Original subtitles

£1.8 million.

A friend's price, John.

That's almost £112,000 apiece.

One hundred and eleven thousand,

one hundred and eleven pounds and eleven pence.

Lots of ones.

It's a lot of money. Even for the Weiss set.

1 already have two other buyers.

Well, Max must be one of them.

Who's the other?

Lives in Jersey.

Max would give more than £1.8m for the Weiss collection.

Yes, but he's very slow.

- One million pounds. - 1.8. Not negotiable.

Stolen property. You wouldn't want the police knowing.

- Sounds like a threat. - I like you, Rosa.

- But I want the Lohans, - Then pay the price.

- A million's a good price. - Not good enough.

Keep the slides. You may change your mind.

Rosa! You can't play games with something like this, you know.

You're playing games. You want the set, find the money, Mr Kelp.

112 grand for this?

No, that's a fake.

Most people can't tell the difference. See here?

Made by the reproducers so they can't be sold as originals.

Well, that's honest of them.

Self-protection.

Don't want someone selling you one of your own fakes as an original

They're in here.

I expect the sale to go through in the next couple of weeks.

I'll need your help during that time, Mr Bergerac.

Have you got any documentation on this?

The set's been in my family for three generations.

Documentation for this kind of thing isn't common.

Then why do you need a minder now?

I've put it up for sale.

Collectors can be very ruthless.

Especially when there's competition.

- Have you been threatened? - Indirectly.

Well, it's 150 quid a day, plus expenses.

Charlie Hungerford said it would be less.

Charlie Hungerford is not my agent, Miss Zeenak.

150.

Magnificent!

Don't you believe her?

Of course I believe her,

only I've got to get the stuff authenticated by my chap

before I can make a bid.

It's a unique collection - worth a fortune.

That's why I'm here, Charlie.

Did she say I recommended you?

Yes, she did. And do you mind - next time, can I quote the price?

- Gratitude always was your strong suit - Thank you.

- Are you satisfied? - Quite satisfied.

What I don't understand is how the Weiss collection got into your family.

There's a reward for its recovery. £10,000.

Why don't you come to the point?

Perhaps a commission for authenticating the set - and it certainly is genuine -

without, of course, revealing exactly how genuine?

How much?

10% would be fair.

- £180,000? - Very fair.

You'll have to wait until after the sale.

I'll trust you, then. Just as you can trust me.

- What about Danielle? - What about her?

You're not going to let her stay in your pokey little flat, are you?

Why not?

It's all right for you, but you can't leave her there all on her own.

She'd better come and stay with me while you're here with Rosa.

- It's up to her. - Charlie! Mr Bergerac!

Not bad looking, eh?

1.8 million?

The collection's beyond price, Mr Hungerford.

You don't think it's too much?

Oh, she could get far more than she's asking.

There's a buyer in Chicago now who'd pay the earth for it.

Famous, is he?

Not famous, but a perfect set of 16 Lohans.

They were the apostles of the Buddha.

I've never seen an entire set like that, and I've been in the business 40 years.

No, it's a nice offer, if you can stand the company.

- I'll tell Charlie you said that. - You're meant to.

It'll be like a holiday. It's very comfortable here, Jim.

- Don't tell him that. - Why not?

Well, he'll send you a bill!

- So much nicer to kiss on a deal - Well, I thought nowadays...

- It's a woman's privilege, Charlie. - It's fine by me, Rosa.

Any time you want to kiss and make a deal, just let me know!

What do you think Mr Bergerac makes of it all?

Jim? He's got no sense of business, Doesn't understand the profit motive!

Stop!

I've never had a hangover like this.

- I'll call the police. - No.

As soon as they're brought in, the set will disappear. I'll never get it back.

- I didn't see anyone. - I did.

His name is Mike Younger.

- What does he look like? - Medium height. Brown hair. Clean-shaven.

Fat lot of use.

Nice lot of people you hang around with

He works for one of the potential buyers, John Kelp.

Well, why bother to steal the set if he's going to buy it?

I was threatening to sell to someone else. Kelp was offering less money.

- Couldn't he up the offer? - Why are you interrogating ME?

