Suspense.
For Suspense, tonight we present Menace in Wax by John Dixon Carr.
During the French Revolution of 1793, a Swiss girl copied in one of the most famous books
of the French Revolution of 1793, a Swiss girl copied in wax the severed heads of those
who had just been guillotined.
She married a Frenchman named Toussaint and came to London and she founded Madame Toussaint's
wax works.
There it is, still in Marleybone Road near Baker Street Station.
Not the original building, that was destroyed by fire, but it remained untouched when a
darker shadow than revolution came to England.
They plastered high explosives all along that road and hit the cinema next door.
We are going to London under the bomber's moon.
Late one night in March of 1941, a young man hurried up to the great glass doors of Madame
Toussaint's.
Hey, open up there.
Isn't there a night watchman around this place?
There he is, Governor, and I'm in.
Now what do you want at this hour of the night?
My name is Roger.
I'm from the Daily Record.
If you let me get inside, I'll show you my press card.
Didn't you get any orders about me?
Well, maybe I have at that.
Oh, you're the bloke who wants to see the Chimbaravaras.
That's right.
All right, you may as well come in.
My paper got a tip there's something funny going on around here.
Something funny going on here?
That's a good one.
The rain's not very heavy tonight, is it?
No, they're going over.
You ain't heard where, Governor?
We got a teletype flash.
There was a Midlands.
Lord Lummi and I've got a sister in Bromingham.
Oh, why can't she come and stop in a nice safe place like London?
There's the Regent Park guns opening up again.
My teeth rattle and shakes the hats off the dummy's heads.
You know, this Chimbaravaras is getting to be popular tonight.
You mean there's been somebody here before me?
Yes.
A woman?
That's right, Governor.
About five feet two inches tall, very pretty.
If you like them brunette and big-eyed and their phony French accent.
No, Governor, no.
This was only an old lady that lost her handbag.
Oh, thank the Lord for that anyway.
Now then, what is going on around here?
Well, I don't know, Governor.
You'll have to ask Pearson about that.
Who's Pearson?
Oh, he's the bloke that's the watchman down there.
He's old and he imagines things.
He phoned your piper.
Have you got an electric torch?
Yes.
Then go straight on through the marble hall and down the stairs on your left.
And don't speak to the policeman because he's wax.
Yes, that's the way, Governor.
That's the way to the Chimbaravaras.
Thank you.
Pearson.
Hello, Pearson.
Pearson.
Yes, sir.
You're looking for me?
Oh, I didn't see you there.
I must have thought you were one of these wax dummies.
Ugly dim light, isn't it?
Yes.
Rogers is my name. I'm from the Daily Record.
Oh, yes.
I'm glad you came over.
I phoned your piper myself.
Maybe I'm just imagining things, but...
I don't blame you.
This place would make anybody nervous, especially during an air raid.
Well, sir, it's all right as long as you don't get to imagine they're watching you.
Oh, and do you?
Oh, yes. Sometimes.
That's the gambling group in the center there.
Uh-huh.
What's that thing over there?
That's the famous guillotine.
Oh, wait a minute, old boy.
You're not trying to tell me that's the original guillotine.
No, that was burnt in the fire.
Madame Toussaint bought it from Sanson, the executioner.
Let me tell you something, Mr. Rogers.
What?
Years ago, if this is straight,
a young French woman came in here.
There was nobody else in the place.
She thought it would be great fun to say she'd put her neck in the same guillotine as Brie Antoinette.
So she climbed up on that platform.
She snapped the little wooden collar down round her neck, shutting herself in.
All of a sudden, she realized she didn't know which spring controlled the collar
and which spring controlled the knife.
Oh, good Lord, she didn't know.
But they say she went crazy.
They say she screamed and screamed.
What's that?
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you, but sweet mama, I'm so scared of myself I cannot help it.
Susie.
Oh, no, no, no, no, not Susie.
Susie, you make it so it rhymes with floozy. That is not nice.
Why, you little devil, I ought to turn you across my knee.
What are you doing here? And will you forget that French accent? You're driving me crazy.
You know this young lady, sir.
Do I? She works for my paper. She's haunting me.
Bert, that's not nice. I like the way I talk.
I only try to give you ideas.
That's just what I mean. Now, take your arms from around my neck.
