June 16, 2024 • 43 mins
The Campbell Playhouse was a radio drama series that aired on CBS from 1938 to 1941. Here's a breakdown of what made it interesting:
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- Star Power: It was directed by and starred the legendary Orson Welles, known for his innovative use of sound effects and captivating voice.
- Classic Adaptations: During its first two seasons (1938-1940), the show focused on hour-long adaptations of classic plays, novels, and even some popular movies. Think "The Count of Monte Cristo" or "Rebecca" brought to life through radio.
- Shifting Format: After Welles left, the show continued for a season with a shorter format (30 minutes) and a focus on lighter fare, often featuring Hollywood actors.
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Remember that times have changed, and some shows might not reflect the standards of today’s politically correct society. The shows do not necessarily reflect the views, standards, or beliefs of Entertainment Radio
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:03):
Good evening. This is orson Wellestonight. The English star mister Laurence Olivier,
fresh from Hollywood where he's been makingWuthering Heights, and just over from
the Ethelburgmore Theater where he's been rehearsingwith Catherine Cornell in Gustrie mcclinock's new production
No Time for Comedy, joins usat Campbell Playhouse as John jestin Bow Jest.
(00:25):
With him is your favorite villain,mister Noah Berry, who will be
devil mister Olivier and me and thebloodthirsty person of his original sergeant Lejeon,
which Noah Berry made famous in theSilent Picture version of PC Wren's celebrated romance
about the foreign legion. Ha rodratha it is rodrat had he my shop?
(01:03):
If your men thirty minutes rest,I prepared to advance and nope in
order to relieve for it into thenet. Yes, s mout I just
I just think you have seen warin the desert. Does anything here strike
you as strange? It, sir? If you want no truth? Yes,
I don't like it so and somethingabout that thought seems strange. Not
(01:26):
to hear a sound out of them. Think they be cheering the relief force.
They may not have seen us.The sun is behind us. There
is that sounds a regimental call,no answer. Who would think it's an
(01:48):
Arab trap? I don't think so, sir. That's not the way the
Arabs work, courage and cruelty.I've seen in them that nothing like this.
I don't let me have your glasses. Here you are you see,
do you think, sir? Yeah, legs flying minutaire places along the wall,
rifles level extreme, sir, notan error being safe. Yes,
(02:12):
when the bugle sounded, not oneof them move. Did you notice that?
How about the lookout platforms are fromthat esther once more the car regident.
You take a look. He's thatman at the corner of the wall
over on the right, Yes,sir, he's got a bullet hole in
the middle of his forehead. Hehas a a trickle of blood down his
(02:34):
face. Still he stands there,propped up against the wall, with the
others staring down the muzzle of hisrifle. Those men are dead, gentlemen.
I'm going to ask for the volunteertried along into forest engine step part.
It's a hard thing to ask.Major thought full of dead men,
and he volunteers measure there's some ofthem, I'll guess, sir. Good
(03:00):
get in as best you can,whilce you are in sound the car Hi
a brave man. Have you awatch? We do? Yes, Major
is all? That is all.I haven't heard from you within fifteen minutes.
I will order a charge hither andgood luck, Thank you, sir.
(03:27):
That was the last time they heardhim speak. They saw him ride
towards the fort, picking his wayamong the dead Arabs. They saw him
stop under the wall of forts Indernet. They saw him look up at the
dead faces of the men on thewall. They saw him climb up on
his horse's saddle and hoist himself up. Then he disappeared, And a little
before the fifteen minutes were over,they saw a small dark cloud in the
(03:47):
blue sky over the fort. Atfirst, it seemed like dust. As
it grew heavier and started to swirl, they saw that it was smoke.
Just before the fort burst the flames, they thought they heard the sound of
a bugle playing a strange call.That man the trumpeter was my brother.
(04:17):
There were three of us, andI am the only one alive. My
name is John Jess. Here isour story. It begins in England at
Brandon Abbess in Hertfordshire. Here wewere brought up by our aunt, Lady
Brandon, her dead sister's three boys, Michael, Digby, John, and
her own daughter, a little girlcalled Isabel. Michael was the captain,
(04:40):
our hero and leader Lady Brandon's favoritenephews. As a child. Because of
his looks, she called him BowBow Jess, and the name stayed with
him. Digby was the lieutenant.He was Bow's twin smaller at a quarter
of an hour younger. I wasa year younger, their mascot and their
(05:00):
obedient sleighs. There was a gamewe used to play in the Lilipanda Brandon
appis. It was called naval engagements. It was played with two toy boats,
each crowded with lead soldiers and bearingthree brass cannons floated with duck shots.
Is your ship ready, Lieutenant?Ready? Captain light diffuses ready?
(05:21):
So hey? Only one of myguns are firing, must be improper refusing
no battle fetcherman John, I Icaptain, you better tax your cloud to
top John, mind you don't losemen overboard? I love them. Oh
what happened. I'm shot. Startmaking faces and come here Ooh, be
quietible, don't look at it.Let me see John, is the bullet
(05:45):
inside his lake? How does itfeel? John? Just like being shot.
I'm going to be sick. Whatare you going to do with your
night girl? Going to cordize thewound, Captain and prevent its turning septic?
No naval surgery without anesthetics. Cutout the cannon ball to have to
sterilize the knife. Now, John, will you be gagged? Or two
on a bullet? Don't want tobe disturbed by obestly yells. I shan't
(06:06):
yell, Captain. Sit on hishead, Digby, No, hold his
hook then it's a will hide youreyes and keep still almost hold him still,
Digby, Here it comes. Howdo you feel now, John?
I feel all right. I'm goingto confer a new name on you for
(06:27):
bravery. Stand up, Digby andsalute John. Yes, because you didn't
cry when wounded in battle and didn'tyell during a major operation of naval surgery
without anesthetics. I now give youthe rank and title for the rest of
your life of stout Feller. Oh, thank you, Captain, I say,
Captain, do you think we couldmanage your Viking's funeral, right your
while, Lieutenant stout Fella, youhave also earned high honor of a full
dress Viking's funeral. We can usemy book and one of my soldiers.
(06:49):
John, you may choose the oneyou want to be. I'd like to
be one of the new blue ones. Is it all right, Captain a
handry one? Dig I now solemnlyname this valorous soldier the Viking. Earl
John Chess. Now put him ona matchbox filled with explosives. Digs.
You sit here, John, Landup, everyone else hats off. Ready,
Digby lighter, now shove her wayout there, she goes. I
(07:15):
can still see the Viking in thecenter. That's what I call off funerals.
I'd give something to have one likethat when my turn comes. What's
more, I'll write it down inmy will. None of your dirty little
dogs forget anything from me unless yousee it properly done. I'll give you
one bowl whenever you like, sowill I you dig if you die first,
shake on it. Shake so yourbugle, Digby. Most of the
(08:01):
other great moments of my childhood wereconnected with the fabulous and historic jewel owned
by Lady Brandon the blue Water sapphire. It had been in the family for
several generations after people came to seethe sapphire, princes, diplomats, jewel
merchants from every corner of the globe. I remember the last time I saw
it. We were home for theChristmas holiday. I was eighteen. Men
(08:22):
Bow and Digby were at Oxford thatI was in my last year at school.
On Christmas Eve, we persuaded LadyBrandon to get out the blue water
for us to look at, justthe family, Bo, Digby, myself
and little Bow. Well, thereit is, children, starl Its beauty,
isn't she Remember the Indian Nile Rajahwho fainted dead away when he saw
(08:43):
it, and it took twenty minutesto revive her. No wonder, it
still makes me disease, so wenever get rid of him. He kept
coming back and see it again threeor four times. Wasn't it done?
I remind my Raja looked drew waterseems to get bigger and bigger. Makes
you want to dive into it headfirst, Just disappear inside. What's happened
to the light? Don't wander aboutanybody and knock things over The lights will
(09:05):
go on again in a minute.They always do. It's something to do
with a new power station. Thisis the third time it's happened this week.
