I'm E .G. Marshall. Welcome to the terrifying
world of your own imagination. I would like to
offer a few observations on the vagaries of the
animal called man. Take the popular saying, seeing
is believing. What idiot first said that? And
how many idiots have repeated it since? Do you
believe in love? Tell me the color of it. Do
you believe in truth, goodness, mercy? What shapes
do they come in? No, my friends. Seeing is not
believing. Only believing is believing. And we'll
prove it to you in the story that follows. The
longer we're away from this earth, Alice, the
less we rely on our senses. The senses... in
a manner of speaking, start to fade little by
little. They tell me this is quite normal. Actually,
they tell me I'm a bit ahead of the game to be
able to enjoy as much as I do. Charles, when
you say they, they tell you this and they tell
you that, you mean? I mean them, of course. All
those. The ones up there? It isn't up there.
Alice and it isn't down there either well where
is it it's simply there meaning not here I thought
you knew that are there a lot of them of course
there are a lot of them what would you expect
The Ghost at the Gate was written especially
for the Mystery Theatre by Elspeth Eric and stars
Beatrice Strait. I'll be back shortly with Act
One. With how much ease believe we what we wish.
An English playwright named Dryden wrote that
in the year 1679. Brilliant man, Mr. Dryden.
But wait, listen to this. Men freely believe
that which they desire. Someone else seems to
have had the same idea. And he wasn't a 17th
century English playwright. He was a Roman emperor
named Julius Caesar. Proving once again that
no man in any age has a monopoly on wisdom. Now,
let's get on with our story. Come in, Dorothea.
Your chocolate, Mrs. Emory. Oh, good. Shall I
light the fire in the fireplace? Yes, please.
I think it's chilly enough for... Oh, Dorothea.
Ma 'am? You forgot the other cup again. I did?
I told you to always bring two cups. Oh, it seems
so silly. I'll decide what's silly. When I asked
you to drink it... I've explained that to you,
Dorothy, and more than once. I like to drink
two cups of chocolate before retiring. And I
don't like that icky sediment in the bottom of
the cup. Uh, I'll try, Mrs. Emily. Um, now, if
that's all... Or do you want me to go downstairs
and fetch up another cup? Oh, no, no. Go to bed.
Good night, Mrs. Emery. Good night, Dorothea.
All right now, darling. Chocolate's all poured.
Fire's lighted. Charles! Everything's ready.
Now come on, darling, or the chocolate'll get
cold. Don't want any chocolate. Oh, Charles,
you love chocolate. You always love chocolate.
Tastes like mud. But it's very good chocolate.
You know what good chocolate Dorothea makes?
Now come on Charles, don't make me wait. You
want me? Want you? Oh Charles, how can you ever
ask such a thing? Why, I go through the whole
day thinking of you, all afternoon at the community
chest I think about you. Why darling, it's torture
for me listening to those other women whose husbands
are with them in their conventional way. I want
to scream at them, but I have my Charles, you
silly females. Every night he comes to my bedroom
and he's tall and handsome and brilliant and
romantic and adorable and manly and we sit and
talk together and he... All right, Alice. That's
enough. There you are. Oh, Charles. Missed me?
Oh, darling, the days are so terrible. I can't
think of anything but this moment when we're
together. But you know that, my dear, I tell
you every single night. I need to hear it, Alice.
We who have more or less left this world can't
come back unless we are wanted by someone who
is still here. Wanted a lot. Otherwise we can't
make the trip, as it were. We can't even purchase
a ticket, so to speak, unless we have a destination
that is vibrant with love and... Need and desire.
But I love you and I need you. I desire you.
You should know that, Charles. Well, it doesn't
hurt to hear it. Here's your chocolate. Try it.
I don't want it. Oh, Charles. The longer we're
away from this Earth, Alice, the less we rely
on our senses. The senses, in a manner of speaking,
start to... to fade. Mashed potatoes begin to
taste like cold cream. Coffee tastes like iodine,
and this chocolate tastes like mud. They tell
me this is quite normal. Charles, when you say
they, they tell you this and they tell you that,
you mean... I mean them, of course. All those.
The ones up there? It isn't up there, Alice.
