Speaker 1: And now doctor Watson, who was the unwelcome ambassador. This story,
Speaker 1: mister Harris, goes back to the days before my marriage,
Speaker 1: when Holmes and I shared two twenty one B Baker
Speaker 1: Street together. We were returning from Asara Sada recital at
Speaker 1: Saint James Hall. We were approaching our lodging in a hansom.
Speaker 1: It was rather late in the evening. This is two
Speaker 1: twenty one bee driver, Driver, I say, this is two
Speaker 1: twenty one, d Holmes. He's passing it. He isn't stopping obusly.
Speaker 1: But but how can you just just sit there and
Speaker 1: do nothing? Whatsop? Driver? Hello? Up? Bear? Driver? Stop at once?
Speaker 1: At once? I say, sorry. Can either he's kidnapping us
Speaker 1: or he's insane? Both fascinating prospects Watson. So you suppose
Speaker 1: you will regain your composure?
Speaker 2: I aptual, you don't mind, Gunner, I was told you
Speaker 2: let me see that anyway.
Speaker 1: Did you give you this? I what the devil have?
Speaker 1: Careful Gunner? Take assaults?
Speaker 2: That's wrapped in that oil skin?
Speaker 1: Over up? Why don't you? Why didn't we see it?
Speaker 1: Greats come It's a precious stone, a ruby, yes, fabulously valuable,
Speaker 1: My dear Watson, I should say from casual examination that
Speaker 1: it's the very rarest type a pigeon's blood ruby, found
Speaker 1: only in the moreduck Stone tract of Upper Burma. Of course,
Speaker 1: to be certain one will require instruments. Who gave this
Speaker 1: to your driver? Oh?
Speaker 2: Please, Governor, you'll only confuse me. Now let me see. Now,
Speaker 2: I'm to say the rubies for you, mister Owns. It's
Speaker 2: by way of an invitation to stay in the camp
Speaker 2: and allow me to drive you to the ducks where
Speaker 2: you're to board the good ship Java Bell.
Speaker 1: Indeed, well, i'd have none of it.
Speaker 2: Oh, if you'll allow me to finish, Governor, I have
Speaker 2: to say, your safety aboard the Java Bell is guaranteed.
Speaker 1: Yeah, just invite it for a bit of a check.
Speaker 1: Oh and who extends this curious invitation, met, Governor. I'm
Speaker 1: not to say it's a trap, Hooms, I'm for commanding
Speaker 1: and about face, not at all either. Our hostess a
Speaker 1: gentleman of fantastic beings whose plight is so desperate that
Speaker 1: he's been obliged to employ the rube to attract us
Speaker 1: to his ship or else. He's a remarkably successful criminal,
Speaker 1: and the ruby is a mere trinket in his bag
Speaker 1: of loop. I anticipate making his acquaintance with reddish faster. Driver.
Speaker 1: We'll play your master's day.
Speaker 2: Right up, danga, gentlemen, it's in the cabin.
Speaker 1: What's hold it up on the mind deck? You see it?
Speaker 1: Thank you driver? Shall we go aboard? Watson? I say,
Speaker 1: its sinister looking vessel, don't there's all the aspects of
Speaker 1: a pilate ship. This would be our host, Kevin.
Speaker 3: Ah, mister Holmes and doctor Watson. You've accepted my invitation.
Speaker 3: I'm delighted be seated, won't you?
Speaker 1: Thank you? Eh? Was that I said? Thank you?
Speaker 3: Now?
Speaker 1: Sir? Beyond the fact that you've spent considerable time in
Speaker 1: the tropics, that you've been in London for six days,
Speaker 1: and that you're an exporter of spices, what information do
Speaker 1: you wish to impart? How on earth do you know
Speaker 1: all that the shipping page of the Globe listed the
Speaker 1: Java bell is arriving six days ago, if I recall correctly,
Speaker 1: out of Macau the Portuguese East Indies. As for your cargo,
Speaker 1: the odor of cinnamon aboard is inescapable, and it's clear
Speaker 1: that you've been in the tropics for some time because
Speaker 1: you suffer from a slight defect in your hearing, symptomatic
Speaker 1: of prolonged use of quinine.
Speaker 3: You're quite right, mister Holmes. I do come from Macow.
