Narrative About Clarence | The Whole Town's Sleeping - Suspense!

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[00:00:34] This is the Man in Black, here for the Roma Wine Company of Fresno, California. To introduce this weekly half-hour of... Suspense. Tonight from Hollywood, Roma Wines bring you Mr. Laird Cregar in a suspense play dealing with a maniacal hatred and with a mental drug of hypnotics. And so with Narrative About Clarence and with the performance of Laird Kriegar supported by Hans Conrad as Bill from whom we hear the narrative, we again hope to keep you in...

[00:01:03] Suspense! I never wanted to kill anyone. Not till he came along. I didn't even want to kill him at first. I kept thinking there must be some other way. If anybody had told me six months ago that I was capable of murder, I would have thought he was crazy. What I'm getting at is this. There are circumstances, people, that can make anybody want to commit murder.

[00:01:33] And he... he was one of those people. He brought the circumstances with him, a whole set of them. I never heard of the guy until one day last summer. We were having breakfast. My wife is looking over the morning mail. Bill, look at this. Postmark Calcutta. It must be from Clarence. Who's Clarence? He's my brother. You never told me you had a brother. Didn't I? Well, it's not so surprising. He's only my half-brother and I haven't seen him since I was a child. He's never even written to me before.

[00:02:02] That's funny. Wonder why he decided to write now. I can't imagine. Well, what does he say? He's coming to America. What for? Now, Bill, don't be like that. Well, you're not gonna ask him to stay with us, are you? Well, what else can I do? He says he's coming straight here from the boat. Well, so what? There are several first-class hotels in this town. Well, I'll just ask him kind of half-heartedly so he can refuse if he wants to. Good girl. There's just one thing that worries me.

[00:02:33] What's that? He says at the end of the letter, I'm most anxious to meet your daughter, who it has been revealed to me closely resembles her grandmother. Well, Jeannie does look like the pictures of your mother at that. But how does he know? He couldn't even know we have a child. Unless... Unless what? Well, unless someone told him or unless it was revealed to him in some mysterious way.

[00:03:04] I didn't like that. I didn't like it at all. If there's anything I hate, it's a fake. And if that guy with his wing collar and his high-toned accent didn't look like a fake, then nobody ever did. But he wasn't a fake. He didn't arrive at our house. He seemed to materialize in the middle of the living room. Well, Lillian, don't you recognize me? Why... Why, yes, Clarence. How are you, Clarence? Uh, this is Bill, my husband. I know.

[00:03:35] I hope you'll forgive my rather unconventional entrance. As your doorbell is out of order, I didn't bother to push the button. Oh, hello. I didn't know the doorbell was out of order, Lillian. Neither did I. Will, won't you sit down, Clarence? Oh, yes, thank you. Uh, have a good trip. Excellent. But let's not dwell on the past. I have plans, Lillian. First of all, I intend to settle here in this town. Permanently. How nice.

[00:04:04] I intend to resume my career in America where it left off 15 years ago. Oh... Your wife's look of distress, William, is owing to an unfortunate incident that occurred 15 years ago and made it, uh, expedient for me to leave the country for a while. It was all a misunderstanding, Bill. I don't quite know what you're talking about. She's told you nothing about me? How strange. Well, only that you're a doctor and that... Doctor? What an inadequate word.

[00:04:33] It suggests a little man you call in when the baby gets hooping cough, doesn't it? Well, what's the matter with the little man I call in when the baby gets hooping cough? Well, he is, shall we say, limited. Oh. Yes, yes, that's the kindly word for it. The mind, William. The human mind. With all its strange powers for good and evil. That is my province. Clarence was a mental scientist. He had a small private hospital and... Oh, how drab.

[00:05:02] How unendurably drab you make it sound, Lillian. I penetrated deep into the mysteries of the human mind. And then I discovered a psychic power... ...transcending the mere gray matter of the human brain. Clarence became interested in the occult. You mean that Indian faker stuff, going into trances and stuff like that? How crudely you put it, William. I'm sorry. Go on with your story. I'll go on with it for you. You started using this mysterious East hocus pocus and your mental patients...

[00:05:32] ...and their relatives got sore, right? Your husband, Lillian, is a man of rare perception. Yeah. And now you're back from India with a new bag of tricks... ...and you're gonna set up shop again. Precisely, William. There's only one thing wrong with your statement. The tone of it. I intend to establish a small private sanitarium... ...dedicated to the treatment of the mentally ill. And I shall continue my investigations into what your wife chooses to call the occult. Is that clear?

