All language subtitles for 09 - The Woman in the Big Hat

In late Victorian London
lived many detectives

who were the rivals
of Sherlock Holmes.

Subtitling made possible by
Acorn Media

[indistinct conversations]

[Mid-tempo classical music
playing ]

[Austrian accent]
There we are, madam,

and seven and eightpence,
three farthings change.

So happy to serve you.

Elsie, do not be too generous
with the cream jug.

Lady Baldwin is supposed to be
on a diet.

Sally Anne, how long
is that gentleman

going to sit at table 11?

We shall be wanting to make
the table in a little while.

- Yes, ma'am.
-Ah, madam.

[ Clears throat]

Another pot of tea,
if you please.

Shocking, aren't they, men?

My Walters just the same.
Never can manage to be on time.

Oh, but I'm not waiting for --

Look at him over there.

Been here since 4:00.

Lady come in with him,
ordered him a cup of chocolate,

and goes off to do her shopping
while he stays in the warm.

And now would you believe it?
He's taking a nap.

Oh, Sally Anne,
table 6 requires eclairs.

Yes, Frau Mathis.

And your pot of tea, miss.

Too much business at one time.

And how is your clever
Lady Molly today, Miss Grenard?

Well, she's a bit late,
actually.

Aw, what a shame.

If the men
would only leave it to her,

I'm sure she would solve
all their crimes for them,

and they could close up
Scotland Yard for good.

Oh. That would hardly suit
the commissioner, I'm afraid.

[Chuckling]
No, perhaps not.

Uh, I really shall have to say
something to this gentleman.

It is not respectable.

I beg your pardon, sir.

A second cup of chocolate,
perhaps, sir?

Ohh!

[Patrons murmuring]

No, on the whole,
I don't think so.

Oh, but the color is so becoming
to madam's complexion.

Very possibly,
but I'm not at the moment

impersonating a senior member of
the chorus at the Moulin Rouge.

Please show me something less
fussy and distinctly smaller.

Of course, headwear is becoming
richer this year, madam,

more decorative, more --

Something smaller, you think.

Well, perhaps the mauve velvet
might suit you.

[Sighs]

[Hooves clopping in distance]

Oh, I don't know, Maud.
What do you think?

Twopence is a shocking price
to pay for ivorine.

Well, I'd rather have
the mother-of-pearl myself.

[Laughing] Oh, yes.

Won't they go lovely
with my mauve blouse?

Could we have a look at those?

I think they're in the window,
miss, near the umbrellas.

Oh, this, madam,
is a dear little hat,

and so right for the color
of madam's eyes.

I presume
you take every precaution

against sneak thieves here?

Madam, we feel certain our
customers are above suspicion.

In that case, you must have
a very great deal of merchandise

stolen from under your noses.

I hope not, madam.

Now, this one
is very much your style.

- Won't you agree?
-Yes, but...

[Hooves clopping in distance]

[ Laughing ]
Oh, dear.

Now I look closer at them,

I really don't think those
are what I wanted.

Well, I must say, they haven't
got much of a selection.

Most disappointing.
Come along, Lucy.

Much wider choice
at Green and Edwards.

One moment, please.

Would you mind lifting
your skirts, young lady?

Really, madam,
what will our customers think?

Those girls are shoplifters.

-oh --
- Don't argue with me.

Stop them.

Here, you let me go!
You can't just go around --

Young woman,
I am a police officer.

Aah!

Ohh! Ohh!

WOMAN: Oh!

Stop those girls.

- S'[Op! Thief!
-[ Bells ringing]

[Cries]

[indistinct conversations]

Uh, now, to, uh, recapitulate.

Um, girls, please.

Thank you.

The chocolate is prepared

and poured into this urn
at half past 3:00.

And you young ladies
simply help yourselves.

Inspector, nobody could have
meddled with his drink

before it reached the table!

Except the young lady
who served it.

[Cries]

Oh, dear, now,
come along, my girl.

No need for hysterics.

I simply have to consider
all the possibilities.

And this you consider
a possibility, Inspector?

That my girls are poisoning
the clients' drinks?

Ohh, now, tsch-tsch-tsch-tsch.

The doctor is ready
to make his report.

Oh, thank you, Grenard.

Oh, Frau Mathis,

if your customers would kindly
leave their names and addresses,

they may go about
their business.

- Oh, Sergeant.
-[ Bells ringing]

[Horse whinnying]

Good evening, Frau Mathis.

I see a regular mob

is collecting
outside your premises.

Ah, Saunders.

Lady Molly.

You had better deal with this

before the traffic of carriages
is severely impaired.

- Now, look here --
-Traffic, Saunders.

Sergeant, you better step
outside and clear the roadway.

- Very good, sir.
-[ Sighs]

With your permission,
Lady Molly.

Of course.
Hello, Mary.

Lady Molly, it is a catastrophe!

