" Look at this, Mr. Wilkins." " Look at this too." "Oh, wonderful, mademoiselle." "Wonderful." "You know, a very fine example of the solarudae family." "Looks like a plain, everyday snail to me." "Paul!" "Oh, I'm sorry, my boy." "I meant to meet you at the hotel." ""Hotel's" an elegant word for it." "Yes, true, but the food is edible." "Oh, Mademoiselle Claire, Monsieur Sandy, this is my very dear friend Paul." "Hello." "You know, long, long ago, we also used to collect seashells." " Here?" " Oh, no, no, no." "Far away on Cape Cod, in America." "Do you still collect seashells, Monsieur Paul?" "Not lately." "Well, until tomorrow." "Good-bye." " Hello there, Paul." " Hello, Theo." " How are you?" " Four years older." "Four years more than I can afford." "Sit down." "Why'd you send me the plane ticket, Theo?" "Well, I thought you might enjoy a change, a rest." "I just finished resting for three years, remember?" "Yes, I remember." "I wanted to see you again." " I don't believe that." " Why not?" "An old man should have the occasional privilege of gratifying himself." "I have very few friends." "Nobody closer than you." "You know that, don't you, Paul?" "Mm-hmm." "Why'd you send me the plane ticket?" "What's happened to you?" "You used to have those treasured gifts— patience, silence." "I lost them resting." "Well?" "Oh, I get it." "In other words, I'm supposed to shut up and wait and see." "Right?" "In other words, please." "How 'bout a drink to our reunion?" "Come on." "There." "Messieurs?" "Merci." "Do you have any ice?" "Naturally, monsieur." "We have a large American clientele." "Un chocolat et un whiskey and soda, with ice." "Un chocolat, whiskey soda with ice." "Bien, monsieur." "Now, an international axiom." "A man who says "whiskey" is an Englishman." "A man who says "double whiskey" is an Irishman." "But the man who asks, "Have you any ice?" Is an American." "What about the man who says, "chocolat"?" "Me?" "A disowned Einstein." "A man kicked out of his seat of higher learning into the gutter." "Well, let's not indulge ourselves." "Yes, you're right." "But it still hurts a little when I sit down." "Here we are." " Do you know them?" " Who?" ""Who?" The beatnik and his dressed-for-the-occasion girlfriend." "Oh, they're usually together." "All right." "Come on, Theo." "Give." "Things aren't that simple." "I want to prepare you, lead you into it." "I haven't got time to be lead." "I'm down to my last five dollars worth of francs." "It doesn't matter." "Things are gonna be different now." "Believe me, Paul, there's no reason for you to feel depressed." "Why should I feel depressed, huh?" "Why?" "Any day now the French police are gonna look in my past... and find out I just finished a three-year vacation, and I'm in town on your charity." " Why should I feel depressed?" " You've just been unlucky, that's all." "But that's all over with." "You know what they say about luck." " I know." "I've heard it before." " But it bears repetition." "It grows like apples on trees." " If your reach—" " If your reach is long enough, it's there to be plucked." " That's right." " I know it's right." "You sang me the same song in New York." "You sang it in London, Cambridge and Tangier." "Yes, but only this time, our reach will be precisely right." "Can I ask you one question, please?" "Why?" "Why did you send for me?" "Will you wait?" "Wait just a few more hours, please." " What did you bring me here to be looked over for?" "Forgive me, Paul, but they insisted on seeing you for themselves." "Look, do me a favor." "Just lend me enough money for a ticket home." "I can't." "I've saved and scraped for years." "Every franc that I put together and what the others have added is spoken for." "Those two?" "And three others." "Join me, Paul." "I'm surrounded by strangers." "I" " I need one friendly face." " To your stay." " No, no, no." "Let's just say, "From one friendly face to another."" "For now." " The usual, Doctor?" " Yes, thank you, Adolph." "Oh, and, uh, whiskey and soda with ice." " Oui, monsieur." " I see they all know you here, Doctor." "More important, I know them." "Look around you, Paul." "You're in the temple of Midas, the holy of holies." "See all the worshippers of the golden calf." "Everybody's rich, but they want to get richer." "Even as you and I." "Would it stagger you to know how much money passes across these tables?" "Anything over five bucks would stagger me right now." "Just think of it, Paul." "Whose money is it?" "Where does it come from?" "Tax-deductible expenses." "Excess dividends." "Rents paid to absentee landlords." "Oil money to men who never got a fingernail dirty... who became rich on the sweat of—" "Ah, ah, ah, ah." "You're overdoing it." "Oh, yes, a little." " Nobody forces them to gamble." " No, not physical force." "But the casino preys on human weaknesses." "Midas has to be fed with money." "He has an insatiable stomach." "You know where this golden stomach is kept?" "Mm-mmm." "And I don't wanna know." "Two floors below, in the vaults." "You stop talking like a lunatic." "You know, there's a philosophical viewpoint to all this." "Casinos, bawdy houses, insurance companies... suffer from the same injustice—" "Whenever anything happens to them, who ever shows pity?" "I don't know, but I don't want to stick around to find out." "Not even for one-seventh of four million dollars?" "One-seventh of four million dollars?" "Oh, stop dreaming." "I mean, it can't be done." "Yes, Paul, it can." "I tell you, it can." "Oh, no." "Oh, no, no." "Yes, Paul, yes." "Think of all those doors at home that will swing open for you." "Money will do it." "Will you forget it?" "I've done things that got me in trouble in the past, but I'm