Colonel March and Inspector Goron are spending a quiet and pleasant evening at a Paris café. Goron is expounding on the difference between English and French detective methods. He says you English rely on fingerprints. What do French detectives rely on? Heart prints. Goron is also waxing poetical about the merits of a wine, Carrazon, produced by a nearby monastery. It's brandy like but not a brandy. Goron notes that the particular Carrazon they're having does not seem to be as good as he remembers it.They notice two men at a nearby table having a spirited conversation. Soon one of the men, Philippe, begins to act strangely. He seems to have had too much Carrazon comments Goron. Then Phillipe topples over dead. March wryly comments that he thinks it was "Something more potent." For indeed Phillipe has been poisoned. Both men were from the monastery and Brother Francis returns to the monastery and takes a vow of silence to honor his friend. Which means he wasn't much help when March goes to interview him. This episode is lifted above the humdrum by the exchanges between March and the droll Goron (excellently portrayed by Eric Pohlmann). They're obviously good friends who much enjoy each other's company.
Review of The Silent Vow