A man is lying dead over here,

and they say he has been
poisoned in my shop.

Excuse me, my lady.

Now, Mary, tell me briefly
what has occurred.

This girl
was waiting on the table.

She saw a man come in
at about 4:00.

There was a lady with him.
She ordered tea and, uh --

And a cup of chocolate
for the gentleman.

Soon afterwards,
the lady rose and said,

"I must get to the shops. I
shall be back in half an hour."

- Is that right?
-Yes, miss.

He was just sipping
his chocolate,

and he said, um, "So long,"
I think.

And she picked up her gloves,
and off she went.

LADY MOLLY: And you never
saw the lady again?

No, my lady.
She never came back.

I see.
Thank you.

Right. Mary.

Now, then, Saunders, what have
you managed to find out?

Well, what killed him
was a terrific dose of morphia.

The doctor thinks
that it was administered

in this cup of chocolate here.

Look, you can see the dregs.

Fingerprints, Saunders.

Oh, Constable,
would you turn out his pockets?

Inspector,
my business is ruined!

Who is going to stomach my
beautiful pastries after this?

My dear ma'am, after tomorrow,
you will have more customers

than Madame Tussauds'
Chamber of Horrors.

My cuisine, Inspector, is for
gentlefolk and not for ghouls!

My dear Frau Mathis.

[Sighs]

What did the lady look like?

Oh, my lady,
so many clients come and go.

She was not one
of your regular customers?

No, or I should have
recognized her.

She was well-dressed,
I should say.

I see.
In dark colors or light?

Dark, I'm sure.

Blue like the Prussian
army officers wear.

Or perhaps green.

She wore a muff.
She had white gloves.

Uh, oh, it is not easy, my lady.

SAUNDERS:
And her face?

Heavy-featured?
Small mouth?

Wide brows?
Color of hair?

She wore a veil, you know.

Besides, she had on one
of those enormous mushroom hats.

Nobody could possibly
have seen her face.

Well, the chin, perhaps,

unless they had peered
right up under the hat.

Which, of course,
you could not do.

- FRAU MATHIS: Naturally.
-[ Sighs]

And the hat. Tell me,
would you know the hat again?

That I think, yes.

- Yes, it was quite conspicuous.
-Mm.

Sally Anne,
the lady at table 11?

Now, can you describe
the hat she was wearing?

Oh, yes, ma'am.

Simply enormous,
wasn't it, Tillie?

Every so shiny,
a sort of dark-greeny velvet,

um, and satin, I think,
with lots of feathers.

Frau Mathis, I don't think
we need disturb you any longer.

We'll be getting in touch with
you very shortly. Thank you.

Now, come along, girls.
Off. Off you get.

Now, then, Saunders, that man.

Have you any idea who he is?

Initials M.C. in his hat.

Also on his letter case.

Several letters addressed
to Mark Culledon, Esquire,

care of Lorbury House,
Fitzjohns Avenue, Hampstead.

LADY MOLLY: Mm.

Culledon.

Does that name
ring a bell, Mary?

Hemp, rope, paper cartons,
my lady.

- Are you quite sure?
Rather.

Largest import firm
on Lombard Street.

Going public in the next
few months, or so they say.

As it happens,
several of the letters

are addressed to Lombard Street.

Ha! Mary's memory is better
than any filing system.

Ohh.

Now, then, Fitzjohns Avenue.

That hardly suggests
a bachelor's establishment.

I suppose that one of us

is going to have to break
the news to his wife.

My card, miss.

MAUD: Would you please
wait here, my lady?

I'm not sure if Lady Irene
is receiving.

We should not, of course,
be troubling her

if the matter were not urgent.

Yes, my lady.

Mary, take a close look
at that parlormaid if you can.

I saw her this afternoon
at Willoughby's.

- She was shoplifting.
-[ Gasps]

- Are you sure?
-Quite sure.

And that reminds me, my dear.

While I was there, I tried on
a rather large straw hat.

It was quite wrong for me,
of course,

but I thought it might look
rather well on you, my dear.

You know I've not the inches
for anything large, Lady Molly.

Somehow the nicest clothes
seem to be designed

for skinny giants of 5'7".

So, she's Lady Irene, is she?

In her own right.

Younger daughter
of the Earl of Athyville.

[Chuckles] I borrowed
Saunders' copy of Debrett.

The family owned large tracts
of bog in County Tyrone.

In other words,
they're penniless.

Lady Irene will see you
in the drawing room.

LADY MOLLY:
Thank you.

MARY: Oh, my lady,
whatever will you say to her?

Well, I daresay we shall do

rather better
than Saunders would have done.

Oh, the poor creature.

And there may be young children.

They would have to be
very young indeed, Mary.

Mr. Culledon, I note, had only
been married for six months.

[Bells chiming]

LADY IRENE:
Lady Molly.

How do you do?