Speaker 3: It is on the South China Sea, separated from China
Speaker 3: proper by an ancient wall. There you may see Maharajas
Speaker 3: of Inn and dual Countesses of France mingling in his
Speaker 3: twisted streets with riff references come from a hundred pots.
Speaker 3: It is the most lawless city on earth.
Speaker 1: It's a legend. I imagine your problem concerns Macau, it does, sir.
Speaker 3: My problem concerns the newly arrived ambassador to England from Macau,
Speaker 3: Senor RUI.
Speaker 1: Well, what of him, mister mister Edwards Watson. The Globe
Speaker 1: was also conscientious enough to list the owner of the
Speaker 1: Joba bell.
Speaker 3: Mister Holmes, the ambassador is about to be murdered.
Speaker 1: What oh, how do you know? There is a delicate.
Speaker 3: Political situation in Macau, doctor Watson. Fanatic extremists would benefit
Speaker 3: greatly if the ambassador were to die. I have heard
Speaker 3: rumors that they have despatched emissaries here to London to
Speaker 3: carry out the unpleasant.
Speaker 1: Task you've sent for me, to prevent the crime exactly.
Speaker 3: If the Ambassador should die, there would be an upheaval
Speaker 3: in the Indies. I should lose control of my export business,
Speaker 3: an immeasurable loss. You may consider that Ruby a gesture
Speaker 3: on my part. Homes, keep it with my compliments, and besides,
Speaker 3: you may name your own fiend.
Speaker 1: I have but one proviso, pray continue.
Speaker 3: Our understanding must be absolutely confidential. That's why I had
Speaker 3: you brought here. I did not want to be seen
Speaker 3: entering your flat. It would add to the unfortunate rumors
Speaker 3: already circulating in London about the ambassador.
Speaker 1: Are you personally acquainted with him?
Speaker 3: If we've met social occasions tea in Hong Kong, military
Speaker 3: ball and salon, that sort of thing. What is his
Speaker 3: address to Lancaster Gate?
Speaker 1: Ah? Does the Embassador know of the threat to his life?
Speaker 3: Certainly, but he refuses a bodyguard a deeply ingrained sense
Speaker 3: of oriental fatalism.
Speaker 1: When did you not see him? It's been months three
Speaker 1: at least, uh, I take it.
Speaker 3: If you'll accept the case, Homes, definitely, then if and
Speaker 3: when you discover the would be killer, please turn him
Speaker 3: over to Scotland Yard.
Speaker 1: Before his identity to me.
Speaker 3: By jove, that's a strange request, Doctor Watson. I feel
Speaker 3: a man who would deprive me of my industrial empire
Speaker 3: should suffer, But I want him to suffer legally if
Speaker 3: he were to fall into my hands personally, I well,
Speaker 3: I am a collector of strange oriental objects. Some of
Speaker 3: them include torture devices beyond western man's imagination. I could
Speaker 3: not resist using.
Speaker 1: Now, my dear Watson, I shall have a pipe and consider. Oh, dear,
Speaker 1: visitors of this are welcome, visitors Watson. If they arrive
Speaker 1: at this later, it must be on an intriguing mission.
Speaker 1: I will remind me to and to mister Edwards in
Speaker 1: my index Edwards, I don't care for that man, Holmes.
Speaker 1: The ship bespeaks the man you know, and the Java
Speaker 1: bell is a saucy, wicked lady of the sea. Come in,
Speaker 1: mister Holmes, let me tell him Philip. Mister easy, my
Speaker 1: dear girl. Easy. Suppose we begin with a proper introductions.
Speaker 1: We're desperate, we can't wait. This is my friend and colleague,
Speaker 1: Dr Watson. How do you do, mister Holmes, My dear
Speaker 1: young lady, if you'll remove your cape, the mud on
Speaker 1: it's tripping to the floor and missus Hudson, our housekeeper
Speaker 1: will be furious in the morning. You mustn't lose a second.
Speaker 1: Your coats are in the same deplorable condition as the
Speaker 1: young ladies. Very will.
Speaker 4: I'm Philip Randall. This is Edith not I'm secretary to
Speaker 4: Ambassador with from macau Uh. Edith and I were out
Speaker 4: of the evening where the theater. Then we decided to
Speaker 4: walk to her place through Regent's Park. We were by
Speaker 4: the lake.
