- Philo Vance: Ah, Doremus! How about a warm cup of embalming fluid?
- Dr. Doremus: Never mind the levity.
- Dr. Doremus: [to the butler who's showing him in] I don't need an usher to lead me to a corpse.
- [to Markham and Vance]
- Dr. Doremus: Evening, Mr. Markham. Evening, Mr. Vance.
- Sergeant Ernest Heath: [sarcastically] What! No kiss for me, honey?
- Dr. Doremus: Ah!
- Philo Vance: [as Doremus takes a sandwich out of his bag] My dear doctor, what is that?
- Dr. Doremus: My dinner.
- District Attorney Markham: You're not going to eat in here?
- Dr. Doremus: Why not? For fourteen years you've called me from my soup to look at some dissipated cadaver. From now on, I'll eat with some corpse.
- Sergeant Ernest Heath: Don't forget, Doc, Christmas dinner at the morgue.
- Dr. Doremus: [Deadpan] I hope to see you there.
- Woode Swift: [referring to glassy-eyed jockey Floyd Garden] Let's give him a glass of wine. Pep him up!
- Edgar Lowe Hammle: Sure, lots of wine and the best too! We'll drink to my Azure Star.
- [to the waiter]
- Edgar Lowe Hammle: Say, hurry up with that!
- [to his guests]
- Edgar Lowe Hammle: We have the best horse in the East with the best wine in the world!
- Zalia Graem: Uncle has the fastest horses, the best wine, and the biggest bank account in the world! One of these days he's going to have the richest funeral.
- Edgar Lowe Hammle: Well, you won't be there to enjoy it!
- Zalia Graem: Do you really believe that people kill themselves over love?
- Philo Vance: I can easily understand it... under some circumstances.
- Inspector Colby: [calling to Vance as he approaches] Hello, Vance!
- Philo Vance: Hello, Inspector!
- Inspector Colby: I thought I'd find you here.
- Philo Vance: Where there's smoke, there's always Philo?
- Inspector Colby: Something like that.
- Philo Vance: You sure it was the major speaking?
- Inspector Colby: Ohh, yes- one of those thick English accents. Like talking through a muffin.