The Upturned Glass Page #6

He told her to

throw herself out.

At the last moment she started

to scream, then she fell.

This was a murder conceived

in perfect sanity

and faultlessly carried out.

I'm afraid I've taken rather longer

with this story as I'd intended.

I shall have to leave the more general

discussion of the subject until next time.

May I ask you a question?

Yes.

I take it that the murderer

was never suspected.

No.

The police could find no evidence that

pointed to anything other than suicide.

And yet, like all paranoids,

he had to tell someone about it.

I don't quite get that.

Well, he told you, presumably.

Yes, he was a patient of mine.

In a lunatic asylum?

No, he was perfectly sane.

Sane as I am.

You didn't mind my asking?

Not at all.

It was a good question.

Have you been waiting?

I'll take that.

Where are we going?

You'll see.

Oh, a surprise.

You went across a red light.

Did I?

Do you hate women who

make-up in public?

I've never thought about it.

So muchfor that as a

subject of conversation.

Perhaps you'd like to

talk about yourself.

What was your

appointment this evening?

I was giving a lecture

on criminology?

Oh, well, what have you

got to say on that subject?

I told a story about a man who

killed a womanfor revenge.

That's carrying

things a bit far.

Mad, I suppose?

No, he was perfectly sane.

Oh, no, they always have a kink somewhere,

those people who do violent things.

Take my sister-in-law,

for example.

How does she come

into the argument?

She must have been a bit

mad to do a thing like that.

Like what?

Committing suicide?

What makes you say it was

suicide? It was an accident.

What's the matter?

I thoughtfor a moment that was

that awful chapel near her house.

Well, we're going

to her house.

Whateverfor?

You said it was up

for sale, didn't you?

Well, so it is.

I might buy it.

Well, what a time to choose

to go look over a house.

You must be demented.

Out you get.

Oh, do let's come

back in the daytime.

I want to show you something.

It won't take long.

Alright.

Where are you going?

I'm looking to see if any

of these windows are open.

That's not necessary.

The gardener should be here.

He's taking care of the

place until it's sold.

There's a window broken here.

You're not serious.

Certainly I am.

Oh, well, anything to

oblige a criminologist.

Just a minute while

I turn on a light.

No, don't do that.

It will spoil the atmosphere.

Well, which part of the house

do you want to see first?

Upstairs.

I'd better lead the way.

I know the place.

I can't imagine anyone

ever wanted to live here.

I've always loathed it.

I tried to persuade Phillip to sell it

long ago when he first inherited it.

This was her room.

That's right.

How did you know?

I've been here before.

When?

What really gave you the

idea that she had a lover?

She told me so.

Now tell me the truth.

Alright, I overheard them

talking on the telephone.

I listened on the extension.

Didn't you recognize

the man's voice?

No.

But you do now.

You evidently thought

you were safe,

that when she was dead that

was the end of the matter.

Did you really imagine that

I'd accept her death

without making every effort to

find out how it happened?

Come here.

That's where she

fell, isn't it?

I don't know. I wasn't here.

You tried to get money out of her because

you thought she was being unfaithful.

Then when that was no good you

poisoned the child's mind against her.

You might just as well

have killed herself.

You're just as

guilty this way.

What was thatfor?

I don't like being locked

in a room with a madman.

I can get that key from

you any time I like.

If you don't let me out

of here I'll scream.

There's no one to hear you.

The gardener's here.

He'll hear me.

Why don't you scream then?

Because I want to give you the opportunity

of letting us get out of here with dignity.

The gardener goes over to his

sister's on Friday nights.

This is Friday night.

Let me out of here.

He told me so himself.

That's why I picked tonight.

He is not at his sister's.

He is here.

That's him playing the organ.

No one else ever plays it.

You can't do

anything to me now.

He'll be back soon.

Not soon enough.

You're raving mad!

I'm going to make you do to

yourself what you did to her.

Let me go of me!

I won't! I won't!

It'll be like suicide.

The organ stopped!

He'll be back!

He'll be back here!

Help! Help! Help!

Help!

Don't come near me!

Don't come near me!

(ScreamingforHelp)

What a place to park.

Look George, why don't you park this thing

crossways then nobody could get past.

I just stopped to wipe my

wind screen. I couldn't see.

Oh, you couldn't see. What

do you think I am, an owl?

Where are we, do you know?

Yes, we're on the

main Portsmouth Road.

Thank goodness somebody knows.

That's where we're

supposed to be headed.

I can tell you

how to get there.

Directions in England,

are you kidding?

No thanks, I'll

justfollow you.

No, you can't do that.

I turn off just up the road.

That's alright, I'll

follow you that far.

Give me a high-ball

when you turn.

Okay.

This is where I turn off.

You go straight ahead.

You can't miss it.

Alright, thanks, Mate.

Oh, can you help me?

I've run off the road.

My car is ditched.

I'm afraid I can't stop.

I'm in a hurry.

Well, perhaps you'd be good

enough to give me a lift.

No, I'm sorry.

I'm afraid I can't.

I have got an urgent case.

Are you a doctor?

Yes.

Well, this is luck.

My name is Farrell.

I have a practice here.

There's a kid up the

road badly injured.

I've just been to telephonefor an ambulance.

I have to get back to her.

Where are you makingfor?

Up this way.

Oh, well, I'd better leave the car

where it is and hop in with you.

Oh, just a minute.

I must get my bag.

Ah, no, put it on the floor.

The ambulance will never

make it in thisfog.

How far are you going?

I'm not quite sure

where it is from here.

I know this district.

Perhaps I can help you.

No, I don't think you can.

It's a long way.

Are you a London man?

Yes.

Have you had any experience

with fractured skulls?

Quite a lot.

Hmm, I could have

used you tonight.

Why do you have to turn

up when it's too late?

What could you

have used mefor?

This kiddy I was

telling you about.

Road accident, was it?

Yes.

Lorry ran into a

private car in thefog.

Kiddy was in the back and seemed

to have taken most of the bump.

She is unconscious now and bleeding

from a cut over the right here.

It's very suggestive of a

middle meningeal hemorrhage.

Did she regain

consciousness at all?

Yes, she didfor a time

and seemed pretty well.

That's what gave me a clue.

Probably right.

Fog seems to be lifting a bit.

Yes, here's the turning.

We're almost there.

Oh, at least I can

be in at the death.

I don't think I should

jump to conclusions,

but I've seen extraordinary

recoveries from head injuries.

I guess we've all seen

extraordinary things happen,

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