre." "I lied to you, Helene." "I never had it. I never had it." "You never had it?" " lf you*ll just come with us, madame." " You never saw it?" "Leave her alone." "She doesn*t have to go with you." "I demand that I have time to talk to my attorney." "Dr Ejoute will care for her." "I have consulted him." "The patient is ready to leave." " l don*t believe it." " l have his diagnosis and his authority." " No, wait." "Wait!" " Don*t make things more difficult, monsieur." " Here you go, ma*am." "You*ll be all right." " No, Francois." "Don*t let them take me!" "Don*t let them lock me up!" "Francois, please!" " Mummy!" " Philippe." "Francois, do something." "Don*t let him see me like this!" "Please!" "Philippe." "You can*t see her, Philippe." "Not at the moment." "I*ll take you for a walk." "I know. I*ll take you to the movies." " But they don*t open till this afternoon." " Well, then I*ll take you this afternoon." "is the ambulance for Mummy?" "Yes." "is she going to be all right?" "Yes." "All right." "I ran all the way over here." "I wanted to see how she was." "I wanted her to play with me." "She*d like that, Philippe." "But she can*t, not now." " When*s Daddy coming home then?" " Soon, Philippe." "I saw that funny-looking fly again." " Which show will we go to?" " Any..." "You saw the fly?" "Where?" "It*s in a web." "The spider*s going to get it." "By the bench in the garden." " You*re sure?" " Oh, yes." "Stay here a minute." " Inspector, it*s in the garden!" " Please, monsieur." "Philippe has seen it!" "It*s there." "I beg of you, please." "Please!" "All right." "Show me where." "Here, Uncle Francois." "Wait in the house." "There*s a good boy, Philippe." "Help me!" "Please help me!" "Help!" "Go away!" "No!" "Please help me!" "Please go away!" "Go away!" "No!" "No!" "No!" "No!" "No!" "No!" "Charas!" "I didn*t believe it." "But you saw it." "You saw it, didn*t you?" "Yes, I saw it. I thought she was..." "As God is my witness, I saw the thing." "It*s unbelievable. I shall never forget that scream as long as I live." "You*ve committed murder just as much as Helene did." "You killed a fly with a human head." "She killed a human with a fly head." " lf she murdered, so did you." " l know." "But who*s going to believe us?" "They*ll think we*re both mad." "But he could have started the press and got under it in time." "It could have been suicide." "Andre*s mind was deranged." "Helene just tried to stop him." "But the stroke count." "I was the one who forgot to reset it, after it was used the last time." "Yes." "Yes. lt could have been suicide." "A great shot, Philippe." " Francois." " Hello." "You look wondertul." " Thank you." " Hi, Uncle Francois." " You taking me to the zoo?" " Yes, if your mother doesn*t..." "You run along." "We*ll have dinner together later." "Oh, good." " Uncle?" " Yes?" "Mummy told me about Daddy." "Something she said to ask you." "Why did he die?" "Well, Philippe, he died because of his work." "He was like an explorer in a wild country where no one had ever been before." "He was searching for the truth." "He almost found a great truth." " But for one instant he was careless." " That*s what killed him?" "Search for the truth is the most important work in the whole world." " And the most dangerous." " l*d like that." "I*d like to be an explorer like him." "Will you help me, Uncle Francois?" "Yes, Philippe." " You*d better run and get a coat." " Yes." "Right away." "You*re a dear one, Francois." "So kind and thoughftul." "Thank you." " Here I am." " Well, come along, you two." "I*ll see you off."