Speaker 1: The CBS Radio Mystery Theater Presents.
Speaker 2: Come in.
Speaker 3: Welcome.
Speaker 2: I'm A G.
Speaker 1: Marshall, presiding as usual over a vintage assortment of tales
of mystery, terror, excitement and suspense. Someday we shall simply
have to rid ourselves of all the well worn cliches
that obscure our speech and corrode our thinking, And for
our present purposes, we should start with the one that
says ignorance is bliss The fact of the matter is
that the truly ignorant are seldom blissful. Indeed, they are
usually unhappy, suspicious, stubborn.
Speaker 4: And frustrated.
Speaker 1: M true, a little bit of wisdom may be dangerous,
but a great deal of ignorance is usually fatal. As
we shall demonstrate.
Speaker 2: The curtain.
Speaker 4: I've I've never seen such flowers? Beautiful ante, Yes, how
do you grow them? Oh? That's my secret?
Speaker 5: D How should there be a secret between husband and wife? Well,
whole neighborhood's talking. How do you grow such flowers?
Speaker 4: You wouldn't you want to know? Tell me no, I
absist very well, it's how you wanted them. Oh well,
I'll do you water them with blood? Our mystery drama.
Speaker 1: The Flowers of Death was written especially for the mystery
Theater by Sam Dan and stars Mercedes mc cambridge. I'll
be back shortly with that one. And there are those
who strive to be different, who march to the rhythms
of their very own drummers. And these are a breed apart.
When they succeed, we hail them as geniuses. When they fail,
we can fine them as madmen. In either case, they
remain a mystery to most of us. They are beyond
the common understanding. This is because for so many of us,
the usual tendency is to play it safe. The usual
advice is don't stick your neck out. The usual goal
is to be like everybody else. Don't rock the boat,
don't make waves. These have been articles of faith for
Walter Morrison and for Gretchen, his wife.
Speaker 2: Hello, Charlie Wader, where are you at the office? I
call to tell you I'll be late for dinner tonight.
Speaker 4: Oh well, well, it can't be helped here.
Speaker 2: Parker's in from the coast, and I can score some
points if I hang around and just chat with him.
Speaker 4: Okay, alright, h uh uh.
Speaker 2: We should ask Parker and his wife out to dinner.
Speaker 4: Oh, she's really a horrible woman water.
Speaker 2: Well, sure she is, but Parker can do me a
lot of good.
Speaker 4: Mm alright there, I'll see if I can say about
and if it's uh, go where brown?
Speaker 2: H Yes, it's your least flattering color. You shouldn't look
too good. She's older than you and she'd resent it.
Speaker 4: Oh, he just here, I understand. Is there anything else
you want me to do? Watering?
Speaker 2: Oh, that's about it, see you later.
Speaker 4: Oh just a minute. Hello, Yes, what is it? Mm?
I was right, you would right about fay about you?
Oh look, I don't buy anything from door to door salesman.
In that event, May I trouble you for a glass
of water?
Speaker 2: Water?
Speaker 4: Actually, I'd prefer a glass of wine if you had it.
I suppose it's an odd request in this century, in
this place, in this time, concept of hospitality has ceased
to exist, sir, I'm really very busy. Well, consider your ancestors.
They would have invited me inside with a hearty welcome,
prevailed upon me to stay for supper, spend the night.
I'm really not interested today. The stranger who rings the
doorbell is directed to the nearest motel. If indeed the
door has opened at all, you'll have to excuse me.
My telephone is ringing. No, it isn't. I warn you,
I'll scream for help. I'll call for the police. You
simply don't know how to handle this at all? Do you?
What do you want? What are you selling? What do
you need? I already told you I don't want to
buy anything. That's not what I asked you. I asked
you what you need. I don't need anything. Now, please
just let me close the door. Is that really true
that you don't need anything? Yes? You have everything your
heart desire. Yes, now please love, happiness, fulfillment. Yes, yes,
thank carefully, don't answer quickly. I told you I don't
want anything you're selling. I'm not selling anything. Well, then
why did you ring? As I was walking by, I
saw you at your window. You reminded me of someone
someone I knew a long time ago. I'm I'm really
not interested. You should be. I mean you no harm.