[00:06:01] Quite clear. Now then, Lillian, you will prepare the little room off William's study for me. The one with the dark green walls. Well, of course you're welcome to stay with us if you want to, Clarence... ...but the house is rather small and... Yes, yes, yes. It's fortunate that the house is small. I'd counted on that. You seem to have counted on a great deal, Clarence. By the way, how'd you know that the room has green walls? Yes, and how did you know...

[00:06:25] My dear engaging kinsmen, all things are revealed to him who can survive the ordeal of true enlightenment. That is as much as I'm permitted to tell you at the present time. And now will you be so good as to open the outside door? Well, your daughter is about to ring the doorbell. And it's out of order. Remember? But how did you... You didn't even... Go and let her in, Lillian. I'm eager to meet Jeannie. Guess what happened today?

[00:06:54] Sally Bates fell off the seesaw and Miss Thompson had to drive her home and then... Oh, I didn't know we had company. This is your Uncle Clarence from India, dear. Oh! Yes. She is. The very image of her grandmother. Was that mother's mother? Yes, dear. Mama and Uncle Clarence had the same mother but different fathers. Oh, then he's not really my uncle. He's only my half uncle. I think, little Jeannie, that you will find we have a great deal in common, nevertheless.

[00:07:24] You will be very close to your Uncle Clarence. Very close. What do you do, those funny things with your eyes? Never mind, dear. Uncle Clarence is tired from his long journey. You come on upstairs. Mom will help you change for dinner. All right. See you later, Uncle Clarence. What's so funny, doctor? Oh, William. I do hope that my stay here won't be complicated by your rudeness. Why did you try to frighten Jeannie just now? My dear fellow, it's the very furthest thing from my wishes to frighten your child.

[00:07:53] It is essential to my plan for her that she have confidence in me. Now, look. Get this straight, Clarence. You're welcome in this house as a guest because you're my wife's brother. Your yogi ideas, or whatever they are, are welcome only so long as you keep them to yourself. I quite intend to, William. That, too, is part of my plan. What is this plan you keep talking about? For the time being, William, I will take your advice and keep that to myself.

[00:08:30] Tonight, for suspense, Roma Wines bring you a star, Mr. Laird Kriegar, whom you have heard in the prologue to Narrative About Clarence by Dwight Hauser and Robert Tallman. Tonight's adventure in suspense. Let's leave the scene of our play for a moment and take a little journey. We'll let a bottle of Roma wine serve as Aladdin's lamp.

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[00:10:22] Made in California for enjoyment throughout the world. And now it is with pleasure that we bring back to our sound stage our star, Laird Cregar, with Hans Conrad in Narrative About Clarence, a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense.

[00:10:52] Well, you see now how I was beginning to feel about my dear half-brother-in-law Clarence. At first it was nothing but just pure hatred. I didn't have any cause yet for fear. And then came that day with little Jeannie. Doesn't take much imagination to know what happened before I got home. Mama, I'm already from school now. Hello, Jeannie. Oh, hello, Uncle Clarence. Did you see Mama? Your mother's gone out for a while, but... Well, there's some good in everything, isn't there, Jeannie? This gives us a chance to get acquainted.

[00:11:22] Well, I'll be late for school. Oh, bother the school. I bet Sally Bates wouldn't worry about school if she had an uncle visiting her who'd come all the way from India. India? Do they really lie on beds of nails and all those things? No. Those are just the fakirs. They do those stunts for money like your circus performers over here. I never saw anything like that at a circus. Did you ever see anything like this, Jeannie? It's just a ring, isn't it? Like a cat's eye.

[00:11:53] Oh, it makes me dizzy to look at it. If you look at it long enough, you'll see all the mysterious secrets of the East. I'm afraid to look again, Uncle Clarence. That light in it, like a cat's eye, scares me. Oh, come now. A big girl like you, afraid in the broad daylight. Why do you do those funny things with your eyes? Perhaps because my eyes see so many wonderful things. Just as yours will if you will only look at the ring. Is...

[00:12:22] Is it magic? Perhaps. Look and see if it isn't. Look right in the center of the cat's eye. You feel sleepy. That's the way it works. First you feel terribly, terribly sleepy. And then you see the most wonderful things.

[00:12:55] Feel sleepy. And... And then... Jeannie! Jeannie, what's happened to you? You needn't shout, Mother.