not a professional thief." "Please, don't even suggest such a thing." "Then why are you acting like Alice in Wonderland?" "I mean, what is all this?" "This is strictly legal?" "It's a piratical exploit." "Yes, precisely that." "A dramatically unique venture in piracy." "Look, I don't care what you call it." "It can't be done." "I tell you... I" " I've planned this as I would a chemical experiment." "For years, I've known it couldn't happen without the proper ingredients... the right temperature, the right spark to set it off." "But now, suddenly... all the conditions are right." "With a little daring, the experiment can be made to work." "No dice." "I pass." "No, please, please, Paul." "Don't refuse me." "You are the man I need, my vital ingredient." " Why me?" " Well, I can trust you." "Without you to lean on, I can't afford to risk all those strangers." "I'm too old to stop them from freezing me out." "You want that ticket back home?" "How many strings attached?" "My boy, when will you stop suspecting my motives?" "When you stop conniving." "How many strings?" "We'll go back to Cannes." "At midnight, after you've heard me out... you still hold to your opinion about the insanity of this experiment... the ticket is yours." " No other strings?" " None." "And no hard feelings." "Either way, my boy... my affection for you will never change." "To midnight." " It's vinegar." " Yes, but with bubbles." " Well, I think I'll try the whiskey." " They water it." "This is a fine spot to have a talk." "It's 10 after 10:00, Theo." "You know, you make things very difficult, my boy." " I can feel your antagonism." " It's not antagonism." "It's caution." "I cannot understand why you're so hell-bent on doing this thing." "I mean, is it money, or you wanna be rich in your old age?" "You know me better than that." "Paul, I have to accomplish something before I die." "I want to make the world gasp a little." "I want to finally put the cork on the bottle." "Can you understand that?" "There must be some other way, Theo." " You can always go back and work in your own field." " Under what name?" "Who wants to hire a scientist called thief, an ex-convict?" "Once you're labeled, it sticks for life." "Move over, my friend." "Make way for my label." "That's why you should understand." "There's only this last experiment, this last chance for me." "They're all here now, aren't they?" "The last one is just sitting down." "What's he staring at?" "Nothing yet." "He's anticipating." "I've seen that anticipation on faces... in every backstreet—" " That's the one this afternoon." " Yes." "Who's he?" "Raymond LeMay... executive secretary to the director of the casino." "She's not exactly his society." "Where'd you find her?" "Pancho, the saxophone player." "He brought her here from London some years ago." " His mistress?" " Of course not." "Oh, no." "Of course not." "You don't understand." "It couldn't be like that." "Pancho's a veritable Mother Hubbard." "That's something new in Mother Hubbards." "You mix in some peculiar company." "Well, in an experiment like this, we take human beings as we find them." " Why be interested in their private lives?" " Because it can be important." "Yes, but advantageous too." "There's nothing that Raymond would refuse to do for Melanie." "Here she comes." "Now, please, don't be antagonistic." " At least for now anyway." " Mm-hmm." " Sit down, my dear." " I only have 20 minutes before the next show." "Thank you." "Your, uh—Your boyfriend's leaving." "I know." "Why's he so upset?" "Your presence, I think." "You even upset the professor." " But not you." " No, Mr. Mason." "Not me." "May I have a little champagne?" "Oh, certainly." "Be my guest." "You're very kind." "You're embarrassing the professor." "Oh, I'm sorry." "One gets so used to exposure on the floor... but it isn't very pleasant in company." "Some company." "Some company." "Tell me, has, uh— has LeMay said that he's ready to go all the way in this deal?" "Well, not in so many words... but the idea is very appealing, and the money is a strong temptation." "It's kind of a package deal— money and love." "Yes, Mr. Mason." "Raymond believes he's in love with me." "Now, don't you have any, uh— any conscience about setting yourself up as a mantrap?" "No, Mr. Mason." "No." "No conscience." "It doesn't exactly fit with this job... or the drunks that I'm paid to tease." "They tell me there are other ways to make a living." "Oh, they tell me that, too, every night." "The little-boy men, the misunderstood husbands like Raymond... who come here to sit... and stare and sweat." "Pretty bitter for a girl." "Not bitter, Mr. Mason." "Just tired." " May I join you?" " Yes, please do." "Your niece and I have been discussing things." "Melanie is not my niece." "Well, let's not fuss over the right words." "Don't you want to invite over the rest of your, uh, happy family?" "You know the others?" "For the last 15 minutes, they've been playing... the I'm-not-really-looking-at-you, it's-the-other-guy routine." "That wolf character at the bar with the house girl—" "He's been romancing her with one half his face and watching me with the other." "Well, unfortunately, cheap women distract Louis Antonizzi." "Uh-huh." "What about your muscle boy at the bar?" " He looks like a member of the secret police." " Hugo Baumer." "An excellent counterbalance for Louis." "He's an expert driver-mechanic and fearless, Paul." "Well, what do you say?" "Are you satisfied with us?" " Mr. Mason hasn't agreed to anything." " Why not?" "Because it has the smell of insanity." "Daring, not insanity." "All we need is to gamble with higher stakes... than the casino is used to... and to have faith in each other." "Cemeteries