"This is a love story, that's what this is." "A tragedy." "We had a deal, an agreement." "He gave me his word." "And this... this is my one ticket out of this inequitable purgatory." "There is no justice, Ollie." "She would have learnt to love me." "She will learn." "That's the spirit." "Huh?" "Carpe diem." "Carpe diem." "You, Roger, you are my one and only friend in this God-forsaken cesspit!" "One more for the road then?" "This poet's time has come." "Sorry, sir." "Ollie!" "City of dreadful night, city all alight, city full of spite." "Hey!" "You're in my way." "Cabby!" "Guttersnipe!" "What's your rush?" "Hallelujah!" "Jesus will save you, miss." "He'll save ya!" "Cabby!" "Stop!" "Come on, allow me." "Driver, you better take this man home." "He's awfully tight." "Where to?" "Where do you live, sir?" "You!" "Alright, then." "Come on." "Up you get." "That's the way." "You've had a few, have you?" "Alright, in you get." "Come on." "If you purge yourself in my cab, you pay for the scrubbing." "I want to go home." "St Kilda." "Yeah, I heard you." "Alright." "Oh, you're back." "You forget something?" "Thought I'd see him home." "Drive on." "Get on, boy." "Hup." "Who are you?" "What do you want?" "Driver!" "Stop!" "Whoa." "He doesn't want my help after all." "He'll tell you where to go." "Cabby." "Powlett Street." "Hey, where to, sir?" "Sir?" "Oh, cor blimey." "Sir, where do you want me to take you?" "Sir?" "!" "My dear friends, may I present a friend from home, newly arrived to our shores, a man of impeccable introductions..." "Mr Oliver Whyte." "Thank you, Mr Frettlby." "And may I say, I never expected 'Marvellous Melbourne' to harbour such an oasis of culture... and beauty." "Yes, indeed, we are a thoroughly modern city." "Am I right, Duncan?" "And with a very bright future." "Calton." "Duncan Calton." "My closest ally and the most fearsome barrister in the colonies." "Then you're a good man to know." "You've already met the light of my life, my daughter Margaret?" "Yes, he has." "And 'Madge' will do." "Sweet Madge Frettlby, whom I fear I will never forget." "Brian Fitzgerald." "What do you do, Mr Whyte?" "Oh, I'm a man of many interests, but exactly what my Melbourne occupation will be," "I couldn't tell you." "Yourself?" "In the wool trade like Mr Frettlby." "I have a station up near his." "Well, you'll never be short of a scarf, then, will you?" "Felix Rolleston." "Part-time journalist, socialite, raconteur..." "And infernal gossip." "Guilty as charged." "Here, here." "Such power, Miss Featherweight." "Dora practices four hours every day." "Ooh!" "My word." "Lucky piano." "What with the city's boom, it's vital to spread one's investments." "I'm most grateful for the advice." "Clearly your expertise stretches beyond the law." "The law is merely a foundation for greater things." "Once we have civility, we can achieve anything." "Well said." "Forgive me." "Now I'm sounding like a politician." "So, with your finances assured, perhaps you can finally attend to matters of the heart?" "I think of Madge as a niece, and after her mother's tragic passing, having a wedding to look forward to..." "Well that is indeed the plan, if, of course, I can persuade her." "I doubt that will prove a challenge... although you may have to find her first." "I was starting to think you'd abandoned me." "Why would I do that?" "Mr Whyte, I thought..." "The moonlight transforms your beauty to the heights of a goddess." "That's very kind." "Good evening." "A polite conversation... that's not too much for a weary traveller to ask, is it?" "I've come a long way." "Then you must need rest." "Good evening, sir." "Whyte?" "Mr Frettlby, I do apologise." "I didn't mean to startle you." "Ah, I thought you already departed." "Now, look here, you can't just..." "There's a private matter I wanted to discuss with you." "Something rather delicate, if you don't mind?" "How could you even ask me?" "Madge, you do not understand." "This HAS to be." "To that reptile of a man when you know I love Brian." "This is the only way." "I will never marry him." "Never." "Whoa." "Whoa." "Drive on." "This is absurd!" "Your father knows of my intentions." "I would have sought his permission last year had you not been in mourning." "'This has to be' - those were his words." "You're not about to concede?" "No." "No, of course not." "I love only you, you know that." "Then I will not let this happen, I promise you that." "I don't understand." "Whyte?" "I do not wish to discuss it." "But, Mark, you must think of the scandal you will cause." "A minor scandal is nothing." "It's common knowledge that Madge and Brian intend to wed." "What will people assume when..." "Duncan, the matter is closed!" "It is not your place to tell me what to do." "On this occasion I must!" "Brian is a good man, a self-made man, and Madge loves him." "And if you don't honour that, you'll have not only lost a wife, you'll lose your daughter as well." "Where is he?" "Out of my way!" "It's out of my hands." "That's it?" "That's all you're offering?" "An apology?" "How much do you want?" "I've made it perfectly clear what I want, and I will accept nothing else." "We made an agreement." "Between us, but not with my daughter." "Now, if will just give me some time to find a solution..." "There is only one solution!" "You have made your decision and I can assure you, Mr Frettlby, you will most certainly regret it." "What are you doing?" "Ollie?" "Nothing, I was just..." "Never mind." "Come on." "It's all gone to hell, Roger." "My great plan." "What am I supposed to do now?" "All the way out here?" "You'll think of something." "This is a growing country." "No, no, my life is ruined." "Why did I ever listen to her?" "Chin up." "You'll see... everything's rosier after an ale." "I'll show YOU a good time." "I'd say that's a perfect result." "You and Madge will marry and produce the most beautiful cherubs in the colonies." "It's not over yet, Felix." "Whatever leverage Whyte must have over Frettlby..." "Oh, Fitz, please, you must forget that creature ever existed." "Mmm." "Whiffy?" "No, thank you." "Mmm." "So young, yet so dull." "Very well, my good man." "I bid you adieu." "Get up." "Drive on." "Cabby!" "Guttersnipe!" "What's your rush?" "Hallelujah!" "Jesus will save ya, miss." "He'll