07x06 - The Cardboard Box

[bunniefuu]

I'm not saying
the uniform don't
suit you, Miss Cushing.

But it is nice to
see you out of it.

Sarah!

Sarah!

You must be the
other Miss Cushing.

Isn't this a
happy day then, eh,

for all three of you.

Yes' yes it is,

of course it is.

Just coming!

Body snatchers
strike in north London.

Are we dealing
with a modern version

of Burke and Hare?

Well, sadly,
the anatomy schools

don't need the help
of body snatchers

at this time of the year.

They are well stocked

with corpses from
the poorhouses.

What do you think then?

I don't know.

Some outlandish
cult perhaps.

Have you been consulted
on the subject Holmes?

Come on in, Hawkins!

Aha Hawkins.

Make yourself at home.

Have a cup of coffee.

Thank you.

Have you brought
those descriptions?

Yes, yes I have...

Bodies so far exhumed,

Albert Cotter, forty eight.

Fish Porter of Shadwell.

Heart disease.

Martin Rubery, fifty four.

Cirrhosis of the liver.

We don't know
much about him,

except it was
thought he was

an amateur pugilist of
some sort in his youth.

Jimmy King, thirty nine.

Covent Garden Porter.

Cerebral hemorrhage

You will continue
your researches?

If you say so, Mr. Holmes.

I do say so.

And keep your eye
on the premises

of a certain Murdoch Gull.

Yes?

Murdoch, do you think?

He's the fence
for anything out
of the ordinary?

He could be our man.

One more thing, Mr. Holmes.

The men and I would
be very honored

if you'd drop
by Christmas Eve.

We try to get a bit
festive at Christmas,

and we like to
invite a few guests.

Christmas.

Mary?

Mary?

There.

It's a start.

Mrs Hudson.

Mr Holmes?

How am I supposed to

think up yet another
present for Watson?

I mean, every year you
inflict this agony on me.

It's quite
simple, Mr Holmes,
you go to Gamages.

Gamages?

Yes, it's in Holborn,
a departmental store.

The people's Emporium.

You will be quite
spoilt for ideas.

Gamages.

Mrs. Hudson!

How dare you
take my aspidistra.

I do dare.

Afternoon, Miss Cushing.

Season's Greetings, eh?

Good afternoon, Wilkinson.

Looks like we're in for a
bit more snow before long.

I do hope not.

What is this
Monsieur Jacottet?

Ah, Madame Susan.

Our arrangement

is that you may sit by the
parlor fire after dinner.

Otherwise, I'd be obliged,

when you are in the house,

if you would keep
to your room.

Your sister Sarah, gave
me permission, Madame.

This is my house,

not my sister's.

Even if she said
it, which I doubt.

You doubt my word?

I would be most surprised

if my sister gave the run
of the kitchen to my lodger.

You would be surprised
what your sister gives.

Very surprised.

I think I would be obliged

if you left the
kitchen now, Monsieur.

I don't think you
hear what I'm saying?

Susan!

Marcel.

Oh Susan,

It has worked.

They have made me
warden at the mission.

Now you ask her
what she gave me.

Did you give
Monsieur Jacottet

permission to help
himself in here,

in the kitchen?

I believe I did, once.

I didn't realize he'd...

Ask her.

What do you mean,
what's going on?

Ask her!

You English are
such hypocrites.

Now you tell her
what you gave me.

What?

What is all this about?

Will someone please
tell me what's going...

I see.

I see.

Very well,

you are warden now.

Go and live there then.

You'll have quarters
at the mission.

Go there.

I don't want you
under my roof.

Go.

I won't have you here.

I won't.

And as for you Monsieur,

you will leave my
house immediately.

Immediately.

Or I will call the police.

Your belongings
will be packed

and left at the
tradesmen's entrance

for your collection.

How dare you!

You sound
exactly like mother.

And what if I do?

I thought I'd heard the
last of that sort of thing

when she d*ed.

How dare you talk
about mother like that?

It's just as well
I am like her.

I don't know what
would happen to this
family otherwise.

Oh, you hold us all
together do you.

How splendid you are.

Do you realize that
Mary has gone away

without telling anyone?

Good.

She's showing
some spirit at last.

You call that good?

Sometimes I think
you're not just feckless,

I think you're
deliberately irresponsible.

Mary is a married woman.

Well, no thanks to you.

You stood in her
way to the last.

Jim Browner was
never good enough

for our family was he?

The daughters of
Major Cushing RE?

