Original subtitles

DRILL SERGEANT SHOUTING COMMANDS

SOLDIERS MARCHING KNOCK AT DOOR

- Look lively, Mr Wright. - Coming up, Sir.

RUSE: Thank you.

Well, gentlemen, can we start?

Yes, Sir. All fixed.

Don't you think we could run to a spoon?

See what I can do.

I'm sure that Matthew would like to oblige.

Right, gentlemen. Mr Wright,

are the minutes up to date? - Yes, Sir.

- Then let's hear it from you, then. - Certainly.

Don't stand up. You make me nervous.

WRIGHT CLEARS THROAT Fine, Sir.

"Minutes of Golden Fleece Fund, held in Hut 42,

"Blore Camp, Southern Command, September 14, 1963.

"Er, meeting convened at 1500 hours.

"Members present, Major Ruse MC,

"Captain Jason, and WO1 Wright."

Er, "Minutes of previous meeting were read, approved and signed.

"Matters arising from previous meeting,

"it was decided that Lieutenant Savage, Retired List,

"and ex-Corporal Charlesworth be added to the Supplementary List,

"subsection B, 'Needy.' "

Er, they both lost... - No, I know. I know.

Er, "Meeting was hastily abandoned at 1530 hours

"by arrival of GOC's car."

- That all? - Yes, Sir.

Well, we've got a lot of ground to cover, then.

Oh, Sir, I've heard of another deserving case, er...

Point of order. Hold your horses. We haven't heard

from the treasurer yet. - I beg your pardon.

Mr Treasurer, how's the state of Denmark?

Healthy, Sir, very healthy.

Time of going to press,

the kitty stands at fifty-six thousand pounds,

nineteen shillings and seven pence.

INDISTINCT CHATTER

I am most honoured to have you visit us, brother.

- LO: No names, my dear. - Of course.

Did you have a good trip?

America was as irresistible as ever.

The whole country was existing on selling hot dogs to one another.

SHE CHUCKLES

The central heating affects my sinuses.

I trust you'll find everything here to your satisfaction.

Show me, show me. Let's not stand here talking about it.

Certainly.

I'm just a normal guest. Remember.

DOOR SHUTS

Two hours on that plane, I could hardly move my neck.

As you can see, there's a magnificent view.

A trifle misty tonight.

I've been coming to London for 27 years.

It's always misty.

Do you think I've flown 10,000 miles just to look out the window?

I'm here to do business.

- I'm most curious. - Never knew you when you weren't.

I'm expecting three guests

whom I wish to entertain in utmost privacy.

How will I know them?

They will ask to see you personally.

They will then ask you to help them plan an anniversary dinner.

The guests should arrive at ten-minute intervals. Understand?

I understand.

Mrs Kwan, the staff, who do they think I am?

Do they know?

Yes. I told them my brother was coming.

My poor brother.

And Mrs Kwan, I'd like another heater.

MRS KWAN: Certainly.

I've learnt from experience

that whenever you wined and dined me as well as this,

it's always been the prelude to some hideous adventure.

HE CHUCKLES Well, you know what they say.

When it's inevitable, sit back and enjoy it.

Do you like it? - Mm.

How did you discover this place? - In the course of duty.

They got the best Peking duck this side of Singapore.

Mm, that I can believe. It was delicious.

Well, Mrs Kwan will be delighted.

She's the taipan. She's the owner of all this.

HE SIGHS WISTFULLY

"Great man is sparing in words..." HE EXHALES SHARPLY

"..but prodigal in deeds."

SHE LAUGHS

Steed, listen to this.

"A steed is not praised for its might,

"but for its thoroughbred quality."

Oh, very discerning people.

Thank you, Mrs Kwan.

All right, you don't want any more lychees, melon seeds, ginger?

No, thank you.

- Chow-Chow? - Mm-mm.

- You enjoy your dinner, sir? - It was delightful, Mrs Kwan.

- Madam? - Yes, it was very good.

My pleasure.

"A steed is not praised for its might but for its, er..."

- "Thoroughbred qualities." - Oh, "Thoroughbred qualities."

HE CHUCKLES Old Confucius.

He knew a thing or two, eh?

Yes, sir, mostly precepts for good life.

Few words, but much sense. Confucius was a great teacher.

Yes, indeed.

Hope to see you again very soon, sir.