save ya!" "Yes, I think that was it." "Excuse me!" "Missy!" "Excuse me." "Just give it." "What did I just say?" "Now move it." "Alright!" "Uh, sorry to intrude, sir." "A note." "Thank you." "Brian?" "Is anything the matter?" "Cabby!" "Stop!" "Driver, you better take this man home." "He's awfully tight." "You!" "Oh, you're back?" "You forget something?" "Murder." "Murder in a hansom cab!" "Ј100 reward for the killer!" "Murder." "Murder in a hansom cab!" "Not right looking at a man's innards at this hour, before I've had time to nourish my own." "Chloroform inhalation is the cause." "Externally, the body is healthy." "No marks of violence." "Internally, the lungs are slightly congested, and the heart has a considerable quantity of dark fluid blood." "Are these his clothes then?" "Yes." "Jacket?" "Not on him." "And only one glove." "No cards, no name." "O-W." "Could be your initials... or your killer's." "What the deuce is this for?" "Ain't the tailor's work." "You've done this yourself..." "and jolly badly too." "A secret pocket perhaps, for a secret paper?" "Who the devil are ya?" "Who wanted you dead?" "Rise and shine, Mr Fitzgerald!" "Shall I bring in your coffee?" "No, thank you, Mrs Sampson." "I'll be right out." "Oh, my dear." "Do forgive me, Mr Fitzgerald." "I'll just put it right out here, shall I?" "Dead." "Dead." "Dead." "What you gonna do?" "Resurrect her?" "!" "Dead as a blessed doornail, she is." "Oh, God." "Poor wretched soul." "Oh!" "What do you care?" "She were nothin' to you." "Nothin'!" "Get off her!" "It were the brandy what killed 'er." "Always drinking', blast 'er." "She were sick!" "It were the fever." "We should've sent for a doctor." "Oh, yes, like you knows all about it." "She were cursed!" "It's this place what did it." "This place is worse than hell, this is." "Hey!" "What you doin'?" "You're not leaving me with a corpse." "If I stay here, I'll be next." "Where you going to go?" "You belong here, no better than you're supposed to be, earning your poor Grandma's keep." "Weren't always stuck here." "I lived the high life I did." "Oh, yeah, mixing with all the coves and swells." "Goodbye." "God help ya." "Come back 'ere!" "Sal!" "Sal!" "Hey, pussy, pussy, pussy." "I'm trying to tell you what I seen..." "Cor blimey!" "Far as I can remember, he was about yay high, he had a long formal sort of jacket on, you know, like this." "And he had a soft hat." "Moustache?" "Rings?" "Affectations?" "Well, I don't know about that." "Oh, do stop dithering, man." "You must remember something more." "Kilsip!" "What do you think you're doing?" "Morning, Gorby." "My case, Kilsip." "And my witness." "Thank you, Mr Royston." "Oh, it's my pleasure, Mr Gorby." "Thank you, Mr Royston." "Oh." "Yeah." "I suspect this is more complex than it first appears." "One must ask the question, what drives a seemingly respectable man to murder?" "Fits of insanity, ol' boy." "Every man is capable." "And I suspect the evidence will be open and shut, and which I will reveal to you in my own sweet time." "Now, clear off." "Oh, yes, the victim's identity?" "Any ideas?" "Confidential." "Hmm..." "Then perhaps I'll check the papers." "If he's a single fellow of any substance, he'll no doubt have a landlady who'll be wondering why he hasn't returned, and may well place an advertisement." "Thank you, Mr Rolleston, for that whimsical idea, but I'm a painfully busy man." "Toodlepip." "I don't want no insurance and I don't care how cheap you sell it." "Mrs Hableton, Detective Gorby." "I happened upon your notice regarding your lodger, Mr Oliver Whyte." "Well, I've not seen him for over a week." "No doubt gone on the drink like the rest of 'em, all brutes." "So I'll thank you to leave my door." "Your lodger is dead, Mrs Hableton." "Murdered." "I don't normally touch the stuff, but you've given me quite the turn." "I do apologise." "Mr Whyte have any friends that you know of?" "Only one as I ever saw." "A Mr Moreland." "He came here on the same boat with him." "Always together, brother-like." "I see." "And what was this Mr Moreland like?" "A little bit like this, I dare say." "Sorry to interrupt." "Is Whyte in?" "Mr Moreland, Detective Gorby." "You better sit yourself down." "Whatever's the matter?" "Whyte hasn't run off with someone's wife, has he?" "Mr Moreland, have you been reading the papers?" "Can't say I have." "Just returned from up country." "Why?" "That explains it then." "Mr Moreland, I'm sorry to inform you that your friend has expired." "Murdered." "Perhaps another brandy might be in order, my dear?" "Ah." "When?" "Well, a week ago today, by a man in evening dress." "One week?" "That's when I last saw him." "We both had a drink in the Orient Hotel." "Several drinks, in fact." "Brutes." "Do you recall if he was wearing a jacket at the time?" "Yes, but he left without it." "Ollie!" "I followed him out to return it as someone grabbed it from me and made off with it." "The strangest thing." "What's this blackguard like?" "Boy, girl?" "White, yella?" "A man." "Average." "That's all I could say." "You know, Bourke Street riff-raff." "Did Whyte say where he was going to from there?" "To catch a hansom cab home, I expect." "And that's precisely where it happened, in that very cab." "Lord above!" "Then it's true!" "What's true, Mrs Hableton?" "He came around here not two weeks ago." "Who?" "That Irish swell." "Good-lookin' he was, but not nearly as handsome as his habits." "Whyte!" "Whyte?" "What sort of brute?" "Whyte?" "How dare you!" "Bowled straight into his private room." "Cursing, he was!" "What did he say?" "You stay away from her!" "She's mine!" "I'm afraid I can't do that." "You see, I know a thing or two about your pure, sweet girl." "There it is, that hot Irish temper." "You know nothing about her!" "And if you don't stay away..." "What?" "What will you do?" "I'll kill you!" "And if you marry her, I'll do it in the open street!" "'I'd kill you in the open street.'" "It's just as I suspected." "At the heart of this crime lies a woman." "Miss Frettlby." "My, my." "A very pretty girl indeed." "Whyte knew her father." "As rich as Midas." "A letter of introduction and all that sort of thing." "You see, Whyte was very much in love with her, but he had a rival." "He threatened Whyte with the