Speaker 5: And we saw a body floating in a lake.
Speaker 1: It was horrible.
Speaker 4: I recognized the face of the corpse. It was the ambassador.
Speaker 4: I refused to send for the police.
Speaker 5: Philips have prayed the ambassador's death will create international complications.
Speaker 5: He didn't think we could persuade Scotland Yard to keep.
Speaker 1: The awful news a secret.
Speaker 4: The body was floating close to the edge of the lake.
Speaker 4: I could reach it. We pulled it on shore.
Speaker 1: We hailed a cab.
Speaker 5: Philip bribed the cabby to keep his mouth shut. We
Speaker 5: managed to place the dead body in the.
Speaker 1: Handsom oh, where is the corpse now? Propped up in
Speaker 1: the cab right outside this door? Good heaven? How very crude?
Speaker 2: Uh?
Speaker 1: Fetch him inside? It's rather chilly to night, and we
Speaker 1: have a nice warm fire here, Watson, give young Randal
Speaker 1: a hand. Bring the late Ambassador in here where I
Speaker 1: may have a look at him. Come along, Randall. We
Speaker 1: took a manage, but Terry, you can't just leave him there.
Speaker 5: I must apologize for my disheveled appearance, mister Holmes. May
Speaker 5: I removed my hat and straightened my hair.
Speaker 1: Certainly? Did you know the late ambassador, Miss.
Speaker 5: Norton, Yes, I've been out with him a few times.
Speaker 1: What's he fun? W yes? Terribly, very propose. Oh no, oh,
Speaker 1: you have a piece of confetti in your hair here,
Speaker 1: that's it, and a speck of mud on your neck.
Speaker 1: That's better. How did you regard the ambassador? Why? I
Speaker 1: adored one?
Speaker 5: He was a darling.
Speaker 1: Does young Randall stand a prophet by his employer's death?
Speaker 5: Well, I I don't want to place Philip in a
Speaker 5: difficult position. But there was talk that the Ambassador was
Speaker 5: somehow preventing Philip from receiving a vital diplomatic post.
Speaker 1: According to the social columns, Miss Norton, which I read
Speaker 1: solely to remain occuron and with extreme distaste, the late
Speaker 1: Ambassador was not your soul darling.
Speaker 5: Mister Holmes, the girl cannot be popular without having you.
Speaker 1: Here's the body, easy, Randall, place the ambassador in my armchair.
Speaker 1: It's most comfortable. Has it handsome? Wasn't he a really Holmes?
Speaker 1: You'r mecabrel sense of bullet wound in his back? He
Speaker 1: was shot then pushed into the lake, Watson. The bullet
Speaker 1: wounded entrance is at the sixth left intercostal space path
Speaker 1: of the bullet A bleak downward, mister Holmes. What shall
Speaker 1: we do? Since it's extremely late? Miss Norton, if I
Speaker 1: were you, and I asked my escort to see me home.
Speaker 1: But the body, our lodging is not what I would
Speaker 1: turn extravagantly commodious. But I believe we can accommodate the
Speaker 1: cadavera as a guest temporally.
Speaker 4: Shall we come tomorrow?
Speaker 1: How will we know it? You must be exhausted, Miss Norton.
Speaker 1: Good night. Good night, mister Randall, good night. Well I
Speaker 1: must say you might have handled the two youngsters with
Speaker 1: less effrontery. Home. We haven't time for the amenities. Rand
Speaker 1: I beg your pardon night. Did you forget something?
Speaker 2: No?
Speaker 1: He has gone downstairs.
Speaker 6: I just took back because I Well, I have a suggestion.
Speaker 4: It's about a man named Jack Scene, and why are
Speaker 4: you telling us about him? He knew the ambassador quite well.
Speaker 4: He's an incredible chatter mixture of Chinese melee British. He
Speaker 4: spent a good deal of time in Macau at the
Speaker 4: gambling tables.
Speaker 1: Where is this sing? In Limehouse?
Speaker 4: He operates a gambling spot there. There was talk of
Speaker 4: a wager he'd made on the mathematical chances of the
Speaker 4: ambassadors being assassinated. You you might look into it, mister Holmes, Well,
Speaker 4: I mus.