And it isn't down there, either. Well, where
is it? It's simply there, meaning not here. Heavens,
I thought you knew that. Are there a lot of...
of them? Of course there are a lot of them. It's
all so vast, so endless, and so damnably peaceful.
I know what it is to be lonely, Charles. This
big house, I couldn't bear to move out of it
after you weren't here all the time. Because
I couldn't leave the place where you and I had
spent so many happy years together. Why don't
you ask someone to move in with you? Move in?
Why, I never thought. Such a large house. You
could have separate quarters. You wouldn't be
forever bumping into each other. But who would
want to move in? Who would I want to move in?
Oh, some old good friend? Well, like who, Charles?
Oh. Someone like Connie, maybe. Connie Lawrence.
Connie Lawrence? Well, I've certainly known her
long enough. We were roommates at school. What
do you think she'd want to? She'll jump at the
chance, would be my guess. She still lives in
that tiny one -room apartment. I know she's saving
for her retirement. And with the pay school teachers
get in this town. Charles? I'll call her tomorrow.
She gets home from school at three. Come in,
doctor. Your breakfast, Mrs. Emery. Thank you.
You don't want two cups in the morning, do you?
Oh, no. No. Coffee doesn't leave that icky stuff
the way chocolate does. Actually, I think I won't
have chocolate at night anymore, Dorothea. I
feel like trying something else. But two cups,
just the same, don't forget. Yes, ma 'am. Don't
go just yet, Dorothea. I want to talk to you
about something. Sit down, won't you? Oh, yes,
ma 'am. Dorothea, do you find the work too hard
in this big house? No, ma 'am. Well, we used
to have a houseman and an upstairs maid and a
cook. Oh, I have no complaints, Mrs. Emery, if
you don't. Oh, I don't? This is the only job
I've ever had. I've worked here for 22 years.
I was so fond of both you and Mr. Emery right
from the start, and I still am of you. And goodness
knows I practically worship this house. It's
so beautiful. I love taking care of it, and I
love living in it. Do you still have that little
room on the third floor in the back? Oh, I love
that little room, Mrs. Emory. I can look out
and see the garden. I was thinking, why couldn't
we give you all the other rooms as well? The
rooms the other servants used to have. All of
them? Well, why couldn't we knock out the partition
between your room and what used to be the cook's
room? I have... I'd have two windows. And make
one of the other rooms into a really big dressing
room. Oh! And maybe put in some kind of a kitchen
for you with a hot plate in the refrigerator.
Oh! Mrs. Emory, I never thought I... I never
imagined in my wildest dreams. No, no. It's all
settled. Oh! I'm going to stay right here in
bed all morning and make plans. I don't know
how to... Thank you, Mrs. Emery. Don't try. It's
my pleasure. I just hope I deserve all the...
Hope. Before I forget, Dorothea. Last night,
while I was drinking your lovely chocolate, an
idea came to me. You and I are raffling around
in this big house. Oh, we certainly are. And
I was wondering, well, how would it be if we
invited Miss Lawrence to stay with us? Miss Constance
Lawrence? Do you remember her? Isn't she the
one who teaches school? Used to come to dinner
once in a while, and after she'd help Mr. Amory
with the double -crossed it? That's Connie. I
thought we could open up the two big rooms on
this floor in the back. In that way, she and
I would have separate quarters and not be, you
know, bumping into each other all the time. Of
course, I imagine she'd expect to take care of
her own room. Oh, I wouldn't mind. Let's do more
rooms. You wouldn't mind cooking for her? What's
one more person to cook for nothing? Well then,
it's all settled. My goodness. The house will
be kind of lively again. Almost like before.
Not quite, of course, but... Well, you know what
I mean. I know what you mean, Dorothea. It will
be more lively. I'm sorry, Goldie. Hello? Connie,
this is Alice Emory. Alice! How are you? Long
time no see. Well, I don't get out a great deal.
Maybe we could have dinner some evening. Would
you like to come here? Well, I thought you might
like to come here. Well, if you'd rather. Heaven
knows your dinners are better than mine. I can't
leave this little place. I can't give up my afternoons.
Why, I couldn't live without my afternoons. I
know this place is small and dark and furniture
is dingy and the bathroom is old fashioned. But
we've never minded, have we dearest? Have we?
