Charade Page #5

GRANDPIERRE:

He was American?

REGGIE:

Swiss.

GRANDPIERRE:

Oh. Swiss. His profession?

REGGIE:

He didn't have one.

GRANDPIERRE:

He was a wealthy man?

REGGIE:

I don't know. I suppose so.

GRANDPIERRE:

About how wealthy would you say?

REGGIE:

I don't know.

GRANDPIERRE:

Where did he keep his money?

REGGIE:

I don't know.

GRANDPIERRE:

Besides yourself, who is his nearest relation?

REGGIE:

I don't know.

GRANDPIERRE (exploding)

C'est absurde, Madame. To-tale-ment absurde!

REGGIE:

I know. (pause) I'm sorry.

GRANDPIERRE:

It is all right.

GRANDPIERRE sighs, puts down his pencil and pushes a button

on the desk. He removes a cigar from his desk and inserts

it into his mouth.

GRANDPIERRE:

Is it all right?

REGGIE:

I wish you wouldn't.

He rips the cigar out of his mouth and slams it back into

the drawer, closing it fiercely. A UNIFORMED POLICEMAN

sticks his head in the door.

GRANDPIERRE:

Les effets de Lampert.

The POLICEMAN leaves and closes the door.

GRANDPIERRE:

On Wednesday last your husband sold the entire

contents of the apartment at public auction.

Furniture, clothing, kitchenware -- everything.

The gallery, in complying with his wishes, paid

him in cash. One million two hundred and fifty

thousand New Francs. In dollars, a quarter

of a million. The authorities in Bordeaux

have searched his compartment on the train.

They have searched it thoroughly. They did

not find $250,000, Madame.

He opens the desk drawer, puts the cigar back in his mouth

and lights a match by scratching it against the glass desk-top

before he remembers REGGIE's request. He puts it back in

the drawer again. The door opens and the POLICEMAN enters

again, this time carrying a wicker basket which he deposits

on GRANDPIERRE's desk, and leaves. GRANDPIERRE peers into

the basket.

GRANDPIERRE:

These few things are all that was found in the

train compartment. There was no other baggage.

Your husband must have been in a great hurry.

He begins to take them out, placing them on the desk,

identifying each item as he does.

GRANDPIERRE:

One wallet containing four thousand francs --

one agenda -- (pausing, he opens the notebook) --

his last notation was made yesterday -- Thursday --

(reading) "Five p.m. -- Jardin des Champs-Elys�es"

(looking up) Why there?

REGGIE:

I don't know. Perhaps he met somebody.

GRANDPIERRE (dryly)

Obviously. (returning to the items in the

basket) One ticket of passage to South America

-- one letter, stamped but unsealed, addressed

to you --

REGGIE (lighting up)

A letter? May I see it?

GRANDPIERRE hands her the letter and watches her closely

as she reads it.

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