are full of people who had faith." "Cemeteries are full of people who had faith." "Obviously, Professor, your friend is a very nervous man." "Oh, my friend, that is the understatement of the evening." "I am worse than nervous." "You know something?" "Glib, positive characters like you scare me." "Don't underestimate me, Mr. Mason." "I'm not a fool." "I measure danger only in terms of profit." "If the reward is great enough, I accept the risk." "In fact, if it were not for the money... and if you were not essential to the professor..." "I would even do something about your ugly manners." "You had no right to needle Pancho." "It's just my way of finding out things." "Theo, I think, uh—" "I think Uncle would stand straight when the going gets rough." " I'm sure he would." " But what about the others?" "You could keep the others just as straight." "Well... you better tell them that, uh, things aren't as angry here as it seems." " Paul, is it yes?" " No, it's just maybe, Theo." "Just maybe." "Well, I'll tell them." "We'll meet tomorrow at Pancho's apartment." "Do you mind if I stay for your next show?" " If you want to." " I want to." "Okay." "And these show the whole layout?" "Every inch of the casino." "Photostats of the original blueprints." " These courtesy of Melanie's boyfriend?" " Yes." "Here's the room where you gambled this afternoon." " What's this, the floor above?" " That's the grand ballroom." "And right next door is the governor's private apartment." " He lives there?" " Only on special occasions." "Now, this is the private elevator that leads to his bedroom." "It goes down to the director's office..." " right off the salles privées." " Mm-hmm." " Then down to both basements?" " Yes." "Straight to Midas himself— the vaults." "One solid year of planning... each step of the way thought out." "Except for some of your friends." "They may not stand up under the pressure." "Well, you can put iron in their legs." " They may not like the way I do it." " But they have no choice." "I control all the funds— $9,000." " Without you, I step out." " Let them take over and find a new bankroll?" "Now, I'm not that old-fashioned." "I've given them the ingredients to the experiment." "All the ingredients... except one— how to safely walk out of the casino... carrying four million dollars worth of francs." "Will you do it, Paul?" "Will you gamble on me this one last time?" "I don't know." "I don't know, but, uh... it's almost daylight, and I'm still around." "My boy, you've made me very happy." "Everything now is complete, so absolutely complete—" "Now, take it easy." "Easy." "You're still a long way from making the world gasp." "It's just a few more houses, Mr. Mason." "Merci, mademoiselle." "It's tough trying to get used to your different faces." " I'm the same person." " That's what confuses me." "May I?" " People I don't understand worry me." " I'm easy to understand." "Only at night." "This domestic routine is different." "Why?" "Isn't a woman supposed to be domestic?" "To shop and cook and clean?" "Not with legs like yours, she isn't." " Do you mean that as a compliment?" " What else?" " Didn't your boyfriend Raymond ever suggest that?" " Suggest what?" "Well, with legs like yours, there's no need to slave over a hot stove." "Yes, Mr. Mason." "Raymond and others have made many suggestions." "Raymond's the only one that ever got a yes?" "You have a nasty way of asking questions." "Well, in my country, people can refuse to answer... on the grounds that it might incriminate them." "But this is France, and there's another way." "One merely looks the questioner in the eye and says..." ""Mind your own damn business."" "Where's the professor?" "He's collecting seashells." "Can I trouble you for a cup of coffee?" "Full face all right, or would you like to study my profile too?" "It's the tight collar and muscles." "He can't turn his head." "Is it that my face annoys you?" "No, but since I might become a member of the family, I'll try to get used to it." " You're joining us?" " Let's say the professor's convinced me I like to be rich." "Why didn't the professor come with you then?" "Well, we thought there were some things I had to say that might embarrass him." " What things?" " Questions and a change I've made." "You have made a change?" "That's right, Fritz." "I have made a change." " My name is Hugo." " It's okay by me." "You quit staring'." "And I'll quit jabbing'." "Thank you." "The professor tells me that you're a good safe man." " The best." " Blasting?" "I'm a technician, not a coal miner." "I'm happy to apologize." "What about the vault?" "Antoine and Pelliasier, installed in 1928." "An outer grill of two-centimeter steel bars." "Double combination locks, interconnected tumbler pattern." " You sound like you made a close study." " The closest." "I worked for Antoine and Pellissier building the heavy boxes... until last year... when, uh, I decided to go into business for myself." "And once we're inside, how much time do we need?" " About 30 minutes." " Thirty?" "You got 60, maximum." "How much time you need before you quit your job?" "Musicians come and go without too much excitement." "But Melanie must give at least two, three weeks notice." "One week will have to do." "We need all the rehearsal time we can get." " Why?" "We've almost two months." " Not anymore we haven't." "We're gonna make it the 10th, the night of the Governor's Ball." "You're crazy!" "I think you'll all find out that Mr. Mason has a rather weird sense of humor." "Not when it's my neck, I haven't." "Look, that's the one night, no matter what the weather is... that the casino's gonna be too crowded and too busy to look for our kind of trouble." "But the ball is by