Original subtitles

Care for the glue?

Petron. Petron.

No, no, sit, sit, sit. Finish the game.

Your customers?

No. Where are they all?

I think they must be sleeping off their New Year parties.

Ah, they're locked on.

Turn up the fire. It's cold in here.

Appoint, come in here. Shut the door.

I see they've got snow in the north.

Mm -hmm. We're in business.

Inspector Macrae. Will you fill in the form?

I'll get you one. I'm rather in a hurry, so wait. No, why not, Luca?

What does he want?

I want you, Inspector.

Well, here I am. All right, Luca.

The point is to fill in the form.

I'm in a hurry because I have to go to work.

I said I was going to the dentist. It'll be half an hour late.

Well, let's begin with your name.

Xavier Martin.

Xavier Martin.

I follow all your cases in the paper.

Yes, sir.

I consider myself the uncrowned king of the model railway world.

I'm not mad.

Why have you come to see me? I went to a doctor about it and he says I'm not

mad. You thought you might be?

I wasn't sure.

So I went to Dr. Steiner, the neurologist.

Plus, don't fear, Rochereau. Plus, don't fear, Rochereau.

His examination lasts an hour.

He says I'm perfectly normal.

I don't know where to start.

Your address?

17, Avenue de Châtillon.

Avenue de Châtillon.

And I work at the Grand Magasin du Louvre, head salesman in the toy

But my real work is with the electric trains. I don't know whether you saw our

window display at Christmas.

The Gare Saint -Lazare, complete in every detail. I think my wife wants to

murder me.

You'd be surprised at some of the people who buy electric trains. Your wife?

I make no accusations, mind you. Simply that she wants to murder you? Yes.

I've been married 15 years, hardly ever a quarrel.

Perfectly happy.

Except that she wants to murder you.

Yes. Why?

Perhaps she's mad. I mean, I'm not. The doctor says so.

One partner in every marriage doesn't have to be mad. Dr.

Steiner says he'd like to see her too, but how can I ask Jenny to go to a

neurologist? Her name is Jenny. No, Giselle.

Jenny's her sister. She lives with us.

Did I say Jenny? I meant Giselle.

I presume you have some basis for your suspicions. Oh, yes.

Your analysts will tell you it is zinc phosphide.

Yours having told you that already?

A friend at the store. He's an amateur chemist. He has quite a little

at home, just as I have a railway layout.

That was how it happened, really.

I knocked over a pot of glue, went to look for a rag.

Under all the other cleaning things, there was a jar full of this.

Well, what else could she want it for?

It's highly poisonous. I looked it up.

What are its uses?

It has one or two industrial uses, and it was once used in minute doses as a

medicine. There were 50 grams in that jar.

Well, what could she possibly want it for?

Have you asked her?

Well, no. I mean, what could I say?

What could she say?

But there's no real need to. For the last few months, I've been having pains.

Here. Never before.

The public prosecutor.

One moment, monsieur.

It's my fault. These things happen.

I'm overworked. Right?

Make sure it's all in here.

Yeah, yeah.

Yes, yes.

Well, you'd better sign it up in the registry, or else I'll get the blame.

Get this down to the registry right away, will you?

No point!

Where's he gone? Have you seen him?

He just went out to say good morning to me as he went past.

I thought you'd finished with him. Shall I go after him?

No, no.

No, if he doesn't want to talk to me, I don't want to talk to him.

Go and get a glass of beer.

No, it's too cold.

Grog?

Good idea.

Shall I send down for it? No, it's always tepid by the time it arrives.

I'll go over to the brasserie.

We'll both go over.

You'll need a coat?

Oh, I'll be all right. You will not be all right. You'll catch a cold, and then

someone else will have to do your job.

Petron, someone else to see you.

Ah, there would be.

Madame Xavier Martin.

Hmm.

Sure is.

What shall I do, Petron?

Go and have that grog. Don't be too long about it. Right.

Will you come this way, madame?

I expect you know why I'm here.

My husband has just been to see you.

Did he tell you, sir?

No, I saw him come in here.

You followed him?

Yes.

You may smoke if you want to.

Thank you.

I smoke far too much.

I ought to give it up, really.

I don't mind a pipe, if you really want one.

You must think it odd, two of us coming here together, as if we were going to

confession.

Which is rather like that, really.

Do you know what your husband said to me?

That I'm trying to poison him. Are you?