A moment, please.

Aunt Miriam, won't you let Maud
help you to your room?

Thank you, Irene.
I shall do very well where I am.

Lady Irene, it must be said that
the news we bring is painful.

Perhaps it would be better if --

It would be better if this lady
were to tell us at once

whatever it is she has to say.

Then we can go in to dinner.

Thank you, Maud.

Aunt Miriam, Lady Molly.

Lady Molly, Mrs. Steinberg.

Mrs. Steinberg is my aunt.

My husband's aunt,
I ought to say.

And this is my assistant,
Miss Grenard.

Please sit down.

I confess I had not realized

that a woman had any role
to play in the police force.

Lady Irene, my news
concerns your husband.

What I have to tell you
is most grave.

If this is something
to do with Mark,

these ladies had better wait.

He would not tolerate

our talking about him
behind his back.

Oh, believe me,
I would not dream --

As I'm always pointing out
to Irene,

her husband
is a most exceptional man.

I'm sure he was, ma'am.

Oh, do forgive my clumsiness.

L-I had mentioned
that my news was painful.

Painful?

What are you driving at?

It is the worst news, you see.

Your husband died
earlier this evening.

Yes, of course.

That is it.

LADY MOLLY:
You knew?

I quite often know about Mark,

where he is,
whether he's sad or happy.

My boy?

My own Mark?

I shall not believe it!

Well, what has really happened?

Could one of you ring?

Aunt Miriam,
you really must rest.

- Could you help?
-He is my heir.

He cannot be allowed to die.

Everything I have is his.
All my hopes are upon him.

Mrs. Steinberg
is to lie down, Maud.

I shall be up
to visit her shortly.

- MIRIAM: Mark!
-[ Door closes]

As you see,
she's devoted to my husband.

I should like to have spared her
such a shock.

Lady Irene, may I say
that you are a very brave woman?

[Bells tolling]

SAUNDERS:
Believe it or not, Grenard,

not one of those silly girls,
not one of them, mark you,

could give a proper description

of that girl
he was taking his tea with.

It's enough to make you
want to shut up shop.

Never mind, Inspector.

I'm sure Lady Molly will be able
to help you once more.

I have not come for help,
Miss Grenard,

but to inquire what your lady
knows about this advertisement.

What advertisement
would that be, Inspector?

Well, it's been running
in the morning post

for the past three days.

I am surprised Lady Molly
has not spotted it.

"For sale, Min-cylinder
wagonette, six horsepower."

Miss Grenard.

Look here.
"£50 reward.

"For information leading to the
conviction of the cruel murderer

of my nephew
Mark Culledon, Esquire.

- Write to postal box --"
-Now, what do you think of that?

A determined old woman,
Mrs. Steinberg.

Who loath es publicity.

Now, why should she put such
a thing in the newspaper, hmm?

Let's see.
The inquest was last Thursday.

So she must have put it in
the day after that.

If she put it in.

That inquest proved nothing.
An open verdict.

Something had to be done.

Just what I was thinking,
Grenard.

Good morning, Saunders.

I must apologize for being late.

At it again, are we, my lady?

Last time it was
counterfeit headlines

in the Ninescore affair.

Which we managed to clear up
for you, as I recall.

[ Clears throat]

This time
it's a bogus advertisement

in the morning post.

Yes, I gather the aunt
is a trifle upset.

The question is, will it work?

Well, more replies this morning,

and a rather mercenary-looking
young woman downstairs

who is eager to see you.

Ah, yes, that must be, uh,
Miss -- Miss Harris,

one of our earliest replies.

You better send her up at once.

SAUNDERS: [Sighs]

[Chuckles]

Lady Molly, there are
certain rules of procedure.

Oh, that reminds me.

I've been meaning to return your
copy of the police handbook.

My favorite piece is on page 42.

I have marked it.

"Act swiftly by all means
to apprehend the criminal.

The longer he remains at large,

the greater the chance of his
never being caught at all."

So instructive.

Lady Molly, one of these days
you will get this department

-into serious trouble.
-Into serious trouble.

Oh, and, Saunders, could you
find your way to getting us -'£50?

I'll see you...

Oh, and, Saunders?

Here's a list
of some six or seven

of Mrs. Steinbergs nieces
and nephews.

It might be worth
tracking them down.

Lady Molly?

Yes?

This the young woman
who wrote to you.

She claims to have seen
the woman in the big hat.

Ah, yes, come in, Miss, uh --

Um, Katie Harris, ma'am.

I thought I ought to come.

Ooh, Katie Harris.

I think we've met before.

Surely, Miss Harris, you were
at Willoughby's, the drapers,

the week before last,

the day that I arrested
your friend Lucy Smith?

Oh, your ladyship
must be mistaken.

Well, no matter for the moment.

I shall be very interested
to hear what you have to say.

Well, I can't take long,
my lady.