invitation only." " Raymond will handle that." "I'll talk to him tonight." " He should be here any minute." "He won't." "I told the professor to hold him off." " Why?" "Raymond is committed." " To whom?" "To Melanie?" "That's not enough." "I want him in this thing deep." "I want him right up to his ears." "Getting the invitations will help, but until we're positive, no more visits." "I hope this doesn't interfere with any of your plans." "Not at all." "We can always make other arrangements." "I believe the change is sound." "I approve." "Me too." "You?" "I agree." " Melanie?" " I speak for mademoiselle." " Always?" " Yes, Mr. Mason." "Always." "Okay." "Let's get something else straight." "From here on in... no matter what happens, there's gonna be one voice—just one— mine." " But it's our necks too." " That's right." "Seven necks, one voice— mine." "What if we reject the idea?" "I walk, and the professor too." "You think this will put an end to it, that we could not go ahead by ourselves?" "Where to, the bastille?" " Think—" " Excuse me just one minute, Hugo." "Obviously the professor's told you... how he intends to remove the treasure from the casino." " Obviously." " And we're to know none of the details?" "Not till we walk out with the money." "Well, then you're quite correct, Mr. Mason." "As far as mademoiselle and myself are concerned... we accept." "One voice." "Why not?" " I agree." " Good." "That puts us in business." "Coffee, anyone?" "Now, he's frightened." " You'll have to treat him gently." " Like a baby." "Now, be careful, Paul." "Remember how essential he is." "Yes, Doctor." "It's time we met." "This is hardly the place for that." "Well, maybe, uh— maybe you'd rather talk at the casino... or at your home." "I don't like that kind of humor." "A man in my position must be careful." " Like being here every night." " I will not be spoken to in that way." " Then stop acting like a prima donna." " Raymond—" "I don't need an interpreter." "The professor's waiting for you." " Good night, Raymond." " Until tomorrow afternoon?" "Yes, at the apartment." "Did she tell you about the invitations?" "It is impossible." "Look, the director himself, he personally inspects the guest list." "Then we should have no trouble." "We'll just take the best names he's ever read." "No, no." "It is too dangerous." "Listen to me, mister." "We're not playing a make-believe game of cops and robbers." "You're gonna have to take the same risk all of us take." " But Melanie has assured me—" " Do me a favor, will you?" "Just save Melanie's assurances for the apartment." "I'm not Melanie." "Monsieur, all I want is to be careful... to give this change in the plans a little more thought." "Okay." "Give it a little more thought." " Thank you." "I'm certain that in a few days—" " You have about 30 seconds." "Make up your mind, or go home to your wife." "No, no, no." "Wait, wait." "I—" "I always intended agreeing." " What does that mean exactly?" "Is it yes, or is it no?" " Yes, yes!" "I have to have something more positive." " Look, I have to be sure that you're dependable." " I will try, monsieur." "Th-This affair, it attracts and it frightens me." "As you see, I'm not, well—" "Monsieur, I'm not a brave man." "But I give you my word..." "I will try to do whatever is necessary." "Okay." "All right, let's talk about the invitations." "There it is, Melanie— a four million dollar agreement." "All is well with us." "Looks like something an eccentric millionaire would use." "The only question is dependability." "I'll have her sharp as a razor in a few days." "Okay." "Let's pick out another, huh?" "We want something cheap, but fast." "Over there— that, uh, Citroën." "It's a war surplus four-wheel drive." " Can you pick up one like it?" " Of course." "With the same hospital markings, it would be identically the same." "Baron von Roelitz himself would not know the difference." "Both cars will be ready for the rehearsal tonight." "Got exactly 82 minutes to the city marker." "All right, Louis." "How does it go?" "I get off at the side entrance to the hotel... walk through the lobby and take a taxi to the casino." "Don't hurry." "Make sure you give yourself the full 15 minutes." "Hurry?" "When I look so elegant?" "If he sweats like this at rehearsal... he'll pass out the night of the ball." "You worried?" "Do I look like it?" "A little." "Maybe I let myself get out of practice." "There isn't any reason to worry." " I'm sure everything's going to be just fine." " Mm-hmm." "Who's gonna guarantee it, you?" "No." "It's just that a woman has feelings about people and things." "I have every confidence in you." "You know what you remind me of?" "In Tangier there was a bartender." "His name was Mahmound Charlie." "He used to make a cocktail, and this cocktail was as sleek as satin." "But there was just one thing wrong with it." "About two hours later it snuck up on you, and you wished you were dead." "I'm like that bad cocktail?" "Is that why you dislike me?" "Did I say that?" "No, you have to be conscious of people to like or dislike them." "And you're not conscious of me." "Isn't that Pancho's private department?" "Why don't you just come out and ask me what you really want to know." "What am I to Pancho, to Raymond... to the others who come every night and sit and stare?" "Okay." "I'm asking." "So that you can call me a liar?" "Are you any different from any of the others?" "Could you believe in the morals of a woman whom you've seen almost naked?" "No comment." "Pancho has looked after me since I was a little girl, ever since my mother died." "She was a schoolteacher in London." "Now, hold on." "Hold it." "Just a second now." "Do you think that I would come in on