Agatha Christie's Poirot (1989) s03e10 Episode Script

MYSTERY IN the RETIREMENT OF the HUNTERS - It is a cold morning, uncle Harry.
- Soon you heat up.
- Stoddard! - Hastings Thank you.
Hastings I am going to need at least six No, no Eight! For the " snipe to the English one ", I go to ask them to cook them tomorrow.
It is not how to order them in the shop, I have to kill them, Poirot.
I have the biggest confidence in his it would work as a prompter, monsieur Hastings.
- Are you ready, young? - Roger! Mr.
Poirot, I delayed 10 years bringing it even to the covert of an uncle Harry, I do not want what loss to driver's seat.
- It is well.
For the sake of God, Harry, it is not great.
It does not mean that I get married again.
- 300 £ are not at all for you.
- Does not it cost anything, that's right Jack? To give so much money to my servant and to my couteiro? Cursed be! For times I wonder which of us was born bastard.
Jack! - Stoddard! - Yes, Mr.
Roger? Take care of the Mr.
is Archie, well? Yes, man.
Well, Mr.
Archie, comes this way.
Good luck, wanted.
- Bonne chance, mon ami! - Thank you, I make friends! Good aim, Archie! Thank you! Poor Archie! I am afraid that it does not understand anything of this.
- Is he his cousin, is not it? - Yes.
He had to see the arms with what he appeared However, he is an alone teacher.
With a salary so, for what to wait? Well, it is here, I make friends.
Good aim! Thank you! Supported on the shoulder, settle.
Near the face, near the face.
Settle.
Very well, angle of 90; - Let's wait for one hunted for boa.
- They are be bringing near.
Here they come.
Rays! Monsieur Poirot! Monsieur Poirot?! Excuse, lady.
- The bangs - Because it came? The snipes.
They must be eaten cool breezes, with the weapon still to smoke.
- He is a gourmet - And too kind, lady The snipes are rare in my country.
We have to satisfy ourselves with hens of the bush, with taste pinheiroso.
- Pinheiroso? - Is not it a word? - Pinheiroso, of pine? - Pinheiroso! Yes! It is a very good word.
There they are, man.
Slow, quick! Seizure counts of him, Stoddard! You reached.
Pace! - Mr.
Pace! - His imbecile! His very imbecile! Almost you killed me! Which ray were you doing, Stoddard? You had to be taking care of him! You nickname yourself of couteiro! Not even you do your work decently! Can you give me a scarf? You.
Archie is a perfect idiot! It seems that the uncle Harry is well.
I have of returning to the Retirement of the Hunters, if you check.
Middleton it has everything ready for the lunch.
It is only with us temporarily.
Monsieur Poirot, can I entrust a task? - Lady? - Take care of the cousin Archie for me, yes? It would not support if it was returning for his hut and it was sulking.
It will not be able to sulk in the company of Hercule Poirot, lady.
It is a treasure! - Ellie, where you are.
Middleton? - In her room, lady.
It did almost everything and a ticket left us to continue the preparations.
She is impossible! - Even so, it seems completely very good.
- Thank you, lady.
- Thank you, lady.
- I am going to go to bed a little.
I have a tremendous pain of ears, the wind outside cuts like a knife.
It was snowing in the covert.
I must wake up inside half an hour.
Mrs.
Middleton! Thereabouts! Two hours to the wait in the snow.
The ice is already be forming in the bones.
A hearth! One of the best English traditions! - Roger said which seizure it counts of this.
- Yes, I am on this side.
The poor and available relative.
And insidious! - Why? - This way there are rooms with 6 persons, this place is empty the year almost completely, only they come here to hunt.
Mrs.
Middleton, does he know where my woman is? - It is in her room, man.
- In her room? - It seems that it has a pain of ears.
- So it had obligation to be here! It does not take that type of thing far, not with her Buzz.
- Do not they want any more punch, girls? - Thank you, Mr.
Pace.
Want to forgive for me.
Uncle, I feel very much because of the hand.
I think that I am not going to be professional hunter of snipes.
- I am glad because of hearing that.