Never mind, he was
a gambling wastrel.

Our father was...

Be quiet!

If anyone has disgraced
this family it's me?

I warn you,

one day this diet
of respectability

is going to make you ill.

You are so horrid.

Ah dear Mrs. Hudson.

Mr Holmes!

The doctor has
someone with him.

A Miss Susan Cushing.

Oh well, you'd
better hold onto this.

What's this?

What's that?

That is a Christmas tree,

it's a Norway spruce.

This is Miss. Cushing.

Miss Cushing is concerned

about her sister,
Mrs. Browner.

Pray continue.

Miss Cushing's
youngest sister

lives not far from her,

just east of Camberwell.

Mrs. Browner visits her

every Friday for tea,

unless she sends excuses,

which is most unusual.

Last Friday the th,

Mrs. Browner failed to
send excuses or to arrive.

So, Miss Cushing has made
inquiries at her lodgings

but Mrs. Browner has
not been seen there

since last Thursday.

It sounds to me as though
she has disappeared.

Evidently, Holmes.

There could be
one or two reasons

for her disappearance.

Yes, I know.

Either because she
wished to disappear,

or because somebody else

wished her to disappear.

Do you know of
any reason why

anyone else should
wish her to disappear,

Mary?

None.

She is the most
loveable of creatures.

Everyone loves her.

As to her whereabouts,
I mean I suggest

that you try the
missing peoples agency.

I could find you
a list of addresses.

There, hah.

Charming, isn't it?

Slight improvement on that
rather sad picea excelsa.

Sarah.

Sarah.

Marcel.

What possessed you?

You've wrecked it all.

The waiting possessed me.

You drive me mad Sarah.

Sometimes I think
I am possessed.

Where are you now?

Some filthy hole
near the hospital.

Thanks to your sister.

I will not let
her forget this.

You'll need a reference

if you're going to find
a decent place to stay.

Are you going to Belgium
still for Christmas?

Yes.

My uncle near Ostend.

Well, when you come back

I'll write a
reference for you.

I'm Warden of this place.

It'll count.

I love you.

Come to me after Christmas.

(knock on front door)

(knock on door)

The post, Miss Cushing.

Shall I put the
parcels under the tree?

Yes, please.

Nothing from
Mrs. Browner, yet?

Nothing as yet, no.

Did Sudgen's
include the Madeira

in their delivery today?

Yes, Miss Cushing.

Everything's ready
for this evening.

Thank you.

Compliments of the
season, Mr. Bradbrook.

Thank you very much,

and the very same to you.

Miss Cushing.

I say Miss Cushing.

Sorry.

Mr. Bradbrook?

I dare say your sister,
Sarah, will be joining us?

I am afraid not,
Mr. Bradbrook.

She is Warden of
the Mission Hostel now

her duties to her residents
will keep her there.

I shall see her

only on Sundays now I fear.

I'm sorry to disappoint
you, Mr Bradbrook.

Oh no, no, no you haven't.

Not at all, no.

Come now, Mr. Bradbrook.

It is Christmas Eve.

To make up,

we shall open our presents

from under the tree

straight after supper

instead of at midnight.

What do you say?

Very well.

Yes, yes, fine, splendid.

Let's do that.

Well, Gladstone will
be pleased at least.

There is a treat
somewhere for him.

Welcome gentlemen!

Very good of you to come.

Gull, has he been arrested?

No, Mr. Holmes.

He's come to complain.

Has he indeed?

He has spotted our
surveillance of him,

and he doesn't like it.

You won't give up?

Dear me, no.

Join the party!

Come on.

(knock on door)
Yes, come in.

Oh, my dear fellow,

you're wearing it.

Well, I had to try it.

What's so good about it

is that it
stretches forward

over the handlebars
if you need it.

Where on earth
did you find it?

Gamages, the
people's Emporium.

Thank you.

Magnificent.

Hawkins, do come
in dear fellow.

Please, sit down.

What is the news of
the grave robberies?

The Camberwell force
have been on to me.

An incident down there.

They were wondering if
it had any connection?

I don't think
it does myself,

but I'd value your
opinion Mr. Holmes.

We need to get
this nasty little joke

solved and out of the way.

Joke?

Respectable lady,

in company
opening her parcels,

Christmas Eve.

One of them's a bit odd.

It's full of salt.

She empties out the salt.

What's in it?

Two freshly
severed human ears.

We think it was
a medical student.

She had a medical
student as a lodger.

Post-mortem
anatomy can make

certain individuals
thoroughly callous.

