And now, tonight's presentation of Radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense.
Tonight, we bring you a transcribed story of three women and their vigil of death.
We call it Waiting.
So now, starring Vivi Janis, Paula Winslow and Charlotte Lawrence, here is tonight's
Suspense play, Waiting.
Do you want me to put butter on the mallein?
I don't care.
I told you I wasn't hungry.
I couldn't eat, not now.
I don't see how you can.
You got to.
It's no good going on like this.
Is Harriet coming?
I think so.
She said she would.
Oh, I hope she gets here soon.
Everything will get cold.
Stop it.
Why don't you stop it?
How can you talk as if nothing's happening, nothing's going to happen?
I can't eat.
I'd be sick.
I'm going to my room.
Oh, come in, Harriet.
I was just wondering if you were going to be late.
Does it make any difference?
Now you mustn't talk like that.
Life goes on.
I know it's hard to see that now, but you will.
Time is kind to us.
Mr. Mailer is still trying to see the governor.
Mrs. Martinson, could I have a drink?
Oh, well, I'm afraid there isn't anything since...
It doesn't matter.
Where's Eileen?
She's lying down.
She's not taking it the way you are.
Oh, I'm afraid these last few hours are going to be awful.
I've been trying to get her to take one of those pills the doctor left.
She won't.
I've got some nice dinner ready, Harriet.
Why don't you see if you can get Eileen to have some?
It'll give her strength, poor dear.
All right.
Hello, Eileen.
Oh, Harriet.
Harriet, I can't stand it.
I can't.
I know.
No, you don't.
You're only his sister.
I love him.
I'm his wife.
I'm his sister, and I love him.
I know.
Can't they do anything?
Did you see Mr. Mailer?
He's trying.
He's trying to see the governor.
But there's no time.
No time.
There was a witness flying in from Mexico tonight.
He says he saw a woman coming out of the building that night about the time that she was supposed
to have been killed.
Mr. Mailer thinks he might be able to get a stay of execution on the strength of it.
Won't make any difference.
It'll be like all the others.
There was no proof.
Just Norman and that terrible diary.
Eileen, do you honestly think he didn't kill her?
Of course he didn't.
I know he couldn't have done it.
I couldn't bear thinking anything else.
But you sometimes do think something else.
No.
No, I love him.
He wrote me a letter.
I wrote it this morning.
I want to read it to you.
What?
What did he say?
Dear little egg, just a note.
There's not much to say that hasn't already been said.
I feel I can talk to you better than I can to Eileen.
I know how you've stood by these past weeks.
It's been the thing that's kept me going.
Your faith, your trust.
Somehow I feel that Eileen is not convinced of my innocence and I can't blame her.
I was a fool to have kept the diary.
I was a fool to have got involved with Sheila.
But self-recrimination is no help now.
The diary I wrote because I needed to say things aloud which couldn't be said, I wrote
them instead.
It must have been a terrible shock to Eileen.
But you, my wise little sister, weren't altogether blind when it came to seeing the truth of
our marriage.
I suppose I turned to that poor girl trying to find again what was finished between Eileen
and myself.
But I didn't kill Sheila.
Always believe me.
It's too late now but I wish that things might have been different.
Goodbye, little egg.
My last brotherly advice.
Become a good man, get married, have lots of nice kids and be happy.
You're the best of sisters, all my love and honor.
He thinks he hasn't written to me.
Hasn't he?
He believes that I...
I think he did it.
Don't you?
I love him.
But you think he did kill her.
I love him.
It's not too late to send a message.
Let him know.
Tell him you know he's not guilty.
You could do that.
He was there.
He was with her that night.
He admitted that.
But there was somebody else after he left.
You're so sure.
You sit there cold, not caring.
You're like those lawyers.
I'm waiting for him to die.
I love him and he's going to die.
You're waiting for an end to something and you're not feeling anything, not really.
He's your brother and so he's got to be innocent.
Save the name of Landon, that's all it means to you.
That's not true.
Yes, it is.
You've always laughed at us, mother and me.
You and Norman, always laughing, little secrets.
I love him.
And he always held something away from me that he gave to you.
I hated him for that.
Then you can't be very unhappy that he's going to die tonight.
Don't you dare say that.
Why shouldn't I hate as well?
He never let me in, never let me belong.
Even waiting now, waiting for him to go to the...