A communist asked about me the next day if I already did something in my useless life.
"Clear" - I answered-, " I did much friendly, enemy and much money.
" - Is it well, Poirot? - My feet are blocks of ice, my lungs are full of gunpowder and of fresh air, Hastings, my ears are saturated of the bangs I am not well! - Even it swims well, Hastings.
- Au revoir, monsieur Poirot.
- I had great taste in knowing it.
- Thank you.
I will be walking.
I am afraid that it has ahead a turn of the pedals of 6 Km.
Does it go away? Can a person go away? - Monsieur Poirot, goodbye.
- Mr.
Havering, goodbye.
Thank you.
- For the year it is here at home.
- It is completely well, is very comfortable.
- Goodbye, Roger.
- Goodbye.
Adeusinho.
Thank you.
I wait what Harry improves.
I am certain of what yes.
Goodbye Archie, takes care of you! - It excuses - No, it is completely well.
It is completely well.
Are you well, Buzz? Yes, I had an awful pain of ears.
I am already well.
It looks after yourself, Archie.
Yes, of course.
Goodbye.
I am going to manage and then I am going for London.
I must catch it of 5h.
- Cannot you catch it of 6h 15m? - Why? You.
Middleton wants to go to house of the Stoddard to look for some hunting.
- Wanted - She does here an outcry What the temporary people gets furious.
The agency seems what walks playing.
Ellie will walk 4 km and we never hear her complaining.
It would be much more simple if you were giving to him a driver's seat.
Only it would return on foot.
It is well, promptly.
I do it.
- Mrs.
Middleton! - Does Joan, also want a driver's seat? - The man can leave it in the way.
- Thank you, lady.
Of nothing.
- I feel sorry what has not liked.
- My amusement still will come.
- I already gave the educations to a chef.
- How? Mon Dieu! Look at this, Hastings! I am a corpse waiting for dying.
I will not survive to savour my " snipe to the English one ".
All on board.
It is it of 6h 15m for London, King's Cross.
It is there.
It is This is my bicycle! Mr.
Stoddard! Mr.
Stoddard! Call the police officer.
There was a shooting.
Go! Go! - Does it confirm what is Harrington Pace? - Yes, man.
You.
Havering is very perturbed.
I let to him a tranquilizer to sleep.
I let the murderer in I do not manage to stop thinking about that.
- Describe this man.
- It was bringing a great overcoat and it had beard, thick and tangled.
He said what you wanted to see.
Pace and I brought it even to the room of arms, since I always do with the visits.
- Yes? I returned for the living room and began putting in order, when I heard the sound The shot.
Like someone slamming at the door of the Hell.
- Who is? - I am.
Between, Hastings.
- There was a murder.
- Who was killed? Harrington Pace, in the Retirement, bleached with one of his revolvers.
Mon Dieu! It is still not well, Poirot.
- I confess that I feel weakly.
- Return for the bed.
- Leave this with me.
- Comment? Leave this investigation for mine it counts.
I will maintain it informed, clear.
I know these persons, Poirot.
And I know already what his ideas are.
Which ideas are this, Hastings? Rest.
It does not mind Hastings of stopping of hitting his nose of this way and to say everything to me what he knows? We do not manage to find you.
Middleton, sergeant.
How so, do not they manage to find it? It looks at Phil, she is the Scotland Yard.
- Find it! - Right, sergeant.
- Japp, Scotland Yard.
- Sergeant Forgan, Ashby Picard.
- Is it completely well, man? - Is it that it puts in charge of the body? No, man.
- Was it rich, the victim? - Yes, man.
Harrington Pace.
He was an owner of properties in New Market, Belgravia and Monte Carlo.
- Who is the heir? - It goes almost completely for the nephew, Roger Havering.
- And where he is? It passed the night in his club, in London.
Already we him phoned.
He returns in the first train.
It was bleached by a man what asked to speak with him.
It must have escaped for that window.
It was the couteiro what it warned about us.
Also it is going to inherit something.
And another beneficiary.
- Yes? - Pace left 4000 £.
- Did it leave, for God? - Excuse, sergeant, me them she is not here, it disappeared even.
