
Poeżiji u Riflessjonijiet
Poeżiji u Riflessjonijiet

Drittijiet tal-awtur © Alfred Vassallo
L-ewwel pubblikazzjoni fl-2026
Id-drittijiet kollha riżervati. L-ebda parti minn din il-pubblikazzjoni ma tista' tiġi riprodotta, maħżuna f'sistema ta' rkupru, trażmessa, kollha kemm hi jew parzjalment, b'xi mezz, elettroniku, mekkaniku, fotokopjar jew mod ieħor, mingħajr il-permess bil-miktub minn qabel tal-awtur.
I KILLED HERCULE POIROT ACT 2
A Comedy Thriller in 2 Acts
SCENE ONE — The same — Ten Minutes later
(Christie is sitting and having a cup of tea. Enters Miss Lemon)
LEMON
(She goes to him) The only other two residents are here. The different apartments are either empty or their tenants are on holiday.
CHRISTIE
I assume they know why they're here.
LEMON
If not, they are foolish. There are police officers everywhere. The press is outside waiting for your statement, and waiting impatiently with Captain Hastings is none other than Inspector Japp.
CHRISTIE
He's here at last! That's good. Let him wait. It's about time I made him taste his own medicine. His job was mine, and he took it.
LEMON
What do you want me to do, Inspector?
CHRISTIE
Bring in the first tenant.
(Stands and walks away a bit.
Miss Lemon goes out and returns immediately with Miss Tuppence Cowley)
LEMON
(Introducing her) Inspector, this is Mrs Tuppence Cowley.
CHRISTIE
How do you do, Mrs Cowley?
TUPPENCE
Fine, thanks, and please call me Tuppence; everybody does.
CHRISTIE
I'm sorry for inconveniencing you. I won't keep you long. Would you like a cup of tea?
TUPPENCE
No, thank you. I'm all right.
CHRISTIE
I believe you have just arrived in London.
TUPPENCE
Yes, you are.
CHRISTIE
Where do you usually live?
TUPPENCE
Tommy and I, my husband, live in Nottinghamshire with our three children.
CHRISTIE
I see. Mrs Cowley,
(Smiles)
I mean, Tuppence, a man was found murdered in this room last night.
TUPPENCE
(Shocked)
How awful!
CHRISTIE
His name was Hercule Poirot. He was a short, fat fellow with a distinctive black waxed moustache. You must have heard of him.
TUPPENCE
Yes, of course, he's the French detective.
LEMON
Was. Poirot was a Belgian detective.
CHRISTIE
Have you seen him?
TUPPENCE
Yes, I've seen him coming in and out, but I have never spoken to him. I do not know him.
CHRISTIE
Where were you last night between eleven and one O'clock in the morning?
TUPPENCE
I stayed in. I felt too tired to dress, so I had dinner in the apartment. I usually dine out, but I read a book and went to sleep.
CHRISTIE
And what time was that?
TUPPENCE
Well, let me see, it was about half past ten.
CHRISTIE
You didn't wake up during the night or hear something? A shot, perhaps?
TUPPENCE
Nothing. No, I heard nothing.
CHRISTIE
Thank you very much, Tuppence; I'm very obliged to you.
TUPPENCE
I'm sorry I couldn't be more helpful.
CHRISTIE
Goodbye.
(Tuppence leaves from where she came)
No help there. Who is the other tenant?
LEMON
Miss Jane Marple.
CHRISTIE
(Chokes on his coffee)
Who?
LEMON
Miss Jane Marple and an old woman.
CHRISTIE
I know who she is. What is she doing here?
LEMON
I haven't got a clue. You have to ask her.
CHRISTIE
I know, but I'm not looking forward to it.
LEMON
Why inspector?
CHRISTIE
Because she is a busybody, she puts her nose into everything where she shouldn't. She's a pain in the……(Stops)
(Enters Miss Marple holding a walking stick.)
MARPLE
(With authority)
I will be next since you have finished with Mr Cowley.
LEMON
Ooh, please come in, Miss Marple; the Inspector just told me he was looking forward to meeting you.
MARPLE
Were you, Inspector?
CHRISTIE
Yes, of course. Do you know why you are here?
