" Watch your step." " David?" "Watch your step." "I'm looking for David." "He ain't in here, lady." " David?" " You're mistaken." "David." "David, I've been looking everywhere for you." "I thought I'd lost you." "David?" "My name isn't David, lady." "What?" "Okay." "You, lady?" "Coffee?" "Would you reach me the sugar?" "Hey, you." "Say, you drunk?" "Here's your coffee." "Hey, what's the matter with you?" "She looks sick." "Are you sick or something?" " Where did you pick her up?" " Sixth and Main." " Does she show any signs of physical injury?" " Not as far as we could make out." "How many fingers?" "Pulse low and irregular." "What's your name?" "Can you hear me?" "It looks like a coma." " Diabetic?" " I don't think so." "It's a nontraumatic stupor." "Take her to Psycho." "How many does this make?" "Twenty today." "One manic, three seniles six alcoholics, and 10 schizos." "Going up all the time." "This civilization of ours is a worse disease than heart trouble or tuberculosis." "And we can't escape it." "Well, what have we here?" "Catatonic stupor." "She was in shock, but she's out now." "I see." "Beautiful woman, intelligent frustrated." "Frustrated, just like all the others we've seen." "It's always the same." "Problem of some kind." "Simple, perhaps, but she was unable to cope with it." "And now this." "Complete confusion." "Hypoactive deep reflexes throughout." "Catatonic posturing, waxy flexibility of the extremities." "Hmm." "Your diagnosis was correct, Craig." "Let me see the chart, hmm?" ""Name unknown." "Previous medical history, unknown." "Age, education, profession, if any, unknown."" "All unknown." ""Patient's clothing bears label from stores in Washington, D.C." "Woman who saw her on the street said she was asking for a man called David."" "Well, that's something to go on, at least." "Not much, but something." "Anyway..." "David." "Well, hello, there." "I'm Dr. Willard." "We're going to help you." "You feeling better?" "Better?" "Much better." "You come from Washington, don't you?" "Washington, D.C." "Where do you live in Washington?" "Well, what's this?" "You're married, aren't you?" "What's your husband's name?" "Is your husband's name David?" "What's your name?" "You can talk, you know?" "You just did." "You said "David." Now you don't say anything." "Why is that?" "Well, tell me this, at least." "How do you feel?" "I said, "How do you feel?"" "'XIII" "Feel..." "That's fine, go on." "'XIII" "You can't find the words, can you?" "You want to, but you can't." "Something preventing you, is that it?" "Just nod your head if I'm right." "I see." "All right, we'll have to do something about that." "She shows marked thought blocking, almost complete mutism." "Now, then in order to help you, we've got to find out something about you and to find out about you we've got to make it possible for you to talk." "We'll try narcosynthesis." "Seven-and-a-half grains in 10 cc's of sterile distilled water." "Yes, Dr. Willard." "Well, there." "That's fine." "Now, it's not going to hurt." "It will just help you to tell us what we want to know." "Don't you want to talk to us?" "In a few seconds, you're going to be able to talk." "And I want you to tell me what you're thinking." "Every time I see the reaction to this treatment, I get the same thrill that I did the first time." "Miss Rosen elevate the head of the bed, please." "Now watch, Craig." "There." "That's better, isn't it?" "Now you can think much more clearly, can't you?" "That's much better." "Much better." "It's all right." "You're in a hospital." "Hospital?" "What hospital?" "Why?" "You became very ill in a restaurant." "Don't you remember?" "No." "I don't believe you." " I'd like to leave now." " All right." "You help us to make you well again, and then you can leave." "Now, that's fair enough, isn't it?" "What's your name?" "Louise Howell." "You live in Washington?" "Why are you in Los Angeles?" "To get away from them." "From them?" " They must never know." " What mustn't they ever know?" "That's why I came here." "I wanted to disappear." "They mustn't ever know." "Now, now, now." "Don't get excited." "What is it you don't want them to know?" "I'm not going to tell you everything." "All right." "You just tell me what you want to, that's all." "Tell me about David." " David?" " Yes." "Who is David?" "Someone's playing Schumann on the piano." " I don't like it." " No one's playing the piano, really." "Yes." "Oh, yes." "Listen." "There." "Hear it?" "I don't like it." "Make them play it softer." "That's better." "It's nice." "Oh, that's fine." "Tell me who was playing the piano?" "David." "We were swimming." "It was cold." "Now he's playing Schumann." "What are you doing?" "Louise?" "I'm getting dressed." "It's almost time to go." "You know, we never seem to have enough time together." " What?" " I said, we never seem to have enough time together." "The days aren't long enough." "Not our days." "The others are too long." "You aren't even listening." " I'm making love to the piano." " Heh." "One of my more attractive minor accomplishments." "For Miss Louise Howell, Schumann." "And for the other women you've known?" " The other women?" " Mm-hm." "It depends." "Gershwin." "Something light and frivolous." "Mozart." "But for you, Schumann." " Tenderness." " Thank you." "I wish I hadn't gotten dressed." "We could go swimming again." "It would be lovely swimming in the moonlight." "Beautiful." " It would be too cold." " Heh." "You haven't enough romance in your soul." " Why don't you go?" " Alone?" "It wouldn't be any fun that way." "Besides, I have to leave soon." "Will you miss me?" "Will you be lonely?" "Do you love me?" "Heh, you say the most beautiful things." "Hmm, your hair's still wet from swimming back here." " You know that?" " Mm-hm." "Smells wonderful." "Why do they still make perfumes like Bouquet de Fleurs as if things still happened in flower gardens?" "If they turned out something like, uh Wet Hair After Swimming, they'd have something." "I love you, David, heh." ""I love you" is such an inadequate way of saying "I love you."" "It doesn't quite describe how much it hurts sometimes." "Love gives me the sniffles, and then my nose gets red." " Why?" " Because I'm happy, because I'm in love." " That's no reason." " Why, yes, it is." "At least for a woman, it is." "Would you like to know something?" "What?" "Well, before I met you I never felt very keenly one way or another about anything." "I wasn't happy, I" "Sad?" "No, I just existed." "I never realized what a dreary life it was, till I met you." "Oh, David, I want a monopoly on you, heh." "Or whatever people have, when they don't want anyone else to have any of you." "Don't, Louise." "Don't what?" "Don't start bringing the subject around to marriage again." "I like all kinds of music except a little number called "Oh, Promise Me."" " Why?" "What's wrong with it?" " Well, it's a duet and I like to play solo." "I'm not in love with you like that, Louise, you know that." "Not like that." "Don't be angry." " I'm not angry." " Yes, you are." "Why is it when a man gets interested in his work, or a book, or something a woman has to always start acting like a woman?" "Heh, because she doesn't want him to get lost in anything but her." "Heh, darling, in mathematics you never, never lose yourself." "In life, very often." "In love, always." "But in mathematics, two and two are always four." "And that's wonderful." "Let me show you this." " You see?" " Mm-hm." "It's just a curve." "Well, yes, it's a parabola." "Now, that is something that a mathematician could fall in love with." "I've been working on that for over four years." "I started when I was in the army in Africa." "It's, uh, a girder, a molded girder." "The army couldn't use it, but a construction engineer would give his right arm for that." "Why don't you love me like that?" "I'm much nicer than a girder and a lot more interesting." "I have no pride." "You didn't know that, did you?" "David." "David, I've never had anything in the whole world I ever wanted, except you." "I used to be cold, shut in." "I didn't mind because, well, nothing hurt me very much then, but..." "I just can't go back being on the outside of people's lives, looking in." "Louise, we're all on the outside of other people's lives looking in." "You wouldn't like being on the inside of my life." "There's nothing there but a few mathematical equations and a lot of question marks." "Darling, I honestly think we'd better not see each other for a while." "Why?" " Why, David, what have I