- Who? - I talk about the Mrs.
Middleton.
- I think that she is the murderer.
- And our principal witness.
It is better a search begins.
All the men does it have? Men, man? Only one.
He.
It will have to optimize his resources, is not it? Sir.
Roger, what terrible thing.
I feel immensely sorry.
Thank you.
I will be quick, her Buzz that it needs me.
I will stop in the way to see the Poirot.
One is not feeling well, from there what I treat of the case.
We will maintain them to me when it was informed.
I am deeply ill, since he can see, I will let best mine to help them.
- Thank you.
- A thing, Mr.
Havering - Yes? Pardon, but what it was doing when his uncle was killed? It is completely well, Roger was going on the way of London.
I passed the night in my club, the police officer me phoned for there.
- It is a frightful subject.
- Was it for London of train? - Yes, I caught it of 6h 15m.
- Did he speak with anybody in the train? - No.
- To which hours did it reach his club? Around the ten Up to era later.
I came on foot of King's Cross.
It is well.
Thank you.
Hastings We go for the Retirement, Poirot.
Very well, Hastings.
- Good morning, reception.
- Hello, speaks Hercule Poirot, room 5.
I need of a time-table of trains, please.
It was here with you.
Pace when to knock at the door was heard.
I heard you.
Middleton to answer and I got up to see who was.
Yes.
It was a man whom I did not recognize, therefore I waited that you.
Middleton it was taking it to the room of arms and it to announce was coming.
- Is it how that he was? - Worn medianamente, hat, glasses, looks to me I am not sure.
- It begins to have a beard.
- What type of beard? It thickens.
He seemed one of those anarchists of the cartoons of the Punch.
It is remembered to what hours did this man arrive? Around a room for the seven.
Continue, please.
Well You.
Middleton knocked at the door, he said that the man was not saying who was, you wanted to see each other them.
Pace Harry said what he was going to see what he wanted.
One stood up and a few minutes then we hear the shot.
The housekeeper, you.
Middleton, was it with you in the room? Yes, it was cleaning the metal adornments.
Did this man arrive of car? I do not know.
I did not hear anything.
- Does he usually hear the cars to arrive? - Yes.
One came by car it did not bring it even to the house.
- Continue here.
- Yes, man.
- Is his hotel presentable? - It is not bad.
- I am going to submit.
- Does it have sandwiches? - Sandwiches? I do not do idea.
- I say to him a thing, apposition what the Middleton it is done by the murderer.
With his agreement, the man enters.
In the next morning, she disappears.
There was the only one who saw well the murderer and if it recognized it disguised? - Disguised? How so? - Thick beard and glasses? I suppose what she saw who was under the disguise.
It is better we begin to look another body, not a witness.
Well, Mr.
Poirot.
Is it be accommodating? I think that he will live to see another day.
Very much thank you, Mr.
Asthruder.
Between! Inspector-chief Japp! Hastings! This is you.
Anstruther, of the railroads.
- Good afternoon, gentlemen.
One forgives for me, I will return.
A railroad is not it managed alone, knows? - Tomorrow I pass for here with more tea.
- Very much thank you.
- One does not forget of the bicycle, no? - Certainly.
It means very much for me.
I have it from boy.
Au revoir.
Poor Mr.
Anstruther, he is an obsessed man.
- With what? - With his bicycle.
And it is same, an Inspector-chief.
It was stolen.
Also it is obsessed by other things.
He knows everything on time-tables of trains, even those who do not pass here.
Yes? Were we investigating? How, Inspector-chief? I am frustrated.
I am considering someone of the courses of investigation, it is completely.
It is obvious what must be much more advanced of what I.
We have a description of the murderer.
Yes, a man of middle stature, with a wide hat and a thick beard.
- How he knew that? - It is the same as a thief of the bicycle! It is essential that we find it.
So, clear.
Let's find what? The bicycle! If you are necessary to check.
Archie it has an alibi for the height of the crime.
It was not liking his uncle, is not it? - What is insinuating? - Look, I ask immense excuse, I have to ask about him.