I saw your face. It reminded me of someone I
loved once, but I can't remember her name. Oh please,
I'm frightened. Don't be afraid you remind me of her?
But who was she? There were so many? Steady, I
love deeply and with all my heart, but not for law,
never for law. Who are you God? You are what
I should say, a god? Yes, that's what impossible. Why
because because everyone knows? What everyone knows is usually nonsense.
It's what you know, what I know that counts. You
say you are a god. Remember, I can see your mind.
You've decided to humor me. You believe that I'm a lunatic.
You hope I'm harmless. Why do you say you can
read my mind? Isn't it natural for me to think
that a person who my name is Dionysus Dionysius, the
ancient Greek god of wine and growing things. Well, I
don't care much for wine, but I wish you could
help me with my garden. You are beautiful when you smile. Suddenly,
this whole thing that makes me laugh. Why do you
say you're Dionysius, Because it's true I'm dreaming. I must
be dreaming. What are dreams, Dionysius? I remember I had
a course at school, at college in ancient lit It
was a long time ago. Dionysius and Apollo, Yes, in
Zeus and Palasatina, my sisters, my brothers. Dionysius, the god
of growing things, I think I fell in love with you?
Speaker 2: Then I know?
Speaker 4: Why have you come to me now? Because nothing grows
in your heart anymore? What is this life? You lead?
The stone empty life? Oh I'm I'm very happy. Water
and I were happy weave Gretchen. Why does nothing grow
in your garden? Oh? Things grow, they do it. Why
did you say you wish I could help you with
your garden? Well, because I know, because nothing grows with
beauty with fire. Once in another life you were in
my garden, the garden of Dionysus. I remember now, yes,
and I'm sorry for the way it ended. You remember
how it ended? Yes? It always ends badly when one
of the immortal gods loves a woman of the earth.
Speaker 2: The garden?
Speaker 4: Do you remember the garden? I remember? You will live
in that garden again with you. That garden shall be
in your own heart, and everything beautiful will grow from it.
I have walked the world and wandered the sentries in
search of you, and now I've found you again. I
love you. I love you, But will you leave me again? Never?
I will always be in your garden.
Speaker 5: My thoughts will always be in your heart. Come, come not,
let us walk in the garden.
Speaker 4: We come in. Well, Walter, have a chair, my boy,
I can say, read the report, Walter, first rate job.
I appreciate that, Sair. Well, now, Walter, Carolway's resigned yet,
so I've been told, mister Baylor, and you don't have
to be told the assistant general sales managers Dobbs wide open.
But I don't have to be told that at all.
Say it's the jump, Walter, the big one. Yes, I've
been ailing for it these past ten years. We just
don't promote a man around here. We promote a team,
a team, a man and his wife. Oh oh, I understand.
I'm glad you do. Man has to have the right
kind of wife.
Speaker 5: Yes, well, Gretchen is absolutely perfect.
Speaker 4: Good. I'd like to meet her.
Speaker 5: Uh what, sir, may I invite you to our house
for dinner?
Speaker 4: Well, thank you, Walter, I accept. And what did you say?
Her name was Gretchen, who sounds like a a frivolous name.
Speaker 5: While her her real name is Margaret, sir, But you see,
Gretchen is ah is a kind of nickname.
Speaker 4: I prefer Margaret. Well, mister Baylor, I'm sure we can see,
my boy. It's just after that very unfortunate experience with
Carroway's wife. Here we have a man whose assistant general
manager of this company and his wife is practically a hippie,
gets your name in the news with all kinds of
unsavory and distributable people. Guess I understand it. And you
might say I'm I'm snake bitten. We uh the company
we simply cannot afford us.
Speaker 5: Say naturally, mister Baylor, I can assure you that gretch
that my wife is everything the wife of an executive
of this corporation should be.
Speaker 4: I'm sure of it.
Speaker 2: My boy.
Speaker 5: When uh, when would it be convenient for you to die?
Speaker 4: What this? Mister Bailey?
Speaker 2: Are you free Friday night?
