The Alchemist's Secret Father Brown

It is here. Exactly as you specified.

-DISTORTED VOICE:

-My sources told me you were an exceptional architect.

I can see they are correct.

You honour me.

And what of the builders?

They have been dealt with.

Why do you wear that foreign garb?

Because I am many things.

Physician. Traveller.

Alchemist? That's what they say.

What is in the box?

My greatest achievement.

Something that will one day save this fragile kingdom from itself.

Your secrets are safe here. I hope...

AH!

The King thanks you for your service.

BLADE SLASHES

HE GASPS

HE CHOKES

DOOR CREAKS SHUT

FOOTSTEPS

I know you're there. Show yourself.

Well, who is it?

Well...I..I don't know. I mean,

they've been following me for several days.

Have you ruffled anyone's feathers lately?

Well, I did have had some rather radical ideas about the

impact of the Romans on the local textile industry.

It-it caused a terrible stir.

That's a no, then.

Now, there you go.

Most kind.

There is one possibility.

Professor?

Oh, it may be nothing,

but I think it all started after I came into possession of this.

What is it?

It's the secret diary of the university's architect.

Which would make it over 300 years old.

Why would someone be bothering you over a silly old book?

This is no mere historical document.

The diary claims that someone in the King's inner circle discovered

the secret of alchemy - the method of turning base metals into gold.

Oh, by magic!

Or science.

Nowadays, we'd probably call him a chemist, not an alchemist.

It also claims the secret is hidden at the university.

Super! Does it say where?

Not explicitly.

You look very tired, Professor.

Feeling like a marked man is wearing me down.

I don't sleep, I'm not eating properly.

How can we help?

DOOR OPENS

Hargreaves.

Principal, Professor Ambrose asks if he can borrow the Magister's Key.

Really? Why?

He thought it may be the one referred to in the diary.

An intriguing hypothesis.

Very well.

Good luck.

Thank you, sir.

They'll have this place destroyed!

Exactly.

They should be in the philosophy department,

yet here they are in pre-16th century theology.

Excuse me, I wondered if I might have a word with Professor Ambrose?

Come right in.

Professor, I tried to get hold of the Principal.

Oh, why?

You asked me to speak to him.

Oh, yes. Of course.

He's in a meeting all morning, but I'll keep trying.

Is this to do with the diary?

You know about that?

We-we can trust these people. Tell them what's been happening.

The diary claims that the location of the Alchemist's secret was

hidden in a riddle given to the King's closest advisors.

Could they not just have drawn a map?

Oh, no, no, no!

This was a time when men of intellect were required to

-prove their worth.

-Well, what's the riddle?

"The Key to the Lock to the Door."

The Principal holds an old key as part of his ceremonial items.

It dates back to the 17th century,

when the university was built.

Good idea. We-we should get hold of it.

I'll try, Professor. A pleasure to meet you all.

Yes.

Ladies, have you seen the sights of this magnificent university?

The great hall, the library, the gardens?

Oh, how wearisome. Can't we just go and help "Cheekbones" instead?

No, no. Father Brown is quite right.

We should see all the sights while we're here.

Hilary...

How long have you been having problems with your memory?

He's losing his mind, isn't he?

Father Brown or Ambrose? Either way, the answer is yes.

Oh, that poor man.

Somebody's forced this.

THIEF!

There was a fuss the other day, I was scheduled to give a lecture

and I...

I completely forgot.

It's a cruel trick of nature,

this brain which made my career, deserting me in my twilight years.

I think this business with the diary has been playing havoc with

my nerves.

Who found it?

Timothy Hargreaves.

The boy who was here earlier.

He wanted me to confirm that it was... That it was authentic.

Does anyone else know about it?

Just the Principal.

We're keeping quiet until the official announcement.

The person who has been following you...

Yes...?

Do you think you might be imagining it?

I know what I saw!

Once again - we didn't do anything.

I can repeat it in French if it will get the message across.

Oh, just doing a spot of spring cleaning, were you?

-Not really my department.

-What's going on here?

I discovered these intruders trying to break into the

trophy cabinet.

We are not intruders, we are friends of Professor Ambrose.

This porter of yours has got the wrong end of the stick.

I caught them red-handed.

Please, let us not descend into squabbling.

Penelope Windermere, The Countess of Montague's niece. How do you do?

