June 16, 2024 • 42 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.
(00:00):
Gentlemen, your attendance, your generousencouragement, makes possible another season of these
broadcasts. The actors and musicians,the engineers and sound technicians, all the
craftsmen and artists who contribute their effortsto this program want me to tell you
how grateful we all are to allof you in behalf of these ladies and
(00:21):
gentlemen, and of our sponsors,the makers of Campbell Soups. I promise
you the best year of radio plays. We know you how to produce.
Ladies and gentlemen, we present tonightthe beautiful, the well beloved Peter Ebertson
with Helen Hayes's Mimsy. But first, before we begin, welcome back to
(00:43):
the Campbell Playhouse. M My nameis Peter Ribbertson. Yes, ladies and
(01:06):
gentlemen, you're about to hear thestory of a man who was my f
I have been for many years,an object of pity and contempt to all
whoever gave me a thought, toall, but one to all. He
died early this year in a cellat Worldmore Jail, in which he had
been an inmate for over twenty eightyears. Too old, he had been
(01:27):
originally sentenced to death, over themurder of a near relative. Later this
was commuted to imprisonment for life.Of all that ever lived, only certain
I have been, I think,the happiest and most privileged. And you
will see, cause you would hearmy story to be for a great many
of the facts you're about to hear, I can personally vouch of the supernatural
(01:52):
parts. There is not much Ican say, can you. Really?
You must remember that the man whowrote this was for a time incurably insane,
and there seems to be some doubtamong authorities of the prison as to
whether he had ever completely recovered.At the risk of being thought to share
his madness if he was mad,I want you to know that I,
(02:13):
for one, believe him to havebeen sane and to have told the truth
all through as you will see asyou hear my story to the end,
(02:39):
I mean, sir, thank youyou no doubt have been in Paris before.
Yes, I've been in Paris before. Oh it is much change,
is it not? It is nowgrown roger lot of retown more beautiful.
The Emperor has done great things.Yes, must be very pleased with that.
Please? Why should I be pleased? And I lived here there were
gardens with green trees and hatches andgrass and flowers. Now what do you
(03:00):
see? Little min yards and villaslike a London suburbs. Oh, but
it is so much more modern,yes, of course. Tell me how
long is it since the houses inthe street of the pump were pulled down
and rebuilt, always done since along time. I myself had the hotel
here for four years. And whenI came here, already the old houses,
the old what you say, rubbish, were already gon rubbish. I
(03:23):
see now, if you will saywhat you desired for dinner, we have
to night very special blanket of deal. Thank you. I don't see light
dinner. But but sir, youjust leave me alone. I'm very tired.
I don't want anything. I'll callyou, of course, thank you,
sir. And he left me thereby the open window, because that
(03:47):
day that we had our first stream. Lay there for a while. I
was thinking of all the things thatI'd seen that day, and remembering my
life as it had been in Londonand here in Paris, when we were
(04:08):
children. I'd lain there by theopen window. I can't tell you how
long, remembering the year has goneby, that beautiful French garden under the
warm June sun, where I beganmy conscious existence That afternoon in Paris,
in Madame Seraskier's drawing room, whenI first saw Colonel you could see here
(04:29):
he is, Colonel, it isyour uncle. Stop, Bobbie, your
boy, come on now, thengo go. Don't be shy, dear,
this gentleman come all the way fromLondon to see you. Oh this
is the boy whose father Blowy's brainsare trying to get rich quick. Gay
hardly looks like a French frog atall. Do your boy speak up,
Peter, you can speak English,can't you come? Let's hear you say?
(04:53):
How do you do? So?How do you do? Sir?
Betty? You young scamp an,straighten up? Meet your uncle Lipson.
Colonel Libberton, that's my name tobe yours from now on. You mean
you're going to take him away,Colonel, I am indeed man leaving for
London tonight. I'll make a gentlemanof him, an English gentleman, not
like that French frog father of his, a man who couldn't even provide for
(05:13):
his wife. I think of whatI offered that woman. Do you mean
to tell me, ma'am? Shenever told you about me. Her cousin
never told you, poor thing thatshe and I Colonel good boy? Uh
oh, here's the boy? Yes, well man, can you have him
ready to leave tonight? Yes,if you wish it, he can be
ready. But you will excuse me, Colonel libertson us start getting his things
(05:36):
ready? Of course, dear lady, of course, cad what a woman?
Well? Boys, say something?What's the matter? Are you dumb?
I don't know what to say,sir? Are you? Are you
glad to be going to England?I don't know. She don't know.
Well, I'll be dashed. Wellwhat did I blame you? You little
rascal? With a lovely lady likethat next door to make over you away?
(05:58):
She had her arms around your boy, by George, I had given
something to have been in your placemyself. Uh? Quite the young leathario.
Aren't you boy? Aren't jo?Ha ha ha? And so on?
A beautiful June afternoon, sweet withroses and lilac, and gay with
(06:19):
dragonflies and butterflies and bumblebees. Myhappy childhood ended? Was it? Begne
go go? When you go awayand you can't see me for a long
time for years and years, willyou forget me? Do you think,
of course, not, Mimsy?Why do you think that? Well,
I don't know. Boys, you'reso different from girls. I expect you
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remember me all wrong. If youdon't forget me altogether, what rubbish you
do? Talk? Go go?You must come now, do you.
I don't want him to go.Come, dear mother, I don't want
him to go away. Go gogo. And as our carriage started,
I remember I looked back and sawfor the last time the house where I
(07:06):
was born, and standing at theiron gate, I remember Mimsy with her
thin, pale face and close croppedhair, sucking her tham, trying not
to cry. A moment later,our carriage had turned the corner and they
had vanished forever. And so itwas that I left my childhood and went
(07:30):
to England with my uncle, andthere I lived for twelve long years until
that day in June, the dayof our first dream. And I came
back to Paris and fell asleep bythe open window in that little parlor of
the Technoa Hotra. I remember itwas evening, Sunday evening in Paris.
I'd seen it over and over again, just like this in the old days.
From where I lay I could seethe cafes and the little square between
(07:53):
the bridge and the park. Theair was full of the scent of trodden
grass and macaroons and sweet French toback go blown from the park. Okay,
French laughter and the faint sound ofmusic. Twelve years I'd been in
England while my uncle tried to makea gentleman of me when we had an
English gentleman like himself. On mytwenty first birthday, he'd sent me to
(08:13):
his tailor for a dress suit.After that he took me out with him
into society. That was where Imet her. I was at missus Dean's
ass. Dean was a lady towhom my uncle was at the time especially
a tentive all for mister Riverston.What's the matter, But he's staring at
(08:41):
that lady, that lady who justcome into Oh so you do, mister
Riverson. Oh you fallen a victimsof the epidemic of admurrage. I wish
she don't you know? That's theDuchess of Palers, Duchess of Towers.
Have you never heard of her?She's one of the kindest and most beloved
women in doctors here. Mary doesso much good that her own life has
been very fair. I don't understandshe married the Duke of Towers somewhere abroad.
(09:05):
I believe he was charming enough fora while. Now there's no one
in London will speak to him,yet she remained so loyal to him.
Come let me introduce you to her. I want you to know each other.
