"Did you require something, sir?" "You remember the night of the murder?" "You told me you saw a man you thought was Sergeant George?" "Yes, sir." "See anyone else?" "Like a woman?" "A woman with a black-fringed shawl, by any chance?" "No, sir, I didn't see anybody else." "Ah." "That's a shame." "But it was dark, sir." "I only saw the Sergeant cos he just about knocked into me." "But, begging your pardon, sir, I understood you'd made an arrest." "I have." "I've arrested George." "Sometimes you have to do something and be seen to do something." "And sometimes, just doing something for the sake of doing something, will make something else happen." "Very good, sir." "May I ask, Inspector, if you will be needing to use Mr Tulkinghorn's office for very much longer?" "Not much longer, my good friend." "I think things are just boiling up nicely." "I've brought someone to see you, George." "Mother?" "George." "George." "Why did you wait so long?" "I don't..." "How have you come here, Mother?" "Your friends sent to me." "Did you think I wouldn't come running?" "Oh, George." "George." "My dear boy." "I never meant to bring shame on you, Mother." "Nor have you, George." "I never did it, Mother." "Mr Tulkinghorn, I never did it." "Course you didn't." "And no-one who knew you would ever think you could." "We'll soon have you out of here." "But why didn't you come to see me all these years?" "We never cared what you'd done with yourself." "I just wanted to see you, George." "Well, here I am, Mother." "In jail." "Arrested for murder, and likely to be hanged." "Not the best of circumstances." "I'm very sorry it had to be like this." "Oh, don't talk nonsense, boy." "Mr Jarndyce says there's no good evidence against you." "All you need is a good lawyer, and you'll be free in no time." "I won't have a lawyer, Mother." "Yes, you will." "You'll have the best lawyer in London." "Your brother Robert will pay the bills and be glad to do it." "Does he know about this?" "No, how could he?" "I came straight here with Mr Jarndyce." "I don't want him to know about this." "And I don't want his help." "Why ever not, George?" "HE SIGHS HEAVILY" "Because we had harsh words when I left." "And he's a man of wealth now, and I never amounted to much." "And now I'm about as low as a man can be." "I'd be ashamed to meet him, Mother." "I'll accept a lawyer, if I must, but not paid for by him." "Oh, George." "You're just as silly as you ever were." "FOOTSTEPS APPROACH" "All done, all done." "This was a good day's work." "You found Mrs Rouncewell?" "I found her, she came." "Mother and son reunited, tears of joy and so on." "And George has agreed to a lawyer representing him." "Do you think Sergeant George will be freed now?" "I think there's a very good chance of it." "I don't think Inspector Bucket believed he was guilty." "Then I'm happy for Sergeant George." "Hmm." "Of course I am." "Well, he's a good man." "One of the best of men." "What is it, Esther?" "Nothing, nothing." "Come on, my dear." "I know you better than that." "I can't help thinking, who will Inspector Bucket arrest now?" "Well, the guilty party, one would hope." "My mother believed that Mr Tulkinghorn was her enemy." "That he held her in his power because of a secret he had discovered from her past." "Because of me." "Well?" "What follows?" "I think she felt relieved when Mr Tulkinghorn was no longer there to torment her." "Esther." "Esther, you can't think..." "No." "No, no." "But others might think it." "Inspector Bucket might think it." "Come, come." "You know and I know that your mother is utterly incapable of such a thing." "Yes." "Of course, you're right." "I must get along or I'll be late." "I promised I'd visit Caddy this morning." "Esther, there really is no need to worry." "If ever there was a woman above suspicion, it's Lady Dedlock." "And the name, madam?" "You know very well who I am, Mr Mercury." "Mrs Rouncewell." "My Lady's housekeeper at Chesney Wold." "And I am here to see my mistress on a matter of private business." "I'll just see if she's at home." "Wait here, please." "Her Ladyship will see you now, if you'd care to come up." "Seems very strange to see you in London, Mrs Rouncewell." "What can I do for you?" "If you please, m'lady," "I don't know whether you have heard." "My son is in prison." "Arrested for murder." "Your son?" "!" "Arrested for murder?" "Not the son you have met, m'lady." "His