44-02-03_The_Sisters.txt

Roma Wines presents Suspense Roma Wines made in California for enjoyment throughout the world Salud your health senor Roma Wines toast the world the wine for your table is Roma Wines Made in California for enjoyment throughout the world. This is The Man in Black, here to her of Suspense. Tonight, as stars, we bring you two of Hollywood's outstanding actresses, Miss Ida Lupino and Miss Agnes Moorhead. But before we raise the curtain on this evening's play, The Sisters, here is a message from your host, the Roma Wine Company of Fresno, California. You remember the old saying, the grass is always greener in the other fellow's yard? You might agree with the truth of that statement if you happen to overhear a conversation that might easily be taking place at this moment in the smart and festive Club Momart in Havana, Cuba. An American has just complimented his Cuban friend on the fine quality of Havana tobacco. Graciously, the Cuban replies, But you of the United States need have no envy of us. Nature has made a great gift of perfection to your country, too the magnificent wine which we also enjoy. It is Roma wine, made in your own California. Friends, This capital anecdote is typical of many countries where wine is truly enjoyed. For in other lands, Roma wines must be imported over long distances from our own California. A luxury to be enjoyed on special occasions. While lucky you can enjoy these superb Roma wines as a daily delight, with no import duty, no expensive shipping charges added to your cost for Roma wines. Whichever one of Roma wines' many types, your own taste test names as favorite, you'll agree, here is truly superb wine. That could come only from truly choice wine districts. And you'll say, no wonder Roma wines are America's largest selling wine. I'll spell out the name for you R O M A, Roma wines, made in California for enjoyment throughout the world. And now, with the remarkable tale of the sisters, and with the performances of Ida Lupino as Lydia Haskell and Agnes Moorhead as Ellie, Roma wines again hope to. Keep you in suspense. Here is one that I think would be very lovely. It has a far superior lining. Pure silk, but much heavier than the others that we've looked at. Do you care for this one, Miss Haskell? Yes, that's very nice. But I believe I'd like to see something, perhaps even a little better. Of course. If you'll just step over this way, Miss Haskell. Now here, here is an exquisite casket. Something that really does honor to the department. Yes, it's beautiful. Now the interior is just the same as the last, but the casket itself... Is of bronze, solid bronze. Won't that be rather heavy? Yes, but not too heavy. Will there be six pallbearers? I don't know. Well, it doesn't matter really. Four men can carry this very easily. Very. Miss Haskell, I want you to notice the floral design here. All hand-wrought, every bit of it. And, oh yes, notice the seeds in this casket. Airtight and watertight, guaranteed. You know, of course, how important that is. Oh, yes. Yes. But this casket, in a hundred years or even two hundred years, will be just as strong and will look just as beautiful as it does on this stand today. You couldn't buy a finer piece of workmanship. How much is this one, please? This casket? A durable, by the way. Durable for durability, we say in the trade. This casket is priced at, let me see, $775. But we can't bring back the departed. No, our only solace is the knowledge that we've done in the last possible honor. Very well. I'll take this one. I'm sure you're making a very wise choice. In all my years as a mortician, I've never found a family that regretted money spent on a durable. And now, let me see. I'll give you a check. Oh, that won't be necessary. Not immediately. After the funeral will do. Oh, by the way, we haven't mentioned it. Our. Are we handling the funeral arrangement? I really don't know yet. Oh, well, you want the casket delivered somewhere? No. I'd like you to hold it for a while, please. Hold it? But for how long? For three weeks. Three weeks? I don't understand. Who is the party, the deceased? Who is this casket for? It's for me. Lydia? Lydia? I thought I heard you come in. Where have you been, Lydia? You've been gone all afternoon. I've been shopping. What did you buy? Did you get the ribbons I asked for? No, I didn't have time. Oh, I wanted some new ribbons. My others are all worn out. See, Lydia? Ellie, I wish you'd stop putting ribbons in your hair like a schoolgirl. You're almost 40 years old. I know, Lydia. I know. Then try to act like it. Hand me my sewing and light the lamp. It's getting dark. Oh, I wonder why we have to grow old. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we had always stayed young like we used to be? Oh, Lydia, remember when Mother used to send us to school with our ribbons matching and our dresses matching? And at the end of the day, no one would even guess we were sisters because I was always so mussed and you were always so clean. Oh, I wish we were young again, Lydia. Stop talking nonsense, Ellie. It is nonsense, isn't it? Oh, oh, the doorbell rang while you were out just before you came home. You didn't answer? Oh, no. You told me never to answer. I just looked out of the upstairs window. Did you see who it was? Oh, yes. Yes, it was a man. A rather big man. He rang a long time and then he went away. Well, he didn't see you, did he? Oh, no. I just peeped ever so carefully from behind the curtain. Then I came down here and watched him going down the walk. You came downstairs. Yes, I came. I told you never to come down those stairs when I'm not in the house. Well, it was all right, Lydia. I held on very tight to the banisters all the way, and I didn't once look down the stairwell, so I didn't get dizzy. And I didn't want to jump. Well, don't do it again. It was just that I was lonely. I didn't think you were ever coming home. Lydia, you didn't tell me what you bought. Hmm? Oh, a duravo. What's that? What's a duravo? Don't ask so many questions, Billy. All right. Lydia, I think I'll sew, too. I could fix up one of these old ribbons. May I, Lydia? Yes, yes, sir. It'll be good for you. Thank you. Lydia? Yes. Lydia, could I go shopping someday? Don't be a fool, Ellie. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I just thought. No, I suppose you're right. It wouldn't do, not yet. Good day. Hi. There wasn't any mail today. Wasn't there? No, I thought perhaps there'd be a letter from David. It's been such a long time since he's written, hasn't it? I haven't noticed. Oh, yes. Yes, he used to write every week. On Tuesdays. And I get the letter on Thursday. But there wasn't one this week or last or the week before that. Strange, isn't it? But perhaps he's been busy. Perhaps. Still, he'd never used to be too busy to write. I can't understand it. Do you suppose there's some other reason? What are you trying to say, Ellie? Are you hinting that perhaps I'm keeping your mail from him? Oh, no. Well, you certainly seem to be. Why would I keep David's letters from me? No, I didn't say that. I just said it was strange that David hasn't written. That's all. You wouldn't be filled with letters. I know that would be. Go on with your sewing. Yes. I want to finish this ribbon. Stop singing that. Stop it. But, Lydia, it's a hymn. I've always sung it. I don't care. I said stop. Or learn something else. It's all you sing day and night, day and night. Same tune over and over and over. Now stop it. Lydia, Lydia, sometimes you frighten me. The way you look at me, you make me think that perhaps I'm not getting well. That perhaps I'm still crazy. I'm not. I'm not still crazy. Am I, Lydia? Yes? Evening. Are you Miss Lydia Haskell? Yes. Well, can I speak to you for a minute? I was here this afternoon. There was no one home. Well, what is it, please? Well, we had a call from Doan Brothers, the undertakers. I'm from the police. Oh, really? I don't see what the police could want with me. Come in if you wish. Thanks. Sit down. Thank you. There's nothing we want, Miss Haskell, except it's sort of unusual for a woman to order a casket for herself. Unusual? I've heard of many cases of that kind. People who are alone in the world have no one else to look after those things. Sure, I know. Only it's a little more unusual when you can name the date. The undertaker said you wanted the casket held for three weeks. Why three weeks? Must be some reason for it. Yes, there is. I'm going to die. I shall die in three weeks, or perhaps even before. No doubt of it in my mind, and that's why I ordered the casket. You may call it a premonition if you want. Maybe I could call it suicide. But that's why I'm here, Miss Haskell. I don't know whether you know it, but suicide is a crime in the eyes of the state. for which there is no punishment. Not if it's successful, no. But there is prevention. You see, I know I'm going to die. I feel it. But I have no intention of taking my own life. There's no need to do so. Mm-hmm. Miss Haskell, this premonition, as you call it, have you any idea what brought it on? No. Have you been speaking to anyone? No fortune tellers or anything like that? No. Well, what makes you so sure? How do you know you can trust this premonition? You're not an old woman. I'd say you were in pretty good health. You've got a lot of good years ahead of you. I have a religion, not a church religion, just one of my own. It preaches that people go on living until they've outgrown their usefulness. Then they die from one cause or another. When that time comes, the desire to live is gone. And only desire keeps the body alive and breathing. I don't understand that. No, I'm sorry. Miss Haskell, do you live alone here? Yes. No relatives? No housekeeper? No, I live alone here. Pretty large house for a person living alone. Yes, there are three floors and far too many rooms. It's on the outskirts of town, and it's quiet. And it gives me the privacy I've been looking for. The privacy which you are invading for the first time since I moved here five years ago. Sorry, Miss Haskell, I'm only doing my job. I was told to look you up and find out why you bought that casket. Then I think we may assume your job is over. I guess so. But the office might ask me to drop back once in a while, you know, just to keep in touch. I won't be at home. Why? You don't go out very much. Folks in the town say they don't even see you more than once a week, maybe. When you come, I won't be at home. All right. Sorry to bother you. Good night. Good night. Oh, Miss Haskell, how are you going to die? I don't know, nor do I consider it important. Why should you? Good