"It's good to see you, Dick." "It's good to be back." "Everything has been arranged." "She's up there waiting for you." "Thank you." "WOMAN:" "Poor, dear man." "I... ." "I guessI'IIbegoingnow." "Good luck to you, Dick." "Been through hell, hasn't he?" "To a man like that, two years in prison is worse than hell." "Isn't that Dick HarIand, the chap who used to live in Back of the Moon?" "Yes, I believe it is." "well, of all the seven deadly sins, jealousy is the most deadly." "Oh, will you bring us some coffee, please?" "You were his lawyer, weren't you?" "Yes, I defended him." "Some might say I lost the case for him." "I read the newspapers, but I never could make head nor tail of it." "well..." "... there'ssomethingsthat couldn't be told in the courtroom." "Yet, of all the people involved..." "... IsupposeI'mthe onlyone who knew the whole story." "You see, it was through me they first met." "He'd been working very hard on a new book." "I invited him up to my place in New Mexico for a rest." "They met on the train." "Thank you." "You're quite welcome." "[CHUCKLES]" "Oh, I'm sorry." "I was staring at you, wasn't I?" "I didn't mean to, really." "It's only because" "Because you look so much like my father." "When he was younger, of course, your age." "A most remarkable resemblance." "For a moment I thought" "Do forgive me." "To tell you the truth, I was doing quite a bit of staring myself." "And I assure you it's not because you look like my mother." "In fact, I can't say you look like anyone I've ever met before." "Then why did you stare?" "Do you want to know?" "If it's not too unfIattering." "Now, you know perfectly well that nothing I couId say about you" "The way you look, I mean, could be anything but flattering." "Of course, if you don't like fIattery" "But I do." "On second thought, it won't be flattery." "It'II be the truth and nothing but the truth." "Any resemblance to flattery will be sheer coincidence." "shall I proceed?" "Proceed." "while I was watching you, exotic words drifted across the mirror of my mind..." "... assummerclouds drift across the sky." "Mmm." "CouIdn't you be a bit more specific?" "I'II try." "Watching you, I thought of tales in the Arabian Nights..." "... ofmyrrhandfrankincenseand...." "And patchouIi?" "PatchouIi, that's it." "Wait a minute." "I knew it." "Here it is." "I quote:" ""As he watched her, exotic words drifted across the mirror of his mind." "He thought of tales in the Arabian Nights..." "... ofmyrrhandfrankincense and patchouli. " Unquote." "So that's where it came from." "Oh, I guess so." "But really, I wasn't" "I give you my word, it's weeks since I read it." "It must've impressed you enormously." "The book?" "Not particularly." "Rather a sloppy job, I thought." "I agree with you." "You do?" "MAN:" "Next stop, Jacinto." "Next stop, Jacinto." "Oh, that's me." "Jacinto." "That's me." "ROBIE:" "Oh, there you are." "hello there." "Oh, it's nice to see you." "Mrs." "Berent." "hello." "hello." "ROBIE:" "hello, baby, how are you?" "hello, darling." "And how's Louise?" "ROBIE:" "Fine." "And the children?" "Fine, wonderful." "Get those bags, will you?" "Looking forward to seeing the ranch." "Can you stay long?" "ROBIE:" "Here!" "Here we are!" "hello there." "hello, glen, how are you?" "Nice to see you." "glad to see you, Dick." "You look fine." "How's your brother?" "Danny's still flat on his back." "He wanted very much to come..." "... butthedoctorthoughtthetrip might be too much." "ROBIE:" "Oh, I'm sorry." "Ladies, may I present Mr. HarIand?" "Mrs. Berent." "How do you do?" "How do you do?" "Ruth Berent." "How do you do?" "hello." "ellen Berent." "How do you do?" "How do you do?" "We met on the train, rather briefly." "Too briefly." "I've got the car right here, folks." "Are you all ready?" "Come on." "Did you say HarIand?" "Richard HarIand." "Oh, Mr. HarIand, I'm terribly sorry." "I doubt if I'II ever forgive you." "Wait till you get a look at the new colts." "Oh, I bet they're darling." "ellen, we've got plenty of wild turkey this year." "ELLEN:" "wonderful." "Big as ostriches, twice as ornery." "Hope you people are all good and hungry." "Here we are." "Mom, they're here!" "They're here!" "welcome to Rancho Jacinto." "MRS. BERENT:" "Thank you, glen." "Mother, isn't it wonderful?" "It's beautiful." "Ruth." "Oh, my dear." "Margaret." "I did want to come to meet you..." "... butI thoughtit besttostay here  to supervise dinner." "ellen, how are you?" "How are you?" "Dick, it's so good seeing you." "But where's Danny?" "He couldn't quite make it, Louise." "Oh, I'm terribly sorry." "Is he still at Warm Springs?" "Yes, he's getting along fine." "Oh, good." "You'II probably want to change." "Come on, I'II show you your room." "[ALL TALKING INDISTINCTLY]" "ROBIE:" "Those trout were in the stream hours ago." "You couldn't get that in Boston." "MRS. BERENT:" "Perhaps, but our codfish" "I was born and raised in Boston myself." "I yield to no one in my passion for codfish." "I hate codfish." "So do I." "children, that's rank disIoyaIty." "It's treason." "Mr. HarIand, what do you think?" "Mrs. Robie, I'm what you call a salmon man." "Fact of the matter is Mother just doesn't like New Mexico." "Since this is my first visit, I don't see how you can say such a thing." "It's true just the same." "Father and I used to come here every spring, year after year." "And occasionally Ruth came along, but never Mother." "Too bad Mr. Berent didn't come along this time." "I've been told I resemble him." "Who told you that, Mr. HarIand?" "I did." "Louise, don't you think so?" "well, yes, now that you mention it." "glen?" "well, in a way." "ELLEN:" "In every way." "I noticed it the minute I saw him in the club car." "His face, his voice, his manner." "It's uncanny." "well, I must admit you've aroused my curiosity." "If I should get an opportunity to meet your father" "That's hardly likely, Mr. HarIand." "My husband" "We've come for my father's funeral." "MRS. ROBIE:" "My goodness, there is a resemblance." "Why, a most decided resemblance." "tell me, what did they mean about coming here for the funeral?" "Oh, that was rather a figure of speech." "As a matter of fact, Professor Berent died some time ago in the East..." "... andhisbodywas cremated." "They brought the ashes here." "They're having the ceremony in the morning." "Where?" "High up in the mountains..." "... sortofaplateau." "A favorite spot of his." "He used to go there a Iot with ellen." "well, now, if you'II excuse me, I'II see if the children have gone to bed." "[PIANO PLAYS]" "hello." "hello." "ellen's gone for a walk." "well, how did you know that I--?" "Oh, I'm quite psychic." "Oh." "And is your sister psychic too?" "Oh, yes, much more than I am." "only I'm not her sister." "You're not?" "No, I'm her cousin." "I've lived with the family ever since I was a child." "Mrs. Berent adopted me." "MRS. BERENT:" "Good evening, Mr. HarIand." "RICHARD:" "Oh, good evening." "In all fairness, I must confess the nights here..." "... seemmorebeautiful than at Beacon hill." "infinitely." "I think everything's more beautiful here." "ellen has gone for a stroll." "Thank you." "hello." "hello." "Am I intruding?" "Not at all." "I" "well, I'm afraid I owe you an apology." "It was rather clumsy of me at the table to speak of your father." "That's all right." "You couldn't have known." "You were very close to your father, weren't you?" "Yes, we were inseparable." "From the time I was able to walk..." "... wewerebothhappiest when we were together." "Engagement ring?" "Yes." "I believe I'd better be going in now." "We're getting up at 5:00 in the morning." "Good night." "Good night." "Don't you think somebody ought to look for ellen?" "What for?" "well, it's pretty wild country up there." "Perhaps she's lost." "ellen knows her way home." "I know, but it's been over 1 2 hours." "Suppose something happened to her." "Nothing ever happens to ellen." "well, I think I'II take a ride before I turn in." "Are you all right?" "ELLEN:" "Oh, yes, perfectly." "I just wanted to be alone for a while." "Thank you for coming to the funeral." "You knew I was there?" "Yes, I saw you as I rode by." "I hope you don't think it was just curiosity." "No, I understand." "I'm glad you were there." "So am I. I'II never forget it." "Father used to say it was like riding across the front lawn of heaven." "We made a pact to bring our ashes here when we died." ""If you die first," I told him, "I'II bring yours here." "If I die first, you'II bring mine. "" "Yet, I know now..." "... peopleyoulovedon 'treallydie." "Can we go now?" "RICHARD:" "I'm not a bit sleepy, are you?" "ELLEN:" "Not in the least." "Have you forgiven me yet?" "What I said about your book." "Oh, that." "I have a different opinion now." "I finished reading the book last night and I found it quite absorbing." "RICHARD:" "What made you change your mind?" "I got interested in one of the characters." "Which one?" "The author." "[RICHARD CHUCKLES]" "well, I assure you the book is not supposed to be about me." "Oh, but it is, whether you Iike it or not." ""Every book's a confession," my father always said." "You have to read between the lines." "And did you?" "well, what sort of man am I?" "You're a bachelor." "Thirty years old." "You were born and raised in Boston..." "... andyouwenttoHarvard, where you edited the Lampoon." "When you graduated, you went to Paris and you studied painting for a while." "You have a lodge in Maine called Back of the Moon." "Before you went in for writing novels, you were a newspaper man." "Your favorite sport is fishing, and you speak French and Spanish quite well." "Shades of sherlock." "You got all that just from reading my book?" "Just from reading the dust jacket." "It was all there under your picture." "You know, if you'd lived in salem 1 00 years ago, they'd have burned you." "Why did you give up painting?" "well, it was like this." "In the first place, I discovered I was colorblind." "Since I was interested in Post-Impressionism..." "... thatdidn'tmatter,did it?" "No." "When I made the acquaintance of the boys on the Left Bank..." "... Ifoundthattheylived in squalid garrets..." "... andmostof them were miserably undernourished." "Have you ever known what it was to be really hungry?" "I'm hungry right now." "You must be." "You haven't had dinner, have you?" "Nor lunch." "You poor thing, you must be famished." "Mrs. Robie told emily to leave you a tray." "Good." "Oh, there it is." "I'II get it." "RICHARD:" "Let me." "ELLEN:" "tell me about your place in Maine." "RICHARD:" "Oh, it's just a cabin, a shack, that's all." "But it's set down in just about the most beautiful country I've ever seen." "Why do you call it Back of the Moon?" "well, there's a lake up there, shaped like a crescent." "Danny and I used to spend all our summers there." "You love Danny a Iot, don't you?" "well, naturally." "Is that why you've never married, because you've had to take care of him?" "RICHARD:" "No, not exactly." "The way I feel about marriage" "well, it's Iike" " Thank you." "It's like that trip I made to Europe after I graduated." "I hadn't the least idea of going abroad." "It just happened." "I was taking a walk with a girl." "We went down to Boston Wharf and watched a freighter being loaded." "I liked the looks of her." "The girl?" "No, the freighter." "She looked good to me and she smelled good." "I didn't know where she was going, but I knew I was going with her." "And I did." "Mmm... ." "This is the tastiest sandwich I've ever eaten." "What is it?" "Turkey." "wild turkey." "Ever hunted them?" "No, I haven't." "It's tricky shooting." "They're sort of scary, but they're so big and clumsy, they hate to take wing." "It's a Iot of fun." "I'd Iike to try it sometime." "How about tomorrow?" "well, if glen has no other plans." "I meant just the two of us." "I'd love to." "Why did you come for me tonight?" "well, I don't know exactly." "Everybody assured me you'd be perfectly all right." "I guess it was just an impulse." "Like the time you took the freighter?" "Yes." "You knew I was coming up there tonight." "You were waiting for me, weren't you?" "Yes." "And you came, didn't you?" "well... ." "Good night." "RUTH:" "hello." "What's going on up there?" "I'm just pruning and tying up the roses." "I hope I wasn't interfering." "Not at all." "I'm glad you're here." "I was thinking about you." "Something you said the other night." "What did I say?" "Something rather strange." "You said you'd been adopted by Mrs. Berent." "well, what's so strange about that?" "well, you didn't say Mr. and Mrs. Berent." "Weren't you adopted by both of them?" "Yes, of course." "Why did you say Mrs. Berent?" "I don't know." "I suppose it was because she suggested that" "She was alone so much of the time, and I" "I mustn't keep you from your work." "Be careful." "Oh, I'm all right." "How's that for an entrance?" "Perfect." "I'm delighted to see you." "AII of you." "Thank you." "I do hope I've interrupted you in your work." "You have, constantly, all morning." "How could I?" "I haven't been with you till now." "Oh, yes, you have." "I've been thinking about you and about Quinton." "Who told you his name?" "glen Robie." "How did he happen to tell you?" "I asked him." "Why?" "Because I hated Quinton." "Do you know him?" "No." "Then why do you hate him?" "Because you knew him." "That's nice." "You going to hate everybody I know?" "You've lost your ring." "No, I took it off an hour ago." "Forever." "LIN:" "Come on, hurry up!" "ELLEN:" "I'II race you across." "One, two, three, go." "Thattaboy, Lin." "Come on, Lin, keep it up." "Come on." "Lin's going to win." "ROBIE:" "No." "ellen." "ellen always wins." "The winner!" "Don't forget we have a date after lunch." "Quiet, Fritz." "Lie down." "[FRITZ BARKING ]" "What's the matter with you?" "Oh, come in." "QUINTON:" "hello, Robie." "ROBIE:" "Quiet, Fritz." "Quiet." "Let me take your things." "QUINTON:" "Thank you." "[RICHARD AND ELLEN LAUGHING ]" "ELLEN:" "Here, Iet me fix your tie." "well, hello." "What in the world brought you here?" "An airplane." "I grabbed the first one I couId catch after getting your telegram yesterday." "Why all the rush?" "I wanted to be among the first to congratulate you..." "... onyourforthcomingmarriage." "well, we hadn't planned to announce