Hwï… Bönswär, Më-syür… Agäñ? Töo-jour… zë säme… kès-työns. Hwï… Aï clëend zë dïnïng röom. Hwï… Aï made zë tëa. Madäme stïll wore all hër pëarls… zë last tïme shë spoke tö më. Aï folded ëvery näpkeen squäre, Aï polished ëvery spöon. Aï ëven closed zë lïbrary… a lît-tle äfter möon. Yöo ask ïf Aï saw anyone? Mäy… ëveryone was zêr. Kèl ö-rëur… Sö mäny kès-työns… Yör nötëbook… Yör lît-tle clûz… Pèarhiaps… zë änswer… ïsn’t më. Ït’s yöo. Zhë në sè rien, Më-syür — zhë nê ryëñ vü. Nö brö-këñ löck, nö forcèd entrè, nö träce öf vhat pässed throügh. Zhë në sè rien, Më-syür — byëñ sür, sè trü. Ëef Aï knew vhere zë diamonds were këpt… vüd Aï bë tëll-eeng yöo? Funny… Aï sôught ëveryone knew zë code. Hwï… Yöo found zë cabîné bèarrrê. Hwï… Aï noticed nö such tsïng. Zë dü-shèss left before zë töast… still wearing ëvery rëeng. Aï counted ëvery crîstal gläss, Aï checked each sêelver tray. Aï heard zë säfe give one soft click… zën carîed on my way. Yöo ask vhy Aï recall zë söund? Mäy… some noises stay with yöo. Möñ dyëu… Sö much sus-pï-syön… Yöo dust for prints… Aï dust zë shelf. Pèarhiaps, Më-syür… zë one yöo should eenvêstîgât… ïs yörself. Zhë në sè ryëñ, Më-syür — zhë nê rien vü. Nö mäs-tair quîê, nö sêelver tray, nö rëe-zöñ to për-sü. Zhë në sè rien, Më-syür — bîen-sûr, sè trü. Ëef Aï knew vhy zë säfe stood bèarrrê… vüd Aï bë tëll-eeng yöo? Plëez… dö not öpen zë lëft drôr. …îts steeks. Vhere vas Aï at twelve-oh-four? Ïn zë kï-tchën… by zë side dôr. Vhat vas zë stain upon mí cuff? Kä-bër-nây. Evîdemment! Zät is hardly proof enough. Änd when did Madäme disappear? Mäy Which Madäme, my dëar Më-syür? Ïf zë gates were locked at ten… zën how did zë jewels disappear? Pêarÿaps zë thief knew êvery hall… and êvery servant here. Ïf one lîtle drôr holds zë proof… zën plêez, Më-syür, beware. Some tsîngs are safer left alone… most of all, in thêr. Zhë në sè rien, Më-syür — zhë nê ryëñ prï. Nö jewels found, nö proof in hand, nö case to make of më. Zhë në sè rien, Më-syü — bîensûr, agree. Änd ïf zë lîtle drôr is full… zät proves nöthïng, yöo see. Zhë në sè rien, Më-syür — zhë nê ryëñ vü. Nö brökëñ löck, nö witness left, nö clue Aï could not lose. Zhë në sè rien, Më-syür — byëñ sür, sè trü. So kindly close zë lîtle drôr… before Aï close it för yöo. Hwï… zät vas exhausting. Nöw… may Aï finish zë têa? …Më-syür ──────────────────────────── Oui… Bonsoir, Monsieur… Again? Toujours… the same… questions. Oui… I cleaned the dining room. Oui… I made the tea. Madame still wore all her pearls… the last time she spoke to me. I folded every napkin square, I polished every spoon. I even closed the library… a little after moon. You ask if I saw anyone? Mais… everyone was there. Quelle horreur… So many questions… Your notebook… Your little clues… Perhaps… the answer… isn’t me. It’s you. Je ne sais rien, Monsieur — je n’ai rien vu. No broken lock, no forced entry, no trace of what passed through. Je ne sais rien, Monsieur — bien sûr, c’est true. If I knew where the diamonds were kept… would I be telling you? Funny… I thought everyone knew the code. Oui… You found the cabinet bare. Oui… I noticed no such thing. The duchess left before the toast… still wearing every ring. I counted every crystal glass, I checked each silver tray. I heard the safe give one soft click… then carried on my way. You ask why I recall the sound? Mais… some noises stay with you. Mon Dieu… So much suspicion… You dust for prints… I dust the shelf. Perhaps, Monsieur… the one you should investigate… is yourself. Je ne sais rien, Monsieur — je n’ai rien vu. No master key, no silver tray, no reason to pursue. Je ne sais rien, Monsieur — bien sûr, c’est true. If I knew why the safe stood bare… would I be telling you? Please… do not open the left drawer. …it sticks. Where was I at twelve-oh-four? In the kitchen… by the side door. What was the stain upon my cuff? Cabernet. Évidemment! That is hardly proof enough. And when did Madame disappear? Mais… which Madame, my dear Monsieur? If the gates were locked at ten… then how did the jewels disappear? Perhaps the thief knew every hall… and every servant here. If one little drawer holds the proof… then please, Monsieur, beware. Some things are safer left alone… most of all, in there. Je ne sais rien, Monsieur — je n’ai rien pris. No jewels found, no proof in hand, no case to make of me. Je ne sais rien, Monsieur — bien sûr, agree. And if the little drawer is full… that proves nothing, you see. Je ne sais rien, Monsieur — je n’ai rien vu. No broken lock, no witness left, no clue I could not lose. Je ne sais rien, Monsieur — bien sûr, c’est true. So kindly close the little drawer… before I close it for you. Oui… that was exhausting. Now… may I finish the tea? …Monsieur
