Poirot (TV Series)

Curtain: Poirot's Last Case (2013)

Aidan McArdle: Stephen Norton

Quotes 

• Hercule Poirot : [laying out newspaper clips]  Madame Constance Etherington, tried for the poisoning of her husband, a man who was very sadistic but also addicted to the drugs, and with whom you were on terms most intimate. Norah Sharples, poisoned by her niece, Freda Clay...

  Stephen Norton : I hope you're not s-suggesting I was on intimate terms with *her*.

  Hercule Poirot : [lays out a photograph]  You and Mademoiselle Clay taking a walk together. You see, I do my homework, Monsieur Norton. And... Matthew Litchfield. Now you visited him, did you not, on the night he was killed by his daughter Margaret.

  Stephen Norton : What is your p-point, Monsieur Poirot?

  Hercule Poirot : My point is this, Monsieur Norton: That in none of these murders was there any real doubt - there was one clear suspect and no other - but you, Monsieur Norton, are the one factor malevolent common to all.

  Stephen Norton : [scoffs]  Oh d-dear, Monsieur Poirot, is that the b-best your "l-little gray cells" can come up with?

  Hercule Poirot : Your proximity to these three murders was too much of a coincidence, and I smelt, as you say, the rat! That is why I came to Styles, to observe you function, and you have not disappointed, monsieur. No, you are a man who is very clever, but not clever enough for Hercule Poirot.

  Stephen Norton : So... what are you going to d-do about it?

  Hercule Poirot : Execute you.

  Stephen Norton : [incredulous]  Execute me?

  Hercule Poirot : Oui.

  Stephen Norton : [mockingly looks at his watch]  Then d-do get on with it. I p-promised myself an early night.

  Hercule Poirot : Justice is no joking matter, monsieur. I do what I can to serve it, but if I fail, there is a justice that is higher, believe me!

  Stephen Norton : [sneering]  You p-pathetic, self-important little man. Murder me? There's a mortal sin if ever there was. And then what? Suicide to escape the ignominy of hanging? Ah... your G-God will give you a hell of a time. All those years of piety, up in smoke because of me.

  [Poirot has an angina attack, begins gasping] 

  Stephen Norton : Ah ah ah, monsieur, you c-can't go yet. You don't think I'd let you d-die on me, d-d-deprive me of my ultimate t-triumph?

  Hercule Poirot : [gasping for breath]  Please... please...

  Stephen Norton : You see, if you d-don't succeed, I'm a free man. And even if you do, it will still be a v-victory of sorts, because in the eyes of the law, I would be innocent, whereas you and your reputation, your p-precious reputation... b-blown to bits.

  Hercule Poirot : [gasping]  Je vous en prie!

  Stephen Norton : [mockingly]  "Je vous en prie"... you can see them now. "Went off his rocker. In the end, you can never trust a foreigner."

  [pops the amyl phial, and Poirot inhales it] 

  Stephen Norton : You see how good I am to you, old man? There we go. Take your t-time, and see how it all p-pans out, shall we?

  [sing-song voice] 

  Stephen Norton : Who will be there at the final curtain?

• Hercule Poirot : I pity you, Norton... how very sad to find that this great and beautiful world is so foul and disappointing. And your mother, I pity even more.

  Stephen Norton : M-my m-m-mother? You pity my mother?

  Hercule Poirot : To endure the agony of bringing you forth only to discover that she had nurtured in her loins such wickedness - is that not worthy of pity?

  Stephen Norton : It is you who is n-not worthy! She m-m-meant the world to m-me!

  Hercule Poirot : And you to her?

  Stephen Norton : She l-loved me... l-loved me m-m-more than... m-more than...

  Hercule Poirot : Did she ever hold you, Norton, as mothers do? Stroke your hair... kiss your cheek?

  Stephen Norton : She... she... she...

  Hercule Poirot : Scared you, did she not? She pushed you away! Starved you of what we all desire, because she knew everything about you!

  Stephen Norton : M-my mother knew NOTHING!

  Hercule Poirot : Oh, Monsieur Norton... mothers know. They always know.

  Stephen Norton : [begins sobbing uncontrollably... then suddenly stops, smirking]  Shots in the dark, Poirot. Shots in the dark.

  Hercule Poirot : [chuckles, nodding]  Bon... chocolate?

  Stephen Norton : Would you mind awfully if I d-drank yours instead?

  Hercule Poirot : [smiles]  Not at all.