Prefect of Police: [interviewing the first witness] So, your name is Victor Albert Adolph Jules Hugo Louis Dupont?
Victor Albert Adolph Jules Hugo Louis Dupont, the Landlord: Yes, sir.
Prefect of Police: Why did you not investigate when you heard the first scream?
Victor Albert Adolph Jules Hugo Louis Dupont, the Landlord: I... I was afraid.
Prefect of Police: Stupid, incredibly stupid.
Franz Odenheimer: [the next person approaches the Prefect, talking German] Habe die Ehre, Herr Prefekt.
[It's my honor, Mr. Prefect.]
Prefect of Police: What is your name and business?
Franz Odenheimer: I am Franz Odenheimer. I own a restaurant.
Prefect of Police: Odenheimer, in your own way, tell us what happened.
Franz Odenheimer: You see, I was just going to bed. Then suddenly, I heard a scream. Right away, I ran across the street. And I was one of the first ones to enter this room. On the way upstairs, I heard a voice. And that voice was speaking Italian.
Prefect of Police: [doubting his accuracy] Do you speak Italian?
Franz Odenheimer: No.
Prefect of Police: Were you ever in Italy?
Franz Odenheimer: No.
Prefect of Police: How do you know it was Italian?
Franz Odenheimer: Because I am sure it was Italian.
Prefect of Police: [unconvinced] Ah. Danke schön.
[Thank you.]
Prefect of Police: [calls on next person] Alberto Montani. What do you know of this affair?
Alberto Montani: Well, I also heard the voice. But it was not Italian. I am Italian. I speak Italian.
Alberto Montani: [says something in Italian, then continues in English] When I ran up the stairs with the others, I heard the voice. It's not Italian, no. Definitely, it was Danish.
Prefect of Police: Do you speak Danish?
Alberto Montani: No.
Prefect of Police: Were you ever in Denmark?
Alberto Montani: No.
Prefect of Police: How do you know it was Danish?
Alberto Montani: My intuition.
The Dane: [to Montani] It was not Danish!
The Dane: [to Prefect] I beg your pardon, Your Honor. I am a native of Denmark. Danish is my native tongue. I heard the voice, but it was not Danish. It was German.
Franz Odenheimer: [upset, approaches the Prefect] Italian, not German.
Alberto Montani: Danish.
The Dane: German.
Franz Odenheimer: [in German] Ich lege meine Hand ans Lügners Feuer das es keiner Deutscher war!
[I put my hand on the Liar's Fire that it wasn't a German!]
The Dane: [while Montani argues in Italian] I say it was German.
Prefect of Police: [while all 3 argue loudly in their native languages] Silence!
Franz Odenheimer: Italian.
Alberto Montani: Danish.
The Dane: German.
Prefect of Police: Silence.
