Latest / Meine Liebe zu Hörspielen / Sherlock Holmes Radio The Unwelcome Ambassador Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce,
Transcript
- 0:01Speaker 1: And now doctor Watson, who was the unwelcome ambassador. This story,
- 0:05mister Harris, goes back to the days before my marriage,
- 0:08when Holmes and I shared two twenty one B Baker
- 0:12Street together. We were returning from Asara Sada recital at
- 0:16Saint James Hall. We were approaching our lodging in a hansom.
- 0:21It was rather late in the evening. This is two
- 0:29twenty one bee driver, Driver, I say, this is two
- 0:33twenty one, d Holmes. He's passing it. He isn't stopping obusly.
- 0:37But but how can you just just sit there and
- 0:39do nothing? Whatsop? Driver? Hello? Up? Bear? Driver? Stop at once?
- 0:43At once? I say, sorry. Can either he's kidnapping us
- 0:46or he's insane? Both fascinating prospects Watson. So you suppose
- 0:49you will regain your composure?
- 0:51Speaker 2: I aptual, you don't mind, Gunner, I was told you
- 0:53let me see that anyway.
- 0:55Speaker 1: Did you give you this? I what the devil have?
- 0:58Careful Gunner? Take assaults?
- 1:00Speaker 2: That's wrapped in that oil skin?
- 1:01Speaker 1: Over up? Why don't you? Why didn't we see it?
- 1:06Greats come It's a precious stone, a ruby, yes, fabulously valuable,
- 1:12My dear Watson, I should say from casual examination that
- 1:16it's the very rarest type a pigeon's blood ruby, found
- 1:19only in the moreduck Stone tract of Upper Burma. Of course,
- 1:22to be certain one will require instruments. Who gave this
- 1:24to your driver? Oh?
- 1:25Speaker 2: Please, Governor, you'll only confuse me. Now let me see. Now,
- 1:29I'm to say the rubies for you, mister Owns. It's
- 1:31by way of an invitation to stay in the camp
- 1:33and allow me to drive you to the ducks where
- 1:35you're to board the good ship Java Bell.
- 1:38Speaker 1: Indeed, well, i'd have none of it.
- 1:40Speaker 2: Oh, if you'll allow me to finish, Governor, I have
- 1:42to say, your safety aboard the Java Bell is guaranteed.
- 1:45Speaker 1: Yeah, just invite it for a bit of a check.
- 1:48Oh and who extends this curious invitation, met, Governor. I'm
- 1:54not to say it's a trap, Hooms, I'm for commanding
- 1:57and about face, not at all either. Our hostess a
- 2:00gentleman of fantastic beings whose plight is so desperate that
- 2:02he's been obliged to employ the rube to attract us
- 2:05to his ship or else. He's a remarkably successful criminal,
- 2:09and the ruby is a mere trinket in his bag
- 2:10of loop. I anticipate making his acquaintance with reddish faster. Driver.
- 2:16We'll play your master's day.
- 2:37Speaker 2: Right up, danga, gentlemen, it's in the cabin.
- 2:39Speaker 1: What's hold it up on the mind deck? You see it?
- 2:41Thank you driver? Shall we go aboard? Watson? I say,
- 2:51its sinister looking vessel, don't there's all the aspects of
- 2:56a pilate ship. This would be our host, Kevin.
- 3:08Speaker 3: Ah, mister Holmes and doctor Watson. You've accepted my invitation.
- 3:12I'm delighted be seated, won't you?
- 3:15Speaker 1: Thank you? Eh? Was that I said? Thank you?
- 3:19Speaker 3: Now?
- 3:19Speaker 1: Sir? Beyond the fact that you've spent considerable time in
- 3:22the tropics, that you've been in London for six days,
- 3:24and that you're an exporter of spices, what information do
- 3:27you wish to impart? How on earth do you know
- 3:29all that the shipping page of the Globe listed the
- 3:32Java bell is arriving six days ago, if I recall correctly,
- 3:35out of Macau the Portuguese East Indies. As for your cargo,
- 3:38the odor of cinnamon aboard is inescapable, and it's clear
- 3:41that you've been in the tropics for some time because
- 3:43you suffer from a slight defect in your hearing, symptomatic
- 3:46of prolonged use of quinine.