No, of course not. I know why he thinks so. I know him very well. I've known him

for 15 years.

He was a peasant brought up by foster parents on a farm. He's worked his way

from nothing to the position he holds today. He really is an acknowledged

on electric trains.

I hope you didn't laugh when he told you that.

After all, nobody makes fun of people who design corsets and bras, yes.

Do you have something to do with that?

Well, what woman hasn't?

As a matter of fact, I seldom.

But the Bud Xavier, he really does work terribly hard, and over Christmas his

job seems to get on top of him. He feels inadequate.

Lately he's begun to worry about some of his assistants being after his

position. Are they? No, of course not. I told him he was becoming neurotic, but

I didn't realise how bad he was until he started suspecting me.

Did he tell you of his suspicions? As good as. He looked at me the other day

said, you'd make a beautiful widow, wouldn't you? Well, he keeps harping on

about the wonderful career I'd have without him.

He changes his cup for mine.

Makes me eat the first mouthful of food.

Keeps hunting round the kitchen.

And he says, the doctor says he isn't mad.

Dr. Steiner? Yes, he went to see him a few days ago. Came back looking very

pleased with himself.

Oh, and he said, whatever you do...

Someone will know all about it.

That's you.

Well, why have you come to see me? Do you want him certified?

No, certainly not.

I'm scared to work.

You're not in the same shop as he is?

Oh, no, I work at Maison Harris at the Rue Saint -Honoré.

Oh, Maison Harris.

It's one of the best lingerie shops in Paris.

Do you have any staff, and you?

No, there's only me. I work directly under Monsieur Harris.

His real name is Schwab. He gives me a percentage of the profit.

You do quite well.

Not bad.

Do you have a maid at home?

Why? You must be out all day.

Oh, my sister looks after the house. She's been living with us since her

died. Her name?

Jenny. Do you love your husband?

Would I be here if I didn't?

Where did you meet him? At the shop.

His or yours?

His, of course. I used to work there when I first came to Paris. You came

Rouen. Alone?

What a question. Virgin, yes.

As a matter of fact, I did live with a young lawyer for some time, but, well,

didn't work out.

Do you make more money than your husband? Yes, now.

Does he mind?

He's used to it. We live a quiet life.

I see.

And you're not prepared to sign a formal application to have him examined by a

mental specialist? No, certainly not.

Well, that's all.

Do you use zinc phosphide?

Yes. What for?

Rap. At home?

No, at the shop. The Ruth and Honoré is an old street and they've become a

plague. Oh, I did take some home once because we had some in our backyard.

Is that, it is that what's worrying him? Oh, how silly.

You never told him? Oh, I don't know. I may have. Anyway, this explains it all.

I'll tell him tonight.

Oh, no, then you'll know I've been to see you.

Which you also don't propose to tell him? I don't know. I don't...

anything anymore.

I came here to ask for help and all you do is ask me questions as though I were

a suspect.

If you were a suspect, you wouldn't be going now.

Good morning, madame.

You've gone up once.

Find me...

Dr. Steiner, place d 'affaires au cheval.

Call him, put the call through to me.

I can't.

Who smells of rum?

Me, Bertrand. You said I could. Oh, yes.

Well, we have a crime to solve.

I can't tell you much about it because, in fact, there is no crime.

No crime, no motive, no criminal, no victim.

A murder case?

Poisoning.

Have that analysed. If it turns out to be bicarbonate...

We look even sillier than I feel.

Now, La Pointe.

I want you to go down to Maison Harris in the Rue Saint -Honoré.

Watch Madame at work. She didn't see you here, did she? No. Good.

Now, when you get there, try not to look like a policeman. Ask to see something.

It's a woman's shop. I mean, underwear, that kind of thing. Well, pretend you're

buying a nightdress for your fiancée or something.

I don't think one would. I mean, it's a little personal, isn't it?

Well, be yourself, then, I don't know.

Anyway, don't look like a policeman. Keep your mind on your work.

Luca, you can take that grin off your face and go down to the 17 Avenue de

Châtillon.

Try and sell some life insurance to Madame Jenny or something or other.

Find out her name, I don't know about it.

Why insurance, Petro?

Because I want to know if they have any already.

I want a night... Yes, Monsieur. For a lady. I mean a young lady. Please sit,

Monsieur. Thank you.

What is Mademoiselle's size?

Oh, well, she's a bit shorter than you, and perhaps a little less broad across

the shoulders.