Speaker 4: Yes, of course, good good Friday night for dinner. Thank you,
sir and and Walter. I I think I can offer
you my congratulations. Oh, my love, my love, don't leave me,
stay stay Margaret, Margaret, Are you all right, I love,
You're not going I'm not yet, Margaret. H Yeah, Margaret, Hi, honey. Oh,
I was dreaming. I was dreaming. Well this is uh.
I'd like you to just nap on the couch in
the living room. Are you all right? Yes? Yes, it
real only a dream. Oh, but I don't have dinner ready.
I must have fallen this lall that's all right, I'll
take you out. We'll celebrate, celebrated. Why it's happened, Assistant
General Thay managing, Oh remember that's what we aimed a
ten years ago. Well, today today we hit the tark
Is it? Officials about only one tiny detail? And that
is you? Me? Who have you got to do with it? Everything?
Why don't understand?
Speaker 2: Now?
Speaker 4: Listen, Margaret, why do you think Carroway reside? What did
you call me? Margaret? Who my name is Gretchen? Well, yes, perhaps,
but Gretchen comes from Margaret. I don't like Margaret. That's
why I call myself Gretchen.
Speaker 5: Well, Margaret suits you better, dear, it's more mature, more dignified.
Speaker 4: I don't think so well. Mister Baylor does. Well? Why
should my name be any of mister Baylor's.
Speaker 5: This Darley, Before we get sidetracked, I asked, if you
knew why Carroway resigned, what.
Speaker 4: Does mister Baylor have against my Carroway didn't jump, Darling,
he was pushed. His wife didn't fit in. What does
that mean?
Speaker 5: Evidently a man's wife has to fit a certain image
in this corporation.
Speaker 4: Well, I was never involved in any of your business
things before, I know, but now it'll be different. Why
did you say, missus Carroway didn't fitting?
Speaker 5: Well, she wasn't too careful about what she said. Why
what did she say matter?
Speaker 4: She she's the type who says a lot of cooky,
odd ball things. All I know is that she said
to me she couldn't take this, this rat race.
Speaker 5: Series while the corporation it's supposed to be your life.
You just can't say things like that in front of
people like mister Baylor.
Speaker 4: What do I have to meet mister Baylor?
Speaker 3: Earling?
Speaker 4: What's gotten into you? Walter? Is the company your litel?
Of course it is.
Speaker 3: It's always been. It's my career, it's our living.
Speaker 4: Now that should answer that question. Are you going to
meet mister Baylor here Friday night? He's coming to dinner?
Did you have to invite it? He wanted to look
you over here in your own city. Why, Well, to
determine whether you'd be an asset for the company. I see, Darling,
What has gotten into you? Why all these questions? I'm tarring?
I had this dream about what I can't seem to remember.
I forget it. Come on, let's go out to dinner
right now. Okay, and Walter, you're mister Baylor. I promise
you He'll be proud of Darling. I know that. Now
where would you like to eat?
Speaker 2: Oh?
Speaker 4: Anywhere? I just remember we can now afford the very
best water. Look look what what is that the garden?
What about the garden? Look at the flowers? Well, where
where did you get those flowers? They were they weren't
here this morning? Look at those colors. Did you ever
see such colors? Red?
Speaker 5: Such brilliant red roses and carnations? And I I've never
seen such beautiful garden?
Speaker 4: Oh my garden, his and mine?
Speaker 1: What did you say?
Speaker 4: It wasn't a dream? It less in a dream? Well?
Where are we?
Speaker 1: We have a quiet, rather shy, and self effacing, middle
class suburban housewife, just this side of forty. A stranger
rings her bell announces he is an ancient Greek god, Dionysus,
and that he wants.
Speaker 4: To be her lover.
Speaker 1: Once again. Notice that again? Well it has to be
a dream, you say, sure, But how about the sudden
blooming of that lush, brilliant, beautiful garden.
Speaker 4: How about it?
Speaker 1: Further growth must await my return in just a few
minutes with Act two? Is it how it was in
the ancient days? Did the guy god's appear in dreams?
All the loves we read about between the immortals and
their human subjects, were these all dreams visions?