night, Lydia. What are you doing down here? What are you doing sitting on the steps in the dark? Lydia. Haven't I told you never to come down here at night? Lydia. Well, what do you want? I heard that none who was here. Lydia, why did you buy the casket? Why are you going to die? You mustn't, Lydia. You mustn't die. I'd be alone if you died. And you know what would happen? They'd send me away like they did once before. The people in the town would come and find me living here, and they'd send me away. Go up to bed, Ellie, and go to sleep. How can I sleep? Oh, Lydia, you won't die. Promise me you won't. I promise you. Now go to bed. But why did you buy the carpet? And the things you said to that man as if you wanted to die. Why, Lydia? Why do you want to die? I don't want to die. No one does. No, you have such a lot to live for, haven't you, Ellie? Yes. I've been happy, Lydia. You've made me happy. And someday when I'm well again, I'll go back home, and David will be waiting for me. You know he'll be there. You've always told him to be waiting. And he'll see that I'm well again, and he'll take me back. I'm not so old, am I? David won't see me as old. He told me that when I was well, no matter how long it took, he'd still see me as a young girl. That's why I've been happy, just waiting for the time I can go back to David. Ellie, haven't you learned yet? Don't you know yet that you're mad, and that you'll always be mad? No, don't say that. I'm getting better, Lydia. You know I'm getting better. Yes, putting bows in your hair, sewing ribbons all day long, sneaking about the house at night and spying on me. Singing the same hymn over and over and over until I think I'm going mad, too. Is that why you want to die, to get away from me? I thought you loved me, Lydia. Why should I love you? Look what life has given me and tell me why. You've always spoiled everything for me, Ellie, even from the time we were children. How could I spoil everything? We were just like the same child, Lydia, twins. You were I and I was you. We looked the same, yes. We were born on the same day, yes. And that's where it ended. You were the nice one. I used to hear them say so. You were even the prettiest, they said. As if they could see any difference between us. Whatever you wanted, you had. You smiled so beautifully. But I never smiled. I was the sullen one, the dark cloud in the house. You made it so, Lydia. We all loved you. When a doll was broken, they gave you mine. When you tore your dancing dress, you'd take mine. You gave it to me, Lydia. I remember you gave it to me. Ellie, I've always given things to you. I gave you the best of everything we had. I've given you my whole life. I even gave you David. Lydia, you're in love with David. He came to our house. Were they you? He came to see me. Oh, Lily, I didn't know. No, you never knew. No one did. I had to stand by and watch you take him from me. And when you had your first attack, I was glad. People say what a shame it was. But I was very glad. Did he have? Because I knew then that he could never have you. Oh, yes, you were going to be cured and he was going to wait. It won't matter how long he waits. You'll never be cured, and he'll never have you. Never. You hate me. You've always hated me. I see it now, even when you've been taking care of me. When we came to this town, you didn't bring me here so I'd be cured. You wanted to keep me this way. Madge. That's why you took me out of that place, because they might have made me well again. Go upstairs. You hate me, and now you're going to die and leave me without anyone. I told you I'm not going to die. Oh, Ellie. Ellie, dear, I'm sorry we've had this quarrel. I didn't mean to upset you. It's just that I'm upset myself. Tired. I didn't mean the things I said. You bought a casket? But it was only an idea I had in case anything ever happened to me. You bought a casket, Lydia. Was it for yourself or is it for me? Ellie. You wouldn't. You wouldn't, would you, Lydia? What are you talking about? Hold the lamp up. Hold it close to me. I want to see your face. Ellie, go off to bed. Yes, I can see it in your eyes. It is for me. You're going to kill me. You're going to murder me. Don't be a fool, Ellie. It's true. You want to get rid of me because you hate me. You. Oh, no, I. I see. I see you love David. You're going to kill me, and they'll come and find me and bury me, and they'll think it's you. Be quiet. They'll think it's you who is dead because no one knows I'm living here, and then you'll go away. You'll go back to David, and you'll say that Lydia has died, and you'll think you're me and that you're well again. And he'll marry you. You'll have him. You'll be Ellie. You'll have David. Ellie, did you hear what I said? Be quiet. Now go upstairs and get to bed. Oh, Lydia. Lydia, how can you be so wicked? I don't know. Ellie. Ellie. Are you awake? Ellie, dear. Now you mustn't think anymore about what we said tonight. Do you hear? Because it's not so, Ellie. It's just your imagination. You mustn't think about it. It'll be bad for you. Are you asleep, Ellen? She's not asleep. She's lying over there on the other side of the room, staring at me through the dark. She knows it was the truth tonight. She's going to die and that I'm going to kill her. That quarrel. I should have let her know. I lost my