WEBVTT 00:00:18.659 --> 00:00:25.760 Come in. Welcome. I'm E .G. Marshall. Welcome 00:00:25.760 --> 00:00:30.500 to the world of eerie imagination. The fear you 00:00:30.500 --> 00:00:37.009 can hear. Vendetta the very word itself invokes 00:00:37.009 --> 00:00:41.590 dread and strikes a mood of brooding terror But 00:00:41.590 --> 00:00:44.729 to live on the island of Corsica home of the 00:00:44.729 --> 00:00:48.689 vendetta is to be steeped in the tradition of 00:00:48.689 --> 00:00:51.729 violent massacres and the fatalistic expectation 00:00:51.729 --> 00:00:56.149 of ferocious vengeance as a way of life At least 00:00:56.149 --> 00:00:58.850 it would have been so just a hundred years ago 00:00:58.850 --> 00:01:03.039 when these famous words were first written It 00:01:03.039 --> 00:01:08.760 was a hand, a man's hand. Not a skeleton hand, 00:01:08.760 --> 00:01:13.659 all bright and clean, but a hand black and desiccated, 00:01:14.319 --> 00:01:18.519 with the yellow nails, the naked muscles, and 00:01:18.519 --> 00:01:20.780 traces of blood upon the bones at the point where 00:01:20.780 --> 00:01:22.599 they had been severed as with the blow of an 00:01:22.599 --> 00:01:26.239 axe about the middle of the forearm. The fingers, 00:01:27.299 --> 00:01:30.799 extraordinarily long, were attached to enormous 00:01:30.799 --> 00:01:33.819 tendons. still held in their places here and 00:01:33.819 --> 00:01:38.939 there by strips of skin. That hand was something 00:01:38.939 --> 00:01:42.900 hideous. It made one think involuntarily of savage 00:01:42.900 --> 00:01:47.099 vengeance. And in spite of the putrescent look 00:01:47.099 --> 00:01:51.560 of death and dissolution, it seemed to have a 00:01:51.560 --> 00:02:05.359 life of its own. mystery drama, The Hand, was 00:02:05.359 --> 00:02:08.360 especially adapted from the Guy de Mocasson classic 00:02:08.360 --> 00:02:12.199 for the mystery theater by Ian Martin and stars 00:02:12.199 --> 00:02:15.680 Alexander Scourby. I'll be back shortly with 00:02:15.680 --> 00:02:26.539 Act One. At the time of the bizarre and terrifying 00:02:26.539 --> 00:02:30.960 affair of The Hand, Ari Donne, was a police magistrate 00:02:30.960 --> 00:02:34.560 in Ayacho, a charming little white city nestled 00:02:34.560 --> 00:02:38.020 on the edge of a beautiful gulf shut in by lofty 00:02:38.020 --> 00:02:41.719 mountains. Most of the cases he had to investigate 00:02:41.719 --> 00:02:46.479 or prosecute there were cases of vendetta, but 00:02:46.479 --> 00:02:51.099 these were Corsican against Corsican. This affair 00:02:51.099 --> 00:02:56.840 of the hand was alien against what? Something 00:02:56.840 --> 00:03:01.900 far more alien. Perhaps supernatural. That was 00:03:01.900 --> 00:03:05.120 not until later, of course. For now, the only 00:03:05.120 --> 00:03:08.379 alien presence was a neighbor of Henri's, a Sir 00:03:08.379 --> 00:03:11.479 John Rowell, lately come to the island to settle 00:03:11.479 --> 00:03:14.780 down, and an object of great speculation among 00:03:14.780 --> 00:03:20.159 the native population. Well, there goes my new 00:03:20.159 --> 00:03:23.340 neighbor again. Does he go hunting at twilight? 00:03:23.620 --> 00:03:26.379 No bit now. At least there's a magistrate, I 00:03:26.379 --> 00:03:28.479 hope not. Well, what's he shooting at, then? 00:03:28.680 --> 00:03:30.919 I don't know, Marguerite. We have no sharks. 00:03:31.479 --> 00:03:33.919 The wolves and other predators stay in the mountains, 00:03:34.159 --> 00:03:37.039 and he's not been here long enough to start a 00:03:37.039 --> 00:03:41.020 vendetta. Oh, I am not sure I'll listen to that. 00:03:41.479 --> 00:03:44.659 Oh, no call for alarm, Doctor. I'm quite sure 00:03:44.659 --> 00:03:47.219 your services will not be needed. It is the same 00:03:47.219 --> 00:03:49.580 pattern night and morning. Well, or even what 00:03:49.580 --> 00:03:52.759 is he shooting at? A target, I suppose. He's 00:03:52.759 --> 00:03:56.259 keeping his eye sharp. But for what? Ah, now, 00:03:56.280 --> 00:04:00.319 that is the question. Have you seen him? He is 00:04:00.319 --> 00:04:03.960 immense and very powerful. And he doesn't encourage 00:04:03.960 --> 00:04:06.960 visitors. He has two huge Alsatian hounds that 00:04:06.960 --> 00:04:09.599 look ready for the kill at a word. You, our chief 00:04:09.599 --> 00:04:11.819 magistrate, are in a far better position to judge 00:04:11.819 --> 00:04:15.219 him than any ori. What do you make of him? I 00:04:15.219 --> 00:04:18.699 don't know. His papers are in order. I have no 00:04:18.699 --> 00:04:20.639 reason to have any professional interest in him. 00:04:20.879 --> 00:04:23.100 Well, has he no one to share his loneliness? 00:04:23.579 --> 00:04:25.899 He has a manservant he brought with him from 00:04:25.899 --> 00:04:30.600 Marseille. No one else? There was a woman listed 00:04:30.600 --> 00:04:34.199 on the ship's manifest as his wife. Oh, his wife. 00:04:34.600 --> 00:04:38.079 Well, I never knew. Well then, but no one seems 00:04:38.079 --> 00:04:40.759 to know that. In the months he's been here, no 00:04:40.759 --> 00:04:43.800 one has seen hide nor hair of her. I've watched 00:04:43.800 --> 00:04:46.060 these evenings myself, and I've never seen her 00:04:46.060 --> 00:04:49.639 move from the house. If, indeed, she is inside 00:04:49.639 --> 00:04:53.199 it. So you see, Marguerite, very soon, both as 00:04:53.199 --> 00:04:55.920 friend and policeman, I'm going to have to satisfy 00:04:55.920 --> 00:05:00.240 your curiosity and my own about the mysterious 00:05:00.240 --> 00:05:06.560 Sir John Rowell. For a while, however, I had 00:05:06.560 --> 00:05:09.000 to content myself with having a close watch set 00:05:09.000 --> 00:05:11.740 over the man. None of my people could find anything 00:05:11.740 --> 00:05:13.860 suspicious enough in his actions for us to make 00:05:13.860 --> 00:05:17.779 any move. But as the strange rumors about him 00:05:17.779 --> 00:05:21.100 continued and increased, I resolved to see the 00:05:21.100 --> 00:05:24.680 stranger face to face for myself. I made a point 00:05:24.680 --> 00:05:26.399 of going hunting every day in the neighborhood 00:05:26.399 --> 00:05:29.800 of his place. It took me a little while, but 00:05:29.800 --> 00:05:34.600 at last, one day... So, Biafra, now hold the 00:05:34.600 --> 00:05:40.740 point. You flushed him out! right under the Englishman's 00:05:40.740 --> 00:05:45.839 nose. Go fetch him, Fernand. Fernand! Hold! Hold 00:05:45.839 --> 00:05:49.360 him! Whiskey! Down, boy! Down! That's it! Good 00:05:49.360 --> 00:05:52.579 dog! Hold! Here, Whiskey, here! My apologies, 00:05:52.800 --> 00:05:55.279 sir. You a bird, I believe? No, no, not at all. 00:05:55.339 --> 00:05:57.319 I shot him right from under you. Sorry. I didn't 00:05:57.319 --> 00:06:01.439 know you were there. Nor are you. Allow me. I'm 00:06:01.439 --> 00:06:03.899 John Ruhl. Yes, I know, Sir John. I am your neighbor, 00:06:04.199 --> 00:06:06.660 up there on the hill. Henri Donne. Pleasure. 