MARPLE
Yes, of course. Are you investigating the murder of Hercule Poirot?
CHRISTIE
Yes, I am. Now, tell me, what time did you come home last night?
MARPLE
Wait a minute. Are you not going to tell me to sit down?
CHRISTIE
Of course, how stupid of me. Will you sit down, please?
MARPLE
Thank you. (Sits)
LEMON
A cup of tea?
MARPLE
No, not at the moment; maybe later, at present, the Inspector and I will have a deep conversation.
CHRISTIE
There will not be a long conversation—just a few questions.
MARPLE
(To Miss Lemon )
He's very abrupt, isn't he?
LEMON
Not at all, Miss Marple; he's a busy man.
CHRISTIE
That I am, so please answer my question.
MARPLE
What question was that?
LEMON
Where were you last night between eleven and one o'clock in the morning?
MARPLE
Now, let me see. In the afternoon, I went to Bertram's Hotel for tea. They have pleasant pastries there, especially the seed cakes. After that, I went to Blackheath. I. heard there was a murder in the vicarage. It is a hobby of mine to dabble in sleuthing. I like puzzles, you see.
LEMON
So does the Inspector
CHRISTIE
Carry on, Miss Marple, please.
MARPLE
Yes, where was I? Yes, after Blackheath. Then I took a bus to the West End; I hate trains, and the taxis are too expensive. Daylight robbery, I say. I went to watch a play.
LEMON
Did you really? Enjoyed it?
MARPLE
No, not really. It was the Mousetrap. It's too obvious and too old-fashioned. I knew the murderer at once.
CHRISTIE
Miss Marple, please. Later, later that day, please.
MARPLE
I was coming to that, but you keep interrupting me.
CHRISTIE
Miss Lemon, please don't interrupt her anymore.
MARPLE
I forgot where I was.
LEMON
The Mousetrap?
MARPLE
That's right. If you haven't seen it yet, don't bother.
CHRISTIE
Thank you for your advice. Can we please carry on?
MARPLE
Yes, we shall. After the play, I arranged to meet a friend from St Mary Mead at the Ritz for dinner. The food is excellent, but the portions are tiny.
LEMON
Did this friend come back with you to the flat?
MARPLE
Yes. He almost didn't?
LEMON
He?
CHRISTIE
Why did he almost not?
MARPLE
Because we had to walk upstairs.
CHRISTIE
Wait a minute, Miss Marple. Why did you not take the lift?
MARPLE
Well, it was out of order. There was a signpost on it.
CHRISTIE
Now that's funny.
MARPLE
I didn't think so; I was out of breath. The stairs are too steep.
CHRISTIE
No, I mean, you're the first person to mention that.
MARPLE
That's because I am very observant.
CHRISTIE
Did you hear anything at all?
MARPLE
No, not a sound.
CHRISTIE
What's your friend's name?
MARPLE
Inspector Japp, of course?
CHRISTIE
Japp? Were you with Inspector Japp?
MARPLE
Yes, what's wrong with that? We are good friends, and he is a very good detective inspector, not abrupt at all.
CHRISTIE
How long did he stay with you?
MARPLE
For an hour or two, we had some Sherry and talked about murder cases. Then he left because he had an important meeting.
LEMON
At that time of night?
MARPLE
Why not? He's a real policeman, and time doesn't matter.
CHRISTIE
Was the lift still out of order when he left?
MARPLE
I don't know, I didn't go out with him. Wait a minute, no, because I heard it coming up and opening.
CHRISTIE
And you didn't hear anything else?
MARPLE
No.
CHRISTIE
Thank you, Miss Marple. That is all I needed to ask, unless Miss Lemon has anything to add.
(Miss Marple stands)
LEMON
Oh no, I don't like to interfere.
CHRISTIE
Thank you again, Miss Marple.
(The Telephone rings, and Lemon answers it)
LEMON
Hello, yes. It's for your inspector.
CHRISTIE
(Takes the receiver)
Hello, yes, Thompson. What is it now? The fingerprints? Have you found something? Tell me then. Whose fingerprints? Really? Thank you, thank you very much indeed, Thompson.