it for a while..." "... butsinceyou'velet the cat  out of the bag... ." "darling, this is russell Quinton." "My fiancé, Richard HarIand." "How do you do?" "Might I have a moment with you alone?" "certainly." "We can go in the library." "will you excuse us?" "Mrs. Berent, Ruth." "Dick." "Dick, is it true?" "I'm so happy for ellen." "For both of you." "Thank you." "That's all very well, but what I want to know is when and how?" "well... ." "I'm sorry, Russ." "really, I am." "I never expected you to come here in the midst of a political campaign." "When do you plan to be married?" "As soon as possible." "would it be convenient for you to postpone it until the fall?" "until after election, you mean." "It wouldn't do me much good for the news to get out..." "... thatI 'dbeenjilted and thrown aside like an old shoe." "Oh, come now, Russ." "surely there's no political significance..." "... inthefactthatalady has changed her mind." "I don't understand it, ellen." "I always knew you'd never marry me while your father was alive." "But after he died, I thought-- well, I thought there might be a chance." "What happened?" "I'm in love." "We intend to get married at once." "Tomorrow." "Don't look so downcast." "I'II still be able to vote for you." "Perhaps you don't think I'm good enough for you or romantic enough." "people thought I was marrying into the Berent family for reasons..." "... butthat'snottrue." "I want you to know that I had only one reason." "I want you to know that I was in love with you." "I'm not a man who loves often, ellen." "I Iove once." "Thank you, Russ." "That's quite a concession." "I Ioved you..." "... andI 'mstillin lovewithyou." "That's a tribute." "And I always will be." "Remember that." "Russ, is that a threat?" "Now, look here, EIIen" "darling, will you marry me?" "Why, you unpredictable IittIe" "And I'II never let you go." "Never, never, never." "ellen, there he is." "Danny." "Dick." "Dick!" "RICHARD:" "Easy, boy, easy." "[RICHARD CHUCKLING ]" "DANNY:" "Oh, Dick!" "Hey, you've put on weight." "I believe you've actually grown." "You look sort of different yourself." "Get my telegram?" "Yeah, but I didn't sleep much that night." "I kept thinking, "Now he's left the ranch, and now he's in Chicago. "" "I kept seeing that train coming nearer and nearer." "I counted every turn of the wheels." "ELLEN:" "May I come in?" "Hi, Danny." "Hi, ellen." "I hope you Iike her, Danny, because if you don't, we'II send her right back." "Oh, please don't let him fire me, Danny." "I Iike this job." "Don't you worry." "If he fires you, I'II hire you." "[RICHARD CHUCKLING ]" "ELLEN:" "Thank you." "Were you surprised to get my letter?" "Not a bit." "I knew what was in that letter even before I opened it." "I just kept reading it over and over again, just to sort of" "Get used to the idea?" "Yeah." "I was trying to picture what kind of a place Taos was..." "... howlongahoneymoonis." "ellen didn't like Taos." "I thought Warm Springs would be better for a honeymoon." "I hope you can stay a while." "We're going to take a cottage right here in Warm Springs." "And live here, you mean?" "That's right." "That's ellen's idea." "That's the way she wants it." "Gosh." "well, Mrs. HarIand." "I think I can feel safe in saying the job is permanent." "Thank you, sir." "I always does my best." "I trust you'II find the soup to your taste." "It's sheer understatement to call this ambrosia soup." "I call it consommé à la patchouIi." "When you hire a cook, teach her the recipe." "I have no intention of hiring a cook or a housekeeper or any other servants." "You mean for the present." "Ever." "Idiot." "I don't want anybody else but me..." "... todoanythingfor you ." "I want to keep your house and wash your clothes and cook your food." "A born sIavey." "I don't want anybody else in the house but us." "Ever?" "Ever." "well, but suppose in the natural course of events... ." "well, that's different." "And what about Danny?" "well, that's different too." "only three people have been to Back of the Moon:" "Me and Dick and Thorne." "Who's Thorne?" "Leick Thorne." "He's a woodsman." "He helped build the house, the dam, the boathouse and all." "He takes care of the place." "I'd Iike to get hold of some of Richard's baby pictures." "could I, do you suppose?" "Yeah, there's a whole album full." "A Iot of college yearbooks with loads of pictures of him." "only, there's one he doesn't like to show to anybody." "Why not?" "well, it's got a picture of Enid Sothern in it." "Who's she?" "The one they voted the best-Iooking girl." "Was she really beautiful?" "Not as beautiful as you are." "Thank you, Danny." "Won't it be wonderful when you can go back to school?" "Gosh, yes." "What school did you go to?" "Same one as Dick." "Boarding school?" "Yeah." "Oh, that must be fun." "Sure is." "Uh... ." "HasDickbeenbusy lately?" "Yes, he's been working awfully hard on his book." "We mustn't interrupt him." "Besides, have you forgotten our secret?" "Danny." "Dick." "Dick." "Danny." "Danny." "Now we can, all three of us, go to Back of the Moon." "Can't we, Dick?" "Can't we?" "You bet we can." "You bet we can." "[RICHARD CHUCKLING ]" "ELLEN:" "It's way up north, miles from nowhere." "I know all about that place." "I've heard about it plenty from Danny." "He can't wait to get up there again." "I know, that's my problem." "Dr. Mason, my husband is planning to leave for Back of the Moon..." "... assoonpossible, and he wants to take Danny with us." "So do I, of course." "What's the problem?" "well, it's so remote up there." "wild and rugged and miles from the nearest town." "The facilities are primitive." "There isn't a telephone..." "... incasewe needadoctorforDanny." "I'm sure he won't need a doctor up there." "Or medicine?" "Or medicine or anything." "What about school?" "That can wait." "I must say Danny's progress has been rather remarkable." "I don't know how you did it." "You must've willed that boy to walk." "But don't you see, doctor..." "... myhusbandwillbebusy  a good deal of the time writing..." "... andwithnobodyeIse" "Isn't somebody there?" "Somebody by the name of Thorne?" "Yes, but he's leaving, and so it'II be" "I assure you, I don't want to shirk any responsibility." "I'm thinking only of Danny, and I" "No, that isn't true." "I'm thinking a little about myself too." "I know you'II understand, Dr. Mason." "I gave up my honeymoon to come here..." "... somyhusbandcouldbe with his brother." "But he's been working, and the burden's been on me." "I've spent hours here every day." "I was glad to do it." "It was no sacrifice at all." "I Iove Danny as much as he does..." "... andI 'mjustas happyasheis  that Danny's doing so well." "But after all, he's a cripple." "I'm sorry." "I didn't mean to say that." "I'm sure you didn't." "I didn't mean it." "Of course not." "I'm afraid I haven't been too well myself lately." "Mrs. HarIand, what do you want me to do?" "I want you to tell my husband it wouId be better for Danny to stay here." "But that isn't true." "It's much better for him to go to Back of the Moon." "But it could do no harm for him to stay here or go back to school." "If you'II tell my husband" "Why don't you tell him?" "Because coming from you" "Richard." "hello, doctor." "Oh, Richard, I've got such wonderful news." "Dr. Mason just consented to let Danny come with us to Back of the Moon." "Oh, no, darling, please." "Let me." "I want to be the first to tell him." "And this is Leick Thorne." "[PHONE RINGS]" "hello?" "Yes." "It's for you." "hello?" "Oh, golly, ellen!" "We're going to Back of the Moon." "Yes, ellen." "When?" "Tomorrow?" "Oh, gosh." "Yeah?" "Gee, thanks, ellen." "Gosh." "[MAN SINGS "FARMER'S DAUGHTER"]" "Good morning." "Good morning." "Oh, darling, I dreamed you were" "What gives?" "Another day with you." "Twenty-four hours with you." "[KNOCKING ]" "DANNY:" "Good morning, Dick." "Hey, good morning, Danny." "Good morning, ellen." "ELLEN:" "Hi, Danny!" "RICHARD:" "Hey!" "How about a dip in the lake before breakfast?" "Okay." "[SINGS "FARMER'S DAUGHTER"]" "Morning, Mrs. HarIand." "ELLEN:" "Thorne." "Who gets up first, you or the sun?" "well, mostly it's neck and neck." "I thought I'd fix breakfast for you this morning." "Oh, no." "That's my job." "I'm beginning to feel sort of like a fifth wheel around here." "You mustn't feel like that." "Richard considers you a part of the place." "You must've been especially nice to him when he was a boy." "Oh, that wasn't hard." "He was a nice kid." "You must've had wonderful times together." "Yes, tolerable." "Did he change much when he got to be a young man?" "Not especially." "Did he use to confide in you a Iot?" "Yeah, sometimes." "Did he ever tell you about Enid Sothern?" "Who?" "Enid Sothern." "I don't especially recall he did." "Who was she?" "Oh, nobody in particular, I guess." "Just school stuff." "I'II take those." "Thorne, do you dream a Iot?" "Never." "I had the most awful nightmare last night." "We were out in the skiff, my husband and I, and he jumped in for a swim." "But I was too lazy, so I just rowed after him." "Somehow I was afraid." "When we got to the middle of the lake..." "... Ithoughtit wastimeforhim to get in the boat." "So I decided to call out to him, but I had no voice." "suddenly, Richard went under, not diving, but the way seals do..." "... justsortof settlinginthewater ." "Then he came up again, and one of his arms flung out to me..." "... asifhe weretryingtocalltome." "I tried to row to him, but the lake was like glue." "The boat wouldn't move." "My arms were paralyzed." "Then he went down again..." "... andthistimehestayeddown." "I reckon there's only one way left for you to save his life." "How?" "For you to wake up." "That's just what I did." "RICHARD:" "Hey!" "[RICHARD LAUGHING ]" "ELLEN:" "Come and get it!" "Come on in, ellen!" "The water's swell!" "I guess we'd better go in." "Okay, last one in is a sissy." "[RICHARD CHUCKLES]" "[TYPEWRITER CLICKING ]" "Oh, no!" "No what?" "Good grief!" ""'will you marry me?" "' he said. "" "well, what's wrong with that?" "First, men never propose." "They may think they do, but it's really the woman." "Who told you that?" "RipIey?" "If men do propose, they never say, "will you marry me?"" "Get away." "Get away, gadfIy." "Did you ever propose to a woman?" "Hundreds of them." "When you proposed to Enid Sothern" "Who told you about Enid Sothern?" "Did you say, "will you marry me?"" "I didn't propose to her." "Did she propose to you?" "Beat it, will you?" "How did you propose to me?" "Uh... ." "You didn't." "I proposed to you, Iike this." "Remember?" "Okay, I'II marry you..." "... rightafterIfinishmychapter." "Oh, I hate your chapter." "I hate all your chapters." "They take up too much of your time." "Funny, that's what my publisher says." "No, I'm serious." "After all, it isn't as if you had to write for a living." "I've got more than enough for both of us..." "... andit'sthedearestwish  in my heart to support you." "Is that bad?" "Oh, darling, I didn't know it could be so wonderful here, Back of the Moon." "You like it here, do you?" "Every minute..." "... ifonlyit weren'tsocrowded." "Crowded?" "Why, this is the most remote, uninhabited place east of the Mojave." "I mean the cabin." "Not that I mind chaperones, not in the least." "But there's Danny's room on one side of us and Thorne's room on the other side." "And the wall's as thin as paper, and the acoustics disgustingIy perfect." "well, at Ieast nobody snores." "Do you know since we've been married, we've never been alone, not for a day?" "Do you know--?" "Do you know..." "... Thornemovedhiscot  to the boathouse this morning?" "He did?" "Oh, Richard, I hope you didn't tell him I" "Oh, not at all." "It was his own idea." "As far as Danny's concerned" "Where is Danny?" "He went with Thorne." "Where's Thorne?" "He went to town." "You don't mean they'II stay in town?" "Oh, certainly not." "Then why did they go?" "Do you have to know everything?" "tell me." "No." "tell me." "Cut it out." "tell me." "Stop it." "It's a secret." "You can't have any secrets from me." "[SOUND OF AN ENGINE]" "We wanted to surprise you, honey." "[LAUGHING ]" "[THORNE HUMMING ]" "[SINGS]" "THORNE:" "Danny, you sing one." "Come on." "[SINGING ]" "[HOWLING ]" "What was that?" "That was a loon." "There's a couple of them across the lake." "They sound horrible." "You'II get used to it." "Wait till you see the deer." "You'II love them." "They come right up to the cabin to be fed." "What do you give them?" "Potato peelings and salt." "And then, of course, there's our porcupine." "Oh, yeah." "He used to come every morning and nibble on the doorstep." "The Robies paid us a visit at Bar Harbor just before we left." "Are they well?" "The children had the mumps." "Oh." "Of course, you've heard about Russ Quinton being elected district attorney." "really?" "They say he's got his mind set on the governorship." "It wouldn't surprise me if he made it." "Can we find some wild wisteria and transplant it around the cabin?" "I know where there's some." "Oh, fine." "Then tomorrow we" "I'm afraid Thorne won't have time for that." "He has his work to do." "Look what I can do." "Thorne showed me." "MRS. BERENT:" "Oh." "After all, Mother, you must remember ellen didn't expect us." "We shouldn't have come, Ruth." "We shouldn't have come." "There must be loose bricks in the chimney." "I noticed it wasn't drawing very well." "Did you hear me, darling?" "What happened tonight?" "Since Ruth and your mother arrived you've been acting like a shrew." "At the landing you were cold, at dinner, aloof." "After dinner you were beastly." "I didn't expect guests." "I thought you'd be pleased." "Don't let's quarrel, Richard." "And Danny adores you." "You hurt him." "Why?" "I was upset." "You were insulting to your mother..." "... andmeanto Thorne, treated him like a servant." "Isn't he?" "certainly not!" "He's a friend, one of my dearest friends." "Is Ruth one of your dearest friends too?" "What's eating you?" "Ruth is your sister." "Ruth is not my sister." "AII night long, you devoted yourself to her!" "well, somebody had to make her welcome." "Maybe you're in love with her." "You're in a rotten mood, ellen." "Maybe that's why you invited her." "Do you want her to hear you?" "You can't draw a breath in this room