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The Snorkel (1958)
Signora? Signora Decker?
Guilio! Guilio! Guilio! Guilio! Guilio! Ah, Mr. Wilson. You have been very quick. You know this lady, of course? Mrs. Decker. Yes, I know her. Suicide? That is for the inquest to say. But you see, all the doors and windows taped up, the gas taps all turned on, the doors locked from the inside. No one can go in or out. Si, suicide, definitely. Now this Mrs... Decker. Decker, si. She is English, is she not? Yes, but she's not a tourist. She's been living here for some time. Si, si, I know. We have her papers. This is her villa, no? Really, it belongs to her husband. He spent a great deal of money on it. It was in a bit of a mess when Decker married her. Expensive, hmm? She could afford it. Mr. Decker, he is rich, too? No, no, I don't think so. Oh. The maid says he is away. You know where? No. He often goes away for a few days on his own. Do you know of any reason why... No, none at all. They were a happy couple? Yes, as far as I know. Well, we'd better find Mr. Decker. Yes. Where is he? He killed her! Mummy! I didn't know there was a child. Yes. I thought she was in England. Where's Paul? You must find him. I know he killed my mummy! I'm Mr. Wilson, Candy, from the British Consulate. I knew your mother, and there's nothing to worry about. We'll soon find your father. He's not my father. My daddy's dead. Now Paul has killed Mummy, and you've let him get away. It's not like that, Candy. I imagine your mummy was unhappy. She... She wouldn't do a thing like that, not on the day I was coming home. It was Paul, he did it. And he's got away. No one has got away, little girl. It was necessary to break down the door. Since then, there is someone here all the time. If he was here at all, he would be here still. And you can see he is not. But he must have been here. Mummy couldn't do a thing like that. I know this has been a terrible shock for you. If you'll go downstairs with this lady here, I'll be down in a minute. We'll talk about what we're going to do. Candy! Candy! Candy, my pet, why did you have to come up here? I'm Jean Edwards. I've come from England with Candy. What a terrible thing to have happened. Paul did it, Jean. He killed Mummy. Shh, my love! We'll talk about it downstairs. Come on. Come on, Toto! Toto, come on. You think I'm mad, don't you? They all thought I was mad when I said he killed my daddy. Poor kid. She must think her stepfather is an absolute monster. Candy? Is there anything you would like me to get you? No, thank you, Jean. I must arrange somewhere for us to stay. Would you mind very much if I leave you for a few minutes? Then I'll just go and telephone. I shan't be long. Miss... Edwards. Miss Edwards, please. One moment, if you don't mind. You know the Decker family well? Quite well, yes. We understand, Mr. Decker, he is away, writing. You know of this perhaps? Well, I know he went away quite often. Have you any idea where he is now? No, I haven't. Oh. Mrs. Decker, she was unhappy? Depressed? I don't know. I've only just arrived. I know she didn't like it when Mr. Decker was away. She was very much in love with him. And the little girl, she was perhaps jealous. Well, it's been a difficult situation. She really must hate her stepfather. Yes, she thinks that he killed her father. Well, why she should think this? Well, she saw the accident, didn't she? Yes, it was when she was eight. They were all on holiday together. The two men took a small boat fishing. Candy went, too. There was an accident, and her father was drowned. She saw it all. Of course she must have been crazy with grief, but she was convinced that Mr. Decker was to blame. Poor child. Now she thinks he killed her mother, too. It was suicide? There's no doubt? No doubt at all. Locked doors, all the gas taps turned on, no doubt at all. Well, there is nothing more we can do here. Thank you for your help, Mr. Wilson. That's all right, Inspector. I shall leave a man on duty here in case the husband comes back. If he contacts you, you will tell me, please? Of course. And you, too, please, Signorina. Yes, I will. I'll take you to a hotel. You can't possibly stay here. Thank you, that would be very kind. I'll just go and tell Candy. All right, pet, we're going soon. Paul did it, Jean. I know he did. We'll talk about it later, when we get to the hotel. Come on. Come on, Toto. Bad luck, having this responsibility thrust on you at the start of your holiday. It isn't exactly a holiday. I've known the Deckers for some time. We have an arrangement. I take Candy off their hands for a bit during the school holidays. It's always worked very well. I see. Hotel