MARPLE
Good news, Inspector?
CHRISTIE
Oh yes, excellent news indeed. Now, Miss Marple, sit down again, please.
MARPLE
My pleasure.
(Sits)
CHRISTIE
I don't think so. No, this time.
LEMON
What is it, Inspector? What did forensics tell you?
CHRISTIE
They have matched the fingerprints on the wallet at last.
MARPLE
Have they? What clever chaps.
CHRISTIE
Yes, they are. The fingerprints on the wallet found here are yours, Miss Marple.
MARPLE
Really?
LEMON
Really?
MARPLE
I don't believe it.
LEMON
I don't believe it, either.
CHRISTIE
Is this a game? Now, Miss Marple, you'd better come clean. What were your fingerprints doing on the wallet belonging to Hercule Poirot beside his dead body? You'd better tell me everything and who you are shielding.
MARPLE
I'm not shielding anybody. Inspector, you won't believe me if I tell you.
CHRISTIE
Try me!
MARPLE
I killed Hercule Poirot!
CHRISTIE
(Yells)
What?
MARPLE
I killed Hercule Poirot! I didn't mean to, but I did.
CHRISTIE
(Yells)
What?
(Goes and sits down beside her)
Now, Miss Marple, are you confessing to me in front of Miss Lemon that you have killed Poirot?
MARPLE
Yes, that's right.
CHRISTIE
(Stands again) Oh no. Oh no, no, no. Two confessions are enough. No, and no. Every Tom, Dick, and Harry wants to confess to killing Poirot. I don't have to stand for this sort of thing. I won't have it.
(He exits the room)
LEMON
Miss Marple, you've done it again.
MARPLE
What have I done?
LEMON
You have once again confused the inspector.
CHRISTIE
(Comes back in with his hands in his trousers pocket. He walks to Marple and stops. He walks to the telephone, lifts the receiver, and dials. He doesn't wait for an answer and puts the receiver back. He walks back to Marple. )
Now, Miss Marple, let's hear your version.
MARPLE
Version? What version?
CHRISTIE
(Holding his temper)
How, when and why did you kill him?
MARPLE
I was fed up hearing how good Poirot was, how great a detective he was, and so on.
LEMON
But he was.
MARPLE
Exactly, that is the point.
CHRISTIE
What point is that?
MARPLE
He was very famous. He was recognised. Meanwhile, I am the old hag who interferes with police investigations, treading on their toes and asking silly questions. I am a nobody from St Mary Mead.
LEMON
But still, you shot him?
MARPLE
No, I did not.
CHRISTIE
But you said you killed him?
MARPLE
So I did. It was an accident.
CHRISTIE
An accident?
MARPLE
Yes, it was. I came in very quietly and couldn't find the light switch. I tripped over a chair, the gun fell on the floor, and I fired.….
CHRISTIE
With the bullet hitting him precisely on the temple?
MARPLE
I don't know. I didn't wait to see. Then, this morning, I heard Miss Lemon screaming and put two and two together.
LEMON
I'm entirely and utterly confused now.
MARPLE
Why, my dear, it is pretty simple, and that is precisely how I've described it.
CHRISTIE
Why did you pick up the wallet?
MARPLE
I didn't.
CHRISTIE
But your fingerprints were on it.
MARPLE
I know. The day before yesterday, outside the apartment, he was waving a taxi when he dropped his wallet, and I picked it up for him.
LEMON
How unfortunate for you, Miss Marple
CHRISTIE
And fortunate for me. Now, Miss Marple, can I see your hands?
(Takes them and inspects for scratches. He finds nothing and looks around her neck. He finds nothing either.)
LEMON
Anything?
CHRISTIE
No, not a sign. All right, Miss Marple. Please go with Miss Lemon to the other room and wait with the others.
(Lemon and Marple exist)
What did I ever do to deserve this? I had an open and shut case. All I have are three confessions, all of which are convincing. I don't have a whodunit case but.............…
(Enters Miss LEMON )
LEMON
What are you moaning about?
CHRISTIE
This case is becoming more difficult than I thought, and I'm trying to think how. I'll make sense of this insane murder, and may I suggest you do the same.
LEMON
Yes, Inspector.