- 3:48Speaker 3: You're quite right, mister Holmes. I do come from Macow.
- 3:52It is on the South China Sea, separated from China
- 3:56proper by an ancient wall. There you may see Maharajas
- 3:59of Inn and dual Countesses of France mingling in his
- 4:03twisted streets with riff references come from a hundred pots.
- 4:07It is the most lawless city on earth.
- 4:09Speaker 1: It's a legend. I imagine your problem concerns Macau, it does, sir.
- 4:14Speaker 3: My problem concerns the newly arrived ambassador to England from Macau,
- 4:19Senor RUI.
- 4:20Speaker 1: Well, what of him, mister mister Edwards Watson. The Globe
- 4:25was also conscientious enough to list the owner of the
- 4:27Joba bell.
- 4:28Speaker 3: Mister Holmes, the ambassador is about to be murdered.
- 4:32Speaker 1: What oh, how do you know? There is a delicate.
- 4:35Speaker 3: Political situation in Macau, doctor Watson. Fanatic extremists would benefit
- 4:40greatly if the ambassador were to die. I have heard
- 4:43rumors that they have despatched emissaries here to London to
- 4:47carry out the unpleasant.
- 4:48Speaker 1: Task you've sent for me, to prevent the crime exactly.
- 4:51Speaker 3: If the Ambassador should die, there would be an upheaval
- 4:54in the Indies. I should lose control of my export business,
- 4:58an immeasurable loss. You may consider that Ruby a gesture
- 5:02on my part. Homes, keep it with my compliments, and besides,
- 5:07you may name your own fiend.
- 5:09Speaker 1: I have but one proviso, pray continue.
- 5:11Speaker 3: Our understanding must be absolutely confidential. That's why I had
- 5:15you brought here. I did not want to be seen
- 5:18entering your flat. It would add to the unfortunate rumors
- 5:22already circulating in London about the ambassador.
- 5:25Speaker 1: Are you personally acquainted with him?
- 5:26Speaker 3: If we've met social occasions tea in Hong Kong, military
- 5:30ball and salon, that sort of thing. What is his
- 5:33address to Lancaster Gate?
- 5:36Speaker 1: Ah? Does the Embassador know of the threat to his life?
- 5:39Speaker 3: Certainly, but he refuses a bodyguard a deeply ingrained sense
- 5:44of oriental fatalism.
- 5:45Speaker 1: When did you not see him? It's been months three
- 5:48at least, uh, I take it.
- 5:50Speaker 3: If you'll accept the case, Homes, definitely, then if and
- 5:54when you discover the would be killer, please turn him
- 5:58over to Scotland Yard.
- 5:59Speaker 1: Before his identity to me.
- 6:01Speaker 3: By jove, that's a strange request, Doctor Watson. I feel
- 6:06a man who would deprive me of my industrial empire
- 6:09should suffer, But I want him to suffer legally if
- 6:13he were to fall into my hands personally, I well,
- 6:19I am a collector of strange oriental objects. Some of
- 6:23them include torture devices beyond western man's imagination. I could
- 6:29not resist using.
- 6:48Speaker 1: Now, my dear Watson, I shall have a pipe and consider. Oh, dear,
- 6:53visitors of this are welcome, visitors Watson. If they arrive
- 6:56at this later, it must be on an intriguing mission.
- 6:59I will remind me to and to mister Edwards in
- 7:00my index Edwards, I don't care for that man, Holmes.
- 7:05The ship bespeaks the man you know, and the Java
- 7:08bell is a saucy, wicked lady of the sea. Come in,
- 7:13mister Holmes, let me tell him Philip. Mister easy, my
- 7:16dear girl. Easy. Suppose we begin with a proper introductions.
- 7:19We're desperate, we can't wait. This is my friend and colleague,
- 7:22Dr Watson. How do you do, mister Holmes, My dear
- 7:24young lady, if you'll remove your cape, the mud on
- 7:26it's tripping to the floor and missus Hudson, our housekeeper
- 7:29will be furious in the morning. You mustn't lose a second.
- 7:31Your coats are in the same deplorable condition as the
- 7:34young ladies. Very will.