I'm moving to Alice's house. I might lose you
forever. You might never come to visit me again
and all my lovely afternoons will be really over.
You're not to worry, Connie. You mean we can
go on as we always have? Only we'll have more
room. Well, if you say so. Trust me, Connie.
Oh, I do trust you, Charlie. There's nothing
like the love of a good woman. Unless it's the
love of two good women. We'll come back in a
bit for act two. Now we come back to our story.
We seem to have uncovered a triangle here. Connie,
Alice, and Charles. as Connie calls him. And
the apex of the triangle is naturally, if you
will pardon my chauvinism, the man. Listen now
to the second act of the ghost at the gate. What
a lovely dinner that was, Alice. Was it, Connie?
It was the wine that made everything taste so
good. What ever gave you the idea of bringing
home a bottle of wine? Alice! It's the first
anniversary of me. moving in here. Don't you
realize? I've been here a month. Well, for heaven's
sake. Why, it seems like a week. Or it seems
like you've always lived here. I don't know which.
It has worked out, hasn't it? Has it ever worked
out? I was so afraid it wouldn't. You know what?
It's meeting just for dinner that's done it.
Leading separate lives except for dinner. Connie,
let's have wine every night. This wine. What
kind is it? I can't quite make out what the label
says. Oh, it's in French. Oh, so never mind.
It's got a picture of a house on it. If it's
French, it's a chateau. I didn't know that. You're
very clever, Alice. Save the label, and I'll
order a case of it. Must be really nice to have
money. I've always found it to be nice. I guess
money is about the nicest thing in the world.
Money isn't. Love is. Oh, yes. First comes love,
friends come second, then money. How about friends
who have money? Oh, Connie, you're very witty
tonight. So are you, Alice. Witty and profound.
Seriously, though, Connie, you have been happy
here, haven't you? Oh, Alice, my beautiful room,
the marvelous food. Having done it for you to
make my bed and clean up, it's heavenly. You're
stuck with me. Oh, I am so glad, Connie. You
can't imagine how glad. Is there any more of
that wine? More than half a bottle. Oh, good.
Let's... Mrs. Emery? What? Oh! Dorothea! What
is it? It's after nine o 'clock, Mrs. Emery.
You don't say. I was wondering, should I bring
your clear consomme upstairs to you? What clear
consomme? Well, Mrs. Emory, we talked about it
last night. Remember when you decided to give
up the chocolate, and then we tried apple juice
and prune juice and lemonade, and last night
you said clear consomme because it has a nice
aroma? I did say that, didn't I? Uh -huh. What
time did you say it was? Quarter past nine. Oh!
My goodness. What's the matter, Alice? Time.
Past my bedtime. You want the consomme? Okay,
heck with the consomme. I'll take the wine. You
don't mind, do you, Connie? Why not, Alice? Well,
let me have your glass, too, all right? Sure,
Alice. I've got my glass, Connie. Forgive me
for eating and running. Alice, it's your house.
I simply didn't realize the time. A quarter past
nine. Heaven! She'd better not drink any more
of that wine. She's not used to it. Neither am
I. Only tonight we were celebrating my being
here a month. Why did you want two glasses, Dorothea?
Oh, she always wants two. Two cups, two bowls,
two glasses. One of her little ways. But tonight
she took my glass. Do you suppose she wants me
to join her? I wouldn't know, Miss Lawrence.
Maybe. Maybe she's always expected me to join
her after dinner, only she didn't want to suggest
it. When I moved in here we agreed that we'd
lead absolutely independent lives not getting
each other's way We've been very careful about
that going to our separate rooms after dinner
Maybe all this time she was hoping I'd stop by
her room on my way to my room And I never noticed
Dorothy. Yeah, that must be it. I wouldn't really
know I never guessed Oh self -centered. I wasn't
sensitive. I'll never forgive myself I'm going
up there right now and apologize. Can I clear
the table now? Do whatever you like. She's got
to forgive me. That's all there is to it. Dear,
sweet, generous Alice. She'll understand. She'll
know I didn't mean to hurt her feelings. Alice?
May I come in? Come on, darling. Have some wine.