Speaker 1: Run good night. Hmm. Now why would young Randall want
Speaker 1: to keep miss Norton from hearing there? You're wasting time
Speaker 1: in idle speculation, Watson. Perhaps, Holmes, why are you putting
Speaker 1: on your coats because we're off to Limehouse? Watson, I
Speaker 1: must meet this gentleman who had quits mathematics with depth, Well,
Speaker 1: doctor Watson, Jack Sing sounds like a very intriguing suspect.
Speaker 1: There should be a wealth of clothes in visiting him
Speaker 1: in Limehouse? Should there? Mister Harris, Well, I may be
Speaker 1: wrong about it, of course I'm always right about another subject. Though,
Speaker 1: from that sparkle in your eye as I deduced that
Speaker 1: you're about to discuss your favorite subject and the favorite
Speaker 1: of mine too, Clippercraft's clothes. That's right, doctor Watson. There's
Speaker 1: no mystery about this country's most sensational clothing value. You see,
Speaker 1: there's a great, big American idea behind Clippercraft, the famous
Speaker 1: Clippercraft Plan. Now, this plan gives you the benefit of
Speaker 1: group purchasing because it concentrates the vast buying power of
Speaker 1: twelve hundred three of this country's leading stores from coast
Speaker 1: to coast. It gives you the opportunity of purchasing truly
Speaker 1: fine Clippercraft clothes at your local independent store in which
Speaker 1: you enjoy really friendly, courteous service. You know how much
Speaker 1: that means when you're buying clothes, and Clippercraft clothes are
Speaker 1: correctly cut and tailored of superb long wearing materials and
Speaker 1: the savings. Fine clipper Craft suits cost only forty seven
Speaker 1: fifty with selections at forty dollars. Two Clippercraft top code
Speaker 1: cost only forty dollars and forty five dollars. Featured are
Speaker 1: several models with removable zip in linings at only forty
Speaker 1: seven fifty and fifty two fifty and Clippercraft's sport jackets
Speaker 1: are only twenty six fifty. That's why men who know
Speaker 1: insist on Clippercraft clothes. So be sure to visit the
Speaker 1: Clippercraft store in your city.
Speaker 7: These leading stores in the metropolitan area are proud to
Speaker 7: add their names to Clippercraft and your suits, top coats
Speaker 7: and sport jackets. In Manhattan Sacks thirty fourth Broadway at
Speaker 7: thirty fourth John Wannamaker Men's Stores Broadway at eighth and
Speaker 7: sixty seven Liberty Street. In Brooklyn, Abraham and Strauss in Newark,
Speaker 7: New Jersey Boulevard Men's Shop Cresgy, Newarck. And in Jamaica
Speaker 7: the B and B Clothes Shop, one sixty four oh
Speaker 7: eight Jamaica Avenue.
Speaker 1: And now should we return to our sterios? Theres oh
Speaker 1: by all means doctor Watson very well. Holmes and I
Speaker 1: dashed into a hansom and soon reached Limehouse. The streets
Speaker 1: were too crowded for a horse and carriage, so we
Speaker 1: were obliged to go the last portion of the way
Speaker 1: that Jack sings gambling establishment on foot. I say, Holmes,
Speaker 1: what sort of celebration is this Limehouse? Is celebrating the
Speaker 1: Chinese New Year. What's this? Confetti gets all over one's
Speaker 1: clothes and plastic noise is deafening. It's escaping in the moment. Hah.
Speaker 1: Here's the building that houses Jack Sings gambling establishment. Yes,
Speaker 1: so it is, and lord knows what will become of
Speaker 1: us in there, probably swarming with criminals and murderers. I
Speaker 1: regret the necessity of disturbing your game, mister Singh.
Speaker 2: Not at all, mister Holmes. I am delighted that you
Speaker 2: have brought the news of the ambassador's death. It is
Speaker 2: magnificent news, and.
Speaker 1: I must confess, mister Singh, you have a curious attitude,
Speaker 1: not even a trace of regret.
Speaker 2: Not to Watson, my interest in the ambassador was purely professional.
Speaker 1: What was the nature of the wager you made regarding
Speaker 1: his death?
Speaker 2: I heard rumors that fanatics were planning to kill him,
Speaker 2: so I took a chance. I have waged on the
Speaker 2: turn of a card. Why should I not wage on
Speaker 2: a twist of fate. I visited Lloyd's.