And you, too, Mrs Kwan. Thank you.

- Good night. - Good night.

May I have my coat, please?

No, not that one.

Thank you.

Good night. - Good night, sir.

- Esther. - Yes, Mrs Kwan.

I have two more private guests coming later.

Perhaps you'll stay and help me look after them.

I'll see you get home safely. - Thank you.

- Coffee and brandy, I think. - Definitely.

You know where everything is? Oh.

Well, there's a fine variety of coffee bean,

but I'm afraid the electric grinder is on the blink.

There's quite a lot to be said for the instant kind,

don't you think? JOHN CHUCKLES

You know what? This isn't my coat.

I don't know why I didn't notice that before.

Paid a little more attention to the coat and less to the girl,

you probably wouldn't get the wrong one.

Anyway, it's too late to take it back tonight.

They'll all be flat out on their lawyows.

- On their what? - I'm not speaking Mandarin.

Oh, well. The coat can wait.

Brandy can't.

HE SIGHS

Wervley.

Whetsworth.

Wrench.

All right.

What are you doing?

Looking up the number of the restaurant.

We better let them know.

Hold on a minute.

We may be able to save them some trouble.

Apple core,

tobacco pouch,

a knife with a small gadget

for taking the stones out of horses' hooves.

CATHERINE: Got it.

Oh, what's this?

"George Jason, £5,000." Good for Mr Jason.

Very.

Steed, you told me you collected this coat by mistake?

- Of course. Why not? - Well, it would be you

to choose one with a cheque for £5,000 in the pocket.

HE CHUCKLES Pure chance, nothing else.

All the same, this is rather interesting.

Drawn on the Taiwan Bank, Mincing Lane.

- Oh, nothing very sinister there. - George Jason.

Hardly sounds Oriental enough, does it, for the Yam Sing?

Unlike those good old Oriental names, Steed and Gale.

We don't happen to have cheques drawn on the Taiwan Bank.

I wish I could read the signature. You'd think a business cheque

would have been sent through the post, wouldn't you?

He might have put it in his pocket for one of a dozen reasons.

And now you've got me at it.

Surely, the thing to do is to call the bank in the morning,

see if they can help. - I don't think so.

I'll let Mr Jason contact me.

- How will he do that? - For £5,000, he'll find a way.

- MAN: Ah, good evening. - LO: Evening.

Make yourself a drink. - Thank you.

Well, what's this, then? Party?

- I'm afraid not. - Yes.

Sorry to be so melodramatic.

You are the four walls of our little house of commerce.

So it grieves me to tell you

that we have a Judas in the operation.

JASON: You mean sitting at this table?

No. But half of our last shipment was lost.

Where?

Hong Kong.

I can't believe it. It's impossible.

MRS KWAN: Why tell us? What can we do about it?

The man works for one of you.

And he is also in this country now.

- How much is missing? - £10,000 worth.

JASON WHISTLES

He sold it to a rival concern, and took the next plane to the UK.

- You sure of your facts? - Quite sure.

Though I understand your reluctance to believe me.

10,000! It's a lot of money.

The money is not of prime importance.

If you speculate often enough,

eventually you expect to burn your fingers.

But then you start to think, especially at my age,

is it worth it?

Will the same thing happen next time and the next?

That's the point I've reached.

Ah, such silence.

I should have brought a pin.

The chain is broken.

You have to convince me that it can be reforged,

even stronger than before.

Yeah, well, how do we do that?

This Judas at the moment is a hero.

He goes unpunished, others will try emulate him.

This is so?

Yes.

Then this "hero" must be shrunk to size.

- I know this man, don't I? - You do.

- Part of my setup. - That's right.

Well, then I'm the obvious person to deal with him.

Good. You have a talk with him. That does no good, then...

then we may be forced to do more than talk.

DOORBELL RINGS

- Good morning. It's a lovely day. - Oh, it's you.

Expecting someone?

No, no. To what do I owe the honour?

I've been trying to call you all morning.

- Oh? - Mm.

- I was in the bath. - For four hours?

Some people take longer than others.

Any word from the mysterious Mr Jason?

No, no. I expect he will in a few days.

Anyway, it's not worrying me.

Yes. Silly to lose any sleep over it.

DOORBELL RINGS I'll go.

In the kitchen.

