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Suspense - "Back for Christmas" (Old Time Radio, 1943) · Suspense | Old Time Radio

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: British botany professor Hubert Schumacher is preparing for a lecture
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: trip to America with his wife, Hermione. This is Suspense,
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: Back for Christmas, Episode 3, dated December 2nd, 1943. While
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: Hermione oversees the household arrangements and their departure, Hubert has
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: a private project underway in the cellar, a garden for
• 0:24
  Speaker 1: unusual orchids he calls the Devil's Garden. Peter Lohr stars
• 0:29
  Speaker 1: as Hubert with Joseph Kearns and John McIntyre. Robert Tallman
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: adapted John Collier's short story for radio, and William Speer
• 0:39
  Speaker 1: produced and directed. Now, from CBS and the suspense microphone,
• 0:44
  Speaker 1: here is the original broadcast.
• 0:57
  Speaker 2: Suspense.
• 1:06
  Speaker 3: Presented by Roma Wines. Made in California for enjoyment throughout
• 1:11
  Speaker 3: the world. Salud. Roma toasts the world. The wine for
• 1:16
  Speaker 3: your table is Roma. Made in California for enjoyment throughout
• 1:21
  Speaker 3: the world.
• 1:24
  Speaker 2: This is the man in black.
• 1:26
  Speaker 4: Here for the Roma Wine Company of Fresno, California, to
• 1:29
  Speaker 4: introduce this weekly half hour of suspense. Tonight in Hollywood,
• 1:35
  Speaker 4: Roma brings you as star Mr.
• 1:36
  Speaker 2: Peter Lorre.
• 1:38
  Speaker 4: The suspense play which stars Mr. Lorre, and which is
• 1:40
  Speaker 4: produced and directed by William Spear, is called Back for Christmas.
• 1:46
  Speaker 4: In this series, Roma brings you tales calculated to intrigue you,
• 1:51
  Speaker 4: stir your nerves, to offer you a precarious situation, and
• 1:54
  Speaker 4: then withhold the solution until the last possible moment. And so,
• 2:00
  Speaker 4: with Back for Christmas, and with the performance of Peter Lorre,
• 2:03
  Speaker 4: we again hope to keep you in suspense.
• 2:10
  Speaker 2: Suspense. Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way. Oh,
• 2:26
  Speaker 2: what fun it is to ride one with you. Yes,
• 2:32
  Speaker 2: what is it?
• 2:32
  Speaker 5: What on earth are you doing down here in the cellar?
• 2:34
  Speaker 2: Oh, just doing a little digging.
• 2:37
  Speaker 5: And why, may I ask, have you chosen this day
• 2:39
  Speaker 5: of all days to dig up the cellar floor?
• 2:41
  Speaker 6: Oh, I thought because the weather has been so damp,
• 2:45
  Speaker 6: this would be a good time to plant that little.
• 2:48
  Speaker 2: Devil's Garden, I told you about.
• 2:50
  Speaker 5: Devil's Garden? Whatever nonsense is that?
• 2:53
  Speaker 6: Don't you remember that was my little joke about it?
• 2:56
  Speaker 6: You see, I've managed to get hold of the spores
• 2:58
  Speaker 6: of several unclassified wild orchids. In a wild state, they
• 3:03
  Speaker 6: bloom under damp masses of leaf mold. The South American
• 3:08
  Speaker 6: Indians call them devil flowers. Because they appear to bloom
• 3:12
  Speaker 6: under the ground.
• 3:13
  Speaker 5: Well, I'm sure the South American Indians would be very
• 3:15
  Speaker 5: interested if you succeed in growing these ridiculous flowers under
• 3:18
  Speaker 5: the cellar floor. Whom else it will interest, I can't imagine. Oh,
• 3:23
  Speaker 5: what's that terrible smell?
• 3:25
  Speaker 6: Oh, that's the leaf mold. Chemically, identical with the earth
• 3:29
  Speaker 6: blanket they grow under in a wild state. And I
• 3:32
  Speaker 6: want to get these started before we close the house.
• 3:35
  Speaker 5: Do you realize that we're sailing for America a week
• 3:38
  Speaker 5: from today and you've made no arrangements whatever? Unless you
• 3:41
  Speaker 5: call digging a hole in the cellar making arrangements. I
• 3:43
  Speaker 5: certainly don't. Devil's garden, indeed. Sometimes I think you're going
• 3:48
  Speaker 5: soft in the head, Hubert.
• 3:49
  Speaker 2: Oh, I suppose it is inconsiderate of me, you see.
• 3:52
  Speaker 6: And I've been wanting to try this experiment for a
• 3:55
  Speaker 6: long time, but... With all those lectures and seminars at
• 3:58
  Speaker 6: the university, there never seemed to be enough time.
• 4:02
  Speaker 5: Well, there certainly isn't any time for it now. I
• 4:04
  Speaker 5: suppose you've forgotten I made an appointment for you at
• 4:06
  Speaker 5: the barber's this afternoon.
• 4:08
  Speaker 2: Must I shave my beard off, Hermione?
• 4:10
  Speaker 5: I thought we'd been through all that.
• 4:12
  Speaker 7: Of course you must.
• 4:14
  Speaker 5: They don't wear beards in America. Bad enough you're speaking
• 4:16
  Speaker 5: with that accent. They'll probably think we're Germans as it is.