CHRISTIE
Splendid, then you give your theories about all of this.
LEMON
I'd rather hear yours first.
CHRISTIE
Meaning, of course, you have none.
LEMON
Have you?
CHRISTIE
No, I have not. But there is nothing supernatural about this. It happened, so something caused it, and once I have found that cause, I will have my solution.
LEMON
Very penetrating. When do you think that will be an inspector?
CHRISTIE
How should I know? Maybe never.
LEMON
Do you think so?
CHRISTIE
No. I am not a defeatist.
LEMON
Do you know what you want to do next?
CHRISTIE
I'm sure that two of the three suspects must be lying.
LEMON
You know, inspector, this is good for your record.
CHRISTIE
What do you mean?
LEMON
You told me before you had twelve murder cases, but you only caught eleven murderers. Now you have caught three killers and only one murderer. That puts you two ahead, inspector.
(The telephone rings. Lemon answers it.)
Hello. Yes, he's still here.
(She gives Christie the receiver, but as he is taken from her hand, he grabs her arm and looks at it with the other hand.)
CHRISTI
I cannot speak to you now. I will talk to you later.
(She hangs up and looks at her neck.)
Miss Lemon, please sit down.
(She sits.)
Can you please tell me where you got those scratches from?
LEMON
Scratches?
(Looks at them)
Do you mean these?
CHRISTIE
Yes, those and the ones on your neck.
LEMON
Oh, I remember now, that was Hercule; he jumped on me because I did not feed him.
CHRISTIE
So it was you that Poirot scratched?
LEMON
No, inspector, no.
CHRISTIE
But you said Hercule jumped on you.
LEMON
Yes, inspector, my cat, I named him after Mr. Ppoirot. Is there anything wrong with that?
CHRISTIE
No, nothing isn't anything wrong, but your story sounds fishy. Here are forensics telling me that Poirot scratched his killer before he died, and low and behold, you have the same scratch marks. All we have to do, Miss Lemon, is take samples of your skin, and forensics will tell us if they match.
LEMON
Well, what's done is done, and I cannot undo a thing.
CHRISTIE
And what have you done?
LEMON
I thought you worked it out because of the scratches.
CHRISTIE
Miss Lemon, please work this out.
LEMON
That I killed him.
CHRISTIE
Killed who?
LEMON
Poirot. I killed Hercule Poirot.
CHRISTIE
(Irritated)
Oh no, you didn't?
LEMON
Oh yes, I did.
CHRISTIE
I tell you, you did not.
LEMON
And I tell you, I killed Hercule Poirot.
CHRISTIE
But why?
LEMON
Because I loved him very much. I wanted him.
CHRISTIE
There is no reason to kill him for that.
LEMON
Yes, there was. Hercule never looked at me that way. I took care of him and made him his perfect Tisanes. He talked to me, joked with me, and entertained me, but not as his mistress. No, I was his employee, and he treated me that way.
CHRISTIE
Did you ever tell him how you felt?
LEMON
No. I couldn't bring myself to do such a thing. I thought the look in my eyes should have been enough. It was torture, Inspector.
CHRISTIE
But why shoot him in the head?
LEMON
I didn't shoot him in the head.
CHRISTIE
But that's how he died. He had a bullet in his temple. You found him.
LEMON
Well, I had to say I found him, didn't I? But I did not shoot him. You see, I came back because I forgot the front door keys. I told you this already, and when I came in, he was on that chair sleeping. For some reason, his gun was in his hand. I walked to him because I thought he had done something to himself, but he was sleeping. I took the gun from his hand and went behind his desk. As I looked to see if the gun had been shot, I pressed the trigger accidentally; the bullet hit the chandelier and ricocheted to his head.
CHRISTIE
Another accident.
LEMON
Yes. I was mystified. I cleaned the gun, took his wallet with a handkerchief and dropped it on the floor to confuse things.
CHRISTIE
But where is the cartridge? We found no cartridge.
LEMON
I don't know. Honestly, I don't.
CHRISTIE
No. This is too much. This is a conspiracy. You're all trying to make a fool out of me. You did not kill Hercule Poirot.