I'm really on an errand,
you see,

but I just thought it right
to let you know what I know.

And what is that?

Well, it's about this woman
they're looking for,

the one that knew Mr. Culledon.

Oh, yes.
You claim to have seen her?

Oh, I've seen her, all right.

You mean you were
in the tea shop that afternoon?

Tea shop?
Oh, no, it was before that.

In Mr. Culledon's own house
it was.

See, that's where I was working,
till I came to my present place.

Let me be quite clear
about this.

You were employed, you say,
at Lorbury House?

I was engaged when they
come back from their honeymoon.

See, there was only the butler
and the housekeeper

and us two maids.

And what with the butler
being sent out all hours

to furnish the wine cellar --

And when was this, Katie?

Oh, um, that would be
Thursday afternoon,

nearly a week
after they had got back.

Only, of course,

the mistress was out
that particular afternoon.

I see.

And as the butler was also out,

you opened the front door
to this lady.

Yes, I did.

And the master saw her in
his smoking room alone, my lady.

Uh, did the lady give her name?

Oh, I did glance at her card.

I can't say I recollect it,
though.

One of them foreign names
it was.

Foreign?

Well, she looked sort of foreign
herself, really.

Do you mean to say that she
spoke like a foreigner'?

Well, she didn't say much,
just asked for Mr. Culledon.

But all the same, she looked
a bit, well, French-like, to me.

Aha!

Could you describe her,
do you think?

Well, she was tall,
beautifully dressed.

Did she wear a large hat?

Hat.

Oh, don't remember it
as being particularly large.

Do you think that you would know
her if you saw her again?

Oh, yes, I think so.

All dressed in dark green
she was.

She was very handsome,
I must say.

Did you say green?

Well, that blue-green, you know?

My lady, Prussian blue or green
was how Frau Mathis

described the woman's dress
in the tea shop.

Thank you, Mary.

Um, how long did the lady stay?

Well, she was with him
nearly over an hour, see,

and that was the trouble

because, in the end,
the mistress come home.

I see.

And so, of course,
you let her in.

Yes.

But you did not mention

that your master was already
entertaining a visitor.

She never asked.

[ Clears throat]

And then what happened?

Well, then, as the mistress
was going upstairs,

the foreign lady comes out
of the smoking room,

and they meet, you see,
on the stairs.

And do you recall what was said?

I couldn't say, my lady.

But after a while, the master
come out of his room,

and he went on at me
something dreadful.

And I think he must have
complained to the mistress

'cause she gave me my notice
next morning.

And you never saw
the foreign lady again?

No, she never come back
while I was there.

Well, thank you, Katie.

We're most grateful to you for
all that you've been telling us.

I wonder what decided you
to come.

Well, I just thought
it was my duty, my lady.

Least I could do
for poor Mr. Culledon.

Most commendable, particularly
if he was the person

responsible
for you losing your place.

Oh, but when he was murdered --

You forgave him
and decided to help.

Yes.

Then why did you not
come forward before?

At the inquest, for example?

Why wait until now?

Well, I just thought
it was my duty.

Splendid, Katie.

And now I think you'd better
hurry on your errand.

Oh, I say.

What is it, Katie?

Well, if the foreign lady
gets hung,

will I get the 50 quid?

"Any member of the public
who may have noticed this woman

on the afternoon in question
is kindly asked to com--"

"Communicate."

Yes, "with Scotland Yard."

Makes you wonder what the police
get paid for, innit, eh?

I mean,
I don't know how much plainer

I could have made it for them.

Yeah, well, don't go making
yourself too plain around here,

or we shall be in a mess.

Your Lady Molly will be here
any minute,

and she knows a sight too much
about us already.

I don't know why you had to go
and talk to her

in the first place.

"£50, my girl.
That's what for!

Just you think of the ribands
you could buy for that, Maud,

and the high boots.

Oh, you are awful, Katie Harris.

Poor Lucy's case
coming up next week.

[Chuckles]

You can use your share of it
to help her, if you like.

[ Bell rings]

Oh, not her again.

What's she coming around for
this time?

She's been sent for
by old Mrs. S.

Gonna get a rap 'round
her knuckles, if you ask me.

This way, my Ed)'-

I'm to show you straight up.

Thank you.

MAUD:
Lady Molly, my lady.

LADY IRENE: Lady Molly, we are
grateful to you for coming.

Kindly sit down, Irene,
until I have quite finished.

Won't you also sit down,
Lady Molly?

Thank you, Lady Irene.

How dare you impersonate me,
madam,

and fabricate an entry in
a newspaper column on my behalf?

It was unorthodox,
I agree, but --

Have the courtesy
not to interrupt me,

madam policewoman,

or you'll quickly find yourself
in the dock.

You have forged my name,

placed my bankers
in a totally false position.

- But as to that --
-Will you be silent?!