- 7:36Speaker 4: I'm Philip Randall. This is Edith not I'm secretary to
- 7:39Ambassador with from macau Uh. Edith and I were out
- 7:42of the evening where the theater. Then we decided to
- 7:44walk to her place through Regent's Park. We were by
- 7:46the lake.
- 7:46Speaker 5: And we saw a body floating in a lake.
- 7:49Speaker 1: It was horrible.
- 7:50Speaker 4: I recognized the face of the corpse. It was the ambassador.
- 7:53I refused to send for the police.
- 7:54Speaker 5: Philips have prayed the ambassador's death will create international complications.
- 7:59He didn't think we could persuade Scotland Yard to keep.
- 8:01Speaker 1: The awful news a secret.
- 8:02Speaker 4: The body was floating close to the edge of the lake.
- 8:04I could reach it. We pulled it on shore.
- 8:06Speaker 1: We hailed a cab.
- 8:07Speaker 5: Philip bribed the cabby to keep his mouth shut. We
- 8:10managed to place the dead body in the.
- 8:12Speaker 1: Handsom oh, where is the corpse now? Propped up in
- 8:15the cab right outside this door? Good heaven? How very crude?
- 8:19Speaker 2: Uh?
- 8:19Speaker 1: Fetch him inside? It's rather chilly to night, and we
- 8:22have a nice warm fire here, Watson, give young Randal
- 8:25a hand. Bring the late Ambassador in here where I
- 8:26may have a look at him. Come along, Randall. We
- 8:28took a manage, but Terry, you can't just leave him there.
- 8:33Speaker 5: I must apologize for my disheveled appearance, mister Holmes. May
- 8:38I removed my hat and straightened my hair.
- 8:40Speaker 1: Certainly? Did you know the late ambassador, Miss.
- 8:44Speaker 5: Norton, Yes, I've been out with him a few times.
- 8:49Speaker 1: What's he fun? W yes? Terribly, very propose. Oh no, oh,
- 8:59you have a piece of confetti in your hair here,
- 9:03that's it, and a speck of mud on your neck.
- 9:07That's better. How did you regard the ambassador? Why? I
- 9:14adored one?
- 9:15Speaker 5: He was a darling.
- 9:16Speaker 1: Does young Randall stand a prophet by his employer's death?
- 9:20Speaker 5: Well, I I don't want to place Philip in a
- 9:23difficult position. But there was talk that the Ambassador was
- 9:27somehow preventing Philip from receiving a vital diplomatic post.
- 9:32Speaker 1: According to the social columns, Miss Norton, which I read
- 9:34solely to remain occuron and with extreme distaste, the late
- 9:39Ambassador was not your soul darling.
- 9:43Speaker 5: Mister Holmes, the girl cannot be popular without having you.
- 9:46Speaker 1: Here's the body, easy, Randall, place the ambassador in my armchair.
- 9:51It's most comfortable. Has it handsome? Wasn't he a really Holmes?
- 10:01You'r mecabrel sense of bullet wound in his back? He
- 10:05was shot then pushed into the lake, Watson. The bullet
- 10:09wounded entrance is at the sixth left intercostal space path
- 10:13of the bullet A bleak downward, mister Holmes. What shall
- 10:16we do? Since it's extremely late? Miss Norton, if I
- 10:18were you, and I asked my escort to see me home.
- 10:20But the body, our lodging is not what I would
- 10:23turn extravagantly commodious. But I believe we can accommodate the
- 10:26cadavera as a guest temporally.
- 10:29Speaker 4: Shall we come tomorrow?
- 10:31Speaker 1: How will we know it? You must be exhausted, Miss Norton.
- 10:33Good night. Good night, mister Randall, good night. Well I
- 10:40must say you might have handled the two youngsters with
- 10:42less effrontery. Home. We haven't time for the amenities. Rand
- 10:46I beg your pardon night. Did you forget something?
- 10:49Speaker 2: No?
- 10:50Speaker 1: He has gone downstairs.
- 10:51Speaker 6: I just took back because I Well, I have a suggestion.
- 10:54Speaker 4: It's about a man named Jack Scene, and why are
- 10:56you telling us about him? He knew the ambassador quite well.
- 10:58He's an incredible chatter mixture of Chinese melee British. He
- 11:02spent a good deal of time in Macau at the
- 11:04gambling tables.