• 4:20
  Speaker 6: Oh, I should think it would be quite easy just
• 4:22
  Speaker 6: to explain that I'm Swiss.
• 4:23
  Speaker 5: Now, Hubert, don't be argumentative. Go and get your jacket
• 4:28
  Speaker 5: on and do as I tell you.
• 4:30
  Speaker 2: Yes, Hermione.
• 4:31
  Speaker 5: And don't forget to take your umbrella. It looks like rain.
• 4:33
  Speaker 2: Yes, Hermione.
• 4:34
  Speaker 5: And don't look so put upon, Hubert. Someone has to
• 4:38
  Speaker 5: plan things in this house. Never even get to the
• 4:40
  Speaker 5: university in time for your lectures, much less make arrangements
• 4:43
  Speaker 5: for a trip to America.
• 4:44
  Speaker 2: I know, but what about my specimens?
• 4:46
  Speaker 5: There'll be plenty of time to plant your precious devil's
• 4:49
  Speaker 5: garden when we get home from America. We're not going
• 4:52
  Speaker 5: to be gone forever, you know. We'll be back here
• 4:53
  Speaker 5: for Christmas.
• 4:54
  Speaker 6: Yes, of course. Back for Christmas. I forgot that.
• 4:57
  Speaker 5: Well, try to remember it. And if you can't do that,
• 5:00
  Speaker 5: just do as I tell you. I've been making the
• 5:03
  Speaker 5: plans in this house for 20 years. And if there's
• 5:06
  Speaker 5: any digging to be done... I'll manage that as well.
• 5:09
  Speaker 5: You understand, Hubert?
• 5:11
  Speaker 2: Yes, Hermione.
• 5:12
  Speaker 6: Good.
• 5:12
  Speaker 5: Now, you have just 20 minutes to clean up this
• 5:15
  Speaker 5: mess down here and keep your appointment at the barber's.
• 5:17
  Speaker 5: And when you finish there, I want you to come
• 5:19
  Speaker 5: straight home.
• 5:20
  Speaker 2: All right. Oh, I wanted to stop at Miss Markham's
• 5:23
  Speaker 2: and pick up some books I ordered.
• 5:25
  Speaker 5: Well, all right. But don't loiter there the whole afternoon
• 5:28
  Speaker 5: moiling over those old books the way you usually do.
• 5:30
  Speaker 5: Now hurry and clear up this rubbish. Get rid of
• 5:32
  Speaker 5: that smelly stuff. And no more digging.
• 5:35
  Speaker 2: Mind you. No more digging. I'll show her. I'll have
• 5:42
  Speaker 2: my devil's garden and if I... No more digging, eh?
• 5:48
  Speaker 2: No more digging.
• 5:51
  Speaker 8: Oh, 15 men on a dead man's chest.
• 5:55
  Speaker 2: Yoo-hoo! And a bottle of rum. Good evening, sir. Good evening,
• 6:09
  Speaker 2: Miss Morgan.
• 6:10
  Speaker 7: Why, it is Professor Schumacher, isn't it?
• 6:13
  Speaker 2: Do you like me better this way?
• 6:14
  Speaker 7: You look ever so much younger without the beard. Twenty
• 6:17
  Speaker 7: years at least.
• 6:18
  Speaker 2: Twenty years?
• 6:19
  Speaker 7: Oh, you'll be glad to know those books you ordered
• 6:20
  Speaker 7: have finally arrived.
• 6:21
  Speaker 2: Twenty years? Oh, yes, the books.
• 6:24
  Speaker 7: Let me see.
• 6:25
  Speaker 9: The Phytotomy of Falloid Gametophytes and Coniferous Shrubs of North America.
• 6:30
  Speaker 2: Those are the ones you ordered, aren't they? Yes, thank you.
• 6:32
  Speaker 2: You're very kind, Miss Morgan.
• 6:34
  Speaker 7: Why, kind Professor Schumacher.
• 6:35
  Speaker 6: Well, not many young ladies in bookshops would go out
• 6:39
  Speaker 6: of their way to look up rare books for an
• 6:41
  Speaker 6: old professor of botany.
• 6:43
  Speaker 7: Why, you're not old, Professor Schumacher.
• 6:45
  Speaker 2: Really, you look... What do I look like?
• 6:47
  Speaker 7: And besides, I adore botany. It's my particular hobby.
• 6:51
  Speaker 2: Oh, really? You've never told me that before, Miss Markham.
• 6:54
  Speaker 7: Well, I was afraid to. You look so imposing with
• 6:57
  Speaker 7: the beard and all.
• 6:59
  Speaker 6: Oh, Miss Markham, forgive me if this sounds foolish, but
• 7:03
  Speaker 6: Since talking with you today, I feel like shaving off
• 7:07
  Speaker 6: my beard is the most important thing I've done for
• 7:10
  Speaker 6: 20 years.
• 7:11
  Speaker 2: Oh, it is.
• 7:12
  Speaker 7: I'm sure it is. For 20 years.
• 7:15
  Speaker 9: I'm so sorry that I've been so distant with you
• 7:17
  Speaker 9: all this time. Oh, there were times when I almost
• 7:20
  Speaker 9: spoke up.
• 7:20
  Speaker 2: Oh, really?
• 7:21
  Speaker 7: Times when you came in here tired after a day
• 7:23
  Speaker 7: with your students at the university. You seemed so alone.