DOORBELL RINGS

- You can leave the door open. - WHISPERS: I was going to.

Good.

Well, good morning. - Morning. Mr Steed?

- Yes. What can I do for you? - My name is Jason.

I believe you have my mackintosh.

CLOCK TOWER BELL CHIMES

How could I possibly have your mackintosh?

I believe you collected it by mistake

at the Yam Sing restaurant.

- Did I? When was that? - Last night.

Well, that's news to me. You sure?

Well, this is your mackintosh, isn't it?

INDISTINCT CHATTER

- Sorry. Do come in. - Thank you.

- We'd better find yours, then. - Yes.

Well, I don't know why I didn't noti...

Oh, they're pretty similar, aren't they?

Yes. Yes, well, this is mine all right.

Surprised it fitted you.

Oh, I didn't actually put it on. I put it over my arm.

Otherwise, I'm sure I... I would have noticed it.

Yes.

How did you come to trace me?

JASON: Erm...

Through the label.

Baldwins of Jermyn Street, they're very helpful, you know.

Oh, they would be, yes. Do you know they've got

the best cutter in London? - Really?

Now we've settled this, have a drink.

Cup of coffee? - No, thank you.

I must be getting along. - Oh, dear.

It's very strange, that mistake. You know, the Yam Sing,

they're usually so careful, aren't they?

Are they?

Yes. You go there often? I haven't seen you there.

No, not often. Thank you very much, Mr Steed.

Well, not at all, and thank you very much for bringing my coat.

- So much for your arch criminal. - He'll bear watching.

You don't honestly think he'd come around here

if there were anything fishy going on, do you?

Well, for £5,000, why shouldn't he? Didn't look the sort of fellow

that would carry that amount around with him.

The only smart thing about him his shoes. Did you notice them?

Terrific, high quality and shaved them in quite nicely.

Well, I admit he didn't dress the part,

but then some millionaires don't.

HE GROANS Do you know a man called Lo,

a Mr Lo?

- L-O? - Hmm.

Isn't he the international gold smuggler,

the one that THEY can never lay their hands on?

- Mm, that's right. - What about him?

He's in London at the moment, staying at the Yam Sing.

HE GROANS AND SNIFFS

What was that for?

- You. - Me?

And this ridiculous charade you always have to play.

HE LAUGHS What ridiculous charade?

You can't just tell me in plain straightforward language

that you're after a gold smuggler.

We have to go through this ridiculous rigmarole

of candlelight and wine, and old Chinese proverbs.

Well, here's another old Chinese proverb,

"He who does not tell truth gets cushion in eye."

Last year, over a quarter million pounds worth of gold

was stolen in Europe. None of it's been recovered.

Now, Mr Lo is involved, and so are we.

BOTH LAUGH

Hello.

Good evening, may I have a small brandy, please?

I'm looking for a friend of mine.

His name is, er, Jason.

Do you, er, know him?

- Evening, sir. - Oh, Mrs Kwan, how are you?

Alone today? No charming companion?

No, I'm afraid all good things have to come to an end.

I wonder if you can help me.

I'm looking for a friend of mine, fellow called Jason.

I think he was in here the other night.

Jason? Sorry, sir, I don't know the name.

- Oh, surprising. - Not really.

Unless the customer's a regular, or has an account here,

then I probably wouldn't know his name.

From what he said, I think he was a regular.

Sorry, sir. I don't know anyone named Jason.

What a pity, I was gonna give him a red-hot tip,

Three thirty at Kempton. Mr Lo.

Keep it to yourself, sir. Then your odds won't shorten.

Here's a good one for you, too.

"Honest man is completely at ease. False man, slightly on edge."

Goodbye, Mrs Kwan. - Bye, sir.

- How's it going? - Oh, it's fine.

Hmm, it's a cardigan for my husband. You think he'll like it?

If it looks half as good on him as it does on you,

I should think he'd be delighted.

Er, can you help me?

Do you know if a friend of mine's been here, a man called Jason?

ESTHER: Oh, Captain Jason, yes.

- Captain? - Yes, that's right.

I don't think I've seen him today.

Well, there's no need to worry.

Look, you have those sleeves on me, huh?

Good night, love. - Good night.

OBJECTS CLATTERING

- You tell him it was urgent? - Of course.

This ugly flue is backed up again. - What did he say?

HE COUGHS Not much.

