The Summons - Henry Altimus

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The summons by Henry Altemus. It was Elsa Lloyd's first
experience with death as a nurse at Saint Luke's. She
was the youngest graduate at the hospital, slender and frail,
with blue eyes that betrayed the strain she had been under.
Despite her brave effort to appear self possessed, The older
nurses had been extremely helpful, not at all resentful that

(00:22):
she had been chosen for so important a case, but
she had pursued her duties to the very end, courageously
and competently, without requiring any assistance. It was nearly over now,
Schofield Carrington was dead. His body would soon be removed
to his home, and she was studying the carefully kept
chart of her patient preparatory to turning it over to

(00:43):
the head nurse. She was seated at a little table
in the floor office the chart before her, using this
brief respite after the trying experience of the preceding night,
to collect herself. When the bell rang softly and the
indicator clicked over her head, else Uza Lloyd did not
look up. As Carrington's private nurse, she was expected to

(01:04):
answer only his summons, but presently she was aware that
a floor nurse had entered in answer to the bell,
and pausing a moment before the indicator had come up
close to her. It's forty two, calling, said the nurse.
Isn't that Carrington? Elsa Lloyd came to her feet quickly,
her eyes lifting to the indicator, a little tinge of
color coming to her cheeks. Yes, she said weakly. Her

(01:28):
lips fell apart, her hand caught the back of the
chair from which she had just risen, Her eyes still
fixed on the little plate showing the numerals forty two
on the indicator. Her tired brain could not grapple with
the strange situation. Carrington had passed away in the early
hours of the morning, and only half an hour before
she had left his room, her duties over, and now

(01:51):
the bell. She turned at last, question in her eyes,
perhaps at doctor Stockbridge. The nurse ventured, he's in the
eye operating room, said Elsa quickly, or someone else, And
seeing the weariness on the young girl's face, she added,
shall I answer for you? Thank you? I'll go. She
hurried down the long, silent corridor. She paused at the door, hesitated,

(02:16):
then knocked lightly. There was no response. Her hand lowered
to the knob, she turned it, and the door yielded.
There was no one in the room. Everything was exactly
as she had left it half an hour before. The
drawn shades through which the morning sunlight filtered, pale and warm,
the stillness of death, and in the far corner of

(02:37):
the huge room, the bed with its rigid, silent occupant.
Elsa's first impulse was to turn and escape, but she
checked herself, waited her back to the door while the
rapid beating of her heart subsided. Presently, she moved toward
the bed, slowly, her feet scarcely lifting from the floor.

(02:57):
Nothing had been altered, Not a wrinkle in the sheet
that covered the dead man's body had been changed. She
looked down into his face, observed the strong features, immobile
and death, the thick lips firmly locked, the square chin
thrust forward, defiant, challenging even now, Schofield Carrington had not
wanted to die, the great financier who had feared nothing,

(03:20):
had not feared death. But he had not been ready
to let go. He had wanted to hold off the
hand of death only a little while longer. But it
had come relentlessly, and his features still showed the marks
of the dead man's struggle, the unhappiness of his last moments,
which had come without the fulfillment of his cherished hope.

(03:40):
Elsa's eyes lifted to the bell that hung from the
back of the bed, corded wire with a button at
the end. The pressure of which had summoned her so
often in the past few weeks to the side of
her patient, had summoned her even now to his side.
Some hand had touched it within the last few minutes.
Whose she lingered awhile baffled immobile in the presence of

(04:03):
the inexplicable circumstance. It must be some mistake, she said.
At last, she spoke aloud, to reassure herself and to
reassure anyone who might hear her. Somehow, she felt a
vague presence in the room. She dared not look about her,
and having spoken, she turned and hurried out of the room.
The nurse was waiting for her at the office door.