Speaker 1: Oh yes, and you purchased assassination insurance. I venture to say,
Speaker 1: exactly what on earth is assassination insurance? The policy of Lloyd's,
Speaker 1: My dear Watson. The original policy was issued on the
Speaker 1: life of Napoleon Bonaparte. Lloyd's underwrites the sudden death of
Speaker 1: any illustrious person as a protection to businessmen who might
Speaker 1: suffer substantial losses.
Speaker 2: I paid the premium on the life of the Ambassador.
Speaker 1: Now he is dead.
Speaker 2: I have one another wager. I have again guessed the
Speaker 2: correct number on the wheel.
Speaker 1: From your highly pleased demeanor, mister Singh, I should say
Speaker 1: you've won a gigantic sum I have. I am quite
Speaker 1: frank about it, mister Singh. When did you last see
Speaker 1: the ambassador ten days ago? Thank you? I had no
Speaker 1: further questions. Good night, gentlemen. You may use that side
Speaker 1: door going out really good by this scene, the two
Speaker 1: now homes to the ambassador's residence. But young Randall said
Speaker 1: the place is deserted. There won't be a soul there,
Speaker 1: precisely why we should pay to visit. Watson. Randall told
Speaker 1: you no one's at home here at the ambassador's homes.
Speaker 1: Then we are obliged to enter the Ambassador's home in
Speaker 1: an orthodox fashion. Watson, And how might that be the window?
Speaker 1: These absurd English window fasteners won't delay us. This way,
Speaker 1: Shall we try this window? Superb opens in a jiffy.
Speaker 1: Up she goes after me. Watson leap over the sill.
Speaker 1: So ido, oh, I wish.
Speaker 6: To see the ambassador's study first, This way, Watson to know. Sorry,
Speaker 6: this is the study. Here is the ambassador's desk, his
Speaker 6: papers like that small ramp Watsons Wait.
Speaker 1: Hosh, I guess uh huh.
Speaker 6: The late diplomat has another visitor at the front door.
Speaker 1: What could it be?
Speaker 6: Step behind his clothes? Horse with me.
Speaker 8: Good, I I can see the front door. Someone stepped in,
Speaker 8: tall thin chap he's sliding a can wait a minute.
Speaker 8: He's holding the candle toward his face. White Yong Randall
Speaker 8: White Watson.
Speaker 1: I have already examined those papers, Randal, you'll find the
Speaker 1: rather dull.
Speaker 4: Shall I send for the police. Oh no, no, don't
Speaker 4: do that, please, Really, I haven't done anything. I just
Speaker 4: came back to You were the ambassador's secretary. Therefore you
Speaker 4: made use of your pass key to return and have
Speaker 4: a look at his private papers. Papers he undoubtedly never
Speaker 4: allowed you to see. Yes, I was hoping to find
Speaker 4: out who killed him.
Speaker 1: On my arm. I found it. Man, It appears to
Speaker 1: me as though you killed it. But I didn't. I
Speaker 1: tell you. Why don't you ask Edwards who killed him? Oh? No,
Speaker 1: you can't avoid suspicion by accusing someone else.
Speaker 4: I told you all I know Edith Norton, and I
Speaker 4: found the body in Regent's Park Lake. I had not
Speaker 4: seen the ambassador for a week. He had taken a
Speaker 4: week to relax Edith told me that she had not
Speaker 4: seen him in a few days ourselves.
Speaker 1: A few days? Yes, are you quite certain? Miss Norton
Speaker 1: stated she had not seen the ambassador for a few days.
Speaker 1: Quite two days? She said, Watson, have you your army
Speaker 1: of barber Yes, you'll have need of it. Where are
Speaker 1: we off to? Now? Back to Limehouse. The pieces of
Speaker 1: the puzzle fit together neatly, but we must hurry. If
Speaker 1: we're too late, Jack Singh will have killed Edith.
Speaker 7: Not ah.
Speaker 1: I hope by now the Chinese would have finish celebrating
Speaker 1: a new year. You think we'll get through this crowd
Speaker 1: in time? Homes, we must Watson, that poor girl will
Speaker 1: be dead. We should be to blame this corner. It's
Speaker 1: not fun. Now go abready, Yes, ready, Holmes, I keep
Speaker 1: up with you. But the old homes ghoma, my leg.