• 7:27
  Speaker 7: The way I'm alone in the world.
• 7:28
  Speaker 2: Alone.
• 7:30
  Speaker 7: I'd like to have asked you to stay a while
• 7:31
  Speaker 7: and talk with me, but.
• 7:32
  Speaker 9: Some way or other, I always wound up giving you
• 7:35
  Speaker 9: your change and letting you go on your way.
• 7:37
  Speaker 2: Say, you're alone in the world?
• 7:40
  Speaker 7: Since my father died.
• 7:43
  Speaker 2: Miss Markham, did you never think of marrying?
• 7:46
  Speaker 9: My father was a very remarkable man. I never found
• 7:49
  Speaker 9: anyone who seemed to measure up to what he led
• 7:51
  Speaker 9: me to expect of men.
• 7:53
  Speaker 2: Miss Markham.
• 7:55
  Speaker 7: It's been so long since anyone called me by my
• 7:57
  Speaker 7: first name. I'd like you to if you want to.
• 8:00
  Speaker 7: It's Marianne.
• 8:01
  Speaker 2: Marianne. Oh, how nice.
• 8:03
  Speaker 7: And yours?
• 8:05
  Speaker 2: Hubertus. But in English, Hubert sounds better.
• 8:09
  Speaker 7: How long have you been alone, Hubert?
• 8:11
  Speaker 4: Alone?
• 8:11
  Speaker 7: I knew you were a widower, of course. The first
• 8:13
  Speaker 7: time I saw you.
• 8:15
  Speaker 2: A widower.
• 8:15
  Speaker 9: I can always tell there's a certain sadness in a
• 8:18
  Speaker 9: man's eyes. A sweet sadness, I think, when he's.
• 8:21
  Speaker 7: Been married and then lost.
• 8:22
  Speaker 2: A widower. I never thought of it in quite that way.
• 8:26
  Speaker 7: Oh, I'm sorry.
• 8:27
  Speaker 9: I shouldn't have been talking like this, I suppose, but...
• 8:31
  Speaker 9: I've often wondered what she must have been like.
• 8:33
  Speaker 7: Your wife, I mean.
• 8:34
  Speaker 2: Hermione? Not an easy woman to forget. Very strong. Always
• 8:40
  Speaker 2: managing things. The house, my wardrobe, my friends.
• 8:45
  Speaker 6: Even when we dined at a restaurant, she even then
• 8:48
  Speaker 6: ordered my food. She was always managing things. Her whole
• 8:52
  Speaker 6: life managed herself to death.
• 8:57
  Speaker 2: Poor woman.
• 8:59
  Speaker 9: She must have loved you very much. But she needn't
• 9:01
  Speaker 9: have put herself out so. It's plain to see you
• 9:03
  Speaker 9: don't need things managed for you.
• 9:05
  Speaker 2: No.
• 9:05
  Speaker 9: You need companionship, I think. Someone sympathetic with your work.
• 9:10
  Speaker 9: But the last thing on earth you need is a manager.
• 9:12
  Speaker 2: How well you put it. The last thing on earth.
• 9:24
  Speaker 5: Operator.
• 9:24
  Speaker 7: Operator, are you there?
• 9:26
  Speaker 5: I'm still waiting on that call to Salisbury. Well, put
• 9:28
  Speaker 5: them on quickly.
• 9:30
  Speaker 4: Hello.
• 9:32
  Speaker 5: Is this Paul Holton, sons?
• 9:34
  Speaker 2: It's Mrs.
• 9:34
  Speaker 5: Hubert Schumacher. Did you receive my letter?
• 9:38
  Speaker 2: Good.
• 9:39
  Speaker 5: Now remember, we'll be back for Christmas and I want
• 9:41
  Speaker 5: the job done without fail.
• 9:43
  Speaker 8: What's that?
• 9:45
  Speaker 2: No.
• 9:45
  Speaker 5: No, I'm sure he doesn't suspect anything. Send it to
• 9:48
  Speaker 5: me in New York as I instructed you, addressed in
• 9:51
  Speaker 5: my name, of course.
• 9:54
  Speaker 2: Yes.
• 9:55
  Speaker 5: I've already put them in the mail. You'll get them tomorrow.
• 9:58
  Speaker 5: Thank you. Thank you so much. Oh, here you are, Hubert.
• 10:03
  Speaker 5: Where have you been?
• 10:04
  Speaker 2: Oh, back stairs. I dismissed the servants.
• 10:09
  Speaker 5: Dismissed the servants?
• 10:10
  Speaker 2: Mm-hmm.
• 10:11
  Speaker 5: But I've asked some friends of mine into a farewell
• 10:13
  Speaker 5: lunch and go and tell them it's a mistake.
• 10:15
  Speaker 2: Well, I'm afraid it's too late now. They've packed and gone.
• 10:20
  Speaker 5: You have messed things up properly. How many times have
• 10:23
  Speaker 5: I told you to leave things to me? I make
• 10:25
  Speaker 5: the plans around here.
• 10:26
  Speaker 2: Yes, Hermione.
• 10:28
  Speaker 5: You have to do better than this when I plan
• 10:29
  Speaker 5: the trip home or we'll never in the world be
• 10:31
  Speaker 5: back for Christmas.