done?" " Nothing." "Nothing." "Knowing you has been wonderful, but you hang on to me too hard." "Sometimes I get the feeling that you're choking me to death." "Everyone wants to be loved, but no one wants to be smothered." "This whole thing, it's getting too involved." "It was never meant to go this far, you know that." " We agreed to that a long time ago." " Yes, I know, but it's the sort of thing that people say before they fall in love." "Louise, I hadn't wanted to tell you this for a while but I think, now, maybe I should." " I've had" " David, please take me home." " Waiting won't make it easier." " Take me home, David." "David, I can't run away from it any longer." " What were you going to tell me?" " Louise, I don't know what I want just now." "But I have to keep moving until I get it." "Blame it on the army, blame it on the war, blame it on anything you like." " But that's the way it is." " All right, go." "Go wherever you like." "But let me wait for you." "At least let me do that." "No." "I won't be back this way." "Louise, you've got to let go." "I can't love you the way you love me." "I never could." "Believe me, someday you're gonna be glad you're rid of me." "Won't you try to understand?" " Nobody caring what happens to me." " When you're calm, I'll talk to you." "All right, run away." " Miss Howell." " Good evening, Mr. Graham." "I understood you were employed to take care of my wife." " Yes." " Then why don't you?" " This is my day off, Mr. Graham." " Oh, I see." " Well, go and look after her." " Yes, sir." "You'll find her rather upset, I'm afraid." "Who is that?" "Is that you, Dean?" " I told you" " It's Louise, I'll be with you in a minute." "I don't want you to do anything." "I won't have you touch me." "Not after what's going on between you and my husband." "Nothing's been going on, you know that." "Don't try to fool me." "I can tell you're up to something by looking at you." "Where have you been all day?" "Who were you with?" "No one you'd be interested in." "Why don't you try and get some rest?" "How can I rest?" "Lying here all alone, no one to look after me, nobody to care." " Even my own husband hates me." " That's not true, Mrs. Graham." "You know he's very upset when you're unhappy." "He should be upset." "It's his fault I'm like this." "All his fault." " Is that you, Miss Howell?" " Yes, Mr. Graham." " Have you a moment?" " Certainly." "I wanted to apologize for being so abrupt when you came in this evening." "I'd just gone through a rather unpleasant half-hour." "I understood that, Mr. Graham." "I imagine you were subjected to much the same sort of thing, just now." " I hope it wasn't too difficult for you." " I'm used to difficult patients." "You have a magnificent detachment, Miss Howell." "I wish I might achieve it." "I'm glad you weren't upset by my wife's rather vivid imagination." "No, I wasn't upset, but I wondered..." "I think I should leave." "Under the circumstances, I think it would be better." "This has happened before, Miss Howell." "Many times before." "There's every reason to believe that it will happen again." "My wife is fully convinced that I spend all my free time making advances to her nurses or any other female who enters this house." "Your leaving wouldn't change that." "It would, however, deprive me of your very capable presence." "If you can bring yourself to ignore these fancies of Mrs. Graham I'd like very much to have you stay." " All right, I'll stay." " Good, that's settled." "I won't bother you any further with my troubles." " Good morning." " Good morning." "Leave the rest to me." "Mr. Graham will want his breakfast." " Any luck?" " Caught two trout." "I thought I'd save some money and catch my own breakfast." " Good idea." " How long were you out?" "About three hours." "Figuring what your time's worth those fish cost you $1000 apiece." "I got cheated on Junior." "He's only worth about 500." " How's Mrs. Graham this morning?" " Feeling well enough..." "...to come down for breakfast." " Good." "That's David Sutton." "Hi, Dean." " Catch anything?" " Oh, enough for breakfast." " Can I see you a minute?" " Sure." " You're going to talk business, I'd better go." " Sutton won't mind." " I'd like you to meet." "He's a good fellow." " Some other time, perhaps." "I have things to do." " Hello." " Hello." " You know each other?" " Yes, sure." "I saw you out fishing." "I thought I'd drop over and say hello." " How are Pauline and the kids?" " They're fine." "What's on your mind?" "You remember our talk Saturday at the club?" " Vaguely." " Could we finish it?" "Operator, I'm waiting for that call to Montreal." "All right, I'll hold on." " Some coffee?" " No." "No, thanks." "I've had breakfast." " Look, don't let me interrupt yours, now." " I won't." "Now, what about this Canadian deal?" "Well, I know your company is surveying a new field up there." "I know you're within six months of production." "All right, I'll hold on." "How do you know all this?" "Subterranean rumbles from the underground." "It's true, isn't it?" "It might be." "Why?" "What particular rumble interests you?" "That cracking plant that you're going to build." "You'll need a structural engineer, a good one." " Me." " Someday we must have a long chat..." "...about your sources of information." " Heh, maybe we will." "Meanwhile, I'm looking for a job." "That one." "Seriously, Dean." "You know my record." "You know I'm as good a man as you could get." "Hello, Charlie." "Hold on a minute." "When could you leave for Canada?" "Tonight, tomorrow, anytime." "Charlie, do you know anything about an engineer named Sutton?" "David Sutton." "Do you think he'd be a good man for the Lac du Fond project?" "Start packing." "Louise?" "Where are you, Louise?" "I'm ready to go down." "Louise?" "Hello." "Hello, Louise." "David, I want to talk to you." " All right." "But does it have to be here?" " Here now." " What is it?" " I tried to get you on the phone last night." "Tried again this morning." "You weren't home." "I was home." "Then you wouldn't answer because you knew it was me." " David, we have no reason to quarrel." " I agree completely." "I don't know why you're angry." " I'm not angry." " Please let me finish." "Whatever it is I've done, or you think I've done I really haven't done anything, David, but whatever it is, I'm sorry." "You have nothing to be sorry for." "You haven't done anything." "I've been thinking about us all night." "I couldn't sleep." "It's awful to lie down at night and not be able to sleep." "But I do know that we can work things out." "I'll do anything you say, David, just as long as we're together." "That's all I want." " Please, David, why can't we be together?" " I told you why last night." "Louise, don't hang on to me." "You'll get hurt." "You're in love with someone else, aren't you?" "There isn't anybody else." "Don't please read hidden meanings into everything I say." "If I were in love with anybody else, believe me, I'd tell you." "There is another woman, I know it." "Otherwise why should you suddenly decide to go off to Canada?" "How did you know about Canada?" "You didn't think I'd find out, did you?" "But I did, I listened." "I listened at the door." "See the things you make me do?" "I'll do anything, because I don't care anymore." "You can't go away without me, David." "I won't let you." "I'll find a way." "I'll lie if I have to, but I'll find a way." "David?" "David, I didn't mean that." "I don't know why I ever said such a thing." "David, I'm sorry." "Don't be angry." "Please don't be angry." "David, listen to me." "You mustn't treat me this way." "Don't leave me." "Take me with you." "David." "David!" "David." "Where are you?" "Don't leave me." "David." " David." " Now, now, now, try and be calm." "Tell me, how did you feel when he left you?" "What were you thinking?" "He did it deliberately." "To humiliate me." "He even pretended it was because I was too much in love with him." "But he didn't fool me any." "He planned it that way." "They all knew about it." "Dean his wife, Pauline the others." "They all did it deliberately." "Just to make me feel miserable." "To make me like this." "Now, now, now." "Try and rest a while." "Try not to think of anything." "Do you notice the beginnings of the persecution complex?" ""They did it deliberately." "Part of a plan." "Wanted to hurt me."" "No attempt to evaluate the situation or see the man's viewpoint." "No judgment, lack of insight." "Classic symptoms." " This is where the psychosis began." " Even further back, doctor." "She said herself