She threw him out
just before Christmas.

Bit of a row, apparently.

Anyway, knowing
your methods, Mr. Holmes,

I've had the ears
left quite untouched

at the lady's house.

Which is,

yes here it is,
Trafalgar Villa, Camberwell.

A Miss Susan Cushing.

Oh, Mr. Holmes.

Have you come to help
me find Mary after all?

I'm afraid not,
Miss Cushing.

The Inspector has asked me

to look into that other
unfortunate business.

Oh, that.

Well, I won't
have those things in
the house Mr. Hawkins.

If you wish to see them,

you must go to
the conservatory.

Have you arrested that
wretched young man yet?

Just a matter of
time, Miss Cushing.

Postmark Harwich.

Now this student
fellow Jacottet

was going home
for Christmas

to Ostend via Harwich.

Yes, I agree,

Harwich is persuasive.

The writing is poor.

Uneducated.

I know the
medical profession

is notorious for this
illegibility, but this...

done with a
broad nibbed pen,

very inferior ink.

Tarred twine.

Stockholm tar.

Knots intact.

Rock salt...

and embedded in it...

these very
singular enclosures.

What do you think
of it, Watson?

A ring has been
torn from this ear.

They're not a pair.

I supposed it would be
rather easier for Jacottet

to have abstracted the
ears from a dissecting room

which were not
actually a pair.

To what purpose?

Some kind of
disgusting practical joke.

Gentlemen, this is
no practical joke.

What first strikes you

when you enter
a dissecting room?

Formaldehyde.

Dammit, it should
smell of formaldehyde.

And it does not.

This is no practical joke.

This is a serious crime.

(knock on door)

Your sister, Miss Cushing.

Mary.

At last.

Mary, Mary, quite contrary.

I thought it was Mary.

I've come to take
some more of my things.

I bought you a present
before we argued.

You may as well have it.

I don't want it.

I don't want it.

What's the matter with you?

Is it another
disgusting prank?

What?

Well, he was your
friend, after all.

Who was?

I don't want
your horrid parcel.

Take it.

Let's preserve
the proprieties
at least, Sister.

Proprieties?

You dare to talk
about the proprieties?

You have flouted the rules
of society all your life.

And you had the
effrontery to accuse me

of interfering with
Mary's marrying that man.

Didn't you?

But what did you do?

What did I do?

I did nothing.

You know what you did.

You introduced
Mary to other men.

Corrupting her.

Mary has told me
in her innocence.

She accused me?

Mary accuses no one.

You know that.

But I see your hand
in her unhappiness.

Nonsense.

Why did Jim Browner
start drinking again?

He signed the
pledge for Mary.

That's what brought
them together.

She pinned the blue
ribbon to his chest

and he was a new man.

So why did he
break his pledge?

Why ask me?

Why did you
quarrel with him?

I never approved of
Jim Browner, that's true.

But he deserved better

than being driven back to
drink by your meddling.

I'm back.

Jim.

Hello Sarah.

Mary wasn't expecting
you till much later.

I managed to catch the
tail end of the flood.

Saved a whole tide.

She not here then?

No.

Old Mrs. Cooper's
not well again.

Mary's with her.

I said I'd help her
with the laundry.

She'll be back soon.

You help her
a lot, don't you?

That's nice.

You know why I help
her, I suppose?

What?

Why I am always round here?

You're her sister.

Can't you be happy for five
minutes without her, Jim?

Here,

make yourself useful.

Drop the side then.

What?

Well you drop this

and bring it up
the other side.

What do you mean?

Mary doesn't do that.

There are plenty of
things Mary doesn't do,

I dare say.

Look, I'll show you
how to do it, shall I?

Now.

Now come on.

You take this corner.

Right.

Now,

you drop this...

and...

you bring it up,

the other side.

You do it yourself.

That's not for me.

I want no part of that.

Pushing women's work at me.

You keep that to yourself.

Mr. Holmes, and the other
gentlemen to see you madam.

As long as they don't bring
those things near me.

And where is he now?

Mr. Browner was on
the South American line

when he and Mary married.

But he was so fond of her,

that he found
himself a berth

in the North Sea boats.

The London -
Den Helder line.

And is Mary fond of him?

It was a love match.

Love?

Although...

Yes?

I was loathed to
acknowledge it at the time.

Why was that?

I didn't think
a sister of mine

should be
marrying a steward.

And now?

How do you feel now?

I think Jim and
Mary could be happy.

You mean they weren't?