something like this without checking up on you?" "All of you?" "Your mother was a stripper." "Your father worked backstage." "He left a week after you were born, and a month later your mother followed." "It makes you very happy to call me a liar, doesn't it?" "Is it so wrong to make up a dream... to try and give oneself a background of decency?" "No." "I'm sorry." "A little maybe." "The way you'd say "I'm sorry" after bumping into somebody on a dance floor." "No, no, no." "No, listen to me." "I meant it." "I am sorry." "Well, then I'm glad." "Now, let's not have any more talk... about bad cocktails or my past or my morals... or even my legs." "I think the professor's due." "On schedule." " Bonsoir, monsieur." " Good evening." "Would you be good enough and, uh, take Baron von Roelitz's wheelchair out?" "Yes, monsieur." "Felix, bring Monsieur Seymour." "Pardon, monsieur." "Pardon." "A coat-of-arms works wonders." "The more abuse he hands out, the more service he'll get." "Where's the real baron?" "Venezuela, being wheeled around his oil fields." "Your pardon." "This is an honor and privilege, Baron—" "Never mind the speeches." "Step aside!" "Doctor." "Yes, uh, we're ready, Baron." "Hugo?" "Pancho's a pretty good actor." "He's rehearsed for that all his life." " My, uh, medical kit, if you please." " Yes, Doctor." "Of course." "Will you take it in and set up a comfortable place for the baron at roulette?" " Immediately." " Thank you." "Hope he remembers he's only posing as a millionaire." "Otherwise, we'll lose our bankroll the first rehearsal." "No, not Pancho." "He has a reverent respect for money." "Ah, it is an honor to play host to Baron Emil von Roelitz." "Why am I required to meet all the help?" "This is the director-general himself, Monsieur Flournoy." "Very well then." "Good evening, Herr Director." "Now step aside." "Now, irascibility is not going to help your blood pressure." "I'm just going to allow you 20 minutes of play, no more." "Which way, gentlemen?" " The center table." " Oh, thank you." "Will you please have a table by the baron with a carafe of water?" " Immediately." " Come on, come on!" "It will take me some time to find out if the wheel is honest!" "I think he's overdoing it." "Ever hear of a millionaire being thrown out of a casino because his manners were bad?" "Good evening." "Oh, yes, please." "Right over here." "And the bag." "Thank you." " That's the no-limit table." " Where do you expect an oil millionaire to play?" " Maybe he'll win." " No." "Only the rich ever win." "Excellency." "Let's look over the rear terrace." "You first." "I'll test them with a few small wagers." "Change me a thousand reichsmarks." " That isn't very much of a test, Your Excellency." " Don't teach me my business." "Oh, uh, 10 plaques for His Excellency." "Those are the ballroom windows, not the governor's apartment." "Hisplaceis aroundthe corner, overlooking the garden." "The same ledge?" "That's what the blueprints show." "Go through the last window, then we'll work our way around to the bedroom." "I don't know." "That's narrow." "It's two feet wide." "That's not so narrow." " Lookin' up bothers me." " That's still the way we're going in." "Oh, I'll be all right when the time comes." " Just lookin' up bothers me." " Uh-huh." "I'd better go inside." "Your intuition still tell you this thing will work out?" "It still tells me to have confidence in you." " Good evening, Melanie." " Hi." "You're the first." "Excuse me." "I have to start dressing." "Where do you do your dressing, in the hall?" "Hardly." "It's more comfortable in my room." "Oh." "You've got your own apartment?" "I thought you never started a job like this... without knowing everything about everybody." "I made up three... but, uh, one is all you'll need." " I— I wish there was some other way." " There isn't." "I'm certain that the ingredients are precise." "Cyanide?" "A precise amount of cyanide?" "Yes, the precise dosage, no more." "You will regain full consciousness, all your faculties... within 80 minutes." "I'm certain of that." "You can afford to be certain." "Worse thing that can happen to you is you might have to go to my funeral." "I know what you're thinking." "This is a fine time to start worrying." "It's the nearness of things that frightens me." "You want to call it off?" "It's the— It's the door of death." "Taking hold of the knob... and not being quite sure of coming back." "You can be sure." "There's no margin for error." "It has to be bitten open... and then swallowed." "No, no, no." "Wait, wait, wait, please." "Just—" "I-I-I need a moment to compose myself." "Pancho." "You welsh inside the casino, and Louis and I will be trapped." "I-I—I won't welsh." "Well, turn around." "I want to see you say it." "I-I'll go through with the arrangement." "You can depend on it." "That's exactly what we'll be doing... all the way." "Fine night for nobody to be home." " Where's Pancho and Melanie?" " They're dressing." " Hey, where's the brandy, Pancho?" " Skip it." "Coffee's your limit tonight." "Just sit down and relax." "How can I?" "If I try to sit, I'll stab myself to death." "Well, shall we, uh, run down our timetable?" " I've got 7:13." " Precisely." " Yes." " We arrive at the casino at 9:37." "Then I drive back to where the ambulance is hidden." "We start for the vault at 9:40." "The baron has his attack at 10:35." "Now, look, sticking to the timetable is all-important... but if anything unexpected develops, anything at all... just ignore it and keep right on going." " Nothing unexpected, please." " I still have to put petrol in the limousine." " Uh, Hugo?" " Yes?" " Haven't you forgotten something?" " Me?" "Yes." "Long ago when we first met and talked about