that before she met him, she'd never felt anything very keenly." "That's lack of emotional response." "I think the exact term she used was, "I wasn't happy, I wasn't sad."" "Typical schizoid detachment, split personality." "Yes, the seeds were there and her obsession for this man made them grow." "Well, let's go on." "How do you feel?" "Do you want to continue?" "Don't go to sleep now." "Stay awake and talk to me." " Would you like to go on?" " Yes." "I'll tell you." "I know you can help me." "I know." "Would you like a glass of water?" "No." "It was black." "It was black then." "Cold." "Very cold and black." "I found her!" "Okay, lieutenant." "I hoped it wouldn't be true." "I feel it's all my fault." "If only I hadn't gone into the village." "You weren't to blame." "You look so tired." "Why don't you go in and lie down?" "Let me stay here." "I'll do whatever's necessary." "Thank you, Miss Howell." "I'll be all right." "Please, Mr. Graham, I'm worried about you." "We were too late, Mr. Graham." "Much too late." "I'm sorry." "I, uh, wonder if you'd mind coming with me for a minute?" "Certainly." "I have to make a report." "Just routine, you understand, otherwise I wouldn't trouble you." "I understand your wife used to come here often." "Yes, she loved this spot." "She'd suddenly get out of bed and come here and spend hours." "Who are you?" " Louise Howell, Mrs. Graham's nurse." " Why did Mrs. Graham need a nurse?" "She'd been ill for years." "She thought she'd never be well again." "Dr. Sherman, her physician, can tell you more about that." "I understand Mrs. Graham wasn't missed till about 7:00." "That's right." "When the maid took her dinner up, she was gone." "We weren't called until 8:15." "Everyone thought perhaps she'd gone for a walk." "Although she didn't ordinarily do that without telling someone." "When her slippers were found, I thought it best to call you." "I see." "Where were you all this time, Miss Howell?" "I was in the village." "This was my day off." "I never should have left her alone." " I blame myself for this." " Why should you?" "It was your day off." "How do you think the accident happened, Mr. Graham?" "It wasn't an accident." "She did it deliberately." "If you don't want me for anything else, I have some calls to make." "Mr. Graham's children are away." "They have to be notified." " All right." " Would you like me to tell them?" "No, I'll take care of that." "Do you think it was suicide, Miss Howell?" " She had spells of extreme depression." " Evidently." "She must've been trapped by the weeds." "Weeds grow very long here, near the shore." "Then I guess the current carried her out." "The body was found out here." "This is the rock where Mrs. Graham's slippers were found." " Would you pass that on to the jury, please?" " Yes." " What time were you called, lieutenant?" " 8:15." "Sergeant got the call from the house." "We got here about 9:00 and we didn't find the body till approximately 2:30 in the morning." "Well, I guess that's all." "Except for one thing." "A statement by Mr. Graham." "Don't usually hear a man say a thing like that especially about his wife, so I wrote it down." "I asked him:" ""How do you think the accident happened, Mr. Graham?"" "His exact answer was" "Anything I said that night was not-- I was under great strain." "It's not evidence." " It's not evidence." " Just a moment, Dean." "I should like to remind the coroner that Mr. Graham has not been well." "We're aware of Mr. Graham's condition, doctor." "It's largely the reason this hearing is being held here instead of the courthouse." "However, anything that pertains to the events of the evening must be a matter of public knowledge." "What was Mr. Graham's statement?" "Well, his exact words were:" ""it wasn't an accident." "She did it deliberately."" "Is that correct?" "Any more questions, Mr. District Attorney?" "None at all." "That's all, lieutenant." "Mr. Coroner, before you conclude this hearing I'd like to recall Dr. Sherman to the stand." "Dr. Sherman, will you take the stand, please?" "Unless I'm mistaken, this is your personal diagnosis of Mrs. Graham's illness?" " Yes." " Dr. Sherman according to the case history you've given Mrs. Graham was an invalid and likely to remain so." " Yes." " Was she depressed?" "Well" "Was Mrs. Graham depressed?" "Yes." "In your opinion, doctor, was she depressed enough to commit suicide?" "If you'll excuse me, sir, Mr. Graham's children have just come in." " Daddy, Daddy." " Wynn, my boy." "I didn't know you were here." "Come on out in the hall." "Carol, darling, I didn't expect you so soon." "You shouldn't be in here." "Why are all the people in there?" "Where's Mother?" "Wynn, please run along up to your room." "Carol will be up in a few minutes." " All right, Daddy." " That's a good boy." " You didn't tell him, did you?" " No." "It's awful you had to come home at a time like this." "When I phoned I didn't intend you to bring Wynn." "He said suicide." "Why?" "I thought it was an accident." "I know suicide was mentioned, but this is an inquest." "They have to consider everything, every possibility." "But why should they talk about suicide?" "Was Mother unhappy enough to kill herself?" "You know your mother was unhappy." "It was part of her illness." " But" " Don't talk about it now." "I'm in the middle of this." "Please help me." "Go to your room, and in a little while I'll come up and we'll have a talk." "Will you do this for me, darling?" "Oh, Daddy." "I know, darling." "Mr. Graham." "The coroner wants to see you." "Is that you, Miss Howell?" "Miss Howell, is that you?" "Oh, Miss Graham." "I thought I heard somebody call me." "Yes, I did." "Is it over?" "The inquest?" "Yes." " What was the verdict?" " Accidental death." " It wasn't an accident." "I know better." " Oh, you shouldn't think such things, really." "Miss Howell, my mother mentioned you in her letters." "I know quite a lot about you." " Probably more than you'd want me to know." " What could she possibly say?" "The last letter was written just before the accident." "It was mostly about my father, but she mentioned you." "How attractive you were to him." "How much he liked you." "I know your mother thought that, but it's not true." " My mother never lied to me." " It isn't a question of lying." "Your mother was very ill, much more than you were ever told." " That made her imagine all kinds of things." " There's no point discussing it." "It's over now." "I'm home." "You're leaving." "But your father has asked me to stay to take care of Wynn." "I don't want you here." "Is that plain enough?" "Yes, that's very plain." "If you're trying to discharge me, you better ask your father about it." "Yes, you'd like that, wouldn't you?" "You're very confident of what he would say." " You're being a very silly girl." " Am I?" "I know how much my father likes you." "Too much to let you go." " You've planned it that way." " Ridiculous." "I won't bother to deny it." "There are things about your mother you should know." "Don't talk about my mother." "No matter how hard you scheme, you'll never take her place." "I won't let you, Miss Howell." "If it hadn't been for you, my mother would still be alive." " She killed herself because of you." " Carol." "I think you owe Miss Howell an apology." "You've made an extremely offensive suggestion." " You will apologize." " No, please don't." "My children have been taught good manners." "I prefer they don't forget them." "Carol, things haven't been pleasant here for some time." "I'd looked forward to your coming home." "I hoped you'd make things easier for all of us." "Please don't disappoint me." "You don't need me, Father." "Miss Howell has taken my place." "Just as she took Mother's place." "Oh, no." "In the circumstances, you'd better go back to school." " Yes, Father." " Mr. Graham, it isn't her fault." "I don't want you to defend me, Miss Howell." "As long as you're in my father's house, I'd rather be somewhere else." "Your father needs you." " I wish this hadn't happened." " So do I." "This didn't frighten you today, did it?" "You remembered that the medicine made you feel better." "Beginning to feel it?" "That's fine." "Well, then." "Yesterday, you told me about Mrs. Graham dying." "What happened after that?" "Washington." "Yes, you went there with Mr. Graham and his son, Wynn, I gather." "Something happened there that upset you very much." "Made you ill." "Yes." "Made me ill, like I am now." "You don't forget things like that." "Now, why don't you tell me about it." "After the funeral, we