I mean, not that you're too... Well, perhaps she's a bit narrow, really. The

shoulders hardly matter, Monsieur. This is the model we designed for Princess

Ellen of Greece.

Um, it looks a little short.

Mademoiselle is hardly likely to be wearing shoes with it.

No, I suppose not.

How much? Four hundred and fifty francs.

Four hundred and... Oh.

You haven't anything a little less exotic, have you, in nylon? No nylon

monsieur, only pure silk and batiste.

This is the least expensive thing we have in the shop, monsieur.

One hundred and eighty francs.

Oh. Well,

I think perhaps not a night dress, after all. Something else.

What, monsieur?

One of those.

50 francs.

Which is Monsieur

Martin's house, can you tell me?

Over there, Monsieur. Number 17.

Ah, thanks. Do you know him?

Well, we've done some business together.

More than I have. He never comes in here.

Doesn't drink.

Right, thank you.

Madame Martin?

That's my sister, she's out.

My apologies, madame. She and her husband both work. I look after the

I help you?

Well, a colleague of Monsieur Martin suggested he might be interested in some

insurance. Well, come in. It's cold out. Thank you.

Ah, snow underway.

You're from an insurance company? Yes.

I don't suppose I can interest you?

Oh, no, thank you. I have a pension from my husband's firm.

He was killed in an accident. Oh, I'm sorry.

Forgive me working.

I have to get lunch.

Do they come back for lunch?

Zannie does, not Giselle.

She prefers the Grand Boulevard.

If you like to wait, you'll be here soon.

Yes, well, I don't think I'll wait now, but I would like to interest him in our

new road accident policy.

You see, if he comes home for lunch every day, he runs an extra 24 % risk of

death or mutilation by road accident.

However, I'll come back this evening. Why shouldn't you? You have to make a

special journey. I happen to know they're both insured already.

Ah, well, sometimes that little extra cover makes all the difference between

anxiety and contentment. There are policies for quite a lot.

Ten thousand each. Ten thousand. Against accident?

And death.

I see. Well, in that case, madame, thank you for your patience.

You might try the flats next door. I might indeed.

It seems a pity to come all this way for nothing on a cold day like this. Yes,

it does.

Well, thank you, madame.

Not at all.

Goodbye.

It's just as cold in here.

Snow coming.

Well, it's the time of year for it.

As long as it doesn't stop the Rheims -Dijon match.

Capadoc, please.

Yes, sir. Who'll win?

Rheims. And there'll be Lyon. Are you going to it?

Going on a supporter's bus.

50 francs?

The cashier won't stand for that.

McGee?

Oh, yes, thank you.

The analysts say it is zinc phosphate.

Well,

after that, I left the shop rather quickly. As a matter of fact, I left my

there. You just wanted an excuse to go back.

Oh, well, we may have to.

What did you think of them?

Well, I wouldn't swear to anything, but they make a good pair.

They don't have to speak to understand each other.

They had lunch together in a restaurant on the Boulevard des Capucines.

Just as her sister said she would.

What was her sister's name, by the way? Jenny Sorel, according to the barber at

the bistro.

And you say that she opened the door to Xavier and he kissed her. Oh, there was

nothing to it, just as a man might kiss his sister.

Yes, she is.

Oh, no, his wife's sister.

Yes, well, I mean... We're all going to say it's the same thing, and he's not.

Well, see, they spend all day doing nothing and getting nowhere.

Let's all go have a drink and go home.

And you have to say those words.

Mickery?

Hmm?

Oh, he is?

All right.

Bring him in.

My friend is back again.

Is he up here? Yes, to see me. Now, La Pointe, I want you in there with the

ajar. I want this interview taken down. Right, Mr. Hunt.

There's someone downstairs, ready to follow him when he leaves.

Come in.

Do forgive me for coming so late.

I couldn't get away earlier.

Will you take your coat off?

Oh, yes.

Thank you. Yes, perhaps I will.

I'm a bit hot. I've been running.

Sorry about this morning. They're strict at the shop. I was afraid I might be

late. I'd have rung you up, only we're not allowed to make private calls.

I think I'm getting a cold.

My wife's been to see you, hasn't she?

Yes. What did she say?

Here, Monsieur Martin, we ask the questions.

I'm sorry.

Are you lodging a complaint against your wife? No, what good would that do?

Where's my proof?

You don't believe a word I say, do you? I wish you'd stop asking questions.