She's really one of the most charmingand the love for the wonderful man
(09:31):
you are doing that you Oh,thank you, you're too kind. If
you only knew what happened is ifyou clear. I'm so glad you were
able to come. I wanted tosee you, my dear Mary. I
want you to meet a young friendof mine, mister Peter Ribertson, the
Duchess of Towers. How do youdo, mister Ritson? Peter? What's
the letter you seem sometime? I'msorry, Missa. You did want to
(09:56):
meet her, didn't you. Whata strange boy you are. You mustn't
be afraid to leave people, MissusDean. It's not that I'm a singer
like that. I just couldn't.He's too beautiful, Oh, Missus Dean,
I can see you or trying toentertain that neg youw of mind the
moon calf, Come on, wakeup, boy, Doc gooping through the
(10:16):
door, that tear one in theroom beyond fuck for four the desire of
them off for the star, thenight, for the morrow. Well'm afraid
your's not inherited your father's prowess asa don one done who always speaks of
his father. Ah, yes,of course, yes, he speaks of
that Frenchman. That's yes, ofcourse, of course. But I can
see that you, Missus Dean,being a woman of the world who already
(10:39):
gets uh certain us. Oh,dear lady bet to screep. That's a
word I beg you. I wouldn'thave it known for the world, but
as you seem to have caught thelife and I hadn't seen were young his
mother and I and uh Spring,you know Spring in Paris. I don't
believe that, of course, ofcourse. Well that's what you have to
say, Missus Dean. But buttonight, before I sleep, I'll write
(11:00):
you explaining everything. Peta himself willbring you the letter, won't you,
Peter, Why, yes, sir, that's right, my boy. There's
a chance for you to make upyour clumsiness. Remind me I want you
to take a letter to missus Deanstomorrow, a very private letter, you
understand, yes, sir, Iwant you to deliver it yourself, Peter
very well, sir. And now, dear lady, if I may have
the pleasure of your arm ka boodievo. It's the call of youth, and
(11:24):
what is youth, sweet lady withoutlove? Lamore the more see to see
more, see ramis la more.I'd left my uncle's house after that,
(11:46):
left to determined never to return,and I was back in Paris sad word.
The dad of that evening, tiredand saddened, had come to the
hotel. I lay there by theopen window with the mean coming on,
thinking sadly of things I'd seen thatday, a crumbling wall, a stump
of tree, or rusty iron gateall that was left of my dear familiar
(12:09):
world. From below, I couldhear the noise of laughter and the faint
sound of music. And down thestreet an open carriage was driving towards me,
coming closer and closer under my window. It was a lady in the
carriage by herself. As she glancedup at my window for a moment,
as in a flash of summer lightning, her face seemed to light up with
friendly recognition, with a sweet glanceof kindness and pressure and surprise, a
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glance that pierced me like a suddenshaft from heaven. It was the Duchess
of Towers, and a moment laterthe carriage was out of sight. I
lay there a long time by theopen window and the square below. The
voices were still, and it wasgetting dark. And then it was that
(12:52):
I fell asleep. Perhaps it wasmy weariness, or the heat of the
thunder in the air, strange soundof the distant familiar, and the Duchess
of Towers. Come in, Miss, I can't the gate. The gate
(13:18):
is closed. The gate did notclosed, Miss. You only think it's
closed because you're not dreaming. Close. Don't be afraid. Give me your
hand and come in with me.You see, it's so easy. It's
an old iron gate to a garden. That's all from I awake mind.
It's so strange. I know I'masleep lying by the window in the parlor
of the inn. Yes, andjust now from your window you saw me
(13:41):
driving by, So don't be afraid. And of course you're asleep, Miss
Riverson, and dreaming, otherwise I'dnot be talking to you like this,
you may be sure. Hold myhand, miss Servison, and come with
me. Now what do you see? I see your gud I heard someone
playing you know that cue? Iseem to have heard it before, long
(14:03):
ago. You see now you're dreamingtrue because I had you by the hand,
dreaming true? Yes, and nowyou must try again. I'll hold
your hand and help you. Giveme both your hands. Where are you
now? I'm in a garden lookingover a wall. Some I expected the
wall to be very high, butit isn't. I I find I can
look over ready easily. You cansee everything quite distinctly. I can even
(14:26):
smell the scent of the flowers.You can see and hear and smell.
But you mustn't touch ever flowers orpeople or anything. Now try again,
What do you see? I seea tree, an old apple tree,
and I see two women sitting underthe tree. One of them is knitting
at a table. And oh,I know that table. There's a small
boy there in an old fashioned suitof clothes. Here's a book in front
of him which he's reading. Andby his side as a little girl with
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close cropped black hair and a thin, pale face pouring over his shoulder.
May I could I speak to themjust for a moment, m Mother,
Mimsy, mads here. It's nouse, they can't hear you. You
as to remember that all the thingsand all the people in this garden are
(15:11):
dead and gone by. If youtry to touch them or speak to them,
it blurs the dreams by breathing ona window pane. I don't know
why it does, but it does. With you and me, it's different.
We're alive and real that as Iam, and you seem to be
real too, mister Riberson, bythe grasp of your hands, know why
you're here, in what business youhave in this my private dream? I
(15:33):
still don't understand. No living personhas ever been in it before. They
can't make it out. Still,you're very welcome here, mister Riberson,
if it amuses you to come,especially as there are only a false dream
of mind, for what else canyou be? And now I must leave
you. But if you want tostay on here in this garden after I've
(15:54):
gone, you're very welcome to thattoo. If you can. Time to
go again, Madame Selski, Yes, go go. It's getting late.
Your mother will be wondering where youare and the news beginning to phone.
Oh mother, just one more story, you'll promise, go please, Madame
Selaski ha one more, one morestory, very well, one last story.
(16:18):
What shall it be? This time? He was about to fight cat
No, the sleeping beauty. Howabout Prince Charming and the fairy Princess Charming
the fairy Princess. Well, onceupon a time, many many years ago,
when the world was a younger andbetter place than it is now,
there lived a king and queen whohad one son and his name. His
(16:41):
name was Charlie. And when hegrew up, the king, his father
and the queen I had awakened.There were voices in thank you. Uh,
would you see that my coachman andfootman are dry and comfortable? I
(17:03):
would see myself to your daughters outcarry out thank you for that. You
are too got the Dutchess of Towers. Oh, I'm so sorry. I
didn't know there was anybody here.Why, yes, your grace, you
owe miss to Editson. Now you'renot. It's very kind of you to
remember me, or grace. Ohplease don't let me disturb your early evening
nap. You were found asleep,weren't you confess? I'm sorry, I
(17:26):
must have dozed off. Don't apologize, I said, I was sleeping my
carriage myself just now until the stormawoke me. And then I had the
coachman pull up at this end becauseit was he was getting wet and the
horses were frightened with a lightning.Course think, I think I saw you
drive by just now from my window. Do you often come to Paris your
grace? Whenever I can steal awayfrom London and the season and the rush,
even for a day, I comeacross the water here to Patty.
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I love Paris too. MS strangethat we should meet here in this little
inn. I didn't know that anybodyknew of it, at least not English
people. I mean, mister Ibitsonthis one d When I saw you at
missus Dean, well, I'm afraidI I stared very rudely at you.
I was hoping you'd forgotten. Iremembered very well, mister Iribitson, you
(18:10):
know that evening In a strange way. He reminded me of a little French
boy I once knew, who wasvery kind to me when I was a
little girl, and whose father youhappened to be like but then I met
you and heard your name, andafterwards they told me you were a young
English architect. And from that andfrom what I hear a very promising one.
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Well, I was once a littleFrench boy, you, mister Ibotson.
Yes, just later I had tochange my name to Priests, a
relative, and become English to thechild. This is where we lived here
in Paris. What an extraordinary thing. What was your name then when you
were a child. My father's namewas prosquiet Pski, Google pass did your
(18:55):
don't you know who I am?Google? Your mimsy, whimsy, sir
roussal, my dear, my dear. So it was our garden you were
looking for, and our house it'sall gone, mimsy, all pulled down
and built over and chained. Hn. It drove me nearly mad.
And then just now I saw themall again. And now that's foolish.
That was a dream, my dream. I'm trying to remember what happened.
(19:18):
I came up here, I wastired and disappointed. I sat to the
window there, and then you droveby in the street below. Yeah,
it got dark and there was thunderin the end. Uh huh. Then
I must have fallen asleep, andI suppose it was seeing you just before
that. But I dreamed I wasin our old street, and I just
got to the avenue gate, andthe gate was closed, and then suddenly
you were there. I was there, yes, in my dream. And
(19:41):
then you came towards me. Icame towards you and held out my hand
and told you that you were notdreaming true. I couldn't quite make out
what I was doing in your dream, and you gave me good advice about
not touching anything, or picking theflowers, or or the dream would blur.
Mister Eberson, it's not possible.Two people can't have the same dream.