Speaker 4: Well, we don't know.
Speaker 1: We present only the facts in the case, and the
basic fact in this case seems to be that suddenly
the garden of Gretchen Morrison is a lush, luxuriant riot
of color, after she had dreamed that she had a
love affair with the ancient god Dionysius. Well, people have
had even more extravagant dreams.
Speaker 4: From what I've heard. It wasn't a dream. It wasn't
a dream. What do you say? Oh nothing, Jarlie, How
did you never get all those flowers? I'd say, it's
what are there? Gretchen Warfa? Hello? Hello for it of
how's the golf? Hey? What have you folks done here?
You know? Margaret? She had just put us around in
the gardens. Margaret? Who's Margaret? Oh? Hell, that's my nickname
for Gretchen. What if you've done to your garden? Gretchen?
H nothing? Look, come on, Gretchen, I'm I'm willing to
advocate gracefully. June and I consider ourselves be garden people
in this neighborhood. Well, Porter, I uh, and quite frankly, Gretchen,
we never saw you as a threat. What I mean
is you did have a few respectable looking plans and
that fantastic Porter he said, a fertilizer, a new kind
of who notts dere don't get away your secrets. Come on, Gretchen,
We've always been good friends. Where they just grew. That's
a very shrewd and I don't blame you. Every one
of them is a sure winner at the Garden Club
show next month. I'll just think, port this will be
the first year you're not going to win. I'll get
to the bottom of this somehow. Well, good night to Porters,
Margaret Marriot. How did you raise those flowers? Huh? I
suppose you could call these the fruits of love?
Speaker 3: Marge my Margaret, Oh, oh there you were.
Speaker 4: Didn't you hear me call you? You were calling Margaret? Now, look, dear,
it's only for mister Baylor's sake.
Speaker 5: My name is Gretcha. I'm all right, Well, just go
along with it for tomorrow night. No, what are you
doing out here?
Speaker 4: I'm sitting among my flowers. Whom shouldn't we uh be
inside with dinner.
Speaker 2: I was just.
Speaker 4: Listening, listening to what to what they were saying? To what?
Who's saying? My flowers? The flock flowers. They they can't
say anything that isn't true. Eh, they're speaking. Now, Why
I don't hear anything? You don't hear flowers? You see them?
Each color has a meaning. Now, gretchenm that bush just
in front of you. It isn't the same shade of
red all the time, from instant to instant it darkens
and then light me as the flowers feel and thinks, Margaret,
quit this nuts here it is yet it is not, dear.
I know, I know you're.
Speaker 5: Under a stray, but I'm nice you are, and I
was thinking about it now. Tomorrow night is the most
important night in our lives.
Speaker 4: It is why, why, oh my god, which one?
Speaker 5: Please listen now, you and I we've worked for this.
We had ten years invested in tomorrow night.
Speaker 4: Oh please, water, You mustn't excite yourself.
Speaker 5: Like tomorrow night we cross the great divide. What that
line that separates the successes from the also rants Tomorrow
night a door will open for us and we step
into the executive suite.
Speaker 4: Yes. Oh, and that door will be opened by Frederick
Tower Baylor or it won't be open, Darling. It just
all depends on you. Here's what you have to do.
I got this list from mister Baylor's secretary. This after
the water, Dear, I in the midst of what I
was talking to these flowers, and now I think your
anger has frightened them. Not Margaret, I mean Gretchen. Yes, Gretchen,
you don't feel well. Oh no, I feel one. I've
never seen you so well. You're usually so sensible. I've
never been as sensible as I am at this very moment.
All my senses are alive and free. Do you think
should you see a doctor? Why? Because you're not well?
That isn't true, Wretchen. What's wrong? Nothing is wrong. Even
if I were ill, which I'm not. What would a
doctor do prescribe a pill? And what would the pill
be made of? From the essences of the very plants
and flowers and growing things right here in my very
own garden. So you see, all I need to do
is just stay here.
Speaker 5: How would you look at this list? Mister Baylor is
a steak and potatoes. Man if dinner should be no problem,
just the steak, French fries, a solad and ice cream.
