All This, and Heaven Too Page #12

If only Madame LeMaire

hadn't interfered.

It was time someone interfered.

You would still go on lying to me,

pretending you had a position here.

You've enough trouble.

If you had told me

it was only a matter of a letter from her.

I kept hoping she'd send one.

I wrote many times.

When did you write?

What did she say? What dare she say?

She never replied. She answered nothing.

Nothing?

Is nothing an answer?

Yes, nothing would be her answer.

When the weak are also cruel,

we should beware of them, my friend.

The weak know how to use their power.

They have soft, white hands

with which to squeeze and squeeze.

Monsieur, you frighten me.

I frighten you?

That look on your face.

Oh?

Is it as noticeable as that,

that I'm going mad?

Oh, please. Let's forget the letter.

I'll manage.

Come to the house tomorrow.

Come at 2:
00.

I'll go back to England. I'll do anything.

Come tomorrow.

Come at 2.

You'll have the letter.

So you see,

when you burst in here as late as this...

...and threaten me with your anger,

you're only acting foolishly.

I'm sorry, Frances.

I had no idea

that the letter was already written.

Well, perhaps there's an apology due

from me too.

I've been thoughtless.

Poor Mademoiselle Deluzy

must have suffered.

Has she suffered?

Well, surely you know.

You went to see her tonight, did you not?

You left me at the train

and took my children to see her.

Yes, I went to see her and took the

children. And yes, she has suffered.

And you have suffered too, poor Theo,

haven't you?

- Just give me that letter.

- Oh, but wait.

I want to read it to you.

I must be sure

that it meets with your approval.

"August 17, 1847.

To whom it may concern:

I hereby recommend

Mademoiselle Henriette Deluzy...

...for those excellent qualities of mind

and character...

...by which she has endeared herself to us

during her service...

...as governess in my household.

She left with mutual regret

and at her own request.

Signed, Frances, Duchesse de Praslin."

- Do you find that satisfactory, Theo?

- Oh.

It's more than satisfactory, Frances.

It is generous.

I wasn't fair to you, Frances.

Oh, but wait. I've written another also.

Perhaps you'll like it even better.

This letter is so important to

Mademoiselle Deluzy...

...I must be sure

that you are entirely pleased.

"To whom it may concern:

I hereby certify

that Mademoiselle Henriette Deluzy...

...was employed in my household

as governess...

...against the unheeded pleadings of me,

their mother.

From the first she conspired to deprive me

of everything I hold dear.

My children she taught to hate me...

...and with my husband

she consorted brazenly.

Finally, I could bear no more and I had

her sent from my house, never to return.

And all this, I certify to be God's truth.

Frances, Duchesse de Praslin."

Which letter do you like the best, Theo?

To think that I almost believed you.

Oh, but I'm only offering you your choice,

dear Theo.

But then, perhaps it doesn't matter...

...for there's really very little difference

between them. You see?

And I'll tell you something more.

No letter will I ever write...

...except one that will prevent her doing

to another what she's done to me.

Thinks she'll be safer in another country,

she's mistaken.

If she goes to England,

I'll write to England.

And if she chooses another country,

my hatred will follow.

Even if she crosses the ocean, I won't

spare her. No matter where she goes.

If she goes to the ends of the Earth,

my hatred will follow her!

Theo.

Theo. Theo! L...

I didn't mean it. L...

No. No. No! Theo, you couldn't!

You wouldn't. L...

Have mercy. You're mad, Theo.

No, Theo, I didn't mean it. Theo, no.

No, Theo. Theo, have mercy.

Have mercy. Theo, Theo.

No! No, Theo! Theo! No!

So it's come to this.

Gendarmes in my house.

Scandal, notoriety, ruin.

Yes, here it is.

Don't knock. Open the door.

Are you Henriette Deluzy-Desportes?

What?

The duchess has been murdered.

This is what you've brought.

No more talk.

Get into your clothes.

Don't touch anything in this room.

I always knew something terrible

would happen.

- You must tell me. You can't arrest me.

- I'm not here to tell you.

- I'm here to take you to the Conciergerie.

- Stand back, will you?

It should be hard for you to get out.

Murder.

The Duchesse de Praslin murdered.

Here's the victim.

Duchesse de Praslin murdered.

As I remember,

it was in the middle of the night...

...when Mademoiselle Maillard and I

ran to the duchess's apartment...

...and pounded on the doors.

They were all locked.

And then we ran around the garden

and up the outside stairs.

There we found a door unlocked.

It was too late.

The duchess was lying

at the foot of the bed.

In a few moments,

she died in Mademoiselle Maillard's arms...

...without having been able to say

a single word.

Poor madame, so good, so kind.

It's that woman

who's at the bottom of this.

Anything further?

Yes, monsieur.

When I saw there was nothing to be done,

I went to summon the duke.

Halfway there, I met him

and he followed me back into this room.

- What was his behavior?

- He was extremely agitated.

What did he say? What were his words?

This is important.

Well, he asked me three questions:

"Did she speak?

What do you think of it?"

And, "Have you seen anything?"

And as he said this,

he seemed very uneasy.

Well, why don't you question him,

not me?

Will you sign your deposition?

Right there.

Next. Mademoiselle Hortense Maillard.

And please do not leave the room.

I may want to question you again.

Mademoiselle Maillard, your testimony

is of vital importance to this investigation.

And when I heard the cries

of the servants, I took a pistol...

...then went in the duchess's bedroom

to find what you already know.

Have you any explanation

which may account for this tragedy?

No. Well, perhaps the intruder?

That was our first thought, robbery.

But since there's nothing missing,

we've dismissed it.

Did the duchess have any enemies

who might have wished to harm her?

No.

One does not wish death to anyone.

I'm not so sure of that, monsieur.

Would you care to explain the bloodstains

on the clothing you were wearing?

There was blood everywhere.

She was covered with blood.

When you came to your room,

you attempted to wash the blood off.

Did you not?

Yes, I wanted to see the children

and to tell them...

God help them.

This testimony of the valet

is very strange, monsieur...

...concerning the doors

to the duchess's room.

It appears they were locked at first...

...and then mysteriously,

they were no longer locked.

I remind you that as a peer of France,

I'm not accountable to officers.

How right you are, monsieur.

Under the laws of France...

...you are accountable only

to the House of Peers.

I wonder how someone must feel...

...who is not fortunate enough

to find herself in such a lofty position.

Whom do you mean?

What are you leading to?

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