(Enters Inspector JAPP)
JAPP
Of course, she didn't, Inspector Christie. How are you, Agatha?
CHRISTIE
How do you know she didn't kill him?
LEMON
You're sure of yourself, Inspector Japp.
JAPP
So I should be. I killed Hercule poirot.
CHRISTIE
(Screams)
Oh, bloody hell no. This is not happening.
(He starts laughing)
I know, this is some joke. You all conspired to make this a joke of me. For fun?
(Both Lemon and Japp shake their heads)
Well, OK, let's say you killed him. What was your motive?
JAPP
Everybody in the department, including you, knew Poirot was making me look like a fool. I looked second best beside him. Nearly all the cases I was involved in using his grey cells were solved before me. He was always one step ahead of me. I could not catch up with him: he and his grey cells. I got fed up. I had to do something for my reputation, and I did it.
CHRISTIE
How did you kill him?
JAPP
It was not as I planned, I can assure you, although it was my intention to come in here and shoot him. I was with Miss Marple. I had dinner with her at the Ritz. You know they give you too small portions. For a man......
CHRISTIE
I know, I know, Miss Marple already told me.
LEMON
And you had Sherry with her later in her flat.
JAPP
That's right. I wanted to stay in her flat as long as possible so the apartment would be quiet when I got out. I came in here with the gun in my hand, and I found Poirot sleeping on that chair. I thought he had a heart attack and died. I went close to him and put my head on his chest to try to listen to the heartbeat. He suddenly woke up, and in fright, I pressed the trigger, and the rest is history.
LEMON
Another accident.
CHRISTIE
Accident, my foot. No, I won't accept it. This is ridiculous. I talked to six people, and five of them confessed to the same murder—utter nonsense.
LEMON
What are you going to do?
CHRISTIE
I am going to try to wake up from this nightmare.
JAPP
I did not know you were so hysterical, Inspector. Why don't you face the facts?
CHRISTIE
Which particular facts had you in mind? Yours? Hers? Captain Hastings? Miss Marple's or Mrs Oliver's? Which facts tell me? Now listen to me, both of you. You will both stay here. Do not move an inch. I need to go next door. Don't forget you cannot escape. None of you can. Make yourself at home.
(Leaves in a rage)
JAPP
(Follows the inspector to make sure he has left and returns to Miss Lemon whispering)
Did you knock him off, Miss Lemon?
LEMON
(Whispering, too)
No, I thought you did.
JAPP
I can assure you I didn't; when I arrived here, he was already dead on the floor. So I picked him up, put him in that chair, and left all the clues for us as planned. But I did not kill him.
LEMON
Then, it must have been Captain Hastings who killed him.
JAPP
I don't think he has the guts to kill anybody. He is pathetic.
LEMON
I have worked with him for a long time and know he has a temper problem.
(Enter Captain Hastings and Mrs Oliver; now they will not whisper anymore)
HASTINGS
(To Japp)
What on earth are you doing here?
JAPP
I've been helping the inspector. You see, I killed Poirot.
OLIVER
What? That cannot be. I killed him.
HASTINGS
Hang on a minute, you're all wrong. I killed him.
LEMON
There is no point arguing who killed him; the fact is that Poirot is dead.
JAPP
That's right.
(Makes a sign to them to be quiet)
Now, look here, ladies and gentlemen. It's ridiculous for us to argue about this. Why don't we let the police worry about it?
OLIVER
You are the police.
JAPP
That doesn't count now. Let the police, with Christie's help, solve it.
OLIVER
Why not? It is their job, after all.
(Whispering)
Inspector Japp, I was supposed to kill him, so why did you?
JAPP
I was telling Miss Lemon that I didn't kill him.
HASTINGS
Then who did because when I came in, he was already dead? I saw the wound in his head.
JAPP
Yes, he was in the chair because I picked him up and put him on
it. He was already dead when I came in.
HASTINGS
It was you then, Miss Lemon?
LEMON
No, I swear. I was ready to pull the trigger when I saw him lying on the floor, and I ran out.
JAPP
Then you came here before me.
OLIVER
If none of us killed him, who did?
(Enters Christie, accompanied by Tuppence)
HASTINGS
What is she doing here?