Why doesn't somebody get a candle?It's pitch black. I hope they
stay on. Auntie, Look,look it's gone. Whoever did this,
please put it back. It's notfunny. If it fell on the floor,
(09:26):
it was under the glass cover.Whoever took the blue Water, please
put it back at once, John, why do you accuse me? You
were nearest the day? Oh John, there we accused. You'll put the
beast thing back me. I didn'ttake it. Oh, why don't you
put it back? Whoever did takeit? Let's not keep on pretending.
We shall all go to bed now. This room will be locked, but
the key to it will be leftin the little brass box in the hall.
(09:50):
Only you four will know where itis. The thief will have a
chance during the night to replace thisthat far without revealing his identity. If
the blue Water is not here,no the police will be called in.
No one will be stared, nomatter who it is. The next morning
we found that Joel had not beenreturned. Only at Digby and Isabelle and
(10:13):
myself for at breakfast. Mooe didn'tappear. Lady Brandon sent down word that
no one was to leave the house. She hadn't sent for the police yet,
but we expected she would in aminute. It was a strange morning
wondering about the house, each ofus keeping to himself, waiting for something
to happen around moon. I wentinto the library, Johnny, Yes,
(10:35):
will you tell me something? Certainlyit was. It's a silly question,
terribly silly. Oh I know it'ssilly. Well, Johnny, did you
take the blue water? Why?No? I didn't. Oh I care,
Oh I shouldn't ask it, Johnny. I wanted to hear you say
yourself. Isabel you're crying. Oh, forgive me for us, Isabel.
(11:01):
What's the matter with you? IsbelDo stop crying. I can't help it,
Johnny. I loved you, darling, Darling. I wish I knew
what to say, Darling, Isabel. Someday we'll get madded, won't you.
(11:24):
Yes, when I've scraped together alittle money and approved somehow that I'm
worthy, Please kiss me, Isabelle, excuse me? Could I talk with
John alone? I fund you asimportant to stay room John a boy,
darling, What are you being somedadramatic about both gone? I don't know
you let this note. By thetime you get this, that will be
(11:46):
well on the way to where I'mgoing. Please tell Anne there's no further
need of badger any of you aboutthe blue Water. If Scotland Yard is
put on the trail, tell himyou knew I contracted large debts at Oxford.
I must have been led astray byevil companion to you and John.
Keep an eye on John. Ibet you both ever yours bar. It
can't be true. Of course itisn't true. I can't believe it.
(12:07):
Not a bowl things like an openbook. He's taking the blade. Who
is he shielding? Perhaps he doesn'tknow. Look, if Bow didn't do
it, then maybe I did it. You didn't, did you either?
Did you or Isabelle? Of coursethat it's ridiculous, exactly John. We
can't let him do it. It'llfreak kated Brandon's heart. Know how she
had doors? And what do wedo? Anohing was the moment, but
say nothing. I'll speak to youlater. I've got an idea. That
(12:33):
evening I found a note on mypillow and dig this writing yeah, John,
but I can no longer let theinnocence suffer from my guilty sin.
By the time you get this,I shall be well on my way to
where I am going. Will youplease tell Aunt that BOE's noble and beautiful
gesture with a lot of nonsense,and that I'm the real thief. Tell
her about the time she gets thick. I paced my room for three hours,
(13:03):
then I started to pack. Atthe dawn came up, I tiptoed
out through the kitchen door. Throughthe dim morning. I walked to the
station and border the first train.My darling, beautiful sweetheart, When you
read this letter, you will bethe first to agree that I cannot possibly
(13:26):
do anything except what I am doing, although it may mean for a time
at least being away from you,my dearly beloved, just when we have
found this miracle, our love Isabelthere all what I speak with the officer
(13:52):
in charge of me? That's whatdo you want? Are you the recruiting
officer? And could you tell me, sir, if any Englishman were dissease,
what happens in England? Does thebusiness empire suddenly export on the most
excellent young men to bells to enlistin the French foreieral religion. Then there
have been other two weathers this week. But where can I catch up with
them? Where can I find them? You mean, if you are accepted
(14:13):
the legion, you've got to acceptme. What what do I do?
Felt the physical examination for that?For you that will be easy, but
uh, you know what you're doing. Of course. Listen to me,
young men. In the beginning ofvalenteering list for five years this phase one
sou a day. The discipline ishard, other than that of any army
in Europe. If a man deservesfrom a religion, he is shut.
(14:35):
Think it over, young man,Think it over. They accepted me.
I signed a paper and I wasa soldier of France named John Smith orign
legion one oh three seven six two. A week later I was in Iran
and Africa, then on to aninland town, some twenty of us on
(14:56):
foot. God Man, we wereheard it into a long shed light building.
(15:24):
Our heads were shaved, uniforms andkit issued to us. I picked
up my things and went to theback room to which I'd been assigned.
Two men were sitting side by sideon a bench, their hands in their
pockets, pipes in their mouths well, well, enter the third rubber,
who give me? How wonderful Isee you? I was afraid I might
can catch up with you. Mypoor dear idiotic mad booby. I thought
(15:46):
you think you're doing here fleeing fromjustice? Bout what about you? Same
thing you did to me? Well, wait, you tell me the truth
I'm seeing from justice. Did youbring the sathi with you? John?
No? No, I didn't bringit with me? Yeh? Did you
bring it both? Yes? Youtwo? Dig me? Oh, never
travel without my sapphire. I supposeone of us three has got in two
(16:07):
of us. What are you gonnado with it? Now? Paddy?
It bothers me so o. Kangaroocustom to carry about the young and their
money things, a sort of drag, you know, in front successible.
I keep it on me night andday. Got to kill the man before
you can rob him. There wego and tryna line up inspection inspection.
I just arrived. That's top toosoon. But the john who color sergeant,
(16:29):
there's a charming men. From nowon. You're a commanding officer,
right, Greg steady right ah ah? A new company of jailbird Eh.
Why couldn't you go to the prisoninstead of coming here to waste my time.
(16:51):
And I'll make you wish you hadn'tcome near the legion. I'll make
you wish you were never born.I'd see what we have here. Yo,
your name, say, sir,when you speak to me? How
about you? For you, myname is Hank, Hank Locker. Come
from she'll any more insolence from you. I'll tell your risty, your ankles
(17:12):
in the small of your back.Now, what's your name? Oh?
Another English boy? Eh, that'ssee your hands? I thought so soft
as pancakes, never done a strokeof work in your life. Right,
well, I'll harden those for you. I'll many cure you before I die.
(17:33):
Silence, Open your mouth again andI'll close it with my boot.
And all may look like to come. But before I'm two with you,
you'll be soldiers. Ah yeah,yeah, I'll make soldiers out of you.
If I have to kill you.I'm beginning tomorrow. We'll drill and
mark you. Hear me, drilland mark. So the following weeks we
(18:03):
marched almost without ceasing. Day onthe table. I can still feel the
movement of my bare oiled feet inmy leather shoes. We won't know stocking
from the legions. The second month, we marched five hundred miles thirty miles
a day with rifles under a heavypacker. We're told you now under my
(18:23):
command, and under my command youwill march. Hey, you short,
yes, keep that cap on yourcrazy head. What would you rather do?
Sweat or crow? Hey? Youyou pray? And where do you
think you're going? Fall out ofline? Once morn you will carry an
(18:44):
extra twenty pound or sand in yourpack. I go on, get back
into place, run, Barbara said, sergeant. When we make camp tonight,
see that our friend, you praygets his rest, But first give
him twenty five of lights, andthen let him just center duty till midnight.
And after that, Private, youpray you can have your rest.
(19:10):
You pray, I can't. Ican? How many well right now?
And pigs crying before you? Hereyou see a gentleman who wanted his rest
now, and I'll show you howwe wake him up in the legion,
(19:33):
pray, get up, get up. Perhaps a boot in the ribs will
help. Sergeant Yah sing Mayson.I wanted it, my brother, and
I will carry him if he can. Legion every man for himself. He
doesn't want to march. He canstay here. Don't you worry about your
pray. He won't be alone herefor long. The but vouchers will keep
(19:59):
him company. All right, detail, well, right, all right?