- 11:05Speaker 1: Where is this sing? In Limehouse?
- 11:06Speaker 4: He operates a gambling spot there. There was talk of
- 11:09a wager he'd made on the mathematical chances of the
- 11:12ambassadors being assassinated. You you might look into it, mister Holmes, Well,
- 11:17I mus.
- 11:18Speaker 1: Run good night. Hmm. Now why would young Randall want
- 11:24to keep miss Norton from hearing there? You're wasting time
- 11:26in idle speculation, Watson. Perhaps, Holmes, why are you putting
- 11:32on your coats because we're off to Limehouse? Watson, I
- 11:34must meet this gentleman who had quits mathematics with depth, Well,
- 11:48doctor Watson, Jack Sing sounds like a very intriguing suspect.
- 11:52There should be a wealth of clothes in visiting him
- 11:54in Limehouse? Should there? Mister Harris, Well, I may be
- 11:59wrong about it, of course I'm always right about another subject. Though,
- 12:03from that sparkle in your eye as I deduced that
- 12:06you're about to discuss your favorite subject and the favorite
- 12:10of mine too, Clippercraft's clothes. That's right, doctor Watson. There's
- 12:14no mystery about this country's most sensational clothing value. You see,
- 12:18there's a great, big American idea behind Clippercraft, the famous
- 12:22Clippercraft Plan. Now, this plan gives you the benefit of
- 12:25group purchasing because it concentrates the vast buying power of
- 12:29twelve hundred three of this country's leading stores from coast
- 12:33to coast. It gives you the opportunity of purchasing truly
- 12:36fine Clippercraft clothes at your local independent store in which
- 12:40you enjoy really friendly, courteous service. You know how much
- 12:44that means when you're buying clothes, and Clippercraft clothes are
- 12:47correctly cut and tailored of superb long wearing materials and
- 12:52the savings. Fine clipper Craft suits cost only forty seven
- 12:56fifty with selections at forty dollars. Two Clippercraft top code
- 13:00cost only forty dollars and forty five dollars. Featured are
- 13:03several models with removable zip in linings at only forty
- 13:07seven fifty and fifty two fifty and Clippercraft's sport jackets
- 13:10are only twenty six fifty. That's why men who know
- 13:14insist on Clippercraft clothes. So be sure to visit the
- 13:18Clippercraft store in your city.
- 13:21Speaker 7: These leading stores in the metropolitan area are proud to
- 13:24add their names to Clippercraft and your suits, top coats
- 13:27and sport jackets. In Manhattan Sacks thirty fourth Broadway at
- 13:31thirty fourth John Wannamaker Men's Stores Broadway at eighth and
- 13:34sixty seven Liberty Street. In Brooklyn, Abraham and Strauss in Newark,
- 13:38New Jersey Boulevard Men's Shop Cresgy, Newarck. And in Jamaica
- 13:42the B and B Clothes Shop, one sixty four oh
- 13:44eight Jamaica Avenue.
- 13:54Speaker 1: And now should we return to our sterios? Theres oh
- 13:57by all means doctor Watson very well. Holmes and I
- 14:01dashed into a hansom and soon reached Limehouse. The streets
- 14:05were too crowded for a horse and carriage, so we
- 14:07were obliged to go the last portion of the way
- 14:10that Jack sings gambling establishment on foot. I say, Holmes,
- 14:24what sort of celebration is this Limehouse? Is celebrating the
- 14:26Chinese New Year. What's this? Confetti gets all over one's
- 14:29clothes and plastic noise is deafening. It's escaping in the moment. Hah.
- 14:34Here's the building that houses Jack Sings gambling establishment. Yes,
- 14:38so it is, and lord knows what will become of
- 14:41us in there, probably swarming with criminals and murderers. I
- 15:07regret the necessity of disturbing your game, mister Singh.
- 15:10Speaker 2: Not at all, mister Holmes. I am delighted that you
- 15:13have brought the news of the ambassador's death. It is
- 15:17magnificent news, and.
- 15:19Speaker 1: I must confess, mister Singh, you have a curious attitude,
- 15:22not even a trace of regret.
- 15:24Speaker 2: Not to Watson, my interest in the ambassador was purely professional.
