" Do you think they'll come, sir?" " They'll come, all right." "Here." "Stamp those and mail them." "It's ringing." "Would you walk Myron the other way?" "My leg looks like a tree in this fog." "Come on." "What a godforsaken spot to get lost." "It's true." "I saw a much better spot a few miles back." "Hello?" "Good." "Tell them we're lost." " The phone's dead." " Why'd you say "hello"?" " I could've sworn" " What?" " Sounded like somebody snipped the wire." " Really?" "What did it sound like?" "Snip." " Some fog, eh, Pop?" " I've already heard the weather report." "Drive, please." "It's as thick as pea soup." "Not a soul around for miles." "Know what I think?" "Perfect place for a murder." "Conversation like television set on honeymoon:" "Unnecessary." "Where are we going, anyway, Pop?" "Who is this Mr. Twain?" "What'd he mean, "dinner and a murder"?" "Questions like athlete's foot:" "After a while, very irritating." "To stop car, please." " What's wrong?" " Stop car, please." "To shut engine off, please." "Listen." "I don't hear nothing." "What do you hear?" " Double negative and dog." " So it's a dog." "So what?" "If not mistaken dog belong to Mr. Dick Charleston." " Who's Dick Charleston?" " I am." "You don't happen to have seen a little white" " Wang!" "A white Wang?" "Sidney Wang!" "What are you doing in this godforsaken spot?" "No doubt, same as you." "Looking for bridge that lead to home of host, Mr. Lionel Twain." "You too, huh?" "Must be important to invite two such detectives." "Excuse, please, to introduce Japanese son, Willie." "Japanese?" "But I thought" "Mrs. Wang and I couldn't have children." "Willie: adopted number three son." "Careful on this road." "It's treacherous." "Treacherous road like fresh mushroom." "Must always" "Idiot!" "Not finish mushroom story." "You're idiot!" "Sorry, but I see nothing." "This fog's as thick as bouillabaisse." " Nuts!" " I beg your pardon?" "Nuts, nuts!" "There are no nuts in my chocolate!" "You let that imbecile in the shop give you raisins." "He didn't have any nuts." " The man in the shop?" " That's the reason I took the raisins." "Never mind." "We'll soon be there for dinner." "Hot soup." "Something is not right in all of this, huh?" "I can feel it in my bones." " In your what?" " In my bones." "Buns?" "You have buns?" "You bought buns and didn't tell me?" " Where are the buns?" " No, monsieur." "The bones in my body." "You shouldn't speak with an accent when you know I'm hungry." "If you ask me, Sam, this is a wild goose chase." " Nobody asked you." " Yes, they did." "You asked me back there if I thought" "That was then." "This is now." "Nobody knows what tomorrow will be." "That's the way it is, whether we like it or not." "Sam, I really worry about you sometimes." "Cut the malarkey." "This trip is strictly business." " What do you got on Twain?" " He was born in San Francisco in 1906." "His mother was Catholic, father an Orthodox Jew." "They separated two hours after the marriage." " Any children?" " Yeah, one daughter, 32." "Her name's Irene, but she goes by Rita." "Just like a dame." "Don't stop, angel." "You're doing fine." "He was arrested in 1932 for selling pornographic bibles." "Charges were dropped when the church didn't turn over the bibles." "There's nothing on him until '46 when he was picked up in El Paso for smuggling a truckload of rich, white Americans into Mexico to pick melons." "He was sent to the state hospital for mental observation." "I think we picked ourselves a queer bird, angel." "Anything else?" "Yeah." "Get this, Sam." "Twain has one interesting physical characteristic." "He has no pinkies." "No pinkies?" "Twain's only got eight fingers?" "No, no." "He's got 10." "He just doesn't have any pinkies." " You did your homework good." " Thanks." " Where'd you dig that up?" " I wrote Twain and asked." "Good thinking." " What's the matter?" " Wouldn't you know, out of gas." "I saw a station about five miles back, Sam." "I want you to know I'm gonna be waiting for you, baby." "Here's the bridge, Pop." "Doesn't look safe to me." "One way to find out." "Drive across." "Aren't you gonna come with me?" "Weight of two men may be too much for bridge." "Then why do I get to drive?" "Because I smart enough to get out first." "I'm not gonna make it." "It's gonna collapse." "Not worry." "Father find other way to house." "I made it, Pop!" "I made it!" "Good!" "Good!" "Now come back and get adopted father." "Look at invitation." "What number of house?" " Two-two..." " Correct." "2-2, Twain's house." "Continue." " Did you see that?" " No." "Neither did I." "Stop!" "Do not move." "Something's wrong here." " What is it?" " Do not ask questions." "Do as I say." "When I tell you jump, you jump." "One, two, three jump!" "Holy Shanghai!" "Nice counting." "But how'd you know?" "Look on ground." "Even had correct shoe size." "Someone gone great trouble to make welcome guests not so welcome." "Ring bell, please." "Are you nuts?" "Someone's trying to kill us." "Yes." "Should make exciting weekend." "Ring, please." "I wish it was Monday morning." "Well, here goes." "They're killing someone in there!" " Calm yourself." " Didn't you hear her scream?" "No." "You heard scream." "More experienced ear heard doorbell." "Listen again." "Mr. Twain has macabre sense of humour, yeah?" "Good evening." "We have been expecting you." "But in what condition?" "Roof in need of repair." "Indeed." "I'm afraid the house is falling apart." " May we come in, please?" " I'm sorry." "I thought you were in." "You are Mr. and Mrs. Charleston?" "Not quite." "I am Inspector Wang of Catalina, please." "This adopted son, Willie." "I trust you had a pleasant journey despite the storm?" "Strange weather." "Storm only outside when inside." "That." "That's just one of Mr. Twain's little toys." "An electronic device." "Mr. Twain, as you will soon discover prefers his atmosphere murky." " May I have your bags, sir?" " No, no." "Son will get bags." "That is why I adopted him." "Very good, sir." "One moment, please, while I close the door." "Now, if you will follow me, I will show you to your room." "Very large house." "No other servants?" "I'm not sure." "I've never seen anyone." "Mr. Twain asked me to see that you're made comfortable and to say he'll join you after