You keep it to yourselves.
I can't even share that.
I'm sorry.
I suppose we just don't feel things the same way.
Maybe I just can't cry anymore.
What's the time?
Seven.
Four hours.
Aline, Harriet, come along.
Dinner's getting cold.
I'm not hungry, Mrs. Martinson.
I told you before, mother.
Oh, it's nice.
Nice that you two have each other for comfort.
We must all be strong, pray together, hope together.
I'm not being callous, unfeeling.
It's just that I've lived longer and seen more unhappiness than either of you.
Life must go on.
Mother.
Oh, oh, yes, dear.
I'm sorry.
What's the time?
Nearly eight.
I'll get it.
Must be Mr. Mailer.
Hello?
I'm sorry.
Mr. Mailer.
Hello?
Yes, yes, Mr. Mailer.
Yes.
Oh.
Yes, all right.
Thank you.
Yes, I will.
The governor's refused to see him.
He's going to drive to the mansion and try again.
He's leaving.
God's will.
He's leaving as soon as the witness arrives, who saw the woman with him.
A witness?
Who?
A man says he saw someone come out of the apartment that night.
The woman. She was running.
He saw a woman?
Yes.
Her face?
Well, it was dark, but he thinks he could identify her. He's not sure.
I think it's unfair.
What is?
Browsing our hopes this way.
Well, if it's true, the woman could...
Mr. Mailer brought in half a dozen witnesses who swore they saw somebody near the apartment.
It didn't help. The jury didn't believe it.
I think it's unfair.
Well, supposing this is different. It's a chance.
Please. Please, don't talk about it.
Why not?
Am I the only one...
Am I the only one who thinks Norman didn't kill her?
Am I?
Blind, not yourself with love to the faults which lie within man.
Mother.
Be quiet, Aline.
Norman was a difficult man for me to understand, Harriet.
I admit I was never really happy that Aline married him.
Oh, I tried not to interfere.
I've seen what he's done.
He's not scared of fear.
I've seen what he's done to my daughter during the past two years,
and I've said nothing.
It's not for me to judge his acts.
That has been done,
and a far higher judge will be waiting.
I won't listen to you. I won't listen.
Youth can afford the loyalty
that age has already squandered.
Why must you quote?
Are you afraid of saying something original,
something that'll show what you really are?
That's enough.
He's my husband. He's more mine than yours or yours.
yours or yours. I don't care whether he killed that woman or not, I want him to live. I love
him. He can't die. That was the Beethoven Sixth Symphony played by the Philadelphia
Orchestra conducted by Bruno Walter and brought to you on our evening music program. Time
now is two minutes after nine and here's a five minute summary of the news. State prison
officials said tonight that nothing new had developed in the bid for stay of execution
by Norman Landon, convicted slayer of Sheila Warriner. Landon is scheduled to die at eleven
o'clock tonight, approximately two hours from now. The governor turned down the lawyer's
latest plea. According to William Mailer, attorney for the condemned man, a new witness
has been found who can shed further light on the case. However, the governor does not
feel the evidence is sufficient to... Why doesn't he call? He must be there right now. Why doesn't
he call? I always wanted us to have a baby. I knew he didn't love me enough. We'd have
those fights and he'd just look at me. He wouldn't say anything, only look. I don't
know what went wrong with us. You tried, Alene. Your mother knows you tried. Maybe I didn't
understand. Maybe I was wrong, like he said in the letter. But what did I do? I wanted
to make him happy. Never let me be close to him. I could never share anything. It's true.
True as I sit here. You did your best. You have nothing to be ashamed of. Hasn't she?
Not you, Alene? No. Nothing. He's ruined all our lives, what he did. But it's not right.
I shouldn't care. Why do I have to feel the way I do about him? He didn't love me. It
was that other woman. If he loved her so much, why did he kill her? Because it was... It
was dirty, nasty, because of liquor and immorality. It always ends that way. What do you know
about morality? Your kind's worse than anything. Everything normal is dirty to you. You tried
to make Alene feel that way. You think I don't know what happened there, marriage? I do.
I know. Oh, I know why. Get out. Get out of this house. You've shown your true color.