without being heard all over the house." "Let's change the name from Back of the Moon to goldfish Manor." "What's happened to you?" "You're whipping yourself into a fit of hysterics." "Oh, no, I mustn't do that." "It might disturb Mother and Ruth or wake up Danny!" "ellen, what's got into you?" "I don't know." "I don't know." "Oh, darling, forgive me." "I'm sorry." "I can't help it." "It's only because I Iove you so." "I Iove you so I can't bear to share you with anybody." "RICHARD:" "well, the gal with the hoe." "RUTH:" "Oh." "RICHARD:" "You're doing a swell job." "RUTH:" "It's easy here." "You just put things in the ground and they grow." "It's much harder by the sea where we live." "Dick, when are you going to visit us at Bar Harbor?" "When I finish the book maybe." "I think you'II like it there." "We were talking about it this morning, Mother and I." "We thought it might be a good idea for Danny to go back with us." "The beach is lovely, and we have a sailboat." "He'd have a wonderful time." "I'm sure he would." "There's a school too, an excellent school." "Yes, I know." "ellen told me all about it." "I'II have a talk with Danny." "Dick, as far as I've read, it's splendid." "Oh, well, just for that I'II dedicate the book to you." "And what shall I say?" "To my sweet, to my beautiful, my discerning mother-in-Iaw who" "Who advised me to dedicate this book to my wife." "I'II dedicate the next one to her." "You dedicate them all to her." "I hope you'II send me the rest when it's finished." "There are only a few more chapters to write." "I'II wind it up before you leave." "That's hardly likely." "We're leaving Saturday." "Saturday?" "That's preposterous." "You've only been here a few days." "Yes, and they've been wonderful days." "Ruth and I shall never forget them." "But there are reasons why we must be getting home." "Does ellen know you're leaving?" "I told her this morning." "Now, don't look so downcast, Dick." "In a way, mothers-in-Iaw are like children." "They should be seen and not heard..." "... andnotseentoo much." "What's wrong with ellen?" "There's nothing wrong with ellen." "It's just that she loves too much." "Perhaps that isn't good." "It makes outsiders of everyone else." "But she can't help it." "You must be patient with her." "She loved her father too much." "please, sit still." "How do you expect me--?" "I can't help it." "It tickles." "[GIGGLING ]" "You'II just love our house by the sea." "There are rocks on one side of the beach." "When it's low tide..." "... youcango thereand watch the anemones and ink-squids." "And there are the most wonderful shells and pebbles, all sizes and colors." "DANNY:" "Sounds swell." "hold still." "How would you Iike to go to Bar Harbor for a while?" "I had a letter from Ruth, and she'd love to have you." "I'd love to go." "With Dick, you mean?" "He doesn't want to leave until the new book's finished." "Then we can join you." "well, I'd rather wait then..." "... tillwecanall gotogether, the three of us." "We wouldn't be separated for long, just a few weeks." "No, I'd rather wait." "Can I swim all the way across today?" "Think you could make it?" "Why, sure." "I made it 3/4 yesterday and wasn't a bit tired." "AII right." "If I make it today..." "... canweshowDicktomorrow?" "Yes, tomorrow." "We don't have to tell him how long I've been practicing, do we?" "No, we can just pretend you decided to do it on the spur of the moment." "Yeah, that's what we'II do." "You know, I can just see him watching now." "After a while he'II say, "That's enough." "Get back in the boat. "" "I'II pretend like I didn't hear him and keep on going." "Are you ready?" "Ready." "You think you can make it, Danny?" "It's a cinch." "Don't worry about your direction." "I'II keep you on your course." "Okay." "Are we halfway to the point yet?" "Not yet." "You're not making very much progress, Danny." "Are you all right?" "I'm a little winded." "I had a kink in my side, but it's gone now." "You'd better float for a while." "Yeah." "I... ." "I thinkI'mgettingtired." "Take it easy." "You don't want to give up when you've come so far." "Okay." "I'II get my second wind in a minute." "Oh... ." "The water's cold." "colder than I thought." "I ate too much lunch." "I have a stomachache." "ellen!" "It's a cramp." "ellen, it's a cramp!" "ellen!" "ellen!" "help me!" "[WHISTLING ]" "ELLEN:" "Danny!" "Danny!" "Danny!" "I've been cleaning Father's laboratory." "It might be a good place for Dick to work." "ELLEN:" "He's dropped his work." "He's dropped everything." "I'm losing him, Ruth." "I'II die if I lose him." "Perhaps if you went back to the lodge, just the two of you." "No, he hates it now, everything about it." "He never wants to set foot there again." "And he doesn't want to go back to Boston." "If I only knew what he was thinking." "You've always helped me, Ruth." "help me now." "A little time, ellen, you'II see." "He's had a great loss." "There's a great emptiness in his life." "If he only had a child of his own." "MRS. BERENT:" "Oh, it's wonderful!" "When ellen was little, her father fixed this as a playroom." "When she grew up, he used it as a laboratory." "It's going to be a playroom again, as it was before." "Not exactly." "Your baby was a girl." "Ours is going to be a boy." "You've decided that, have you?" "RICHARD:" "definitely." "ellen gave me her word of honor." "Stand still, will you?" "I've got a kink in my neck." "Dotted Swiss is nice for the curtains." "What about the rug?" "Don't put rugs in children's playrooms." "You use linoleum." "Why?" "LinoIeum washes easier, just in case." "Say, you women think of everything, don't you?" "AII right, you can rest." "Oh." "ellen, you shouldn't have walked up those stairs." "RUTH:" "You know what the doctor told you." "Come here and sit down." "What have you done with Father's lab?" "We didn't want you to see it till it was finished." "Where are his things?" "We stored them in the basement." "Why didn't you consult me?" "We wanted to surprise you." "It's an ideal place for a playroom." "But I didn't want the room changed, ever." "I wanted it left just as it was." "I know you don't like being surprised, but we were trying to please you." "Come on, darling, everything's so wonderful now." "Patchouli." "You'II have to behave yourself." "Imagine eating shrimps at a time like this." "Where's Richard?" "He went to town." "They upset you." "I've been telling you that for years." "Did Ruth go with him?" "MRS. BERENT:" "I think so." "DR. SAUNDERS:" "especially now, in your condition." "When did they leave?" "Right after lunch." "And another thing, don't try to be so blamed athletic." "What time is it, Mother?" "almost 5." "You've got to stop gadding about." "Gadding?" "What are you talking about?" "This baby's making a prisoner of me." "Why are you having it then?" "I can't do anything." "I can't go any place." "I don't even see my husband." "Why don't you have him come here?" "Because I don't want him to see me this way." "That doesn't make sense." "Those are orders, now." "No shrimps." "No stairs." "And don't you budge off that couch." "RICHARD:" "Hey!" "Oh!" "Oh!" "RICHARD:" "Get those, Ruth." "Oh, heavens!" "RICHARD:" "Hey!" "[LAUGHING ]" "[RICHARD AND RUTH LAUGHING ]" "RUTH:" "There." "What are you doing?" "[LAUGHING ]" "You look so funny." "You should always wear your hat like that." "I missed you this afternoon." "What did you do when you went to town?" "Oh, we just shopped around for the baby things." "You were gone about four hours." "well, we walked to town and back." "Rather a Iong walk, isn't it?" "tell me, what did you talk about?" "Oh, a Iot of things." "About Danny?" "No." "About me?" "Not especially." "You're looking very well, Ruth." "I've never seen you so happy." "tell me, do you think Richard loves me?" "well, now, that's a silly thing to say." "Oh, I know in the beginning he loved me." "But I'II tell you something funny, he never liked me." "He loved you, but he never liked you?" "That's right." "We've never really been friends, Iike you and he." "He likes you." "tell me, has he found a nickname for you yet?" "well, not exactly." "Sometimes he calls me "the gal with the hoe," to kid me about my gardening." "He used to call me PatchouIi." "Look at me." "I hate the little beast." "I wish it wouId die!" "ellen!" "Shocked, aren't you?" "If you were having the baby, you'd love it." "well, I never wanted it." "Richard and I never needed anything else." "And now this." "How can you say such wicked things?" "Sometimes the truth is wicked." "You're afraid of the truth, aren't you, Ruth?" "No, you're the one who's afraid." "[TYPEWRITER CLICKING ]" "[SCREAMS]" "RICHARD:" "ellen!" "call the doctor." "MRS. BERENT:" "What happened?" "She must have tripped." "hello, Dr. Saunders?" "This is Ruth Berent." "please come over at once." "Something terrible has happened." "DR. SAUNDERS:" "well, we couldn't save the child." "It was a boy." "well... ." "I hadn'treallyhopedthat" "As long as she's out of danger." "Oh, yes, you may rest assured of that." "When she came to, she remembered nothing about leaving her room." "She thought she must have been walking in her sleep." "She couldn't have been asleep." "I was with her 20 minutes before it happened." "You can go in and see her now for a moment if you Iike." "First his brother..." "... andnowhisson ." "[PHONE RINGING ]" "Yes?" "No, she's not here at the moment." "I'd be glad to take a message." "Yes, I will." "Don't mention it." "Ruthie, my lass, the surf was wonderful." "You should've come in for a dip." "Too cold for me." "You're a softy." "You always were." "Hmm." "Richard's new book." "Nice." "Where is everybody?" "Dick's gone for a walk." "Mother's in her room." "I'm worried about Mother these days, the way she keeps to her room." "Isn't she well?" "perfectly well." "Then why do you suppose she insists on acting like a hermit?" "Why don't you ask her?" "She won't talk to me." "I can't imagine what's come over her." "Oh, by the way, that phone call was for you." "Somebody from the travel bureau in town." "Said it was all right about the transportation and hotel reservations." "Who's going places and where?" "I am." "Mexico." "well, why the wanderlust all of a sudden?" "I just thought I'd Iike to get away for a while." "From what?" "Is there anything strange about wanting to take a trip?" "No, I suppose not, but why Mexico?" "I've always wanted to see Mexico." "I've never heard you say anything about it before." "What part of Mexico?" "Taxco." "When are you going?" "Next week." "With Mother?" "No." "By yourself?" "By myself." "What are you running away from?" "Is it me?" "When we were kids, you tormented me every way you could think of." "You can't do that anymore." "Is it Richard?" "I'm going away because I can't stand living in this house any longer." "The whole place is filled with hate." "Your hate." "Not hate, love, Ruth." "Richard's love for me." "AII these weeks I was in the hospital, helpless..." "... youhadhimheretoyourself, but it didn't do you any good, did it?" "He loves me more than ever." "That's what you can't abide." "That's why you envy me, isn't it?" "I don't envy you, ellen." "AII my Iife I've tried to love you, to please you." "AII of us have." "Mother, Father and now Richard, and what have you done?" "With your love, you wrecked Mother's life and pressed Father to death." "With your love, you've made a shadow of Richard." "No, ellen, I don't envy you." "I'm sorry for you." "You're the most pitiful creature I've ever known." "hello, Richard." "Have a nice walk?" "You haven't shaved, darling, but I'II forgive you." "Your new book just came." "I've been glancing through it." "I noticed the dedication:" ""To the gal with the hoe. "" "I'd hoped it wouId be "To PatchouIi. "" "But I suppose she did help you with it a Iot." "Oh, well, there'II be other books." "darling, I had no idea the setting of your book was Mexico." "I didn't even know you'd been there." "Why didn't you tell me?" "Is anything wrong, Richard?" "You're so strange." "You've been avoiding me." "Going off by yourself." "Where do you go?" "What do you think about?" "Whatever it is, can't you share it with me?" "We haven't done that for a Iong time, shared things." "Ever since Danny" "You've never forgiven me for that, have you?" "You've always blamed me." "You did tell me not to let him swim the lake unless you were with us..." "... butwewantedtosurpriseyou." "Danny was so happy planning to surprise you." "He swam 3/4 the day before..." "... andhewassurehecould makeit." "The water was so warm." "I thought there was no danger." "I must've looked away for a moment, then when I Iooked back, he was sinking." "I pulled at the oars and then lost one, and then I grew panicky." "It was like a nightmare." "Like walking in your sleep?" "Yes." "Yes, I began to paddle and the boat didn't seem to move." "So you let him drown." "Didn't you?" "Didn't you?" "Richard, you're hurting me." "What happened that day at Back of the Moon?" "You'd got rid of everybody else." "Your mother, Ruth, Thorne." "There was only Danny left." "What were you thinking of?" "You never really cared for him." "You only pretended to." "What happened?" "Did he refuse to leave?" "Don't, Richard." "Don't." "Is that why you killed him?" "I didn't mean to let him drown." "But you did, didn't you?" "You're a perfect swimmer..." "... andtheboatwas sofaraway,  he was going down for the third time." "You killed him." "You let Danny drown, didn't you?" "Didn't you?" "Yes." "I did." "I let him drown, and I'd do it again." "I didn't want him around." "I didn't want anyone but you." "I knew it." "I must have known it all along..." "... butI keptpushingitout of my mind." "I couldn't believe it." "I didn't want to believe it." "How could I?" "You loved me, you said." "Wanted only to make me happy." "Yes, that was all I ever wanted, Richard." "Your happiness, only that." "I didn't mean to let Danny drown." "I didn't plan it, I swear I didn't." "But when he went under..." "... Ithoughtif he nevercameup, I'd have you all to myself." "I thought if he was gone, you'd have only me." "And while I was thinking that, he was gone." "I was sorry then, and frightened." "I tried to find him, tried honestly, tried hard." "But it was too late." "Why don't you kill