moved back to Washington." "I didn't want to." "I wasn't really needed." "Mr. Graham asked me to." "And I thought..." "I knew I'd never see David again if I went away." "So I stayed in Washington, with the Grahams taking care of Wynn." "Months went by." " I'll race you to the top of the stairs." " I'll beat you there." "Come on, come on." " Are you ready?" " Yep." " Ready, set-- DEAN:" "Wynn, is that you?" "Daddy's home!" "Hello, Son." "Daddy, I raced Miss Howell to the door and I won." "Good for you." "Wynn, this is an old friend of mine." "Mr. Sutton." " How do you do?" " Glad to see you again, Wynn." "The last time I saw you, you weren't shaving yet." "Huh?" "It's mathematically impossible to try a joke on a child this age." "I don't remember you." "I'm sorry to hear that." "I always try to leave a lasting impression." "What are these?" "Those are plans of a cracking plant Mr. Sutton's building for me." " You remember, you saw one once." " Oh, yes." "Oh, Miss Howell, come in." " I hope we're not disturbing you." " Not at all." "I brought my homework and David Sutton." "Hello, David, how are you?" "No use lying to you, Louise, you're a nurse." "I'm fine." "You?" " I'm fine too." " Good." " Dean,you?" " Not a complaint." "Not a symptom." "This is absolutely the healthiest circle I've ever moved in." "I keep forgetting you two know each other." "Oh, yes, David and I are very old friends." " If you're talking business-- DEAN:" "No, we're all finished." "Matter of fact, I was about to propose a drink." " Second the motion." " Would you join us?" "No, thank you." "I don't think Wynn would approve." "I'll mix them for you." "Wynn, it's been a long day." " Go upstairs and get ready for dinner." " Yes, Miss Howell." "Daddy, you promised me you'd read me a story." " Whenever you're ready, heh." " All right, I'm ready." "Dean, I have your okay to go ahead with this pumping station?" "Yes." "All right." "You're the only man who ever worked for me." "David, you take water in yours, if I remember correctly?" "Yes, please." "I ran a thousand barrels of heavy crude." " The lighter stuff will go faster." " I don't know, it's cold ground." "That oil comes up as stiff as an evening shirt." "We'll do what we can with it." " Was there much deposit in the test load?" " Here you are." " Oh, thanks." " Good." "Jackson put a go-devil through with it." "There was hardly any sludge." "Well, here's to oil, down with atomic energy." "Beginning to think the atom was opened by mistake." "Are you going to be here long?" "A few weeks, perhaps a month." "Depends on the boss." "You'd only be here a day, if I have anything to say about it." " Heh,heh." " You've been away, haven't you?" "Yes, up and away." " Canada." " Oh, really?" "I didn't know." "Did you like Canada?" "Canadians are wonderful people." "It's just that they're spread so far apart." "At least where I was." "This is my first taste of civilization in a long time." "I think it'll last." "You sound as though it were lonely." "Heh, I was too busy to be lonely." "I warned you to work with me, you wouldn't like it." "Mr. Graham, Wynn is ready." "He said you promised to read him Bugs Bunny." "Oh, so I did." "Excuse me." "Don't spread this around but my son's affection for me is based on my ability to say:" ""What's cooking, doc?"" "I'll be back in a minute." "I never realized before that Canada is so large and so far away." " David, it's wonderful to see you again." " Canadian Special, good." "Of course, in Canada they won't drink anything but Kentucky whiskey." "Aren't you going to kiss me?" "I had no plans one way or the other." "All right, then." "Go ahead and kiss me." "You don't have to mean it." "I didn't expect you to mean it that little." "When a woman kisses me, Louise, she has to take pot luck." "I can see you weren't as lonely in Canada as you pretended to be." "No, I wasn't." "Man, Louise, doesn't live by bread alone." "Very amusing." "No." "Only mildly so." "You've changed, David." "Something's changed you." "No." "We were through before I went to Canada." " I suppose I should've put that in writing." " But now you're hard and bitter." "Bored, I think would be a bit closer to it." "I warned you about that, didn't I?" "Look, suppose we don't discuss it anymore." "Hmm?" "All right." "Let's discuss something else." "Slide rules, cracking plants?" "Or maybe you'd rather talk about the weather?" "It's been very nice, the weather." "We have so much." "Washington is practically all weather." "Some hot and some cold." " In between, we have rain." "Shall I go on?" " Please do." "In a moment I'll be out on the street, hailing a cab." "I hope I haven't said anything offensive." "I wouldn't want to hurt you." "Usually one of the nice things about going away is coming back." "Usually, not always." "Did you expect to come back and find me just as you left me, waiting patiently?" "Crying a little with the joy of seeing you?" "You're so sure of yourself and so certain of your own breathless charm." "I'm sorry, Louise." "You watch temperatures go down and then go up again." "But in love, there are no relapses." "Once you're out of it, the fever never comes back again." " Bye." " Your love affair with yourself has reached heroic proportions." "Doesn't leave much room for me." "You sure you can get along without somebody to help you admire yourself?" "You're offering me no more than any other registered nurse." "Louise, be reasonable." "Well, heh, that's fairly reasonable." "David, leaving already?" "Oh, yes, I have a dinner date." "You know how it is." "Well, don't come in with a hangover tomorrow." "Don't go, Miss Howell." "I was just going out to get some fresh air." "Sutton's a good fellow." "I'm glad I've got him." "He's doing very well." "This is my last day here, Mr. Graham." "I'm leaving." " I don't understand." "It's simple." "I'm quitting." " Why, are you unhappy here?" " I'd rather not discuss it." " I won't permit it." " I'm afraid you'll have to." "I know people usually do what you want." "If they won't, you have ways of persuading them." "But don't try that with me, because it won't work." "I've never seen you like this before." " You're usually so quiet." " Yes, the quiet, patient, efficient Miss Howell." "Tell her to do something, she does it, day after day, year after year." "At the age of 60, retires with a gold watch and the blessings of the entire household." "No, thanks." "I've had enough of being a servant." "I've never thought of you as a servant" " You've been very kind, but I'm leaving." " Don't go, please." "Something's upset you." "I don't know what it is but I'm deeply concerned." "You're right, I do try to get what I want whenever possible." "That may seem selfish." "I suppose it is." "But you've become very necessary here." "You're a part of my home." "Very much a part of my life." "I don't know how to express this properly but I've become very fond of you." "Fond is an understatement." " Mr. Graham, don't" " I hadn't meant to talk of this for a while but now it seems necessary." "I'm asking you to marry me." "I hadn't intended to amuse you." "It wasn't you." "It was something else." "Please, believe me." "I had to either laugh or cry." "I'm through with crying." " Don't you understand that?" " No, but it's all right." "As for marrying you it's very flattering." "It feels wonderful to be wanted by someone." "I needed that feeling right now, more than you'll ever know." "Something happens to a woman when she isn't wanted." " Something dreadful." " All of which doesn't answer my question." "Will you marry me?" "I'm aging visibly." "I'm not in love with you." "Do you think we could be happy?" "I'll do everything in my power to see that you are." "There's Carol to think of." "She doesn't like me." "I haven't done this very gracefully or even adequately." "But one thing is certain." "Carol isn't asking to marry you, I am." "I've never had a great deal." "It's very tempting to be offered the kind of life I'd have as your wife." "But that's not important." "The important thing is I think I can make you happy." "I will marry you, if you want me to." "I'm sorry, I'm just not quite used to the idea yet." "It isn't very easy for a man my age to kiss a woman with dignity." "I'll need practice." "Will you have dinner with me, Louise?" "Yes, Dean." "Don't you love the way Professor Hopkins gets mad?" " I think he's delicious, don't you?" " Well" "More than I can say for Mr. Elliot." "Do you like Mr. Elliott?" " Sort of." " I can't stand him." "Know what he said?" "You'll never