Speaker 1: The CBS Radio Mystery Theater Presents. Come in.
Speaker 2: Welcome.
Speaker 1: I'm e. G. Marshall, your guide through the macabre remains
of the occult. Love, hatred, and revenge are accepted by
us as part of our daily lives, but those who
claim to know the spirit world a cure us that
these emotions don't necessarily die with the death of a mortal,
but are sometimes carried over into the hereafter.
Speaker 2: Our tale deals with love, hatred, and revenge that reached.
Speaker 1: From beyond the grave and made a mockery of the
marriage vow till death do us part?
Speaker 3: Honestly, Jack, do you think Vinny will come along with
us on our honeymoon?
Speaker 2: Too?
Speaker 1: And don't talk like a fool? Vinnie is dead, forget him.
He won't let us.
Speaker 3: Your dear dead twin brother just won't let us alone.
And it doesn't seem to bother you any more than
it did when he was alive and tagged along on
all our dates. Jack, I can't live with a girl.
Speaker 1: All right, Anne? What do you want me to do?
Kill him? You know as well as I that Finny's
already dead.
Speaker 3: Just make him stay that way, Jack, Just make Vinnie
stay dead.
Speaker 1: Our mystery drama. An Identical Murder was written especially for
the Mystery Theater by Murray Burnett and stars William Redfield
and Elliott Reid. He'll be back shortly with Act one.
That thin line between love and hate has been walked
by tellers of tales ever since tales have been told.
For other storytellers, the line between life and death became
a thoroughfare on which they balanced fascinating tales of terror. Today,
we cross both lines, love and hate, life and death,
as our path leads us to the ultimate unknown terror.
Our guide along this path is a man named Harry Carlson,
who's more experienced climbing mountains than dealing with the unknown.
Let's set the record straight from the start. I'm not
a man who sees things now, a guy with both
feet on the ground, my head on straight, darnwell better be,
because my hobby is mountain climbing, and the icy face
of a mountain is no place for a guy with
jumping nerves. The funny thing about what I have to
tell you is that this whole bizarre benure started with
a climb. The climb I made with the Bent and Twins.
Speaker 2: I remember the three of us sitting in the warm tap.
Speaker 1: Room of the Reagan Off talking about the climb. The
map shows we shouldn't have too much trouble after we
reached this point about halfway up the north face.
Speaker 2: Right, Vinnie.
Speaker 1: The tough part should come when we leave the trail.
Speaker 2: I'm Jack, he's Benny.
Speaker 1: You keep mixing us up when you think i'd be
able to tell you apart after the last four years. Well, Harry,
why should you be different than everyone else? People have
been calling Jack Vinnie and me Jack ever since I
can remember. Well, I'd love to talk more with you
guys about people mistaking you for one another, but I
think we're prepared for tomorrow's climb, and I had better
hit the sack.
Speaker 3: I'm just a lonely young lady looking for a day
for anyone interesting.
Speaker 1: And what are you doing in swits? Annie Darling? Pay
no attention to my rude twin brother. I am delighted
you're a year ah, Benny.
Speaker 3: And I know you're Vinnie because Jack always says my
brother and you say my twin brother.
Speaker 1: And since you're such an observant, makes come here and
put your arms around me, and I'll show you just
how glad I am to see you.
Speaker 3: You've made yourself a Hey my ribs, Jack, leave me
my ribs. I'll need them for the slopes tomorrow.
Speaker 1: Oh what's this about slopes? I don't know how you
got here, but now that you're here, there'll be no skiing.
You're climbing with us tomorrow.
Speaker 3: Please don't take this personally, but I have no head
for heights. I'm all right on skis, but climbing is out.
Speaker 1: If everyone knew their own limitations, there'd be a lot
fewer accidents. Well, good night, we'll meet here tomorrow, right
and early. Yeah, that seems like a good idea for
all of us. Oh, what do you say, Jack.
Speaker 3: If you don't mind, Vinny, there's something I want to
discuss with Jack?
Speaker 1: Oh, private, sort of? Well, I and you want to
know by now that Jack and I have no secrets
from each other. He'll he'll only tell me anyway.
Speaker 3: Perhaps, Vinny, that's exactly what I want. Oh, it's beautiful
up here, Jack, just beautiful.
Speaker 1: And so are you Jack?
Speaker 3: Jack, Please stop kissing here. I want to elope tonight.
Speaker 2: What's wrong with that?
Speaker 1: Vinny?