She's French.
Her mother came from New York like I did.
She's got some funny ideas, accents, and disguises.
So I dress up as an old lady and I come along too. That is clever, no?
Definitely no.
But I go into what I think is the lady's room and there is Jack the Ripper. I'm so scared I almost kick the ghost.
Whatever else you do miss, for the love of heaven, put out that cigarette.
It is not permitted?
It is what they are most afraid of in this place. Fire!
If you vouch for this young lady, Mr. Rogers...
I don't vouch for anybody. But go on now. What's all the mystery here at Madame Tussauds?
You see the group over there? It's called the Gamblers.
That three men and a woman in 18th century costumes sitting around a table playing cards?
Yes. And about once a week, when the lights are out...
Yes?
Those dummies do play cards.
Is this a publicity trick of some kind?
Oh no sir.
Then what's the game?
I'm not crazy. I know they don't actually do it sir.
What I want to know is who changes the cards round in their hands? And why?
Could anybody? Anybody from the outside I mean, get in to change the cards?
Oh yes. There's a back door.
But why would anyone want to break in here just to change those cards around?
Monsieur Berthes, listen. I have made a discovery.
Listen, if you're going to talk, speak English. Or better yet, just keep still.
But I have made a discovery. This card game.
What about it?
It is crooked. Here is a man which has two deuces of hearts in the same hand.
Listen Susie, I don't give a... Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Let's have a look at those cards.
I give you ideas, yes?
Susie, for once you're right. And look here. Two of these players have all the clubs and hearts.
The other two have all the diamonds and spades.
Susie, how many letters in the alphabet?
Twenty-six, no?
And twice twenty-six is...
Twenty-two.
The number of cards in a pack. Give me a pencil Susie, quick.
The War Office, Whitehall. MI5, headquarters of military intelligence.
There next morning in the map room used as an office by Colonel Warrender.
Mr. Rogers, I am a busy man.
I appreciate that Colonel Warrender.
Anyhow, sit down.
Thank you sir.
Now what's all this? These cards you claim form a code, is that it?
Yes sir. Now look sir. Let each letter of the alphabet represent a card in clubs and hearts.
That's twenty-six.
And then?
And then when you get to the middle of the message, switch the alphabet over to diamonds and spades.
Then you won't keep on repeating.
Now will you read what I've got written on this piece of paper?
Jack of diamonds, Q, three of clubs, F. That doesn't seem to mean much.
Never mind the cards Colonel, just read the letters.
Q, F, A, C, T, O, R, Y.
Yes sir, Q factory. Go on.
Oh just a moment. What is that infernal noise? Johnson Burrows!
Don't bother with that sir, just read the message please.
Q factory, ten p.m., fifteenth.
Today's the fifteenth of March Colonel.
All preparations made. Use dive-bobbers.
I see. This message was left openly.
So openly that nobody ever noticed it.
Yes, the trick's been tried before.
No contacts, no gatherings, no letters that might be intercepted.
The whole spy ring could walk through that wax museum and read the message without being seen.
You newspaper men trying to teach me my job?
Oh I'm sorry sir, I only...
No, no, go on.
Well don't you see, three or four little boats with portable wireless sets go down the Thames estuary.
When they're beyond pursuit they send that message by radio.
Somebody listens.
And it's no secret in Fleet Street sir that Q factory is out in the wilds of Gleibeshire.
There's no secret anywhere.
And that we're making the Shaftesbury bomber out there.
So tonight, unless we do something about it, they're coming over and bomb Q factory to blazes.
Oh that's impossible.
Why? Or can't you tell me?
I can tell you this much.
Yes sir?
Q factory is so well hidden that even our own pilots can't fight it from the air.
That's one objection to this message.
Any other objection?
Yes, this talk about dive bombers.
Dive bombers in a night attack.
What's the good of a dive bomber if he can't see his objective?
Well suppose somebody showed a light.
He'd be shot dead as soon as he showed it.
Every inch of country for a quarter of a mile around the factory,
a quarter of a mile Mr Rogers is patrolled day and night.
Well, just the same, they're going to have a try at it sir.
How?
I don't know how.
Then if you'll excuse me Mr Rogers.
Listen Colonel Winder, will you give me a pass to go down there to the factory?
Certainly not. No one's permitted to go there except the workers.