Europa. Well, if there's anything else I can do for you, just call me. All right, thank you. Anyway, I'll drop by later this evening. Fine. Miss Edwards. Telephone call for you. You can take it in the booth. All right. Thank you. Hello? Jean Edwards speaking. How did you get it? It was delivered to the house of Mrs. Decker soon after we left, addressed to the Signora. We took the liberty of opening it. I shall read it to you. "Dear Madge," it starts, "I miss you very much, but it is almost worth it. "The book is coming along marvelously. "I hope to finish it by tonight, but whether I do or not, "I can't stand being away from you any longer, "so I'm going to start back first thing in the morning. "In fact, I may reach you before this letter does. "Longing to see you, darling. Your own Paul. " It's from a little place across the French border. If only it could have arrived sooner. It's no good wishing that, I'm afraid. Look, Inspector, I must get to the villa before he does. It'd be awful if he hears about this from a stranger. Yes, that would be very kind. And please tell him I must see him as soon as possible. Yes, I'll tell him. Goodbye. Candy, will you be all right if I leave you for a bit? But you promised you were going to talk to me about everything. "As soon as we got to the hotel," you said. Well, not now, dear. Later. I must go out just for a little while. You just stay here quietly. If Mummy was going to do a thing like that, she would have left me a letter, wouldn't she? There was no letter, pet. That's what I mean. It was Paul. You must believe me. Please, Jean. Paul was in France when it happened. How do you know? Have they found him? Look, darling, I can't explain. Now I must go. Now try and get some rest. I won't be long. I promise. They don't believe me, Toto. Just like they didn't believe me when I said I saw him holding Daddy down when he fell from the boat. The bubbles kept on coming and coming, till there weren't any more bubbles. We've got to find out, Toto. We've got to find out! Mr. Decker. What can I say? I hoped to be here before you. I didn't want you to walk into this. I'm so sorry. I can't understand it. It just isn't possible. If there was anything worrying her, why didn't she tell me? Why didn't she... Please, you mustn't torture yourself with questions. Nobody really understands why a person does such a thing. We must try and think about the future. What's to be done about Candy. Yes, of course. Poor Candy. Is she all right? Yes, she's all right. I took her to a hotel. I couldn't let her stay here. No, of course not. I've arranged a room for you, too. I didn't think... Thank you, dear Jean. What would we do without you? You're so practical. I must go and see Candy. The inspector of police wants to see you when you feel all right. Ah, yes. Now starts all the questions and all the talking. I suppose it has to be done. How do you feel now, pet? I feel all right, thank you, Jean. You look startled. Something wrong? No. Why don't you get undressed and get into bed? I could have your supper sent up. Come on up, Toto. That would be nice, wouldn't it? I'll have mine here, too, if you like. Have they found him? Mr. Decker? Yes. You rang, Signora? No. Where is he? Candy, you've had a terrible shock, but we mustn't let it make us... Well, we mustn't start imagining things that couldn't have happened. I don't imagine things that I see, like when Paul drowned Daddy. Well, whatever you thought you saw then, you didn't see anything this afternoon. I know I didn't see a letter for me, and Mummy would have left one. Candy, you've got to stop talking like this. People, normal people, just don't behave this way. Do you think I'm mad, Jean? Of course not, Candy. Of course I don't. But you don't believe me? Now, look, you'll feel very differently about this in a day or two. Now, come on, get your clothes off and get into bed. I'm not going to bed till you tell me about Paul. I told you, darling. He was in France. He's only just returned. I don't believe it. He can't have. The police will find out. The police know all about it. Have they seen him? Have you seen him? Yes, I have. Then he's here, isn't he? Yes. I want to see him. In the morning, sweet. Hello, Candy. Didn't she give you enough money? Was that why you did it? Candy! Please, Jean... I know I'm right. Candy, I know something terrible has happened. Things will never be the same for either of us. I can't give you back your mummy, but let me try to make you happy. Let me try to... To take her place for you. I'd like that. Where were you this morning? I was in France, darling. Now listen to me, Candy. I love you. You're all I've left. We must help