dinner." "After dinner?" "Host not have dinner with guests?" "No." "Mr. Twain prefers to eat out." " Wait, please." "What that?" " That?" "It's nothing." "Just the cat." "That cat?" "You feed cat dog food?" "I'm afraid he's a very angry cat, sir." "Mr. Twain had him fixed, and he didn't want to be." "Big house, huh, Pop?" "Big house like man married to fat woman:" "Hard to get around." "Here we are." "I'm sure you'll find this suitable." " It's a cold house." " I've taken care of that." "You'll find a nice, cosy fire in your room." "It's a bit smoky, sir." "I'm afraid that fireplace hasn't been used in years." " At least the bed will be warm." " If you wish anything, please ring." " Where buzzer?" " It's behind the bed, sir, there." "Dinner will be at 9:00 and Mr. Twain likes his guests to dress." "The doorbell." "Excuse me." "Wow!" "What a creepy guy." "Why would anyone want to hire a blind butler?" "For one thing, very cheap." "How butler know how much he get paid?" "Drink this." "You'll feel better." "If Myron hadn't barked, we'd have missed the statue falling." "It wasn't meant to kill." "It's a warning." "Somebody's trying to frighten us." "Why?" "Whatever his reason, he's doing well." " Why hasn't anybody answered?" " Don't ring it!" "Knock, don't ring." "I won't, I promise." " What is it now, Myron?" " Up there, Dora." "Look." " A blind butler." " Don't let him park the car, Dickie." "Good evening." "We have been expecting you." "We let ourselves in." "Dick and Dora Charleston." "Good evening." "We have been expecting you." "Your room is ready, if you'll just follow me, please." "Don't mind him." "It's just the cat." " We left our luggage in the trunk." " I'll get it later when I park the car." " Was that Mr. Wang's car out front?" " Yes." "They're resting in their room." "I've put you in the same wing as Mr. Wang." "Isn't that nice?" "We're in Wang's wing." "Not many people come to the manor these days." "It's nice to hear guests again." " Thanks." "You are?" " Bensonmum." "Thank you, Benson." "Bensonmum." "My name is Bensonmum." " Bensonmum?" " Yes, sir." "Jamesir Bensonmum." " Jamesir?" " Yes, sir." " Jamesir Bensonmum?" " Yes, sir." " How odd." " My father's name, sir." "What was your father's name?" " Howard Bensonmum." " Howard Bensonmum?" "Leave it." "I've had enough." "Here we are." "The late Mrs. Twain's room." "She died in here." " Oh, dear." " Died of what?" "She murdered herself in her sleep, sir." " You mean suicide?" " Oh, no." "It was murder, all right." "Mrs. Twain hated herself." "We keep this room locked." " Why is that?" " Mr. Twain loved her very much." "He's kept her room just as it was the night she choked herself nine years ago." "Madam loved it here." "She said it was the cheeriest room in the house." " The doorbell." " That was Mrs. Charleston." " I thought she was here." " I am." "I will not stay in this filthy room." "Very well, madam." "I'll attend to it during dinner." " Thank you, Benson, sir." " Mum!" " What?" " Bensonmum." "Ma'am." "Baking flour." " What?" " This dust is baking flour." "And these cobwebs" " Candied sugar." "All placed here for the purpose of frightening us." "And that mouse- Obviously a mechanical toy." " Silly." " What is?" "I am." "It's real." " Stop the car." "We're here." " That's why I stopped." " Open my door." " You have chocolate on your face." "The candy bar's on your face." " Imbecile, that's my moustache!" " Lick it and see." "Wipe it off." "My hands are sticky." "Hold still, please." "Sloppy." "All in good time." "Yes?" "Who's there?" "Who's there, I say?" "Filthy neighbourhood." "Didn't I say "jump"?" ""Un, deux, trois, jump." Why don't you listen?" " Leave me alone." " Sloppy." "Who are you?" "You must be the new kitchen maid." "I hope you can cook." "Answer me." "Speak up." "What's that?" "I can't hear you." "A little shy, are you?" "Never mind." "There will be 10 for dinner." "Here is the menu." "Is that understood?" "And dinner will be at 9:00." "When I want you, that bell on the wall will ring three times." "All right." "Get to work." "Operator." "I am saying, "Hello, hello."" " It's dead, sir." " What?" "Who is?" "Who are you?" "The butler, sir." "The butler, eh?" "I thought as much." "That phone has been out of order for the past week, sir." "Is that a fact?" "And I say that this wire has been snipped not one hour ago as you can plainly see." "What is your name?" "Your little jest escapes me." "I am Monsieur Milo Perrier." "He was injured by a falling gargoyle while standing in Chinese footprints." "We rang, a woman screamed a mouse ran through the door." "As you can plainly see, I miss nothing." "Since we can't call a doctor I will need a cold compress and hot chocolate, "n'est-ce pas?"" "We don't have "n'est-ce pas," sir." "Just Hershey's." "I'll call the maid." "I'll fetch it for you myself, sir." "In the meantime, if you'll be good enough to follow me to your room." "Get up." "Get up." "There's something about him I do not trust." "Notice how his eyes never look at you." "He's blind, monsieur." "Nonsense." "There's the house now." " What's the matter?" " My feet are killing me." "Why didn't you tell me we needed oil before I went back for gas?" "I gave you $50 and the gas was $5.00." "Maybe you'd come back." "Maybe not." "I couldn't risk it." " Don't you trust me, Sam?" " Trust you?" "The last time that I trusted a dame was in Paris in 1940." "She said she was going to get wine." "Two hours later, the Germans marched into France." "I'm sorry, Sam." "Sorry nothing." "Give me my change." "Dinner will be at 9:00." "I'll have the maid bring your chocolate." " One moment, my good man." " Sir?" "Thank you." "That will be all." "He's blind, all right." "Those were my funniest faces." "It's not exactly the Copacabana, is it?" "I don't feel good about this." "Maybe tonight your luck runs out." "Maybe so." "There's a number on the wall for all of us." "If tonight's the night they pick mine, so be it." "After you, sweetheart." " First, kiss me, Sam." " I don't kiss." "Just this once, Sam." "I don't like kissing." "Now leave me alone." "My God!" " He's dead!" " I beg your pardon?" "Sam Diamond is lying out there." "He's been crushed to death." "I'm going to faint." "Catch me." "Madam." "Madam, where are you?" "Hold it right