00:06:07.550 --> 00:06:11.089 Damn fine shot. Sir John, will you accept the 00:06:11.089 --> 00:06:13.769 game as an apology for shooting over your field? 00:06:14.350 --> 00:06:17.949 That's very generous. I'll accept on one condition. 00:06:18.069 --> 00:06:20.350 What's that, Sir John? That you let me return 00:06:20.350 --> 00:06:22.870 the compliment and ask you to join me in a glass 00:06:22.870 --> 00:06:26.009 of ale. Good. I will be only too glad to accept. 00:06:32.360 --> 00:06:34.939 It was less the heat of the day than my professional 00:06:34.939 --> 00:06:37.079 interest that prompted me to accept the invitation 00:06:37.079 --> 00:06:39.279 from the tall man with a red hair and beard, 00:06:39.779 --> 00:06:44.420 very tall indeed, and also very broad, a sort 00:06:44.420 --> 00:06:49.199 of placid and polite Hercules. I was most anxious 00:06:49.199 --> 00:06:52.139 to be able to question him about his life and 00:06:52.139 --> 00:06:56.339 his projects. Joseph, out here on the veranda. 00:06:56.819 --> 00:06:58.579 Change your mind and have something stronger? 00:06:58.779 --> 00:07:01.970 No, no, no, no. Ale will be perfect. Are you 00:07:01.970 --> 00:07:04.629 called for John? Yes, two glasses of ale for 00:07:04.629 --> 00:07:07.589 Mr. Donne and myself. There you are, sir. And 00:07:07.589 --> 00:07:09.930 bring a cut of Stilton and some water biscuits. 00:07:10.589 --> 00:07:13.350 You like our English cheeses? Oh, yes, I do. 00:07:15.029 --> 00:07:17.689 We are quite insular enough here on Corsica. 00:07:18.389 --> 00:07:20.709 It's a rare pleasure to indulge in a foreign 00:07:20.709 --> 00:07:25.709 taste. I know what you mean. Still, I can't feel 00:07:25.709 --> 00:07:28.680 that Corsica, or for that matter... Anything 00:07:28.680 --> 00:07:32.579 French is any way foreign to me. Now, Joseph, 00:07:32.980 --> 00:07:35.560 splendid. Thank you. Put the tray on the table 00:07:35.560 --> 00:07:38.779 here. Yes, sir. You can loose the dogs again. 00:07:39.339 --> 00:07:42.319 We'll be quite safe while I'm with M. Donné. 00:07:42.699 --> 00:07:45.160 Very well, sir. Oh, those are the big Alsatians 00:07:45.160 --> 00:07:47.300 I see occasionally, huh? Mm, two of them. Yes, 00:07:47.300 --> 00:07:50.879 yes. They look quite savage and fierce. Do you 00:07:50.879 --> 00:07:53.339 think perhaps my dog will... Oh, have no fear. 00:07:53.990 --> 00:07:56.589 Castor and Pollocks are as docile as kittens, 00:07:56.910 --> 00:07:59.810 where other animals are concerned. They're trained 00:07:59.810 --> 00:08:03.410 as man killers. And then, only at my command. 00:08:04.509 --> 00:08:10.990 Your health, Mr. Dornay. To yours. Delicious. 00:08:11.509 --> 00:08:15.910 So refreshing. As the view of the sun setting 00:08:15.910 --> 00:08:20.959 across that blue Mediterranean water. Does Madame 00:08:20.959 --> 00:08:23.759 Royal also share your enthusiasm for your adopted 00:08:23.759 --> 00:08:29.660 island? Lady Royal is an invalid. I hope to nurse 00:08:29.660 --> 00:08:32.500 her back to health here. Oh, if I could suggest 00:08:32.500 --> 00:08:35.179 the offices of my good friend Dr. Forrest Giv... 00:08:35.179 --> 00:08:37.879 A doctor should be needed. Oh, forgive me. I 00:08:37.879 --> 00:08:39.519 had no desire to pry... There's nothing to pry 00:08:39.519 --> 00:08:45.289 into. Natural curiosity. I must admit... I do 00:08:45.289 --> 00:08:48.470 find it hard to cast you in the category of a 00:08:48.470 --> 00:08:51.929 recluse. Oh, yes. I've traveled a great deal. 00:08:52.549 --> 00:08:57.230 Africa, India, even America. And as for adventures, 00:08:57.570 --> 00:09:00.509 yes, I've had plenty of adventures. Oh, yes. 00:09:00.590 --> 00:09:04.090 Big game hunting, huh? What? Oh, of course. I've 00:09:04.090 --> 00:09:07.690 hunted them all. Tiger, elephant, rhinoceros, 00:09:07.990 --> 00:09:11.769 gorilla. The name's a legion. Oh, all very dangerous 00:09:11.769 --> 00:09:16.049 animals. Terribly so. Not really. When you compare 00:09:16.049 --> 00:09:21.970 them to the worst of all. What? What else, Monsieur 00:09:21.970 --> 00:09:25.590 Dunnay? In your profession, you must know him 00:09:25.590 --> 00:09:35.929 too. Man. Man himself. What on earth? Let her 00:09:35.929 --> 00:09:39.950 go! Forgive me! I followed Sir John down the 00:09:39.950 --> 00:09:42.049 front steps of the veranda as he took them two 00:09:42.049 --> 00:09:44.070 at a time and disappeared around the corner of 00:09:44.070 --> 00:09:46.029 the house. I would have followed him further, 00:09:46.129 --> 00:09:49.789 except his chance had it. I turned my ankle quite 00:09:49.789 --> 00:09:52.190 severely on a loose stone after the bottom step. 00:09:53.090 --> 00:09:56.129 Stopping in momentary pain, the yelp and snarl 00:09:56.129 --> 00:09:59.669 of the dog suddenly quieted. I was conscious 00:09:59.669 --> 00:10:03.870 of the squeak of the front door of the house. 00:10:05.799 --> 00:10:09.460 Arrested, I looked up to see, framed in the doorway, 00:10:10.940 --> 00:10:14.179 a tall, emaciated woman with great bruised half 00:10:14.179 --> 00:10:17.399 -circles underlining her eyes that stared with 00:10:17.399 --> 00:10:21.200 a feverish gleam. She wore a long, loose, trailing 00:10:21.200 --> 00:10:24.500 peignoir, and with one hand she beckoned towards 00:10:24.500 --> 00:10:26.559 me by clutching something in the other close 00:10:26.559 --> 00:10:29.580 beneath her breast. Painfully, I looked back 00:10:29.580 --> 00:10:42.049 up the steps. Lady Rose? Whoever I am, this side 00:10:42.049 --> 00:10:48.049 of the grave helped me. But how? By sending this 00:10:48.049 --> 00:10:52.590 letter. Both days. Oh, please. Please, I beg 00:10:52.590 --> 00:10:57.590 of you, on all our lives, don't. Don't tell such 00:10:57.590 --> 00:11:01.110 a... I'm afraid my doubt... Please, don't refuse 00:11:01.110 --> 00:11:26.090 me. You're my last... in my hand was real enough. 