The Indian Scarf (Edgar Wallace: Das indische Tuch)

Yes?

My Lady. Doctor Amersham.

King!

Sit down.

Coming a bit late, aren't you, Doctor? - Where is he?

Lebanon works in the library at this time.

Come.

Yes? Lord Lebanon here.

Hello?

Hello!

This is Lord Lebanon speaking. Say something, for God's sake!

Hello! Look here, my good friend, if this is a practical joke...

Just a moment, please. I'll connect you right away.

Hello! This is Edgar Wallace speaking.

I have the honour to be addressing you at this difficult time,

as lawyer of our dear departed, Lord Francis Percival Lebanon.

He has left me the task of reading his testament to you all.

My next to last will. - What sort of will? Are you being funny?

Did we come from all corners of the world, to be victimized...

by his crazy sense of humour? We have a right to be told!

My dear ones. When you hear the following words,

I'll have disappeared as the 28th Lord of Lebanon and gone to join our fore-fathers.

I trust my demise to a place as I might have wished for myself.

Quickly, unexpectedly, and without unnecessary complications.

May I interrupt to enquire how it was that my dearly beloved cousin died?

Heart failure. Third attack. I was there for the autopsy, as luck would have it.

Please, go on reading. - I have a question I'd like to put.

It happens to be my inheritance. - Don't interrupt!

What is the exact sum each one can expect? - This is really a family affair.

You're not related by blood, and, to our shame, you are American as well.

I'm speaking for my wife, of genuine Lebanon creed.

And as long as Peter Ross is present, who is nothing but an illegitimate son,

and as long as Miss Isla Harris sits here, although she has only the feeblest

connection with this family, then I have as much right here as anyone!

Please, please! Quiet! Let's have respect for the deceased.

You might say something! - Shut up.

May I point out that the total property amounts to some half million pounds.

And that, that converts to roughly, a million and a half dollars.

My life has always been marred by one great disappointment.

Disappointment in you all for having destroyed a great and illustrious family

by the venomous strife that has divided you for all these years.

As of today, this situation will change.

For this purpose I bequeath to each of you a substantial portion of my possessions,

under the condition that you will remain under this roof for 6 days and 6 nights,

in peace and harmony. Awaiting the opening...

of my last will and testament.

Mr. Tanner, to whom I gave a sealed copy of the will, is instructed by me

to supervise the execution of these conditions.

Let the spirit of our ancient and venerable family

inspire all of you with peace and harmony. And link your hearts

in all true faith, hope and charity.

6 days and 6 nights! Especially nights! I can't leave my expedition

alone that long. I must go back to the Amazon!

Who will look after my flock, if I fail to arrive at church, as usual?

They'll go to heaven without you, Pastor. - Nobody is being forced to remain.

But, what would happen, if we decided to leave? Will my share be sent to me?

No, it won't be sent to you.

It'll be divided among those who remain.

One of us could die, perhaps. - That's a pleasant thought, but uh,

the dead aren't eligible. - Looks like we better fish, or cut bait.

Allow me to welcome you. Though, we're a bit short of help.

Good evening.

To whom does this horrid little chest belong?

Is it yours, by any chance? - Oh, indeed not.

A spider!

Which stupid idiot opened that box? That's one of the most venomous

of all tropical insects. That's a Blackbird Spider. Its bite is fatal.

Don't worry, Edward's here to protect you.

Thank you, My Lord. - But, Isla. We're relatives.

Call me Edward, please.

I hope you have no more such surprises. - I fear he does, My Lady.

Sir Hockbridge has a bird.

And a bird, who is, if you will permit me to say, a most scurrilous creature.

It is a rarity from the Amazon. - I believe you, Sir. But he speaks

perfect English to me, and his mouth should be washed out with strong soap.

I think our guests are ready for bed. Isn't that so? Edward, come along!

Come, Isla. - Would you please follow me.

But, before I go to bed, I must wish all my dear relatives a very good night.

Quite in the spirit of our dear deceased, I retire in peace and serenity.

What the devil's gone wrong, now?

But, don't be alarmed. Evidently, utility pole was hit.

Hello?

Hello! Hello!

The telephone is out of order, and since electrical skill is not in my repertoire,

our communication is severed for a while. - A tree must have fallen across a cable.

The devastating storm in West Scotland is now assuming the proportions

of a national calamity. Several shipwrecks have been announced. Off Scrabster,

the dyke broke along a stretch of 2 miles. The whole peninsular is now cut off

from the mainland. Further information will follow.

Well, I guess that's us, friends. - I'd better repair the lamps here.

And I have to ration food. Particularly mustard is in short supply.

The whole situation is absurd!

Well, what do you think, Edward? What do you think of this mock testament?

How could Papa do that to us? - Old age gives people weird fantasies.

Recently he spoke a lot about his family. - Family.