There are a dozen charges
I could bring against you.

I have spoken to the
commissioner on the telephone.

He will not protect you, madam,
if I decide to do away with you.

[Gasps]

Aunt Miriam,
if you cannot keep calm,

I shall have to call
for the doctors.

You know quite well
it is dangerous for you

to give way to these rages.

But why should you want to do
away with me, Mrs. Steinberg?

When I last saw you, you told me
how you loved your nephew.

You praised him
and believed in him.

So I do, madam.

And now he cannot
defend his name.

You shall not defame him.

He was the only one
of my entire family

with any proper moral sense.

Mrs. Steinberg,
somebody killed your nephew.

I want to find out who it was.

And I do not, my clever lady.

I want my nephews honor intact,
the honor of the family.

But the inquiry.

Do you not understand me yet?

There will be
no further inquiry,

or there will be an end
to Lady Molly of the Yard.

[Bell tolling]

[Sighs]

The commissioner writes he has
taken you off the Culledon case

only with the deepest regret.

Thank you, Mary.

And he assures you
he rejects the theory

that Mr. Culledon
was the victim of an outrage

by the supporters
of equal rights for women.

[Sighs heavily]

Inspector Saunders is none too
happy about losing us, either.

He may not approve
of your methods,

but he does respect
your feminine intuition.

Fiddle-faddle.

That man
only talks about intuition

because he cannot bear the idea
that a woman can think.

He has, in fact,
managed to interview

several
of Mrs. Steinbergs relatives,

the ones
she cut out of her will.

M m.
And with what result?

They seem to think that
if he could put up with her,

he deserved the money.

Well, my lady, I thought
that you would like to know

that we have found her.

Who do you mean?

Shall we say a woman whose
description tallies closely

with that of our murderess?

What is more,
she confesses as much.

Confesses?

LADY MOLLY:
You've seen her'?

Spoken to her.

- What'?
-On the telephone.

I've asked her to come up here
to make a statement.

To my office?
But surely --

Well, the commissioner
thought it only fair

that you should be invited
to meet her.

That was very civil of him,
Saunders.

Yes, well, as a matter of fact,

she made rather a fuss
about coming to my office.

In fact, she refused
to come at all

unless she could
speak to you, so...

- Oh!
-Oh, hurrah, Mary!

We're back on the case!

Now, really,
I can't promise that.

Who is she, Saunders?

- Well, here are the details.
-Oh, of course.

Oh, yes, and she has
a foreign accent, all right.

I wonder if she wears a big hat.

Miss Elizabeth Lowenthal.

{Austrian accent] Lady Molly?
-Yes.

How do you do?

I am not too soon,
am I, Inspector'?

I don't follow, miss.

For the the past 24 hours,

I have been watched
by your police.

I thought I should come
of my own accord

before you came to arrest me
in my flat.

Very sensible, miss,
although, of course,

there is no question of
a warrant...for the moment.

Yes, for the moment.

But you know my friends,
my servants, even my landlady.

They have all read
the description of this woman

who is thought
to have murdered Mark.

Mr. Culledon.

Ah.

Inspector,
I do not want detectives

to hang out about outside my
flat, questioning my neighbors.

In fact, I will not have it.

But why not, Miss Lowenthal,
if you have nothing to conceal?

Shall we say I prefer the scent
of Parma violets

to the odor of the law??

Miss Lowenthal, I take it
that you do not deny

that you
knew Mark Culledon well.

Oh, yes, I knew Mark.

In fact, you are the lady
that Katie Harris

showed into the smoking room
at Lorbury House.

That is true, is it not?

I did go there once, certainly.

Mark Culledon treated me badly,
or so I felt.

I wanted to spite him,
to make some scandal or other.

Why shouldn't I?

So straitlaced,
so respectable he had become.

It would have served him right.

But then, between scandal and
murder, there is a wide gulf.

Don't you agree with me?

Oh, certainly.

Oh, yes, indeed.

You are getting all this,
aren't you, Miss Grenard?

"Between scandal and murder,
there is a wide gulf."

LADY MOLLY:
[Chuckles]

Now, Miss Lowenthal,
would you mind telling us

in what way Mr. Culledon
treated you badly?

I have come here
to tell you everything I know.

You see, at one time,
Mark was engaged to marry me.

Was he, indeed?

And when would this be?

Little more than a year ago.

Before he met the Lady Irene?

- Oh, yes.
-I see.

Then he changed his mind,
did he'?

Decided that he'd rather marry
an earl's daughter than, uh...

Myself?
-Mm-hmm.

Something of the kind,
Inspector.

Saunders, I think Miss Lowenthal
might be allowed to sit down.

Oh, yes, of course.

[Bells tolling]

Thank you.

Poor Mark.

That rich aunt of his
must have regarded me

as a most undesirable match.

I was a foreigner, after all.

Then, my profession
was not respectable.