one another. Won't you try? We could have such fun, you and I. We did have fun a long time ago, didn't we? That was before you killed my daddy. She didn't do it. She didn't do it. She didn't do it. It had to be suicide. They couldn't give any other verdict. I know. It's just that I still can't believe it happened. Can I drive you to the hotel? Yes, thank you. My car's over there. What are you planning to do, Mr. Decker? Oh. I shall close down the villa. Jean is taking Candy to her aunt in the States. Maybe I shall join them later. If you give me your passports, I can arrange that part. All right, thank you. How is Candy today? She's much better. She wanted to come to the inquest, but I thought she should stay at the hotel. She's a strange child, isn't she? You go ahead and order lunch. I'm going to see how Candy is. All right. Signora, the little girl, she has gone out. Out? But... Well, how long ago? Since about 10:00. Mr. Decker. Now look, Miss... Brown, Candice Brown. Ah, si, Candy. Now look, Candy, sometimes life is a strange thing. It makes people do things we cannot afterwards explain. Not the expected thing, you understand? Like your mother, a happy woman, she suicides herself. Why she did this, we cannot tell. All we know is that, that is what happened. It didn't. Paul killed her. Now, Candy, you have had a big upset. It is not always easy to see things clearly. I do see things clearly. I always did. No one thought I was different from other girls till I saw Paul kill Daddy. Then they had to explain what they couldn't believe, so they said I was imagining things. I don't imagine things, and I'm not imagining things now. Hmm. We shall look at facts. Your mother was found in a room with the door locked on the inside. The gardener had to break down the door. There are no other ways out, there are no ways the door could have been locked from the outside. Then he was inside, hiding. But he is a man, Candy. He breathes like you and me. If he is inside, he takes the gas, too. He dies. And where does he hide? He is not invisible. There must be a way. There has to be a way. If you can show me how a man can be in a room, invisible, a room full of gas, but with air to breathe, I shall arrest him. But until then, Candy... I'll find out, Inspector, and then I'll come back. Goodbye, Candy. Goodbye. Candy. Candy! Hello, Mr. Wilson. We've been looking all over for you. Go on, get in the car. Thank you, Inspector. We were a little worried. Well, she should be back at the hotel very soon now. All right. Let me know if she troubles you again. I'm sorry if you've been worried. Not just me. Mr. Decker and Miss Edwards are out looking for you now. I went for a walk. You better tell someone next time you decide to go out on your own. Will you do that? Yes, sir. Mr. Wilson, how long can you hold your breath? What? Hold your breath, how long? I don't know. About a minute, I suppose. What's the longest a man has ever held his breath? No idea. Three or four minutes, I think. That's the longest? Yes, I think so. What's this all about, Candy? Nothing. I was just wondering. Look, Toto. Look, Toto. Look at those things on those men's backs. They must hold lots and lots of air. Enough to last for days, I should think. Candy, where on earth have you been? We were so worried. Toto and I went for a walk. You mustn't do it again without telling anyone. We were all looking for you. Have you had any lunch? No, I didn't want any, thank you. Oh, that's silly. You must eat. How about something now? Could I have an ice cream, please? Strawberry. I'll just order it. What are you doing with the passports? Look, pet, how would you like to go on a trip? Where to? To America, to visit your aunt. That'll be nice, won't it? When? Well, I thought we'd go as soon as possible. In two or three days. Why? We only just arrived. We thought you'd rather not stay here. Paul feels you'd be happier in America with your aunt. He feels. Oh, I see. You see what? I think he's beginning to be frightened of me. Frightened? Now look, pet, this nonsense about Paul must stop. He's only trying to do his best for you. Why do people have passports? Well, you have to have them if you want to travel from one country to another. I know, but why? So you can prove who you are, then the country can stamp the passport and they know where everyone is. Do they stamp your passport every time you go in and out of a country? Yes, they mark it with the date. In France? Yes, same as everywhere else. Now look, pet, I'll just go and order the ice cream. All right? Thank you, Jean. Where's Paul? Mr. Wilson's out looking for him. Now you won't leave your room again without telling me, will you? Can