Hyenas is what they are. They have no right to it, whatsoever.

It's your property. To think we may even be deprived of the castle.

Edward, we must fight this will. Together, to our last breath.

Mama. In two weeks' time, I give my first concert in London.

How can you expect me to be concerned about this inheritance of mine?

No. Of course, my precious.

You are not to worry. I'll watch over you, my dear.

I'll fight for you against them all.

Oh, good heavens! Good heavens! Oh, my goodness!

Oh! Dear, dear!

But, who are you? What do you want?

Nothing.

It's raining.

It's raining!

I'm Chiko.

Chiko... What kind of a name is that?

Chiko, why, you nearly frightened me out of my wits!

I suppose I need a little drink!

Hey, it was quite a scare, after all.

Ah, a nice old cognac, to brace me up!

But, Bonwit, what's the meaning of this? - Reverend Hastings won't have breakfast.

Oh. Isn't he feeling well? - I'm quite incapable of replying.

He is dead.

What did you say? - He's been quite choked to death, I fear.

If you would care to certify the manner of death, he's in the blue salon.

Doctor Amersham.

Edward. - Yes, Mama?

Did you hear that Uncle Lionel is dead? - Do you think

the members of the Royal House will come to my concert, Mother?

Edward. Sometimes, I'm so worried for you.

What sort of world are you living in? - In my own, Mama.

Tell me, Bonwit, at ten o'clock...

when you took around the candlesticks to every room,

was the Reverend Hastings still alive? - As I left he made the sign of the cross.

Why did he do that? - Because he didn't have a tip handy.

What an awful thing to say! - My dear friends, this much is evident.

That a murder has been committed in a very cruel and effective way.

What did you say? A murder? - Yes, that's exactly it.

As we are unable to contact the police, we must solve the case for ourselves.

I'm not a plain clothes man, by any means. But if you all agree,

I'll be glad to offer my services. - The main point is for it to be no one

who might gain by the investigation. - No one's asked your advice.

That's certainly the best solution. - Thank you for your confidence, My Lady.

I have some further questions to Bonwit. Could you please wait in the dining room?

Of course. - I hope it won't take too long.

Tell me, Bonwit, have you, at any point...

What are we going to do with him? - I suggest to bring him to the chapel.

It's very tranquil there, Sir. And the view is glorious.

Awful, isn't it, to think... that there could be a murderer among us.

You can be a lot more exact, my dear. He's certainly one of us.

But each of us gets twenty-thousand more. And that's a consolation, isn't it?

I forbid you to talk like that.

Well, now we can get down to Briar Stacks.

Has anybody ever seen this scarf before?

No. Not that I know of, Tanner.

And, what do you say, Doctor Amersham?

Me? No! Why me?

That goes for all of you. Good.

Was anybody up after ten o'clock? And, did you hear anything which might help us?

I didn't hear, but I saw. - Saw what?

A man. - And?

And nothing. I saw him go in to the Reverend's room.

Did you see who the man was? - I course I saw him.

And, who was it?

Mr. Tilling. - That is a damned lie!

I never left my room all night! - My husband left his room

very soon after ten o'clock. He didn't return for a long time.

Don't believe her, she's a pathological liar!

You're in a position to know. Correct me if I'm wrong. That is...

the suit you were wearing yesterday? - What?

Well, naturally. I'm not a fashion model. - Uh, there's a button off your jacket.

So what? It's been off for ages. She won't sew buttons, she said.

She couldn't have sewn this button. Because I have it here.

Have you any idea where it turned up?

Beside the Reverend's bed.

Alright.

I went to his room. I admit it.

I wanted to talk about my wife.

She's after me, because she wants a divorce.

But, I never reached that point. I found him dead.

Can you prove that?

I don't need to. Can you disprove it? - There, you are asking too much of me.

I collect the material, but, the rest is considered police work.

Bonwit!

Now, ladies and gentlemen, come this way. I would like to introduce to you: Chiko.

Cook, valet, chauffeur, all in one person. Chiko, you told me

you'd seen one of these guests three weeks ago visiting the castle.

You managed to recall the exact day. Uh, the 18th of June, I believe.

Yes, Sir. - Is that person one of us, here?

Yes. There.

Chiko, how does it happen, that you can recall the date so precisely?

Because, the following day, His Lordship was murdered.

Thanks, Chiko. That's enough. You may go.

You infer I'm the murderer of Lord Lebanon from that?

Why not? Your wife would inherit more, and you would get rid of your debts.

I remember, my husband went for a few days to Birmingham, on business.

I never believed in that trip. - There is no love lost between you two,

is there, Mrs. Tilling? - No.

That seems very natural. - You,

I'm warning you.

I'm warning you!

Of course, I only belong to the family, because His Lordship seduced my Mother.

But, I suggest we relegate Mr. Tilling to his room.

Proletarian.

Gentlemen! I must insist on manners!