[00:13:24] I can hear you quite well. Oh, thank heaven you're all right. She is all right, isn't she, Bill? Huh? Oh, sure, sure. Do you feel well enough to go to school, dear? I shan't be going back to that school, Mother. Miss Thompson bores me. What kind of talk is that? I think we'll get a doctor for you, young lady. Please, Father. I will let you know when I'm in need of medical assistance. Bill, she's not all right. She's... Just come outside with me, Mother. You go to sleep again now, Jeannie?

[00:13:55] Bill, her whole personality has changed. She speaks with that strange accent and a vocabulary like... Tell me. Where was Clarence while you were getting that car out? Why, in his room, I suppose. Have you ever noticed that ring he wears? Yes. It's a cat's eye, isn't it? Very well-defined cat's eye. The kind of ring you always see on professional hypnotists. It's dead easy to hypnotize a child, you know. But why would he want to hypnotize Jeannie? I don't know. All I'm interested in is getting him out of this house as soon as possible.

[00:14:24] I'm going in there and give him his walking papers right now. That won't be necessary, William. Clarence, we didn't hear you come in. Obviously not. William, I believe I remarked to you on a previous occasion that I hoped my stay here would not be complicated by your rudeness. It won't be, Clarence. Your stay here is at an end. Lillian, I want to talk with you alone. You can say anything you have to say to me in front of my husband, Clarence. I dare say, it is my wish, however, to speak with you alone.

[00:14:54] I've had enough. I'm sorry, Lillian. I don't care whether he's your brother or not. I'm telling him to get out of here and get out now. I'll call a taxi while you're packing, Clarence. The irate brother-in-law. What a tiresome exhibition. I'm surprised at a woman of your intelligence becoming involved with such a boor, Lillian. All right, you ask for it. No, don't. Don't do it, Bill. Clarence just doesn't understand. He's been away for so long. I'm sick of hearing your excuses for him. The time's come for a showdown. No, William. The time has not come for a showdown.

[00:15:23] Not for a while yet. I will let you know when that time comes. You'll let me know? Bill, please. Let me explain to Clarence alone if he likes. I won't leave you alone with him. Oh, don't be melodramatic, William. I'll kill you, so help me. Bill, please, please. All right, I'm sorry. I'll give you ten minutes, Clarence, no more. Ten minutes will be ample. I think Lillian and I can come to an excellent understanding in ten minutes.

[00:15:53] Those ten minutes seemed like an eternity. I could hear Lillian's voice speaking very quietly as if reasoning with him and his hateful, velvety accents replying. And then quite suddenly there seemed to be only one voice, Clarence's. I looked at my watch. The ten minutes were up. The door opened. Clarence stood there in the doorway and he was laughing. What have you done to her? What have you done?

[00:16:23] Lillian was lying on the sofa unconscious. Her eyes were rolled back hideously so that only the whites of them showed. She's not dead, William. Only thinking over our conversation. Bring her out of it, do you hear me? Bring her out of it or I... What will you do, William? I'll kill you! You're not hurting me, William. You're hurting her. I... What? Look at her. See how she writhes in agony. See how she clutches her throat.

[00:16:53] You win, Clarence. Of course. How could you hope, with your poor, undeveloped, occidental mind, to match wits against me, who have penetrated the deepest mysteries of the occult? Mysteries of the occult? You're nothing but a cheap hypnotist. Any vaudeville mind reader could do the things you do if he was sufficiently lacking in human decency. Be careful, William. William, I shouldn't like to have to punish you for your rudeness. What are you wonderful?

[00:17:20] I'll give you anything I own if you'll just take it and go away. It's not so easy as all that, William. Because, you see... I want the lives of your wife and child. I knew then that he was insane. And that realization filled me with hope. It'd be quite simple to call in an alienist and have him committed to an asylum.

[00:17:49] When Lillian regained consciousness, she insisted on his staying as I expected. I humored her along, knowing she was acting on his hypnotic suggestions. I was reasonably certain he would do nothing violent that night. His was the slow, sadistic way of murder. When daylight came, I stole quietly out of the house. I dared not risk calling the asylum on our telephone for fear of being overheard. My wife and daughter were still peacefully sleeping when I returned. And now I slept too.

[00:18:27] I'm Dr. Miller of the State Institute. Yes, yes, I know. Come in please, doctor. Are you the person who put in the call about... It would be better not to speak too loudly, Dr. Miller. We might be overheard and that might cause difficulties. Oh, yes, yes, I see. Well, tell me about the patient. I told him the whole story, word for word, as it had happened. I was unknown better.