me, Richard?" "You could so easily, you know." "And the baby." "You never wanted it, did you?" "No." "Don't you see?" "I didn't want anyone around." "only you." "I wanted to be just with you." "I couldn't stand having anyone between us." "Oh, I Iove you so, Richard." "I Iove you so." "I'm leaving you, ellen." "Mr..." "... RusseII..." "... Quinton." "District..." "... attorney." "Sussex." "MAN OVER PA:" "Flight 1 7, the sunset special, now loading at gate seven." "Mr. Richard Harland wanted at the telephone." "Inquire at Information." "I'm Richard HarIand." "Use the phone number one." "Thank you." "hello." "Yes, this is" "Oh, hello." "What?" "well, how did it happen?" "Oh, yes, of course." "I'II take the first train back." "Dr. Saunders, I'm sorry to get you out of bed, but she's much worse." "would you hold on for just a minute, please?" "Oh, Dick." "Thanks." "Where is she?" "In her room." "It happened very suddenly." "We were having a picnic lunch at the beach." "Doctor, it seems to be more serious than you thought." "Come at once, please." "Richard." "I'm going to die." "Don't talk like that, ellen." "You're going to be all right." "No." "And you mustn't feel sorry for me." "I'm not afraid." "OnIy" "only, promise me one thing." "I want to be cremated." "Like my father." "And my ashes scattered in the same place." "Remember?" "I remember." "Promise?" "Of course, I promise." "Anything you Iike, onIy" "Richard!" "I'II never let you go, Richard." "Never." "Never." "Never." "Murder." "cold, brutal, premeditated murder." "The State will prove that on the afternoon of September 5th..." "... ata picnicattendedbyellenHarIand, her mother and her adopted sister..." "... thatellenmetdeath as a result of poisoning." "The State will prove that the sugar with which ellen sweetened her coffee..." "... wasmixedwithpoison..." "... andthatshemet death by reason of that poison." "The State will prove that the defendant had both motive and opportunity..." "... tocommitthisdreadfulcrime." "And the State will prove that the defendant, Ruth Berent..." "... deliberatelyandmaliciouslyplotted and carried through the murder." "It'II be all right." "I refer now to the envelope found in the defendant's leather jacket." "When you analyzed the contents of this envelope, what did you find?" "The apparent sugar tested 60 percent arsenic." "shortly after you made this test, I came to you with a sealed parcel." "The contents was a bottle half full of white powder." "QUINTON:" "I show you the bottle." "That's it." "You analyzed the contents?" "I did." "What was it?" "Pure arsenic." "Your witness, Mr. Robie." "No questions." "Mr. Medcraft, you are the manager of the Bay State Mortuary?" "I am." "Were the remains of the late Mrs. ellen HarIand cremated at your establishment?" "Yes, sir." "Who made the arrangements?" "Miss Ruth Berent." "QUINTON:" "Your witness." "No questions, Mr. Quinton." "Mr. CarIson, what is your occupation?" "Vice president of the Seaboard Trust Company." "Your bank is trustee for the estate of the late ellen Berent HarIand." "Yes, sir." "When was the Iast time you saw Mrs. HarIand?" "After she got out of the hospital." "Did she make any provision in her will about being cremated after her death?" "No, she did not." "would you tell the jury what provision she did make?" "She requested that she be buried in the family vault at Mount Auburn Cemetery." "hello, Dick." "RICHARD:" "hello." "Good evening." "ROBIE:" "Good evening, dear." "Tomorrow, Dick, you'II go on the witness stand." "You must remember that Quinton isn't just the prosecutor." "You may rest assured he'II have his brass knuckles on." "He'II throw the whole book at you." "He'II ask you some questions that won't be easy to answer." "One in particular." "CLERK:" "Do you swear to tell the truth..." "... andnothingbutthe truth, so help you God?" "I do." "QUINTON:" "Your name?" "Richard HarIand." "Your profession?" "Writer." "If you don't mind, Mr. HarIand, I shall ask you for a moment to be a reader." "I have been asked how I happened to investigate the death of Mrs. HarIand." "This letter is my answer." "I ask you to read it." "aloud?" "please." ""Dear Russ, I'm writing this letter to you..." "... becauseweoncemeant a great deal to each other..." "... andthereis no oneelsetowhom I can go for help." "Richard is Ieaving--"" "Proceed, please, Mr. HarIand." ""It was after I Ieft the hospital I first began to sense a change in my husband." "At first I thought it might be due to the loss of our child..." "... andthenthetruth,theawful truth , began to dawn on me." "The reason for the change was Ruth." "Russ, they love each other, and want to get rid of me." "When Richard suggested a divorce..." "... Iwentto Ruthand beggedher to give him up." "She said she intended to have him and would stop at nothing." "I told Ruth I would never give Richard a divorce." "Then she threatened to kill me. "" "QUINTON:" "Go on, Mr. HarIand." ""Russ, I know she means it, and is capable of it." "She will kill me first chance she gets. "" "If you don't mind, Mr. HarIand, would you read that last paragraph Iouder?" ""She will kill me the first chance she gets. "" "Go on, Mr. HarIand." ""I'm afraid to stay in the house, but I can't leave without Richard." "I'd rather die than give him up." "I don't know what to do or where to turn, except to you." "please help me." "ellen. "" "Mr." "HarIand..." "... identifythehandwritinginthis letter." "ellen's." "I call your attention to the first sentence:" ""I am writing this letter to you because we once meant a great deal..." "... toeachother." Do you know the significance of this?" "I suppose it refers to the fact you once were engaged to her." "Yes, we were once engaged." "Did you know that when you first met her?" "She was wearing an engagement" "When you met..." "... youknewshewas engaged?" "Yes." "In spite of that, made love to her?" "I suppose." "will you tell the jury about this courtship?" "I didn't exactly court her." "She courted you?" "No, not that either." "well, then what do you mean?" "I knew she'd marry me if I asked her." "So you decided to ask her?" "No, I decided not to." "Did she ask you?" "Not exactly." "Then how'd you happen to get married?" "Why, I found one day that she had removed her engagement ring." "She gave me to understand" "I realized then that I was in love with her." "Did you tell her so?" "Yes." "What did she say?" "She said she would never let me go." "How soon after this were you married?" "A couple of days later." "She wanted it that way." "Were you reluctant?" "I was doubtful." "Now, Mr. HarIand, I don't say this critically, nor in mockery..." "... nortosuggest that you are conceited." "But simply to be sure that I understand you correctly." "You suggest that a beautiful young woman, engaged to another man..." "... faIIsinlovewithyou, wins you, and persuades you into a quick marriage..." "... againstyourbetterjudgment." "Is that a fair statement?" "Yes." "I see." "Now, how soon after did you begin to regret your surrender?" "Were you happy for the first month?" "completely." "Second, third, fourth?" "Yes." "Was Ruth at the New Mexico ranch..." "... whenellenmetand courtedyou?" "Yes." "Did you see much of Ruth at this time?" "No." "Where did you go after you left New Mexico?" "To Warm Springs, Georgia, to visit my brother, Danny." "During your residence in Warm Springs..." "... didyouhaveany servants?" "No." "Who did the housework?" "ellen." "And the cooking?" "ellen." "You couldn't afford servants?" "It wasn't a question of afford." "She preferred it that way." "ellen liked doing things for you?" "Yes." "Did Ruth visit you during this time?" "No." "Where did you go after you left Warm Springs?" "To a fishing lodge I have at a place called Back of the Moon." "Did anyone come with you?" "My brother, Danny." "When was that?" "In June." "In June, you happy with your wife?" "Yes." "How about july?" "Yes." "You loved her in july." "How about August?" "Did anyone come to visit you in August?" "Mrs." "Berent." "Anybody else?" "Ruth." "You loved ellen in August?" "well, how about August?" "My brother was drowned in August." "Yes, that must have saddened you." "But did it affect your love for ellen?" "Danny meant a Iot to me." "So did ellen?" "Yes." "Danny was drowned in August." "Come to September." "Did your love for ellen continue in September?" "In a different way." "In what different way?" "We were to have a baby." "Your love for ellen increased..." "... becauseshewasgoing to have a baby?" "No, not exactly." "Did it grow less?" "I don't know." "What do you mean in a different way?" "I don't know." "During this time you were living..." "... inBarHarborattheBerenthome?" "Yes." "Ruth was there all the time?" "Yes." "Your wife was confined to her room." "A good part of the time." "Did you see a great deal of Ruth?" "Yes." "practically every day?" "Yes." "When did you stop loving ellen?" "I don't know." "Isn't it true that shortly before your wife died..." "... youquarreledwithher ?" "Yes." "What about?" "I can't say." "Wasn't it because ellen..." "... wasjealousof Ruth?" "She had no reason to be." "QUINTON:" "Wasn't she?" "She was jealous of everybody." "QUINTON:" "But was she jealous of Ruth?" "I refuse to answer." "Perhaps you'II answer this:" "Are you in love with Ruth?" "We're very good friends." "QUINTON:" "In love?" "I'm fond of her." "I want you to answer yes or no." "I'm asking you a very simple question." "Perhaps you didn't understand." "I shall repeat it." "Are you in love with Ruth?" "Are you in love with Ruth?" "Are you in love with Ruth?" "I hand you a copy of Richard HarIand's new book." "kindly turn to the dedication page." "would you please read the dedication?" ""To the gal with the hoe. "" "To whom does that refer?" "To me." "Isn't it strange Mr. HarIand didn't dedicate his new book to his wife?" "I don't think ellen was interested in the book." "But you were?" "Very much." "You worked with him on it?" "The final draft." "Written while ellen was in the hospital." "Yes." "You were together a great deal during ellen's time in the hospital." "well, we were" "Working on the book." "Yes." "will you tell the jury where most of the action in this book takes place?" "Taxco, Mexico." "Had you been to Mexico before?" "No." "During the time you lived with the Berents..." "... hadyougoneawayonatrip alone?" "No." "Why did you decide to go to Taxco?" "I wanted to get away." "Expect to meet anybody there you knew?" "No." "Expect to be joined there by anybody?" "No." "Did Mr. HarIand suggest to go to Taxco?" "No." "Get back to the dedication." "Why did Mr. HarIand refer to you as "the gal with the hoe"?" "I'm rather fond of gardening." "You did all of the gardening?" "Yes." "Did you ever use chemical sprays..." "... orinsecticides?" "Yes." "Any containing arsenic, for example?" "I don't know." "I show you a bottle here in evidence." "Do you recognize it?" "Yes, it was mine." "It held bath salts." "You aware of what it contains now?" "Yes." "By what chemical process do you suppose bath salts turned into poison?" "I don't know." "I show you a leather jacket in evidence." "Recognize it?" "It's mine." "I show you an envelope in evidence." "Recognize it?" "It's the envelope containing sugar." "Which the State chemist testified..." "... was60percentarsenic." "Yes." "Which the sheriff testified was in the pocket of this jacket?" "Yes." "Did you wear this jacket..." "... onthedayofthepicnic?" "For a while." "Then I gave it to ellen." "Why did you do that?" "She complained of feeling chilly." "So you loaned her the jacket?" "Yes." "will you tell the jury who prepared..." "... thefoodin thepicnichamper?" "ellen and I." "Who prepared the sugar?" "I don't know." "It must've been ellen." "Why do you think it was ellen?" "She was the one who took sugar with coffee." "Who served coffee on the picnic day?" "I did." "You gave her the sugar." "Yes." "That night she was dead." "Yes." "And the very next day..." "... herbodywascremated?" "Yes." "The following day HarIand left with the ashes for the New Mexico ranch..." "... todisposeof them?" "Yes." "So that no autopsy could be possible?" "No, no!" "That wasn't the reason." "ellen always wanted to be cremated and have her ashes scattered..." "... withherfather's." "Then why did she..." "... havea clauseinsertedinherwill requesting her burial at Mount Auburn?" "I can't explain it." "There's many things you can't explain." "You can't explain how poison got in the bath salt bottle." "Can't explain how it got in the sugar." "Can't explain why ellen's body..." "... wascremated to make an autopsy impossible." "Can't explain why you made plans to leave the country..." "... shortlybeforeyoursister was poisoned." "Perhaps you can explain this:" "When did you faII in love with Richard HarIand?" "Did you ever tell him you loved him?" "No." "When did you faII in love?" "You've dodged long enough." "You can answer a simple question and I demand you do so!" "When did you faII in love with Richard HarIand?" "Did you love him after his brother was drowned?" "Did you love him after the death of his stillborn child?" "After his wife died?" "Did you love him last week?" "A month before?" "A year before?" "Are you in love with him today?" "Yes." "Yes, I am in love with him." "I think I've always loved him." "The State recalls Richard HarIand to the stand." "That's all." "MRS. BERENT:" "Get some water, please." "JUDGE:" "Order in the court!" "QUINTON:" "Richard HarIand..." "... youheardthatwomanfinally tell the truth." "And now I want the truth out of you." "You heard Ruth Berent confess her love for you." "And now I ask you, as I have asked you over and over, time and again:" "Are you in love with her?" "Are you in love with the woman who murdered your wife?" "My wife was not murdered." "She killed herself." "You honestly believe ellen committed suicide?" "Yes." "Knowing her as you and I did..." "... youthinkhercapable, not only of committing suicide..." "... butfalselyaccusingher sister of her death?" "ellen was capable of anything." "You want the jury to believe..." "... thatshewasthatsort ofmonster?" "Yes, she was that sort of monster." "A woman who sought to possess everything she loved..." "... wholovedonlyfor what it could bring her." "Whose love estranged her own father and