You read me inside, and youtold me how to dream true.
(20:03):
And you showed me the garden,and my mother was there, and your
mother and you and I as childrenunder the tree. Mister ribertsons Is.
I can't tell you what it hasbeen to me to see you once more.
I thought you had died long ago. Uh huh. I feel as
if I were dreaming now, exceptthat all this seems so impossible and unreal,
(20:26):
and and dreams are never unreal.I don't know if I shall ever
meet you again. You will beoften in my thoughts, but never in
my dreams again that at least Ican commands. No, no, believe
me, it mustn't be mister Ribson. I am not free, and this
must be our final farewell. Ican't tell you how I feel about you,
(20:49):
and always have felt you shall weshall often think of each other,
but we can never be together inour dream I wish you all the good
one human being can wish another.Goodbye. Mister you are listening to the
(21:25):
Campbell Playoffs presentation of Peter Ebittson,starring Helen Hayes and Orson Wells. This
is the Columbia Broadcasting System. Nowwe resume our Campbell Playoffs presentation of Peter
Ibbitson starring Helen Hayes and Orson Wells. M Uh yeah, go on and
(22:07):
take it. Wats the medic.There's nothing the matter, say, don't
you want your step? No,sir, hey, you're a queer.
What you are, you don't needhardly nothing. At night you sleep like
a baby the long day. Isaid, you're at this table that's crawling
away for dear life. There's noharm at this ersa. No, there
ain't no harm, and idiot,it makes you happy. But if I
(22:29):
wus show, mister Hibbitson, Idrive the ear bike. That's what I
do. Well. Anyhow, I'llleave the this year I do. You'll
change your mind if it later.So now I'm alone again, I can
(22:49):
go on with my story. Youknow about my enchanted youth with the garden
in Paris, when nim sis Uskiand I played his children. I told
you of my coming to live inEngland with my uncle, Colonel Libertson,
of my return to Paris, andat my strange meeting with the Duchess of
Towers. Now with an unwilling heart, I miscome to the great calamity of
(23:11):
my life. Soon after my returnto London, I called one evening upon
my friend, Missus Dean. Whyhe is your back? Where had you
been in Paris? I returned thisafternoon you left this suddenday? Is it
true you and your uncle called?I'm afraid so I'm so sorry to tell
you the truth. I am feelingrather sorry about it myself. And Missus
(23:33):
Dean, there's one thing I wantyou to tell me. It's something I've
never quite understood. That evening atyour house, my uncle made certain remarks,
certain allusions to my father I assureyou he was just talking. He
didn't even us Dean. That wasn'tthe first or the last time my uncle
had spoken in that way about myparents. Teter, may I ask you
a question? Yes? Of course, your father and mother were a very
(23:56):
devoted couple, were they or not? They loved each other at first side
and they kept right, I'm lovingeach other till the day they died.
And your uncle, Peter, didthey ever talk about him? Uh?
Were they friends? He and yourparents? Did your pa? Did your
mother like him? Well? Notmuch, Missus Dean. Was there any
particular reason for your mother's a versionof the colonel? As far as you
(24:18):
know, I really don't know,Peter. I have a reason for asking
you this well, as a matterof fact, Missus Dean, that was
a reason. Colonel Eberson, he'snot really my uncle, you know.
He's my mother's cousin. She'd oncebeen infatuated with my mother, rather desperately
so, and she had to refusehim three times before he gave up.
When he brought to India. Latershe met my father and there fell him
up. Peter. Do you knowthe exact date when your uncle went to
(24:42):
India? Oh? Yes, certainly, he said, with his regiment the
forty third, fifteen months before Iwas born. That's what I thought.
And he isn't your father? Howdo you say your uncle is a villain,
Peter, and a liar. He'sdone you and your parents a feel
for wrong? Missus Dean Peter.You know your uncle handwriting and his crest.
(25:02):
Yes? But do you remember bringingme a letter from your uncle the
morning after you were at my house? Yes? I remember. Well,
this is the letter. Now thatI know what a foul it is,
I thought, for your own sakeand the sake of your parents memory,
you ought to know what it says. Listen, here's what he writes,
Poor fellow old Price, you charmingbut foolish. We were cousins much thrown
(25:26):
together, both so young and oneso beautiful, happily and unsuspecting. Frenchman
of good family was there who hadloved her long, and she married him
just in time? Eh, whatyou said? Uh? What is your
(25:55):
tucket? Oh you mister Peter.Why we ain't seen you in a dog?
That's my uncle. Why the ColonelSenny's upstairs, he's in his room,
but it's light. I gott tosee him. Oh, there you
are in Abad you missie b Inever show you that you know put in
my life? Uncle m oh well, well the traveler returns my beloved nephew.
(26:18):
Why this honor? You come likea dutiful nephew to humble yourself to
beg forgiveness. Uncle, I'd cometo have a talk with you. Yep,
what are you doing? Unlocked thatdoor? Not until I'm finished?
Uncle, What the devil? Don? Uncle? You wrote missus Dean I
was your son. It's a lie. It's a lie. Who told you
(26:38):
so? She did? Just now? It's a lie, a spiteful invention
of a can't off love. II suppose you told you that too,
that I'm finished with her. Now, unlock that door and get out of
here, you pitiful green jackets.For I'll I procket you wring that bell?
Uncle, help get out of herethis. Do you know your own
handwriting a forgery? Down on yourknee? What are you saying? Boy?
(27:02):
Take your hand off my throat,cracky here, down on your lap,
go on down on your knees andconfessor throat and come on as you're
a coward, confessor, a liarcon that's what you wrote in that letter
about my mother was a lie.But I'm not your son. I confess,
I confess all right. Now getup, go over there to that
(27:27):
table, try and undo some ofthe harm you've done. Right right,
But neither my mother nor missus Deanwere anything human? How come? Then?
What down a knife? I'll tellyou, you fool. Of course
they were. They both were,Missus Dean and your mouth down the knife
horse. I wrote that letter.Every word of it was round my knife
or your master? Here you parasite, your murderer's the verdict of this jury
(28:00):
more sentences put on you. Haveyou anything to say in your own defense?
No? The sentence of this partis that you'll be hanged by your
neck until you die. Yes,uh make gold? Had you yourself bet?
(28:25):
You old chaplain? I'm glad you'vecome, mister Rivertson last night you
spoke of some message to a friend. You care to give it to me?
Now you know just what is it? Miss Riberson? That are certain
in prison regulations. I don't thinkthis will interfere with regulations. It's the
miniature of my father and mother.Who is it for? From Mary Duchess
of tars And you won't send itwill you you'll take it to her yourself.
(28:48):
I will, mister Ribertson. Ipromise no message goes through this.
Just tell it from me. She'llunderstand it very well. Mister Ribertson.
We have much time when you kneeldown with me and pray, pray,
and that's chaplain. I'll pray towhatever's left in me. Have inherited strength
(29:10):
and courage. M this is theway, then, come this way?
Is it? He can? Ishe? He? But uh? Oh,
(29:32):
don't let them come in? Letme alone. I beg you do
that, chaplains mister governor, comein, sir, and you ma'm come
in, Peter. We haven't goodnews can and sir, mister Libertson,
the Home Secretary has just commuted yoursentence to life imprisons. I try to
(29:53):
be prayed. I tried to keepmy courage up. I think of the
time going to die. Oh,Peter, you mustn't take it this one.
You think you're being kind, butyou're not. You're nothing. May
I be alone with him? Doyou think for a few minutes? Well,
chaplain and live the way out?Okay, thank you very much,
(30:14):
Peter, Peter, won't you keepon being brave I'm young and stronger.
I've probably lived fifty yes, fiftyyears of misery, torture alone. Mike
couldn't ever let me die. Peter, I have a message for you from
someone you love, Yes, mhe gets from home. It's she who
(30:38):
gave you back your life. May. Yes, her husband died last week
and she was away, but sheheard the news of your trial. She
came back to London. She wasat the Home Secretary for there was three
hours to night, pleading, arguing, fighting that she never fought before.
