"Good evening, Countess." "It's an honor have you with us again." "Your usual suite is ready." " Thank you." " Thank you, Countess." "Doesn't the town look good at this time of year, Poirot?" "Yes, one can always tell when the the Summer is arrived." "It's in air, right?" "No, Hastings, it is in the speed of your driving." "Oh, Poirot." "We're only pushing thirty." "Sorry, old chap." "Red light." "I prefer the Winter." "It is safer." "There's a pleasant sight for you, on a summer's day." "Have you ever thought about it?" "In my experience," "I've known of five cases of women murdered by their devoted husbands." "Yes ...?" "And 22 husbands murdered by their devoted wives." "So thank you, non." "The marriage, it is not for me." "And now, I think that the light it is green." " We can proceed ... gently." " Right-oh." "But I'm not going to have a crash!" "Anyway, we saw a bride." "That's supposed to bring good luck." "Mr. Poirot, you're back." "The Chief-Inspector is waiting inside." "Chief-Inspector Japp, here?" "That must be the luck of which you speak, Hastings." "I think he's worried about something." "He hasn't said a word." "Chief-Inspector!" "Good afternoon, Poirot." " Captain Hastings." " Chief-Inspector." "Please sit yourself." "What matter is it that brings you here today?" "A matter of my job, if you want the honest truth." "They would never dismiss you, would they, Chief-Inspector?" "They will, if I don't get results soon, Captain Hastings." "Three robberies in as many weeks." "Jewelry, each time." "The Atterton's diamonds were the first to go." "Lady Atterton?" "In the west country?" "And during dinner." "Two Dukes, a Duchess and some Russian Countess 'round the table." "Not your usual round of witnesses." "The high-society..." "Can't get much higher, that's the trouble." "The Commissioner's come down on me." "He wants action." "If not, he's going to give to them a scapegoat." " A goat?" " Me." " When was this last robbery?" " Three days ago." "Three days!" "But it is too late!" "It is better to strike while the metal is warm ... yes?" " So, what we can do?" " We wait." "The thief is already planning his next crime." "And the next crime..." "it will be his last." "This way, Countess." "Lady Runcorn." "How good of you to come!" "And how exquisite you look." "Your parties are always an experience, Marcus." "And tonight is no exception." "We have Nacora, the pianist, playing notes." " And you know Katherine Bird?" " The contralto?" "My dear Marcus, we can't get tickets to hear her, for love or money!" "No need for either." "Let me introduce you to a colleague of mine from South Africa." "Martin Johnstone, Lady Runcorn." " How do you do?" " Excuse me." "Are you also a collector, Mr. Johnstone?" " What?" " Jewelry." "Mr. Hardman has one of the finest collections in England." " Lady Runcorn here?" " Yes, I was just talking to her." "She is quite attractive, really." "I wonder if she misses the late Lord Runcorn?" "For heaven's sake, do try to be discreet!" " You know me, Marcus." " Yes." "Who's that?" "Countess Vera Rossakoff." "She came over from Russia, quite recently." "Yes." "I suggest you keep your hands off her, dear boy." "Why?" "You're not in her league." "I wonder ...?" "♪ ♪" "♪ ♪" "♪ ♪" " Where have you been?" " Busy." " Have you seen my gloves?" " No, I haven't." "♪" "You couldn't ask for the trail to be much fresher this time, Poirot." "I only heard myself this morning." "I've been chasing all over the country on the other three robberies." "This is the first one that's been close to London." "Tell me about this Monsieur Marcus Hardman." "He's a jewelry collector." "Sort of a celebrity, in his own way." "Throws a lot of parties, that sort of thing." " A collector, do you say?" " Yes." "A natural target, I suppose." "And yet, in other circumstances, perhaps also the natural suspect." "They were in the garden when it happened." "Some sort of concert." " In the garden?" " There is a tent." "Sir?" "You were the constable on duty last night?" " Yes, sir." " Tell us what happened." "I was on my beat, sir." "I walked past Mr. Hardman's house around half past ten." "And...?" "Well, sir, I did see something." "A vagrant (tramp)." "He was going the other way." "Down there." "That "vagrant" could have a 10 thousand pounds necklace in his pocket." " I wasn't to know, sir." " Indeed not." "Thank you, officer." "You have been most assiduous in your duties." "This is a ghastly thing!" "Just ghastly!" "I mean, the publicity will destroy me!" "When notice the jewelry was absent, Monsieur Hardman?" "It was this morning." "I got up late, after