What is your profession, ma'am?

I am an actress.

Ah!

An actress!

And where did you meet
Mr. Culledon, at the stage door?

As it happened,
we met on the Channel steamer.

He was returning from
some business on the Continent.

He fell in love with me.

And after a few weeks,
he asked me to be his wife.

And you accepted, of course.

After some hesitation, I did.

And then your engagement
was announced?

No, Mark told me it must
be kept secret for a time.

He explained about his aunt,

who was old and from whom
he had great expectations.

And who, as you say,

did not want him to marry a
foreign girl who was an actress.

Miss Lowenthal,
where do you come from, exactly?

From Vienna.

Thank you.

Vienna, yes.

Well, after that,
I mistrusted him.

We saw one another
less and less often,

and one evening he informed me
he had changed his mind.

He felt sure that if I really
loved him, I would understand.

But you felt anything
but understanding.

Am I not right, miss?

He had jilted you, had he not?

And you were determined
that he should suffer for it.

Really, Saunders, this hectoring
is quite unnecessary.

But the inspector
is quite right.

To be humiliated,
and in a foreign country.

Yes, I certainly did
want to punish him.

Would you tell us
how you set about it?

I decided to bring an action
against him.

An action at law?

For breach of promise.

When his aunt heard about it,

I felt sure she would cut him
out of the will, after all.

Is this all
that you intended to do?

It would have been
punishment enough for him, yes.

Did he know what you intended?

Oh, yes.

That was the reason I went to
his house after his honeymoon.

To tell him about it.

Uh, Miss Lowenthal,
you have told us

how Mr. Culledon fell in love
with you, at least for a time.

Did you, in fact,
care anything for him?

Oh, yes, I loved him.

Otherwise, why should I bother
to punish him?

There would not have been
any point.

Ah.

And the more you loved him,
of course,

the heavier would have to be
his punishment.

I did not care for him enough
to murder him, Lady Molly.

Oh.

Grenard, would you kindly
confine yourself

to taking notes?

Yes, Inspector.

Nevertheless, ma'am, I'm sure --

I'm sure that you appreciate
our difficulty.

You see, you bear
a close resemblance

to the woman seen with him
shortly before he died.

And you have given us what
this case has so far lacked.

A motive.

I know what is in your mind,
Inspector.

A jealous woman,
an actress and a foreigner,

rather than see her lover happy
with another,

poisons him in a public place.

Oh, it makes a fine story
for the melodrama, sir,

but, happily for me,
it is not the truth.

In that case,

only one thing remains
to established your innocence.

The inspector refers
to your whereabouts

at the time of the crime.

- Lady Molly.
-What'?

With your permission.

I was out.

Shopping, perhaps?

No.

Visiting friends?

No.

Well, someone
must have seen you.

I was with no one, Inspector.
I met no one.

I went alone onto Primrose Hill
for a long walk.

Quite so, Inspector.

I have no alibi.

[Gunshots]

[Gunshots]

So perish
all thick-headed policemen

who can see no further
than an alibi.

But he let her go, my lady,
thanks to you.

He will have her arrested
this afternoon, just the same.

As far as he's concerned,
the case is open and shut.

The idiot.

Surely that lovely creature
is incapable of falsehood.

You're a dear, sweet girl, Mary.

Sometimes I could give you
a good bang on the head.

27. Your turn.

Yes, Lady Molly.

Oh, and, Mary,
do try not to flinch today.

I do not wish to have to replace
another pane in the skylights.

Well, I, for one, shall refuse
to believe she's guilty.

Elbow up, wrist parallel.

[Gunshot]

Keep your sights low.

That one would only
have lifted his wig off.

[Gunshot]

That one pulled
well to the right.

It's so unfair.

[Gunshot]

Saunders has no proper evidence

against the Austrian lady
at all.

Maybe enough for the jury,
all the same.

Keep your sights low, dear.

[ Gunshot, glass breaks]

Hang on.

Did you say "the Austrian lady"?

Viennese, she told us.

My hat!

We've been missing the most
obvious clue in the world.

Mary, what is Frau Mathis'
proudest boast?

I suppose that her pastries
are truly Viennese.

Precisely.
Viennese.

Quite a coincidence, isn't it?

- Is it'?
-Yes.

But then there's that hat
that we've heard so much about.

Why did they all mention that?

Mary, how many girls
can we muster this afternoon

for an urgent errand?

- Four, perhaps five.
-Not enough.

Get hold of every girl
on the Haymarket

that we've ever done
a good turn to.

Make a list of all
the little milliners' places

from here to Hampstead.

I've got to find out
where that hat was made up.

Oh, and, Mary, meet me at the
Remand Prison, Pentonville Road.

But why, particularly?

The hat, Mary, the hat!

[ Door closes]

[indistinct conversations]

[Baby crying]

Of course I understand, Lucy.