very crime that was committed." "Oh, dear Lord." "That poor fellow." "Tragic." "And what, pray tell, was this rival's name?" "Brian Fitzgerald, welcome to the Frettlby clan!" "Hear, hear." "Now you'll never escape Papa's dinners... or his speeches." " My, my, what perfect timing." " Thank you, sir." "'Mark', please." "Mark." "Congratulations to both of you." "Thank you, Duncan." "Don't tell me you already knew as well?" " I had my suspicions." " Yes, congratulations!" "How I adore a big, grand wedding." "Is that so, Mr Rolleston?" "Oh, yes, Dora." "If only I could find a willing victim myself." "Speaking of which," "I heard earlier today they've finally found the name of the fellow murdered in the hansom cab." "Really?" "Mmm!" "And what's more, you all know him." "In fact, he was at this very table." " Never!" " Who?" "It's never Whyte?" "Well, yes." "Indeed it is." "My goodness." "How awful." "How did you ever guess?" "We saw him constantly for a few weeks, and then no sight of him for the past several days." "Well, I'm sorry to hear it." "He seemed a clever, pushing young fellow." "A confounded cad, if you ask me." "What I can't work out is why it took the police this long to discover who the victim was." "Well, he was in evening dress, which nine out of ten are in the habit of wearing." "Our perpetrator is very cunning indeed." "To commit his act in such a public, open place is quite genius." "And he left no trace behind." "Apparently after the murderer got out of the cab, he hailed another, which dropped him at the bottom of Powlett Street, beside the gardens." "Why, isn't that your street?" "Yes, it is." "Ah, but I doubt the fellow we're looking for lives there." "Why do you say that?" "Because he wouldn't be such a fool as to leave a trail to his own door." "No, he did what the fox often does." "He doubled back." "Who knows where he went to from there?" "♪ I linger round the very spot" "♪ Where years ago we met" "♪ And wonder when you quite forgot" "♪ Or if you quite forget... ♪" "It's horrible, isn't it?" "To think of him dying like that." "Chloroform." "From what I hear, it's a rather an easy death." "Death can never be easy." "Are you not sorry he's dead?" "I detested him when alive." "You can't expect me to regret his end." "This is who your father was so desperate for you to marry." "I know." "It's all behind us now." "We should marry as soon as possible then leave, for good." "Brian, I would go anywhere with you, but I could never leave my father permanently." "Brian?" "Do you see that?" "What does he want?" "He's taken up with the music, I suppose." "Whoa." "Whoa." "Powlett Street, Driver." "East Melbourne." "Turn left into Spring Street instead." "Stop at the Treasury." "Yes, sir." "Whoa." "Whoa." "Thank you, sir." "Get up." "Keep going, to Powlett Street!" "23 Powlett Street." "Open and shut." "No more beds." "Right, you." "You've had your tucker." "Whoa, whoa, miss." "You alright?" "Yeah." "Very kind." "I feel like I'm still at sea." "When'd you last eat?" "Couldn't say." "This ain't the life for you." "Here you are." "For a bed, and a proper feed." "Hey, you little thief!" "That's the Army's coin, that is." "Not for you to dole out as you please." "That gold sovereign were mine!" "What business is it of yours?" "You watch your mouth, Doxie!" "If you want to be a hallelujah lass, you'll do as you're told." "We can't go to war with no money, can we?" "War?" "This ain't a real army." "Of course it is!" "We're battling to save those heathen souls!" "It takes a former sinner to save another." "I can tell just by looking at you you've no doubt succumbed to the 'social evil'?" "You poxy ol' cow!" "You..." "Hey, hey!" "What's the fuss?" "Girls, please!" "She started it!" "There is no place for you here." "Right, you." "Move the water." "If I may say so, miss," "I think you're exactly what they need - feisty!" "Oh, Knox." "Jonathan Knox." "Sal." "Sal Rawlins." "Just delivering a few larrikins in need of a second chance." "Been working on the goldfields in an infirmary." "We don't have a lot, but, you know, with some bread, shelter, and God's love, it's all we need." "Good day to you, miss." "Hey, hey, wait!" "I'm a hard worker, and I want to help others." "Come along, then." "Please, you will have to excuse the rather humble nature of my lodgings." "Oh, not at all." "Few men of value are born to privilege." "It only stirs one's hunger." "Oh, Mr Fitzgerald, good heavens..." "Mrs Sampson, this is Mr Frettlby, and my fiancee, Miss Frettlby." "Yes, good day." "But, Mr Fitzgerald, that horrid person, he tricked me, so he did." "Pretended he was here to fix the clocks, or I'd have never let him in." "Who are you talking about?" "In there." "Well, well, look what I found in your jacket, Mr Fitzgerald." "What the devil is going on?" "Why not tell all of us?" "After all, this is the trophy you pulled off Whyte's hand... after you murdered him." "What?" "No!" "It's not true!" "Brian Fitzgerald, I arrest you..." "This is absurd." "Unhand me!" "For the murder of Oliver Whyte." "This is preposterous." "I didn't kill him." "I swear it!" "Let him go!" "No, let him go!" "Stand back, my dear." "There's nothing more we can to help him." "Afternoon." "Boys, boys, boys!" "To the greatest detective in the colonies!" "Well, I can't deny it." "That murdering dog is caught, justice will be served, and all in record time." "And the fiancee of the richest little girl in Melbourne, some swell he turned out to be!" "Thank you." "It would appear the whole city has made up its mind about Fitzgerald before he's set foot in the dock." "As an acquaintance of the accused," "I do believe there's more to the story, although I have been known to sympathise with scoundrels the likes of Ned Kelly." "As a friend of the victim," "I hope that mongrel goes exactly the same way as Kelly." "Hanged." "Oh." "Oh, Duncan, didn't see you there." "How are you, Felix?" "The same." "Well, I'm deeply alarmed, of course." "I would never have suspected Brian." "Yes, especially considering what a dear friend he is." "Yes." "Quite." "Kilsip!" "What, not coming to shake my hand?" "So why then did he come out?" "Because they didn't want to know him back home..." "You haven't yet found the chloroform bottle nor the victim's