last night's concert." "We had Nacora in the play." "And Katherine Bird." "I came into the room..." " My beautiful emerald necklace!" " But it is insured, Mr. Hardman." " Insured?" " Is it?" "Of course it's insured, but that is not the point." "It is irreplaceable." "It used to belong to Caterina de Medici, you know?" "It is through here." "Monsieur Hardman, this window, it is kept locked, yes?" "Of course." "I'll show you the safe." "What is different about this window?" "Looks just like all the others." "But there is one significant difference, mon ami." "It is at this point that climbing plant outside almost it reaches the seal and Monsieur Hardman is, I think, a little overconfident about the latches." " Has anything been touched?" " No, Chief-Inspector." "This is just how it was when here I came in." "The safe was open and the emeralds were gone." "So, what's this then?" " Is this yours, Mr. Hardman?" " No." "What you make of this, Poirot?" "It is a glove of a man." "A man with small hands." "What have we here?" "A cigarette case  empty with the initials " B.P. " - " B.P. "..." "Does that have any significance to him, Monsieur Hardman?" "Yes, I suppose that could belong to  Bernard Parker." " And who is he, sir?" "A young friend of mine." "A business associate." " The glove could be his, too." " What makes you say that?" "Well, he lost it." "He'd lost both gloves." "At least, that's what he said." "Excuse me." "So, what do you think, Poirot?" "I think that this is strange." "The glove and the cigarette case..." "It is, as you do say, a double clue." "So, this is twice for us to work on." "It is too much, Hastings." "Too much." "To leave the glove inside the safe..." "Perhaps he was in a hurry." "Or someone could have disturbed him..." "Poirot?" "May I introduce you Countess Vera Rossakoff?" "She was here at the party, last night." "Enchanté, madame." "Et moi aussi, monsieur." "Hercule Poirot, at your service, madame." "What beautiful gardens, Monsieur Poirot." "It is so good of you to escort me." "It wanted to bring somewhere that was worthy of you." "You mustn't flatter me, Monsieur Poirot, it will make me cry." "I have been so lonely since I arrived and it's been a lovely day." "Yes, I also know what it is to come to a new country and to know no one." "Of course, you yourself are a refugee." "Yes." "I was Head of the Police in Belgium." "But then came the Great War and I was forced to leave." "I came to England, to the village of Styles St. Mary." "But it was a sad and painful time for me." "So far from my family and my home." " Poor Monsieur Poirot..." " Oh non." "I have had a good fortune." "My talent has been recognized." "It is reported that I am the most famous detective in England." " Is Poirot here?" " No, I'm afraid not." " Hastings?" " Yes." "Excuse me." " Where is he?" " Are you all right, Chief-Inspector?" "No, I'm not all right." "And I'll be lucky to be Chief-Inspector by the end of the week." " As bad as that, hey?" " It's been three days, Cap." "Hastings." " Three days and nothing!" " Well, Poirot is on the case, you know." " Then why aren't you with him?" " I dunno, I..." "I suppose he wanted to pursue his his own line of inquiry." "This jewelry business is going to be the end of me." "Don't worry, old chap." "You know Poirot." "He really is getting somewhere?" "Yes, I'm sure he's on the right track." "And so, you are investigating the case of the stolen jewelry?" "It seems a simple matter, madame." "To England's most famous detective, of course." " Do you suspect me?" " Ah!" "Should I?" " I was there." " That is true." "So, tell me madame, why did you return the following day?" "I had an appointment with Mr. Hardman." "I was considering selling some of my own jewelry." "I had a house like this, once in Petrogrado." "First a house." "Then, a wing in the house." "Then, a room in the wing." "And now ... nothing." "But that does not make you the thief, madame." "No." "Life itself is the thief." "It has taken me everything I had." "Well, I suppose it had to happen one day." "He's really quite taken, you know?" " Are you sure, Captain Hastings?" " You should have seen him." "Well, anyway we haven't seen him, not for three days." "It's not like him." "What about poor old Japp?" "Looks like he could be for the chop." "If only we could help..." " Maybe we can." " How?" "According to Marcus Hardman, only four persons went into the house during the concert," "That's when the jewels were taken." "Bernard Parker, Martin Johnstone, Lady Runcorn and the Countess." " Suppose it was her?" " No, it can't have been her." "I