Those two girls
are your friends,

and so I shall not ask you
to give evidence against them.

Your ladyship,
they'd kill me if I did.

What puzzles me is that
first Katie and then Maud

should be taken on as
parlormaids at Lorbury House.

That's odd.
Don't you think?

Oh, no, my lady.

Well, they agreed it
between them, you see,

while Mr. Culledon used to
come 'round our lodgings.

But this was before
he was married, of course.

Oh, yes,
'cause then he went off Katie.

- Oh, did he'?
-Yes.

He wanted to see more
of Maud instead.

I understand perfectly.

You mean that Katie
made him promise

to give her a post
at Lorbury House

if he wanted his afternoons
with Maud.

That's right.

But what happened
when Katie lost her position?

Well, of course, next time
he came 'round our place,

there was a terrible old rumpus.

But this was
after he was married.

Surely he was not
still a visitor?

You're a caution, my lady.

Of course he used to come
visit us, more than ever.

[ Laughs]
I see!

Lucy, my dear,
you've helped me wonderfully.

Here!

I haven't blabbed too much,
have I?

Well, you won't tell the girls?

I give you my word.

And don't worry, my child.

I'll have you released
in my charge

if it's the last thing I do.

Good day, my dear.

[Conversations
crying continue]

[Mid-tempo classical music
playing ]

[indistinct conversations]

Girls, girls,
what are you doing?

The lady will be here
any second.

Inspector, this is a tea shop,
not a police station!

Frau Mathis, now, look here.

If I move this affair
down to the police station,

I shall have to take
all your girls along, too.

- Is that what you want?
-Very well.

Stay if you must,
but please be discreet.

Lady Pomfret Greene
has just arrived.

Now, girls, observe.

I want you to tell me
exactly what you see.

Our lady just got out
of her cab now, sir.

- Sally Anne, I want you --
-Frau Mathis!

Just a few more moments, please!

Ohh, I'm so tired
of these police.

Girls, I want you to look
very carefully, indeed.

I received your message,
Inspector.

Yes, um,
it's purely routine, miss.

Just to clear up any doubts.
You understand?

Now, you want me
to walk around the shop?

Yes, and sit at one of
the tables, if you would, miss.

[indistinct conversations]

I quite understand.

Well, girls, what do you think?

Is it her, or isn't it?

Sally Anne!

L-I don't exactly Know, sir.

She does look quite
like the lady, but --

But what?

There's something, you know,
different about her.

[Sighs]

Well, what is the difference?

I can't really say, sir.

But she does
look quite like her.

[Sighs]

[Hooves clopping in distance]

[Hooves clopping in distance]

I'm not sure if the mistress
is receiving, my lady,

but I will inquire.

Thank you, Maud.

Oh, and, Maud, pay Katie Harris
my respects, will you?

And give her this note.

Katie Harris?

Now, do not pretend
that she's not belowstairs

at this very moment.

And be sure
that you bring her with you

when you come up to the drawing
room when you are sent for.

- I don't know anybody --
-Oh, be off with you.

Yes, my lady.

Are we not running
a dreadful risk?

Mrs. Steinberg
may take it into her head

to have us both arrested.

I should very much
like her to try, Mary.

I'm not convinced that it was
solely the family honor

that caused her to try
and throw me off the case.

Lady Molly, you don't think that
that sick old woman

could have had any hand in --

You will learn what I think
soon enough, Mary.

In the meantime,
I shall be well content

to interview
Mrs. Steinberg again.

If only that were possible,
Lady Molly.

My beloved aunt passed away in
the early hours of this morning.

Please come in.

You understand
this was not unexpected.

Since the inquest, her life
has been hanging in the balance.

Lady Irene, we should not have
intruded at such a moment.

Please forgive us.
-You could not have known.

Anyway, perhaps you bring me
news of the inquiry.

I do have a theory, but to
test it out, I need your help.

Unhappily,
this is hardly the occasion.

Oh, no, no, you must tell me
at once what you wish me to do.

Well, then, I should like to put
a few questions to your maid.

I am to give evidence
in a shoplifting case

in which I'm sorry to say
she is involved.

If you think it will be
of value, Lady Molly.

But has Maud
really been shoplifting?

I fear so.

- And Katie, too.
-Katie?

Oh, Maud, put it down here.

Katie, what are you doing here?

Um, my lady, I do sometimes come

and keep Maud company
belowstairs.

Knowing she was here,
I asked her to come up.

Will you indulge me further
and allow her to stay?

If you wish, Lady Molly,

but I shall want words with you,
miss, later on.

Yes, my lady.

Now, I'm sure you both know
these ladies

-are with the police.
-Yes, my lady.

You will do your best
to answer their questions.

Yes, my lady.

What I'm after
is really quite painless.

No, thank you, no cream.

You see, this afternoon,

one of the waitresses
at Mathis' tea shop

is to identify the woman
who poisoned your late master.