Double time. You are listening tothe Campbell Playhouse presentation of bo Jets,
(20:23):
starring Orson Wells with Laurence Olivia andNoah Biriy. This is the Columbia broadcasting
system in the legion of a manicconflicting reports as to what particular job we
(20:45):
were being trained for. Some seta border demonstration, peaceful penetration for the
Bayonets. How the talk of afar flung uprising of all the Arab nations
from the Atlantic Ocean of the PersianGulf. Meantime, we drilled and drilled,
marched and marched, and one daycame bad news we were to be
separated. Jake By remained a trumpeterwith a regiment and jagadea bo and I
(21:06):
with the second company with detailed tothe worst section in the North African Service,
Fort Dinderner, four hundred miles awaywith May when we set out,
with le John now adjutant in command. It took us three weeks to reach
it. In the file beside meas we marched for as the American Hanks.
Hey, hey, son, Yeah, I want to tip your boys
(21:27):
off to something. Oh if youfeel one of them Britishers while I figure,
well you mean okay anyways, huh, thank you. I just want
to tell you there's a lot ofconspiracies around this company. Now that we're
getting away from civilization, things maystart popping. You don't say, yeah,
mostly they all have to do withyou boys. How do you mean,
(21:48):
well, none of my business?Of course, boys, got it
figured out. You three brothers aregang of international thieves. What holds your
horse's son? Just tell you whatwe're saying. Seems they heard you,
fellows, talking about some diamonds yougot hidden away. I heard how one
of you carries it like a kangarooand a pouch on his stomach. I
(22:10):
mean to get it, even ifthey have to knife you for it.
In case you don't know, oneof the guys that has his eye on
that diamond of yours is our newadjudant Mo stille Le Jean at Fords Internet.
We drilled all day in the sun, La Jeanne thought of that has
(22:32):
For the night. All we coulddo was to pretend that they were cooler
than the day. The second monthsaid that fever took his cockroach. Fever
men call it because it crawls throughthe little brain comes over a man suddenly
and he goes stark, raving manwith a heat. Already three of the
men had had to be put inproduct the confinement and the bed next to
my brother slept a German named Schwartz. One night, about two hours after
lights out, my brother woke suddenlythere was a hand on his shoulder.
(22:57):
Okay, hello, Schwartz, whatdo you want? Whyn't you sleep?
I want to talk? If youare you enjoying? Like? H send
on that. I'm quite quiet.You would like a change? I like
change. Would you like, perhapsto see it in the civilized world?
(23:17):
You want your brother and that preciousdiamond of yours you're talking about, isn't
he? Have you ever seen thatpig? Dye? No? You will?
You feeling ill? They're not funny. Soon you will see a big
pig die, a sacred pig,and at the term the pig. So
(23:40):
how to use a butcher, Schwartz? That depends so many visius the privilege?
Would you are you bitter mutineer,no big killer, that's fine.
I have no experience as a porkbutcher. Then uh, after we conclude
that you wish to join the animalsthat ought to be slaughtered this pig a
(24:00):
butcher. You must decide soon youthink about it. No motto, we
must know. I understand. Yes, remember, you must decide. A
butcher was known of the next day, before my brother could talk to me,
he waited for me outside the canteen. Can they hear us here?
No? Go ahead, both bequick, let's figure this out John.
(24:22):
The mutiny here, it's tentative.What does that mean? Suppose they succeeded.
They'd had to escape across several hundredmiles of desert. Right problems,
starvation first, the heat of thedesert, may getting killed by trureg robbers.
Just mutilated right and left the overanxious vultures. Here's something else.
Keep thinking of what your American friendssaid about the blue Water. What's the
main reason Schwartz and his gang wantsalong. I'll tell you so that after
(24:45):
we've helped them with a mutiny,they can do away with us in the
desert and get this diamond they thinkwe've got. I haven't thought of that?
Once more, there are those anxiousvultures once more. Now something else.
Suppose to Jean another diamond Blubber issmarter than the mutineers think. Suppose
he has his spies. Suppose heknows of this plot. Then what then
The mutineers played right into him.Exactly, That's what he's waiting for.
(25:07):
Yet everyone of a shot down helpshimself the blue water and gets a medal
in the bargain and leaves us oncemore to they, we keep on ending
up with other unpleasant bird. Yes, well what do we do? Nothing?
Wait, just wait, I'll tellSchwartz now that we're not interested.
But watch him day and night,beginning to night. You and I better
take turns sleeping. First you sleep, then I'll sleep. Then you sleep,
(25:27):
then I'll sleep. You see,for two days and two nights,
nothing happened was hotter than ever.Every morning, as I looked into the
men's eyes, I saw the desertfever rising, burning more brightly. A
third night, I couldn't sleep.I lay in bed thinking about years at
(25:48):
Brandon Abbott, thinking of Visible Iwondered if I'd ever get back to her
and England. Fever written men sleepfitfully. I lay awake listening to them.
Just before the dawn, I becameaware of a man standing at the
end of the room. He hadme covered with his REVOLVERA get up quick,
one sound out of you and Ia shoot. Go on, get
(26:11):
up and come here and march aheadof me. Go to my room.
Now, let's see it. Holdon, let's see it. See what
the diamond? Did you hear me? There is no diamond. No,
(26:33):
I know better than that. I'lltie you up in the desert you own
your brother, with your hands inthe small of your back, your mouths
full of salt and sand. Thenwe'll see if you've got a diamond.
But that'll keep right. Now,there's work to be done. Do you
want to live on the whole?I think so? On the hole?
You do? Do you all right? Then I'll listen to me. I
(26:56):
know all about this mutiny, asI know everything else and said and thought
in this port, and I knowwho's in it Schwartz valladaire mold Danny Vogue,
And I'm going to attend to itnow. Tonight you here an answer
me, I hear you. I'llsay so. Then ah, he'll go
(27:17):
back with me to that barrack room. First, watch up your brother.
You get your rifles, yours andhis. I'll stand at the door and
cover you. You'll go from bedto bed and pick every rifle. If
any man speaks, don't answer him. If any man moves, shoot him,
as a mutineering dog should be shot. Do you understand, I understand,
Like a sound or a false move, you will be the first that
(27:38):
dies. All right? If youwant to live, move in the first
glimmer of dawn. I did ashe told me. How A woke my
brother. There were no sentries postedthat night, nobody to challenge. We
(28:00):
went from room to room, disarmingthe men as they slept. We carried
their rifles upstairs, stack them allon the flat roof, and all the
time Le Jeanne had us covered.All right. Put there's the rifles down
the here down in number three.There are eight men there. Get their
guns, bring them up here.That's a lot. And then I have
(28:22):
got a little surprise from the Schwartzand these friends when they get up this
morning. Hey, h what areyou waiting for? Go on down?
What's the matter with you? Can'tyou hear what I tell you? Hudjutants,
what are you starting at? Listenall right, if that's what you
(28:44):
want to shop, you fool.Listen. Do you hear it? Herbs?
You get back yourse rifle, Yes, sir, quit down to the
barrack room. Googler, googler,help the arms, every man who met
(29:11):
much two hundred rounds, laughing firemy hit. Towards noon the atoms retired.
(29:32):
They fell back a suddenly it theyhad come. The attack was open.
But all afternoon the atoms kept upa desert with fire every now and
then a manous hit undercover? Howmuch you got any sense? Carparl tack
that man downstairs, give me firstdate, be back in five minutes.
You're hear, yes, sir Swarts yes, have a hair up on
(29:57):
the wall. Yes, look outthere toward the oasis. Tell me what
do you see? They're climbing thetrees. They're shooting down at us from
the trees. Exactly, mister Schwartz, They are shooting at us from the
trees. No, we don't haveto get those ribs down from those trees,
(30:18):
won't we, mister Schwartz. Yes, Adjeton All right, mister Schwartz.
Now you climb up to that highlook up platform. From there you'll
get a good shot at those Arabsuntil they get you up. Get up
there, I tell you, comeon, chook you myself, that's it.
Come on up and why are youup there? Maybe you can take
(30:41):
up some more plots. Come on, get up there? Uh right?
Sit, ye, too bad.Brave soldier just died with the republic right
(31:11):
and one mutineer less and the mutineernumber two. Valladaire yes s yeah you're
next, Yes, yes, getup on that platform. It's the Valladair.