I'm the victim. It's my collection that's just been stolen.

You know the thief-

You were hired to protect it, Bergerac.

Just so long as you didn't hire someone else to steal it.

The insurance my family took out wouldn't pay for one of those figures.

How long will it take Kelp to sell the set?

- He won't yet. - What's to stop him?

This.

The 16th original. I exchanged it for the fake.

That's a real Kangxi marking. Without this piece, the set loses value.

- Yeah? - It's the set of 16 that's priceless.

Separately, each piece might fetch £10,000 to £15,000.

John Kelp's after a great deal more than that.

100,000 quid I put on those blasted things! I've just transferred the money.

- If she's honest... - Well, of course she's honest.

Well, you'll get your money back.

- Jim, why shouldn't she be honest? - Why should she know the thief?

Well, you've known plenty of criminals in your time.

Charlie, he used to be a policeman!

That's beside the point. If you think Rosa's a crook...

I don't think anything right now. But she is an attractive woman.

Oh, I see! You think I've been taken in by a pretty face at my time of life?

Persuaded into doing something against my better judgement? Is that it?

- Charlie, don't be cross. - It can happen to anyone.

What do you mean, cross? I'm not cross!

But if you think Rosa's a crook, what are you doing here?

Getting paid, I hope. At least till I know one way or the other about the figure.

I still can't believe you allowed it to be stolen.

A poisoned dart! I suppose the fellow used a blowpipe!

You're certain Mr Hungerford's involved?

He wanted to buy the set, and he told me it had been stolen.

So Mr Hungerford knew it was the Weiss collection?

Hungerford may not have known it was stolen... when it WAS stolen,

- if you see what I mean. - Not yet, no.

The set of 16 figures was stolen two years ago from a Swiss collector...

Paul Weiss.

I'm not sure if Hungerford knew that or not.

I do know it was the Weiss set I saw at Miss Zeenak's.

I also know, because Mr Hungerford told me,

that it's just been stolen again from Miss Zeenak's house.

How long have you known it was this Weiss collection?

I, er... I just found out today.

I did a bit of checking up, then I came to see you.

Highly commendable.

Certainly. I believe there's a reward for its recovery, Inspector.

- Sergeant Lomas! - £10,000.

IF this leads to the recovery of the collection, then you'll be considered.

Sir?

Thought you'd like to know your friend Bergerac's in the thick of it again.

- John Kelp. - I /rave the 16th Lohan.

Who is this?

I was at Rosa Zeenak's house the night your man broke in.

The minder!

- Didn't see very much, I gather. - He didn't get the whole set.

I've been waiting for someone to contact me. I thought it would be Rosa.

She doesn't know about the swap.

- She thinks I have the entire collection? - Sure.

- What's she planning to do about I? - I've got no idea.

Were you sacked?

- Failed in your duty, eh? - I have the figure.

How much do you want for it?

Can we talk about that face to face, please?

- Come to see me in Wiltshire. - No, not at your place.

- Somewhere neutral? - Yes, please.

Tomorrow.

Do you know Salisbury? The cathedral?

1 sing in the choir. I have choir practice tomorrow afternoon.

- How will I recognise you? - Stand near the pulpit. Bring the figure.

I always knew I'd be looking at Bergerac's face up here.

I've never liked him. You can't have a copper who goes by his own rules.

And now he's private, it's even worse. As far as I'm concerned, he's implicated.

Surely the best way to find out is to ask him.

I don't want you near him on this one. He's right in the middle of it.

No consultation. Is that dear?

We're not getting any help from the mainland.

- Who's in charge? - Chief Inspector Westrup.

And he's stonewalling me.

Westrup. He would be. He's always after the credit.

Especially on one like this. Looking to get his picture in the papers.

I know the way Westrup thinks.

Don't see why WE shouldn't crack it first.

I mean to. Before Jack Westrup and before your former colleague Bergerac.

Even if we have to recover the collection by taking a circuitous route.

Or even an unofficial one.

They're moving.

Hungerford's on the move. Over.

Mr Bergerac?

Yes.

- You brought the figure? - Yes.

May I see it?

This is a copy.

A beautiful reproduction, but not what I want to see.