(04:25):
She noted the pallor in Elsi's face, the agitation which
her strained features did not conceal. The agitation which her
strained features did not conceal. Elsa took the hand she extended,
leaning heavily on it. Someone has been gone, she said,
in a soothing voice. You're unstrung. You ought to she
stopped abruptly. Their eyes met and they stood close, neither

(04:49):
daring to turn, for the indicator had clicked again. It
was the elder nurse who first summoned the carriage to look,
and when their eyes met again, Elson knew what she
had seen. It's forty two, said the elder nurse in
a hoarse voice. ELS's head lowered, a shudder running down
her frame, and her companion led her to a chair,

(05:10):
into which the girl dropped heavily. Sometimes the indicator gets
out of order, muttered the elder nurse. It may be that,
though I don't recall it ever happening before, the buyers
may get crossed or something. Her voice trailed away. She
knew that her assurances were unconvincing to Elsa. They were
unconvincing to herself. She realized that her usual presence of

(05:34):
mind was not at her command. Disciplined in the shadow
of suffering and death, she was aware that, for the
first time in her experience, she was confronted by the
intrusion of an intangible element, which eluded her understanding Carrington
was dead. There was no one in his room, yet
his bell was ringing. We ought to report it, she said.

(05:56):
At last, some one ought to be in the room.
It's she paused. As a young intern entered the office.
Her face lighted up hopefully, doctor, she said, coming toward him,
forty two is calling, won't you? That's Carrington's room, isn't it,
asked the intern. Yes, well, it's miss Lloyd's case. Why
doesn't she go? She's just been there and there's no

(06:19):
one in the room, What, stammered the interurn, and that's
the second time the bell has rung. More from the
crumpled attitude of Elsa Lloyd in her chair than from
the words of the elder nurse, the intern gathered the
meaning of the strange situation. His eyes were wide with amazement.
He looked to the indicator and then turned to the nurse.

(06:40):
His lips moved, stirred mutely. A moment, does doctor Stockbridge know,
he asked? At last, No, I'll tell him, and he
spun about on his heel and was gone. The nurse
moved toward the indicator mechanically, her hands lifting slowly and
pressing the knob that released the number. The indicator was bare,
but scarcely had her arm lowered to her side than

(07:02):
a bell tinkled. It was forty two again. Elsa Lloyd,
her elbows on the little desk, her face buried in
her hands, did not look up. She knew from the
touch of her companion's hand on her shoulder what the
bell meant. The nurse slipped into a chair beside the
younger woman. For a long time she was silent. Then

(07:22):
I can't understand it, she muttered, half to herself. I've
never had such an experience before. I've seen so many deaths,
and death was always so final, so completely that the end,
of course, there's the soul, the spirit. It's called by
so many names, and I've heard so much nonsense about it.

(07:44):
I never believed a few of us do. But every
now and then something happens like this. What can it mean?
Despite herself, a tremor, half of doubt, half of all
shook her. She turned to Elsa. What do you know
about Carrington? You were with him for weeks? Can you
think of anything that? She did not complete her question,

(08:05):
her thought too unformed for words. Was there anything? She
resumed in a moment before he died, anything that might
explain this. Elsa sat up, but her head was averted
as she spoke. I don't understand, she said, her voice
low and frail. But when I was in the room

(08:28):
just now, I felt I seemed to be aware of
of what prompted the elder nurse something I don't know what,
as though someone were in the room besides myself and
it the corpse. Elsa nodded. He didn't want to die,
The girl went on after a while. There was something

(08:51):
between him and his son. You know how unhappy he
was about him. He loved him, his only son, and
he didn't want to die, feeling that young Carrington hadn't
redeemed himself. You know what a black sheep he's been.
Once I came into the room just after his son
had left, the old man had been crying. I think

(09:12):
it was that that kept him alive long after we
knew his case was hopeless. He told me once he
couldn't die until his son had made good, that his
spirit would never rest. His spirit did he say that? Yes.
The elder nurse's eyes closed slowly and her hands met
in her lap. Do you think began elsa leaning forward.

(09:35):
I don't know, muttered the elder woman, her voice scarcely audible.
Both women came to their feet as they heard hurried
footsteps approaching. The in turn entered, a coat flung over
his arm. He's coming, he announced. Doctor Stockbridge entered the office,
visibly annoyed and angry, his long fingers busy with the

(09:56):
laces of his operating apron, which he was removing behind him.
Unhurried and calm. Carrington's lifelong friend and the executor of
his will, Madison Dodd. What's this silly nonsense I hear
about Bell's, the surgeon demanded, slipping into the coat the
intern held and advancing toward the women. Why didn't you
notify me sooner? And why aren't you in the room