mother." "Whose love possessed her father until he couldn't call his soul his own." "Who, by her own confession to me, killed my brother..." "... killedherownunbornchild..." "[GAVEL POUNDING ]" "... andwhois reachingfromthegrave  to destroy her innocent sister." "Yes, she was that sort of monster." "[CROWD MUMBLING ]" "JUDGE:" "Order in the court!" "It took the jury only 1 0 minutes to bring in a verdict of not guilty for Ruth." "But HarIand had sacrificed himself." "In withholding knowledge of ellen's crime..." "... he'dbecomean accessory." "He got two years." "But ellen had lost." "I guess it's the only time she didn't come out first." "I guess Dick's about home now." "subtitles by SDI Media Group" "[ENGLISH SDH]" "It's good to see you, Dick." "It's good to be back." "Everything has been arranged." "She's up there waiting for you." "Thank you." "Poor, dear man." "I... ." "I guessI'IIbegoingnow." "Good luck to you, Dick." "Been through hell, hasn't he?" "To a man like that, two years in prison is worse than hell." "Isn't that Dick HarIand, the chap who used to live in Back of the Moon?" "Yes, I believe it is." "well, of all the seven deadly sins, jealousy is the most deadly." "Oh, will you bring us some coffee, please?" "You were his lawyer, weren't you?" "Yes, I defended him." "Some might say I lost the case for him." "I read the newspapers, but I never could make head nor tail of it." "well..." "... there'ssomethingsthat couldn't be told in the courtroom." "Yet, of all the people involved..." "... IsupposeI'mthe onlyone who knew the whole story." "You see, it was through me they first met." "He'd been working very hard on a new book." "I invited him up to my place in New Mexico for a rest." "They met on the train." "Thank you." "You're quite welcome." "Oh, I'm sorry." "I was staring at you, wasn't I?" "I didn't mean to, really." "It's only because" "Because you look so much like my father." "When he was younger, of course, your age." "A most remarkable resemblance." "For a moment I thought" "Do forgive me." "To tell you the truth, I was doing quite a bit of staring myself." "And I assure you it's not because you look like my mother." "In fact, I can't say you look like anyone I've ever met before." "Then why did you stare?" "Do you want to know?" "If it's not too unfIattering." "Now, you know perfectly well that nothing I couId say about you" "The way you look, I mean, could be anything but flattering." "Of course, if you don't like fIattery" "But I do." "On second thought, it won't be flattery." "It'II be the truth and nothing but the truth." "Any resemblance to flattery will be sheer coincidence." "shall I proceed?" "Proceed." "while I was watching you, exotic words drifted across the mirror of my mind..." "... assummerclouds drift across the sky." "Mmm." "CouIdn't you be a bit more specific?" "I'II try." "Watching you, I thought of tales in the Arabian Nights..." "... ofmyrrhandfrankincenseand...." "And patchouIi?" "PatchouIi, that's it." "Wait a minute." "I knew it." "Here it is." "I quote:" ""As he watched her, exotic words drifted across the mirror of his mind." "He thought of tales in the Arabian Nights..." "... ofmyrrhandfrankincense and patchouli. " Unquote." "So that's where it came from." "Oh, I guess so." "But really, I wasn't" "I give you my word, it's weeks since I read it." "It must've impressed you enormously." "The book?" "Not particularly." "Rather a sloppy job, I thought." "I agree with you." "You do?" "Next stop, Jacinto." "Next stop, Jacinto." "Oh, that's me." "Jacinto." "That's me." "Oh, there you are." "hello there." "Oh, it's nice to see you." "Mrs." "Berent." "hello." "hello." "hello, baby, how are you?" "hello, darling." "And how's Louise?" "Fine." "And the children?" "Fine, wonderful." "Get those bags, will you?" "Looking forward to seeing the ranch." "Can you stay long?" "Here!" "Here we are!" "hello there." "hello, glen, how are you?" "Nice to see you." "glad to see you, Dick." "You look fine." "How's your brother?" "Danny's still flat on his back." "He wanted very much to come..." "... butthedoctorthoughtthetrip might be too much." "Oh, I'm sorry." "Ladies, may I present Mr. HarIand?" "Mrs. Berent." "How do you do?" "How do you do?" "Ruth Berent." "How do you do?" "hello." "ellen Berent." "How do you do?" "How do you do?" "We met on the train, rather briefly." "Too briefly." "I've got the car right here, folks." "Are you all ready?" "Come on." "Did you say HarIand?" "Richard HarIand." "Oh, Mr. HarIand, I'm terribly sorry." "I doubt if I'II ever forgive you." "Wait till you get a look at the new colts." "Oh, I bet they're darling." "ellen, we've got plenty of wild turkey this year." "wonderful." "Big as ostriches, twice as ornery." "Hope you people are all good and hungry." "Here we are." "Mom, they're here!" "They're here!" "welcome to Rancho Jacinto." "Thank you, glen." "Mother, isn't it wonderful?" "It's beautiful." "Ruth." "Oh, my dear." "Margaret." "I did want to come to meet you..." "... butI thoughtit besttostay here  to supervise dinner." "ellen, how are you?" "How are you?" "Dick, it's so good seeing you." "But where's Danny?" "He couldn't quite make it, Louise." "Oh, I'm terribly sorry." "Is he still at Warm Springs?" "Yes, he's getting along fine." "Oh, good." "You'II probably want to change." "Come on, I'II show you your room." "Those trout were in the stream hours ago." "You couldn't get that in Boston." "Perhaps, but our codfish" "I was born and raised in Boston myself." "I yield to no one in my passion for codfish." "I hate codfish." "So do I." "children, that's rank disIoyaIty." "It's treason." "Mr. HarIand, what do you think?" "Mrs. Robie, I'm what you call a salmon man." "Fact of the matter is Mother just doesn't like New Mexico." "Since this is my first visit, I don't see how you can say such a thing." "It's true just the same." "Father and I used to come here every spring, year after year." "And occasionally Ruth came along, but never Mother." "Too bad Mr. Berent didn't come along this time." "I've been told I resemble him." "Who told you that, Mr. HarIand?" "I did." "Louise, don't you think so?" "well, yes, now that you mention it." "glen?" "well, in a way." "In every way." "I noticed it the minute I saw him in the club car." "His face, his voice, his manner." "It's uncanny." "well, I must admit you've aroused my curiosity." "If I should get an opportunity to meet your father" "That's hardly likely, Mr. HarIand." "My husband" "We've come for my father's funeral." "My goodness, there is a resemblance." "Why, a most decided resemblance." "tell me, what did they mean about coming here for the funeral?" "Oh, that was rather a figure of speech." "As a matter of fact, Professor Berent died some time ago in the East..." "... andhisbodywas cremated." "They brought the ashes here." "They're having the ceremony in the morning." "Where?" "High up in the mountains..." "... sortofaplateau." "A favorite spot of his." "He used to go there a Iot with ellen." "well, now, if you'II excuse me, I'II see if the children have gone to bed." "hello." "hello." "ellen's gone for a walk." "well, how did you know that I--?" "Oh, I'm quite psychic." "Oh." "And is your sister psychic too?" "Oh, yes, much more than I am." "only I'm not her sister." "You're not?" "No, I'm her cousin." "I've lived with the family ever since I was a child." "Mrs. Berent adopted me." "Good evening, Mr. HarIand." "Oh, good evening." "In all fairness, I must confess the nights here..." "... seemmorebeautiful than at Beacon hill." "infinitely." "I think everything's more beautiful here." "ellen has gone for a stroll." "Thank you." "hello." "hello." "Am I intruding?" "Not at all." "I" "well, I'm afraid I owe you an apology." "It was rather clumsy of me at the table to speak of your father." "That's all right." "You couldn't have known." "You were very close to your father, weren't you?" "Yes, we were inseparable." "From the time I was able to walk..." "... wewerebothhappiest when we were together." "Engagement ring?" "Yes." "I believe I'd better be going in now." "We're getting up at 5:00 in the morning." "Good night." "Good night." "Don't you think somebody ought to look for ellen?" "What for?" "well, it's pretty wild country up there." "Perhaps she's lost." "ellen knows her way home." "I know, but it's been over 1 2 hours." "Suppose something happened to her." "Nothing ever happens to ellen." "well, I think I'II take a ride before I turn in." "Are you all right?" "Oh, yes, perfectly." "I just wanted to be alone for a while." "Thank you for coming to the funeral." "You knew I was there?" "Yes, I saw you as I rode by." "I hope you don't think it was just curiosity." "No, I understand." "I'm glad you were there." "So am I. I'II never forget it." "Father used to say it was like riding across the front lawn of heaven." "We made a pact to bring our ashes here when we died." ""If you die first," I told him, "I'II bring yours here." "If I die first, you'II bring mine. "" "Yet, I know now..." "... peopleyoulovedon 'treallydie." "Can we go now?" "I'm not a bit sleepy, are you?" "Not in the least." "Have you forgiven me yet?" "What I said about your book." "Oh, that." "I have a different opinion now." "I finished reading the book last night and I found it quite absorbing." "What made you change your mind?" "I got interested in one of the characters." "Which one?" "The author." "well, I assure you the book is not supposed to be about me." "Oh, but it is, whether you Iike it or not." ""Every book's a confession," my father always said." "You have to read between the lines." "And did you?" "well, what sort of man am I?" "You're a bachelor." "Thirty years old." "You were born and raised in Boston..." "... andyouwenttoHarvard, where you edited the Lampoon." "When you graduated, you went to Paris and you studied painting for a while." "You have a lodge in Maine called Back of the Moon." "Before you went in for writing novels, you were a newspaper man." "Your favorite sport is fishing, and you speak French and Spanish quite well." "Shades of sherlock." "You got all that just from reading my book?" "Just from reading the dust jacket." "It was all there under your picture." "You know, if you'd lived in salem 100 years ago, they'd have burned you." "Why did you give up painting?" "well, it was like this." "In the first place, I discovered I was colorblind." "Since I was interested in Post-Impressionism..." "... thatdidn'tmatter,did it?" "No." "When I made the acquaintance of the boys on the Left Bank..." "... Ifoundthattheylived in squalid garrets..." "... andmostof them were miserably undernourished." "Have you ever known what it was to be really hungry?" "I'm hungry right now." "You must be." "You haven't had dinner, have you?" "Nor lunch." "You poor thing, you must be famished." "Mrs. Robie told emily to leave you a tray." "Good." "Oh, there it is." "I'II get it." "Let me." "tell me about your place in Maine." "Oh, it's just a cabin, a shack, that's all." "But it's set down in just about the most beautiful country I've ever seen." "Why do you call it Back of the Moon?" "well, there's a lake up there, shaped like a crescent." "Danny and I used to spend all our summers there." "You love Danny a Iot, don't you?" "well, naturally." "Is that why you've never married, because you've had to take care of him?" "No, not exactly." "The way I feel about marriage" "well, it's Iike" " Thank you." "It's like that trip I made to Europe after I graduated." "I hadn't the least idea of going abroad." "It just happened." "I was taking a walk with a girl." "We went down to Boston Wharf and watched a freighter being loaded." "I liked the looks of her." "The girl?" "No, the freighter." "She looked good to me and she smelled good." "I didn't know where she was going, but I knew I was going with her." "And I did." "Mmm... ." "This is the tastiest sandwich I've ever eaten." "What is it?" "Turkey." "wild turkey." "Ever hunted them?" "No, I haven't." "It's tricky shooting." "They're sort of scary, but they're so big and clumsy, they hate to take wing." "It's a Iot of fun." "I'd Iike to try it sometime." "How about tomorrow?" "well, if glen has no other plans." "I meant just the two of us." "I'd love to." "Why did you come for me tonight?" "well, I don't know exactly." "Everybody assured me you'd be perfectly all right." "I guess it was just an impulse." "Like the time you took the freighter?" "Yes." "You knew I was coming up there tonight." "You were waiting for me, weren't you?" "Yes." "And you came, didn't you?" "well... ." "Good night." "hello." "What's going on up there?" "I'm just pruning and tying up the roses." "I hope I wasn't interfering." "Not at all." "I'm glad you're here." "I was thinking about you." "Something you said the other night." "What did I say?" "Something rather strange." "You said you'd been adopted by Mrs. Berent." "well, what's so strange about that?" "well, you didn't say Mr. and Mrs. Berent." "Weren't you adopted by both of them?" "Yes, of course." "Why did you say Mrs. Berent?" "I don't know." "I suppose it was because she suggested that" "She was alone so much of the time, and I" "I mustn't keep you from your work." "Be careful." "Oh, I'm all right." "How's that for an entrance?" "Perfect." "I'm delighted to see you." "AII of you." "Thank you." "I do hope I've interrupted you in your work." "You have, constantly, all morning." "How could I?" "I haven't been with you till now." "Oh, yes, you have." "I've been thinking about you and about Quinton." "Who told you his name?" "glen Robie." "How did he happen to tell you?" "I asked him." "Why?" "Because I hated Quinton." "Do you know him?" "No." "Then why do you hate him?" "Because you knew him." "That's nice." "You going to hate everybody I know?" "You've lost your ring." "No, I took it off an hour ago." "Forever." "Come on, hurry up!" "I'II race you across." "One, two, three, go." "Thattaboy, Lin." "Come on, Lin, keep it up." "Come on." "Lin's going to win." "No." "ellen." "ellen always wins." "The winner!" "Don't forget we have a date after lunch." "Quiet, Fritz." "Lie down." "What's the matter with you?" "Oh, come in." "hello, Robie." "Quiet, Fritz." "Quiet." "Let me take your things." "Thank you." "Here, Iet me fix your tie." "well, hello." "What