this venture..." "I pointed out something of great importance— the difference between a prison offense and the guillotine... the difference between robbery and murder." " Murder?" " Yes, murder." "That gun under your belt." "I don't intend using it." "It is a necessary precaution!" " Put it on the table." " Why?" "What if I am stopped driving the ambulance?" "If I have to take it away from you, I'll jam it up your nose!" "All right." "If all of you are willing to go through this night without protection... so am I." "Here." "If I had any sense, I'd get on a plane, I'd get out of here." "No, Paul, no." "We're only hours away from fulfillment." " Sure." " Paul!" "Where are you going?" "You take it easy, Theo." "I'm with you, remember?" "I'm just going next door to Melanie's and have her put away this guillotine piece." "You will find His Excellency there." "Monsieur Alfonso et Mademoiselle Christina de la Cruz." "Mr. John Edwards." " De la Cruz." " Mademoiselle et Monsieur de la Cruz." "Enchanté, mademoiselle." " Delighted, mademoiselle." " How do you do?" " Delighted." " C'est un plaisir, monsieur." " John Edwards." " MonsieurJohn Edwards." "Monsieur Edwards." "Boy, I've got butterflies crawling all over my guts." "Keep thinking of your chalet and your four or five girl houseguests." "I'm trying." "A drink would help." "Only one, I swear." "Okay, but nurse it." "We've got, uh, 22 minutes to kill." " What do we do about our butterflies?" " We?" "We dance." " Good evening, Doctor." " Good evening, Henri." "Oh, uh, please be careful with the baron's new chair." "Yes, Doctor." "Of course." "Step aside!" "Pardon." "Pardon, Excellence." "Take your germ-ridden hands off the chair!" "Pardon, Excellence." "Pardon." "Here we go." "They're in the casino." " The window." " Yeah." "Give us two minutes, then close it." "Paul." "I will." "Very careful." "Very careful." " It's a mile high." " All right." "It's all clear." "Let's go." " Now, wait a minute." "You, then me." " Okay." "Come on." "Pardon, madame." "The draft." "How dare you!" "Look what you've done to my gown." "Do you make a habit ofbumping into guests?" "I'm sorry, but madame is mistaken." " Are you suggesting that I spill things on myself?" " No, certainly not." "If madame will return to the lounge... the, uh, maid will be happy to repair the damage." "Never mind." "Instead, bring me another glass of champagne." " In a moment." " Not in a moment!" "Now!" "And when I get a breath of fresh air, I'll close your precious window." "Yes, madame, of course." "Electric eye alarms all over the place." "There's 18 inches clear under the lower beam." " Champagne." " The Veuve Clicquot for mademoiselle." "Very well, Excellency." "I'm certain that you will find the Veuve Clicquot an excellent drink." "Thank you." "Excuse me." "Haven't I seen mademoiselle before this evening?" "No." " The stage, wasn't it?" " I beg your pardon?" "Where I saw mademoiselle." "The stage, hmm?" "The Cellar Club in Cannes." "Cellar Club?" "Don't be ridiculous." "You needn't worry, mademoiselle." "If you are here with me, the duc de Salins... there can be no embarrassing questions." "You are the only embarrassment I've run into this evening." "My husband will be here in a minute, and he has a very strong prejudice..." "My husband will be here in a minute, and he has a very strong prejudice... against sensuous, bald-headed old goats." "I think it's degrading and outrageous for this girl to be here." "Of course, Excellency." " Monsieur LeMay." " Yes, monsieur?" "That young woman sipping champagne..." "His Excellency says she's a cheap Cellar Club dancer." " But Your Excellency must be mistaken." " I'm not!" "I'd recognize her anywhere." "Naturally, we cannot afford a serious mistake... but if His Excellency is correct, and I'm certain that you must be... then that woman has some motive in being here." "Uh, jewel thief, blackmail, something... sordid." " Tell the chief of detectives I want him at once." " Yes, sir." "YourExcellency, perhaps you would care tojoin us." "Thank you so much." " It is all over." "We are finished." "They know who you are!" " Keep your voice down." "You have to leave right away." "The director has sent me for the chief of detectives." "Stop getting hysterical." "Stop it!" "Now, you know I can't leave." "That window has to be opened again so that they can come back in." "No, no!" "You will be arrested and questioned." "They will find out that I'm involved." "Melanie, please." "Please don't do this to me." ""To me"? "To me"?" "Are you all that counts?" "Doesn't leaving them out there on that ledge matter to you?" "But you can't help them." "No one can, not anymore." "I'm gonna go into that powder room... and I'm going to wait until it's time to open the window." "And you're going to delay getting the police as long as possible." " But—" " Now remember, Raymond." "If anything happens to any one of us, it happens to you too." " Three more to go." " Mm-hmm." "Oh, uh, Excellency, soon time for your medicine." "Your medicine, Excellency." "10:35." "Bite." "Bite it." "Bite it!" "Bite!" "He'll get caught." "I won't let you hurt him." "I won't." "Oh, uh, call someone in authority." " His Excellency's had a heart seizure." " Oui, monsieur." "Excellency?" "Excellency?" " We will assist you in removing him." " No, no, no." "Not yet." "I am sorry, Doctor." "He must be moved." "It is a rule." "Do you have the authority to jeopardize the baron's life?" " Is he ill?" " Yes, seriously." "I need a quiet place, somewheres nearby." "There is only the director's office." "No, no, no, no." "An alcove downstairs perhaps." "Sir, do you refuse the baron the use of your office?" "Very well." " Keep the removal