Said, "Couldn't it wait?" - Doesn't he know

I wouldn't call a meeting if it could wait?

Well, you know the Major.

We thought you were coming back this morning.

That's what I would have done

if I hadn't been chasing half around London

looking for some idiot who walked off with my mac.

HE CHUCKLES That one.

It had the cheque in the pocket.

- The cheque for the last shipment? - Yeah.

All right. Don't worry. It's safe. - Phew!

What the heck's all this about then?

- It's important. - Yeah, it better be.

I'm mounting the Guard in ten minutes.

Won't take that long.

Well, don't let's sit on it then.

Last night I was summoned to meet our friend Mr Lo.

Was he in England then?

Half the last shipment of gold went for a Burton.

He's dropped £10,000.

- Well, that's his hard luck. - Nothing went wrong this end, Sir.

Wasn't this end, Mr Wright. This was Hong Kong.

But Captain York and Corporal Jones were dealing with that.

Yes, and now Corporal Jones has weeded the till

to the tune of 10,000 quid, proceeds from the sale of our gold.

I don't believe it.

No, that's exactly what I said, Sir, but it's true.

I was a bit suspicious when Jones put off his demob.

- This is a fine time to say so. - It was only a suspicion.

Anyway, he knew what we were doing with the money...

Well, there's no point in arguing about what we should have done.

What if the money's gone? It's our responsibility.

No, I still can't believe it.

I'd take Jones' word against Lo's any day.

He's a good man, came in as a boy entrant.

Foreigners. They're all the same.

Make a mistake and start passing the buck

to anyone who will take it.

- You finished? - Huh?

Lo doesn't work like that. He checks his facts.

What's more, he's old, intolerant.

Do you want this whole business to pack up,

just because you can't credit

that one of our own chaps would welsh on us?

'Course not, but where's your proof?

You... you can't condemn a man in his absence.

Corporal Jones has the gold.

Corporal Jones has disappeared, and the gold with him.

What more proof do you want?

Well, he's out of the army now, Sir.

If we don't get that money back,

Lo is gonna start looking for a new escape route.

Yeah? He won't find that so easy. He needs us.

Not at £10,000 a throw, he doesn't.

And what other ways are there of getting the stuff into Hong Kong

without Custom's inspection, hmm?

- JASON: He'll find one. - Nonsense.

He found us, didn't he?

Truth is it's us who need him.

He provides the gold, and pays us well, darn well!

This system's been running like clockwork for three years.

Well, it must not pack up now. Too many people depending upon us.

Nothing is as important as the GF Fund.

Agreed.

Well, what do we do now, Sir?

Well, we've got two whole days to find Corporal Jones.

If we don't, we'd better start looking for a new source of income.

Well, you better find him then.

Try and persuade him to return the money.

Tell him he's let us down, let the whole Corps down.

Have you finished with me now?

- Yes. - Right.

Thank you, Sir.

DOOR OPENS

Well, what did you find out from the Taiwan Bank?

Nothing.

If I've told that dog once, I've told her 30 times.

No, without a court order, you can't see a customer's account.

So we still don't know who gave Jason that cheque.

But can't your people get a court order?

Be like running an advert in the paper.

Now, gold-wise,

how did you get on with your bullion merchant?

- John Thorpe? - Yes.

I've made an appointment for you to see him on Saturday.

He's in Geneva at the moment. - Me?

But he's your friend, I thought you were going to deal with it.

- I'm afraid I won't be able to. - Why not?

I've got a job.

- A job? - Yes.

You know, I'm very disappointed in you, Mrs Gale.

Oddly enough, my rent doesn't pay itself.

I did suggest an alternative arrangement.

This won't take very long.

Why, this is marvellous.

I'll call a truce in the underworld.

Very understanding fellows, you know. They won't mind.

Lay aside your jammies, boys, till after Christmas.

Mrs Gale is taking a few days' leave.

So, what is the job, eh? - I'm going to catalogue a museum.

- Mummies and fossils? - No, not that kind.

A military museum, Blore Camp near Aldershot.

HE LAUGHS Aldershot?

That's very fine army country.

Cannons to the right of you, cannons to the left.

Oh, hey, don't shoot till you see the whites of their eyes.

- You make parting so much easier. - You know my number.

Er, if you're bored, which is unlikely, give me a ring.