there." "Freeze, blinky!" "Get your hands up." "Turn your face to the wall." "All right, angel." "You can get up now." "Turn around, Jeeves." "Your concrete Christmas present came two seconds early, no thanks to you." "I apologize for any unfortunate mishap, sir." " May I put my hands down?" " Don't test your luck, Shakespeare." "I got your invitation to dinner but I didn't realize I'd be the main course." "I had a kid brother who got it the same way working on a case like this two years ago." "That boy would've been 63 on Tuesday." "For two cents, I'd take this- Get him away from me!" "Get him away." "Get him away before I stuff him like a tiger trophy his limey pals like to hang up on saloon walls." "Please." "He has a dreadful temper, hasn't he?" "9:00, time for dinner." "Is everything ready?" "I don't smell anything." "Very light on the seasoning, are you?" "Put the soup in a tureen and keep the squabs on low." "I'll serve cocktails." "When you hear the bell, bring out the chilled asparagus and turn up the flame on the squabs." "Have you got that?" "You didn't tell me how I look." "No different than always- Ravishing." " Do you love and adore me?" " I love and adore you." " You have the best tush in high society." " Years of horseback riding." "Getting to bottom of things?" " Ah, Wang." "You remember" " Of course." " Nice to see you, Ah Wang." " Always a pleasure." "What a beautiful gown." "Tell me where you got it." "This?" "This an old dress." "Had it for years." "Please to meet adopted son, Willie." "East meets West in a most bizarre setting." "I didn't know you were invited." "You know Wang." "I had the pleasure of dining in Shanghai many years ago with Inspector Wang." "You remember." "Yes." "You had "hong ching chu" and I had "kow dung woo fong."" "My wife, Dora." "Inspector Perrier." "I'm sorry." "Our room is so dusty." "My fault." "I should have blown first." "May I present my secretaire and chauffeur Marcel Cassette." " Recovered from your accident, Marcel?" " But how did you know?" "From the way you bend." "Your right side smashed in by a Citroen." "I detected a slight metallic sound so I think you have an artificial hip." "Steel?" "Aluminum." "You're as quick as ever, Charleston." "And you, Charleston did not approve of Mrs. Charleston dying hair blond?" "I beg your pardon?" "Mrs. Charleston hair red." "You have blond hairs on shoulder." "That means she has dyed red hair to blond then back again to red." "Or else you have been" "So sorry." "Wang is wrong." "Shall we go to dinner, please?" " Boy, Pop, you sure put your" " Shut Japanese mouth." "It must be ghastly to have a hip removed." " Does it hurt?" " Only in damp weather." " Are you all right?" " Pay no attention." "You'll spoil him." "Get up." "Get up." " As I was saying, Mr. Charleston" " Hey, Pop." "A treacherous road like fresh mushrooms" "I know." "Dog stick tongue out of picture." "Treacherous road like fresh mushrooms." "He's a charming fellow." "African death mask." "Died in some tribal ritual." "Wonder where others are." "Others?" "What others?" "Invitation to dinner and murder finally clear to Wang with appearance of Monsieur Perrier." "It's obvious that the world's greatest detectives were invited." "Five of us, darling." "Three are here." "Two have not yet arrived." " Miss Jessie Marbles of England." " And" "Sam Diamond of San Francisco." "I know who you all are." "The lady in the dress is my secretary and mistress, Tess Skeffington." " Sam, don't." " I'm sorry, sweetheart." "She doesn't like it when I'm brutally honest." "Then again, we're all in a brutal business." "Never considered murder to be business, Mr. Diamond." "Is that right, Mr. Wang?" "Maybe not for you, since you put your money in vegetables in the late '30s." "Our friends don't know that you own 50 percent of the bean sprouts and the bamboo shoots grown in China." "You can imagine how much chicken chow mein goes into his pot each year." " Do I have the figures right?" " Right." "What does this have to do with anything?" "Or you, Mr. Perrier." "You work both sides of the big drink." "Pretty good pickings, solving crimes for barons and putting your fees into Swiss banks." "Three trips a year buys a lot of hot chocolate." "See here, Diamond" "You see here, Mr. Charleston of New York, Palm Beach and Beverly Hills." "Crime's a hobby to you, isn't it?" "It's a game to wile away the time while you wait for room service while your wife's dough buys martinis and your $300 suits." "That's nice, when all you gotta do is give your wife a grab now and then and take the dog for a leak." "Sorry to shock you, but I never went to finishing school." "My school is the streets and the barrel of a revolver is my teacher." "I get $50 a day in expenses when I can get them, gentlemen." "I owe Miss Skeffington three years back pay." "Ain't that right?" " I don't care about the money." " Neither do I." "If one of you would be so kind as to give my friend a glass of cheap white wine, I'm going down to find the can." "I talk so much sometimes, I forget to go." "Please excuse Sam." "He was shot in the head last week." "He shouldn't be out of the hospital." " I think he's damned honest." " Dickie, language." "Miss Jessica Marbles and nurse." "Miss Marbles." "So we finally meet." "I've admired you ever since I was tiny little detective." "Thank you, Mr. Wang." "I am Jessica Marbles." "This is Miss Withers, my nurse." "She's been with me 52 years." "I have to take care of the poor dear now." "Are you all right, Miss Withers?" "Do you want your medicine now?" "She's off." "I could use a good, stiff shot, Mr. Charleston." "I believe booze, as you call it, is your department." " My pleasure, madam." " Who's the old geezer?" "Jessie, baby!" " You have a bullet hole in your back." " You should see the other guy." "Quiet, please." "Observe strange sound." "My God, it's the face." "It's coming from the face." "He's going through his final moments." " What could it mean?" " It means dinner, sir." "We have no gong." "Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to make a toast." "Our host, Mr. Lionel Twain, is indeed a most unique man." "One:" "He's succeeded in gathering the world's greatest detectives to investigate a crime not yet committed." "Two:" "He's set traps for