You know better than he was. Get out. I'll go. I wouldn't... Well? Hello? Yes? Yes,
I'll wait. Who is it? Mr. Mailer. He's coming to the phone. Let me talk to him. No, I want
to... Hello? Mr. Mailer? This is Mrs. Landon. Yes. I see. Yes, thank you. Thank you very
much. What? Mr. Mailer's not going to see the governor. He doesn't have to. Norman's
just confessed that he killed a woman. You are listening to Waiting, tonight's presentation
in radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense. Even the most innocent bystander
cannot help but feel the atmosphere of drama and excitement that prevails a station house
of a big city police force. Step inside our 21st precinct station house any Thursday night
and listen as threads of emotion cross and crisscross to weave a fabric of drama that
is no less exciting, no less intense than the situations that confront men on the beat.
And these are the stories you hear each Thursday night when 21st Precinct is on the air on
most of these same stations. And now we bring back to our Hollywood sound stage, Vivi Janis,
Paula Winslow and Charlotte Lawrence starring in tonight's production of Waiting, a tale
well calculated to keep you in suspense. Norman's confessed? Yes, mother. I'll be going. Goodbye,
darling. No, I don't want you to go. Stay with me. You let her be in this house after
the way she talked to your mother. Oh, none of us know what we're saying. Doesn't matter
anyway. We wouldn't be talking like this if it weren't for Norman. Well, I should have
thought an apology were in order. I'm sorry, Mrs. Martinson. You know, this is very funny.
I wish we could hear ourselves quarreling, behaving like this. And in a little while,
he's going to be dead. I wish we had a recording so we could sit down next week and listen
to it. I wish I had a drink. I'll get you one, Harriet. But your mother said the...
I keep a bottle just for me. Aline. Make it strong. So he did it after all. What did
you say? Nothing. Yes, you did. You said he did it, didn't you? He confessed. For his
soul's sake, he confessed. I don't believe it. You don't want to believe it. He didn't
kill her. He was always drinking. He taught Aline to drink. No good comes of it. It's
a false strength she's taking for herself. Where does your strength come from, Mrs. Martinson?
A knowledge of right and wrong. Oh, you laugh at that, my girl. But wait. Wait until you're
my age. I think I'll never know your kind of right and wrong. Oh, I'm sorry for you,
poor Aline. The shame you'll have to carry for this. And neither of you care now. Not
now. You blinded by loyalty, Aline by love. Just wait. Wait. I praise. I go down on my
knees that there were no children to see this night. Aline. Aline, you all right? Aline?
I dropped it. Don't pick up the pieces like that. You'll cut yourself. I'll do it.
I'm afraid. I'm afraid. I'm afraid. Why? What's the time? Nearly ten. It's the waiting.
That's the worst. It'd be better if it were finished. You can't wait till he's dead.
Is that what you mean? Is that why you're afraid? Shut up! Did that make you feel better?
I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I know you. I've always known what you're like. When you feel guilty
about what you've done, you have to take it out on somebody. Norman, it's easier than,
isn't it? It always was. If you can get angry enough, you don't have to think about things
like now. That's why you slapped me. You want him to be guilty. It's better for you now
that he's confessed, isn't it? He did kill her. He did. No. I think he confessed to make
things easier for you and for me. Then maybe we wouldn't have to spend the rest of our
lives wondering. Not that you'd be wondering. You know, don't you? What do you mean? You
know what I mean. Go on inside. I'll make the drinks.
A thousand shall fall at thy side and ten thousand at thy right hand, but it shall not
become nigh thee. Only with thine eye shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
They'll find out who really did it. No matter what happens to Norman, they'll find out who
did it. They already know. Do they? You said that before. As if you know. How can you be
so sure? Do you know more than the police, than anybody? It's ten thirty. In half an
hour. Half an hour, a man's going to be murdered. An eye for an eye. At eleven o'clock. We'll
just sit here and it'll be like New Year's Eve. We ought to have the radio on so we can
know the exact time. But it takes a little while for him to be pronounced dead. Completely
dead. What is it? A minute? Minute and a half? Do we drink a toast at eleven or one minute
after? Oh, you should be put away. Talk like that. You're out of your mind. Somebody else
will be sitting, waiting. There isn't anybody else. Why don't you be quiet? He did it. I've
wanted to believe he didn't, but I know he said he did. I'll go. Telegram from Mrs. Norman
Lannan. Thank you. It's for you, Aline. You did this. What is it, dear? Who is it from?
She did it. Congratulations. That's all it says. It's from you, isn't it? Don't be stupid.
