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 result to...

Well it did have a happy ending?

I 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. -Good evening. Sybilla 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 uh,

mrs mead's things up to her room if you please.

And mrs Carter thank you so much for waiting up for us.

Comes Sybilla, let me show you the house.

Oh yes please do it Horace.

Oh it's lovely Horace.

-What beautiful things. -Well 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 up this house.

Are these your mother's things Horace? certainly not

My mother had atrocious taste. Oh 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 as I like.

Well this is it.

Oh, Horace it's perfect. It's just how I imagined it.

Yes.

Um, Sybilla 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.

Yeah. Now uh 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...

Um yes. I was about to say... I prefer that,

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 lunch and served in here also?

Oh yes yes, uh one o'clock and,

dinner at eight. That is on the late side. I hope it suits you.

-Of course dear. Lunch at one and dinner at eight. -Is perfect.

-Now show me where you work. -Oh well yes.

What is that?

It's my wedding present to you.

Do you like it Horace?

Handsome.

Real rather a fine piece.

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

The keys there on the ribbon.

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

I enlisted mrs Carter as an ally.

Well 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 your privacy.

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

I promise you.

Well I,

thank you Sybilla.

Thank you.

-Sybilla would you care for little wine? -No thank you dears.

-It's a little later I think I'll go to my room now. -Yes.

-It's um at the end of the hall on the right. -Yes yes I'll find it.

I happen to believe in separate rooms uh 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 them.

The food actually improved, and that was sly over 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 Sybilla was too clever for that.

I began to feel like a man beating against air.

Imprisoned by invisible walls.

Sybilla...

Yes dear.

Sybilla I've I've been wondering whether you,

whether you miss living in the city.

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 your home, how nice. -What were you doing in my study?

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

Mrs Carter's used to that.

well I 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 it to 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 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 Sybilla 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 to the success of my plan.

Sybilla because she thinks it pleases me, obediently drinks whatever I offer her.

Fortunately the sleeping medicine is practically tasteless.

Come in.

-Is 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 now.

Why Horace come in darling how nice.

Well what's the matter darling you 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.

Sybilla.

Sybilla.

-Sybilla, help me! -Horace, what wrong?

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

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

I was gonna 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 with 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.

Impossible.

That bottle spill.

Not break.

Too tired, too tired. Tomorrow.

-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 read 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?

Sybilla, 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 safe.

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

She expects me to do the same.

I'll have to.

I must.

The evidence is in her lawyer's safe.

I cannot let Sybilla die.

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

to look after Sybilla and watch over her.

There was nothing else to do we had to live together.

After all I'd married Sybilla and she seemed,

convinced that despite myself I had wanted to.

Good morning Sybilla.

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 this is just lovely.

The doctor will be here this afternoon i want him to examine you perhaps you need a tonic.

You'll eat every bit of that, 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.

Hello dear.

What 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 me 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.

-What horror. -Oh we're going to the seashore,

for the sake of your health but you're not going to do any swimming.

-But... -I won't have it.

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

Sharks, all sorts of dangerous things.

-I won't have it Sybilla. -Well we needn't go at all.

Oh but you need to change, well 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. 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.

And 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 she seemed to fail.

She grew weaker.

-Well doctor? -I'm afraid there's nothingmore we can do mr Meade.

-May I go in? -Yes. I'll be downstairs.

Sybilla...

Sybilla...

Dear.

I've wanted to ask you something for a long time.

My desk,

the key,

did you,

did you ever,

Darling.

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 I know it's necessary.

Mr Meade uh I had charge of your wife's affairs,

before she was married to you as I suppose you know.

-Yes. -During the 10 years you were married,

although I saw very little ever I 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.

Now, 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 I'm disappearing when I wanted to be alone.

She was a perfect wife.

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

I should have said,

I love you.

I shall return 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 popurri 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.