And in the end, you see, she won. Yes and the message
Please tell him his life has justbegun. She said that, Yes,
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what aunts shall I take back withme? Tell her to try it if
she can, not to think ofme as I am here a murderer,
but as the little boy she usedto play with so long ago. Is
that all, Peter, Yes,that's all. So I must leave you.
Bet you have some sleep, flie down here. I'm so tired,
(31:25):
Thank goodness. Oh but she wantsyou too. Oh oh, I
forgot. That was the rest ofthe message. Tell him to sleep and
dream true, dream true, shesaid, you know what she meant?
Let me see what and nothink II think I'll try, missus Deane.
I'll try to sleep. Then.Oh, let me put this rug over
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you. Yeah, we can haveyour patch and gold the go and bleak
shoot, dear boy, sleep andthe rest. Thank you. I'll come
again. Is this some sort lastyou've come? I've been looking for you
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and waiting for you here. Whyhaven't you come sooner? Oh? I
suppose you couldn't sleep or you couldn'tdream. I've tried. I've tried so
hard. Ever since that terrible night, I've not been able to dream.
True, not once, Mary.I swear to you by all that I
hold most sacred, by my mother'smemory and yours. I never meant to
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take my uncle's life, as ifyou need to tell me that. Look,
I'm holding your hands, and Ican see into the very depths of
your heart. Brother. He cametowards me with that long knife, and
he went down, and I struckhim again and again. Hush. Each
time I passed my hand across yourbrows, I wipe away some bitter memory.
You see. Listen now, sleepingyou about this show you very well.
(33:00):
Once upon a time, many manyyears ago, when the world was
a younger and a better place thanit is now. There lived a king
and queen who had one son.His name was Charming. You hear his
name was Charming, And when hegrew up, I'm a failure. My
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life is finished. Give me yourhand to sue. It's true, It's
true. All those high hopes wehad when we were children of all crumbled
to dust. I wanted to flyup up in the sun because you asked
me to. I wanted to succeedbeyond all men, because you wished to
Peter that there has been anyone inthe world, but you never a ghost
(33:45):
of a woman, never even afriend, until that night when I first
saw you in London. Till thenI scarcely lived at all. I fed
on scraps of remembrance. I waswaiting for Mimsy, Mimsy to come back.
And when she did come at last, oh, for a time I
was too blind to recognize her.And now I don't know which of the
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two has been the sweetest. Youor she both have been my life and
shall be, Peter, and shallbe sure the beautiful fairy princess were married
and live happily ever afterwards. Andthat's, my dear, is the end
of the story. Now come on, children, the time you really are
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going home? Go go you takethe basket. Mother. Are you sure
they lived happily ever afterwards. Yes, forever and ever, Yes, forever
and ever. Yeah, Oh,go go. I'm so glad, I'm
you. I'm so glad they're happytogether, you see, Peter. From
this moment we belong to each other. Nothing can ever come between us again.
(34:52):
During those hours which people call night, when our bodies lie and the
half death known as sleep. Inspite of your prison, we too shall
together. I am free now.Each moment I can steal from my waking
existence will be devoted to you.As long as we both shall live.
I shall make you happy, Dear, I shall make you forget. We
shall go back together and see everythingthat either of us has ever loved or
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taken presents in Peter, isn't sucha life? Our life sweeter than't?
Dear? Really ends my story?Little has happened to me in the twenty
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five years that have passed since thatfateful morning, Little that men can see
in the outside world. Those yearshave seen many changes. I am told,
a new generation, and words andinventions that have done much to alter
the face of the earth. Butto me they are merely twenty five years
of the most impossible happiness. Twentyfive years it seems like a single night,
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and like a thousand years. Solittle as our world changed, and
so much have we seen and feltand done. Neary and I together in
that busy, enchanted quarter of acentury, Mary beside me, never a
day older, in the enchanted homeof our childhood. And if ever this
(36:30):
should change, if ever the dayshould come. Worry? Where are you?
Where have you gone? Mary?Where are you? Are you here?
(36:50):
Why don't you about to me?Why don't you company? Pet?
You? Very is all? Holler? Is he to night? Warton?
Not some well, ma'am talking?Verys trange years change something, he's lost
somebody. He's getting weaker too,ma'am. Doctor says he can gloss morn
(37:12):
or a die table. Peter,h Peter, don't you know me?
Wharton? Would you mind leaving usalone for just a little while? Shakingly?
Man? Are they just an't?Sorry to pay your leading? Right
there? Right? Where is she? Whurs Peter, Peter. I want
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you to be brave and bear whatI'm about to tell you. She's dead,
isn't she? Isn't she I knewit. He didn't come in the
last sign in our dreams, andwe've met every night for so many,
many years. She sent you this. It was the last thing she did
for it's a weak Read it tome soon and again the fairy prencess say
(38:05):
what you say? Thank you soonsoon. Oh, I'm so tired,
so tired. I could only seethem once more, the garden and the
flowers, and Madame Seraskier playing sochild. So wait, didn't you know
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I was near you? Mary?You've come back to me, Oh,
my darling. I couldn't have waitedany longer. Hush. I know all
you've been through, Peter, bythe touch of your hand. So the
touch of my hand tell you nothing. Only if you're a great love for
me, that's enhing, no idea. How difficult it has been for me
(38:59):
to come that few Peter, evenfrom a few moons, And even now
I can't stay very long. It'slike holding on to the wound to sill
with one's wrists. But since you'dyou died many I haven't had one soul
of every thought you had my lovesince I died. I know already you
will know it, you will feelit all in a moment, just as
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I did. And the world,the foolish world, will call you dead,
and you will only have begun tolie. You can't understand, and
I can't find words to tell.Your language is such a poor thing.
But where I am it is alleye and ear and the rest and one,
and oh so much more besides whereI am, I here the sun
shining on the earth and making theflowers grow, and the birds sing,
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and the bells peeling for life anddeath, happy, happy death. If
you only knew it, Peter,the sun is shining on moons and planets,
and the very star is a thing. What does it all mean?
It means, Peter, that nothingis lost. No think we honor are
only poor little grubs. Our bodyis the cocoon we spin ourselves from our
(40:07):
early life. That's what we are, Peter, Memories that never die.
And shall we be happy as happyas we have been. We shall never
be parted for a single moment.That's all I want I think of it.
Here there are battles to be fought, and races to be one,
but no longer against each other,and the good and the bad, and
(40:27):
the worst than the best are allmixed up. Only the good comes to
the top, and the bad goesto the bottom, out of sight and
out of mind, forgotten, andeverywhere about me there seems to be an
ever widening where perfection is. Ina moment, you will waken. I
must leave too very soon, goodbye, No, but not for long.
(40:52):
There's no sadness in bidding you farewell, because I know that you will
come to me. Time is nothinga few hours till the on breaks and
the shadows fly away. But don'tgo very very me. I can't see
(41:12):
dark all around me. Mary,I know now what she's like about the
darkness, the shadows, and butthe one, the light, the light.
(41:36):
My friend Peter Ibbotson died in WorldMore Jail at the age of sixty
seven. After his death, Ihad the melancholic satisfaction of seeing him in
his coffin. The splimmor of hisdead face that he lay there will haunt
my memory until I die. Ohthat was Peter Ribbotson, a fascinating and
(42:06):
powerful love story. When we preparedfor the CBS broadcast, we always rehearsed
over two days. The first daywas so we could run through the script
and familiarize ourselves with the characters.When doing shows like Peter Ribotson, it
also gave us time to shed ourtears before going on the air the next
day. Actors also need to fullyrespond to the characters, just as the
(42:27):
audience does, and by the secondday we were able to control our feelings
and solely submerge ourselves into our parts. At that time, we were scheduled
for two broadcast productions, one ateight p m and the other at eleven
PM for the West Coast. Givenall the fun we had back then and
with the technical capabilities available to broadcastersto day, that's a scenario that will
(42:51):
never happen.