DOOR SLAMS SHUT

MAN WHISTLING CAR ENGINE REVVING

JASON: Nice little place you've got here, Corporal.

Well, well, old shiny boots, Jason.

HE SCOFFS Captain Jason, if you please.

Suit yourself.

Well, what can I do for you?

Want to buy a motor? Got a nice little banger.

For you, a bit of discount,

seeing as we're old colleagues.

- You know what I've come for. - Do I?

Yes.

Your gratuity didn't pay for this lot, did it?

- Didn't it? - No.

I must have made a bit on the side then, mustn't I?

Mm-hm.

You nicked £10,000 worth of gold

and sold it on the QT before you left Hong Kong.

What are you gonna do about it then?

Captain, I'll tell you what.

You go to the police and tell 'em all about it, eh?

Very understanding people.

I want that money, Jones.

You see, it doesn't belong to us. There are families, men,

old mates of yours, some of them.

Well, they're depending upon us. - Oh, do leave off, will ya?

Who do you take me for, eh?

Look, I spent 20 years in your crummy army

waiting for a break like this.

And I don't intend to give it up for you, or anybody else.

Well, I can see it's a waste of time trying to appeal

to your finer sentiments. JONES SCOFFS

I'm warning you, Jones.

I want that money, and I intend to get it.

Look, you don't scare me.

I don't give it back to you or anybody else.

VEHICLE APPROACHES GAS PUMP BELL RINGS

Oh, what is it, usual?

I think this will be the lightest room for you, Mrs Gale.

Yes, this will do fine.

I'll have a desk, and a chair moved in for you,

and a phone, of course. - Thank you.

How long do you think it will take, any idea?

I really can't say. Two or three weeks, I should think.

There's a load of stuff in the next room,

more than I thought.

Ah, that's the best room, the Corunna.

I spent weeks in there myself.

Some fine things, very well preserved.

Yes. You know, the Peninsular War really brought home

the importance of the line of supply.

For the first time, the Army became departmentalised.

That was in 1809?

January, 1809, hard winter.

Moore defeated the French at Corunna,

but got himself killed during the battle.

There's a picture of Moore somewhere.

- He was replaced by Wellesley. - Ho! Ho!

You and I are going to get on famously.

I hope so.

I don't mind admitting all this is really rather alien to me.

Well, I would have loved to have done the job myself.

- Mm, I can imagine. - But it was an outside appointment

from the committee of the Imperial War Museum.

Why is the catalogue being done? Any particular reasons?

Ah. It's the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Dresden.

That's when the Corps won its colours.

Proud moment! - CATHERINE: Big landmark.

Yes, big ceremonial parade, visiting dignitaries,

inspection by the CIGS, top brass in command are coming.

You know the form.

Trouble is nobody's ever sat down and itemised

exactly what we've got. Nobody who could put

into any sort of historical perspective, you understand.

Yes, I understand.

Oh! An old EY rifle.

I think we used to have them in Kenya.

Yes, against the Mau Mau.

All these police actions. Been the ruination of the army.

Were you out there? - Yes. I used to live out there.

HE CHUCKLES Then you won't be lonely.

Quite a lot of the boys in the mess were out there.

George, friend of mine was, er... What was he now?

IC Supplies, Nairobi, I think.

- Nairobi? I must look him up. - Do. You'll be delighted.

It's Captain Jason, George Jason.

What's the matter? Do you know him? - No, no.

Somehow the name seemed vaguely familiar.

Ah, well, I better turn the keys over to you then.

Thank you.

CLOCK TOWER BELL CHIMES

HE SIGHS

DOORBELL RINGING

HE GROANS

You'll be very surprised, but I'm coming.

HE GRUNTS

What's the matter with you? Been cashiered, have you?

HE LAUGHS

Dirty Blanco?

You fixed the whole thing up, didn't you?

Jason's down there.

George Jason?

Well, it is a coincidence, eh?

Can you give me one good reason

why I shouldn't just walk out of there,

leave them to catalogue their own museum?

You could go to all the trouble of explaining to them.

After all, you got them to hire me.

I had to find you a good effective cover.

So good and so effective that you couldn't even tell me.

I didn't quite know what to tell you.

I mean, you could hardly wander around an army camp

without being noticed.

No, send you down unsuspecting, then trouble would run into you,

and you won't run into trouble, eh?