us:" "A bridge that almost collapses, falling statues." "Does he mean to kill us?" "Not yet." "He could've done that at any time." "He's merely trying to whet our appetites for the game." "Three:" "Why five detectives instead of one?" "Because he intends to take us all on a feat that no criminal mind has yet attempted." "Before this hellish weekend begins I propose that we toast to either a most beguiling and charming man or to an insidious, fiendish madman." " Bottoms up." " One moment." "Point four:" "Wine poisoned." "An ancient, tasteless, colourless and odourless Oriental herb that kills instantly." "Observe, please." "Great Scott, Mr. Wang." "You saved our lives." "Not quite, Mrs. Charleston." "Bon appetit." "Since Wang was the one who could detect poison, only he was tested." "Point five:" "Mr. Twain is both beguiling and fiendish." " Get a doctor, quick." " No, no." "It's all right." "My wine is not poisoned." "It was just a bad year." "Good work, Mr. Wang." "We must all be on our guard through every course of the meal." "You're all forgetting one thing." "This makes the butler suspicious." "He poured the wine." "How would he know which one to serve the poisoned glass to?" "That's very simple." "Blind people have a very keen sense of smell." "Since we're Anglo-Saxon and Mr. Wang's son is Japanese it wouldn't be hard to sniff out the Chinaman." "See here." "That's a tacky thing to say." "It's a tacky world, Mr. Charleston." " Isn't that right, angel?" " That's right." "Quiet, please." "Butler approaches." "I apologize." "I'm having communication problems with the cook." "Who poured the wine?" "Mr. Twain, sir." "It was left for me in the refrigerator." "I was told to give Mr. Wang the glass with the sticky stem." "And you didn't ask why?" "I was lucky to find the refrigerator." " If I may serve the soup now?" " By all means." "Yes, I'm famished." "One moment." " Where is the soup?" " In your dish, sir." "There is nothing in my dish but my dish." " I don't understand, sir." " Here, take the spoon." "Taste it for yourself." "I see what you mean, sir." "If you'll excuse me, I'd better have a little talk with the cook." "Murder by starvation." "Maybe that's his game." " What do you think?" " I don't know." "Ask the moose." "He's been watching since we came in." "Ten people for dinner, and I'm serving them hot nothing!" "You can't get good help today." "You're fired, you understand?" "Fired!" "I want you out, do you hear?" "Out!" "And stay out." "Something just occurred to me." " The seating's all wrong." " How so?" " I'm sitting next to Dora." " So what?" " She's your wife." " Exactly." "The husband's never seated next to the wife." "I should be on the opposite side." "Will you trade?" " Now, Mr. Charleston?" " Now, Mr. Wang." "Another test that could have cost us our lives." "Saved only by the fact that I am well-bred." "Lucky it wasn't me." "I'd have been chopped liver." "Silence, please." "Do not panic." "No person move from place." "Someone just came in." "I hear footsteps." "Wait!" "Quiet, everyone!" " I smell something." " What is it?" "Good God!" "Franks and beans!" "I'm afraid that's all we have, sir." "You know how I get when you touch me there." "My hands are in my pockets." " They're my pockets." " Sorry." "Dickie, behave yourself." "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen." "I'm your host, Lionel Twain." "Good God, what an entrance!" "A bit theatrical, Miss Marbles, but I do so love illusion." "Please forgive my hat." "I'm losing my hair." "I thought Twain was an older man, say 72, 73." "Seventy-six to be exact, Mr. Diamond." "How do I look so young?" "Quite simple." "A complete vegetable diet, 12 hours' sleep a night and lots and lots of makeup." " I trust you're all comfortable." " Comfortable, Mr. Twain?" "Is that what you call poisoned wine and near decapitation?" "No." "I call it inspiration." "You haven't explained the mechanical and culinary attempts on our lives." "Merely games, Monsieur Perrier." "Pitting wits with you, so to speak." "Pit your wits with me and you won't have wits to pit with." "You're spitting on the nurse." "Sorry, old lady." "Crazy broad should be in bed." "We have been here four hours and there hasn't been a hot dinner or a corpse." " I must therefore bid you adieu." " I bid one adieu as well." "No one is leaving this house." "What meaning of this, Mr. Twain?" "I will tell you, Mr. Wang, if you can tell me why one of the most brilliant minds of the century can't say prepositions or articles." ""The," Mr. Wang." ""What is the meaning of this?"" "That what I said." "What meaning of this?" "The meaning of this is that I have decided to prove, beyond any doubt that the greatest criminologist in the world is sitting at this table and you are all looking at him." "No, don't look at each other!" "Look at me!" "I'm the greatest!" "I'm number one!" "To me you look like number two." "Know what I mean?" " What does he mean?" " I'll tell you later." "It's disgusting." "In all your adventures, monsieurs and madames none of you has ever had an unsolved murder." "Your reputations exist on this single fact." "But what would the world say if the five greatest detectives found themselves trapped in a house, shut off from the world only to discover a dead body stabbed 12 times in the back with a knife and not one of you able to solve the crime?" " You mean murder?" " We're talking shop." "Yes, murder, Mrs. Charleston!" "On the stroke of midnight someone in this house will be murdered." "Left out one small detail, Mr. Twain." "Who victim?" ""Is the." "Is the."" ""Who is the victim?" That drives me crazy!" " Sounds like a short ride to me." " Does it?" "Well, we shall see who is sane and who is crazy around here." "Mr. Wang the victim is here at this table at this very moment and so too, ladies and gentlemen, is the murderer." " Murder-poo?" " Yes, dear." "We're going to have a lovely murder-poo." "Push her wheelchair down the driveway." "We got business." " You know who's gonna get it?" " Intimately." " And how it'll be committed?" " Definitely." "And what time murder take place?" ""The" murder." "Precisely." "It's not my business, but doesn't that mean you're the murderer?" "No wives." "I refuse to discuss this with wives." "All fingers do point to