Rebecca Page #11

I have a strong feeling...

that before the day is out,

somebody's going to make use of that...

rather expressive, though somewhat

old-fashioned term "foul play."

Am I boring you with all this?

No? Good.

Well, you see, Max, I find myself

in a rather awkward position.

You've only got to read this note

to understand. It's from Rebecca.

And what's more, she had the foresight

to put the date on it.

She wrote it to me

the day she died.

Incidentally,

I was out on a party on that night,

so I didn't get it

until the next day.

What makes you think that

note would interest me?

Oh, I'm not going to bother you

with the contents now,

but I can assure you that

it is not the note of a woman...

who intends to drown herself

that same night.

By the way,

what do you do with old bones?

Bury them, eh, what?

However, for the time being...

You know, Max, I'm getting awfully fed

up with my job as a motorcar salesman.

I don't know if you've ever

experienced the feeling...

of driving an expensive motorcar

which isn't your own.

But it can be

very, very exasperating.

You know what I mean.

You want to own the car yourself.

I've often wondered what it would be

like to retire to the country,

have a nice little place

with a few acres of shooting.

I've never figured out

what it would cost a year,

but I'd like to talk about it with you.

I'd like to have your advice on how

to live comfortably without hard work.

Hello, Favell.

You looking for me, Maxim?

Yes. Mr. Favell and I have a little

business transaction on hand.

I think we had better

conduct it over at the inn.

They may have

a private room there.

Well, see you later.

Find ColonelJulyan.

Tell him I want to see him immediately.

Come on, Favell. Let's go.

Have you a private room, please?

- Of course, sir. Through there, sir.

- Thank you.

Hope this will do, Mr. De Winter.

Oh, it's splendid, splendid.

Exactly like the Ritz.

- Any orders, gents?

- Yes, you might bring me

a large brandy and soda.

How about you, Max? Have one on me.

I feel I can afford to play host.

- Thanks. I don't mind if I do.

- Make it two, will you, my good fellow?

- Very good, sir.

- Where's Mr. De Winter?

Oh, through the other door, sir.

ColonelJulyan, his is Mr. Favell.

Oh, I know ColonelJulyan.

We're old friends, aren't we?

Since you're old friends, I assume you

also know he's head of the police here.

I think he might be interested

to hear your proposition.

Go on, tell him all about it.

I merely said I hoped to give up

selling cars and retire.

Actually, he offered to withhold

a vital piece of evidence...

if I made it worth his while.

I only want to see justice done,

Colonel.

Now, that boatbuilder's evidence...

suggested certain theories

concerning Rebecca's death.

One of them, of course, is suicide.

I have a little note here which puts

that possibility quite out of court.

- Read it, Colonel.

- "Jack, darling,

"I've just seen the doctor and I'm going

down to Manderley right away.

"I shall be at the cottage all evening

and shall leave the door open for you.

I have something terribly

important to tell you. Rebecca. "

Now, does that look like

the note of a woman who had made

up her mind to kill herself?

And apart from that, Colonel,

do you mean to tell me that

if you wanted to commit suicide,

you'd go to all the trouble

of putting out to sea in a boat,

then take a hammer and chisel

and laboriously knock holes

through the bottom of it?

Come, Colonel,

as an officer of the law,

don't you feel there are some

slight grounds for suspicion?

- Of murder?

- What else?

You've known Max a long time, so

you know he's the old-fashioned type...

who'd die to defend his honor

or who'd kill for it.

It's blackmail, pure and simple.

Blackmail's not so pure nor so simple.

It can bring a lot of trouble

to a great many people,

and the blackmailer sometimes finds

himself in jail at the end of it.

I see. You're going to hold

de Winter's hand through all this...

just because he's the big noise

around here and he's actually

permitted you to dine with him.

Be careful, Favell.

You've brought an accusation of murder.

- Have you any witnesses?

- I do have a witness.

- Oh.

- It's that fellow Ben.

If that stupid coroner

hadn't been a snob,

- he'd have seen that half-wit

was hiding something.

- And why should Ben do that?

Because we caught him once,

Rebecca and I, peering at us

through the cottage window.

Rebecca threatened him with the asylum.

That's why he was afraid to speak.

But he was always hanging about.

He must have seen this whole thing.

It's ridiculous

even listening to all this.

Ah. You're like a little trades union,

all of you, aren't you?

And if my guess is right, Crawley,

there's a bit of malice

in your soul toward me, isn't there?

Crawley didn't have

much success with Rebecca,

but he ought to have

more luck this time.

The bride will be grateful

for your fraternal arm, Crawley...

in a week or so.

- Every time she faints, in fact.

- De Winter!

- Maxim, please!

- De Winter!

That temper of yours

will do you in yet, Max.

Oh, uh, excuse me, gentlemen.

Now, is there anything else?

Yes. You might bring

Mr. De Winter a sedative.

- No, no, nothing at all. Just leave us.

- Very good, sir.

Now, Favell,

let's get this business over.

As you seem to have worked out

the whole thing so carefully,

perhaps you can provide us

also with a motive?

I knew you were going

to bring that up, Colonel.

I've read enough detective stories to

know that there must always be a motive.

And if you'll all excuse me

for a moment, I'll supply that too.

I wish you would go home. You ought

not to be here through all this.

Please let me stay, Maxim.

Surely, Colonel Julyan, you're

not going to allow this fellow...

My opinion of Favell

is no higher than yours, Crawley.

But in my official capacity,

I have no alternative

but to pursue his accusation.

I entirely agree with you, Colonel.

In a manner so serious as this,

we must make sure...

of every point, explore every avenue,

and, in fact, if I may coin a phrase,

leave no stone unturned.

Ah, here she is... the missing link,

the witness who will help

supply the motive.

Colonel Julyan, Mrs. Danvers.

I believe you know everyone else.

- Won't you sit down?

- No offense, Colonel,

but I think I'll put this to Danny.

She'll understand it more easily.

Danny, who was Rebecca's doctor?

Mrs. De Winter

always had Dr. McClean from the village.

Now, you heard.

I said Rebecca's doctor, in London.

I don't know anything about that.

Oh, don't give me that.

You knew everything about Rebecca.

You knew she was in love with me,

didn't you?

Surely you haven't forgotten

the good times she and I used

to have down at the cottage.

She had a right

to amuse herself, didn't she?

Love was a game to her.

It made her laugh, I tell you.

She used to sit on her bed and

rock with laughter at the lot of you.

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