And he likes the steak rare that's practically are with
the blood just about dripping from it.
Speaker 4: He's very close to the primitive, isn't he You're mister Bailey. Look,
let's not even choke about it, all right? And furthermore,
he isn't my mister Baylor. He's on, mister Baylor. It's
our future, My dear, I shall not disgreece.
Speaker 3: Through these past few days.
Speaker 4: I can't follow things around here. It's these flowers in
this garden and the way you've been talking. Which way is?
Speaker 3: And I don't know, but it isn't.
Speaker 4: Your usual way.
Speaker 5: You're not the same person, but I am no, no, no, no, no,
there's something very different about you. No, please, dear, for
this tremendously important night, don't do anything that would spoil it.
Speaker 4: I don't like the look on your face. What are
you talking about? Look, no human beings should have heard
that trouble.
Speaker 3: It's important? How many times do I have to remind.
Speaker 4: You nothing in this life should be that important. You
look as if you as if you could kill somebody,
well maybe I could. After all, if you ought to
make it in this company, you have to be a killer.
I don't mean you have to commit murder exactly, but
you have to step on people and necessary to destroy them,
eliminate them as rivals. Well that's committing a kind of margery.
Look look, why are we standing around here and talking
about it? Have you destroyed many people on your way, Walter?
Now what kind of a question is there? I suppose
I sidelined a few in my time. Well it was
them or me? Now come on, this whole conversation is
out of place. Well about tomorrow night, my dear, I
shall not disgrace you, Margaret, we're here. Well, oh it's
a nice looking place you have here. Yes, indeed, the
little woman is certainly a lady of good taste. Thank you, Well,
good evening, dear. I would I would like to present
mister Bam, who is executive vice president. How do you do?
Speaker 2: Uh?
Speaker 4: Hel? Hello? M m Do you like my gown? It
was worn by the ancient Greek women, especially on festive occasions?
But we we uh did did you prepare a picture
of my Martini's dye?
Speaker 1: No?
Speaker 4: My dear. We shall have wine later, wine, oh, yes,
wine made with honey. The ancients called it mead delicious. Well, yes, darling,
and we shall have a most wonderful supper, a meal
that would be enjoyed by the gods themselves, goats, milk
and cheese, bread and fruits and dates and nuts. But sorry,
I told you that, mister Bayley, that will come later. First,
I have prepared a bath for mister Bailey. Who are dear?
Will you bathe? Don't you, mister Bailey? Well I I
one must separate himself from the cares of the day
before one can enjoy the delight of the evening, And
so you must wash away. I don't believe me, dear
mister Baylor, will use the main bath, and Walter, dear,
yours is waiting for you in the guest room. And now,
if you'll excuse me for just a moment, I shall
make sure your bath water is properly scented. The picture
of goat's milk is there on the sideboard. It's ice
cold and delicious.
Speaker 5: Walter, sir, I I really don't know what to say.
Is this your idea of a joke?
Speaker 4: Mister Bella, please believe me, because if it is, I'm
not who you mister Bella. I really don't know what
to say. That ridiculous costume and goat's milk and cheek mistake,
I'll straighten the dot. Well, this is exactly what I
have to guard against. I thought Carroway was married to Cook,
but yours. I'm sorry, sir, you should be mister Bayler,
mister Beller, where are you going? Where do you think
I'm going? Oh? But don't your fish has been ill? Yes,
she hasn't been feeling well lately. We really you'd never
know it to look at her. Good night, mister Baylor.
But well, whatever became of mister Baylor?
Speaker 5: Whatever became of mister Baylor? Do you mean you have
to ask?
Speaker 4: Great? Did he go his bath? He's ready? Yes, I'm
sure it is. Have some milk drink it? You feel
much better? Why did you do that? Margaret? Do you
know what you did to me? I don't like that.
You know what you did to me? You destroyed me? Now,
please tell me why? Why? Why did you destroy me?
But I didn't tell me why. We've been married fifteen years.
I thought we loved each other.
Speaker 5: I don't know if any reason you would have to
hate me. Why why did you suddenly destroy me?