brother, George, who left home very young to join the Army." "He is wrongly accused." "I didn't know who else to turn to." "And who is your son supposed to have murdered?" "Mr Tulkinghorn." "I see." "And what had your soldier son to do with Mr Tulkinghorn?" "There was a debt." "But there was a dispute about it, and a boy died at my son's place." "And George held Mr Tulkinghorn to blame for it." "What boy?" "A poor crossing-sweeper boy that they called Jo." "I don't know the ins and outs of it, but George was very angry with Mr Tulkinghorn about it and people knew that." "Forgive me, Mrs Rouncewell." "But it sounds as if the police had good reason to arrest your son." "But he's innocent, m'lady!" "I know him." "He'd never do a thing like that." "Many a mother has said that before, Mrs Rouncewell." "Lady Dedlock, before I left Chesney Wold," "I received a letter." "I don't know who wrote it, and it made no sense to me at all because when it came," "I'd never heard of any murder." "But now I think perhaps you do know something, m'lady." "And that you might be able to help my son." "Do you wish for me to read this?" "Not in my presence, m'lady, please." "And please believe I don't give it any credit." "But if there is anything that you know or anyone you suspect, I beg you to consider it and think of my son." "Thank you, m'lady." "Mother and child both doing very well, I'm happy to say." "Thank you, Mr Woodcourt." "Thanks indeed, noble practitioner of the Hippocratic art." "What wonders you have worked here." "How I wish we could reward you in accordance with your deserts." "But we are poor folk, Mr Woodcourt, poor wretched creatures." "All our money goes on finery for him, the old fraud." "I could...cook him!" "I can tell you're feeling better, Caddy." "I'll see you get paid, Mr Woodcourt." "Somehow." "No need to think about that now." "But you do need to think about money, don't you?" "There's no need to be anxious about me." "I'm not exactly starving, you know." "You could do with a new coat, I think." "It's a good thing I'm not vain about my appearance, or I'd be mortified." "I'd be glad to mend it for you." "I'm very good with a needle, though I say it myself." "Would you?" "I think that would mean more to me than a new coat." "Have you seen much of Richard lately, Mr Woodcourt?" "I haven't seen him for a few days." "What with Mrs Turveydrop and my other patients." "Why, are you worried about him?" "I'm sure Ada has heard from him, but she says not." "It's not like her to keep anything from me." "I'm afraid she may be hiding some bad news." "I'll go and look him up in his lodgings this evening." "A glass of wine does raise the spirits, don't you find?" "Why d'you look at me like that?" "You think I'm a poor sort of fellow, don't you?" "Not a bit of it." "In one way I envy you very much." "Really?" "Why's that?" "You have the love of a very dear girl." "Lord, you're not in love with her yourself, are you?" "No." "No." "Oh, yes, of course." "Esther." "HE COUGHS" "Esther." "Do you think I have a chance with her?" "I think she likes you very much." "She's a strange little creature in some ways." "Takes her housekeeping duties very seriously and so on." "She's very attached to Jarndyce, too, I must admit." "Still, not even a fellow like that would keep a girl cooped up for the rest of her life just to sort out his linen cupboards." "Well, well." "Esther." "Good for you, Woodcourt." "If you like her, you should ask her." "I intend to." "Morning, Miss Esther." "Good morning, Harriet." "I was just coming down, Esther." "Have you heard from Richard?" "No." "Not for a while." "Shall we go down, then?" "Yes." "Yes." "Ada, I should like to go and visit Richard and see how he's getting on." "Oh?" "Why that, now?" "Well, I had a note from Mr Woodcourt, who's a little concerned about his health." "Oh, well I should go, not you." "Go together." "Give him my best love." "That suit you, Ada?" "Yes." "Very well." "There's a letter for you, sir." "Addressed to you here, sir, care of Sir Leicester Dedlock." "Oh yes?" "Give it here." "Hmm." "That's old news, that is." "Got a pinch of snuff for me, Mr Mercury?" "Thank ye kindly." "I'll do the same by you one day." "Well, take a pinch yourself." "We're all friends here." "Don't mind if I do." "Fine ladies and gentlemen are all very well, but I prefer below stairs on the whole." "Recalling the night of the murder, did