[00:18:54] When I'd finished, there was disbelief written all over his face. Mr. Gilchrist, I don't for a moment doubt that you have an unwelcome relative on your hands, who is probably emotionally highly unstable as well. But isn't it possible that you're exaggerating certain aspects of the matter? Doctor, I mean you... If Dr. Miller asked you to examine the man and draw your own conclusions as to his sanity. I'd be glad to. Where is he now? I think William has probably been talking to you about me, doctor.

[00:19:24] Oh, uh... Sit down, won't you? Thank you. Really, I must apologize for your being inconvenienced this way, doctor. I try to keep an eye on William, but one must sleep, you know. And, well, occasionally he eludes me and gets out of the house. I suppose he's told you that I'm a hypnotist and that I wish to murder his wife and child. Why do you think he told me that? Well, it's always the same story. Well, why should I believe your story rather than Mr. Gilchrist?

[00:19:53] Oh, mine is a little easier to believe, I should think. But if you wish further proof... Oh, Lillian! Yes, Clarence? Come down here, will you? William's got out again and told that story. I'll be right down. And bring Jeannie with you. Will you dare bring my daughter into this? His daughter doesn't know you'll be tactful, won't you, doctor? Yes, of course. Bill! What is the meaning of this? Haven't we warned you time and again what might happen if you go out like that?

[00:20:22] Lillian, you don't know what you're saying. This man is your husband, madam? Yes. He's been under the care of a psychiatrist for several years now. He seemed to be getting better. I'm sure he's getting better. The doctor said we must expect little lapses. Oh, she doesn't know what she's saying, doctor. She's acting under his hypnotic suggestion. And this young lady? He hypnotized her too. Is that true? I don't know what that means, hypnotized.

[00:20:52] Daddy's always saying it, but he never says what it means. Well, this seems to clear up the situation pretty thoroughly. If you have any further trouble, Mr. Gilchrist, let me know. You think I'm crazy? No, I don't. I'm sure that your wife is quite right, Mr. Gilchrist. You're getting better every day.

[00:21:14] He was insane. And diabolically insane. I had to face the unalterable fact. There was only one way to cope with him. And that was... To kill him. But I had to do it while my wife and daughter were out of the house. I couldn't risk facing him with a gun. I didn't trust myself not to fall under his hypnotic spell.

[00:21:45] The way I decided on was... Well, it was the best way I could think of. When I'd finished my preparations, I waited for Clarence. Ah. Good evening, William. Clarence, for the last time... Oh, William, William, I'm very tired and I have a very busy day ahead of me tomorrow. I have no wish to repeat that very tiresome conversation with which you invariably begin, Clarence, for the last time! This is the last time, Clarence. Tonight, nothing will stop me. Tonight, I am going to kill you.

[00:22:14] Please, don't make another unnecessary scene, William. You know that trying to hurt me only hurts your wife. Oh! She's no longer hypnotized, Clarence. You stayed away too long. She and Jeannie are safely out of your reach now. What makes you so sure of that? Are you sure of anything anymore? Dr. Miller thought you were insane. Are you quite sure you're not? Huh. I'm crazy enough to know that I've got to kill you. Well, do it quietly, William. I'm going straight to bed and to sleep and I don't want to be disturbed. Good night. Just a minute, Clarence.

[00:22:45] Maybe you'll win again, I don't know, but... just in case you don't... Yes? Tell me... Why do you say you want to kill my wife and child? Because... my mother meant more to me than anything in the world. She died in giving birth to... this silly, shallow person you call your wife. I have hated her since the day she was born. And I hate the child because having no right to life,

[00:23:14] she commits the sacrilege of inheriting my mother's beauty. They must both be destroyed, the murderer and the imposter. You are mad. Madder than I ever dreamed you were. Am I? Did I really say what you think you just heard me say? Or is it only part of your insanity? Think it over, William. Good night.

[00:23:45] I had everything ready. The heavy boards to nail across the door, the cotton waste and a gallon of benzene. The shutters over the window of his room I'd already nailed shut and barred. As I nailed the boards across the door, I felt as if I were driving nails into his cup. The powers now, Clarence. Where are you from? Tell the secrets of the East.

[00:24:15] Help you now. You're trapped. In a moment the whole house will be in flames. You'll be burnt alive. Listen, I'm striking the match now. You smell the smoke, Clarence? Never mind, you will in a moment. Oh, I wish you could see the flames now, Clarence. They're roaring up the stairwell. I'll have to leave you now, Clarence.