Poirot wants to know what it was doing last night, just as his uncle died.
- How does it dare? What takes it thinking that he wanted to kill someone like my uncle Harry? It was more despicable what.
It was bad, selfish.
He knows that the couteiro, Stoddard, is he his half-brother? - His one of the bastards of the father? - God of the sky.
Blood of his blood, and he was using it like a servant.
Is it how that it got rich? I say to him: It deceived the partner, it ordered it for the prison and then it used the money to speculate during the war.
And the persons were liking him! It was boasting of that and the persons were applauding! There for out! - Is it? - Inspector-chief? - How the cold is, Poirot? - It is not a cold, it is a mortal fever.
- Frightful However, I asked a Mr.
and you.
Havering to come to the hotel.
I am convinced of what you.
Roger Havering did not say the truth.
He says that nine reached London ás.
His the only witness is the caretaker of the club, where Dec.
arrived ás He says that it started this hour to go of King's Cross to St.
James and, however, it does not manage to describe movements, situations, streets, nothing.
My connecting thread has not been this, Poirot.
- Where it intends to arrive? - To a curve in the line of the trains, a crossroad that ties Ashby Picard to small station of Ashby Le Walkin.
- How? - It is quite possible, a Mr.
Havering, that a man catches it of 6h 15m in a station and skirt in the near one.
With the help of the bicycle, he returns to the Retirement of the Hunters, disguised with a beard and using a hat of wide brim.
It kills the man whom it wants.
Then, it catches it of 7h 20m of Ashby Picard, a quick train, and it reaches London at time to be in the club ás 10h.
My God.
- Is he speaking it seriously, no? - It is a serious subject! A man was killed and the man is be of use being accused of the crime.
- I? - The man.
Did not it realize, monsieur? It must tell us his movements in that night.
Not even to think.
I cannot.
- For the sake of God, Roger, why? - I cannot.
Well, Poirot? Continue, Inspector-chief.
- Accompany me to the squad, man.
- What?! I want to question it in relation to the murder of a Mr.
Harrington Pace, and to the disappearance of the housekeeper, you.
Middleton.
Yes? It is for you, Inspector-chief.
Japp.
Right.
- What is? - They found you.
Middleton.
- We are not delayed, is not it? - She still did not arrive.
- Should not it be in the bed? - Possibly, but, please, not knife outcry.
- It was looking ás doors of the death, yesterday.
Unfortunately, Inspector-chief, it was my appetite that was killed.
My " snipe to the English one " it was given to the cat.
- Mrs.
Middleton? - Yes, I am you.
Middleton.
Because it brought me up to here? The educations of the agency were: to go up to Ashby Picard of train, where they would go for me.
And the contract would be one month.
Therefore I was.
And I met with one very nice Irish lady - Irishwoman? Is he sure? - Clear.
He said that she was you.
Pace and what had when an embarrassing confusion was.
- What type of confusion? - What had canceled the hunted one, and that there was no home me to govern.
Therefore, one said what would be grateful if I was not saying anything to the agency, because he did not want that they were thinking that she was of little confidence.
And it was great generous.
There said what I would happen two months of salary if I was agreeing in not returning to the agency during one month.
- And did it agree? - Yes.
She seemed very nice.
- It always remained very quiet.
- I am upset and this evidence of the lady Middleton it changes everything.
It seems to me completely very simple.
It is still necessary to find the woman what was making to itself pass for a housekeeper.
Do they agree? I find what finding would be better the bicycle of the Mr.
Anstruther.
- Why? - Because it was used by the murderer to reach the Retirement of the Hunters.
Because it disappeared? - Sir! Sir! - What was, Vaughan? He is you.
Havering, man.
It asks to speak with you.
I will say to him what it was doing it will be promised not to count to the Zoe.
Let's wait what is not necessary.
I do not do promises.
Very well.
I was with Lord Quamby.
Lord Quamby? It of the races? Yes, he is a president of the Advice of Administration puts in charge of the bets, he wanted that a favor was becoming What was giving me some time to settle my debts.
Because it had so much reluctance in telling this to us? There are some months I promised to the Zoe what never again would bet on a horse.