Speaker 1: How many marriages are there are like this? A man
works hard with a single minded dedication to getting ahead
in his company. His wife sits at home, gardens, does
some club work, but mainly and mostly.
Speaker 4: She waits for him.
Speaker 1: The big thing in their lives is the job, the career,
the company. I suppose the answer is there are many
marriages like this. Even the best of machinery breaks under stress,
and human beings are not the most perfect machines. We'll
see what repairs, if any can be affected, when I
shall return with actree. They're the man who shares your bed,
you're board, just as you share his. You share a
bank account, automobiles, a house, a boat, a place in
the community. And then one day it becomes clear to
you that you don't well, you don't share each other.
That is, you share things, but you really don't know
each other. As a matter of fact, you're strangers. You've
been married for fifteen years and you're strangers.
Speaker 5: I don't want to discuss what happened here to see
me for what did happen? You deliberately ruined whatever chance
I had to become assistant general sales manager.
Speaker 4: And if you have the ability, how could I have
ruined your jack? Because in this company ability isn't everything. Well,
then in that case, quit and take a job in
an outfit where it is you just don't understand and
I don't have time to explain it. But you're ill. No,
I've never felt better on what you did tonight? Was
that the action of a rational woman? I think? So?
Would you do something for me? See a doctor? Oh, Margaret,
See that's what's wrong with me? You call me Margaret.
That's just for mister Baylor's benefit. Will he isn't here now?
And why should I give up my identity for the
sake of your boss? Isn't it bad enough that you
gave up yours?
Speaker 2: Margaret?
Speaker 4: What's coming into you all of a sudden? Now? You
never spoke this way before? You were always so reasonable,
so cooperative. Now what is a proof of wal Don't
take that tone with me now, Mark, Gretchen, listen, will
you help me. I'm trying to help you. Come on,
let's walk in the guide, Let's enjoy the beautiful growing thing.
Speaker 5: Gretchen, I want you to see a doctor. No, please,
please do it for me. There is something wrong with you.
Are you aware of the things you said to mister Baylor.
Speaker 4: Darling. We live according to certain rules, I know, and
I don't like those rules anymore. Gretchen, Gretchen, you're different
and and I'm scared not just see a doctor, huh.
And I told you what, Eh, there's nothing wrong with me.
Speaker 5: Just let me hear the doctors say so. And I
promise you I'll abide by his decision. Mister Baylor, Yes,
may I commence her.
Speaker 4: I am busy. This won't take a moment. That's the bailor.
I want you to give me another chance. I think
the matter has closed. Well, you know, I'm the best
qualified man in the company. Nothing or respects Walter. I'm
sorry she was ill. I'm sorry to hear that he's
being treated for it. I said, I was sorry. O.
This business we're in it isn't easy, and it takes
its toll. That's why it takes a special kind of
man who has the support of a special little kind
of wife.
Speaker 5: But she's worked hard and and she's tried hard all
these years with me, and I guess I guess.
Speaker 4: The strain was just too much. Well, then, I don't
think I can see my way clear place. So let's
give her another chance.
Speaker 5: Better that this thing should happen now rather than later.
We can nip it in the bud. She'll be all right,
I promise. Well, in a few weeks, she'll be just fine.
Speaker 4: You'll see, well, I l I'll think about it.
Speaker 2: Thank you, sir, Thank you.
Speaker 4: And he said his name was Dionysius, Yes, doctor Marx.
And don't tell me he didn't appear. If you say
he was there, he was there for you. Why should
the name Dionysus occur to you? Where did you ever
hear it before? I suppose in college and the study
of mythology, and that was years ago. I never even
thought of it, but you absorbed it, and you now
have the classic conflict between Apollo, who represents duty, and Dionysus,
who is desire. But I never see all people face
this battle. In some it rages with more fire. In
some the flames are banked. But in no one is
it of a dormant But the garden, the flowers and plants,
and the growing things, how do you accounquer them? There's
a reasonable rational explanation of sudden coming together in one
spot of wind water soil. But this garden, he said,
And I know it's the fruit of love. All I love.