• 10:32
  Speaker 2: Back for Christmas. Back for Christmas. Must you keep saying that?
• 10:37
  Speaker 2: Why not?
• 10:39
  Speaker 5: We are coming back for Christmas, aren't we?
• 10:41
  Speaker 6: Well, supposing I were offered a professorship in one of
• 10:44
  Speaker 6: those wealthy American universities.
• 10:46
  Speaker 7: Nonsense.
• 10:46
  Speaker 5: Americans care nothing for botany.
• 10:48
  Speaker 2: Well, Luther Burbank was an American, wasn't he? That's different.
• 10:51
  Speaker 5: What have you ever done except muck around in the
• 10:53
  Speaker 5: dirt with a lot.
• 10:54
  Speaker 2: Of roots and tubers? Well, they asked me to lecture,
• 10:56
  Speaker 2: didn't they?
• 10:57
  Speaker 5: All right, all right. Now, there's no use getting yourself
• 11:00
  Speaker 5: in a state about this, Hubert. No doubt this extra
• 11:03
  Speaker 5: money will come in very handy when we arrive back
• 11:06
  Speaker 5: for Christmas. I know.
• 11:08
  Speaker 2: Precisely.
• 11:09
  Speaker 5: No good to make a joke of it. Heaven knows
• 11:12
  Speaker 5: where you'd be today if I hadn't got a sense
• 11:13
  Speaker 5: of time.
• 11:14
  Speaker 2: Yes, Hermione.
• 11:15
  Speaker 5: And as you've been so foolish as to dismiss the servants,
• 11:18
  Speaker 5: you may empty the ashtrays and straighten up this room
• 11:20
  Speaker 5: while we're waiting for the guests to arrive. I'm going
• 11:22
  Speaker 5: in to have my bath. Call me when they get here.
• 11:34
  Speaker 2: Marion? It's Hubert.
• 11:37
  Speaker 6: No, no, darling, no, nothing is wrong. My plans are
• 11:41
  Speaker 6: the same, unless you have changed.
• 11:44
  Speaker 2: No?
• 11:45
  Speaker 6: We'll meet in New York, then, and be married there.
• 11:48
  Speaker 6: I'll explain to you why later. You just have to
• 11:51
  Speaker 6: trust me.
• 11:52
  Speaker 2: Yes. Yes, madame. You will?
• 11:55
  Speaker 6: I'm so sorry, I can't talk any longer. Yes, I'll
• 11:58
  Speaker 6: meet you in New York, without fail. I'll be the same, madame.
• 12:04
  Speaker 5: Were you talking on the phone just now?
• 12:06
  Speaker 2: Yes. Yes, Hermione.
• 12:08
  Speaker 5: Whoever was it?
• 12:09
  Speaker 2: Oh, Freddie. Freddie Sinclair.
• 12:12
  Speaker 5: But didn't I hear you say something about meeting somebody
• 12:14
  Speaker 5: in New York?
• 12:15
  Speaker 2: Why, yes. Freddie said he might possibly get over there
• 12:19
  Speaker 2: before we even leave. And I said, of course, we'd
• 12:21
  Speaker 2: meet him there if he decided to go.
• 12:23
  Speaker 5: That seems very peculiar. But then all of your friends
• 12:27
  Speaker 5: are peculiar.
• 12:28
  Speaker 2: Yes, Hermione.
• 12:29
  Speaker 5: And just look at your jacket. Have you been digging
• 12:31
  Speaker 5: in that cellar again?
• 12:33
  Speaker 2: Yes, Hermione.
• 12:34
  Speaker 5: Well, there's no need for it. You can't possibly get
• 12:36
  Speaker 5: that devil's garden thing finished before we sail for America.
• 12:39
  Speaker 5: Go and change your clothes before the guests arrive. Oh,
• 12:42
  Speaker 5: never mind. I see somebody coming up the walk now.
• 12:45
  Speaker 5: Go and let them in.
• 12:46
  Speaker 2: Yes.
• 12:47
  Speaker 5: Uh, Hubert.
• 12:49
  Speaker 2: Yes?
• 12:49
  Speaker 5: Look out the window. There's Professor and Mrs. Goodenough, but
• 12:52
  Speaker 5: who's that with them?
• 12:53
  Speaker 2: Well, who....
• 12:55
  Speaker 6: Precisely.
• 12:56
  Speaker 5: Freddie Sinclair.
• 12:59
  Speaker 2: Peculiar.
• 12:59
  Speaker 5: You should have been talking to him on the phone
• 13:01
  Speaker 5: not three minutes ago, and now here he is.
• 13:03
  Speaker 2: Yes, isn't it? But then, as you see, Hermione, all
• 13:07
  Speaker 2: of my friends are peculiar.
• 13:09
  Speaker 5: Not half so peculiar as you. Digging in the cellar
• 13:14
  Speaker 5: the very day we leave for America. Just look at yourself.
• 13:19
  Speaker 5: And now that I think of it.
• 13:20
  Speaker 7: Yes?
• 13:20
  Speaker 4: Yes?
• 13:22
  Speaker 5: Oh, never mind. Go and let them in.
• 13:23
  Speaker 2: Oh, you were going to ask me something, Hermione, about
• 13:27
  Speaker 2: the hole I'm digging in the cellar.