Malcolm Pendle, Principal.

We were just admiring this marvellous hall and we

noticed someone had broken the lock.

There's nothing of any real value here.

We just dug out whatever cups and medals we could find,

to celebrate 100 years of the university athletic team.

Anything been taken?

One of the old medals has gone.

I am fed up with these student pranks.

I believe this is a police matter.

We're not calling the police for the sake of a piece of old tin!

Obviously these ladies had nothing whatever to do with what happened here.

And as friends of Professor Ambrose, we must extend them every courtesy.

If you insist.

I do.

Now, if you'll excuse me, ladies, I have business to attend to.

The professors may think there's a golden aura around you but I

see you for what you are.

We could have made a great team.

Just think, with my looks and your hostility,

just think how successful our children would be.

That's the problem with pretty boys -

their charms only last till they get what they want.

What on earth goes on inside that head of yours?

"The Key to the Lock to the Door."

Key. Lock. Door.

Door, lock, key?

Professor, do you have any milk?

DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES

THUD

Hello, Timothy? Is Professor Ambrose with you?

Hello?

Have you got the diary?

It-it-it's gone.

Professor, are you all right?

I'm very well, thank you very much. And yourself?

Is this chap bothering you?

I stopped him going in the water. Again.

Where has Father Brown got to?

Who?

Professor Ambrose thinks he may have lost something. An old diary.

Oh, yes?

It's valuable.

Well, WE haven't seen it.

Professor, let's get you back to your rooms.

-Thank you.

-That's it.

Look after him.

Requiescat in pace.

Amen.

Hello.

What's happened? Is..is that Timothy?

Is... Is he...?

Yes.

I wonder if you'll be on the scene as quickly when I drop dead, Padre?

Have some respect.

Please, Father, into the corridor.

What ARE you doing here?

I was looking for a friend of mine.

And you are?

-I'm just passing. I'll be off.

-I don't think so.

Name?

Victoria Nicholson.

Thank goodness you're here. My secretary told me what's happened.

Oh, my...

It's quite a little party we're gathering.

I'm Malcolm Pendle, Principal of the university.

Please, tell me anything that I can do to help.

Do you have a spare room we can use?

Can't have everyone standing around out here.

Biology labs are just around the corner.

-I have a seminar to get to.

-You'll have to miss it.

No. I had to fight hard to get here.

I'm not going to start missing classes.

I'll inform your tutors,

make sure they fill you in on whatever you miss.

So, you found the body, Padre?

Yes, I did. He couldn't have been there long.

He came to see Professor Ambrose about an hour ago.

That must have been soon after he left my office.

He wanted to borrow the Magister's Key.

The what?

It's a ceremonial item,

something that gets handed down when somebody new assumes my post.

But he told us that he couldn't find you.

Are you sure he had this key?

Oh, absolutely.

Well, he hasn't got it now. His pockets are empty.

This way.

Will this do?

Yes. We need to take statements.

SNAKE HISSES

What is that doing here?!

Professor Griffin believes in a hands-on approach

to teaching biology.

Looks like you've made a friend.

Just stay in here and keep out of my way, Padre.

Do you need me?

If not, I should telephone and offer my sympathies to the boy's parents.

Fine.

The sergeant will be through to take your statements.

I didn't see anything.

Were you close to Timothy?

Not really. We had some history classes together.

Did he ever mention an old diary?

No.

I'm afraid this area is out of bounds, sir.

I heard what happened.

I've been porter at this university for over three decades.

I know what goes on here better than anybody.

Is that so?

Then, can you think of anyone who might have done this?

He's moved them again. While I was out.

Oh, look.

What have you got there?

There you are, thank goodness.

And what's HE doing here?

The boy we met earlier, Timothy Hargreaves...

-He's been murdered.

-Oh!

Professor... is that yours?

Ah, no, no.

I believe this belongs to the... to the Principal.

The last time anyone saw that key, Hargreaves had it.

So how did it get here?

He found it. I saw just him.

Maybe that's what he wants you to think.

I gather he's been prone to sudden mood shifts recently.

Only this morning, he was seen wandering around the college,

lost and confused.

Oh, yes, and who told you that?

I think we can guess.

It all paints a pretty vivid picture.

Professor Ambrose means no harm to anyone.

I just go where the evidence leads me.

Timothy Hargreaves had a cut on his cheek.