Gentlemen, your attendance, your generousencouragement, makes possible another season of these
broadcasts. The actors and musicians,the engineers and sound technicians, all the
craftsmen and artists who contribute their effortsto this program want me to tell you
how grateful we all are to allof you in behalf of these ladies and
(00:21):
gentlemen, and of our sponsors,the makers of Campbell Soups. I promise
you the best year of radio plays. We know you how to produce.
Ladies and gentlemen, we present tonightthe beautiful, the well beloved Peter Ebertson
with Helen Hayes's Mimsy. But first, before we begin, welcome back to
(00:43):
the Campbell Playhouse. M My nameis Peter Ribbertson. Yes, ladies and
(01:06):
gentlemen, you're about to hear thestory of a man who was my f
I have been for many years,an object of pity and contempt to all
whoever gave me a thought, toall, but one to all. He
died early this year in a cellat Worldmore Jail, in which he had
been an inmate for over twenty eightyears. Too old, he had been
(01:27):
originally sentenced to death, over themurder of a near relative. Later this
was commuted to imprisonment for life.Of all that ever lived, only certain
I have been, I think,the happiest and most privileged. And you
will see, cause you would hearmy story to be for a great many
of the facts you're about to hear, I can personally vouch of the supernatural
(01:52):
parts. There is not much Ican say, can you. Really?
You must remember that the man whowrote this was for a time incurably insane,
and there seems to be some doubtamong authorities of the prison as to
whether he had ever completely recovered.At the risk of being thought to share
his madness if he was mad,I want you to know that I,
(02:13):
for one, believe him to havebeen sane and to have told the truth
all through as you will see asyou hear my story to the end,
(02:39):
I mean, sir, thank youyou no doubt have been in Paris before.
Yes, I've been in Paris before. Oh it is much change,
is it not? It is nowgrown roger lot of retown more beautiful.
The Emperor has done great things.Yes, must be very pleased with that.
Please? Why should I be pleased? And I lived here there were
gardens with green trees and hatches andgrass and flowers. Now what do you
(03:00):
see? Little min yards and villaslike a London suburbs. Oh, but
it is so much more modern,yes, of course. Tell me how
long is it since the houses inthe street of the pump were pulled down
and rebuilt, always done since along time. I myself had the hotel
here for four years. And whenI came here, already the old houses,
the old what you say, rubbish, were already gon rubbish. I
(03:23):
see now, if you will saywhat you desired for dinner, we have
to night very special blanket of deal. Thank you. I don't see light
dinner. But but sir, youjust leave me alone. I'm very tired.
I don't want anything. I'll callyou, of course, thank you,
sir. And he left me thereby the open window, because that
(03:47):
day that we had our first stream. Lay there for a while. I
was thinking of all the things thatI'd seen that day, and remembering my
life as it had been in Londonand here in Paris, when we were
(04:08):
children. I'd lain there by theopen window. I can't tell you how
long, remembering the year has goneby, that beautiful French garden under the
warm June sun, where I beganmy conscious existence That afternoon in Paris,
in Madame Seraskier's drawing room, whenI first saw Colonel you could see here
(04:29):
he is, Colonel, it isyour uncle. Stop, Bobbie, your
boy, come on now, thengo go. Don't be shy, dear,
this gentleman come all the way fromLondon to see you. Oh this
is the boy whose father Blowy's brainsare trying to get rich quick. Gay
hardly looks like a French frog atall. Do your boy speak up,
Peter, you can speak English,can't you come? Let's hear you say?
(04:53):
How do you do? So?How do you do? Sir?
Betty? You young scamp an,straighten up? Meet your uncle Lipson.
Colonel Libberton, that's my name tobe yours from now on. You mean
you're going to take him away,Colonel, I am indeed man leaving for
London tonight. I'll make a gentlemanof him, an English gentleman, not
like that French frog father of his, a man who couldn't even provide for
(05:13):
his wife. I think of whatI offered that woman. Do you mean
to tell me, ma'am? Shenever told you about me. Her cousin
never told you, poor thing thatshe and I Colonel good boy? Uh
oh, here's the boy? Yes, well man, can you have him
ready to leave tonight? Yes,if you wish it, he can be
ready. But you will excuse me, Colonel libertson us start getting his things
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ready? Of course, dear lady, of course, cad what a woman?
Well? Boys, say something?What's the matter? Are you dumb?
I don't know what to say,sir? Are you? Are you
glad to be going to England?I don't know. She don't know.
Well, I'll be dashed. Wellwhat did I blame you? You little
rascal? With a lovely lady likethat next door to make over you away?
(05:58):
She had her arms around your boy, by George, I had given
something to have been in your placemyself. Uh? Quite the young leathario.
Aren't you boy? Aren't jo?Ha ha ha? And so on?
A beautiful June afternoon, sweet withroses and lilac, and gay with
(06:19):
dragonflies and butterflies and bumblebees. Myhappy childhood ended? Was it? Begne
go go? When you go awayand you can't see me for a long
time for years and years, willyou forget me? Do you think,
of course, not, Mimsy?Why do you think that? Well,
I don't know. Boys, you'reso different from girls. I expect you
(06:43):
remember me all wrong. If youdon't forget me altogether, what rubbish you
do? Talk? Go go?You must come now, do you.
I don't want him to go.Come, dear mother, I don't want
him to go away. Go gogo. And as our carriage started,
I remember I looked back and sawfor the last time the house where I
(07:06):
was born, and standing at theiron gate, I remember Mimsy with her
thin, pale face and close croppedhair, sucking her tham, trying not
to cry. A moment later,our carriage had turned the corner and they
had vanished forever. And so itwas that I left my childhood and went
(07:30):
to England with my uncle, andthere I lived for twelve long years until
that day in June, the dayof our first dream. And I came
back to Paris and fell asleep bythe open window in that little parlor of
the Technoa Hotra. I remember itwas evening, Sunday evening in Paris.
I'd seen it over and over again, just like this in the old days.
From where I lay I could seethe cafes and the little square between
(07:53):
the bridge and the park. Theair was full of the scent of trodden
grass and macaroons and sweet French toback go blown from the park. Okay,
French laughter and the faint sound ofmusic. Twelve years I'd been in
England while my uncle tried to makea gentleman of me when we had an
English gentleman like himself. On mytwenty first birthday, he'd sent me to
(08:13):
his tailor for a dress suit.After that he took me out with him
into society. That was where Imet her. I was at missus Dean's
ass. Dean was a lady towhom my uncle was at the time especially
a tentive all for mister Riverston.What's the matter, But he's staring at
(08:41):
that lady, that lady who justcome into Oh so you do, mister
Riverson. Oh you fallen a victimsof the epidemic of admurrage. I wish
she don't you know? That's theDuchess of Palers, Duchess of Towers.
Have you never heard of her?She's one of the kindest and most beloved
women in doctors here. Mary doesso much good that her own life has
been very fair. I don't understandshe married the Duke of Towers somewhere abroad.
(09:05):
I believe he was charming enough fora while. Now there's no one
in London will speak to him,yet she remained so loyal to him.
Come let me introduce you to her. I want you to know each other.