• 13:29
  Speaker 5: Good heavens, stop rolling your eyes about that way. One
• 13:32
  Speaker 5: would think you were digging a grave down there instead
• 13:34
  Speaker 5: of a storage bin.
• 13:36
  Speaker 2: Yes, Hermione.
• 13:37
  Speaker 5: What's that?
• 13:39
  Speaker 2: I said yes, Hermione.
• 13:41
  Speaker 5: Father, open the door and please stop saying yes, Hermione.
• 13:44
  Speaker 2: I think, my dear, I have said it for the
• 13:47
  Speaker 2: last time.
• 13:56
  Speaker 4: A professor of botany, his loving wife, and an oblong
• 14:01
  Speaker 4: pit in the cellar, just the right size for his
• 14:04
  Speaker 4: botanical specimens, his devil's garden. With these ingredients for a
• 14:09
  Speaker 4: story of a perfect crime, Back for Christmas by John
• 14:13
  Speaker 4: Collier and starring Peter Lorre, the Roma Wine Company closes
• 14:17
  Speaker 4: the curtain for a moment on another breathless study in Suspense.
• 14:31
  Speaker 3: In this brief intermission in the play, it's pleasant to
• 14:33
  Speaker 3: think about the holidays. Not everyone celebrates the holidays against
• 14:37
  Speaker 3: a background of snow and pine trees. Somewhere south of
• 14:40
  Speaker 3: the Gulf and the Caribbean, in a gracious home surrounded
• 14:43
  Speaker 3: by palm trees and a warm sun, you might find
• 14:46
  Speaker 3: holiday dinners ending this way.
• 14:51
  Speaker 2: One moment, please.
• 14:54
  Speaker 10: Our North American guest wishes to propose a toast.
• 14:59
  Speaker 2: Yes, mis amigos.
• 15:00
  Speaker 10: I drink a toast in gratitude to you for your
• 15:03
  Speaker 10: gracious hospitality and the enjoyment you've given me, an American.
• 15:08
  Speaker 2: So far from home. It is only a fair exchange,
• 15:11
  Speaker 2: my friend.
• 15:12
  Speaker 10: This wine in which you drink your toast, it brings
• 15:16
  Speaker 10: enjoyment to us from your country, from America.
• 15:20
  Speaker 2: It is Roma wine, made in your own California.
• 15:23
  Speaker 3: Yes, and when you choose the wine for your holiday table,
• 15:27
  Speaker 3: remember this. Only a few wines are so fine that
• 15:30
  Speaker 3: many countries of the world import them. And among these
• 15:34
  Speaker 3: greatly enjoyable wines are the wines of Roma, R-O-M-A, made
• 15:39
  Speaker 3: in California for enjoyment throughout the world. Yet here in America,
• 15:44
  Speaker 3: we are truly fortunate, for we may buy Roma wines
• 15:47
  Speaker 3: at a very low cost, since we don't have to
• 15:50
  Speaker 3: pay import duty or costly shipping charges. So serve Roma
• 15:54
  Speaker 3: wine with pride on any and all holiday occasions. Serve
• 15:58
  Speaker 3: Roma II for everyday dinners. You can afford two. Ask
• 16:01
  Speaker 3: your dealer tomorrow for your favorite Roma wine, America's largest
• 16:06
  Speaker 3: selling wine. But before you buy wine, buy Warbonds.
• 16:13
  Speaker 4: And now it is with pleasure that we bring back
• 16:16
  Speaker 4: to our sound stage Mr. Peter Lorre in Act II
• 16:19
  Speaker 4: of Back for Christmas, a tale well calculated to keep
• 16:23
  Speaker 4: you in suspense.
• 16:36
  Speaker 2: Back for Christmas.
• 16:39
  Speaker 6: Hermione was so positive we would be back for Christmas,
• 16:43
  Speaker 6: that last afternoon, pouring tea out for a few friends
• 16:47
  Speaker 6: who had come in to see her last minute farewells,
• 16:50
  Speaker 6: she kept reiterating it.
• 16:51
  Speaker 5: Now, mind you, Hermione, don't let those Americans lure your
• 16:54
  Speaker 5: husband with one of their fat university jobs.
• 16:57
  Speaker 7: We absolutely must have.
• 16:58
  Speaker 5: You with us for Christmas. He shall be back, I
• 17:01
  Speaker 5: promise you.
• 17:01
  Speaker 2: Well, it's not absolutely certain, of course.
• 17:04
  Speaker 5: Hubert, now, what do you mean it's not certain?
• 17:06
  Speaker 2: Of course it's certain.
• 17:07
  Speaker 10: After all, Hubert, old boy, you've contracted to lecture for
• 17:09
  Speaker 10: only three months.
• 17:10
  Speaker 2: Oh, that's quite right, but then, of course, anything may... happens.
• 17:13
  Speaker 5: Hubert adores being unpredictable. Now, what other man would decide
• 17:17
  Speaker 5: the day, the very day, mind you, before leaving for
• 17:20
  Speaker 5: America to dig a great hole in the floor of
• 17:23
  Speaker 5: the cellar? In the cellar? Yes. He's going to put
• 17:26
  Speaker 5: some unclassified wild orchids down there. A devil's garden, if
• 17:31
  Speaker 5: you please. It sounds so mysterious. That's Hubert, though. It's
• 17:36
  Speaker 5: really quite simple, however, once you find out what he's
• 17:39
  Speaker 5: up to. Now, take the telephone call he put through
• 17:42
  Speaker 5: to you a few minutes ago, Freddy.