00:11:27.169 --> 00:11:28.710 Before I had time to read the person to whom 00:11:28.710 --> 00:11:30.870 it was addressed, I found myself involuntarily 00:11:30.870 --> 00:11:33.669 concealing it in my pocket before Sir John returned 00:11:33.669 --> 00:11:37.029 and could see it. Nor could I stop to ponder 00:11:37.029 --> 00:11:40.149 why my impulse had been to accept the lady's 00:11:40.149 --> 00:11:44.129 part rather than that of my charming and seemingly 00:11:44.129 --> 00:11:48.490 outgoing host. Why I chose to conceal its existence 00:11:48.490 --> 00:11:51.990 rather than reveal it. My dear Monsieur Dornet, 00:11:52.129 --> 00:11:55.029 pray forgive me. I'm most sorry we had to be 00:11:55.029 --> 00:11:56.289 interrupted. Oh, forgive me for not following 00:11:56.289 --> 00:11:59.149 you, but I turned my ankle. What happened? The 00:11:59.149 --> 00:12:03.070 curse of trying to maintain privacy. The curiosity 00:12:03.070 --> 00:12:05.929 seeker. A farmer from back in the hills named 00:12:05.929 --> 00:12:09.350 Deschamps, who passes by here on his daily route, 00:12:09.789 --> 00:12:12.490 for some unearthly reason came skulking round 00:12:12.490 --> 00:12:14.950 the back of the house and was cornered by the 00:12:14.950 --> 00:12:17.289 dogs. But what would you have expected to find 00:12:17.289 --> 00:12:20.779 here? Heaven knows! I've no secrets worth anyone's 00:12:20.779 --> 00:12:25.519 concern but my own, as I hope you believe. Or 00:12:25.519 --> 00:12:28.899 is your presence here today more than just a 00:12:28.899 --> 00:12:32.139 seeming accident? Are you concealing something 00:12:32.139 --> 00:12:37.879 from me, sir? For the first time, I was aware 00:12:37.879 --> 00:12:40.759 that he wore about his loins an American -style 00:12:40.759 --> 00:12:44.220 gun belt, and that low on each hip, concealed 00:12:44.220 --> 00:12:47.240 by the flare of his coattails, were two matched... 00:12:47.279 --> 00:12:50.840 pistols with mother of pearl handles, on one 00:12:50.840 --> 00:12:55.460 of which his right hand rested lightly. The letter 00:12:55.460 --> 00:12:57.340 in my pocket seemed to burn through the lining 00:12:57.340 --> 00:12:59.399 as I tried to judge whether it caressed that 00:12:59.399 --> 00:13:10.100 handle by accident or design. These were only 00:13:10.100 --> 00:13:14.019 the hands of Sir John, neither of which is the 00:13:14.019 --> 00:13:17.669 one in the title of our story. To meet that special 00:13:17.669 --> 00:13:21.610 hand you must return with me shortly for act 00:13:21.610 --> 00:13:36.230 two The huge red -haired and bearded Englishmen 00:13:36.230 --> 00:13:40.250 towers over the small dapper Frenchmen They are 00:13:40.250 --> 00:13:43.980 as widely disparate men as you can imagine One 00:13:43.980 --> 00:13:48.059 all muscle and vital force, the other elastic, 00:13:48.500 --> 00:13:51.139 supple, poised always for the counter stroke, 00:13:51.379 --> 00:13:56.940 like a rapier. Antagonists? No, only in a sense. 00:13:57.639 --> 00:14:01.059 But whatever their relationship, mutually admiring 00:14:01.059 --> 00:14:02.960 of each other. Why should you imagine I have 00:14:02.960 --> 00:14:08.000 anything to conceal? Why indeed. Come, let's 00:14:08.000 --> 00:14:10.399 go inside. I'll show you some of the trophies 00:14:10.399 --> 00:14:13.629 of a roving life. You'd be interested. Very, 00:14:13.690 --> 00:14:16.610 of course. Can you stand on your ankle all right? 00:14:16.750 --> 00:14:20.190 Is it sprained? No, no, no. Just a slight twist. 00:14:23.389 --> 00:14:26.710 From the hall, he led me into his parlor, which 00:14:26.710 --> 00:14:29.110 ran the length and breadth of the whole house 00:14:29.110 --> 00:14:33.450 across the back in a great L. His parlor was 00:14:33.450 --> 00:14:37.570 all hung in black. Black silk embroidered in 00:14:37.570 --> 00:14:43.470 gold. The fabric is Japanese work. Yes, but the 00:14:43.470 --> 00:14:47.889 rest is yours. Not the panels. What's mounted 00:14:47.889 --> 00:14:54.230 on them? Tiger, lion, black panther. Those I 00:14:54.230 --> 00:14:58.809 recognize. And elephant tusks, I see. The hippo 00:14:58.809 --> 00:15:01.649 and he and the rhino are a little large for mounting. 00:15:02.529 --> 00:15:04.909 The rhinoceros is the most dangerous of all, 00:15:04.909 --> 00:15:09.330 I suppose. Except, as I told you before. Now, 00:15:09.450 --> 00:15:11.389 you're not honestly going to tell a policeman 00:15:11.389 --> 00:15:15.590 that you are a manhunter. Not within the confines 00:15:15.590 --> 00:15:19.990 of civilization, I hope. But I've done a good 00:15:19.990 --> 00:15:23.070 deal of manhunting, too, in my time as a soldier. 00:15:24.009 --> 00:15:28.049 That's a profession, not a sport. I've saved 00:15:28.049 --> 00:15:31.129 a mount in the center for the ultimate trophy. 00:15:31.889 --> 00:15:35.490 But never had, shall we say, the courage. to 00:15:35.490 --> 00:15:41.990 make the necessary bag to mount it? I was following 00:15:41.990 --> 00:15:45.269 the direction of his gaze to a gapingly empty 00:15:45.269 --> 00:15:48.929 panel in this bizarre and gory collection from 00:15:48.929 --> 00:15:51.669 the hunt. A panel conspicuous from all the others, 00:15:51.870 --> 00:15:55.990 since it was lined in red velvet, as if in expectancy 00:15:55.990 --> 00:16:00.169 of framing the pièce de résistance. What would 00:16:00.169 --> 00:16:04.480 you hope to put there? Once... I would have been 00:16:04.480 --> 00:16:09.779 tempted. Now, nothing. I keep it there to remind 00:16:09.779 --> 00:16:13.320 me that it could be my own head, that poetic 00:16:13.320 --> 00:16:17.220 justice could have easily decided to frame. Oh, 00:16:17.220 --> 00:16:20.139 Gad, it's suddenly getting dark. Yes, and I must 00:16:20.139 --> 00:16:22.100 be off for home. I mustn't hold up your dinner. 