Now, with all due respect to those worthy ladies,

you wouldn't look quite right behind a tea urn

at the NAAFI canteen.

What do you want me to do?

Carry on with your job.

Keep your eyes open and wait.

It's infinitely preferable to working in the dark.

I'm keeping a 24-hour surveillance on the Yam Sing.

I may hear something before you do.

How'd you get on with John Thorpe?

Very well.

OK, here are these notes he gave me.

Little overpowering, isn't he?

Apparently gold is very valuable in the East.

Why is that?

The Bretton Woods monetary agreement.

They set the value of gold at 35 American dollars an ounce.

But in the East, mm-mm, it's worth 50.

It's worth shipping, then.

Yeah, they're very keen to get it in the Orient.

Well, they don't trust paper money.

- Yes, how'd you know? - It's common knowledge.

Pfft!

Well, at least we've discovered one thing,

why Mr Lo is interested in shipping gold to Hong Kong.

Now we got to find out how.

JONES WHISTLING

CAR HORN HONKS

All right, then, come on. Out.

What do you think you're doing here?

Hey, you're trespassing, you know that?

I was waiting for you, Corporal.

Well, you've found me.

And lay off the corporal bit, will you? That's history.

You have something of mine.

Look, I don't know you. I don't want to know you.

Now, come on. Out. I want my supper.

You owe me some money.

What? You're mad!

Look, I don't owe you nothing.

When you left Hong Kong, you had £10,000 of my money.

Now, where is it? Better start remembering.

Ten grand?

Well, you've got the wrong one, friend.

Look, I haven't got your money.

You see, I bought the garage. That took it all,

and all my savings.

You can't do nothing to me, Mister.

TOOL CLATTERS You're off your manor.

ENGINE REVVING

HE SCREAMS

Hello there. How's it going, Mrs Gale?

Fine, thanks. I should be through in about a week.

Terrible business, wasn't it? Did you know this Corporal Jones?

- Sorry? - I said, did you know him?

Yes, he was out in Cypress with me.

Why should anyone want to kill him?

I wouldn't know.

What sort of a man was he?

Jones?

Been out in Hong Kong for the past two years.

Would you excuse me for a moment?

That Chinaman must be slipping.

Well, no-one's gonna believe this is an accident.

They're not meant to.

It's a bit sticky, Sir.

Well, I warned Jones, too damn pig-headed to listen.

Hello.

- Very worrying. - Yeah.

I don't think I can go along with this now.

Now, just a moment, Sir. May I ask you a question?

What's the most important thing as far as we three are concerned?

- The Fund. - Exactly.

Exactly. From the very beginning it was agreed

this could only be conducted as a military operation.

Yes, but we're soldiers, not gangsters.

But as a soldier, Sir, how do you deal with a traitor

in a military operation?

It's unfortunate, Bob, we just have to live with it.

Well, don't let's sit on it, then.

Er, excuse me, Sir, but, erm,

do you think it's safe to, er, carry on?

- Why not? - I mean, that Chinaman,

he might think that we're all in it together.

No, he doesn't. I've spoken to him.

As long as we play it straight with him,

we've got nothing to worry about.

Whatever happens, the Fund mustn't pack up now.

Yes. Well, we've got enough in the kitty

to lay off until this blows over.

The way they're handing out bowler hats,

we need to increase the Fund, not cut it down.

Why, only today I came across another case.

Just make a note of the details. - Yes, Sir.

It's a Major Benson, another victim of the '59 purge.

"Major Benson, aged 47, married, two children,

"Sandhurst and Staff College."

Doorman at the Alhambra, Catford?

£9 a week for throwing out Teds and drunks.

- Phew! He was a good man, Sir. - Yes, but he was a bit foolish.

Invested all his savings with a property speculator.

Lost the lot.

You see, this shouldn't damn well happen.

There ought to be courses to wise you up

to the dangers of Civvy Street.

I mean, every day there are blokes coming out the services.

They're just a bunch of mugs, innocents.

Well, they wouldn't let you ashore at Port Said without your jabs,

a lecture on the money sharks and the Toms.

Well, this is exactly the same thing!

WRIGHT: He'll be back, Sir.

I know, I know.

Right then.

Er, Major Benson, Sir, would you sign the cheque?

Ah, yes, £500?