• 17:44
  Speaker 2: To me? Of course.
• 17:45
  Speaker 5: Now, Hubert wanted to surprise me about your plan to
• 17:48
  Speaker 5: meet us in New York next month. Wasn't that why
• 17:50
  Speaker 5: he called? To ask you not to mention it?
• 17:53
  Speaker 10: My dear Hermione, Hubert couldn't possibly have telephoned me within
• 17:56
  Speaker 10: the past hour.
• 17:57
  Speaker 2: I've been walking in the park since three.
• 18:00
  Speaker 5: He didn't telephone you?
• 18:01
  Speaker 2: Well, how could he? Am I going to America? No, no, no, no, no. Come, Freddy, come.
• 18:06
  Speaker 2: You may as well confess. Hermione has just found me
• 18:09
  Speaker 2: out again.
• 18:10
  Speaker 5: But, Hubert, old chap, I really don't... You see what
• 18:13
  Speaker 5: a poor liar Hubert makes. He's red as a beetroot.
• 18:15
  Speaker 7: Aren't you ashamed of yourself, Professor?
• 18:17
  Speaker 5: Stringing poor Hermione along like that. And as for you, Freddy,
• 18:21
  Speaker 5: I'm furious you said nothing to us about going to America.
• 18:24
  Speaker 2: But look here, old girl. I've been trying to tell
• 18:27
  Speaker 2: everyone here.
• 18:28
  Speaker 5: That I'm... Oh, stop the nonsense. The game's gone on
• 18:30
  Speaker 5: long enough. Besides, we must start getting ready. Now, it
• 18:32
  Speaker 5: was marvelous of all of you to come in to
• 18:34
  Speaker 5: say goodbye. And don't worry about Hubert's little jokes. I
• 18:38
  Speaker 5: will bring him back for Christmas. You may rely on it.
• 18:45
  Speaker 2: They all believed her. For years, she had been promising
• 18:49
  Speaker 2: me for dinner parties, garden parties, committees, and the promises
• 18:55
  Speaker 2: had always been kept. This time, they would not be.
• 19:00
  Speaker 2: I had seen to that. The servants were gunned for good.
• 19:04
  Speaker 2: The farewells all said. I had time to the minute
• 19:09
  Speaker 2: how long it would take to fill in a hole
• 19:11
  Speaker 2: in a cellar. My devil's garden.
• 19:15
  Speaker 6: Upstairs in a bedroom, I undressed and put on my
• 19:18
  Speaker 6: old bathrobe.
• 19:18
  Speaker 2: And then I... I opened the door into a minus room. Oh, uh... Hermione,
• 19:24
  Speaker 2: have you a moment to spare?
• 19:26
  Speaker 5: Of course, dear. I'm just finished.
• 19:27
  Speaker 6: Well, then, will you come in here for a moment, please?
• 19:29
  Speaker 6: There's something rather extraordinary here.
• 19:32
  Speaker 5: Oh, good heavens, Hubert. What are you lounging about in
• 19:34
  Speaker 5: that filthy old bathroom? For I told you to put
• 19:36
  Speaker 5: it into the furnace.
• 19:37
  Speaker 2: Well, I'll do it. I'll do it today. Yes, well,
• 19:40
  Speaker 2: I will.
• 19:41
  Speaker 5: Well, high time. Now, what is it you want to
• 19:43
  Speaker 5: show me?
• 19:44
  Speaker 2: Oh, here, here, in the bathroom. Just look. Who in
• 19:47
  Speaker 2: the world do you suppose dropped a gold chain down
• 19:49
  Speaker 2: the bathroom? drain?
• 19:50
  Speaker 5: Nobody has, of course. Nobody wears such a thing.
• 19:53
  Speaker 2: Then what is it doing in here?
• 19:55
  Speaker 5: I don't see anything.
• 19:56
  Speaker 2: Well, look.
• 19:58
  Speaker 6: I'll hold this flashlight here for you. If you lean
• 20:00
  Speaker 6: right over, you can see it shining. It's deep down.
• 20:03
  Speaker 5: Such a lot of nonsense. Just as well. Well, I
• 20:06
  Speaker 5: don't see it, Hubert.
• 20:07
  Speaker 2: Well, go on looking, Hermione, in just a moment.
• 20:09
  Speaker 5: Hubert, I absolutely refuse... Hubert, what are you doing? Take
• 20:14
  Speaker 5: your hands off my neck!
• 20:15
  Speaker 2: I will, Hermione. Just as soon as I've finished the
• 20:18
  Speaker 2: arrangements for my trip to America.
• 20:21
  Speaker 5: What are you talking about?
• 20:22
  Speaker 2: You thought you were the only one who could plan things,
• 20:26
  Speaker 2: didn't you? Didn't you, Hermione, huh? Well, I've been making
• 20:31
  Speaker 2: some plans of my own this past week. In exactly
• 20:35
  Speaker 2: two minutes and 16 seconds, you'll be dead. You see?
• 20:42
  Speaker 2: You see, I planned it very accurately.
• 20:45
  Speaker 5: You'll never get away with it.
• 20:47
  Speaker 6: Oh, I thought you would say that, Hermione, but I
• 20:51
  Speaker 6: will get away with it.