jacket." "It's a rather flimsy chain of evidence, wouldn't you say?" "Well, if you want to dredge the rivers for a soggy jacket and a little glass bottle, be my guest." "Unless, of course, you have a confession." "That's not what I hear." "It's not so easy to hang a man as you might think, Gorby." "Papa?" "I tried to keep her down, Mr..." "I don't need more rest." "I need to see Brian!" "Papa, you must take me to him at once." "You are not to go anywhere near the gaol." "I forbid it." "Thank you, Eilleen." "But I can't just leave him..." "You have no choice." "Think who you are!" "I've arranged for you to go to the country this afternoon, to Yabba Yallook." "I will not!" "Just until this public excitement has subsided." "I will not desert him now when he needs me most." "You believe him guilty?" "You have turned against him too." "If he is innocent, he must prove it." "And he will have the very best chance of doing that." "I have engaged Calton to defend him." "I knew it." "I knew you would not desert him for my sake." "My darling girl, there is nothing I would not do for your sake." "Duncan, how is she?" "How is Madge?" "Coping, but she will not hear a bad word against you, for there is much idle chatter going around." "Yes, I'm sure my arrest has been pretty well canvassed." "Indeed." "So we must get to business, my friend." "We need to account for your whereabouts at the time of the murder, between one and two am." "I cannot tell you." "What do you mean?" "Just that." "Duncan, I swear to you, I am innocent of this crime, but as to where I was, I have no defence to make." "What nonsense." "You must tell me." "Brian, your life depends on it." "Now, where did you go after leaving the club?" "Did you meet with anyone?" "Yes, but I will not say." "If you can't say what was discussed, at least tell me who it was." "I can't!" "And it's no use." "You won't find her anyway." "Her?" "When did you last see Whyte?" "That night, fallen drunk by the Scots' Church." "Then it was you who hailed the hansom cab?" "Yes, but when I realised it was him, I walked off and didn't return." "Then someone else did?" "Who?" "Did Whyte have any enemies?" "I don't know, I hardly knew him." "Yet you knew where he lived?" "Did you go see him?" "Did you threaten his life?" "Yes, but only as a figure of speech." "I never intended to do it." "Of course." "Then the perfect opportunity presents itself." "Were you aware Whyte was carrying valuable papers around with him?" "What?" "How did you hear that?" "Oh, I see." "Then there were papers." "I don't know, but if there were, I didn't take them." "Perhaps not, but it is Gorby's belief that the man to whom those papers were of such value murdered Whyte." "Oh, God, then it's true." "What?" "What's true, Brian?" "I don't understand." "Why would he refuse to tell you?" "I believe he's protecting someone, but who, I couldn't say." "If he won't say where he was, how will he ever be acquitted?" "Dear God!" "Whatever could be so important that he's prepared to hang for it?" "I wish I knew." "You must take me to see him immediately, despite Papa's wishes." "I need to persuade him." "I'm sorry." "I'm sorry." "You have no need to apologise." "I know that you are innocent as I know myself, but you must... you must tell me where you were that night." "Brian, for my sake." "You don't know what you ask." "Then why don't you tell her?" "To protect the woman you saw?" "Is that true?" "You were with a woman?" "Brian?" "Are you keeping silent because of her?" "No, no, you don't understand." "Oh, Lord, he's mad." "I shall put in a defence of insanity." "I am not mad!" "Madge, if I tell anyone where I was, it will expose a secret so... destructive..." "Brian, listen to me." "Think only of yourself." "Better that we should know the worst than you should die." "Whatever it is, you have to tell me." "Please, Brian, I beg of you." "Do you trust me?" "Of course." "How can you even ask?" "Because there are some things that make life not worth living." "I swear to you, Madge, this would tear us all apart." "Please, Duncan, you must take her." "Come on, Madge." "I will save you in spite of yourself." "You shall not die, I promise you." "This doesn't make any sense." "There are no secrets in any of our lives that would justify him doing this." "So we must look to the facts." "When Brian left my house that night, he said he would call at the club to see if there were any letters for him before going home." "He might have said that merely as a blind." "No, I know his character and he'd have said nothing rather than a deliberate lie." "He must have found a letter there, or something which caused him to alter his mind." "Yes." "Nothing of the sort, I assure you." "I possess a picture-perfect memory." "I see." "Well, thank you, anyway." "Sir, are you inquiring about letters for Mr Fitzgerald?" "Yes, I am his counsel." "Well, while there were no letters waiting for him, there was one brought to him on that night." "Excuse me, missy, no women allowed." "Hey, get your hands off me!" "Oh, no, you don't." "Out, now!" "Out now or I'll call the police." "No, you won't." "You'll give him this." "What..." "Who's him?" "Just give it." "Now, what did I just say?" "Move it." "Yep." "Alright." "Well, thank you." "Thank you, indeed." "Those wicked people, with wicked, wicked tongues." "My poor Mr Fitzgerald." "You'll have to prepare yourself for that kind of talk, Mrs Sampson, being a trial witness." "And all because I told that horrid beast what time Mr Fitzgerald returned." "I've never been to court before, except for the time Father took me for a treat to hear a murderer." "I certainly hope they don't hang him." "It's such a choky way of dying." "This is it!" "It has to be!" "But it's almost ruined." "'Mr Fitzgerald is requested on a dying woman." "Do not delay.'" "It's marked Toorak." "Perhaps that's where he went?" "Not within the hour." "He wouldn't have had time to go there and back." "We must find the girl who delivered it." "She'll know where he went." "Good boy." "Whoa, whoa, whoa." "Right, this is it." "Come on, then." "Get down." "Good day, Stag!" "Told you I'd be back." "What we doin' 'ere?" "This is your new home." "Who's this then?" "Fresh meat." "No, I'm not staying here." "I'm not asking ya." "Ho!" "You