- 15:30Speaker 1: What was the nature of the wager you made regarding
- 15:32his death?
- 15:32Speaker 2: I heard rumors that fanatics were planning to kill him,
- 15:36so I took a chance. I have waged on the
- 15:39turn of a card. Why should I not wage on
- 15:41a twist of fate. I visited Lloyd's.
- 15:45Speaker 1: Oh yes, and you purchased assassination insurance. I venture to say,
- 15:48exactly what on earth is assassination insurance? The policy of Lloyd's,
- 15:52My dear Watson. The original policy was issued on the
- 15:55life of Napoleon Bonaparte. Lloyd's underwrites the sudden death of
- 15:59any illustrious person as a protection to businessmen who might
- 16:02suffer substantial losses.
- 16:03Speaker 2: I paid the premium on the life of the Ambassador.
- 16:07Speaker 1: Now he is dead.
- 16:09Speaker 2: I have one another wager. I have again guessed the
- 16:12correct number on the wheel.
- 16:14Speaker 1: From your highly pleased demeanor, mister Singh, I should say
- 16:17you've won a gigantic sum I have. I am quite
- 16:20frank about it, mister Singh. When did you last see
- 16:24the ambassador ten days ago? Thank you? I had no
- 16:27further questions. Good night, gentlemen. You may use that side
- 16:30door going out really good by this scene, the two
- 16:39now homes to the ambassador's residence. But young Randall said
- 16:42the place is deserted. There won't be a soul there,
- 16:45precisely why we should pay to visit. Watson. Randall told
- 17:06you no one's at home here at the ambassador's homes.
- 17:08Then we are obliged to enter the Ambassador's home in
- 17:11an orthodox fashion. Watson, And how might that be the window?
- 17:15These absurd English window fasteners won't delay us. This way,
- 17:24Shall we try this window? Superb opens in a jiffy.
- 17:33Up she goes after me. Watson leap over the sill.
- 17:40So ido, oh, I wish.
- 17:46Speaker 6: To see the ambassador's study first, This way, Watson to know. Sorry,
- 17:56this is the study. Here is the ambassador's desk, his
- 18:06papers like that small ramp Watsons Wait.
- 18:11Speaker 1: Hosh, I guess uh huh.
- 18:16Speaker 6: The late diplomat has another visitor at the front door.
- 18:21Speaker 1: What could it be?
- 18:22Speaker 6: Step behind his clothes? Horse with me.
- 18:24Speaker 8: Good, I I can see the front door. Someone stepped in,
- 18:36tall thin chap he's sliding a can wait a minute.
- 18:41He's holding the candle toward his face. White Yong Randall
- 18:46White Watson.
- 18:57Speaker 1: I have already examined those papers, Randal, you'll find the
- 18:59rather dull.
- 19:00Speaker 4: Shall I send for the police. Oh no, no, don't
- 19:02do that, please, Really, I haven't done anything. I just
- 19:05came back to You were the ambassador's secretary. Therefore you
- 19:08made use of your pass key to return and have
- 19:09a look at his private papers. Papers he undoubtedly never
- 19:12allowed you to see. Yes, I was hoping to find
- 19:14out who killed him.
- 19:14Speaker 1: On my arm. I found it. Man, It appears to
- 19:16me as though you killed it. But I didn't. I
- 19:18tell you. Why don't you ask Edwards who killed him? Oh? No,
- 19:21you can't avoid suspicion by accusing someone else.
- 19:23Speaker 4: I told you all I know Edith Norton, and I
- 19:25found the body in Regent's Park Lake. I had not
- 19:28seen the ambassador for a week. He had taken a
- 19:29week to relax Edith told me that she had not
- 19:31seen him in a few days ourselves.
- 19:33Speaker 1: A few days? Yes, are you quite certain? Miss Norton
- 19:36stated she had not seen the ambassador for a few days.
- 19:39Quite two days? She said, Watson, have you your army
- 19:42of barber Yes, you'll have need of it. Where are
- 19:45we off to? Now? Back to Limehouse. The pieces of
- 19:47the puzzle fit together neatly, but we must hurry. If
- 19:49we're too late, Jack Singh will have killed Edith.
- 19:51Speaker 7: Not ah.