Speaker 2: Oh?
Speaker 3: From the conversation back in the tap room, I gather
you hadn't told him about that yet.
Speaker 1: That's right?
Speaker 3: Are you going to tell him?
Speaker 2: You know? I am.
Speaker 1: It's just well, you know how Vinnie feels about you,
and he is my twin brother, and don't I know it.
What's that supposed to mean?
Speaker 3: That I love you, not Vinnie, That I want to
live with you.
Speaker 1: Not Vinnie.
Speaker 3: That It may be hard for even me to tell
you apart physically, but there's a world of difference between you.
I'm in love with you, Jack, and Vinnie had better
be told and soon.
Speaker 1: So that's why you've come. You've traveled four thousand miles
to pick a fight now, not really.
Speaker 3: My boss sent me to Paris to check on some
designs and.
Speaker 4: I was so close.
Speaker 3: Well, I wanted to see you, and I was right.
You still hadn't told Vinnie about us.
Speaker 1: And it isn't easy. Vinnie loves you too.
Speaker 3: But it's you I'm marrying. You.
Speaker 1: Really don't understand how close Vinnie and I are. It's
something well, being twins.
Speaker 2: I can't explain it.
Speaker 3: That's been the story of our entire courtship. Wherever we went,
there went Vinnie. Also, sometimes I felt was if I
were getting engaged to two men.
Speaker 1: You never told me you felt this way.
Speaker 3: I've been thinking this way for a long time, and I'm.
Speaker 1: Desperate an amatum. No, I'm too much.
Speaker 3: In love with you, Jack to give you ultimatums. All
I want to know is, am I engaged to two men?
If I am, tell me and I'll see whether I
want to be. But tell me or tell him?
Speaker 1: Vinnie, I have something to tell you. Oh, it's about Anne,
isn't it. I should get you'd know We've always been
able to read each other's thoughts. So aren't you going
to congratulate me? Well, you've just lost me. I knew
it was about Anne, But where do the uh congratulations
come in?
Speaker 2: Ann?
Speaker 1: And I are going to be married? You dirty? Do?
What do you do?
Speaker 2: Mine my back?
Speaker 1: I hear you? I want to kill you. I won't
kill you. Hey hear you?
Speaker 5: Okay, I'm not gonna sit here and.
Speaker 1: Wait you k me? You now? Are you gonna listen
to me? Or do I have to bounce her ahead
against the war? Okay, okay, okay, let me. I'm sorry.
Speaker 2: I'm sorry.
Speaker 1: I blew my tote. What happened to you? I?
Speaker 2: Uh?
Speaker 1: I honestly don't know Jack for a minute, I I
really wanted to kill you. You almost did. Now calm
down and let's talk about No. The only talking I'm
gonna do is to tell you how sorry I am.
I make it up to you, Jack, and I'll prove
it with my wedding. Jack. How are you doing? No us,
We're okay, Harry.
Speaker 5: Let us do it chet beak m tough and.
Speaker 1: There you go again, Harry. I am Jack, and I'm Vinnie.
I'm doing okay too. How far are we from the Senate?
Speaker 5: He just said it comes out jutt the low man
on the line, and Pey doing that right right?
Speaker 1: How far from the connect? Not too far?
Speaker 5: How long is Peter so oh trouble?
Speaker 3: Yeah?
Speaker 5: A little? Oh?
Speaker 2: What is it?
Speaker 3: Here's a pretty easy players in the SunNet.
Speaker 1: But it gets there. It looks like a tough cover, right,
borrow me?
Speaker 5: How tough?
Speaker 2: I don't know.
Speaker 1: I don't want to get you got.
Speaker 5: I started on it until I don't.
Speaker 1: Look about it. Well, how long do you think it'll take?
Speaker 4: Well?
Speaker 1: Not too long?
Speaker 5: On fine my rope.
Speaker 1: You guys do all right, We'll be fine. Hey, Wednesday's
been getting stronger.
Speaker 3: Yeah, it was poor.
Speaker 1: I'm to be real broke.
Speaker 5: Send me up and forget summit and.
Speaker 3: Start back down.
Speaker 5: Huh No, let's give it a try, Harry, go and
take a.
Speaker 1: Look at the traverse.
Speaker 5: Okay, watch yourself, say you hang on to my rope all.
Speaker 1: Right, I'm hard to get when I would turn.
Speaker 5: Hey, that winds really rising you okay?