Well, it's no use my answering them if you're not going to believe me.

I don't suppose you've even analysed their powder.

No, yes, we have.

Zinc phosphide. Rat poison.

Which she brought home from the shop because I complained about rats.

true. But that doesn't make any difference.

Why didn't she tell me she'd brought it back?

Perhaps she forgot.

Oh, she's there and never forgets anything.

No, mind you, I can see it's awkward for you. I might be lying. She might be

lying. We both might be lying. We all might, indeed.

This business of my going to a neurologist of my own accord is hardly

an entirely sane man.

Am I just trying to create an impression of neurosis? It's so hard for you to

know.

Well, make it easier.

And she must have told you all about how neurotic I am.

How I suspect the assistance at the store and all that sort of thing. Do

Yes, and rightly so.

Oh, and I do more than that. When I can't find something at home, I stamp my

feet and burst into tears.

Often. Did you tell Dr. Steiner that? Of course, I told him everything.

He asked me questions you'd never dream of. Well?

And I'm still not mad.

But still convinced that your wife wants to murder you?

Utterly. And you don't want an inquiry?

Useless. Nor protection.

How would you do that?

Hide in the teapot.

Hide in the... Do you drink tea?

No. So why should I hide in the teapot? You couldn't. But why a teapot? Because

we drink a tea garden at night.

An infusion of Chinese anise. You make it in a teapot.

I think that's where the poison will be.

Well, if you don't want us to do anything about it, would you mind

why you came here in the first place? So that you'll know.

So that if anything happens to me, you won't think that it was an accident or

natural causes.

Very obliging, Monsieur.

I shall be more obliging than that. I'm going to save you a trial.

I shall meet out justice myself.

Meaning that you're proposing to kill your wife in advance?

Yes. After I'm poisoned, but before I die. You see, there are very few poisons

that cause instant death. Certainly not zinc phosphide. Oh, I don't suppose

she'll use that now.

I have a loaded revolver at home.

Licensed? Yes. Ask at the town hall.

Giselle knows I've got it, but she doesn't know where I keep it.

Now, the moment I feel I've been poisoned, and I shall know, I will shoot

wife through the heart.

Sit down a minute, will you?

Yes.

Okay. Patron, she's out here waiting for him. Who, the one? No, Jenny, the other

one.

Don't talk so loud. You're making the speaker vibrate.

She didn't come with him. She must have followed him when he left the shop.

Shall I tell them when he comes out? Yes, do that.

My wife?

No. I wonder if that's the truth. I shouldn't think so.

It's funny.

I can't believe a word you say.

And you won't believe a word I say.

Would you agree to another examination?

By a neurologist?

Our own man. He's very good.

When, now? No, it's too late now.

Tomorrow morning? If I have time to tell them at the store.

We'd ask for your signature to a paper stating that it's of your own free will.

If you want me to.

Yes, why not? After all, you came here of your own free will. You don't even

have to answer my questions, will you?

Will you believe the answers?

I'll try.

Do you love your wife?

No.

Did you ever love her?

I thought I did.

Do you mind explaining just what you mean by that? No, not at all.

You see, there was very little time for company when I was a young man.

There was so much reading to be done if I was to better myself.

So that...

You really had nothing to do with women until you met your wife.

Only what you can imagine, more disgust than pleasure.

Well, when I met Giselle, I saw her as the ideal woman, and that was what I

loved. The word couple had a marvellous, marvellous feeling for me in those

days, to be one of the halves of a couple. It was what I dreamed of.

Did she love you?

I thought she did, for a time.

When did you finally decide that you'd made a mistake?

About two years ago.

Just about the time that your sister -in -law came to visit you. That's so.

Why should her arrival change your mind? Well, until she came, I had no

standards of comparison.

Go on.

Well, I wasn't always happy at home, but I told myself I was as happy as anyone

else. That Giselle was a woman and that all women were like that.

Like what?

Greedy, selfish, false, cold.

Oh, I persuaded myself that women who weren't were just putting on an act, you

see. Like everyone else, I'd always dreamed of a certain kind of love, of

fusion.

But I decided it didn't exist.

So what have you against your wife?

This is really in very bad taste, isn't it?

Still, never mind.

I don't want you to draw the wrong conclusions.

Giselle's eye has always been on the next rung of the ladder.

First on the young man who was to bring her from Rouen to Paris.

And then when she found life difficult as a single girl, she decided to become

married woman.