Have you considered how he got it?

In the struggle.

In a struggle, Timothy would have easily overpowered him.

Oh, what's happening?

Hilary Ambrose, I am arresting you for the murder of

Timothy Hargreaves.

You are not obliged to say anything unless you wish to do so,

but whatever you say may be written down and given in evidence.

We need to find out who framed him.

Are you sure that's what happened?

I mean, the Professor hasn't been himself lately.

Professor Ambrose is my friend.

Oh, there was that girl having some kind of disagreement with Timothy.

Disagreement? She slapped him into tomorrow.

Dark hair?

About five foot five?

You've met her?

Whoever planted the key in Ambrose's room knew the significance of

the riddle.

We need to find out how many people know about the diary.

Well, that porter swine for one.

He asked if we'd seen it.

Where is it now? Do the police have it?

HE CLEARS THROAT

I may have accidentally borrowed it.

Professor Ambrose left it when he disappeared.

That's awfully sly of you, Father. I do approve.

Mrs McCarthy, will you talk to the porter?

Find out what he knows about it.

I'll give him a piece of my mind.

How could he tell the Inspector that Ambrose was losing the plot?

The main thing is to find out what he knows.

-We'll meet back here.

-Right.

KNOCK ON DOOR

May I have a word?

Father Brown, do.

The police told me about Professor Ambrose.

Please let me know if there's anything that I can do to help.

I don't think he's responsible for what happened.

Well, I know it must be hard to accept,

but the police seemed quite convinced.

Timothy lied to Ambrose, pretending he didn't have the key.

Hargreaves was a talented undergraduate but not without ego.

Perhaps he was hoping to solve the riddle for himself.

Has anyone ever tried to see where the key fits?

My wife took an interest a few years ago.

Tried the key in every lock in the university, but without success.

Would it be possible to speak with her?

She passed away. 18 months ago.

I'm very sorry.

Struck down by her own failing body before her time.

Such a... Such a pointless waste.

When things like that happen, God...

With respect, I think it's too late for God to help her now.

That's rather magnificent.

It's the original plan for the university.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a lot to sort out.

Yes, of course.

Thank you.

Now, the boy had the key,

then he died and somehow it ended up in your room.

Just explain that to me.

I don't know.

The porter said he saw you wandering around in a daze this morning.

What can you tell me about that?

Oh... I can't remember!

I'll be honest - if you don't give me something to work with,

then I can't help you.

Did I hurt that poor boy?

As things stand... I have to say it looks that way.

Oh... How shall I live with myself?

Perhaps confessing would help ease the burden?

SINISTER MUSIC

DRAUGHT OF AIR

He's here!

Who?

The shadow was...

Well, perhaps he could wait outside while we finish up?

Hurry, before he comes back.

I was right!

Oh, but of course.

We couldn't even find that porter, but you managed to solve the

murder and crack a 300-year-old mystery while we were gone?

No, no, but I think I understand the riddle.

"The Key to the Lock to the Door", refers to three separate puzzles.

The key, the lock and the door.

But if the killer was trying to solve it, then why leave the

Magister's Key in Ambrose's room?

Wouldn't they need it?

Not if they knew what they were looking for.

Here.

The key!

The architect who drew this also helped to design the riddle.

The symbols over the buildings are referred to in the key with

one exception...

The library.

I don't know how...

..trying to solve an ancient riddle is going to help Ambrose.

If the real killer is attempting to do the same,

then that will lead us to him.

Or her.

Is that the girl you saw talking to Timothy?

I'll see you in a moment.

Miss Nicholson...

..may I have a word?

I have a lecture to get to.

My friends say they saw you with Timothy, just before he died.

Apparently you were rather upset with him.

Yes, I was angry with him.

We had a brief, misguided fling that ended badly.

This place, Thorndike...

How do you know about it?

I don't know what you mean.

It's mentioned in this diary that you said you knew nothing about.

When did Timothy let you read it?

Look, he wasn't the one who found it. I did.

Ah...

Where?

I was going through the university land deeds for my history project.

I showed Timothy, and he stole it from me.

I know there was no love lost between you and Timothy,

but I believe that Professor Ambrose is being framed for his death.

And in order to help him, I need to understand what is in that diary.

And that is my ONLY interest in it.

So...

..Thorndike...

Here.