Speaker 1: Jack? Fine? Ben? How about Joe. Well, I'd like it
better if we were a little closing together. Can you
come up a few steps?
Speaker 3: Why not hang on to the road, Ryan, Okay, hang.
Speaker 5: Man, don't let the rope go flat.
Speaker 1: I'm having tumble. I'm flipping. What what did I get here?
You are instant. I can't get a foot all of it.
I'm flipping. I was almost across the travers and I
heard the scream, then the slide. My stomach told me
what had happened. I looked, and I saw the one
man clean desperately to the face of the mountain.
Speaker 2: The empty rope dangling from his waist.
Speaker 5: Hang on, I'm coming to get you.
Speaker 1: Hang on. I couldn't help it. I tried, but he
was He was gone before I could get the rope
around me.
Speaker 5: Tomorrow, and don't think about it, Benny.
Speaker 6: Just hang on to Larry.
Speaker 4: I'm not Billy, I'm Jack.
Speaker 5: Why wasn't Jack below you? I could have sworn that
Vinny was were you?
Speaker 1: And he's gone dead and I'll be following him unless
you get to me. You can call me anything you want,
but whatever you call me, the fact remains that I'm
Jack and Vinny's at the bottom of the mountain.
Speaker 2: I traded gone back to the Orangehoff.
Speaker 1: I didn't know which I feared most, losing a man
for my team or having to tell Anne Slater that
Vinnie had plunged to his death. Fortunately Jack spared me
the latter ordeal, but I was put in the middle
of a strange and painful scene. Folt was mine, man,
all mine. Then he called to me, and I pulled
on the rope and it slipped, and then he was gone.
I oh, I'll never forgive myself never.
Speaker 2: That's the wrong way to think.
Speaker 1: I haven't heard An say it's wrong. In fact, I
haven't heard An say anything since we came back.
Speaker 3: I don't know what to say. I'm too shocked.
Speaker 1: Well, that's understandable. Maybe we ought to get a doctor.
Speaker 3: Oh what am I saying? I called you?
Speaker 1: Of course, of course Vinnie is on your mind, and no, Jack.
Speaker 3: Don't don't hold me. I just wanna be alone. Oh,
I'm sorry. I'll see you in the morning.
Speaker 1: Look though it's gonna be a difficult situation for you, Jack,
she'll get over it. She has to, because she's a
girl I love and I'm going to marry. A few
months passed, I expected to read the announcement of the
wedding between Jack Benton and a Slater, but all I
heard was that they were seen around town together and
no data been set until one day at my office,
I looked up up him and Slater stood there. Well,
if she wasn't the vivacious, laughing girl I remembered, with
a frightened, confused woman on the razor edge of a breakdown.
Speaker 3: I'm sorry, Harry, really sorry. I I shouldn't have come,
but I Oh, you don't think I'm crazy, do you now?
Speaker 1: I am?
Speaker 2: Sit down, Let me get your drink.
Speaker 3: You were there. You're the only one I could think
of who might be able.
Speaker 1: To to help Brandy coffee.
Speaker 3: He's dad, isn't he?
Speaker 1: You were there?
Speaker 2: Uh, and try to get hold of yourself.
Speaker 3: What is it? That's what Jack keeps telling me. He says,
it's all in my mind.
Speaker 1: But I know it isn't It isn't, And why didn't
she start somewhere and explain so that I can understand?
Speaker 3: It's Jack?
Speaker 1: I'm Vinny, Vinny.
Speaker 3: You know how close Jack and Vinnie were, But what
you couldn't know is that all the time Jack and
I were dating, Vinnie was along.
Speaker 2: What does that happen? Do they help me?
Speaker 3: But I think we still are. I think we still
are a threesome.
Speaker 1: According to medical science, identical twins have the same heartbeat,
the same skin, hair tones, and if you took a
voice print, you would find that, although the voice might
vary in pitch and tom, they would follow a somewhat
similar pattern. The question is would a woman be able
to tell the difference between identical twins if she loves
one of them. I'll return shortly with that too. Two's
company and three's a crowd. But I'm puzzled about which
kind of a third party on a date is more
to disturbing a dull and insensitive bore who refuses to
take any hints about leaving, or an unseen but definitely
felt presence.
Speaker 2: In other words, a ghost.
Speaker 1: M slater is trying to explain how she feels about
this ghostly third party. As we continue with our strange tale.