believe it." "He said I talk too much." " Wonder where he got that idea." " Hey, Graham, you have a visitor." " A man?" " No, a lady." " Thank you." "Bye." " See you later." " Hello." " Yes?" " I came to see you." " Obviously." "That's a very pretty sweater you have on." "You didn't drive 300 miles just to admire my sweater." "No, I didn't." "I came to tell you something." "Father called me." "You're going to be married." "I'm sorry he told you." "I wanted to." "Is that all?" "I want you to like me." "I don't think that's absolutely necessary, Miss Howell." "I hope you won't mind if I don't call you Mother." "That's beside the point." "I do think that we should talk about your mother just a little." "I know what you're going to say." "I talked to Dr. Sherman." "He told me things I hadn't known." "I know what I thought about you and Father wasn't true." "And I'm sorry I said the things I did." "I'm very sorry." " It's all right." "I didn't blame you." " As for your getting married you and Father are capable of deciding for yourself." " It isn't necessary to have my approval." " Oh, but it is." "Your father is very lonely, Carol." "Maybe that has something to do with his wanting to marry me, I don't know." "But I do know that I can't marry him if it would mean his losing you." "Since there's no hope you'll ever like me, I'll do what I know you want me to do." "I'll go away." " He'd never forgive me." " He won't know I've talked to you." " I'm sorry." " That's all right." "You can't help the way you feel, any more than I can." "Your father needs someone, Carol, and he has for a long time." "You've stayed away all these weeks just to punish him for making you unhappy." "You don't know the meaning of unhappiness." "If you ever really want to know, ask your father." "You know, we could've been friends very easily." "If we'd met a few days sooner, or a long time later." "It's too bad." "Miss Howell." "Miss Howell." "Louise." " Good afternoon, Mr. Sutton." " Good afternoon." "How late am I?" "I'm afraid you've missed the entire ceremony." "Frankly I just came for the food and drink." "Where are they?" "Mr. and Mrs. Graham are in the drawing room." "I mean the food and drink." "Never mind, I'll find them myself." " How are you, David?" " Hello, George." "I wish you both a lot of happiness." " Thank you very much." " Wonder if I'd start a new trend if I shook hands with the bride, embraced the groom." "I know it's tough, but could you try to be conventional?" "Okay, you're a very lucky man." "You're a very lucky woman." " Thank you, David." " Bless you both." "And where are the hots d'oeuvres?" " Dean, I didn't know you'd invited him." " I didn't." " Didn't you?" " No." "One more, please." "Come out from behind that potted palm." "No." "Would you rather I hid and you came out and found me?" "I'll be through crying in a minute." "Please, go away." "I will not." "I'm hungry." "You cry, and I'll eat." "Don't mind me." "Blow as hard as you like." "There's nothing unusual about crying at a wedding." "Certainly not, I've got a lump in my throat myself." "Mine's pure emotion." "Yours is deviled egg." "I was afraid you were gonna ruin a perfectly good potted palm." "It wouldn't matter." "They're not ours, they're rented." "Then don't worry about it." "Oh!" ""Oh" what?" " You're David Sutton." "I've never denied that." "Who are you?" "Don't you remember me?" "Don't you recognize me?" "Not with your eyes in that condition, no." "The last time you saw me, my eyes were in exactly this condition." "I was 11 years old and I'd just proposed marriage to you." " Now do you know?" " Not definitely." "I received proposals from several 11-year-olds." "Will this help?" "When you said no, I hauled off and kicked you in the shins." " Carol Graham." " Uh-huh." "Well, I'm disappointed." "I'd pictured you going through life with a limp." "Let me look at you." "Well, you haven't grown very much but, then again, you have." "Let me look at you." " You're holding your stomach in a bit." " Heh." "Otherwise you've held together beautifully." " Yes, very attractive." " Thank you." "Why not see if the minister is still here?" "A double wedding." "I don't want my shins kicked again, but I won't be rushed into anything either." "I'm gonna give you plenty of time." "You're gonna take me dining, dancing, nightclubbing" "That sounds like an expensive program." "Better speak to your father about raising your allowance." "Carol, your father wants you." " I'll be right back." " Mm-hm." " Wine?" " Please." "Thank you." "Stay away from Carol." " Why?" " Because you're not wanted in this house." "I'm married now and I have a different life." "Frankly you bring back very unpleasant memories." "I've forgiven you, why haven't you forgiven me?" "Do I have to make a scene before you leave?" "No, I arrived late, it's only right that I should leave early." " Hello, Louise, Carol." " Hello, John." " Where's Dean?" "Is he neglecting you already?" " Yes." " For a new oil field." " That's hardly a good excuse." "There's David Sutton." "David." "That's very rude." "He'll think you're inviting him over." "I am." "Come." "I've hooked him." "I wish you hadn't done that." "I don't want him to join us." "When he comes over, make an excuse, but get rid of him." " Why?" " Because I asked you to." " Hello, Carol." " Hello, David." " Mrs. Graham, how are you?" " Very well, thank you." " We don't want to keep you from your friends." " Yes, we do." "As a matter of fact, I haven't a friend in the world." "Well, I guess maybe I better be getting back to my seat." "Too late, you're trapped." "In that case I'll take the best spot." "Move over." " I have a headache." "I'd better go home." " Should I go with you?" "No, you stay." "I don't want to spoil the concert for you." "I'll see her to the car." "You're using the wrong tactics." "You should keep me guessing." " I don't know why I don't hate you." " You don't try hard enough." " You should force yourself." " Someday you'll stop laughing at me." " May I see you to the car?" " No, thank you." "Don't bother." "Good night, Mrs. Graham." "Good evening, Mrs. Graham." "Oh, Elsie." " Is my husband home?" " No, ma'am." "He phoned from the office." "He said he'd be late." "What is it?" " We fooled her, didn't we?" " Yes." " Good night." " Good night, darling." "See you tomorrow." " Carol." " I thought you were ill." " Never mind that." "I want to talk with you." " About?" " Not here, in my room." " We can talk here." "Get in there, I said." "I don't like this kind of treatment." "I saw you." "I saw you kissing." " What of it?" " I heard what you said to him." " Did you?" " Stay away from him, Carol." " He's no good." " Odd, he says that about you." "We had quite a long talk about you." " He's a liar." "Whatever he said was a lie." " Really?" "Even what he told me..." "...about how you used to meet in his cabin?" " Lies, all lies." "I'd never have anything to do with him." "That's why he hates me now." "He doesn't hate you, but he doesn't love you either." "You're the one." "You're in love with him, aren't you?" "That's absurd and ridiculous." "Childish, just like everything else about him." " Pretty stupid of you to have believed him." " He told me other things I hadn't known." "About my mother." "What about her?" "What about your mother?" "What did he say?" "You killed her." "It wasn't an accident." " Keep quiet!" " You did it to marry my father." " To make David come back to you." " That's not true." "You're lying." "You're all liars." "You're in love with David." "You killed my mother to get him back." "It's true, isn't it?" "Isn't it true, Louise?" " Isn't it?" " Yes, yes, it's true." "Now leave me alone." " What are you going to do?" " I'm going to tell my father right now." "Don't do that, Carol, I'm warning you." "Carol." "Carol!" "Carol." " I won't let you tell him." " You can't stop me." " Yes, I can." " Let me go." "I'm going to tell him." "Good night, darling." "Good night." "Louise, you shouldn't have waited up for me." "Are you feeling better?" " Yes." " I came straight home." "I was worried about you." "It's a shame you missed the concert." "Your jacket is wet." "What's the matter?" " Is there something I can do for you?" " No." "Good night." "One forty-two over 90." "All right." "You can finish dressing now, Mrs. uh..." "Mrs. Smith." "Oh, yes, Smith." "Unusual name." "Come in here when you're ready." " Who'd she say recommended her?" " Dr. Reynolds in Washington." " Shall I look him up?" " No, I doubt there is such a doctor." "In any