• 20:53
  Speaker 2: You won't mind the smell of the leaf mold down
• 20:56
  Speaker 2: in the cellar when I take you down there today? Yes.
• 21:00
  Speaker 2: That is where you are going, Hermione. Right into my
• 21:04
  Speaker 2: devil's garden. That annoyed you so much.
• 21:08
  Speaker 5: My friends all expect me back for Christmas.
• 21:10
  Speaker 2: They do.
• 21:10
  Speaker 5: If they don't hear from me, they'll start asking questions.
• 21:13
  Speaker 2: No, they won't. Because you'll write them letters, Hermione. On
• 21:19
  Speaker 2: a typewriter. As you always do. They'll be signed H.
• 21:24
  Speaker 2: In that neat, correcting way you always sign your notes
• 21:28
  Speaker 2: to your friends. Yes.
• 21:30
  Speaker 5: Let me up now!
• 21:31
  Speaker 2: No!
• 21:32
  Speaker 5: It won't work, Hubert. You were never any good at
• 21:35
  Speaker 5: planning things.
• 21:35
  Speaker 2: Oh, but I have changed. I've learned from watching you
• 21:40
  Speaker 2: all these years.
• 21:41
  Speaker 5: The lecture people in America, they'll expect you to be
• 21:44
  Speaker 5: traveling with your wife.
• 21:45
  Speaker 2: I will be traveling with my wife, but not my
• 21:48
  Speaker 2: present wife, Hermione.
• 21:50
  Speaker 5: Hubert! It won't work, I tell you. That pit you
• 21:54
  Speaker 5: dug in the cellar.
• 21:55
  Speaker 2: Oh, it will work. It'll serve its purpose well. Hubert! No, no,
• 22:00
  Speaker 2: I'm sorry, dear.
• 22:02
  Speaker 8: This thing has to be done exactly as planned. You
• 22:07
  Speaker 8: have just five seconds to say your prayers.
• 22:10
  Speaker 5: Hubert! You must listen. The cellar, it.
• 22:14
  Speaker 2: Don't do it! Hubert! Hubert! Yes, Hermione! Oh, uh, steward? Yes, sir? Oh,
• 22:35
  Speaker 2: my wife, she's indisposed. She'll be taking her meals in
• 22:38
  Speaker 2: our stateroom. For the whole voyage, sir? Yes, for the
• 22:40
  Speaker 2: whole voyage.
• 22:45
  Speaker 5: I trust your wife is feeling better this morning, Professor Schumacher?
• 22:49
  Speaker 2: A little. Not yet well enough to leave her cabin. Oh,
• 22:52
  Speaker 2: what a shame. Oh, Professor Schumacher?
• 22:54
  Speaker 4: Yes?
• 22:54
  Speaker 2: Here's a copy of the radiogram you sent for your
• 22:56
  Speaker 2: wife last evening. Oh, thank you. I'll just check it
• 22:59
  Speaker 2: over a bit. Oh, but look. Look here. Why? What's
• 23:04
  Speaker 2: the matter? Did the typist make a mistake? No. No.
• 23:09
  Speaker 2: It's nothing important. She can correct it later. What? For
• 23:17
  Speaker 2: a moment, I had a feeling that Hermione had been
• 23:21
  Speaker 2: leaning over my shoulder again, correcting what I had written
• 23:26
  Speaker 2: as she always did. I had written a radiogram to
• 23:29
  Speaker 2: Professor Goodenough and his wife. Haven't been out of my
• 23:33
  Speaker 2: cabin the whole beastly trip, Hubert, well. Now, doubt will
• 23:39
  Speaker 2: be back for Christmas.
• 23:41
  Speaker 6: But the operator had left out the W and it read...
• 23:46
  Speaker 6: No doubt we'll be back for Christmas. Exactly what Hermione.
• 23:52
  Speaker 2: Would have written.
• 23:55
  Speaker 6: Well, the rest of the trip was uneventful. Marion and
• 24:01
  Speaker 6: I met in New York just as we had planned.
• 24:05
  Speaker 2: Just as we had Professor and Mrs. Schumacher, we have reservations,
• 24:23
  Speaker 2: I believe. Oh, yes, we've been expecting you, sir. Boy,
• 24:26
  Speaker 2: take Professor and Mrs. Schumacher's luggage up to their suite.
• 24:28
  Speaker 2: You know, Mrs. Schumacher, you're quite a surprise.
• 24:31
  Speaker 10: Your letter reserving the rooms was so thorough, I was
• 24:34
  Speaker 10: expecting an older, more forbidding sort of.
• 24:36
  Speaker 2: Person, frankly, ma'am. No.
• 24:39
  Speaker 7: As a matter of fact, we're just married, but I...
• 24:41
  Speaker 7: My letter is derving the rooms.
• 24:43
  Speaker 2: Oh, I wrote the letter, my dear, and I signed
• 24:45
  Speaker 2: it Mrs. Hubert Schumacher. Just a joke.
• 24:48
  Speaker 5: What a cunning old fox you are, Hubert.
• 24:51
  Speaker 2: Now that I think of it, I... Oh, I almost forgot.
• 24:53
  Speaker 2: There's a letter for you, Mrs. Schumacher.
• 24:55
  Speaker 7: That's peculiar. I wonder who on earth.