you." "Not much of a challenge." "Shall I make it more interesting?" "One million dollars to the one who solves the crime." "Wagered against your reputations." "One million dollars, tax-free." "In addition, the paperback rights and the film sale." "It's 11:00, amigos just one hour before death strikes someone in this room." "See you at midnight." "See here, Mr. Twain!" " He's gone!" " No, he's not." "He's down there." "Fast little bunny, ain't you?" "I've never moved, Mr. Diamond." "I'm still down there." "A stunt with mirrors." "Is that so?" "Willing to risk seven years' bad luck?" "Try it, Mr. Diamond." "It's your funeral, butterball." "Wait." "Sometimes it doesn't work." "You've won this round, Mr. Diamond." "My turn comes at midnight." "I hope he knows how to stop that thing." "Anybody offering a million bucks to solve a crime that ain't happened has lost more upstairs than hair." "What do we do?" "Sit and wait to be butchered?" "And what has happened to the butler?" "Why has he not returned?" "With our dinner?" " Go look for him." " No!" " No one to leave this room." " Why not?" "Twain say victim at this table." "If we stay together, crime cannot be committed without witnesses." "He's right." "You're one smart Chinaman." "Let's join hands." "The chain's stronger if the links are unbroken." "Join hands." "Stop that." " Stop it, I said." " What is it, Diamond?" "She's giving my palm the finger, the dirty broad." "Naughty, naughty, Miss Withers." " Good God!" " What?" "Look!" " What's she doing?" " She's screaming." " What's happened?" " Something wrong in kitchen." " With our dinner!" " Patience." " Is someone there?" " Someone with dinner?" "Cook cannot speak or hear." "I think butler is dead." "My name is Yetta." "I don't work Thursdays." "Ask her if she sleeps in." "We'll investigate." "Someone must go." "Not alone." "Mr. Charleston, Mr. Diamond, stay." "Miss Marble, Mr. Perrier and Wang, we'll investigate." "That's right, just let it all out." "Here." "Oh, dear." "Careful, Wang!" "Fingerprints." " Where?" " Yours." "Here, take my handkerchief." " Is he-?" " He look like" "Seems like." "Touch nothing!" "Fingerprints." "Quite so." "Pencil." "No pulse." "No heartbeat." "If condition does not change, this man is dead." "No signs of foul play." "Hold on!" "What's this?" "What do you make of this, Perrier?" "Poison, "n'est-ce pas?"" "Not "n'est-ce pas." Cocoa." "So at last we have our murder." "Not quite." "Twain say murder victim sitting at our table." "Butler not at our table." "Butler only killed to divert us from real murder still to come." "Look!" "One of the knives is missing." "The butcher's knife, I'll wager." " The others are in danger." " What's exact time?" "31 and 56 seconds." "Fifty-seven, fifty-eight" "Tell me when to stop. 59, 60- 28 minutes to main murder." "Back to dining room." "Must all be together at midnight." "One moment!" "Handkerchief." " What is it?" " A bill." "Everything here has been rented:" "The butler, the food, the chairs." " You mean-?" " Yes." "This entire murder has been catered." "It's Twain's doing." "The man is mad." "Mad, yes, but no fool." "I only hope we are in time." "Door locked." "Diamond probably locked it from the inside." "Good thinking on Diamond head." "Diamond, it's Perrier." "It's all right." "Open up." "Diamond?" "Charleston?" "Are you in there?" "Go back to kitchen, get dining room key from pocket of dead butler." "Don't say "dead butler." It's bad enough I have to reach in his pocket." "Holy merde." "Miss Skeffington!" "Miss Skeffington!" "Miss Withers!" " He's gone." " Who?" "The butler's body is missing." "Here's the key." " Where you find key?" " In his pocket." " What pocket?" " The butler's." " Butler gone, but pocket there?" " Exactly." "Someone stole him but left his clothes." "Open the door." "Something is very wrong here." "Hello." "Where is everyone?" "Room filled with empty people." "I'll try the other door." "It's locked from the inside." "Both doors locked from inside, yet no way out." "I don't like it one bit." "I like it, but don't understand." "Maybe other way out of room, secret passageway perhaps." "Wrong." "There are no secret passageways, Mr. Wang." " You spoke?" " Not me." "I spoke." "There!" "Voice come from cow on wall!" "Moose!" "Moose, you imbecile!" "What have you done with the others, you short madman?" "Stumped already." "Need some clues, Mr. Perrier?" "I need no clues from you." "I find my own, you demented lollipop!" "Man who argue with cow is like train without wheels." " Soon get nowhere." " I'm sick of fortunes!" " Man who's sick of fortune" " I said I was sick of this!" " Quiet, gentlemen, please!" " Cow talk again." "In need of a hint, Miss Marbles?" ""You all mistake what you assume "They never left the dining room"" ""Count the numbers one to 10" "Turn the knob and try again"" "What does that mean, they never left the room?" "!" " They did." " Do not mistake what you assume." " Back out in hall." " What for?" "We assume others not here, but cow say they are in dining room." "Let us look once more." "Please close door, Mr. Perrier." " I can't see what good" " Quiet." "Seven, eight, nine, 10." "Miss Marbles, be so kind as to open door." "Where were you?" "We was worried." "Where were you?" "Here." "Didn't you say not to leave?" " You have not left this room since?" " Certainly not." "Answer simple but question very hard." " Where's the butler?" " Completely murdered." "Poisoned." "One of the butcher's knives is missing." "We came back here, but the doors were locked." "I went to get the key from the butler." "His body was gone." "He'd been stripped and his clothes left." "I don't understand." "Why would anyone want to steal a dead, naked body?" "Well, dear, there are people who" "That's tacky." "That's really tacky." "Then we returned here opened the door, but the room was empty." "You were all gone." "The moose had told us not to assume that you'd left the dining room." "So we counted to 10 and tried it again." "And here you were." "I'm not one to use hyperbole, but I'll tell you this." "For the first time in my life, I had the ca-ca scared out of me." "I like her." "I really like her." " Gunshots, monsieur." " Gunshots, Pop." "Gunshots, Dickie." "This time Charleston and I will go." "Everybody else