[00:24:43] It's getting too warm in here for me.

[00:25:12] I laughed. I guess the relief from all that tension. Well, that's the story, Doctor. Then I must have fainted or something from the smoke. I don't remember anything after that till I woke up in this place. And what about your wife and daughter? Oh, that's just it. I haven't seen them since that afternoon. That's why I've got to get out of here. I've got to find them. Can't you understand that? Yes, yes, yes. I can understand that very well.

[00:25:41] Will you talk to someone, the head of this place, and tell them that and let me out? I shouldn't be locked up here in an institution. Yes, yes. I'll talk to him, Bill. That's a promise. I'll do it right now. Goodbye. Goodbye, Doctor. Uh, pardon me. The head's office, uh, Doctor... Dr. Crossman. Yes. You'll find him right through there. Thank you. Oh, uh, pardon me. Uh, Dr. Crossman? Yes. Oh. Oh, how do you do, sir? Have you found my little sanitarium interesting? Yes, indeed.

[00:26:11] By the way, most unusual case. I've just been talking to... Yes. I know. Uh, to... To Paul William. Bill, that is. Number 27. Yes, but how... I'm sorry that you had to be inconvenienced that way, sir. We do our best to keep the garrulous patients well out of a visiting doctor's way, but accidents will happen. Oh, I'm glad I ran into him, Doctor Crossman. His story interests me very much. He doesn't strike me as a homicidal lunatic. No, he's not.

[00:26:39] This idea of his that he committed a murder is simply a fantasy. Are you absolutely sure of that? Of course. Because... Because... Well, you see, I am Clarence, the wicked brother-in-law in his story. You? He began to develop these extraordinary symptoms during my stay at his home when I first returned from India. Parts of his story, you see, are quite accurate. I see. It's a pity, of course.

[00:27:04] He was doing quite nicely under treatment until his wife and child were burned to death so tragically in the fire that destroyed their home. I'm afraid that that event on top of his previous delusions unhinged him for good. And where were you during the fire, Doctor Crossman? Oh, I... I dined out that evening. When I returned, it was all over. Well, I certainly shall write this case up as one of the most interesting I've ever run across. Oh, must you, Doctor?

[00:27:31] I mean, poor chap, I feel he's entitled at least to some privacy. Have you any personal reasons for wanting to keep this case quiet, sir? Yes, I have. Do you see this scar on my face? It's a burn, wasn't it? A very nasty burn, too. Precisely, Doctor. And a very nasty coincidence.

[00:28:02] And so closes narrative about Clarence starring Laird Cregar with Hans Conrad. Tonight's tale of... Suspense. Laird Cregar is currently being seen in the 20th Century Fox production, and the larger. We sincerely hope you enjoyed the performance of Mr. Cregar and that of the whole cast tonight in our Roma suspense play. And here's a thought. To discover the enjoyment these suspense programs offer, you first had to sample one. And so you must first sample one of the many delicious Roma wines

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[00:29:00] This is Laird Cregar. It is my very great pleasure to tell you that next week the star who will keep you in suspense will be Joseph Cotton. Suspense is produced and directed by William Spear. Don't forget then next Monday, same time for Joseph Cotton in... Suspense! Presented by Roma wines. Made in California for enjoyment throughout the world. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.

[00:29:35] And now, tonight's presentation of radio's outstanding theater of thrills. Suspense. Tonight, the story of terror in the streets. We call it The Whole Town Sleeping. So now, starring Miss Jeanette Nolan, here is tonight's suspense play written by Ray Bradbury, The Whole Town Sleeping.

[00:30:06] It was a warm summer night in the middle of Illinois country. The little town was deep, far away from everything. Kept to itself by a river and a forest and a ravine. In the town, the sidewalks were still scorched. The stores were closing, and the streets were turning dark. Screen doors whined their springs and banged.

[00:30:33] And there was the sound of Grandma Hanlon's swing hammock across the street. On her solitary porch, Lavinia Nebs, age 37, very straight and slim, sat with a tinkling lemonade in her white fingers. Tapping it to her lips. Waiting. Lavinia turned. There was Francine at the bottom porch step. She was all and snow white. And didn't look 35.

[00:31:04] I won't be a minute, Francine. I'll just lock the door. All right. Oh, I do like your dress, dear. Why, thank you, dear. You look so well in that color. I'm afraid I could never wear it. It makes me look sallow. No, it doesn't. I'm sure not. Of course, I've always loved you in white. Good evening, Mrs. Hanlon. Good evening. Where are you ladies going all dressed up so pretty? To the majestic theater, Mrs. Hanlon. Robert Mitchum's playing in Not as a Stranger.