00:16:22.200 --> 00:16:24.720 I've enjoyed our meeting thoroughly. Please, 00:16:25.000 --> 00:16:28.120 come again. You're always welcome. I'm not quite 00:16:28.120 --> 00:16:30.279 so sure of your Alsatians. Oh, you need have 00:16:30.279 --> 00:16:33.509 no worry. Now on. They'll treat you as a friend, 00:16:34.049 --> 00:16:44.549 as I hope I can, as I want to be. We shook hands, 00:16:45.009 --> 00:16:49.289 mine disappearing inside his huge one, my conscience 00:16:49.289 --> 00:16:52.789 stinging at me as I fought a battle between Donné 00:16:52.789 --> 00:16:57.649 the man and Donné the policeman. Climbing the 00:16:57.649 --> 00:17:00.429 hill back to my villa with Fernand frisking along 00:17:00.429 --> 00:17:03.759 beside me, I tried to tell myself I was only 00:17:03.759 --> 00:17:07.019 being practical, that I was giving myself time 00:17:07.019 --> 00:17:10.819 to make my decision. A decision that was tipped 00:17:10.819 --> 00:17:14.079 by the testimony I received from Michel Deschamps 00:17:14.079 --> 00:17:16.380 as I questioned him at the barracks the following 00:17:16.380 --> 00:17:21.359 morning. Michel. Why did you go so near to his 00:17:21.359 --> 00:17:25.119 house? Well, everybody is curious about him and... 00:17:25.119 --> 00:17:27.779 Everybody doesn't go near enough to have two 00:17:27.779 --> 00:17:30.920 dogs attack him. Well, everybody does not have 00:17:30.920 --> 00:17:34.000 a milk route which takes him twice a day by the 00:17:34.000 --> 00:17:39.339 Englishman's house to see her. To see her? Well, 00:17:39.779 --> 00:17:44.000 it is a dawn, you know. Just before the sun comes 00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:47.579 up in the half -light and I am passing by in 00:17:47.579 --> 00:17:51.039 my cart. Naturally, I'm looking at the house 00:17:51.039 --> 00:17:53.779 when I pass. Naturally, I would myself. So, you 00:17:53.779 --> 00:17:57.940 see, at that hour, nobody's staring. Even the 00:17:57.940 --> 00:18:02.519 dogs are not yet awake. And then I see by the 00:18:02.519 --> 00:18:08.019 upstairs window a woman. The first few days, 00:18:08.019 --> 00:18:11.759 I'm not sure. I cost myself. She's not some witch 00:18:11.759 --> 00:18:15.779 or somebody who wants to steal my soul. Why would 00:18:15.779 --> 00:18:19.940 she be a witch? Because... At any rate, in that 00:18:19.940 --> 00:18:24.400 light, she looked so. I was afraid to answer. 00:18:24.740 --> 00:18:29.579 To answer what? Her signal to come near to her. 00:18:30.099 --> 00:18:33.119 She kept beckoning as if there was something 00:18:33.119 --> 00:18:37.700 she must ask me to do. Finally, yesterday morning, 00:18:37.839 --> 00:18:41.599 I could stand it no longer. I had to go see what 00:18:41.599 --> 00:18:46.180 she wanted to ask. Was that so wrong? No, of 00:18:46.180 --> 00:18:48.210 course not, Michel. I would have done the same. 00:18:48.450 --> 00:18:52.230 But the dogs stopped you, huh? Yes. In a way, 00:18:52.250 --> 00:18:55.789 I'm sorry. Don't feel that you let her down. 00:18:56.450 --> 00:19:00.869 But from now on, mind your own business. Oh, 00:19:00.950 --> 00:19:04.069 I accept your instruction. I will follow what 00:19:04.069 --> 00:19:06.869 you advocate. What I advocate, by all means. 00:19:07.509 --> 00:19:13.430 Not what I do. I don't understand you. Sometimes, 00:19:14.250 --> 00:19:18.390 even a magistrate has to admit... I do not understand 00:19:18.390 --> 00:19:22.730 myself, but that is not for you to worry about. 00:19:28.490 --> 00:19:30.769 That very morning there was a mail packet sailing, 00:19:31.750 --> 00:19:35.490 and I sent off the letter quickly, almost surreptitiously, 00:19:35.529 --> 00:19:38.089 without looking at the address, except for the 00:19:38.089 --> 00:19:40.789 fact that it was to the United States of America. 00:19:42.250 --> 00:19:46.690 And I forgot it, I imagined, and the months. 00:19:46.680 --> 00:19:54.240 went by. Oh, I do think it's very tedious of 00:19:54.240 --> 00:19:57.019 you, Henri. Madame Forestier. Well, either for 00:19:57.019 --> 00:19:59.720 reasons of your own, you are protecting our most 00:19:59.720 --> 00:20:02.599 famous visitor from the rest of us, or, well, 00:20:03.059 --> 00:20:06.140 he has some hold over you to protect his precious 00:20:06.140 --> 00:20:09.740 privacy. He has no hold over me. Quite the contrary. 00:20:10.660 --> 00:20:13.160 But if he wishes to be private, I would be the 00:20:13.160 --> 00:20:15.559 first to protect his right. Well, on a small 00:20:15.559 --> 00:20:18.259 island like this, Why should he have it any more 00:20:18.259 --> 00:20:21.599 than the rest of us? You say, but if he can, 00:20:21.859 --> 00:20:25.079 why shouldn't he? Oh, you know I don't know how 00:20:25.079 --> 00:20:28.579 to answer that. All I want to know is, do I have 00:20:28.579 --> 00:20:31.319 any hope that they might attend my garden set 00:20:31.319 --> 00:20:35.839 next month? They? Well, there is a Madame Rowell. 00:20:36.660 --> 00:20:41.839 Yes, but she is... sickly. Ah, well, is there 00:20:41.839 --> 00:20:44.460 some hope that at least Sir John might be cooked 00:20:44.460 --> 00:20:46.579 to appear? I have no reason to suppose that he 00:20:46.579 --> 00:20:49.460 would refuse. Now, Lady Rowell, I would find 00:20:49.460 --> 00:20:52.180 it hard to answer for. Well then, all I want 00:20:52.180 --> 00:20:55.920 for you is to issue the invitation. Please, may 00:20:55.920 --> 00:21:00.400 I count on you for that? I could eat. We're all 00:21:00.400 --> 00:21:09.019 old friends. Eat, you ask. I had my doubts about 00:21:09.019 --> 00:21:11.559 Sir John, and more particularly his lady, attending 00:21:11.559 --> 00:21:15.599 any local garden fete. But I could scarcely in 00:21:15.599 --> 00:21:21.480 my wildest imaginings have foreseen how extravagantly 00:21:21.480 --> 00:21:27.019 and tragically it would be impossible. As I approached 00:21:27.019 --> 00:21:29.039 the house in the hollow below me, I was in a 00:21:29.039 --> 00:21:31.519 first -class mood because in addition to a packet 00:21:31.519 --> 00:21:34.349 from the mail ship for my host, I also bought 00:21:34.349 --> 00:21:36.450 a bottle of sherry to share with him that, in 00:21:36.450 --> 00:21:39.910 my opinion, was one of a kind. He met me at the 00:21:39.910 --> 00:21:43.690 veranda. Well, this is an unexpected pleasure. 