stay here." "Let's go." "What do you make of all of this, Wang?" "Is confusing." ""It"! "It" is confusing!" "Say your goddamn pronouns!" "Open the door." " Good God!" " What is it?" "He's back." "And au naturel." "I don't get it." "First they steal the body and leave the clothes." "Then they steal the clothes and bring the body back." " Who would do that?" " Possibly a deranged dry cleaner." "What about the gunshots?" "Why shoot him when he's been poisoned?" "We heard shots, but I don't see bullet holes." "Not on his head or chest." " Look all over him." " All over his body?" "Somebody has to." "I'm standing guard." "I'll stand guard." "You look." "We'll take turns." "You look over the first dead naked body, I'll look over the second." "Hurry up." "We only got eight minutes." "See anything?" "No, I don't see a bullet hole anywhere." " Hold it." "I see something." " What is it?" "Forget it." "Not a bullet hole." "If he wasn't plugged, what about the shots?" " Divide and conquer." " What?" "Another diversion." "He gives us meaningless clues, dangles red herrings bedazzles us with banalities while seconds tick away towards the terrible murder." "You're good." "Not my kind of cop, but smart, and you smell good." "You're not a pansy, but what the hell are you?" "Classy, I suppose." " Dames fall for a guy like you." " I don't see" "Ever make it with a waitress?" "A waitress." "Big, fat waitress." "I don't know about society dames but you ain't had it till you made it with a big waitress." "If you're ever interested, you give me a call." "Bizarre little twit." "I'm still not sure about this guy." " What are you doing?" " I have to wash" "I'll be out in a minute." "I'll go ahead." "I'll tell the others." "You're never gonna believe this, folks." "All right, where are you?" "What the hell is going on here?" "Wash up later." "We got problems." "Locked from the inside." "That can only mean one thing and I don't know what it is." "You're never gonna believe" "I'll be out in a minute." "I don't remember closing that door." "What happened?" "What were the gunshots?" "Did anybody leave since we were gone?" " It happened to you too." " Where's my Dickie?" "Sorry." "Where's my husband?" "Two minutes to midnight, if anyone is interested." "It ain't possible, I say." "Eight people in a dining room can't turn into an empty room unless" " Unless what, Sam?" " Unless it never happened." "I see your point, Diamond." "When is a room with people not a room with people?" " When it is two dining rooms." " Exactly!" "Two dining rooms?" "Two dining rooms, two everything." "Twain electronic genius." "He's devised a way to move the room silently, in the flash of an eye to be replaced by an exact duplicate." " I knew it all the time." " Please." "I'll demonstrate." "I'll walk out the door close it, knock three times, enter, and you will all be gone." "Observe." "I have it figured out." "There are two of everything." "Dickie, that's old news." "Everybody take their seats." " I'm scared, Sam." "Hold me." " Hold yourself." "I'm busy." "Take the same seats from before." "Forty seconds!" "I'm very worried about Mr. Perrier." "I'll look for him." "No." "Sit, please." "No one to leave room." "The other door." "It's locked." "I can't open it." "Hurry, man!" "We have 15 seconds!" "Move your hand, chauffeur." "Don't ask." " Why are you wearing the butler's outfit?" " I said don't ask!" "I don't know." "It all happened too quickly." "The cook." "Where's the cook?" " She's gone." " Never spoke." "Ten more seconds." "Quickly, sit and join hands." "Impossible for murder to happen without witnesses." "Three... two... one!" "It's over." "We're safe and sound." "That's probably the cook." "Come in." "The poor woman's deaf." "I'm sorry." "I forgot." "Come in!" "Not sound like cook to me." "Mr. Twain." "You appear to be wrong." "Nobody here murdered." "Please to come in." "Is he dead?" "With that in him, in the long run he's better off." " Touch nothing!" " Stop that." "We're experienced criminologists." "I find it insulting and redundant to say "touch nothing."" " Quiet, woman." " Up yours, fella." "Most amusing." "Bickering detectives like making giant lamb stew:" " Everything go to pot." " Be quiet!" "Shut up, all of youse!" "Nobody move!" " Stay where you are!" " What is it?" "I have to go to the can again." "I don't wanna miss nothing." "I'm going too, Sam." "I'd rather do this alone, Tess." "Thanks anyway." "The cook." "What, darling?" "It's obvious." "The cook murdered him." "The butler's dead." "All of us were in this room." "No one could get in." "That leaves the cook." "Right?" "Wrong." "What makes you certain of this?" "To drive a knife that far up a man's back, you need a strong arm." "And this arm don't look that strong to me." " Is that her arm?" " It ain't the pussycat's tail." "Don't be alarmed, miss." "It ain't real." "For that matter, neither is the cook." "I found this before I got to the can." "Got a little surprise for you folks." " Look!" " A mannequin!" "A dummy, perfect in every detail with the exception of not being able to make her speak." "Hats off to the man with the shiv in his back." "Except that he's dead, he's no dope." "Nice going, Sam." "I hope you realize that someone in this room is a murderer." "For sake of ladies present may we return to drawing room?" "My son will cover up Mr. Twain." " Why do I do the work?" " Your mother not here to do it." "Come, please." "Excuse me." "I'm getting a headache." "Isn't there a way to turn off that machine?" "Maybe some gadget outside the window." "It's raining this time." "Let's get to business and sort the facts." "It is now 12:30 Sunday morning." "The doors and windows will open at dawn." "One of us will be a million dollars richer and one will go to the gas chamber to hang." "One, Monsieur Perrier?" "Why not two?" "We all have associates." "Why not six or eight?" "I don't trust any of youse." "Maybe I'm a patsy set up for a fall, but I'm not falling for youse." "Not even me?" "Why don't you fall in love with the Jap kid and get off my back?" "Can we get back to case, please?" "Time is late and my eyes are getting tired." " Thought they always looked like that." " Knock it off!" "Sorry." "This case is getting on my nerves." "I'm sorry, slanty." "Thank you." "Now