Now, in order to do this,

the police want a number
of young ladies

wearing unusually large hats
to parade before them.

Mary, your tea, dear.

Oh, thank you.

To see if the waitress

will continue to pick out
the same woman.

I'm afraid I don't quite
follow you, Lady Molly.

You mentioned a case
of shoplifting.

Yes, I think these young ladies

understand the connection
quite well.

In any case, I'm sure they both
possess fine, big hats.

I do have quite a pretty one,
my lady.

My "cherry ripe,"
as my young man calls it.

Well, you better run along
and fetch it, Maud,

-to humor our guests.
-Yes, my lady.

LADY MOLLY:
And you, Katie.

Can you also oblige us?

Me, my lady?

Katie does not live
in this house.

So how can she suddenly produce
a particular hat?

Well, Katie, how can you?

Um...

My lady.

I do have the one
that your ladyship wouldn't wear

and threw away.

Maud found the scraps
in the dust hole,

and we put it together.

I can't think what you mean,
Katie.

I never wear big hats.

No, my lady.

But Katie means the one
you ordered at Sanchia's.

Well, you only wore it the once.

The day you went
to that concert.

Now, then,
which day would that be?

That I could never forget,
my lady.

Well, I helped undress your
ladyship when you came home.

And you said that you'd never
wear that big hat again,

that it was
far too heavy for you.

Oh. And that same evening,
we learned that --

Well, you came up to tell us,
my lady,

that Mr. Culledon was murdered.

Thank you, Maud.

I'm sure that will answer
our purpose very well.

And now I think I would like you
to go and put on your hats.

Yes, my lady.

So, your own maid knew
all along.

Or did you imagine
that she did not guess?

LADY IRENE:
You can prove nothing.

Well, let us see
what we can prove.

Mary?

Today we found a milliner in the
Portland Road called Sanchia.

She tells us she made up a hat
to your own minute description

one week
before your husband died.

How dare she?!

We believe that that hat

was a copy of the one
that Miss Lowenthal was wearing

the day she came here
and met you on the stairs.

The courts will laugh at you.

Would you care to test
the waitress's memory?

I think I have suffered enough
without this monstrous charge.

Is it so monstrous?

We believe
that you were well aware

of your husband's entanglement
with Miss Lowenthal.

You also knew that
at the first breath of scandal,

your aunt
would cut your husband,

and therefore yourself,
out of her will.

That breach-of-promise action
was a blow to your hopes.

How could you keep it
from your aunt?

Then you thought of a plan.

You arranged
to meet your husband for tea,

appearing with him in a hat that
was a copy of Miss Lowenthal's.

And you poisoned him.

For good measure,
you chose a Viennese tea shop

to put the police on the track

of somebody
who was herself Viennese.

As a matter of fact,
that was rather too clever.

Miss Lowenthal
never visited that tea shop.

Lady Molly.

I wonder if you can have
the first idea

of what my marriage was like.

I knew quite well
what kind of man Culledon was

when I married him.

A cold enemy in business, greedy
for a well-connected wife,

and obsessed
by the power of money.

[Chuckles]

Well, you met his aunt.

And as for women,
he took a collector's interest.

Every street girl
must be branded his.

And when he boasted of it to me

and I said I should not continue
with the marriage,

he pointed out that my father
had left me very little choice.

He would quite certainly
have ruined my family

if I disappointed him.

So I waited.

I promised myself that one day
we should have his money

and be rid of him.

And I almost succeeded,
did I not'?

For his aunt died
believing in her nephew,

and I have today
become her heir.

If I had not been for you,
Lady Molly --

[Chuckles]

But our tea is getting cold.

Let me give you a little toast.

To the emancipation of women.

Oh, yes.

LADY MOLLY:
Lady Irene.

Quick, Mary,
go and get Saunders.

He must be outside by now.

We must get a doctor at once!

[Breathing heavily]

Be sure to tell them

that the accused took the law
into her own hands.

[ Hooves clopping]

There's one thing
I still don't understand.

What is that, my dear?

When everyone else was looking
for the woman in the big hat,

what made you first think
of Lady Irene?

No one else suspected her
for a moment.

Well, funnily enough, my dear,

it was something
you said yourself

that put me on the track.

No, thank you.

Not this one.

I'll try the peacock straw.

Something I said?

Yes, it was while
we were standing in the hall

at Lorbury House.

You complained that you had not
the inches to wear a large hat.

I believe I did.

Well, it struck me
that if the lady had been tall,

the girls would not
have felt her hat

to be as large as all that.

So I immediately began looking
for a small woman.

No, thank you.
None of these will do.

But, my lady,
if it was as simple as that,

how is it that none
of our fellows spotted it?

Well, my dear, for the very
simplest reason in the world.

They're men, that's all.

[ Laughs]

Good morning.

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