Alice? Connie and I had it for dinner. We just
loved it. Try it, Charles. Charles? Not at all
bad. Nice bouquet. Charlie! Charlie! Where did
you come from, Connie? You never told me. What
did you think of Charlie's explanation? I've
heard it all before. How he needs lots of love
to make the trip from there to here. He always
needed a lot of love, even when he was just here.
Well, he got a lot. Did he really spend all those
afternoons with you? I mean, before he left here
and went there? Five afternoons a week. Alice,
do you hate me? I should. I know, but do you?
I guess I do when it comes right down to it.
I'll move out. I'll move back to my one room.
But I don't want you to move out. Oh, we were
having such a good time. Remember how we were
laughing and carrying on at dinner? I haven't
laughed like that in years and years. Could have
been the wine. There's half a bottle left. Should
we? Let's. You don't think we'll turn into a
couple of alcoholics, do you? Not on half a bottle
of wine. Like white wine. Well? Here's to...
To what? Here's to Charles. To Charlie. I feel
as if I've just buried him. Said goodbye forever.
Did he really come to see you five afternoons
a week, Connie? At three o 'clock. You see, my
school and his bank let out at the same time.
It was practically inevitable. Charlie was a
no good man. He still is. Only now he's a...
a no good ghost. Oh, Alice. There's enough wine
left for a glass apiece. Fill her up. Hold out
your glass. All that bluff about needing to be
loved and wanted or he couldn't make the trip.
Remember what we were saying at dinner, Connie,
about love being the most important thing? I've
always believed that. And friends being the second
most important thing? Especially friends like
you, Alice. And like you, Connie. I feel closer
to you right now than I've ever felt to anybody.
My mother, my father, my canary. We've been through
a lot, Connie. Just in the last half hour. And
yet we're still friends. Isn't that amazing?
Truly remarkable. It must mean something. Something
very profound. Like what? Like, well, like there
are times in a person's life when love isn't
the most important thing. Friends are. Friends?
Yes. Stupid ghost. Silly, pompous ghost. You
believe in ghosts? Say no. Neither do I. Never
have. Except Charlie, of course. Why should Charlie
be an exception? He is for you too, Alice. You
know he is. Tell me something. Why do you believe
in him? Because... Why? I want to. That's why
I believe in him too. Is that wrong? Not wrong,
but you've got to stop, and I've got to stop.
We can't have him visiting you in the back of
the house from three to six, and then coming
to see me in the front of the house from nine
to twelve. Now that we know... It wouldn't be
nice. Well, we couldn't be friends anymore. Oh,
Alice. But if we don't believe in him, if we
don't, well, don't desire him, then he'll have
to go back there and stay there. He won't be
able to come here anymore. He can't make the
trip! Connie, can you do it? Stop warning him?
Yes. Of course I can. Why I'm having a wonderful
time. I don't need him Neither do I will be better
off without him We'll be free Connie liberated
women Let's drink to that right you are bottoms
up What courage lies in the bottom of a glass
courage for the shy the lonely, the frightened,
the frustrated, and for the two elderly ladies
determined to forget a ghost. We'll return shortly
with Act 3. Alice and Connie are bravely resolved
to forget the man. both had loved so long. But
what of him? Poor lonely unloved ghost, doomed
to live on forever in the there, banished forever
from the here. What of him? I'm here, Charlie,
but you're not. I am so. I don't believe in you
anymore. You do too. And I don't love you or
want you, so there. Connie, you're being very
cruel. I expect I am. If you don't believe me,
why are you talking to me? Don't try to confuse
things, Charlie. Answer my question. Why are
you talking to me if you... You don't believe
in me. Goldie, tell that ghost to go away. How
did it go today, Connie? Oh, he was around. I
could hear him. What did he want? The usual.
Be loved, be wanted. I told him no more of that.
You had a conversation with him? Not much of
a one. You haven't stopped believing. Have you
stopped, Alice? I think so. You haven't. If you'd
stopped, you wouldn't say, I think so. You'd
know. Oh, Connie, how can I know? Mrs. Emery?
What is it, Darthia? Do you want Cleopatra to
be in your room tonight or what? Nothing. Not
anything? Not a thing. Oh, well, all right. I
had it already, but... That ought to show him,
don't you think, Connie? A blessed thing, Charles.