Go on, clime op row allthe road it was. It was
(31:45):
a smith, yes, a butit then he but it down, Renity
m letag Schwartz keep Cooby, Yesthey will. Out of ninety eight that
(32:09):
morning there were forty six of hislifts. That was the first day.
The nearest relief post was Jaggadeer.It'd be three days before help could come
from there. In the morning,the Arabs would attack again. They knew
our real numbers. They'd scale thewalls and cut us to pieces in a
minute. That night, one smallerjoone put us to work here, come
(32:29):
up here, help me with this. Yes, I don't trust those others.
Uh pick him up with the shouldersand the legs. But he's dead,
sir. Sure they get heavy whenthey're stiff, don't you, eh?
I come on up the stairs withhim, so wanted the patter of
what you going to do? Whatdo you think got them to work?
You idiot? No good when they'realive. Perhaps now that they're dead,
(32:52):
there'll be of some use here.Yeah, h help him up against the
wall. Where's we get to aparap? I said, I see straight
up eyes ran putty half on hishead. Now give me my rifle.
That's right sight it. Oh well, friend Schwartz, Now you look quite
(33:16):
a useful soldier for a change.Yeah, come on, you two,
get another one, y, sir, bring him up here? Fill the
next embrader with him, rifle inhis hands, half on his head.
A thirty eight of them want toeat some braider. Ay tomorrow, when
the Arab's attacked, they'll think we'vegot a real garrison here. It works.
(33:45):
The next morning the Atoms attacked again. That they kept that distance all
day. That fire poured into thefort, and inside a handful of desperate
men ran from Pataphit to Petapht,shooting over the dead men's shoulders. Whenever
a man fell, a Joan wouldpick him up and put him back in
his place on the pedipic. Heseemed to take a grulish delight in arranging
them and sighting their rifles and puttingtheir caps on straight. Once or twice
he lit cigarettes for the dead men. Cigarettes gradually burnt till they were spent
(34:08):
in the dead men's mouths. Butit works. At the end of the
day they withdrew beyond the sand hills. And now, my many friends,
before we go to sleep, we'regoing to have a little celebration here,
just the few of us. We'llcelebrate what a good time we're having.
We'll let the ridge hear it.We'll let them see. How will we
(34:30):
need to worry? How gay weare. Ah, we're going to laugh,
laugh for you, helly hemmy,laugh Ah that hell. Come on
(34:53):
you now. From right in themiddle of a silent quadrangle of dead men
(35:13):
standing guard. We celebrated for hoursuntil we lay back, exhausted on the
stone roof of the fort. Latethat night, boat dragged himselves knel me
cut as you're rich just two Yeah, looks like a last last journey,
last cigarette. That's nothing. Theleaf is halfway here by now, hope.
So Johnny, if I die,you don't want you to do something
for me? Of course? Barthe two letters in my pocket and a
(35:35):
small package and the money belt aroundmy waist. One letter is a sort
of public letter, the others Iwas related Brandon packages for her tool.
Only package isn't really important. Theletter is important, though. Whatever you
do, swear you give her thatletter. Oh, don't poke like that.
You're not going to die. MaybeI'll die, Maybe we'll both die,
Maybe neither of us would. Don'tknow, Johnny, just feel with
(35:55):
my bones. Johnny, will youswear? Of course? I will?
God where goodbye? Dear old Johnnywish to heaven. I had drag you
into this place. I think you'llcome out all right. Give my love
to dig. We don't. Here'sa bill. I hope some day you
two be very happy. In themorning, the fight had started. The
(36:22):
fighting started again, the same tactics, again, running along the wall,
shooting dead men's guns. By noonthere were only seven of us left.
Two hours later, there were onlyfour. Each took one wall. We
ran like men possessed, shooting,running, shooting, running, We never
looked at each other. It waslate in the afternoon when I saw the
bow had fallen. He lay thereunder the north wall, motionless, and
(36:45):
I couldn't get to him. Afterthat, I can remember nothing until it
was night. Then suddenly my braincleared and I saw a Jean bending up
a Bow's body, fumbling at hisbelly. Get away from Alison. No
diame, eh, no dime,my brother's body alone. Give me that,
(37:10):
Give me and right hand back atyou and me swine, give me
the dog, and I don't giveme those, Let me not. Package
shot went wild, but my barnetwent straight through his heart. He fell
(37:30):
dead on his back. I sankdown on his tone. Then, for
the first time, I realized thatBow was not yet dead. It was
because of him that la Jeune's shotwent wild. He had reached out and
seized la Jeuann's foot, jerking himoff balance as he pulled the trigger.
Start fellow, jump, got theletters. You'll deliver yourself bow. We
(37:50):
two are young survivors. The reliefwill be here soon. Listen, Johnny,
I'm for it all right, then, blood point listen, hello,
story thing my life tell the guyssaid to him. Johnny, do get
a letter home? Oh wait,loo I I I got some. Now
listen those letters. One's a confession. No need if you want to dig
to carry on the game now,you must get the confession published. It's
(38:14):
nothing to confess. Both won't bean ask Johnny. It's the living we
have to think about. Leave theconfession where it'll be found. I'll haunt
you. I'll gnaw your neck andgo boo in the dark. No,
don't go yere, Johnny, PROMIJohnny, I'm going blind, Johnny,
(38:37):
Johnny, where are you promise?Confession, Johnny? John john cup this
(39:00):
you've cost of this? Wake up? Try hard well, am I?
Where's Bow? This is digby digbidyou hear during the fort of binder Nerf
Bow's dead and you've killed that agood thing too, But the lesion won't
look at it that way. We'vegot to kay quickly take me. How
(39:23):
did you get him? Release squadof them from from jack a deer.
We had to be an attack.We came up the walls and saw the
dead men out. If one ofthe man's going to the fort alone,
I volunteered. They're outside there now. If I don't get the call within
fifteen minutes, they'll charge. We'veonly got five minutes. Lift. Where's
Bow? Where's Bow on his deaddownstairs? Come John, there's something we've
(39:46):
got to do. You know whatshe did? Have wanted a Viking's funeral.
Yeah, that's right, we promisedthat day. Have burned that quickly
helped me. I pile the boyaround him and sprinkled oil on the board
and all over the barrack store.Already there's just one more detail. Get
up, John, quick. Whatdo you do remember? A Viking's funeral
(40:07):
needs a dog. Don't you remembera dog at the feet of the captain.
Well, there's a dog, laJohn Dick, have you gone mad
too? We haven't time to lose. Help me. He wanted a full
Vikings funeral. He'll get it.We dragged the body of la Gen downstairs
to the barrack room and laid itat Bow's feet. Take the notet down
(40:30):
and struck a match. As hethrew the match toward the bed, we
raced back up the stairs. Amoment later, the flames leaped high into
the air. As we left theburning fort, we heard the cavalry coming
(41:17):
up behind us. In the confusionof the fire, we escaped, heading
west toward the coast. Five weekslater I saw the sea Digby was dead,
shot by a straight bullet from amarauding Arab. Almost a year went
by before I reached England. Ifulfilled my promise to Bowl. A public
letter was a sort of confession,saying that he alone had stolen the Blue
(41:40):
Water sapphire. That was nonsense,of course, his lie had long outlived
its purpose. The other note,the one to Lady Brandon, she read
aloud to us to visible in me. As she read, I seemed to
hear the voice of Beau himself,both smiling and talking to us across all
those miles from that land of thedead. I'm lender, the dear Aunte.
(42:01):
When you get this out to bedead you read it through, perhaps
you'll forgive me for doing what Ithought was best. You see, I
thought of doing something that might insome measure to pay you for your great
goodness to me and my brothers.My dear aunt, I knew you'd sold
the Blue Water to the Maharaja inorder to keep the estate going for our
sake and for the sake of thetenants. I also knew you were frightened
(42:22):
that the sale would become known,for technically you had no right to sell
the draw which was left you intrust. I knew you'd had a duplicate
made, and I kept thinking howsplendor it would be if we had a
jew robbery and the blue water substitutewas stolen. You could put Scotland Yard
on the trail a burglar, andas long as you didn't catch you in
a pebbles sapphire, everything's resplended,and everything would have turned out find too.