Speaker 3: I feel so so disloyal. You must remember, I'm the
one who's supposed to help Jack forget about his brother's
unfortunate accident, and it seems I just keep reminding him
of them instead.
Speaker 2: Man, you still haven't made it clear to me.
Speaker 3: Just why wherever we go then he's with us.
Speaker 2: Well it's not possible in his.
Speaker 3: Day, I know, I know that, but just listen. Last
night we went to the pump room for dinner.
Speaker 1: Ah, good evening, monsieur madame. I have your favor over here.
As you'll see, monsieur, it's set for fall. But i'd
have the busboy removed two pless settings and you will
have my room. Oh thank you, Captain, I appreciate that.
And miss your may I recommend our special salad. They
are all on the table up front. You meself, you'll say, ah,
thank you, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 3: And then then the strangest thing happened. Jack and I
sat at the table, and you must believe me, we
saw the bus boy clear away the other two place settings.
We went to the salad table, and when we came
back there was a third setting.
Speaker 1: Well that's easily accounting for maybe another bus boy started
to set up the table for four.
Speaker 3: Yeah, then tell me how you account for the fact
that the third place had a salad plate heaped with
caesar salad.
Speaker 1: Caesar salad, I remember it. That's Vinnie's favorite.
Speaker 3: Well maybe Jack, we were together at the salad table
every minute, and we came back together.
Speaker 2: Well, Jack, say what.
Speaker 3: He always says when this happens.
Speaker 1: Forget it, man.
Speaker 2: He isn't as concerned about this as you are.
Speaker 3: Mm. That's another thing that's bothering me. He's concerned. I
know he's concerned, but he won't admit it. Do you
think he's trying to act as if everything were normal
so as not to upset me?
Speaker 2: Well, I don't.
Speaker 1: You think that's a strong possibility, But.
Speaker 3: There are other possibilities.
Speaker 2: I don't know what you mean.
Speaker 3: I hope you will when I tell you what happened
a week ago at an amusement park. Oh, Mark, Jack,
cotton candy. I haven't had cotton candy in ye.
Speaker 1: Well, then you'll have a big giant portion.
Speaker 3: Oh no, it's too fattening. Just a small one will
be fine.
Speaker 1: You'll see here you are, darling.
Speaker 3: Oh, thank you Jack, Oh.
Speaker 1: I wish I could make your eyes sparkle and your
lips smile that way when I'm not bringing.
Speaker 3: You cotton delicious but sticky and m Could you.
Speaker 2: Hear what I said?
Speaker 3: And I'm sorry?
Speaker 2: Oh, what's wrong?
Speaker 1: Why can't I make you happy the way I used to?
Speaker 2: It's my fault.
Speaker 3: Well, I'm all mixed up about us, about us and Vinnie.
Speaker 1: And look, Bennie's dead. We just have to forget him.
Speaker 3: He won't let us.
Speaker 1: He just won't.
Speaker 3: And you don't seem to understand. Sometimes I think your
voice sounds just like Minnie. But maybe I've mistaken you
for Oh, forgive me. I just don't know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1: All right, it's all right now. Look, I've known a
lot of girls, you know that, but you are the
one I want to marry, not just for your looks,
but for your wonderful sweetness and sensitivity. I know how
you must have felt about Benny always tagging along. It
was only natural that when you heard he died, at
first you well I suppose you were glad. No, to
be honest with yourself, only at first you were glad
that he was out of the way. And because you're
feeling guilty about it, You're letting that feeling leave you
into imagining all sorts of ridiculous things.
Speaker 3: You think that should be the explanation, darling, I'm sure
of it.
Speaker 1: Now. Look, let's just forget all about this, let me
and enjoy ourselves. Which do you wanna try? The slide
or the shoot shooter?
Speaker 2: Sah?
Speaker 1: You wait right here, I'll get the ticket.
Speaker 3: But Jack, I wanna Jack come back a minute. No, no, no, listen.
I heard sweet too, just cause the jack were right
beside me. But how could that be? He was alf
buying tickets.
Speaker 2: I heard it.
Speaker 1: I heard it, alright, alright, alright then, alright now you
thought you no one believes me.
Speaker 2: I'm I'm not sure what did you want me to
believe in.
Speaker 3: You were also there when it happened on the mountain,
you would know definitely which one of them fell.
Speaker 1: I heard the shouts, but I didn't actually see.
Speaker 3: There's one way we could be here, one way. There'd
be no doubt at all.
Speaker 1: Oh fingerprints.
Speaker 3: If the body could be recovered, no.