then, facts, please, facts." "Mr. Twain predicts murder." "Predicts victim to be at table, correct?" "Correct." "This is official." "Correct." "Predicts murder to take place at midnight and number of stab wounds." "How, if he not in collaboration with murderer?" " What if Twain did it himself?" " Murdered himself?" "For what possible reason?" "And how?" "The motive is simple: ego." "If we weren't to solve this, he'd be the world's best detective." "With an ego like his, that he died for it is a small price to pay." "Any man who can create this chamber of electronic marvels would be able to devise a machine to stab him in the back 12 times." "That was wonderful." "I'm so proud." " Let's go to bed, quickly." " One moment." "Very interesting theory but you overlook one very important point." " And that is?" " It's stupid." "It's most stupid theory I ever heard!" " Do you have a better one?" " Yeah, much better one." "You see, I have been doing my homework." "For example, I have information that your wife's portfolio of stocks was seriously depleted in financial crisis." "In short, you are flat broke." "You've been borrowing for two years at 17% interest from Mr. Lionel Twain." "Broke?" "Is this true?" "I was saving it for your birthday." "One million dollars would buy great many tight suits, would it not?" " See here, Wang" " Dead broke?" "Almost, darling." "I have $1.17 and some stamps." "But I didn't murder Twain." "You do believe that?" " We'll talk." "We'll see." " It could have been any one of you." "Each one of us was out of that room at one time giving ample opportunity to commit the crime." "As for motives, there's more than ego and cash." "For example, revenge." "Meaning what, Mr. Charleston?" "I'm not the only one who's had a past experience with Twain." "He was quite a ladies' man in his day." "Are you suggesting someone here" "Was once in love with Lionel Twain." "He was engaged to and jilted Miss Jessica Marbles." "Jesus H. Christ!" "Jilted 54 years ago at the altar." "Left her there in that same tweed outfit." " Is this true, Jessie?" " I was not jilted." "I walked out on him." "He wanted to fool around before the wedding." "And being the lady you are, you refused." "Not completely." "But it got out of hand." "He was horrid, but I didn't kill him." "That's good enough for me." "What about you?" "I'm not a Frenchy!" "I'm a Belgy!" "And as for other motives, how about patricide?" "The killing of one's own parent?" "You mean that Lionel Twain was the father of someone in this room?" "He wasn't my father." "He was my uncle." "He was very good to me." "He would take me to the circus and give me candy." "We stopped going when I was about 26." "I'm sorry, Sam." "Twenty-six?" "What kind of a circus was it?" "Forgive me, but I was talking about patricide, not uncle-cide." "Twain may have been your uncle but he was the illegitimate father of Monsieur Sidney Wang!" "It not true." "I was adopted." "I have my papers." "That is why I have adopted all my children." "I was wondering." "He loved me very much but he was not very observant." "One day when I was 19, he called me to his study noticed for first time I was Oriental, and kicked me out." " I could have" " Killed him, Wang?" "As easily as you, Monsieur Perrier." "Lionel Twain killed the only thing you ever loved:" "Marie-Louise Cartier." "Your sweetheart?" "My poodle." "He was a most cruel man." "Monsieur would come to France every season to hunt poodles." "The day they brought her bloodied collar to me, I vowed I would" " Knock him off?" " Yes, gladly, if I had the chance." "But I did not." "Someone here beat me to it." "There's more than one reason that we was invited here." "Not only was Twain testing us as detectives but we all have motives for doing him in." "Have not yet heard your motive, Mr. Diamond." "My motive is unimportant." "Let's say that I hated him enough to kill him." "You are closed man, Mr. Diamond." "You hide many things." "Could it be that Mr. Twain discover your secret?" "I don't know what you're talking about." "We know different, do we not, Miss Skeffington?" "Twain picked up Sam in a gay bar." "I was working on a case." "Working." "Every night for six months?" "I got 50 bucks a day and expenses." "I hate them queeries." "Twain had Polaroid pictures of Sam in drag." "I was in disguise." "Lots of dames go in those joints." "I never kissed nobody." "I never did nothing to a man that I wouldn't do to a woman." "And I didn't kill Twain." "Bitch." "Most interesting." "All had perfect motives for killing Twain." "Wonder which one was one who done it." "We still have the night to get through." "If anyone's going to solve this, I say we get a good night's sleep." "And I suggest we all lock our doors." "One of us is a mad killer and not to be trusted." "Who do you think is the murderer?" "Must sleep on it." "Will know in morning when wake up." "What if you don't wake up?" "Then you did it." "Go sleep, please." " Good night, Dad." " Should have adopted pussycat." "Should I turn off the steam, Pop?" "Not steam." "Someone just put deadly snake in room." "Wake me when it come near bed." "I want you to know, Dickie, if you're the murderer I'll still love you." "It wouldn't be right for us to make love, but I'd love you." "No fear of that, pet." "Let's see what we have here." "We have one missing, dead, naked butler one host with a knife in his back and one scorpion crawling up our sheets." " Is that what that is?" " They can kill instantly." "I suggest we don't move." "For how long?" "Quite possibly for the rest of our lives." "Good heavens!" "I know who the murderer is." "Solvey-poo?" "Yes, Miss Withers." "The murderer is" "Good God!" "Gas!" "I'm sorry." "I can't help it." "I'm old." "No, no." "The other kind of gas." "The kind that kills." " Sometimes my gas" " It's seeping in through the vent!" "It's locked from the outside." "Help!" "Doesn't smell that bad to me." "Help!" "Did I do right, Sam, telling them about the gay bar?" "Perfect." "They took the bait like a dumb halibut." "Let them think I'm a pansy." "While they're suspecting me, one of them will let his pants down." "Why do you keep all those naked muscle men magazines in your office?" "Suspects." "Always looking for suspects." "What's that ticking sound I