- 20:06Speaker 1: I hope by now the Chinese would have finish celebrating
- 20:09a new year. You think we'll get through this crowd
- 20:11in time? Homes, we must Watson, that poor girl will
- 20:14be dead. We should be to blame this corner. It's
- 20:18not fun. Now go abready, Yes, ready, Holmes, I keep
- 20:23up with you. But the old homes ghoma, my leg.
- 20:26This is the side entrance. Someone is purposely not answering.
- 20:34Knock again, Holmes, Open open, I say open, I we
- 20:39shall shoot the lock off. Holmes. Yes, mister singh, good evening,
- 20:51Miss Norton singing. I'm obliged to detain you with this
- 20:56revolver until we fetch the police to charge you with
- 20:58the murder of the ambassador. Oh not quite, Watson. Actually
- 21:02the ambassador was killed by you, Miss Norton. Whystress on, Holmes,
- 21:10When you first arrived at Baker Street, Miss Norton, there
- 21:12was almost imperceptible bit of confetti in your hair.
- 21:15Speaker 3: What of it?
- 21:15Speaker 1: Exactly? The question occurred to me. Of course I had
- 21:19the answer when I first visited Limehouse tonight. The Chinese
- 21:22have filled the air with confetti, you remarked about it, Watson.
- 21:25Therefore I knew Miss Norton must have been in Limehouse
- 21:28earlier this evening, before her engagement with young Randall, since
- 21:31he said they'd only attended the theater, and so you knew, Holmes,
- 21:34that she was in this with mister Seine. That doesn't
- 21:36prove that I killed the ambassador. Patience, dear girl. Everyone
- 21:40who could have done away with the Ambassador said they
- 21:42hadn't seen him in at least a week in one case,
- 21:44not for three months. But you claimed to have seen
- 21:47him just two days ago, Miss Norton, I did. That's
- 21:51not the truth. It's utterly impossible for you to have
- 21:54seen the Ambassador alive in the past forty eight hours.
- 21:57I believe doctor Watson will support the authenticity of my
- 22:00medical information. In this instance, the Ambassador's body was found
- 22:03floating in Regent's Park Lake, and it requires a minimum
- 22:06of five days in the water for a human body
- 22:08to become sufficiently boyant to float.
- 22:11Speaker 2: You have we will collect a great deal from Lloyd's,
- 22:13mister Holmes, if you would forget this.
- 22:15Speaker 1: You might oh yes, and you, mister Singe, you purchased
- 22:21a weighted premium guaranteeing the Ambassador's life, but you wanted
- 22:25to wag it to be a certainty. You could not
- 22:27commit the crime yourself. You required the services of someone
- 22:30familiar with the Ambassador's habits here in London, someone who
- 22:33knew him intimately, who would be with him alone and often.
- 22:37So you made arrangements with Miss Norton, a ruthlessly ambitious
- 22:39young lady who strippen desperately to marry into wealth five
- 22:42or Thannh. I heard it here because I realized that
- 22:45now that the money is forthcoming, mister Singh might decide
- 22:48to do away with you, dear girl. Why should he
- 22:52share it? Now the work is done. Keep your hand
- 22:55out of that draw mis to sing don't reach for
- 22:57your gun worthy marksmanship, Watson merely a shoulder woman, mister Singe,
- 23:04Try not to look as though you'd been mortally wounded
- 23:07you too, Miss Norton. That expression of despair is most unbecoming.
- 23:11I suggest you save your melodramatic performances. Scotland Yard will
- 23:15provide the perfect stage for them soon enough, with the
- 23:18well constructed gallows. Oh, I did forget A happy new Yeah,
- 23:26mister sing A happy new Year, Miss Norton. Well, doctor Watson.
- 23:49The case of the Unwelcome Ambassador was very intriguing. Now
- 23:52may we have advanced information about next week's adventure? As
- 23:55the herrs I've called it. The Black Guardsman of Breddock
- 24:00Castle hm hm. I can see him now standing on
- 24:04the north tower of a castle, black against the red sun,
- 24:09an axe on his shoulder, looking down and laughing at
- 24:14his work. For what work? Murder? Mister Harris murder Well,
- 24:21we shall certainly be knocking at the door of your
- 24:23study next week, doctor Watson, to see the Black guardsman
- 24:27at work.