Speaker 1: Chance, not at least until the spring thaws. But and
it still wouldn't explain the strange is happening?
Speaker 2: Maybe not.
Speaker 3: But can't you see that. I'm terrified I'm marrying the
wrong man. If I knew which one had died on
the mountain, at least i'd be sure about the man
I'm supposed to marry. I'm coming.
Speaker 1: Hi.
Speaker 3: Didn't you get my note?
Speaker 1: Oh?
Speaker 2: You bet I did.
Speaker 1: That's why I'm here alright. Now, what's this about your
taking a trip?
Speaker 3: I said it in the note. I just have to
get away for a while.
Speaker 1: And think, mmmmm where you're going.
Speaker 3: I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to.
Speaker 1: Know, and and what's happened to us?
Speaker 3: That's what I'm gonna go and try and figure out.
Speaker 1: Look, you're not going what I mean. It not what
I'm me. I love you. I love you more than
life itself.
Speaker 3: Jack, That's very sweet. But if you do love me,
you're going to have to let me get away for
a short while to get my head straight.
Speaker 1: Why what have I done to you?
Speaker 3: I'm afraid I've done it to myself. Jack, It's not you,
all right?
Speaker 1: I well, look, may I have a cup of coffee?
Speaker 3: It will have to be instant because I don't want
to miss my plate.
Speaker 1: Okay, instant, instant, Lucky.
Speaker 3: I left the kettle out. I've put most of my
other pots sometimes away.
Speaker 1: Look if it's too much trouble, don't bother.
Speaker 3: It will only take a minute. No oh no, please
god no.
Speaker 2: And what is it?
Speaker 3: You've been sitting in that chair all the time, haven't you?
Speaker 2: Yes?
Speaker 3: Of course, I mean you didn't come into the kitchen,
did you, Darling?
Speaker 1: I told you I've been he know? And what is it?
What happened?
Speaker 3: Nothing?
Speaker 1: I just got frightened, darling, Darling, Come on, tell me.
Speaker 3: I thought thought I heard you whistling, sweet Sue, you
put sweets?
Speaker 1: Well, why should that kitchen so upset?
Speaker 3: As a matter of fact, I was no, h but
I heard it close up in the kitchen with me.
Speaker 1: Oh you see, I'm worried about your being alone.
Speaker 3: Hm, the kettle. I'll get your coffee alright.
Speaker 1: Look at least let me drive you to the airport.
Would you please forgive me?
Speaker 3: But I have to finish packing.
Speaker 1: Here's your coffee, alright? What about the airport?
Speaker 3: Let me think about it while I packed three valises?
Speaker 1: How long are you thinking of staying.
Speaker 3: Until I feel I can handle a situation?
Speaker 2: Uh?
Speaker 3: You can close the one on the love seat alright?
Speaker 1: Uh? Is it alright if I uh put my coffee
on the night table, be my guest y, Yes, I'd
rather be your husband all loves. When are we gonna
get married? Hum?
Speaker 3: I always forget my toothbrush?
Speaker 1: No, there it did? Look Anne, did you hear my question?
Speaker 3: I heard. Well, let's go back into the living room.
Speaker 2: All right?
Speaker 1: What about the other police.
Speaker 3: I'll leave it. I may have some last minute things.
Speaker 1: Now what.
Speaker 3: Right there on the table?
Speaker 1: What did you mean the the coffee cup sitting there
and the lighted cigarette.
Speaker 3: I don't smoke and you haven't lit a cigarette since
you came in. Now I know I brought only one
cup in from the kitchen and you left it on
the night table in the bedroom.
Speaker 1: So how can I and calm down? Please?
Speaker 3: Now you know why I'm going away, and you also
know why I may never come back. I just can't go.
Speaker 1: On like this, Jack, I can't harry. You know where
she went, and you're going to tell me.
Speaker 2: I have no idea where Anne is.
Speaker 1: I tell you I've got to find her. Not jag
and not much I'm getting advice. But Anne's a big girl.
Imagine if she wanted you to know where she was,
she'd let you know, Harry told me this. Did you
and Anne talk about that day on the mountain. I've
already told you I think you should ask Ann about
our conversational. I look, Jack, I got a lot of
work to do, so if you don't mind, h I
get it. You're kicking me out, aren't you?
Speaker 2: Please? Jack? I what's that?
Speaker 1: Who's who's looking at you? And suddenly I heard your phone?
Speaker 2: Harry?