Now she'd like to be a rich widow.

I suppose you know all about the 10 ,000 insurance.

And about Monsieur Schwab at Harry Fee's.

He's her lover.

Are you sure? I followed them to a hotel one afternoon, three hours.

But you never asked for a divorce.

And all this situation existed before your sister -in -law came to visit you.

Yes.

My eyes weren't open. What opened them?

The knowledge that there are women of the kind I'd always dreamed of.

Do you love your sister -in -law? Yes.

Is she your mistress?

No. Does she love you?

I think she will.

Not yet?

She loved her husband.

They were a real couple.

When he died, she tried to kill herself.

I guess. They found her just in time.

When she first came to us, she was still in full mourning.

She still laughs at her.

Tells her she ought to get out and enjoy herself.

I've been trying to give her back a taste for life.

Have you succeeded?

I think perhaps I am succeeding.

Do you see now why she isn't my mistress?

I love her and respect her.

Does she know about you and your wife?

No.

I've never told her.

She's ill and I never quarrel.

This insurance policy, it's a joint one? Yes. So that you have as much interest

in your wife's death as she has in yours.

More? Because you love your sister -in -law. Exactly.

Did you know that she was waiting for you downstairs?

Oh, no, she shouldn't have come. Did you know you were coming here? No, of

course she didn't. I must go.

You've nothing else to tell me?

No, nothing.

11 o 'clock tomorrow, then?

What, for the examination?

Yes, all right.

But I'm not mad, you know.

Good night.

What an interview.

Do you want all this typed?

No, not yet.

Let's hope we never need it.

What did you think?

I think he was lying at the end.

Oh, when he said that she wasn't in the know?

Yeah.

I wonder.

You're late.

Oh.

Busy?

I don't know.

I don't know.

N -N -N -N -N -N -N -N -N -N -N -N -N -N -N -N -N -N -N -N -N -N -N -N -N -N -N

-N -N -N -N -N -N -N -N -N -N -N

In Arthur's opinion, the starting point of neurosis is an alarming feeling of

inferiority and insecurity.

A defensive reaction against this feeling leads the patient to identify

with an imaginary ideal.

What do you think?

Oh, I really couldn't say.

Neither can I. I suppose Freud has another opinion.

Jung another.

Which shall I hold?

Why don't you have an imperative?

And then I'll bring the dinner in. Good idea. We'll both have aperitifs. For a

change.

A couple of aperitifs.

A couple.

When did you first take my arm?

Your arm?

Walking along as though we belonged to each other.

When? I don't remember.

Oh, yes, I remember. I remember exactly.

We've known each other for three months.

The week before, you kissed me, and after that, you kissed me every night at

same place.

One Tuesday night, you took me to the Opera Comique.

They were doing Carmen.

I wore a blue taffeta dress.

On the way to the car, you didn't hold me, and you only gave me your hand to

help me into the taxi.

After the theatre, you asked me if I was hungry.

We walked towards the Grand Boulevard to find somewhere to eat, and I pretended

to stumble.

Because my heels were so high.

And I put my hand in your arm.

I thought I'd been so bold I began to tremble.

But you were very sensible and pretended not to notice anything.

When was the next time?

When we came out of the restaurant. I did it without thinking.

I've done it ever since.

Became a habit?

Yes.

But a very nice one.

I'll go and get the dinner.

Excellent coffee, my dear.

Jenny made it. Ah, very good.

More? No, thank you. The pitcher only makes one journey to the well at a time.

I've eaten well today.

Oh, so have I. What about you, Jenny?

Yes, thank you. Did you lunch here?

Mm -hmm. Oh, you ought to go out more. There's no point in hanging around the

house when there's nothing to keep you.

You'll never find a man in this place.

I suppose you lunched somewhere on the bull bars. Yes, at Vasquez. No shortage

of men on the bull bars.

A shortage of men anywhere.

Shall we clear?

Are you going on plane train?

I'm working on the modification of one of the German models to enable it to be

run on our line. Hardly battery operated. Oh, but it's reversible.

We'll be able to sell ours to them.

The patent will be valuable.

To us?

To the firm.

Oh.

That is fair.

I couldn't afford to do the work without their equipment.

Besides, it all helps your position. Ah, exactly, yes. That's the point.

I'm expected to be creative, not just a hack worker.

Jenny, would you bring the glasses?

I want to do them first.

Coming.

Well, there it is.

There's nothing to go on, really.