hear?" ""That ticking sound is a bomb that will go off in 30 seconds." " Signed, the murderer."" " The door!" ""P.S. The door is locked."" "I'm sorry about this, Tess." " Me owing you all that money too." " That's all right." "What will we do?" "I got an idea." "I don't know if this will work." "Turn around!" " I'm turned." " Whatever you do, don't turn back." " If anything" " Do as I say." " I will, Sam." " Good." "Because I think I'm gonna cry." " What are you doing in my bed?" " There's no place to sleep." "Sleep in the car, you chauffeur." "Unfair." "I will tell everyone you wear a toupee." " They already know." " Why do you wear it?" "I didn't know you knew." "Certainly I know." "It's a terrible toupee." "A bomb." "Across the hall." "Quickly, the door!" "It's locked from the outside." "You look taller to me." "Why is that?" "Monsieur, I'm not getting taller." "If you aren't getting taller, there's one alternative." "The room is getting shorter!" "The ceiling is coming down!" " What'll we do?" " I don't know!" "But this is exactly how they make goose liver pate." "Not so fast, please." "Do not cross out Wang name." "Cross out "snake" instead." "Nice shot, Pop." "Sure wish you weren't such a heavy sleeper." "And now if you please." "One million dollars Mr. Bensonmum." "Banzai, Pop!" "Very clever of you, Mr. Wang." "Oh, yes." "As you can see, I can see." "So I see." "Tell me, as the only survivor, how did you deduce it was me?" "Went back to theory seldom used today:" "Butler did it." "I hadn't thought of that." "How do you account for my dead body?" "Body made of plastic, same as plastic cook." "While we examine plastic butler you murder Lionel Twain." "You're a clever little laundry man, Mr. Wang." "But not quite clever enough!" "I'll take that one million dollars, Bensonmum alias Irving Goldman." "Irving Goldman?" "Yes." "Irving Goldman was the attorney of the late Lionel Twain." "Lionel Twain died five years ago." "His body was discovered in Goldman's filing cabinet." "Am I correct, Mr. Goldman?" "Yeah." "Correct, Miss Marbles." "But how did you escape the poison gas?" "Quite simple." "I covered my mouth and let Miss Withers here breathe in all the gas." " Sicky-poo." " Yes, dear, I know." " The million dollars, please." " I wouldn't, Goldman." "Or is it Goldman?" "Actually, it's Mr. Marvin Metzner." "Marvin Metzner?" "Very good, Mr. Charleston." "But how did you know?" "The bill in the dead butler's hand stating the weekend had been catered." " Only an accountant would keep that." " Get the money and let's go." "Goldman died last month while skiing." "He jumped 200 feet into a low-flying plane." "I can't wait much longer." "You've not lost your touch, Mr. Charleston." "But how did you elude the deadly scorpion?" "We didn't." "He stung Dora." " We have 15 minutes to reach a doctor." " Explain later." "We'll make it." "Never fear." "The prize money." "Belongs to me, monsieur." "Marcel, being one of the world's strongest men stopped your ceiling from crushing us at four feet, five inches." "It may be months before we're able to straighten again but a million dollars will buy a lot of back braces." "Eh, Miss Irene Twain?" "Daughter of Lionel!" "What?" "I prefer to be called Rita." "But how did you know?" "Never underestimate a Frenchman's nostrils, Miss Twain." "At dinner tonight I smelled your Chanel No. 5." "You did away with all of them:" "Metzner, Goldman and your father." "If you had your way you'd do away with all men, would you not, Miss Twain?" "Men who have made you suffer because you were born with brains talent, money, everything but that which you most desired:" "Beauty." "It is a statement of fact that as a man you are passable, but as a woman you are a dog." "That's your opinion, big boy." "And now my money, please." "With luck, I can still make dinner at Maxim's." "I'd just order a tuna sandwich because that dough is mine." "That's right, I'm alive." "Miss Skeffington dropped your bomb down the john." "It blew up as she flushed." "The seat missed her head by an inch." "I'm all right, J.J." "J.J.?" "That's right, folks." "He outsmarted us all." "Sitting behind that desk is the real Sam Diamond." "My name is Loomis." "J.J. Loomis." "I'm an actor." "I do impressions." "I did the Carson show six times last year." "Diamond hired me for the weekend." "Miss Skeffington is Vilma Norman." "She's a cocktail waitress at the Water Bed Motel in Carmel." "Diamond hated all of you." "You're getting big money, and he had that office in San Francisco." "If he proved he was number one, he'd get your clients." "But since I put all the pieces together I figure that money belongs to me." "Isn't that right, Mr. Diamond?" "Wrong." "That would've been so obvious, a child could have guessed." "No, colleagues." "What you seem to overlook is the most simple and direct solution." "That I am indeed Lionel Twain." "You've all been so clever for so long you've forgotten to be humble." "You've tricked and fooled your readers for years." "You've tortured us with surprise endings that made no sense." "You've introduced characters at the end that weren't in the book before!" "You've withheld clues and information that made it impossible for us to guess who did it." "But now the tables are turned." "Millions of angry mystery readers are now getting their revenge." "When the world learns I've outsmarted you they'll be selling your $1.95 books for 12 cents." "It's checkout time, ladies and gentlemen." "I have your bills ready." "Credit cards will be accepted." " Even the scorpion was a fake?" " Everything." "The bridge, the maid." " But you're sure about the scorpion?" " Positive." "Even the fog." "He made that with a dry ice machine." "See." "How awfully unromantic." "Then if he really was Lionel Twain..." " ...you must really be Sam Diamond." " That's right, baby." "I was in disguise, in disguise, in disguise." "You work hard for 50 bucks in this racket." "I guess that means we won't see each other again." "Well, that depends." "I'll be around if you need me." "All you gotta do is whistle." " You know how to whistle, don't you?" " Certainly." "What do you mean?" "Never mind." "Forget it." "You ruined it." "I don't understand." "Was there a murder or wasn't there?" "Yes." "Killed good weekend." "Drive, please."