discreet." " Yes." "In the chair, please." "My bag." "Thank you." "This way, gentlemen." " Is there a divan?" " Uh, this way." "Uh, will you put him on the divan, please?" "Excuse me." "There we go." "Carefully." "Very carefully." "That'll be all, gentlemen." "Thank you." " Monsieur—" " Very well." "I'll attend to this myself." "This is Sir Gerald Hallsey." "Sir Gerald is a London physician." "I hope you'll forgive me, sir." "I was close by the table when you mentioned a heart seizure." "Yes." "Frankly, I was puzzled." "Perhaps troubled's a better word." "There was an odor of— Well, there was an odor of bitter almonds." "Yes, of course." "Cyanide." "I am well aware that my patient poisoned himself." "But you diagnosed a heart seizure." "Well, did you expect me to make an announcement like that to the patrons?" "The casino appreciates that, Doctor." "There's no reason for your casino to suffer a scandal just because... my neurotic patient tried to do away with himself." "Oh, that may be so, but I fail to understand—" "I'm sorry, Doctor, but your curiosity will have to wait... for a more opportune time." "The director will show you out while I telephone for an ambulance." " You object to my presence?" " Object?" "Why should I object?" "If the casino is not interested in being discreet, I certainly am not." "But we are, very definitely." "Please, Sir Gerald, this way." "Hello?" "Hello." "Uh, this is Dr. Vital." "I want you to send an ambulance right away to the casino... at the side entrance away from curious eyes." "Yes." "Be certain it's the side entrance." "Thank you." " You are very thoughtful, Doctor." " No, no, no." "Not at all." "Not at all." "Tell me, Doctor, why does a man like the baron do such a thing?" "'Cause he was constantly sick." "Because his body was a painful burden to him." " "Was"?" " Yes." "Mercifully, he's dead." "Death is not as ugly in the dark." "It'll be less depressing if we wait outside." "Please." "There." "That woman going toward the alcove." "It's closed." "We gotta go back!" "Stay here!" "You stay here." "She'll be here." "She will be here." "I beg your pardon." "Is madame here without an escort?" "That's extremely insulting." "I must insist on a reply." "I'm in charge of the casino's police." " Is madame here alone?" " Of course not!" " Then I must ask madame to take me to her escort." " Well, which one?" "Madame has two escorts." "Which one of us would you like to see?" "Uh, neither, sir." "This intrusion is an unfortunate error." "Madame was mistaken for someone else." "I beg your pardon." "All your pardons." "You two dance away to the door and then get out." "Raymond, get hold of yourself." "You're attracting attention to our problem." "I'm sorry, monsieur." "I-I feel ill." "I-I—" "Tragedy affects some of us more deeply than others." "I have a suggestion which, uh, may reduce your problem." "Wouldn't it be more discreet to move the baron... to the side entrance right now?" "Much more discreet." "Tell the commissionaires to bring a stretcher to the office." "No, no." "No, no, no." "The stretcher attracts attention." "But if the baron is strapped firmly into the wheelchair... no one will pay any particular attention." "Of course." "Bring the help." "Some ropes and straps for the wheelchair." "Thank you." "Oh, uh, will you put the ramp down, please?" "I'll go with them and make out the death certificate— heart seizure." " You are most considerate, Doctor." " No." " My deepest thanks." " No, no, no, no." "On the contrary." "If the baron could, I'm sure he would want me to thank you... for your consideration." "We made it, Paul." "We made it!" "I told you we could." "I told you!" "Who's arguing?" "I'm a happy, happy man." "How's Pancho?" "As expected." "He looks dead to me." "He'll be conscious very soon." " Is Pancho all right?" " He's fine, hon." "Get goin'." "Not one loose end." "The perfect experiment." "I can hardly wait till the morning." "The radio, the newspapers." "We'll sit back, you and I, Paul, and listen to the world gasp a little." "I'm glad you made it, Theo." "Yes, I know you are, my boy." "But hearing you say it means more to me than anything else." "We'll reopen those doors now— all the doors... every door I had slammed in your face." "Take it easy." "You know, we're not home yet." "Just sit back and try to relax." "Yes." "Whatever you say, my boy." "It feels good to be able to relax... once you've finally put the cork on the bottle." "Half hour to go." "Professor?" "Professor?" "Welcome back, Baron." "Uh, I, uh—" "I realize I showed weakness." "And—And if—" "Professor?" "Paul?" "Paul." "Stop." "Stop somewhere quickly." "Something's happened to him." "They turned off." "He's dead." "He's dead!" "He was sitting there smiling, asleep." "He was sitting there dead." "Paul!" "Over there." "Those woods are thick enough to hide him." "What are you doing?" "Don't you touch him." "You can't put him in there!" "This car can be traced!" "I'm gonna take him back to his hotel room." " You're crazy!" "You can't—" " Don't you touch him!" "You keep your hands off him." "You stay with him, Paul." "I'll drive." "I hope you realize what's going to happen." " They'll be looking for us as soon as he is found." " I doubt it." "When a man his age has a heart attack in his own bed... it's not unusual enough to investigate." "I still think it's dangerous!" " But profitable." " What?" "Dividing the extra shares is an added asset." "Ah." "I think I envy him." "He was happy when he died." "Envy the living, not the dead." "I used to believe that. having enough money would let me be born again." "Maybe it will." "No." "No, it won't." "I learned that a little while ago in his room." "I looked at him... lying there peaceful