in the world brought you here?" "An airplane." "I grabbed the first one I couId catch after getting your telegram yesterday." "Why all the rush?" "I wanted to be among the first to congratulate you..." "... onyourforthcomingmarriage." "well, we hadn't planned to announce it for a while..." "... butsinceyou'velet the cat  out of the bag... ." "darling, this is russell Quinton." "My fiancé, Richard HarIand." "How do you do?" "Might I have a moment with you alone?" "certainly." "We can go in the library." "will you excuse us?" "Mrs. Berent, Ruth." "Dick." "Dick, is it true?" "I'm so happy for ellen." "For both of you." "Thank you." "That's all very well, but what I want to know is when and how?" "well... ." "I'm sorry, Russ." "really, I am." "I never expected you to come here in the midst of a political campaign." "When do you plan to be married?" "As soon as possible." "would it be convenient for you to postpone it until the fall?" "until after election, you mean." "It wouldn't do me much good for the news to get out..." "... thatI 'dbeenjilted and thrown aside like an old shoe." "Oh, come now, Russ." "surely there's no political significance..." "... inthefactthatalady has changed her mind." "I don't understand it, ellen." "I always knew you'd never marry me while your father was alive." "But after he died, I thought-- well, I thought there might be a chance." "What happened?" "I'm in love." "We intend to get married at once." "Tomorrow." "Don't look so downcast." "I'II still be able to vote for you." "Perhaps you don't think I'm good enough for you or romantic enough." "people thought I was marrying into the Berent family for reasons..." "... butthat'snottrue." "I want you to know that I had only one reason." "I want you to know that I was in love with you." "I'm not a man who loves often, ellen." "I Iove once." "Thank you, Russ." "That's quite a concession." "I Ioved you..." "... andI 'mstillin lovewithyou." "That's a tribute." "And I always will be." "Remember that." "Russ, is that a threat?" "Now, look here, EIIen" "darling, will you marry me?" "Why, you unpredictable IittIe" "And I'II never let you go." "Never, never, never." "ellen, there he is." "Danny." "Dick." "Dick!" "Easy, boy, easy." "Oh, Dick!" "Hey, you've put on weight." "I believe you've actually grown." "You look sort of different yourself." "Get my telegram?" "Yeah, but I didn't sleep much that night." "I kept thinking, "Now he's left the ranch, and now he's in Chicago. "" "I kept seeing that train coming nearer and nearer." "I counted every turn of the wheels." "ELLEN:" "May I come in?" "Hi, Danny." "Hi, ellen." "I hope you Iike her, Danny, because if you don't, we'II send her right back." "Oh, please don't let him fire me, Danny." "I Iike this job." "Don't you worry." "If he fires you, I'II hire you." "Thank you." "Were you surprised to get my letter?" "Not a bit." "I knew what was in that letter even before I opened it." "I just kept reading it over and over again, just to sort of" "Get used to the idea?" "Yeah." "I was trying to picture what kind of a place Taos was..." "... howlongahoneymoonis." "ellen didn't like Taos." "I thought Warm Springs would be better for a honeymoon." "I hope you can stay a while." "We're going to take a cottage right here in Warm Springs." "And live here, you mean?" "That's right." "That's ellen's idea." "That's the way she wants it." "Gosh." "well, Mrs. HarIand." "I think I can feel safe in saying the job is permanent." "Thank you, sir." "I always does my best." "I trust you'II find the soup to your taste." "It's sheer understatement to call this ambrosia soup." "I call it consommé à la patchouIi." "When you hire a cook, teach her the recipe." "I have no intention of hiring a cook or a housekeeper or any other servants." "You mean for the present." "Ever." "Idiot." "I don't want anybody else but me..." "... todoanythingfor you ." "I want to keep your house and wash your clothes and cook your food." "A born sIavey." "I don't want anybody else in the house but us." "Ever?" "Ever." "well, but suppose in the natural course of events... ." "well, that's different." "And what about Danny?" "well, that's different too." "only three people have been to Back of the Moon:" "Me and Dick and Thorne." "Who's Thorne?" "Leick Thorne." "He's a woodsman." "He helped build the house, the dam, the boathouse and all." "He takes care of the place." "I'd Iike to get hold of some of Richard's baby pictures." "could I, do you suppose?" "Yeah, there's a whole album full." "A Iot of college yearbooks with loads of pictures of him." "only, there's one he doesn't like to show to anybody." "Why not?" "well, it's got a picture of Enid Sothern in it." "Who's she?" "The one they voted the best-Iooking girl." "Was she really beautiful?" "Not as beautiful as you are." "Thank you, Danny." "Won't it be wonderful when you can go back to school?" "Gosh, yes." "What school did you go to?" "Same one as Dick." "Boarding school?" "Yeah." "Oh, that must be fun." "Sure is." "Uh... ." "HasDickbeenbusy lately?" "Yes, he's been working awfully hard on his book." "We mustn't interrupt him." "Besides, have you forgotten our secret?" "Danny." "Dick." "Dick." "Danny." "Danny." "Now we can, all three of us, go to Back of the Moon." "Can't we, Dick?" "Can't we?" "You bet we can." "You bet we can." "It's way up north, miles from nowhere." "I know all about that place." "I've heard about it plenty from Danny." "He can't wait to get up there again." "I know, that's my problem." "Dr. Mason, my husband is planning to leave for Back of the Moon..." "... assoonpossible, and he wants to take Danny with us." "So do I, of course." "What's the problem?" "well, it's so remote up there." "wild and rugged and miles from the nearest town." "The facilities are primitive." "There isn't a telephone..." "... incasewe needadoctorforDanny." "I'm sure he won't need a doctor up there." "Or medicine?" "Or medicine or anything." "What about school?" "That can wait." "I must say Danny's progress has been rather remarkable." "I don't know how you did it." "You must've willed that boy to walk." "But don't you see, doctor..." "... myhusbandwillbebusy  a good deal of the time writing..." "... andwithnobodyeIse" "Isn't somebody there?" "Somebody by the name of Thorne?" "Yes, but he's leaving, and so it'II be" "I assure you, I don't want to shirk any responsibility." "I'm thinking only of Danny, and I" "No, that isn't true." "I'm thinking a little about myself too." "I know you'II understand, Dr. Mason." "I gave up my honeymoon to come here..." "... somyhusbandcouldbe with his brother." "But he's been working, and the burden's been on me." "I've spent hours here every day." "I was glad to do it." "It was no sacrifice at all." "I Iove Danny as much as he does..." "... andI 'mjustas happyasheis  that Danny's doing so well." "But after all, he's a cripple." "I'm sorry." "I didn't mean to say that." "I'm sure you didn't." "I didn't mean it." "Of course not." "I'm afraid I haven't been too well myself lately." "Mrs. HarIand, what do you want me to do?" "I want you to tell my husband it wouId be better for Danny to stay here." "But that isn't true." "It's much better for him to go to Back of the Moon." "But it could do no harm for him to stay here or go back to school." "If you'II tell my husband" "Why don't you tell him?" "Because coming from you" "Richard." "hello, doctor." "Oh, Richard, I've got such wonderful news." "Dr. Mason just consented to let Danny come with us to Back of the Moon." "Oh, no, darling, please." "Let me." "I want to be the first to tell him." "And this is Leick Thorne." "hello?" "Yes." "It's for you." "hello?" "Oh, golly, ellen!" "We're going to Back of the Moon." "Yes, ellen." "When?" "Tomorrow?" "Oh, gosh." "Yeah?" "Gee, thanks, ellen." "Gosh." "Good morning." "Good morning." "Oh, darling, I dreamed you were" "What gives?" "Another day with you." "Twenty-four hours with you." "Good morning, Dick." "Hey, good morning, Danny." "Good morning, ellen." "Hi, Danny!" "Hey!" "How about a dip in the lake before breakfast?" "Okay." "Morning, Mrs. HarIand." "Thorne." "Who gets up first, you or the sun?" "well, mostly it's neck and neck." "I thought I'd fix breakfast for you this morning." "Oh, no." "That's my job." "I'm beginning to feel sort of like a fifth wheel around here." "You mustn't feel like that." "Richard considers you a part of the place." "You must've been especially nice to him when he was a boy." "Oh, that wasn't hard." "He was a nice kid." "You must've had wonderful times together." "Yes, tolerable." "Did he change much when he got to be a young man?" "Not especially." "Did he use to confide in you a Iot?" "Yeah, sometimes." "Did he ever tell you about Enid Sothern?" "Who?" "Enid Sothern." "I don't especially recall he did." "Who was she?" "Oh, nobody in particular, I guess." "Just school stuff." "I'II take those." "Thorne, do you dream a Iot?" "Never." "I had the most awful nightmare last night." "We were out in the skiff, my husband and I, and he jumped in for a swim." "But I was too lazy, so I just rowed after him." "Somehow I was afraid." "When we got to the middle of the lake..." "... Ithoughtit wastimeforhim to get in the boat." "So I decided to call out to him, but I had no voice." "suddenly, Richard went under, not diving, but the way seals do..." "... justsortof settlinginthewater ." "Then he came up again, and one of his arms flung out to me..." "... asifhe weretryingtocalltome." "I tried to row to him, but the lake was like glue." "The boat wouldn't move." "My arms were paralyzed." "Then he went down again..." "... andthistimehestayeddown." "I reckon there's only one way left for you to save his life." "How?" "For you to wake up." "That's just what I did." "Hey!" "Come and get it!" "Come on in, ellen!" "The water's swell!" "I guess we'd better go in." "Okay, last one in is a sissy." "Oh, no!" "No what?" "Good grief!" ""'will you marry me?" "' he said. "" "well, what's wrong with that?" "First, men never propose." "They may think they do, but it's really the woman." "Who told you that?" "RipIey?" "If men do propose, they never say, "will you marry me?"" "Get away." "Get away, gadfIy." "Did you ever propose to a woman?" "Hundreds of them." "When you proposed to Enid Sothern" "Who told you about Enid Sothern?" "Did you say, "will you marry me?"" "I didn't propose to her." "Did she propose to you?" "Beat it, will you?" "How did you propose to me?" "Uh... ." "You didn't." "I proposed to you, Iike this." "Remember?" "Okay, I'II marry you..." "... rightafterIfinishmychapter." "Oh, I hate your chapter." "I hate all your chapters." "They take up too much of your time." "Funny, that's what my publisher says." "No, I'm serious." "After all, it isn't as if you had to write for a living." "I've got more than enough for both of us..." "... andit'sthedearestwish  in my heart to support you." "Is that bad?" "Oh, darling, I didn't know it could be so wonderful here, Back of the Moon." "You like it here, do you?" "Every minute..." "... ifonlyit weren'tsocrowded." "Crowded?" "Why, this is the most remote, uninhabited place east of the Mojave." "I mean the cabin." "Not that I mind chaperones, not in the least." "But there's Danny's room on one side of us and Thorne's room on the other side." "And the wall's as thin as paper, and the acoustics disgustingIy perfect." "well, at Ieast nobody snores." "Do you know since we've been married, we've never been alone, not for a day?" "Do you know--?" "Do you know..." "... Thornemovedhiscot  to the boathouse this morning?" "He did?" "Oh, Richard, I hope you didn't tell him I" "Oh, not at all." "It was his own idea." "As far as Danny's concerned" "Where is Danny?" "He went with Thorne." "Where's Thorne?" "He went to town." "You don't mean they'II stay in town?" "Oh, certainly not." "Then why did they go?" "Do you have to know everything?" "tell me." "No." "tell me." "Cut it out." "tell me." "Stop it." "It's a secret." "You can't have any secrets from me." "We wanted to surprise you, honey." "Danny, you sing one." "Come on." "What was that?" "That was a loon." "There's a couple of them across the lake." "They sound horrible." "You'II get used to it." "Wait till you see the deer." "You'II love them." "They come right up to the cabin to be fed." "What do you give them?" "Potato peelings and salt." "And then, of course, there's our porcupine." "Oh, yeah." "He used to come every morning and nibble on the doorstep." "The Robies paid us a visit at Bar Harbor just before we left." "Are they well?" "The children had the mumps." "Oh." "Of course, you've heard about Russ Quinton being elected district attorney." "really?" "They say he's got his mind set on the governorship." "It wouldn't surprise me if he made it." "Can we find some wild wisteria and transplant it around the cabin?" "I know where there's some." "Oh, fine." "Then tomorrow we" "I'm afraid Thorne won't have time for that." "He has his work to do." "Look what I can do." "Thorne showed me." "Oh." "After all, Mother, you must remember ellen didn't expect us." "We shouldn't have come, Ruth." "We shouldn't have come." "There must be loose bricks in the chimney." "I noticed it wasn't drawing very well." "Did you hear me, darling?" "What happened tonight?" "Since Ruth and your mother arrived you've been acting like a shrew." "At the landing you were cold, at dinner, aloof." "After dinner you were beastly." "I didn't expect guests." "I thought you'd be pleased." "Don't let's quarrel, Richard." "And Danny adores you." "You hurt him." "Why?" "I was upset." "You were insulting to your mother..." "... andmeanto Thorne, treated him like a servant." "Isn't he?" "certainly not!" "He's a friend, one of my dearest friends." "Is Ruth one of your dearest friends too?" "What's eating you?" "Ruth is your sister." "Ruth is not my sister." "AII night long, you devoted yourself to her!" "well, somebody had to make her welcome." "Maybe you're in love with her." "You're in a rotten mood, ellen." "Maybe that's why you invited her." "Do you want her to hear you?" "You can't draw a breath in this room without being heard all over the house." "Let's change the name from Back of the Moon to goldfish Manor." "What's happened to you?" "You're whipping yourself into a fit of