Murder On The Orient Express Page #6

---

you are excused.

Thank you both for your help

and cooperation.

"Kennst du das Land,

wo die Zitronen bl?en?"

"Im dunklen Laub

die Gold-Orangen gl?en,"

"Ein sanfter Wind

vom Blauen Himmel weht,"

"Die Myrte still

und hoch der Lorbeer steht"

"Kennst du es wohl?"

Why have you stopped reading?

"Dahin! Dahin!

M?ht ich mit dir, o mein Gelieb... "

- Altezza.

- Signor Bianchi.

?permesso presentare

L'investigatore distinto,

Monsieur Hercule Poirot?

Hildegarde has read me many

of your cases in the newspapers,

but I have had to stop her.

Nowadays, they are the only form

of literature that keeps me awake.

And I need what I defiantly continue

to call my beauty sleep.

- You would care for a little cognac?

- Thank you, no.

Yes, please.

Now, you wish me to confess

to the murder of Mr.?

What's his name?

Au contraire, Madame la Princesse,

it is I who wish to make a confession.

You pay me the compliment

of having read about me,

I return the compliment

by admitting that

I have read about you.

Continue.

I have been accidentally reminded

that you were the godmother

of Mrs. Armstrong,

who was herself the mother

of the kidnapped child, Daisy.

How did you become Mrs. Armstrong's

godmother, Madame?

I was the friend and admirer

of her mother,

the great American actress,

Linda Arden.

Why did you bring these daggers

from the place?

Is that a quotation or a question?

A quotation. I saw her twice

as Lady Macbeth in London.

She was the greatest

tragic actress of her day.

Was? Surely she is still alive,

Madame?

Alive, but bedridden.

Did she not have a second daughter,

younger than Mrs. Armstrong?

There was,

but I do not recall her name.

When I paid a visit,

she was always away at school.

What became of

the younger daughter?

She married a Turk or some such.

We never spoke of it.

What was Mrs. Armstrong's

maiden name?

Mrs. Armstrong's

maiden name was

Greenwood.

May I tax your memory and,

indeed, your patience a little longer?

There are other names

in the Armstrong household

that I cannot recall.

Was there not a secretary?

Of course there was a secretary.

Her name, Madame?

Her name.

Oh, my memor...

She was a Miss Freebody.

Was there not a gallant chauffeur?

There was.

I never used him. I had my own.

Surely he was not

the only male servant?

I seem to remember one other there.

He was, I think you would say,

the colonel's Indian orderly.

And Mrs. Armstrong's

personal maid.

The one who was wrongly suspected

of complicity in the kidnapping

- and killed herself?

- I always travel

with my own personal maid.

There was no need to speak

with Mrs. Armstrong's.

Doubtless, Fr?lein Schmidt

will remember her name.

Surely, Fr?lein,

as one lady's maid to another,

you conversed

as equals below stairs.

Ja, ja, nat?lich.

But ladies' maids were often called

only by their Christian names.

And what was hers?

Paulette.

Hildegarde.

You will be so kind

as to give me two aspirin.

And you will ask

the dining-car attendant

to bring me a glass of Russian tea,

and then you may retire

to your own compartment.

I will ring when I need you.

Ja wohl, meine Prinzessin.

Finally, there was the nurse.

I had no need

of a nurse.

That is an ordeal still to come.

You never smile,

Madame la Princesse.

My doctor has advised

against it.

Excuse me.

There is no need for us

to fatigue you further.

You have been of the utmost help.

Go back to the Pullman

and tell Pierre

to summon Colonel Arbuthnott

in five minutes.

- I want a word with the maid.

- Yes, Poirot.

Fr?lein Schmidt, I wonder

if I might have a word with you

about a small matter

in the privacy of your compartment?

- I have to take these aspirins...

- We will leave the door ajar.

I observed how moved you were

at the mention

of Mrs. Armstrong's maid, Paulette.

She had a sweet nature, mein Herr.

We were deep friends.

Have you a photograph of her

in your possession?

Ja. I never travel without my photo box.

It helps to pass the evenings.

No, please, mein Herr.

I am strong.

Be calm.

This could be your salvation

and that of every passenger

in the Calais coach,

including your mistress.

When did you last open the suitcase?

After Belgrade. When Pierre

summoned me to the Prinzessin,

I took out a volume of Goethe, in case

she wished me to read her to sleep.

Too stout for Pierre.

And, yes, there is a button missing

from the tunic.

A button found by Mrs. Hubbard.

And a passkey in the trouser pocket.

Here is the photo, mein Herr.

And this pretty, innocent girl

threw herself from a window.

Use this, Fr?lein.

I found it in the corridor

and thought it must be yours

- because it bears the initial H.

- No. No.

That is the handkerchief

not of a maid, but of a great lady.

Like your mistress?

It is her style, ja,

but not her handkerchief.

I know all her linen.

Besides,

the initial is wrong.

What is the princess's first name?

Natalia, mein Herr.

It is a Russian name.

Then I must keep it

until I find the rightful owner.

Might I also keep the photograph until

this evening? I promise to return it.

Ja. Ja. That does not worry me,

but this,

this does.

Am I to be accused

of hiding it in my suitcase?

Fr?lein, I am as sure

you did not hide the uniform

as I am sure you are a good

and loyal friend to your mistress.

Not only a good maid,

but also a good cook.

Not merely a good cook,

but a companion, a comfort, a solace.

You see? You are a good cook,

are you not?

All my ladies have said so. I...

Auf Wiedersehen.

Animal crackers in my soup

Lions and tigers loop-the-loop

You opening a dress shop?

No.

We are closing an inquiry.

Where is Shimoga?

- I beg your pardon?

- Shimoga, where is it?

Well, it's a bit off my track.

I'm a Northwest Frontier man myself.

But Shimoga's down south,

in Mysore. Why?

Does it possess a mission?

How the hell should I know?

India's pustular with missions.

You are returning on leave

from India to England?

- Yes.

- Why overland?

Why not?

Because the sea route

by P and O is more usual.

I chose to come overland

for reasons of my own.

Colonel Arbuthnott,

in a murder inquiry,

no suspect's reasons

are exclusively his own.

I stopped for one night

to see Ur of the Chaldees,

and for three days in Baghdad

with the A.O.C.,

who happens to be

a friend of mine.

The English Miss Debenham

also has traveled from Baghdad.

It is possible the murder

was committed by a woman

or by a man and a woman

in collaboration.

From your acquaintanceship

with Miss Debenham,

would you have thought

that she was

capable physically or emotionally or?

- That's a bloody irregular question.

- I know, but I ask it.

Miss Debenham is not a woman.

- She's a lady.

- Which precludes her

from being a murderess?

Damn it,

the man was a perfect stranger.

- She'd never seen him before.

- You feel warmly in the matter.

I don't know what you're driving at.

Then let us be practical

and drive at facts.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes