Death on the Air by Ngaio Marsh

Interactive Transcript

spk_0 Death on the Air by Nio Marsh

spk_0 On the 25th of December at 730am, Mr. Septimus Tonks was found dead

spk_0 beside his wireless set.

spk_0 It was Emily Parks and under housemaid who discovered him. She butted up in the door and entered carrying mop,

spk_0 duster and carpet sweeper. At that precise moment,

spk_0 she was greatly startled by a voice that spoke out of the darkness.

spk_0 Good morning everybody, said the voice in superbly inflected syllables and a merry Christmas.

spk_0 Emily helped, but not loudly, as she immediately realized what had happened.

spk_0 Mr. Tonks had omitted to turn off his wireless before going to bed.

spk_0 She drew back the curtains, revealing a kind of pale murk, which was a London Christmas dawn,

spk_0 switched on the light, and so Septimus. He was seated in front of the radio. It was a small,

spk_0 expensive set, especially built for him. Septimus sat in an armchair, his back to Emily,

spk_0 his body tilted towards the radio. His hands, the fingers curiously bunched,

spk_0 were on the ledge of the cabinet under the tuning and volume knobs. His chest rested against

spk_0 the shelf below, and his head leaned on the front panel. He looked rather as though he was listening

spk_0 intently to the interior secrets of the wireless. His head was bent over, so Emily could see his

spk_0 ball-top with its trail of oiled hairs. He did not move. Big pardon, sir, gasped Emily.

spk_0 She was again greatly startled. Mr. Tonks' enthusiasm for radio had never before

spk_0 induced him to tune in at 7.30 in the morning. Special Christmas service, the culture of voice was

spk_0 saying. Mr. Tonks had very still. Emily, in common with the other servants, was terrified of a master.

spk_0 She did not know whether to go or to stay. She gazed wildly at Septimus and realised that he

spk_0 wore a dinner jacket. The room was now filled with the clamor of peeling bells. Emily opened her

spk_0 mouth as wide as it would go and screamed and screamed and screamed. Chase, the buckler,

spk_0 was first to arrive. He was a pale, flabby man, but authoritative. He said,

spk_0 what's the meaning of this outrage? And then saw Septimus. He went to the armchair,

spk_0 bent down and looked into his master's face. He did not lose his head, but said in a loud voice,

spk_0 my gold. And then to Emily, shut your face. By this vulgarism he betrayed his agitation.

spk_0 He seized Emily by the shoulders and thrust her towards the door, where they were meant by Mr.

spk_0 Hislop, the secretary in his dressing gown. Mr. Hislop said, good heavens, Chase, what is the meaning

spk_0 of? And then his voice too was drowned in the clamor of bells and renewed screams. Chase,

spk_0 with his fat white hand of Emily's mouth, in the study if you please serve an accident.

spk_0 Go to your room will you and stop that noise or I'll give you something to make you.

spk_0 This to Emily, who bolted down the hall where she was received by the rest of the staff,

spk_0 who had congregated there. Chase returned to the study with Mr. Hislop and locked the door.

spk_0 They both looked down at the body of Septimus Tonks. The secretary was the first to speak,

spk_0 but he's dead. Said little, Mr. Hislop. I suppose they can't be any doubt.

spk_0 Whispered, Chase, look at the face, any doubt, my God. Mr. Hislop put out a delicate hand towards

spk_0 the bent head and then drew it back. Chase, less fastedious, touched one of the hard wrists,

spk_0 gripped and then lifted it. The body at once tipped backwards as if it were made of wood.

spk_0 One of the hands knocked against the butler's face, he sprang back with an oath.

spk_0 There lay Septimus, his knees and his hands in the air, his terrible face turned up to the light.

spk_0 Chase pointed to the right hand, two fingers and the thumb were slightly blackened.

spk_0 Ding dong dang ding, for God's sake stop those bells cry, Mr. Hislop.

spk_0 Chase turned off the wall switch. Into the sudden silence, they came the sound of

spk_0 the door handle being rattled and Guy Tonks voice on the other side.

spk_0 Hislop, Mr. Hislop, Chase, what's the matter? Just a moment, Mr. Guy, Chase looked at the secretary.

spk_0 You go, sir. So it was left to Mr. Hislop to break the news to the family.

spk_0 They listened to his stammering revelation in stupified silence.

spk_0 It was not until Guy, the eldest of the three children, stood in the study that any practical

spk_0 suggestion was made. What has killed him? Asked Guy. It's extraordinary,

spk_0 Burble, hislop extraordinary. He looks as if he'd been galvanized, said Guy.

spk_0 We ought to send for a doctor suggested hislop timidly. Of course, will you, Mr. Hislop? Dr.

spk_0 Meadows. Hislop went to the telephone and Guy returned to his family. Dr. Meadows lived on the

spk_0 other side of the square and arrived in five minutes. He examined the body without moving it.

spk_0 He questioned Chase and hislop. Chase was very valuable about the burns on the hand. He uttered

spk_0 the word electrocution over and over again. I had a cousin, sir, that was struck by lightning.

spk_0 As soon as I saw the hand, yes, yes, said Dr. Meadows, so you said, I can see the burns for myself.

spk_0 Electrocution repeated chase. There'll have to be an inquest. Dr. Meadows snapped at him,

spk_0 summoned Emily and then saw the rest of the family. Guy, Arthur, Philippa and their mother.

spk_0 They were clustered around a cold grate in the drawing room. Philippa was on her knees,

spk_0 trying to light the fire. What was it? Arthur, as soon as the doctor came in,

spk_0 looks like electric shock. Guy, I'll have a word with you if you please.

spk_0 Philippa, look after your mother. There's a good child. Coffee with a dash of brandy.

spk_0 Where are those damn maids? Come on, Guy. Alone with Guy, he said they'd have to send for the police.

spk_0 The police? Guy's dark face turned very pale. Why? What's he got to do with them?

spk_0 Nothing is like his knot, but they'll have to be notified. I can't give a certificate as

spk_0 things are. If it's electrocution, how did it happen? But the police said, Guy, that's simply

spk_0 ghastly. Dr. Meadows. For God's sake, couldn't you? No, so Dr. Meadows, I couldn't. Sorry, Guy,

spk_0 but there it is. But can't we wait a moment? Look at him again. You haven't examined him properly.

spk_0 I don't want to move him. That's why you pull yourself together, boy. Look here, I've got a pal in

spk_0 the CID, Elaine. He's a gentleman and all that. He'll curse me like a fury, but he'll come if he's

spk_0 in London and he'll make things easier for you. Go back to your mother, I'll ring Elaine up.

spk_0 That was how it came about that the chief detective inspector, Roderick Elaine, spent his Christmas

spk_0 day in harness. As a matter of fact, he was on duty and as he pointed out to Dr. Meadows,

spk_0 would have had to turn out and visit his miserable Tonksies in any case. When he did arrive,

spk_0 it was with his usual air of remote courtesy. He was accompanied by a tall, thick set officer,

spk_0 Inspector Foxx, and by the divisional police surgeon. Dr. Meadows took them into the study,

spk_0 Elaine in his turn looked at the horror that had been septumous, because he liked this when he was

spk_0 found. No, I understand he was leaning forward with his hands on the ledge of the cabinet. He

spk_0 must have slumped forward and been propped up by the chairarms and the cabinet. Who moved him?

spk_0 Chase, the butler. He said he only meant to raise the arm. Rigger is well established.

spk_0 Elaine put his hand behind the rigid neck and pushed the body, fell forward into its original

spk_0 position. The A.O.R. Curtis said Elaine to the divisional surgeon. He turned to Foxx. Get the

spk_0 cameraman, will you Foxx? The photographer took four shots and departed. Elaine marked the position

spk_0 of the hands and feet with chalk, made a careful plan of the room and turned to the doctors.

spk_0 Is it electrocution? Do you think looks like it's a Curtis? Have to be a PM, of course.

spk_0 Of course, still look at the hands, burns, some two fingers bunched together and exactly the

spk_0 distance between the two knobs apart. He'd been tuning his hurdy-gurdy by gum, said Inspector Fox,

spk_0 speaking for the first time. Do you mean he got a lethal shot from his radio, asked Dr. Meadows?

spk_0 I don't know, I merely conclude he had his hands on the knobs when he died.

spk_0 It was still going when the housemaid found him. Chase turned it off and got no shock.

spk_0 Yours partner said Elaine turning to Foxx. Fox stooped down to the wall, switch careful, said Elaine.

spk_0 I've got rubber soles, said Foxx and switched it on. The radio hummed, gallant volume and found itself.

spk_0 It rode. Foxx cut it off and pulled out the wall plug. I'd like to have a look inside this set,

spk_0 so you shall old boy, so you shall rejoin the lane. Before you begin, I think we'd better move the

spk_0 body. Will you see to that Meadows, Foxx, get Bailey will you, he's out in the car. Curtis, his

spk_0 lop and Meadows carried septumous tongs into a spare downstairs room. It was a difficult and

spk_0 horrible business without contorted body. Dr. Meadows came back alone, mopping his brow to find

spk_0 detective sergeant Bailey, a fingerprint expert at work on the wireless cabinet.

spk_0 What's all this? Asked Dr. Meadows. Do you want to find out if you've been fooling around with

spk_0 the innards? He said Elaine or somebody else. Dr. Meadows looked at the inspector. You agree with

spk_0 me it seems? Do you suspect? Suspect? I'm the least suspicious man alive. I'm merely being

spk_0 tidy. Well, Bailey, I've got a good one of the chair arm that will be the deceased, weren't it,

spk_0 sir? No doubt. We'll check up later. What about the wireless? Fox wearing a glove pulled off the

spk_0 knob of the volume control. Seems to be okay, said Bailey. It's a sweet bit of work, not too bad at all,

spk_0 sir. He turned his torch into the back of the radio and did a couple of screws underneath the

spk_0 set, lifted out the works. What's that little hole for? Asked Elaine. Was that, sir? Said Fox.

spk_0 There's a hole, boiled through the panel above the knob, about an eighth of an inch in diameter.

spk_0 The rim of the knob hides it, one might easily miss it. Movie or torch Bailey? Yes, there. Do you see?

spk_0 Fox bent down and uttered a base growl. The fine needle of light came through the front of the

spk_0 radio. That's peculiar, sir, said Bailey from the other side. I don't get the idea at all.

spk_0 Elaine pulled out the tuning knob. There's another one there, a moment. Yes. Nice, clean little holes,

spk_0 newly bored. Unusual, I take it. Unusuals the words, sir, said Fox. Runaway meadows, said Elaine.

spk_0 Why the devil asked Dr. Meadows indignantly, when are you driving at? Why should I be here?

spk_0 You all to be with the sorrowing relatives. Where's your corpse side manner? I've settled them.

spk_0 What are you up to? Who's being suspicious now? Ask Alan mildly. You may stay for a moment.

spk_0 Tell me about the Tonksys. Who are they? What? Are they? What sort of man was Septimus?

spk_0 If you must now, he was a damned unpleasant sort of man. Tell me about him. Dr. Meadows sat down

spk_0 and lit a cigarette. It was a self-made bloke, he said. His heart is nails and well,

spk_0 coarse rather than vulgar. Like Dr. Johnson, perhaps, not in the least. It don't interrupt.

spk_0 I've known him for 25 years. His wife was a neighbor of ours in Dorset,

spk_0 Isabel Forston. I brought the children into this veil of tears and by Joe in many ways,

spk_0 it's been one for them. It's an extraordinary household. For the last 10 years, Isabel's condition

spk_0 has been the sort that sends these psycho-jokers dizzy with the rapture. I'm in, you know, out of

spk_0 dead GP. And I just say she's an advanced stage of hysterical neurosis, frightened into fits of

spk_0 her husband. I can't understand these holes grumbled Fox to Bailey. Go on, Meadows, said Elaine.

spk_0 I tackled Sep about her 18 months ago. Told him the trouble was in her mind. He eyed me with a

spk_0 sort of grin on his face and said, I'm surprised to learn my wife has enough mentality to,

spk_0 but look at Elaine, I can't talk about my patients like this. What the devil am I thinking about?

spk_0 You know perfectly well that it'll go no further and less. And that's what? And that's it has to.

spk_0 Do go on. But the Dr. Meadows hurriedly withdrew behind his professional rectitude.

spk_0 All he would say was that Mr. Tonks had suffered from high blood pressure in the weak heart that

spk_0 guy was in his father's city office that Arthur had wanted to study art and had been told to read

spk_0 for law and that Philipo wanted to go on the stage and had been told to do nothing of the sort.

spk_0 Bull, it is children commented Elaine. Find out for yourself. I'm off. Dr. Meadows got as far as

spk_0 the door and came back. Look here, he said, I tell you one thing. There was a rower here last night.

spk_0 I'd asked his lop who's a sensible little beggar to let me know if anything happened to upset Mrs.

spk_0 SEP. I've said a badly, you know, do we, uh, in discrete again? I said he'd better let me know if

spk_0 SEP cut up rough because Isabelle and the young had about as much of that as they could stand. He

spk_0 was drinking pretty heavily. His lop rang me up at 10.20 last night to say that'd been a hell of a row.

spk_0 SEP bullying Phyps, Philipo, you know, always call her Phyps, in her room. He said Isabelle misses SEP.

spk_0 It'd gone to bed. I had a big day and I didn't want to turn out. I told him to ring again in half an

spk_0 hour if things hadn't quieted down. I told him to keep out of SEP's way and stay in his own room,

spk_0 which is next to Phypses and see if she was all right when SEP cleared out. I said that if I didn't

spk_0 hear from him in half an hour I'd ring again and if there was no answer, I'd know they were all in bed

spk_0 and quiet. I did ring, got no answer and went to bed myself. That's all. I'm off. Curtis knows where

spk_0 to find me. You'll want me for the inquest I suppose. Goodbye. When he had gone, Elaine embarked on

spk_0 a systematic prow round the room. Fox and Bailey were still deeply engrossed with the wireless.

spk_0 I don't see how the gentleman could have got a bump off from the instrument, Grumbled Fox.

spk_0 These control knobs are quite in order. Everything's as it should be. Look here, sir. He turned on the

spk_0 wall, switching tuned in. There was a prolonged humming. Concludes the programme of Christmas carols

spk_0 said the radio. A very nice tone said Fox approvingly. Here's something, sir, announced Bailey suddenly.

spk_0 Found the sword asked have you, said Elaine. Got it in one, said the startled Bailey.

spk_0 Elaine peered into the instrument using the torch. He scooped up two tiny traces of

spk_0 sword from under the hose. Vantage number one said Elaine. He bent down to the wall plug. Hello,

spk_0 two-way adapter. Serves the radio and the radiator. Thought they were illegal. This is a run

spk_0 business. Let's have another look at these knobs. He had his look. They were the usual wireless

spk_0 fitments, baker-like knobs. Fitting snugly to the steel shafts that projected from the front panel.

spk_0 As you say, he murmured quite in order. Away to bits. He produced a pocket lens and squinted

spk_0 at one of the shafts. Yes. Do they ever wrap blotting paper around these objects, Fox?

spk_0 Blotting paper. Jackulated Fox, they do not. Elaine scraped both the shafts with his pen knife,

spk_0 holding an envelope underneath. He rose, groaning and crossed to the desk. A corner torn off the

spk_0 bottom bit of blotch, she said presently. No prints on the wireless. I think you said Bailey.

spk_0 That's right. Agreed Bailey merosely. There'll be none or too many on the blotter.

spk_0 Try, Bailey. Try, said Elaine. He wandered about the room. His eyes on the floor. Got as far as

spk_0 the window and stopped. Fox, he said a clue. A very palpable clue. What is it? Ask Fox. The

spk_0 odd whisp of blotting paper. No less. Elaine's gaze traveled up the side of the window curtain.

spk_0 Can I believe my eyes? He got chair still on the seat and with his glove hand pulled the

spk_0 buttons from the ends of the curtain rod. Look at this. He turned to the radio, detached the

spk_0 control knobs and laid them beside the ones he had removed from the curtain rod.

spk_0 Ten minutes later, Inspector Fox knocked on the drawing room door and was admitted by Guy Tonks.

spk_0 Philippa had got the fire going and the family was gathered around it.

spk_0 They looked as though they hadn't moved or spoken to one another for a long time.

spk_0 It was Philippa who spoke first of Fox. Do you want one of us?

spk_0 If you please miss, said Fox, Inspector Elaine would like to see Mr. Guy Tonks for a moment

spk_0 if convenient. I'll come, said Guy and led the way to the study. At the door, he paused. Is he?

spk_0 My father's still... No, no sir, sent Fox comfortably. It's all ship-shape in there again.

spk_0 With the lift of his chin, Guy opened the door and went in, followed by Fox.

spk_0 Elaine was alone, seated at the desk. He rose to his feet.

spk_0 You want to speak to me? Asked Guy. Yes, if I may. This has all been a great shock to you, of course.

spk_0 Won't you sit down? Guy sat in the chair, father, staway from the radio.

spk_0 What killed my father? Was it a stroke? The doctors are not quite certain. They'll have to be

spk_0 opposed to Morton. Good God. And in inquest, I'm afraid so.

spk_0 Hulla Paul said Guy violently. What do you think was the matter? Why the devil do these quags

spk_0 have to be so mysterious? What killed him? They think an electric shock. How did it happen?

spk_0 We don't know. It looks as if he got it from the wireless. Surely that's impossible. I thought

spk_0 they were foolproof. I believe they are. If left to themselves.

spk_0 For a second undoubtedly, Guy was startled. Then a look of relief came into his eyes. He seemed

spk_0 to relax all over. Of course, he said he was always munching about with it. What had he done?

spk_0 Nothing. But you said, if it killed him, he must have done something to it. If anyone interfered

spk_0 with the set, it was put right afterwards. Guy's lips parted, but he did not speak. He had gone

spk_0 very white. So you see, said Elaine. Your father couldn't have done anything. Then it wasn't

spk_0 the radio that killed him. That, we hope, will be determined by the post-Morton. I don't know

spk_0 anything about wireless, said Guy suddenly. I don't understand. This doesn't seem to make sense.

spk_0 Nobody ever touched the thing except my father. He was most particular about it. Nobody went

spk_0 near the wireless. I see. He was an enthusiast. Yes, he's only enthusiast and accept his business.

spk_0 One of my men is a bit of an expert, Elaine said. He says this is a remarkably good set.

spk_0 You're not an expert, you say. Is there anyone in the house who is? My young brother was interested

spk_0 at one time. He's given it up. My father wouldn't allow another radio in the house.

spk_0 Perhaps he may be able to suggest something. But if the thing's all right now, we've got to explore

spk_0 every possibility. You speak as if I speak as I am bound to speak before there has been an inquest,

spk_0 said Elaine. Had anyone a grudge against your father, Mr. Tonks, up went Guy's chin again?

spk_0 He looked Elaine squarely in the eyes. Almost everyone who knew him, said Guy. Is that an exaggeration?

spk_0 No. You think he was murdered, don't you? Elaine suddenly pointed to the desk beside him.

spk_0 Have you ever seen those before? He asked abruptly. Guy stared at two black knobs that lay side

spk_0 by side on an asterisk. Those, he said. No. What are they? I believe they are the agents of your

spk_0 father's death. The study door opened and Arthur Tonks came in. Guy said, what's happening? We

spk_0 can't stay cooped up together all day. I can't stand it. For God's sake, what happened to him?

spk_0 They think those things killed him, said Guy. Those? For a split second, Arthur's glance

spk_0 slewed to the curtain rods. Then with a characteristic flicker of his eyelids, he looked away again.

spk_0 Would you mean, he asked Elaine? Will you try one of those knobs on the shaft of the volume control?

spk_0 But, said Arthur, their metal. It's disconnected, said Elaine. Arthur picked up one of the knobs

spk_0 from the tray, turned to the radio and fitted the knob over one of the exposed shafts.

spk_0 It's too loose, he said quickly. It would fall off. Not if it was packed with

spk_0 plotting paper, for instance. Where did you find these things, demanded Arthur?

spk_0 I think you recognised them, didn't you? I saw you glance at the curtain rod. Of course, I recognised

spk_0 him. I did a portrait of Philip against those curtains when he was away last year. I've painted

spk_0 the damn things. Look here, interrupted guy. Exactly what are you driving at, Mr Elaine? If you

spk_0 mean to suggest that my brother, I cried Arthur, what's it got to do with me? Why should you

spk_0 suppose I found traces of plotting paper on the shafts and inside the metal knobs, said Elaine?

spk_0 It's suggested a substitution of the metal knobs for the Baker Light ones. It's remarkable,

spk_0 don't you think, that they should so closely resemble one another. If you examine them, of course,

spk_0 you'll find they are not identical. So, the difference is scarcely perceptible.

spk_0 Arthur didn't answer this. He was still looking at the wireless. I've always wanted to have a look

spk_0 at this set, he said surprisingly. You're free to do so now, said Elaine politely. We have finished

spk_0 with it for the time being. Look here, said Arthur suddenly. Suppose metal knobs were substituted for

spk_0 Baker Light ones. He couldn't kill him. He wouldn't get a shock at all. Both controls are grounded.

spk_0 Have you noticed those very small holes drilled through the panel, asked Elaine? Should they be there,

spk_0 do you think? Arthur appeared at the little steel shafts. By God, he's right guy, he said,

spk_0 that's how it was done. Inspector Fox, said Elaine, tells me those holes could be used for

spk_0 conducting wires and that a lead could be taken from the transformer, is it, to one of the knobs,

spk_0 and the other connected to Earth, said Fox. It's a job for an expert. He could get 300 votes or so that

spk_0 way. That's not good enough, said Arthur quickly. There wouldn't be enough current to do any damage,

spk_0 only a few hundreds of an amp. I am not an expert, said Elaine, but I'm sure you're right.

spk_0 Why were the holes drilled then? Do you imagine someone wanted to play a practical joke on your father,

spk_0 a practical joke on him? Arthur gave an unpleasant screech of laughter. Did you hear that guy?

spk_0 Shutter-up said guy, after all, he is dead. It seems almost too good to be true, doesn't it?

spk_0 Don't be a bloody fool, Arthur. Pull yourself together. Can't you see what this means? They think he's

spk_0 been murdered. Murdered? They're wrong. None of us have the nerve for that, Mr. Inspector. Look at me.

spk_0 My hands are so shaky, they told me I'd never be able to paint. That dates from the time,

spk_0 and I was a kid and he shut me up in the cellars for a night. Look at me. Look at guy. He's not so vulnerable,

spk_0 but he came in like the rest of us. We were conditioned to surrender. Do you know,

spk_0 wait a moment, said Elaine, quietly. Your brother is quite right, you know. You'd better think

spk_0 before you speak. This may be a case of homicide. Thank you, sir, said guy quickly. That's

spk_0 extraordinarily decent of you. Arthur's a bit above himself. It's a shock. The relief, you mean,

spk_0 said Arthur. Don't be such an ass. I didn't kill him, and they'll find it out soon enough. Nobody

spk_0 killed him. There must be some explanation. I suggest that you listen to me, said Elaine.

spk_0 I'm going to put several questions to both of you. You need not answer them, but it will be more

spk_0 sensible to do so. I understand no one but your father touched this radio. Did any of you ever come

spk_0 into this room while it was in use? Not unless he wanted to vary the programme with a little bullying,

spk_0 said Arthur. Elaine turned to Guy. He was glaring at his brother. I want to know exactly what

spk_0 happened in this house last night. As far as the doctors can tell us, your father died not less than

spk_0 three and not more than eight hours before he was found. We must try to fix the terms accurately as

spk_0 possible. I saw him about quarter to nine, began Guy slowly. I was going out to a supper party at

spk_0 the Savoyan had come downstairs. He was crossing the hall from the drawing room to his room.

spk_0 Did you see him after a quarter to nine, Mr. Arthur? No, I heard him, though. He was working in

spk_0 here with his lob. His lob had asked to go away for Christmas. Quite enough, my father discovered

spk_0 some urgent correspondence. Really, Guy, you know he was pathological. I'm sure Dr. Meadows

spk_0 thinks so. When did you hear him, asked Elaine. Some time after Guy had gone, I was working on a

spk_0 drawing in my room upstairs. It's above his. I heard him bawling at little his lob. It must have

spk_0 been before ten o'clock because I went out to a studio party at ten. I heard him bawling as I

spk_0 crossed the hall. And when said Elaine, did you both return? I came home about twenty past twelve.

spk_0 Said Guy immediately. I can fix the time because we had gone on to Shay Carlo and they had a

spk_0 midnight stunt there. We left immediately afterwards. I came home in a taxi. The radio was on

spk_0 full blast. You heard no voices. No, I'm just the wireless. And you, Mr. Arthur, Lord knows when I

spk_0 got in, after one, the house was in darkness, not a sound. You had your own key. Yes, said Guy,

spk_0 each of us has one. They're always left on a hook in the lobby. When I came in, I noticed

spk_0 Arthur was gone. What about the others? How did you know it was his? Mother hasn't got one and

spk_0 Fips lost her weeks ago. Anyway, I knew they were staying in and that it must be Arthur who was out.

spk_0 Thank you, said Arthur ironically. You didn't look in the study when you came in, Elaine asked him.

spk_0 Good Lord, no. Said Arthur as if to suggest you was fantastic. I say, he said suddenly, I suppose

spk_0 he was sitting here, dead. That's a queer thought. He laughed nervously, just sitting here, behind

spk_0 the door in the dark. How do you know it was in the dark? What do you mean, of course it was? There's no

spk_0 light under the door. I see. Now, do you two mind joining your mother again? Perhaps your sister

spk_0 will be kind enough to come in here for a moment. Fox, ask her, will you? Fox returned to the drawing

spk_0 room with Guy and Arthur and remain there, blandly unconscious of any embarrassment his presence

spk_0 might cause the Tonksies. Bailey was already there, ostensibly examining the electric points.

spk_0 Philippa went to the study at once. Her first remark was characteristic. Can I be of any help?

spk_0 Asked Philippa. It's extremely nice of you to put it like that, said Elaine. I don't want to

spk_0 Elaine glanced quickly at her. I mean, she explained that I suppose I must be shocked, but

spk_0 I can't feel anything much. I just want to get it all over as soon as possible and then think.

spk_0 Please tell me what has happened. Elaine told her they believed her father had been electrocuted

spk_0 and that the circumstances were unusual and puzzling. He said nothing to suggest that the

spk_0 police suspected murder. I don't think I'll be much help, said Philippa, but go ahead.

spk_0 I want to try to discover who was the last person to see your father or speak to him.

spk_0 I should think very likely I was, said Philippa, compositely. I had a roul with him before I went to

spk_0 bed. What about? I don't see that it matters. Elaine considered this. When he spoke again, it was with

spk_0 deliberation. Look here, he said, I think there's very little doubt that your father was killed by

spk_0 an electric shock from his wireless set. As far as I know, the circumstances are unique,

spk_0 radios and normally incapable of giving a lethal shock to anyone. We have examined the cabinet

spk_0 and are inclined to think that its internal arrangements were disturbed last night, very radically

spk_0 disturbed. Your father may have experimented with it. If anything happened to interrupt or

spk_0 upset him, it is possible that in the excitement of the moment he made some dangerous readjustment.

spk_0 You don't believe that to you, asked Philippa calmly. Since you asked me, said Elaine.

spk_0 No. I see, said Philippa, you think he was murdered, but you're not sure. She had gone very

spk_0 white, but she spoke crisply. Naturally, you want to find out about my roul.

spk_0 About everything that happened last evening, amended Elaine.

spk_0 What happened was this, said Philippa. I came into the hall sometime after 10. I'd heard Arthur

spk_0 go out and had looked at the clock at five past. I ran into my father's secretary, Richard his

spk_0 lop. He turned the side, but not before I saw, not quickly enough, I blurted out, you're crying.

spk_0 We looked at each other. I asked him why he studied. None of the other secretaries could. He said

spk_0 he had to. He's a widower with two children. There have been doctors, bills and things that I

spk_0 need to tell you about this, about his damnable servitude to my father, nor about the refinements

spk_0 of cruelty he'd had to put up with. I think my father was mad, really mad, I mean. Richard

spk_0 gabbled it all out to me, higgledy-piggledy, and some sort of horrified whisper. He's been here two

spk_0 years, but I'd never realised until that moment that we had a faint flash came into her cheeks.

spk_0 He's such a funny little man, not at all the sort I've always sought. Not good looking or

spk_0 exciting or anything. She stopped looking bewildered. Yes, said Elaine. Well, you see, I suddenly

spk_0 realised I was in love with him. He realised it too, he said, of course it's quite hopeless,

spk_0 you know. Us, I mean, laughable almost. Then I put my arms around his neck and kissed him.

spk_0 It was very odd, but it seemed quite natural. The point is my father came out of his room

spk_0 into the hall and saw us. That was bad luck, said Elaine. Yes, it was. My father seemed really

spk_0 delighted. He almost licked his lips. Richard's efficiency had irritated my father for a long time.

spk_0 It was difficult to find excuses for being beastly with him. Now, of course, he ordered Richard to

spk_0 the study in me to my room. He followed me upstairs. Richard tried to come too, but I asked him not to.

spk_0 My father, I need to tell you what he said. He put the worst possible construction on what he'd seen.

spk_0 He was absolutely foul screaming at me like a madman. He was insane. Perhaps it was DT's,

spk_0 he drank terribly or no. I dare say it's silly of me to tell you all this. No, said Elaine.

spk_0 I can't feel anything at all, not even relief. The boys are frankly relieved. I can't feel afraid,

spk_0 either. She stared meditatively at Elaine. Innocent people needn't feel afraid. Need they?

spk_0 It's an axiom of police investigation, said Elaine and wondered if indeed she was innocent.

spk_0 But it just can't be murdered, said Philippa. We're all too much afraid to kill him.

spk_0 I believe he'd win, even if you murdered him. He'd hit back somehow. She put her hands to her eyes.

spk_0 I'm all muddled. I think you're more upset than you realize. I'll be as quick as I can.

spk_0 Your father made this scene in your room. You say he screamed. Did anyone hear him? Yes,

spk_0 mummy did. She came in. What happened? I said, go away darling. It's all right. I didn't want her

spk_0 to be involved. He nearly killed her with the things he did. Sometimes we never knew what happened

spk_0 between them. It was all secret, like a door shutting quietly as you walk along a passage.

spk_0 Did she go away? Not at once. He told her he'd found out that Richard and I were lovers. He said,

spk_0 it doesn't matter. I don't want to tell you. She was terrified. He was stabbing at her in some way.

spk_0 I couldn't understand. Then, quite suddenly, he told her to go to her own room. She went at once

spk_0 and he followed her. He locked me in. That's the last I saw of him. But I heard him go downstairs later.

spk_0 Were you locked in all night? No, Richard. His lops' room was next to mine. He came up and spoke

spk_0 through the wall to me. He wanted to unlock the door, but I said, better not in case he came back.

spk_0 Then, much later, Guy came home. As he passed my door, I tapped on it. The key was in the lock

spk_0 and he turned it. Did you tell him what had happened? Just that there'd been a rower. He only stayed a

spk_0 moment. Can you hear the radio from your room? She seemed surprised. The wireless? Well, yes, faintly.

spk_0 Did you hear it after your father returned to the study? I don't remember. Think.

spk_0 Why don't you lay awake all that long time until your brother came home? I'll try. When he came

spk_0 out and found Richard and me, it wasn't going. They'd been working, you see. No, I can't remember

spk_0 hearing it at all. And that's a wait a moment. Yes, after he'd gone back to the study from my mother's

spk_0 room, I remember there was a loud crash of static, very loud. Then I think it was quiet for some

spk_0 time. I fancy I heard it again later. Oh, I've remembered something else. After the static,

spk_0 my bedside radiator went out. I suppose there was something wrong with the electricity supply

spk_0 that would account for both. Wouldn't it? The heater went on again about 10 minutes later.

spk_0 And did the radio begin again then, do you think? I don't know. I'm very vague about that.

spk_0 It started again sometime before I went to sleep. Thank you very much indeed. I wouldn't bother you

spk_0 any longer now. All right, said Philip a calmly and went away. Elaine sent for Chase and

spk_0 questioning him about the rest of the staff and about the discovery of the body. Emily was

spk_0 summoned and dealt with. When she departed or struck but complacent, Elaine turned to the butler.

spk_0 Chase, he said, how do you master any peculiar habits? Yes, sir. In regard to the wireless,

spk_0 a big cardenser, I thought you meant generally speaking. Well, then generally speaking,

spk_0 if I may say so, sir, he was a mass of them. How long have you been with him two months

spk_0 and due to leave at the end of the week? Oh, why are you leaving? Chase produced a classic

spk_0 remark of his kind. There are some things he said that flesh and blood will not stand, sir.

spk_0 One of them being spoke too like Mr. Tonk spoke to his staff. Ah, his peculiar habits, in fact.

spk_0 In my opinion, sir, he was mad, stark staring. With regard to the radio, did he tinker with it?

spk_0 I can't say I've ever noticed, sir, I believe you knew quite a lot about wireless.

spk_0 When he tuned the thing, had he any particular method, any characteristic attitude or gesture?

spk_0 I don't think so, sir. I never noticed, and yet I've often come into the room when he was at it.

spk_0 I can seem to see him now, sir. Yes, yes, said Elaine swiftly. That's what we want.

spk_0 A clear mental picture. How was it? Like this? In a moment, he was across the room and seated

spk_0 in Septimus's chair. He swung round to the cabinet and raised his right hand to the tuning control.

spk_0 Like this? No, sir, said Chase promptly. That's not him at all. Both hands, it should be.

spk_0 Ah, up went Elaine's left hand to the volume control. More like this? Yes, sir, said Chase slowly,

spk_0 but there's something else. I can't recollect what it was. Something he was always doing.

spk_0 I was in a back of my head, sir, you know, just at the edge of my memory, as you might say.

spk_0 Oh, I know. It's a kind of, or something, to do with irritation, so Chase slowly. Irritation?

spk_0 Here's. No, it's no good, sir. I can't get it. Perhaps later. Now look here, Chase.

spk_0 What happened to all of you last night? All the servants, I mean. We were all out, sir. It

spk_0 been Christmas Eve. The mistress sent for me yesterday morning. She said we could take the evening

spk_0 off as soon as I'd taken in Mr. Tonks' grog tray at nine o'clock, so we went and Chase simply.

spk_0 When the rest of the staff got away about nine, I left at 10 past, sir, and returned about 11.30.

spk_0 The others were back then and all in bed. I went straight to bed myself, sir. You came in by

spk_0 a back door, I suppose. Yes, sir. We've been talking it over. None of us noticed anything unusual.

spk_0 Can you hear the wireless in your part of the house? No, sir. Well, it said a lane, looking

spk_0 up from his nose. That'll do. Thank you. Before Chase reached the door, Fox came in.

spk_0 Big pardon, sir, said Fox. I just want to take a look at the radio times on the desk.

spk_0 He bent over the paper, wetted a gigantic thumb and turned the page.

spk_0 That's it, sir, shouted Chase suddenly. That's what I tried to think of. That's what he was always

spk_0 doing. But what? Licking his fingers set was a habit, said Chase. That's what he always did when

spk_0 he sat down to the radio. I heard Mr. Hislop tell the doctor it nearly drove him demented the way

spk_0 the master couldn't touch a thing without first licking his fingers.

spk_0 Quite so, said a lane. In about 10 minutes, asked Mr. Hislop if he would be good enough to come in

spk_0 for a moment. That'll be all, thank you, Chase. Well, sir, remarked Fox when Chase had gone.

spk_0 If that's the case, and what I think's right, it'd certainly make matters worse.

spk_0 Good heavens, Fox. What an elaborate remark. What does it mean?

spk_0 If Metal Nobs was substituted for bake-light ones and fine wires brought through the holes to

spk_0 make contact, then he'd get a bigger bump if he tuned in with damp fingers. Yes, and he always

spk_0 used both hands, Fox. Sir, approached the Tonks' again. You haven't left him alone, of course.

spk_0 Bailies in there, making out he's interested in the light switches. He's found the main switchboard

spk_0 under the stairs. The signs of a blown fuse having been fixed recently. In a cupboard underneath,

spk_0 there are odd lengths of flex and so on. Same brand as this on the wireless and heater.

spk_0 Ah, yes, could the cord from the adapter to the radiator be brought into play?

spk_0 By gum, said Fox. You're right, that's how it was done, Chase.

spk_0 The heavier flex was cut away from the radiator and shoved through. There was a fire,

spk_0 so he wouldn't want the radiator and wouldn't notice. It might have been done that way,

spk_0 certainly, but there's little to prove it. Return to the bereaved Tonks is my Fox,

spk_0 and ask, prettyly, if any of them remember, Septimus' peculiarities when tuning his wireless.

spk_0 Fox met little Mr. Hizlop at the door and left him alone with a lane.

spk_0 Philippa had been right, reflected the inspector when she said, Richard Hizlop was not a noticeable man.

spk_0 He was nondescript, grey eyes, drab hair, rather pale, rather short, rather insignificant.

spk_0 And yet last night, they had flashed up between those two, the realization of love.

spk_0 Romantic, but rum, thought a lane. Do sit down, he said. I want you if you will to tell me what happened

spk_0 between you and Mr. Tonks last evening. What happened? Yes, you all dined at eight, I understand.

spk_0 Then you and Mr. Tonks came in here. Yes. What did you do? He dictated several letters.

spk_0 Anything unusual take place? Oh no. Why did you quarrel?

spk_0 Quarrel? The quiet voice jumped to turn. We didn't quarrel, Mr. Halein.

spk_0 Perhaps that was the wrong word. What upset you?

spk_0 Philippa's told you. Yes, she was wise to do so. What was the matter, Mr. Hizlop? Apart from the,

spk_0 or what she told you, Mr. Tonks was a difficult man to please. I often irritated him. I did so last night.

spk_0 In what way? In always and everywhere. He shouted at me. I was startled and nervous,

spk_0 clumsy with papers and making mistakes. I wasn't well. I blended and then I broke down. I have

spk_0 always irritated him. My mannerisms had he know irritating mannerisms himself. He, my God,

spk_0 what were they? I can't think of anything in particular. Doesn't matter, does it? Anything to do

spk_0 with the wireless, for instance. There was a short silence. No, said Hizlop.

spk_0 Was the radio on in here last night after dinner for a little while, not after the incident in

spk_0 the hall? At least that, Tonks said. I don't remember. What did you do after Mr. Philippa and the

spk_0 father had gone upstairs? I followed and listened outside the door for a moment. He had gone very white

spk_0 and had backed away from the desk. And then I heard someone coming. I remembered Dr. Meadows had told

spk_0 me to ring him up if there was one of the scenes. I returned here and rang him up. He told me to go

spk_0 to my room and listen. If things got any worse, I was to telephone again. Otherwise, I was to

spk_0 stay in my room. It's next to hers. And you did this. He nodded. Could you hear what Mr. Tonks said to

spk_0 her? A good deal of it. What did you hear? He insulted her. Mrs. Tonks was there. I was just

spk_0 thinking of ringing Dr. Meadows up again when she and Mr. Tonks came out and went along the

spk_0 passage. I stayed in my room. You didn't try to speak to Mrs. Philippa. We spoke through the wall.

spk_0 She asked me not to ring Dr. Meadows, but to stay in my room. In a little while, perhaps it was

spk_0 as much as 20 minutes. I really don't know. I heard him come back and go downstairs. I again spoke to

spk_0 Philippa. She implored me not to do anything and said that she herself would speak to Dr. Meadows

spk_0 in the morning. So I waited a little longer and then went to bed and to sleep. My God, no.

spk_0 Did you hear the wireless again? Yes, at least I heard static. Are you an expert on wireless?

spk_0 No, I know the ordinary things. Nothing much. How did you come to take this job, Mr.

spk_0 Hizlop? I answered an advertisement. You're sure you don't remember any particular mannerism of

spk_0 Mr. Tonks' in connection with the radio? No. And you can tell me no more about your interview in

spk_0 the study that led to the scene in the hall. No. Will you please ask Mrs. Tonks if you'll be kind

spk_0 enough to speak to me for a moment? Certainly, said Hizlop and went away.

spk_0 Septimus's wife came in looking like death. Elaine got her to sit down and ask her about her

spk_0 movements on the preceding evening. She said she was feeling unwell and dined in her room. She went

spk_0 to bed immediately afterwards. She heard Septimus yelling at Philippa and went to Philippa's room.

spk_0 Septimus accused Mr. Hizlop and her daughter of terrible things. She got as far as this and then

spk_0 broke down quietly. Elaine is very gentle with her. After a little while, he had learned that Septimus

spk_0 had gone to her room with her and had continued to speak of terrible things. What sort of things

spk_0 asked Elaine? He was not responsible, said Hizlop. He didn't know what he was saying. I think he'd

spk_0 been drinking. She thought he'd remained with her for perhaps a quarter of an hour, possibly longer.

spk_0 He left her abruptly and she heard him go along the passage past Philippa's door and presumably

spk_0 downstairs. She had stayed awake for a long time. The wireless could not be heard from her room.

spk_0 Elaine showed her the curtain knobs but she seemed quite unable to take in their significance.

spk_0 He let her go, summoned Fox and went over the whole case.

spk_0 What's your idea on the show? He asked when he had finished.

spk_0 Well, sir, said Fox in his solid way. On the face of it, the young gentlemen have gone

spk_0 alibis. We'll have to check them up, of course. I don't see we can go much further until we have

spk_0 done so. For a moment, said Elaine, let us suppose Master's guy and Arthur be safely

spk_0 established behind cast iron alibis. What then? Then we've got the young lady, the old lady,

spk_0 the secretary and the servants. Let us parade them. But first, let us go over the wireless game.

spk_0 You have to watch me here. I gather that the only way in which the radio could be fixed to give

spk_0 Mr. Tonks his quietus is like this. Control knobs removed. Holes bored in front panel with fine

spk_0 drill. Metal knobs substituted and packed with blotting paper to insulate them from metal shafts

spk_0 and make them stay put. Heavy effects from adapter to radiator cut and the ends of the wires pushed

spk_0 through the drilled holes to make contact with the new knobs. Thus we have a positive and negative

spk_0 pole. Mr. Tonks bridges the gap, gets a mighty wallop as the current passes through him to the

spk_0 earth. The switchboard fuse is blown almost immediately. All this is rigged by murderer while

spk_0 SEP was upstairs bullying wife and daughter. SEP revisited studies sometime after 10-20.

spk_0 Whole thing was made ready between 10 when Arthur went out and the time SEP returned,

spk_0 so about 10-45. The murderer reappeared, connected radiator with flex removed wires, changed back knobs,

spk_0 and left the thing tuned in. Now, I take it that the burst of static described by a

spk_0 philiper in his knob would be caused by the short circuit that killed our septumus. That's right.

spk_0 It also affected all the heaters in the house. V-Day, Mr. Tonks is radiator.

spk_0 Yeah, see he put all that right again. It would be a simply enough matter for anyone who knew

spk_0 how to. He just have to fix the fuse on the main switchboard. How long do you say it would take to

spk_0 what's the horrible word to? Re-condition the whole show.

spk_0 Hmm, said Fox deeply. I guess 15 minutes, sir. It has to be nippy.

spk_0 Yes, agreed, Elaine. He or she? I don't see a female making a success of it, grunted Fox.

spk_0 Look, it Chief, you know what I'm thinking? Why did Mr. Hizlop lie about this

spk_0 least habit of licking his thumbs? You say Hizlop told you. You remembered nothing, and Chase says

spk_0 he overheard him saying the trick nearly drove him dippy. Exactly, said Elaine. He was silent for

spk_0 so long that Fox felt moved utter at discreet cough. Eh? Said Elaine, yes Fox, yes. It'll have to

spk_0 be done. He consulted the telephone directory and dialed the number. May I speak to Dr. Meadows?

spk_0 Oh, it's you, is it? Do you remember Mr. Hizlop telling you that septumus Tonks' trick of

spk_0 wetting his fingers nearly drove Hizlop dimmented? Are you there? You don't? Sure? All right,

spk_0 we're right. Hizlop rang up at 10.20, sir, and you telephone him at 11. Sure of the times?

spk_0 I see. I'd be glad if you'd come round. Can you? Well, do if you can. He hung up the receiver.

spk_0 Chase again, will you Fox? Chase recalled was most insistent that Mr. Hizlop had spoken about

spk_0 it to Dr. Meadows. It was when Mr. Hizlop had flew, sir. I went up with the doctor. Mr. Hizlop had a

spk_0 high temperature. He was talking very excited. He kept on and on, saying the master had guessed

spk_0 his ways had driven him crazy and that the master kept on purposely to aggravate. He said, if it went

spk_0 on much longer, he didn't know what he was talking about, sir, really. What did he say he'd do?

spk_0 Well, sir, he said he'd do. He'd do something desperate to the master, but it was only his rambling,

spk_0 sir. A derse wouldn't remember anything about it. No, said Elaine, I derse he wouldn't.

spk_0 When Chase had gone, he said to Fox, go and find out about those boys and their alibis.

spk_0 See if they can put you onto a quick means of checking up. Get master guy to corroborate

spk_0 Miss Phillipa statement that she was locked in her room. Fox had been gone for some time and

spk_0 Elaine was still busy with his notes when the study door burst open and in came Dr. Meadows.

spk_0 Look here, my giddy sleuth hound, he shouted. What's all this about Hizlop?

spk_0 Who says he dislikes seps of vulnerable habits? Chase does and don't ball at me like that.

spk_0 I'm worried. So am I blast you? What are you driving at? You can't imagine that poor little

spk_0 broken down hack is capable of electrocuting anybody. Let alone sep. I have no imagination,

spk_0 said Elaine, wearily. I wish to god I hadn't called you in. If the wireless killed sep, it was because

spk_0 he'd monkey'd with it. And put it right after it had killed him? Dr. Meadows stared at Elaine in

spk_0 silence. Now, said Elaine, you've got to give me a straight answer. Did Hizlop while he was

spk_0 semi-delirious say that this habit of Tonks is made him feel like murdering him?

spk_0 I've forgotten Chase was there. So Dr. Meadows, yes, you'd forgotten that.

spk_0 But even if he did talk wildly, Elaine, what of it? Damage, you can't arrest the man on the

spk_0 strength of the remark made in delirium. I don't propose to do so. Another motive has come to light.

spk_0 You mean fips? Last night. Did he tell you about that? She whispered something to me this morning.

spk_0 I'm very fond of fips. My god, are you sure of your grounds? Yes, said Elaine, I'm sorry.

spk_0 I think you better go, Meadows. Are you going to arrest him? I have to do my job.

spk_0 There was a long silence. Yes, said Dr. Meadows alas. You have to do your job. Go by Elaine.

spk_0 Fox returned to say that Guy and Arthur had never left their parties. He had got hold of two of their

spk_0 friends. Guy and Mrs. Tonks confirmed the story of the lock door. It's a process of elimination,

spk_0 said Fox. It must be the secretary. He fixed the radio while the cease was upstairs. He must have

spk_0 dodged back to whisper through the door to Mrs. Tonks. I suppose he waited somewhere down here until he

spk_0 heard the disease blow himself to blazes and then put everything straight again, leaving the radio

spk_0 tuned on. Elaine was silent. What do we do now, sir, said Fox? I want to see the hook inside the

spk_0 front door where they hang their keys. Fox, looking dazed, followed his superior to the little entrance

spk_0 hall. Yes, there they are, said Elaine. He pointed to a hook with two latch keys hanging from it.

spk_0 You could scarcely miss him. Come on, Fox. Back in the study, they found his lock with Bailey in

spk_0 attendance. His lock looked from one yard man to another. I want to know if it's murder.

spk_0 Oh, he thinks so, said Elaine. I want you to realise that Philip

spk_0 at Mrs. Tonks was locked in her room all last night. Until her brother came home and unlocked the door,

spk_0 said Elaine. That was too late. He was dead by then. How do you know when he died? It must have

spk_0 been when there was that crash of static. Mr. Hislop said Elaine, why would you not tell me how much

spk_0 that trick of licking his fingers exasperated you? But how do you know? I never told anyone.

spk_0 You told Dr. Meadows when you were ill. I don't remember. He stopped short. His lips trembled.

spk_0 Then suddenly he began to speak. Very well, it's true. For two years he's tortured me.

spk_0 You see, he knew something about me. Two years ago when my wife was dying,

spk_0 I took money from the cash box in that desk. I paid it back and thought he hadn't noticed.

spk_0 He knew all the time. From then on, he had me where he wanted me. He used to sit there like a

spk_0 spider. I'd hand him a paper. He'd wet his thumbs with a clicking noise in the sort of complacent

spk_0 grimace. Click, click. Then he'd thumb the papers. He knew it drove me crazy. He'd look at me and

spk_0 then click, click. And then he'd say something about the cash. He'd never quite cuised me. Just hint.

spk_0 And I was impotent. You think I'm insane? I'm not. I could have murdered him.

spk_0 Often and often I've thought how I'd do it. Now you think I have done it. I haven't. There's a

spk_0 joke of it. I hadn't pluck. And last night when Philip assured me she cared. It was like heaven

spk_0 unbelievable. For the first time since I'd been here, I didn't feel like killing him. And last night

spk_0 somebody else did. He stood there trembling and vehement. Fox and Bailey, who would watch him with

spk_0 a welded concern, turned to Elaine. He was about to speak when Chase came in.

spk_0 Note for you, sir, he said to Elaine. It came by hand. Elaine opened it and glanced at the first

spk_0 few words he looked up. You may go, Mr. Heslop. Now I've got what I expected. What I fished for.

spk_0 When his lop had gone, they read the letter. Dear Elaine, don't arrest his lop. I did it.

spk_0 Let him go at once if you've arrested him and don't tell Philip you ever suspected him.

spk_0 I was in love with Isabel before she met Seb. I've tried to get her to divorce him, but she wouldn't

spk_0 because of the kids. Damn nonsense, but there's no time to discuss it now. I've got to be quick.

spk_0 He suspected us. He reduced her to a nervous wreck. I was afraid she'd go under altogether.

spk_0 I thought it all out. Some weeks ago I took Fips' key from the hook inside the front door.

spk_0 I had the tools and the flex and wire already. I knew where the main switchboard was and the cupboard.

spk_0 I went to wait until they all went away at New Year, but last night when Heslop rang me,

spk_0 I made up my mind at once. He said the boys and servants were out and Fips locked in her room.

spk_0 I told him to stay in his room and to ring me up in half an hour of things hadn't quieted down.

spk_0 He didn't ring up. I did. No answer. So I knew Seb wasn't in his study.

spk_0 I came round, let myself in and listened. All quiet upstairs, but the lab still on in the study,

spk_0 so I knew he'd come down again. He'd said he wanted to get the midnight broadcast from somewhere.

spk_0 I locked myself in and got to work. When Seb was away last year, Arthur did one of his modern

spk_0 monstrosities of painting in that study. He talked about the novel making good patterns.

spk_0 I noticed that they were all very like the ones on the radio and later on I tried one and saw

spk_0 that it would fit if I packed it up a bit. Well, I did the job just as you worked it out and it

spk_0 only took 12 minutes. Then I went into the drawing room and waited. He came down from Isabel's room

spk_0 and evidently went straight to the radio. I hadn't thought it would make such a row and half expected

spk_0 someone would come down. No one did come. I went back, switched off the wireless, mended the fuse

spk_0 in the main switchboard using my torch. Then I put everything right in the study. There was no

spk_0 particular hurry. No one would come in while he was there and I got the radio going as soon as

spk_0 possible to suggest he was at it. I knew I'd be called in when they found him. My idea was to tell

spk_0 them that he died of a stroke. I'd been warning Isabel it might happen at any time. As soon as I saw

spk_0 the burned hand, I knew that cat wouldn't jump. I'd have tried to get away with it if Chase hadn't

spk_0 gone around bleeding about electrocution and burned fingers. His lopsaw the hand. I didn't do

spk_0 anything but report the case to the police. But I thought you'd never twig the knobs, one up on you.

spk_0 I might have bluffed through it if you hadn't suspected his lop. Can't let you hang the blighter.

spk_0 I'm enclosing a note to Isabel who won't forgive me and an official one for you to use.

spk_0 You'll find me in my bedroom upstairs. I'm using cyanide. It's quick.

spk_0 I'm sorry Elaine. I think you knew didn't you. I've bundled the whole game. But if you will be a super

spk_0 sleuth. Goodbye. Henry Meadows.

spk_0 I know I know I know. Before you hit the keyboards before you tap out I know it's

spk_0 Inspector Alan not Inspector Elaine. I actually only found that out when I was doing the research

spk_0 at the end of it. I should have done the research beforehand but that's not the way I work.

spk_0 I'm what they call arse over tit. So yeah Elaine. Even now people haven't even got to this bit

spk_0 where I apologize and they've already written the angry comments. You should have known how

spk_0 disgusting and all that kind of stuff. Anyway at least I got Nio Marsh. I think Nio it's a Maori name

spk_0 apparently. The G is silent. I was put off doing any stories from her because I was scared of

spk_0 saying her name and it could be Nio but I think it's Nio. I did do a little bit of research because

spk_0 I know you know old Donald Rumsfeld he was right again and he didn't invent this but it's the

spk_0 things that you think you know that you don't know. There's the known knowns. No no there are the known

spk_0 knowns. There are the known knowns. When I'm gone to the story yet. There are the known unknowns

spk_0 which you're relatively comfortable about comfortable and about about about about Nio Marsh and you

spk_0 I didn't know. There are the unknown unknowns which is Elaine which is now a known known

spk_0 but it used to be an unknown unknown. So it's moved across. We could do a grid like a jahari window.

spk_0 You should do a jahari window they're great. I'm not going to explain what they are but we used

spk_0 to do when we were doing training and stuff. So anyway I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Elaine some people

spk_0 are just not going to be happy or placated by my groveling apology and I say to them

spk_0 I'm sorry. Anyway no mind. So at Nio Marsh born 1895 died 1982. She was in New Zealand last. She

spk_0 was a friend New Zealand as they say. So and she was a Dame at some point. She wasn't born a

spk_0 Dame. She got made a Dame. So a Dame of the British Empire 1895 1982 as we said she was from New

spk_0 Zealand. She was not only a crime writer but she was a theatre director and was celebrated

spk_0 as one of the queens of crime during the golden age of detective fiction. So the others you know

spk_0 well Agatha Christie also a Dame. Dorothy L Sayers Dame potentially Marjorie Allingham

spk_0 Not a Dame. That's an unknown unknown there. Marie's unknown unknown. She carved anyway back to Nio.

spk_0 Nye she was publicly called by her friends. She carved a distinctive niche with her sophisticated

spk_0 prose theatrical settings and the enduring character of chief inspector Roderick Allen. Got

spk_0 it right. Born in Christchurch New Zealand Marsh was the only child of Rose and Henry Marsh.

spk_0 Her upbringing fostered the love of arts with early inclination towards painting in the stage.

spk_0 I can't say that was true for me. She received her education at St Margaret's College in Christchurch.

spk_0 My mother was more here. You know that dancer guy from Yorkshire. Dancing. Writing poems.

spk_0 Gichye Seldon steel walks lad but I rose above it. Actually the closest hill works down.

spk_0 So anyway we'll from a bit lost today on her. So she had early inclination. She received her

spk_0 education at Margaret's College in Christchurch where she was one of the very first peoples to attend.

spk_0 Followed by studies at Canterbury College School of Art in Canterbury. Not Kent but New Zealand.

spk_0 However her artistic aspirations soon led her to the world of theatre joining the Allen

spk_0 Wilkie Company not Elaine Wilkie as an actress in 1916 and touring New Zealand.

spk_0 In 1928 she makes her pivotal journey to London a move that would profoundly shape her career.

spk_0 While continuing to work in the theatre she established a handicraft shop called Touch and Go.

spk_0 Good name. Which sold decorated trays, bowls and lampshades.

spk_0 She then turned her hand to writing publishing her first detective novel, A Man Lay Dead in 1934.

spk_0 So what age was she then? She was relatively late so she would be 39. Introducing the world to

spk_0 the Deben Aaron Intelligent Rodric Allen of Scotland Yard. Marsh's novels I'm going to

spk_0 substressing them because they could become tedious. Marsh's novels became known for their meticulously

spk_0 crafted plots, witty dialogue and vivid descriptions of place. A theatrical background often

spk_0 infused her mysteries with settings ranging from backstage dramas in Inter-Amerdera to operatic

spk_0 productions in opening night. Other notable works included Death at the Bar, Overtier to Death and

spk_0 Light Thickens. Marsh masterfully blended the conventions of the classic detective novel with her

spk_0 own unique sensibilities. Although the majority of her novels are set in England,

spk_0 Marsh frequently drew upon her New Zealand heritage. Four of her novels take place in New Zealand,

spk_0 offering a glimpse into the cultural landscape of her homeland. Color scheme is a particular

spk_0 interest for its inclusion of Maori characters which is quite novel for the genre at the time

spk_0 and for its subtle critique of British colonialism. Beyond her literary achievements, Marsh

spk_0 remained deeply committed to the theatre. After returning to New Zealand following the second world,

spk_0 she became a leading figure in a local theatre scene directing Shakespearean productions to

spk_0 greater claim her work with the Canterbury University College Drama Society spans several decades,

spk_0 nurturing generations of aspiring actors and directors. The Nioh Marsh theatre at the University

spk_0 of Canterbury stands as a lasting, lasting tribute to her contribution to performing arts

spk_0 to the performing arts in recognition of her outstanding achievements. Marsh received numerous

spk_0 honors including being appointed an officer of the Order of the British Empire OBE 1948

spk_0 and Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire DBE 1966. You've got a picture as

spk_0 Galadriel in Amazance production of the Rings of Power. She's all togged up in figure-hunting

spk_0 hugging armour with a sword that's gleaming and she's leading Dame Commander into the infidel

spk_0 orcs. Knock him down. She's a girl boss and that's what Nioh Marsh was in the days before

spk_0 girl bosses were even invented. She was a girl boss and she was inducted or indicted no into

spk_0 the prestigious. I only say that because you say interdict, is it indicted? Is it? I think the C is

spk_0 unbet lost here. Let's just start again. I've had a lot of coffee this morning, I should say.

spk_0 I have this site where people can buy me coffee called Buy Me Coffee. Buy Me a coffee and people

spk_0 can contribute if they think what I've done is worth contributing for and some do. And so they buy

spk_0 me coffee and I'll some days, people buy me a lot of coffee. I feel like I should spend it on

spk_0 coffee because I haven't said just give me some cash and I'll spend it on Led Zeppelin CDs.

spk_0 The dogs et the second disc of physical graffiti the other day in Sheila. I couldn't find it. I was

spk_0 wandering around going where is that flipping CD and I said to Sheila at one point have the dogs

spk_0 eaten this and she kind of distracted me and I can't remember what she said but she moved the

spk_0 subject on. I'm easily distracted and then a bit later on I'm like I'm a we're a dinner

spk_0 with tea as we call it. We're sitting down eating or tea and I say to her I can't find that for

spk_0 life for me. I'm sure the dogs must have eaten it but the bits would have been somewhere she then

spk_0 started to crack up and I'm like I said she said oh they did eat it and I picked it up. I didn't

spk_0 want you to be upset. I said disc two was in it. It's my favourite disc two. It's got in the light

spk_0 no I like disc one as well but so that was the truth of it. What that has to do with Nioh Marsh

spk_0 how to know isn't it but anyway she was unofficially engaged a fella called Edward Brister to

spk_0 tragically died in action during the Great War. She never married and had no children. I prefer

spk_0 the usage Great War to WW1 that's just common. While she enjoyed close lifelong friendships with

spk_0 women she also denied being a lesbian. In 1965 she published her autobiography Black Beach and

spk_0 Honeydew offering a personal reflection on life in career. She died in Christ,

spk_0 church in 1982 leaving behind a rich legacy etc etc etc. Her home in Kashmir is preserved as a museum

spk_0 and you can go and see it there if you're in New Zealand and if you are in New Zealand or you're

spk_0 visiting as well as the Hobbits you should probably... I would go and see the Hobbits and have a

spk_0 vision of Galadriel. Galadriel I think. Lady of the trees the Sindar elves thought it meant

spk_0 that but it doesn't mean something else in Kwenia but it was a bit of folk heteromology on the

spk_0 part of the Sindar elves and they called her Lady of the trees and she lived in Lothlorian and

spk_0 so if you're there for that go and see Naio Marsh as well and see another girl boss and then you

spk_0 could even do a girl boss tour of New Zealand couldn't you. Anyway let's talk about Chief Inspector

spk_0 Rodric Alain. So he's a gentleman that is set out in the story isn't it our story death on

spk_0 on the air is set out. The designer talked to the trunk says actually the called Tonks is when I was

spk_0 doing the reviews and I was reading up on them somebody had done a review and called them trunk

spk_0 all the way through it's nearly as bad as calling Inspector Alain Inspector Alain anyway not quite

spk_0 though but so yeah and he says you have the police in Odo do we they say and he goes out with

spk_0 his gentleman like that's all right then as long as he's a gentleman as one of those riffraff

spk_0 we'll have him round it will make him come in the back entrance of course. No he's a gentleman he

spk_0 can come in the front entrance of course oh that's my chip on my left shoulder somebody once

spk_0 said to me Tony you're perfectly balanced you got a chip on both shoulders I thought that was

spk_0 quite funny and quite true what is my second chip about. Let's not go into it so so he is

spk_0 he appears in all 32 of Marsha's detective novels published between 1934 and 1982 he's a complex

spk_0 character and he evolves as a story goes forward and the societal landscape of the 20th century

spk_0 whereby by 1982 you didn't have to go in the back door if you were common you could go in the

spk_0 front door as long as he invited you I think if you weren't invited probably you would go in the

spk_0 back door or a window and you'd be a cat burglar but so the A's Allen so he's a gentleman so he's

spk_0 the younger brother of a baronette Sir George Elaine Allen got get it right on Sir George Allen

spk_0 he was educated as a dean in Oxford proper education this elevated social standing grants him

spk_0 access to a wide range of social circles from aristocratic country houses to behemian artistic

spk_0 gatherings oh rather allowing him to navigate diverse environments with ease and understanding

spk_0 there you go because he's posh you see so um for leader this is a minefield doing this kind of thing

spk_0 I started off doing um stories and a lot of these were written he's he can't he can't do him with

spk_0 a jordy accent so you have to do him up a crust so I have to try and learn how to speak properly

spk_0 and um it was a bit of a joke there properly it was being a bit I a bit loaded that one that's my

spk_0 chip was hurting me um and so oh properly oh there's a joke so um it wasn't a funny joke but um

spk_0 so I did it and then I do him like that and then somebody you somebody says uh you've lost yourself

spk_0 Tony why why you gone so posh somebody said that and I'm like well I'm just doing it this horse

spk_0 is for courses isn't it and then somebody I did another one that did one by Val Dennis Baker and

spk_0 I did it I thought well I'm gonna I'm gonna do it just in a kind of demonic accent like me own

spk_0 and uh somebody put query this is what they put but a regional accent query you know

spk_0 man you can't win um it's the the whole process of being doing these things and getting comments

spk_0 from the public huge numbers of the public really is soured me been honest with you it's soured me

spk_0 but anyway um let's not go into that either too much coffee um so anyway so let's talk about

spk_0 Rodric Alain I reckon anyway oh god we've I was gonna give you the etymology of the word Rodric

spk_0 I think it's from the Brythonic ruther x into Scottish and becomes a Scottish name ruther x

spk_0 Rodric substituted into English English phonetics um anyway so he joins a metropolitan police

spk_0 and it becomes he rises through the ranks well he's going to is he he's not going to be the tea boy

spk_0 or working in a lowly he's not going to be a dog handler is he you know he's a he's a baronets brother

spk_0 um so he possesses a sharp intellect a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of human

spk_0 psychology qualities that enable him to unravel the most intricate and baffling of crimes

spk_0 in the early novels a his physical appearances often described as striking with the resemblance

spk_0 to a monk and a grandee told our can handsome this combined with his intellect makes him an

spk_0 intriguing character or a stereotype I mean we've got Lord Peter Wimsey have him have him where he was

spk_0 indifferent to Alain he's uh funnier uh he's slightly absurd I mean I think past possibly because

spk_0 the way he's played on TV uh I have that picture of him Alain I don't know if you remember seeing

spk_0 um there was a TV series done of Inspector Alain as well and who was the guy the actor who's

spk_0 very patrician uh so anyway which he has to be really in doing this character he's a detailed

spk_0 observer he becomes emotionally invested in the crimes he investigates not massively in this one

spk_0 displaying empathy for the victims I think we do see that particularly with the daughter

spk_0 Philippa Fipps um empathy with the victims in profound sense of justice I think that is there

spk_0 um as as the stories a series progress Alain's personal life becomes increasingly into woven with

spk_0 his professional life he's managed to agath a troyer renowned painter introduces a new dimension to

spk_0 his character of course Nioh Marsh was a lot more behemian than him she wasn't particularly

spk_0 aristocratic but I mean I think writers have a sense of what sells as well and people have still

spk_0 perhaps perhaps and abiding interestingly aristocracy and think of old Harry Prince Harry and um

spk_0 I was just thinking Harry's kind of a pet name for Henry R.E.

spk_0 So he is always he was he christened Henry I don't know and Megan

spk_0 Markle and how people love all that stuff you know and they just love it and it was more so before

spk_0 we had P. Diddy and I think he's a some kind of celebrity and the Kardashians I don't really know

spk_0 much about these people um but you know they apparently are famous well they are famous because I've

spk_0 heard of them and so you know people are in these days people love that living their life for

spk_0 carelessly through the through the wealthy and the privileged you know they're grinding away

spk_0 their lives and they're like aren't you know what I'm going to escape into this book and I'm

spk_0 going to see the world through the eyes of somebody posh and rich and well connected hang on this

spk_0 yeah the the music started playing which is usually my scientific show up but I've got a lot to say

spk_0 yet I just need to keep on the point so um yeah Alain he marries painter he's he's career revolving

spk_0 in line with historical events he's in deployed in counter espionage in the Second World War

spk_0 upon his return to England he's confronted with a society profoundly changed by the war um so

spk_0 you know he's more than just a detective he's a reflection of the society he inhabits but what I

spk_0 was saying is that um it's like I say this about LeCarré and the night manager and I think Fred

spk_0 of course cited stories like this as well a lot of these people are jet setters and massively

spk_0 rich they travel the world they have everything you would want to have and uh we live our lives

spk_0 you know in a fantasy through them oh you know if I could just travel off to a to Switzerland and

spk_0 James Bond you know have beautiful women through them to be honest really I wouldn't know what to do

spk_0 with them at my edge but throw themselves at me and offer me cocaine the same thing I don't want

spk_0 any of that just imagine me on cocaine goodness me um so anyway that's why I was used to say

spk_0 people are nobody really ever offered me drugs but uh if they had outside imagine me on stimulants

spk_0 goodness me and bad enough on coffee so anyway let's talk about the story death on the air um

spk_0 we've got Rodric Alain with the horrid septumous Tonks uh apparently the victim accidental

spk_0 electrocution you know this um so he's a horrid man and he's he tyrannizes the Christmas setting

spk_0 it was some critics have said you're it's a nice counterpoint because we've got the lovely Christmas

spk_0 of it all versus the horridness of him and but I don't think the Christmas of it the Christmas

spk_0 iness of it comes through I mean okay it's on the radio in the morning but there's no description

spk_0 of Christmas trees uh that you know which osno or or father Christmas he doesn't come into it uh and

spk_0 so I think the Christmas thing is like it's irrelevant really honestly could be anytime I think she

spk_0 could have egged that up a bit egg it egged it without overegging it um and Alain he has his minions

spk_0 to do his work for him but that isn't a bad thing because I think that emphasizes the fact he's

spk_0 not a kind of many of the detectives are narcissistic individuals aren't they they are the be-all

spk_0 and end all whereas at least Alain has his gang and he actually listens to his men they're his men

spk_0 he's the top dog but you know fair play to him I think and and he gets it's actually nicely

spk_0 structured so first of all we have the scene then we have Alain and then we have Dr Meadows being

spk_0 introduced we have a late and the heath so my point is this my first point is this

spk_0 why did Meadows he must know Alain he must know he's uh he calls him a super sleuth doesn't he

spk_0 and he must know that this is a guy of all guys who is going to solve the thing but is it so

spk_0 why invite him in why not just get the local plot in uh who may be incompetent saying local

spk_0 plot down in compative but that's a general feeling in detective stories isn't it even today the

spk_0 local plot are always it's the super duper's if you watch um uh true detective I loved

spk_0 the first three series of that actually um they they come in and they're the super duper guys

spk_0 and the local are corrupt and inept um so why didn't he just why didn't the doctor who is the

spk_0 murderer I was gonna leave you a spoiler then uh but another detective story which I've done on

spk_0 the channel if you've not heard it I'll keep my mouth shut and so why not get a dopey dopey joan

spk_0 so I don't know why that is it because he's a gentleman that seems to be the only reason why he'd

spk_0 call him he's like yeah well um what we I've got they have done this murder um it's gone a bit

spk_0 far I was hoping to cover it up but the police are gonna have to get involved I tell you what I'll do

spk_0 I'll control which police are coming and we don't want any be common in here we want a super guy who's

spk_0 gonna get me and hang in myself uh so I think he poisoned himself doesn't he um so but he's

spk_0 is it his snobbishness that leads to his death oh dr meadows is he just he just he's like well I could

spk_0 get a commoner to come in and that will get me off though because he's probably an idiot because

spk_0 he's common oh that's my chip uh and um oh I could get a super sleuth gentleman but these are

spk_0 such nice people we can't have a commoner coming so let's have a gentleman even if it will lead to

spk_0 me dying I just hope he won't get you know so I think that was my first problem with it

spk_0 that was probably my only problem with it actually uh and then the story goes on and then it's very

spk_0 straightforward each of the people are called in there's a lovely little red herring um where we

spk_0 think we're getting really close to the end and it's all set up for um mr his lop to be the one who

spk_0 did the murder and it seems to be leading to a confession I don't know if you felt this his lop was

spk_0 about to confess and um and then it's there's a swerve and his lop says but I didn't do it I haven't

spk_0 got the bottle he doesn't say that but he hasn't got the courage to do it which is what everybody

spk_0 said about him all along I thought there was actually a really lovely touch by her nioh marsh

spk_0 whereby this very diligent efficient but ordinary non-descript man his lop but a decent man

spk_0 he's he's taking this awful job with this awful man because he has to bring his kids up you know

spk_0 so she portrays him as a really decent every man really but not particularly brave and yet

spk_0 old fips who could do better um you know financially socially she could get herself an alpha male no

spk_0 doubt or I don't know what they call them a high value male because she's of a certain class isn't she

spk_0 it's not this anywhere less than what you're gonna do after females it's not even go there

spk_0 I don't believe in it she shares anyway um so or do I but I don't I think it's oh I don't want to get

spk_0 into that I don't like it um so but she could have done better basically couldn't she you all know that

spk_0 and she doesn't and I think that that kind of meeting and she's massively bullied by her father

spk_0 and driven down and oppressed by her father who's an absolute pig and so is a mother oppressed

spk_0 and I thought that was a lovely little human touch that meeting and then he realised that they

spk_0 really care for each other I what I liked that and I must admit I liked Alan I thought was witty

spk_0 I thought he was um her bane of course but I thought he was sympathetic as well and so I liked

spk_0 him as a character now going back to the plot I think she leaves it late in the day

spk_0 it works really well in that we think that the cat is in the bag and then he says what I didn't do it

spk_0 oh and we've only got a page to go well you didn't know that but I was I was looking I'd been looking

spk_0 to see how long I had to go and then we get this kind of letter and it's all a bit of Deus ex

spk_0 machine it's a bit like oh right okay oh that oh right the doctor did it because

spk_0 yeah and I'm not sure that that is sufficiently foreshadowed so that we go of course whereas in

spk_0 the other book I was talking about it is by another author it is but um in this it felt like it

spk_0 wasn't there was a little bit of foreshadowing I think the only the foreshadowing I picked up

spk_0 and there may be other stuff because I mean my big point is why would the doctor in if he was guilty

spk_0 why would he invite the super sleuthin so that made makes you think no it isn't him why would he

spk_0 do this but then the thing that was foreshadowed I think a little was how when septumus

spk_0 makes a big deal of his daughter and his lop in a clinch probably a very innocent one

spk_0 don't want my mind to run on that oh get out on my head so the very innocent clinch

spk_0 and then he makes a big deal of torturing his wife about it and I think that is the foreshadowing

spk_0 there isn't it that it becomes evident when the doctor says oh yeah he was doing that because

spk_0 he knew she was and he was that kind of man wasn't he he was the kind of man who held and that is

spk_0 perhaps another bit of foreshadowing he learned about his lop per borrowing money and he used it

spk_0 to torture his lop and keep him on the hook and that's what he's done with his wife he knows about

spk_0 her adultery and he uses it to keep her on the hook he doesn't let her go he doesn't get angry he doesn't

spk_0 do anything immediately horrible to her many does but you know finally horrible as one I mean he

spk_0 doesn't throw her out he doesn't beat her up you know I'm not saying should do these things obviously

spk_0 but you know he doesn't do that but he is the kind of awful awful man who tortures people

spk_0 so there was a bit of foreshadowing but I still felt that the letter at the end was abrupt

spk_0 that's it now when we read other people's reviews that is actually a general consensus that it

spk_0 that it works well but the conclusion feels rushed and anticlimactic so rather than a methodical

spk_0 deduction and dramatic unveiling the killers confession comes via a letter denying the reader

spk_0 the satisfaction of witnessing Alan piecing Alan couldn't piecing together the clues and exposing

spk_0 the truth to his own intellectual prowess but to be fair to him we are given a picture he says this

spk_0 is what I fished for so late in the day it's revealed to us that Alan Alan knew this all along

spk_0 and he was just waiting for the evidence he was just but you know an inhumane thing is

spk_0 that evidence came with the suicide of the doctor now you could argue that's it

spk_0 that was an easier ending for him than being hanged publicly or being tried publicly and hanged

spk_0 privately in those days they didn't the last public execution gone maybe it hadn't I don't know

spk_0 if I googled that but you know so yeah so initial thought is Alan Alan he he's fishing and he

spk_0 sets it up at the doctor confesses and he must know that a man of honor the only thing left for him

spk_0 to do a bit of had a carry had a carry um but so that's awful but then if we if we realize the

spk_0 alternative is you know public trial and hanging okay maybe not a public hanging but maybe a

spk_0 public hanging then then actually Alan Alan's work doesn't take that eat that why out of the name

spk_0 just take it out and it stopped me stumbling over it yeah it's like or posh people have names

spk_0 that that don't sound like like you know if the cult Christopher they're actually called kit or

spk_0 St John if ever middle who well it was emitting the names John really Sinjin you know so um

spk_0 and they go to Mordlin College actually they were the Ballion College I think but um anyway never

spk_0 mind never mind but listen what's in the bad story told it was a good story um I'm pleased to have

spk_0 finally got over my fear of saying her name I'm probably going to be publicly corrected and humiliated

spk_0 in the uh in the comments section but let's put my big pants on and face it out

spk_0 anyway I hope you're all well you can hear the dogs running around the background people said

spk_0 somebody said um why don't you take the dogs out the room I don't know how they talked because it

spk_0 was written but um because people like to hear the dogs I've got oh they swapped it was

spk_0 Callie behind me and she swapped just now Jasper with his tail wagging he's looking for his fight

spk_0 Jasper's a boy and so he's he's just two years old and he likes a fight and guess what she let's

spk_0 call up the stairs is standing behind me I better say what she wants she just tell me that the traffic

spk_0 is terrible um and it was backed up to booze busters and they weren't actually going into booze

spk_0 busters it was just uh they were backed up to there and we couldn't work out why so we had a bit of

spk_0 a discussion about why they tried and neither of us really knew so it was one of those discussions

spk_0 I was telling about Jasper so Jasper's a boy dog and he's just over two and we got two he's sisters

spk_0 also and they don't want to fight me but Jasper he loves a wrestle he just has to have a wrestle

spk_0 with me every day if he can have three or four yeah and sometimes it's I'm really tired it's late on

spk_0 and I don't or early in the morning I'm like I do not want a fight right now but he loves it we have

spk_0 a wrestle and I try not to hurt him I can't say that he tried I think he does try not to hurt me to

spk_0 prefer but he does rake me with his teeth sometimes but he choose my ears very gently and then he'll

spk_0 just have a little nip and ah like that but that's that's the way we live that's the way we roll

spk_0 what do you say? La selle bante en roulet

spk_0 no

Death on the Air by Ngaio Marsh

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