hysterics." "Oh, no, I mustn't do that." "It might disturb Mother and Ruth or wake up Danny!" "ellen, what's got into you?" "I don't know." "I don't know." "Oh, darling, forgive me." "I'm sorry." "I can't help it." "It's only because I Iove you so." "I Iove you so I can't bear to share you with anybody." "well, the gal with the hoe." "Oh." "You're doing a swell job." "It's easy here." "You just put things in the ground and they grow." "It's much harder by the sea where we live." "Dick, when are you going to visit us at Bar Harbor?" "When I finish the book maybe." "I think you'II like it there." "We were talking about it this morning, Mother and I." "We thought it might be a good idea for Danny to go back with us." "The beach is lovely, and we have a sailboat." "He'd have a wonderful time." "I'm sure he would." "There's a school too, an excellent school." "Yes, I know." "ellen told me all about it." "I'II have a talk with Danny." "Dick, as far as I've read, it's splendid." "Oh, well, just for that I'II dedicate the book to you." "And what shall I say?" "To my sweet, to my beautiful, my discerning mother-in-Iaw who" "Who advised me to dedicate this book to my wife." "I'II dedicate the next one to her." "You dedicate them all to her." "I hope you'II send me the rest when it's finished." "There are only a few more chapters to write." "I'II wind it up before you leave." "That's hardly likely." "We're leaving Saturday." "Saturday?" "That's preposterous." "You've only been here a few days." "Yes, and they've been wonderful days." "Ruth and I shall never forget them." "But there are reasons why we must be getting home." "Does ellen know you're leaving?" "I told her this morning." "Now, don't look so downcast, Dick." "In a way, mothers-in-Iaw are like children." "They should be seen and not heard..." "... andnotseentoo much." "What's wrong with ellen?" "There's nothing wrong with ellen." "It's just that she loves too much." "Perhaps that isn't good." "It makes outsiders of everyone else." "But she can't help it." "You must be patient with her." "She loved her father too much." "please, sit still." "How do you expect me--?" "I can't help it." "It tickles." "You'II just love our house by the sea." "There are rocks on one side of the beach." "When it's low tide..." "... youcango thereand watch the anemones and ink-squids." "And there are the most wonderful shells and pebbles, all sizes and colors." "Sounds swell." "hold still." "How would you Iike to go to Bar Harbor for a while?" "I had a letter from Ruth, and she'd love to have you." "I'd love to go." "With Dick, you mean?" "He doesn't want to leave until the new book's finished." "Then we can join you." "well, I'd rather wait then..." "... tillwecanall gotogether, the three of us." "We wouldn't be separated for long, just a few weeks." "No, I'd rather wait." "Can I swim all the way across today?" "Think you could make it?" "Why, sure." "I made it 3/4 yesterday and wasn't a bit tired." "AII right." "If I make it today..." "... canweshowDicktomorrow?" "Yes, tomorrow." "We don't have to tell him how long I've been practicing, do we?" "No, we can just pretend you decided to do it on the spur of the moment." "Yeah, that's what we'II do." "You know, I can just see him watching now." "After a while he'II say, "That's enough." "Get back in the boat. "" "I'II pretend like I didn't hear him and keep on going." "Are you ready?" "Ready." "You think you can make it, Danny?" "It's a cinch." "Don't worry about your direction." "I'II keep you on your course." "Okay." "Are we halfway to the point yet?" "Not yet." "You're not making very much progress, Danny." "Are you all right?" "I'm a little winded." "I had a kink in my side, but it's gone now." "You'd better float for a while." "Yeah." "I... ." "I thinkI'mgettingtired." "Take it easy." "You don't want to give up when you've come so far." "Okay." "I'II get my second wind in a minute." "Oh... ." "The water's cold." "colder than I thought." "I ate too much lunch." "I have a stomachache." "ellen!" "It's a cramp." "ellen, it's a cramp!" "ellen!" "ellen!" "help me!" "Danny!" "Danny!" "Danny!" "I've been cleaning Father's laboratory." "It might be a good place for Dick to work." "He's dropped his work." "He's dropped everything." "I'm losing him, Ruth." "I'II die if I lose him." "Perhaps if you went back to the lodge, just the two of you." "No, he hates it now, everything about it." "He never wants to set foot there again." "And he doesn't want to go back to Boston." "If I only knew what he was thinking." "You've always helped me, Ruth." "help me now." "A little time, ellen, you'II see." "He's had a great loss." "There's a great emptiness in his life." "If he only had a child of his own." "Oh, it's wonderful!" "When ellen was little, her father fixed this as a playroom." "When she grew up, he used it as a laboratory." "It's going to be a playroom again, as it was before." "Not exactly." "Your baby was a girl." "Ours is going to be a boy." "You've decided that, have you?" "RICHARD:" "definitely." "ellen gave me her word of honor." "Stand still, will you?" "I've got a kink in my neck." "Dotted Swiss is nice for the curtains." "What about the rug?" "Don't put rugs in children's playrooms." "You use linoleum." "Why?" "LinoIeum washes easier, just in case." "Say, you women think of everything, don't you?" "AII right, you can rest." "Oh." "ellen, you shouldn't have walked up those stairs." "You know what the doctor told you." "Come here and sit down." "What have you done with Father's lab?" "We didn't want you to see it till it was finished." "Where are his things?" "We stored them in the basement." "Why didn't you consult me?" "We wanted to surprise you." "It's an ideal place for a playroom." "But I didn't want the room changed, ever." "I wanted it left just as it was." "I know you don't like being surprised, but we were trying to please you." "Come on, darling, everything's so wonderful now." "Patchouli." "You'II have to behave yourself." "Imagine eating shrimps at a time like this." "Where's Richard?" "He went to town." "They upset you." "I've been telling you that for years." "Did Ruth go with him?" "I think so." "especially now, in your condition." "When did they leave?" "Right after lunch." "And another thing, don't try to be so blamed athletic." "What time is it, Mother?" "almost 5." "You've got to stop gadding about." "Gadding?" "What are you talking about?" "This baby's making a prisoner of me." "Why are you having it then?" "I can't do anything." "I can't go any place." "I don't even see my husband." "Why don't you have him come here?" "Because I don't want him to see me this way." "That doesn't make sense." "Those are orders, now." "No shrimps." "No stairs." "And don't you budge off that couch." "Hey!" "Oh!" "Oh!" "Get those, Ruth." "Oh, heavens!" "Hey!" "There." "What are you doing?" "You look so funny." "You should always wear your hat like that." "I missed you this afternoon." "What did you do when you went to town?" "Oh, we just shopped around for the baby things." "You were gone about four hours." "well, we walked to town and back." "Rather a Iong walk, isn't it?" "tell me, what did you talk about?" "Oh, a Iot of things." "About Danny?" "No." "About me?" "Not especially." "You're looking very well, Ruth." "I've never seen you so happy." "tell me, do you think Richard loves me?" "well, now, that's a silly thing to say." "Oh, I know in the beginning he loved me." "But I'II tell you something funny, he never liked me." "He loved you, but he never liked you?" "That's right." "We've never really been friends, Iike you and he." "He likes you." "tell me, has he found a nickname for you yet?" "well, not exactly." "Sometimes he calls me "the gal with the hoe," to kid me about my gardening." "He used to call me PatchouIi." "Look at me." "I hate the little beast." "I wish it wouId die!" "ellen!" "Shocked, aren't you?" "If you were having the baby, you'd love it." "well, I never wanted it." "Richard and I never needed anything else." "And now this." "How can you say such wicked things?" "Sometimes the truth is wicked." "You're afraid of the truth, aren't you, Ruth?" "No, you're the one who's afraid." "ellen!" "call the doctor." "What happened?" "She must have tripped." "hello, Dr. Saunders?" "This is Ruth Berent." "please come over at once." "Something terrible has happened." "well, we couldn't save the child." "It was a boy." "well... ." "I hadn'treallyhopedthat" "As long as she's out of danger." "Oh, yes, you may rest assured of that." "When she came to, she remembered nothing about leaving her room." "She thought she must have been walking in her sleep." "She couldn't have been asleep." "I was with her 20 minutes before it happened." "You can go in and see her now for a moment if you Iike." "First his brother..." "... andnowhisson ." "Yes?" "No, she's not here at the moment." "I'd be glad to take a message." "Yes, I will." "Don't mention it." "Ruthie, my lass, the surf was wonderful." "You should've come in for a dip." "Too cold for me." "You're a softy." "You always were." "Hmm." "Richard's new book." "Nice." "Where is everybody?" "Dick's gone for a walk." "Mother's in her room." "I'm worried about Mother these days, the way she keeps to her room." "Isn't she well?" "perfectly well." "Then why do you suppose she insists on acting like a hermit?" "Why don't you ask her?" "She won't talk to me." "I can't imagine what's come over her." "Oh, by the way, that phone call was for you." "Somebody from the travel bureau in town." "Said it was all right about the transportation and hotel reservations." "Who's going places and where?" "I am." "Mexico." "well, why the wanderlust all of a sudden?" "I just thought I'd Iike to get away for a while." "From what?" "Is there anything strange about wanting to take a trip?" "No, I suppose not, but why Mexico?" "I've always wanted to see Mexico." "I've never heard you say anything about it before." "What part of Mexico?" "Taxco." "When are you going?" "Next week." "With Mother?" "No." "By yourself?" "By myself." "What are you running away from?" "Is it me?" "When we were kids, you tormented me every way you could think of." "You can't do that anymore." "Is it Richard?" "I'm going away because I can't stand living in this house any longer." "The whole place is filled with hate." "Your hate." "Not hate, love, Ruth." "Richard's love for me." "AII these weeks I was in the hospital, helpless..." "... youhadhimheretoyourself, but it didn't do you any good, did it?" "He loves me more than ever." "That's what you can't abide." "That's why you envy me, isn't it?" "I don't envy you, ellen." "AII my Iife I've tried to love you, to please you." "AII of us have." "Mother, Father and now Richard, and what have you done?" "With your love, you wrecked Mother's life and pressed Father to death." "With your love, you've made a shadow of Richard." "No, ellen, I don't envy you." "I'm sorry for you." "You're the most pitiful creature I've ever known." "hello, Richard." "Have a nice walk?" "You haven't shaved, darling, but I'II forgive you." "Your new book just came." "I've been glancing through it." "I noticed the dedication:" ""To the gal with the hoe. "" "I'd hoped it wouId be "To PatchouIi. "" "But I suppose she did help you with it a Iot." "Oh, well, there'II be other books." "darling, I had no idea the setting of your book was Mexico." "I didn't even know you'd been there." "Why didn't you tell me?" "Is anything wrong, Richard?" "You're so strange." "You've been avoiding me." "Going off by yourself." "Where do you go?" "What do you think about?" "Whatever it is, can't you share it with me?" "We haven't done that for a Iong time, shared things." "Ever since Danny" "You've never forgiven me for that, have you?" "You've always blamed me." "You did tell me not to let him swim the lake unless you were with us..." "... butwewantedtosurpriseyou." "Danny was so happy planning to surprise you." "He swam 3/4 the day before..." "... andhewassurehecould makeit." "The water was so warm." "I thought there was no danger." "I must've looked away for a moment, then when I Iooked back, he was sinking." "I pulled at the oars and then lost one, and then I grew panicky." "It was like a nightmare." "Like walking in your sleep?" "Yes." "Yes, I began to paddle and the boat didn't seem to move." "So you let him drown." "Didn't you?" "Didn't you?" "Richard, you're hurting me." "What happened that day at Back of the Moon?" "You'd got rid of everybody else." "Your mother, Ruth, Thorne." "There was only Danny left." "What were you thinking of?" "You never really cared for him." "You only pretended to." "What happened?" "Did he refuse to leave?" "Don't, Richard." "Don't." "Is that why you killed him?" "I didn't mean to let him drown." "But you did, didn't you?" "You're a perfect swimmer..." "... andtheboatwas sofaraway,  he was going down for the third time." "You killed him." "You let Danny drown, didn't you?" "Didn't you?" "Yes." "I did." "I let him drown, and I'd do it again." "I didn't want him around." "I didn't want anyone but you." "I knew it." "I must have known it all along..." "... butI keptpushingitout of my mind." "I couldn't believe it." "I didn't want to believe it." "How could I?" "You loved me, you said." "Wanted only to make me happy." "Yes, that was all I ever wanted, Richard." "Your happiness, only that." "I didn't mean to let Danny drown." "I didn't plan it, I swear I didn't." "But when he went under..." "... Ithoughtif he nevercameup, I'd have you all to myself." "I thought if he was gone, you'd have only me." "And while I was thinking that, he was gone." "I was sorry then, and frightened." "I tried to find him, tried honestly, tried hard." "But it was too late." "Why don't you kill me, Richard?" "You could so easily, you know." "And the baby." "You never wanted it, did you?" "No." "Don't you see?" "I didn't want anyone around." "only you." "I wanted to be just with you." "I couldn't stand having anyone between us." "Oh, I Iove you so, Richard." "I Iove you so." "I'm leaving you, ellen." "Mr..." "... RusseII..." "... Quinton." "District..." "... attorney." "Sussex." "Flight 17, the sunset special, now loading at gate seven." "Mr. Richard Harland wanted at the telephone." "Inquire at