How is the place defended?
There's a night fighter station nearby and several batches of four 3.7 guns.
Then give me a pass to the fighter station or to the gun post.
That's a legitimate newspaper request.
Well I might manage a pass to one of the gun posts.
Then you'll do it.
Well what on earth is that infernal row?
Sounds like somebody locked up in a coat cupboard.
Yes, as a matter of fact Colonel, it is somebody locked up in a coat cupboard.
A young lady so called.
A young lady? Who locked her up?
I did.
And just what the devil do you mean sir?
Locking up people in coat cupboards in the war office?
Well she's a bit excitable Colonel. I thought that she'd better not see you.
Thanks for the consideration.
There's just one other favor I'd like to ask.
As well?
If she asks you for a pass, don't give it to her.
Don't give it to her under any circumstances.
What's her name?
Susie Dubois.
You're rather too late for that young man.
The public relations office granted her a pass two hours ago.
What? Oh.
A woman to an anti-aircraft battery?
This is what we call a mixed battery.
Women on the guns as well as men.
She said it would make a good human interest story for the press.
I must say I agree with her.
One moment Mr. Rogers before you go.
Yes sir.
That gun post is fully two miles from the factory.
You can go there, but if you take one step further you'll be shot on sight by our guards.
I warn you.
I'll be careful Colonel. I'll be careful.
Somewhere in the West Country, a yellow moon shines over bare trees.
A white mist moving clings to the ground.
Susie are you sure we're on the right road?
Oh, mon cher. They have taken away all the signposts in case there is an invasion.
I know that.
But I follow the map. The map cannot be wrong.
We've been driving for hours. It must be...
Yes it is, nearly half past nine.
Half an hour to go. Trees, trees and still more trees.
Look, there's a break and the trees ahead.
It will be open country in a minute.
Yeah, that's funny. Look how deep the leaves are here on the road.
But one thing I tell you, just between you and me and the bedpost...
Gatepost Susie, the term is between you and me and the gatepost. And speak English.
I am speaking English very well thank you.
I do not need your help to be here.
No, I do not need your help to be pure.
All right, all right.
Now this map.
Well, what about it?
It say we should go through a lot of villages.
Mitford, Archedeen and Sephora Weville.
I have not seen any villages.
Did you say Mitford?
Oui mon cher.
Susie, let me have a look at that map. Come on, come on, hand it over.
But what is wrong? It is a perfectly good map.
Yes, Susie, it is a fine map. It is an excellent map.
Only it is a map of the wrong county.
I have made a mistake. No?
I do not even believe you can read. This is a map of Barsichur.
We should be somewhere in Glebesher.
Now where in the devil are we?
With the entrance to some kind of clearing with leaves on it.
Oh.
Hello there.
What was that?
Hello there.
Somebody calling us. If we are in forbidden area.
I see him now.
Where?
Behind us. He came out of a white cottage back there.
He is a big heavy man. With a moustache.
Never mind the moustache. He is wearing some kind of a uniform and he has got a rifle.
You think he plugged us? No?
I think it is not unlikely.
Get out those war office passes of ours.
Quick.
Good evening my friends.
Good evening.
Can you tell me?
We do not mean any harm.
Can you tell me what time it is?
Oh. What time it is?
Yes.
Oh. It is 28 and a half minutes past nine.
Thank you.
I will keep you covered while I set my watch.
Yeah.
My next question is.
Would you like me to shoot you both?
No.
Listen Mr. Mr.
McCallister.
Captain. Captain McCallister.
That is right.
Captain. This girl. She has been reading the wrong map.
You see we do not even know where we are.
You are in Hollywood forest my friend.
Hollywood forest.
Is that good or bad?
And you do not know what is just beyond the edge of this clearing?
No.
There is a big open space of a quarter of a mile.
In the middle of that open space.
Q Factory. We are right on top of it.
Then you have heard of Q Factory my friend.
Captain McCallister. We are from the war office and we have got passes to prove it.
Let's see the passes.
We were trying to find gunsight number.
I have forgotten the number.
But it is here on that card.
You have passed the gunsight.
Two miles back up the road.
All right. Here are your passes.
What are you going to do to us?
I am not in the regular army.
You can thank your stars I am not.
I am forestry preservation.