got spark in ya." "Aarggh!" "I like that." "Get in there." "A dying woman." "Intriguing." "But may I inquire, sir, why come to me?" "Well, I need someone whose mind isn't yet fixed, and Detective Gorby..." "Is blinded by his own self-importance." "When Fitzgerald walked away from Whyte after hailing the cab," "I don't believe he returned." "Someone else murdered him, then took another cab back to Powlett Street." "I see." "And this disreputable young woman who delivered the note, what did she look like?" "Was she in tight-fitted clothing, vulgar jewellery, painted face?" "Or was she filthy, in ripped, soiled rags, coarse matted hair?" "The latter, I believe." "Then your missing girl crawled out from the slums off Little Bourke!" "Look here, I appreciate your hypothesis but..." "Talbot Villa, Toorak, where a burglary took place not three months ago." "And where did the villains hide their stash?" "Mother Guttersnipe's crib." "That I believe is where the note-bearer resides." "And who exactly is this Mother Guttersnipe?" "Hmm." "I'll show you, but you must prepare yourself." "Oh, here's a handsome pair of gents." "Over here!" "Hello." "Fine drink of water you are." "He's engaged, madam." "Where are you off to, lads?" "You." "Where's Mother Guttersnipe?" "Inside." "She's stuck on her booze." "Never mind what she's doing, take us to her at once." "♪ A mile but twa" "♪ When she heard that bell ringing" "♪ And every jow that the dead-bell gied... ♪" "What the 'ell do you want?" "They want ya booze." "Just wait till I catches you, Liza!" "I'll break your bloomin' 'ead!" "And you two can clear as well." "♪ Mother, mother, make my bed" "♪ And make it soft... ♪ Shut up!" "Curse ya." "She seems ill." "Crawled in 'ere last night." "Ought to be in Yarra bend, she ought." "Haven't seen you before." "My name's Calton." "I'm a barrister and we're here on business." "Is that so?" "Ain't no swag 'ere this time, so don't bother searching'." "Three weeks ago, there was a woman who died here." "Do you remember her?" "And what if I do?" "I didn't kill 'er, did I?" "It was the blessed drink." "Do you remember who she was?" "Look at you, all questions." "No." "I were too drunk." "Now do you remember?" "Oh, yeah." "The 'Queen'." "That's what she called herself." "Out from England." "Found 'er in the gutter I did, out cold." "So I brings 'er in, out of the goodness of me heart." "Before she died, do you recall a gentleman coming to see her?" "So Sal said." "I recall nothin'." "Sal?" "My granddaughter." "The Queen sent her to fetch some toff to see 'er." "And they prigged some papers from me box too." "But I never saw 'im come." "Ma'am, where is your granddaughter now?" "It's vital we speak with her." "Well, you can't." "She's hooked it!" "Left her poor old gran and joined the Army, curse 'em." "Comin' round here and spoiling' business." "♪ A mile but twa... ♪ Shut up!" "♪ When she heard... ♪ Shut up!" "Or I'll snap your neck!" "Did anyone else ever visit this woman?" "Did she have any friends?" "Some other slick cove come to see 'er, regular-like for a while." "Then nothin'." "He left her to rot, he did." "Do you remember his name?" "And what if I do?" "Oh." "That's it." "Whyte." "Oliver Whyte." "Whyte?" "Whyte knew this woman?" "How?" "What did they discuss?" "I don't know, papers or some such." "Papers?" "What sort of papers?" "How should I know?" "Papers." "Just papers." "They weren't nothing to me." "Yes, thank you." "That's all for now." "Get your paper!" "Hansom Cab murder - reward for the mystery witness." "Get your paper!" "Hansom Cab murder - reward for the mystery witness." "It appears our missing girl, Sal Rawlins, refuses to be found, if indeed she is still alive." "Good." "Brian, do not let fate determine your survival." "You must tell me this secret that..." "I will not." "If it is for Madge's sake you're keeping silent, then surely, for her sake, you must save yourself?" "Maggie, if I thought I could dissuade you..." "I need to be there for him, Papa, despite what may happen." "You are so much like your mother... strong-willed and pure-hearted." "I miss her so much." "You know, your mother rescued me from the brink of self-destruction." "She was truly an angel." "You never told me that." "Why?" "Why did you need rescuing?" "Papa?" "It's all in the past, where it belongs." "I shall pray for him." "So when the gentleman returned, Mr Royston, did you notice any difference at all?" "No, no, only that he spoke in a lower voice." "You were sober, I suppose?" "Oh, yeah, quite sober." "Oh." "You didn't have a drink, say, at the Princes Bridge Hotel, which I believe is near the rank where your cab stands?" "Well, I might have had just a glass." "So you might, or you might have had several." "Were you indeed elevated?" "Yeah, yeah, I was elevated, up on my cab." "You are here to give evidence, sir, not to make jokes." "Were you or were you not the worse for drink?" "I might have been, very slightly." "So you didn't observe very clearly at all the man who hailed you?" "No." "No, but I didn't know there was going to be a murder committed, did I?" "Did Whyte mention anything that night about certain papers?" "Papers?" "Yes, a document he might have had with him?" "No, I don't believe he did." "So even Whyte's closest friends knew nothing of these... mythical papers." "He was a virtuous man, with an honourable history... unlike some." "Filthy Irish blackguard." "Order, Mr Moreland." "Shaking, I was." "Terrified in my own house, because that man there, that brute, stormed in and threw poor Mr Whyte against the wall." "But you were outside the room, Mrs Hableton, were you not?" "Aye, but I could hear every foul word!" "'I'll kill you,' he cried." "'If you don't stay away from her," "I'll kill you, even in the open street!" "'" "Order!" "Order!" "Order, I say." "Order!" "Order, I say." "We should put Mr Fitzgerald in the box." "He has no defence to make." "It would only harm us." "Sir?" "Mr Calton?" "It's a miracle!" "Who found her?" "She was found in a brothel in Ballarat." "She refused to give her name to police at first." "We need her in the witness box." "We have no time to lose." "Not in her current condition." "She has rags for clothes, she's very sickly indeed." "Then let me see her." "A doctor's