You see this? The original Lohan doesn't have any markings. This does.

You don't want this, then?

Oh, I'll give you £15 for it, if you like.

- I'll keep it, thank you. - Suit yourself.

You've been had, Mr Bergerac.

But if you do come across the original, get in touch.

- Who does the set belong to really? - Whoever has it.

- Yes. But are you sure it's a Lohan? - So I'm told.

- What period is it? - 17th century.

Yes, but there are many periods within the 17th century.

Is it Kangxi transitionware or...

Look, what I can tell you is that it's part of a complete set.

A whole set? A set of 16 Lohans?

- Yeah. That's right. - Are you quite sure?

Well, I've seen them. What about authentication?

In Chinese porcelain? It's difficult.

- We believe the people we deal with. - Oh, yeah?

There is the famous Weiss set, of course,

stolen from the Swiss collector Paul Weiss.

Could that be it?

Without seeing the piece, I can't say.

- At the moment, I'm up to my eyes. - Well, thanks very much.

If it is the Weiss set, that's an extraordinary thing.

Look here, there is someone in Winchester, a colleague of mine.

That's not very far from you, is it? I'm sure she can help you.

He's got one of the Chinese figures and he's been showing it to a man here.

- Who? - I don't know.

- And I think he's being followed, - Are you saying he's spotted you?

No, there's someone else on his tail

- You stay on top of him. - I'm right here.

On top of him, not WITH him. No conferring, no friendly chats.

- No, sir. - Where is Bergerac?

- In his hotel room. - Where are you ringing from?

My hotel room.

How can you keep an eye on Bergerac from a hotel room?

It's the same hotel I can't spend the night outside in a place like Salisbury.

I'd get arrested.

- You'd do it here. - I'm a copper there.

Well, bed late and up early, then.

A Chinese Lohan. Absolutely! The long ears are traditional

It's fairly typical of the reign of Kangxi, I would have thought.

It's not my period, though, you know.

- But is it genuine? - What's unusual is the figure itself.

Miss Chester, it is an original piece, then?

Undoubtedly. A beautiful piece.

Don't you think so spiritually exciting? Look at the face.

The Lohan's about to reach illumination!

Could it be part of the Weiss set?

You've seen a set, Mr Bergerac?

- Were the figures different? - Al 16, yeah.

No, I mean were they from different periods, different colours, finish?

Could have been.

If - and this would be the most interesting "if" -

these were from the Weiss set, they would have to be.

Paul Weiss put the set together

from pieces dating from different dynastic periods.

Your London office said the set had been stolen from him.

No, from his estate.

As far as I remember, ownership is still up in the air. Weiss died in 1987.

He left the set to a small Swiss museum. The heirs contested the will

But the set was stolen before the court could have made up its mind.

It's never surfaced.

If this IS one of the pieces, it's quite a find.

Do you... know where the set is?

Yes.

Well, we might be interested in handling it for you.

- Thank you, but it doesn't belong to me. - For the owner, then.

- I thought you said the set had no owner. - IF it IS the Weiss set.

What do you think?

Sounds like it could be.

And your office would handle stolen property?

Of course we wouldn't. Out of the question!

If it is from the Weiss set,

once it's returned and legal ownership finally established,

well, ultimately, it might be put up for sale.

- Sure. - And we would like to be in on it.

I'll think about it

We'd have to confirm that it is the Weiss set.

How long would that take?

My colleague, the one you've spoken to...

- Gervaise. - He'll have to come down from London.

- Didn't sound too keen. - He's a bit of a sceptic.

Only believes the evidence of his own eyes.

But when I tell him it could be from the Weiss set...

- I assume you're not leaving it with me. - No, thank you, Miss Chester.

- Hello. - Charlie.

- I want to leave at five o'clock. - Yes, sir.

- 5.30, Maria. No later. - Yes, ma'am.

It sounds a bit complicated to me, Jim. I'll think about it.

- Yes, Charlie. I'll see you. - Right.

Bergerac.

Hello, Jim. I've been thinking, what if it isn't this Weiss set?

I'll find that out tomorrow.

What if we brought in Ben Lomas and Willy?

