The Mask of Dimitrios Page #9

it is no trick,

clumsy or otherwise.

You see, i'm quite

prepared in assisting blackmailing a person

if that person is dimitrios,

but i'm not prepared

to share in the profits.

So much the better

for you, isn't it?

Mr. Leyden,

you are kind.

There's not enough

kindness in the world.

Not that again!

Not that

"kindness in the world"!

It's coming

out of my ears.

But you are kind.

I prepared a letter

for dimitrios,

asking him

to meet with us.

"Dear sir,

the undersigned has just learned

that he is an old

acquaintance of yours dating back to 1929..."

"and would appreciate

having a little chat with you."

"I'm sure that you

will find the talk immensely interesting."

"Kindly come to

the ledru hotel, avenue ledru,

"tomorrow evening

at 8:
00.

"Looking forward

to seeing you.

I remain your old

friend and associate, eric peterson."

P.s.

Oh, yes.

"I have just learned

of the passing

"of our mutual friend,

constantine gullus.

Regrettable."

Do you think he'll come?

Most certainly.

How much?

I have it.

All right.

My name is

mr. Peterson.

I made reservation

by telephone.

Oh, yes. It will be

15 francs for one, 20 for two.

This gentlemen is

not staying with me.

15 francs.

Thank you.

Up the stairs,

down the hall, to your right.

I don't like this,

mr. Peters,

i don't like it.

What's to

prevent dimitrios

from coming up

here and shooting us both?

Please, do not let

your imagination run away with you.

Dimitrios would

not do that.

It would be too noisy

and dangerous for him.

Besides,

that is not his way.

Leyden:
It isn't?

Well, what is his way?

He's a very

cautious man.

He thinks carefully

before he acts.

Well, he got

the letter this morning.

He had all day

to think carefully.

I had weeks.

I tell you

i know dimitrios.

I know how

his mind works.

I am asking

a million francs,

that is not

an exorbitant amount for dimitrios.

He will pay.

I will take

the money

and go instantly

to the indies,

where dimitrios

will never find me.

That's fine for you.

What about me?

I don't feel like

instantly going to the indies.

You have glasses?

Put them on.

Put on

your hat, too.

Oh, i see. Yes.

Turn up the collar

of your coat.

Yeah, that's

a good idea.

Sit in that corner

where it will not be too light.

Yeah, that's better.

Good. That'll do it.

My good friend,

how are you?

How are you?

That is mr. Smith.

Mr. Smith.

He knew gullus?

That is what

we wanted to talk to you about, dimitrios.

Then talk. I've

an appointment to keep.

You haven't changed

at all, dimitrios, always impetuous,

always a little unkind.

After all these years,

no word of greeting,

no word of regret

for all the unhappiness you've caused me.

I have an appointment

to keep.

Since you want to make this

a purely business matter,

we want money.

What do you have to

give me in exchange?

Silence, dimitrios,

very valuable.

How valuable?

One million francs.

What do you think

you know that's worth one million francs?

So difficult to know

where to begin.

There are so many things

the police would like to know.

For instance,

the identity of the man

who tipped them off in 1931

to the smuggling ring.

I'm sure they'd be

interested to know that it is the same man

who today is a director of

the eurasian credit trust.

You haven't told

me anything yet

that's worth

one million francs.

It's childish.

You were always

inclined to despise

my simple approach

to the problems of this life,

but our silence

on the matter

would be worth something,

would it not?

Not one million francs.

There's yugoslavia.

Police of that country

would be glad to know

the whereabouts

of dimitrios talat.

So grodek's

been talking.

Any more?

Then let us go to smyrna.

In 1922, a moneylender

named conrad-

the murderer of

conrad was hanged.

Can that be true?

Perhaps mr. Smith has

something to add to that.

Abdul dhris was hanged,

but he made a confession

implicating a man named dimitrios makropoulos.

Mr. Smith saw

the body of gullus

and had no difficulty

in identifying it with a photograph of gullus.

Do you really think

a million is exorbitant?

I'm wondering why

you ask so little.

I do not like

to be greedy.

I like to be fair...

always.

You'll have it ready

in" mille notes tomorrow.

If the instructions are

not followed out exactly,

you'll not be given

a second chance.

Do you understand?

Mr. Smith?

Yes?

How is this man whom you

took to be gullus dressed when he was found?

Oh, in a cheap

blue suit,

and inside

the coat there was an identification card.

And how was

he killed?

He was stabbed in

the side and thrown into the water.

Peters:

Are you satisfied, dimitrios?

What did you

think of him?

It's dimitrios,

all right.

Ruthless and primitive.

I was frightened.

Dimitrios has that

effect on people.

You frighten me.

I always knew

you hated dimitrios,

but i didn't know

you hated him so much.

Not until i saw him

in this room.

Then i knew i hated

him enough to kill him.

I knew it!

What?

Listen, the trains.

I spent an hour

in here this morning listening to them.

The ballard rail.

Be ready.

Come.

One million francs.

Did you ever see

so much money at one time before?

One million-

beautiful thing, oh!

Leyden:
Is there

a match somewhere?

Dimitrios:

Little surprised, peterson?

I'm glad your friend

smith is here, too.

It saves me the trouble

of persuading you to give me his name and address.

Peterson was always

too ingenious,

and ingenuity is

never a substitute for intelligence.

He was my friend.

No, he wasn't

my friend,

but he was

a nice man.

Compared to you

he was-

you rotten,

insane brute!

Leyden:
You think

you can go on murdering people like that?!

You murderer, you!

You get up!

Leyden:
Let me go, you!

So help me!

Aah!

Peters:
Not him!

Leave him alone!

Peters:
Go, leyden.

Go.

You go!

But i better-

something has to be done.

I'll call the police

or something.

Dimitrios:
Wait! Wait!

Don't go!

Don't go!

Come back!

Or do you want this carrion

to kill me?

Come back!

I am very happy

it is you!

Are you all right?

Put that money away!

That's all

you ever wanted, isn't it?

I don't want it now.

I don't want it somehow.

I've done what

i had to do.

But-but what's

going to happen?

Something's going

to happen.

You'll be glad to know

i killed

dimitrios makropoulos.

You wanted to

write a book.

Write it.

Send me a copy.

I'll have a lot

of time to read it where i'm going.

Good-bye, mr. Peters.

Au revoir.

Sorry you won't be able

to go to the indies now.

You see, there's

not enough kindness in the world.

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