Sam Spade

You're a mean old man, and you killed all my fiancés.

Oh, how come?

I'm sure she was.

I don't suppose I might be allowed just to peek into that Pandora's box?

Go ahead, help yourself.

Really?

Well, there's nothing but a photograph album and a bundle of letters.

Love letters, Uncle Hugo.

They seem to run in your family.

Would you like to read them?

Why should she have?

And I can give the whole story to you in a nutshell, Uncle Hugo.

It seems that Grandma Comstock fell in love with a handsome rascal named Pinckney, a deserter from the Confederate Army and a low prudent of New Orleans.

The family pursued her there, had Pinckney arrested, got an annulment, and whisked her back home in time for her scheduled wedding to Ezra Comstock.

These letters were written to her by Pinckney while he languished in prison awaiting court martial.

Here's the last one.

Read it for yourself.

I think it's very tragic.

To think of her married to a man she didn't love about her to die.

And a lover facing a fire and fire.