Speaker 1: H oh yeah, yeah, heah, excuse me?
Speaker 2: Hello?
Speaker 3: What well?
Speaker 2: How did it happen? Where is she?
Speaker 1: It's Anne? What's happened? Hold it Jack? A skiing action?
Speaker 2: Yeah?
Speaker 1: See, yes, yes, yes, I'll take care of it. Oh. No,
it was about Anne, wasn't it. Yes, she's in a
skiing accent. I thought she's alright.
Speaker 2: Yes.
Speaker 1: The hospital called me, alright, alright, what hospital where Jack?
Speaker 2: She called me, m.
Speaker 3: I was sweet of you to come. They tell me
I should be out in a few days.
Speaker 2: Well, what happened?
Speaker 1: Jack has told me so many times, you're an expert skier.
Speaker 3: What happened really had nothing to do with skiing. It
was it was Beery. I was all alone at the
top of the run. It was a beautiful day and
I was just about ready to push off when I
heard I heard. I looked around, but I was alone.
And then and then I heard some whistling.
Speaker 1: I trumme it.
Speaker 3: I dug my poles in and took off, but the
sounds followed me. I knew I was going to thus,
but I just wanted to get away from the sound.
I wanted to go faster than all those awful sounds,
but I couldn't. And then, well, I I never even
saw the tree.
Speaker 1: I hit MM, and I have something to tell you.
When that call came from the hospital, Jack was with
me in my office. He knows about your accident.
Speaker 3: Oh well, don't suppose I could have kept it a secret.
Speaker 1: And Hannah, you all right. I got here as fast
as I could. I should never have let you go along. Hello, Harry,
and please are you all right? Jack?
Speaker 4: Jack?
Speaker 3: I will be in a few days. The doctor says
it isn't serious, just a mild concussion. But Jack, you
shouldn't have come.
Speaker 1: Well, that's where you're wrong. Not only am I here,
but I'm gonna stay until you get well, and then
we're gonna get married immediately.
Speaker 3: Don't you understand that the reason I went away was
because I wasn't sure about what.
Speaker 1: I'm sure, darling. I'm sure you need me, and from
now on you'll be with me, and I'll be here
to solve all your problems. Having the man you loved
by your side in times of trouble can be a
great comfort, but it also can be greatly disturbing if
you're not sure whether the man by your side isn't
the wrong man, the wrong twin, and perhaps even a murderer.
We'll be back shortly with a resolution of our Anne's dilemma.
The phrase menages attois means a household made up of
three people, usually two men and a woman. The three
can be any combination that medical science and the new
sexual freedom can devise. In our story, and Slater, one
week before her marriage to Jack Benton, was deeply worried
about a possible menage atwa, but her concern was that
the third person in her menage was a ghost. Harry Carlson,
the best man, was also worried. I certainly didn't realish
the idea. Jack Benton asked me to be his best man,
but my guilt over the death of his twin brother
left me no choice, and so three days before the wedding,
I found myself Jack's guest in a charming cottage by
the sea that he and his brother had inherited. It
was here that he had decided to spend their honeymoon.
We were alone that first night, just Jack and me. Well,
I'm sure glad you could make it, Harry. There's no
one in the world I'd rather have as my best man, except,
of course, Vinnie. Thank you for the compliment. Who's upstairs?
W you're the only guests. There's somebody up there. Surely
you can hear the footsteps. There's no one there.
Speaker 2: You must be putting me on. Jack.
Speaker 1: I tell you there's no one now.
Speaker 2: They don't tell me.
Speaker 1: You don't hear those steps, must be someone making them. Okay,
if you want, you can look for yourself. That's exactly
what I'm going to do. Hello, who's there? Let's not
play games. I'm Harry Carson. There's someone in the bedroom. Hello, Hello, Jack?
You up here?
Speaker 2: Jack?
Speaker 1: What the devil was going on? The next day, when
Anne called and asked to see me privately, I knew.
Speaker 2: What it was about it and I dreaded the meeting,
but there was no way out.
Speaker 1: I met her, and she asked a little restaurant overlooking
the sea.
Speaker 3: Well, you can't look at the ocean, but this table's
far enough away from everyone so that we'll have some privacy.
Speaker 1: Oh An, you look completely recovered. Mm.
Speaker 3: Physically I'm just fine. But mentally, Harry, I just have
to find out if I'm going crazy or you spend
a night with Jack in the beach house, and I
wanna know if.