I just go along the hall? Yes. As long as you don't leave the hotel. All right, Jean. Come on, Toto. Here! Here! Now leave things alone, Toto. We don't want this. We want his passport so that we can prove that he wasn't in France at all. Hello, Candy. Are you interested in my passport? Yes. Why? Jean told me we were going to America. Quite. So you'll need a visa, won't you? Like that one. See here, it says all about me, and the rest shows you all the countries that I've visited. Lots and lots of them. Show me. All right. Come and sit on the bed. Now, you see, this is where we went to Switzerland last year. You'll have one like that in your passport, too. That's a British one. All those are French. Ah. That's the one where I went in France last week, and down here, when I came back two days ago. See, the date is marked very clearly. That way it can always be proven where one has been any given day. Interesting, isn't it? Oh, I just saw Jean downstairs. She was ordering you a huge ice cream. I expect she's taking it up now. Hadn't you better get back to your room? Hello, Toto. Come on. Come on, go find Candy. Come along, Toto. Now, say please, Toto. There's a good dog. Yeah. Now, come on, go and find Candy. Jean. Yes? Is suicide a mortal sin? What do you mean? Well, if Mummy did what they said, will she still be able to go to heaven? Of course she will. But suicide is wicked, isn't it? Well, sometimes it is, when a person does it to escape something. Something they've done. But your mummy wasn't like that. She wasn't wicked. But there must be a reason. And she would've wanted me to know. She would've left a letter, so that I'd have known why she had to do it. Well, sometimes a person does a thing suddenly, in what's called a fit of depression. Your mummy must've been very unhappy with both you and Paul away like that. But we'd been away before. One can't always tell what goes on inside a person. You mummy was all alone in that big, old house. Why did she stay there, then? She hated the house. Surely not, pet. She did. She told me she only lived there because Paul wanted her to. She wanted to change everything and make it nicer, but he wouldn't let her. She bought loads of new things. But he wouldn't let her change anything. He wouldn't let her put the electric light in. She hated gas. She was frightened of it. Are you sure? She told me. She said it was dangerous. But Mummy will go to heaven, won't she, Jean? Yes, of course she will, pet. Of course she will. Now you hurry and finish your ice cream. I'll just go and post this letter, and then we'll think of something nice to do this afternoon. Poor Toto. I'd forgotten all about you. Here, have some ice cream. It's your favorite. Why did you do it? Candy, what's happened to... I know why you killed Mummy and Daddy, but why Toto? Candy, you mustn't think I had anything to do with it. Don't you touch him! I know you killed him, and you're going to have to kill me, too, because if you don't, I'm going to kill you! "You're going to have to kill me, "because if you don't, I'm going to kill you. " Those were her exact words. It's terrible. Poor Candy. I can't forget the way she looked at me. It was so abnormal. I hope it's nothing permanent. Of course, she's only a child. These two things coming together. She was beginning to accept the first. If only there'd been a letter, it would have helped. It's funny there was nothing at all. Yeah. Mr. Decker, Candy said her mother was afraid of gas. Does it seem right to you that a person who was frightened of gas would use it to commit suicide? Did she say that? Madge wasn't frightened of anything. Candy said that you didn't want Mrs. Decker to put electricity in the villa. No, I didn't. Madge had already spent a fortune on the house. I had to tell her to stop somewhere. I wish to heaven I hadn't. Shall we go for a walk by the sea? Well, I don't know. There's Candy. Candy'll be asleep by now. Well, I'll just take a peek at her, and then I'll meet you in the hall. All right. Heavenly here, isn't it? Perfect. I want to thank you for all you're doing, Jean. Please, what did you expect me to do, walk out when things went wrong? Of course not, but you're doing so much more than just the right thing. It's meant very much to me having you here. You do believe me, don't you? Yes, I believe you. I'm glad. It's important to me. Since you came to look after Candy, things have been very different. If anything went wrong, there was always Jean to look after it. Set it straight again. I just don't know what we did before. You obviously managed. You seemed happy enough. Yes, we were happy. Madge and I had many things in common. But there are