- It's out of their jurisdiction. - I've been talking it over with Danielle.

- We could use her. - No. It's too dangerous.

- Oh, thank you very much. What about me? - You're 100 grand in the hole.

You'd better talk to her about it.

She's here. Hold on. Danielle, it's Jim.

- Jim, chéri! - I don't want you involved in this.

But you need someone they don't know.

Charlie can't do it alone. They know Charlie's not the sole buyer.

If I go with him, it won't be too unexpected.

Danielle, stay away from trouble.

It really is a beautiful piece.

- Why doesn't he come up to London? - He says he can't.

So you want me to come down?

It's not that far, Gervaise. I think it'll be worth your while.

- If it IS the Weiss. - 16 Lohans?

- I know. I know. - How many sets of 16 have you seen?

And you really can't manage the identification yourself?

- If I could, don't you think I would? - Mmm

Look, I'm impressed. I'm very impressed with the one I've seen.

But when it comes to the full set, I just know I'm out of my depth.

Well .. I would like to see the set. I'd love to, of course.

But we can't do anything with it, even if I do identify it.

It remains to be seen. Let's do the identification first, while we can.

If nothing else, it'll be first-rate publicity.

I'll be with you at ten o'clock in the morning.

Ricardo will give you a drink.

Hi.

- Dennis, I'm very glad you could come. - Our pleasure.

Excuse me. Hello, Dennis, Gloria. You're looking marvellous.

Excuse me, will you? I'm on a mission.

Rosa!

Excuse me, will you? There's somebody I'd like you to meet.

Madame Aubry, Rosa Zeenak.

Well, my father is a wine grower. I just trade.

What in particular?

Nothing in particular. I buy and I sell. The art market, for instance.

Yes, Charlie mentioned your interest.

In the Lohans. Yes. I was a member of his syndicate.

There has been a slight hitch.

So do you think a sale still might be possible?

It might.

If you were to arrange it, it would be very useful

- I can try, Madame Aubry. - Rosa!

I said I'd come.

Excuse me.

Somewhere we can talk?

A good time was had by all, eh?

- But you don't have the 16th Lohan. - Not yet.

And I could go to the police.

Which is why I'm willing to pay for your silence. 25,000.

Ha! I'd rather tell the police.

If they come looking for the set, they won't find it.

I have a buyer downstairs and 1 already have 100,000 down.

What's the price?

2.5 million now.

I'll give you 10% commission.

On top of the 100,000 I've already got?

Al right.

Now we have to get the 16th Lohan back.

Oi, you!

Jim, it's me. It's me.

What the hell are you doing here?

- Anyone else about? - No.

How long have you been following me?

A couple of days. Does it matter?

I must be getting old!

Mr Bergerac's room, please.

Jim Bergerac.

Mr Bergerac. Can you hold on a second?

Good news. My colleague's rushing down from London tomorrow.

Great. What time?

Why don't we say about... 11?

- I'll be there. - Splendid.

- Good night, Mr Bergerac. - Good night, and thank you.

- Sorry, Jim, - Oh, yeah?

Yeah. Deffand leaned on me.

Just remember, Detective Sergeant Lomas,

over here, you're just an ordinary civilian.

Deffand must be out of his tiny mind.

- What are you going to tell him? - There's not a lot to report, is there?

Well, we could put our heads together.

I've no intention of reporting that. Let's do it.

Miss Chester!

Mary! It's Gervaise. Can I come up?

Mary!

Mary!

- Good morning. - Good morning.

- Wonderful looking place, eh? - I wonder how old it is.

Trouble.

Rosa, take our guests into the house. Make them comfortable. Give them a drink.

Be along in a moment.

- Well? - I did it just like you said.

I went round to see the woman.

Told her I'd come to pick up a watch a friend of mine had left.

I reckoned that'd give me enough time to look around.

If Bergerac had left the figure with her, I'd find it, all right.

- What happened? - She started acting stupid.

Tried to shove me out.

- What happened? - It wasn't my fault.

- She fell - She's dead?

You fool! You stupid idiot!

Did anyone see you coming or going?

- No. Nobody. - I hope you're right.

Look, just tell Deffand I called.