temper. I was so stupid. I must think clearly. How am I going to kill her? It mustn't look like murder. They'll suspect me then. No, it must be suicide. But how? When? It'll have to be soon now that she knows. There. She's starting again. She's singing again that hymn. That hymn. Logan must be calm. He mustn't get excited. Think clearly. How am I going to kill her? Oh, I wish it were over. I can go back then. Go back to David. Quickly she saw through that, but I'd go back in her place. He'll never suspect. I'll be Elly to him. Elly, cured and happy again. I learned to smile. Now she must die. How? Stairs. Stairwell. She gets dizzy as she looks down into the stairwell. Yes, it'll be so easy. Of course. In a day or two, that policeman will come back to the house. He'll find her, and he'll think it's me. The stairwell. Three floors from the attic here. Three floors straight down. So easy when you think clearly. The stairwell, of course. Elly, Elly dear, Elly, you mustn't cry. Do you hear me? Are you afraid of the dark, dear? Well, I'll light the lamp for you. There, dear. That's better, isn't it? Why, you're shivering. You cold? Come, put your apple on it. And we'll go down to the parlor and light a fire. And I'll make you a nice cup of hot milk. Come along, Ellie. Ellie, stop acting like this. Now come, dear. There. Here's your wrapper. Put it around your shoulders. That's the girl. Get up now. I'll carry the lamp. Give me your hand, dear. Why, you're as cold as ice. Now be careful. Walk slowly. There we are. Hold on to the banister, dear. That's right. I'll hold the lamp up high so that you can see something. I'm afraid. The stairwell. It's right here, dear. You see. I'm afraid. Ellie. Ellie, you must get over that fear. Look, Ellie. Just look down. There's nothing to frighten you. Look down the stairwell, Ellie. No. I'm holding you, dear. Just lean over and look down. You can see all the way. No, don't make me look. Don't make me. You see, it's nothing. It's nothing at all. Oh, you're busy, dear. Well, I'm holding you. Let me go. I can't stand it. Come closer. No. Closer. No. Lean over. No. Just lean over. Do you hear, Ellie? Let me get back. Look, Ellie. No. No. No. No, Ellie. No, Ellie. No, Ellie. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No The very same thing, yes. It was brought to my mind, of course, because this is a house just here, the next one we're coming to. Yes, she was in to see us just a few days ago. Came in to order the casket. She saw a casket she wanted. Then she told me it was for herself. Oh. Must have had a premonition. Yes. I notified the police, of course. She said she wanted me to hold the casket three weeks. Then, just the day before yesterday, the police came back to the house here and found her lying at the bottom of a stairwell, dead. She'd been dead about two days. Oh, no. Funny how she knew. The banister up on the attic floor broke away, and she fell. She have any people? No. Lived alone, they tell me. We're going to bury her tomorrow. Haskell, her name was. Haskell. That's strange. Living all by herself here in a big three-story frame house? Yes, isn't it? Really? What is it? My imagination, I guess. I could have sworn I saw a light in the attic window just now. Well, it couldn't have been. The police have shut it up. Of course. That story of yours really gave me the creeps. Well, let's walk out. It's a queer thing, the power of suggestion. You've conveyed it to me, of course. You know, just now, I thought I could hear someone upstairs in there. A woman. A woman singing. A woman? Yes. Sort of crooning to herself. Some kind of a hymn. And so closes The Sisters, presented by Roma Wines and starring Ida Lupino and Agnes Moorhead. Tonight's tale of suspense. In just a moment, we'll hear again from Miss Lupino. In the meantime, here's a true life suspense drama. Your guests raise their wine glasses to their lips. Your reputation as a host hangs in the balance. Will they approve the wine of your selection? Well, no need to feel the least bit concerned if you've elected to serve any of Roma Wine's many different types of taste-alighting California wines. Perhaps the tangy, appetizing Roma Sherry or the richly satisfying Roma Burgundy. or the delicately delicious Roma Sauterne. And notwithstanding, your cost for any of these good Roma wines is only pennies a glass. Your guest's verdict is sure to agree with this verdict of wine connoisseurs of many lands. Roma wines are truly magnificent. Let me repeat the name, please. R-O-M-A. Roma Wine. Made in California for enjoyment throughout the world. This is Ida Lupino. It is my sincere hope that you enjoyed our suspense play this evening. Miss Moorhead and I trust you will join us in listening to Suspense next week when Charles Ruggles is your star. One more word. Remember, Americans, this is the critical year of the war, calling for more of everything to win. You answer the call. When you buy more war bonds, Miss Lupino will soon be seen in the Warner Brothers picture In Our Time. Suspense is produced and directed by William Spear. Tonight's play was written by George Wells. Don't forget, then, next Thursday, same time, Charles Ruggles will star in Suspense, presented by Roma Wines, made in California for enjoyment throughout the world. This is the Columbia Broadcasting System.