mean, I hope to God it wasn't." " So, what we can do?" " We can talkk to the other three and solve the case ourselves." "I know old Japp suspects that tramp the constable spotted, but I think that we should speak to them all." "Starting with Mr. Johnstone." "How dare you, sir?" "!" "If I want a jewel necklace, I can afford to go into a shop and to buy one." "In fact, I can afford to buy the shop." "So, why did tou go back into the house, Mr. Johnstone?" "A call of nature, if you must know." "And were there any witnesses?" "So, Lady Runcorn, you don't deny that you went back into the house." "But I just told you that, Captain Hastings." " Did tou see anyone else inside?" " Yes." "There was someone coming out of the dowstairs bathroom." "But I didn't see who it was." "Why were you in the house, Lady Runcorn?" "I went to fetch my handbag I'd left it inside." "Etbien,Countess, tomorrow I will take you to the Tate Gallery to see their collection of the Turners." "I find these expression paintings so exciting." "Don't you, Hercule?" "In part, yes." "You know, I do not believe that there is anyone of my acquaintance who calls me by that name." "Oh...!" "I'm so sorry." "Excuse me." "Madame..." " Now this, I find most pleasing!" " Marc Chagall." "Another Russian." "An exile." "He lives in Paris, I believe." "A constructivist, they call him." "But one only has to look at this work to see." "Yes ...?" "He is still in Russia." "He never left." "Like you, Countess." "Oh!" "No." "It's another world, now." "Estaline, Hitler..." "Everywhere you look, it's all changing." "Goodbye, Lady Runcorn." "Goodbye, Captain Hastings." "Captain Hastings, look!" "" B.P. "" "Bernard Parker." "Yes, I do some work for Marcus, Mr. Hardman." "Our arrangement is more..." "insalubrious." "What do you mean by that?" "When the client doesn't want his or her name dragged through the mud," "I work as a sort of go-between." " I don't ..." " In high-society, Captain, nobody is ever hard up." "At least, they don't admit to it." "So, when they are hard up, they come to me and I go to Marcus." "Have you lost a glove, Mr. Parker?" "The glove!" "That simply lonesome Inspector "slap"" "has already been on to me about the glove." "You know he wanted to arrest me?" " Was it yours?" " Yes." "But I've told him I had both the gloves when the concert began, and that was the last time I saw them." "And as for the cigarette case, I've never seen it before in my life." " It had your initials." " My dear," "I'm sure you will find plenty of people in London with the initials " B.P. "" "By the way, have you already done any embroidery?" " Embroidery?" " You know, needle work, that sort of thing." "No." "No!" "And..." "What of the perfect crime?" "It is an illusion, Countess." "Maybe." "But let me tell you something I heard." "It was a robbery, like the one at Mr. Hardman." " But, this time, it was diamonds." " Please, go on." "Twelve people sat down to dinner." "The safe was in the next room." "The hostess herself had checked that the diamonds were in place before the meal had begun." " And after?" "The safe was open." " And empty." " And was there no clues?" "None." "It is strange that you choose to relate this to me, Countess." " I also have read of it." " Oh yes?" "Yes, the Atterton Diamonds." "And it is true that the police, they were confounded." "But that is because they look with the eyes that were too  English." " I don't understand." "Well, they see the Dukes and the Duchesses, and the Lords and the Ladies, but they are fail to ask the one simple question." "Which is ...?" "What person was at that dinner who was also at the soirée of Monsieur Hardman and on two other occasions where some jewels were stolen?" "So, you're saying that the police cannot solve it because they are too English?" "Or because the culprit is not English enough." "Thank you for the really lovely day." "Countess." "Will I see you tomorrow?" "Pour le déjeuner?" "Oui." "(At lunch?" "Yes)." "The Carlton Hotel." "Bernard Parker must have been in love with Lady Runcorn." "Gave her the embroidery, but lied about it to us." "I think Johnstone's lying as well." "I'm sure it's him." "I say!" "Poirot!" "Learning Russian?" "!" "I wonder why?" "It has been an invaluable aid, mon ami." "I couldn't get past the alphabet, myself." " It is indeed complicated." " Yes, like this case." "The stolen jewels?" "We have been investigating, Mr. Poirot." "You are not the only handy private detective in London, you know?" "This is true, mon ami." "Et bien!" "Tell me all that you have discovered." "So, we think Bernard Parker is blackmailing