been called." "He'll be here soon." "All this fuss." "The police said a man's life were at stake." "The man I was sent to collect?" "Yes, it is." "And that's why I'm so glad that we found you." "I haven't done nothing yet, have I?" "Never been in a bath before." "Don't know if I like it." "Now, let's see about this..." "healthy abundance." "It's nothing to what some girls get." "So after delivering the note, you met the accused, Brian Fitzgerald, on the corner of Bourke and Russell Streets shortly after one am?" "Yep, like that woman put in her note." "And then I took him to see 'er." "To see whom, Miss Rawlins?" "Who was this dying woman who so urgently wanted to see him?" "Um, The Queen." "That's what she called herself." "Hoity-toity." "I see." "And did you hear what this Queen said to him?" "She told me to stay outside, but, now and then, I could hear 'em." "No." "It's too horrible." "It's not true." "It's not true!" "And then he came out, face white as a ghost, and said," "'Get me out of this hell,' so I did." "You right from here?" "Uh, yes." "Thank you, miss." "Thank you." "Miss Rawlins, we have been told on numerous occasions in this court of the extraordinarily similar appearance of gentlemen in evening dress." "Therefore, how can you be at all certain that the man you accompanied that night is the one now sitting in the dock?" "Course I am!" "You think I wouldn't remember him?" "The first gold sovereign I ever saw and he wanted nothin' for it." "The note you delivered, what was written on it?" "On the front." "What, why?" "You must have glanced at it?" "Did you not?" "It was for Mr Fitzgerald." "But you can't be sure, can you, Miss Rawlins?" "Because you can't read." "Therefore, if you did accompany Mr Fitzgerald that night, how could you possibly have determined the time on the Post Office clock?" "I ain't stupid, you great toff." "Language, Miss Rawlins!" "I heard the three-quarters ring, didn't I?" "You heard it?" "You could have heard a quarter to one." "Or quarter to six or anything for that matter." "25 past four." "You happy now?" "And as you have heard a great deal of circumstantial evidence from both sides, your verdict will depend on who you believe." "We the jury find the accused, Mr Brian Fitzgerald... not guilty." "Order!" "Order, I say!" "Thank God." "It's over." "It will be when we leave." "Sal." "Thank you." "Thank you, a million times over." "I suppose you want your dress?" "No, no, it's yours." "It's yours." "And this is beloved Brian who, of course, you have already met." "I owe you my life." "Shall we?" "I have a few more items you might like try and then you and I need to speak." "Whoa." "My darling girl." "Where is he?" "Is he here?" "He has a million things to attend to, but this, Papa, is to whom we owe our happiness." "Sal Rawlins." "Why, yes, indeed." "We cannot thank you enough." "Um, if you will excuse us." "A private moment." "Why is she here?" "A reward is one thing." "I'm only too pleased to be able to provide..." "She must have employment." "I am not sending her back to the slums." "Employment?" "And just what do you expect she will do?" "She can be my maid." "Hilda is about to be married and I will train her..." "Your personal maid?" "It's out of the question." "Look at her." "She has never had a chance in her life, and we have everything." "After all she's done for us, it is the least we can do." "Thank you, Papa." "My friend Edith would have done the job just fine." "This is what I'll be cleaning?" "No, this is where you'll sleep." "I..." "I didn't mean to upset you." "No... no, it's..." "What is it?" "Uh..." "Oh, it's nothin'." "It's stupid, really." "I just..." "I just had a thought that maybe when that woman gave me the note to deliver, maybe God meant me to find you." "I agree completely." "Thank you, sir." "Drive on." "I wasn't sure you'd be home." "I thought you'd never be leaving Madge's side again after what you've endured." "I've been preoccupied." "To be honest, it's been almost intolerable setting foot in public." "The mutterings, stares." "Yes." "I'm afraid until the real murderer is found, this matter will haunt you and Madge both." "You should know, I have engaged Detective Kilsip to look into the 'Queen's' background in England." "Please... for she seems to be at the heart of everything." "Please, Duncan, why are you still pursuing this?" "Why?" "How can you ask me why?" "For your sake alone, justice must be served." "For my sake?" "After I was prepared to hang for its silence?" "Good God, surely you know by now that no good will ever come from this." "Why can't you just leave it alone?" "Then clearly you know who did this?" "You know who killed Whyte?" "I never took you for a selfish man." "You want this for your own advancement, nothing more..." "No, Brian." "I want this for us all." "To atone for your past?" "Is that it?" "The orphaned son of a convict." "How many of your gowned colleagues know of your origins?" "My past... is just that." "And I am proud of all that I have achieved." "A man was killed." "And justice must be served, no matter what." "I tell you now, she will never make a lady's maid." "And she is far too familiar with Chinese-John." "Your mail, sir." "Hm." "We're all looking forward to seeing Mr Fitzgerald here tonight" "What a strong, fine man he is." "Another cup of tea?" "No, thank you, that'll be all." "Damnation!" "Damnation!" "Frettlby." "You're late." "You just wait, Mark." "The beautiful Rosanna - like nothing you've ever seen." "Who's there?" "Answer me!" "Just someone from the management, Mama." "Ah, yes, the lawyer." "Calton." "Duncan." "May I call you Roger?" "Of course." "And jolly good work." "That Fitzgerald owes you his life." "Well, that's just it." "Regrettably Whyte's murderer is still at large, and I was hoping you might fill in some blanks for me." "His friend, the 'Queen', did you ever meet her?" "Yes." "Yes, once or twice." "She was on the same steamer from England." "His..." "His mistress, as I understood." "A burlesque dancer in her day apparently... in Melbourne." "Would've been ravishing too, but a bit too fond of the champagne." "Do you know if she had other friends here?" "Or why she ended up in the slums?" "Ah!" "Couldn't say." "You see, Whyte's friends were not