I sit there among the blossoms, and I know he's
with me. He's talking to me. My dear Gretchen, You'll
learn better in the winter. What about the winter. In
the winter, the garden will die, and so will the stream. Yes, yes,
my love, Yes, I hear you. Yes, I see you, Regen, Regen, Oh, Peter,
you start with me. Oh is this your secret?
Speaker 3: Do y?
Speaker 4: Do you talk to your flowers? Of course, Ry, I
just can't understand this garden. It grows more beautiful every day.
Come on, Gretchen, what's the secret. It's a garden of love,
for sure, But how does it work. It's the love
of two people. Okay, I will ask. I'm satisfied, just
to enjoy it. I do have a confession to make.
I was so wild with envy that I came in
here the other night and I stole a small rose bush.
But you could have asked me for it. I planted
it in my garden, and the next morning it was dead. Uh.
I was careful. I handled it gently, I watered it
and feed it, but it died. It withered completely as
if it had died a long time ago. Perhaps it did. Gretchen,
what's come over you? You seem so different? So yes,
what you always struck me is a well, well, i'll
say it, A very quiet little person. And now you
you glow all over. I feel there's a glow inside me. Oh, Gretchen,
it's beautiful. But I see now it's a it's a
i'm awful beauty. It's a frightening beauty. Here and terror,
it's all part of beauty. Those crimson flowers, that that red,
it's like the red of blood. These flowers they look
as if they're being nourished with blood. They are porty,
they are How did you know? How did did did
I know?
Speaker 2: Well? Are uh? Well?
Speaker 4: Good night, Gretch, good night? Hello, Quitch.
Speaker 2: And it's four o'clock. I called a check to make
sure you were the doctors. Oh what do you have
an appointment? Did you forget?
Speaker 4: No?
Speaker 2: What are you doing at home?
Speaker 4: I don't care to go?
Speaker 2: What do you say?
Speaker 4: Well? Why should I go? I'm not the one who's sick.
Speaker 2: Mister Baylor is giving us another chat.
Speaker 4: Oh, mister Baylor, what an unfortunate man. He should spend
more time with growing things. Bring him home with you tonight.
Speaker 2: I'm on my way right now, this minute. Now, don't
you go anywhere?
Speaker 4: Why, Walter, where would I go? Drink this walde? You'll
feel better, Darling. I spoke to doctor Morriks.
Speaker 5: There is something wrong with you. Now, Why don't you
help yourself?
Speaker 4: Here's nothing wrong? How can you say this? I feel alive, Walter,
all of me, every part of me, come to the
garden with new order. You live, you love like a god.
Something's come over. You don't ask me what, but a
week ago something happened, Yes, something happened. You changed. Well,
I can hardly believe you're Gretchen my wife. I'm Gretchen.
You had sense, you had a knowledge of life. Well,
you and I we worked together toward the goal. Yes, dear,
but I found a better You did what love? Love?
That was the secret, the secret of the ancient god. Gretchen.
I'm going to drag you to the doctor. Oh if
you must fight, fight like a man with your hands.
I despise you.
Speaker 2: What has happened?
Speaker 4: You can't just suddenly tear down our life. What's wrong
with what I'm doing? Why shouldn't I work for the
Baylor corporation because it's a house for a slave.
Speaker 3: Well, it's my job.
Speaker 4: We agreed.
Speaker 3: You never objected that it brought us this house in the.
Speaker 4: Car and turned us into fawning, simpering, terrified slave. Okay, okay.
Everybody in the world is a slave to something. That's
what life is.
Speaker 2: You give together.
Speaker 4: Yes, everyone is a slave. But I have been freed.
What do you mean, freed by whom? By my lover? What?
What lover? He's in the garden, Gretchen, Gretchen, you come
back here? You want me? Fight for me, fight him
for me? Oh lord, oh law, stay with me. Don't
let anyone keep us apart. Gretchen. Who you talking to?
My lover? Don't you see him? Meres another cry? Someone else,
someone else who gives me what I need? Who? He's
a guy with a high to choke it out? If
you either?
Speaker 3: God?
Speaker 4: Who is the guy you're joking me? The car you
ordered ordered?
Speaker 3: Oh?