Lady Runcorn." "We've discovered that she has huge debts and she's recently sent four paintings to auction." "She must have sold them to pay to him off." "So, you say Lady Runcorn requires more money?" "Yes." "So, is it not more likely that Lady Runcorn would meet with M.Bernard Parker to discuss the sale of her jewels?" "That is his occupation, is it not?" "But, what about the embroidery?" "He signed it - " B.P. "" "But then..." "I wonder What Lady Runcorn was called before she became Lady Runcorn?" "I hadn't thought of that." "If you are to be Hercule Poirot, you must think of everything." "" Lady Runcorn  born Beatrice Palmerstone. "" "" B.P. " ... he is right." "So, all right then, Poirot." "What do you think?" "I think, Hastings, you must ask yourself one question." " Yes ...?" " The tramp, what was he doing there?" "And the answer  you will find only by returning to the home of Monsieur Marcus Hardman." " I suggest that you go tomorrow." " What about you?" "Non." "This case does not interest Poirot." "I have no enthusiasm for it." "And it is as you also say, Hastings there are other private detectives." "Yes, I'm sure." "But ... what about poor old Japp?" "No, sir." "Nothing is yet, sir." "But I am following out a few leads..." "Uh... no, sir." "They haven't actually led anywhere yet  but if you could just give me a little more time..." "Fourty eight hours?" "Oh, I was hoping for a little more time, sir." "I can assure you, sir, your wife it perfectly safe, sir." "Well, if you'd like to put her on, I can assure her myself, sir." "No, sir." "I didn't mean that, sir..." "Right, sir." "Yes, sir." "I am working on, sir." "I'll do that, sir." "Thank you." "Good evening." "Please, allow me to introduce myself." "Poirot?" " Not the Hercule Poirot...?" " The very same." " Please, sit down, sir." " Non, thank you." "What can we do for you?" "I have a friend who requires my immediate help." "But I cannot help him, so I turn to you." "You mean you want us to  sort of deputize for you?" "Oui, c'est ça." "You must act on my behalf." "It must be something important, for you to ask for our help, M. Poirot?" "It is a matter of the utmost importance, monsieur." "There is a reputation  no, there is a life, that is at stake." "But Hercule Poirot is not involving." "The tramp, what was the tramp doing here?" "I can't see how wandering around the grounds is going to give us the answer." "Let's be methodical, Captain Hastings." "Mr. Poirot must have a reason for sending us here." "Four people went into that house." "You'd have thought one of them must have done it." "What about Lady Runcorn?" "If her name was Beatrice Palmerstone once, the cigarette case could have belong to her." "" B.P. "" "Maybe she was working with Bernard Parker, they were in the house at the same time." "And about that wretched tramp?" "I just don't see where he fits in." "Miss Lemon, look!" "Over there." " It's him!" " Wait!" "Hey you!" "Stop!" "Captain Hastings, he's got a gun!" "Are you all right?" "I think so." "Listen!" "Well, it's the first tramp I've seen behind the wheel of an MG." "It's iodine, Captain Hastings." "I said it would sting." "It's me who suffers, my friend." " To think that I sent you..." " It's not your fault, Poirot." "But yes, Hastings." "It was me who sent you to the house, and but for your speed and agility..." " He fired four times, Mr. Poirot." " Yes, I know, Miss Lemon." "Did you know the tramp would come back?" "Non." "But I am an imbecile, I see only half of the picture." "I don't even see that." "Miss Lemon, would you be so good as to telephone Chief-Inspector Japp?" "Ask him to meet us at the home of Marcus Hardman." "What about your lunch with the Countess?" "Ah!" "We will meet after lunch." "At three o'clock." "Where are you taking her?" "It is the Countess who takes me." "You astonish me, madame." "I am lost in admiration." "It's just a picnic." "We used to have such picnics..." "Suppose he  Poirot and the Countess ...?" "He wouldn't!" "Would he ...?" "I don't know." "I've never seen him like this before." "And now ... a toast." "I shall propose one, if I may." "To crime!" "That is a strange toast, coming from a detective." "And yet, it is my raison d'être." "My life is ruled by it." "And it is crime that has brought us together." "Then  to crime." "He couldn't!" "He just couldn't!" "You would be out of your situation." "What about you?" "Oh, I could travel." "I've always had a dream about South America, you know?" "Farming..." "You would miss him though, wouldn't you?" "Of course I would." "What about you?" "I don't want to talk about