The Letter

That's Mr. Hammond.

Come inside.

Do you know where

the new district officer lives?

Yes, missy.

Send someone for him.

Tell him there's been an accident

and Mr. Hammond's dead.

Yes, missy.

And get word to Mr. Crosbie.

He's out somewhere

on the number four plantation.

No can telephone tonight.

Offices are all closed.

Well, send a boy for him.

Tell him to come at once.

Yes, missy.

What are you doing here,

all of you?

Go away. Go away, I tell you.

Mr. Withers! Mr. Withers!

Please stop at Lower Crossway.

I take shortcut.

Right.

Fred, can we get

this whole shipment on these cars?

-Sure we will, sir.

-If not, we can use the two big lorries.

What's the matter?

Mr. Crosbie,

Mr. Hammond has been shot.

What? What's that you said?

Mr. Hammond is dead.

Missy say hurry.

Fred, get to the village as fast as you can.

Telephone Joyce in Singapore.

-Mr. Howard Joyce?

-Yes, the lawyer.

Tell him to meet me

at Lower Crossway immediately.

-Right.

-And hurry with the shipment to Singapore.

She's got to be on board by 6.

-Where's my wife?

-She locked herself in.

She wouldn't see me until you came.

Mr. Withers, I'm Howard Joyce.

-How do you do?

-Let me in.

Leslie, darling, it's Robert.

What's happened?

Leslie, what's happened?

Didn't they tell you?

They said Hammond was killed.

Is he still there?

I had your head boy

remove the body to a shed.

He tried to make love to me,

and I shot him.

Leslie!

Oh, Robert, I'm so glad you've come.

There, darling.

Hold me tight. I'm so frightened.

There's nothing to be frightened about.

It'll be all right.

Leslie, darling, it'll be all right.

Mr. Withers, I hope you understand

that I couldn't see anyone...

-...until my husband came.

-I understand, Mrs. Crosbie.

Howard, how nice of you to come.

Naturally, I'd want to be here if I can help.

-Then you will help us?

-Of course I will. In every way I can.

-You're a dear.

-Darling.

How's Dorothy?

She's very well

and anxious to see you.

-Has her niece arrived from England?

-Adele. Charming girl. She came last week.

Here, you better be resting.

I do feel dreadfully faint.

Come and lie down, darling.

I'll get you something to drink.

I'm sorry to be so tiresome.

-You're being very brave.

-How long have you been here?

About an hour. One of the Crosbie

houseboys came to fetch me.

-Was Hammond dead?

-Oh, yes. He was just riddled with bullets.

-What?

-Here's the revolver.

All six chambers are empty.

Here, you two.

Better have a drink yourselves.

Thanks, but I'm afraid I shouldn't.

I'll have one, Bob.

I'm on duty of a sort, you know.

Feeling any better?

Much better, thank you.

Mrs. Crosbie, I know it sounds brutal,

but I'm afraid it's my duty...

...to ask you some questions.

I think that can wait until my wife--

It's all right, really.

I feel perfectly well now.

Then suppose you tell us

exactly what happened, Leslie.

-I'll try.

-Take your time, Mrs. Crosbie.

Remember, we're all friends here.

You've been so patient.

Well, as you know, Robert was

spending the night in Singapore.

I never mind being alone.

-Planter's wife gets used to that.

-My dear.

I had dinner rather late

and started working on my lace.

I don't know how long I'd been working

when suddenly I heard a footstep outside.

Someone came up on the veranda

and said, "Good evening. Can I come in?"

I was startled because I hadn't heard

a car drive up.

Hammond left his car

a quarter-mile down the road.

Your houseboy noticed it

as we were driving here.

Probably didn't want anyone

to hear him.

At first I couldn't tell who it was.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"Geoff Hammond."

"Of course," I said.

"Come in and have a drink."

-Were you surprised to see him?

-Well, I was, rather.

-We hadn't seen him for ages, had we?

-Three months at least.

I told him Robert was

at the number four plantation...

-...getting out a shipment. Was that it?

-Yes, darling.

-What happened?

-He said, "I'm so sorry...

...I was feeling lonely, so I came over

to see how you were getting on."

I asked him how he'd come

as I hadn't heard a car.

He said he'd left it on the road. We might

be in bed, and he didn't want to wake us.

I put on my spectacles again

and went on with my work.

Well, we went on chatting...

...and then suddenly

he said something rather silly.

-What?

-It's hardly worth repeating.

He paid me a little compliment.

Perhaps you'd better tell us

exactly what he said.

He said, "You have very pretty eyes.

It's a shame to hide them

under those ugly spectacles."

Had he ever said

anything of the sort before?

-Never, and I thought it impertinent.

-I don't wonder.

-Did you answer him?

-I said:

"I don't care twopence

what you think about me."

He only laughed and said,

"I'm going to tell you, all the same.

I think you're the prettiest thing

I've ever seen."

-I don't understand--

-Let her finish.

"In that case," I said,

"I can only think you half-witted."

But he laughed again

and moved his chair up closer.

"You can't deny you have

the prettiest hands in the world."

Well, that rather put my back up.

My hands are not very good,

and no woman wants to be flattered...

-...on her worst points.

-Oh, darling.

Robert, you silly thing.

Well, when Hammond was talking

that way, did he just sit in his chair?

Oh, no. He tried to take one of my hands.

"Don't be an idiot," I said.

"Sit back where you were and talk sensibly,

or I shall have to send you home."

But I wonder you didn't

throw him out there and then.

I didn't want to make a fuss.

Some men think it's their duty

to flirt with women...

...whenever they have the chance.

They think women expect it.

When did you first suspect

that Hammond was serious?

The next thing he said to me.

He looked at me straight in the face

and said:

"Don't you know I'm awfully

in love with you?"

Swine.

-Were you surprised?

-But of course I was surprised.

We've known him seven years, Robert.

He's never paid me the smallest attention.

Didn't suppose he even knew

what color my eyes were.

We haven't seen very much of him

for the last few years.

Go on, Leslie.

Well, he helped himself

to another whisky and soda.

I began to wonder

if he'd been drinking before.

"I wouldn't have another one

if I were you," I said.

I was quite friendly,

not the least bit frightened.

Never occurred to me

I couldn't manage him.

But he emptied his glass

and said to me in a funny, abrupt way:

"Do you think I'm saying this

because I'm drunk?"

I said, "That's the most obvious

explanation, isn't it?"

Oh, it's too awful having to tell you all this.

I'm so ashamed.

I wish there were some way

we could spare you.

Leslie, it's for your own good

that we know the facts.

All you can remember of them.

Very well, I'll tell you the rest.

I got up from that chair there.

And I stood in front of the table here.

He rose and came around the table

and stood in front of me.

I held out my hand.

"Good night," I said.

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