other things, you know. I found myself looking forward to the school holidays, when you'd come home with Candy. And I used to wonder whether you'd changed while you'd been away. I was never away for long. People can change in a very short time. You might have met someone, some man. I used to hate the idea that you'd get married and not come home to us anymore. And now you're sending us away again. But we're doing that for Candy's sake, you know that. I know. I was only joking. I'm not joking, Jean. I'm very serious, and I want you to believe that. I do believe it, Paul. As tomorrow is our last day, shall we all go on a picnic? All children love picnics. It might be good to have a day like that before we go. Good idea. That'll be fun. We'll take the car, go along the coast, park near the beach. Good idea. If Candy's still up when we get back, you can tell her. She better hadn't be. It's nearly midnight. I thought I'd find you here, Candy. You've been a naughty girl. I don't like naughty girls. It's all right. She's up here. Oh, Jean! Candy! Candy, it's all right, darling. There's nothing to worry about. You're safe now. Jean, I was so frightened. I didn't know what was going to happen. I was so frightened. Candy, are you sure you wouldn't like some fruit? No, thanks. I'm not very hungry. She's hardly eaten anything. Doesn't matter, does it? It's her day, let her enjoy. Jean, how do those things work? What things, pet? Those swimming things you put on over your face. Like that man over there. That's a snorkel. It's simple. You swim along with your head under the water and the air goes through a tube. That way you can watch all the fish and things without coming up for breath. How long before you have to come up to breathe? As long as you like, all day if you wanted. And all night? Yes, I suppose. I'd like to try that. Have you got your one here, Paul? My one, Candy? Your snorkel. I haven't got one. I'm sorry. I'll buy you one, if you like. But you have got one. I've seen it. No, Candy, you must be mistaken. I saw it in your room, in your wardrobe. Of course, you're right. I remember seeing it. Somebody must have left it there, probably the last person to use the room. Yes, you may have it when we get back to the hotel. Remind me. Look, the man's going in. Gosh, I can't see him at all. You know, you could go anywhere, all over the world, underwater like that. And no one would know. Under water, breathing air. Thank you, Paul. I'd like you to give me that snorkel when we get to the hotel. I'd like that special snorkel, the one in your wardrobe. Of course. Thank you for bringing me here. I'm glad we came. I feel happier now. I'm going in for a swim now, Jean. All right, not too far out. This picnic's done her a world of good. She's a different child. Yes, she's a different child. It's as though she's suddenly gained confidence. Yes. And it was something quite small that made the change, something silly. When you said you'd give her that snorkel. Was that it? Yes. Didn't you notice? It was as though she suddenly saw you clearly for the first time. Mind of a child. Isn't she a bit far out? I don't think so. She's a good swimmer. There's a tricky undercurrent around here. Easy to swim out, not so easy to swim back. Candy! Candy! Candy, come back in! She's not turning. She doesn't hear me. I expect she'll be all right. Don't worry. Do you suppose one of us should swim after her? I'm sure she'll be all right. I'm going after her. Don't bother, I'll go. All right, thanks. Swim will do me good. Help! Help! Hang on, Candy! I'm coming! Paul, hold on! All right, I've got her. All right. Put her head between her knees. She swallowed a lot of water. She should be all right. Thank heavens. There now, pet! It's just sea water. There now, it's all right. It's all right, pet. You're safe now. There's nothing to be frightened of anymore. Paul saved you. He tried to kill me. You tried to kill me. Candy! He did, Jean. He grabbed my leg and pulled me down. He tried to drown me! Candy! Candy, stop it! I know too much. That's why! He tried to drown me, like he drowned my... You shouldn't have done that, Jean. She doesn't know what she's saying. I know so. So, she shouldn't say it. Now, Candy, listen to me. I'm sick of this nonsense. Will you stop thinking about yourself for once? I know you lost your mother, but did you ever stop to think about Paul? He lost his wife. She's only a child, Jean. There's no excuse. Now, listen, Candy, the only reason you're safe on this beach is because Paul swam out and brought you back. You're wet, too. Did you swim out? Only at the last moment. It was Paul who saved you. So that's what went wrong. Jean got there