Lady Dedlock go out at all that night, do you remember?" "Yes, she did." "Yes, I thought she did." "On her own, was she?" "Yes." "M'lady likes a little walk at night." "Quite on her own." "Fresh night air, she says." "Yes, that's all in order." "But that night, that particular night... .I'll just take another pinch of this very fine snuff of yours, Mr Mercury." "That particular night, can you recall what she was wearing?" "No, sir." "No, sir?" "Can't recall?" "Might she have gone out with a black-fringed shawl, by any chance?" "Hand on my heart, Mr Bucket, I can't be sure." "M'lady often goes out." "M'lady has such a lot of clothes." "I can't be sure." "I'm sorry, Mr Bucket." "Don't torment yourself, Mr Mercury." "You've been very helpful." "A fount of wisdom." "Just a tiny pinch more." "Now where we seen hand like that?" "Well, well, well." "I've got a little errand for you, Mr Clamb." "Have you, Mr Bucket?" "You remember that French maid who was brought here one time?" "Miss Hortense?" "That's the one." "I want her brought here, Clamb." "Had you not better get one of your policemen to bring her here, sir?" "No, Mr Clamb." "That wouldn't strike the young lady as a friendly thing to do." "You just go and tell her a gentleman wants to see her in Mr Tulkinghorn's office, and it will be to her advantage to accompany you there." "As a favour to me, Mr Clamb." "Quickly, past Vholes's office." "I detest that man." "Here, this is the house." "You seem to know your way very well." "Do I?" "Ada, my love." "COUGHING:" "Esther." "Richard, what is it?" "Nothing, nothing." "Frog in my throat." "Is this a healthy place to live, do you think?" "It's near the law courts and it's near Vholes." "Perhaps a change from both would be good for your health." "No." "We're doing very well at present." "We really are spinning along." "Ask Vholes." "He's giving them no rest." "We shall rouse up that nest of sleepers, mark my words." "Come and sit down, my love." "I can't pretend with her, you see." "I fluctuate a little, that's the truth." "Sometimes I hope, and sometimes I..." "Well, not despair exactly, but pretty close." "It's all such weary, weary work." "Esther, I'm not going back with you to Bleak House." "But where will you sleep, Ada?" "With my husband." "We were married as soon as I came of age." "Sorry I kept it a secret from you." "But you kept a secret from me." "Don't be angry with us." "HE COUGHS" "So, YOU bring me 'ere." "What d'you want?" "Not the first time we've been together in this room, my dear." "So what?" "I saw you at the funeral." "I never realised you were such an admirer of our deceased friend." "It is no crime to attend a funeral." "No, but someone's been writing letters, my dear." "Oh, yes?" ""Lady Dedlock, murderess." And what of it?" "Look at this." "You remember, you wrote your address for me?" "Now look at the note." "Same handwriting, would you agree?" "Oh, the great detective(!" ")" "So pleased with himself." "Yes, I wrote the letters because you so clearly get everything wrong." "I know it was Lady Dedlock who killed that man." "Oh, you do, do you?" "How's that, then?" "I saw her that night." "I followed her 'ere." "Excellent." "I wonder now, did you notice what she was wearing?" "She wore a black dress." "And she covered her face with a black-fringed shawl." "Black-fringed shawl." "I wonder now, if you was to go to her house, could you find that shawl for me?" "Of course." "I know where all her clothes are kept." "I was her maid, stupid man!" "All right, all right." "Now listen to me." "This is my plan..." "Here we are, my dear." "My friend should be waiting." "HE KNOCKS ON DOOR" "All right, Mr Mercury?" "This is for you." "You still here?" "!" "As you see, some of us know how to hold our tongues." "Come on." "A bientot, mademoiselle." "Steady, you mad beasts!" "I'm not a sack of potatoes!" "Ow!" "I'll dock you tuppence for that." "Now down gently." "Judy, shake me up." "Mr Clamb, good evening." "If you're looking for Mr Bucket, he's not here." "I'm not looking for him." "I'm looking for you." "And I've found you, ain't I?" "What can I do for you, Mr Smallweed?" "Private business." "Out, the lot of you!" "You too, Judy." "I'll call you when I need ya." "You've got some letters of mine here, Mr Clamb." "Of great personal and sentimental value." "Mr Tulkinghorn was gonna pay me a lot of money for 'em, and now I'm out of pocket." "So