it." "And now I think  yes." "I have an investigation with the Chief-Inspector Japp." "And it must be resolved." "Is there anything I can do?" "This time, I fear the culprit may escape  or, this time  the culprit may never be named." "That depends entirely on you." " Me?" " I think so." "Would this help?" "Only four people came into the house during the concert." "The Countess, Monsieur Johnstone." "Lady Runcorn and Bernard Parker." "But the thorough investigation of my colleagues eliminated Monsieur Jonhstone and Lady Runcorn." "M. Jonhstone because he is a very wealthy man." " And the Lady Runcorn?" " Lady Runcorn  because she came into the house in order to meet with M. Bernard Parker." "Is that not so, Monsieur Hardman?" "Yes, but no one must know." "My whole business  it thrives on nobody knowing." "D'accord." "And finally, there is the Countess." "Who entered the house, in order to get her coat." "Her coat?" "I thought it was a warm evening." "Yes, it was, Chief-Inspector." "But I had been outside for more than an hour." " Yes, but..." " Forgive me, but if the Japanese contralto had sang one more high note, my head would have shattered." "And while you were inside, Countess, you caught sight of a figure, non?" " And you disturbed him, n'est-ce pas?" " Yes." " But I only glimpsed him." " Going where?" "From this room, to the window." "Ah!" "Yes..." "The window with a climbing plant." "That brings us to the tramp and one very important question." "Why did he come back?" "Yes, and how could he afford an MG, for that matter?" "The tramp, who was no tramp, used the climbing plant in order to enter the house." "For him, the window was no obstacle." "The safe, also he opened with ease." " So, what about the clues?" " The glove belonged to M. Bernard Parker." "It was put there to incriminate him." "The cigarette case belonged to Lady Runcorn, or Beatrice Palmerston, as she was called." "But always I think she will deny it." " Why?" " Because she brought it here in order to sell it." "She will never admit that, she is too proud." "That is quite true, Miss Lemon." "So the tramp took the jewels." "What did he do, then?" "He returned to the window, where he was disturbed by the Countess, he slipped and he fell." "And the necklace?" "The necklace ... he dropped it, that's why he had to come back." "Wait a minute ...!" "I've got it!" " Voilà!" " Green against green." "My necklace!" "What about the tramp?" "We still don't know who he is." "Oui." "D'accord." "But I fear it is too late." "What's the matter?" "Just something she said." " Who?" " The Countess." "She said the singer was Japanese." "It was the pianist who was Japanese." "What of it?" "Well, if she really had been in the garden for an hour," "Surely she would have known ...?" "Good night." "Miss Lemon, I thought you had already gone." "No, I had a some letters to finish." "Are you working late, Mr. Poirot?" "Yes, I have from Chief-Inspector Japp the reports, from the jewelry thefts." "This work, Miss Lemon, sometimes it is not so straightforward." "You do work so hard, Mr. Poirot." "Sometimes, I think you really ought to..." " Yes, Miss Lemon?" " Nothing, Mr. Poirot." " Good night, Miss Lemon." " Good night." "♪" "Ten minutes until your train." "Yes." "And then your ship to America." "Yes." "Thank you." "Madame, you are the most remarkable, the most unique woman that I have ever met." " But also..." " Opposites..." "C'est ça." "You must continue your work." "And I must continue mine." "But not in the same country." "Countess, please allow me to introduce you two colleagues of mine." "Messieurs Redfern and Blake." " Good evening, madam." " They are, like myself, private detectives." " Do you really think that I need an escort?" "Non, non, non." "They are for your protection." "During your very short visit in England, there were four very clever robberies." "I would not wish you to be involved in a fifth." "Of course." "Are they armed?" "I believe that Monsieur Redfern does carry a gun." "Loaded with blanks, of course." "M. Redfern played a tramp much more convincingly than I had expected." "But pauvre Hastings..." "I am afraid it was necessary to lead him off the scent." "But I forget!" "I have something for you." "A parting present." "A souvenir." "The cigarette case?" "The double clue." "It's got no use to me." "It's described " B.P. "" "Yes." "And yet, in the Russian alphabet, a "B" is a "V" and a "P" is a "R", it is not  Vera Rossakoff?" "You did study." "You will keep it, I hope." "Something to remember me by." "I would not forget you  Hercule!" "Nor I you  Countess." "Au revoir." "♪"