in time, didn't she? Candy, if you say one more word, I'II... Paul, I'm so sorry. It's not her fault. She nearly got drowned. It's no good making excuses for her anymore. There's something wrong. As soon as we get to America, she'll see a doctor. I suppose you are right. There's nothing else to do. She's sick. Just when I thought it was coming out all right. She looks so pathetic standing there. Thank you. May I have the snorkel? No, Candy, you can't. Why should Paul give you presents after the way you've behaved? But he said... Perhaps if you said you were sorry for behaving so badly. I'm not sorry. You can't see that I'm telling the truth because he's fooling you, the same as everyone else. But I'm going to prove to you that I'm right because I know he killed Mummy. Do you hear, Paul? I know how you did it. Stop it, Candy. Stop it this instant. I know, Paul, and I'm going to tell. Paul, I'm sorry. Never mind, Jean. I don't care what she says anymore. Do you mind? The sooner we see a doctor... It's the only thing to do. Let's go and have a drink. I think I shall go away. There's nothing more I can do here, and my presence seems to make Candy worse. But we're leaving tomorrow, anyway. I know, but I meant tonight, when Candy is in bed. I really don't think she ought to see me anymore. Where would you go? There's a little hotel just across the border in France where I sometimes stay. I shall go there. It seems so unfair, allowing her to drive you away like this. I'd rather. I really can't stand much more. First Madge, then the inquest, then this dreadful scene in the lobby just now. I don't want any more of it. I want to see the inspector, please. Hello. I want to see the inspector. I'm sorry, the inspector is not in. You see, his duty does not commence until the morning. There is something I can do, no? No, it has to be the inspector. Do you know where I can find him? I'm sorry. You see, when he's off duty, he could be anywhere. Well, could you give him a message for me? Yes. Would you ask him to telephone Miss Candice Brown at the Hotel Europa? And would you tell him that I know how a man can be in a room full of gas and still breathe air. Do you understand? Yes, I understand. You're sure? Yes, look, I write it down. Thank you. Goodbye. Room full of gas and he breathes air? Thank you, and goodbye. Goodbye, sir. She's sleeping peacefully. Good. Jean, are you sure you'll be all right? Yes, of course. There's only tomorrow morning. Immediately after lunch we leave for the airport. And you'll do all you can for Candy? And you'll tell me as soon as she's seen someone? Yes, of course. I'll write you from France, and soon perhaps I'll come to America. And then, we'll all be together again. I shall miss you, Jean. I'll miss you, too. Monsieur Decker, bonsoir. We were just closing. I'm afraid I'm a little late. Could I still have a room? There's always room for you, Monsieur. The same one as before? That would be lovely. I'll just go and get my bags. Oh... I'd like to sleep late tomorrow. Please don't call me before 11:00. Thank you. Hello? MAN ON PHONE.; Is that Miss Candice Brown? Yes. I am speaking for the inspector of police. He wants you to go to the villa of Madame Decker as quickly as possible. Has he found out something? But he say not to speak to anybody, not even Miss Edwards. All right. Tell him I'm coming. Thank you, Miss Brown. Please hurry. Hello, Candy. I thought it was the inspector. Where is he? He's on his way. I sent for him as soon as I found the letter. Letter? Yes, Candy, from your mummy. At last I can show you how wrong you've been about me all this time. It explains everything. Where is it? Show it to me. It's upstairs in the living room. It's for both of us. Shall we go up, and we can read it together? Come on, Candy, let's read it quietly before anyone else gets here. Did you see anyone at the hotel when you left? No. Was Jean up yet? No, I don't think so. Well, then you'll be able to tell her all about it at breakfast. In the sitting room. Come in, Candy. Sit down. Where's the letter? Right here. Sit on the settee, I'll read it to you. I found it behind the cushions. It must have slipped down. "My two darlings," it starts, "Paul and Candy, "you must forgive me for the terrible thing I have to do. "You see, I went to the doctor today "and he said that in a very little while I was going to die. "He said I would undergo terrible pain. I could not face that. "Not because of myself, but for the looks on your two faces if I were to suffer. "So it is better to end it quickly like this. "Please forgive me for the unhappiness I cause. "But a sharp pain is better for both of you than long weeks of sorrow. "I