Speaker 1: This is the side entrance. Someone is purposely not answering.
Speaker 1: Knock again, Holmes, Open open, I say open, I we
Speaker 1: shall shoot the lock off. Holmes. Yes, mister singh, good evening,
Speaker 1: Miss Norton singing. I'm obliged to detain you with this
Speaker 1: revolver until we fetch the police to charge you with
Speaker 1: the murder of the ambassador. Oh not quite, Watson. Actually
Speaker 1: the ambassador was killed by you, Miss Norton. Whystress on, Holmes,
Speaker 1: When you first arrived at Baker Street, Miss Norton, there
Speaker 1: was almost imperceptible bit of confetti in your hair.
Speaker 3: What of it?
Speaker 1: Exactly? The question occurred to me. Of course I had
Speaker 1: the answer when I first visited Limehouse tonight. The Chinese
Speaker 1: have filled the air with confetti, you remarked about it, Watson.
Speaker 1: Therefore I knew Miss Norton must have been in Limehouse
Speaker 1: earlier this evening, before her engagement with young Randall, since
Speaker 1: he said they'd only attended the theater, and so you knew, Holmes,
Speaker 1: that she was in this with mister Seine. That doesn't
Speaker 1: prove that I killed the ambassador. Patience, dear girl. Everyone
Speaker 1: who could have done away with the Ambassador said they
Speaker 1: hadn't seen him in at least a week in one case,
Speaker 1: not for three months. But you claimed to have seen
Speaker 1: him just two days ago, Miss Norton, I did. That's
Speaker 1: not the truth. It's utterly impossible for you to have
Speaker 1: seen the Ambassador alive in the past forty eight hours.
Speaker 1: I believe doctor Watson will support the authenticity of my
Speaker 1: medical information. In this instance, the Ambassador's body was found
Speaker 1: floating in Regent's Park Lake, and it requires a minimum
Speaker 1: of five days in the water for a human body
Speaker 1: to become sufficiently boyant to float.
Speaker 2: You have we will collect a great deal from Lloyd's,
Speaker 2: mister Holmes, if you would forget this.
Speaker 1: You might oh yes, and you, mister Singe, you purchased
Speaker 1: a weighted premium guaranteeing the Ambassador's life, but you wanted
Speaker 1: to wag it to be a certainty. You could not
Speaker 1: commit the crime yourself. You required the services of someone
Speaker 1: familiar with the Ambassador's habits here in London, someone who
Speaker 1: knew him intimately, who would be with him alone and often.
Speaker 1: So you made arrangements with Miss Norton, a ruthlessly ambitious
Speaker 1: young lady who strippen desperately to marry into wealth five
Speaker 1: or Thannh. I heard it here because I realized that
Speaker 1: now that the money is forthcoming, mister Singh might decide
Speaker 1: to do away with you, dear girl. Why should he
Speaker 1: share it? Now the work is done. Keep your hand
Speaker 1: out of that draw mis to sing don't reach for
Speaker 1: your gun worthy marksmanship, Watson merely a shoulder woman, mister Singe,
Speaker 1: Try not to look as though you'd been mortally wounded
Speaker 1: you too, Miss Norton. That expression of despair is most unbecoming.
Speaker 1: I suggest you save your melodramatic performances. Scotland Yard will
Speaker 1: provide the perfect stage for them soon enough, with the
Speaker 1: well constructed gallows. Oh, I did forget A happy new Yeah,
Speaker 1: mister sing A happy new Year, Miss Norton. Well, doctor Watson.
Speaker 1: The case of the Unwelcome Ambassador was very intriguing. Now
Speaker 1: may we have advanced information about next week's adventure? As
Speaker 1: the herrs I've called it. The Black Guardsman of Breddock
Speaker 1: Castle hm hm. I can see him now standing on
Speaker 1: the north tower of a castle, black against the red sun,
Speaker 1: an axe on his shoulder, looking down and laughing at
Speaker 1: his work. For what work? Murder? Mister Harris murder Well,
Speaker 1: we shall certainly be knocking at the door of your
Speaker 1: study next week, doctor Watson, to see the Black guardsman
Speaker 1: at work.