(42:45):
If I was incredible brothers of minehadn't gone and bolted too. Possibility.
It occurred to me, well,I hope my idea did work in
part anyway, and cause your secrethas been care But how can we ever
repay all that you did for us? I love to you and to the
(43:05):
other stool, and all the happinessin the world to John and Isabel,
your nephew, Brochest
Good evening. This is orson Wellestonight. The English star mister Laurence Olivier,
fresh from Hollywood where he's been makingWuthering Heights, and just over from
the Ethelburgmore Theater where he's been rehearsingwith Catherine Cornell in Gustrie mcclinock's new production
No Time for Comedy, joins usat Campbell Playhouse as John jestin Bow Jest.
(00:25):
With him is your favorite villain,mister Noah Berry, who will be
devil mister Olivier and me and thebloodthirsty person of his original sergeant Lejeon,
which Noah Berry made famous in theSilent Picture version of PC Wren's celebrated romance
about the foreign legion. Ha rodratha it is rodrat had he my shop?
(01:03):
If your men thirty minutes rest,I prepared to advance and nope in
order to relieve for it into thenet. Yes, s mout I just
I just think you have seen warin the desert. Does anything here strike
you as strange? It, sir? If you want no truth? Yes,
I don't like it so and somethingabout that thought seems strange. Not
(01:26):
to hear a sound out of them. Think they be cheering the relief force.
They may not have seen us.The sun is behind us. There
is that sounds a regimental call,no answer. Who would think it's an
(01:48):
Arab trap? I don't think so, sir. That's not the way the
Arabs work, courage and cruelty.I've seen in them that nothing like this.
I don't let me have your glasses. Here you are you see,
do you think, sir? Yeah, legs flying minutaire places along the wall,
rifles level extreme, sir, notan error being safe. Yes,
(02:12):
when the bugle sounded, not oneof them move. Did you notice that?
How about the lookout platforms are fromthat esther once more the car regident.
You take a look. He's thatman at the corner of the wall
over on the right, Yes,sir, he's got a bullet hole in
the middle of his forehead. Hehas a a trickle of blood down his
(02:34):
face. Still he stands there,propped up against the wall, with the
others staring down the muzzle of hisrifle. Those men are dead, gentlemen.
I'm going to ask for the volunteertried along into forest engine step part.
It's a hard thing to ask.Major thought full of dead men,
and he volunteers measure there's some ofthem, I'll guess, sir. Good
(03:00):
get in as best you can,whilce you are in sound the car Hi
a brave man. Have you awatch? We do? Yes, Major
is all? That is all.I haven't heard from you within fifteen minutes.
I will order a charge hither andgood luck, Thank you, sir.
(03:27):
That was the last time they heardhim speak. They saw him ride
towards the fort, picking his wayamong the dead Arabs. They saw him
stop under the wall of forts Indernet. They saw him look up at the
dead faces of the men on thewall. They saw him climb up on
his horse's saddle and hoist himself up. Then he disappeared, And a little
before the fifteen minutes were over,they saw a small dark cloud in the
(03:47):
blue sky over the fort. Atfirst, it seemed like dust. As
it grew heavier and started to swirl, they saw that it was smoke.
Just before the fort burst the flames, they thought they heard the sound of
a bugle playing a strange call.That man the trumpeter was my brother.
(04:17):
There were three of us, andI am the only one alive. My
name is John Jess. Here isour story. It begins in England at
Brandon Abbess in Hertfordshire. Here wewere brought up by our aunt, Lady
Brandon, her dead sister's three boys, Michael, Digby, John, and
her own daughter, a little girlcalled Isabel. Michael was the captain,
(04:40):
our hero and leader Lady Brandon's favoritenephews. As a child. Because of
his looks, she called him BowBow Jess, and the name stayed with
him. Digby was the lieutenant.He was Bow's twin smaller at a quarter
of an hour younger. I wasa year younger, their mascot and their
(05:00):
obedient sleighs. There was a gamewe used to play in the Lilipanda Brandon
appis. It was called naval engagements. It was played with two toy boats,
each crowded with lead soldiers and bearingthree brass cannons floated with duck shots.
Is your ship ready, Lieutenant?Ready? Captain light diffuses ready?
(05:21):
So hey? Only one of myguns are firing, must be improper refusing
no battle fetcherman John, I Icaptain, you better tax your cloud to
top John, mind you don't losemen overboard? I love them. Oh
what happened. I'm shot. Startmaking faces and come here Ooh, be
quietible, don't look at it.Let me see John, is the bullet
(05:45):
inside his lake? How does itfeel? John? Just like being shot.
I'm going to be sick. Whatare you going to do with your
night girl? Going to cordize thewound, Captain and prevent its turning septic?
No naval surgery without anesthetics. Cutout the cannon ball to have to
sterilize the knife. Now, John, will you be gagged? Or two
on a bullet? Don't want tobe disturbed by obestly yells. I shan't
(06:06):
yell, Captain. Sit on hishead, Digby, No, hold his
hook then it's a will hide youreyes and keep still almost hold him still,
Digby, Here it comes. Howdo you feel now, John?
I feel all right. I'm goingto confer a new name on you for
(06:27):
bravery. Stand up, Digby andsalute John. Yes, because you didn't
cry when wounded in battle and didn'tyell during a major operation of naval surgery
without anesthetics. I now give youthe rank and title for the rest of
your life of stout Feller. Oh, thank you, Captain, I say,
Captain, do you think we couldmanage your Viking's funeral, right your
while, Lieutenant stout Fella, youhave also earned high honor of a full
dress Viking's funeral. We can usemy book and one of my soldiers.
(06:49):
John, you may choose the oneyou want to be. I'd like to
be one of the new blue ones. Is it all right, Captain a
handry one? Dig I now solemnlyname this valorous soldier the Viking. Earl
John Chess. Now put him ona matchbox filled with explosives. Digs.
You sit here, John, Landup, everyone else hats off. Ready,
Digby lighter, now shove her wayout there, she goes. I
(07:15):
can still see the Viking in thecenter. That's what I call off funerals.
I'd give something to have one likethat when my turn comes. What's
more, I'll write it down inmy will. None of your dirty little
dogs forget anything from me unless yousee it properly done. I'll give you
one bowl whenever you like, sowill I you dig if you die first,
shake on it. Shake so yourbugle, Digby. Most of the
(08:01):
other great moments of my childhood wereconnected with the fabulous and historic jewel owned
by Lady Brandon the blue Water sapphire. It had been in the family for
several generations after people came to seethe sapphire, princes, diplomats, jewel
merchants from every corner of the globe. I remember the last time I saw
it. We were home for theChristmas holiday. I was eighteen. Men
(08:22):
Bow and Digby were at Oxford thatI was in my last year at school.
On Christmas Eve, we persuaded LadyBrandon to get out the blue water
for us to look at, justthe family, Bo, Digby, myself
and little Bow. Well, thereit is, children, starl Its beauty,
isn't she Remember the Indian Nile Rajahwho fainted dead away when he saw
(08:43):
it, and it took twenty minutesto revive her. No wonder, it
still makes me disease, so wenever get rid of him. He kept
coming back and see it again threeor four times. Wasn't it done?
I remind my Raja looked drew waterseems to get bigger and bigger. Makes
you want to dive into it headfirst, Just disappear inside. What's happened
to the light? Don't wander aboutanybody and knock things over The lights will
(09:05):
go on again in a minute.They always do. It's something to do
with a new power station. Thisis the third time it's happened this week.
Why doesn't somebody get a candle?It's pitch black. I hope they
stay on. Auntie, Look,look it's gone. Whoever did this,
please put it back. It's notfunny. If it fell on the floor,
(09:26):
it was under the glass cover.Whoever took the blue Water, please
put it back at once, John, why do you accuse me? You
were nearest the day? Oh John, there we accused. You'll put the
beast thing back me. I didn'ttake it. Oh, why don't you
put it back? Whoever did takeit? Let's not keep on pretending.
We shall all go to bed now. This room will be locked, but
the key to it will be leftin the little brass box in the hall.