CAN CLATTERING

JOHN: Hello. What are you doing here?

This was my husband's place.

You're Mrs Jones. I'm very sorry. Any idea why, or how?

No. Jimmy didn't have any enemies.

At least I didn't think he had.

Maybe it was jealousy. Was there somebody fond of you?

Oh, no.

No, Jimmy was the first. - You met in Hong Kong?

Yes. I was a taxi girl at The Celestial.

A dance hall. - Taxi?

Yes. They... The halls employed partners.

You just sit there and wait for somebody to hand you a ticket,

and you dance with them.

$8 an hour.

$4 for the girl, and $4 for the management.

The next day, he took me to the Tiger Balm Pagoda.

He must have saved up a good deal for all this.

Did he get a good gratuity? - Oh, no.

No, we'd never have been able to have afforded this.

Unless?

What is it? - It's a Hong Kong lottery ticket.

It won third prize, a month before we left.

Very lucky.

Was it?

I-I had it framed,

and Jimmy kept it on his desk as a souvenir.

What are you gonna do now?

I don't know.

I'd strongly advise you to leave here.

Jimmy was a good man to me.

But I'll do as you say. - Good.

Why did you come here?

To find out why the Corporal was murdered.

I'm sorry I can't be of any more help.

You like the cardigan?

But the sleeves are too long.

They're far too long.

SHE SOBS

- Hello. - Hello.

Got strict instructions to keep out of your way.

Oh, that's all right. Don't worry about me. What do you do?

HE GRUNTS Jankers.

Got to paint the fire buckets.

They look perfectly all right to me.

Yeah, me too. But you know the Army. If it moves, salute it.

If it doesn't, paint it. HE SCOFFS

Yeah, old Major Ruse found a scratch.

He can spot a dirty cap badge from the other side of the square.

How do you get on with him?

Friend of yours, miss?

No. I've only met him a couple of times.

Bit too keen for my liking.

Like this. HE SCOFFS

Waste of time, I say.

They look just the same when I'm finished. Just the same.

BOTH CHUCKLE

Oh, here. - Oh, thank you.

Right here.

How about Captain Jason?

Oh, he's different. Conscientious, but fair.

You know what I mean? - Mm.

He'll give us a bit of time off tomorrow, to make up for tonight.

- Tonight? - Yeah.

Now, the old man would never think of that.

You're working tonight as well, then?

Yeah, special guard duty. HE CHUCKLES

Dear o'lor. HE SNIFFS

Just my luck. - What's on?

Oh, er, consignment of small arms ammunition and K-rations.

Gonna line them tomorrow so we have to keep an eye on it.

Mustn't lose the lads' toffee.

Oh, that reminds me,

I should have got some things from the NAAFI,

and it's too late for me now.

Would you be awfully kind, and get them for me?

- Oh, pleasure, miss, yeah. - Thank you.

I'll just jot them down.

Would you get me a couple of bars of fruit and nut as well?

All right.

- Here's a pound. - Er, ta.

Be back in two shakes.

Oh, get yourself a packet of cigarettes.

Oh, thanks very much.

PHONE RINGING

JOHN LAUGHS

JOHN LAUGHS

Hello, hello, it's Steed, Steed.

Eh?

Oh, and how's the Army treating you, hmm?

HE CHUCKLES No, I...

Yeah, tonight. All right. Bye.

OBJECTS CLATTERING

HAMMER THUDDING

- See how it's done, lad? - Sir.

The army gives you something, there's a reason,

even a chopper. - Sir.

Keep alert, lad. Don't go drifting off to sleep.

WRIGHT CLEARS THROAT

- JASON: Lad's still there? - WRIGHT: Yes, Sir.

JASON: It's time he wasn't.

TELEPHONE RINGS

DOOR OPENS

Ordnance. Captain Jason.

Yes. Right.

Stuff's here. It's at the main gate.

WRIGHT: I've got two men standing by to unload, Sir.

Holmes. - Yes, Sir.

Cut along to the NAAFI now.

Make sure you're back here 2100 sharp.

Yes, Sir. Thank you very much, Sir.

WRIGHT: Idle man.

He's ideal for our purpose. WRIGHT CHUCKLES

I hope nothing else goes wrong the other end, Sir.

RUSE: No, I've spoken to Captain York.

VEHICLES APPROACH JASON: They're here.