The public prosecutor certainly won't back us up over this, but I just feel

uneasy all night if someone isn't watching that house. We'd better split

watch. You do the first half, huh?

Well, you're older than I am.

All right, sonny, relieve me at two.

What are we watching for?

Anyone leaving, singly or otherwise.

Sounds of quarrelling, anything unusual?

If we hear anything, do we go in?

No, telephone me. I'll be at home. And if anyone comes out, do we stop them?

follow them, and again, phone me.

My pension's safer than yours.

I wish I hadn't told Marthorne that his wife had been here.

So, we can only wait.

Good night. Good night, Captain.

I hope I don't hear from you.

What's up, Yeadon? No. What? I can't work with you making a row like that.

I can't work without making it.

Work?

Yes, work.

We're down to make 50 ,000 francs from this order.

We? The firm.

You and him?

And you. After all, I pay my share here, don't I?

Yes. So you said yourself that yours would only profit your firm's shop. So I

think mine has priority.

Don't you, Jenny?

I don't know. Oh, you must have some opinion.

No. Oh, you're getting dull, my dear. You want to go out more, like you did

evening.

Yes.

Jenny went out for a walk this evening.

Her coat was wet.

Didn't you know?

You could almost watch from here.

Not after a few of these.

Where will you wait?

There's a small yard round the side. You can see the main room, the two bedrooms

and the bathroom upstairs from there. That's where you'll find me. There or

here. Right. What time do you shut?

Right now, like.

Are you police?

Yeah. I thought you were earlier.

Is it Mattel?

At the moment, it's nobody.

See you at two.

It's time for artisan, Jenny.

I'll make it.

We must keep Xavier out of his bed.

That would never do, would it? You like your sleep, don't you?

I get tired.

I know what it is that makes you tired.

Light?

Love? What?

Work.

Oh, your train.

Where are my spectacles?

I don't know.

Did I leave them in the kitchen? Yes, I think I did.

Jenny would know, I dare say.

Come on.

You

find

them? Yeah.

Ah.

Are there any of my cigarettes in the kitchen?

By the cupboard. Would you fetch them?

You might say, please.

She's my sister.

You don't have to be polite in family life. Of course, you'd hardly know,

you? The artisan.

It's all right. You supervised the mating of it, didn't you?

Yes, I did.

Thank you.

Yours.

Cigarette? No, thanks.

Jenny?

Funny taste.

What do you think, Davy?

As usual.

Jenny, shall I pour you out some more?

No, no, this suits me very well.

You know I feel awful about this.

You ought to have my room. I should sleep down here.

I don't think that's the way it should be at all.

It can be no other way. Jenny, my darling, it will.

It will. It will.

You're early.

I couldn't sleep.

You'd better go and get a grub. You need it. Right. Anything happen? Nah,

they're all asleep.

Lights are all out.

No, they're not.

Something's happening.

The bathroom.

If anyone looks out...

Oh. Oh.

Oh, yes.

uh uh

Where's the doctor?

Lucas, telephone him for me.

Poison?

Yes, madam, poison.

You go upstairs and dress. We'll be coming to headquarters.

You too, madame.

Go up and dress.

Well, the lights went on. Down here first, then upstairs, Madame Martin's

For a long time, nothing happened.

Then she came out. She was going to telephone, she said.

Well, I came in, got a man off his beat to call you and Luca, and held him here.

Have they questioned him? No. Right.

The sister -in -law cries all the time. The wife looks at his body as if it were

a rug.

They bring us some coffee.

Inspector McRae will see you now, madame.

No, madame Martin.

Will you wait here, please?

Madame Martin, will you come this way, please?

Coffee? Oh, I'm dying for coffee.

Your husband is dead.

You think I killed him, don't you?

Tell me what happened. What do you want to know?

Everything.

What time did you come in yesterday evening?

Eight o 'clock. I was last home. We had dinner.

What did you eat?

Ham, salad, pears, cheese, coffee.

Did you notice anything unusual?

My sister had been out. Her coat was wet.

Who did the washing up?

I did the glasses.

She did the plates and so on?

Yes, it's her way of playing her share. Once I'd started her off, I came back

into the sitting room and got on with my book.

What were you reading?

My order book.

Xavier was playing about with his trains, as usual, making a fearful

Jenny came in, she read for a bit, and she went out into the kitchen and Xavier

followed her. Why?

Oh, he followed her everywhere, like a dog.