(09:50):
Only you four will know where itis. The thief will have a
chance during the night to replace thisthat far without revealing his identity. If
the blue Water is not here,no the police will be called in.
No one will be stared, nomatter who it is. The next morning
we found that Joel had not beenreturned. Only at Digby and Isabelle and
(10:13):
myself for at breakfast. Mooe didn'tappear. Lady Brandon sent down word that
no one was to leave the house. She hadn't sent for the police yet,
but we expected she would in aminute. It was a strange morning
wondering about the house, each ofus keeping to himself, waiting for something
to happen around moon. I wentinto the library, Johnny, Yes,
(10:35):
will you tell me something? Certainlyit was. It's a silly question,
terribly silly. Oh I know it'ssilly. Well, Johnny, did you
take the blue water? Why?No? I didn't. Oh I care,
Oh I shouldn't ask it, Johnny. I wanted to hear you say
yourself. Isabel you're crying. Oh, forgive me for us, Isabel.
(11:01):
What's the matter with you? IsbelDo stop crying. I can't help it,
Johnny. I loved you, darling, Darling. I wish I knew
what to say, Darling, Isabel. Someday we'll get madded, won't you.
(11:24):
Yes, when I've scraped together alittle money and approved somehow that I'm
worthy, Please kiss me, Isabelle, excuse me? Could I talk with
John alone? I fund you asimportant to stay room John a boy,
darling, What are you being somedadramatic about both gone? I don't know
you let this note. By thetime you get this, that will be
(11:46):
well on the way to where I'mgoing. Please tell Anne there's no further
need of badger any of you aboutthe blue Water. If Scotland Yard is
put on the trail, tell himyou knew I contracted large debts at Oxford.
I must have been led astray byevil companion to you and John.
Keep an eye on John. Ibet you both ever yours bar. It
can't be true. Of course itisn't true. I can't believe it.
(12:07):
Not a bowl things like an openbook. He's taking the blade. Who
is he shielding? Perhaps he doesn'tknow. Look, if Bow didn't do
it, then maybe I did it. You didn't, did you either?
Did you or Isabelle? Of coursethat it's ridiculous, exactly John. We
can't let him do it. It'llfreak kated Brandon's heart. Know how she
had doors? And what do wedo? Anohing was the moment, but
say nothing. I'll speak to youlater. I've got an idea. That
(12:33):
evening I found a note on mypillow and dig this writing yeah, John,
but I can no longer let theinnocence suffer from my guilty sin.
By the time you get this,I shall be well on my way to
where I am going. Will youplease tell Aunt that BOE's noble and beautiful
gesture with a lot of nonsense,and that I'm the real thief. Tell
her about the time she gets thick. I paced my room for three hours,
(13:03):
then I started to pack. Atthe dawn came up, I tiptoed
out through the kitchen door. Throughthe dim morning. I walked to the
station and border the first train.My darling, beautiful sweetheart, When you
read this letter, you will bethe first to agree that I cannot possibly
(13:26):
do anything except what I am doing, although it may mean for a time
at least being away from you,my dearly beloved, just when we have
found this miracle, our love Isabelthere all what I speak with the officer
(13:52):
in charge of me? That's whatdo you want? Are you the recruiting
officer? And could you tell me, sir, if any Englishman were dissease,
what happens in England? Does thebusiness empire suddenly export on the most
excellent young men to bells to enlistin the French foreieral religion. Then there
have been other two weathers this week. But where can I catch up with
them? Where can I find them? You mean, if you are accepted
(14:13):
the legion, you've got to acceptme. What what do I do?
Felt the physical examination for that?For you that will be easy, but
uh, you know what you're doing. Of course. Listen to me,
young men. In the beginning ofvalenteering list for five years this phase one
sou a day. The discipline ishard, other than that of any army
in Europe. If a man deservesfrom a religion, he is shut.
(14:35):
Think it over, young man,Think it over. They accepted me.
I signed a paper and I wasa soldier of France named John Smith orign
legion one oh three seven six two. A week later I was in Iran
and Africa, then on to aninland town, some twenty of us on
(14:56):
foot. God Man, we wereheard it into a long shed light building.
(15:24):
Our heads were shaved, uniforms andkit issued to us. I picked
up my things and went to theback room to which I'd been assigned.
Two men were sitting side by sideon a bench, their hands in their
pockets, pipes in their mouths well, well, enter the third rubber,
who give me? How wonderful Isee you? I was afraid I might
can catch up with you. Mypoor dear idiotic mad booby. I thought
(15:46):
you think you're doing here fleeing fromjustice? Bout what about you? Same
thing you did to me? Well, wait, you tell me the truth
I'm seeing from justice. Did youbring the sathi with you? John?
No? No, I didn't bringit with me? Yeh? Did you
bring it both? Yes? Youtwo? Dig me? Oh, never
travel without my sapphire. I supposeone of us three has got in two
(16:07):
of us. What are you gonnado with it? Now? Paddy?
It bothers me so o. Kangaroocustom to carry about the young and their
money things, a sort of drag, you know, in front successible.
I keep it on me night andday. Got to kill the man before
you can rob him. There wego and tryna line up inspection inspection.
I just arrived. That's top toosoon. But the john who color sergeant,
(16:29):
there's a charming men. From nowon. You're a commanding officer,
right, Greg steady right ah ah? A new company of jailbird Eh.
Why couldn't you go to the prisoninstead of coming here to waste my time.
(16:51):
And I'll make you wish you hadn'tcome near the legion. I'll make
you wish you were never born.I'd see what we have here. Yo,
your name, say, sir,when you speak to me? How
about you? For you, myname is Hank, Hank Locker. Come
from she'll any more insolence from you. I'll tell your risty, your ankles
(17:12):
in the small of your back.Now, what's your name? Oh?
Another English boy? Eh, that'ssee your hands? I thought so soft
as pancakes, never done a strokeof work in your life. Right,
well, I'll harden those for you. I'll many cure you before I die.
(17:33):
Silence, Open your mouth again andI'll close it with my boot.
And all may look like to come. But before I'm two with you,
you'll be soldiers. Ah yeah,yeah, I'll make soldiers out of you.
If I have to kill you.I'm beginning tomorrow. We'll drill and
mark you. Hear me, drilland mark. So the following weeks we
(18:03):
marched almost without ceasing. Day onthe table. I can still feel the
movement of my bare oiled feet inmy leather shoes. We won't know stocking
from the legions. The second month, we marched five hundred miles thirty miles
a day with rifles under a heavypacker. We're told you now under my
(18:23):
command, and under my command youwill march. Hey, you short,
yes, keep that cap on yourcrazy head. What would you rather do?
Sweat or crow? Hey? Youyou pray? And where do you
think you're going? Fall out ofline? Once morn you will carry an
(18:44):
extra twenty pound or sand in yourpack. I go on, get back
into place, run, Barbara said, sergeant. When we make camp tonight,
see that our friend, you praygets his rest, But first give
him twenty five of lights, andthen let him just center duty till midnight.
And after that, Private, youpray you can have your rest.
(19:10):
You pray, I can't. Ican? How many well right now?
And pigs crying before you? Hereyou see a gentleman who wanted his rest
now, and I'll show you howwe wake him up in the legion,
(19:33):
pray, get up, get up. Perhaps a boot in the ribs will
help. Sergeant Yah sing Mayson.I wanted it, my brother, and
I will carry him if he can. Legion every man for himself. He
doesn't want to march. He canstay here. Don't you worry about your
pray. He won't be alone herefor long. The but vouchers will keep
(19:59):
him company. All right, detail, well, right, all right?
Double time. You are listening tothe Campbell Playhouse presentation of bo Jets,
(20:23):
starring Orson Wells with Laurence Olivia andNoah Biriy. This is the Columbia broadcasting
system in the legion of a manicconflicting reports as to what particular job we
(20:45):
were being trained for. Some seta border demonstration, peaceful penetration for the
Bayonets. How the talk of afar flung uprising of all the Arab nations
from the Atlantic Ocean of the PersianGulf. Meantime, we drilled and drilled,
marched and marched, and one daycame bad news we were to be
separated. Jake By remained a trumpeterwith a regiment and jagadea bo and I
(21:06):
with the second company with detailed tothe worst section in the North African Service,
Fort Dinderner, four hundred miles awaywith May when we set out,
with le John now adjutant in command. It took us three weeks to reach
it. In the file beside meas we marched for as the American Hanks.