Why should I say that? You hated me for marrying him. You never thought I was good enough.
I didn't send it. Who did? You're a wicked girl if you sent that. A horrible, wicked
girl. Mother was right. You shouldn't be here. I want you to go. No, I'm staying. I'm going
to wait until eleven. You're getting out. I've told you I'm not leaving. Call the police,
Aline. Call the police. They'll take care of her. What are you smiling at? What? Don't
take any notice of her. Why are you smiling like that? I just think it's funny. Calling
the police to put me out. Then I have nowhere to go when they execute my brother. She's
gone crazy. Stay away from her, Aline. Why are you being like this, Harriet? It's not
my fault. I can't help it. I want to hear you say you believe he's innocent. I'm waiting
for that. Operator, get me the police. Harriet, will you go now? No. Mother, hang up. I'll
tell you no such thing. I said hang up. You hurt my hand. I'm sorry. Bad enough as it
is. We don't need any more business with the police. You hurt me. I'm going to my room.
When you've thought it over, you may come and apologize. She's old. Things aren't the
same to her anymore. Were they ever? You think I'm to blame for everything, don't you? Yes.
Most of it. You know what it's like living with a man you love. Love so much it makes
you weak and nothing. Realize that when you say things you don't mean them but you want
to hurt. Do anything to get him to notice. Make him angry. Anything but make him feel
something. I never could. You think I don't know why he started going with that woman?
I understand. I don't want to, but I do. It's the lack in me. Just the way he said in the
diary. It's ten to eleven. I hated her so much I could have killed her. I thought of
killing him, but he wouldn't have cared. You'll be even with them both now. You can't understand
how I love him. There'll never be anybody else. There's somebody else, all right. No.
We're a lot alike. The hold others have over us. Norman and I, you and your mother. It's
not good to be that close. Not for anybody. Norman and I had each other. Maybe if it hadn't
been for you and mother we might have... You didn't. You had a chance and you didn't. I
thought you'd tell the truth when you got the telegram. You said it. It was you. Yes.
I hoped it would make you tell before it was too late. Aline. Aline. It's nearly eleven.
I forgive you. I forgive both of you. We must all pray together. You pray, Mrs. Martinson.
I'll watch you. Hello? Yes, Mr. Mailer. Oh. Yes. Yes, I will. Thank you. I'm sorry. I
thank you. The witness arrived and identified the woman from a picture. The governor granted
a stay of execution five minutes ago. Identified? Yes. You knew, didn't you? It didn't make
any difference. He wouldn't have come back to me. It would have been better. Now I have
no one. Mr. Mailer had a suspicion. He couldn't prove anything. He told me. I wondered too.
No one else recognized the woman in the picture except the man who was in Mexico. And you
would have let Norman die. Oh, mother, stop it. I didn't think anyone saw me come out.
I followed him, Aline. I did it for you. I had to. It was so wicked. Right after he left
her, I went in. I tried to talk to her. I did it for you, dear. They won't electrocute
me, will they? I know it's against the commandment to kill. But I had to. I could stand everything
but the waiting. Oh, Mrs. Martinson. Harriet. Harriet. She's crying. She's crying. She's
crying. I never thought she could cry. It's all right, dear. Have a good cry. It'll do
you good. Suspense, in which Vivi Janis, Paula Winslow, and Charlotte Lawrence starred in
tonight's presentation of Waiting. Next week, the story of a man caught in a mineshaft,
trapped by his own conscience. We call it The Digger. That's next week on Suspense.
This is transcribed and directed in Hollywood by Anthony Ellis. You have just heard Waiting
written by Mr. Ellis, especially for Suspense. The music was composed by Lucien Moroweck
and conducted by Wilbur Hatch. Others in our cast were Thomas Hanley and George Walsh.
Are your neighbors talking about action yet? Well, if they aren't, perhaps it's because
they're not yet aware of the practical plan for preventing and eliminating slums that
has been set up by ACTION, the American Council to Improve Our Neighborhoods. If your friends
and neighbors are interested already, CBS Radio urges you to join their efforts to keep
your community from running down. But if a slum fighting program has not been organized
where you live, why not write to ACTION, Box 20, New York 19 for a free leaflet that explains
what can be done to prevent your neighborhood from falling into disrepair. That's ACTION,
Box 20, New York 19.
Thank you.