Information." "I'm Richard HarIand." "Use the phone number one." "Thank you." "hello." "Yes, this is" "Oh, hello." "What?" "well, how did it happen?" "Oh, yes, of course." "I'II take the first train back." "Dr. Saunders, I'm sorry to get you out of bed, but she's much worse." "would you hold on for just a minute, please?" "Oh, Dick." "Thanks." "Where is she?" "In her room." "It happened very suddenly." "We were having a picnic lunch at the beach." "Doctor, it seems to be more serious than you thought." "Come at once, please." "Richard." "I'm going to die." "Don't talk like that, ellen." "You're going to be all right." "No." "And you mustn't feel sorry for me." "I'm not afraid." "OnIy" "only, promise me one thing." "I want to be cremated." "Like my father." "And my ashes scattered in the same place." "Remember?" "I remember." "Promise?" "Of course, I promise." "Anything you Iike, onIy" "Richard!" "I'II never let you go, Richard." "Never." "Never." "Never." "Murder." "cold, brutal, premeditated murder." "The State will prove that on the afternoon of September 5th..." "... ata picnicattendedbyellenHarIand, her mother and her adopted sister..." "... thatellenmetdeath as a result of poisoning." "The State will prove that the sugar with which ellen sweetened her coffee..." "... wasmixedwithpoison..." "... andthatshemet death by reason of that poison." "The State will prove that the defendant had both motive and opportunity..." "... tocommitthisdreadfulcrime." "And the State will prove that the defendant, Ruth Berent..." "... deliberatelyandmaliciouslyplotted and carried through the murder." "It'II be all right." "I refer now to the envelope found in the defendant's leather jacket." "When you analyzed the contents of this envelope, what did you find?" "The apparent sugar tested 60 percent arsenic." "shortly after you made this test, I came to you with a sealed parcel." "The contents was a bottle half full of white powder." "I show you the bottle." "That's it." "You analyzed the contents?" "I did." "What was it?" "Pure arsenic." "Your witness, Mr. Robie." "No questions." "Mr. Medcraft, you are the manager of the Bay State Mortuary?" "I am." "Were the remains of the late Mrs. ellen HarIand cremated at your establishment?" "Yes, sir." "Who made the arrangements?" "Miss Ruth Berent." "Your witness." "No questions, Mr. Quinton." "Mr. CarIson, what is your occupation?" "Vice president of the Seaboard Trust Company." "Your bank is trustee for the estate of the late ellen Berent HarIand." "Yes, sir." "When was the Iast time you saw Mrs. HarIand?" "After she got out of the hospital." "Did she make any provision in her will about being cremated after her death?" "No, she did not." "would you tell the jury what provision she did make?" "She requested that she be buried in the family vault at Mount Auburn Cemetery." "hello, Dick." "hello." "Good evening." "Good evening, dear." "Tomorrow, Dick, you'II go on the witness stand." "You must remember that Quinton isn't just the prosecutor." "You may rest assured he'II have his brass knuckles on." "He'II throw the whole book at you." "He'II ask you some questions that won't be easy to answer." "One in particular." "Do you swear to tell the truth..." "... andnothingbutthe truth, so help you God?" "I do." "Your name?" "Richard HarIand." "Your profession?" "Writer." "If you don't mind, Mr. HarIand, I shall ask you for a moment to be a reader." "I have been asked how I happened to investigate the death of Mrs. HarIand." "This letter is my answer." "I ask you to read it." "aloud?" "please." ""Dear Russ, I'm writing this letter to you..." "... becauseweoncemeant a great deal to each other..." "... andthereis no oneelsetowhom I can go for help." "Richard is Ieaving--"" "Proceed, please, Mr. HarIand." ""It was after I Ieft the hospital I first began to sense a change in my husband." "At first I thought it might be due to the loss of our child..." "... andthenthetruth,theawful truth , began to dawn on me." "The reason for the change was Ruth." "Russ, they love each other, and want to get rid of me." "When Richard suggested a divorce..." "... Iwentto Ruthand beggedher to give him up." "She said she intended to have him and would stop at nothing." "I told Ruth I would never give Richard a divorce." "Then she threatened to kill me. "" "Go on, Mr. HarIand." ""Russ, I know she means it, and is capable of it." "She will kill me first chance she gets. "" "If you don't mind, Mr. HarIand, would you read that last paragraph Iouder?" ""She will kill me the first chance she gets. "" "Go on, Mr. HarIand." ""I'm afraid to stay in the house, but I can't leave without Richard." "I'd rather die than give him up." "I don't know what to do or where to turn, except to you." "please help me." "ellen. "" "Mr." "HarIand..." "... identifythehandwritinginthis letter." "ellen's." "I call your attention to the first sentence:" ""I am writing this letter to you because we once meant a great deal..." "... toeachother." Do you know the significance of this?" "I suppose it refers to the fact you once were engaged to her." "Yes, we were once engaged." "Did you know that when you first met her?" "She was wearing an engagement" "When you met..." "... youknewshewas engaged?" "Yes." "In spite of that, made love to her?" "I suppose." "will you tell the jury about this courtship?" "I didn't exactly court her." "She courted you?" "No, not that either." "well, then what do you mean?" "I knew she'd marry me if I asked her." "So you decided to ask her?" "No, I decided not to." "Did she ask you?" "Not exactly." "Then how'd you happen to get married?" "Why, I found one day that she had removed her engagement ring." "She gave me to understand" "I realized then that I was in love with her." "Did you tell her so?" "Yes." "What did she say?" "She said she would never let me go." "How soon after this were you married?" "A couple of days later." "She wanted it that way." "Were you reluctant?" "I was doubtful." "Now, Mr. HarIand, I don't say this critically, nor in mockery..." "... nortosuggest that you are conceited." "But simply to be sure that I understand you correctly." "You suggest that a beautiful young woman, engaged to another man..." "... faIIsinlovewithyou, wins you, and persuades you into a quick marriage..." "... againstyourbetterjudgment." "Is that a fair statement?" "Yes." "I see." "Now, how soon after did you begin to regret your surrender?" "Were you happy for the first month?" "completely." "Second, third, fourth?" "Yes." "Was Ruth at the New Mexico ranch..." "... whenellenmetand courtedyou?" "Yes." "Did you see much of Ruth at this time?" "No." "Where did you go after you left New Mexico?" "To Warm Springs, Georgia, to visit my brother, Danny." "During your residence in Warm Springs..." "... didyouhaveany servants?" "No." "Who did the housework?" "ellen." "And the cooking?" "ellen." "You couldn't afford servants?" "It wasn't a question of afford." "She preferred it that way." "ellen liked doing things for you?" "Yes." "Did Ruth visit you during this time?" "No." "Where did you go after you left Warm Springs?" "To a fishing lodge I have at a place called Back of the Moon." "Did anyone come with you?" "My brother, Danny." "When was that?" "In June." "In June, you happy with your wife?" "Yes." "How about july?" "Yes." "You loved her in july." "How about August?" "Did anyone come to visit you in August?" "Mrs." "Berent." "Anybody else?" "Ruth." "You loved ellen in August?" "well, how about August?" "My brother was drowned in August." "Yes, that must have saddened you." "But did it affect your love for ellen?" "Danny meant a Iot to me." "So did ellen?" "Yes." "Danny was drowned in August." "Come to September." "Did your love for ellen continue in September?" "In a different way." "In what different way?" "We were to have a baby." "Your love for ellen increased..." "... becauseshewasgoing to have a baby?" "No, not exactly." "Did it grow less?" "I don't know." "What do you mean in a different way?" "I don't know." "During this time you were living..." "... inBarHarborattheBerenthome?" "Yes." "Ruth was there all the time?" "Yes." "Your wife was confined to her room." "A good part of the time." "Did you see a great deal of Ruth?" "Yes." "practically every day?" "Yes." "When did you stop loving ellen?" "I don't know." "Isn't it true that shortly before your wife died..." "... youquarreledwithher ?" "Yes." "What about?" "I can't say." "Wasn't it because ellen..." "... wasjealousof Ruth?" "She had no reason to be." "Wasn't she?" "She was jealous of everybody." "But was she jealous of Ruth?" "I refuse to answer." "Perhaps you'II answer this:" "Are you in love with Ruth?" "We're very good friends." "In love?" "I'm fond of her." "I want you to answer yes or no." "I'm asking you a very simple question." "Perhaps you didn't understand." "I shall repeat it." "Are you in love with Ruth?" "Are you in love with Ruth?" "Are you in love with Ruth?" "I hand you a copy of Richard HarIand's new book." "kindly turn to the dedication page." "would you please read the dedication?" ""To the gal with the hoe. "" "To whom does that refer?" "To me." "Isn't it strange Mr. HarIand didn't dedicate his new book to his wife?" "I don't think ellen was interested in the book." "But you were?" "Very much." "You worked with him on it?" "The final draft." "Written while ellen was in the hospital." "Yes." "You were together a great deal during ellen's time in the hospital." "well, we were" "Working on the book." "Yes." "will you tell the jury where most of the action in this book takes place?" "Taxco, Mexico." "Had you been to Mexico before?" "No." "During the time you lived with the Berents..." "... hadyougoneawayonatrip alone?" "No." "Why did you decide to go to Taxco?" "I wanted to get away." "Expect to meet anybody there you knew?" "No." "Expect to be joined there by anybody?" "No." "Did Mr. HarIand suggest to go to Taxco?" "No." "Get back to the dedication." "Why did Mr. HarIand refer to you as "the gal with the hoe"?" "I'm rather fond of gardening." "You did all of the gardening?" "Yes." "Did you ever use chemical sprays..." "... orinsecticides?" "Yes." "Any containing arsenic, for example?" "I don't know." "I show you a bottle here in evidence." "Do you recognize it?" "Yes, it was mine." "It held bath salts." "You aware of what it contains now?" "Yes." "By what chemical process do you suppose bath salts turned into poison?" "I don't know." "I show you a leather jacket in evidence." "Recognize it?" "It's mine." "I show you an envelope in evidence." "Recognize it?" "It's the envelope containing sugar." "Which the State chemist testified..." "... was60percentarsenic." "Yes." "Which the sheriff testified was in the pocket of this jacket?" "Yes." "Did you wear this jacket..." "... onthedayofthepicnic?" "For a while." "Then I gave it to ellen." "Why did you do that?" "She complained of feeling chilly." "So you loaned her the jacket?" "Yes." "will you tell the jury who prepared..." "... thefoodin thepicnichamper?" "ellen and I." "Who prepared the sugar?" "I don't know." "It must've been ellen." "Why do you think it was ellen?" "She was the one who took sugar with coffee." "Who served coffee on the picnic day?" "I did." "You gave her the sugar." "Yes." "That night she was dead." "Yes." "And the very next day..." "... herbodywascremated?" "Yes." "The following day HarIand left with the ashes for the New Mexico ranch..." "... todisposeof them?" "Yes." "So that no autopsy could be possible?" "No, no!" "That wasn't the reason." "ellen always wanted to be cremated and have her ashes scattered..." "... withherfather's." "Then why did she..." "... havea clauseinsertedinherwill requesting her burial at Mount Auburn?" "I can't explain it." "There's many things you can't explain." "You can't explain how poison got in the bath salt bottle." "Can't explain how it got in the sugar." "Can't explain why ellen's body..." "... wascremated to make an autopsy impossible." "Can't explain why you made plans to leave the country..." "... shortlybeforeyoursister was poisoned." "Perhaps you can explain this:" "When did you faII in love with Richard HarIand?" "Did you ever tell him you loved him?" "No." "When did you faII in love?" "You've dodged long enough." "You can answer a simple question and I demand you do so!" "When did you faII in love with Richard HarIand?" "Did you love him after his brother was drowned?" "Did you love him after the death of his stillborn child?" "After his wife died?" "Did you love him last week?" "A month before?" "A year before?" "Are you in love with him today?" "Yes." "Yes, I am in love with him." "I think I've always loved him." "The State recalls Richard HarIand to the stand." "That's all." "Get some water, please." "Order in the court!" "Richard HarIand..." "... youheardthatwomanfinally tell the truth." "And now I want the truth out of you." "You heard Ruth Berent confess her love for you." "And now I ask you, as I have asked you over and over, time and again:" "Are you in love with her?" "Are you in love with the woman who murdered your wife?" "My wife was not murdered." "She killed herself." "You honestly believe ellen committed suicide?" "Yes." "Knowing her as you and I did..." "... youthinkhercapable, not only of committing suicide..." "... butfalselyaccusingher sister of her death?" "ellen was capable of anything." "You want the jury to believe..." "... thatshewasthatsort ofmonster?" "Yes, she was that sort of monster." "A woman who sought to possess everything she loved..." "... wholovedonlyfor what it could bring her." "Whose love estranged her own father and mother." "Whose love possessed her father until he couldn't call his soul his own." "Who, by her own confession to me, killed my brother..." "... killedherownunbornchild..." "... andwhois reachingfromthegrave  to destroy her innocent sister." "Yes, she was that sort of monster." "Order in the court!" "It took the jury only 10 minutes to bring in a verdict of not guilty for Ruth." "But HarIand had sacrificed himself." "In withholding knowledge of ellen's crime..." "... he'dbecomean accessory." "He got two years." "But ellen had lost." "I guess it's the only time she didn't come out first." "I guess Dick's about home now." "subtitles by SDI Media Group" "[ENGLISH SDH]"