and happy." "I looked at him and I thought... the professor's lucky." "He's never going to have to hear anybody call him a thief." "It wouldn't make much difference." "He's been called a thief before." "Been called a thief." "Then he was called a hero." "It's all in my suitcase— the story of his life." "Diplomas, medals... the newspaper clippings." "I— I wouldn't have believed anything bad of the professor." "You should've been around 12 years ago." "You would have been one of the minority." "Everybody walked out on him then... even before he went to prison— all his colleagues, his friends." "Even his family took a different name." "You—You liked him very much, didn't you?" "Is that why you became involved in this?" "I loved him." "He was your father, wasn't he?" "Are you sure?" "Very." "Not one sou." "They'll love us for that." "They only have to cut it up four ways." " Yes?" " We're back." " Well, did you manage it?" " Yes." "Now, w-w-wait." "No, let's do this right." "Mademoiselle, monsieur..." "I am about to show you the glittering marvel of the century." "Four million dollars worth of francs." "Uh, we were discussing Raymond— the size of his share." " Pancho, you can't." " Don't worry." "They won't." "Raymond gets 1/10th for his share." "Isn't all this enough for you?" "Considering the small part played by Raymond... 1/10th seems like a generous gesture." "Speaking of gestures and the parts we each played..." "I think the professor would like you to have that as a souvenir." "I say Raymond gets a full share." "No." "The time for one voice is over." "We make now our own decisions." "You're wrong again, Fritz." "The decision's been made by the Bank of France." " What?" " Here." "Read 'em and weep." "That's the hottest money you ever touched in your life." "Every one of these is a big bill." "Every one of'em has been serialized and listed by the Bank of France." "Don't look at me." "The label— it's dated." "This money was printed and recorded only two days ago." "All the money in the world, and I can't spend it." "Surely not all of it." "Nothing!" "Nothing!" "Nothing!" "Stop it." "Stop it!" "We mustn't behave this way." "You help— help me pick up the money." "Please." "We must be rational, think things out." "Please." "What's going to happen now?" "Now?" "They'll probably talk and argue, divide the money... and promise to keep it out of circulation till it's safe." " But they won't." " They'll probably wait a week or two." "Look, here's the last of our bankroll." "This'll get us maybe as far as Rome." "And then as soon as one of them is caught, he's going to implicate all of us." "We'll just have to try to make ourselves hard to find, that's all." "You might be able to alone, Paul... but not with me." "Let me worry about that." "Here." "You just pack." "Raymond is gonna be the first one that'll talk if they question him." "We haven't got time to worry about Raymond." "Not for him, Paul, but for us— how we're going to feel later on because we didn't worry." "Okay, okay, then we'll warn 'em." "That's the best we can do." "I think that we can do better than that." "I think that we can give the money back." "What—What, you mean we're just gonna walk in and say..." ""Mr. Director, excuse it, please." "It was all a big mistake." "Here's your money back"?" "I don't know how, Paul." "I only know that we should try." "Please." "Somehow?" "It's the only logical thing to do." "We'll hide the money for a month or so, then exchange it a bit at a time." "Who does the hiding?" "Oh, we'll put it in my trunk and then store it." " No." " You know I can be trusted." " No." " All right, then move in here with me." "The storage receipt will be here, and we can all watch each other." "No." "How can we solve anything?" "All he keeps doing is saying, "No."" "No, no, he's right." "Suppose you have an accident?" "Dropped dead or something?" "What good is the storage receipt to us?" "That's sound logic, Louis." "We divide the money now and take our chances." " You're still trying to make decisions, Fritz?" " You're out of this!" "Oh, no, I'm not." "I'm right back in." "All right, Melanie." "Now, look." "There's only one way to solve our problem." "The casino doesn't want any scandal, and they're not gonna complain if we return the money." " What?" " No!" "Yes!" "We're not gonna serve time in prison so you can have two weeks to drool over this stuff." "Now, it goes back!" "Paul!" "Take it easy!" "Don't move!" "Now we're back where we started— one voice." "Now, fill it up." "Come on." "Come on." "Fill it up." "You too, Fritz." "Off the floor." "Come on." "Melanie, you get your things, bring the car around to the door." "Melanie?" "After all these years, is this the thanks you give?" "Keep goin'!" "Keep goin'!" " Is that yours?" " No, monsieur." "It belongs to the director general." " All, monsieur?" " Yes, yes." " What is this?" " That is from our checkroom." ""You can reclaim the casino's property with this stub."" " Who gave you this?" " It was on the floor, Excellency, at table three." " Monsieur, please." " Fetch whatever it is, huh?" " Oui, monsieur." " Monsieur, I said please!" " It is bad luck!" " Raymond!" "Your pardon, Excellency, but my secretary has been having dizzy spells all evening." " All, monsieur?" " Yeah." "Monsieur." " A cheap suitcase?" " Oui." " Very well." "Take it to my office." " Oui, monsieur." " Raymond." "Attend me." " Oui, monsieur." "Let's go." "Oh, monsieur." "Monsieur." "Your wager." " That's mine?" " Well, you said "all," monsieur." "For the third time, seven and red." " Merci." "Mademoiselle, I have always said that honesty is the best policy." " Monsieur, s'il vous plaît." "Pour le personnel." " Oh, merci beaucoup."