Ah, you spoke. I didn't mean to. But you did.
How beautiful to hear your voice. Don't tell
me that old malarkey, Charles. Malarkey? I never
thought I'd hear my wife use a word like that.
I'm not your wife. I'm your widow. And I'm using
a lot of words I never used before. Alice, say
you love me still. I can't make the... trip unless
you love me I loved you for 35 years Alice I'm
facing eternity what's 35 years maybe not much
there where you are but it's a long time here
now I'm going to turn off the light and go to
sleep I was talking to him before I could stop
myself the same with me But he couldn't complete
the trip because I wouldn't say I loved him.
Same here. And I really don't think I do love
him, Connie. I think I just got into the habit.
Me too. What does he want to hang around for?
Can't imagine. Must be so beautiful there where
he is. Why should he want to come here? He says
it's very peaceful there. Sounds heavenly. Not
much like here, Alice. That's why he keeps coming
back. He can't stand the peacefulness. He isn't
having any fun. I bet you're right. No worries,
no troubles, no arguments, no problems. He can't
stand it. That's the way he was when he was here.
That's why he took up with me. Why else would
he want to have a clandestine affair in the afternoon
with a middle -aged schoolteacher when he had
a wonderful wife like you? He was bored. He wanted
a little excitement. He still wants it. Funny.
I always thought people change when they left
this terrible world. I guess they don't. I hope
I change. I'd hate to go on the same way for...
for eternity. Being petty and jealous and suspicious.
Oh, no. Well, how can it be so peaceful there
if everyone's the same as they were here? Maybe.
Maybe the others don't stay the same. Maybe they
accept all that eternal peace and enjoy it. In
the meantime, Connie. While we're still here,
we have a problem that must be dealt with. Let's
face it, neither of us has stopped believing
in Charles completely. Alice, I don't know if
I'll ever be able to stop completely. Maybe there'll
always be some little corner of my mind that
goes on believing that Charlie is here. It's
the same with me. And as long as we both have
that last little shred of belief, he will be
here. Wandering around the house making bleating
noises. But we won't answer it. We've got to
be strong. Use their measures. Like what? Like...
Like rejecting him. Utterly. How do we do that?
I have two rooms in the front of the house. Two
big rooms with a big bath between. Would you
consider taking one of them? Why, I... That would
be... What I call rejecting him utterly. He'd
never try to visit one of us if the other one
was there. Could I bring Goldie? Of course you
can bring Goldie. I'll get a canary, too, of
the opposite sex. You'll hear some real singing
then, all right. Let's skip the set. Let's go
upstairs now and look at the room and you can
decide what furniture you want to keep and which
you want to get rid of. It's all terribly exciting.
Oh, Alice, I don't want to be dead for a long
time. between the windows and the chair here.
We take out the love seat. And that'll leave
room for the bed. What do you think, Connie?
I think it's perfect. Now, what color do you
want the walls painted? Uh, blue. Blue? Really?
I thought with your dark hair you'd have wanted
pink or yellow. Ooh, such a nice background for
Goldie. I'll tell you a secret, Alice. My hair
is dyed this color. Alice? Alice? Listen to him.
He sounds miserable. I expect he is. You really
dye your hair, Connie? Do it myself. Want me
to? I'll show you how. I wonder why I ever let
myself go gray. You look lovely. Sort of a pale
ash blonde. Pale ash blonde? I like the sound
of that. Connie? Connie? Where are you, my darling?
Poor old thing. Don't you give in! Oh, I won't!
I won't! Be strong! Oh, I will! I swear! Connie!
Now, you said blue for the walls. Now, what shade
of blue? Act marine, turquoise, robin's egg?
Turquoise. Good. And we'll put white criss -cross
curtains at the windows. With turquoise tie -backs!
You're right! And we'll get a turquoise and white
spread for the bed. Beautiful. Could I possibly
have a white rug? A what? Shag rug. Why not?
Alice. Connie. Connie. Do you mean to sit there
and tell me you didn't even take one peek at
your new room? I wanted to wait until you got
home from community chess. Well, right after
dinner, we'll look at it together. What if the
color is wrong? The painter showed me a sample.