(10:18):
to find out what it means? Miss Lloyd? She just
came from the room, doctor Stockbridge, explained the elder nurse,
defending the girl. There was no one there. This is
too absurd, exploded the surgeon. I've never heard of such
a thing. Miss Lloyd should be in that room. She's
had no sleep, doctor, and she's very tired. Then why

(10:38):
don't you go? I you're afraid? How ridiculous? Well, we'll
have He turned, but the intern was gone. Doctor Stockbridge frowned.
His eyes went toward the indicator. When did that bell rang,
he demanded, About ten minutes ago, and a bell rang,
and a faint click came from the indicator. Then number

(10:59):
forty two, which had not been lowered, vibrated. It's been
ringing every ten minutes, just like that, said the elder nurse,
edging away from the instrument. Doctor Stockbridge frowned. Then, striding
across the room, he pressed the knob, releasing the number.
He turned to the nurse. I'm going into that room myself,
he said, severely, and we'll have this nonsense over with.

(11:22):
Someone is ringing in that bell, and will know who
it is. If it rings while I'm there, let me know.
He stepped toward the door. I'll go with you, doctor,
said Carrington's friend, speaking for the first time. The men
walked down the car door side by side. The door
of room forty two was closed. Doctor Stockbridge pushed it
open impatiently and allowed DoD to enter first. I hope

(11:44):
you'll forgive this nonsense, mister Dodd, he said, closing the door.
These women there, but DoD, paying no heed to the
doctor was advancing toward the bed, his face grave. He
stopped within a foot of it, looking down the still
form beneath him, his hands clasped behind his back. Doctor
Stockbridge looked about the room. Its hospital bareness made it

(12:06):
manifest at once that no one could be concealed in it.
It seemed to him absurd and undignified that he should
be engaged in such a futile and meaningless undertaking. He
paced up and down, pausing every now and then to
observe the immobile figure of Carrington's friend, wondering what he
could be thinking of the whole ridiculous episode. He was
a little disturbed that Dodd should take the thing so seriously,

(12:29):
treat the matter with silent respect. Once he paused beside him,
I'm a man of science, mister Dodd, he began to me,
there's no such thing. There was a light tap on
the door, and he stopped. He strode to the door
and opened it. The interurn's head showed it rang, the
young man said. Doctor Stockbridge's lips parted in astonishment, his

(12:51):
hand on the knob. He paused, undecided, looking toward Dob
for some intimation the course to pursue, but DoD had
not stirred, and Stockbridge turned to the youth. Thank you,
he said, and closed the door. For a moment he
was at a loss, but when he tried to speak,
he was silenced by DoD's beckoning hand. He approached, stopping

(13:12):
at Dodd's side, his eyes following the other man's finger.
I want you to tell me what you see in
his face, said DoD. The request seemed so strange to
doctor Stockbridge that he glanced up quickly to see if
DoD were in earnest What could he see in a
dead man's face but death? However, a glance was sufficient
to assure him of his companion's earnestness, and he lowered

(13:34):
his eyes a long moment of silent scrutiny, and then
the sergeant bent lower, his eyes narrowing. Yes, he muttered,
awed by his discovery. I see what you mean. It's amazing.
It wasn't that way when he died. What do you see,
interrupted DoD. The mouth, said doctor Stockbridge. The corner seemed

(13:56):
to droop more, and the eyelids looked more strained. His
whole face seems to have changed, as though he were dissatisfied.
Prompted DoD as the surgeon hesitated, yes, as though he
were restless and unhappy about something. Ah muttered, DoD. I
noticed that when I first came into the room, and

(14:16):
I've been held by it, doctor Stockbridge, he added, looking
up for the first time. My old friend is restless, dissatisfied.
His spirit is not at peace, and that is why
the bell is ringing. Then you think I am certain?
And I've been standing here wondering what he was distressed about,
what message he was trying to convey. He is trying

(14:38):
to say something to a doctor. He's trying to direct
our attention to something he wants done, and he will
not rest doctor until it is done. I must try
to understand him. I must find out what he wants.
Have you any idea, perhaps, but I'm not sure? He turned.
Shall we go back to the office, he asked. When

(15:00):
they re entered the office, they found a group of
interns and nurses gathered in a corner of the room.
The report of the mysterious calls from Room forty two
had spread throughout the building, and an odd, silent circle
of men and women in hospital uniform were watching the
indicator for the call that was momentarily expected. An intern
came forward as DoD and the surgeon entered. It rang