You are not going to chuck us in the cooler even?
No.
Turn that car around and get back along this road as fast as you can.
If they fire at you as they probably will.
Oh I wish I am home.
I pray no more. I wish I am home.
Well they will hope for the best.
My watch had stopped and you did me a good turn.
Well hurry along. Hurry.
Gun sight of heavy attack battery.
Four three point seven guns against a moon growing clear white.
White as the concrete emplacements.
Sealed against light where the crews men and women sitting waiting.
Waiting.
Waiting.
Well sir.
I am glad to have you both here.
This idea of yours about dive bombers attacking a blacked out factory in the middle of a forest is rather fantastic don't you think?
I admit it doesn't make much sense Captain Bronson.
But I have a hunch that I am right.
You and Miss Susie drove out don't see many strangers.
Frightly boring. Nice country of course.
Good air and everything but dull.
Dull as ditch water.
What's that?
Only some of the lads and lasses inside.
Like to walk along the emplacement here.
Oh is that allowed?
Oh certainly old boy why not.
Bright moon tonight isn't it?
Yes bombers moon.
We nearly get shot on our way here.
Quiet Susie. We are not supposed to have been there.
If I nearly get shot I am going to say I nearly get shot.
It was a man which is called Mick Callister.
Oh old Mack. Very decent sort Mack. He's a tree doctor.
A what?
Tree doctor. Got to have wood you know.
But trees start to die.
Mack goes round the edge of the clearing and smears him with stuff to keep him well.
How did you come to meet him?
Well the fact is we nearly got as far as the factory tonight.
Oh then you were lucky to get back alive.
There weren't any barrage balloons over the factory I noticed.
Hardly old boy. They wouldn't advertise would they? With balloons in open country.
And if the Germans did use dive bombers?
Oh they're not coming old boy. Just make up your mind to that.
I wonder if you'll say so at ten o'clock.
But it is ten o'clock. It's just ten now.
It can't be. We drove here like blazes. It was only half past nine then.
Then your watch must be very slow old boy.
No I'm afraid you're wrong. I've never seen it quieter.
Cold tonight. Very dry for March.
Look all around you. Moonlight. Open country. Not a sign of life in it.
Quiet. Peaceful. And silent as the...
What was that?
Why George I think we've got some visitors. I think we're going to see some fun.
Enemy planes approaching south southwest. Action stations.
Enemy planes approaching south southwest.
Now do you believe me?
Stand back old boy. Operation crew's coming on.
I said now do you believe me?
I want you to watch these girls work. They do everything you know except actually fire the guns.
Now now now keep your hair on old boy.
Susie he still can't see it.
Oh they'll only be going over.
You think so?
Oh yes. We sometimes get a crack at them when they're making for Bristol.
Enemy fire for action.
Enemy fire.
Listen.
I have heard that noise a thousand times.
But every time I hear it I get sick.
They're flying ruddy low you know.
Just what I was thinking.
Spotter. Spotter. Any identification?
Junkers. 88.
Dive bombers.
Point. 5200.
Look here you two newspaper people.
Yes sir.
There might be things popping you know. Can't tell.
I'd like to get below.
Oh no thanks.
I don't like this Bert but I'll stay too.
Range finder.
Range finder. On target.
Look here you two. Those war office passes you gave me.
I'm not supposed to keep them. I'd better give them back just in case.
Predictor. Predictor. On target.
Here we go ladies and gents.
Fire.
Stand by.
Predictor on target.
Fire.
Stand by.
Predictor on target.
Headquarters message sir.
Yes corporal.
No more fire. Night fighters taking off.
Full fire. Night fighters taking off.
Full fire.
Message understood.
What is the matter with them?
With who?
Those harsh planes. They're still a good way off but they don't come any closer.
Must be going over after all.
They're circling. I think they're waiting for a signal.
Anyhow here are your war office passes. You seem to have got them all smeared with oil.
Oil?
That is all right, Monsher. When we get them back from Captain McAllister, they have oil on them.
I think maybe drop them on the leaves because there's oil on the tires of the car too.
Then I think how always in this we meet things at birth.
At Madame Tussauds last night, they would not let me smoke a cigarette in case of fire.
Fire. That said fire.
What's the matter with you old boy?
Why did that fella way out at the end of nowhere want to know what time it was?