They were at first.

What happened?

Perhaps you
should ask Sarah.

She practically
lived there for a while.

Which ship is Mr. Browner
serving with at present?

The "May Morning".

She sailed on the th

for Belgium and Holland.

They were in Rotterdam
over Christmas.

The crews draw lots

and Jim was
unlucky this year.

Mary was to have spent
Christmas with Sarah and me.

And now Sarah, of course,

is Warden at the mission.

Are you sad not to have
her living with you still?

Yes I am.

Well to tell you
the truth, Mr. Holmes,

things are not
well between us.

You've quarreled?

What about?

It may have a bearing

on what has happened
to your sister Mary.

I know that.

Of course it does.

Do you think
I don't know that?

I blame her for everything.

Sarah?

Of course.

Sarah.

She spent far more
time than was necessary

at Mary's lodgings.

Jim and Mary
were just married,

making their own life,

making their own friends.

Then Sarah introduced
Alec Fairbairn to them.

I know it was not
generously done.

Sarah seemed to want
to shame Jim Browner.

I don't know what
Jim had done to Sarah,

but she seemed to hate him.

I believe that...

You believe what?

Ask her.

Ask Sarah.

She is here in the house
collecting her things.

Ask her if she
did not mean Mary

to go off with
Alec Fairbairn.

That is what she wanted.

I know it.

Ah, the message has
been received then.

Café, Monsieur.

Thank you for your
help, Inspector.

It's very
difficult Mr. Holmes.

We can't
ignore the evidence,

what've we got?

Two severed
ears in a parcel.

We've got the medical
student, Jacottet

who's been thrown
out of the lady's house.

Strong motive.

Parcel postmarked
Harwich on the th.

He was in
Harwich on the th.

That's as good as you get.

Your logic seems
foolproof Hawkins.

Thank you.

I just regret that
I haven't been able

to keep it out
of the newspapers.

They're running the story

in tomorrow
morning's first edition.

They've also
managed to get hold of

Miss Susan Cushing's name.

She won't like that.

Poor woman.

This other matter
then, Mr. Holmes.

You've clearly got
some thoughts on that,

haven't you?

It is my belief,

that a member of
Dr Watson's profession,

possibly of
some distinction,

has overstepped the mark.

The corpses all
belong to pugilists,

amateur or otherwise.

What is the unfortunate
characteristic of boxers

who have fought too long?

Well, there can be such
scarring of the brain

that they behave
as if they're drunk,

slurred speech,

loss of memory and so on.

They become punch drunk.

Precisely.

You mean
somebody is studying

the pathology
of brain tissues?

For all the best
reasons, I dare say.

And their passion
for their subject

has outrun their judgment.

Sir Marcus Lanyon,

I'll wager a month's
salary on Sir Marcus.

That's precisely
his specialty

and he is
impatient to a fault,

ruthlessly impatient.

There you have
it, Inspector.

(knock on door)

She is very down.

Like this ever since

she got back here
this afternoon.

Miss Cushing?

Why did you quarrel

with your brother-in-law,
Mr. Browner?

What?

Who are you, what
are you doing here?

This is Sherlock Holmes,

he is investigating
the disappearance

of you sister, Mary.

She's gone off
with Alec Fairbairn
that's all.

Why?

She had become
frightened of her husband.

Why?

Jim Browner was a drunkard.

He offered her v*olence.

He was beneath contempt.

What is your explanation
for the severed ears,

Miss Cushing?

You saw that cardboard box.

At your sister's house.

Those severed ears were
meant for you were they not?

The message was for you.

You understood
what they meant.

Marcel Jacottet sent them.

He told me he
might do something.

I didn't realize he'd
do anything so disgusting.

She's lying, Watson.

She's lying
through her teeth.

Gull's outside.

Excellent.

I've been to the
shipping line offices too.

And?

It's as you thought.

The "May Morning"
set sail from London

for Den Helder on the th,

but a hogshead got
loose in her hold.

She sprang a plate,

and had to put
in for repairs.

To Harwich?

To Harwich.

The crew were given
leave on the th.

The "May Morning"
left late on the th,

the day the
parcel was posted.

Excellent Watson.

We have it.

Mr Holmes.

Mr. Gull.

They have telegraphed.

Jim Browner came off
the ferry at Ramsgate

at seven o'clock
this evening.

Good.

I knew I could rely on you.

And I can rely
on you, can I?

You can.

Does the name,

Sir Marcus Lanyon
mean anything to you?