Pure tech -wise. We'll eat fast. I can't wait
to see it. Dorothy had the bed moved in. Oh,
Connie. I hope we'll get along as well as we've
been getting along after you move in. We will.
We will. And Charlie will go back there and settle
down. He'll be much better off. He'll thank us.
If I know Charles, he won't. Well, if you don't
know him, I don't know who does. Unless it's
you. You know you're right there. Connie, I have
a thought. What if I went to the community chest
in the morning instead of the afternoon? That
way, when you get through school, we could do
things like go to the movies. and you know what
else weekends we could take a train into the
city and see a play or a concert or go to a museum
all those things I've been wanting to do only
I didn't want to do them alone do you know what
else you mean there's more well you have that
two months off in the summer we could go to Europe
Europe I'll pay of course I don't argue I'm your
rich friend, so I'll pay. Alice, say it again.
We're doing the right thing by Charlie, aren't
we? Charles must stop being a ghost and settle
down. And be happy. He will be happy, won't he?
Charles will be happy there in whatever way they
are happy there. Just as we will be happy here.
I dare say the ways are different, but to each
his own. Isn't that the expression? Oh, Alice,
you do have a way of making everything sound
simple. It is simple. If you stare the facts
in the face and don't waver. I hope we're not
being selfish. We're being realistic, that's
all. Sometimes realistic and selfish look like
the same thing, but they're not. Finished your
coffee? Uh -huh. Then guess what we're going
to do? Go look at my new room. Yes, only wait
a minute. Dorothea, I simply can't wait to see
it. Yes, Mrs. Emery. You know that case of French
wine I ordered. Did it come? The one with the
picture of the chateau on the label. It came
last week. Well, will you uncork a bottle and
bring it upstairs to my suite? To our suite.
Oh, Alice. And two glasses. Yes, Mrs. Emery.
Connie. You and I are going to drink to a brand
new life. Three new lives. Yours, mine, and his.
Come along. Come in, Dorothea. Oh, good, the
wine's arrived. Just set it down here, Dorothea.
Yes, ma 'am. Dorothy and Miss Lawrence and I
have decided to go to Europe for two months this
summer. Oh? So you'll have a good long vacation
instead of your usual two weeks. Full salary,
of course. You're free to go where you like or
you can stay here. Oh, thank you, Mrs. Henry.
I don't know where I'd go exactly. Well, suit
yourself. Pour the wine, Connie. We'll, uh...
That be all for this evening? That'll be all.
Then I'll say good night to you both. Good night.
Sleep well, Dorothea. Thank you. Two whole months.
They'll be gone two whole months. What'll I do
with myself? Dorothea? Where would I go? Dorothea?
What would I do if I stayed here in an empty
house? Dorothea, can't you hear me? I'd be all
by myself. No, you wouldn't. No, you wouldn't.
If there was just somebody... There he is. There
he is. If you'd only listen. Somebody like...
like him. There is me, Dorothea. Oh, Dorothea,
hear me. But he's gone. Believe in me. Never
to return. Love me. Want me. And I loved him
so. Dorothea, listen. And I still do. Oh, I love
him still. Dorothea, look at me. I've never forgotten
you. Really? I... Well, I know it was just that
one weekend when Mrs. Emory went to her 25th
college reunion, but I've never forgotten. That
was quite some time ago. I was younger then,
of course. You haven't changed, Dorothea. Not
an eye older. That weekend you came up to my
room on the third floor, don't you remember?
Connie and Alice with their new hairdos and their
new pants suits. Good luck to them all. Good
luck to all of us. It's what we need the most.
I'll be back shortly. I hope you enjoyed our
little ghost story. It wasn't meant to be taken
too... His wife isn't meant to be taken too seriously.
Or, for that matter, death. Don't you agree?
Our cast included Beatrice Strait, Paula Truman,
Joan Loring, and John Barragrave. The entire
production was under the direction of Hyman Brown.
And now, a preview of our next take. But he'll
emerge unharmed when the flames die down. It's
a miracle, Casey. It's impressive. But I don't
believe in miracles. This is E .G. Marshall inviting
you to return to our mystery theater for another
adventure in the macabre. Until next time.