00:21:43.829 --> 00:21:46.410 We had a mail ship in today. I brought you a 00:21:46.410 --> 00:21:50.589 parcel. Me? Yes. And I thought I'd outstrip the 00:21:50.589 --> 00:21:55.990 mail. Vain hope. A parcel, you say? This. Thought 00:21:55.990 --> 00:22:00.450 on earth. It might be a gun from its shape, but 00:22:00.450 --> 00:22:03.660 it scarcely weighs enough. Shall we go to the 00:22:03.660 --> 00:22:11.500 parlor while I open my surprise parcel? As we 00:22:11.500 --> 00:22:14.599 moved into that parlor, I was super conscious 00:22:14.599 --> 00:22:17.279 of my host's reaction to the parcel he bore in 00:22:17.279 --> 00:22:20.599 his hands. Although there was no superscription 00:22:20.599 --> 00:22:24.039 from the sender, I had an infallible feeling 00:22:24.039 --> 00:22:28.279 that he sensed exactly where it had come from. 00:22:29.180 --> 00:22:32.539 That somehow... I was accidentally part of a 00:22:32.539 --> 00:22:35.759 climax in the life of this strange and vital 00:22:35.759 --> 00:22:40.779 man. We've talked about my trophies, Monsieur 00:22:40.779 --> 00:22:44.980 Doney. Yes. The ones I've mounted, the others 00:22:44.980 --> 00:22:48.279 too clumsy and large to render that way. Yes. 00:22:49.160 --> 00:22:53.500 And the third and different class, so far I've 00:22:53.500 --> 00:22:56.660 had no right, no courage to mount. What are you 00:22:56.660 --> 00:23:00.190 saying, Sir John? There is no reason for my receiving 00:23:00.190 --> 00:23:04.769 this parcel that I can conceive except one That 00:23:04.769 --> 00:23:08.730 I found no refuge here. I've been betrayed Only 00:23:08.730 --> 00:23:11.470 my wife could have done that and who else is 00:23:11.470 --> 00:23:14.049 there to evade at her determination to destroy 00:23:14.049 --> 00:23:18.529 me. You're asking me. Yes The only link we have 00:23:18.529 --> 00:23:24.309 to the world beyond this house Sir John I Believe 00:23:24.309 --> 00:23:28.150 me. I had no wish to betray you I'm sure of that. 00:23:28.369 --> 00:23:32.190 The day we met, your wife, while you were calming 00:23:32.190 --> 00:23:35.470 the dogs, your wife asked me to send a letter 00:23:35.470 --> 00:23:38.509 for her. To Richard Rull? I must admit I did 00:23:38.509 --> 00:23:40.390 not read the address. I did notice that it wants 00:23:40.390 --> 00:23:43.750 to the United States of America. I meant no harm. 00:23:44.089 --> 00:23:48.609 He meant no harm. Right? Pandora, who naively 00:23:48.609 --> 00:23:51.210 opened her chest to loose pestilence and all 00:23:51.210 --> 00:23:54.809 the evils of the world to plague mankind, he 00:23:54.809 --> 00:23:57.710 meant no harm. It seemed a simple and reasonable 00:23:57.710 --> 00:24:01.329 request. So you exceeded. No doubt she also asked 00:24:01.329 --> 00:24:03.509 you to conceal the fact of the letter from me. 00:24:04.450 --> 00:24:07.349 Yes, I am afraid she did. Were you sorry for 00:24:07.349 --> 00:24:10.309 her ravaged looks, her haunted eyes? Did you 00:24:10.309 --> 00:24:13.130 picture me as some monstrous jailer, condemning 00:24:13.130 --> 00:24:15.650 her to a life of solitary confinement? Sir John. 00:24:15.769 --> 00:24:18.329 I can only defend my action by telling you that 00:24:18.329 --> 00:24:21.869 at the time she did engage my sympathy. I told 00:24:21.869 --> 00:24:25.349 you I believe that my wife was not in the best 00:24:25.349 --> 00:24:28.190 of health. Yes. But the fault perhaps was all 00:24:28.190 --> 00:24:33.269 mine. I should have told you that she is insane. 00:24:35.890 --> 00:24:40.130 I'm so sorry. A little late for that. The damage 00:24:40.130 --> 00:24:42.910 is done. You may have sealed her death warrant. 00:24:43.210 --> 00:24:48.470 Perhaps even mine. What do you mean? This parcel 00:24:48.470 --> 00:24:52.289 from America. Would you like to see what evil 00:24:52.289 --> 00:24:55.789 out of hell you're acceding to that simple and 00:24:55.789 --> 00:24:58.750 reasonable request has set loose? Sir John... 00:24:58.750 --> 00:25:01.750 You have involved yourself in this on a personal 00:25:01.750 --> 00:25:05.150 level. Now I want to involve you on a professional 00:25:05.150 --> 00:25:09.750 one. As police magistrate, I want you as witness 00:25:09.750 --> 00:25:16.109 when I open this gift from America. the outer 00:25:16.109 --> 00:25:23.130 wrapping now what you see a box and within it 00:25:23.130 --> 00:25:29.990 something wrapped in in canvas you wrinkled your 00:25:29.990 --> 00:25:33.170 nose against the smell yes it's it's very strong 00:25:33.170 --> 00:25:37.130 and uh very familiar yes formaldehyde which is 00:25:37.130 --> 00:25:40.569 used to preserve flesh from water tying there's 00:25:40.569 --> 00:25:43.829 a drawstring on the canvas which i'm opening 00:25:43.829 --> 00:25:47.660 time about I'll show you my presence from the 00:25:47.660 --> 00:25:51.140 other side of the world. You sound as if you 00:25:51.140 --> 00:25:55.960 know what it is. I only wish to God I thought 00:25:55.960 --> 00:26:05.259 I didn't. I echoed the same wish, but it didn't 00:26:05.259 --> 00:26:12.359 change the contents. It was a hand, a man's hand. 00:26:13.470 --> 00:26:17.470 Not a skeleton hand all bright and clean, but 00:26:17.470 --> 00:26:23.109 a hand black and desiccated. Traces of blood 00:26:23.109 --> 00:26:24.950 upon the bones at the point where they had been 00:26:24.950 --> 00:26:26.730 severed as with the blow of an axe about the 00:26:26.730 --> 00:26:30.890 middle of the forearm. The fingers, extraordinarily 00:26:30.890 --> 00:26:34.049 long, were attached to enormous tendons still 00:26:34.049 --> 00:26:38.009 held in their places by strips of skin. Flayed 00:26:38.009 --> 00:26:45.799 as it was, that hand was... It made one think 00:26:45.799 --> 00:26:50.220 involuntarily of savage vengeance. But in spite 00:26:50.220 --> 00:26:54.440 of the putrescent look of death and dissolution 00:26:54.440 --> 00:26:58.940 it had, it seemed to have a life of its own. 00:27:06.180 --> 00:27:09.759 So now we see the embodiment of the title of 00:27:09.759 --> 00:27:13.910 our story, A Poor Choice of Words. since nothing 00:27:13.910 --> 00:27:17.569 can be more disembodied than a severed hand. 00:27:18.430 --> 00:27:23.890 Whose hand? And why? And are these nerve -less 00:27:23.890 --> 00:27:27.349 fingers really capable of writing a death warrant? 