"In Thorndike the Alchemist's magic has been proven.

"The King's enemies will bend their knee before him."

This is a reproduction of a map from 1603.

The village of Thorndike is here,

a few miles from where the university is now.

But this one, nearly 100 years later...

It's gone.

Where did it go?

I don't know.

What have you found?

Absolutely nothing.

Oh.

The architect wanted his riddle to be solved...

..but a book in a public place is liable to go missing.

Perhaps he factored that into his design.

And what's that supposed to mean?

Maybe we're looking for something more permanent.

Yes, and maybe we're just looking in the wrong place.

Those marks look recent.

SCRAPING

Why the long face?

This may sound strange...

Coming from you?

Mrs McCarthy, don't make any sudden moves and move slowly towards me.

Why?

He's magnificent!

Is that thing poisonous?

I'm not sure.

How will we get past?

Perhaps we should feed it something.

That's a good idea.

If we had a mouse...

Oh, yes, of course, I'll go to the mouse dispenser, shall I?

Or, um, we could distract it and then get behind it and pick it up

by the neck.

It's all neck!

The bit behind the head. I don't know what it's called.

And how exactly are we going to do that?

Where do you want him?

Buiochas le Dia.

He reminds me of this splendid specimen we found while on

safari in Kenya.

I used to call him Hugh.

Do we have to return him?

There's that porter.

I'll catch you up.

Are you looking for this?

How did you get that?

How did you find out about the existence of the diary?

Ambrose has been asking questions around the university.

I realised then that he was trying to solve

the Alchemist's riddle again.

Again?

When Ambrose came to this university, 30-odd years ago,

he found the riddle in some old correspondence with the royal court.

He never told me.

He'd probably forgotten.

I don't know what he did with those letters, but when Timothy

gave him that diary, well, he started that search all over again.

I tried to take it from him, but he wouldn't let it out of his sight.

He thought you were a phantom!

When Ambrose first tried to solve the riddle, well,

he became obsessed.

Then what happened?

One day, he just stopped searching.

But he had a look in his eyes that I haven't seen since the trenches.

Absolute, helpless fear.

And I don't want him to rediscover why.

You told the police he'd been behaving erratically.

It's the truth.

But what you said could have him hanged.

I like Ambrose,

but if he's responsible, then Timothy's family deserve justice.

Now, give me the diary...

..and I will destroy it.

I can't. Because the information in this could save my friend.

Make it quick.

A few Hail Marys, then I want you out of here.

DOOR CREAKS

LOCK RATTLES

Hello, my friend. How are you?

Please tell me the truth.

Did I kill him?

No.

Would you swear that on the Bible?

Oh.

He's followed me here.

Whom?

The Alchemist, with his beaked mask

and his-his...magic.

We found a carving in the library of Janus's head.

One side facing towards the future, one side facing towards the past.

Yes, Janus, the God of transitions.

He acts as a barrier between this place and the next.

Isn't he also the God of Doors?

One of his faces was on the medal, it was all bathed in moonlight.

That was the King's copy.

I threw it in the lake. A long time ago.

Why?

Oh, no. Oh, please.

Help! Help!

LOCK RATTLES

HE SOBS

Out, Padre. You're upsetting him.

He shouldn't be left alone.

Out!

I had to tell him all I knew. He's my friend.

No! No!

What did Professor Ambrose know about the carving in the library?

He said he saw one of the faces on a medal.

Well, there was a medal stolen from the display case in the Great Hall.

Professor Ambrose said he'd thrown it into the lake a long time ago.

Yet the display case wasn't broken into until this morning.

Well, can't sit around here all day drinking tea.

Hooray for that! What are we going to do?

I'm going to shake the tree and see what falls out.

You wanted to see me, Principal.

Actually, that was me.

I'm glad you could join us, thank you.

Make yourself at home.

KNOCK ON DOOR

Not now, girl. This isn't a good moment.

And I asked Victoria if she could join us as well.

Do come in.

What's going on?

As far as I know, you are the only members of the university who

know about the existence of the diary.

What of it?

Ever since it showed up, a kind of madness has descended.

I propose that we work together to solve the puzzle.

And then whoever killed Timothy will have no reason to harm anyone else.

Are you saying one of us murdered him?

I think we should all just forget we ever heard this cursed riddle.

I don't think that's very likely.