mine." "Did you ever find out her name?" "Yes, now what did Whyte tell me?" "Rosanna, I believe." "Rosanna Moore." "Well, thank you." "Well, thank you indeed." "Of course, I vociferously protested Fitz's innocence from the very beginning." "A lone voice in the wilderness, if you will." "And greatly appreciated." "To Brian!" "To Brian." "Thank you." "In fact, due to all the attention Felix has since been receiving, he's decided to embrace his passion for politics and enter parliament." "Ah, good for you, young man." "It was the natural next step." "I didn't know you had such firm convictions, Felix." "Yes, quite." "And in more important news, the delightful Miss Featherweight has agreed to become..." "Mrs Rolleston." "Congratulations, indeed!" "Now we shall have two weddings to celebrate." "Oh, yes!" "Have you settled on a honeymoon destination as yet?" "Well... we were thinking New Zealand, weren't we?" "What about Ireland?" "Show your new bride whence you began." " I think not." "It is a very long way." " Not so much now." "This is the age of unrest, and electricity and steam has turned us all into bohemians." "One never tires of seeing the queer things there are in the world." "Very true, Valpy." "We saw some queer enough things in Melbourne in the early days, hm?" "Oh, don't tell me, for I'm sure they're naughty." "We weren't all saints then." "And the theatres... they don't have dancers like that any more." "Hm!" "I dare say." "Tell me, Valpy, did you ever come across a burlesque actress by the name of Rosanna Moore?" "Why, yes, I'd say every young man in Melbourne knew Rosanna!" "Such hair, such eyes, as light as a fairy." "Do you remember her, Frettlby?" "I can't say that I do." "Dora, tell me, have you and Felix set a date?" "And what became of her?" "Do you know?" "I believe she died, did she not?" "In a theatre fire in London." "If you don't mind, I hardly find these reminiscences of a ballet dancer amusing." "I agree." "And hardly appropriate dinner-table conversation." "Excuse me." "Brian?" "Rosanna, you are all I think about." "We'll escape together." "What do you say?" "Rosanna." "It's not true." "It's not true!" "My darling, what happened?" "You look like you've seen a ghost." "It's a good thing there are none, except of a man's own raising." "What...?" "What does that mean?" "I need you to come with me tomorrow." "We shall marry abroad and continue on as far away as possible." "New York, London..." "Tomorrow?" "Brian, what is going on?" "Why are you so desperate...?" "You must listen to me." "As my bride-to-be, you cannot question me on this!" "Is that so?" "Well, I am growing rather tired of being told what I should and shouldn't know and this secret that you cannot speak..." "To protect you!" "It's all for... you." "It is my secret?" "Madge, you must forget I said anything." "All this time you've been keeping silent and... and the scandal is mine?" "It's for your own good." "Uh!" "But it is not your secret to keep." "Do you love me?" "Madge?" "Perhaps I should ask you the same thing?" "Because if there is so much that you feel you need to conceal from me, how can we possibly...?" "You are everything to me." "All I want is for us to be together." "And I need someone to be honest with me, no matter the consequences." "I'm sorry." "Sal?" "Whatever I can tell you, I will." "The woman who told him this secret, 'the Queen'... did you ever learn anything else about her?" "When Whyte came to stay, did you...?" "Yeah, I did." "She always threw me and Gran out, but one time I stayed behind real quiet like, and when Gran went off for a gin, I peered through a crack in the door." "And what did you see?" "She reached under her pillow and pulled out these papers." "This... this this will make our fortune." "He is going to fall off his perch when he finds out I'm still alive." "What?" "Don't worry yourself." "I'll deal with Frettlby." "No." "No, you gave me your word." "Come back here!" "Come back here right now!" "He never came back after that." "My father?" "What business could Whyte have had with him?" "I don't know, but then she sent for Mr Fitzgerald, so that he could stop Mr Whyte." "She said she wanted revenge." "But someone got to him first, for those papers, which somehow... must concern me." "Did you ever find out her name, her real name?" "Yeah, I did." "Mr Fitzgerald asked her for it." "Rosanna Moore." "The dancer?" "She was born here after all." "And my London contact confirmed, only after finding fame in Melbourne did she set sail to grace the London stage in 1863." "And the theatre fire?" "Wasn't even there." "Her contract had already been terminated." "Cast aside for the younger, prettier dancers." "Left penniless, desperate." "And so she returns with Whyte after all these years with a secret concerning the Frettlby's?" "Hey, Mister!" "Wha...?" "Mrs Rawlins?" "Mother Guttersnipe." "She's sick." "'Witches have red eyes and cannot see very far, but they have a sense of smell like an... an...'" "'Animals.' 'Animals.'" "'..and know when humans are..." "app..." "Approaching." "Well, well." "I was wondering who it would be to slither through my door." "I must say, I don't appreciate your tone, Mr Frettlby." "It's not I who..." "Well, we both know what you've done." "Good God, woman!" "We shall call for a doctor." "No!" "I don't want anyone." "Fetch a doctor, quickly!" "Why did you call me here?" "Her poor father died of drink, curse 'im, and I'm a following' her." "Following who?" "The Queen?" "Rosanna?" "You know her name?" "Good for you." "Proud jade she was, always flouncin' around, while I slaved to me bones caring for her." "Who's there?" "Answer me!" "It's just someone from the management, Mama." "You're Rosanna's mother?" "Yes, I am." "If you'd been around in the old days you would have been after 'er too." "All the coves were." "She danced over their black 'earts..." "Pure." "Until he came along with his opals and his gold and seduced her, ruining' 'er with a child!" "And how he's held his bloomin' head up all these years." "Curse him!" "Who?" "Who are you talking about?" "Who?" "Who?" "Mark Frettlby." "Now get out." "Ah, yes." "There was one other thing my dear friend told me." "Something the old woman kept from you..." "I told him she were dead." "You despicable