[00:31:33] Won't catch me out on a night like this. Not with the lonely ones strangling women. Lock myself in with my gun. That's what I'm gonna do. I wouldn't worry, Mrs. Hanlon. What about Eliza Ramsell? You think she's not worrying? Lock myself in with my gun. That's what you ladies should do. So silly. Silly old woman. Lavinia, you...

[00:31:59] You don't believe all that gossip about the lonely one, do you? A lot of silly old women who haven't got anything better to do than talk. Well, just the same. Hattie McDollas was killed a month ago and Roberta Ferry the month before. And now, Eliza Ramsell disappearing. Eliza Ramsell walked off with a traveling man, I bet. But the others strangled. Oh, Francine.

[00:32:24] They reached the edge of the ravine that cut the town in two. Stood there. Behind them were the lighted houses. Ahead, deepness, moistness, fireflies and dark. The ravine had to be crossed to reach the movies. Deep and black as it cut into the hills. Then a creaking bridge to cross over the stream.

[00:32:54] Then 113 steps up the steep and bramble bank to the other side. The ladies stood there, looking down. It won't be me coming back tonight, Lavinia. It'll be you. Oh, I'd never, never walk there alone at night. Never. Bosh. Well, you can say bosh. But it'll be you alone on the path, not me. Oh, Lavinia. I do wish you didn't live on this side. Don't you get lonely living by yourself in that house?

[00:33:24] Old maid loved to live alone. Come on, we'll take the shortcut. I'm afraid. Oh, come on, don't be so silly. I'll hold your hand. Lavinia, cool as mint ice cream, took the other woman's arm and led her down the dark winding path into cricket warmth and frog sound and mosquito delicate silence. Oh, let's run, Lavinia, please. No. Why should we?

[00:33:53] If Lavinia hadn't turned her head just then, she wouldn't have seen it. But she did turn her head, and it was there. Back among a clump of bushes, half hidden, but laid out as if she had put herself there to enjoy the soft stars, lay Eliza Ramseau, her face moon-freckled, her eyes like white marble. Then Francine saw it too,

[00:34:20] and the women stood on the path for a frozen second not believing what they saw. Lavinia held Francine, and the policemen were all around in the ravine grass. Flashlights dotted about, voices mingled, and the night grew on toward 8.30. You, uh, didn't move her, ladies?

[00:34:50] Of course not. Oh, no! We couldn't touch her. How could we? And there was nobody? You didn't hear anything? Sounds? Anything unusual? No, nothing. It's... it's the lonely one, isn't it? He did it, didn't he? I couldn't say, ma'am. We... we knew her, you know. She was a friend of ours. Oh, I'm sorry. Well, I'll have one of my men walk you across the ravine. That won't be necessary. Thank you very much. We'll be all right. Oh, Lavinia!

[00:35:19] Come along, dear. And they crossed the ravine, each with their own thoughts, fears. And the creek waters under the bridge whispered, I'm the lonely one. I'm the lonely one. I kill people. Then they were at the top of the stairs, and bathed in safe light from the street lamp. I've never seen a dead person before.

[00:35:49] It's only a little after 8.30. We'll pick up Helen and get on to the show. The show? Oh, Lavinia, you don't mean it. Of course I do. We've got to forget this. It's not good to remember. But Eliza's back there, and... We need to laugh. We've got to pretend that nothing happened. But she was our friend! We can't help her. There's no good brooding about it. I'm going to get it out of my mind, and you should too.

[00:36:19] Now if we hurry, we won't miss too much. You're an hour late. Well, we... Someone found Eliza Ramsell dead in the ravine. Oh, no! Eliza found her! We don't know. Oh, how awful. Did you see her? Was it terrible?

[00:36:48] Let's not talk about it. Oh, I really think I should lock myself in my house. I don't think we'd better go tonight. Of course we will. It's the last showing today. Besides, the lonely one can't kill three ladies. There's safety in numbers. Anyway, it's... It's too soon. The murders come a month separated. Come along, Helen. Well... I'll get a sweater. You wait for me. Why didn't you tell her? About us finding Eliza.