Pack it up. Get the stuff moving.

Over here, lads.

Keep your thieving hands to yourselves.

That stuff on the table there.

So, pack this unlawful item. - RUSE: Good man.

WRIGHT: Lads, report back to Sergeant Cook on the double.

Left-right, left-right, left-right.

Lovely, aren't they, Sir? - JASON: Mm-hm.

You got to hand it to that Chinaman.

Well, he doesn't make them himself, you know.

He's got two goldsmiths working full time.

Yes, Sir. Er, when does this lot go, Sir?

Tomorrow from Lynam. ETA Hong Kong, 1200, Wednesday.

WRIGHT: Should anyone get shot with one of these,

it'll be some death, Sir.

RUSE CHUCKLES At £10 a round, it ought to be.

JASON: Yeah, but they wouldn't fire. Too soft.

WRIGHT: Imagine what the medics would say.

Cause of death, gold poisoning.

ALL LAUGHING

WRIGHT: Just make sure number five picquet's

not hanging around outside, huh?

JASON CHUCKLES

Gold poisoning.

Number five picquet, where are you?

Hope the men don't see you now. Number five picquet.

Hello? Who's that? Stop.

What are you doing here?

Don't you know this is army property?

HE GRUNTS

Well, we better get the paperwork out.

- Yes. - You got my pen?

Hmm?

Oh, I gave it back, surely. - Did you?

Oh, maybe, it's in my coat.

GUNSHOTS FIRE

Never mind about that fight. The main event comes later.

HE GRUNTS

Where are you? Where are you?

HE GRUNTS

- RUSE: Who are you? - JASON: His name is Steed.

- RUSE: What does he want? - I'm making a small gold collection

on behalf of the Waifs and Whippets Fund.

- RUSE: Are you from the police? - Near enough.

Oh, she's doing very well.

HE GROANS AND PANTS

JOHN: I warned you.

- You won't shoot. - I'll count to three.

- Bluffing. - One...

Two...

Three! GUN FIRES

JASON GRUNTING IN PAIN

JOHN GRUNTS

RUSE: That's enough, George.

All right, Mr Steed, you can put your gun away.

You have our word.

You all right?

Is everything all right?

Police picked up Mrs Kwan at the gate.

Good.

- They raided the Yam Sing. - Everybody accounted for?

Except Mr Lo. He flew out of London airport yesterday.

They're picking him up off the plane in Karachi.

- Steed, can I ask you a favour? - JOHN: Go ahead.

You've got the three of us. Don't involve anyone else.

You mean the Hong Kong branch?

You know everything, don't you?

No, I don't mean them.

I mean the families, the men we've been supporting.

We weren't doing this for ourselves, you know.

- JOHN: No? - No.

It's for our friends, ex-officers...

And NCOs.

Many were victims of the army purge,

suddenly kicked out, no jobs, no training, no future.

Have you got proof of this?

RUSE: They're right here, Sir.

Names and addresses of the beneficiaries,

and accounts of the Fund to date.

I think that you'd better get a car. Not too good for discipline

seeing the Major being carted off to the pokey here.

WRIGHT: Ordnance, here. Ordnance. The Major's car around right away.

CATHERINE: How much money have you got?

- About 56,000. - Pounds?

Fifty-six thousand pounds, nineteen shillings and seven pence.

To be precise.

Half in building societies, the other half in blue chips.

Capital appreciation last year accounted for about 9,000 quid.

Last year? Who's your broker?

Don't have one. I do it. Did it all.

But on this form, you could have been a tycoon.

Don't you regret wasting your time in the army?

Waste?

Everything I've ever had, everything we've ever had,

we owe to the Army.

It's fed us and clothed us and paid us when nobody else would.

When I was demobbed in '45,

I couldn't get a job even making a broker's tea.

Same goes for all of us. We were all misfits.

I wanted to teach history. No degree, no diploma or education.

I wanted to go to grammar school.

But if this is so,

why have you been using the Army as a cover for your smuggling?

JASON SCOFFS

A good soldier learns to improvise.

Seemed worthwhile if we could help the others.

CATHERINE: Are these all the names and addresses?

- Yes. - Yes.

Come on.

Well, we'd better sign off at the mess, I suppose.

You want to watch her.

HE CHUCKLES

I think you better look after the dibs.

Subtitles by accessibility@itv.com