case, it doesn't matter." "I know all that I need to know." " Did she mention previous medical history?" " Measles, influenza, the usual things." " No serious illnesses." " Perhaps that much is true." "Sit down, please." " You think I've been lying to you, don't you?" " I'm sure of it." "People named Smith rarely if ever have the letters L.G. on their clothing." " I'm sorry." " That's not important." "It merely makes it a little more difficult for me to help you." "And you do need help." "Take this." "Incoordination." "Now close your eyes, please." "Hold out your hand." "What does that feel like to you?" "A piece of cloth." "Now the other hand." "That doesn't feel like a piece of cloth, does it?" " No, it doesn't." " What does it feel like?" "I don't know." "A piece of sandpaper, perhaps?" "Yes, yes, that's it." "Open your eyes." "Extreme suggestibility." "And that pounding noise you hear at night that's easily explained, Mrs. Smith." "It's merely the sound of your own heart beating." "Blood pulsation can be heard as sound." "It's a common symptom of neurasthenia." "What's wrong with me, doctor?" "Why do I see things that aren't...?" "That just couldn't be real?" "Well, it sometimes happens that a patient is unable to distinguish between reality and unreality." "In your case, you're still able to make that distinction." "But what if it gets worse?" "What then?" "There is a type of nervous disorder in which that happens." "We all have dreams, Mrs. Smith." "Bad dreams, sometimes." "But we wake up and we say, "That was a bad dream."" "Occasionally, however, we find a patient who can't wake up." "He or she lacks insight the ability to distinguish between what is real and what isn't." "Now, that may be true in your case." "It's too early to know definitely." "You're describing schizophrenia, aren't you?" "Is that what's wrong with me?" "I didn't know you had any knowledge of the subject or I shouldn't have discussed it." "I knew there was something wrong with me when I came up here." "I had no idea it was insanity." "Insanity's not a word we like to use, Mrs. Smith." "You have a problem, but it's not insoluble." "Problems never are." "Whatever it is that's troubling you, put an end to it." "No, it's too late." " Much too late." " Nonsense." "The important thing is to know that something's wrong." "Now that you know, you can do something about it." "I'm going to give you the name of a psychiatrist." "Go and see him." "Don't lie to him as you did to me." "Tell him the truth, Mrs..." "Mrs. Smith?" "Well, I'll have to come up, then." "I'll fly at the end of the week." "Very well." "See you then." "Darling, I have to go to Canada." "Just for a few days." "Why don't you sit down?" "I've got an idea." "Why don't you come with me?" "Make it a holiday." "Might get some fishing in." "I'll teach you how to get a 40-pound salmon." "I'm leaving you." "I'm going away." "I don't know where." "That isn't important." "The important thing is, I want a divorce." " I don't" " I won't discuss it." "I've made up my mind." "You don't know what you're saying." "Why should you want a divorce?" "What have I done?" "I thought I'd given you everything you wanted." "I hoped that you'd be happy with me." "I thought you were." "It isn't you." "Whatever's wrong with our marriage is my fault." "Louise, what's troubling you?" "I don't know exactly." "But it just won't work out." "I can't take her place." "I've tried..." "...but she hates me for it." " Who hates you?" " Pauline." " Pauline?" "Yes." "I can't seem to forget her." " Don't you see?" "I've got to go away." " Stop it." "You talk as if she were alive." "Yes, I did, didn't I?" "I didn't mean to." "She isn't alive, I know that." "I'm sorry, we've never discussed Pauline before." "But whatever problems I had all the unpleasant memories I put them aside when we were married." "They were over for me." "Not for you, I gather." "Well, I'll fix that." "I don't intend to lose you so easily." "Have my car brought around to the side entrance." "Telephone the house, tell Elsie to pack some things for Mrs. Graham and myself." " We'll be out till Monday." " Yes, sir." "Where can we reach you?" " I don't want to be reached." " Yes, sir." "Louise I love you very much." "Your happiness means everything to me." "I'm going to help you forget Pauline, just as I've forgotten." "You're going away with me." " Where?" " To the lake house." "Oh, no." "No, I'm afraid." "I'm afraid of her." "Pauline is gone from our lives." "She can't harm us, or take you away from me." "You'll see." "There's only one way to solve a problem, and that's to face it." "Good evening, Mrs. Graham." " Mr. Graham." " Good evening, Norris." "Dreadful weather." " The place looks in good order." " Thanks." "Almost thought we'd lose the house a while back." "What happened?" " Fire." " Much damage?" "Burned quite a few trees." "I want to talk to you about that." "They'll blow down this winter." "My advice is to cut them." " You think any can be saved?" " In pretty bad shape." "Would you like to take a look at them?" "You can see right over here." " Go ahead, darling." " All right." "Good evening, Mrs. Graham." " You're the caretaker's wife." " I'm Mrs. Norris." "I saw you come in from upstairs." "I was airing out the rooms." "Sorry we didn't know you were coming sooner." "I'd have fixed the place up a little." " That's quite all right." " Mr. Norris was sick last week." "That's why everything is so dusty." "You'd be surprised how a place can run down so fast." " It doesn't seem to take any time at all." " Yes, I know." "You look cold." " I'll go make you a cup of tea." " No, please don't bother." "No bother." "You stay by the fire." "It won't take me a minute." "Getting on to winter again." "Louise?" "Louise, what is it?" "Louise?" "Louise?" "No." "No, I won't." "I won't." "Louise, what is it?" "Why did you scream?" "It's Pauline." "She wants me to kill myself, like she did." "She wants me to drown, but I won't." "Pauline is dead." " She's been dead over a year." " No, she's there." "Now, she's talking to me again." "Hear her?" "Listen." ""Kill yourself, Louise." "Drown yourself in the lake."" "Make her stop." "Make her stop." "I tell you, she's dead." "There's no one there." "Look, there's no one there." "Gone?" "She's gone." "She was never there." "She went back to the lake." "She'll wait for me there." "Yes, she'll wait for me." "She said she would." "What do you mean?" "What on earth do you mean?" "Come out of this room." "Come out." "I don't know." "I just don't understand." " What happened?" " You had a bad dream." "About Pauline." "Oh, yes, now I remember." "I thought she was alive." "She spoke to me." " It wasn't real?" " Of course it wasn't." "I can't tell anymore." "I don't seem to know the difference." "Stay near." "Stay close to me." "I'm afraid." "Afraid of Pauline." "Why?" "What reason have you to be afraid of her?" "You don't know." "You don't know what I've done." "Tell me." "I killed her." "I helped to kill" "What?" "I can't hear you." "I said, I killed her." "I helped her commit suicide." " That's not true." " Yes, it is." "She asked me to take her down to the rock." "I helped her." "It was very dark." "Then she went close to the edge of it." "I watched her." "I stood there and watched her." "Then she came up." "Her face was white through the water and then she called to me." ""Louise, Louise."" "Then she stopped." "But I could still hear her." "And I hear her now, "Louise, Louise."" "Stop it." "Listen to me." "This is all nonsense." "I don't know why you think these things." "It's something for a doctor to find out." " But none of it's true." " Yes, it is." "It's not true, I tell you." "It's not true." "I know what happened that night, you had nothing to do with it." "You weren't even there." "Pauline and I were together on the rock." "She was cold, so I went to the house for a wrap." "I was only away a few moments, but when I came back she was gone." "The rest, you know." "You were nowhere near that night." "You were in the village." "Don't you remember?" "I was in the village." " It was my day off." " Yes." "Oh, you're not just lying to make things right for me?" "You wouldn't lie about a thing like that?" "No." "You only imagined it." "I only imagined it." "I didn't kill her." "And I didn't help her kill herself." "I had nothing to do with it." "Oh, thank you." "Thank you." "For nearly a year now I've been thinking all kinds of things." "Why didn't you tell me before?" "I could've helped." "I couldn't." "I was even afraid to close