She's really one of the most charmingand the love for the wonderful man
(09:31):
you are doing that you Oh,thank you, you're too kind. If
you only knew what happened is ifyou clear. I'm so glad you were
able to come. I wanted tosee you, my dear Mary. I
want you to meet a young friendof mine, mister Peter Ribertson, the
Duchess of Towers. How do youdo, mister Ritson? Peter? What's
the letter you seem sometime? I'msorry, Missa. You did want to
(09:56):
meet her, didn't you. Whata strange boy you are. You mustn't
be afraid to leave people, MissusDean. It's not that I'm a singer
like that. I just couldn't.He's too beautiful, Oh, Missus Dean,
I can see you or trying toentertain that neg youw of mind the
moon calf, Come on, wakeup, boy, Doc gooping through the
(10:16):
door, that tear one in theroom beyond fuck for four the desire of
them off for the star, thenight, for the morrow. Well'm afraid
your's not inherited your father's prowess asa don one done who always speaks of
his father. Ah, yes,of course, yes, he speaks of
that Frenchman. That's yes, ofcourse, of course. But I can
see that you, Missus Dean,being a woman of the world who already
(10:39):
gets uh certain us. Oh,dear lady bet to screep. That's a
word I beg you. I wouldn'thave it known for the world, but
as you seem to have caught thelife and I hadn't seen were young his
mother and I and uh Spring,you know Spring in Paris. I don't
believe that, of course, ofcourse. Well that's what you have to
say, Missus Dean. But buttonight, before I sleep, I'll write
(11:00):
you explaining everything. Peta himself willbring you the letter, won't you,
Peter, Why, yes, sir, that's right, my boy. There's
a chance for you to make upyour clumsiness. Remind me I want you
to take a letter to missus Deanstomorrow, a very private letter, you
understand, yes, sir, Iwant you to deliver it yourself, Peter
very well, sir. And now, dear lady, if I may have
the pleasure of your arm ka boodievo. It's the call of youth, and
(11:24):
what is youth, sweet lady withoutlove? Lamore the more see to see
more, see ramis la more.I'd left my uncle's house after that,
(11:46):
left to determined never to return,and I was back in Paris sad word.
The dad of that evening, tiredand saddened, had come to the
hotel. I lay there by theopen window with the mean coming on,
thinking sadly of things I'd seen thatday, a crumbling wall, a stump
of tree, or rusty iron gateall that was left of my dear familiar
(12:09):
world. From below, I couldhear the noise of laughter and the faint
sound of music. And down thestreet an open carriage was driving towards me,
coming closer and closer under my window. It was a lady in the
carriage by herself. As she glancedup at my window for a moment,
as in a flash of summer lightning, her face seemed to light up with
friendly recognition, with a sweet glanceof kindness and pressure and surprise, a
(12:31):
glance that pierced me like a suddenshaft from heaven. It was the Duchess
of Towers, and a moment laterthe carriage was out of sight. I
lay there a long time by theopen window and the square below. The
voices were still, and it wasgetting dark. And then it was that
(12:52):
I fell asleep. Perhaps it wasmy weariness, or the heat of the
thunder in the air, strange soundof the distant familiar, and the Duchess
of Towers. Come in, Miss, I can't the gate. The gate
(13:18):
is closed. The gate did notclosed, Miss. You only think it's
closed because you're not dreaming. Close. Don't be afraid. Give me your
hand and come in with me.You see, it's so easy. It's
an old iron gate to a garden. That's all from I awake mind.
It's so strange. I know I'masleep lying by the window in the parlor
of the inn. Yes, andjust now from your window you saw me
(13:41):
driving by, So don't be afraid. And of course you're asleep, Miss
Riverson, and dreaming, otherwise I'dnot be talking to you like this,
you may be sure. Hold myhand, miss Servison, and come with
me. Now what do you see? I see your gud I heard someone
playing you know that cue? Iseem to have heard it before, long
(14:03):
ago. You see now you're dreamingtrue because I had you by the hand,
dreaming true? Yes, and nowyou must try again. I'll hold
your hand and help you. Giveme both your hands. Where are you
now? I'm in a garden lookingover a wall. Some I expected the
wall to be very high, butit isn't. I I find I can
look over ready easily. You cansee everything quite distinctly. I can even
(14:26):
smell the scent of the flowers.You can see and hear and smell.
But you mustn't touch ever flowers orpeople or anything. Now try again,
What do you see? I seea tree, an old apple tree,
and I see two women sitting underthe tree. One of them is knitting
at a table. And oh,I know that table. There's a small
boy there in an old fashioned suitof clothes. Here's a book in front
of him which he's reading. Andby his side as a little girl with
(14:48):
close cropped black hair and a thin, pale face pouring over his shoulder.
May I could I speak to themjust for a moment, m Mother,
Mimsy, mads here. It's nouse, they can't hear you. You
as to remember that all the thingsand all the people in this garden are
(15:11):
dead and gone by. If youtry to touch them or speak to them,
it blurs the dreams by breathing ona window pane. I don't know
why it does, but it does. With you and me, it's different.
We're alive and real that as Iam, and you seem to be
real too, mister Riberson, bythe grasp of your hands, know why
you're here, in what business youhave in this my private dream? I
(15:33):
still don't understand. No living personhas ever been in it before. They
can't make it out. Still,you're very welcome here, mister Riberson,
if it amuses you to come,especially as there are only a false dream
of mind, for what else canyou be? And now I must leave
you. But if you want tostay on here in this garden after I've
(15:54):
gone, you're very welcome to thattoo. If you can. Time to
go again, Madame Selski, Yes, go go. It's getting late.
Your mother will be wondering where youare and the news beginning to phone.
Oh mother, just one more story, you'll promise, go please, Madame
Selaski ha one more, one morestory, very well, one last story.
(16:18):
What shall it be? This time? He was about to fight cat
No, the sleeping beauty. Howabout Prince Charming and the fairy Princess Charming
the fairy Princess. Well, onceupon a time, many many years ago,
when the world was a younger andbetter place than it is now,
there lived a king and queen whohad one son and his name. His
(16:41):
name was Charlie. And when hegrew up, the king, his father
and the queen I had awakened.There were voices in thank you. Uh,
would you see that my coachman andfootman are dry and comfortable? I
(17:03):
would see myself to your daughters outcarry out thank you for that. You
are too got the Dutchess of Towers. Oh, I'm so sorry. I
didn't know there was anybody here.Why, yes, your grace, you
owe miss to Editson. Now you'renot. It's very kind of you to
remember me, or grace. Ohplease don't let me disturb your early evening
nap. You were found asleep,weren't you confess? I'm sorry, I
(17:26):
must have dozed off. Don't apologize, I said, I was sleeping my
carriage myself just now until the stormawoke me. And then I had the
coachman pull up at this end becauseit was he was getting wet and the
horses were frightened with a lightning.Course think, I think I saw you
drive by just now from my window. Do you often come to Paris your
grace? Whenever I can steal awayfrom London and the season and the rush,
even for a day, I comeacross the water here to Patty.
(17:48):
I love Paris too. MS strangethat we should meet here in this little
inn. I didn't know that anybodyknew of it, at least not English
people. I mean, mister Ibitsonthis one d When I saw you at
missus Dean, well, I'm afraidI I stared very rudely at you.
I was hoping you'd forgotten. Iremembered very well, mister Iribitson, you
(18:10):
know that evening In a strange way. He reminded me of a little French
boy I once knew, who wasvery kind to me when I was a
little girl, and whose father youhappened to be like but then I met
you and heard your name, andafterwards they told me you were a young
English architect. And from that andfrom what I hear a very promising one.
(18:30):
Well, I was once a littleFrench boy, you, mister Ibotson.
Yes, just later I had tochange my name to Priests, a
relative, and become English to thechild. This is where we lived here
in Paris. What an extraordinary thing. What was your name then when you
were a child. My father's namewas prosquiet Pski, Google pass did your
(18:55):
don't you know who I am?Google? Your mimsy, whimsy, sir
roussal, my dear, my dear. So it was our garden you were
looking for, and our house it'sall gone, mimsy, all pulled down
and built over and chained. Hn. It drove me nearly mad.
And then just now I saw themall again. And now that's foolish.
That was a dream, my dream. I'm trying to remember what happened.
(19:18):
I came up here, I wastired and disappointed. I sat to the
window there, and then you droveby in the street below. Yeah,
it got dark and there was thunderin the end. Uh huh. Then
I must have fallen asleep, andI suppose it was seeing you just before
that. But I dreamed I wasin our old street, and I just
got to the avenue gate, andthe gate was closed, and then suddenly
you were there. I was there, yes, in my dream. And
(19:41):
then you came towards me. Icame towards you and held out my hand
and told you that you were notdreaming true. I couldn't quite make out
what I was doing in your dream, and you gave me good advice about
not touching anything, or picking theflowers, or or the dream would blur.
Mister Eberson, it's not possible.Two people can't have the same dream.
You read me inside, and youtold me how to dream true.