Are you scatter?
McAllister, you told me so yourself. He goes around the edges of the clearing and smears the trees with stuff to keep them well.
What about it?
Suppose it was crude oil. Suppose between each tree he laid an invisible fuse of dead leaves soaked in oil.
I don't understand.
In 30 seconds a complete square of fire runs around the limits of the factory grounds.
That draws the bombers in. Then as the flames blaze higher, they've got enough light to dive on their target.
There. Our night fighters are letting loose.
Bronson, I see it all now. Come on. We've got to get to that tree, Dr. McAllister. It's a matter of minutes.
Susie, is Bronson following in the car behind us?
Yes. He's following in men with rifles.
We've got to get to McAllister's cottage.
This McAllister...
I'll bet you 10 to 1. The real McAllister is either dead or tied up in that cottage.
The fellow we saw was an imposter.
Look out, Susie. Keep your head down.
Oh, those fighters. They will chew a better younger in the place.
They have not got the chance of a snowshoe in heaven.
No, Susie, not a snowshoe in heaven. You mean a...
I know you are English at a time like this. What I cannot understand...
Look out!
I don't see why he hasn't set his signal off. What is delaying him?
Why don't he strike a match when the bombers come over?
Because he's a good Nazi.
A good Nazi?
My watch was slow, don't you remember? I gave him the wrong time.
He had orders to strike his match at 10 o'clock.
He'll not do it until 10 o'clock if there are 500 planes instead of 20.
Bert, I see him.
Where?
Far up the road. He's running.
Yeah. Yeah, that's him.
Think we can reach him before he gets to the clearing?
Not the chance of a snowshoe in heaven.
Signal brunts in the passes. A long shot with a rifle might...
Bert! Bert! One of the anchors has hit.
What?
He's right over us.
That's not all. He's unloading his bombs.
That whole stick is coming straight down in our direction.
Keep your head down.
I want to see...
Good job, baby.
Good job, baby.
Are you all right?
I... I don't feel her.
This is a dirt road.
The bomb sank too deeply before it exploded.
We didn't catch the blast.
Come on, Susie. The callister was just ahead of us.
Come on, let's get out.
We can't drive any further.
This road is full of bomb craters.
Wait a minute, Susie. There's my callister.
He... he is dead.
Yes, Susie.
Killed by a Nazi bomb.
Look, on the ground.
What are those two white cards?
Oh.
They're all smeared with oil.
They must have fallen out of Macalester's pocket just before he got hit.
Let's see.
Huh. What do you know?
What are the cards for?
Two tickets for Madame Tussaud's waxworks.
I'm afraid our friend's never going to get to use them.
Not the chance of us. No shoe in heaven.
And so ends Menace in Wax.
Tonight's story of suspense.
Columbia presents these stories of mystery and intrigue and dangerous adventure.
For your reading, you'll find the answers in the description.
These stories of mystery and intrigue and dangerous adventure.
For your relaxation and enjoyment.
Next Tuesday, there'll be another in this series.
Same hour. 9.30 Eastern wartime.
William Spear, the producer.
John Deets, the director.
Bernard Herman, the composer, conductor.
John Dixon Carr, the author.
Collaborators on Suspense.
Here is a message of vital importance to every person who drives an automobile in America.
There is wide misunderstanding about gasoline and rubber,
and the government wants the following facts brought to everyone's attention.
Actually, there is no scarcity of gasoline except in some parts of the East.
But nowhere in the country is there enough rubber for military and civilian use.
Starting two weeks from today, December 1st, mileage rationing goes into effect.
This means that no car owner anywhere in the United States will be able to buy gasoline without a mileage rationing book.
The purpose is to conserve the rubber we have by eliminating all unnecessary driving.
When we think of the tremendous distances our mechanized army is traveling in North Africa,
and the long road to victory that still lies ahead, this extra effort on our part is slight indeed.
Remember, everybody is going to have mileage rationing, so why not be prepared?
The best way each of us can save rubber is by sharing our car with others.
Let one car do the work for two or three.
So why not arrange with the neighbors tonight and start sharing the car tomorrow?
It's the one real important contribution that every automobile driver can make.
Don't be a lone rider. Share your car and do your share for victory.
This is the Columbia Broadcasting System.