00:27:28.730 --> 00:27:47.420 I'll return shortly with Act 3. Stomach churning 00:27:47.420 --> 00:27:50.039 with revulsion, Monsieur Deneil looks at the 00:27:50.039 --> 00:27:52.900 loathsome object spilled on the desk between 00:27:52.900 --> 00:27:56.980 him and Sir John. In macabre fascination, his 00:27:56.980 --> 00:28:01.259 eyes seem riveted to the severed hand. It is 00:28:01.259 --> 00:28:04.720 only by a supreme effort of will that he is at 00:28:04.720 --> 00:28:08.400 last able to drag them away and up to Sir John's 00:28:08.400 --> 00:28:12.799 grim and haunted face. What is it? The hand of 00:28:12.799 --> 00:28:16.640 a thief. Why? Why is it sent to you? So that 00:28:16.640 --> 00:28:19.539 there'll be no mistake in my mind who sends it. 00:28:20.339 --> 00:28:24.700 You said before, Richard Roll. A relation? My 00:28:24.700 --> 00:28:28.859 twin brother. Younger by less than an hour. As 00:28:28.859 --> 00:28:32.180 the first born, I acceded to the title. The barony 00:28:32.180 --> 00:28:35.500 was mine, and the living went with it. Richard 00:28:35.500 --> 00:28:39.339 had nothing, except my bounty. Our whole life 00:28:39.339 --> 00:28:43.240 was a gigantic struggle to supremacy. He, because 00:28:43.240 --> 00:28:47.680 I denied it him. I, because I had to hold it. 00:28:48.079 --> 00:28:50.059 If you had everything and he had nothing, what 00:28:50.059 --> 00:28:53.000 chance did he stand against you? Well, I'm English, 00:28:53.359 --> 00:28:55.839 and I believe in fair play. I couldn't share 00:28:55.839 --> 00:28:58.759 the title, but I made sure the living was shared 00:28:58.759 --> 00:29:03.339 equally. I'm not ill -favored, and I'm exceptionally 00:29:03.339 --> 00:29:07.220 powerful and large. But Richard was taller by 00:29:07.220 --> 00:29:11.900 two inches, stronger by far. And a wild and darkly 00:29:11.900 --> 00:29:15.180 handsome man that stirred women to a passion 00:29:15.180 --> 00:29:20.019 beyond their senses. Until Claire. Madame Ruel. 00:29:20.240 --> 00:29:24.119 My wife, yes. Whatever her true name should be 00:29:24.119 --> 00:29:28.140 now. When we were married, my brother Richard 00:29:28.140 --> 00:29:30.440 emigrated to the States. And you have never seen 00:29:30.440 --> 00:29:35.680 him since? No, yes. I have seen him. I'd hoped 00:29:35.680 --> 00:29:40.440 for the last time. Will you forgive me now? There's 00:29:40.440 --> 00:29:44.400 been too much talk. And I must find a place to 00:29:44.400 --> 00:29:49.079 hang my latest trophy. To hang it? You can't... 00:29:49.079 --> 00:29:51.680 I think I've had quite enough interference from 00:29:51.680 --> 00:29:55.059 you in my affairs, Mr. Donne. I must ask you 00:29:55.059 --> 00:29:57.859 to leave my house. You're no longer welcome. 00:30:04.099 --> 00:30:06.640 It seemed a long journey up the hill that night. 00:30:08.299 --> 00:30:13.140 For I did not climb it alone. On the way back 00:30:13.140 --> 00:30:16.059 to my house, I was haunted by a hundred thoughts. 00:30:17.480 --> 00:30:21.559 Had I done wrong to send the letter? Whose was 00:30:21.559 --> 00:30:24.359 the severed hand? What was the mystery of Sir 00:30:24.359 --> 00:30:27.460 John's retirement? And what motivated the vendetta 00:30:27.460 --> 00:30:33.000 of his brother against him? Old jealousies? Or 00:30:33.000 --> 00:30:39.190 was it all as simple as chercher la femme? Certainly 00:30:39.190 --> 00:30:42.190 she would not be hard to find it must be the 00:30:42.190 --> 00:30:47.089 lady role if a woman was at the heart of it all 00:30:47.089 --> 00:30:51.390 Only one thing I could be sure of now that I 00:30:51.390 --> 00:30:57.890 should not be seeing him again But I was badly 00:30:57.890 --> 00:31:03.269 mistaken about that Well Joseph what brings you 00:31:03.269 --> 00:31:06.150 here Begging your honest pardon, Mr. John asked 00:31:06.150 --> 00:31:08.390 if it would be convenient for you to wait on 00:31:08.390 --> 00:31:11.410 him this evening. Of course. When? If it would 00:31:11.410 --> 00:31:14.009 suit your honor, now would be fine. It suits 00:31:14.009 --> 00:31:24.329 me. After my churlishness on your last visit, 00:31:25.289 --> 00:31:27.849 I'm more than touched that you do me this honor, 00:31:27.970 --> 00:31:31.190 Mr. Doney. Since I am still concerned that I 00:31:31.190 --> 00:31:33.789 may have done you more harm than honor. I couldn't 00:31:33.789 --> 00:31:37.190 have hesitated I have some papers here on my 00:31:37.190 --> 00:31:40.349 desk that I wish to leave in your charge After 00:31:40.349 --> 00:31:43.009 asking you and Joseph to witness them. What kind 00:31:43.009 --> 00:31:46.269 of paper sir John? My last will and testament 00:31:46.269 --> 00:31:50.730 some property assignments the legal debris that 00:31:50.730 --> 00:31:56.190 follows sudden death Joseph. Yes, sir John Will 00:31:56.190 --> 00:32:03.819 you sign here? And here? Yes, sir. Is there all 00:32:03.819 --> 00:32:07.700 this immediacy, sir? In the midst of life, are 00:32:07.700 --> 00:32:10.819 we not all equally in the midst of death? Thank 00:32:10.819 --> 00:32:15.359 you, Joseph. You may go. Yes, sir, John. Now, 00:32:15.660 --> 00:32:20.960 you, Mr. Donate? If you want me to. But I see 00:32:20.960 --> 00:32:28.009 no reason why. Whatever polite disclaimer was 00:32:28.009 --> 00:32:33.230 on my lips It was frozen at that moment as my 00:32:33.230 --> 00:32:39.410 eyes fell on a blood -chilling sight Black object 00:32:39.410 --> 00:32:42.470 in the midst of the empty panel lined with red 00:32:42.470 --> 00:32:48.049 velvet empty no longer It was the hand mounted 00:32:48.049 --> 00:32:51.849 now as the chief of all trophies But different 00:32:51.849 --> 00:32:54.569 from all the others in one respect they were 00:32:54.569 --> 00:32:59.099 mounted This was imprisoned. Round the wrist, 00:32:59.579 --> 00:33:02.720 an enormous chain of iron had been rivend about 00:33:02.720 --> 00:33:06.380 the foul relic, and this chain fastened the hand 00:33:06.380 --> 00:33:09.779 to the wall by a great ring, solid enough to 00:33:09.779 --> 00:33:16.019 hold an elephant in leash. God! Ah, yes, the 00:33:16.019 --> 00:33:20.359 hand. Well, better than my own head, if I can 00:33:20.359 --> 00:33:35.660 keep it. Would you sign? It's part of my best 00:33:35.660 --> 00:33:39.579 enemy. It was cut off with a saber. Good thing 00:33:39.579 --> 00:33:44.140 for me, I can tell you. It's huge. Enormously 00:33:44.140 --> 00:33:47.220 powerful. The man must have been very strong. 