And Lord Quamby can attest what was with him? Clear what can.
Call, mademoiselle Joan, in the night of the crime, when it went to last time what the lady Middleton saw? She was with you.
Havering in car, when they left me at home.
He was going on the way of the estacão and it gave to him driver's seat up to house of the Mr.
Stoddard.
- Mr.
Stoddard, the couteiro.
- Yes.
Yes, clear.
You.
Stoddard.
The lady is going to be his woman one day of this.
- Nobody should know.
- Talk to me about the lady Middleton.
It was very rigid.
Always to leave it regards spread by the house.
Criticizing You.
Stoddard was not liking her They used to be very brusque one with other.
The lady Middleton sometime did it tell anything to him on her? No, nonetheless.
He was saying that it was of Ireland.
Of Mayo, dressing I.
But it was always very reserved.
Mademoiselle Joan This apron It belongs of the lady Middleton, man.
Thank you, it is completely.
When the Harrington Pace was living in Ireland, it deceived the partner and ruined it, Then, this mysterious woman, what also is of the county of Mayo, it appears and substitutes the lady Middleton.
He was probably a relative of the ruined man.
It opens the door to an accomplice, the subject of the thick beard, they kill Pace and disappear.
Absolument, mon ami.
It has the right history.
In the hot countries, they use dogs that follow the sight.
With the moisture, we like more of dogs that follow the sense of smell.
I say them It is the best example of this type! - It is to the best of his race, that's right.
- That is very interesting.
Call, monsieur Stoddard, one will want, in the night in what you.
Pace was killed, the lady Middleton came his house to look for some birds of fighter, did not it come? No.
It is certain, it was waiting for her, but it did not come.
Only I her came much later, when it was coming to run for the avenue to tell me of the murder.
- Inspector-chief, is there a telephone in the Retirement? - There is, yes.
Because the fact is that the lady Middleton did not it phone to the police officer? I thought about that about the height.
She said to me that the lady Havering it was almost hysterical before the horror of that one.
It her wanted to fall asleep before the police officer arrived.
- Therefore it told me to go for them.
- Yes It was needing a time alone at home, so clear.
It minds Monsieur Stoddard of his beautiful bitch lends for a small experience? Does he tell me that it has the refined sense of smell? It has a nose that smells a poppy in a hill of gravel.
Very well, Mr.
Stoddard, our poppy is here.
It is essential what we determine the whereabouts of the person what she is called lady Middleton.
- It is easier to say from what to do.
Not even a track.
Road, rails, only rumours It swims.
- It is therefore that I think - What was? What was, girl? Look, it looks.
- Something was buried - Something It is an overcoat.
And a hat.
- Look at this.
- Diabos takes me.
Bon.
You.
Anstruther will be very happy.
What so clever bitch.
- Are they all here? - In the room of arms, man.
You.
Harrington Pace he was not a friendly man.
It was using his wealth to control friends and family.
For example, it employed the brother bastard, Mr.
Stoddard, I eat couteiro, but it was refused when £ lend 300 to buy house and to marry.
It was using the nephew, Archie Havering, like housekeeper, paying to him, not with money, but with promises of inheritance.
It was guaranteeing also the submission of another nephew, Roger Havering, with promises of future fortune.
I think that there are here motives to kill.
N'est-ce shovels? - Listen, Poirot - Please, Sr.
Roger, I am not doing accusations, but merely speculating.
For example, we know that never it might have committed the murder, so, ás 6h 15m, in this night, it was boarding in a train for London.
But there was another passenger boarding in this train This person left the train in the next stopping and it stole the bicycle of my friend, monsieur Anstruther.
A curious act, no? This is my bicycle! But what this person did following it was still more curious.
It buried the bicycle.
Then it buried the whole equipment necessary of the man with beard.
And she was a lady Middleton again.
- You.
was Middleton this man? - Clear, Hastings! Only you.
Middleton saw the man of beard at the home, in this night, but clear that this was not true.
- No, I saw it.
Lady Havering, please, already there we will arrive.