[00:37:17] Why upset her? Time enough tomorrow. I told you, tonight we've got to forget. We're going to the show and let's not talk about it anymore. Enough's enough. The ladies walked downtown and stopped at the drug store, which was a few doors from the theater. Lavinia bought a quarter's worth of green mint chews. And the druggist dropped the mints into a sack with a silver shovel.

[00:37:47] You looked mighty cool this noon, Miss Lavinia, when you was in. So cool and nice, someone asked after you. Oh? Yeah, man sitting at the counter. He watched you walk out and he says to me, Who's that? Just like that, he says. Why, that's Lavinia Nebs, prettiest maiden lady in town, I says. Beautiful, he says. Beautiful. Where's she live? You didn't give him her address, I hope. You didn't.

[00:38:15] Well, maybe I shouldn't have. Oh, I didn't give him the exact address. I said over on Park Street, you know, near the ravine. Kinda casual. I'm sorry. What did he look like? Oh, not much, I guess. Wore a dark suit. Pale. Kinda thin. Probably nothing but a stranger passing through. I'm sorry, Miss Lavinia. No charge for the peppermint. Don't be silly, Mr. Briggs. Here. Well, I know what we're going to do right now. We're going straight home.

[00:38:43] That man asking after you. You're next, Lavinia. You want to be dead in that ravine? It was just a man. That's all. It doesn't mean a thing. That's what I figure. Nothing to worry about. Nothing to worry about. I'm not going to miss the movie. You two can do what you want. I'm going. Well, I think we should all go home. So do I. She's right, Lavinia. No, she's not. They argued for five minutes,

[00:39:13] then the three of them went to the theater. Francine and Helen reluctantly, Lavinia head high, self-possessed, cool. In the auditorium, they sat in the odor of ancient brass polish, waiting for the second show to begin. And the lights began to fade.

[00:39:35] As we came in, a man in the dark suit followed us. He was thin. I think he had a pale face. He just came in and he's sitting behind us. What? What? Oh, Helen. What man? Behind us. It's the one Mr. Briggs said was in the drugstore. Behind us now. Oh. I'm calling the manager. It's him.

[00:40:04] Oh, stop the movie! The drugstore clock said 1125. They'd come out of the theater feeling new. And now they were laughing at Francine.

[00:40:33] And Francine was laughing at herself. You see how silly it was. All that riot for nothing. When you went running up the aisle's... You see what a panic can do? And all for nothing. We shouldn't have stopped for sodas, though. Wasn't that a wonderful picture? Will you ever forget?

[00:41:02] The streets were clean and empty. Not a car or a truck or a person was in sight. The ladies walked under a flickering neon sign, buzzing like a dying insect. The sounds of their heels sharp on the big pavement. First we'll walk you home, Francine. Oh, no. I'll walk you home. If you walked me home, you'd have to come back across the ravine alone.

[00:41:32] I know you. If a leaf even fell on you, you'd drop dead. Well, I could stay the night at your house. No, it's all settled. First I'll take you home. And then Helen. Lavinia, Helen, stay here with me tonight. It's late. Mrs. Murdoch has an extra room. No, thanks. I don't sleep well away from my own bed.

[00:42:01] Oh, please, Lavinia, please. I don't want you dead. Now, you've got to stop this. I mean it. I promise I'll call you the very minute I get home. Now, will you? Will you really? I promise. And Helen, you make her promise you to call. I will. Well, good night. Be careful. Now, I'll walk you home.

[00:42:31] The courthouse clock struck the hour. The sounds went across a town that was empty. Emptier than it had ever been before. Over empty streets and empty lots and empty lawns the sound went. Ten, eleven, twelve. Don't suppose it's any use asking you to stay, Lavinia? There's no reason for me to.

[00:43:00] You've acted so strangely tonight. I'm just not afraid, that's all. And I'm curious, I suppose. Of course, I'm using my head. I mean, logically. The lonely one can't be around. Not now. The police and all. Did you ever think that maybe your subconscious doesn't want you to live anymore? You and Francine honestly have. Well, I feel so guilty. I'll be drinking a cup of coffee just about the time you get to the ravine.

[00:43:28] And, ooh, that awful bridge in the dark. You will call us the minute you get home, won't you? I won't sleep a wink if you don't. I'll call. Now, good night. Lavinia Nebs walked down the midnight street. Down the late summer silence. She saw the houses with their dark windows. And far away she heard a dog barking. She thought to herself,

[00:43:57] In five minutes I'll be safe at home. In five minutes I'll be phoning Francine and Helen. They're so silly. Like old hens. Old. I'm older than either of them. I'm... She heard a man's voice singing away among the trees. And she walked a little faster. And then coming down the street toward her in the dimming moonlight was a man. Well, look who it is.

