Original subtitles

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and young lovers wherever you are.

No doubt their parents have forbidden the bands, and so rather than face

separation, they resort to...

suppose I'm just an incurable romantic but I so enjoy seeing true love triumph

and now while I savor this moment we shall have a few words on love of a

different kind

Sybilla is dead.

Sybilla is dead.

How can I read over what I've written in the diary?

The pages will look strange to me.

And yet I must finish them.

How did I come to marry Sybilla? I really cannot remember very clearly.

All I know is that for a determined bachelor of 40 to have suddenly found

himself married to Sybilla was...

As incredible as finding himself on the moon.

Carter! They're here.

Good evening, Mr. Billings. Good evening.

Sevilla, this is Mr. and Mrs. Carter. They take care of me. Yes, I know.

Welcome to your new home.

We hope you'll be very happy.

Thank you. I'm sure I shall be.

Oh, Carter, if you will, just take Mrs.

Mead's things up to her room, if you please. And Mrs. Carter, thank you so

for waiting up for us.

Here comes Sibylla.

Let me show you the house. Oh, yes, please do, Horace.

Oh, it's lovely, Horace.

What beautiful things.

Most of these pieces are antiques.

They are a responsibility.

They're quite valuable and have to be properly looked after.

Oh, yes.

Yes, I imagine so.

Of course, thanks to my mother's providence, I've had the means to keep

house.

Are these your mother's things, Horat?

Certainly not.

My mother had atrocious taste.

No, no, I chose everything myself.

Come, let me show you the dining room.

I'm sure you'll find the carters well -trained. At least they keep the house

I like.

Well, this is it.

Oh, Horace, it's perfect.

It's just how I imagined it.

Yes.

Um, I suppose I ought to tell you that... Darling, please believe me, I

understand. This is your house.

You've been self -sufficient here for a long time.

The very idea of marriage is strange, I know.

Now, about breakfast, I prefer... But all men need love and companionship.

I never want to be a nuisance, my darling, never.

Now, tell me about breakfast.

You were saying?

Yes, I was about to say, I prefer that breakfast be served here in the dining

room. I usually have the same menu.

Perhaps it'll seem monotonous, but it suits me.

You must always tell me just what you prefer, my darling.

I don't want to make any mistakes.

Never.

Grapefruit and one egg done in butter. And the coffee very, very strong.

And do you have luncheon served in here also?

Oh, yes, yes. At one o 'clock. And dinner at eight. That is on the late

hope it suits you.

Of course, dear.

Lunch at one and dinner at eight. Yes. Now, show me where you work.

Oh, uh, yeah.

It's my wedding present to you.

Do you like it, Horace?

Handsome.

Really rather a fine piece.

Well... I tried to find something you would like.

The key's there, on the ribbon.

How did you manage to get it here without my knowing?

I enlisted Mrs. Carter as an ally.

Oh, I'm afraid it must have cost a great deal.

Even if it did, everything I have belongs to you now.

I want to share it with you.

I realize how much you...

Value your privacy.

I'll never come in here to interfere or bother.

I promise you.

Well, I... Thank you, Sibylla.

Thank you.

Sibylla, would you care for a little wine?

No, thank you, dear. It's a little late. I think I'll go to my room now.

Yes. It's at the end of the hall on the right.

Yes, yes, I'll find it. I happen to believe in separate rooms. I hope you

understand. Of course I do.

You must always tell me just how you prefer everything.

I only want to please you.

She was always so gentle, so agreeable.

I defended my way of life. I remained a little cool and aloof.

The meals were served as I preferred.

The food actually improved.

And that was sly of her, I thought.

It was her way of establishing her control.

I could find absolutely nothing to complain about.

At first, I was ready to defend myself against all rearranging and habit

-breaking. But the billow was too clever for that.

I began to feel like a man beating against air.

Imprisoned by invisible walls.

Sibylla?

Yes, dear?

Sibylla, I've... I've been wondering whether you... whether you miss living

the city.

Why, not at all, darling.

Well, we are rather remote out here, and I've wondered if perhaps you might

not...

Yes.

Well, you could very well, you know, have a small place of your own in town.

I could afford that and an allowance.

I'm quite content to be where you are.

A generous allowance.

But you're my life now.

It is unbearable.

She's holding me with cobwebs.

She studies my tastes.

And there's no civilized way out.

She will never separate or divorce.

But I cannot bear it much longer.

I must put an end to it.

But it was not until the day I came home from seeing my publisher that I decided

to take steps.

Darling, you're home. How nice.

What were you doing in my study?

Well, I was looking to see if the drapes needed cleaning.

Mrs. Carter sees to that.

Well, I thought perhaps you'd like me to see to it. I know you dislike anyone

disturbing your things.

I'm used to Mrs. Carter. She's completely trustworthy. I'd rather leave

her.

Horace, what was your mother like?

She was a fine woman.

A wonderful person. I was devoted to her.

But she managed me.

Ah, but I don't, you know.

I cannot bear it. She broke her promise. She came in to snoop and interfere.

I won't have it.

I have a supply of sleeping medicine on hand.

I'm a sensitive person, and whenever I'm nervous or upset, I cannot get to sleep

without taking something.

Lately, I've had to take it often. A small amount ensures that I sleep well.

A large quantity, of course, would prove fatal.

I've established the habit for Sybil and myself of a little drink each night.

When the time comes, I can say that she borrowed the medicine from my cabinet.

No man murders a perfect wife.

It will look accidental.

Our household now regards this as a nightly habit, a fact which is important

the success of my plan.

Sibylla, because she thinks it pleases me, obediently drinks whatever I offer

her.

Fortunately, the fleeting medicine is practically tasteless.

Here's your wine, my dear.

Thank you, darling.

A cold hand touched my heart.