As always he said, we have of finding this lady Middleton.
I suggest what hurry and make that same! Only they asked impertinent questions and they treated respectable persons like criminals.
- Please, Sr.
Roger, has calm We know that it did not commit a crime, but there are other less clear things.
This crime was of a boldness extraordinary.
He would be timed well.
And the spurious Middleton would have an accomplice to oil the mechanism.
- Excuse, lady Middleton.
- Them 5h 45m of the night of the crime, the mechanism was ready working.
The guests had left, Ellie had left, and the girl Joan had driver's seat in his car, Mr.
Havering.
The girl Joan was left at home.
Middleton was then mischievous up to house of the Mr.
Stoddard to go for birds.
Since it is obvious, it never arrived.
It was passing for a transformation.
It was vital that the suspect was seen going out from the train in the next stopping.
A suspect who might be you.
Roger Havering under disguise.
Because it would try to incriminate me to me himself ? Because it had planned carefully his alibi, the meeting with Lord Quamby, which would have all the reasons to maintain secretly.
But to the being forced revealing it, and after the release, it was very unlikely what was remaining like suspect.
- He is saying nonsenses.
- Dressing what not, Mr.
Havering.
While it continued the travel, you.
Middleton he returned to the Retirement of the Hunters.
His uncle was a very rich man.
Killed, it would inherit his fortune, but his debts increased and you.
Pace refused to help.
It was needing desperately of the money now.
And in this fateful night, you.
Pace was killed the cold blood.
Prove it! Prove it! It is a despicable slander! Let's see us in court, Poirot! And the one who is whose this Middleton I was accomplice? Do not even manage to find it! Therefore it is occupied accusing everyone! It thinks that I am incompetent of finding the mysterious lady Middleton? Hercule Poirot knows a way of making it appear I eat for magic.
Does not it believe in magic? Very well.
I am going to slam with my walking stick in the ground three times.
So: un deux trois! Can we finish this puzzle? Inspector-chief? I do not know, man.
I always liked plays of society.
Stupid dog.
It sits down.
Will it be that someone can take it? Stop with that! - Stop with that! - Be completely well, Buzz.
It walks here.
It walks.
Lovely girl! I do not know what his idiotic play is, but it seems to have run very badly.
Now leave them alone! Her Buzz it had not anything to see with this lady Middleton.
On the contrary, Mr.
Archie.
She had an intimate relation with the housekeeper, you.
Middleton, when to be a stranger, gave the fact they were never seen joined.
This temporary housekeeper had been recently contracted for the stay of the family in the Retirement of the Hunters.
She was leaving tickets ás created.
And it was reserved.
If the mistress was at home, the housekeeper was staying away.
If the housekeeper was here below, the mistress was in the room.
And it was there, that in the night of the crime, while having being heard by the police officer, you.
Middleton disappeared forever of the face of the Land.
Because she was the lady.
Lady Buzzes Havering.
With his husband, it planned and it executed this brilliant murder.
Joined they planned to vanish of your hated uncle and to keep finally the money.
I will ask both what accompany me even to the squad.
How does it dare? This was already distant too much.
Do not think that I me stay.
Be Roger silent! - Because the bicycle buried it? - How might it her to leave thereabouts? It was found and identified for the Mr.
Anstruther like the stolen one, it would demonstrate that the murderer still it was near to the Retirement.
- Hello, man Poirot! - Monsieur Anstruther.
- Did the rosemary result? - It resulted.
Besides, it stimulated so much the grey celulazinhas, what allowed me to locate his bicycle.
- Is it in bad state, no? - Yes, it was buried.
- Buried? - Buried.
- It is covered of mud and mould.
- Lament not to have her clean.
I cannot be seen mounting that one, it is completely dented fenders.
Does he want his bicycle or not? Leave it there.
I am going to see if the boy can arrange it.
Will this be a gratitude? It is for this that Poirot practises his talents? Does it wait for gratitude? Not me knife to laugh.
Now he knows already how if it feels a truthful detective.
A truthful detective?! The Inspector-chief is same very amusing, does not it find? Yes, very amusing.
For police officer.