No, Willy, I don't want to talk to him. I've got to go.

Ring down. Get the bills. We're leaving.

Even more beautiful than I imagined!

All we need now is the last one.

We ought to make reproductions of the whole set.

Be a very nice little collector's item!

I do hope your Mr Bergerac's not going to be a problem.

Perhaps you shouldn't have made the swap, Rosa.

Perhaps the set should never have left Jersey.

- A Mr Bergerac, sir. - Thank you, Bernard.

Rosa... Danielle, Charlie, if you'll excuse us?

Of course.

Mr Bergerac, how nice to see you again.

- Have you brought it? - No.

I gave the figure to you. I expect it back.

We have buyers here.

Well, they can wait. It wasn't a copy, Mr Kelp.

- You didn't know what you had. - I soon found out.

Do you know someone called Mary Chester?

Chester? No.

What's going on?

- She was killed yesterday. - Who was killed?

Murdered. After I'd gone to see her with the figure.

Ah. And you feel responsible?

- Yes. - Do you know who did it?

- This changes everything. - Of course, it doesn't.

What is it you want?

Well, first I'd like to see the set, please.

Charlie, you've met Mr Bergerac?

I believe so. You used to be with the police.

That's right. I'm retired now. How do you do?

- This is Mademoiselle... - Madame.

- Madame Danielle Aubry. - Enchanté, Madame.

- You're very young to be retired. - Well, that's why I'm still working.

Mr Bergerac's the proud possessor of the 16th Lohan.

- You all right? - Uh-huh.

- Will I tum this on? - Yeah.

I told you to stay out of this.

Yes. I heard what you said.

Well?

Jim, this is the end of the 20th century.

Sometimes I think you live at the beginning of the century.

Yeah.

Most of the time, I don't mind. I like it.

It's very... chevaleresque, very considerate.

It's not a matter of the century. It's common sense.

For me, this is just another job of work. OK?

- I know. - But for you...

It's what?

I know how to look after myself. You don't.

Oh, yes. I've noticed!

I'm sorry I'm not Ben Lomas or Willy Pettit.

I'm not.

But I promise I'll do the best I can.

Fingers crossed.

Even if you'd managed to open it, you wouldn't have found the Lohans, Bergerac.

Pity I have to sell them.

You can't yet, though, can you?

The game's over, Bergerac. You won't leave this house until I have the last piece.

You're gonna kill me too?

A thief surprised at his task?

Wanted for questioning over the death of poor Mary Chester?

It won't look good.

- You'd kill a burglar, eh? - Rosa will witness it was self-defence.

- What happened? - I got caught. He's armed. Come on.

- What about my case? - I'll get you another one.

- Put this where someone can find it. - Planting evidence?

Planting the truth. This is what got Mary Chester killed.

Oh, God.

Good morning, sir.

I've notified the Weymouth police.

What? What is it? What are you doing here?

This is ridiculous!

I was attacked, I tell you!

I shall be speaking to the Chief Constable.

You look very pleased with yourself.

I am. It wouldn't be fair to leave people in the dark, would it?

"The thieves had allegedly been using Jersey as their base of operations

"but they had eluded police there

"despite tip-offs and information provided by local residents.”

Which local resident do you think they're talking about?

Morning, sir.

I should book you, Bergerac.

What for? For helping the mainland police instead of the Bureau?

- You never asked for my help. - Believe me, I never will!

I've come about the reward.

And for anyone helping in the arrest of the thieves.-...

- £10,000. - I shall expect a nice fat dividend.

You'll get your 100 grand back.

That's not a dividend. That's a return of capital

As your principal backer, I'm entitled to a percentage of the profits.

He's got no sense of business, this fellow.

- Charlie! - Hello, love, how are you?

- I need to talk to you. - Yes, yes. Excuse me.

What's happened now, Charlie, he's taken the Staffordshire.

- What the bull terrier? - No, the china.

- He's taken it, but I can't prove it. - No, of course not.

He's lying to me all the time and he's spending so much time at the office.

- I quite understand. - What am I going to do?

Do? I'll tell you what, Heather. What you need is a good private detective.

- A detective? - Yes. I've got just the fellow for you.

Over there.