(15:23):
twice while you were out, he said. And young Carrington
is here in the inner office, he was told. And
when he heard the bell ring and how the number
came up, he fainted. He's lying down and there. Doctor Stockbridge,
followed by DoD, hurried to the inner office. Elsa Lloyd
was bending over a couch on which lay Edward Carrington,
his back to the door. The girl came forward as

(15:44):
the men entered. He's better now, she said. Doctor Stockbridge
approached the couch, caught Carrington's wrist and touched two fingers
to his pulse. The youth did not stir, his arm,
hanging limp in the surgeon's grasp. Doctor Stockbridge looked up
at last and nodded reassuringly to DoD. Then he turned
to the girl. I'll look after him, he said, we

(16:05):
won't need you the girl withdrew Matison. Dodd retired to
the window, and he stood there, his eyes fixed on
the horizon, in deep thought. The surgeon came up to him,
poor fellow, he muttered, I can understand how he'd feel
about it. DoD did not reply. Once more, the bell
in the outer office rang, the indicator clicked. Doctor Stockbridge

(16:26):
turned to observe the effect on the youth. He lay
there very still, as though he had not heard, but
his eyes turned to the wall were wide open. He
seemed too stunned for any sensation. As the moments fled by,
the surgeon grew more and more ill at ease under
the strain of the silence and the unsolved mystery. He
wondered why they were waiting there, inactive, undecided, And yet

(16:50):
when he tried to think what they could do, he
was at a loss. He could not wait there all day, however,
obedient to a vague call and intangible summons from the dead.
If only he could persuade DoD of the absurdity of
the whole situation. But how could he convince DoD when
he was himself so completely at sea? He had never
believed in these things, had always waved aside any testimony

(17:13):
concerning spirits as the invention of gullible minds. Yet here
before him there was evidence that he could not thrust
aside so easily. He paced the room restlessly, finally pausing
beside Carrington's friend. What can we do, he asked, I
am thinking, said DoD quietly, his eyes still on the horizon,
But persisted the surgeon, do you still believe I am

(17:36):
sure that the bell is a summons to someone. If
you do not understand its message, it is because it
is not for you. Perhaps it is not even for me,
for I do not seem to grasp the meaning of it.
But it is calling to someone here or it would
not ring, and that one will understand if he is here.
Still pursued, the surgeon, encouraged, even granting the existence of

(17:58):
a spirit that exist after death, is it conceivable that
a spirit can assert itself in this way? As a
man of science, it seems too fanciful to me, what
replied DoD, can be more fanciful than science itself. It
is dumb before the mysteries which it pretends to understand.
Can you, as a scientist, explain to me why when

(18:20):
a bell is pressed in room forty two a bell
should ring in this room? Electricity began the surgeon. And
what is electricity? Even science does not pretend to know.
Is it not inconceivable that it should be able to
flow through a solid copper wire? And yet it does
man's soul. His spirit is more mysterious than electricity. Why

(18:41):
can it not flow through the ether and create a
disturbance in its environment, released from the body which it inhabited,
Why can it not hover nearby and make its well
known to those it wishes to reach? Schofield, Carrington's body died,
but his spirit, refusing to die unsatisfied, is still alive, restless, insistent,
urging the fulfillment of its desire, that it may be

(19:03):
set at peace, and it will not give up until
it is satisfied. There, he added, as the bell rang,
it is still calling. It will continue until he for
whom it is meant obeys the call. But who is
it for, asked the surgeon weakly. Madison Dodd turned slowly,
but his eyes did not meet the surgeons. They made

(19:24):
a circuit of the room and came to pause on
the figure of young Carrington, who had stirred for the
first time, and was now sitting up, his elbows on
his knees, his face buried in his hands. The surgeon
followed his companion's gaze. It suddenly came to him that
perhaps young Carrington, who had not uttered a word, understood,
for he could see that beneath the surface of his

(19:46):
immobility there was a great struggle going on, that a
difficult resolve was forming. He turned to DoD, expecting some
revelation from him, but the man's face was a mask.
His fingers were twined in the cord hanging from the
window shade, and his eyes were fixed on the youth.
The surgeon observed the youth once more, slowly, Edward Carrington's