creature." "How could you?" "To break his black heart!" "Where is she?" "Where's my daughter?" "She were already sick when she got here." "Must've got a fever on the journey." "Only lasted a day..." "poor little tot." "Rosanna took off for London this morning, broken-hearted." "He stole my Rosanna away from me... the only thing in my wretched life worth livin' for." "So I stole his Sarah away from him." "My Sal." "Frettlby's child?" "You kept as your slave, to fester here?" "I were never raised a saint!" "And he paid me well to keep me at bay." "See... see..." "Gold." "Consumption." "She can hardly breathe." "No, stay back!" "It's mine!" "It's mine!" "Sorry, she has the fever." "There's little I can do for her." "What?" "There's nothing to be done, Mrs Rawlins." "No." "No, no." "I..." "I ain't fit to die." "I want to live." "Take it, sovereigns see?" "Give me my life." "Give me my life." " Give me my life!" " Oh, my God!" "Sal!" "Sal!" "Dear God." "Frettlby?" "Who killed Whyte to hide his affair with Rosanna, and to steal whatever papers he was holding." "And let Brian take the blame!" "No, no..." "I cannot believe he would incriminate his future son-in-law." "If a man is driven to it, he can do anything." "Whyte's jacket!" "Frettlby must have followed Whyte into the Orient Hotel, grabbed the jacket from Moreland, then, discovering the pockets were empty, slipped it over his own and hurried after him into the hansom cab." "Explaining why the murderous handkerchief carried Whyte's own initials." "Precisely!" "But we still need evidence." "That cursed jacket." "He must've gotten rid of it somewhere on his way home, but where?" "A long fawn jacket or small medicine bottle perhaps?" "Um..." "I'm afraid not." "Sorry, sir." "Oh, dear." "Wait..." "How did you...?" "Where did you get this?" "Um..." "Answer me!" "Um..." "I found it, sir." "I swear." "You." "Sir?" "Help!" "Help!" "Quickly, everyone!" "Papa?" "Papa?" "Papa!" "Where is he?" "In his room." "The doctor's with him." "And Madge is resting." "Also, I sent a telegram to Mr Fitzgerald." "I thought he should know." "Sir, before, she saw this." "He married her?" "Oh, dear God, it's bigamy." "And Madge is illegitimate." "I am here, old friend." "Madge?" "My love, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." "I know." "I know your secret." "I am nothing." "I am nothing..." "Shh, it doesn't matter." "You knew all this about me, all along, and you were prepared..." "Madge, listen to me." "I'd do it all again, and I love you just as you are." "Nothing will change that." "My father... he killed..." "Don't... don't, say it." "I'll take care of you, whatever happens." "Throw it long now." "This way..." "Oh, fine catch." "Have you ever seen anything more ridiculous?" "The ball, it's not even round!" "Do you mind?" "And on the Lords Day!" "An urgent police matter." "Well, I really couldn't say..." "It has your address, so under the poisons act, you must have the purchaser marked in your register." "Yes." "Here it is, 'medicinal use', to settle the nerves." "The name, madam, who purchased it?" "Yes..." "Mr Whyte." "Oliver Whyte." "Whyte?" "But... that cannot be." "Do you also require his witness?" "His witness?" "Who was that?" "Roger Moreland?" "Whyte's friend?" "The very one." "Thank God." "So it wasn't Frettlby at all." "How could I have even thought so?" "Yes, of course." "He was envious of Whyte." "He told me himself he was on the 'outskirts of society', and obviously desperate to steal the riches he could never earn." "And only he knew that Whyte was carrying the poison." "If this is true, then no-one stole Whyte's jacket." "Moreland put it on himself, then followed his friend into the cab to kill him." "Guttersnipe!" "What's your rush?" "Hallelujah!" "Jesus will save ya, miss." "He'll save ya!" "Blimey!" "Come on." "Up you get." "If you purge yourself in my cab..." "I wasn't gonna..." "St Kilda." "Yeah, I heard alright." "Oh, you're back." "What do you want?" "All so he could steal the marriage certificate, no doubt to blackmail Frettlby for as much as he could." "Ah, here it is!" "This is it." "It's the only one that's blank." "He wasn't so foolish as to write in the amount." "But I imagine it's for quite a sum." "That's where he'll be first thing tomorrow morning." "Ј5,000, sir." "Thank you, sir, very much." "Roger Moreland..." "What are you do..." "Get off!" "Roger Moreland, I arrest you in the Queen's name for the murder of Oliver Whyte." "How dare you!" "You have no proof!" "I'd say we do, and it's all here." "Not to mention Whyte's jacket, and the bottle of chloroform you used to kill him." "You have no idea, do you, what it's like to come all this way, and still be trapped, ignored, pitied?" "Well, I fear you're in luck." "You're about to become famous." "I'm no different to you, to any of you!" "I deserve that!" "Come along!" "You're all the same as me!" "Curse you!" "Curse you all!" "Well, well." "What have we got there?" "Evidence." "Enough to hang Whyte's killer." "Which I shall reveal..." "in my own sweet time." "Dear God... forgive me." "My dear friend, the culprit has been caught." "Yes, and when Moreland goes to trial, my past, and my daughter's shame, will be entertainment." "But Duncan, you must promise me... never let them know that they are sisters." "But surely, for their sake..." "No, no, I have caused them too much pain already." "You must look after them both." "From my wealth, provide Sal with an income... enough for whatever she wants to do." "Will you do that for me?" "For my girls?" "I will." "I will." "And you are to have a share of The Frettlby bequest." "I don't understand." "It's for you to do whatever you choose." "A shelter, for fallen women." "With clean beds, land to grow their own vegetables... hot baths." "There's so many who need help." "Then I think Mr Frettlby would have been very proud indeed." "But why?" "Why he would do this?" "That..." "I cannot say." "Thank you." "Yes..." "Darling Sal, I can't imagine going anywhere without you, so please tell me you'll come with us?" "On your honeymoon?" "Not on your life!" "Besides, I've got far too much to do here." "Then I will miss you terribly." "What is it?" "I was right, you know?" "God did bring us together." "Yes." "Closer than family."