(20:03):
And you showed me the garden,and my mother was there, and your
mother and you and I as childrenunder the tree. Mister ribertsons Is.
I can't tell you what it hasbeen to me to see you once more.
I thought you had died long ago. Uh huh. I feel as
if I were dreaming now, exceptthat all this seems so impossible and unreal,
(20:26):
and and dreams are never unreal.I don't know if I shall ever
meet you again. You will beoften in my thoughts, but never in
my dreams again that at least Ican commands. No, no, believe
me, it mustn't be mister Ribson. I am not free, and this
must be our final farewell. Ican't tell you how I feel about you,
(20:49):
and always have felt you shall weshall often think of each other,
but we can never be together inour dream I wish you all the good
one human being can wish another.Goodbye. Mister you are listening to the
(21:25):
Campbell Playoffs presentation of Peter Ebittson,starring Helen Hayes and Orson Wells. This
is the Columbia Broadcasting System. Nowwe resume our Campbell Playoffs presentation of Peter
Ibbitson starring Helen Hayes and Orson Wells. M Uh yeah, go on and
(22:07):
take it. Wats the medic.There's nothing the matter, say, don't
you want your step? No,sir, hey, you're a queer.
What you are, you don't needhardly nothing. At night you sleep like
a baby the long day. Isaid, you're at this table that's crawling
away for dear life. There's noharm at this ersa. No, there
ain't no harm, and idiot,it makes you happy. But if I
(22:29):
wus show, mister Hibbitson, Idrive the ear bike. That's what I
do. Well. Anyhow, I'llleave the this year I do. You'll
change your mind if it later.So now I'm alone again, I can
(22:49):
go on with my story. Youknow about my enchanted youth with the garden
in Paris, when nim sis Uskiand I played his children. I told
you of my coming to live inEngland with my uncle, Colonel Libertson,
of my return to Paris, andat my strange meeting with the Duchess of
Towers. Now with an unwilling heart, I miscome to the great calamity of
(23:11):
my life. Soon after my returnto London, I called one evening upon
my friend, Missus Dean. Whyhe is your back? Where had you
been in Paris? I returned thisafternoon you left this suddenday? Is it
true you and your uncle called?I'm afraid so I'm so sorry to tell
you the truth. I am feelingrather sorry about it myself. And Missus
(23:33):
Dean, there's one thing I wantyou to tell me. It's something I've
never quite understood. That evening atyour house, my uncle made certain remarks,
certain allusions to my father I assureyou he was just talking. He
didn't even us Dean. That wasn'tthe first or the last time my uncle
had spoken in that way about myparents. Teter, may I ask you
a question? Yes? Of course, your father and mother were a very
(23:56):
devoted couple, were they or not? They loved each other at first side
and they kept right, I'm lovingeach other till the day they died.
And your uncle, Peter, didthey ever talk about him? Uh?
Were they friends? He and yourparents? Did your pa? Did your
mother like him? Well? Notmuch, Missus Dean. Was there any
particular reason for your mother's a versionof the colonel? As far as you
(24:18):
know, I really don't know,Peter. I have a reason for asking
you this well, as a matterof fact, Missus Dean, that was
a reason. Colonel Eberson, he'snot really my uncle, you know.
He's my mother's cousin. She'd oncebeen infatuated with my mother, rather desperately
so, and she had to refusehim three times before he gave up.
When he brought to India. Latershe met my father and there fell him
up. Peter. Do you knowthe exact date when your uncle went to
(24:42):
India? Oh? Yes, certainly, he said, with his regiment the
forty third, fifteen months before Iwas born. That's what I thought.
And he isn't your father? Howdo you say your uncle is a villain,
Peter, and a liar. He'sdone you and your parents a feel
for wrong? Missus Dean Peter.You know your uncle handwriting and his crest.
(25:02):
Yes? But do you remember bringingme a letter from your uncle the
morning after you were at my house? Yes? I remember. Well,
this is the letter. Now thatI know what a foul it is,
I thought, for your own sakeand the sake of your parents memory,
you ought to know what it says. Listen, here's what he writes,
Poor fellow old Price, you charmingbut foolish. We were cousins much thrown
(25:26):
together, both so young and oneso beautiful, happily and unsuspecting. Frenchman
of good family was there who hadloved her long, and she married him
just in time? Eh, whatyou said? Uh? What is your
(25:55):
tucket? Oh you mister Peter.Why we ain't seen you in a dog?
That's my uncle. Why the ColonelSenny's upstairs, he's in his room,
but it's light. I gott tosee him. Oh, there you
are in Abad you missie b Inever show you that you know put in
my life? Uncle m oh well, well the traveler returns my beloved nephew.
(26:18):
Why this honor? You come likea dutiful nephew to humble yourself to
beg forgiveness. Uncle, I'd cometo have a talk with you. Yep,
what are you doing? Unlocked thatdoor? Not until I'm finished?
Uncle, What the devil? Don? Uncle? You wrote missus Dean I
was your son. It's a lie. It's a lie. Who told you
(26:38):
so? She did? Just now? It's a lie, a spiteful invention
of a can't off love. II suppose you told you that too,
that I'm finished with her. Now, unlock that door and get out of
here, you pitiful green jackets.For I'll I procket you wring that bell?
Uncle, help get out of herethis. Do you know your own
handwriting a forgery? Down on yourknee? What are you saying? Boy?
(27:02):
Take your hand off my throat,cracky here, down on your lap,
go on down on your knees andconfessor throat and come on as you're
a coward, confessor, a liarcon that's what you wrote in that letter
about my mother was a lie.But I'm not your son. I confess,
I confess all right. Now getup, go over there to that
(27:27):
table, try and undo some ofthe harm you've done. Right right,
But neither my mother nor missus Deanwere anything human? How come? Then?
What down a knife? I'll tellyou, you fool. Of course
they were. They both were,Missus Dean and your mouth down the knife
horse. I wrote that letter.Every word of it was round my knife
or your master? Here you parasite, your murderer's the verdict of this jury
(28:00):
more sentences put on you. Haveyou anything to say in your own defense?
No? The sentence of this partis that you'll be hanged by your
neck until you die. Yes,uh make gold? Had you yourself bet?
(28:25):
You old chaplain? I'm glad you'vecome, mister Rivertson last night you
spoke of some message to a friend. You care to give it to me?
Now you know just what is it? Miss Riberson? That are certain
in prison regulations. I don't thinkthis will interfere with regulations. It's the
miniature of my father and mother.Who is it for? From Mary Duchess
of tars And you won't send itwill you you'll take it to her yourself.
(28:48):
I will, mister Ribertson. Ipromise no message goes through this.
Just tell it from me. She'llunderstand it very well. Mister Ribertson.
We have much time when you kneeldown with me and pray, pray,
and that's chaplain. I'll pray towhatever's left in me. Have inherited strength
(29:10):
and courage. M this is theway, then, come this way?
Is it? He can? Ishe? He? But uh? Oh,
(29:32):
don't let them come in? Letme alone. I beg you do
that, chaplains mister governor, comein, sir, and you ma'm come
in, Peter. We haven't goodnews can and sir, mister Libertson,
the Home Secretary has just commuted yoursentence to life imprisons. I try to
(29:53):
be prayed. I tried to keepmy courage up. I think of the
time going to die. Oh,Peter, you mustn't take it this one.
You think you're being kind, butyou're not. You're nothing. May
I be alone with him? Doyou think for a few minutes? Well,
chaplain and live the way out?Okay, thank you very much,
(30:14):
Peter, Peter, won't you keepon being brave I'm young and stronger.
I've probably lived fifty yes, fiftyyears of misery, torture alone. Mike
couldn't ever let me die. Peter, I have a message for you from
someone you love, Yes, mhe gets from home. It's she who
(30:38):
gave you back your life. May. Yes, her husband died last week
and she was away, but sheheard the news of your trial. She
came back to London. She wasat the Home Secretary for there was three
hours to night, pleading, arguing, fighting that she never fought before.