my eyes at night." "But it's all right now." "It's all right." "She's gone." "Pauline's gone and she'll never come back." "No, she'll never come back." "Good evening, Elsie." " Good evening, Elsie." " Good evening, sir." "The rest of the luggage is in the car." "Will you ask Edwards to bring it in, please?" "You're beautiful." " Women always are when they're happy." " Are you happy?" "Oh, I've never felt so happy." "I feel as though I were floating two or three inches off the floor." "There's only one thing wrong with it." " What's that?" " Makes me hungry." "Elsie, we're starving." "I suppose it's too late for dinner." " Yes, sir, but I could fix you something." " No." "Tell you what." "Let's go out." "Let's make it a real evening." " Nightclub, champagne, dancing." " Dancing?" "I'd love it." " How long will it take you to dress?" " Five minutes." "All right then, an hour and a half." "The polka has come a long way since my time." "Something new has been added." "We're the best couple on the floor." "We must be." "There's a waiter watching us and taking notes." " If we're not the best, we're the happiest." " I hope none of my stockholders are here." "Tommy, you may take a short rest and then start mixing me another." " Yes, sir." " Hello." " I'm not late, am I?" " No." "I just came early so I could get in a few practice swings." "Any other boyfriend would've picked me up." "That is exactly why I didn't." "And to think I'd live to see the day when I'd be referred to as a boyfriend." "Tommy, you better make that next one a double." "And the young lady will have a bourbon and ginger ale." "Without the bourbon." "How many have you had?" " Easily..." " Aren't you overdoing it?" "How about your insides?" "My liver rushes in where angels fear to tread." " I worry about you, David." " Thank you very much." "Well, how do you like my dress?" "Construction engineers do not comment on ladies' dresses." "Sometimes it's not your liver I worry about, it's your mind." "Thank you again." "Carol, you're very young, you're very beautiful." "I love you very much." "How American it is to want something better." "Look, Carol in another few days I've got to be going on back to Canada." "What's gonna happen between us?" "Well, I don't know about you." "But I've considered us engaged for quite some time." "So have I, but that's a nasty way for an engagement to end in a marriage." "David, do you think we'd have a chance?" "Do you think it would last?" "I think it would last a reasonable length of time." "Enough to make it worth the minister's while, anyway." "David, don't you think we need each other?" "We wouldn't know that until after we're married." "Isn't that putting the cart before the horse?" "Now, look, if you're gonna drag horses into this conversation, we're lost." "Anyway, look at the difference in our ages." "What of it?" "You're 35, I'm 20." "After one year of married life with you, I'll look 27 or 28, and that's no difference at all." "You know, come to think of it, that is a very attractive dress." "It's Dad and Louise." "Carol and David." " Don't." " What's the matter?" " Your father will want us to join them." " Don't you want to?" " I'd rather not." "Louise." " She wouldn't mind." "She doesn't really dislike you." "Beg your pardon, sir." "The gentleman would like to have you join them." "Okay." " I thought you were at the lake house." " We came back early." "How are you, Mrs. Graham?" "Why haven't you got your nose to the grindstone?" "Your daughter asked me out tonight." "I'm billing you for it later." "Chivalry is dead." "You seem to be enjoying your stay in Washington." "Bring another bottle and two more glasses." " You're old enough to drink champagne." " Glad to hear it." "You mustn't let Dean work you too hard." "We haven't seen enough of you since you got back." " I've been very busy." " There, you see?" "Mr. Sutton does work too hard." "Look how pale he is, and how quiet." "He never used to be so quiet." "Is he always this quiet when he's with you?" "Does he talk to you?" "He's a beautiful conversationalist when he wants to be." "Get him to confide in you." " I try" " There might be one or two things he wouldn't want us to know about him." " He looks like a man with a past." " Most of us do." "However, we don't consider such things important." "Besides, anything can be forgiven a man who plays the piano as well as he does." "Have you ever heard him play the piano, Carol?" "He's excellent." "With proper training, he could have become a concert pianist." "But he wouldn't practice enough." "And he had the most unfortunate habit, ha-ha-ha of stopping right in the middle of his selection." "Come in." " Do you have any orange sticks?" " Yes." "In my bed table drawer." "I don't know what I do with mine." "Thanks." "Stay and talk to me." "All right." "I didn't know that you and Mr. Sutton were such good friends." "Why don't you call him David?" "You might as well, you'll be seeing a lot of him from now on." "Do you like David?" "How does he feel about you?" "About the same, I guess." "How do you know?" "I can tell by the way he breathes when I go near him." "Mm-hm." " Tell me frankly." "Do you think I'm as attractive as David says?" "You're very pretty." "And wealthy." "Both of which would appeal to David." "Particularly the money." "Don't you like David?" "No." "As a matter of fact, I dislike him intensely." "For a very good reason." " Why?" "He's never done anything" " Look." "I've never asked you this before." "But it's very important now." "Do you trust me, Carol?" "I don't know." "I've never thought about it." "I suppose I do, why?" "I've wanted to tell you this so many times, but I never could bring myself to do it." "And when it became obvious that you liked David so much it was too late." "Can't you see what he's like?" "Don't take him so seriously." "I know something about him you don't know." "Something that" "Something that would make everything he's probably said to you a lie." "What are you talking about?" "I wasn't going to tell you this." "I thought you'd get over it or realize what he's like." "But since you haven't, I'll tell you." "He's in love with someone else." " What?" " You saw how he was tonight." "He's not in love with you, Carol." "Believe me, it's someone else." "You talk as though it were you." "Yes." "He uses you as an excuse to come here to see me." " I don't believe it." " I begged him not to hurt you." "And I couldn't tell your father, because he likes David so much." "It's better to find out now how he is and be hurt a little than find out later and be destroyed by it." "I don't believe it." "I'm gonna talk to him." "Don't be a fool." "He'll only lie again." "Let me go." " Hello, Elsie." " Good afternoon, Mr. Sutton." " Mrs. Graham home?" " Just a moment and I'll see." " Won't you sit down?" " Thanks." " Mr. Sutton is calling." " Tell him I'm not home." "Don't bother, Elsie, I'll tell him myself." " He must have followed me." "It's all right." "You can go." "What do you want?" "I've just been to see Dean." "What did you say to him?" " About what?" " What did you tell him?" "You want to marry Carol." " That's the truth, isn't it?" " What else did you say to him?" "Nothing." "Don't lie to me, Louise." "Probably told him the same pack of stupid lies about me that you tried to pawn off on Carol last night." "She told me." "That must've been charming." "You said once that I'd changed, remember?" "Well, you've changed too." "You didn't used to be a liar." "Oh, it wasn't me." "I didn't tell him anything." "It was Carol." "She doesn't love you." "She's tired and wants to get rid of you." "So she told Dean." " What's the matter?" "Don't you believe me?" " No." "All right, I lied to him." "It was easy." "He believed me too." " What're you going to do?" " Something I should've done a long time ago." "Something very naive and simple." "But it'll probably impress you as being diabolical." "I'm going to tell him the truth." "About us, and more particularly, about you." "He won't believe you." "You can be as agreeable and charming as you like." "It won't do you any good." " He'll always hate you." " Not me darling, you." "But I just can't quite figure out why you started spinning this little web of deception." "I told you once, I'd do anything to keep you from leaving me, and I will." " Anything." " Well any jailbreak is pretty tough, but I think I can manage this one." "You'll see." "I can be very objectionable." "That, I can believe." "But you're forgetting just one thing." "Carol." " What about