I didn't want to, but I had to.

I couldn't weaken.

Why, Horace, come in, darling. How nice.

What's the matter, darling? You look upset.

Is anything the matter?

No, no.

Horace.

Horace, what is it?

Why, Horace, you're in a cold sweat.

Here, let me help you, darling.

No.

My sleeping medicine, I... Oh, come quickly home.

Here, rinse your mouth out quickly.

Is that better?

Oh, darling, I'm so sorry that I didn't tell you.

What? Well, the other morning I was tidying up in here and I had a little

accident. Your sleeping medicine bottle fell.

The bottle didn't break, but the liquid spilled all over.

I was going to ask your doctor for the prescription so that I could replace it.

It isn't anything that'll hurt you, darling. I simply filled your bottle

some lotion of mine.

I didn't think you'd be taking any.

Oh, darling, I'm so terribly sorry. Do you feel better now?

Yes, yes, I'm all right.

Just leave me alone now, please.

If you like, darling, of course.

Are you feeling all right, darling?

I feel well enough.

Well, perhaps you shouldn't have worked this morning. No, no, I feel all right.

What in the world are you reading?

It's a mystery book.

Such rubbish.

I know.

Still, it's psychologically interesting, Horace.

There's a very clever idea in the book.

You see, a man thinks that someone's trying to kill him.

He finds this out by reading a diary.

Then he makes a copy of the diary and has it put in his lawyer's safe to be

by the district attorney in the event of his death.

Then he lets the person who wants to kill him know what he's done.

You see?

I think it's very clever.

I don't.

I think it's nonsense.

But it would work.

Don't you think so?

Spill it. What's that?

Oh, I meant to tell you. There are two keys to your desk.

I've had this in my sewing box.

If you ever lose yours, darling, I have another.

She knows all about it.

She's been reading my diary.

She had a key.

She knew what I planned to do. That's why she substituted that lotion.

Now she has a copy of the diary. It's in her lawyer's face.

She's acting as if nothing has happened at all.

She expects me to do the thing.

And I'll have to.

I must.

The evidence is in her lawyer's safe.

But let Sibylla die.

In the years that followed, it became second nature for me to look after

and watch over her. There was nothing else to do. We had to live together.

After all, I'd married Sibylla, and she seemed convinced that despite myself,

I'd wanted to.

Good morning, Sibylla.

Oh, darling.

Now, I want you to eat every bit of this.

But darling, breakfast is always served in the dining room. I don't believe

you've been eating properly lately.

You haven't been yourself.

Oh, I'm all right, Horace. I've just been a little tired, that's all.

Now, the best thing for you is to eat well and rest. I want you to stay in bed

and be lazy.

Oh, darling, you're so thoughtful.

It's just lovely.

The doctor will be here this afternoon. I want him to examine you.

Perhaps you need a tonic.

You'll eat it. Every bit of it, won't you?

To please me?

Of course, darling.

Sybilla had not been feeling well, and I worried about her.

I must say that after being married to her for eight years, I'd come to

appreciate her intelligence, her prettiness, her quietness.

I had suggested we take a vacation to the seashore. She thought it was a

wonderful idea and eagerly started making preparations.

On Earth, is that?

It's not supposed to be on Earth. It's for the sea.

The sea?

Yes. Look, I got this for you.

You mean... You mean one's actually supposed to put such a thing on?

Well, of course.

Wouldn't it be a pity to be there three weeks and not be able to go swimming at

all? No. No, absolutely not.

But, Horace... No, we're going to the seashore for the sake of your health,

you're not going to do any swimming.

But... I won't have it.

But why not, Horace? Don't you realize what there might be in the ocean?

Sharks, all sorts of dangerous things.

No, I won't have it, Sybilla.

Well, we needn't go at all.

Oh, but you need a change.

Oh, we could go to the mountains.

No, no, no.

The mountains would be lovely.

No, I don't like the idea of mountain trails and steep places.

Whatever you say, darling.

Should we stay here? I like it here. No, no, no, no. You must have a change.

We'll go to the seashore. But I forbid any swimming. It's much too dangerous.

Now, you send the things right back.

All right. Well, just sit in the sun and relax.

Yes.

But not too much sun, mind you.

Your complexion is much too fair.

I had hoped that the trip to the seashore might do her good, but instead

seemed to fail.

She grew weaker.

The more we can do, Mr. Meade.

May I go in?

Yes. I'll be downstairs.

Dear? I wanted to ask you something for a long time.

My desk.

The key.

Did you... Did you ever...

Sorry to have to bring you down here so soon after your wife's death, but

there's some matters I think we ought to discuss.

That's quite all right. I know it's necessary.

Mr. Meade, I had charge of your wife's affairs before she was married to you,

I suppose you know.

Yes.

During the ten years that you were married, although I saw very little of

kept some of her papers.

This is her will.

And a few bonds.

Not very many.

She had very little money of her own.

But in her will, they come to you.

What?

Is that all?

I beg your pardon?

Yes, that's all.

There was no copy of my diary in the lawyer's safe.

Nothing but a few family papers.

There never had been any.

Was it all a coincidence then? The medicine, the key, everything?

No. She must have known what I tried to do.

And didn't care.

It wasn't herself she wanted to save.

It was me.

Oh, I miss her.

Miss her as I've never missed anyone.

The way she had of always being there when I wanted her, and of disappearing

when I wanted to be alone.

She was a perfect wife.

Oh, Sibylla, now I know what I should have done in that last moment.

I should have said, I love you.

in a moment.

But first, we have that feature of television that all viewers long for.

The end of a commercial.

That moment will come in just 60 seconds.

That concludes our potpourri for this evening.

Next week, we shall continue our study of that age -old riddle. Did they

jump, or were they pushed until then?

Good night.