(20:07):
hands lowered from his face. Slowly he rose and turned.
His eyes were clear, his features were firm, and he
came forward with decision in his whole bearing. Mister Dodd,
he said, in a low level voice, pausing before his
father's friend, that bell was for me. Doctor Stockbridge's eyes

(20:28):
grew wide with amazement at this simple avowal, but Madison
Dodd's expression did not change well. He prompted calmly, his
fingers still toying with the window shade cord. I've been
fighting it out with myself, said young Carrington all morning,
ever since father. He paused, and his lips were unsteady.
You know how unhappy he was over me my failure

(20:52):
to live up to his name. And he died feeling
that he had failed to redeem me. But all morning
I felt his nearness, and when I came in here
and they told me. When I heard the bell and
saw the call from his room, I knew the call
was for me. I understood what he wanted me to do.
I obey. He came forward a step, and his hand

(21:14):
went to his breast pocket. When it came forth, it
held a long envelope. This is it, he said, handing
the envelope to DoD. It is father's will. It leaves
me without a penny, as he said it would. I
deserved nothing better. The shade flew up with a bang
as Madison. DoD released the cord and extended his hand
for the envelope heavily sealed and addressed to him Slowly.

(21:37):
He put on his gold rimmed pince nez to his nose,
and then he thrust his finger under the flap of
the envelope to tear it open. But he paused and
looked up as he heard a low murmur in the
outer office. Doctor Stockbridge looked up too. Nurses and interns
were whispering excitedly to each other, their eyes on the clock.
The surgeon followed their glance, and then he understood the

(21:59):
meaning of their agitation. The minute hand was pointing to
the half hour. The bell should have rung, as it
had rung every ten minutes all morning with an unfailing precision.
It had not rung. The hushed excitement of the uniformed
men and women grew in intensity as a minute passed,
and still the bell was not heard. Two minutes passed,

(22:21):
three minutes. Doctor Stockbridge turned to Madison Dodd. Carrington's friend
stood near the window, a sheaf of legal papers, evidently
the will in one hand, a typewritten sheet in the other.
He was reading this, and he looked up as the
surgeon came toward him. He waved his arm in the
direction of the outer office. Send them away, doctor, he

(22:42):
said quietly, Carrington's summons has been answered. One by one.
The nurses and interns filed out of the office in
obedience to doctor Stockbridge's gesture of dismissal. When they were gone,
the surgeon returned to the side of Madison DoD. You'll
understand when I read this, said DoD. He adjusted his
glasses and brought the typewritten sheet closer. This is my

(23:04):
last test for Ed, he read. If he gives this
envelope to you, as I instructed him. Then my original
will stands as it is, leaving all to him. When
I gave my boy this envelope, I told him it
contained a new will, disowning him and leaving him without
a penny. If he has enough manhood to give this
to you, then I shall know that he has repented,

(23:25):
and that he is the courage to take his punishment manfully.
In that case, he will prove himself a true Carrington
and will deserve the fortune that comes to him. This
is exactly as we planned it, old friend. My prayer
is that he will make good. My spirit shall not
rest until he does, and I trust that my everlasting
peace will not be disturbed by my boy's craven failure

(23:46):
to deliver this message to you. Schofield Carrington Madison Dodd
looked up his fingers folding the sheet he had just read.
Schofield Carrington's spirit is at peace now, he said, in
a solemn voice. The men's hands met at the door.
It was a silent clasp. Doctor Stockbridge's lips pursed and
his eyes lowered. Mister Dodd. He said, this is the

(24:09):
first experience of the kind I've ever had as a
man of science, My dear doctor broke in his companion.
Science is still in its infancy. Some day it may
be able to explain many things that are still beyond understanding.
He nodded and turned on his heel. There was a
smile on his face. But doctor Stockbridge did not see
this basement, said DoD to the elevator man, as the

(24:33):
car shot downward. Emerging from the cage, DoD hurried down
the dimly lighted corridor. He paused before a door over
which there was a neatly printed sign Electrician. A man
in Overall's rose as DoD entered, touching his cap. Did
I get that shade signal right? He asked, with a smile. Perfectly,
said DoD, drawing a bank note from his wallet and

(24:55):
crushing it into the man's hand. And now you may
rearrange those wires you did splash. Thank you. The man
touched his cap and Madison DoD, nodding, passed out of
the room. End of the Summons by Henry Altemus