[00:44:26] What a time and night for you to be out, Miss Nebs. Officer Kennedy. Oh, I'm so glad it's you. Something wrong, Miss Nebs? No, nothing at all. I'm just glad it's you. You know you shouldn't be out now. I know. I've been to the movies. It is late. Come on, I better see you home. Oh, no. I can make it fine. Moon's going behind the trees. Be pretty dark. I'm not afraid of the dark, Mr. Kennedy.

[00:44:54] You sure you'll be all right? Quite sure. Thank you. All right, tell you what. I'll wait here till you cross. If you need help, just give a yell and I'll come running. I'll check by your house later on my way back. Thank you. Good night. As she walked away, she thought, I won't walk in the ravine with any man. How do I know who the lonely one is? No, thank you. Then the ravine.

[00:45:24] She stood on top of the 113 steps, down the steep, bramble bank that led across the creaking bridge a hundred yards and up through the black hills to Park Street. Three minutes from now, I'll be putting my key in the house door. Nothing can happen. Nothing. She started down the dark green steps into the deep ravine night. Five Seven

[00:45:53] Eight Nine Ten Eleven Eleven Eleven Eleven Eleven Eleven Eleven Eleven Everything was gone. Only the ravine existed. And lived. Black and huge around her. Nine.

[00:46:26] Is there... Remember that old ghost story you told each other when you were children? About the dark man coming into your house. And you upstairs in bed. Now he's at the first step, coming up to your room. Screamed at the story.

[00:46:55] Now the horrid man is at the twelfth step. Opening your door. Now he's standing by your bed. There at the bottom of the steps. A man under the light. No. He's gone. He was waiting there. There's nothing.

[00:47:26] It's empty. There's nothing. Nothing on the bridge. Fool. Now I call Mr. Kennedy. Did he hear me scream? Or did I scream? Maybe I only thought I did. Then he didn't hear me at all. I'll go back up. Go to Helen's and sleep there tonight.

[00:47:58] It's nearer home now. Don't be silly. Someone's following me. Someone's on the steps behind me. I don't dare turn around.

[00:48:34] Every time I take a step, he takes one. Officer Kennedy. Kennedy. Is that you? Is it? The crickets were suddenly still.

[00:49:03] The crickets were listening. The night was listening to her. Then there was a sound. Only a woodchuck, surely. Meeting a hollow log. But it was Lavinia Nebs. It was most surely the heart of Lavinia Nebs. She went down the steps faster. Faster. Run. She heard music. In a mad way. A silly way.

[00:49:33] She heard the surge of music that pounded at her. Rush. Launching her faster and faster. Down, down into the pit of the ravine. Only a little way. Across the bridge. Don't turn. Don't look. If you see him, you'll not be able to move. Across the bridge. Up the path between the hills. The top of the path. The street.

[00:50:00] And even with the light, the fear swirled about her. Closing in. Pressing. If I get home safe, I'll never go out alone. I was a fool. If you let me get home for this, I'll never go out again alone. I promise, please, inside and lock the door.

[00:50:30] And I'll be safe. Oh, safe at home.

[00:50:37] There was no one.

[00:51:14] Nobody running after me. How silly. If a man had been following me, he'd have caught me. I can't run as fast as a man. I wasn't running from anything except me. The ravine was safer than safe. It's nice to be home now.

[00:51:42] Home's a really good, warm, safe place. The only place. She had just put her hand out to the light switch when she heard it behind her in the blackness. Just a movement. What?

[00:52:45] Suspense. Nolan starred with Paula Winslow, Eve McVeigh, and Bill Conrad in tonight's presentation of Ray Bradbury's The Whole Town Sleeping, adapted by Anthony Ellis. Next week, the story of a fishing cruise and bait that was a life insurance policy. We call it Over the Bounding Main. That's next week on Suspense. Directed by Anthony Ellis.

[00:53:12] The music was composed by Lucian Marowick and conducted by Wilbur Hatch. Featured in the cast were Tom McKee, Florence Walcott, Tom Brown, and The Whistler Brings Mystery on the CBS Radio Network.

[00:54:22] This has been a Cryptic County Podcast. To listen to our other storytelling podcasts like Let's Not Meet and Odd Trails, visit crypticcountypodcasts.com. We'll see you next time. If this was a horror story, that's what ought to happen next. It did.