Hey, hey, son, Yeah, I want to tip your boys
(21:27):
off to something. Oh if youfeel one of them Britishers while I figure,
well you mean okay anyways, huh, thank you. I just want
to tell you there's a lot ofconspiracies around this company. Now that we're
getting away from civilization, things maystart popping. You don't say, yeah,
mostly they all have to do withyou boys. How do you mean,
(21:48):
well, none of my business?Of course, boys, got it
figured out. You three brothers aregang of international thieves. What holds your
horse's son? Just tell you whatwe're saying. Seems they heard you,
fellows, talking about some diamonds yougot hidden away. I heard how one
of you carries it like a kangarooand a pouch on his stomach. I
(22:10):
mean to get it, even ifthey have to knife you for it.
In case you don't know, oneof the guys that has his eye on
that diamond of yours is our newadjudant Mo stille Le Jean at Fords Internet.
We drilled all day in the sun, La Jeanne thought of that has
(22:32):
For the night. All we coulddo was to pretend that they were cooler
than the day. The second monthsaid that fever took his cockroach. Fever
men call it because it crawls throughthe little brain comes over a man suddenly
and he goes stark, raving manwith a heat. Already three of the
men had had to be put inproduct the confinement and the bed next to
my brother slept a German named Schwartz. One night, about two hours after
lights out, my brother woke suddenlythere was a hand on his shoulder.
(22:57):
Okay, hello, Schwartz, whatdo you want? Whyn't you sleep?
I want to talk? If youare you enjoying? Like? H send
on that. I'm quite quiet.You would like a change? I like
change. Would you like, perhapsto see it in the civilized world?
(23:17):
You want your brother and that preciousdiamond of yours you're talking about, isn't
he? Have you ever seen thatpig? Dye? No? You will?
You feeling ill? They're not funny. Soon you will see a big
pig die, a sacred pig,and at the term the pig. So
(23:40):
how to use a butcher, Schwartz? That depends so many visius the privilege?
Would you are you bitter mutineer,no big killer, that's fine.
I have no experience as a porkbutcher. Then uh, after we conclude
that you wish to join the animalsthat ought to be slaughtered this pig a
(24:00):
butcher. You must decide soon youthink about it. No motto, we
must know. I understand. Yes, remember, you must decide. A
butcher was known of the next day, before my brother could talk to me,
he waited for me outside the canteen. Can they hear us here?
No? Go ahead, both bequick, let's figure this out John.
(24:22):
The mutiny here, it's tentative.What does that mean? Suppose they succeeded.
They'd had to escape across several hundredmiles of desert. Right problems,
starvation first, the heat of thedesert, may getting killed by trureg robbers.
Just mutilated right and left the overanxious vultures. Here's something else.
Keep thinking of what your American friendssaid about the blue Water. What's the
main reason Schwartz and his gang wantsalong. I'll tell you so that after
(24:45):
we've helped them with a mutiny,they can do away with us in the
desert and get this diamond they thinkwe've got. I haven't thought of that?
Once more, there are those anxiousvultures once more. Now something else.
Suppose to Jean another diamond Blubber issmarter than the mutineers think. Suppose
he has his spies. Suppose heknows of this plot. Then what then
The mutineers played right into him.Exactly, That's what he's waiting for.
(25:07):
Yet everyone of a shot down helpshimself the blue water and gets a medal
in the bargain and leaves us oncemore to they, we keep on ending
up with other unpleasant bird. Yes, well what do we do? Nothing?
Wait, just wait, I'll tellSchwartz now that we're not interested.
But watch him day and night,beginning to night. You and I better
take turns sleeping. First you sleep, then I'll sleep. Then you sleep,
(25:27):
then I'll sleep. You see,for two days and two nights,
nothing happened was hotter than ever.Every morning, as I looked into the
men's eyes, I saw the desertfever rising, burning more brightly. A
third night, I couldn't sleep.I lay in bed thinking about years at
(25:48):
Brandon Abbott, thinking of Visible Iwondered if I'd ever get back to her
and England. Fever written men sleepfitfully. I lay awake listening to them.
Just before the dawn, I becameaware of a man standing at the
end of the room. He hadme covered with his REVOLVERA get up quick,
one sound out of you and Ia shoot. Go on, get
(26:11):
up and come here and march aheadof me. Go to my room.
Now, let's see it. Holdon, let's see it. See what
the diamond? Did you hear me? There is no diamond. No,
(26:33):
I know better than that. I'lltie you up in the desert you own
your brother, with your hands inthe small of your back, your mouths
full of salt and sand. Thenwe'll see if you've got a diamond.
But that'll keep right. Now,there's work to be done. Do you
want to live on the whole?I think so? On the hole?
You do? Do you all right? Then I'll listen to me. I
(26:56):
know all about this mutiny, asI know everything else and said and thought
in this port, and I knowwho's in it Schwartz valladaire mold Danny Vogue,
And I'm going to attend to itnow. Tonight you here an answer
me, I hear you. I'llsay so. Then ah, he'll go
(27:17):
back with me to that barrack room. First, watch up your brother.
You get your rifles, yours andhis. I'll stand at the door and
cover you. You'll go from bedto bed and pick every rifle. If
any man speaks, don't answer him. If any man moves, shoot him,
as a mutineering dog should be shot. Do you understand, I understand,
Like a sound or a false move, you will be the first that
(27:38):
dies. All right? If youwant to live, move in the first
glimmer of dawn. I did ashe told me. How A woke my
brother. There were no sentries postedthat night, nobody to challenge. We
(28:00):
went from room to room, disarmingthe men as they slept. We carried
their rifles upstairs, stack them allon the flat roof, and all the
time Le Jeanne had us covered.All right. Put there's the rifles down
the here down in number three.There are eight men there. Get their
guns, bring them up here.That's a lot. And then I have
(28:22):
got a little surprise from the Schwartzand these friends when they get up this
morning. Hey, h what areyou waiting for? Go on down?
What's the matter with you? Can'tyou hear what I tell you? Hudjutants,
what are you starting at? Listenall right, if that's what you
(28:44):
want to shop, you fool.Listen. Do you hear it? Herbs?
You get back yourse rifle, Yes, sir, quit down to the
barrack room. Googler, googler,help the arms, every man who met
(29:11):
much two hundred rounds, laughing firemy hit. Towards noon the atoms retired.
(29:32):
They fell back a suddenly it theyhad come. The attack was open.
But all afternoon the atoms kept upa desert with fire every now and
then a manous hit undercover? Howmuch you got any sense? Carparl tack
that man downstairs, give me firstdate, be back in five minutes.
You're hear, yes, sir Swarts yes, have a hair up on
(29:57):
the wall. Yes, look outthere toward the oasis. Tell me what
do you see? They're climbing thetrees. They're shooting down at us from
the trees. Exactly, mister Schwartz, They are shooting at us from the
trees. No, we don't haveto get those ribs down from those trees,
(30:18):
won't we, mister Schwartz. Yes, Adjeton All right, mister Schwartz.
Now you climb up to that highlook up platform. From there you'll
get a good shot at those Arabsuntil they get you up. Get up
there, I tell you, comeon, chook you myself, that's it.
Come on up and why are youup there? Maybe you can take
(30:41):
up some more plots. Come on, get up there? Uh right?
Sit, ye, too bad.Brave soldier just died with the republic right
(31:11):
and one mutineer less and the mutineernumber two. Valladaire yes s yeah you're
next, Yes, yes, getup on that platform. It's the Valladair.
Go on, clime op row allthe road it was. It was
(31:45):
a smith, yes, a butit then he but it down, Renity
m letag Schwartz keep Cooby, Yesthey will. Out of ninety eight that
(32:09):
morning there were forty six of hislifts. That was the first day.