Was he her lover?

I shouldn't think so.

Go on.

And Xavier came back, and Jenny, with the three cups of tisane, she put them

down in front of me.

What was your husband doing?

Playing with his trains, as usual. When his back turned to you?

Yes.

And Jenny went into the kitchen to get my cigarettes, and I changed my cup for

Xavier's.

You did what?

Change cups.

Well, I often did.

I never knew what he might get up to.

But yesterday morning, you utterly refused to have him certified. Well, he

alive then.

And your insurance policy is invalid in the case of insanity.

As a matter of fact, it is.

So I wouldn't want him certified.

No, you'd want him.

Oh, now am I.

You changed cups and then?

Drank, said goodnight, went to bed.

You drank his and he drank yours? Yes.

Do you know who went to the bathroom at 12 .15?

I did.

To be sick, I'd been poisoned.

You'd been poisoned?

Yes, I woke up feeling dreadful, so I went to the bathroom and put a finger

my throat.

After drinking from his cup? Yes.

Has your sister complained of sickness?

No. And she drank all her tisone? Yes, every drop.

Do you have anything else to tell me?

I saw him die.

You saw him die?

Tell me about it.

Well, I heard him.

Actually, it was after I'd gone to bed. I heard him moaning and thrashing about.

Then I heard a loud thump, so I came down. There he was, lying on the floor,

trying to reach the pistol. I think he meant to come and shoot me, but the

poison overcame him. And what did you do?

Nothing. He was trying to reach for the gun and mouthing things at me, but he

couldn't really speak.

And he gave a sort of moan, went rigid, died.

And then?

Well, I had to think things out. I knew what you might say.

In the end, I decided to go for help and found your detective on the doorstep.

Where was your sister?

In her room.

All the time?

Yes.

He made an awful noise. She must have heard.

Yes.

You did not love your husband?

No. I quite liked him.

Do you love Monsieur Hayes? Oh, you keep using that word. It doesn't mean

anything. We get on together.

She never thought of getting a divorce to marry him. Of course not. He's got a

rich wife. We need her money and the business.

So no divorce.

Did you ever think of killing her husband?

If I had, I wouldn't be here now.

You might have been.

Unfortunately, you didn't kill him.

You come.

Stay with Madame for a moment.

We need a word with her later.

Will you come this way, Madame, please?

Would you come in here?

You want to tell someone, don't you?

I don't know what to say or what to do.

I don't even know what happened.

Do you know what you did?

Tell me. Or do you want a lawyer?

What would be the use?

I'll help you.

First, you meant to poison your sister.

Yes.

Because you were in love with her husband?

Because she was trying to drive him mad.

He was mad when he was with her.

Only with me was he all right.

When he met you outside here yesterday evening, did he tell you that he was

coming in for an examination in the morning?

Yes. It frightened him. He felt she'd won.

You mean he thought we wouldn't let him go?

Well, would you have?

No, I don't think we would.

No, that meant that he only had one evening left in which to deal with her

the way he thought out.

Tell me, last evening...

When Xavier came into the kitchen, their tea was already in the cups.

And then?

He went to the drawer where the knives were kept.

I had my back to him.

He made a clatter as if he was looking for something.

Then he went out without a word.

So you took the poison bottle? I felt sure he was going to be put away.

You put a good dose into her cup, making sure that it was on her side of the

tray. Did you?

Yes.

if you knew what a night I've had.

You heard everything upstairs.

Everything. But you didn't come down.

I was too frightened.

Yes.

That's what made me sure that you had done it.

But how did it happen?

Xavier should have told you everything that was in his poor, breaking mind.

You see, he'd planned to shoot his wife if ever he was sure that he'd been

poisoned. He made sure that I knew of this.

Then last night, he put some poison into his own cup.

Not much, just enough to make him ill, enough to give him the excuse that he

needed. After all, the poison would be diagnosed.

He had warned us that she would do it. She'd be dead and couldn't contradict

him.

Might even have worked.

Her sister hadn't changed the cups.

She... No, she changed them over.

So he got the one.

He got the one that he meant for himself.

And he got the one that you meant for her.

Oh, God.

Oh, God.

I killed him.

Stay with her for a moment.

You may go.

You don't want me anymore?

You will be wanted, madame.

Thank heaven not by me.

Take a dog.

Gently.

And Giselle goes free.

Unfortunately, Luca, we can only arrest people for what they do, not for what

they are.