• 24:58
  Speaker 2: Oh, well, we'll find out in good time. Come along, darling. Oh,
• 25:02
  Speaker 2: we are keeping the boy waiting. Come. Nothing like a cold,
• 25:16
  Speaker 2: brisk shower to put a man to rest.
• 25:18
  Speaker 7: Hubert, this letter.
• 25:19
  Speaker 2: Oh, yes, the letter. Dry my hair, will you, darling? Please.
• 25:22
  Speaker 9: It seems to be a bill of some sort from
• 25:24
  Speaker 9: a building contractor in Salisbury.
• 25:26
  Speaker 2: Oh, really?
• 25:27
  Speaker 7: Oh, bother.
• 25:27
  Speaker 2: Dry your own hair. Thank you, darling. Let's see this
• 25:31
  Speaker 2: bill or whatever it is.
• 25:32
  Speaker 7: It's very puzzling. Hubert, you were a widower, weren't you?
• 25:37
  Speaker 7: I mean, Hermione isn't still alive.
• 25:40
  Speaker 2: Am I? Good heavens, no. Well, let me read that. Mm-hmm.
• 25:46
  Speaker 2: Dear madame, this is to acknowledge your order to.
• 25:50
  Speaker 6: together with the keys to your house in Launceston Place.
• 25:54
  Speaker 6: Our man had no difficulty in finding the place where
• 25:58
  Speaker 6: your husband had begun the excavation in a.
• 26:01
  Speaker 2: Cellar, but apparently he changed his mind at the last
• 26:05
  Speaker 2: moment and filled it in again.
• 26:06
  Speaker 7: What is it, Hubert?
• 26:07
  Speaker 2: Our man will begin digging tomorrow.
• 26:10
  Speaker 8: And the job will be completed in ample time for
• 26:14
  Speaker 8: your surprise Christmas present to your husband. We are happy
• 26:19
  Speaker 8: to be conspirators with you in this thoughtful gesture and
• 26:23
  Speaker 8: hope that Professor Schumacher will be pleased at the results
• 26:27
  Speaker 8: of our work on his devil's garden, very truly yours,
• 26:33
  Speaker 8: Paul Holtzson's contractors.
• 26:40
  Speaker 5: What does it mean, Hubert?
• 26:41
  Speaker 2: It means... It means that Hermione was right. I will
• 26:48
  Speaker 2: be back for Christmas. I will be back for Christmas!
• 26:55
  Speaker 7: I will be back for Christmas!
• 26:59
  Speaker 2: Back for Christmas! Yes! Hermione!
• 27:18
  Speaker 4: And so closes Back for Christmas. Starring Mr.
• 27:22
  Speaker 2: Peter Lorre. Tonight's tale of... Suspense. In just a moment,
• 27:30
  Speaker 2: we shall hear again from Mr.
• 27:32
  Speaker 4: Lorre.
• 27:33
  Speaker 3: But first, just a word that seems appropriate. One of
• 27:36
  Speaker 3: the world's oldest customs is the Christmas toast. And traditionally,
• 27:40
  Speaker 3: down through centuries of war and peace, the Christmas toast
• 27:43
  Speaker 3: has been drunk in wine. This year, when the glasses
• 27:46
  Speaker 3: are filled and raised once again, we know that in
• 27:49
  Speaker 3: every home the toast will be to a speedy victory
• 27:53
  Speaker 3: and a speedy return of those we love. And before
• 27:56
  Speaker 3: we set the wine glasses down, let us all resolve
• 27:59
  Speaker 3: to do everything within our power to help make that
• 28:02
  Speaker 3: toast come true. Let us resolve to help supply the
• 28:06
  Speaker 3: weapons of war by buying even more and more war bonds.
• 28:10
  Speaker 3: Let us resolve to face our own inconveniences without complaining.
• 28:14
  Speaker 3: And above all, let us resolve that when this war
• 28:16
  Speaker 3: is at last over, each of us will exert all
• 28:19
  Speaker 3: our effort to see that future Christmases truly express peace
• 28:24
  Speaker 3: on earth, goodwill to men. This thought, together with our
• 28:28
  Speaker 3: very best wishes of the season, is the Roma Wine
• 28:31
  Speaker 3: Company's Christmas message for you, its friends, here in America
• 28:35
  Speaker 3: and throughout the world.
• 28:37
  Speaker 2: This is Peter Laurie.
• 28:38
  Speaker 6: Thank you for listening to our suspense play this evening
• 28:41
  Speaker 6: and I know you're looking forward to next week's show
• 28:43
  Speaker 6: as I am. It is called Finishing School. And its
• 28:48
  Speaker 6: subtitle might be the famous quotation, the female of the
• 28:52
  Speaker 6: species is more deadly than the male.
• 28:56
  Speaker 4: Don't forget then, next Thursday, same time, for Margot, Elsa Lanchester,
• 29:02
  Speaker 4: Janet Beecher, and a distinguished all-feminine cast in Suspense.
• 29:07
  Speaker 3: Presented by Roma Wines.
• 29:10
  Speaker 2: R-O-M-A.
• 29:13
  Speaker 3: Made in California for enjoyment throughout the world. This is
• 29:28
  Speaker 3: the Columbia Broadcasting System.
• 29:42
  Speaker 1: Suspense, back for Christmas, has reached its final cue. Good night,
• 29:46
  Speaker 1: and keep the radio dial close.