Sorry if I'm being naive,

but how do you fit into this?

I have some crucial information the rest of you don't.

Something Ambrose told me.

But to use it I need the medal that was stolen from the Great Hall.

Ambrose told me that he got rid of the King's medal.

But I think there was another medal that showed Janus's other head.

I think that belonged to the Alchemist.

Thank you.

What do the medals do?

On the medal Ambrose threw into the lake, Janus was looking at the moon.

In this one, he's looking at the sun.

What's he doing?

It marks the journey from night to day.

Now what?

It's at the wrong angle to tell the time now.

But now it's telling us something else.

Where's it pointing?

The Great Hall.

Over there.

Here! There's... There's a catch.

Don't!

Nothing good will come of this.

It's too late, Crawford.

Look.

CREAKING

Look.

Here, use my matches.

Wait.

This way.

Looks like something's been burnt. Most probably paper.

Something's wrong.

That lantern's too modern.

Open the box.

Stop.

Listen to the priest.

Give it here.

Haven't you done enough damage?

What do you mean?

I think you found the carving in the library this morning.

You knew that I was on the right trail.

But when you remembered where you'd seen Janus's face before

it was too late.

The medal had gone.

Ambrose was always very open about his investigation

so he would have told you anything he'd found,

and you reasoned Timothy must have taken it.

But I had the medal.

Yes.

You killed Timothy Hargreaves because you mistakenly thought

he was the only other person who knew about the medal.

Is this true?

I didn't want to hurt him.

'I waited in his room till he came back.'

What are you doing?

Shut the door.

'I lost my temper.'

-Where is it?

-What?

The medal.

I don't know what you're talking about.

I won't ask again. The medal!

You hit me.

Don't test my patience!

I'll make sure people know about this. Father will tell everyone.

Give it to me!

You're finished. I'll have your job. Take everything you....

I swear I didn't mean to do it.

But the next thing you did was quite deliberate.

You planted the key in Professor Ambrose's room.

I panicked.

I knew that anyone investigating would discover Ambrose's interest

in the riddle, so it would be easy to lay the blame at his feet.

But I thought because of his condition, no-one would try

to prosecute him.

You took advantage of an ill man.

I've done wrong. I know that.

But I mean to make up for it.

That's convenient, now you've been found out.

What's done is done.

Think of all the good I could do with what we've found here.

Um...Principal, there is no gold.

What?

Professor Ambrose has already been here.

This is his lantern.

He discovered the secret 30 years ago.

He burnt these papers.

Because he didn't want anyone to know what they contained.

The idiot!

Why didn't he take the box?

Because he feared that what it contained was too dangerous

to be removed.

No. He's wrong.

I beg you, Principal, I beg you, do not go any further.

Professor Ambrose talked about a man in a beaked mask.

Like a plague doctor?

Yes, exactly.

I think the Alchemist worked out how to use a plague as a weapon.

And that was his secret.

That's where the village of Thorndike went!

It disappears from maps cos there was no-one left alive.

It's where he tested it.

Lies.

No!

Keep away.

What if the box contains the last remaining samples of

the Alchemist's experiment?

It would kill the four of us at the very least.

I have to know the truth.

But you're better than that.

It's too late to save me.

God will forgive you.

But I won't.

Is this what your wife would have wanted?

That our loved ones suffer the same pain that you did.

I thought I could have done so much good with it.

This secret must remain buried. Are we all agreed?

-Yes.

-I promise.

What do we do with him?

We cannot explain anything to the police without telling them

what we found.

I know what I have to do, but I'm a coward.

How will you live with yourself?

I'm afraid of what they'll do to me.

Can you return to your former life after what's happened?

You have already taken the first step.

The hardest part is behind you.

LOCK RATTLES

Professor, we're letting you go. We need this cell.

Which of these books are essential for you to take with you?

I'd start with those and then...

there's my Divinity section.

And the diary, of course.

Hilary, it's gone.

Oh, that's such a shame.

So, what will you do in your retirement?

I'll try and keep out of trouble.

And my brother has a project he wants my opinion on.

Oh, what is it?

Something of a mystery at his local church.

I'm not sure you should get involved with that.

Don't be ridiculous, I can't wait!

There's a missing priest, a stolen crucifix from the Middle Ages,

and a trail leading from the altar.

I think I shall enjoy retirement.