And in the end, you see, she won. Yes and the message
Please tell him his life has justbegun. She said that, Yes,
(31:02):
what aunts shall I take back withme? Tell her to try it if
she can, not to think ofme as I am here a murderer,
but as the little boy she usedto play with so long ago. Is
that all, Peter, Yes,that's all. So I must leave you.
Bet you have some sleep, flie down here. I'm so tired,
(31:25):
Thank goodness. Oh but she wantsyou too. Oh oh, I
forgot. That was the rest ofthe message. Tell him to sleep and
dream true, dream true, shesaid, you know what she meant?
Let me see what and nothink II think I'll try, missus Deane.
I'll try to sleep. Then.Oh, let me put this rug over
(31:47):
you. Yeah, we can haveyour patch and gold the go and bleak
shoot, dear boy, sleep andthe rest. Thank you. I'll come
again. Is this some sort lastyou've come? I've been looking for you
(32:08):
and waiting for you here. Whyhaven't you come sooner? Oh? I
suppose you couldn't sleep or you couldn'tdream. I've tried. I've tried so
hard. Ever since that terrible night, I've not been able to dream.
True, not once, Mary.I swear to you by all that I
hold most sacred, by my mother'smemory and yours. I never meant to
(32:30):
take my uncle's life, as ifyou need to tell me that. Look,
I'm holding your hands, and Ican see into the very depths of
your heart. Brother. He cametowards me with that long knife, and
he went down, and I struckhim again and again. Hush. Each
time I passed my hand across yourbrows, I wipe away some bitter memory.
You see. Listen now, sleepingyou about this show you very well.
(33:00):
Once upon a time, many manyyears ago, when the world was
a younger and a better place thanit is now. There lived a king
and queen who had one son.His name was Charming. You hear his
name was Charming, And when hegrew up, I'm a failure. My
(33:21):
life is finished. Give me yourhand to sue. It's true, It's
true. All those high hopes wehad when we were children of all crumbled
to dust. I wanted to flyup up in the sun because you asked
me to. I wanted to succeedbeyond all men, because you wished to
Peter that there has been anyone inthe world, but you never a ghost
(33:45):
of a woman, never even afriend, until that night when I first
saw you in London. Till thenI scarcely lived at all. I fed
on scraps of remembrance. I waswaiting for Mimsy, Mimsy to come back.
And when she did come at last, oh, for a time I
was too blind to recognize her.And now I don't know which of the
(34:06):
two has been the sweetest. Youor she both have been my life and
shall be, Peter, and shallbe sure the beautiful fairy princess were married
and live happily ever afterwards. Andthat's, my dear, is the end
of the story. Now come on, children, the time you really are
(34:28):
going home? Go go you takethe basket. Mother. Are you sure
they lived happily ever afterwards. Yes, forever and ever, Yes, forever
and ever. Yeah, Oh,go go. I'm so glad, I'm
you. I'm so glad they're happytogether, you see, Peter. From
this moment we belong to each other. Nothing can ever come between us again.
(34:52):
During those hours which people call night, when our bodies lie and the
half death known as sleep. Inspite of your prison, we too shall
together. I am free now.Each moment I can steal from my waking
existence will be devoted to you.As long as we both shall live.
I shall make you happy, Dear, I shall make you forget. We
shall go back together and see everythingthat either of us has ever loved or
(35:15):
taken presents in Peter, isn't sucha life? Our life sweeter than't?
Dear? Really ends my story?Little has happened to me in the twenty
(35:37):
five years that have passed since thatfateful morning, Little that men can see
in the outside world. Those yearshave seen many changes. I am told,
a new generation, and words andinventions that have done much to alter
the face of the earth. Butto me they are merely twenty five years
of the most impossible happiness. Twentyfive years it seems like a single night,
(36:06):
and like a thousand years. Solittle as our world changed, and
so much have we seen and feltand done. Neary and I together in
that busy, enchanted quarter of acentury, Mary beside me, never a
day older, in the enchanted homeof our childhood. And if ever this
(36:30):
should change, if ever the dayshould come. Worry? Where are you?
Where have you gone? Mary?Where are you? Are you here?
(36:50):
Why don't you about to me?Why don't you company? Pet?
You? Very is all? Holler? Is he to night? Warton?
Not some well, ma'am talking?Verys trange years change something, he's lost
somebody. He's getting weaker too,ma'am. Doctor says he can gloss morn
(37:12):
or a die table. Peter,h Peter, don't you know me?
Wharton? Would you mind leaving usalone for just a little while? Shakingly?
Man? Are they just an't?Sorry to pay your leading? Right
there? Right? Where is she? Whurs Peter, Peter. I want
(37:35):
you to be brave and bear whatI'm about to tell you. She's dead,
isn't she? Isn't she I knewit. He didn't come in the
last sign in our dreams, andwe've met every night for so many,
many years. She sent you this. It was the last thing she did
for it's a weak Read it tome soon and again the fairy prencess say
(38:05):
what you say? Thank you soonsoon. Oh, I'm so tired,
so tired. I could only seethem once more, the garden and the
flowers, and Madame Seraskier playing sochild. So wait, didn't you know
(38:35):
I was near you? Mary?You've come back to me, Oh,
my darling. I couldn't have waitedany longer. Hush. I know all
you've been through, Peter, bythe touch of your hand. So the
touch of my hand tell you nothing. Only if you're a great love for
me, that's enhing, no idea. How difficult it has been for me
(38:59):
to come that few Peter, evenfrom a few moons, And even now
I can't stay very long. It'slike holding on to the wound to sill
with one's wrists. But since you'dyou died many I haven't had one soul
of every thought you had my lovesince I died. I know already you
will know it, you will feelit all in a moment, just as
(39:22):
I did. And the world,the foolish world, will call you dead,
and you will only have begun tolie. You can't understand, and
I can't find words to tell.Your language is such a poor thing.
But where I am it is alleye and ear and the rest and one,
and oh so much more besides whereI am, I here the sun
shining on the earth and making theflowers grow, and the birds sing,
(39:44):
and the bells peeling for life anddeath, happy, happy death. If
you only knew it, Peter,the sun is shining on moons and planets,
and the very star is a thing. What does it all mean?
It means, Peter, that nothingis lost. No think we honor are
only poor little grubs. Our bodyis the cocoon we spin ourselves from our
(40:07):
early life. That's what we are, Peter, Memories that never die.
And shall we be happy as happyas we have been. We shall never
be parted for a single moment.That's all I want I think of it.
Here there are battles to be fought, and races to be one,
but no longer against each other,and the good and the bad, and
(40:27):
the worst than the best are allmixed up. Only the good comes to
the top, and the bad goesto the bottom, out of sight and
out of mind, forgotten, andeverywhere about me there seems to be an
ever widening where perfection is. Ina moment, you will waken. I
must leave too very soon, goodbye, No, but not for long.
(40:52):
There's no sadness in bidding you farewell, because I know that you will
come to me. Time is nothinga few hours till the on breaks and
the shadows fly away. But don'tgo very very me. I can't see
(41:12):
dark all around me. Mary,I know now what she's like about the
darkness, the shadows, and butthe one, the light, the light.
(41:36):
My friend Peter Ibbotson died in WorldMore Jail at the age of sixty
seven. After his death, Ihad the melancholic satisfaction of seeing him in
his coffin. The splimmor of hisdead face that he lay there will haunt
my memory until I die. Ohthat was Peter Ribbotson, a fascinating and
(42:06):
powerful love story. When we preparedfor the CBS broadcast, we always rehearsed
over two days. The first daywas so we could run through the script
and familiarize ourselves with the characters.When doing shows like Peter Ribotson, it
also gave us time to shed ourtears before going on the air the next
day. Actors also need to fullyrespond to the characters, just as the
(42:27):
audience does, and by the secondday we were able to control our feelings
and solely submerge ourselves into our parts. At that time, we were scheduled
for two broadcast productions, one ateight p m and the other at eleven
PM for the West Coast. Givenall the fun we had back then and
with the technical capabilities available to broadcastersto day, that's a scenario that will
(42:51):
never happen.
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