Speaker 4: Oh please God, please.
Speaker 2: Bury me.
Speaker 4: In my God, please his star and no one will know.
Please Hello Porter, Hello, Alder, just drop by to see
if there was any news of Gretchen. No, Well, keep
your chin up, fella. Maybe she'll come back.
Speaker 5: Yes, I hope so did you two have a fight. Well,
it was uh more of a misunderstanding.
Speaker 4: Oh, I'm sorry. Have you notified anyone? Well, I reported
it to the police. But uh oh and doctor Marx
said that she must have wandered off funny funny other garden,
that that beautiful garden just withered without her. Yeah, she
was right. She said it was the fruit of love
without her love it just yell ye. Well, I I
just don't wanna take up too much more of your time.
Oh it's all right. I wish I could figure out
why those luxuriant plants grew so suddenly and just as
suddenly they died.
Speaker 5: Well, uh, you know what doctor Mark said, Uh, sudden
coming together of sun and rain, soil water. That's right,
She's an inscrutable girl at mother nature.
Speaker 4: Yes, we'll never know. I guess not.
Speaker 5: Well, Uh, this is a good chance for me to
say goodbye.
Speaker 4: I'm off on a trip.
Speaker 5: Oh yes, I uh made general sales manager.
Speaker 2: Oh I know.
Speaker 4: Yes, poor Gretchen came too late for her. How she
wanted it, how she would have enjoyed it. Well, Uh,
say goodbye to June for me. Huh, okay, Waller, I
will water. I is it my imagination. What the garden?
What about it? M those plants that that wal it
that color, that crimson color, that the scarlet color. Look well,
that that looks that's it's blood. Blood. Oh you're crazy,
It is just collar. I what's your sluck? Blood on
all the weathered blossoms, fresh bright blood over the garden. Gretchen, Gretchen,
what do you mean, Gretchen? And I can't it can't
be the blood. It can't be. Well, whoever said it
can it can't be because because because there was no blood.
What do you mean? There was no blood.
Speaker 3: When I killed her?
Speaker 4: There was no blood. She fell, she fell safe, and
she stuck her head hard against the tree. But there
was no blood.
Speaker 2: Water.
Speaker 4: Do you know what you're saying? I can prove it.
Pick her up.
Speaker 3: You'll see there is no blood.
Speaker 4: No blood.
Speaker 1: Well, there was some in the garden, in the beautiful
garden of Gretchen and Dionysius. And the garden is no
unusual rule garden where all flowers have something in them
of the one who plants them and.
Speaker 4: Watches and waters and nurses and loves them. I'll be
back shortly.
Speaker 1: The struggle, the never ending struggle between Apollo and Dionysus.
Between duty and pleasure, between what we want and what
we must settle for, is fought inside.
Speaker 4: Each of us.
Speaker 1: And sometimes it's Apollo who conquers, and sometimes Dionysus happy. However,
is he or she where neither has conquered, but where
both spirits can live side by side in peace, then quiet?
But too much quiet gets boring after a bit, so
make sure we disturb your tomorrow. Our cast included Mercedes
mc cambridge, Larry Haynes, Robert Maxwell and gilmac The entire
production was under the direction of Hyman Brown and now
a preview of our next tale.
Speaker 4: I'll bug me, Louise. What are you doing trying to
empty the bottle? Maybe I have a reason I might
catch up with you, Maya. You're shaking, Jim, What is it? Jim?
What's the matter? I was followed? Somebody followed me all
the way home. I'd asked you not to walk the
streets alone at night. Who was it? What did he
look like? I don't know who it was. All I
could hear was the footsteps, just the shadow of a
beat behind mine, as though he she, whoever it was,
was trying to fit their feet into my footprints. Every
time I stopped, they stopped. And when I turned around
there was nobody there. Nobody at all.
Speaker 1: Radio Mystery Theater was sponsored in part by Uncle Ben's
Long Grain and Wild Rice.
Speaker 4: This is E. G. Marshall inviting you.
Speaker 1: To return to our Mystery Theater for another adventure in
the macabre. Until next time, pleasant dreams.
Speaker 4: That'sus w ee I bought