Speaker 2: If I heard anything strange.
Speaker 3: Yes, whenever I'm with Jack, I I don't know how
exactly to describe it. There's always a feeling of another person,
a presence, someone else there. Did you feel that too?
Speaker 2: You're not crazy?
Speaker 3: And oh, thank Heaven you've felt it too. I think
you've saved me from what man. Sometimes I'm absolutely sure
that the man I'm going to marry isn't Jack. But Vinny,
now I know what I have to do. I'm gonna
call a wedding off.
Speaker 1: I thought it was supposed to be bad luck if
the bridegroom saw the bride before the wedding.
Speaker 3: I think it's only on the same day or something
like that.
Speaker 1: Uh, and alone here in your room at the motel,
What will people say?
Speaker 3: What will people say when they hear that there's not
going to be a wedding.
Speaker 1: You know, I've always loved your sense of humor until now.
Speaker 3: I'm not joking.
Speaker 1: No, you're not.
Speaker 3: I don't mean I won't marry you. I will just
as soon as you level with me. Don't you see?
I can't go into a marriage with a man just
laughs off something that's terribly important to me.
Speaker 1: And please that I'm not doing that. I simply don't
know what you're talking about.
Speaker 3: When you do, maybe we can go ahead.
Speaker 1: Okay, okay, all right, all right, I have been lying to.
Speaker 3: You, Oh Jack?
Speaker 1: But why why did you lie? Because, Darling, I didn't
want to worry you. I thought Vinnie would go away.
Speaker 3: Then it is Vinnie or his ghost.
Speaker 1: You wanted the truth, didn't you, Yes, then you're going
to have to be able to face it. You knew,
of course, that Vinnie was in love with you. I knew.
I mean, I won't pretend that I can explain it.
But we were identical twins. You must remember how sometimes
we didn't even have to talk because we knew what
each of us was thinking.
Speaker 3: I remember sometimes it drove me crazy.
Speaker 1: Well somehow, now I don't know how Vinnie is still
with us. I feel him at times so strongly that
I've even started talking to him.
Speaker 3: Then you're saying that Vinnie is it?
Speaker 1: Is there a ghost? But look, there are ways of
getting rid of ghosts.
Speaker 3: You mean something like exorcism, whatever you call it.
Speaker 1: There are people of mediums who get through to the
other world.
Speaker 3: What makes you think Vinnie can be made to leave
us alone?
Speaker 1: And I'm telling you, I'm sure he'll do it out
of his love for you. I know that was genuine.
But how would I go about it?
Speaker 3: I don't know anything about the spirit world.
Speaker 1: I made some inquiries. I have the name of a
reputable medium, no Phony, and I've spoken to him and
he's agreed.
Speaker 2: To help you.
Speaker 3: Spoke to him about me, yes, and.
Speaker 1: He feels exactly as I do that Vinnie's ghost will
be more apt to listen to a plea from you.
Speaker 4: This is your first visit to a medium, That's right,
m Leitny, Explain briefly what may happen. I's going to
a deep trance and I haven't called to him and
asked came to talk with you. If you hear him,
you may answer him, but otherwise you must keep quiet.
Speaker 2: All right, All.
Speaker 4: Right, Vincent's venting. Vincent Benton, the one you loved on
Earth is here. You know, Vincent Benton, the girl named
an Slater. She wants to talk with you, and you're there.
Speaker 1: He's here, Vincent Venton.
Speaker 4: Listen, I speak fans Slater and your brother Jack.
Speaker 1: Shot that you have no reason for anger. Listen to us.
Your actions are making hands.
Speaker 4: Later and your twin brother Jack very unhappy. You must
realize because you will only have peace you give them peace.
You must understand that your peace and their happiness lies
and the marriage sage.
Speaker 1: Stop stop stop the called me get hurt me cop
get go.
Speaker 4: I I must get back to the stare where I belong.
Speaker 1: Say let me go. I'm not one of you. Are
you all right? What hap could I?
Speaker 3: I'm sorry he.
Speaker 1: Cannot help you. I don't believe that Ione can.
Speaker 4: We contacted the malignant every.
Speaker 2: Heaver spirit in its space that you.
Speaker 1: Leave immediately, and the wedding took place just as planning.
Speaker 2: As I followed.
Speaker 1: Jack and Anne up the aisle, I felt the hair
on the back of my neck stand up.
Speaker 2: A little proud.
Speaker 1: Everything seemed perfectly normal until Jack took Hanne's hand.