CHRISTIE
She came to see me with some news about the case. She told me she remembered something important that she had forgotten to tell me earlier. So, I brought it here to explain to everyone. Since all of you confessed to killing Poirot and with solid motives, I thought Miss Tuppence's revelations would do us all some good.
JAPP
No, there is no need to involve her, too.
LEMON
This is outrageous, Inspector.
TUPPENCE
No, Inspector Japp, I came by myself. You mustn't do this all by yourself; I won't let you.
CHRISTIE
Will you all sit down, please?
(They all find a seat)
Good, are we all settled? Mrs Tuppence, you may proceed.
TUPPENCE
It is simple, really; I killed Hercule Poirot.
(They all stand up in astonishment, except for Christie, who drops his head on the desk.)
I came here from Nottingham to see him. My husband and I were on a very special case; it could have earned us quite a lot of money, but the interfering Belgian wanted to take it over. He said that we were too young.
CHRISTIE
Which case is that?
TUPPENCE
The press calls it the ABC murders.
JAPP
Oh yes, I heard about it; that's top news.
CHRISTIE
When did you see him?
TUPPENCE
Last night at about eleven, he welcomed me with both arms, but when I politely asked to leave the case to us, he laughed. He wouldn't listen; he only laughed. I started to cry and pleaded with him, but he laughed at that, too. Then I took the gun out of my bag and..........
CHRISTIE
What else?
TUPPENCE
His face, I remember his laughing face. I assumed he meant for me to put the gun back into my handbag, but instead, I told him I was going to kill him.
CHRISTIE
And you shot him?
TUPPENCE
No, not like that. I don't know whether I would have or not. Maybe I would have, but he grabbed my pistol, the trigger went off, and he fell to the floor. I dropped the gun and hurried out of the room.
CHRISTIE
Yes, you say you killed Poirot last night, but I don't have any proof that your story is true. And I already have five more.....….
TUPPENCE
Why would I make a statement like that?
CHRISTIE
Who knows? Ask them.
TUPPENCE
I tell you, I'm telling you the truth. Look, when we struggled for the gun, he scratched my shoulders.
(She stands and goes and shows her scratched shoulder to Christie.)
CHRISTIE
(Utterly enraged and confused)
Go and sit back down, please.
(She goes, he clears his throat)
Mrs Tuppence, you said that you left the body on the floor.
TUPPENCE
Yes, that's right.
CHRISTIE
Are you sure?
TUPPENCE
Yes, I'm positive.
CHRISTIE
Was there a lamp knocked over in your struggle?
TUPPENCE
No.
CHRISTIE
A wallet on the floor?
TUPPENCE
No, nothing of the kind.
CHRISTIE
Miss Tuppence, it is very gallant of you to try and take the blame for this murder; even if you did see Poirot last night, you could not have killed him.
TUPPENCE
Don't you believe me?
CHRISTIE
You may also be interested in what I mean by holding you all until I understand this.
TUPPENCE
What do you mean, inspector? Don't you mean that you are charging all of them with his murder? But that will be ridiculous because I have confessed and shown you proof of my guilt.
HASTINGS
This is below the belt, Inspector. You are bringing an innocent girl here to try to deceive us into….....
CHRISTIE
Please be quiet, all of you and sit down. Now, I don't know who did this yet, but I'm going to find out, and I don't care if I have to hold you here forever. I'm going to get to the bottom of this.
OLIVER
Inspector, did you say you will hold us all here if necessary?
CHRISTIE
Yes, Miss Oliver, that is precisely what I have just said.
OLIVER
(Opening her oversized handbag and taking a long sheet of paper)
Inspector Christie, please listen to this …
CHRISTIE
What is that?
OLIVER
(Reading)
Two or more persons cannot be charged as principals with a crime known to have been committed by only one person.
CHRISTIE
(Realises and stands)
Of course! That's it. You knew about this all along. You've planned it this way. Only one of you killed him and planted the evidence that all of you confessed to it.
JAPP
And if we stick to our stories, you'll never know which one of us committed this crime.
CHRISTIE
But for crying out loud, why?
(ALL at once except Christie)
We thought it made a good story!
END
