The Fallen Idol Page #6

...to our seeing over | the servants' quarters?

No, none at all. | Through the door there.

You would trouble me much less | if you'd speak English.

Of course, the story | of her slipping may be true...

but the type of injuries | suggest something more violent.

What if there'd been a push?

- Why do you say that? | - We know that they quarreled.

- Up there? | - Mmm.

- Is he a big chap? | - You saw him come down just now.

Oh, he.

- Mr. Baines? | - Yes.

We've permission | to ask you a few questions.

This has been a terrible night for you...

...and we don't propose to keep you long.

I'll tell you anything I know.

There was nobody else in the house, | was there, when it happened?

No.

You had supper out in the yard.

The boy wanted a picnic.

Just the three of you.

Just the boy and I.

But there were three places laid.

Oh, yes, of course.

I forgot. | Mrs. Baines was with us.

Try to remember things like that.

It helps us, you know, | to get the details right.

I'm sorry.

Can we have a word with you?

Good heavens. | What's he doing there?

Now what, boy?

- Come along, Phile. | - It's all right, Baines. I'll take him up.

Hello. What's this | you've got hold of? Hmm?

You don't want that now. | I'll take it. Now watch. See?

He's in the same room?

Baines. | Is he in the same room?

Uh, y-yes.

Well, what was he up to?

Oh, n-nothing, sir.

Mr. Baines, I understand | there was some sort of scene...

between your wife | and the boy tonight.

Do you know what it was about?

Well, she - sh-sh-she used to | get in a fuss about...

trying to keep the house tidy.

Do you know what he'd been up to?

Or was there nothing unusual | to make her angry tonight?

No.

You said just now that Mrs. Baines | had had supper with you downstairs.

You did say that, didn't you?

Yes.

Well, then -

I - I... forgot.

She wasn't with us.

But there were three places laid.

Who else was there?

Nobody. | I- I-I must have laid it from h-habit.

But the third place was used.

How do you account for that?

Well, I think we'll | leave all the questions

to Chief Inspector | Crowe in the morning...

after he's read the doctor's report.

Doctor's report?

It's only that your story of the slip

doesn't quite fit in with what they say.

Julie!

- Why not tell them everything? | - No, no. Leave it to me.

There's no need for you | to be brought into this.

- You go to the office.

- Good morning, Baines. | - Good morning, sir.

- Are they here yet? | - Not yet, sir.

Who is this lady?

She - She works here, sir, | in the typing room.

- A bit early, aren't you? | - Yes, sir.

I had something to do | that I didn't finish on Saturday.

Oh, I see.

Do you do shorthand?

- Yes, sir. | - Good. Don't go for a moment.

Chief Inspector Crowe, sir.

I'm the first secretary. I'm in charge here | until the ambassador returns.

Yes, I know. We shall try to cause you | as little trouble as possible.

I see. | This is Mr. Baines.

Oh. | My sympathy, Mr. Baines.

- My ambassador will expect a full report. | - Yes, naturally.

Have you any objection to | one of our typists taking down what's said?

No, none whatever.

Actually, I've no right to object. | We're on foreign territory here.

Oh, could I see | the little boy, Phillipe.

- If you think it's necessary- | - Yes. Thank you.

Oh, Baines, uh, would you? Better fetch him.

- Have you got a notebook? | - I'll get one, sir.

There.

What shall I say, Baines?

Tell them anything they want to know, | except for you-know-who.

Was it like this | that time in Africa?

- What time? | - The time you killed a man.

Not a bit like this.

Don't worry, Baines. | I won't tell them anything.

Would you mind, Baines, | putting a notice on the front door...

telling the clerks to | use the empty office

next to the visa section next door.

- Hello, sonny. Don't run away. | - I wasn't running away.

No, I mean, I just wanted | to say, "How do you do?"

- Your name is Phillipe, isn't it? | - Yes.

I've heard quite a lot about you.

- You're the little boy who ran away. | - I didn't run away.

I've said that again, have I?

I meant, you're the one | who took a walk.

And a rather late walk, wasn't it? | After supper, hmm?

Oh, quite a party you had last night, | didn't you? A picnic party.

No.

- Didn't you have it downstairs with - | - No!

Do you want me | to take all this down?

No, no, no. | This is just friendly conversation.

We are friends, aren't we?

- Hmm? | - No.

Well, anyway, you didn't have

a picnic downstairs | last night with anybody.

No!

I've put up the notice.

No!

I'd like to have a word | with Mr. Baines.

- Where could we be quiet? | - Uh, here in the ambassador's room.

I'd like you and your secretary | to be present.

I just want to get | Mr. Baines's story quite straight.

- My story's straight enough. | - Yes, yes, of course.

I just want to iron out | one or two inconsistencies.

Oh, would you wait outside | for a few moments, sonny?

I just want to have | a little talk with Mr. Baines.

- Have you got a ball to play with? | - No.

Well - Oh. Mm-hmm.

Uh, Ames, let him borrow | your chiming watch.

It's like this, see.

Do be careful with it now.

Tsk. | Poor Mrs. Baines.

Down these very stairs. | I can almost see her. Can't you?

Yes. I expect her neck | was snapped like a matchstick.

- Mmm. | - Do you see any blood?

There wouldn't be any blood | if her neck was broken, would there?

Might be a little | if the bone came through.

Treacherous stuff, this marble.

I wouldn't have it in | my house at any price.

You listen to the watch, sonny.

I wonder if you could find | something to do somewhere else, hmm?

Crowe says, will you | photograph the position

of the body from the top of the stairs.

Right.

No, not that way, sonny.

Like this. See?

- What are you doing? | - Hmm?

Oh, yes. See this powder?

Well, that's solved more crimes

than the whole police | force put together.

Here, put your thumb just down there.

Just press it down quite | like that. That's it.

Now put some powder on.

Now you blow and watch.

See? There's only one person in the world | that has a thumb like that.

And that's how we find things out.

Yes, they, uh -

they want to have | a word with you, Phile.

Oh, well, we shan't need you | for a few moments, Baines.

Well, I'll be downstairs.

Well, Phillipe, I don't suppose | you ever met a detective before.

Except in books.

Did the watch work?

Not taken out the works yet?

You know, Phillipe, | I've got a boy at home very like you.

He's a bit older, that's all.

Oh, he likes marbles. | Do you like marbles?

Look here. | What do you think of that one?

I think that's a champion. | Don't you?

I always win with it anyway.

I don't suppose Mrs. Baines | would have liked marbles, would she?

But I expect Baines could | throw a marble with the best of us.

I like Baines. | Don't you?

Yes.

But not Mrs. Baines?

She killed Macgregor.

Killed Macgregor? | Who was he?

- My snake. | - Oh.

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