The nearest relief post was Jaggadeer.It'd be three days before help could come
from there. In the morning,the Arabs would attack again. They knew
our real numbers. They'd scale thewalls and cut us to pieces in a
minute. That night, one smallerjoone put us to work here, come
(32:29):
up here, help me with this. Yes, I don't trust those others.
Uh pick him up with the shouldersand the legs. But he's dead,
sir. Sure they get heavy whenthey're stiff, don't you, eh?
I come on up the stairs withhim, so wanted the patter of
what you going to do? Whatdo you think got them to work?
You idiot? No good when they'realive. Perhaps now that they're dead,
(32:52):
there'll be of some use here.Yeah, h help him up against the
wall. Where's we get to aparap? I said, I see straight
up eyes ran putty half on hishead. Now give me my rifle.
That's right sight it. Oh well, friend Schwartz, Now you look quite
(33:16):
a useful soldier for a change.Yeah, come on, you two,
get another one, y, sir, bring him up here? Fill the
next embrader with him, rifle inhis hands, half on his head.
A thirty eight of them want toeat some braider. Ay tomorrow, when
the Arab's attacked, they'll think we'vegot a real garrison here. It works.
(33:45):
The next morning the Atoms attacked again. That they kept that distance all
day. That fire poured into thefort, and inside a handful of desperate
men ran from Pataphit to Petapht,shooting over the dead men's shoulders. Whenever
a man fell, a Joan wouldpick him up and put him back in
his place on the pedipic. Heseemed to take a grulish delight in arranging
them and sighting their rifles and puttingtheir caps on straight. Once or twice
he lit cigarettes for the dead men. Cigarettes gradually burnt till they were spent
(34:08):
in the dead men's mouths. Butit works. At the end of the
day they withdrew beyond the sand hills. And now, my many friends,
before we go to sleep, we'regoing to have a little celebration here,
just the few of us. We'llcelebrate what a good time we're having.
We'll let the ridge hear it.We'll let them see. How will we
(34:30):
need to worry? How gay weare. Ah, we're going to laugh,
laugh for you, helly hemmy,laugh Ah that hell. Come on
(34:53):
you now. From right in themiddle of a silent quadrangle of dead men
(35:13):
standing guard. We celebrated for hoursuntil we lay back, exhausted on the
stone roof of the fort. Latethat night, boat dragged himselves knel me
cut as you're rich just two Yeah, looks like a last last journey,
last cigarette. That's nothing. Theleaf is halfway here by now, hope.
So Johnny, if I die,you don't want you to do something
for me? Of course? Barthe two letters in my pocket and a
(35:35):
small package and the money belt aroundmy waist. One letter is a sort
of public letter, the others Iwas related Brandon packages for her tool.
Only package isn't really important. Theletter is important, though. Whatever you
do, swear you give her thatletter. Oh, don't poke like that.
You're not going to die. MaybeI'll die, Maybe we'll both die,
Maybe neither of us would. Don'tknow, Johnny, just feel with
(35:55):
my bones. Johnny, will youswear? Of course? I will?
God where goodbye? Dear old Johnnywish to heaven. I had drag you
into this place. I think you'llcome out all right. Give my love
to dig. We don't. Here'sa bill. I hope some day you
two be very happy. In themorning, the fight had started. The
(36:22):
fighting started again, the same tactics, again, running along the wall,
shooting dead men's guns. By noonthere were only seven of us left.
Two hours later, there were onlyfour. Each took one wall. We
ran like men possessed, shooting,running, shooting, running, We never
looked at each other. It waslate in the afternoon when I saw the
bow had fallen. He lay thereunder the north wall, motionless, and
(36:45):
I couldn't get to him. Afterthat, I can remember nothing until it
was night. Then suddenly my braincleared and I saw a Jean bending up
a Bow's body, fumbling at hisbelly. Get away from Alison. No
diame, eh, no dime,my brother's body alone. Give me that,
(37:10):
Give me and right hand back atyou and me swine, give me
the dog, and I don't giveme those, Let me not. Package
shot went wild, but my barnetwent straight through his heart. He fell
(37:30):
dead on his back. I sankdown on his tone. Then, for
the first time, I realized thatBow was not yet dead. It was
because of him that la Jeune's shotwent wild. He had reached out and
seized la Jeuann's foot, jerking himoff balance as he pulled the trigger.
Start fellow, jump, got theletters. You'll deliver yourself bow. We
(37:50):
two are young survivors. The reliefwill be here soon. Listen, Johnny,
I'm for it all right, then, blood point listen, hello,
story thing my life tell the guyssaid to him. Johnny, do get
a letter home? Oh wait,loo I I I got some. Now
listen those letters. One's a confession. No need if you want to dig
to carry on the game now,you must get the confession published. It's
(38:14):
nothing to confess. Both won't bean ask Johnny. It's the living we
have to think about. Leave theconfession where it'll be found. I'll haunt
you. I'll gnaw your neck andgo boo in the dark. No,
don't go yere, Johnny, PROMIJohnny, I'm going blind, Johnny,
(38:37):
Johnny, where are you promise?Confession, Johnny? John john cup this
(39:00):
you've cost of this? Wake up? Try hard well, am I?
Where's Bow? This is digby digbidyou hear during the fort of binder Nerf
Bow's dead and you've killed that agood thing too, But the lesion won't
look at it that way. We'vegot to kay quickly take me. How
(39:23):
did you get him? Release squadof them from from jack a deer.
We had to be an attack.We came up the walls and saw the
dead men out. If one ofthe man's going to the fort alone,
I volunteered. They're outside there now. If I don't get the call within
fifteen minutes, they'll charge. We'veonly got five minutes. Lift. Where's
Bow? Where's Bow on his deaddownstairs? Come John, there's something we've
(39:46):
got to do. You know whatshe did? Have wanted a Viking's funeral.
Yeah, that's right, we promisedthat day. Have burned that quickly
helped me. I pile the boyaround him and sprinkled oil on the board
and all over the barrack store.Already there's just one more detail. Get
up, John, quick. Whatdo you do remember? A Viking's funeral
(40:07):
needs a dog. Don't you remembera dog at the feet of the captain.
Well, there's a dog, laJohn Dick, have you gone mad
too? We haven't time to lose. Help me. He wanted a full
Vikings funeral. He'll get it.We dragged the body of la Gen downstairs
to the barrack room and laid itat Bow's feet. Take the notet down
(40:30):
and struck a match. As hethrew the match toward the bed, we
raced back up the stairs. Amoment later, the flames leaped high into
the air. As we left theburning fort, we heard the cavalry coming
(41:17):
up behind us. In the confusionof the fire, we escaped, heading
west toward the coast. Five weekslater I saw the sea Digby was dead,
shot by a straight bullet from amarauding Arab. Almost a year went
by before I reached England. Ifulfilled my promise to Bowl. A public
letter was a sort of confession,saying that he alone had stolen the Blue
(41:40):
Water sapphire. That was nonsense,of course, his lie had long outlived
its purpose. The other note,the one to Lady Brandon, she read
aloud to us to visible in me. As she read, I seemed to
hear the voice of Beau himself,both smiling and talking to us across all
those miles from that land of thedead. I'm lender, the dear Aunte.
(42:01):
When you get this out to bedead you read it through, perhaps
you'll forgive me for doing what Ithought was best. You see, I
thought of doing something that might insome measure to pay you for your great
goodness to me and my brothers.My dear aunt, I knew you'd sold
the Blue Water to the Maharaja inorder to keep the estate going for our
sake and for the sake of thetenants. I also knew you were frightened
(42:22):
that the sale would become known,for technically you had no right to sell
the draw which was left you intrust. I knew you'd had a duplicate
made, and I kept thinking howsplendor it would be if we had a
jew robbery and the blue water substitutewas stolen. You could put Scotland Yard
on the trail a burglar, andas long as you didn't catch you in
a pebbles sapphire, everything's resplended,and everything would have turned out find too.
(42:45):
If I was incredible brothers of minehadn't gone and bolted too. Possibility.
It occurred to me, well,I hope my idea did work in
part anyway, and cause your secrethas been care But how can we ever
repay all that you did for us? I love to you and to the
(43:05):
other stool, and all the happinessin the world to John and Isabel,
your nephew, Brochest
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