know that you'll take care of each other, "and that gives me great comfort. "You'll have such fun together through the years. "Bless you both, and Candy, "I send you a kiss. From your mummy. " Mummy, Mummy! Here, darling, drink this. It'll make you feel better. Thank you, Paul. Read it again, Paul. Drink your milk first, then I will. I don't want any more, thank you. I'll take her. Is she all right? She's still breathing. Thank God we were in time. She could only have had a little whiff. I should have locked her in her room. I might have guessed she'd try to do something like this. She's a pretty bad case. We mustn't be cross with her when she comes to. She's sick. We'll see a doctor when we get to America. Poor kid. A mental home isn't much to look forward to. The gas will have cleared by now. We'll get her on the settee. Am I dead? No, pet, you're all right. We got here just in time. He tried to kill me again. Yes, pet. He got me here and promised to read me a letter from Mummy. You see how he did it, don't you, Jean? Yes, pet, I see. Paul tried to kill me, Mr. Wilson, the same way as he did Mummy. He breathed air while she breathed gas, and he wasn't in France because of the snorkel. The snorkel? You believe me, don't you, Jean? Yes, pet, I told you I did. So all we've got to do now is to find where he's hiding, and give him to the police. "Where he's hiding"? Yes, he has to be hiding, in here, now. Like he did before. You don't believe me, do you? You don't believe a word I've said. Well, Candy, it is a bit... It's a bit far-fetched, isn't it? But I was in here, dying. Now look, pet. Wouldn't it be better to tell the truth? You knew that I'd be in to see you early this morning and would guess that you were up at the villa. But that's not true. It is. Remember, we found you here once before. You came up here, waited until you saw us arrive, and then turned on the gas. You know, Candy, we might not have got here in time after all. I wish you hadn't. I wish I'd died, then you would have believed me. He is hiding! He is! Look, Candy, suppose we could prove to you that he isn't hiding here? Would you promise to forget all these ideas? But you can't, because he is hiding. Supposing we could? Supposing we look everywhere, everywhere you say. If you can prove to me that he isn't hiding, not anywhere, then I promise I'll never say anything again. Candy, do you really mean that? Yes, if he isn't hiding. Well, wherever he is, he must be in this room. This door was all taped up when we broke in. Well, the walls seem to be pretty solid. Well, he's not in there. And the communicating door is taped up like that one, so that means he's not in the bedroom. Well, there doesn't seem to be anywhere else. But he is hiding! He is! Now, Candy, you promised. Now, where else can I look? Is there somewhere you think I may have missed? Behind the cabinet over there. Why, Candy, that's ridiculous. It must weigh a ton. But he has to be there. It's the only place. The only place? Now are you quite sure? Yes. Now look, Candy, if I move that cabinet and find nothing, will you be satisfied? Will you promise not to give us any more scares like this? Yes, I promise. I'll give you a hand. It's no good, Candy, there's nothing there. Come and have a look for yourself. No, there's nothing there. Now will you keep your promise? Yes. Are you quite happy now, and realize it was all in your imagination? Yes. And do what you said, never mention it again? I'll keep my promise. That's a good girl, Candy. You know, Candy, that promise could make quite a difference to your future, couldn't it, Miss Edwards? No need for any doctors. That's right. As long as she keeps it. I'll keep it. Yes, I'm sure you will. Let's go down to the car, shall we? I'm sorry, Mummy, I did my best. I must have one more look. Candy! No. Let her have one more look. Let her be completely satisfied. Candy! Is that you? Candy, help me out. Do you hear? Let me out, Candy. Candy! Do you hear me? Candy, if you can't help me, call the others. I'd rather they found me here than... Candy! Do you hear me? Call them! Candy. Call them, Candy. It's just my imagination. You're not really there. They proved you weren't. It's just my silly imagination, and I mustn't believe it. They made me promise never to mention it again. No, Candy! You can't! Candy, let me out! Candy! Candy, please help me. It's just my imagination. And I must keep my promise. Candy! Help! Help! Stop! Stop, please. I want to get out for a moment. I said I'd find out and come back. Go to the villa and look under the floor in the sitting room. You'll see that I was right. |
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