her?" " She loves me enough to marry me no matter what you do." "And I love her." "Her or her money?" "Well, you have a point there." "Her money is an obstacle." "Sol intend spending it just as rapidly as possible." " Good evening, sir." " Good evening, Elsie." " Where's Mrs. Graham?" " In her room." "I don't know whether I should mention it." "She's been crying all afternoon." "Thank you." "Louise?" "Louise?" "David came back to see me this afternoon." "And Carol too." "We had a long talk." "Why did you lie to me?" "Because I felt like it." "I wanted to lie and I lied." "Let me alone." "You've been crying." " Elsie told me you've been crying all afternoon." " Let me alone." "I want to think." "I don't know what to do." "I want to think, and people won't let me." "I don't feel well." "I know you don't feel well." "I've known it for some time." "I thought things would work themselves out." "But now I'm not so sure." "That's why I've asked a doctor to come and see you." "A doctor?" "You went to the trouble of getting me a doctor?" "That's very thoughtful of you." "You're very sweet and kind." " An old friend of mine." " What kind of a doctor?" "He'll be able to help." " He'll know exactly what to do." " What kind of a doctor?" "What kind?" "Don't you think I know?" "I've been lying here all afternoon waiting for you knowing what you'd say when you came in." ""Louise I've asked a doctor to come and see you."" "Knowing what kind of a doctor it would be too." "You think there's something wrong with my mind." "Don't you?" " This man is a mental specialist, but" " No, I won't see him." "Listen to me." "No, you just want to lock me up, put me away, I know." " I'm trying to help you." " No, you're not." "You're trying to get rid of me." "That's why you're calling in a doctor, isn't it?" "I love you." "I want you to be well again." "You need help." "That's all I'm trying to do." "I only want to help you." "Oh, if only you could." "I don't know what's wrong." "I don't know why I'm this way." " If you see this doctor" " No." "Listen to me, I've only asked him to talk to you." " When's he coming?" " He's coming to dinner." "It'll be very quiet, we can talk." "All right." "All right." "I'll do what you say." "Anything." "You'll see." "I won't do anything bad." "I just want to please you, so I'll do whatever you say." "Now, can I be alone?" "I'd like to lie down so I'll be rested when the doctor comes." "That's better." "I'm so glad you feel this way." "I know everything is going to be all right." "Rest yourself, darling, and I'll call you." "Well, I won't ask you to sit down." "What do you want?" "I had to see you." " I had to talk to you about us." ""Us" is not my favorite topic." " Name another." " All right, me." " There are some things you must know." " It won't do any good." " Will you get out, go home, leave me alone?" " David." "I'm sorry, Louise, I seldom hit a woman but if you don't leave me alone, I'll wind up kicking babies." "It's all right." "It didn't hurt." "David, I'm ill." "Very ill." "Why come to me?" "All I can recommend is a couple of aspirins." "But you've got to listen." "I've done some terrible things because of you." "I'm rotting away with the things I've done." " The things you've done." " All I've done is fall out of love with you." "That's a man's privilege." "I wish women would avail themselves of the same privilege." "I made Dean love me." "It was easy because he was so lonely." "I thought if I were married to a rich man I could make you come back to me." "But now it's all over." " I lost you and now I've lost Dean." " You haven't lost Dean." "He wants to help, and I know he loves you, he told me that this afternoon." "No, he doesn't." "He wants to put me away in an institution, and I'd never see you again." "Talk to him, David." "Make him leave me alone." "Don't let him do it, I'm not insane." " What do you mean?" " He thinks I am." "I don't know what this is all about, Louise, but there's one thing I'm sure of." "Dean wouldn't do anything to hurt you." "Now why don't you let me take you home?" "No." " I think I'd better call Dean." " But I don't want you to." "He'll take care of you." "He'll look after you a lot better than I ever could." "He only wants to get rid of me." "And you're helping him." "You're against me too." "Both of you, and Carol." "You're all against me!" " Going away?" " Yes." "Carol and I are getting married tonight." "Oh, no, you're not." "You're not going to marry her." "You're not good enough for her." "Well, now, if you're going to shoot me, at least be honest about it." "You don't give a hoot about Carol and you never have." "I'd rather be shot by a jealous woman than a noble one, anyway." "Uh, don't you think we should sit down quietly and think up a better reason for you to shoot me than that?" "Talking won't do you any good." "It's silly of you to kill me, Louise." "There's still a lot of pain and unhappiness in store for me." "You wouldn't want me to miss all that, now would you?" "Now, look, why don't you just give me that before I get hurt, huh?" "I told you." "I explained it to you, how important it was for you not to leave me again." "All right." "Well, go ahead and shoot." "Mathematically, the chances of your hitting me are slight." "And as far as killing me well, I don't think you're that good a shot." "David!" "David!" "David!" "David!" "I killed him!" "I killed him!" "David!" "David!" "Ten years ago, I could've prevented this." "Five, even two years ago, it could've been prevented." "It was there for any psychiatrist to see." "If a child breaks a leg, he's taken to a doctor." "If he shows signs of mental illness, he's hidden away." " Shut away, until it's too late." " Dr. Willard a Mr. Graham is waiting in your office to see you." "All right." "Thanks, Miss Pullie." " Dr. Willard?" " Yes, sir." "My name is Dean Graham." " You telegraphed me about my wife." " Yes." "How do you do?" "Won't you sit down, please?" "Doctor, I've never given way to emotion, but you can imagine my state of mind." "Yes, of course I can." "May I see her?" "Yes." "She won't recognize you, though." "I must know her condition, doctor." "Tell me everything you know." "Mr. Graham, it's a clear case of psychosis." " Completely unbalanced." " You mean she's insane." "Yes, if you insist on using that term." " Is it hopeless?" " No, it isn't." "As a matter of fact, I intend to try and restore her." "It will take many months but there's every reason to believe that someday she'll be herself." "Thank God." "Mr. Graham, I want you to follow me very closely now." "We human beings act according to certain patterns of behavior." "Sometimes, why exactly we don't know yet the pattern is broken." "The wires are crossed." "The mind cannot evaluate, judge or even function properly." "Shock follows shock, until eventually the mind gives way." "The brain loses control and the body sinks into coma." "Then, in a biblical sense we might say that such a person is possessed of devils and it is the psychiatrist that must cast them out." "Substantially, this is what happened to Louise." "She was under a great emotional strain the night your first wife killed herself." "And it was a very simple matter for her tortured mind to develop the delusion that she actually helped Pauline to commit suicide." "And once the initial delusion was established her present condition was almost inevitable." "I see." "Doctor since, apparently, she's told you all this I presume you know about David Sutton too." "Yes, Mr. Graham, I do." " There will be a trial, of course." " Of course." "I can't predict the outcome." "But Louise is neither mentally nor morally responsible for any of her actions." "Whether or not a jury will understand that is beyond my control." "And now, may I see her?" "Yes, Mr. Graham, come with me." "She looks almost happy." "Yes, she is, in a way." "There are no problems in her private world." "Not now, anyway." "But when she starts to recover..." "She'll suffer, I suppose." "You and I can have no conception of how she'll suffer." " I'd like to spare her that." " You can't." "It's pain that made her this way." "Only through greater pain, and suffering beyond belief will she get well again." "I'll be there whatever happens." "However much she suffers." "I was rather hoping you'd say that." "She's going to need you, very much indeed." " Can I stay here a few moments?" " Yes, of course." "If she awakens, don't expect too much, though." "She won't know you." "Not for a while." "I'll wait." "Louise?" "Louise?" "I'm here."