00:33:47.640 --> 00:33:51.079 Well, so far I've proved stronger. I put the 00:33:51.079 --> 00:33:53.579 chain on the hand to hold it. The chain is no 00:33:53.579 --> 00:33:56.940 use. Now the hand can't get away. The chain is 00:33:56.940 --> 00:34:01.680 necessary. This hand always tries to get away. 00:34:12.500 --> 00:34:18.719 I saw the hand, a horrible hand, running like 00:34:18.719 --> 00:34:23.000 a scorpion or a spider along the curtains and 00:34:23.000 --> 00:34:26.579 up and down the walls of my room. Three times 00:34:26.579 --> 00:34:29.239 I woke up, three times I went to sleep again, 00:34:29.820 --> 00:34:33.920 three times I saw a ghastly thing running all 00:34:33.920 --> 00:34:38.159 over my room and using its fingers like so many 00:34:38.159 --> 00:34:50.889 legs. awakened by the news that Sir John Rowe 00:34:50.889 --> 00:34:57.369 had been murdered during the night. For God's 00:34:57.369 --> 00:34:59.909 sake, Bernard, act like a doctor instead of some 00:34:59.909 --> 00:35:03.670 frightened schoolgirl. I know you. You have not 00:35:03.670 --> 00:35:05.550 seen him yet, old friend. Looked at the first 00:35:05.550 --> 00:35:07.510 corpse, either of us has had the misfortune to 00:35:07.510 --> 00:35:11.690 look at. Just like this. How did he die? The 00:35:11.690 --> 00:35:15.360 cause of death was strangling, but... Under what 00:35:15.360 --> 00:35:18.719 shocking conditions I tell you I in 30 years 00:35:18.719 --> 00:35:21.219 as a physician. I have never seen anything like 00:35:21.219 --> 00:35:25.119 it in what way we found him Lying on his back 00:35:25.119 --> 00:35:29.619 in the middle of the room His coat was torn one 00:35:29.619 --> 00:35:34.019 shirt sleeve off pulled off was hanging down 00:35:34.019 --> 00:35:37.940 There was every indication that a fearsome struggle 00:35:37.940 --> 00:35:42.000 had taken place His face was black and swollen 00:35:42.000 --> 00:35:48.610 fight The most noticeable and terrifying thing 00:35:48.610 --> 00:35:54.710 was his expression. His expression? Absolute, 00:35:55.110 --> 00:36:00.489 hideous fear. And small wonder, for in the welter 00:36:00.489 --> 00:36:03.829 of blood that was coagulated about his throat, 00:36:04.789 --> 00:36:08.710 five separate wombs pierced through it as though 00:36:08.710 --> 00:36:13.429 driven by points of iron. Only five. It was as 00:36:13.429 --> 00:36:18.670 if he had been strangled by a skeleton. Well, 00:36:19.489 --> 00:36:24.389 that is odd. What? What you just said. Only five. 00:36:25.210 --> 00:36:29.010 Well, of course, how stupid of me. There was 00:36:29.010 --> 00:36:32.269 only evidence of one hand having done the strangling. 00:36:32.409 --> 00:36:36.130 That makes it even more bizarre. Is there anything 00:36:36.130 --> 00:36:40.090 even faintly normal about this whole affair? 00:36:45.679 --> 00:36:49.539 No, Joseph. You heard no unusual noise during 00:36:49.539 --> 00:36:52.840 the night. Oh, no, I'm sorry, Magistrate. You 00:36:52.840 --> 00:36:55.199 sleep where? Well, here in that little room off 00:36:55.199 --> 00:36:56.880 the kitchen now. And there was no sound from 00:36:56.880 --> 00:37:01.300 the dogs all night long? No, sir. Yet if a stranger 00:37:01.300 --> 00:37:03.860 had approached the house... Oh, those dogs would 00:37:03.860 --> 00:37:06.960 have torn him apart if he was a stranger. But 00:37:06.960 --> 00:37:09.159 they were quiet. You would have heard them if 00:37:09.159 --> 00:37:11.239 they had not been, huh? Well, I'm a very light 00:37:11.239 --> 00:37:16.030 sleeper. Did you sleep late this morning? No, 00:37:16.090 --> 00:37:18.829 no. I'm awake before cock's crow, you see. So 00:37:18.829 --> 00:37:21.789 many things to be done. Water to be drawn, the 00:37:21.789 --> 00:37:24.170 fire to be laid. And that's what you were busy 00:37:24.170 --> 00:37:27.929 with when Lady Rowell left the house? I was already 00:37:27.929 --> 00:37:30.949 preparing breakfast for Sir John, and I tried 00:37:30.949 --> 00:37:34.889 to bring up to... You see, that's why I was so 00:37:34.889 --> 00:37:37.349 surprised when she walked into the kitchen fully 00:37:37.349 --> 00:37:39.559 dressed. And what did you say to that? It's not 00:37:39.559 --> 00:37:43.119 my place to ask. I just said, what do you want? 00:37:43.380 --> 00:37:47.519 And? She said she didn't want anything. Just 00:37:47.519 --> 00:37:50.179 that she was feeling better. And if Sir John 00:37:50.179 --> 00:37:52.400 should ask about her, she was off for a little 00:37:52.400 --> 00:37:55.760 walk on the beach. That didn't strike you as 00:37:55.760 --> 00:37:59.820 peculiar? It most certainly did. And did she 00:37:59.820 --> 00:38:03.539 go towards the beach? I would have thought so. 00:38:03.880 --> 00:38:07.940 I didn't actually check on it. Why? You're not 00:38:07.940 --> 00:38:11.539 aware that... that she's disappeared. Did she? 00:38:12.119 --> 00:38:14.280 Oh, no, sir. Well, we'll leave that for a moment. 00:38:15.619 --> 00:38:17.719 All right, then, what did you do then? Well, 00:38:18.239 --> 00:38:21.219 once I had everything simmering on for breakfast, 00:38:21.920 --> 00:38:24.159 I went up to Sir John's room to assist him in 00:38:24.159 --> 00:38:26.800 his toilet. You were in this habit? Every morning, 00:38:27.019 --> 00:38:30.019 regular clockwork. Continue. But he wasn't there, 00:38:30.139 --> 00:38:33.480 sir. His bed hadn't been slept in. Turned out 00:38:33.480 --> 00:38:36.530 just the way I'd left it the night before. So 00:38:36.530 --> 00:38:41.530 I became alarmed. Everything was out of sorts, 00:38:41.590 --> 00:38:45.449 you see. I see. And then you came downstairs 00:38:45.449 --> 00:38:50.150 and found him. That's right. Covered with blood 00:38:50.150 --> 00:38:55.530 from head to foot. It just don't signify. What 00:38:55.530 --> 00:38:57.829 does that mean? Well, you knew, Sir John, sir, 00:38:57.929 --> 00:39:00.590 if ever there was a man built and ready to take 00:39:00.590 --> 00:39:03.760 care of himself, it was he. Why, he never slept 00:39:03.760 --> 00:39:06.300 without having loaded pistols or revolvers within 00:39:06.300 --> 00:39:10.139 arm's reach. And he knew how to use them. Yes, 00:39:10.219 --> 00:39:14.659 yes. Have you any idea who killed him? I don't 00:39:14.659 --> 00:39:19.420 know, sir. Could it have been Lady Roll? Not 00:39:19.420 --> 00:39:22.599 a chance, sir. I met her once. She was a tall 00:39:22.599 --> 00:39:25.860 woman. Oh, but wasted away, your honor, and weak 00:39:25.860 --> 00:39:34.150 as a kitten. And who? I don't know, sir. I don't 00:39:34.150 --> 00:39:41.969 even want to now. Neither did I, or at least 00:39:41.969 --> 00:39:45.849 to check on what was in my mind. But I had a 00:39:45.849 --> 00:39:48.949 duty to my position, and I must admit a morbid 00:39:48.949 --> 00:39:52.969 drive to support my supposition. He was lying, 00:39:53.829 --> 00:39:56.289 just as he is now, on this carpet here. That's 00:39:56.289 --> 00:39:59.670 right, sir. His feet pointed in the same direction, 00:40:00.130 --> 00:40:08.789 toward the door. and his head as it is towards 00:40:08.789 --> 00:40:15.869 the panel directly ahead of you I felt a creeping 00:40:15.869 --> 00:40:19.409 sensation that lifted the hackles on my neck 00:40:19.409 --> 00:40:25.150 I knew before I looked what I was going to see 00:40:25.150 --> 00:40:27.690 the sight that I had fought against making a 00:40:27.690 --> 00:40:32.510 reality at last Involuntarily, I lifted my eyes 00:40:32.510 --> 00:40:34.829 to the wall, to the panel where the horrible 00:40:34.829 --> 00:40:40.110 flayed hand used to be. It was no longer there. 00:40:40.869 --> 00:40:44.550 The chain, broken, was dangling from the ring. 00:40:46.590 --> 00:40:49.889 But even that horror was to be succeeded by another. 00:40:51.869 --> 00:40:56.690 As I bent again over the dead man, between his 00:40:56.690 --> 00:41:01.699 clenched teeth, I found One of the fingers of 00:41:01.699 --> 00:41:05.719 the vanished hand severed or rather sawed off 00:41:05.719 --> 00:41:09.039 by the teeth about the middle of the second joint. 00:41:16.019 --> 00:41:20.659 Marie, forgive us for violating the sacred precincts 00:41:20.659 --> 00:41:24.139 of your police office, but the axle of my carriage 00:41:24.139 --> 00:41:26.440 is broken and we are here to beg you to carry 00:41:26.440 --> 00:41:29.579 us home. If you are ready to go. I'm always at 00:41:29.579 --> 00:41:32.340 your service. And tonight, since it grows dark 00:41:32.340 --> 00:41:34.940 early these evenings, I will welcome company. 00:41:35.500 --> 00:41:38.239 But surely you're not still brooding over Sir 00:41:38.239 --> 00:41:41.199 John and his vanished lady? The missing Lady 00:41:41.199 --> 00:41:45.380 Roa I can accept. Our gulf is beautiful, but 00:41:45.380 --> 00:41:47.900 the tides are treacherous, and her hold on life 00:41:47.900 --> 00:41:52.739 at best was tenuous. Perhaps she wanted to end 00:41:52.739 --> 00:41:58.460 it. The mystery of Sir John. is something else 00:41:58.460 --> 00:42:03.420 again. Something best forgotten, I think. Yes. 00:42:05.000 --> 00:42:08.920 But it doesn't seem to want to be. Let me show 00:42:08.920 --> 00:42:14.320 you. Marguerite, forgive me. If you feel faint, 00:42:15.380 --> 00:42:20.219 close your eyes. But now, do you remember you 00:42:20.219 --> 00:42:23.099 said he might have been strangled by a skeleton? 00:42:24.119 --> 00:42:33.010 Yes. Might he have been strangled by this? Good 00:42:33.010 --> 00:42:40.130 Lord! So that is the famous hound, huh? Yes, 00:42:40.210 --> 00:42:43.590 yes, if it were possible. Such a hound could 00:42:43.590 --> 00:42:47.590 have made the wounds on his throat. Where did 00:42:47.590 --> 00:42:53.010 you find this? It was discovered last night in 00:42:53.010 --> 00:43:00.210 the cemetery on the tomb of Sir John Rawal. And 00:43:00.210 --> 00:43:07.630 mark one thing well, what? The index finger is 00:43:07.630 --> 00:43:12.230 missing. The one we found in the corpse's mouth. 00:43:20.510 --> 00:43:25.929 The hand of a thief, Sir John Rawls said. His 00:43:25.929 --> 00:43:30.199 brother Richard? What if so? What did he steal? 00:43:31.000 --> 00:43:36.559 His wealth? His reputation? His wife? And if 00:43:36.559 --> 00:43:40.239 his brother in some gargantuan and titanic duel 00:43:40.239 --> 00:43:43.679 struck off his hand and Richard sought vengeance, 00:43:44.440 --> 00:43:47.539 which of his hands was the instrument that brought 00:43:47.539 --> 00:43:52.199 an end to the intense and private vendetta? De 00:43:52.199 --> 00:43:55.699 Maupassant doesn't tell us. Wisely he leaves 00:43:55.699 --> 00:43:59.909 that to us to decide for ourselves. I'll be back 00:43:59.909 --> 00:44:15.210 shortly I won't easily close my eyes tonight 00:44:15.210 --> 00:44:18.690 for fear that my mind's eye will conjure up a 00:44:18.690 --> 00:44:21.849 vision of the black and desiccated hand with 00:44:21.849 --> 00:44:25.469 the yellowed nails Scrabbling like some lonesome 00:44:25.469 --> 00:44:29.210 crab across the floor up and over my bed and 00:44:29.210 --> 00:44:32.590 scuffling around the walls. Its four good fingers 00:44:32.590 --> 00:44:36.289 moving like spider legs. The mutilated stump 00:44:36.289 --> 00:44:40.409 of the fifth, like a head. Our cast included 00:44:40.409 --> 00:44:43.750 Alexander Squirby, Ian Martin, Mildred Clinton, 00:44:44.289 --> 00:44:47.449 and Guy Sorrell. The entire production was under 00:44:47.449 --> 00:44:52.030 the direction of Hyman Brown. And now, a preview 00:44:52.030 --> 00:44:59.420 of our next tale. Well, you must know... Elia 00:44:59.420 --> 00:45:02.659 must have told you? Elia's parents were gypsies, 00:45:02.820 --> 00:45:07.380 but he's not. But he hasn't forgotten, has he? 00:45:08.460 --> 00:45:13.360 What they believe... the gypsies. You don't mean 00:45:13.360 --> 00:45:19.340 that you... They believe... in the living dead. 00:45:20.059 --> 00:45:27.239 The dead who refuse to die. You mean... That 00:45:27.239 --> 00:45:32.119 is what you mean, isn't it? I never said I believe. 00:45:32.139 --> 00:45:34.179 But you let her sew the black phone into your 00:45:34.179 --> 00:45:38.340 coat. But I couldn't stop her. Why now? Why today? 00:45:42.019 --> 00:45:47.920 You don't mean... Mother? Marie believes your 00:45:47.920 --> 00:45:53.800 mother has become a vampire. This is E .G. Marshall 00:45:53.800 --> 00:45:56.400 inviting you to return to our mystery theater. 00:45:56.730 --> 00:46:01.570 for another adventure in the macabre. Until next 00:46:01.570 --> 00:46:05.150 time, pleasant dreams.