I want 'em back!" "Mr Smallweed, this office is full of letters." "How am I to know which ones you mean?" "They're tied up with pink ribbon, and addressed to a Captain Hawdon." "As I recall, Mr Smallweed, Mr Tulkinghorn paid you for those letters." "In fact, I think I could lay my hand on the receipt." "Well, what use are they to him?" "Or you?" "Or his estate now?" "I know how to make money out of 'em and you don't." "Well, it's a pity you don't own 'em, then." "Ain't it, Mr Smallweed?" "All right!" "All right." "I'll go shares with ya." "Oh, I don't know, Mr Smallweed." "I think that would be wrong." "Well, who's to know?" "Come on, Mr Clamb." "Who's gonna pay your wages now?" "I'm offering you a partnership." "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." "Bucket...?" "Bucket!" "I thought that disagreeable business was all done with." "Perhaps he has come to claim the reward, my dear." "Rather presumptuous." "One would have thought that he would at least wait until the fellow was convicted and hanged." "Mr Bucket." "Sir Leicester Dedlock, Baronet." "My Lady Dedlock." "Mr Bucket, how goes the world with you?" "Tolerably well, sir." "Tolerably well." "Was there something you wanted, Mr Bucket?" "Yes, sir, there was." "A few questions I'd like to put to Her Ladyship." "The devil you would!" "?" "I have no objection." "Let him ask his questions." "Perhaps your ladyship would be more comfortable if I put them to you in private?" "No." "Whatever you have to say to me, you may say in front of my husband." "Very good, my lady." "Won't take long." "Did you go out on the night of the murder?" "Mr Mercury tells me..." "Yes." "I did, I believe." "I do sometimes feel the need to take the air before retiring." "Nothing wrong with that." "Where did you go?" "I really cannot recall, Mr Bucket." "The purpose of the walk was to take the air, not to go anywhere in particular." "Just so, of course." "Can you recollect what you was wearing, my lady?" "What an extraordinary question." "No, I cannot." "Quite a chilly night, as I recall." "Would you have had a black-fringed shawl with you, by any chance?" "I do not believe I possess any such garment." "You see, the thing is, a lady, or shall we say a woman, was seen in the vicinity of Mr Tulkinghorn's that night, wearing just such a shawl, held over her face." "That is very interesting, Mr Bucket, but as I say, I do not believe I possess any such thing." "Very good." "With your permission, Sir Leicester?" "What is that woman doing here?" "Leave my house or I shall have you ejected." "You have no business here!" "Stay where you are." "I say Mademoiselle Hortense has business here." "Law business." "And NO-ONE is above the law." "Not even Sir Leicester Dedlock, Baronet." "Find it?" "Yes." "Show it." "Where d'you find it?" "In my lady's closet." "You let that creature..." "Steady, Sir Leicester." "And Mercury was with me when I found it." "Give it here." "D'you recognise this shawl, my lady?" "Yes, I do recognise it now." "Very good." "Memory can play funny tricks." "Now, I wonder if you can remember any more about that night?" "Perhaps if I tell you that Sergeant George, the fellow we've got locked up, says he saw a woman with a black-fringed shawl on the stairs leading up to Mr Tulkinghorn's office." "This is not the only black-fringed shawl in London, I believe." "And, as I say, I cannot remember wearing it." "Perhaps if I say this young lady says she followed you that night?" "You see?" "Now you must tell the truth." "Be quiet, mademoiselle, please." "Lady Dedlock?" "I did walk as far as Mr Tulkinghorn's office that night." "I had remembered something I wanted to say to him." "Ah!" "Very good." "You were taking the air, you remembered you had something to say to Mr Tulkinghorn." "You thought you might as well pop up and have a word with him right away." "Did you have that word with him, my lady?" "No, I did not." "I knocked on the door but I received no reply." "I came away." "Liar!" "I believe I passed someone on the stairs." "That would have been Mr George." "And that clears up the last point that's been puzzling me." "With your permission again, Sir Leicester?" "Now, Constable, you can arrest this lady for the murder of Mr Tulkinghorn." "No." "No!" "You fool!" "Her!" "Her!" "Hortense Jaboulet." "You are arrested for the murder of Mr Josiah Tulkinghorn of Lincoln's Inn Fields." "Take her away."