Speaker 3: Your hands like ice, Jack.
Speaker 1: Harry do you have the ring.
Speaker 2: I handed Jack the ring.
Speaker 1: He suddenly my blood ran cold, because very faintly I
heard it.
Speaker 2: I knew it and had heard it.
Speaker 1: Too, because I saw her lips tightened where her.
Speaker 2: Hand was steady as the ring went on her finger.
Speaker 1: And then it was over, and they were a man
in a wife. At the reception after the ceremony, I
was only counting the minutes until the last guest left
and I could also decently leave. Nothing more, it happened,
but I still desperately wanted to get away. After what
seemed an interminable length of time, only and Jack and
I were left.
Speaker 2: I took Anna's side to offer my good wishes.
Speaker 3: Thank you, Harry, thank you.
Speaker 1: I owe you a lot.
Speaker 2: Oh, you don't owe me a thing. It's just uh,
you sure everything's gonna be alright.
Speaker 3: You heard the whistling at the ceremony too.
Speaker 1: Don't worry.
Speaker 3: Jack and I have made up our minds. We'll be fine.
Speaker 1: Yes, yes, I'm sure you will be. I'll just go
back to the cottage, back to my bag and clear out.
Speaker 3: Oh this is gonna sound silly, but Jack and I
decided we wanted to be in the cottage alone for
the next few hours.
Speaker 1: Of course, I understand what time should I drop by
half an hour?
Speaker 3: So Jack and I are walking back along the beach.
Speaker 1: I don't ask you to believe what happened next. I
only tell you what I saw with my own eyes,
as I stood on the steps of the church and
watched them walk on the wooden planks and had been
laid along the beach to form a crew boardwalk their
backs would do me and Jack's arm was around Anne's
waist when suddenly, I'll swear there were two arms around
her waist, and one of them was encased in ice.
Speaker 3: I said, suddenly, so cold.
Speaker 2: I think I think the wind has come up.
Speaker 3: I don't feel any wind, but Jack, I'm freezing.
Speaker 1: Let's walk faster, tarling my cat. Uh look you you
run on ahead and and light a fire, will you.
I'll duh, I'll be along in a minute. Don't be long,
I won't. Jack, Please let me go.
Speaker 4: I really tried.
Speaker 1: I tried to throw you the rope. Look believe me,
you know I'm gonna all right. I had to take
your place. M's better friend. Oh please just let me live,
Please go back to being dead. And as I watched
the arm encased in ice greve to a.
Speaker 2: Whole man, who, with his icy arm.
Speaker 1: Locked around the bridegroom's shoulders, led him inexorably off the
planks and across the sand and into the sea, where
they both disappeared from view. As Harry Carlson told us,
you don't have to believe it, but I have to
report that the bridegroom's body was washed ashore of the
following day coroner's finding death by drowning. There was, however,
no explanation offered as to why the new bridegroom had
suddenly decided to go swimming by himself with his clothes on.
I'll be back shortly, yeah. Castor and Pollocks, the heavenly twins,
fixed and immutable in the sky made a bargain with Zeus.
When one died before the other, they were to be
together always, only they were to spend six months in
heaven and six months in hell. I like to think
that the Benton twins made the same deal to be together.
But what troubles me is which twin belonged in heaven
and which in hell. Our cast included Elliott Reid, William Redfield, ROBERTA. Maxwell,
and Robert Dryden. The entire production was under the direction
of Hyman Brown and now a preview of our next tale.
It was a long wait.
Speaker 6: The pendulum swings in his gentle arc I can feel
her presence coming closer, closer, feel myself floating back into
that special world.
Speaker 1: Of peace and beauty.
Speaker 6: Her bacistern to me as I call as she turns.
Speaker 1: But it is no longer Wanda's face.
Speaker 2: I see.
Speaker 6: It's the face and the slovenly, mocking little witch I
have taken into my house bad enough she.
Speaker 1: Invades my waking life. I will not let her spoil
a few dreams I have left.
Speaker 6: Old instincts explode, and I reached towards her, ready to
strangle her for daring, the daring to try to take
Walder's place.
Speaker 1: Radio Mystery Theater was sponsored in part by Buick Motor
Division and Uncle Ben's Long Grain and Wild Rice.
Speaker 2: This is E. G.
Speaker 1: Marshall inviting you to return to our Mystery Theater for
another adventure in the macabre. Until next time, pleasant Dreams,