It might.

He will be warned off.

And the orders from
which you have been
profiting will dry up

but so will the
police interest in you.

I'll be satisfied with that.

We've acquired
a bargain, Mr. Gull.

Holmes?

Hold on.

The knots on the parcel

were a bowline
and a sheet bend.

Yes, sailors knots.

You know that
sailors deliberately

do not sharpen their knives.

Yes, in case of accidents.

Hence the crude amputations.

Harwich was the key

and Browner was there.

Now, I suppose,

Browner
returned unexpectedly,

found his wife
with Fairbairn.

He followed them.

He m*rder*d them both.

He severed an ear from each

and sent them as he
thought to Sarah Cushing.

Of course, he will
go there immediately.

He will be desperate
for her to know

that the severed
ears were for her,

and not for her sister.

Well, that being the case,

the railway is operating

as if it were a Sunday.

Why?

Because the Christmas
holiday is still on.

Do you realize,

Browner could have caught
a much earlier train.

No, I did not know.

Mary.

What is this, Mr. Holmes?

A unique experience
for you, Inspector?

You may
apprehend a m*rder*r

before you have
even acknowledged

there has been a m*rder.

Aye.

Well you may stare.

Look at me, Sarah Cushing,

this is your handy work.

What have you done, Jim?

What have I done?

Aye, it's what you've done.

I beg you, Jim,

look on me kindly.

Whatever I did,

I did for you.

It was you.

You poisoned her mind.

I did it for you.

They have
arrested the lodger.

I told them he did it.

They suspect
nothing of you, Jim.

You can get away.

Get away?

You think I can get away.

Put it all behind me,

you think, do you,

are you mad.

It is me.

It's in here.

Every last moment of it.

It comes out of
the daylight at me,

it goes on and on.

I tell you I dare not
shut an eye in sleep

since I did it.

I'm never without one
or the other before me.

May the blood rot in
your veins, Sarah Cushing.

No, no.

I love you,

I love you.

I love you,

I love you.

I believe you do.

I tell you something,

I'd rather have
one kind word

from her I've k*lled
than all your love.

I'd rather see her
breathing one minute more

than a lifetime of
what you could give me.

Don't say that,

don't say that,

don't say that.

She loved me.

That's the root
of the business.

But she knew,

she knew,

she knew I,

I thought more about
my footprint in the mud

than I did of
her body and soul.

Where would
I have dreamt it?

And after he had
rejected Sarah's advances.

I never said
a word to Mary

for I thought it
would grieve her.

Then I began to see a
change in Mary herself.

My wife had always been

sort of understanding.

Now she's suspicious
of everything I did.

We began to
row about nothing,

nothing at all.

It maddened me.

And this was said as well?

Aye, I didn't
say it then mind,

I just saw it all go wrong.

She and Mary were
inseparable and then,

well then I broke
my blue ribbon

and begun drinking again

so Mary had some reason

to be disgusted with me now.

And then this Fairbairn
fellow chipped in.

He was a dashing,
swaggering sort of a chap,

smart and curled,

educated too,

I reckon he could
talk, he could.

But I know it was,

it was a little thing
put me on to em.

I came into the parlor
unexpected one day

and as I came in

I saw the light of
welcome in me wife's eyes

but when she saw it was me

she turned away with
a look of disappointment.

There was no one
but Alec Fairbairn

whose steps you
can mistake from mine.

I tell you from that moment
on my peace was gone.

Sarah was in the kitchen

and I went straight
through, and I told her

that if Fairbairn ever
set foot in my place again

I'd send her his
ears for a keepsake.

I believe
I could wish you had

committed this deed
of yours in France.

They acknowledge the
crime of passion there.

You won't let them
leave me alone,

will you, sir?

No,

I won't.

When I leave
I'll send an officer in.

I don't like to
be alone, see.

Your turn.

(knock on door)

Won't be a minute.

She made it go
wrong, didn't she?

And you never
thought of anyone but me,

did you, Jim?

She loved you

and she made me hate you.

There, it was as if she
had a secret you see,

she made me think the worst.

The secret was
her loving me?

You should've got rid of
her from our lives, Jim.

I know,

I thought it would hurt you.

Look at us now,

I was stupid,

blind as a beetle.

What is the
meaning of it, Watson?

What is the object of this

circle of misery,
and v*olence, and fear?

It must have a purpose,

or our universe
has no meaning

and that is unthinkable.

But what purpose?

That is humanity's
great problem

for which reasons so far

there's no answer.